If I Stay ~ Gayle Forman

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces - to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make.

Book Review:

I read this book a few years back but when I picked it up yesterday I didn't remember anything other than the choice she made in the end. Now I remember being completely intrigued by this novel a few years ago but it didn't do that for me this time around. Don't get me wrong it is a well written book with an interesting plot line, I've still never really read anything like it before, but I feel like it needed more depth and direction. 

I really like Mia. You can tell how much she loves her family and how she feels about being so different than them. You can feel the love that she has for Adam even though they are so young and have similar yet very different plans for their lives. I also love how she describes her relationship with her little brother, as an older sister to kids 1 year, 2 years, 6 years, 7 years, and 16 years younger than me I get how she has helped raise him because they are 9 years apart. That is a special relationship. Also she and I share a very big part of our lives, we both saw our mothers give birth, cut the umbilical cords, and were the first person the babies saw. That is a special bond, one like no other. 

Now though I love Mia, I feel that there was no character development for the other characters. Now a lot of that is due to how the book is written, through her eyes while having her out of body experience and reliving moments of her life. But I feel like there could have been more character development for Adam at least and even Mia. Mia did have some development but I still feel like there could have been so much more for her. 

The book was good  and I remember that I liked the second one better even a few years ago. I am hoping that that is still the case. This book is especially good for readers who are looking for a quick, easy, but yet interesting read.

Pages: 210                                                                                            Rate: 2/5

Book Discussion: SPOILERS:

I don't really have much to discuss about the book other than Mia's choice. In the end, Mia chooses to live without really making the decision. It just kind of happens. One minute she is watching Adam cry and the next she is able to squeeze her hand and hear him through her actual ears. I just found that strangely interesting. 

Favorite Quote:

"And that's just it, isn't it? That's how we manage to survive the loss. Because love, it never dies, it never goes away, so long as you hang on to it."

I've lost many people in my life, and this really is the only quote that I can think of that really seems to explain how we survive that pain.  

Fangirl ~ Rainbow Rowell

A coming-of-age tale of fanfiction, family, and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life - and she's really good at it. she and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them trough their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. 

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of he comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a Fiction-Writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone. 

For Cath, the question is: Can she doe this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Book Review:

When I was at Target the other day Fangirl the collector's edition was on sale. It is such a pretty cover. Mine is not like the one above, it is pink with green writing and the inside covers, front and back, are covered with amazing fanart related to the story. Now this has been on my TBR list for a couple of months now so when I saw that it was 20% off I had to get it. And I am so happy that I did. It is a long book but it is so beautiful and an easy read. 

I really resonate with Cath's character. She is in her freshman year of college and I'm entering my senior year of high school, but I can't even think about this year because I'm too excited for the next. She is a dedicated fan of Simon Snow, and though Simon Snow isn't a real series, it super close to my biggest obsession Harry Potter. (If you want the similarities explained go to this link: http://lies.tumblr.com/post/61896796990/the-world-in-fangirl) She also struggles with anxiety and is an introvert. (Literally me!)

Besides the fact that I just really resonate with Cath and this world, the story is just beautifully written. We can feel the pain, confusion, fear, love, and everything in between. I also love her roommate Reagan. At first I was skeptical of her and wasn't really sure about the type of person she is, but as she pulled Cath out of her shell and showed that she had her back no matter what I really began to like her as a character. I also love Levi, who Cath assumes is Reagan's boyfriend. I'll talk moe about him in the discussion though because I don't want to give anything away to those who haven't read this amazing bit of YA contemporary fiction. I hated Wren up until the end when she finally came to her senses and was once again there for her sister. 

I also really loved that Rowell included so many mental illnesses/addictions in this book. Cath has anxiety, her father has depression or bipolar disorder (it was never really clarified), and Wren struggles with alcohol abuse. Those diseases were perfectly explained. I have anxiety myself and I know people with the other diseases mentioned and I have been hurt by them as well, so I know what it means to be watching those you love spiral. 

Pages: 433                                                                                                               Rate:5/5

Book Discussion: SPOILERS: 

When Cath is introduced I knew that she was like me. I knew that everything she would feel, I have felt too. Now I have never been in a relationship so I can't say that I have been in love like she is with Levi, once they finally end up together. But I have crushed on someone really hard and been really let down when I realized that they only thought of me as a work partner, like she does with that jerk Nick. 

