Book Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Series: Caster Chronicles #1
Publisher: Little, Brown, And Company
Publication Date: December 1, 2009
Description (from goodreads):
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.
Review:
** spoiler alert ** One of the things I love reading Beautiful Creatures is it doesn’t really focus on Ethan and Lena’s forbidden love but it focuses on Lena’s Claiming, her claiming is connected with the famous Gatlin/Caster history and also has to do with Ethan’s family tree. Stories like these that doesn’t mainly focus on the romance make us readers focus on what’s really happening on Lena’s Claiming whether she’s Dark or Light, and the history on why her claiming is a big deal for her and her family.
Ethan Wate didn’t really catch my eye. I didn’t really fell in love with him in a way I usually love most of my favorite fictional characters but I’d picture him more as my boy bestfriend. He’ll be a great one if he was real. Things that I like about Ethan is that he reads books and truly cares for everyone especially Lena.
All of the amazing plot twist that Kami & Margaret did in this book seriously made it more interesting and delicious. It made each character in the book important in the story, making us readers really challenge ourselves about the forbidden love between Ethan and Lena that Caster and Human cannot be together which made us keep guessing in our thoughts if they’ll find a way that Caster and Human can really be together. Also all of the details and history about being Caster also made me really admire the Caster World. So I’m giving this book 4 stars!
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 stars
Book Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (Spoiler Free)
Series: The Infernal Devices #3
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: March 19, 2013
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 568
Source: Bought
Description (from goodreads):
Tessa Gray should be happy - aren’t all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa’s heart, will do anything to save her.
Review:
Clockwork Princess, I waited for this book for almost 460 days and those days were full of pain and longing, but it was worth it because in return I got to experience love like no other and in the end I was happy. Truly happy.
Parting with a series is never easy. In the past year and three months I’ve been with this series’ journey it had given me the greatest of pleasures. I laughed, I cried, and I bonded with friends with this series but the greatest pleasure was that I experienced loved in many ways. It made me understand a whole new kind of love. I loved this series and everything about it even though it had ruin my life all at the same time. I think there is no word nor phrase in the known universe that can ever perfectly express my love for Clockwork Princess and The Infernal Devices and how it’s truly a breathtaking series that will forever stay in your heart.
I’m not really going to talk about anything that had happened because I don’t want to spoil anyone. I feel like because this is the conclusion of the series that I don’t really need to say anything about the characters, plot, setting since all of you already know about that and again I don’t want to spoil anyone. What I can say is that it still stay true to the series and that it is just in fact the conclusion to the story. Everything was answered and the era of The Infernal Devices has ended.
In all honesty, the ending was everything I wanted it to be. I’m not saying I knew that it was going to end that way which I really didn’t because I was completely surprised with how it ended. The way Clockwork Princess ended was just perfect. I don’t think there was really anything wrong with how it ended because it was perfectly justified, and for me that’s the most important thing is that every thing that has happened from the previous two books to the end was connected. Every decision the characters made all lead to the ending of Clockwork Princess. I can honestly say that if it had ended differently or if it ended with how most people wanted it to end then I would have hated it. I absolutely have no words to describe it without being too spoiler-y. I can only say that it was very emotional and totally unexpected.
Cassandra Clare gave me everything I expected and more with Clockwork Princess. I’m pretty sure that has been said plenty of times but I still felt that need to say it because it’s true. I am forever thankful to Cassie for writing this series and ending it with how she wanted to end the story. She was so cruel but in the end I think if she wasn’t that cruel, I would’ve never appreciated the ending. I also would love to praise her for continually paying tribute to classic literature and reading through out the series. She has officially solidified her place as one of my favorite authors. I love Cassandra Clare!!!
Clockwork Princess was everything and more. A stunningly beautiful yet at the same time heartbreaking conclusion to one of the best stories ever told. The Infernal Devices is indeed a true gem in the literary world and a classic in it’s own way.
