Review: Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

About the book

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

Pages: 321

Published by: Atria Books (July 8, 2013)

Genre:  NA contemporary romance

My rating for Losing Hope (Hopeless, #2):

Disclaimer: I found this review in my draft archives. Why did I not post this review when I wrote it in November 2013? I might have thought it wasn't a worthy review for a book I loved so much, but I'm not sure. Here are my thoughts anyway. I still stand by what I said:

I'm going to be completely honest. I wasn't expecting to love Losing Hope on the same caliber that I loved Hopeless. I had high hopes for This Girl, the retelling of Slammed, but it fell slightly below my expectations (I still rated it 4.5 stars because the ending was so redeeming) because we were exposed to most of its scenes in Slammed, so not a whole lot of new perspective had been brought to the table. I knew Holder had a back story that would propel LH further than TG, but like I said, I didn't think it was going to be a favorite.

And then LH blew my expectations out of the water! I think I might even love it more than Hopeless itself. GASP. It provided such an incredible perspective to the events of Hopeless and many new insights. As there is in all of Hoover's books, the romance, humor, and overall writing were incredible. Emotionally-heavy and extremely beautiful, this was everything I was hoping for in a retelling. (No pun intended, but I italicized it anyway.)

Since you already know all about the characters and plot from Hopeless, I'll just discuss what Holder's perspective brought to the table. Right from the get-go, we were introduced to new scenes. These scenes came with so much intensity (it's Holder we're talking about) that I was emotionally stricken by the end of the first chapter. We were given clarity into Holder's mysterious and moody behaviors. After Losing Hope, his actions did not seem so irrational, and seeing how the sequence of events played out for him astounded me. 

Some of the scenes that were solely from Holder's perspective could have been speculated by readers, but they were still enlightening. They were emotionally driven and they made me realize how awful/crazy things had been for Holder. I was not prepared to be more emotionally connected to the characters, but I did! For example, from the visit to Sky's house to the hotel scene, it was more powerful through Holder's eyes than Sky's. Additionally, the romance was intense, Hoover's sarcasm and quirk peeked through the pages, and the writing flowed like a beautiful waterfall (I'm so poetic).

Sometimes during the repeated scenes from Hopeless, there was a bit of repetitiveness or over-clarifying. i.e. Holder would think something and then he would say the same thing out loud. I think Colleen was a bit more careful as she tried to piece all of Holder's actions with his thoughts (as she stated many times, she had no idea why Holder reacted a lot of the ways he did in Hopeless) and perhaps that is why the thought/spoken overlap occurred. It's atypical for CoHo, which is why I question it.

The way the story ended.... just everything about it was Hopeless on steroids. I can't believe I just read such a creation and am so thrilled another CoHo book was able to top Hopeless for me! I don't think I can expand much more on this book. I simply loved it. Speechless. As fangirls say, I just can't even!

Review | This Star Won't Go Out by Esther Earl with Lori and Wayne Earl

About this book:

A collection of journals, fiction letter,s and sketches of the late Esther Grace Earl, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 16. Photographs and essays by family and friends will help to tell Esther's story along with an introduction by award-winning author John Green who dedicated his #1 bestselling novel The Fault in Our Stars to her.

Release Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Pages: 431
Genre: Biography + Autobiography

My rating for This Star Won't Go Out:

Sometimes I wonder how I could possibly consider myself a writer when I cannot express even my deepest feelings through text. Every passage of Esther’s story stirred something within me that I cannot quite put into words. But as always, I shall try.

Esther was an ordinary girl. An ordinary girl who was diagnosed with, battled, and lost to thyroid cancer early in life, but was typical teenage girl nonetheless. She had hobbies, dreams, friends, family, a love for books and online communities. She wanted to help others but struggled with the conflicts of laziness and a lack of motivation. She pulled pranks on her sisters as much as she spent time playing video games with her brothers and served attitude to her parents as wonderfully as she wrote them letters of appreciation.

And yet, through reading This Star Won’t Go Out, I’ve just brushed upon how extraordinary of a human being she was. Her silly and fun yet empathetic and wise letters, journal entries, and passing thoughts revealed her struggles, passions, gratitude, dreams, fears, hope, faith, and overall essence of who she was as a person. It was real in the truest sense because through Esther’s scribbles, crossed out words, smiley faces, and drawings, her character shined through. She showcased the good times and the bad, her moments of doubt and hopelessness, as well as her strength in striving for a positive, faithful outlook. Esther was an ordinary girl but through her contemplations she showed extraordinary promise and her interactions with the people in her life made her remarkable in the eyes of those who loved her for being her.