Another thing that I loved about this book was that before each chapter we would get either a snippet of the Simon Snow series (which made me want to read a series that doesn't exist) or a bit of Cath's Simon Snow fanfiction. Now I have written fanfiction (nowhere near as long as Cath's Carry On, Simon) and I might be uploading some at some point to hear as well. Mine are much shorter than hers, which is described as being longer than any of the books in Gemma T Leslie's series. 

Now let's talk about Levi. So at first it seems like he is dating Reagan, Cath's roommate. They are always hanging out but we later learn that they aren't together, only after Cath and he kissed and fell asleep together. Now Reagan was really the only friend that Cath had, they weren't super close, like Cath didn't really tell Reagan about the guy who broke up with her over the phone after they'd only been at college for a little while for another girl. But Reagan was the one who helped Cath get out of her shell, like eating in the dining hall or just leaving her room for something that wasn't class related. So obviously before Cath knew that she and Levi weren't together she felt guilty for kissing him. And Cath suffers from anxiety so her guilt just multiplied 1000x. 

So when Reagan finally convinces her that it is okay and that she should go with her to Levi's party, you think everything is going to be fine. And it is, until they walk into the kitchen where Levi is kissing another girl. This really hurts Cath and Reagan vows to keep him away from her. This works for awhile until Cath's dad enters the hospital because of his depression. She has no one else to call to give her a ride back to Omaha. They fight and everything before she finally gets to see her dad. But when she does go back to school and he finally gets her to listen to him, they are able to start the most amazingly adorable real relationship ever. I just love it so damn much. 

I also learned how much you can hate a literary character who has only a handful of lines; Cath and Wren's mother. She is mentioned more than that but she only has one actual scene and I hate her! I thought that I hated Umbridge from the Harry Potter series the most but Laura comes as a close second. 

Now the mental illnesses were portrayed really well in this series without explicitly saying, "Oh he is having a manic episode" or "Oh she is having an anxiety attack." As a reader you just knew what was happening as the change of tone would change. Now maybe I was really sensitive to what was happening because I suffer from anxiety myself but I don't believe that that was the case. I really do think that Rowell just described it wonderfully. 

Addiction was also a theme that I could see pretty much the second it began, before Cath even knew what was happening to her sister. And once again that is just Rowell's magic as a writer. Wren's alcoholism affects everyone differently but I really loved how  it affected their father. Ever since the girls were nine years old, after their mother left, it has always been them, but it is explained that he never kept too tight of a leash on them. So with his own mental disease and everything I didn't really expect him to become so intense, but at the same time it made perfect sense. 

Overall I just really love this damn book. 

 Favorite Quote:

"Because I'm the kind of girl that fantasizes about being trapped in a library overnight." 

Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Titan's Curse ~ Rick Riordan

When the goddess Artemis goes missing, she is believed to have been kidnapped. And now it's up to Percy and his friends to find out what happened. Who is powerful enough to kidnap a goddess? They must find Artemis before the winter solstice, when her influence on the Olympian Council could swing and important vote on the war with the titans. Not only that, but first Percy will have to solve the mystery of a rare monster that Artemis was hunting when she disappeared - a monster rumored to be so powerful it could destroy Olympus forever.

Book Review:

I didn't think that I was going to get so easily sucked into this world. I was obsessed with Greek mythology in like 7th grade, which is probably when I should have read this series, but reading it now is pulling me back into a realm that I used to love so much and am beginning to love again. I'm able to read these books within a day or two because they are small and I just can't put them down.

I loved that with each book we are presented with the basics of another myth or god. In this book we learned a bit more about the Titans, the Hunters are introduced, and we learn a bit more about Artemis and her twin brother Apollo. I also really like that the prophecy is still a huge question. No one has an answer and just when you think that there is no one else but **talk about in discussion** for it to be about someone else pops up. Just insane! So many more questions now. 

I'm also really enjoying seeing the character development for Percy, which is something that I felt was lacking in book two. I like how he has come to terms with being a demi-god, son of Poseidon, part of a prophecy that he doesn't understand, and is still remaining to keep some normalcy in his life. I really love his relationship with his mom. You get that she embarrasses him, like most mothers do, but that they have such a tight bond that he has literally risked his life for hers. His friendship with Grover and Annabeth is also perfect. This group reminds me of mine. I also liked seeing that Thalia is struggling with her life now. She and Annabeth are both struggling with what to think of Luke and but Thalia is struggling with Daddy issues and self issues as well. 

Overall, for this being a middle grade novel, I think the character development is complex and intriguing, the plot is educating on Greek mythology, and it's just wonderful.