Ave Atque Vale
Rating: ★★★★★ out of 5 stars (five stars would never be enough though)
Book Review: Hooked by Liz Fichera
Series: Hooked #1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: January 29, 2013
Format: ARC
Number of Pages: 368
Source: Borrowed (Thank you so much to Kazhy from My Library in the Making for letting me borrow her copy)
Description (from goodreads):
When Native American Fredricka ‘Fred’ Oday is invited to become the only girl on the school’s golf team, she can’t say no. This is an opportunity to shine, win a scholarship and go to university, something no one in her family has done.
But Fred’s presence on the team isn’t exactly welcome — especially not to rich golden boy Ryan Berenger, whose best friend was kicked off the team to make a spot for Fred.
But there’s no denying that things are happening between the girl with the killer swing and the boy with the killer smile…
GET HOOKED ON A GIRL NAMED FRED.
Review:
I found out about Hooked through tumblr. I think Kazhy reblogged a photo of the aussie cover of Hooked that was posted by Liz Fichera on her tumblrpage. The pretty cover instantly drew me in and I think I’ve heard of the book before seeing the cover. So my curious self naturally opened a new tab and then goodreads search the book. When I first read the synopsis it didn’t appeal to me that much but after seeing some of my fellow book bloggers talking about how the book was actually a good read I decided to give it a try :) Also, Liz and I follow each other on twitter so that also made me want to read her book because she’s very nice and charming! Like I said before, the synopsis didn’t appeal to me that much since I prefer very complicated realistic YA more, so it surprised me that I actually loved and enjoyed reading Hooked.
Hooked tackles a very controversial issue and that is racism. I haven’t really read a book before that tackled that issue but I think Liz delivered it fairly and unbiased. It was not one-sided because both sides showed racism towards the other so I also thought that it was an honest and realistic take on the issue because no race is perfect and we all have our flaws. The story of Hooked also tackles the issues between the rich and the poor which, unfortunately, is still existent these days and again, this makes the book realistic.
Hooked is told by both Fred’s and Ryan’s POV. When it comes to a love story I usually prefer it written this way because you could understand how they see each other, and the honesty of their feelings and insecurities. Liz did a great job at writing both POVs. The romance in this book is sweet but it is totally not the kind that makes you roll your eyes.
The characters of Hooked are very likable even the bad ones. Fred, oh my god I love her! I love her passion for golf, her love for her family, and her awkwardness. I couldn’t help giggling every time she felt like she just said/did the stupidest thing in the world. It made it easy to relate to her as a character. Probably my favorite thing about Fred is that she’s the kind of person who wonders why people are the way they are. There was this one instance where she wondered why and how the mean girl became mean when she remembered her being nice before. Ryan is what I imagine guys like him to be like so I guess that gives you an idea on what he’s like haha but in the end I can honestly say that he is a very admirable character.
Hooked is the first of a series of books. Played, the second book, is a different story but will be told in the POVs of two other characters from Hooked. I’m glad Liz Fichera is also going to explore the lives of the other characters because I think her characters are very interesting. I also hear that she might also explore one of my fave characters from Hooked, Seth. Seth is Ryan’s best friend who is also a total jerk but there’s obviously something that made him that way and that’s something I want to read about. I already told Liz that she TOTALLY should write a book about him and I now have my fingers crossed it happens!
Hooked is a simple and realistic YA romance that I highly recommend to someone who is looking for a light and heartwarming read.
I would also like to thank Liz Fichera for including Golf in her book. I finally understand how it works!!! LOL
Hooked is Liz Fichera’s debut novel.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 stars
Series: Hush Hush Saga #4
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 23, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 454
Will love conquer all?
Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank’s absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.
Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.
But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.
As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.
(Description from goodreads) Since I can’t promise a spoiler-free review, the choice is in your hands. Read on for the review.
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Book Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #2
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Format: Paperback, International Edition
Number of Pages: 461
Source: Bought
Description (from goodreads):
Juliette’s world is beginning to unravel.
Everything is falling apart changing.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point-the headquarters of the rebel resistance. There she discovers other people with abilities. Abilities they have learned to control. And for the first time in her life, Juliette has hope. Hope that she can have a life with Adam. Hope that her touch can be used to save instead of destroy.