I feel like I know Esther. Or at least, as much as I can through reading a book, which I am not discrediting the power of books but rather acknowledging and complimenting the complexity of every human being. I will never have the understanding of who Esther was that John Green has, that her Catitude friends have, that her parents have, that God has, but the minuscule understanding that I have of her—thanks to her journals, her YouTube videos, and the words of those who knew Esther while she was alive—is grand. So grand that the life and words of Esther Earl have knocked on my heart and entered (as well as tore it wide open when her father beautifully wrote her heartbreaking last moments).

While reading TSWGO, I have realized that we do not have to do extraordinary things to make an impact. You only really need to be true to yourself and be passionate about something to make an impact and that is something worthwhile. And when ordinary people come together, the most nature course for them is to play off of each other’s passions and the results always create something wonderful. Esther was like this in the way that she was passionate about Harry Potter, finding happiness in the books, movies, and every Harry Potter community that sprung from it. And then “with Esther” nerdfighters around the world helped the charity Harry Potter Alliance win $250,000. Esther did not particularly do anything to win the money, but John Green was affected by her character and her want to help HPA and so with Esther and John Green and nerdfighters around the world, they were able to win the money. HPA would not have won that money without Esther and that is what I mean by saying all you need is to be true to yourself and pursue your passions because without knowing, one thing leads to the next thing or person and extraordinary happenings result. That is simply one instance of how Esther affected a whole community by being herself. 

I am not capable of imagining how great of an impact she made on the people she knew. All I know is that her story brought me to tears. Tears of happiness and pride in her accomplishments and impacts on others, tears for the love she bestowed on others, tears of sorrow at the loss of such a great person, and tears of joy for remembering that she lived. The life and words of Esther Grace Earl are still impacting people today in vast and various ways, and I can attest to that.

"I know I will always carry her with me, and to have a piece of her grace shine through me 

is a gift I will continually strive to earn." 

- Lindsay Ballatyne, Esther's Catitude friend, This Star Won't Go Out

Review | Unite Me by Tahereh Mafi

About the book:

Perfect for fans of Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me trilogy, this book collects her two companion novellas, Fracture Meand Destroy Me, in print for the first time ever. It also features an exclusive look into Juliette’s journal and a preview of Ignite Me, the hotly anticipated final novel of the series.

Destroy Me tells the events between Shatter Me and Unravel Me from Warner’s point of view. Even though Juliette shot him in order to escape, Warner can’t stop thinking about her—and he’ll do anything to get her back. But when the Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment arrives, he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner cannot allow.

Fracture Me is told from Adam’s perspective and bridges the gap between Unravel Me and Ignite Me. As the Omega Point rebels prepare to fight the Sector 45 soldiers, Adam's more focused on the safety of Juliette, Kenji, and his brother. The Reestablishment will do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam cares about.

The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent and The Hunger Games. This captivating story, which combines the best of dystopian and paranormal, was praised as “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love” by Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: YA dystopian/romance
Pages: 240

My rating for Unite Me (Shatter Me, #1.5, #2.5):

Thoughts on Destroy Me:
I understand Warner more now. I don't think he is a monster, but as I remember some of the things he said to Juliette in Unravel Me, I still don't like him.

Thoughts on Fracture Me:
I am so frustrated! Adam, what the heck?! Acting like Juliette's a burden, something to take care of because she can't take care of herself, instead of caring for her! Juliette's the weak link, Juliette's too trapped in her own head, Juliette can't protect herself...ugh!! I'm so peeved. This isn't the Adam I've grown to love! This sounds more like the Adam Warner imagines in his head, not the real one. I understand him doubting whether they should be together, with everything going on and Juliette breaking up with him but he's acting like he only loves her because she needs him, not because he needs and wants and loves her for who she is. I got the sense that he knows nothing about Juliette from this novella, which is not how I ever pictured him. Again, this is how Warner imagines Adam. Did Mafi do this on purpose? Make us turn away from Adam completely so everyone will be happy when if Warner and Juliette end up together?

On the upside, I love James more and his nickname for Adam. I love Kenji and how he sees strength in Juliette but I also like him just because he's the best. He might be one of my favorite supporting characters ever. I liked seeing what Juliette is like from an outside perspective when she closes herself off and lives in her mind, and how some things trigger her to come back to life. It was interesting to learn that she actually does repeat her words out loud like how she does in her head.

