Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. There were some things I truly loved about this one. I loved how the bulk of the book, nothing cr
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Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. There were some things I truly loved about this one. I loved how the bulk of the book, nothing crazy happened. It felt like some of the older books and I love that feeling. All the Harry and Dumbledore time we got, the memories of Voldemort’s past (which were very interesting) and of course Harry and Ginny, who I’ve shipped for a while now finally got their shot.
That’s the good. There is also a lot of sadness and despair. A very important and influential character dies. Sides are chosen. People you trust turn out to be not who they say they are (or so we think…) The last 2 hours of this 18 hour audio book broke my heart. I almost want to wait a while to do the final book, but I really want to finish these books by the end of 2016 so I better start it straight away. Wish me luck! I know I’ll need it xoxo ...more
Holding Up the Universe was an interesting and moving read with complex characters and a unique storyline. I listened the the audio version of this book and once I hit play, I didn’t want to stop. When I read All the Bright Places earlier this year, I had the same feeling of being hooked. I’m happy to report the author was able to pull this off not once, but twice.
Our story centers around Libby Strout and Jack Masselin. Libby is formally ‘America’s Fattest Teen’. She’s spent a lot of her young adult life getting healthy and she is nowhere near thin, but she’s happy with herself. She decides to take the plunge, stop homeschooling and go to high school. Libby is a fantastic character. I loved that she’s just herself. She has a great relationship with her dad and meets some good friends throughout this journey for her. She also meets Jack Masselin in a very unconventional way.
Jack’s got it good in high school, or so everything thinks. He’s popular, has a pretty girlfriend and a lot of friends. He’s funny, charming and cool. But he struggles every single moment of every single day. See, Jack has this secret. He can’t recognize faces. I can’t even imagine how that would feel. To wake up each morning, look at my husband and not recognize his face. That’s how it is for Jack. He knows his brother’s hair style, and he can tell his other brother by his ears, but the system is not flawless. Libby is the only one who knows about this and is able to help him. He doesn't always deserve her help, but that's not the point. It's just the way Libby is. I love her for it.
Jack and Libby’s relationship is complicated at first. The way they meet, the reason they’re spending so much time together. Their friendship grew and developed as the story progressed. I loved them both and I loved that they had each others backs. Jack won me over early on, just knowing he was rooting for Libby from the very start warmed my heart. Even though there were some hard to read moments, the story, overall, was a positive one. I felt happy when I finished. I give this one 4 stars!
Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world, theirs and yours.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was my most anticipated read of the series… It’s my favorite movie (I KNOW I KNOW- the books are SO MUC
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was my most anticipated read of the series… It’s my favorite movie (I KNOW I KNOW- the books are SO MUCH BETTER) and it’s where the books really start to get intense. Even though there was a part that brought tears to my eyes, its not as sad as whats yet to come…
I feel like this book is the book of transitioning for Harry, Ron and Hermione. This is the last book of their childhood. If the movies follow the books as well as I hope, shit really starts to get real after this one. There is a lot of depth to this story, the characters and it gets a bit darker than the first three. I love the Tri-Wizard Tournament aspect and the new characters we meet. Once again, I listened to the audio book and the narration was fantastic. If you’ve never read the books before, or your a long time fan- I highly recommend these audio books. The narrator does a fantastic job. I love getting lost in the world of Harry Potter and can’t wait to read more <3 ...more
The third book in the Harry Potter series is by far the best of the first three. We get introduced to Sirius Black early on in the book, an
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The third book in the Harry Potter series is by far the best of the first three. We get introduced to Sirius Black early on in the book, and I have to say, he’s my favorite character to date in the series. Getting more answers about Harry’s parents and past, you can tell this book sets up so many things for future books.
