Most memorable signing ever: Lauren Oliver in Manila!

If you haven't read it yet, I blogged about my AMAZING lunch date with Lauren Oliver here. You might want to read that first before you start reading this one.

After the lunch date, Precious and I still had a few of our books left unsigned. So after leaving the restaurant with our tummies full of food and our hearts and minds filled with memories of that glorious two hours of our book blogging lives we proceeded to Powerbooks where the official book signing will take place.

Woah, tons of people!

Even if this was my first signing, I wasn't really surprised by the amount of people already waiting for it to start. It's Lauren Oliver, come on! Since we arrived around 2:30, our numbers were at the 80+, I know we'd have to wait quite a while to get our books signed. But you know what? The wait was all worth it.

Introductions are in order!

Yep, Lauren was already there.

And then the interview started, which was one of my most favorite parts of the book signing. Hearing Lauren talk about how she was able to come up with the idea for Delirium and Pandemonium and where she got her inspirations in writing was really interesting. It gives us readers the big picture on how authors go through their writing process, plus it was nice to know more about the books we read.

Lauren talking about her books.

My most favorite shot of hers. Had to include it in the post!

The Q&A portion was also an interesting part of the signing. As an aspiring writer, I learned a lot from what she said. Three of my most favorite lines from the short but definitely informative Q&A part of the signing:

"Write as much as you can until it becomes a habit."
"You can't be a good writer if you're not a good reader."
"If you cannot be inspired by the world you live in, then you are not paying attention."

Hearing words like this from such a great author makes me more determined to give more attention to my writing. I loved hearing Lauren share her insights about the world we live in and what's happening in the world right now, and how certain things in her novels are actually happening today. Also, knowing her tastes in books! And the best part? Sharing new information about her upcoming books! This is what I heard from the signing:

- Requiem, the third book in the series, comes out March 2013.
- Requiem will be told in two points of view. One is Lena, and the other is still a mystery to all of us. (She won't tell!)
- Lauren is writing a new book. Its YA realistic fiction. When asked to described what it's about, it's like "Before I Fall on the wrong side of the tracks.". I think the book is called 'Panic'.
- Film rights for Delirium has been sold, and Justin Bieber will NEVER play Alex. Whew~

And then the signing starts.

Numbers 1 - 30 being called out!

Lauren even had a few interviews in the middle of the signing! The local media is also covering the event, so I'm expecting to see features and footages from the signing on our TV screens soon!

Precious and I got number 81 and 82 so we were on the third batch. So while waiting in line, we meet a few more Filipino book bloggers and spend some of the time chatting with Dea from Teen Readers' Diary. So by the time we saw Lauren again, her hand was about to fall off from signing tons of books from the fans!

Precious getting her books signed.

Can't remove that goofy smile off my face!

I tried asking Lauren to try Balut again, to which she said "no, you can't fool me!". I love how she was still able to exchange jokes with the fans and be as outgoing as ever even if she's been signing nonstop for two hours. And there were still around 50 people waiting in line after us!

All of these babies are now signed!

I even had Tina's (One More Page) copy signed!

What a day! Precious and I got home a little earlier than expected, but I wouldn't trade those five glorious hours of my life for anything! It was definitely a day to remember! Lauren is such a nice, funny, outgoing author and I can't wait to meet her again soon! Again, thanks to National Book Store for holding such a nice event and can you please bring Cassie Clare here next? Please?

Amor Deliria Nervosa: My Lunch Date with Lauren Oliver!

I live in a place where author signings are few, there's no point in denying that. So imagine how excited I was when I found out that a (my favorite) bookstore was bringing not just any other YA author who's books are in my favorite shelves, but someone I really wanted to meet, Lauren Oliver.

Suddenly, I got the opportunity that only comes once in a lifetime. I must've earned some really good karma during the past month that I won the privilege to chat, eat and even breathe the same air as her! I loved Delirium, and as if that wasn't enough of a sign, I just finished reading Pandemonium days before I received my lunch invite, and raved about it! It was meant to be, I tell you!

I was more than ready to have my books signed. Look!

All 10 winners can bring a companion with them, and I brought with me a good friend and a fellow book blogger, Precious of Fragments of Life. Being both the geographically challenged girls that we are, Precious and I met around 11 am, an hour before the lunch party so we have enough time to find the place in case we got lost. Good thing we didn't. Then there it was... Recipes by Cafe Metro.

They serve amazing Filipino cuisines, you know!

I met a few people I recognized, some from blogging, some from Twitter / Facebook and that made the experience all the more exciting! We got inside and waited for a few minutes before Lauren arrived. It was safe to say I was starstruck (and speechless) when I saw Lauren come in to the restaurant, with a huge smile on her face and she was as happy to see us as we are to see her. I mean come on, Lauren Oliver? My fangirl hormones were on overdrive mode and I knew I had to sit near her. And I did manage to sit close to her. Well, in front of her so I got to see everything as it happens. And I can't even remember how I managed to put words together and form coherent sentences and introduce myself to her. (In case you don't know, we've had Lauren join some of the blog events Precious and I hosted before)

Then we get to chat with Lauren!