Thoughts on Juliette's Journal:
We already get the chance to see most of her journal entries between Shatter Me, Unravel Me, and Destroy Me, but I liked seeing them all in one binding and simply rereading them all again. It's a very peculiar thing to be in Juliette's mind when she's at the lowest points of her life.

Recommended Reviews:

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me (Shatter Me, #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Legend (Legend, #1) by Marie Lu

The Selection (The Selection, #1) by Kiera Cass

Throwback Thursday Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Throwback Thursday is a new weekly/biweekly feature hosted by Sabrina at I Heart YA Fiction where readers review older releases and/or books that have been on our tbr shelves for a while. Click the link above to see Sabrina's TBT review and if you participate, join the linky list at the bottom of her post!

This week's feature?

About the book:

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

NOSOUL
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

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

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Release Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: YA fantasy/romance
Pages: 374
Added on Goodreads: June 18, 2012

My rating of Incarnate (Newsoul, #1):

Release Date: January 31, 2012

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: YA fantasy/romance

Pages: 374

Added on Goodreads: June 18, 2012

My rating of Incarnate (Newsoul, #1):

Short & Sweet:

Wow, did I enjoy this more than I expected! It's a very fun, light read that has great conflict and serious conflicts. I LOVED the romance, the fantasy intrigued me rather than scared me off, and the storytelling was wonderful with good pacing. Meadows had a way of telling the fantasy, conflicts, and romance of the story so beautifully. Only a few small things made me drop it from "Amazing!" to "Great!"

To Elaborate...

I'm not a fan of high fantasy, but this one was really cool! I loved the creatures--centaurs, sylph, and dragons--and it was not complicated, which is probably why I enjoyed it. Definitely on the lower spectrum of high fantasy but the mention of other animals across the world expanded the fantasy too. I am glad a god had been used in this fantasy story. Religions have been cut from and looked down upon in our culture when it used to be the main thing that held a culture together. Seeing it in a fantasy novel and having the characters cast a wide range of opinions on the god-like figure was a great touch.

The reincarnation concept awed me! The idea that the same soul could reincarnate as a man or woman in the next life; that some souls matched with others and found each other every reincarnation period; that they all knew each other because they had been living with one another for thousands of years; that their houses were stocked with their old things….oh my did I love it! I can't wait for my questions (i.e. how was the limit created?) to be answered as the books continue.

It was really interesting being in Ana’s mind in the beginning, when she didn’t trust anyone and thought so little of herself. Her journey of opening up, seeing her need and want for love and self-love … it was told so eloquent. Speaking of love, the romance made my heart flutter and race and me grin like an idiot. I love reading these kinds of romances! It was light and fun, but seeing the bond between Sam and Ana grow as they battled their inner conflicts added a serious note to their relationship. Very well balanced.

Sometimes the characters in stories that occur over several weeks or months appear to have changed drastically because too much time has been skipped. Scenes that would showcase the depth of character or relationship development just aren't always there. In Incarnate, the way the breaks were made in this book were perfect. I never once thought that we missed something vital in the character growth or the plot.

My only deduction is for the random parts that I stumbled over while reading and the ending. A few times I felt like a transition sentence or two had been deleted because all of a sudden I wouldn't know what was going on or how something had just happened. Even after going back and rereading, I still would still be confused. The ending was a bit sporadic too, although I can't describe how. There was also a section toward the end that consisted of a lot of description and slowed the story a bit. Apart from these finer points, this book was great! It exceeded my expectations and I am excited to continue the series!

Did you love Incarnate? 

Are you a music junky like me? 

Check out "Poet" by Bastille!

It's awesome AND it reminds me of Incarnate.

Review: Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover

About the novella:

This novella is a companion novel to the Hopeless series but can be read as a standalone. 

A chance encounter in the dark leads eighteen-year-old Daniel and the girl who stumbles across him to profess their love for each other. But this love comes with conditions: they agree it will only last one hour and it will only be make-believe.

When their hour is up and the girl rushes off like Cinderella, Daniel tries to convince himself that what happened between them only seemed perfect because they were pretending it was perfect. Moments like that with girls like her don’t happen outside of fairytales.

One year and one bad relationship later, his disbelief in insta-love is stripped away the day he meets Six: a girl with a strange name and an even stranger personality. Daniel soon realizes the way he pretended to feel about Cinderella and the way he really feels about Six may not be so different after all. Especially when the two loves of his life end up being one in the same.