Sirius and Remus were the best part of the book for me. I could see where THIS would be the book that hooks so many HP fans. Don’t get me wrong, the first two are good, but there was something special about this book. Something that makes me want to jump into book 4 asap. This world is magical and yes, the books are so much better than the movies (which I’ve seen multiple times) and I’m so happy I’m reading them! 5 stars!...more
I enjoyed Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secrets even more than Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I loved that I read a few scenes t
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I enjoyed Harry Potter and the Chambers of Secrets even more than Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I loved that I read a few scenes that were new to me. A few things I noticed were not in the movie. I expect that will happen more and more as the series goes on. I listened to the audiobook and I thought the narration was fantastic. In fact, it may have convinced me to do the rest of the series in audio! ...more
I'm 30 years old and I've finally started the Harry Potter series. I know what you're thinking- it took me long enough! I say better late t
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I'm 30 years old and I've finally started the Harry Potter series. I know what you're thinking- it took me long enough! I say better late than never! I remember when the first movie was released in 2001. My sister was reading the books and so was my best friend. In 2001 I was in high school, and though I loved the movie, I was reading Sylvia Plath and Wally Lamb and had no interest in the young adult genre. Now, totally different story! I'm all about reading some YA.
Since I've seen the movies, there wasn't a ton of new material in this book for me (though my I've heard that the further I get into the series, the more new material I'll come across). I enjoyed reading this one lots and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the magical Harry Potter books this year! ...more
Nothing like teenage angst and drama! Monica Murphy brings a large dose of both in her newest mature YA read Just Friends. Just a heads up, this book has many unlikable characters. I spent a large part of it just sitting here shaking my head waiting for the next crazy thing to happen, but it was completely unputdownable and captivated me from the start. It reminded me of the times I was addicted to those high school tv dramas (think 90210, Gossip Girl etc) and I would just binge watch no matter how many crazy things happened.
Olivia has two best friends. Em and Dustin. She is forced to spend the summer before her senior year in Oregon with her father. Two months away from her best friends. It seems like an eternity. Right before school is ready to start, she comes back home. Everything should be the same, right? There is Em. Her long time best friend. They’re inseparable. But now Em is drinking and doing god knows what at all the parties they go to and things aren’t the same. Then there is Dustin. Dustin and Liv have a strange relationship. They’re ‘Just Friends’ but it’s clear that he wants more. She’s undecided though they have hooked up.
“We’re friends.” Best friends. Who want something more.
If that wasn’t complicated enough, there is Ryan. The new guy who appeared this summer. Ryan and Em seem to have a little something going on, but it’s apparent that Ryan is way more into Olivia then he is with Em. Oh, what a confusing and tangled web we weave!
“I may have been with Em last night, but I wanted it to be with you.”
So as you can tell, it’s sort of a hot mess right now. As school is starting, Olivia doesn’t know what she wants. Dustin feels safe. She’s attracted to him but doesn’t want to ruin their friendship. She feels something strong for Ryan, but is it just lust? Can she trust him? She finds out quickly trust is not something easy to come by. When Olivia finds out she’s been betrayed by those closest to her, everything changes.
Some of Olivia’s thoughts annoyed me. She stressed me out at times, but like I said before, I was totally addicted to her story and didn’t want to stop reading. Olivia and Dustin, I have mixed feelings about. Em is just ugh for me, and Ryan… well, the verdict is still out on him. Olivia did make friends with a girl named Amanda and she is by far the most likable of the bunch. I could connect with her better than any of the other characters, perhaps because I was more like Amanda in high school than any of the others.
I have mixed feelings about this one, but overall I did like it and I’ll be reading the next. I need to know whats going to happen with these crazy kids! I’m anxious to see where Amanda’s story will go, and of course… which guy Olivia will choose (if she ever does choose LOL)
“You need to make up your mind who you want, Olivia. You can’t have us both.”
If you’re looking for a story with lots of drama, frenemies, love triangles (or maybe a love square) and you can handle the angst- this will be the book for you! Just be prepared to binge read, because you won’t want to put it down!
So before I review this book, I have a confession to make. As much as I love Harry Potter (I have a dog named Dobby ffs) I’ve never read a Ha4 stars!
So before I review this book, I have a confession to make. As much as I love Harry Potter (I have a dog named Dobby ffs) I’ve never read a Harry Potter book. I love the movies. I’ve seen them multiple times. Growing up, it was my sister’s favorite book series. It’s also my husband’s favorite book series. And one of these days, I’ll get to it… but I haven’t yet. Okay, so this is my first book I’ve read by JK Rowling. My husband pre-ordered and it was sitting on my kindle so I decided to jump in.
