Confessions of an Undercover Girlfriend (Confessions #2) - Kay Marie

Goodreads summary:

So, I'm no longer a virgin sex columnist—thank you, Ollie—but if I thought that was going to make my life easier, boy was I wrong! John is back in town determined to win my forgiveness. Blythe is more ready than ever to take me down. Bridget is totally onto the new twinkle in my eye. And, well, Ollie is just as distractingly delicious as usual.

So, naturally, I have a few more confessions to make.

Confession #1: I came up with what I thought would be the perfect plan to keep my relationship with Ollie a secret—pretend to get back together with John!

Confession #2: It backfired. A lot.


My review:

4/5

I was so excited to finally be able to read this book! I've been waiting for the sequel ever since I read the first book in this series, over a year ago. After trying to be patient for months, I've been rewarded with an amazing sequel that didn't disappoint me at all. When I started reading this book, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. The first book didn't exactly end with a cliffhanger or something that indicated what the sequel could be about, so I was very curious. I didn't think that Skylar could possibly be even more awkward or embarrassing, but she was, which made this a cringe-worthy, yet relatable, novel. I'm a lot like her, which means that I found her anxiety annoying many times, mostly because I knew I would have done the same thing. Reading this series has definitely made me realize a lot about myself because of that, since I got to see some of my reactions from an exterior point of view. I thought that this was really well done by the author, so I would recommend this series to everyone who struggles with self-esteem and anxiety. Once again, I found myself really envious of Skye, Bridget and Ollie's friendship, even though it wasn't as present as in the first book. They truly understand and care about each other and it seems amazing to have such a close group of friends. These three are all amazing and complex characters that I love to read about, so I was really glad to read another book about them. Ollie and Skye's relationship is adorable, but also realistic, especially in this novel. I did get a bit annoyed at them around the middle/end part of the book, but that issue was quickly solved. I truly think that Bridget has a role in their relationship, even though that sounds a bit weird and creepy, considering that she's Ollie's brother. I think that their relationship is even more solid because of their past as a trio, which I'm glad about, since I love them so much. The plot of this sequel is quite complex since Skye put herself in such a messy situation, but I think that it worked. I wish that we could have seen a bit more of Bridget because she is a really interesting character, but I guess that we can't have everything. The ending is a bit cheesy, but I feel like it's like this for a reason. Also, I'm the last person on Earth who would complain about a cheesy romance story - they're my guilty pleasure! If you have read the first book in this series, I would DEFINITELY recommend its sequel. If you haven't read the first one, pick it up right now and you'll discover a cute, funny and awkward story that will make you swoon more than once.

First Comes Love - Emily Giffin

Goodreads summary:

In this dazzling new novel, Emily Giffin, the #1 New York Timesbestselling author of Something Borrowed, Where We Belong, and The One & Only introduces a pair of sisters who find themselves at a crossroads.

Growing up, Josie and Meredith Garland shared a loving, if sometimes contentious relationship. Josie was impulsive, spirited, and outgoing; Meredith hardworking, thoughtful, and reserved. When tragedy strikes their family, their different responses to the event splinter their delicate bond.

Fifteen years later, Josie and Meredith are in their late thirties, following very different paths. Josie, a first grade teacher, is single—and this close to swearing off dating for good. What she wants more than the right guy, however, is to become a mother—a feeling that is heightened when her ex-boyfriend’s daughter ends up in her class. Determined to have the future she’s always wanted, Josie decides to take matters into her own hands.

On the outside, Meredith is the model daughter with the perfect life. A successful attorney, she’s married to a wonderful man, and together they’re raising a beautiful four-year-old daughter. Yet lately, Meredith feels dissatisfied and restless, secretly wondering if she chose the life that was expected of her rather than the one she truly desired.

As the anniversary of their tragedy looms and painful secrets from the past begin to surface, Josie and Meredith must not only confront the issues that divide them, but also come to terms with their own choices. In their journey toward understanding and forgiveness, both sisters discover they need each other more than they knew . . . and that in the recipe for true happiness, love always comes first.

Emotionally honest and utterly enthralling, First Comes Love is a story about family, friendship, and the courage to follow your own heart—wherever that may lead.


My review:

4/5

I've been a fan of Emily Giffin's ever since I read Something Borrowed - which I know is a controversial novel - so I was very excited to read her most recent novel, since I must say that I haven't read that many books from her. I might not be part of the targeted audience for this particular novel (and I wasn't either for Something Borrowed, especially since I read it when I was about 14), but it still interested me, so when I finally got my hands on it, I couldn't resist picking it up. I wasn't disappointed, even though it's much different from what I was expecting.