Pages: 352                                                                                                       Rate: 5/5

Book Discussion: SPOILERS:

So Annabeth and Percy may only be 14 in this book and Annabeth may be kidnapped for the majority of it but I SHIP THEM. I've kind of shipped them since book one but now it is official and I will be so upset if they don't end up together at some point in this series. I ship Percabeth. 

I really like Artemis. Athena is still my favorite Olympic Greek God/Goddess but Artemis is pretty cool even though I don't agree with her standing on men. I love how she becomes like a surrogate mom for all of these girls,  like Zoe Nightshade whose demise kills me, for all of eternity. 

So Thalia and Percy's friendly rivalry is perfect. It makes sense for them to act the way they do. Their fathers are always fighting and they are just like their fathers in a way. They've each been through similar experiencing. Plus, Percy kind of ruled camp before Thalia came back to life and now here she is and no one is looking to him to save the day anymore and it has kind of busted his ego and makes him jealous. And in my opinion Thalia is a bitch. I was glad when she joined the Hunters, even though that meant that Percy would be the one of the prophecy, well until we learn that Nico is Hades son. Yeah that's what I mentioned in the review.

So Nico is a little boy that Percy, Thalia, Annabeth, and Grover went to save, along with his sister Bianca (who joined the hunters), at the beginning of the novel. They were stuck in the hotel that Annabeth, Grover, and Percy were stuck in in book one. For them it only felt like hours but in reality it was years and years. So could Nico be the one of the prophecy or no because technically he was conceived before the oath? So many questions!

Favorite Quote:

"In a way, it's nice to know that there are Greek gods out there, because you have somebody to blame when things go wrong. For instance, when you're walking away from a bus that's just been attacked by monster hags and blown up by lightning, and it's raining on top of everything else, most people might think that's just really bad luck; when you're a half-blood, you understand that some divine force is really trying to mess up your day."

In Real Life: My Journey To A Pixelated World ~Joey Graceffa

It's not where you begin that matters.

It's where you end up.

Twenty-thee year old Joey Graceffa has captured the hearts of millions of teens and young adults through his playful, sweet, and inspirational YouTube presence (not to mention his sparkling eyes and perfect hair). Yet, Joey wasn't always comfortable in his skin, and in this candid memoir, he thoughtfully looks back on his journey from pain to pride, self-doubt to self-acceptance.

To his fans, Joey is that best friend who always captures the brighter side of life but also isn't afraid to get real. In the pages of his first book, he opens up about his years of struggling with family and hardships and troubles at school, with cruel bullying and the sting of rejection. He tells of first loves and losses, embarrassing moments and surprising discoveries, loneliness, laughter, and life-changing forks in the road, showing us the incalculable value of finally finding and following your true passion in this world.

Book Review:

I don't watch Joey's videos the second he posts them and I don't watch everyone. I haven't followed him since the beginning of time (well the beginning of YouTube, which face it is the beginning of time), but I watch enough of his videos to know about his autistic brother and alcoholic mother. I don't know much about those situations or what he had to go through because of them, but I knew enough to want to know more. That is why I bought In Real Life. 

In Real Life, gave us an insight into the Joey that we don't see often, his truest and most vulnerable self. We read along as he describes being confused with his sexuality from a young age, being picked on in school for being "feminine," arguing with his older sister, looking up to his step-dad, and fighting to forgive his mom, and protecting his little brother. I feel sympathy for him when he describes being the outcast in high school and alone in college. I'm excited for him when he takes the leap of faith and jumps into his dreams, focusing more on YouTube and moving to LA.

I could hear his voice as I read the book. I could hear the excitement, the pain, and the resentment. That is what I love about reading memoirs of people I have watched on YouTube forever. I just wished that he talked more about how his life is now in the end.

Pages: 240                                                                                                  Rate: 4/5

Grace's Guide: The Art Of Pretending To Be A Grown-Up ~ Grace Helbig

Growing up in the digital era isn't easy. So Grace Helbig has written a guide that's perfect for anyone faced with the daunting task of becoming an adult.

Infused with her trademark saucy, sweet, and funny voice, Grace's Guide is a tongue-in-cheek handbook for Millennials, encompassing everything a young or new (or regular or old) adult needs to know, from how to live online to landing a job to surviving a breakup to decorating a first apartment, and much more. Charmingly illustrated, Grace's Guide features full-color photos, interactive worksheets, and exclusive stories from Grace's own misadventures, including her disastrous interview for NBC's Page Program, her lifelong struggles with anxiety, the first )and also last) time she entered a beauty pageant, meeting her first boyfriend at a high school Latin convention, and many other hilarious lessons she learned the hard way.