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this book. The story is written in as a play- so the format is like a script. Which was fine by me, I was a thespian and have read many scripts, so it was easy to follow. I think it would be easy for anyone to follow, though. This book focuses on Harry Potter’s son, Albus Severus Potter. Albus is getting ready to go into his first year at Hogwarts and he is nervous. Which house will he be sorted into? Will he make friends? Being the son of Harry Potter isn't an easy thing for Albus.
There was a lot of action and twists and turns in this story, and I’ll keep that a surprise for readers, but what I really loved about this book was the friendship between Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. Scorpius was by far my favorite character in this book. I adored him.
“The world changes and we change with it. I am better off in this world. But the world is not better. And I don’t want that.”
I also really loved seeing our favorite characters grown up and parents. Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, even Draco. I loved how much Draco loved his son.
I’ve seen a lot of fans of this book not love the script. And a lot of them are completely fan-girling over it. I liked it a lot. It wasn’t an epic 5 star read for me, but I thought it was good. Once I finally read the entire series, I’ll come back and re-read and see what I think. For now, I give it 4 stars because it was highly entertaining and I didn’t want to put it down.
(This is just a fun picture collage of my sister and me at the midnight release. That Patronus on the drink menu was delicious and there were tons of people dressed up! We had a blast :) )
Because I Love You is a heartfelt, emotional YA romance. It’s a story about how one girls life completely changes after one choice s3.5 stars
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Because I Love You is a heartfelt, emotional YA romance. It’s a story about how one girls life completely changes after one choice she makes. It’s a story of growth, of making hard decisions, and about falling in love. It’s a story of sacrifice and the ultimate kind of love.
When Andie finds out she’s pregnant, things aren’t easy for her. She lives with only her mother, her father has recently died, and her best friends (one of whom is the baby daddy) turn their backs on her. She’s alone and it’s hard for her to keep her spirits up. Friendship and love come in the most unlikely places when bad boy Neil Donaghue, aka her ex-boyfriend, comes back in her life. Neil appears to be a lot of things, but deep down, he is an amazing person and someone who would do anything for Andie.
Andie has a lot of tough choices to make. Her story isn’t easy to read. There is more than just pregnancy in this book. Her story runs deeper than that. Because I Love You is a book that made me cry, but by the end, I was mostly happy with the turn of events. I enjoyed this one....more
This is my favorite kind of YA read. Just the right amount of romance, heavy on the feels, self discovery, family and friendship. Add in the fact that it was a sports romance, that just made it all the better! The Hard Count is not only a beautiful YA romance, it’s also uplifting and inspiring. It had such a wonderful message and makes you want to do better, to be better.
Nico Medina goes to the same school as Reagan Prescott, but he’s from the West Side. A very different part of town. He’s a scholarship kid and he’s there because he’s smart. He and Reagan love to argue and have a great banter going on in class. That’s about as far as their relationship goes. Until Reagan’s brother and the star quarterback gets hurt. Once Reagan sees Nico playing football with his friends, she knows how much of an asset he would be to the team. And seeing as her dad is the coach and his job depends on them winning, she gets Nico to try out. The more she gets to know Nico, the more she realizes he’s not at all what she expected. I love seeing their banter turn into friendship. I love even more watching their friendship turn into love.
Nico is a wild stallion full of promise and gifts, and I’m not sure if he can be tamed. I’m not sure if he should.
Reagan and Nico have a bit of forbidden love going on- the privileged girl and the guy from the wrong side of town. There is something that is so special about YA romance. It’s so pure, so sweet. Reagan and Nico’s love story was beautiful. I loved that they started out almost as enemies and then fell for each other.
Reagan is a heroine that had so much character. She’s smart, she knows what she believes in and stands strong even during times that aren’t easy. Now to Nico Medina. He is the best kind of hero. I loved everything about Nico. His drive, determination, his morals, ideals of family and loyalty. He was just wonderful.
The first part of this story was a little slow for me, but let me tell you- once it picked up, I didn't want to put it down. I was completely enamored. This story had so much heart and soul. It’s a truly beautiful and all consuming read. I didn’t want it to end. That last half, so so good!!!