But Juliette is only just beginning to understand the depth of her power, and she’s struggling to fight the desire to use it. She’s still haunted by her past, terrified by her future, and too tempted by Warner, who still wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart-and Adam’s life.
Review:
Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series just keeps getting better and better!!! Unravel Me is certainly one of the best second book to a series I have ever read. It fluidly transitioned from the first book to the second book with big twists and HUGE revelations that leaves you on the edge.
I love/hate Juliette in Unravel Me. If you’ve read it, I think you’ll get me on the hate part like the “WHAT THE EFF DID THE BITCH SAY” part. I can’t really say there was a huge change in her character because she’s still that girl who drowns herself in self-pity and hates what she has when she has so much potential. Juliette still needs a little kicking every now and then. She did have progress with her character throughout the book. At the end, it was obvious that she’s ready to kick some butt and that she finally accepts who and what she is.
With the kicking Juliette part, Kenji is the best of them all at doing it. He knows how to kick her at the right time and at the right places. I don’t think Juliette would be Juliette at the end of Unravel Me if it wasn’t for Kenji. He definitely taught her a lot about her power and her potential. I definitely love him more now. I just love their friendship too. Kenji also levels out the mood in Unravel Me because most of time it’s just sadness and madness but with Kenji’s jokes and funny banter with Juliette and Adam it makes the reading experience more enjoyable. Him teasing Juliette and Adam with their dramatic romance is definitely one of my favorite parts of Unravel Me.
You’d expect Adam to be the one to help Juliette with her powers but wow he was worthless in my opinion when it came to helping Juliette figure out her power. I felt like most of the time his actions were a little selfish and verging on pathetic. There were moments where I just want to grab him by the shoulders, shake him and scream “GET A GRIP AND ACT LIKE A GUY” at him. I do feel bad for most of the things that happened to him in Unravel Me because he got a lot of punches in this one.
Adam, Adam, Adam, I love you but it’s not you, it’s me… more particularly it’s Warner. I always loved Warner more when it came to which character I think is better. I never paid much attention to the love triangle (if there was even any) in Shatter Me or in Unravel Me. I just never like acknowledging the fact that there is one and that I should choose a team because isn’t it already so obvious who Juliette is going to end up with? (well, unless i’m wrong and Tahereh decides do a huge plot twist that will justify why Juliette is going to end up with guy I don’t think she’s going to end up with then okay) To be honest I’m going to be okay with whoever she ends up with as long as it is justified perfectly. Yes, I’m not on any team but yes I love Warner more than I love Adam. I know I’m confusing.
One thing I’m still very sure about is that I am still completely in love with how Tahereh Mafi writes. Her creativity with words is never lost. How she creates such intense and sexy scenes that makes me want die without it being gross is so incredible. She perfectly knows which plot twist to pull at the right time and then you’re just frozen with the expression “OMG WHAT THE HELL DID JUST HAPPEN”. I mean seriously I had to reread certain parts to actually process what actually just happened because it just comes out so suddenly.
The only thing I can say about Chapter 62 is I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS.
Unravel Me obviously did not disappoint and it definitely gave Tahereh Mafi a place on my all time favorite authors list. If you haven’t started this series yet START IT RIGHT NOW!!! I’ve never been this obsessed with a dystopia/paranormal series since forever. Shatter Me has such great characters that will make you ache because they’re fictional. This series is honestly so so great!!! You’re definitely missing out if you don’t give it a chance.
I NEED THE THIRD BOOK NOW!!! HURRY UP TAHEREH MAFI!!!
Rating: ★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #1
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: November 15, 2011
Format: Paperback, International Edition
Number of Pages: 338
Source: Bought
Description (from goodreads):
I have a curse.
I have a gift.
I’m a monster.
I’m more than human.
My touch is lethal.
My touch is power.
I am their weapon.
I will fight back.
No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.But Juliette has plans of her own. After a lifetime without freedom, she’s finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she’d lost forever.
Review:
“All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.”