Unfortunately for Daniel, finding Cinderella doesn’t guarantee their happily ever after…it only further threatens it.

Pages: 105

Published by: Atria Books (October 14, 2013)

Genre: NA contemporary romance

My rating for Finding Cinderella (Hopeless, #2.5)

Warning: This book contains language and sexual content.

I think it might be accurate to say this is my favorite novella I've ever read. Most novellas are wonderful additions to a series, but this one stands out because it can stand entirely on its own two feet... covers... metaphorical covers--whatever--and it was a wonderful story at that!

I'd like to warn that these two high school characters are promiscuous. It is what some would call an "insta-love" but the humor and realistic and unique personalities are displayed in the hero and heroine to offset the wariness an insta-love story brings. Of course, this is my opinion, but I am also a reader who isn't fond of insta-love stories and rather quickly overlooked the insta-love and thought the connection between the main characters worked because of everything else in the story.

Daniel, whose perspective you read from, is a silly guy. So silly that I giggled my way through this novella. He makes up names for everyone and acts like a total goofball.

"Go away."

"No. We're having a moment. You're my best friend, Holder. For real. You're my best friend and I love you. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love a guy. I love, Holder. Daniel Wesley loves Dean Holder. Always and forever."

"Daniel, go make out with your girlfriend."

"Not until you tell me you love me, too."

"I f***ing love you, now GO AWAY!"

"I love you more."

But he's also lovable, somewhat mature (that's questionable), and he cherishes small things. 

"Don't open your eyes. Give me ten more seconds to stare, because you look absolutely beautiful right now."

As for the romance, it was really refreshing. All that silliness and playfulness of Daniel and Six made the romance so fun. I knew there was going to be a plot twist (there always is with Colleen Hoover!) so I was trying to guess it. The funny thing is, I guessed right, but when it was revealed, I still gasped. Lol.

I didn't read this Daniel as the same Daniel from Losing Hope but that was a-okay with me. I love this Daniel and his silliness. I loved seeing Daniel and Six break down their walls and I am so grateful and honored that Colleen Hoover wrote Daniel & Six's story for her fans! Thanks CoHo!

***

Please help me get my #FindingCinderella tweet on the back cover of the coming soon paperback by retweeting and favoriting THIS tweet! Thank you!

Review | Blood Will Tell by Samantha Young

About the book:

What would you do if you were born to be a predator? Would you fight your natural instincts or give in to your nature? 

Eden is a soul eater closing in on her awakening. Her family has convinced her that soon she will have to take a life in order to save her own. It’s a decision Eden doesn’t want to deal with even as her hunger for souls grows stronger every day.

To complicate her impossible position, new guy in school Noah Valois’ determination to befriend her puts Eden in touch with a humanity she’s never known. Addicted to his company, his friendship and affection, she becomes more and more terrified that giving into her hunger will mean losing him forever…

… But when she discovers that Noah is not what he seems, his betrayal forces her to face two choices. One will offer her revenge and the destruction of a boy she loved. The other may offer her a life of eternal redemption…

Release date: June 29, 2011 

Publisher: CreateSpace 

Pages: 273 

Genre: YA paranormal

My rating for Blood Will Tell (Warriors of Ankh, #1):

I held off reviewing this book because I wasn't thrilled about the novel. Now that I'm trying to write it's review, I can hardly remember how this book even ended, even though it's only been a week since I finished it. 

I wanted to like this story, the romance, but I couldn't. I know I had no qualms with Twilight and how Edward a 90-something year old vampire fell in love with a human; however, I did with this romance. The guy (I can't even remember the characters' names, y'all) was a seventy-year-old who hadn't aged a day past eighteen, who had had the sexual experiences of a seventy year old, and who currently was falling in love with a teenager. Ew!! Granted, when I read Twilight I was younger, but Edward hadn't had sex with a whole slew of women before meeting Bella. Bella and Edward were each other's firsts. This was clearly not the case with Blood Will Tell and it was in the back of my mind during the entire read.

The plot is coming back to me now. Okay, so I actually really liked the creep factor of this book. It was quite different than other books. You don't often read books where the main character and her family are the "bad guys". Seeing this perspective was interesting and I liked to see this type of inner struggle within the M.C. I did wonder why the heroine rejected her upbringing so much because wouldn't someone who grew up in an evil family think that what they were doing was okay? My doubts were cleared up later. The ending really through me for a loop and intrigued me, but not enough for me to read the sequel.