As I said before, the friendship aspect of the story and the romance were both wonderful, but this story was about so much more than love and friendship. It was about overcoming adversity, seeing past stereotypes and overcoming obstacles. Things weren’t easy for this couple, but that made it all the better when things finally started to come together for them.
The Hard Count is a story I would recommend to YA lovers and romance readers alike. It’s my favorite book by this author and a complete stand-alone (YAY!). I would, however, LOVE a spin-off about a few of the characters in this story. Noah and Izzy, Sasha, even Colton! I loved the unique premise and the forbidden love aspect. This is a 5-star favorite you won’t want to miss out on!
“Alive,” he says against me, his lips grazing mine with the sweetest words ever. “Loving you- it makes me feel alive.”
I am a huge fan of Toni Aleo's. Her hockey books are my all time favorite sports romances, so when I heard she was writing a PNR, I jumped at the chance to read it. The best thing about Pieces is that it was unlike any other paranormal book I’ve read. In every genre and even sub-genre, it seems like the book market is saturated with the same type of stories over and over again. When I finish a book and my first thought is ‘Wow, I haven’t ever read something like that before,’ I count that as a big win!
Rebecca von Stein is a descendant of Dr. Frankenstein. She has three older brothers and is the only daughter of the leader of the Patchwork. To say her family is overprotective of her is a vast understatement. There are vampires, wolves, shifters, and witches in the Works. Although Rebecca is tough, she’s missing something her family has. Her life is one experiment after the next and she’s sick of it. She’s sick of being treated the way she is. She knows her family loves her, but she’s fed up.
Rebecca seemed a bit young to me at first. I understood her situation was frustrating, but I felt like sometimes she was a little immature at times (for lack of a better word). But she is young. She’s 19 and has been immensely sheltered so I understood why she was that way. Her maturity level went up later in the book. I liked her a lot and I enjoyed seeing her growth in the story. I liked the story from the start, but when things with her love interest took off, I was completely hooked.
This book had a bit of a slow start for me, but once it picked up, I really loved the story and the direction it took. The last half was intense and fast paced. I didn’t know what would happen and that ending really had me on the edge of my seat wondering what's next for our girl, Rebecca. As always, I love Toni’s writing and I think her debut PNR was a great read! If you’re looking for a unique paranormal romance that has an interesting plot, some action, love, loyalty, and growth, I recommend picking this one up. I know I’m excited to continue on with this series!
Danielle Rocco writes the sweetest romance stories. When I read Labeled Love, I couldn’t wait to get book 2. And it wasn’t just because of that cliffhanger (though that had something to do with it). I really just wanted more of Shay and Jace and their swoony and sweet love story. Love letters, pink construction paper, love songs, names in the sand, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and heart shaped love will always remind me of them. I had high hopes that this book would be just as good as the first and it didn’t disappoint.
If you’ve read Labeled Love, you know Jace and Shay were torn apart and our hearts were complete broken for them both. After reading the first few chapters of this book, I was in tears for Jace and Shay both. It was such a hard spot they were both in, but they handled it with as much grace and dignity as they could.
What I love most about Shay is her undying loyalty and love. She knows the kind of man she has in Jace and she is completely devoted to him, as he is to her. You don’t see that so often in books, especially with the ages of these two and the situation they were put in. They honestly did the best they could with the hand they were dealt and something that would tear most relationships apart only made these two stronger. Not to say it was easy, it wasn’t. There were things that were especially hard on each of them, but with their true and undying love, they’ll always make it through.
“Real love will always come with sacrifice. It’s when it doesn’t that you know it’s not real.”
What I love most about Jace… can I just say everything? He is one of those heroes that is seriously perfect and almost too good to be true. I was almost happy to see that he made a few mistakes in this story. He’s only human. It didn’t make me love him less, quite the opposite. I loved his strength and determination, how he came from nothing, but somehow became everything to someone like Shay. He is truly a wonderful hero.
Jace and Shay together make me smile. I can’t imagine either one of them with anyone else. They have that kind of love. It’s unbreakable, unyielding and meant to be.
“Do you love me, baby? Do you, Shay? Do you love me, baby?”
“More than anything, Jace. I love you more than anything.”
As much as I love Jace and Shay, I also loved so many of the secondary characters. Shay’s parents, Melody and Steven were amazing as always. I love Jace’s friend Landon, and I grew to love his mom, Grace, so much. I disliked her in the first book, but her changes and growth were beautiful. And OMG Jules and Beau. Their love/hate relationship… gah! I need their book! I love Danielle’s writing style. It’s got this fantastic flow and this quality that makes you hope her stories never end.
The conclusion of Jace and Shay’s story was epic. It was so beautiful and heartwarming. There was some angst there in the middle, but I never doubted the love these two had for one another. By the end, my heart was happy and full and all I felt was love. This is a wonderful YA (with a touch of NA in this second book) story I hope more people will pick up because it truly is a special kind of love that these two have.
“Find out who you are and do it on purpose” -Dolly Parton
Dumplin’ was one of those books I devoured. When I listen to an audio book, I know I’m really into it when I have great books sitting on my kindle waiting for me to read, but I’m finding inconsequential tasks to do around the house just so I can listen. It took me less than 2 days to listen to this book, which is super fast for me. There are so many parts in this story that were relatable to me. I adored our heroine, Ms. Willowdean Dixon.
Our leading lady has an ex-beauty queen mother, her best friend Ellen, and an addiction to all things Dolly Parton. She’s in high school and has just recently started working at Harpy’s, a local fast food joint. It’s there that she meets Bo. Bo used to be a jock and is someone Will is attracted to. She’s shocked when she finds out he likes her too. This story has an element of romance, which I loved, but that’s not what the story was about. It was, more than anything, a story of acceptance and self discovery.
Willowdean doesn’t have the same body most of her friends do. I wouldn’t say she’s fine or happy with it, she has insecurities just like everyone else, but slowly she embraces who she is. She realizes that no one has the right to comment on anyones body but their own.
“All my life I’ve had a body worth commenting on and if living in my skin has taught me anything it’s that if it’s not your body, it’s not yours to comment on.”
Will decides, to prove a point, she will enter the beauty pageant her mother once won and helps run every year. Along with a fun group of misfit girls from her high school, she makes a stand. I grew to love this group of girls and the effect they had on Willowdean. There was so much I loved about this book. I could feel all of Will’s insecurities as if they were my own. I loved watching her grown and triumph. It was a pretty perfect story. If only the ending wasn’t so rushed. I feel as a romance reader, I’m pretty spoiled when it comes to epic HEA’s and fantastic epilogues. And I liked the way it ended, I did… but I wanted more! Either way, this was a great read. Probably one of the best YA’s I’ve read this year. If it wasn’t for the ending not giving me as much as I wanted, it would have been a 5.
I honestly can’t tell you the last time I’ve read a book that was this addictive. This book was like crack to me. I started it on a day when I had things going on and no matter what I had to do, I was itching to read it. I was sneaking in chapters. I devoured this book. It was angsty in the best way possible, had a strong heroine and a family of brothers who ended up being the most lovable jerks- but trust me, you won’t love them all the time!
Ella Harper is tough. She’s only 17, but ever since her mom died of cancer, she’s been making it on her own. It’s been a struggle, but she does it. Out of no where, a man she’s never met, Callum Royal, claims to be her legal guardian and takes her home with him. And his 5 sons await.
“You should know whatever game you're playing, you can't win. Not against all of us.If you leave now, you won't be hurt. If you stay, we'll break you so bad that you'll be crawling away.”
Yeah, these Royal boys can be brutal. Especially the leader of their pack, Reed. I loved how Ella handled them. She is so bad ass. She always stays true to herself and says what is on her mind. She’ll play their game if she has too… These boys think they know her. They have no idea.
The sexual tension between Reed and Ella is off the charts. Although neither one likes the other, sometimes it seems like Reed straight up despises Ella, you can feel the heat between them. The authors did a fantastic job writing these characters. I never hated these Royal boys so much that I felt they were completely unredeemable. Of course, Reed was great (some of the time) but one of my favorite characters in the book was Easton Royal. He was so funny and became a friend to Ella when she needed one.
After spending more time with these Royal boys, Ella sees who they really are and why they do the things they do. She’s resilient. She doesn’t back down and she doesn't give up. On them, or herself.
I thought the authors did a fantastic job of co-writing this story. It was so smooth and had such a great flow, I couldn’t tell who had written what.
This book completely stressed me out. There were twists, turns, angst, drama, revenge, betrayal, love, friendship and more than one jaw dropping moment. That ending. I can’t even with that. WHAT WAS THAT??? I was dying. Let me tell you now, when the second book releases in a few short months, I will have no problem recalling what happened at the end. My jaw is still on the floor and my heart still hurts from reading that last chapter!
If you’re looking for an all-consuming story that’s full of angst- and as the authors describe it ‘a love child of Cruel Intentions and Gossip Girl’ <—- very accurate IMO- READ THIS BOOK!!!!!! I couldn’t get enough!
“No one wants to be ruined. We all want to be saved.”
Every Last Word is a story about a teenage girl who is dealing with OCD. Samantha McAllister appears to be perfect on the outside, but inside she's a mess. She constantly worries about her friends finding out about her condition and the fact that she sees a psychiatrist. When Sam meets Caroline and gets introduced to the kids in Poet's Corner, everything changes for her. She finds herself coming out of her shell and embracing who she is.
Samantha was a likable character. I felt for her. I love how she dealt with all of her struggles and overcame her issues. Sam learns not only to accept herself but to stand up for herself and have friends that accept who she is. She was strong on her own, but I love her relationship with AJ as well. AJ really deep down cares for Sam and is there for her no matter what he finds out about her. They were a great couple.
One other thing I enjoyed about this book is that there was a twist I didn't see coming. I love when that happens! I found this story to be moving and beautiful. I love the poetry and the writing style. I listened to the audio version and the narration was average- not great or bad. ...more
“Sometimes love isn't something you say, it's something you do.”
Emmy & Oliver is a book I picked up because I loved the simplicity and beauty of the cover. I bought the audio before I even read the blurb, but I’m glad I did. I really enjoyed this one. YA book #15 for me this year! Only 10 more to go before I hit my personal challenge!
Emmy & Oliver’s lives were both drastically changed when Oliver was kidnapped by his father as a child. Oliver was taken away from his mother, his friends his life. Emmy lost her best friend and her parents became extremely overprotective and driven by fear. This book has it’s sweet, fun and light moments, but it also has deeper moments. When Oliver comes home, things aren’t easy for him. Everything has changed. Everyone has changed.
I love how accepting Emmy is of Oliver. She gets that he isn’t the same person he was when he left. She brings him into her group of friends. She becomes close to him once again. As Oliver goes through tough times reacquainting himself to this life, missing his dad and being mad at him at the same time, and just trying to find himself in his new, yet old life, Emmy is there for him 100%.
I loved these two together. I loved the support they had for one another and how they were always on each others side. Their friendship was strong and so was the love between them. I listened to the audio and the narration was great. Overall, a fantastic YA book that will leave you with a smile on your face. ...more
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl: YA book #3 for me in 2016. It was a really good pick! Thank you to my bestie for suggesting we do this one4-4.5 stars
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl: YA book #3 for me in 2016. It was a really good pick! Thank you to my bestie for suggesting we do this one on audio together! So before I get into this review, lets chat for a minute. Anyone who knows me knows I collect signed books. I have hundreds. It’s a problem (not really… but) Anyways, I was in a different city in a bookstore with my husband and in-laws. I’m texting Beverly and she’s all “Chris- see if they have hardback copies of this book we’re listening to.” So, I go to the YA and look for a hardback. Low and behold… TWO SIGNED COPIES are sitting on the shelf! It’s like it was meant to be! So now we both have a signed copy of this awesome book!
So Me and Earl and the Dying Girl how do I even explain or review this book? It was hilarious. I’m sure there were tons of lines and scenes where it was totally inappropriate of me to laugh at, but I found myself constantly cracking up. Greg and Earl were the best. I don’t even know where they came up with this stuff, but it was so funny.
This is not just a book about a dying girl. It’s not a super sad book that will make you cry a river (I may have shed a tear or two… but I cry over everything so I can’t be trusted). This is a book about a teen boy who’s not perfect, and who's growing up and coping with difficult things the best way he can with his life and situations happening. I enjoyed this book so much, I’m going to buy the movie this weekend… lets hope it’s good!
“When you convert a good book to a film. stupid things happen”
“Sometimes I wonder if my heart is like a black hole--it's so dense that there's no room for light, but that doesn't mean it can't still suck me in.”
My Heart and Other Black Holes was a unique and at times painful YA read about dealing with depression and guilt. I felt that this story very accurately displayed what it’s like to feel that kind of depression and the desperation that comes along with it. It’s about Asyel and Roman and the battle they’re both facing.
Asyel and Roman don’t have much in common. Besides the fact that they both want to die. This is a heavy story. It tackles sensitive topics and it won’t be for everyone, but it sucked me in from the start. I didn’t want to put it down. And even with all the heavy, there were funny moments, moments that felt hopeful and full of promise. Everyone has something or someone worth living for. Even people in the darkest of places. It’s just finding out what it is.
I found this to be an emotional, powerful read with beautifully broken characters and a storyline that made me feel from start to finish! I would recommend this one to lovers of YA looking for something less on the fluffy/fun side.
“He’s no longer the person I want to die with; he’s the person I want to be alive with.”
I feel like I’ve been waiting for the longest time for the conclusion to Isabella Ander’s story. It’s finally here. The Year of Second Chances is the third and final book in the Sunnyvale series. There were questions I needed answered (they were! Yay!) and I really really needed my guy, Kai, to get the girl. I won’t spoil that for you, though.
Isa is living with her Grandma Stephy after her father and step-monster, Lynn, all but kicked her out. She has questions about her mom. Someones been following her, and someone else has been harassing her at school. She’s stressed, but she has Kai. Kai who is an amazing friend to her, but wants to be more. Kai is there for Isa no matter what. He helps her find the answers she needs, and protects her when it all hits the fan. Kai one of the best hero’s Sorensen has written. I adore him. I love Isa too. She’s tough, and is just overall a cool girl.
There was so much drama at the end, my head was spinning! By the end I really wished we had more time with the couple being a couple and a little less drama. Still, I really did enjoy this series as a whole and I’m glad I finally got to see how it all turned out! All three of the books are quick reads with an endearing heroine and a fantastic hero. I give this one 3.5 stars, but the series as a whole is a 4-4.5 star series. Recommended for readers of YA (bordering on NA) that enjoy a little suspense with their YA romance. ...more
Rules of a Rebel and a Shy Girl is a great new friends to lovers story from Jessica Sorensen. It’s marketed as a stand alone, and it is, bu
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Rules of a Rebel and a Shy Girl is a great new friends to lovers story from Jessica Sorensen. It’s marketed as a stand alone, and it is, but if you’ve read Confessions of a Kleptomaniac by Sorensen, then you’ve already met Willow and Beckett.
Willow has rules in place to protect her. To protect her heart. One of those rules is not letting her lips touch those of her best friend, Beck and Willow have been best friends since they were kids. Their lives are so different. Beckett comes from a well off family, and Willow is the adult in her household. Her mother is pretty terrible and as hard as Willow tries to keep things together in her household, sometimes she needs help. She really hates that she needs it, but Beckett is always there for her when she needs him.
“Taking care of you is one of my favorite things to do, so quit arguing and let me do what I love.”
Beckett has real feelings for Willow, and has for a while now. Feelings that run much deeper than friendship. Willow has those feelings too, but she can’t act on them. Beck is the one person in her life that she can always count on. The one person she loves and leans on. She can’t risk their friendship if things don’t work out. When Beck kisses Willow, she’ll try to stand strong with her ’no kissing’ rule, but will she be able to withstand him…
Beckett is one of the best characters Sorensen has written in a while. I loved him. He had such a big heart and so much love for Willow. He was understanding with her hesitations, and knew when to push and when to hold back. I wish Willow would have gotten with the program a little earlier, but I completely understood where she was coming from. Her life was so difficult and it’s scary to make big changes like she did. And being stubborn and not wanting help is something I totally understand, being a stubborn woman myself.
This is one of those quick and easy reads I read in one sitting. It was a sweet friends to lovers romance that left me with a smile on my face!...more