I love Shatter Me, I really do. It’s not the your typical dystopia book. I would describe Shatter Me’s genre to be supernatural/paranormal dystopia. So I guess that also clears that this is not something like The Hunger Games or Divergent. I’ve been meaning to read this book for over a year now but never had the chance to pick it up sooner because another book will always grab my attention. Then, this past month the author, Tahereh Mafi, announced on twitter that she’ll be doing a book signing event here in country so I thought this would now be a great opportunity to finally read it. And boy did I regret not picking it up sooner!
Probably the thing that made me enjoy and love Shatter Me was how it was written. The writing style that Tahereh Mafi used in Shatter Me is very unique and that set it apart from other books out there. The way she wrote definitely set the mood of the book and it is what captured me into the world she created. For me, it’s really important for an author to have a distinct writing style because it makes their book more special and different so props to Tahereh Mafi. I’m not sure if you can call using run-on sentences as a style but with the way Tahereh used it was very fitting with Juliette’s character because it showed how she is precarious about everything. I actually didn’t know it was intentional until Kazhy pointed it out on her review or was it on twitter, I can’t remember. I thought it was just a mistake made during the first printing but when I found it was intentional I thought it was genius. I also loved the strike-throughs! Some people might not appreciate it and might find it obnoxious, but just like with the run-on sentences I think it showed the fragility of Juliette’s character. The strike-throughs made the state of Juliette’s character more believable. It was also confusing at the same time but in a good way confusing.
The characters were also very well written. Juliette’s character is very fragile and intense. She does drown herself into self-pity too much but it’s understandable since all her life she was told that she was a monster. She has been told that so many times that even she believes that she is a monster but I think there is this part of her that still fights through that but in a way it has damaged her more. I think that is what made her character precarious over everything. I do think that she also shows braveness through out the book. Adam, on the other hand, is a good character. I don’t really have a lot of things to say about him because I don’t get him that much. He’s hot and sexy though. I found his care or love for Juliette very genuine at first but as the story goes I did find myself doubting his actions and words. There’s just something about his character that I couldn’t quite understand because his character changed a bit on the latter part of the book.
Now, you will probably judge me for this but… I love Warner and I’m proud. How can you not? Literally one of the best written characters in the history of best written characters. There’s something about him that’s very real and I love that about him. Yeah he is pure evil in someway but you know what? I feel like underneath all that evilness is a human being. I just feel something about his character. There’s this certain honesty and rawness with the way Tahereh wrote his character that I can’t help but wonder if there is something more to him. Warner is mad but I can’t help but notice those moments throughout the book where his walls were down for the slightest of seconds where you can see a glimpse of the real Warner. That moment when Juliette mentioned his mom was one of those moments, and it made me realize that maybe there are reasons why he is the way he is so I shouldn’t judge him right away. Probably the moment I knew that I 100% LOVE his character was when he begged for Juliette. It was like the biggest WHY? of the book. Warning! The following sentences will involve a lot of sharing of FEELINGS and FANGIRLING. That scene was like HAVE MERCY ON MY SOUL I CAN’T FALL IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER CHARACTER LIKE THIS LIKE NOPE. WHAT. WARNER. WHAT. DONT CRY. ARE THOSE TEARS ON MY EYES. WHY IS HE BEING LIKE THIS LIKE NOPE. I CANNOT COPE. THE FEELS IM GETTING ALSHDLFGSLFJFJLKL. WHAT IS GOING ON. WHAT. WARNER. WHAT. OMG. WHYYYY TAHEREH WHYYYY. HE DIDNT NEED TO KNOW. UGLY SOBBING. CHOKESOB. TEARS OF GLASS.WHAT JUST HAPPENED. OMG… (skipping this part cause too spoilery hehe). THE END. By the way, that said part was so unexpected I didn’t realize it until I read about what really happened on the book.
My only criticism is how Omega Point was written. It was a bit similar to a very famous comic book series. It sort of took a bit of the originality of Shatter Me away. I’m not really a big fan of the said comic book series but it still bothered me that it was similar to it. It’s also one of the reasons that I had to tone this down to 4 stars instead of a 5 star rating. It did give the book an unexpected twist to it in my opinion.