For the most part, the mood and subject of the book was intriguing, but the romance really turned me off and kept me from connecting with the book. If you think you can overlook the age and sexual experience differences, I'd say give this a try because I think you'll still really enjoy the paranormal aspect.

Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

About the book:

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay.

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

Genre: YA contemporary + romance

Published by: Dutton Juvenile (January 8, 2013)

Pages: 368

My rating of Just One Day:

She went looking for him and along the way she found herself

Just One Day is more than a love story. It's a story of searching and introspection and living.

The story was written beautifully and impacting with clever analogies and relate-able moments. Allyson's growth was just that: growth. It didn't happen overnight but in stages and I almost feel honored to have experienced it all with her. In the beginning and middle of the book, I didn't know what to think about the story because it was hard to gauge how good it was when “nothing” (also known as the experiences that led to the character growth) was happening or the action was “slow”. But I soon realized that I couldn't judge this story in sections: only as a whole. And as a whole, I think Just One Day is worthwhile and eye-opening. 

I think Allyson is an enjoyable character, “normalcy”, “snark” and all, because she is easy to identify with. What makes Allyson's self-discoveries so fulfilling for me was how almost every chapter or scene break ended with a new lesson, theory, epiphany, or revelation. They weren't cheesy and they weren't overdone. 

"And for one small second, I do imagine the person I could talk

 to, about finding this door, and losing it. He would understand. 

But that's the one door that needs to stay shut."

That is one of the fourteen quotes I metaphorically highlighted in the book. But really, I'm not overstating things when I say that all of the scenes in this book were fulfilling. As a romance lover, could I say I wished it had more fun and happy romance? Yes, well, no, not really because then it wouldn't have been the story it was. The events that occurred, the people that stepped into Allyson's life--even for the briefest of moments--were necessary for Allyson's self-discovery. The beauty of Allyson's search made my heart so content and I really wouldn't have wished it any other way. The only thing I wish I could have been different was the very very ending. After everything that had happened, everything they had been through, I wish the end could have been extended for another page at least. Like I said, I'm a romance lover.

In my mind, aspects that make a book wonderful are great character growth, beautiful story-telling and pacing, and morals and motifs. Just One Day has it all.

"I think of what my mom said. About being grateful for what you have instead 

of yearning for what you think you want. Standing here, on the campus 

where he once walked, I think I finally get what she was talking about. 

I think I finally understand what it truly means to quit while you're ahead."

Review | Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

About the book:

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

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

Release Date: January 5, 2010 

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin Release Date: January 5, 2010

Genre: YA contemporary (Mature)

Pages: 246

My rating for Some Girls Are:

Initial reaction: I don't even know what to think. This was nothing what I thought it would be. Intense. I can't wrap my mind around it. It hardly even ended! It was closure without closure. Gosh, I don't even know what to think right now. Rating? I can't even think about a rating right now.

Okay.

It started off with a Speak [by Laurie Halse Anderson] vibe but with an actual romance thrown in there. I thought I was going to love this because all the the emotions I knew it was going to evoke from me. Hard subject matter, sweet romance, character and relationship growth galore...

No.

Revenge. Getting even because each person "deserved it". The acts of revenge climbed as the revenge continued from each party. It was horrific. It was so twisted. So, so twisted. I couldn't even empathize or sympathize with the M.C. at some points.

I think I understand the message of the story. It was just absolutely insane how the author conjured and conveyed it.

"A whole world exists outside of that hellhole."

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

About the book:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

 Pages: 327

Published by: Harper Teen (April 24, 2012)

Genre: YA dystopia + romance

My rating for The Selection (The Selection, #1):

Disclaimer: I was hesitant to read this book because of all the mixed reviews (the bad reviews) it has received. The thought of a YA book like the TV show The Bachelor kind of repulsed me. It took quite a bit of convincing on my friend's part and a bit of complaining on mine before I agreed to read it. Now after having read it for myself, these are my thoughts:

The futuristic world in The Selection was easy to transition to. I was fascinated by the fact that it took place after World War Four and I loved how Kiera Cass weaved in background information for us through the history lessons the girls had. The only thing that puzzled me was that Illea had reverted to a monarchy that was very proper and seemingly old-fashioned. It was like we were going back in time rather than forward. As I think about it more, I can see almost any type of government form after a series of wars and lapses of time. AND humans reverting to old ways is a cycle that reoccurs in history... So it makes sense but I wish there had been more explanation for their old-fashionedness to satisfy my curiosity.

