My Sister's Keeper

Are you willing to watch idly while your sister die in front of you? Or can you call it selfishness if you just chose to live rather than give a body part or organ to your sister who needed it to survive?

I believe in doing everything you can to save a loved one, especially when I have been in that kind of situation before. But luckily, I do not have to make a decision as hard as Anna had to do. Well, I am not sure if this is due to the culture where I have been raised but I never thought that a family or rather parents would create a "designer baby" just for the purpose of having an instant donor for their other child. I may not be a mother myself and you might argue that I will never understand how a mother feels when her child is sick, very sick in this case; but I do not think that this one is rightful. Not to mention that this is very unfair for Anna. Well yes, maybe you can argue even that Anna will not even exist if not because of Kate. That Anna may even owe her life to Kate. But I really do not think this is the way to treat a child. Well, I may have a little strong opinion about this one since I do not regard treating a child like a guinea pig proper, whatever is the reason behind it. In fact, as much as Jodi Picoult wanted to show that Anna's mother also love Anna, she just did not convince me. I can feel her father's love for Anna, God he really does love Anna; and also Kate for that matter, but Sara, I really cannot imagine. Sure, she cares for her, although I'm not even sure if it is because she is also Sara's daughter, or just because if anything shall happen to Anna, Kate would also lose her "genetically-perfect match" donor. But love? I cannot say so. Even Jesse outdid Sara in showing his love for Anna, and he has problems of his own.

Generally, I loved My Sister's Keeper, and I even cried a bit and I find it full of emotions. Love, care, frustration, disappointment, anger, and confusion among others. One thing though, I think Jodi included many characters in this book, each has their own hang-ups that some of them did not get solved at all. Well, either those hang-ups did not get solved at all, or were rushed to its thoroughness.

I also think that Julia and Campbell's love story should not be included anymore in this emotion-heavy story. Sure, it is the bit that gave the happy ending but I don't really think it to be necessary.

I love the ending though. Unconventional. It proved again my other belief that no matter what, everything has a reason. And if it is time to go, nothing can really save you. Likewise, if it is not yet your time to go, no amount of bacteria, infection, or any kind of disease could take your life away.

Last Lullaby

I've always loved reading mystery novels and it does not help when the main character is a female and involves a child, all in one interesting, unconventional story. 

  
That is why when I saw the "Last Lullaby" on a multiply store, my hand instantly itched to have a copy of it. Of course the very cute Japanese doll on the front cover was the one that caught my attraction, and the brief synopsis just sealed the deal.

Upon further scrutiny of the cover, I found out that Last Lullaby is in fact a part of a series, the third installment and the latest based on my knowledge, of the Eve Diamond mystery series. As a rule, I prefer to read series in chronological order but since I'm really very excited to start on this one, I just went ahead. And as what Carrie Bradshaw said, "and boy, did she hooked me up".

While reading Last Lullaby, I cannot help but recall the Heather Wells series by Meg Cabot. This is just a wider scale, closer to reality, darker version of Heather Wells series. I just cannot literally put Last Lullaby down even though I am already drunk with sleep. Denise Hamilton, the genius author of Last Lullaby made it as gripping as a good horror movie. Something that has been scaring you out of your skin and yet you just cannot stop watching it. I ache to see Serey and hold her in my arms if only to look at her cuteness and to comfort her at the same time. As what I have said, this is part of a series and it just cannot be avoided that there are some references to the past series but it only fans the fire of curiosity and desire to also read the first two installments. Some very few insignificant details aside, this book can stand on its own. Eve Diamond is a very strong character. She fought her way through every obstacle, every bullet, every hill, just for a child of whom she does not have any relation to. But come to think of it, each and every one of us is related to each other and therefore is responsible for each other. I would still have preferred for Serey to have Eve and vice versa, if only because of all the sacrifices of Eve, even losing her own baby, just to save Serey.

she's so cute, don't you think so?

Anyway, I love Last Lullaby, and would trade a leg and an arm each for the first two installments. Problem is I do not know where to get a copy of those. Any idea?

A breather

I have been very busy lately and though I have finished three books already after the last entry, I have not got the time to blog about those yet. So as a breather let me just share this bit of news to you...

Powerbooks is on sale!!! 

and also

National Bookstore 

coincidence? Nah, I don't think so. They're sister companies anyway. Happy book hunting!!!