After I met Samantha Shannon back in September, I was stoked to read this book. I mean, she is so sweet. So sweet. And she's (just barely) younger than me, got a seven book deal, and is being called the new J.K. Rowling (which is completely unfair and incorrect, but I've covered that already). So then we decided to read this for book club, and man am I glad I did. The end result, for me?
I will go ahead and agree with most reviews that the first quarter is slow. The world building is quite elaborate -- and I absolutely love it; I mean, the world is amazing -- but that means there are quite dense, near-info-dumping passages at the beginning that can, for some readers, be tedious to get through. There's a lot of terminology, and just the many different types of clairvoyants can be confusing. Then there's the structure of the new society, Scion London, the criminal underground, and the new laws. It's a lot to take in. I didn't have any issues with it, because I truly felt the potential. Something really cool was going to happen in this intriguing world. It was the kind of elaborate world building that I really, really like.
What also helped was that I absolutely loved Paige from the start. She's not in-your-face kick ass and awesome, but she's really human. She's flawed and she knows it, but that makes her even more endearing. She's really spunky too, quite fearless, and admirable. She makes mistakes, but she learns from them. I loved observing her thought process. I just started liking her more and more as the book went along, and then she did start kicking ass and I was just cheering for her. She's awesome. One of my favorite main characters in a long time.
And then... then we meet Warden. I'll take one of him to go, please.
Warden is dark, mysterious, and, at first, a little frightening. But to be honest, I knew right away what was going to happen. Seriously, it's like the romance was written just for me. They start off hating each other. *runs around dancing* And then very, very, almost painfully slowly start growing to like each other. The build up is absolutely perfect, and when *it* finally happens... oh my god. *fans self* I just can't even. That scene was loaded with so much chemistry, I practically had to wipe the drool off the floor. But aside from the romance, because that's not at all what this book is really about (it was just a very nice, extremely nice bonus), I loved his character. He has this air of mystery, and though you may not get a clear picture of all his motives in this book, you can't help but want to know more and more about him.
The plot itself is dark and intricate. It builds slowly but it really is addictive, because it's kind of like a puzzle. You keep discovering new pieces and then those pieces start falling into place - though, of course, at the end of the book, the puzzle is not yet completed. But the intricacy of the world building combined with the various mysteries really sucked me in. The story is original and it takes chances. While the flashbacks in Paige's dreams were a bit confusing at first, I loved what they revealed, and I loved the twist as to why precisely we were seeing them.
I also want to give a special shout out and love to the secondary characters in this lovely book. Julian, Liss, Jaxon, Michael, and the handling of a certain LGBT character -- they all made me extremely happy. Each had a clear personality, voice, and purpose. It was just such a beautiful and complete picture.
The ending was seriously intense and action packed, as the rebellion finally happens. I was absorbed and couldn't put it down. But those last pages... Samantha, y u so cruel??? ;_______; I mean, it kind of made sense and all, but... I'm not happy. Especially not when the release date of the sequel is so unknown. I need it in my life. I need it. It's like I just got attached to this world, as if it were a new puppy, and then a short time later you just ripped it out of my arms. I'm not okay.
This book was just a great read. The length may be a bit frightening, and admittedly the beginning is a bit slow. But power through - it's so worth it. I just love the story, I loved the characters, and the romance that blossomed was perfect for me. At the end, when I finally felt like I truly understood the world, I quickly felt attached to it and loathed that it had to end.
Cruel Beauty absolutely blew me away. So much so that roughly a week later, I'm still too speechless to write a review. I don't know how to tal5 stars
Cruel Beauty absolutely blew me away. So much so that roughly a week later, I'm still too speechless to write a review. I don't know how to talk about this book without gushing. How to express in words just how much I loved it. But here we go. I will make a valiant effort.
That promo comparison "Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast"? Yeah, forget that. That's not going to work for this book. If anything, it's Greek mythology meets Beauty and the Beast. Though I have not yet read Graceling, I feel like many other readers were kind of deceived with the comparison. This lovely debut hinges much more on Greek mythology, and it is much less so a high fantasy action adventure. So. Umm. Yeah. Please don't go into this book with the wrong expectations.
But the premise is exactly what worked best for me. I absolutely adore Greek mythology. That's why I love Percy Jackson, that's why I loved Everneath. In particular, my favorite myth has to be Hades and Persephone, and there are some strong links to that in this book. So that instantly worked for me. Other myths and gods are mentioned throughout the book and I absolutely loved that. It was a really rich world, and you could tell that Rosamund really did her research for it. It may be too dense for some. But I adored it.
The other part of the premise is Beauty and the Beast. I think my three favorite fairytales are Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, and Rapunzel. So obviously this was a winner again. So when I heard about the premise, this became a must have book for me. But anyway. Nyx is our Beauty. Due to a trade her father made, she is promised to marry the Gentle Lord - Ignifex. But the Gentle Lord isn't gentle at all, and has long been terrorizing their world, going so far as to put a dome around the land, cutting them off from the outside world and the blue sky. So all her life, Nyx was trained to kill him, save everyone, and avenge her mother, whose life paid the price for a deal with the devil. Nyx is snarky and fantastic. She harbors a lot of hatred for the Gentle Lord and her family, who have sacrificed her against her will. Her personality was instantly attractive to me, because she is absolutely fierce.
But another instant winner was Ignifex. I loved this guy from the very first appearance. He's sleek, sly, cunning. He obviously harbors a mysterious and painful past, but takes up his position as the "Gentle Lord" with cold logic and reason. Nyx is trained to think he's dangerous, and he certainly has his moments where he comes off as a total monster. But I found him deeply attractive. Not only because my mind decided on the best fancast ever, perfectly fitting his description: long-ish sleek dark hair, with a cunning smile and dangerous eyes.
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And Ignifex loves toying with Nyx. He teases her from the get go, so from his first sentence to her ("You were asleep .... I got so bored waiting that I fell asleep too. And now here you are. You were a good pillow but I think I prefer you awake,"), I shipped it so freaking hard. This is my kind of romance, man. She's trying to kill him, convinced that everything he does is evil, but gradually gets to know him and uncovers his mysteries. She falls slowly, but falls hard. And Ignifex, the tortured soul, just continually teases her because he finds her so interesting. But their love is true, full of faults, and absolutely addictive. Because they really understand each other and love each other for it. I had many flaily moments, which can best be summed up with my favorite quote.
“You deserve all that and more. It made me happy to see you suffer. I would do it all over again if I could." I realized I was shaking as the words tumbled out of me. "I would do it again and again. Every night I would torment you and laugh. Do you understand? You are never safe with me." I drew a shuddering breath, trying to will away the sting of tears.
He opened his eyes and stared up at me as if I were the door out of Arcadia and back to the true sky. "That's what makes you my favorite." He reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. "Every wicked bit of you.”- Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
I cannot handle my feels.
But we must keep in mind that Nyx is on a mission, and the romantic aspect, while completely irresistible and addictive, is not the only thing going on here. The plot seriously packs a punch and kept me turning the pages too. Obviously mythology plays a role in explaining the demonic forces at hand, and Nyx slowly learns more about them. She feels obligated to keep her promise to save everyone, especially her sister, even though they have a very complicated relationship. There's rather a large plot twist towards the end. The story went in a direction I did not expect. But I absolutely adored it. It's something I've seen before... in Doctor Who. (It's not like I actively search for the opportunities to draw those parallels, okay? It's just not. *cough*) But it was addictive, engrossing, and absolutely romantic. I needed desperately to reach the end, to know that everything turned out okay, and it was such a wonderful ending, I couldn't imagine anything better.
Summing Up:
This is my first 2014 debut to read, and I already know that it's going to be really tough for anyone to beat this. It played off everything I love in books: Greek mythology, a truly wonderful imaginative and thorough world, hate-to-love romance, a fiesty main character, a drool-worthy love interest, banter out the wazoo, a plot twist that had me cheering, and an ending that made me want to pick the book right back up again to reread it. A couple days after finishing the book, I went to pre-order a hard copy. This book needs to be in my life. I need to be able to hug it. It will be reread. I can't think of any part of it I disliked. Honestly. This combination of Greek mythology and fairytale retelling worked wonders for me, so I will happily be reading whatever Rosamund Hodge comes out with next.