After fighting the initial bout of nerves, most of us calmed down enough that conversation started. We talked about John Green and The Fault In Our Stars, which books of him we've read. And we wouldn't pass up the chance to talk about The Hunger Games, of course! And then we started talking about other author signings here and how Lauren Kate tried eating Balut. Lauren, if you're reading this, my dare is still on! Eat Balut!

After lunch, the signing began. Those of us invited to the private lunch had 1 of our books signed by Lauren. (I had 4 books w/ me, so I had to chose which one she should sign.) And since she was moving seats every few minutes so she can talk to all of us, she sat again in front of me. Of course I took that time to snap some pictures.

Lauren signing some books!

Precious and I didn't miss a single second and asked to have some photos taken with Lauren.

Ignore that really creepy goofy smile on my face.

Then two fans gave Lauren a gift! A lovely scarf, some dried mangoes and letters. I was grinning all the time she was reading. I love how she appreciated the gesture. The girls got hugs! I want a hug from her too! Then another fan gave her a clock necklace, which she wore through the whole signing!

Lauren reading the letters from these two lucky ladies!

Lauren wearing the lovely necklace. No that's not a ghost.

When lunch was finally over, it was time to take a group photo, a commemorative shot of the most memorable two hours of my life. And there were tons of cameras snapping photos Lauren was like "okay, some of the last shots!". And before we all left, we had ONE BIG GROUP HUG!

One of the best moments of my life, captured in one awesome photo!

Days like this doesn't happen often, and I feel like loving books goes on to a whole new level once you've met the author of the book you really, really loved. Thanks National Book Store for making this possible, and thank you Lauren Oliver for spending a very memorable lunch date with us! Sa uulitin! ('Til next time!) I'll bring tons of dried mangoes and balut for you! :)

I'll be blogging about the actual book signing next, so watch out for it!

Review: Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

I am pretty sure this review will not do the book any justice but I will try. Because really, Lauren Oliver is just one of the most brilliant writers I have ever read of.

If Delirium made you catch amor deliria nervosa, the prepare yourself to be completely infected in Pandemonium.

Title: Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver
Pages: 375
Release Date: February 28th 2012
Published by: Hodder & Stoughton
Source: Publisher
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

I’m pushing aside
the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana
and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Most of what's in Pandemonium has surprised me in a lot of ways. Delirium was intense but Pandemonium just blew me away.

What I'm really glad for in this book is how Lena has finally broke free. Free of the society that has caged her in ways she only realizes now. Lena was broken and tormented, faced death repeatedly and the pain, the hurt, the anger, the cold bitter truths she found has given birth to a new Lena. Strong, determined to fight for what she wants, for what she loves, for what she believes in. Delirium had me convinced that Lena was just another girl who wanted to experienced the forbidden, but Pandemonium had just made me admire Lena in ways I can't properly express. Some might not agree with the choices she had made but the tragedy and the suffering she had experienced in the Wilds, being treated as an Invalid, those are the things that forged the Lena that survived. It kept her alive. It made her desperate, it made her afraid, but most of all it made her strong. And who can blame her for that?

Julian was one of the biggest surprise that made me take a step back while reading the book. I was as weary and suspicious as Lena with his character at first, but the hardships they experienced has transformed this wounded, dying boy into a character to watch out for. Julian has been exposed to a lot more things that just makes him think of deliria and what it can do to people who is infected with it but I think deep down, like everyone else, he wants to know what it feels like. From being the rich, poster boy for a movement that seems to make everything much worse, Julian is slowly forming his own distinct personality and I am looking forward to seeing how his character evolves.

What made me sad though, as always, is the love triangle. Can anyone honestly convince me that no one gets hurt in the last book? I guess in love there will always be someone who has to lose for someone to win. One who has to let go for one to take what is his. I'm pretty sure this book will crush my heart into little pieces when that time comes. Lena's constant comparison of Alex to Julian and vice versa makes me feel a little bit of a heartache. I do believe that in a world where love is treated as a deadly disease that should be eradicated, you shouldn't let go of it when Love presents itself. Maybe that's what Lena was trying to get across when she gave herself a chance. No one said it was easy for her when she crossed over. She loved and lost, and like everyone else, she deserves another chance at it.

Once again, Lauren Oliver takes us into a provocative reading journey with this awe inspiring sequel. It makes one think of just how much love repairs and heals and how much it destroys. Do we really need to get rid of love? Can we really live without it? The secrets Delirium presented are starting to unravel one by one, and I can only imagine what Requiem has in store for all the avid readers of this series! Drown in exhilarating emotions, be shocked with countless surprises and twists, meet new people which you will all learn to love and hate, discover more of what happens in a world without love, and just be in awe of how much powerful a story teller Lauren Oliver is with this book. 

Lauren Oliver infected the readers with Amor Deliria Nervosa in Delirium, and upon reading Pandemonium, no one will wish to be cured. I fell in love with this book hard, and I don't think I want to recover. Lauren Oliver's stunningly beautiful prose about a world voided of love and the consequences of lacking such an emotion continues to enthrall the readers!

My rating:

Content (plot, story flow, character):

This sequel delivers, and if you love Delirium, Pandemonium will just make you love the series even more!

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

Wonderful!

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.