About the Selection itself, I actually wasn't repulsed by it. It made sense for the society. Maxon wasn't hooking up with a bunch of girls; he was just trying to find someone he could love and spend the rest of his life with and regular dating wasn't an option for him. I read a review that said all the inconsequential girls' names were overwhelming. I didn't have a problem with this. I actually liked how the girls were not always described to us. I liked that we knew some girls only by name because they felt more real without me feeling like I had to remember specific, unimportant details about them. America would have naturally noted these girls as she went about her day, but what they were doing or looked like didn't pertain to the story so only being given a name made me feel like I was more in America's mind.

I really enjoyed Maxon and America as characters. My initial impression of Maxon was that he was extremely proper and seemed like a man in his thirties. As I continued reading, his qualms with crying women, lack of experiences, and worries made me believe that his upbringing was the explanation for his mannerisms. His qualms were cute and amusing and they made him a refreshing prince.

I loved the banter between him and America! As for the love triangle, I don't have a pull to either “team”. I really felt Aspen and America's love in the beginning, then he made me mad. I knew Maxon was going to be a love interest and although I'm not teaming for Maxon and America, I really appreciated how Cass played their relationship. Slowly and convincingly, with hesitance from both parties. Although I know Aspen loves America, I have a feeling I am going to be inching closer to Team Maxon in the future—he intrigued me more and he was just a great guy.

America's proposal (plan, not wedding proposal) was a pleasantly surprising twist! The whole book was kind of a mystery for me. I didn't think this book was incredible but some books are rather formulaic and predictable; this wasn't one of them. At least, not for me. It was a fun, quick read that kept me on my toes and flying through the book. I'm excited to continue reading the series!

Review: Tandem by Anna Jarzab

About the book:

Everything repeats.
You. Your best friend. Every person you know.
Many worlds. Many lives--infinite possibilities.
Welcome to the multiverse.

Sixteen-year-old Sasha Lawson has only ever known one small, ordinary life. When she was young, she loved her grandfather's stories of parallel worlds inhabited by girls who looked like her but led totally different lives. Sasha never believed such worlds were real--until now, when she finds herself thrust into one against her will.

To prevent imminent war, Sasha must slip into the life of an alternate version of herself, a princess who has vanished on the eve of her arranged marriage. If Sasha succeeds in fooling everyone, she will be returned home; if she fails, she'll be trapped in another girl's life forever. As time runs out, Sasha finds herself torn between two worlds, two lives, and two young men vying for her love--one who knows her secret, and one who thinks she's someone she's not.

The first book in the Many-Worlds Trilogy, Tandem is a riveting saga of love and betrayal set in parallel universes in which nothing--and no one--is what it seems.

Pages: 428
Published by: Delacorte Books (October 8, 2013)
Genre: YA science fiction/fantasy

My rating for Tandem (Many-Worlds, #1):


I would like to thank Delacorte Books via Netgalley for providing me an eARC of Tandem in exchange for an honest review.
Creativity - 5/5:
This was my first experience reading about parallel universes. Although it took a bit for me to truly grasp the concept and for the sci-if to be explained, I think it is all very interesting. Jarzab did a great job in creating the worlds and the Tandem. I really enjoyed this aspect of novel.

Characters - 3/5:
I really liked Sasha in the beginning. I liked how normal she was and I felt like I could relate to her. I read a review for this book that said Sasha really annoyed the reader because she cried "ALL THE TIME" but I do not think that at all. She cried or teared up a handful of times, but they were all legitimate moments, like when she was overwhelmed by being kidnapped and brought into this alternate universe, or after she had to flee away from a bomb attempt, or when she empathized with someone who had lost their parents. Like I said, legitimate.

The writing - 2/5:
I am a fan of Anna Jarzab's All Unquiet Things. Although it had a slower pace, I liked the writing and the mystery. It was intriguing and I thought it was a great read. Tandem did not feel the same way, even if you disregard the dramatic difference in genres. This story felt like it was written very carefully. So much thought goes into the making of any book, but I almost felt like this one was over explanatory at times in the characters' thoughts. Sometimes I would think "okay, when is there going to be some more action?" Which brings me to my next point: there wasn't much action. There weren't any events that excited me and I am sad to admit that. I didn't find the plot compelling. However, I must give Jarzab credit for not overwhelming readers with world-building and action. Sometimes authors have a hard time introducing new elements to a story. And the fact that this is a series may explain why there was a lack of action: the action is yet to come.

