Okay, I have been dead in a really long while. This month has been hectic so far and I made through most of it without battle scars. I apologize for the lack of posts. OTL

I know I said I'd only buy three but... it multiplied after the string of events and I ended up with 20. Yep, those are 20 books right there, which is more than half the book pile I accumulated and required myself to read prior to buying another book. Let me try to get the stories on how I ended up with such a book pile.

1. Lourd de Vera - Insectissimo, poetry book bought during Aklatan

2. Aneka Rodriguez - Displaced, poetry book bought during Aklatan

* Aklatan was a Philippine Literature event I attended on September 7. I haven't read anything written by a Filipino writer/poet for quite a while (and here I am, an aspiring Filipino writer/poet) so I have decided to buy at least one to three books during the event to support my country's writers. I didn't stay long but I found the two poetry books interesting. (I also bought a children's book for my brother.) 
** Insectissimo caught me at the turntable while Displaced seemed familiar but I have no recollection of reading it.

*** Apparently, my sister has a copy of Displaced which I saw when I was attempting to make spine poetry.

3 - 5. Amulet 1 to 3 - Kazu Kibuishi, graphic novel won during the Harry Potter Anniversary Cover Launch

6 - 12. Harry Potter 1 - 7 - JK Rowling, new version won during the Harry Potter Anniversary Cover Launch

* I was there when the doors opened for MIBF on September 15 because of the book signing for Melissa de la Cruz, Alyson noel, and Margaret Stohl. The event started at around 10:30am so I decided to stick around.

** They were having games and giveaways via raffle/drawing lots. I was called to join their first game - a puzzle game. I finished my puzzle first (even with a missing piece). They gave me these books. I screamed for joy. God, thank You.
*** My brother said the Amulet series is nice. Haven't had the chance to read it yet.

13. Radiance - Alyson Noel, novel bought for the book signing during the MIBF

14. Beautiful Creatures - Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia, novel bought for the book signing during the MIBF

* I bought these to have it signed.

** I bought three of my current books of Melissa de la Cruz and promised a friend to have her Alyson Noel book signed so I only bought two. 

*** I had a blast meeting the three writers. I was so giddy afterwards that...

15. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - David Levithan and Rachel Cohn, novel bought on impulse as it was on sale (20% off)

16. Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List - David Levithan and Rachel Cohn, novel bought on impulse as it was on sale (20% off)

17. So B. It - Sarah Weeks, novel bought on impulse as it was on sale (20% off)

* ... I ended up buying more books. 

** These are from Fully Booked. They had a 20% off sale and a free bag to come along with it. These were only for P800. A bargain! 

*** Yes, still no John Green for me. :(

18. The Beach House - Jane Green, novel bought on impulse in Gaisano Butuan (curious about the story)

19. Reading Lolita in Tehran - Azar Nafisi, novel bought on impulse in Gaisano Butuan (wanted to read this at one point)

20. Here at the End of the World We Learn to Dance - Lloyd Jones, novel bought on impulse in Gaisano Butuan (title is interesting and it's about dancing)

* I was roaming around while doing field work. I found that Gaisano doesn't have a National Bookstore but had a local magazine shop. The mall itself had a small selection of books and I thought these were awesome finds. (I also saw a John Grisham book but it is kinda pricey.)

** I ended up buying these after returning to buy a bag for my sister. They are honestly cheaper than back here in Manila. 

So far, I've started on the Lloyd Jones novel today and Insectissimo the other day. The latter gave me a headache while the former is tickling my curiosity. I better not hoard books on October. I MUST NOT HOARD.

October is my shelf cleaning month too. I might post photos of my books here.

Mark your calendars! It's on September 11 to 15 and will be held at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. I might attend on the 15th so that I can go to the book signing and the anime convention (Best of Anime) while waiting. Yay, right?

This is cool, yo! BookLikes has a 2013 reading challenge counter now!

I posted 60 books because i aim to read five books per month due to my book buying ban. I had roughly forty books lying on my shelf in the past three years and now, I'm down to my last three. Say it with me. THREEEEE. 

If I keep up my current rate, the ban is going to be over this month and I'll be able to read more new books by next month, starting with the Keira Cass book signing event next month. 

SEGUE: Apparently, there's an earlier book signing event hosted by National Bookstore in their Glorietta branch at the end of the month. It's Marivi Soliven's The Mango Bride book signing event. I heard this book is rather interesting, very Filipino. 

I'll need to post the first 30-something books I read this year so that the counter's accurate. Hurrderp.

Anyway, I am very excited to buy books of my own right now. One of the major bookstores in the Philippines, Fully Booked, has a sale in their Fort branch moment. I am a self-acclaimed book hunter. (I like book sales and hunt down bargain books that seem interesting even with unknown writers. I also hunt down books belonging to all of the various series I read. I find interesting books that way.) I like digging through piles and hoarding books. 

The sad thing here is that the books I wanted to read were there and I. can't. buy. them. now. There was also the bargain books and I barely went through the other sets and only stayed in the pile where the design books are. I also spent a good amount of my thirty minute stay in front of the customer service counter. (As much as I wanted to look for the books myself, I had a time limit there.)

I am currently getting books for my sister's eighteenth birthday. Since she's not having a party, I thought of just fulfilling the 18 things she wants and around four points are books. I got her Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak volumes 8 to 12 (one point) and beauty books -- for fashion and facial structure (second point). I still have to get her Kokology 2 and the Hunger Games boxed set. (I also asked help from relatives to get these for her.)

I had fun looking at the design books. The two beauty books were great finds as both were marked down by 80%. I wish I had more time to look for more. I'm sure there are more buried underneath. 

I'll look forward to future sale events and book hunts. :D

Let's keep on reading, 
Anj

Kiera Cass, author of the best-selling novel The Selection and The Elite, is going to the Philippines for two book-signing events, courtesy of National Book Store. It's going to be held in two locations -- Manila and Cebu on August 3 and August 4 respectively.

For the Manila stop, it is going to be at the National Bookstore branch in Glorietta 1, Makati. The event starts at 4pm but registration starts at 10am. While, for the Cebu stop, it's going to be held at the Ayala Center Cebu Activity Center by 3pm. Registration starts by 12noon.

You may RSVP in the Facebook event page.

Who else is going? :D