a+/a (5.0 stars). Archives — Moon and Coffee

March 20, 2021

The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng by K.S. Villoso

Thrilling. Bewitching. Marvelous. Astounding. Those are just a few words that I can use to describe K.S. Villoso’s The Dragon of Jin-Sayeng, which concludes the epic trilogy known as Chronicles of the Bitch Queen. I cannot believe that this book blessed my eyes. Just when I thought that K.S. Villoso’s writing couldn’t get better; she proves me wrong by knocking my socks off with this phenomenal book.

Thank you so much to Angela Man and Orbit for sending me a free copy. My views are my own.

Oh dear, where do I even begin?

February 19, 2021

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

Where do I even begin with describing this book? No joke? I want to reread this NOW. I’m only stopping myself because I have the NCLEX coming up. But Lord, I am speechless. Is it wrong that I want to make out with this book?

February 17, 2021

Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan

Even though it’s been a few days since I finished this book, Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan has stuck with me. I was transported back home to Manila thanks to Batacan’s prose. I could vividly imagine every single scene. If I shut my eyes for a moment, I could hear the characters’ voices even now because they felt so alive. Batacan not only analyzed the criminal justice system in the Philippines, but she also shined a light into the Catholic Church’s corruption and misdeeds.

Where do I even begin with this love letter to this book?

February 1, 2021

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

A flash from the past! I read this book back in August 2020 for Wikathon and never uploaded the flash review to the blog. Whoops? But this is a great opportunity to share my love for Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay once again.

Look, have you ever read a book so good that it left you numb afterward because your brain legitimately cannot process how amazing the book was? That’s me right with this book.

September 15, 2020

ARC Review: The Ikessar Falcon by K.S. Villoso (Caffeine Book Tour)

A+ | Thrilling, intricate, phenomenal. I genuinely don’t think I will ever be able to describe how much I adore The Ikessar Falcon by K.S. Villoso. Every single detail is ornate and elaborate. This book is a grand cathedral wherein every single element — from the stone to the artwork to the chandeliers to the pews — were carefully selected and lovingly crafted to bring this world and these characters to life. Like its predecessor, this adult fantasy succeeds in being so full of life and being so unapologetically Filipino by reflecting those good and bad aspects of Filipino society.

Warning: I am assuming that you have read The Wolf of Oren-Yaro before reading this review. Please click below at your own discretion.

Trigger warnings for this book include the following: sex, violence, threats of sexual violence made against children.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher and Caffeine Book Tours as part of my participation in their #DethroneTheDragonlord tour. Thank you Shealea from Caffeine Book Tours and to Orbit Books for providing me with this copy in exchange for this honest review.

August 6, 2020

Book Review: Where Dreams Descend (Kingdom of Cards #1) by Janella Angeles

A+ | Lush, breathtaking, show-stopping, splendorous, marvelous, decadent, exquisite. These are just a few words that I can use to describe Janella Angeles’s debut novel. Many of the reviewers I trust have described this book as something akin to a dessert. You know what? I agree. It’s a salted caramel cheesecake. It’s that Bake Cheese Tart from Japan that I adore so much. I have not fallen in love like this with a book in a long, long time. There are some things that I hope Janella improves upon in the second novel. However, these issues did not take away from the fact that I absolutely enjoyed everything that this book offers.

Read this for Wikathon w/ Rose, aka @thatbookishteacher, and you should absolutely check out her blog.

There might be minor spoilers below.

July 1, 2020

(Caffeine Book Tour) Book Review: Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim feat. International Book Giveaway

A+ | There aren’t enough words in any language that I can speak — English, Tagalog, and German — that can describe how much I adored this book. It is simply spectacular, beautiful, lush, and stupendous. It is a million times these words. Elizabeth Lim’s writing shines and there is no rest in this novel. Maia is absolutely my favorite protagonist, hands down. And I didn’t think I would love Lady Sarnai more than I did in the last novel. It is everything I want in a book, but especially everything I want to see in a sequel/conclusion to a series.

This is a spoiler-free review as part of the Caffeine Book Tours #UnravelTheDuskTour. Make sure to check out the details for the international giveaway below!

May 26, 2020

Flash Review: Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham

A | If you’re interested in reading about Chernobyl and want a good place to start, consider this book. Midnight in Chernobyl is detailed, extensive, and the research is obvious in every page. Most importantly, it’s also accessible and the writing is very easy to read and follow, making it a great place to start.

Definitely one of my top nonfiction reads and highly recommend.

March 21, 2020

Book Review: Ember Queen (Ash Princess Trilogy #3) by Laura Sebastian

A | A marvelous end to this outstanding trilogy that stayed consistently strong throughout the whole trilogy, Ember Queen is a great example of how to write the last book in a series. The book’s strength lies in Sebastian’s writing and her ability to make me care about all the characters — even those that I found annoying and even those who I should feel no sympathy for — as well as the relationships between them.

There will be spoilers below.

January 9, 2020

Flash Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Stunning, magnificent, stupendous. There are only a few books out there that I can honestly say that I:

1) Adored to the moon & back & back again

2) Immediately want to reread

3) Can say made me weep

4) Find absolutely beautifully raw and stunning.

This is the best book I have ever read. Yes, I’m saying this straight from my very soul — THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO is the best book I have ever read, hands down.

I’m not even sure if I’m going to write a full review of this book because I am so utterly in love with this book that all I’m going to end up doing is screaming about my love for it.

I want everyone out there to read this book ASAP. Don’t walk to the bookstore. RUN to one or to a library to get this book. Absolute must-read.