Romance -1/5:
I really did not feel anything from the romance in this story. I was not affected by the conflicting emotions the characters had or the slight love triangle. I did not find it emotionally engaging. Why? I'm not sure. I guess the writing was not able to convince me of the characters' feelings.

Unfortunately, Tandem was a story that underwhelmed me, but by no means am I implying that other readers will have the same experience. I loved her previous book so I will still be watching out for her future novels.

Review: Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis & Beth Clark

About the book:

What would cause an eighteen-year-old old senior class president and homecoming queen from Nashville, Tennessee, to disobey and disappoint her parents by forgoing college, break her little brother’s heart, lose all but a handful of her friends (because the rest of them think she has gone off the deep end), and break up with the love of her life, all so she could move to Uganda, where she knew only one person but didn’t know any of the language? 

A passion to make a difference. 

Katie Davis left over Christmas break her senior year for a short mission trip to Uganda and her life was turned completely inside out. She found herself so moved, so broken by the people and the children of Uganda that she knew her calling was to return and care for them. Her story is like Mother Teresa’s in that she has given up everything—at such a young age—to care for the less fortunate of this world. Katie, a charismatic and articulate young woman, has gone on to adopt 14 children during her time in Uganda, and she completely trusts God for daily provision for her and her family, which includes children with special needs. To further her reach into the needs of Ugandans, Katie established Amazima Ministries. The ministry matches orphaned children with sponors worldwide. Each sponsor's $300/year provides schooling, school supplies, three hot meals a day, minor medical care, and spiritual encouragement. Katie expected to have forty children in the program; she had signed up 150 by January 2008; today it sponsors over 400. 

Another aspect of the ministry is a feeding program created for the displaced Karamojong people—Uganda's poorest citizens. The program feeds lunch to over 1200 children Monday-Friday and sends them home with a plate for food; it also offers basic medical care, Bible study, and general health training. 

Katie Davis, now 21, is more than fascinating, she's inspiring, as she has wholeheartedly answered the call to serve.

Pages: 266

Published by: Howard Books (October 4, 2011)

Genre: Autobiography

My rating for Kisses from Katie:

I read a review for this book in which the reviewer talked about the redundancy of Katie's message. Now, I am not slamming this review. The reviewer gave this book 4 stars and loved Katie's story, but I was thinking about her review as I read this book. Tell me: How is a story about a faithful person whose purpose of writing this book is to share her story of how God's plan for her has completely turned her life inside out (in the best way possible) redundant? A story about her struggles in Uganda, the love she feels every day, and living God's way? Life sometimes has redundancy, but there are always lessons to be learned every day. I don't think this book was redundant; I think Katie was trying to show many different examples of how God has never failed her, and no matter how many times she has moments of weakness, she will not give up on him because he always provides and she loves him. Something that struck me most is that Katie is not a great person. She is, of course, beautiful, loving, and caring, but it is God who is great and is doing great things through her. She is a sinner, has her moments of doubt and weakness. She is just like us. But she is giving her whole life to God and is trying to live her life exactly how God wants her to. She isn't perfect and she doesn't try to hide it. If we gave our lives to Jesus, we too could do God's will. A culmination of Fisher Amelie's VAIN, Katie's open and compassionate heart, and God's plan for me has led me to rate this book 5-stars. Starting in 2014, I am going to be sponsoring a child through Amazima Ministries and I am so excited! And one day I will go to Uganda.

Review/Harbor of My Favorite Quotes from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

About the book:

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Pages: 313

Published by: Duttong Books (January 10, 2012)

Genre: YA contemporary + romance

My rating for The Fault in Our Stars:

This is one of those books that no matter how hard I try to write a review that will serve this book justice, I am simply incapable of doing so.

If you must, this is a rough overview of my thoughts towards this story:

It is beautiful.
It is heartbreakingly beautiful.
It is sob-inducing and tear-jerking.
It is well-written. Intelligence exudes from the scrawl on these pages through literary references, metaphors, and the characters' words.
It is clever and witty and humorous. Don't be fooled. You will cry while reading this book, but I have no doubt you will also smile and laugh at the conversations Augustus, Hazel Grace, and Isaac have.
It is analytic. It makes me stop and think about the subjects the characters are discussing, whether I agree with their opinions or not, which frequently, might I add, I didn't not agree with. But the subjects were most definitely still worth discussing.
It is so thoughtful and thought-provoking. John Green put so much thought into every. single. word. that was stored in this novel. It's obvious as one reads it. John had been writing some form of TFiOS for ten years, so it makes sense, but the level of extraordinary he manages to reach does not fail to fathom me.
It is rendering. I've gained a whole new perspective on life and how our actions display in the eyes of others, especially someone with a terminal illness.
And lastly (for now) it is highly quotable, which tags along with the thought that this book is well-written.