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is an intensely thrilling, sexy, action-packed book that has characters that will definitely find their way through your heart. A great start to a very promising series.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 stars
Series: Throne of Glass #1
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Publication Date: August 7, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 404
Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.
In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.
Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?
{Description from goodreads) Since I can’t promise a spoiler-free review, the choice is in your hands. Read on for the review.
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Book Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #1
Publisher: Harper Collins USA
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
Format: Paperback, International
Number of Pages: 352
Source: Borrowed
Description (from goodreads):
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself- and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
Review:
So some of you guys have probably seen my update about The Selection being meh at 100 pages in, and sadly it continued to be meh until the end…
I’m going to skip the whole I-was-attracted-to-this-book-because-of-the-cover part of this review because it’s pretty obvious it has a beautiful cover.
I was reluctant to read The Selection because of so many negative reviews about it but I decided to give it a chance to be fair. If you have heard that this is like The Bachelor meets The Hunger Games, it is. Well, it’s mostly like The Bachelor. It’s ridiculously pathetic at times that I wanted to stop reading, but just like The Bachelor there’s something so entertaining about it that you just can’t stop. There was nothing really special about The Selection. I basically breezed through the pages not because it was great but because it was a very easy read.
The world building of The Selection was okay. I didn’t think it was very well developed especially with the Caste. The Caste, from what I understood from reading the book, is how they divide the people with what their ancestors did and their talent. There weren’t enough info explaining how it works. I think you can find more info about the Caste on the author’s website but I don’t think that’s a sign of good world building. I also don’t like how it was labeled with numbers because it was a little THG-ish. I felt like it could have been labeled with something better than just numbers.
The main thing that aggravated me the most while reading The Selection was the romance. I felt like the romance between Aspen and America is being forced upon me. There were scenes that says America feels this huge connection between them but I was never convinced. Like the connection and spark between them just keeps getting mentioned and mentioned throughout the book but not once did it felt genuine to me. It was just an immature relationship. I don’t know if the author meant it to be like that. If the author was trying to make a love triangle that makes me have hard time between choosing which guy America ends up with, she didn’t do a very good job with it.
I like Maxon more but he really annoyed me with the ‘dear’ calling and bad royal formal talk during the first encounters with America. What made me fall in love with Maxon was out of all the characters he was the only one that had great character development. He’s really a prince and he’s very mature and smart about it, but he also knows how to be young and playful when he’s entertaining the girls especially when he is with America. I think Maxon is at his best when he is with America. I guess, that’s the reason why I feel his love for America is more genuine than Aspen’s. So yeah I am Team Maxon. No offense if you’re Team Aspen.
America is probably not going to be on my favorite protagonists list yet. I find her character really shaky like there were sudden shifts in her character. There were times that it seems like her character was growing but then it would go back down immediately because she acted like a whiny brat sometimes. She was going back and forth with being mature and immature. I do love her relationship with her maids and sister. I love how she cared for her maids when they should be the one taking care of her. It showed her character some heart. Her relationship with her sister was also very admirable.
The Selection may not be one of the most well written books I’ve read but I did enjoy reading it even though it annoyed me to the point of wanting to throw the book away. I can’t really do that because I only borrowed a copy from my sister lol. I’ll still continue on reading the series because it does have the potential to be better in my honest opinion. I’m hoping The Elite will better than this one and I’m also hoping to get some answers on what the rebels want. Yes, there are rebels of course! What is a dystopian book without rebels, right? and I’m suspecting one of the girls is one of them.
Like The Bachelor, no matter how much you find The Selection pathetic or annoying you still won’t stop reading because it is pure entertainment.
Rating: ★★.5 out of 5 stars (FYI, most of my star ratings are mostly based on how well I think the book was written and NOT by how much I enjoyed reading it.)
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: April 3, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 549
Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.
Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
(Description from goodreads | photo credit) Since I can’t promise a spoiler-free review, the choice is in your hands. Read on for the review.
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Book Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Series: Just One Day/Just One Year (Expected Release: 2013)
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Publication Date: January 8, 2013
Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 369
Source: Bought
Description (from goodreads):
A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay
When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.
Just One Day is the first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!
Review:
LOVE IT. LOVE IT. I LOVED JUST ONE DAY!!!
The wait for this was pure torture. It got release the Jan 8th but it was only released in our bookstores like two weeks after. Gosh, I was so happy when I finally got my hands on it! I am a HUGE fan of Gayle Forman so reading this was a MUST! I also included this in our Most Anticipated Books Of 2013. I think it’s obvious that I have very high expectations for this book to be better than Gayle’s previous novels, If I Stay and Where She Went, but honestly Just One Day is by far Gayle’s best novel!!!
Just One Day sounds like your typical girl-goes-to-paris-and-meets-the-love-her-life book but it’s totally not like that at all. Don’t you even dare think that it’s something like that because it is NOT. Just One Day is more mature compared to if I stay, but it is in the same level of maturity with Where She She Went.
Just One Day has two parts. The first part was Allyson meeting Willem, her going to Paris, and then losing Willem. This is where most of the tour of Paris happens. It wasn’t your usual Paris tour which I loved. It was all very lovely from the bike ride to the boat ride through the Seine. Everything basically went down (no pun intended) after they lost, yes ‘lost’, themselves in Paris. She then wakes after that day with Willem gone and nowhere to be seen. The other half was all about Allyson trying to find herself and trying to get over what happened with Willem. The problem was she couldn’t get over without knowing what happened to him and it made her depress, but that one day was also the thing that made her pull herself up. It helped her break the barriers she felt like she was always caged in and that’s where her journey begins.
Gayle Forman gave a new meaning to love with Just One Day. I don’t know how she does it. Just One Day is one of those few books that will still makes you believe that love is the most beautiful thing in the world. This book is just made of sweetness that will make you flail around your bed (this really happened to me btw), blush like a school girl crushing on a senior, or even the kind of sweetness that makes you want to cry because you want it to happen to you in real life. What’s really surprising is she never made me want to vomit with the romance ‘cause I’m really picky with sweet moments. She managed to make it feel genuine and honest. And the sexy times in this book. OMG SEXY AS F@%K. I think Gayle Forman is one of those few or only author that can write a scene about a stranger licking chocolate off of you without it being creepy and disgusting. I was literally holding my breath in that entire scene, and I think I even gave this loud intake of breath when I realized what was going on. It was just so sexy but not dirty sexy!
I loved everything about Just One Day. It’s already one of my favorite books. I’m already in love with Allyson and Willem. Also love Dee, I wish I had a sassy gay friend like him, and Ren, she’s too adorable. I hope to see more of these two on the next book. I also love that I got to learn a little French while reading. And I almost forgot about the food!!! I was literally salivating on the foods that were mentioned throughout the book.
I can’t wait for Just One Year to be released! Crossing my fingers and hoping I don’t have to wait too long!
Just One Day was a wonderful and awfully sweet read that I would highly recommend to fans of contemporary romance/self-discovery! Fans of Gayle Forman will also not be disappointed with Just One Day.
Rating: ★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: Septemer 14, 2010
Format: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 340
Love hurts. There is nothing as painful as heartbreak. But in order to learn to love again, you must learn to trust again.
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.
But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her … a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards … and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.
{Description from goodreads | photo credit) Since I can’t promise a spoiler-free review, the choice is in your hands. Read on for the review.
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Publisher: Dutton Books
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Format: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 313
Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs… for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.
(Description from goodreads) Since I can’t promise a spoiler-free review, the choice is in your hands. Read on for the review.
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Book Review: Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: February 5, 2013 (first published 10/6/11)
Format: ARC
Number of Pages: 262
Source: Gifted (Thanks, Louisse from The Soul Sisters)
Description (from goodreads):
Seven stories of passion and love separated by centuries but mysteriously intertwined—this is a tale of horror and beauty, tenderness and sacrifice.
An archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact, an airman who finds himself far from home, a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking: the seven stories in this compelling novel all take place on the remote Scandinavian island of Blessed where a curiously powerful plant that resembles a dragon grows. What binds these stories together? What secrets lurk beneath the surface of this idyllic countryside? And what might be powerful enough to break the cycle of midwinterblood? From award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick comes a book about passion and preservation and ultimately an exploration of the bounds of love.
Review:
I honestly did not expect to actually like this book because I thought that it looked creepy and it actually is very creepy… and scary. The kind of scary that makes you hide under your blanket when you sleep until the sun appears. That really happened to me by the way. I wasn’t really going to read this until after I finish this book I was suppose to read, but what really convinced me to read it was the synopsis. When I read the synopsis it got me really interested and I thought the cover was really mysterious (doesn’t it look scary?).
Midwinterblood starts with Eric arriving at the island of Blessed in the year 2073 where meets Merle, a mysterious girl who he feels like he has met before. As Eric tries to uncover the mystery behind the island, the people, and the dragon like flower, he discovers that before his life now he lived different lives before. As each of the seven stories are told, the mystery behind the cycle of Midwinterblood is uncovered and shows that true love is the most powerful thing of all.
Midwinterblood immediately gave me the creeps from the very first chapter to the end. There was a certain eeriness in the way Marcus Sedgwick writes. I mean, you can absolutely feel the mystery surrounding the island of Blessed, the people, and dragon like flower. It was very spine-chilling at times that there were moments that I would literally gasp. I’ve never read anything this unusual before. The great thing was I never really got confused by how every story is intertwined with one another even if each story is unique in their own way. Besides the creepiness and scariness of Midwinterblood, it was also very admirable because at the same it tells a story of true love and sacrifice, and how powerful it can be. I think it was very evident in the end that how all these seven stories were intertwined was to show exactly that.
Probably my favorite story was The Unquiet Grave. This one literally scared the life out of me and I was in my room alone. I remember feeling like there was something behind me while I was reading it and I was even so scared to look back hahaha. Absolutely, the scariest ghost story I have ever read.
Midwinterblood is unlike anything I have read before and I would definitely recommend it to readers who love getting their spine-chilled.
Rating: ★★★★ out of 5 stars
Gossip Girl: The Carlyles by Cecily von Ziegesar
Get out your Montblanc pens, Chloé satchels, and cashmere cardigans: it’s a brand new season on the Upper East Side, and the irresistable Carlyle triplets are taking Manhattan by storm. You know its going to be another wild and wicked year, and I’ll be there to whisper all the juicy secrets.
Review: This might be a biased review because I already had a place in my heart for Baby Carlyle before even reading this book, but if you don’t care about biased reviews, please read on. (lol!)
Let me start by saying I didn’t have the chance to read the first Gossip Girl series, the one with Blair, Serena and so on but I read this because I find it interesting and there’s some personal reason that I love Baby Carlyle so yeah, that’s the story.
Anyway, I absolutely love the book, its entertaining and it never lacks different designer brands which I love even though I can’t afford most of them. I’m a bit emotional really, especially about the Carlyle siblings because I just love them. They’re like three innocent children thrown into a fighting ground, but luckily they survived and found a reason to fight for themselves and for each other. I just love the fact that most of the time in the book, they are scattered and getting on with their own shit but at the end of the day, they will just sit on their terrace and talk about everything, like normal siblings and I really love Owen okay.
And god bless the soul of Jack Laurent too, I’m sure she’ll be fine in the next three books but it was just heartbreaking when she lost it all and just when she thought her day can’t get any worse, JP effin’ Cashman left her too. She’s just like Blair Waldorf. Like she didn’t receive love from home so she’s like finding it outside. It was so sad, but well she’s a super bitch too anyway.
I’ll definitely read the next three books.