Amusing and unexpectedly educational, this refreshing and colorful guide proves that becoming an adult doesn't necessarily mean you have to grow up.

Book Review:

I have never been a fan of self-help books. I figured that they could all be classified under the cliche of "Oh, don't you worry your sweet little mind honey. Everything get's better." Well this book is definitely not the case and I probably should have expected that because it's by Grace Helbig but, you know.  

I foresee this book being on my nightstand when I go to college next fall. This is going to be my go to book for everything "adult," from my first one night stand to managing my anxiety to going on my first real date. (Yes, I'm seventeen and have never had a boyfriend. And for those of you who want to judge, how many times have you had your heart broken or been hurt or done the heart breaking or hurt someone?) Anyway, this book is going to be my life line to everything adult and fun.

Thank you Grace for showing me that some self-help books aren't the cliche. I love your videos and you make me laugh in them and your book. 

Pages: 238                                                                                        Rate: 5/5

PS I Still Love You ~ Jenny Han

Lara Jean didn't expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren't/ Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean's feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once.

Book Review:

The sequel to To All The Boys I've Loved Before, is just as wonderful as the first if not better. Jenny Han is an impeccable writer, I loved her The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy and her co-written series with Soiban Vivian called Burn For Burn.

Contemporary young adult fiction is one of my most read genres and this book is at the top of my list for the genre. I preferred how Lara Jean and the other characters were portrayed in this  novel. They talked and acted a lot more their age than in the first book, in my opinion. 

The inner conflicts that Lara Jean has because of her knowledge of Peter's previous relationship, I feel is very common amongst people who are in their first relationship with someone who was previously in a very serious relationship. The bit of cyber bullying, I feel was also well done because it is so common today. Even when you think you are alone, you rarely are. And I also loved Peter's relationship with Lara's little sister Kitty, which we saw more of in the first book but was just as important in this book. What I didn't like was how Josh was practically nonexistent throughout this book. 

Pages: 352                                                                                     Rate: 4/5

Book Discussion: SPOILERS:

Lara Jean's relationship with Peter, started in To All The Boys I've Loved Before, as a way for her letters to seem like they were nothing  and for Peter to show that even after Genevive he was fine. But it began to be something more, more real. Then it was ruined because Lara Jean thought that Peter was telling everyone that they had had sex while on a ski trip in a hot tub, when they didn't. He actually never told anyone that and Lara and he get back together in the beginning of this book.

So from the very beginning these two have had their ups and downs but in this book their biggest issue within their relationship is Genevive. Peter and she are still friends, even though Lara knows that she is the one who posted their make out video on Anonybitch. He won't tell Lara why he has been hanging out with her, other than that she has family problems and he is just trying to be a good friend. This causes a lot of insecurities on Lara's part and for them to argue, which never really happened with them before.

Then enter, John Ambrose McClaren. Lara Jean had a crush on him in eighth grade, before her crush on Peter started. He moved away and her letter only recently reaches him in the book. They begin writing back and forth and he comes to her Tree House party with the rest of the group who were friends in eighth grade, including Genevive who tagged along with Peter. This is where a childhood game of theirs comes into play. It's like an intense version of tag. School and their homes are safe places but other than that everywhere else is fair game. Lara Jean never won and she is set on winning this time.  Eventually after she has tagged out John they team up for her to tag out Peter. She does this and they break up because she saw him comforting Genevive. She and John hang out more at the nursing home where she works and is friends with his step grandmother. Eventually she and Peter work things out and get back together and she and John remain friends, because it's not their time yet.

So in my review I also mentioned Peter's relationship with Lara's little sister Kitty. We see much more of that relationship in the first book, because this one focuses on Lara's feelings for two different people but Kitty is still important. She may only be 9 years old but Lara confides in her often and Kitty is a little schemer herself. But when Peter and Lara break up, Kitty is upset because she loves Peter to pieces. He was always so good to her and made her just as important to him as he would have done if she was his own little sister. So I loved to see that even after Lara and Peter broke up and were not talking to each other he made time for Kitty. He took Kitty ice skating and everything. And I loved that Lara allowed that. We don't see that much in young adult novels, but when someone is in a relationship their family tends to form relationships with their partner too and those relationships sometimes last longer than the romantic relationship.

Josh, Margot's ex boyfriend, Lara's first real crush and best friend, just stops coming around. He was always around in the first book. He and Lara hung out often. He and Kitty were so close. And he even hung out with their dad. But after he and Margot break up he just stops coming around, even though he was friends with all of them way before he and Margot began dating. That just really bothered me, because I know how strong of a relationship they all had with him and he just walked away from it. It shows a big difference between him and Peter and it makes me really glad that Lara ends up with Peter. 

The book was just great!!!

Favorite Quote:

"Us." Peter corrects. "I did it for us." He links our fingers together. "It's you and me, kid."

Shatter Me ~ Tahereh Mafi

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: BE A WEAPON OR BE A WARRIOR.

Book Review:

I started Shatter Me last night and finished it this afternoon because it was so amazing. Mafi's words in this novel are just riveting and captivating and beautiful. The plot is so intriguing, you just want to know what everything means and what is going to happen next. Juliette's thoughts are gorgeously expressed and I love how she crosses her thoughts out as we do before we speak; we think one thing but say something completely different. 

The entire book was full of twists and turns. There was also a romantic element dispersed throughout the whole "running for their lives" thing. Juliette, though she has this unwanted power of a touch that can kill, was really just like every other 17 year old girl. She wants to have relations with people, she wants to fall in love, she wants to be accepted. Adam was just this amazingly brave 17 year old boy who will do anything to keep his 10 year old brother, James, and Juliette safe. 

The world that this story is set in, seems to be more futuristic, close to the end of the word type thing. Everything is dying off, oxygen is depleted, and there are no real  seasons. It is just so interesting and I love that Mafi doesn't really explain it because it gives you room to imagine and re-imagine as new information is presented to you. 

I'm excited to read the rest of the series along with the novellas. I will be reading the novellas in the places that they are supposed to be read. So I will be reading the first novella, Destroy Me, before reading the next book in the trilogy, Unravel Me.

Pages: 338                                                                             Rate: 5/5

Book Discussion: SPOILERS:

The story is kind of hard to explain to someone who hasn't read the novel without giving away absolutely everything. It's one of those books that when you talk about it you have to say everything otherwise you are going to completely lose the person in the process. So, if this makes no sense, blame the wonderful writings of Tahereh Mafi.

When Juliette touches people, she puts them in serious pain but they can't pull away because she has to be the one to separate them. There are some days where I could really use that power but I don't think that I would be able to live with it. Could you live your everyday life without human contact, without being able to hug the ones you love, kiss your significant other, pet your dog? I know that I wouldn't be able to do that. 

Adam is a boy that Juliette knew before she was locked away. They never talked but she has always loved him. And years after she was locked away they are reunited and we learn that he is immune to her touch. Their relationship is pure beauty. They would give up anything and everything to be together. 

James, Adam's 10 year old brother, has been living on his own since Adam joined the Army. Adam set him up in an orphanage compound with his own room and an older woman, Benny, checks in on him for Adam. But this kid has seen and experienced more than we even know and it shows when he is reunited with Adam. 

Warner is an asshole. That's all I will even say about him because I hate him so much. He disgusts me. 

I loved the ending. So far I love the compound that they are at and that there are other people with powers, none like Juliette's, but powers nonetheless. 

Favorite Quote:

 "My face is in his hands and my lips are at his lips and he's kissing me and I'm oxygen and he's dying to breathe."

I love the passion of their relationship. 

  

TBR Update/ Book Haul

So my package from Amazon recently arrived and I will definitely be reading these books soon.

Just Arrived:

Catelynn and Tyler are the only couple from MTV's Teen Mom that I every respected and outwardly enjoyed. I loved the decision they made for themselves and Carly. I was never an avid watcher of the show  but I have watched some clips of the two on YouTube and follow them on social media. Nova is adorable. I just love what they stand for. And as I've mentioned in a previous post, I want to adopt through an open adoption one day.

I love Grace but I've never been a fan of self help books. But being as I am heading into my senior year of High School and will soon be entering the "real world" I figured it was about time that I read one. Maybe it will help, you know? And I figured that Grace would give me advice in a non condescending way with lots of comedy. The book is gorgeous. I love all of the color. The book is full of pictures and gorgeous pages. 

Along the same lines as what I said about Grace's book. But this time I have a best friend who has read the book and he recommended it to me. He said that it would be the best thing for me to read if it was the last thing that I read. So yeah.

After seeing some vlogs with Joey and his family I really wanted to know more about his journey. I want to know more about growing up with his mom's addictions and his autistic brother. My life has been anything but easy and I have experienced way more that I should have, so I think that this will be a very touching read for me. 

Pre-Ordered:

I love Dan and Phil so much. It doesn't matter to me, if they are best friends, secret lovers, or just plain boyfriends. I just love them. I love the individually and together because they are hilarious all around. 

I find Marcus so interesting. He seems to confident and insecure all at the same time and I want to know more. 

Now this isn't a memoir like the rest of these books but I read the first Girl Online and I absolutely loved it. I love the characters and the writing. The writing is easy to read and comprehend, there isn't much challenge to it at all, but I find that the story is so interesting that I need to read more. I will do a book review of the first one because I will definitely reread that before I dive into this one.

Who wouldn't pre-order this? It is the king of YouTube in book form. I mean seriously.

Already Own:

I am in love with Connor Franta. I have loved his videos for years. He pulled me out of a slump when I really needed it. So I have read his book thoroughly and when I say thoroughly, I mean it. I highlighted all of my favorite lines and then used sticky tabs so that I could open the book easily to them. My friend has had the book for a bit now and has loved it just as much as I do. She will be giving it back to me soon and I will definitely be reading it again. It is just so gorgeous, the pictures are beautiful, and his words are compelling. So be expecting a review on that.  

It is an amazing contemporary novel and I will definitely be reading it again before I dive into the second one. I love Zoe so much. 

 I read this book in 9th grade. I watched the movie the weekend it came out with some amazing friends and have probably re-watched it 100+ times. But I just need to read it again. So expect a review on that at some point and maybe I will watch the movie again and do a comparison too.  

The Ruby Circle ~Richelle Mead

They will be tested. Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabbles in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead's bestselling Bloodlines series.

When the life of someone thye both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian become enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.

Don't miss their unforgettable final chapter...

Love will conquer all. 

Book Review:

I have been obsessed with this world, created by Richelle Mead in Vampire Academy, since I was in 7th grade. So that makes about 5 years. The initial series made me fall even deeper in love with fantasy that revolved around vampires, which at the time was a huge thing. When I finished the alot book in that series, I was so disappointed that there weren't more for me to read. Then came the Bloodlines series.

Each year since the first book was published I have read it and waited a whole year for the next one to become available on the shelves. Waiting for The Ruby Circle was no different. The second I could get my hands on it and quench my thirst for these characters and this world, I did. 

Now when Sydney was originally introduced in the Vampire Academy series, she was bland compared to Rose Hathaway and I was skeptical on how I would like this series but Sydney is such a complex character. She grew up in a world where she was taught to be disgusted by vampires, to protect humans at all cost by keeping vampires, both Moroi, Dhampir, and Strigoi, secret. Yet when she had to live with a group of Moroi and Dhampirs to keep them safe and the Moroi court in working order, she began to care for them, esspecially Adrian, whom she fell for romantically, eve though she tried so hard not too. 

This book, the last installment of the series, follows Sydney's journey after being rescued from reeducation, Adrian's battle with spirit, their life together as an unorthodox married couple, and their search for Jill. So much happens in this novel between all of the characters that I really do wish we could have more, but I am happy with the way the book ended. The epilogue was magnificent.

Pages: 348                                                                      Rate: 5/5

Book Discussion: SPOILERS:

There are so many things that I should probably mention before this but I can't help it. Declan. His whole story and what it means for this world, for Adrian and Sydney, for Neil, for all spirit users, is just insane. When Adrian discovered that Olive was pregnant, I freaked out because I wanted her and Neil together and I knew it couldn't be Neil's baby. But then it is his baby because of how she was restored with spirit. And I freaked. I hate that Olive had to die and that Neil has to stay away from Declan to keep him from being experimented on, but I love how it grew Adrian and Sydney's relationship because all of a sudden they were parents. 

So no onto the other stuff. Obviously it was addressed that no one really accepts Adrian and Sydney's union, even those who support them, like his mother. The Alchemists want to punish Sydney and the Moroi think that Adrian is a disgrace. This puts a strain on their relationship. It causes them to argue and it makes their relationship more relatable. Many relationships deal with being the couple against the world and sometimes against each other because of it.

Jill. Finding her has been hell for them. Adrian hasn't been able to reach her through their bond. Sydney hasn't been able to locate her with human magic. No one can find her. Until Ms. Terwilliger shows up with a package for Sydney. She, Sydney, and Eddie go on a scavenger hunt to find her. Eventually Adrian, Rose, Dimitri, Mrs. Ivashkov, and Neil join them. They discover she is being held by the Warriors of Light by a deal with Alicia. 

Sydney makes a deal with the Alchemists that grants her, Adrian, and everyone involved amnesty. They will no longer pursue them and Sydney and Adrian can get on with their lives, with their freedom. 

Finally they rescue Jill. Eddie tells her of his feelings for her. Neil disappears, leaving only a note behind that pretty much says that when it is safe they can contact him and he will come back for his son, but until then he will stay far far away. And their new life begins. 

The epilogue is set a year later and it is just wonderful.

Favorite quote:

"She hugged all of our guests and then took Declan from Jill. Pretending he was our dhampir son might have started off as an act, but it had become reality as far as we were concerned."

I think this is my favorite because it addresses how a child doesn't have to be biologically yours for you to fall in love with them as if if they were. I want to adopt once I'm married and this is wonderful.        

This Star Won't Go Out ~ Esther Earl (ESTHER DAY!)

Diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age twelve, Esther (Persian for "Star") Earl was an exceptionally bright and talented - but very normal - teenager. She lived a hope-filled life as she navigate her physical decline with grace. A cheerful, positive, and encouraging daughter, sister, and friend, Esther died in 2010, shortly after turning sixteen, but not before inspiring thousands through her growing online presence. 

Book Review:

I read this book last year, after I first bought it at a local book store (BUY LOCAL). It didn't take me long to wish that I was Esther's friend, to feel for her friends and family, or to cry like a baby.

Esther, who inspired John Green to write The Fault in Our Stars, which he dedicated to her but is not about her, was so talented and so loved. John Green's introduction which starts out with the best sentence ever, "My friendship with Esther Earl began, as so many great love stories do, at a Harry Potter convention," shows how even though he was old enough to be her father they had an amazing friendship. That friendship was so amazing that he and his bother Hank, whom if you don't know them go watch their vlogbrothers videos on Youtube or read John's books,  started a holiday for her. So every year on her birthday, August 3rd, she wanted everyone to celebrate love, not romantic love, but the love between friends, family, and even coworkers. 

This book is just plain amazing. 

Book Discussion: SPOILERS

Esther Earl was diagnosed with thyroid cancer while living in France with her family, but this is only after living in Saudi Arabia, which was after being born in the US. She saw much of the world at a young age, while she was always active and seeking knowledge. She loved her older sisters Abby and Angie, her younger brother Graham, and later youngest brother Abe. Her father was a pastor. Her mother was an educator. 

Her prognosis quickly worsened and the family had to move to  Boston so that she could be close to the children's hospital. Eventually she had to always be on oxygen, her family had to convert their dining room downstairs into her bedroom, and her medical team grew. She went to Leaky Con where she met John Green. She was a main member of Catitude which founded Project for Awesome (http://www.projectforawesome.com/). She had more Online Friends than IRL friends. 

She used her Make - A - Wish to bring 7 of those Online Friends, who from now on are just going to be considered IRL friends as well, out to Boston for the weekend so that they could all be together and have fun. This was only a month before she passed away. John Green even came, at his own person expense, to be with Esther. 

Her last days were brutal and uncomfortable, to the point that when I read that she passed away I was relieved for her and  her family, who watched her go. She was with God, whom she wholeheartedly loved and had faith in. Finally she was free of this sickness, of all of the poison that she had to put in her body to kill the poison that was killing her.

This is the second time that I've read this book in a day, while listening to Wrock (Wizard-Rock,  rock music based on the Harry Potter Universe) in a day, really only in a couple of hours. And I cried like a baby. 

Esther Earl, Happy Birthday and I love you.

Pages: 431                                                                                                    Rate: 5/5

Esther Day!

Happy Esther Day everyone! Also, Happy Birthday Esther! 

I never had the privilege of knowing Esther but through her Youtube videos, John Green's videos of/about her, and the book that her parents had published after she passed away, almost five years ago, This Star Won't Go Out: I feel as if I know her. 

So in honor of Esther Grace Earl, I want to remind all of you to tell those you love, even those that you have a hard time telling, just how much you love them. Here are the main people I love:

Mom: You gave birth to a premature me at 19 years old. You have been my friend, my confident, and my protector my entire life. I love you.

Dad: You became a father at 17 years old. You've worked every job imaginable to make sure that I was taken care of. I know that you would give the world for me. I love you.

All of my siblings: I love each and everyone of you individually so. Each of you, at different times, have been the only person that I wanted or needed in my life. So thank you. I love all of you. 

All of my grandparents: Each of you are so different than the other and yet each of you give me the same sense of home as the other. I love all of you.

To every other person in my life: If it weren't for you my life would be boring. I need you to push me, challenge me, and love me the way only you can. I love all of you. 

My best friends: If it weren't for you all, I'd  be lost. I wouldn't have been able to survive these past few years between the loss and anxiety I would have lost myself. I love all of you. 

Esther: You died at such a young age, after such a long battle. Yet you touched so many people in your short life. Thank you for showing the world that love really is the only thing we need to survive, even if only for  a little while. I love you. 

Salt & Storm ~ Kendall Kulper

You don't know what you must give up to become a witch.

Avery Roe wants only to claim her birthright as the witch of Prince Island and to make the charms that have kept the island's sailors safe at sea for generations, but instead she is held prisoner by her mother in a magic-free life of proper manners and respectability.

Avery thinks escape is just a matter of time, but when she has a harrowing nightmare, she can see what it means: She will be killed. She will be murdered. And she's never been wrong before.

Desperate to change her future, Avery finds a surprising ally in Tane - a tattooed harpoon boy with magic of his own, who moves her in ways she never expected. But as time runs out to unlock her magic and save herself, Avery discovers that becoming a witch requires unimaginable sacrifice. 

Book Review

Kulper's writing is impecable. I'm not normally pulled into novels set in anything other than modern day, fantastical or otherwise, but this story is set in the 19th century (1800s) and is amazing. Prince Island sounds like a beautiful yet terrifying place to live. The income that keeps the families alive is focused around sailors to catch whales in dangerous waters with no way to communicate with their loved ones or other ships if they are in danger. 

For generations the sailors have relied on the Roe women to keep them safe with their spells and charms. At the start of the book Avery's grandmother is the Roe witch, but she should be long gone by now. She should have passed down the title to her daughter, and would have if her daughter had not vowed to give up magic forever when she left Avery in her grandmother's care. Avery's mother then returned for her when she was 12 years old, took her from the only home she knew, and forced her to never do magic or contact her grandmother. 

Throughout the novel we see Avery attempt to escape and what amounts from that and the relationship that flourishes between her and Tane, the boy who tries to help her claim her birthright as the Prince Island or Roe witch. But the sacrifice that she must make is heart breaking, literally. 

Book Discussion *SPOILERS*  

Avery doesn't know that the sacrifice she must make to become the witch is to live the rest of her life in pain. She will forever be heartbroken and unable to find true love again. That sacrifice is that her first love will hurt her in ways that she can not even imagine. That is the only way her magic can be unlocked. Yet no one has told Avery this and by the time her mother does, it is already to late.

The backstory behind all of the Roe witches is that each of them fall in love for the very first time but the magic inside of them begins to change the loves of their lives. Each of them are then hurt in unthinkable ways, finding their love cheating, being abused, death, etc. And once they have endured that pain, they are tied to the island because they all then discover that they are pregnant with little girls. The only thing that separates them is that they each have a different power, besides their ability to cast spells and make charms. For example, Avery's mother can make men fall in love with her and Avery can tell ones fate based on their dreams. 

After Avery was born her mother took off, we later learn as a way to protect her (which I'm still not certain on how much of that I believe), but then returns and takes Avery away when she is 12. Avery is forbidden to do magic or see her grandmother every again and when she tries to escape, her mother's curse pulls her back. But after Avery has a dream that she is going to be murdered, she will do anything to escape. And that is where Tane comes in. 

Tane is from an island near New Zealand and has magic all of his own, just like his people. But he is looking for vengeance when he meets Avery. He pleads with her to tell his dreams so that he can track down the sailors who killed his family. She agrees but only if he will help her escape. They work together and eventually Tane is able to break Avery's mother's curse on her and help her escape, in an unusual way. But Avery's grandmother tell her that she will not be the next Roe witch before killing herself  and making all of her magic useless. 

Now the rest of the story follows Avery as she falls in love with Tane, learns of the family curse, and she and Tane try to change her fate, eventually leading to ones ultimate demise. 

It's intense, beautifully written, and so strange. I loved it.

Pages: 398                                                                                        Rate: 5/5