GIF it to me straight!
[image] Me, to this book.
Recommended To:
Fans of Greek mythology (particularly Hades/Persephone), Everneath, and hate-to-love romance. Or, well, my heart says basically everyone, really.
*An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect the contents or rating of the review. Really. I swear. Scout's honor!...more
By the title alone, I knew that Smart Girls Get What They Want, hereafter referred to as Smart Girls, because I can't be bothered, would be a4.5 stars
By the title alone, I knew that Smart Girls Get What They Want, hereafter referred to as Smart Girls, because I can't be bothered, would be a great book for me. I was the uber nerdy girl in high school, and I'm proud of that, to an extent. But I do wish that us smart girls would get some more credit. Studying isn't all we do.
Right away, what I love about Smart Girls, is the main character, Gigi. Obviously, I could relate to her in a big way. But I really loved her narrations and the sarcastic humor and snark that shines through. Honestly, within the first chapter I was giggling aloud. This is a laugh out loud funny book, make no mistake. But I just loved her, and she grew on me more and more as I continued reading the story.
What I also loved immensely was her friendship with Bea and Neerja. Are you tired of the bitchy best friend in YA? Read this book. Seriously. This trio is absolutely amazing. They truly love each other and make sacrifices for each other. Honestly. Gigi gives up a date because then one of her friends would be alone. When one of them gets hurt, the other two come running. They constantly have each other's backs.
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The plot, I feel, is pretty much the perfect mix of coming-of-age and romance. Gigi struggles with finding a balance between being the smart girl, top of her class, and actually being remembered by her classmates. She pushes herself to get out there more and find ways to make her voice heard. I, of course, could relate to that a lot. It's really refreshing to see a smart character who struggles with introversion put herself out there. It's inspiring.
And the romance.... it is slow-burning but absolute perfection. Words can't describe how much I love Mike and the idea of the misconceptions and prejudice that first impede their relationship. But there's so much more to him than meets the eye. You just grow to love him more and more as the book goes on and that last chapter.... I was squealing and giggling and flailing.... loud noises were being emitted, so I'm glad I was home alone. Fluffy goodness, honestly. I just loved it. And a special shout out to the last line of the book. Instead of getting all sappy, it's totally unrelated to the romance and instead ends on a snarky note. Guys, I loved that so much, I can't even right now.
Summing Up:
This was such an enjoyable, cute read, so thank you forever to Christina for sending it to me. I absolutely adored it. It's the perfect light and fluffy read to get you out of a reading slump. Expect to laugh and squeal out loud, and just revel in the adorableness and the snark. Is it the most memorable book? Ultimately, probably no. But its mission was fluff and giggles, and it definitely succeeded.
GIF it to me straight!
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Recommended To:
People who want some cheering up and healthy female friendships....more
A Midsummer's Nightmare is going on my favorites shelf. I read this heartfelt and authentic contemporary in one sitting, literally unable to pu5 stars
A Midsummer's Nightmare is going on my favorites shelf. I read this heartfelt and authentic contemporary in one sitting, literally unable to put it down, and I felt the full spectrum of emotions while reading it. I laughed out loud. I cried (for real). This book holds a special place in my heart. Contemporary doesn't get any better than this.
Let me first focus on how relatable this plot was to me, because that is one of the things that really compelled me to keep reading until I was done in the middle of the night. My parents are divorced. It was not a friendly divorce. To this day my mother will still complain to me about my father, which makes my relationship with her strained at best. My father remarried, and though after the divorce the court decided I should live with my mother, I ended up pretty much running away from her in favor of my father. Divorce is a tricky subject, especially when it's a messy one. It messed me up pretty bad. And in A Midsummer's Nightmare it really messed up Whitley. But it was totally authentic. I knew everything she was going through. I knew how hard it was, having been through it myself. So that made this story extremely endearing to me.
This means that I loved the main character, Whitley. Not only did I love her authentic voice, but she had a pretty badass attitude as well. Though at the beginning she may come across a bit self-absorbed, she's clearly partying to escape and trying desperately to keep herself whole. I also related to how she shut herself off from having friends, after she'd been jilted by her old friends. But make no mistake, this is a character growth novel, and I absolutely loved it. As you continue reading, you keep peeling back layers of her personality and understand why she is the way she is. And she changes herself as well.
I also loved Nathan and the romance. Kody Keplinger is a master at creating romantic chemistry, guys, seriously. All the scenes that were even remotely romantic pretty much had me drooling. It was awesome. And Nathan is just an absolutely wonderful character: funny, nerdy, but hot and athletic, with a slightly mysterious past, and all around lovable. Though I wish that at some points he wouldn't have let his principles get in the way and just let the hotness happen... he was still awesome and the relationship was good the way it developed. I loved every second of it.
In this book, Whitley discovers what it means to be loved by family, which has been completely foreign to her since the divorce, friends, and, of course, Nathan. The friendship element also really touched my heart. Whitley befriends (begrudgingly at first) Harrison, a totally handsome yet gay guy living in Hamilton. He immediately wants to be friends with her - they just click, and throughout the book he's the best supporter she could have. It was absolutely beautiful.
What got to me most, however, was the relationship with her father. Because of the strained relationship with her mother, she put her father on a pedestal, but soon figures out there's things about him she didn't know. Long story short, and without spoilers, they have a confrontation scene and it totally made me cry. I don't cry during books. I can probably count the books I've cried during on one hand. And dammit is it hard to read with tears in your eyes! But it was beautiful and emotional and really hit the message home.
Summing Up:
Kody Keplinger adds a second book of hers to my all-time favorites shelf. And make no mistake, if people were to ever ask me for contemporary recommendations, I would say Kody Keplinger first. With the authentic voices she gives her characters and her drool-worthy romance, she has become one of my favorite authors. A Midsummer's Nightmare was extremely relevant to me personally, and maybe not everyone will be as touched by it as I was, but either way, it's a great story with an awesome cast of characters and an important message. I loved every bit of it.
GIF it to me straight!
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Recommended To:
Everyone, especially readers with divorced parents....more
First Read: August 11-12th, 2013 Reread: July 22-23rd, 2014 - love it even more! Rating upgraded to 5 stars!
5 stars
Why does Shut Out get so little loveFirst Read: August 11-12th, 2013 Reread: July 22-23rd, 2014 - love it even more! Rating upgraded to 5 stars!
5 stars
Why does Shut Out get so little love? Admittedly, next to Kody Keplinger's other two books, this one doesn't have that same spark of omg-flipping-awesome. But it has a lot of merit, and just like her other books, I enjoyed this romance a whole, whole lot. To think I was expecting it to be really average due to the ratings of my friends... sad! Prospective readers, do not fear! Kody delivers again!
Shut Out is another edition of Kody Keplinger clearly proving to the world she knows just what it's like to be a teenager and what teenagers think/talk about. This book focuses on... sex. At least from my experience in the States (and keep in mind that I lived in ultra-conservative Texas), talking about sex is such a taboo that it only has a seriously negative effect on teens. They don't know what the expectations are. Stereotypes get thrown around. Slut-shaming becomes completely normal. Double standards are created. Kody again manages to tackle such a crucial issue for teens in a beautiful story. And I loved reading it. It's one of those stories that I feel is just really really important.
"Because I want to know what's normal." She hesitated and then looked down at her bare feet on the tile. "I want to be normal, but no one talks about sex, so how should I know what normal is?" - Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Arguably, of Kody's three works so far, the romance and the love interest in this one are the most appealing. Cash is amazingly sweet and hot and... amazing. Their romance suffered a tiny bit from Lissa's naiveté, but her reactions and doubts blended really well with her personality to the point where I didn't mind it too much. But let's focus on the good things - and there are many. They work together in a library. There are admittedly hot scenes in a library. They bond over books. This is a book nerd's dream come true, seriously. And all around it's just totally sweet. There are these scenes with just the simplest things, like holding hands, that completely melted my heart. Admittedly I have something with hand holding...
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*sigh* I swear, I am so romance-deprived in real life, the next time a guy grabs my hand I will be like...
