Tuesday Taste: A Court of Thornes and Roses (4)

"The forest had become a labyrinth of snow and ice. I'd been monitoring the parameters of the thicket for and hour, and my vantage point in the crook of a tree branch had turned useless. The gusting wind blew thick flurries to sweep away my tracks, but buried along with them any sign of potential quarry. Hunger had brought me farther from home then I usually risked, but winter was the hard time. The animals pulled in, going deeper into the woods than I could follow, leaving me to pick off stragglers one by one, praying they'd last until spring. They hadn't."

Taken from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

My comment: I have just started reading this, and after finishing Throne of Glass, and loving it, I am expecting great things from this. If you've read this, I'd love to hear what you think about it. Let's talk in the comments :)

The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Published: August 18th, 2015
Publisher: Dial Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 432
Format: Hardback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥ (4,5)

Surprises abound and sparks ignite in the highly anticipated, utterly romantic companion to My Life Next Door

Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To:
- find the liquor cabinet blindfolded
- need a liver transplant
- drive his car into a house

Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To:
- well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.
For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard. Then the unexpected consequences of Tim’s wild days come back to shock him. He finds himself in a situation that isn’t all it appears to be, that he never could have predicted . . . but maybe should have. And Alice is caught in the middle. 

Told in Tim’s and Alice’s distinctive, disarming, entirely compelling voices, this return to the world of My Life Next Door is a story about failing first, trying again, and having to decide whether to risk it all once more.

My thoughts on it:
This book was, like all of Huntley Fitzpatrick's books, wonderful. She is one of those authors that make you happy no matter what she writes, and I have enjoyed all of her books. While My Life Next Door, is and will always be my favorite, this one still blew me away, it was so nice to dive deeper into Tim and Alice's characters, to get to know them in this book (it was also nice to read about Jase and Samantha again). I really enjoyed the dual point of view that you get as Tim and Alice tell the story in alternating parts. I found that I felt for Tim and his struggles and enjoyed seeing him grow up quite a lot during the course of this book. I also enjoyed Alice as a character because she develops just as much as Tim does in this story. It was so nice to see a softer side to Alice in this book, and to see them come together and make each other better people.

I enjoyed the storyline a lot as well, it was interesting and kept me engaged in the story, because I just wanted to see what would happen. I won't say more about the plot because I don't want to spoil anything, but this truly is a very cute book, and if you enjoy stories about growing up, falling in love and learning to deal with life, I would really recommend that you pick this up.

Tuesday Taste: Marly's Ghost (2)

"Marly was dead, to begin with. There was no doubt whatsoever about that. I had been there. When she went off the treatments, she decided she wanted to die at hime, and she wanted me to be there with her family. So I sat, and I waited, and I was destroyed. There are no metaphors, no words for such a feeling. You are left with no doubt, and endless doubt. We stood around the bed, counting her breaths, holding our own. Her father held her hand. Her mother sobbed. Her grandmothers prayed. I felt as if I was being undone one stitch at a time. She was sixteen years old, but there in bed she could have been ninety."

My comment: I can't wait to read this book, I have read, and loved, some of David Levithan's books before, and I have a feeling that this young adult novel, with a Charles Dickens twist is going to be just as amazing as his other books.

You can find the book here and the author here.

Amy and Matthew (or Say What You Will) by Cammie McGovern

Published: March 27th, 2014
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 322
Format: Paperback
Rating: ♥♥♥

Amy loves Matthew and he loves her back. This is their story.

Amy is unflinchingly honest about her limitations. Born with cerebral palsy, she can’t walk or talk without help. But trapped inside this uncooperative body lies a brilliant mind and a luminous spirit – a girl capable of truly loving and worthy of being loved in return.

Matthew has his own set of challenges – a mind consumed by unwanted repeated thoughts, obsessive rituals and a crippling fear that he can't explain. But underneath all of the anxiety lies a deep seed of hope for someone to come along who believes in him…

This is the story of Amy and Matthew. It may not be a fairy tale romance or set in an imagined world far from our own. But the love they share is real. And yes, there's magic in it.


My thoughts on it: 
I thought this book was incredibly interesting and also quite cute. I found it interesting to read about someone with CP (cerebral palsy), and I think that this could help a lot of people with understanding what it must be like to be disabled. I liked Amy as a character, and Matthew as well, because despite their faults they fit together perfectly, and were just really cute. I also enjoyed that they ended up helping each other, Matthew helped Amy realize how she had lived a sheltered life for a long time, while Amy helped Matthew with taking steps to overcome/learn to live with his OCD.

However, although there were many positives about this book I ended up giving it a 3 heart rating because I found that the plot was at times slow, and the characters could at times be quite annoying, which in some ways made them more real, because no one is perfect, but I could't ignore those points, hence the lower rating, although I did enjoy it.

I would recommend you read this book, especially if you want a different kind of love story, it is very cute at times, and I think it could be eye opening to a lot of people, in that it handles both physical disability and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). 

Love, H♥

This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Published: January 1st, 2013
Publisher: Headline
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 404
Format: Paperback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?





My thoughts on it:

You know those books that just make you feel all giddy and happy, and kind of make your heart hurt a little bit - in a good way. This is one of them. The story is so cute and fluffy, and I found I got through it very quickly once I started reading it. It's all about a normal girl that starts e-mailing with an actor, and it is very cliche, but I still liked it, because it is what I needed when I read it. I needed something light and cute, and that is what you get with this book. It is chick lit., so it won't be the most amazing literature ever, but it will be cute and uplifting.

I've read a book by Jennifer E. Smith before (review here), and that was just as cute, so I now expect lots of great, cute reads from her, and will definitely come back for more.
My favorite parts of this novel were the parts in which you see Ellie and Graham's e-mails that they send each other, I could have read a whole book with just their e-mails because they were so cute and funny, and while the plot might not have been the greatest at some points, I did find that the e-mails (that is added before each chapter) really added to the story and made be enjoy the book more. I would recommend this if your looking for a light, fun and girly read.

Love, H♥

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Published: September 10th, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 438
Format: Hardback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan.... But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she's really good at it. She and her twin, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

First off I want to start by saying that: I liked this book enough to give it four hearts (or stars, whichever you prefer), but not enough to give it five. While a lot of people often place this at the top of their Rainbow Rowell favorite list, it is not on mine, because I had a few problems with this book. Here are the things I didn´t enjoy that much: First of all, I found that I was kind of bored by all the fanfiction and to be completely honest I often skipped over the longer parts of fanfiction simply because I cared more about the actual story. Secondly, I thought that Cath was a little bit annoying at times, but I still did really enjoy her as a character.

Now on to the positives, I found the read to be very enjoyable despite the things I mentioned above. I loved Levi, I thought he was so sweet and lovable and I also really liked Reagan. The plot was enjoyable and I found Cath to be quite relatable in some ways (while in others not so much). The relationship between Levi and Cath is really sweet and I loved reading about them, they are just so good together. I also found that the more serious side to the story with Cath and Wren´s homelife was very interesting and Rainbow Rowell delivered once again. I like her books because they are so true. Just like Eleanor and Park, this book has a serious and very interesting element and I thoroughly enjoyed that.

Overall I found it to be a good read, just not the best and that is totally fine.

“Underneath this veneer of slightly crazy and mildly socially retarded, I'm a complete disaster.” 

“Happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy,” Wren said. “It’s the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for.” 

“And sometimes you held somebody’s hand just to prove that you were still alive, and that another human being was there to testify to that fact.” 

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Published: July 9th, 2013

Publisher: Speak

Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 338

Format: Paperback

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the negihborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

If there is one thing I love reading when I´m having a bad day - it is Stephanie Perkins´ books. The pages of Lola and the Boy Next Door were filled with sweet words and wonderful characters. I loved every minute of reading this book, it´s just too bad it isn´t longer because I would love love love to read more about these two lovebirds. I loved how original and completely herself Lola is, her style and her personality. I also enjoyed the fact that none of Stephanie Perkins´ characters are perfect, they are all beautifully flawed in their own way and it is wonderful.

Now. Let´s talk Cricket. Because he might just be perfect. I loved Cricket and I still think about him sometimes, even though it´s been quite a while since I actually finished the book. He is just a sweetheart and you have to love him.

Another aspect of the book that warmed my heart was seeing Anna and St.Clair again, they are still as cute as they were in Anna and the French Kiss, and I can´t wait to see them again in Isla and the Happily Ever After. All in all yet another wonderful read from the mind of Stephanie Perkins.

The Merciless by Danielle Vega

Published: June 12th, 2014
Publisher: Razorbill
Age Group: Young Adult (Horror)
Pages: 279
Format: Hardback
Rating: ♥♥♥

Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned
Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied up and gagged. No one outside of these dank basement walls knows she’s here. No one can hear her scream.

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn’t have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace, and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn’t realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn—but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can’t go against the other girls . . . unless she wants to be next.


Previously, I've never read anything in the horror genre, mostly because I'm not a person that usually actively seeks out things that might scare me, but after hearing some positive things about this, I decided to give it a go - and I am glad I did. This book was really graphic at times, and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat while reading it.

The book reminded me a lot of Mean Girls for some reason, so I would say it's like Mean Girls and Satan had a baby and this is what became of it. It's twisted and very disturbing, and I thought that the horrific/gory scenes were done very well on the authors part. Not only were the truly gory scenes disturbing, but also just the whole feel of the book, it is truly just very creepy all over and you definitely feel uncomfortable reading it, so I wouldn't recommend it if you scare easily.

As for the characters in this book they were completely insane and delusional, some of the scenes in which Sofia is faced with each individual character are really disturbing, and I think those scenes were some of the worst, because while the gore was really gross, I thought it was worse to read about just how deranged some of these characters were.

But, although I did fly through this book and thought a lot of it was done well, it was at times predictable and the characters were not as developed as I would have liked, and that is why I have chosen to give it the rating that I did, because I liked it, I just didn't love it. However, it seems that this is going to be a series, and I can't wait to see what creepy continuation Danielle Vega has in store for us readers.

Overall a really interesting read, and it leaves me wanting to read more horror in the future.

The Beginning of Everything (Severed Heads, Broken Hearts) by Robin Schneider

Published: August 27th, 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 335
Format: Paperback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: In one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra's knee, his career as a jock, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for homecoming king, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra's ever met— achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

Together, Ezra and Cassidy discover flash mobs, buried treasure, secret movie screenings, and a poodle that might just be the reincarnation of Jay Gatsby. But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: If one's singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

I adored this book, and I feel like I've been saying that about a lot of books lately, but it's true, I've just had a great time reading - reading books that are wonderful in their own way. So, first off I want to start with something as ordinary as the title simply because I think it is worth mentioning. As some of you may know the title of this book used to be Severed Heads, Broken Hearts, before it was reprinted to become The Beginning of Everything, personally I really like the original title and my copy of the book has the cover you see above. I like the original title because it is so spot on regarding the novel itself and I really enjoyed realizing that throughout the novel (but I also see why it was changed, because the new title fits as well).

I really enjoyed the novel as a whole, I liked all the little things that happened and the scenes at school where there was just a lot of banter and jokes - it was great. I liked the way that the romance was built up and how it didn't feel to sudden. I also loved all the references to both Harry Potter and The Great Gatsby - there were quite a few, but I loved it.

The characters in this novel are great. I loved Ezra, and how he developed as a character throughout the novel. I enjoyed his voice as the narrator and I liked the fact that he was the narrator because, I feel that I don't read enough books where there is a male narrator. As for his love-interest Cassidy, I liked her, but at times I became annoyed with her, but it was understandable annoyance and it was resolved at the end of the novel. The supporting characters in this novel were also great, I loved Toby so much, he is just so amazing and witty and overall great. Toby and Ezra are the two characters that I absolutely fell in love with in this novel, I love their friendship because I could relate to how nerdy they were, and it was just great. I also liked Phoebe, she was just a sweetheart, and there is this one scene where she is just amazing (badass, in my book).

As for the writing style, I really enjoyed it, but like with John Green some people might not like it, but I loved it. I don't think it's exactly like John Greens writing style, I just think that both Robin and John write the way that they speak, and I connot express how much I love that. The language is not that hard to read for those of you that are (like me) not form a english-speaking country.

Overall I just really enjoyed this book, I liked the characters, the plot, the writing. It was just great and I think that a lot of people might really enjoy it as well, so go read it!

“Sometimes I think that everyone has a tragedy waiting for them, that the people buying milk in their pajamas or picking their noses at stoplights could be only moments away from disaster. That everyone's life, no matter how unremarkable, has a moment when it will become extraordinary - a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen.” 

“I wondered what things what things became when you no longer needed them, and I wondered what the future would hold once we'd gotten past our personal tragedies and proven them ultimately survivable.” 

“There's a word for it," she told me, "in French, for when you have a lingering impression of something having passed by. Sillage. I always think of it when a firework explodes and lights up the smoke from the ones before it."

"That's a terrible word," I teased. "It's like an excuse for holding onto the past."

"Well, I think it's beautiful. A word for remembering small moments destined to be lost.” 

“She tasted like buried treasure and swing sets and coffee. She tasted the way fireworks felt, like something you could get close to but never really have just for yourself.” 

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Published: August 27th, 2013
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 239
Format: Paperback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

The two boys kissing are Craig and Harry. They're hoping to set the world record for the longest kiss. They're not a couple, but they used to be.

Peter and Neil are a couple. Their kisses are different. Avery and Ryan have only just met and are trying to figure out what happens next. Cooper is alone. He's not sure how he feels.

As the marathon progresses, these boys, their friends and families evaluate the changing nature of feelings, behaviour and this crazy thing called love.


I was very impressed with this novel, I loved reading it. It was touching and heartbreaking, and absolutely wonderful. It is narrated by a group of gay men that have died from AIDS, etc. We get to know the stories of seven main characters, seen through the eyes of those who have died. Each of the stories are so touching and important, we see how some of them struggle and others don't, we see that it is widely exepted that they are gay and that it isn't, and all of the stories that David Levithan tell in this novel are so important and so beautiful in their own way.

I adored the characters and the voice of the nerration, and it is written so beautifully. I think it is an important book because it gives such a deep look into the struggles that some gay teens go through, it sheds so much light on issues that are pressing but are not being handled properly and it is just a great novel. It is sad in part but also optimistic in part and I loved that about it. Also, the way that Levithan writes it is so beautiful, of you are a person that loves beautiful quotes, this book is full of them. It is just a beautiful book and I think that while it can really help someone that is gay come to terms with themselves, people that are not gay can read it as well, because it has so many important messages embeded in it. Everyone should read this book - adults as well as teens.

“Love is so painful, how could you ever wish it on anybody? And love is so essential, how could you ever stand in its way?” 

“The first sentence of the truth is always the hardest. Each of us had a first sentence, and most of us found the strength to say it out loud to someone who deserved to hear it. What we hoped, and what we found, was that the second sentence of the truth is always easier than the first, and the third sentence is even easier than that. Suddenly you are speaking the truth in paragraphs, in pages. The fear, the nervousness, is still there, but it is joined by a new confidence. All along, you've used the first sentence as a lock. But now you find that it's the key.”

“Things are not magical because they've been conjured for us by some outside force. They are magical because we create them.” 

“You can give words, but you can't take them. And when words are given, that is when they are shared. We remember what that was like. Words so real they were almost tangible. There are conversations you remember, for certain. But more than that, there is the sensation of conversation. You will remember that, even when the precise words begin to blur.” 

Paper Towns by John Green

Published: October 16th, 20
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 305
Format: Paperback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues - and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer Q gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.

I read Paper Towns over Easter break, while I was back home in Norway. I decided to pick it up, 1. Because I love John Green's writing. And, 2. Because on the flight from London to Norway I spent my time shamelessly crying (ugly-crying/sobbing) while reading The Fault in Our Stars. So by the time I arrived home I was craving another John Green novel, and it did not disappoint. 

Paper Towns was, as everything I have ever read that Green has written, absolutly amazing. I loved the characters, and how none of them were perfect, they were real. I loved the plot line, the setting, everything. It just worked wonderfully, and I am tempted to say that this is my second favorite John Green book (after The Fault in Our Stars, because let's be honest, nothing can compete with the absolute perfection that is that book). 

The bursts of humor thoughout the book are wonderful, they create a nice break from some of the more serious scenes, which I really enjoy. I just loved everything about this novel. The characters were top notch, the plot was exciting and it is a novel I would reccomend to everyone, teens and adults alike.

“Talking to a drunk person was like talking to an extremely happy, severely brain-damaged three-year-old.” 

“Margo always loved mysteries. And in everything that came afterward, I could never stop thinking that maybe she loved mysteries so much that she became one.” 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Published: 03, May, 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 487
Format: Paperback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.


Review:
I have had this book on my shelves for a while, and I honestly do not know why I have not read it until now, because it is simply amazing. I loved every single page, from beginning to end. The story is so gripping and suspenseful, the world building is really well done and the characters, they are such a big part of what makes this story so special and wonderful.

I loved Tris and her courage and her sarcastic demeanor was really enjoyable. There were several times where I actually laughed out loud because she was just so awesome and funny, and that is saying something, because it takes quite a lot for me to actually laugh out loud because of a book. Tris made this book great, she is an amazing heroin, she is strong, but she is also soft and sweet at times. Four was also a great character, he is just so...he's just amazing that is what he is, I have no other words, because, well, I just don't - read the book and see for yourself, how great Four is.

This novel has such an original take on a dystopian society I think, I loved the idea of the factions. It intrigued me to see how the different factions acted, and what values that were important to people, it was just very interesting. Veronica Roth did a great job in creating this world, and I think this dystopian is just as good as The Hunger Games is, and that is saying something, because I adored that series. Who knows by the end of this series I might even like it better than The Hunger Games.

As for now, I cannot wait to read Insurgent and to continue the story of Tris and Four, and see where it takes me. This is an amazing dystopian and if you have not read it, I recommend you drop everything and go read it now, I mean it! I finished this book in less than two days, which is saying something because I'm kind of a slow reader, it was just that good.

Favorite quote: "I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another."

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Release date: 18, September, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 454
Format: Paperback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.
His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.
But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Review

When I first picked up this book to buy it, it was the synopsis that drew me in - it seemed interesting, like a book I would enjoy at the least - AND, it did not disappoint. This may well be one of the best books I have read so far this year. I absolutely loved it and could not put it down for the life of me. 

With a set of wonderfully crafted characters Steifvater delivers a gripping story that will keep you at the edge of your seat. The plot twist were amazing and the story went in a direction I did not expect at all, which I loved. As of late, I feel that I have been able to figure out where the story is going before it actually gets there, so it was so nice to read this book where I was so surpried by the plot. It had me hooked from the beginning.
I also really loved the characters - especially Blue, I thought she was a great heroin, and I can't wait to read more of her story in the upcoming books in this series. I also loved Adam, he was just so wonderful, so kind, and then of course there is Gansey, which is a character that I think people that read this book will either love or hate. Personally I loved him, he just seems like the sort of person you would want to know, and he is so driven, and I just like him.
Overall, I enjoyed this book so much, it was a great read and I recommend it to everyone! It was great and I can't wait to see what happens next, because the cliff-hanger is killing me. The next book is unfortunatly not coming out until September, so I'll have to sit tight till then.

Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Goodreads   Amazon   Author

Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder.  Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumours about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.  Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge.  If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumours are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day.  She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully.  Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realises Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

First off, I want to start by saying that this book was not what I expected, and that is not a bad thing, at all! I just didn't expect it to be so deep. Which it is. This book it truly amazing. It's heartbreaking. But it truly is an amazing piece of writing. The story is of a girl that falls from popularity and becomes the victim, and even though this girl has been a complete bitch to so many people, you start to feel for her, you start liking her, even though you should hate her. 

The fact that Courtney Summers has been able to write a likable bitch is amazing, the character is such a developed character, she has more to her than what you first think, and that is an amazing thing, when a book has great characters, like this one. All the characters are amazing, they are so different, so complex, but at the same time, you can relate to each of them in some way, well except the Fearsome Foursome, they are terrible people. But all I want to say is that this book is really worth the read, or a listen, in my case I listened to it, but I think I might buy this book too, because I loved it so much. 

So, what I want you to do now is go read this book, and be blown away by how great it is!

Rating; ♥♥♥♥♥

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Release date: 2, January, 2012
Publisher: Headline Publishing Group
Age group: Young Adult
Pages: 215
Format: Hardback
Challenge: 70 Book Challenge


Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?
Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan’s life. She’s stuck at JFK, late to her father’s second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley’s never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport’s cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he’s British, and he’s in seat 18C. Hadley’s in 18A.
Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver’s story will make you believe that true love finds you when you’re least expecting it.

First Line: "There are so many ways it could have all turned out differently."

This book was sweet. At times it was so sweet it could make your teeth hurt. But it was sweet in a good way, not in that so-sweet-I-want-to-puke way. It was nice. The story takes place in only 24 hours, but really, that is enough time, at least for this book. It tells the story of Hadley, and I loved the way Jennifer had incorporated the stories from Hadley's past, that way we got to know her. 

The storyline was great, it was inventive and it was random, which I really liked, I loved that this book wasn't just about love it was also about family and the complications that come with divorce.

On to the characters, they were amazing, both Hadley and Oliver are such loveable characters, they are relatable, which is really nice, and they are such a funny pair, they play off each other very well when they are together and their relationship evolves in a nice way. It's not instalove, like in a lot of chicklit, which I think is great (..eventhough I like reading some of that sometimes too). 

I really enjoyed this book quite a lot, it was a wonderful story. That is why I am giving it four loving hearts;

♥♥♥♥

Until next time - happy reading,

Helene

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Release date: 2, December, 2010
Publisher: Dutton Books (imprint of the Penguin Group)
Age group: Young Adult
Pages: 372
Format: Softcover
Challenge: 70 Book Challenge

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

First line: "Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amèlie and Moulin Rouge."

When I first bought this book is was because of all the good things I had heard about it, but to be truthful, I was a little hesitant to buy it, and I considered not doing so because to me it just didn't seem that appealing, by the first glance. But as it is, this book turned out to be everything that everyone had said about it. I really understand why there was so much hype around this book, because it is a really great story. 

It's a classic example of  "Don't judge a book by it's cover." This book might look cheesy and like one of those tales where two people meet and everything is perfect and then they get married and live happily ever after. But it's not, the story is cute, but it's also written in a way that makes is realistic, which I loved. Stephanie Perkins has done a remarkable job writing this, because I felt like Anna could have been me, you know?

The writing was great. The story was great. Everything about this book was simply great. It is definitely a book worth checking out if you haven't already, and I for one am going to read Stephanie's other book "Lola and the Boy Next Door"

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

This book gets five hearts because it is deserves it. 

Until next time - Happy Reading,

Helene

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Release Date: 31, Januar, 2012
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (imprint of HarperCollins)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 374

Series: Newsoul #1
Format: Hardback
Challenge: 70 Book Challenge, Debut Author Challenge

New soul: Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul: Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart: Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

First sentence: "I wasn't reborn."

Review: 

When I first heard about the book the concept of reincarnation really facinated me, and when I got it in the mail after ordering it, I immidiatly started reading it. It's one of those book that I just had to read right now. And truthfully, I loved it. The story was so nice, I loved the characters, the plot, the writing, everything.

The best part about the whole novel was the romance between Ana and Sam, it developed so nicely and it was just so cute, I loved it. Sam is just amazing, I love him! (for some reason I just love any male character named Sam, if I ever write a book, there will deffinitly be a Sam..) 

Anyway, Ana is also a great character and I loved her development throughout the book, it was so nicely done, and very realistic I think. She was just such an amazing heroin, I really enjoyed her character.

The plot was also great, I liked the story a lot, and looking back at it after reading it, the parts I didn't enjoy as much when reading it is the parts I appriciate the most now, because they provided a lot of insight into the different characters. 

The whole book is very well written, I enjoyed Jodi's writing style a lot, her language is very nice and I also loved the dialog in the book. I am very impressed by this novel, and for it being her first book, I thought it was very good.

I really liked it:

♥♥♥♥

Until next time - happy reading ♥,

Helene

Starters by Lissa Price

Release Date: March 13, 2012
Publisher:  Delacorte Press (imprint of Random House)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 352
Format: eGalley
Source: NetGalley

Synapsis

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man. 

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. 

First Sentence: "Enders gave me the creeps."

Review

I loved this book. The world building, the plot and the characters were all fantastic. I can understand why it is said that Lissa Price is a best selling author in the making, and after reading this book, I am sure you'll see why too. This book was just amazing.


First off the world building, it's great. There is no other way to describe it. It is inventive and set up in s very nice way. It is done in a way that keeps the story interesting, you are always discovering something new about this dystopian universe Lissa Price has created.


Second, the plot: oh, where do I start? It is AMAZING! The twists, the mystery, the romance, the constant suspense, it's all there throughout the whole book. The story is great, the twists in the plot are so good, they always keep you at the edge of your seat. 


Third, the characters: They are all wonderfully written characters, they are believable and you grow to enjoy them more and more. The main character Callie is a very strong female character which I really enjoyed. She is motherly and protective when it comes to the people around her. It is very clear that she had to grown up very fast after her parents died and has therefore become very responsible. She is a wonderful character, she has all the qualities of a great heroin.


Fourth, the writing: I really enjoyed Lissa's writing style, it's fast paced and very well written. The dialog is amazing and it is perfectly divided between action, thought and dialog, which I loved. 


Overall this book was amazing, I loved every single page and I could not put is down for the life of me. It is definitely a book worth reading if you like mystery and dystopian novels. Or if you just like reading in general. I have a feeling that this will be a book everyone will be raving about in the near future. Because for me at least it's up on the list next to The Hunger Games and Harry Potter. It is definitely a favorite.

I loved it/it was amazing: 

♥♥♥♥♥

Until next time - happy reading ♥,

Helene

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Release Date: 22, Oktober, 1999
Publisher: Square Fish (imprint of Macmillan)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 198
Format: Paperback
Challenge: 70 Book Challenge


Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.

First sentence: "It is my first morning of High School."

Review

Every time I finish one of Lauries books I am left with amazement. Because she gets to me. This book was no diferent. I thought the book was very good, it's written and told in a way that makes it very realistic. I feel that it is written more like a streem of conciouns than anything else. The writing is great and it fits the character of Melinda. 

The subject that is braught up in the book is very serious and that is part of the reason why I thought it was so good. I like reading books like this because they're very different from the genres I usually read, I feel that I learn something, and through this book I did. It is a very sad book, and at points I felt almost sick because of how horrible Melinda had it. 

The characters in the book were well written, though the only character we really got to know was Melinda. The plot was good, and very important. I think books like this one are important. They shed light on things you don't think about everyday, but things that are happening to people out there, serious things. 

This book is definitly worth reading, it is a powerful book and I can see why it has been nominated for so many awards.

I really liked it:

♥♥♥♥

Until next time - happy reading ♥,

Helene