Rating: ★★★★
Book Review: Stolen: A Letter To My Captor by Lucy Christopher
Publisher: Chicken House
Publication Date: May 4, 2009
Format: Paperback (April 1, 2012)
Number of Pages: 299
Literary Awards/Recognition: Printz Honor (2011), YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults (2011)
Author photo credit [x]
Description(from goodreads):
A girl: Gemma, 16, at the airport, on her way to a family vacation.
A guy: Ty, rugged, tan, too old, oddly familiar, eyes blue as ice.
She steps away. For just a second. He pays for her drink. And drugs it. They talk. Their hands touch. And before Gemma knows what’s happening, Ty takes her. Steals her away. To sand and heat. To emptiness and isolation. To nowhere. And expects her to love him.
Written as a letter from a victim to her captor, STOLEN is Gemma’s desperate story of survival; of how she has to come to terms with her living nightmare—or die trying to fight it.
A Michael L. Printz Honor Book * ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults * A 2011 USBBY Outstanding International Book
*“An emotionally raw thriller.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Disturbing, heartbreaking, and beautiful all at once.” —School Library Journal
Review:
This was actually one of first books I reviewed on this blog, but I deleted the review because I felt like it didn’t fully express my love for this book and how amazing I think it is. There were also a lot of mixed feelings and other feelings that was only realized a few months after I read this book. So here’s my second go at writing a review for this book and hopefully I give it the review it rightfully deserves.
My first impression of this book was that I thought it was a good story and that I enjoyed reading it. That was that and I thought there was nothing really special about it but after a few weeks after I read it… IT HAPPENED. The book STOLE me. I began missing everything that was in this book. I kept replaying the scenes in my head and I realized that I’ve actually fallen in love not only with the characters but with land that the author wrote about and I even miss the camel!!!
When you read the synopsis, it sounds like a simple story and it is. It’s about a girl who gets kidnapped by her stalker who tries to make her accept him and the land that he has taken her to. I’m pretty sure we have heard of a story like that before maybe in the news, movies, or documentaries, but it’s more than that. This book sticks to you even months after you’ve read it, and it challenges your values and even your mental state. It simply steals you.
Gemma and Ty, are one of those characters that will always have a special place in my heart and I don’t think I could ever forget about them. Gemma, my heart honestly breaks for her. So beautiful yet so broken. Being kidnapped isn’t really the only reason I feel sorry for her but her whole life before and after being kidnapped (unless Lucy writes a sequel wherein she gives happiness to this poor little soul). With Ty, I felt disgust and hatred but also love and understanding. Do you have any idea how messed up I feel? Lucy Christopher made me fall in love with a man who stalked and kidnapped a young girl and expected her to love him back. I’m not gonna lie, a part of me wants both of them to be happy together but that’s never going to happen. It’s so messed up but it’s just so hard to hate someone you understand.
Lucy Christopher did an amazing job at writing this novel and the fact that this is her debut makes her, in my opinion, one of the best out there. She had put in the right amount of details about the land that was enough for you to feel like you’re there, but not too much that bores you. Probably one of my favorite parts was the art with the sunset scene (If you’ve read the book, you probably understand which scene I’m talking about) because she really made me felt like I was experiencing everything about that particular scene. I could vividly see the colors and every texture she described and I imagined it to somehow look like Van Gogh’s Starry Night except in the book it was a painting of the beauty of the land and how it lives. I also admire how the author managed to make you feel like you were maybe or actually experiencing stockholm syndrome. Every time I read this book, I try to decipher if it is really stockholm syndrome because I just can’t accept that it is but then again, isn’t that enough evidence that it is stockholm syndrome. Confusing. I still don’t know.
I’ve seen a lot of people say they wished it had ended differently but I completely disagree with that. A hundred and ten percent disagree with that statement because there’s no other or greater way the author could have ended the book but with that ending. Honestly, I don’t think I would have loved this book if it weren’t for that ending. It was the kind of ending that shattered my heart into a million pieces and I couldn’t ask for a better ending.
Stolen: A Letter to my Captor is a beautiful and tragic story about a man who fell in love with a young girl who saved him… but this isn’t a love story.
Rating: ★★★★★ out of 5 stars
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