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Anywayyyy. Kody also has a gift for writing secondary characters who create strong friendships. Here, Chloe is the best friend who is open about how much she loves sex. She's really inspiring and challenges the other characters to think about their prejudices, and all throughout the book, she is a perfect friend to Lissa. Then there's also Ellen, who admittedly has her issues with Lissa but proves that, in the end, friendship is a lot stronger than petty high school drama. I just love how Kody portrays friendships. They're just so healthy and strong.
Lissa's character and growth throughout the novel was also very dear to my heart. I could relate to her control-freak tendencies. I sympathized with her situation with her dad, her anxiety due to the loss of her mother, her insecurity in her relationship with Randy, her realization that she needed to stand up for herself and speak up... She wasn't a strong main character, she wasn't a badass, she didn't go through a tremendous growth story full of twists and turns, but she just felt really real. I couldn't help but have deep respect for her.
Summing Up:
Overall, I really enjoyed Shut Out. Of Kody's three works, it is admittedly perhaps the least special, least memorable, but I did find it to be an important story, and the romance was completely adorable and hot. And let me just stress that this being my least favorite of Kody's books doesn't mean much - she is a brilliant author who is definitely on my auto-buy list. I don't think she could possibly write a book I wouldn't enjoy and find merit in. Great job, Kody! (What am I to do now that I am out of Kody Keplinger novels to read? SAD DAY.)
P.S. I will be rereading that library scene. Often. Like a lot. Tons. Okay.
GIF it to me straight!
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Recommended To:
People tired of slut shaming, and in the mood for some sweet and hot romance....more
First read: September 2013 Second read: September 2015
4.5 stars
The Burning Sky is one of those books with a premise and a cover that pretty much had meFirst read: September 2013 Second read: September 2015
4.5 stars
The Burning Sky is one of those books with a premise and a cover that pretty much had me salivating. It sounded perfect for me. It hit all the right notes. And while I recognized many points on which the book could have been better, this was such an engaging and absorbing read that I loved it all the same.
Let's get the elephant out of the room: the romance. It is... amazing. Irresistible. Addicting. Iolanthe and Titus have a chemistry that drips off the page. It didn't take long at all for me to be head over heels for them. It was just the right kind of development for me: starting off with mild interest, turning to disdain, turning to fervently denying any affections and trying to resist... but it being inevitable and unavoidable. All around though, the slightest mention of any affection between the two main characters had my heart pounding. It was just so beautiful. And then you end up with irresistibly adorable quotes like...
Now he could work her likeness into any story of his choosing. Now he could fight dragons for her. And now he could kiss her again. - The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas
[image] The FEELS. I AM STILL OVERWHELMED.
This leads perfectly into my immense love for the main characters. Iolanthe, the elemental mage of prophecy, gets recruited to go on a quest to save the realm from the Bane, a tyrant mage of Atlantis, by the Prince, Titus. The book actually gets told from the alternating perspectives of Iolanthe and Titus. If you know me at all, you'll know that I'm not typically a fan of alternating perspectives. But, here it wasn't alternating chapters - sometimes they switched multiple times in one chapter, and each switch felt necessary. Not only because you see the two characters gradually falling for each other (which is irresistible, as we have established), but also because they have such different motives and perspectives during their mission. Their voices, in that sense, were also really distinctive. Titus, the prince, is absolutely charming in every way, even though he can act like a prick - and does that as an act to the outside world. But his bravery and dedication run so deep that I absolutely love him. Iolanthe starts off completely frightened by the situation, and then starts resenting Titus (due to spoilery circumstances). Over the story though, she develops and grows in a huge way, and by the end she is so courageous and confident, that it's almost like she's a totally different person. It's character development at its very best.
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The plot itself had its ups and downs. The beginning was strong, with Titus coming to rescue Iolanthe and them running to safety while being introduced to the prophecy and the two wonderful main characters. The middle, however, could have been way stronger. While I liked reading more about the characters and the budding romance, the plot had its moments where I was wondering where in the world it was going. However, the end pulled it all together again. It was fast-paced, heart stopping action that I just loved, with magic, dragons, battles, political intrigue, etc. In short, it took a while to get there, but the plot was convincing too.
So while for most of this book I was so overcome by feels that I managed to ignore any prevailing negatives, I do recognize that this book wasn't perfect. Most of my qualms (in fact, all of them) related to the world building. See, young adult high fantasy is hard to accomplish. Younger readers are less tolerant of the long exposition sections typical to high fantasy: the info-dumps that create the world. However, in high fantasy, you're creating a world from scratch, so to be thorough, those info-dumps are almost necessary. The Burning Sky did not contain those info-dump expositions, so younger readers won't be scared off. But, this means the world was a bit underdeveloped for my taste, and I was left with a lot of unanswered questions.
For instance, there are different types of magic: elemental magic, subtle magic, and mind magic. What each type entails and where the boundaries lie remains extremely vague. Also, all throughout the book I was wondering whether the people in the human world knew about the existence of magic or not - because it's never explicitly stated either way. And I was also confused about the intersection between the magic realms and the nonmage realms - are they in the same plane, are they different dimensions, or what? I couldn't figure it out, and as a bit of a world building fanatic, that did bother me. I wanted a map (especially of the capital city in the magic realm) and I just wanted clarity, especially also in some scenes where magic was used and the descriptions were so rushed and vague that I couldn't picture it that well in my imagination. But, as a reader who obsesses over world building, the fact that I managed to ignore this issue so well, due to the overwhelming and beautiful feels, means that the book doesn't suffer so much from this. It's still an absolutely wonderful read. (Here's hoping this is cleared up in the sequel!)
Summing Up:
Seriously, this is a favorite. This is a Debby Book™. This beautiful story, and especially the romance, had me flailing around on my bed, seriously stifling sobs and squeals. It struck me in the heart like Cupid's arrow. I will be rereading this so often, and the world building issue is almost negligible at this point. I just love it! I will go crazy for an ARC of the sequel, because I need that in my hands as soon as humanly possible.
If you've been around the reading community for the past 3-4 months, you'll have heard about Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. It was inescapable. The4 stars
If you've been around the reading community for the past 3-4 months, you'll have heard about Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. It was inescapable. The hype was everywhere. Everyone was buying it. Everyone was reading it. Everyone was rating it 4-5 stars. Despite me having pre-ordered it, thanks to the wonderful (read: awful) service of the Book Depository, it took a month and a half before this book was finally in my hands. But off we went on this reading adventure.
As a bookworm, and a fangirl, it wasn't hard at all to find a connection to Cath. I could see a lot of myself in her, including the introverted behavior and distancing oneself from others. Her love for the Simon Snow fandom reminded me of my younger years, obsessed with of course Harry Potter but also various anime and manga. Rainbow Rowell's writing shone through and made her personality even more endearing. Truly, I get the fuss over Rainbow Rowell's writing style now. I have given in to buying Attachments, and I have Eleanor & Park on my wishlist.
Anyway, the book is filled with cute, and if you don't giggle or squee at certain points, well, you're missing out. Levi is absolutely adorable. I loved that the romance part of this book wasn't all head on, in your face, and obvious. No, I loved Levi from the first mention, but it wasn't clear that he would be the love interest. His relationship with Cath develops at a snail's pace, but that made it so much more heartfelt and realistic. For Cath, an introvert who is not used to letting people in, this was the only way to believably get her into a relationship. But oh how adorable were those two together? Serious, serious love.
I also want to praise the realism of not only the college setting (this is how to do New Adult, folks), but also the family dynamics. While the sisterly bickering did at times get a bit bothersome, I could see the realism in it as I also don't have the best relationship with my sister. And analyzing the dynamic between twins? Definitely intriguing. But Cath's relationship with her father was super endearing. I really loved how that element turned out. Family is important, guys, and I feel like in almost all the books I read it's always about the mother needing help. Fatherly love ftw, okay? Okay.
I definitely enjoyed this book a whole, whole lot, but I felt a tiny bit let down at the end. Why? I didn't feel like there had been enough change on Cath's part. Like, I recognize the fact that at the end she has Levi, her sister, and Reagan (who is made of awesome, like seriously), but at the end she still kind of remains in her shell and her fandom world. I mean, I don't think she should suddenly have transitioned into the most outgoing person in the world, but I definitely feel like there could have been more development there. The kind of contemporary that I love the most is the kind where there's an overarching message that inspires me to make changes in my own life - or reflect on past decisions. I didn't really have that with Fangirl like I did with Adorkable, Golden, Just One Day, This Song Will Save Your Life, etc., and that is ultimately the reason why this won't be as high on my favorites list as those other ones.