What I feel for this novel cannot be expressed in my own words. Ironically, the majority of my thoughts on this novel can, however, be shared through "the feels" these said quotable lines give. And I don't mean that I believe every word from this book, but rather, these quotes evoked a response from my heart and mind.

DISCLAIMER ALERT: I didn't have any idea how many quotes I was going to type out in this review until after I typed them. I stopped when I realized that I was practically plagiarizing the book and giving your free access to it right here and now. These aren't even half of lines I highlighted in my ereader though, so I figured I'd be Okay. That was a joke. Please don't sue me, John Green. Please? Okay? But those who haven't read the series, maybe perhaps probably, you should consider NOT reading these quotes until after you read the book. You shouldn't experience "the feels" these quotes exude without the full effect of the full-length novel at the tip of your nose. So as I said. If you DO decide to continue reading, I did hide the spoilery quotes from your viewage. ;) And if you read this after you've read the book, I hope these quotes rekindle your love for this story. <3


"...depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying. (Cancer is also a side effect of dying..."

"He had some fantastically improbable eye cancer." (No, this is not a spoiler, for you learn this within the first few pages of the novel and you don't even know who "he" is yet.)

"There is only one thing in this world shittier than biting it from cancer when you're sixteen, and that's having a kid who bites it from cancer."

"He was hot. A nonhot boy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a hot boy...well."

"I fear oblivion. I fear it like the proverbial blind man who's afraid of the dark."
"Too soon."
"Was that insensitive? I can be pretty blind to other people's feelings."

"...if the inevitability of human oblivion worries you, I encourage you to ignore it. God knows that's what everyone else does."

"Okay, so I went into clinic this morning, and I was telling my surgeon that I'd rather be deaf than blind. And he said, 'It doesn't work that way,' and I was, like, 'Yeah, I realize it doesn't work that way; I'm just saying I'd rather be deaf than blind if I had the choice, which I realize i don't have,' and he said, 'Well, the good news is that you won't be deaf,' and i was like, 'Thank you for explaining that my eye cancer isn't going to make me deaf. I feel so fortunate that an intellectual giant like yourself would deign to operate on me."-I
"He sounds like a winner. I'm gonna try to get me some eye cancer just so I can make this guy's acquaintance."-H

"Because you're beautiful. I enjoy looking at beautiful people, and I decided a while ago not to deny myself the simpler pleasures of existence."

"I bought them a minute. Maybe that's the minute that buys them an hour, which is the hour that buys them a year. No one's gonna buy them forever, Hazel Grace, but my life bought them a minute. And that's not nothing."

"Right, of course. But you keep the promise anyway. That's what love is. Love is keeping the promise anyway. Don't you believe in true love?"

"That's the thing about pain. It demands to be felt."

"Okay? Okay."

"WHAT?! WHAT IS THIS LIFE?"

"People talk about the courage of cancer patients, and I do not deny that courage. I had been poked and stabbed and poisoned for years, and still I trod on. But make no mistake: In that moment, I would have been very, very happy to die."

"Were she better or you sicker, then the stars would not be so terribly crossed, but it is the nature of stars to cross, and never was Shakespeare more wrong than when he had Cassius note, 'The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars/But in ourselves.' Easy enough to say when you're a ROman nobleman (or Shakespeare!), but there is no shortage of fault to be found amid our stars."

“I'm in love with you."
"Augustus."
"I am. I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you."

"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."

"Some tourists think Amsterdam is a city of sin, but in truth it is a city of freedom. And in freedom, most people find sin."

"The beautiful couple is beautiful."

"The risen sun too bright in her losing eyes."

"On, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my hear broken by you."

"Nothing happens to the Dutch Tulip Man. He isn't a con man or not a con man; he's God. He's an obvious and unambiguous metaphorical representation of God, and asking what becomes of him is the intellectual equivalent of asking what becomes of the disembodied eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg in Gatsby."

"...most parents don't know really their children."

"It's hard as hell to hold on to your dignity when the risen sun is too bright in your losing eyes..."

"You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible moments that you cannot even imagine yet!"

"My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations."

"We're as likely to hurt the universe as we are to help it, and we're not likely to do either."

"You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices."