Holly's Reading Hollow

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Top 14 Movies of 2014

As a part of the 10th goal I added to my 2014 life goals (to watch one movie/show a week), I was going to list all the new-to-me movies and shows at the end of the post about my life goals results but thought ehhh that'll be boring. Instead, I'm going to highlight my 14 favorite movies/documentaries/TV series out of the 56 I watched this year!

A brief run-down of how I rate movies:

5 stars - Rarely use them, but when I do they mean what they imply: I think its perfect

4 stars - Not perfect, but loved it!

3 stars - I enjoyed it.

2 stars - Some aspects were decent.

1 star - Did not enjoy.

My Favorite Movies of 2014

(No particular order)

When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions - 5 stars (Netflix)

Absolutely fascinating and mind blowing! If you love learning about space or simply want to learn about the NASA space missions, this 6-episode series is chalked full of real footage, interviews from NASA employees including astronauts on the missions. Seriously, this TV series is the definition of "mind blowing"!

The Fault in Our Stars - 5 stars (In Theaters)

I started crying practically as soon as the movie began. My fangirl heart could not handle it the sheer beauty of this story. Around the end of the movie when tears were actually acceptable, I was sobbing and you know what the best part was? I forgot to bring TISSUES. So after the movie, a hiccuping Holly went straight to the bathroom to attempt cleaning up the swollen, bloodshot eyes and a snotty face. :P People who in the same theater as me were smirking as I tried to clean up and I wanted to yell, "I heard you crying too!"

TINY: A Story About Living Small - 5 stars (Netflix)

I'm not sure if I could ever live in a tiny home, but the idea of simplifying our material needs to the bare necessity, thus, being able to focus on the things that matter most around us and live a happier life was such a refreshing, reinvigorating concept. I watched this documentary 3 times because I had to share it with family members.

Fried Green Tomatoes - 4.5 stars (DVD)

One of my mum's favorites and when I was spending quality time with my aunt this summer we chose this as one of our movies. So happy we did because it was truly a great story! Kind of like the Titanic in that it's an undeniably great movie.

Stuck in Love - 4 stars (Netflix)

Chose this on a whim as a destresser before finals and the entire time I was reveling in how much I was enjoying it! I loved the cast (Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, Nat Wolff, Lily Collins, Logan Lerman, and Kristen Bell!!) and the story line! It's extremely relatable to book lovers, writers, and all artists!

White Oleander - 4.5 stars (Amazon)

One of the first movies I watched this year. I tried reading the book a few years ago, thought it was disgusting, but I think I just wasn't ready at the time to handle its mature content. This movie was incredible though! So impacting.

The Spectacular Now - 4.5 stars (Netflix)

So cute and relatable! I loved how special the film was made and how clip used was either the first or second (rarely third) shot! Really speaks for the talent of the cast and crew.

The Hundred Foot Journey - 4 stars (College Early DVD Release)

This movie is a must see for anyone who loves food. Seriously, the cinematography was beautiful and the way it portrayed the art of food... mmm that was an art in its own category! Some parts were predictable, but I honestly loved it start to finish.

Mockingjay - 4 stars (In Theaters)

I didn't love it as much as Catching Fire; some scenes were dragged out a bit too far for my liking, but overall I loved the adaptation of the book and cannot wait to see Part 2!

The King's Speech - 4 stars (Netflix)

I love movies about history and especially loved this because I don't know too much about England royalty. That aspect was really intriguing but the acting and cinematography was great!

Divergent - 4.5 stars (In Theaters)

All of my issues with the book had to do with the writing so in a different art form I loved it! Click here to read my full spoiler-free review on the Divergent movie.

The Maze Runner - 4 stars (In Theaters)

My friend Trina from Between Chapters told me how amazing it was and I was kind of skeptical. Based on what I had seen in the trailers, I was excited to see it but didn't know exactly what to expect from it. I was thoroughly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! No complaints here!

In Your Eyes - 4 stars (Netflix)

Finished watching this a few hours ago and it's what ultimately made me decide to do this post. I LOVED the concept of this movie. If you haven't heard of it, it's about two strangers who are linked within their minds since they were kids and can sometimes experience, hear, see, and feel what the other is feeling. They don't fully comprehend what's going on until they're adults. I loved what happened from there, loved the concept of two strangers being linked like that, and kept thinking I wish I had written a book about this!

Thanks for Sharing - 3.5 stars (Netflix)

To be honest, this is not one of the greatest movies out there; the ending was a little flat for all the great material and build up throughout the movie, but it is SO underrated. I cracked up at so many points during this movie and I thought the plot was really interesting. With a grain of salt, I would totally recommend this to everyone.

Honorable mentions:

Monster's University

Good Will Hunting

I Am Legend

How I Live Now

Little Women

Gimme Shelter

Pitch Perfect

Silver Linings Playlist

Vampire Academy

Camp Takota

Curious to know what else I watched in 2014? Here's a full list of all the movies and shows I watched!

Did you have any favorite movies, documentaries, or TV shows this year? Let me know!

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a Happy Christmas and wonderful holiday! :)

Holly

Another post you might like:

Top 14 Books of 2014

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Top 14 Books of 2014

This year I discovered so many new favorite books! When I went through the 84 books I read this year, I spent forever trying to narrow down to the 14 I was going to recognize as my top 14 books of 2014. I honestly couldn't narrow the list smaller than 16 and I'm still sad about the awesome books I'm not including. For a lot of these, I wasn't expecting to love them as much as I did so that makes them even more special! Because I rated most of these 5 stars, I'm going to discuss them in the order I read them this year instead of trying to determine highest to lowest favorite.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - 5 stars

The first book of 2014 jumped to my all-time favorites list in a heartbeat! I've mentioned this in just about every TTT post and will forever rave about it. It made me so emotional: heartbroken, relieved, frustrated, depressed, elated... I felt everything in this story. I loved reading about Afghanistan, the complex characters, and the struggles they faced. This story is about trying to cope with and redeem one's self for deeply rooted guilt and regret and it was nothing short of a masterpiece in my mind.

Shark Out of Water by Jenn Cooksey - 4 stars

This is the third book in the Grab Your Pole series (mature YA/NA contemporary romance). I rated the first book four stars and the second book three stars so I was expecting to just decently enjoy this as well, but the EMOTIONS this book evoked within me were incredible! This series deals with situations and relationships that the main characters (Camie and Tristan) are foreign to so these books explore them and their friends trying to adjust, understand, and communicate with each other. There is a lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding that drives these passionate characters apart from each other. It's so frustrating because you just want them to solve their issues, but the issues are relate-able or at the very least understandable for these types of characters. When everything comes together at the end of this book, I cried like a baby because this interesting duo was just too beautiful! I never wrote a review on this book, which is probably why I wrote so much just now. Anyway, I loved it so much!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - 5 stars

I think every YA contemporary romance fan has read this book and if not, they should! And don't let the title fool you. It isn't cheesy; just a super sweet, fun story full of quirks and personality!

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows - 4 stars

This was another one I enjoyed more than I expected! It's a very fun, light read that has great 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. I rated this 4 stars but couldn't stop thinking about it and its sequels (which I will for sure read in 2015) all year!

This Star Won't Go Out by Esther Grace Earl - 5 stars

Esther was so relatable and I'm so happy I read her story. Check out my review for all my thoughts of Esther's life because I cannot possibly explain them all right here. :)

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare - 5 stars

For someone who wasn't entirely thrilled with the first two books in TID, this amazed me! All of the connections that were made with TMI and its characters, the way everything came full circle... absolutely wonderful! I teared and choked up multiple times, was delighted by the humor and joy of its journey, and I loved all the characters more than I ever have!

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - 5 stars

Yet another one that surprised the crap out of me for loving it! I mainly read it because it was a spin off of Beauty and the Beast and my two of my friends really wanted to read it so I thought, okay, might as well. It was fantasy and kinda creepy (things I'm not a huge fan of) but it was dark and I was addicted to it! I fell in love with the love interest who was also creepy (loving him creeped me out) and the ending was incredible! I totally recommend it!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman - 5 stars

I loved this much more than If I Stay! Probably because the ending was so perfect. Loved! For my full review click here!

We Were Liars by e. lockhart - 5 stars

I'm not even going to say what I loved about this book because everyone should go into this book knowing nothing about it. Seriously, just jump in! So good!

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - 5 stars

What a page-turner! Having all of Lara Jean's love letters accidentally sent out to past crushes was such an interesting plot, but what I loved most was getting to know the relationship between Lara Jean and her sisters and her and Josh! So sweet and heartwarming!

Prodigy by Marie Lu - 5 stars

Marie Lu is SO good at writing action sequences! They're simply amazing and the awesome plot kept me guessing the possibilities. I liked how all the characters are developed and was torn between who I wanted to be in a relationship with whom.

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover - 5 stars

Colleen Hoover never disappoints! All of her books have differing characters, complications, backgrounds, and plots, and they're always so good! I loved Sydney and Ridge and the ending was so satisfying! I reread the ending twice as soon as I finished the book because it was such a beautiful conclusion.

Four Summers by Nyrae Dawn - 4 stars

Huge surprise! Okay, so every book in this list except CoHo's surprised me ;) This book is about a girl who has been living in a lake house her entire life and works around the lake houses during the summer months as guests rent out the cabins. It explores four summers that a specific family with two boys rent the same cabin. Romance ensues and the story covers the relationship that blooms between Charlotte and Nate each summer they are together. I felt all the feels and it was the perfect summer read!

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han - 4 stars

This is the second book in the Summer trilogy and I loved it the most because of the progress that was made among Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad.

Take Me On by Katie McGarry - 4 stars

Of the 6 books I had read by Katie McGarry at the time, Take Me On was my second favorite, after Pushing the Limits of course! ;) I haven't loved any of the relationships in McGarry's books as much as I love Echo and Noah's, but this is closest! The thing that makes me consistently knock a star from McGarry's books is that at some parts I feel like you can tell a woman wrote the guy's perspective. They're so emotional to the point of being boarder line cheesy and it ends up being too much for me. But I've enjoyed all the relationships and the plot is always intriguing. This book had the least amount of cheesiness so it bothered me least and the kickboxing kickassery of Haley was awesome!

Breaking the Rules by Katie McGarry - 5 stars

I love Echo and Noah! Did you hear me? I LOVE ECHO AND NOAH SO MUCH! I'm so happy Katie McGarry decided to continue their story and write their happily ever after! Gaaah perfection!

Honorable Mentions: (Other 4 and 5 star rated books)

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Did any of my favorites match yours? Tell me what your favorites were!
Thanks for reading!

Holly

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Reading in Review | Spring & Summer 2014

As you might have noticed, I took a few months off from blogging, lasting most of spring and all of summer. To keep it short, I'll just say that the way I was blogging wasn't working out for me so I needed to get away from it for a while, get a new perspective, recollect my enthusiasm, and revamp the blog to suit my new approach. Since you are currently reading this post, you've probably realized that I've done that and (sings) I'm BAAAAAACK!

If you don't follow me on Goodreads or Instagram, you have no inkling as to what I've been doing during this 5-month hiatus, so today I figured I'd give you a low-down (actually it's quite big) on what I've been doing since I've been gone! I'll get to more life oriented things later, but for now, let's go back to the basics. Basics meaning books. :)

In March, I mentioned 10 books I wanted to read this spring. I also kept a personal list in my notebook for the books I wanted to read this summer, which included 24 books. Before posting this, I listed every book on my spring and summer TBR lists, but that was quite the eye sore, so let's just look at the results.

What did I read between March 21st and August 21st?

Sidenote: I discovered the audiobook rentals my library offers through OverDrive and have found a liking for this method of reading! These are the 7 books I read via audiobook (already counted above).

Average Rating
3.66 stars
(7 five stars, 20 four stars, 13 three stars 3 two stars, and 1 one star)

Which books did I not get to read?
Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare (reread)
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
The Last Summer (Of You and Me) by Ann Brashares
My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

DNF - Did Not Finish (and won't continue)

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

TFL - To Finish Later

Collide by Shelly Crane

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Success Rate:

34 desired | 6 unread | 16 new additions

Most Surprising

When going into these books, I either a) did not know what to expect or b) did not have very high expectations. The level of enjoyment I felt as I read these completely caught me off guard! Cruel Beauty takes the cake for most surprising though; I'm still shocked by how much I loved this and obsessed over staying late into the night to read this!

Most Disappointing

Now, don't think I didn't enjoy this, because I did, (four stars worth of enjoyment so there), but I was SO excited for this book, I was expecting to love it so much, and it just didn't reach that threshold. There were a lot of little things that bothered me about the book, but mainly I had anticipated America to not make so many irrational decisions (since the first two books were chalked full of them) and wound up being irritated with her or Maxon half of the time, and the ending wasn't what I was hoping for either. Like I said, I still really liked it, but after loving The Elite, it let me down.

Most Likely To Accidentally Be Run Over By My Car. Twice.

This was another book that was a let down, but mainly, it just SUCKED. It was frustrating beyond belief, I wanted to call quits multiple times, but then little glimmers of hope shone so I would continue, and THEN I wanted to beat my head against it. Ugh, just, what was the point of this book? To drive my crazy? This series finale can kiss my dairy air. P.S. I have no resentment towards this book at all.

Biggest Turn Around Reaction

I went into this without any excitement. I wasn't a BIG fan of Clockwork Angel and Prince (3 stars each) and the only reason I was reading this was so I could read City of Heavenly Fire. I put Clockwork Princess off for TWO years because I just didn't want to read it and I only started warming up to the idea (or was it discontented acceptance?) of reading it this spring. Even after I started it and was a hundred pages into it I complained about the long descriptions and wanted to get it over with. Thankfully, I switched to audiobook at that point to get me over my initial rough patch and before I knew it I was hooked! I cannot tell you how much I loved this conclusion to TID trilogy! It was simply fabulous.

New Favorites

All five stars!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

And they're all so different, which is really exciting for me!

Final Thoughts

I hit the jackpot with wonderful books this summer! I read most of the books I aimed to get to and then some! Early spring was really busy for me so when things slowed down and I took a break from blogging, reading became an even bigger enjoyment for me. Truly blessed with a few months of great reading.

Tell me about the books you've been reading! Do we have any in common? Have any new favorites? I'm excited to discuss books with you all again!

Until next time... :)

~~~~~~~~~~

Click HERE to see what books I read this past winter!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

First post since being back!

Hey y'all! It's been a while!

If any of you noticed that my blog has been stalemate and down for the past five months, I apologize for not giving you an explanation sooner. I reinstated my blog yesterday and won't be making a "real" post (which includes a more in depth, but still short, explanation for my absence) until tomorrow so I wanted to give any visitors in the next few hours this brief reassurance of more to come from me! :) I'm excited to be back and I hope to hear from you all soon!

Until next time...

Holly

Friday, April 4, 2014

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: March 2014

March Reading Stats:

10 pieces of literature: 5 novels, 5 novellas/short stories

March Reads

Unravel Me

by Tahereh Mafi

I am really struggling on whether to give this four or five stars. Some parts for 5+ worthy :-). I love Adam and Juliette so much. They complement each other! Juliette annoyed the heck out of me when it came to Warner. I could not see th...

Just One Year

by Gayle Forman

This is a story about loving and learning from life and the people in it, including oneself. Anyone going into this book expecting an incredibly romantic follow-up to Just One Day (me) will be sorely let down (me), which is where my two ...

Destroy Me

by Tahereh Mafi

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 Unrave Me, I still don't like him.

Fracture Me

by Tahereh Mafi

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, Jul...

Unite Me

by Tahereh Mafi

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...

This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl

by Esther Earl

This review and many others can be found on my blog: Holly's Reading Hollow

Pre-read:

Oh, I cannot wait to read this book! <3

DFTBA

Post-read review:

Sometimes I wonder how I could possibly consider myself a writer when I cannot ex...

Glitches

by Marissa Meyer

Aw. Poor Cinder. She matured well though considering the circumstances.

The Queen's Army

by Marissa Meyer

Interesting.

The Sky is Everywhere

by Jandy Nelson

So sweet. And the epilogue: lol, so cute. A story about living after tragedy, living with grief, loving everywhere the sky touches, and learning that love, like the sky, is everywhere.

The Little Android

by Marissa Meyer

Ohh, I was not expecting that ending!

The Color Purple

by Alice Walker

book reviewsbook club

Favorite Book of the Month: This Star Won't Go Out

Book(s) I'm Most Looking Forward to Reading Next Month: Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I'd love to hear what y'all read this month in the comments. :)

-Holly

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Spoiler-Free Movie Review | Divergent (based on the novel/Veronica Roth)

Although this review is spoiler-free and, therefore, safe to read if you haven't seen the movie or read the book, your opinions on the film might be influenced by my and others' opinions. Read with caution.

About the movie:

DIVERGENT is a thrilling action-adventure film set in a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy by a faction leader (Kate Winslet) to destroy all Divergents, Tris must learn to trust in the mysterious Four (Theo James) and together they must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it's too late. Based on the best-selling book series by Veronica Roth. (C) Summit.

My Rating:

93%

My Review:

For someone who read the book and wasn't thrilled by it, I loved this movie! The cinematography, action, acting, and chemistry were top-notch. The complexity of the characters, plot twists, inflections of humor, and seemingly brutal action scenes kept the film interesting and me engaged for the entire two hours and twenty minutes. The suspense and anxiety caused me to fidget in my seat.

For those who haven't read the book, the introduction to this dystopian world is done very well not only right off the bat but the world building is pieced throughout later scenes as well. I noticed a few aspects weren't explained as thoroughly as non-readers may appreciate but in the grand scheme of things, they were minor and we can fill in the blanks. Questions that were raised and left unanswered about divergents and factions are also currently mysteries for the characters and will be answered in the following movies/books so don't let those get you hung up.

I know fans might be disappointed to see some of their favorite scenes not included, but fan favorite characters were given great lines and the scenes that were included were captivating. It's been two years since I read Divergent so I cannot remember the book scene for scene, but the movie had great pacing, suspense, and humor so I think what was added made up for what was lost. A couple of the cheesier parts of the book were made relevant to the plot through these changes too so that was great. What was changed or left out will not deter fans of the book from enjoying, if not loving, the adaptation.

I've read a number of film critic reviews for Divergent and it fathoms me how many of them can shoot down the concept and theme of the series, criticize the fantastical words (faction, divergent) as if futuristic and dystopian movies aren't allowed to have their own terms, and their need to compare this film to every other film out there. My opinion? Two messages I take from Divergent are: one, people cannot be placed in "boxes" and two, the fight against conformity, corruptness, and confinement from our governments and societies. I think these are strong, wonderful themes for teens and adults alike. But if the theme and everything else about it is going to be argued to no avail, I'll just say that in the end, Divergent was as entertaining as crap. Well, quite a bit more entertaining than crap because this adaptation gets a 5/5 stars from me based on pure entertainment value. And isn't that why we go to the theaters? To be entertained?

Do I recommend seeing Divergent?

Yes, to teens, adults, men, and women alike!

Will I see it again?

If not in theaters again then on DVD for sure.

Will I purchase the DVD?

This deserves to be added to my collection.

Will I see the sequel?

Definitely!

This review was written by Holly of Holly's Reading Hollow.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Reading in Review | Winter 2013/2014

In December, I mentioned 10 books I wanted to read this winter. Yesterday was the last day of winter and here are my reading results!

What ten books did I want to read this winter?

Tandem by Anna Jarzab

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

You Are Mine by Janeal Falor

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

Unbreathable by Hafsah Laziaf

Wide Spaces by Shelly Crane

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman

Defiance by Shelly Crane

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Mystery book jar pick - Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Which books did I actually read this winter?

(Click the titles to read my reviews)

(The last two were not featured in the collage because...oops!)

Just One Year by Gayle Forman | Glitches by Marissa Meyer

Any short stories/extra scenes? Yes,

A Very Hexy Valentine's Day by Rachel Hawkins

Anna and the French Kiss Deleted Chapters by Stephanie Perkins

The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

If I Were a Man by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

Everyday Use by Alice Walker

Which books didn't I get to?

You Are Mine by Janeal Falor

Unbreathable by Hafsah Laziaf

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman

Success Rate

Based on the top ten I wanted to read, my success rate is a 7/10. But I don't know; do the twenty-five other books make up for the loss of three books?

Most Surprising

When going into these books, I either a) did not know what to expect or b) did not have very high expectations. However, I'm so pleased to say I thoroughly enjoyed each of these books, rating them between four and five stars!

Most Frustrating

The main character in each of these frustrated the HECK out of me!

Regina from Some Girls Are is not a very likable character. She's the protagonist so you want to root for and sympathize for her; and yet, she makes some really nasty, vindictive decisions that made me want to pull out my hair.
I am not a fan of Warner in the Shatter Me series so whenever Juliette was going all ga-ga over him and swooning at the words he said that I found utterly unromantic, I could not see her point of view for the life of me.
I am not even going to go into how much Adam in Fracture Me ticked me off because expletives will soon follow, but if you'd like to read my thoughts on this novella, scroll up and click the linked title.

Most Disappointing

I read Anna Jarzab's mystery novel All Unquiet Things a few years a go and quite enjoyed it. I was excited to read another novel of Jarzab's but this one simply did not do it for me.

Most Moving

The Kite Runner is a historical fiction novel about two best friends who grow up in Afghanistan before the Afghan War. The story that plays out is heartbreaking, captivating, and so indescribably beautiful.
This Star Won't Go Out is the collection of journals and drawings of the girl and fellow nerdfighter Esther Grace Earl who passed away from thyroid cancer in 2010. This autobiography/biography of Esther includes updates written by her parents as she battled cancer for almost four years and letters and passages from her family and friends. Her story and friendship with author John Green fueled what would be The Fault in Our Stars. There were so many touching parts to her story and it made me sob.

New Favorites

I loved them all for different reasons, but the aspect they all have in common is that they made me feel.

Overview

I read forty-one works of literature this winter! Twenty-five novels, seven novellas, eight short stories, and one children's chapter book.

How many books did you read this winter? What were your favorites? Did any surprise you? Let me know in the comments!

Click HERE to see what ten books I want to read this spring!

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

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

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday #18: Spring 2014 TBR List!

Today's topic:

Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List

2014 Releases:

1. Cress by Marissa Meyer | I have the ARC and I read the first two in February. Now I just need to get to it!

2. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi | I read Unravel Me, Destroy Me, and Fracture Me this month. I just picked it up from the library a few days ago and will be starting it as soon as my books for school are finished.

3. Panic by Lauren Oliver | Trina first brought my attention to this book and I've been mildly interested in it since but as I've heard more and more about the concept of the book, the more intrigued I've become! I have an eARC so it'll probably be the next book I read on my kindle.

4. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover | Somehow, I DON'T KNOW HOW, I was excluded from the loop of Maybe Someday ARCs and now everyone else who has an early bird copy is teasing me with reviews and raves for it! I've been overwhelmed with so many that a review in my Goodreads newsfeed actually spoiled a big reveal in it for me >:( I'm still quite peeved about that but its Colleen Hoover so I will love it regardless. If you haven't read one of Colleen Hoover's books yet, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN???

5. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare | I'm really curious about how this series is going to end. I've heard some interesting whispers floating around the web and after the last two books in the series... yes, very intrigued.

2013 Releases/Series Conclusions:

6. Sever by Lauren Destefano | I feel like I've been nagging myself to read this book forever but this hasn't even been out for a year yet! Ha. I wasn't crazy about this dystopian series but the ending of the second book definitely left me curious so I'm hopeful for the conclusion.

7. Clockwork Princess | I'm actually not a big fan of TID and despite all the crazy rave this one has been getting since it released, I felt no rush to finish the series. Now that the release of City of Heavenly Fire is approaching and I've been hearing that Clockwork Princess needs to be read before reading City of Heavenly Fire, I figured that I needed to get to reading this one. Thinking about it more lately as me excited to read it, especially since it's sitting on my nightstand waiting to be read.

8. Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout | The fourth Covenant book was a bit of a let down when I read it last year. That, coupled with some negative realizations I had on the series, I wasn't in a rush to read this book. Now I'm actually pretty stoked and can't wait to read it.

Not-so New:

9. The Sky if Everywhere by Jandy Nelson | I meant to read this in December. And then January. Then I started it in February. I'm not sure if I read past the -teen pages but I hope to this spring because I have heard good things about it!

10. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein | My aunt told me about this book a few years ago and I just haven't gotten to it yet! That isn't an excuse though and I am determined to read, experience, love. and cry through this book before summer!

What books are you most looking forward to reading this spring? Leave links to your TTT post or just tell me what books you want to read in the comments!

Monday, March 10, 2014

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