I liked how the book starts with the tragedy that strikes the family, the older brother's death. Even though the rest of the story takes place fifteen years later, this particular event is truly what started this story, so I feel like it's important for the readers to know about it from the very beginning. Since I'm about the girls' age at the moment of the tragedy right now, I could imagine what it would be like to lose a sibling so suddenly and it made it easier for me to relate to them. I loved how different Josie and Meredith's reactions to grief are, because it reminds me a little bit of how different my sister and I are and that made the story even more realistic to me. Also, as someone who hasn't lost that many people yet (touch wood), it's always a bit difficult for me to imagine losing a close one, so even though it's a bit painful to read about, grief is something that has always interested me.

The main characters are incredibly well developped and they keep becoming more and more interesting. I'm not sure which one of the sisters is my favourite, because I really like the both of them, even though they can be exasperating sometimes. Seeing their relationship evolve is really interesting because at first they keep arguing and it's kind of a love/hate relationship, but as the story progresses, it becomes more about love than anything else. It was really touching to see and it felt even better than a regular rom-com.

As for the actual relationships, I think they're quite realistic, but since I have absolutely no experience in this field, I could be completely wrong. I liked seeing the start of a relationship as well as the struggles of another one, since the contrast between the both of them is impressive. Meredith's honesty and her desire to find what's best for her is inspiring, because most people don't have that much courage.

Overall, I found this story to be a very pleasant read. It's not necessarily an easy book, but I had a nice time reading it. I'd recommend it!

Salt to the Sea - Ruta Sepetys

Goodreads summary:

Winter, 1945. Four teenagers. Four secrets.

Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies…and war.

As thousands of desperate refugees flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom.

Yet not all promises can be kept.

Inspired by the single greatest tragedy in maritime history, bestselling and award-winning author Ruta Sepetys (Between Shades of Gray) lifts the veil on a shockingly little-known casualty of World War II. An illuminating and life-affirming tale of heart and hope.



My review:

5/5

I LOVED IT SO MUCH!

Ruta Sepetys did it again: she managed to write a punching novel that made me experience all kinds of emotions, and it was done in a beautiful way. I am now officially convinced that she's one of my favourite authors.

Since I didn't know much about this particular novel before reading it, I wasn't expecting it to be written in multiple narrators. If I had known that it would be that way, I might have dreaded it, not knowing if it would be well done or not. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised, especially when I discovered the variety of narrators, who all offer a different point of view on the same story. From the beginning, I loved Florian, Joana and Emilia - not so much Alfred, but that was to be expected. I couldn't decide who was my favourite, because they all seem so real and complex that I liked them even more after reading every single one of their chapters. Florian is brave, strong and clever, even though all he wants is to be left alone to let that facade fall away. Seeing him through different point of views, I started noticing his kindness, his protectiveness and his will to live and to forget about the war that's going on. Joana is strong and lives to help others, but every second brings her closer to a breakdown, because she wishes she could see her family and feel safe and home again. She's an inspiring character, with all her hopes and her determination. Emilia really touched my heart. Her life hasn't been easy, not only because she's a Polish. Her self-defense reactions are heartbreaking, and we get to see more and more of them as the story progresses. I still can't believe everything that happened to her, even though I know she'd only one of the hundreds and hundreds of people who suffered from such a hard life.

I loved all the historical aspects of this story, as horrifying as some of them were. I've always loved history, particularly around WWI and WWII, so I couldn't get enough of all the details in this story. Instead of focusing on details everyone had heard of, Sepetys chose to show a dark side of history that most people haven't heard much about. I think that this is a fantastic idea, because so many atrocities happened during WWII that we have chosen to focus on a few of them instead of learning about all of them.

One thing I have to say about this story is that it's heartbreaking. I listened to its audiobook, but I often closed my eyes while I was listening to it, just to try and block out some of the awful things happening. I had to remind myself that as gruesome as some of the details were, they, along with much worse events, truly happened, so I can't just ignore them. One moment that truly made me break down was the All the Little Duckies moment towards the end, which you'll get if you've read the book. Emilia's calming song was always sad to hear about, because she usually thought about it when she was distressed, but that moment was the worst.

Overall, I thought that this novel was absolutely fantastic. It's beautifully written, it's clever, it's heartwrenching and it's raw. I absolutely recommend it, along with the rest of Ruta Sepetys's novels. She's definitely one of my favourite authors by now.

By the way, I'm sorry for the mistakes that might be in there - I wrote this on my phone since I'm on vacation, so I didn't have Wifi either.

P.S. I Like You - Kasie West

Goodreads summary:

Signed, sealed, delivered…

While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…


My review:

3/5

This is the first of Kasie West's books that disappoints me, but that doesn't mean that I didn't like it at all.

I liked the characters, although they did annoy me a little bit at some point. I did like Lily's passion for music, which is always interesting to read about. However, I feel like the book doesn't really make its characters open up to the readers. I didn't feel like the book was truly finished when I got to the last page, because I wasn't as close to the characters as I usually am by that point. I think that getting to know them more would have allowed me to understand them more, which would probably have made them a bit less annoying to me. Since I don't feel like I know the characters all that well, this novel hasn't made that much of an impression on me, unlike Kasie West's other novels.

While the plot wasn't all that original, many details about the story were. Lily's big family, her different tastes in music and the jealousy between her and her best friend make this story different from other YAs I've read, even though it wasn't enough to make it exceptional. The romance is predictable, like in most YAs, but since I didn't feel that close to the characters, it didn't make me swoon or even feel a bit giddy.

As a big fan of Kasie West's, I still recommend this novel, because it's not bad, just not enough for me. I will still buy all of her future books, because I truly believe that she's a fantastic writer.

I Was Here - Gayle Forman

Goodreads summary:

Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.


My review:

4.5/5

So, so, so, so good!!

While I didn't really like If I Stay, I Was Here hit me hard. It made me experience such a wide variety of emotions that I didn't even know I could feel and I loved it.

I loved Cody, the main character. Unlike Mia, who I couldn't really relate to in If I Stay, Cody was a very relatable character for me. I could feel some of her anger, guilt and grief and it made the story much more important to me. Since I have a best friend that I can't imagine living without, having lived most of my life with her by my side, I could imagine a tiny bit of what Cody must feel after her best friend committed suicide, which sounds simply terrible. Her reactions are completely understandable to me, even if I didn't approve all of them. I liked how realistic and not totally likeable she could be, which made me like her even more.

Her friendship with Meg is also very realistic, from the beginning to the end. I could see why they became friends and why they fell apart, which is something that happens often when friends grow up. I'm already terrified to go through something like that with my own best friend, so reading about someone who grew apart from her best friend and then lost her forever scared me even more. It's easy to see why Cody would feel so guilty after Meg's suicide and why she would want to find out what pushed her to do it, but I admired her determination through her quest. Cody's relationship with Meg's parents is a part of the book that I loved, because it's heartbreaking and touching.

Finally, Ben and Cody's relationship was a rollercoaster, but I loved it. I wasn't sure if I approved of Cody's actions, but as the story progressed, I could see things falling into place.

I definitely recommend this book. Whether you liked If I Stay or not, I think you would like this book.

Zenith (The Androma Saga #1) - Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings

Goodreads summary:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

There is darkness sweeping across the stars.

Most know Androma Racella as the Bloody Baroness: a powerful mercenary whose reign of terror stretches across the Mirabel Galaxy. To those aboard her fearsome glass starship the Maurader, she’s just Andi, their captain and protector.

When a routine mission goes awry, the all-girl crew’s resilience is tested as they find themselves in a most unfamiliar place: at the mercy of a sadistic bounty hunter connected to Andi’s past and a harrowing betrayal.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the galaxy, a ruthless ruler waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time to exact revenge for the destruction of her people. The final pieces of her deadly plan are about to fall into place, unleashing a plot that will tear Mirabel in two.

Andi and her crew embark on a dangerous, soul-testing journey that could restore order to their ship—or just as easily start a war that will devour worlds. As the Marauder hurtles towards the unknown, and Mirabel hangs in the balance, the only thing certain is that in a galaxy run on lies and illusion, no one can be trusted.

From internet sensation Sasha Alsberg and author Lindsay Cummings comes a new serialized space opera, full of action, fantastical intrigue, and steamy star-crossed romance. ​

For fans of popular sci-fi books and fantasy books for teens such as Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, Wool by Hugh Howey, Truthwitch by Susan Dennard, and A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.


My review:

3.5/5

I love Sasha Alsberg's channel, ABookUtopia, so I had to read her first novel, written in collaboration with Lindsay Cummings. I was a bit surprised by the length of it, even though I was aware that it was only part of a novel, but I wasn't disappointed at all.

I'm afraid that I can't say much about the novel right now, because I would have to read the entire novel, instead of parts of it, to have a real opinion about it. However, I can say that I liked what I read so far. I liked the writing, and the plot seemed quite interesting, even if it's just blooming at this point. Even though it's done in short parts, I feel like this one could have been a bit longer, because it would have been easier to understand the story and the characters if there had been a bit more explanations.

I'm excited to read the other parts of Zenith, because I really want to find out more about this interesting world and its characters. Also, this part ends on a sort of cliffhanger, so I can't wait to continue reading!

The Cinderella Pact - Sarah Strohmeyer

Goodreads summary:

In this funny and big-hearted story by the author of The Secret Lives of Fortunate Wives, three best friends make a pact to transform themselves into the glamorous women they've always wanted to be.

Nola Devlin has a secret identity. By day she is an overweight, frumpy, and overlooked editor at Sass! (the "celebrity magazine with an edge!"), but by night she slips behind her keyboard and into her alter-ego: Belinda Apple. Belinda is thin, gorgeous, British and the author of a trendy advice column- she is, in effect, the latest Carrie Bradshaw. Not even Nola's two best friends or her self-absorbed sister (who worships Belinda as the "sister she never had") know her secret.
When "Belinda" jots off a column about how easy it is to lose weight, Nola is shocked when her best friends take her own lies to heart and urge her to follow Belinda's weight loss program. Since Nola can't reveal herself as the real Belinda Apple, she bites the bullet and joins her friends in making the "Cinderella Pact"- a last ditch attempt to lose weight (again!) and transform their lives for good.

But as the pounds come off, things don't turn out the way the three friends expect. Their journey of self-discovery leads to the return of an old love and the unmasking of new problems. Meanwhile, Nola finds herself torn between two different men as she stomps out fires caused by her deception as Belinda Apple and falls in love with the man who just might be her prince - or the rat in coachman's clothing.


My review:

I have watched the movie adaptation of The Cinderella Pact about ten times over the past few years, so when I found out, only years after watching it for the first time, that there was a book, I knew I had to read it. As different as both versions can be, I think they're pretty much just as good, which doesn't happen often! Then again, the last time I watched the movie, I was probably 14, so maybe it's much worse than I remember it to be.

I already knew and loved (or hated) some of the characters from the movie, so I was happy to see that they were very similar to the ones in the book. Nola and her friends are amazing ladies and I was glad to see even more of their friendship when I read the book. I could understand their motives for getting healthier, because it's obvious how difficult their lives have become, not just because they can't get their favourite table at a restaurant. Seeing their journey through weight loss, especially Nola's, was very motivating. As I saw how much they struggled, I couldn't help but want to push myself more into everything I do.

The one point that I think is better in the movie than in the book is the romance. While I keep swooning whenever I watch the movie, the romance in the book just seems too quick and not deep enough. I couldn't see the chemistry between the characters and it only seemed like Nola "falling in love", instead of a love story. I was a bit disappointed, since it's one of my favourite parts of the movie. Also, Chip's character isn't very complex in the book, in my opinion, which didn't help the romance aspect.

Luckily, I found myself laughing just as much as I do whenever I watch the movie. Nola is a funny character to follow and her misfortunes made me laugh quite a bit. Because of that, it was the perfect summer book and I'm glad I finally picked it up.

I would recommend both the book and the movie, since they're both great!

What Lies Within - James Morris

Goodreads summary:

“You’re going to die”

Shelley Marano is an ordinary, unexceptional high school senior…until the day she receives a cryptic text message, and her world tilts sideways. Now she’s in real danger, although she doesn’t know who would want her dead, or why. As she starts to unravel the mystery, the truth about who she really is proves to be more frightening than she ever imagined. With the lives of her and her friends hanging in the balance, one thing is certain:

Nothing will ever be the same.

Packed with suspense, What Lies Within is a page-turning, plot-driven rollercoaster ride that fans of Stephen King, James Patterson and Rick Yancey will be sure to enjoy.


My review:

3.5/5

First of all, I need to say that I have excuses to make to the author, James Morris, because I received this book ages ago and I promised that I would read and review really quickly, which I didn't do (I had to say it, I feel really bad about it).

I truly should have picked this book up earlier, because it made me realize that I could truly enjoy thrillers. I'm kind of scared of everything, so I usually pick up the least scary novels I can find, which excludes thrillers, obviously. When I started reading this, I got so lost in the story that I even forgot to feel scared. It's also not the scariest thriller, which I think helped me.

I really liked Shelley, the main character. She was easy to relate to and she became more and more interesting as the story progressed. I also liked her best friend, Winston, even though I wasn't sure if I liked their friendship as much as I liked them separately.

As for the plot, I won't even mention it, because it's something that I wasn't expecting at all and that no one would expect, in my opinion, so I'd rather not spoil anyone. I was pleasantly surprised, even though I believe the book could have had more elements and been longer.

I recommend this novel to anyone, because it made me question myself a lot and I opened up to this genre.

Hearts, Fingers and Other Things to Cross (Broken Hearts and Revenge #3) - Katie Finn

Goodreads summary:

WEATHER ALERT: SEVERE STORMS AHEAD

Gemma and Hallie's world has come to a screeching halt. Their parents are engaged, which makes them step-sisters. Nothing in the world could possibly be worse for Gemma and Hallie--they won't let it happen. Even if it means putting their own feud aside to separate their parents.

Events quickly escalate as a hurricane rips through the Hamptons leaving everyone (including Gemma's two exes, her current crush, best friend, and her nemesis) bottled up in one house. One big, miserable group of exes and enemies together allow secrets to unfold and plans to be plotted. The calm before this storm definitely doesn't exist.

Katie Finn pulls out all the stops for this fast-paced, dramatic conclusion in the Broken Hearts and Revenge series, Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross.


My review:

3/5

As the last book in a YA series, I think that this book was good, but not exceptional.

As childish as they can be, I liked reuniting with the characters, which are all funny and interesting. I think that some of them finally grew up, which was a bit of a relief, because the previous book, as well as the first half of this one, made me roll my eyes in exasperation at some things that the characters were doing or saying. It was nice to see them grow up as the series progressed.

I'm really happy that this book has a resolution for most of the issues encountered during the previous books. Overall, I don't feel like anything new happened; instead, I feel like everything I was more or less expecting happened, which was not a bad feeling. Some people made peace, some confessions were said and some relationships started or ended, but there wasn't any big finale, which was a bit disappointing, but not surprising, considering everything that needed to happen in such a short amount of pages. It wasn't too predictable, but I feel like it would be even better for younger readers.

I'm satisfied with the end of this series, so I'd definitely recommend it to younger (or even older) readers.

BookTube-A-Thon 2016: A Big Fail

Hi everyone! As you know, I participated in this year's BookTube-A-Thon, like always. I did a blog post about my TBR for this year and it made me so excited that I was convinced I would be able to read a lot and to even post a few reviews during the week. However, it didn't exactly go as I planned, which you'll see in the summary of my reading challenges. I hope you enjoy reading it, and I'm sorry for the lack of blog posts!

Monday, July 18

On Monday, I was as motivated as anyone could be, so I tried reading a bit before I went to bed at midnight and I read while eating breakfast. I focused on Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross, since it's such a short book. I was working that day, even though I wasn't supposed to, so I didn't get that much free time after that.

Tuesday, July 19

On Tuesday, I was finally free, so I read as much as I could. I started reading Frankenstein, but only for about 50 pages. I finished reading Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross, which made me very happy. I gave it 3/5. At night, I started The Cinderella Pact, which I really liked from the beginning. 

Wednesday, July 20

Wednesday was my reading day. I read quite a big part of Frankenstein, but I also started listening to I Was Here. I continued reading The Cinderella Part as well, so although I didn't finish a book on that day, I did get some progress.

Thursday, July 21

On Thursday, I started panicking because I had only finished one of my seven books, so I almost finished Frankenstein in one more sitting. Then, I read Zenith in one sitting, because it's a lot shorter than I expected it to be. I gave it 3.5/5. Somewhere between Thursday and Friday, I finished The Cinderella Pact, which I gave 4/5.

Friday, July 22

On Friday morning, I finished reading Frankenstein. I didn't feel like picking it up one last time, but since I really enjoyed it, I gave it 4/5. I wasn't supposed to work that day, but I did anyways, so I didn't have time to read after that. 

Saturday, July 23

Things went downhill on Saturday, when I had a really bad day at work. When I came home, all I wanted to do was sleep, so after trying to listen to I Was Here for half an hour, I went to bed and didn't get out until my alarm woke me up the next day, instead of finishing I Was Here and starting to read The Story Girl like I had planned.

Sunday, July 24

Finally, on Sunday, I realized that I wouldn't be able to complete all the challenges. I did finish I Was Here, and I gave it 5/5, but I didn't touch The Story Girl or Matilda, since I wasn't feeling all that well and I simply didn't have enough time.

Overall, I'm happy that I read five books, even though I wanted to read seven. I wish I had completed more reading challenges though, because I only completed four of them. 

I've been extremely busy since then, so I haven't read much at all and I didn't have time to touch my computer, let alone write a review for one of the books I read during BookTube-A-Thon. I'm going on vacation tomorrow for one week, but I won't have my computer and there won't be any Internet anyways, so you guys won't here from me for a few more days. I'm really, really sorry about that, but I hadn't realized how crazy my life would be during this week. I hope to post again very soon though!

I wish you all a good day :)

Sapphire Blue (Precious Stone Trilogy #2) - Kerstin Gier

Goodreads summary:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.


My review:

4/5

This is one of my favourite series, and it has been for a couple of years. It's at least my third time reading this particular book, so I feel like I've become some sort of expert on this subject - if I could be an expert in such a subject, obviously.

The first point I think is worth mentioning is the amazing narration. I've mentionned this when I was rereading the first book, but I don't the English translator does it justice. I have sadly not had the chance to read this series in its original language, because I simply don't speak it, but when I read it in French, I feel like the narration is smoother, lighter and therefore funnier. Gwyneth (or Gwendolyn in French - that's something I'll never get over, because why does the name of the main character change from one language to another?) is one of my all time favourite characters, because her internal dialogue is absolutely hilarious. This is caused by her amazing sense of humor, which can be quite dry at some moments, but also by the fact that she sees all kinds of ghosts and creatures that cannot be seen by other people, so her conversations with them are great.

My next point is definitely the characters, which are all extremely complex and well developped. Obviously, Gwyneth is fantastic, but her siblings are as well, just like her friends. Some people in her family are kind of horrible, but they're really well pictured anyways. I truly feel like they're real humans, which makes me love this story even more. Also, there's Gideon, which is absolutely swoon-worthy. Even when he's acting horribly, I can see why he's doing it, so I still love it with all my heart (and it almost hurts). He's one of my favourite love interests in books, to be honest.

This leads us to my next point, which is the romance. Oh, the romance! I absolutely love Gwyneth and Gideon together. They really haven't known each other for that long, which is a bit annoying in books, it doesn't feel like it to them, nor to me. I actually think that the whole story could have been stretched over a longer period, because it doesn't feel like the series takes place over two or three weeks (or something like that). Because it feels like they've known each other for longer than they actually have, the progression of their relationship is realistic and adorable. This book contains huge moments in their relationship, especially one that could seriously make you hate Gideon - I'm warning you so that you might hate him a little bit less, 'cause he's adorable.

Plotwise, I think this is the least interesting book in the series, because it doesn't have the interest of the first time travels. It's more or less the calm before the storm, because everything starts falling into place for the big finale (which I'm now really excited to read). I think that if we could see a bit of Lesley's perspective, it would be a lot more interesting, because she's the one doing all the research, while her best friend is lost in her Gideon contemplation - I don't even blame her, by the way. Sure, it's incredibly annoying, but Gideon does seem like the kind of guy who makes you lose all kinds of logic.


I would definitely recommend this book! However, after reading it at least four years later than the first time I read it, I think it's very clearly intended for younger audiences. That being said, it doesn't mean it can't be enjoyed by more mature readers!

Shuffle, Repeat - Jen Klein

Goodreads summary:

When Harry Met Sally for YA romance readers. This opposites-attract love story is perfect for fans of Huntley Fitzpatrick, Stephanie Perkins, and Jenny Han.

June wants high school to end and real life to begin. Oliver is soaking up senior year’s glory days. They could have coasted through high school, knowing about—but not really knowing—each other.

Except that their moms have arranged for Oliver to drive June to school. Every. Single. Day.

Suddenly these two opposites are fighting about music, life . . . pretty much everything. But love is unpredictable. When promises—and hearts—get broken, Oliver and June must figure out what really matters. And then fight for it.


My review:

4,5/5

If you guys didn't get to see my initial review for this book, you might not understand how much I loved it. It wasn't much, but let me tell you this: it was in all-caps, and I did restrain myself from using too many exclamation marks when I was typing it. The effort was there, but the results weren't.

At first, I wasn't sure if I would like this novel, because June seemed easy to judge and stuck up. The truth is that she is, but I started warming up to her as Oliver started to shake her inital opinions on high school and life in general. Then, I discovered that she's nice, funny and smart, which makes her a pretty good character, in the end. As for Oliver himself, I think he's pretty easy to like, because he seems a bit too perfect when you don't know him. When he opened up to June, I started liking him even more, because no one likes a perfect character. This is when things went downhill for me, because he became absolutely adorable to me and I didn't want anything more than to get him and June together.

Their relationship is really well written, especially when it comes to its pace. The fact that the story takes place over an entire school year makes their relationship realistic and even deeper, because they know each other pretty well after a year of carpool. I liked these moments between them, when they're talking about their lives, school or each other's bad music tastes. Although the playlist is a big part of this novel, I liked the fact that it didn't overpower the rest of the story, since it gets less important as the plot develops. It's a nice touch, especially since it's written at the end of the book, but there are so many more important things in this novel.

I liked June's group of friends, even though I don't think they are present enough in this novel. I wish we'd seen a bit more of everyone, because aside from Itch and Shaun, I don't feel like I know June's friends, so it's hard to understand their friendship.

When I became really invested in the story, June started acting like a big old idiot, which made me very, very, very mad. I almost didn't want to keep reading, but I knew (hoped) that things would get better, so I kept reading and I am very glad that I did. The fact that it made me feel so many emotions proves how much I enjoyed reading this book, which hasn't happened to me that often with books that aren't rereads this year. I was really happy about that! I hope this book truly takes me out of my reading slump, because even though I'm reading books these days, I don't feel as enthusiastic as I'd like to. Fingers crossed!

As you can imagine, I 100% recommend this book, because I think it's an amazing YA. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I did!

Picture Perfect (Geek Girl #3) - Holly Smale

Goodreads summary:

"My name is Harriet Manners, and I'll always be a geek."

It's the hilarious third book in the No.1 bestselling, award winning GEEK GIRL series!

Harriet Manners knows more facts than most. She knows that New York is the most populous city in the United States. She knows that its official motto is "Ever Upward". She knows that 28% of Americans believe we never landed on the moon.

But she knows nothing about modelling in the Big Apple, and how her family will cope with life stateside. Or how to "become a brand", as the models in New York put it. And, even more importantly, what to do when the big romantic gestures aren't coming from your boyfriend...

Does geek girl go too far this time?

The laugh out loud follow-up to award winning GEEK GIRL and MODEL MISFIT will have you in stitches.

My review:

I honestly love this series! It's light-hearted, it's very funny and it's always interesting, even if it's for an audience younger than me. 

As a bookworm who's been called a nerd, a geek or any variation of those names, I can relate a lot to Harriet Manners, the main character of this novel. I just love her! She's so authentic and her biggest quality has to be the fact that she doesn't try to hide her nerdiness, no matter who she's talking to. This quality is challenged a lot in this particular novel, because she meets a lot of people who immediately judge her, which shakes Harriet up a little bit when she starts fearing that she might be alone in all of this. She makes bad decisions, but in the end, she stays true to herself, which I admire a lot.

Harriet's relationship with Nick isn't doing so well in this novel, since they don't really see each other and both of them start questioning it. I think it's realistic, especially since they have just had their little honeymoon. I love how they still trust and love each other, no matter what. They're young, but their relationship kind of feels like they're older than they actually are. Also, Nick is ADORABLE. His thoughtfullness is really touching and he sounds like my dream guy, from everything I've read about him. I wish we'd seen a bit more of him in this novel, though, but I could never get enough of him anyways!

A big part of this novel is about Harriet's loneliness when she is away from her friends and her boyfriend. I could relate to her a lot, since I overthink like her, so this was a bit harder to read, since it's not as lighthearted as the rest of the series. This gave the series a more mature turn, since it's so different from the cute and funny scenes.

Overall, I really liked this book. I can't wait to get my hands on the fourth of the series, even though my library doesn't have it yet. WHAAAT?!

BookTube-A-Thon TBR

Hi everyone! As some of you may know, I'm a big fan of the BookTube-A-Thon, which I think I'm doing for the third year in a row. Since I've had a bit of a reading slump recently, I'm really excited to start reading more. Also, I'm not working a lot during that week (July 18th-24th), so I'll have a lot of free time to read. There are seven reading challenges and I intend to complete all of them, so here's my TBR based on the different challenges!

You can find all the information about this year's BookTube-A-Thon here: http://booktubeathon.com/  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1UucWZ0Ylg

Challenges:

1. Read a book with yellow on the cover

Hearts, Fingers and Other Things to Cross by Katie Finn

It's on my summer TBR, it's bright yellow and I almost started reading it the other day, so it's perfect!

2.  Read a book only after sunset

The Cinderella Pact by Sarah Strohmeyer

I'm scared of everything, especially at night, so I have to read lighter books after the sun sets. This one seems perfect!

3. Read a book you discovered through BookTube

Zenith (The Androma Saga #1) by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings

I discovered this book because one of its authors is on BookTube (and a pretty big part of it, I would say), so this challenge is an easy one for me!

4. Read a book by one of your favourite authors

The Story Girl (The Story Girl #1) by Lucy Maud Montgomery

L. M. M. is by far my favourite author, but I'm guilty of not having read all of her books yet. This one has interested me for a very long time now, so it's about time I start reading it.

5. Read a book that is older than you

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I really hope that I'll like this book, because otherwise, I feel like it'll be really hard to read it during BookTube-A-Thon. It's a challenge though, so I accept it!

6.  Read and watch a book-to-movie adaptation

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Believe it or not, I've only seen Matilda once, and I can only remember one moment of the whole movie. Since everyone keeps mentionning both the book and the movie, I've been trying to remind myself to read it at some point, so it's the perfect time to finally do it.

7. Read seven books

Since there are only six books on my TBR right now, I'll choose the final one during BookTube-A-Thon. Who knows what I'll feel like reading?

If anyone has recommendations for me, please let me know! I also want to see who will participate this year, so I can't wait until it's July 18th :)

What You Always Wanted (If Only... #8) - Kristin Rae

Goodreads summary:

If only…he was the boy she’s been dreaming of.

Theatre girl Maddie Brooks has always had high standards for guys. But she has yet to find one who can live up to the classic Hollywood heartthrobs, especially the dreamy song-and-dance man Gene Kelly. When Maddie begins to carpool with Jesse Morales, her new neighbor and star pitcher of the baseball team, she’s struck by his wit, good looks, and love for his family—but a guy so into sports is definitely not her style. Then Maddie discovers that Jesse was raised as a dancer and still practices in the community theatre’s dance studio to keep in shape. Perhaps her perfect dream guy exists after all! But when it becomes clear that baseball—not dance—is Jesse’s passion, can Maddie find a way to let her dream guy go and appreciate the charms of the amazing guy in front of her?

This fun, high school theatre romance in the If Only line is for anyone who has ever wished for that impossibly perfect guy.


My review:

4/5

What an amazing YA! I've read a good amount of books from that genre by now, but some of them still truly impress me, and this novel was one of those!

The first aspect of this book that charmed me was the fact that it's so easy to relate to, especially for bookworms. In this novel, Maddie has extremely high standards because of all the movies she's seen, which all have perfect gentlemen in them. Is anyone here familiar with this? I am, but because of books. Since I can relate to Maddie very much when it comes to relationships, I learned quite a few pieces of advice from this novel.

I also loved the importance of theatre in this novel, since I'm a sucker for quirky hobbies and characters who are passionate about them. I actually don't know anything about acting, musicals or classic movies, but it was very interesting to learn about all of them, especially since Maddie has such big dreams created around them. If anything, I think there could have been a bigger place for Maddie's passion of acting in this novel, because it really gives the book a different style than most YAs.

A big part of the novel is centered around Maddie's relationship with Jesse - who is absolutely swoon-worthy, by the way, whether you like dancers or not. I loved how they grow closer and closer as time flies, because it's much more realistic than love at first sight. Their relationship suffers from Maddie's high standards and prejudices, but I have to admit that I shared her opinion more than once, maybe because we're a bit similar. I was very pleased with the ending, even though I didn't expect it to end that way.

Obviously, this book isn't perfect, but as far as YA novels go, I'd say that it's a pretty good one. Highly recommended!

17 Series I Have to Finish

Hi everyone! As some of you may know, I'm not the biggest fan of series. I usually prefer stand-alones, even though I do adore some series. Sometimes, it's just that it's hard to force myself to pick up the next book in a series, which is the case with most of the books in this post. I hope to finish them in the future, so maybe writing and posting this will help me. I'll write this as a list (who doesn't love lists?), but it's in no particular order, just so you know. I hope you enjoy today's blog post!

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

   

 

I've already read the first three books in this series, but even though the fourth one has been out for months, I still haven't read it. I hope to do so before Empire of Storms comes out (September 6th), because it's an amazing series.

2. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

 

I have only read ACOTAR so far, but I loved it. The only problem I have now is that I really don't feel the need to read A Court of Mist and Fury, for some reason, but I'll get over that at some point, because it is written by Sarah J. Maas, so I have to.

3. Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon

   

Although I've only read the first book in this series, I feel like I can't just leave the rest of the series unread, so I already have the second book on my phone for whenever I have some free time.

4. Bloodlines  by Richelle Mead 

  

  

I've officially read half of this series and I loved every single moment of it so far, but when I read the first few pages of The Fiery Heart, it felt so different and weird that I didn't continue reading it at the time. I will, someday, but I'm hoping for now that the few pages I read were just a glitch or something.

5. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

  

I'm really excited for the last book in this series, which I'm hoping to read this summer!

6. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

  

(Before I write anything, I just want to point out how much these covers match The 5th Wave's. CRAZY.) I've loved the two first books in this series, so I should really continue reading it!

7. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

  

  

I only have the last book to read in this series of six books, so there's no way I'm leaving it like that. Also, I really want to read Lady Midnight, but I have to finish this series first to understand what's happening.

8. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

  

The second book is so big that I didn't even have time to start reading it when I first got it from the library, so I just never tried again. I should, though!

9. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

   

   

This series is the funniest one I've ever read, even though it makes me feel a lot of second-hand embarrassment. I can't wait to pick up the third book!

10. Slated by Teri Terry

  

I love this series (and its covers), so I should really pick up the last one in the future!

11. Geek Girl by Holly Smale

   

 

This is kind of childish, but it's the perfect kind of feel-good series! I am currently reading the third book.

12. Red Queen  by  Victoria Aveyard

  

I've only read Red Queen, but I truly liked it! I can't wait to pick up the next books.

13. The Half Bad Trilogy by Sally Green

  

Half Bad was a really good read, so I really want to finish this series!

14. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

 

I wanted to wait until I had watched to read After You, so now that I have seen (and loved) the movie, I have to read it!

15. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin

   

 

Right now, I can't say if I ever will finish this series, since I've only read the first book and the entire series is huge, but maybe once the TV series is over, I think I'd probably like to finish reading it.

16. Inherit the Stars  by Tessa Elwood

 

I read the first book to review it and I absolutely loved it, so I can't wait to start reading the second book, which I actually just got from the publishers. I'm really excited about it, so you might see a review of it pretty soon!

17. La promesse des Gélinas de France Lorrain (en français)

  

J'ai lu le premier roman de cette série l'année dernière, mais je n'ai toujours pas lu les deux autres romans qui l'ont suivi. Puisque je l'ai beaucoup aimé et que je connais personnellement l'auteure, je sais que je finirai bientôt cette série. 

So that's about it! I really liked doing this list, because it reminded me of how much I enjoyed some of these books. Also, just so you know, this was a very dangerous post to write, in terms of spoilers! It's because I always put the Goodreads links with the cover pictures, so I had to try very hard not to look at the spoilery blurbs and reviews when I went on some of these books' Goodreads page... I even had to close my eyes at some point! I hope you liked today's post and you are having a great day!