And a final small complaint is that, after a while, the fanfiction excerpts or excerpts from the Simon Snow books between chapters became rather pointless. At first they were kind of fun, but the novelty wore off quickly. As they hardly added to the story, I considered skipping them. They weren't that enjoyable.
Summing Up:
Fangirl is a book I'll happily recommend to people looking for a light contemporary. The romance is so adorable, so even though the book was surprisingly long, I didn't have any trouble getting through it. And for a primarily romance-focused book, that says a lot for me. Anyway, I hardly think that you need my recommendation to go and pick this book up, because it's getting praise from all sides, but I'll toss my hat in the ring as well. It's a great read. Rainbow Rowell's writing is fantastic. While it's not an absolute favorite, it's a book I'll happily reread and call a Debby Book.
GIF it to me straight!
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Recommended To:
Introverted fangirls, which should mean all of you, right? ;)...more
Ever since I first read Cinder, almost three years ago, I knew that this series would likely be one of my all-time favorites. Now here we are4.5 stars
Ever since I first read Cinder, almost three years ago, I knew that this series would likely be one of my all-time favorites. Now here we are. The end of the road. And I was not wrong.
At a whopping 824 pages, your first thought upon opening Winter may rightfully be, "Holy crap this book is massive." That size is daunting to most readers - especially to me. But it's a testament to Meyer's skill as a writer that the story never truly drags and no moment ever feels unnecessary. Every book introduces two additional main characters - so by Winter, with Winter and Jacin added to the mix, we're up to a whopping 8! Obviously they're not going to be together all the time, each character and romance needs its own development, and there are a lot of loose ends to tie up. But believe me when I say that Meyer manages all that and more.
What really impressed me is that even though Winter and Jacin enter the story so late in the game, their storyline is no less important. In fact, by the end of the book, they rose to number 2 on my ship list because of the heartfelt emotions, the lovely banter, and the genuine bond between the two. I loved finding out about their history and their unique dynamic - and that's saying a lot, because getting to know all that did mean that the story wasn't always moving forward to its long-awaited climax. But they were lovely complex characters, and Winter's voice was just DELIGHTFUL, while Jacin's dry wit made me giggle for hours.
Fine, fine, I started talking about ships, so I might as well continue on with that train of thought, right? Cress and Throne still dominate my heart. Honestly. There was some drama there but still - their relationship is so real and genuine... I loved that Thorne was now the one whose emotions were more apparent - and when he got all flustered, I got all flustered. And a certain scene in a certain place during a certain revolution ABSOLUTELY SLAYED ME. They are so perf, I can't even. Cinder and Kai are third on the list - they fit really well together and compliment each other, but I don't have the intense butterflies that I do with the others. And Scarlet and Wolf come in at a respectable fourth place - because even though I would rank them last, believe me when I tell you that I genuinely like ALL of these ships. And that usually never happens.
I will admit that the pacing is a tiny bit jolted at times because Cinder's plans seem straight forward but constantly run into roadblocks - so while you think the climax is gonna happen any second, it takes a while to get there. But Meyer uses all that time to work on developing the world, the politics, the characters, and their relationships. Above all, her writing style is so fluid that it's not hard at all to just get engrossed in the story and lose all track of time. 800 pages have never been digested quite so easily or quickly.
Do you want action? Winter's got action. This book is all about finally taking the rebellion to the queen. And with the added world building to show the horrible class divide and abhorrent living conditions for most of the Lunar population, this rebellion feels so much like the absolute best dystopias. The stakes are high as well, and like in Scarlet, there is quite a gore factor. In fact, with the even more suped-up wolfish soldiers, the gore is about ten times worse. But this time I didn't mind it as much. It all just reinforced the high stakes and made the climax an absolutely heart-stopping read.
But possibly what I love most about Winter is that even though it's based upon multiple fairy tales, it does not deliver the cookie cutter happy ending. That's not to say that you should fear SINISTER THINGS, but I just really really love where the story left off. It definitely retained a sense of originality. I would also never say no to more. Because seriously. I love this world and these characters more than you can possibly imagine.
Summing Up:
It seems like the end of an era, because The Lunar Chronicles was one of the first series I discovered as a book blogger and I have marked every individual book as a favorite along the way. This is a series I will happily return to time and again. Meyer's writing style is fluid and engrossing. Her characters and romances are absolutely wonderfully developed. Her brand of sci-fi is refreshing and exciting. Her storytelling is exquisitely detailed and executed. I'm so happy that these books exist. So, so, so happy.
First read: December 2013 Second read: December 2015 - and omg Cress and Thorne and all of the shippy feels ♥
5 stars
Before Cress, I was already listingFirst read: December 2013 Second read: December 2015 - and omg Cress and Thorne and all of the shippy feels ♥
5 stars
Before Cress, I was already listing The Lunar Chronicles as one of my favorite series at the moment. But Cress freaking cemented it as one of my all-time favorite series. This book. THIS BOOK. With its 560 pages. It was amazing and addictive, and by far the best of the series so far.
Cress has to be pretty much my favorite character. Right from the first chapter, I was in love with her. She reminded me a lot of Clara, as Oswin, in the Asylum of the Daleks, the first episode of series 7 of Doctor Who. Nope, I can't pass up a Doctor Who reference opportunity. Sorry not sorry.
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In this case, there's a good reason, okay?
So Cress is stuck in this satellite, can't do anything, but finds quirky ways to amuse herself and tries to make a difference and help others with her kickass computer hacking skills, despite her limitations. She was just adorable. Though she is seriously lonely, she tries to bury that. So while Cress wasn't the fierce, kickass female character, I absolutely love her - probably more than I love Cinder and Scarlet. She may not have been as quirky and outspoken as Clara, but she stole my heart anyway because she was way too adorbs.
I also really love her and Thorne. I ship it. I ship it hard. It is my favorite ship of the series. From the first chapters, where she has her child-like idolizing crush on him, to where they meet and she tries to convince him of his goodness, to all the times he looks out for her, to that moment in that battle... Oh my gosh. It was absolutely freaking perfect. And, without a doubt, their chapters together were my favorites.
However, I must confess, I ship all the ships in this series. Cinder and Kai, the struggles they go through, with the doubts they have about each other, it was absolutely endearing. I even found myself shipping Scarlet and Wolf this time around. While I was not a fan of them in Scarlet, the plot here definitely works in the ship's favor. I was surprised at how many Wolf feels I had, but I dare you to try to ignore his pain. I can even already tell that I'm going to fall hard for Winter's ship. It's unusual for me to actually be an active fan of so many canon ships, but this shows how great Marissa Meyer builds up different relationships (and they are, indeed, all very different). Each relationship really had this irresistible fairy tale romance quality. I couldn't fight it, even if I wanted to, which I definitely did not.
There's more to this story than the romance though. The plot packs a punch. At 560 pages, this is the longest book I read this year. Seriously. But it didn't feel that long at all. It was just addictive. I needed more, more, more. I wasn't too familiar with the Rapunzel fairy tale, so what happened with Thorne... So many feelings! I just loved the personal struggles, the world, the action, the politics - seriously, hooray for those chapters from Kai's POV. And Dr. Erland! asdfjkl; Even the secondary characters are done justice. I just loved everything about this book. I was so anxious when the group was separated and seriously pleased when they were united again and kicking butt like a team. It's a rich cast of characters who I just love to see in action together. I really loved the different characters, because I do feel like they're all very different, but also very likable. I think Cress really helped with that because each character goes through a different plot and struggle, and I had no difficulty telling the POVs apart. It was just plain wonderful.
Summing Up:
I don't know what else to tell you, guys. If this book is not on your "most anticipated in 2014" list, you need to fix that. If you're not reading this series... I don't really know what to say to you. This is absolutely fantastic: great characters, wonderful world building, engrossing writing, plenty of feels, and ships that are setting sail. I need Winter. I'm almost upset that I got to borrow an ARC of Cress because that means I need to wait more than a year for Winter. Except not really. Borrowing this ARC is one of the highlights of the year. And this book is definitely one of my favorites of the year.
GIF it to me straight!
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Recommended To:
Everyone. Come on already. You did get that message, right?...more
Have you ever had a book give you butterflies? I have, and that book was Isla and the Happily Ever After. By far my favorite of Stephanie Perki5 stars
Have you ever had a book give you butterflies? I have, and that book was Isla and the Happily Ever After. By far my favorite of Stephanie Perkins' books, Isla is dripping with chemistry, happiness, and love. I can't even describe just how happy this book made me. It is fluffy romantic perfection.
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Right from the start, I knew this book and I were golden. I had recently reread Anna and the French Kiss, so I remembered seeing Isla fawn over Josh from afar, and in essence I already shipped it. Isla's voice is so freaking wonderful. She's a bit nervous, a bit insecure, and that was all so relatable. Though some might say that her feelings for Josh were all instalovey, I didn't really see it that way. I was transported back in time to high school, when a young, naive Debby had her bouts of intense unrequited love. Her crush was deep, but knowing Josh from Anna and the French Kiss, I totally understood that. She may have idealized him a bit, but who among us didn't have a crush like hers in high school? And she's not just all about the romance. She has real struggles with deciding what to do with her future and finding out where to place her romance on the priorities list. I loved that. It was so realistic.
I was flailing with shippage within the first chapter. Honestly, Josh is such a dreamboat. I love the repressed artist kind of thing, but more than anything I loved the balance that he and Isla created together. And he was blind to her at first, but then was swept away as any romantic artist would be with his muse. I was sitting on the edge of my seat, aww-ing, with butterflies in my stomach, for most of this book. And it just made me so happy. The first half is so lovely and wonderful and romantic, but warning bells were going off in my head. As much as I wanted them to keep kissing for the rest of the book, I knew something bad was going to happen.
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This is where Stephanie Perkins excels: she writes realistic fiction, not escapism. The struggles Josh and Isla go through are so real. Yes, it was painful. Yes, I threw down my book and yelled at the ceiling, "WHYYYYY?!!?!" But it was all good in the end. The physical chemistry was definitely there between Josh and Isla - and it was so powerful, omg, please never stop kissing - but the distance ultimately benefited them to become a real couple. There were obvious topics that they needed to talk about - other ways in which they still had to get to know each other - and they needed to find themselves still, especially with college looming. I haven't even mentioned how dear to my heart Isla's narrative about being a child of two cultures is - it's basically my life story with all its complexities, doubts, benefits, and feelings of never fitting in. So while this book delivered MUCH PAIN VERY INTENSE PAIN, I was glad they went through it, because it made them both stronger in the end.
The ending was absolutely immaculate. Honestly, I could gush about its perfection all day erry day. Not only do we get to reunite with St. Clair, Anna, Lola, Cricket, and Meredith... which has some very exciting !! moments... but then it's all about Josh and Isla again. They are absolutely perfect together. Like Sanjita tells Isla, she supports him in his art and never wants to change him - which makes her the best companion for him. And Hattie, Isla's sister, is so cute, and how she helps Isla absolutely caused my feels to explode. Seriously, Stephanie Perkins makes the best secondary characters. They all, in the end, help in small ways to bring Isla and Josh together and it is absolute perfection and I LOVE THIS BOOK AND I CAN'T HELP IT - I CANNOT - I HAVE TOO MANY FEELS - OKAY - GOODBYE.
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Summing Up:
This book is everything I wanted it to be. The romance is absolutely perfect, with such intense chemistry, true love, and two amazing main characters. Then there's the awesome supporting cast, which contribute to make Stephanie Perkins's universe even more delightful. The messages about friendship (with Sanjita and Kurt) and family (with Hattie) are deep and powerful and not to be ignored. Though this book caused me PAIN, that's just because I was completely absorbed by it, suffering alongside the characters. It was perfection and (ultimately) happiness, and it made my heart SOAR. I will be rereading this book all the time - I can already tell. An instant all time favorite, definitely worth all the hype it's been getting.
Kasie West does it again! Oh my god, guys, I am so happy. I want to dance around and throw confetti in the air, because obviously I've official5 stars
Kasie West does it again! Oh my god, guys, I am so happy. I want to dance around and throw confetti in the air, because obviously I've officially found my author soul mate. This is Kasie's third book, and just like the other two, it gets 5 stars from me. I mean, there's auto-buy authors, and then there's please-can-I-stalk-you-and-maybe-marry-you authors, and that's kind of what Kasie West is becoming to me. *cough* Okay. Calm down, Debby. Cool it.
Split Second picks up right where Pivot Point left off, which, if you read the first one, you know was a pretty painful and heartbreaking cliffhanger. It took no time at all for me to be swept up in this book again. This time, there's no alternating timelines, but alternating perspectives between Addie and her awesome, too cool for words BFF Laila. Though this means that we see less of Addie and perhaps her personality doesn't shine through as well as it did in the first book, the addition of Laila is absolutely awesome. She's feisty and daring, and her love for Addie is so beautiful. Those two. BFFs guys. *cries*
I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning because obviously I couldn't wait to see Addie and Trevor reunited. How would it happen? How would they find each other again? The two still have such an amazing bond, and Trevor is seriously dreamy. I liked how the consequences of the first book played out. It was engrossing to read about and just... yes. It worked. It made sense. I love every bit of it.
And aside from the beauteous relationship between Addie and Trevor, this book gave us perhaps my favorite Kasie West ship yet: Laila and Connor. Oh my god guys. It's like Kasie writes romance just for me, because every single one of her couples gives me insane shippy feels. This one struck me in the first encounter. It's hate to love guys. HATE TO LOVE ROMANCE. *flails* They have such a good banter going on and are continuously having a battle of wit while secretly and unknowingly flirting. I was so invested in their relationship. Oh my god. It was just perfect. Perfect. No. Words.
But aside from the awesome ships and how Kasie West crafts the most awesome, human and relatable characters ever, the plot also packs a punch. This book is not only about Addie getting her memories back and being reunited with Trevor - as per Pivot Point there's something else happening beneath the surface. There was a subtle feeling of suspense the built up until the end of the novel. Something strange is happening to Addie's abilities, and she faces growing suspicion from the perhaps not so trustworthy Compound. While it wasn't as shocking or heartbreaking a mystery as in Pivot Point, it was incredibly interesting and engrossing.
The ending left me seriously satisfied. I was just so happy. I can't even really remember the last time I was this satisfied with a conclusion to a series. Addie's story is clearly wrapped up neatly here, and it was all kinds of adorbs. I love Laila's ending too, though there's some bittersweetness. I can tell that Kasie perhaps purposefully left the door open just a tad for a potential sequel, but at the same time, it really is an awesome conclusion, and it can stand on its own. In any case, it just worked.
Summing Up:
Kasie West gets me. She hits me straight in the feels every time. She just writes the most wonderful characters, emotions, and romance. I have hearts in my eyes right now, I can't even control myself. But while concentrating on all this loveliness, she doesn't let the plot or worldbuilding go by the wayside. Pivot Point is one of my favorite series ever, because it's just such a well-rounded, awesome series. Prepare to be reread multiple times, lovelies, and should there ever be a spin-off or continuation, I will be first in line to buy it.
GIF it to me straight!
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Recommended To:
Obviously everyone. If you haven't read this series, I cannot recommend it enough....more
WOAH. While I definitely liked Unearthly, with the amount of gushing I heard about this series, I was still a bit underwhelmed. While Unearth4.5 stars
WOAH. While I definitely liked Unearthly, with the amount of gushing I heard about this series, I was still a bit underwhelmed. While Unearthly presented us with a beautiful angel concept, irresistible romance, and interesting plot, Hallowed does it SO MUCH BETTER. It's actually happening... I'm liking a sequel, not to mention a MIDDLE BOOK, better than the original. (It's not that this hasn't happened before, but still.)
Where to begin? In terms of world building (I suppose), the mythology becomes much richer in this installment. FINALLY some answers to those pressing questions about the angels and the Black Wings. While certainly not everything is now clear cut and resolved, I feel a much greater attachment to the story. Overall, this is the point at which I actually feel involved in this series. Took me a while, but trust me, I'm there all the way now.
Christian shows amazing character development. In Unearthly I just didn't really feel him. I felt like I was being told he was amazing and awesome and hot, but his actions just left him a bit of a bland, static character. Boy was I wrong. Hallowed pretty much had me drooling by the end of it. I get it. I get why people keep raving about this love triangle. I have the slightest urge to say that I've switched teams. *hides* I KNOW. I'm a horrible person. But I don't know. I'm pretty much on the fence right now, because Tucker is still really sweet, but just a bit absent. How dare you toy with my emotions like this, Cynthia? Cue the sobbing.
That being said, I feel like Clara also showed remarkable character growth in this novel. It's like I finally truly got to see her strength. I sort of agree with Jeffrey, that in the first novel she was way too focused on herself, and in this novel, with her empathy, she's much more observant of the characters around her. And that, ultimately, made her more likeable to me.
I can also note a marked improvement on the secondary characters. While I loved (and still love) Wendy and Angela, the arrival of characters like Michael (in particular, omg *squee*) and Billy made the story much richer and WHOLE to me. I also felt much closer to Clara's mother - most of the annoyances I had with her in the first book fading away.
And finally, the plot in this one was much improved. I felt like Unearthly maybe focused too much on the romance at certain points. Here, the plot centers on finding answers and a good deal of action. There are plenty of plot twists, some of them predictable, some of them totally out of the blue, which is of course a good thing. This book really kept me reading. The ending was full of twists, gut-wrenching emotions (yes I teared up, so what?), and revelations. But it's not enough. I just have to move on to the finale, Boundless, right away.
P.S. Nice jabs at Twilight. Bonus points.
Recommended To:
Oh, everyone, please just give this series a try!...more
I knew from the moment I read Pivot Pointin February that this would be good. Then I saw that cover and it turned into a must-have. Now I have5 stars
I knew from the moment I read Pivot Pointin February that this would be good. Then I saw that cover and it turned into a must-have. Now I have read it, and my first real thought is that I should congratulate Kasie West because she has made her way onto my auto-buy list. I love her writing and her storytelling, and so, for the foreseeable future, I will be pre-ordering any book she comes out with. That's just how much I loved The Distance Between Us.
Right from the first chapter, I was in love with the main character, Caymen. She is absolutely - freaking - hilarious. She has a sarcastic mind that even beats my own, and her quips and one-liners constantly had me giggling and flailing. It made for some of the best dialogue out there and so many quotable quotes.
“Is that your subtle way of saying you missed me last week?"
"I've missed my hot chocolate. I just think of you as the guy who brings it to me. Sometimes I forget your name and call you hot chocolate guy.” - The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
She is one of my favorite characters ever—and definitely within the contemporary romance genre. Aside from her sarcasm, I loved her loyalty to her mother, and her difficulty to trust Xander. It all felt extremely real and authentic, and that is an absolute must for me in contemporary books. Kasie West makes amazing characters, that's for sure. And she also didn't disappoint by putting another awesome friendship in here between Caymen and her best friend, Skye. I loved the two together and it was definitely reminiscent of Addie and Laila (Pivot Point).
Then there's Xander Spence. Someone, bring me a fan. That boy is just so amazing. He's like.... what the love interest in This is What Happy Looks Likeshould have been. He is dreamy and swoon-worthy. I love his little crooked smile, his secret weapon. I love his obvious enjoyment of Caymen's sarcasm. I love his reluctance about his position - that he can still be down-to-earth at times. But he also needs Caymen. She grounds him.
That's one thing I loved about their romance—they complimented each other perfectly. They were just what the other needed. But the absolute best part was that this was a slow-building romance that was perfectly natural and never felt cliché or predictable. I'm not a contemporary romance girl (I keep saying that, but I have been reading a lot of them lately) mostly because straight-up romance will bore me with its cliché nature. That's not the case here. The Distance Between Us is everything I could ask from a contemporary romance. It is top notch. And I just loved it.
While the story does center a lot on the slow-building romance between Caymen and Xander, there's also more to take away from the story. Caymen is in the position to decide if she wants to delay college and take a gap year to help her mother with her struggling business or if she should choose for herself and make her own life. It was a truly touching tale of loyalty and complemented the romance beautifully.
And to that point, I think one of the things I love most about Kasie West's writing and storytelling is that she doesn't only focus on the relationship dynamics between the two main characters. Here she also looks at Caymen and Skye, Caymen and her mother, Xander and his parents, Skye and her boyfriend—and each of them is really interesting with well fleshed out characters. It makes for a well-rounded and authentic world that is hard not to love.
Summing Up:
The Distance Between Us is the perfect light contemporary romance that will lift your spirits and leave you smiling. I'm trying really hard to find a negative thing to say about it, but I'm drawing a blank. I enjoyed every second of this book and loathed when it was over. Contemporary straight-up romance doesn't get any better than this. With amazingly lovable characters and the perfect pacing and relationship development, this is one of my favorite books now. Hats off to Kasie West. You did it again! Welcome to my favorite author and auto-buy list!
GIF it to me straight!
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Recommended To:
Anyone looking for completely adorable and perfect romance....more
First read: October - November 2013 Second read: September 2015 - my shiiiiiiiiiiip
4.5 stars
Ever since I finished Angelfall right at the end of 201First read: October - November 2013 Second read: September 2015 - my shiiiiiiiiiiip
4.5 stars
Ever since I finished Angelfall right at the end of 2012, World After had been on my "OH MY GOD I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW" list. Imagine my surprise when I found it almost a month before its official release date in a bookstore in Amsterdam. I may have jumped and squealed in the store. The bookseller may have been a little freaked out by me. (Pfft, whatever, I regret nothing.)
World After picks up right after Angelfall, and it took no time to completely suck me into the story again. This would primarily stem from my love for Penryn. She is such a kick-ass, awesome main character, and I loved reading from her perspective again. I mean, this is true strength. I just love her. And the plot is just insane. It's so dark, it's so mysterious... I love the world Susan Ee created - it's absolutely haunting.
Let it be said up front that World After is not for the faint of heart. It is DARK. It is downright CREEPY. I honestly had moments where I just shuddered and had to put the book down for a bit to get my heart rate to calm down. If you thought the ending of Angelfall was creepy, extrapolate that upward sloping line and... nope, World After is even creepier than that. Picture blood and gore everywhere, intestines being flung around, dark spooky creatures attacking, cannibalism... I didn't expect this. I would classify this as a horror-esque book, which is not typically my thing.
However, I guess since I already felt so invested in the story, I could handle it. I handled it really well, actually. No nightmares! It's made me think that maybe I am less susceptible to scary stuff in books (as opposed to movies) because I'm not too much of a visual reader. So, yeah, Christina, I think I can probably handle Feed. But above all, I loved how this creepiness made the story so unique. You honestly have no idea where Susan is going with it, but all you know is that you're enjoying the ride and can't wait till it ends. And Susan also easily inserts humor to get you giggling in between the darkness. Serious talent, that.
I must admit that what kind of let me down a tiny bit was that Raffe didn't appear in this book nearly as much as I would have liked. He shows up almost at the very end, but when he does... oh boy. That's what reaffirmed my love for this series for 100%. The banter, the chemistry between those two characters. It is an absolutely perfect relationship. Like I can't even. I just can't. Too many feelings. Give. Me. More.
But aside from the awesome characters, haunting world, need to find out more more more, I love the way that Susan Ee establishes her secondary characters. I'm still so affected by Penryn's mom and sister - and the new sort-of-sidekick Clara definitely got to me. Each character just manages to play off your emotions and... god, I just love this book.
Summing Up:
You need to read this series. You need to. You must. It is an unforgettable and extremely unique thrill ride. I simply adore these characters to pieces and am so invested in their lives. I know this just came out but... can I have the third book? Now? Please? Seriously. This is one of my favorite series. You need to jump on this bandwagon.
GIF it to me straight!
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Clara, I dub thee the Penryn in my head.
Recommended To:
People looking for something unique and dark, but with tons of depth and great characters....more
This is my first adventure with Gayle Forman but I absolutely loved it and will be checking out her other books really, really s5 unquestionable stars
This is my first adventure with Gayle Forman but I absolutely loved it and will be checking out her other books really, really soon. It's just a beautiful literal and figurative story of finding yourself and finding love. It pulled at my heartstrings constantly, made me laugh, giggle, flail, and produce some tears. And this from one who usually doesn't really do contemporary.
Part 1: One Day
The book starts off with Allyson and Willem's one glorious and beautiful day in Paris. Now, being Dutch, but having lived in the US for 10 years (and just getting back from a visit this week) this book hits so close to home in terms of the cultural depictions - a debate I often have. People are always asking me why I prefer to live in the Netherlands and what the difference between the cultures is. I may, next time, just point those people over to this book. The Dutch think "time is fluid", while Americans think time is rigid. Americans are organized, planned, and especially on vacations plan out so many details that I think the fun is kind of taken out of it, while the Dutch are more hedonistic and enjoy life. That's not to say that the Dutch are fun and Americans are boring (certainly there's exceptions to both cases) but when I explain the cultural difference I always say, "The Dutch work to live and Americans live to work." That mentality trickles down into a lot of other facets of both cultures, and I thought Gayle encapsulates the difference very well in the two main characters.
In part 1, while Allyson is a super relatable and pleasant main character, my focus was on Willem. Oh my lord. Not only do I love how typically and cutely Dutch he is (what with his hagelslag, uitsmijters, love of water and canals) but the constant teasing made him so adorable. While a hot, mysterious, constantly-wearing-a-mask love interest is not particularly new to YA, I feel like Gayle did it so much better than any others I read. Maybe it's just that he's Dutch. I mean, guys swearing in Dutch is just so freaking hot. (Seriously had the giggles when he cursed "Godverdomme!")
And then there's the romance itself...
We kiss again. This next kiss is the kind that breaks open the sky. It steals my breath and gives it back. It shows me that every other kiss I've had in my life has been wrong. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Woah, Gayle, you're really bringing out the hopeless romantic in me. And can I have my own Willem? Just you know... Send him over to Rotterdam. (Living in Amsterdam is overrated anyway.)
Part 2: One Year
The second part covers Allyson's first year of college where she sadly must move on from that one perfect day. It's not easy. But it's not supposed to be! I loved the realism of this part of the story. It really accurately depicts the transition to independence that comes during the first years of college. You move away from your parents and begin to see that you decide which path you're on. And parents aren't as important anymore - friends are. Allyson's struggles to make friends while she's depressed tugged at my heartstrings, I mean, who among us cannot relate to that? (Lucky bastards, that's who.) But it sent this important message too, that even if you think some people have it easy, nobody is ever really who they say they are or how they appear to be. Everyone has vulnerabilities. It's always a bit of a game of pretend: there's always a layer underneath.
It's such an emotional journey of self-discovery that I couldn't help myself. I started highlighting quotes. So many parts just were so beautiful. I mean, I started tearing up when Allyson reads as Rosalind. Dee is awesome too. And overall this part of the story amazed me with the rich symbolism (which I usually don't pay too much attention to, but here it was beautiful).
But then Mason touches my neck, to the spot on it where the cut from that night has since healed, and I pull away.
He was right, after all; it didn't leave a scar, though part of me wishes it had. At least I'd have some evidence, some justification of this permanence. Stains are even worse when you're the only one who can see them. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
I want to ask him where that kitchen is. Where he's from. But he seems guarded. Or maybe it's me. Maybe making friends is a specific skill, and I missed the lesson. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
I want to undo this. To make it right. But I have no idea how. I don't seem to know how to open up to people without getting the door slammed in my face. So I do nothing. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Now don't let this depress you! It's truly a beautiful story. It's not all rainbows and sunshine, but it captures Allyson's important journey to finding herself and her way in the world. When she finally is resolved to find Willem again, she has transformed into a strong woman, independent and courageous. The story becomes really uplifting.
He gives me a little shrug, like, of course, why else? And at this point, I really have no right to be surprised by people's capacity for kindness and generosity, but still, I am. I'm floored every time. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
While I've never really been the backpacking type, my connection to Allyson is encouraging me that if she can do it, so can I. Thanks for the renewing of my wanderlust. And what a beautiful depiction of the Netherlands. It really felt like home.
Which, sadly, brings me to the end. I'm not going to spoil anything, but it really feels like Gayle pulled out my heart and stomped on it. I mean, why end it there? (*cough*so you can sell another book, Debby*cough*) Sigh. Just. Sigh. Waiting sucks.
First Read: June 7-8th, 2013 Reread: June 14-15th, 2014 - still five stars!
5 stars
I am in love with a book and its title is The DUFF. I love this book First Read: June 7-8th, 2013 Reread: June 14-15th, 2014 - still five stars!
5 stars
I am in love with a book and its title is The DUFF. I love this book to pieces. I want to cry over its perfection. I want to marry this book. I honestly couldn't find a single flaw, so yes, this is going to be a gush fest. You may as well just skip reading this, scroll back up and click those buy links. Because you want to read this. You do.
Can we just start with the flawless awesomeness that is Bianca? I love her. She's down-to-earth, realistic, and relatable. She made me fall in love with her when in the first 20 pages or so, she had an inner monologue about the distinction between love and like in high school, and how so many people claim to be in love, but they don't really know what that is. You, missy, are amazing. She's a breath of fresh air among those irritating YA heroines that fall in naive instalove. She's so self-aware as well. She recognizes how some of the things she does or thinks are stupid and then thinks logically about it and... I just loved being in her mind.
This romance is perfect. You shouldn't be surprised. Yesterday, I made a blog post about how I love love-hate relationships. Coincidentally, this book was next on my list. I should go back and add this example into that post because this relationship is PERFECT. Absorbing, endearing, slowly developing, challenging, but ultimately caring... It's just perfect. Everything I could have asked for. And the chemistry... it dripped off the page. I'm sad I have an e-book copy because I want to hug this book so much right now. Ugh, I'll just hug my e-reader.
I also love Kody Keplinger's writing. The voice she captured in Bianca's narrations was so authentic, beautiful, and absorbing. She is a great storyteller as well, for sure. Because not only did she get this love-hate relationship thing perfectly right, there was also a light love triangle. But I didn't hate it, in fact, I kind of liked both sides. And then she resolved that love triangle perfectly. This all within one book, which is even shorter than the average YA. But in that one book, Kody Keplinger does this better than many YA authors manage to do in a trilogy. She just gets it. Her writing is totally convincing. The love triangle here was necessary. It was proving a point. It just made sense to have it, and it made sense how it all played out and was resolved in the end. It is... the perfect love triangle.
Okay, so maybe Kody Keplinger did have an easier go of it since this is a pure romance novel while most love triangles are in paranormal series where there's much more to develop and stuff. But this book is still perfect. And now realize that I'm saying this about a pure romance book. I do not read pure romance often, and when I do, I'm often still extremely skeptical. Not here, guys. That should count for something.
But apart from the romance, The DUFF also makes some other important points. It is also a self-esteem, coming-of-age book. In a very relatable way, it touched my heart and made me feel enlightened afterwards, just as such a book should do. I also loved the relationship between Bianca and her parents. No absentee parents here (except for Wesley's, I guess) and the relationship with her father was so endearing, it pretty much brought a tear to my eye. As a child of divorce, I suppose this was all extremely dear to my heart. Also, Bianca's friendships with Casey and Jessica? Perfect.
Summing Up:
This is, plain and simple, everything I could ever want in a contemporary romance. The romance was flawless, the main character was a delight, the writing was beautiful, the storytelling was solid... I just loved it (if that hasn't become apparent enough). It's placed the rest of Kody Keplinger's books on my to-read list, because I have the utmost faith in her. And this book will be on my all time favorites shelf for sure. Time to order a hard copy so I can hug it to death.
P.S. This was on my to-read list for a long, long time. Learn from my mistake, people. Pick this book up soon if you haven't already. It will make you smile and it's perfect to get you out of a reading slump (which I have been suffering).
Why do you do this to me Jennifer? I'm such a mess right now. My emotionsssss.
We left Katy and Daemon after a big shocker in Onyx and most of O4 stars
Why do you do this to me Jennifer? I'm such a mess right now. My emotionsssss.
We left Katy and Daemon after a big shocker in Onyx and most of Opal is spent trying to repair the damage. In terms of characterdevelopment, this installment is amazing. Katy comes to terms with the guilt of lying to her friends and family about, well, everything. Daemon transforms and finally trusts Katy enough to show his truly cuddly side. Dee is left in depression after the events of Onyx, understandably, and shows an amazing transformation throughout the novel (though it was sad for Katy in most of Opal, I'm so glad that Dee didn't just shake it off and be her bubbly self. It was way more realistic this way).
All that development in terms of characters means the plot progressed much more slowly than usual. If this were a three book series this one would suffer just a little bit from middle book syndrome. And it is the middle book, so I guess it's fitting. But at times it was just a bit slow, which explains the four orange rating. In this case, four oranges means I still absolutely adored it, but it didn't quite blow me away. I think it's mostly due to the unanswered questions that I'm really getting desperate to know the answers to.
A lot of time was spent developing the relationship between Katy and Daemon and I loved that. Although it was sooo frustrating at times too. I love the relationship though. They're able to be so supportive of each other and I swear, lying in bed, reading this, I just kept asking, "Where's my Daemon???" Seriously. I want him. But so many interruptions, I almost feared we wouldn't get to the hot smexy scenes in this one. Thank god I was wrong. Also - THANK YOU Jenn for no stupid teenage angsty arguments. It's a perfect relationship between two characters who I absolutely love to bits. Their personalities are absolutely wonderful, distinctive, entertaining, and adorable.
Blake and Will. Two masterfully crafted villains. Jennifer did a really great job of adding the necessary creep factor. But I still have so many unanswered questions. Ahhh.
Towards the end, the action scenes are looming, and I felt it coming. Only 50 pages to go - there's no way this is going to end well. Not enough time for a real resolution. But though I sort of expected the cliffhanger, it really tore me to shreds at the same time. I'm a bit speechless. I don't really know what to do... That last chapter pretty much brought tears to my eyes. How am I going to survive the wait for Origin?
Summing Up:
I feel like I have to say this in each review of this series, defending my love for it: admittedly, this may not be the best written series in the world. For YA however it's much more amazing than most. And Jennifer just has this amazing skill of seizing my heart and right at the end tearing it to shreds. Honestly, reading these books is like an emotional rollercoaster. And I am immensely enjoying the ride.
Recommended To:
Are you still not reading this series? How else can I convince you?...more
I'm not going to give this book a long review because (a) it doesn't need it, and (b) no amount of words I type would do it justice. Just know 5 stars
I'm not going to give this book a long review because (a) it doesn't need it, and (b) no amount of words I type would do it justice. Just know that you should read this book. It's on so many lists as one of the top books of 2012 and it aptly deserves it.
Reading The Fault in Our Stars is a difficult decision to make, in a way. With all that is written and said about it, you know in advance that there is a love story there that is too beautiful for words, but the inevitability of the plot ensures that tears will be shed. I think the talent of John Green shows in that despite this foreknowledge, the story completely sucks you in and you become part of it yourself. You agree and sympathize with Hazel Grace's thoughts and views on life (or the many side-effects of death). You melt at every suave and witty comment made by Augustus. When tragedy strikes, your heart is torn into a million little pieces. And still you manage to feel slightly uplifted at the end.
There is little to say. The story is amazing and solid. The characters are brilliant and well-developed. The prose I absolutely adored. It's a brave and honest portrayal of cancer patients that hits really close to home for me in particular, but to many, many others as well. Extremely thought-provoking, I can tell this is a book that will stay with me for a long time, and I'm confident I can put it on my all-time favorites list.
As to more personal things: I've been proud to call myself a nerdfighter for about two months but had not read John's books before. I'd been itching to of course, not only because of the great reviews they get, but because of his wonderful personality and thoughtfulness. I can now say I absolutely love his writing style and I cannot wait to check out his other books.
And as to the Netherlands! Despite knowing that John loves the country, visited often, and lived there for two months to write the book, I was amazed by how accurate his vision of the country was. Reading it felt like I was right at home. He sure did his research and made a beautiful depiction. (My only question mark was at Hazel's ability to wear a sundress in May - HA! That sure doesn't happen in my country too often.)
Summing Up:
I know I'm way behind on this one, but if there is a chance you have not read this yet, you definitely should. There is no real excuse. I have nothing else to say.
Imagine all the gushing sounds on the planet and that's basically what I am right now. I'm just one puddle of goo, and don't roll your eyes a4.5 stars
Imagine all the gushing sounds on the planet and that's basically what I am right now. I'm just one puddle of goo, and don't roll your eyes at me, that's so opposite to how I usually am. This series is just plain amazing. While I personally don't think it was as great as Obsidian, it was still amazing. This series is turning out to be one of my absolute all time favorites. This book seriously just had me trembling, giggling, squealing and I don't do that. I just don't.
Let me get this out of the way, the reason why I'm giving a book that I absolutely loved 4.5 stars is because the book itself wasn't flawless. There were just some things that frustrated me a bit. I felt like the STORY improved immensely compared to Obsidian. It pretty much blew my mind. The romance was just as hot. But some sections just felt like they were dragging a bit, I dunno. It's just not the "5 stars amazing awesome omg wow" feeling, now that I'm done, but maybe that's because I'm just really sad it's over and now I have to wait for the next one. And, let's face it, it's a guilty pleasure book, it's not going to be perfect.
I still think the reason this series has so captured my heart is three main things: the super awesome, relatable Katy, the amazingly hot and UNF Daemon, and their awesome, witty banter, love-hate relationship. It's such a great formula. Maybe my reluctance to give the book five stars is because I was frantically motioning "NOW KISS" all through the book and sometimes they just wouldn't listen to me, haahaha. But seriously though, I love Katy. Such a perfect main character. And pretty much every emotion, every thought she has I've had in the past. I see so much of myself in her it's ridiculous.
The story this time was surprisingly good and it really sucked me in. I can't wait to see how it turns out next.
You know, I'm really tired. I stayed up until 2 am last night reading this and had to wake up early today for a meeting. Somewhere this week I have to start seriously studying for exams next week. I might just leave this review for some more expansion another time. I will leave you with gifs depicting my emotions.
The simplest way to describe this book is "Twilight done right". Now I feel your eyes rolling and your opinion of me falling, b5 glorious stars
[image]
The simplest way to describe this book is "Twilight done right". Now I feel your eyes rolling and your opinion of me falling, but let me be clear, I hate Twilight with pretty much every bone in my body. But this was perfect. My review is a bundle of emotions and squees, so if you want a more objective opinion of why this is so good, what "Twilight done right" really means, check out Stephanie Sinclair's review.
If I were to look at the novel critically it wouldn't deserve the five stars. I mean, I found grammatical errors, sometimes the writing style was awful, it was rather predictable, but I enjoyed it with every fiber of my being.
First off, getting rid of vampires and putting in aliens is like the coolest thing ever. Thank you so freaking much. I'm so ridiculously tired of stupid vampires, can only stand them in The Vampire Diaries, so it was a relief. And making them aliens really just makes me less biased against it, since I don't really get along with the Paranormal Romance genre.
Katy is one of the best main characters I've ever read. It's ridiculous. Her point of view is a unique delight in YA. I don't think I've ever related to a character more. She's a book blogger. She is sarcastic. She's stubborn. She doesn't take any bullshit, isn't afraid to call Daemon out on being a giant ass. And the best part was the ending, she didn't fall all head over heels and is making Daemon WORK FOR IT.
[image] Cheering for your awesomeness, Katy.
Daemon is just UNF OMG. This is the best, most droolworthy, tortured hero, badass character I've read so far. Seriously. This is how you do it. YA authors, take a note. Please. He seriously brings chills to my spine. You sexy, sexy fool.
[image] Pretty much how I imagine Daemon.
And their romance is flawless. I love love-hate relationships. They're the absolute best to read. The make out scene... Omg. I don't even remember the last time I read something that hot. Seriously. This seriously had me squealing, gasping, flailing, pretty much EVERY EMOTION IMAGINABLE. It's irresistable. It's...
[image] ^ Me
The story doesn't disappoint either. This is just on all fronts SO MUCH BETTER than Twilight. So much better. I want a movie. Like yesterday. I need to continue the series, but I sadly have new releases to read. Sigh. I can't wait though, I'm so excited to continue this.
And now, more emotional flailing, through more gifs. Basically, all these emotions were felt at one point or another.
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