Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the negihborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.





Another great read from Stephanie Perkins!
Lola and the Boy Next Door, like Anna, was such a quick read and it fills you up with the excitement of love and friendship and of course, the fictional boy to die for.

I loved Lola, her individuality and her passion for creating quirky costumes.
CRICKET BELL OH MY LORD.
He is such a nice and genuine guy! What I love about this story is that it isn't a "girl loves boy, girl gets hurt" and it shows that guys can be hurt too.

The plot was amazing and I loved the pacing and the ending...so perfect.

Reasons to love Cricket Bell:
*He's tall
*He's nerdy
*His bar soap smell
*His hair
*His gentleness and politeness
*His name

I do prefer Anna&the French Kiss a tad bit more but this book is still epic.
READREADREAD NOW.

View all my reviews

House Trap by Mike Mauthor

House Trap by Mike Mauthor

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rachel Evans is a sixteen year old overachiever who would take nothing less than to achieve her goal of getting into Dartmouth College. But Rachel’s life would never be the same once she stepped into the house of Alicia Hausefalle, the most popular girl in Wedds High School. Rachel was there to tutor her. She never expected to meet two strangers who were ready to end her life.

I used to love horror and thriller stories when I was younger: Goosebumps, Shivers, Point Horror... but I haven't read one in a long time.
This book gripped me right away. It is a very fast paced book with a lot of action and the plot was very unique. The whole 'House Trap' concept intrigued me and I was already trying to figure out what would happen because I knew something would go terrible wrong!
The climax of the story was so exciting and also a little scary! There is a lot of description in this book and it helped a lot in some parts but I felt that it was unnecessary to have loads of description all the time.
The ending was a little too rushed and there was very little character development, but I think that is due to it being a short story and not a full novel.
There were a few mistakes here and there and the dialogue was a little to unrealistic at times. When I read them they didn't fit with the character's personality or age.
If adapted correctly, I think the concept of the 'House Trap' invention itself could make a quite scary horror movie.
I think that Mike did a very good job and I enjoyed this book a lot:)

View all my reviews

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, 

first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another

I thought this story was amazing and so cute!
I loved Sam's character and the way she dealt with situations. I don't think I could have handled them any better than she did. Obviously, I adored Jase. He was caring, kind, cute and completely dedicated to his family.
The storyline had me turning the page faster and faster. I loved the Garret family and the dynamics potrayed. I really liked seeing the personalities of all the Garret kids.
The ending was beautiful and I was upset to turn the page and find the acknowledgements.
I loved hating on Clay. And I also loved the character development that went on with Tim and Sam's mum.
I didn't give it 5 stars because there were some minor things I didnt like. I would have reallllllyyyyyy liked to see Nan and Sam fix their friendship and at times I felt a little uncomfortable with Jase and Sam's relationship.
BUT THIS BOOK IS REALLY GOOD. GO READ IT.

View all my reviews

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I'm more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

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



Shatter Me. Shatter Me. Shatter Me. Shatter Me.

So good.

Reasons for loving this book:
- The Writing - poetic, beautiful and straight out the mind of our main protagonist (strikeouts and whatnot).
- Fast paced and captivating (need I say more?)
-Adam and those goddamn eyes. And lips.
- Warner and his I'm-a-douchebag-psycho-stalker attitude, which I think is either a facade or the end product of a messed up upbringing. Whatever it is I don't think it's his fault that he is that way. TIME SHALL TELL.
- KENJI. Why is he so bloody hilarious? His sarcasm and remarks are just so refreshing, I love them.
- James. Cute innocent James. I love his relationship with Adam.
- Tension. Tension. Tension. Between Warner and Juliette. Adam and Juliette. Adam and Warner.
- Finally, the ending! I did not expect the story to go in that direction. I'm captivated and engaged. Bring on Unravel Me!

One thing I didn't really enjoy were the intimate scenes between Juliette and Adam. They made me feel a little uncomfortable and the development of their relationship seemed rush (even though they knew each other a few years back).

Cannot wait to find out how the series continues!

View all my reviews

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.

It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.





OMGOMGOMGOGMOGMGKG
I have just finished it and I CANNOT THINK CLEARLY RIGHT NOW.

-A few hours after (once I've had time to learn how to function normally again) -

What can I say about this book? How do I even think about it without feeling the feels?



I loved Throne of Glass. I was captivated by the world, the concept, the kick ass female protagonist. It was a great read, though I expected it to be a lot more fast paced.

Crown of Midnight gave me that. And so much more.

First, let's talk plot (view spoiler)[!SPOILER ALERT! (hide spoiler)]
During the first half of the book, Celaena learns a lot about the king, the rebellion and other affairs going on outside of the castle walls.
Then, we reach the halfway point and


It takes off like a rocket
When Chaol was captured I couldn't breathe. There was that feeling lurking inside me that he was going to die. But then Celaena came with her bad-assery and saved him.


AND THEN NEHEMIA DIES.

To top off that, Celaena tries to kill Chaol.
You know, just a little trouble in paradise. Thank the lord for Dorian's magic, WHICH I DID NOT EXPECT HIM TO HAVE AT ALL.

Can we please talk about what happened behind the secret door in Celaena's room. The whole thing with the portal and Nehemia and that creature! Then Chaol comes with Dorian. And then there is that possibility of a major death, again. Then Fleetfootwent into the portal and Chaol runs after him. So does Celaena. I THOUGHT THEY WERE ALL GOING TO FRICKING DIE
Wyrd save me.

I also loved the wyrdkeys aspect of this book, and Celaena's journey to figure out the riddle, find the poem and the first key. It added so much to the story!

THE CHARACTERS
CHAOL. GODDAMN CHAOL WESTFALL. MARRY ME.

His character devolopment in this book. Holy mackerels.
He opened so many doors into his past, his feelings, his personality.

Celaena was even more bad ass and amazing in this book. The way she killed and fought for herself and those she loved. However, even though she is pretty amazing, she does have flaws and vulnerabilities. It was great to see them a lot more in this book. I think it reminded people that Celaena is as fragile as the rest of them. That she is also in danger.

Dorian! Sweet Dorian. It killed me to see him trying so hard to let go of Celaena and to try and not be jealous of what she had with Chaol. He helped her when she needed him the most, despite the hurt he's been though. I may be shipping Chaolaena but it doesn't mean I don't love Dorian, too!:(

TALKING ABOUT CHAOLAENA. OH MY DEAR LORD.
THE BDAY DINNER. THE KISS. THE BED STUFF.









DAT ENDING. Crap.
I wasn't expecting it. Celaena Fae. Chaol sending her to Wendlyn. Their goodbyes.Chaol telling her he loves her. Celaena telling him it will always be him. Chaol figuring out who she really is: the Queen of Terrasen.













To summarise: this book is amazing and it will blow your eyebrows off. Heir of Fire, come to me
View all my reviews

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas SparksMy rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every April, when the wind blows from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High. It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly the last person in town he thought he'd fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town's Baptist minister. 

A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out. Landon would never have dreamed of it. 

Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter's life would never be the same. Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood...

A Walk to Remember is a story about how strong love is and how much influence a single person can have on you. It's also a journey of hope, faith, learning and miracles.

My friends started hyping about the movie and I had seen the cover many times on IMBD suggestions and such, but never really felt inclined to watch it.
But when I did. Oh my god. One of the best movies I've ever seen.
I watched the film twice in one sitting. That's how good it was.
Anyway, I found out that it was a novel my Nicholas. I'd tried to read Dear John before and I just couldnt get into it. HOWEVER, this book took, me a day and a half to read. I just couldn't stop thinking about the story and I couldn't stop reading it.
The movie adaptation had some really cute aspects added to it that I wished could have been in the book like Jamie's bucket list and the kiss in the play.
But the book had so many beautiful quotes that weren't in the film. Both were perfect.
I just, ahh. Jamdon feeeelss♥♡
The strenght of true love, faith and hope were overwhelming in this book and I cry every time I watch the film and I cried whilst reading the book.
I think I should get to bed, schol tomorrow oopsss.
Read it if you like sad stories and romance (no cheesy love triangles). Heck, read it if you hate reading. You need to.

View all my reviews

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.


WHAT?!
THAT ENDING!
I still have chills running down my arm.

This book surprised me a lot! First of, I didn't expect there to be a paranormal side to it and secondly, I did not realise how creepy this would turn out to be.

It is a very thrilling and mysterious story. It was captivating and the writing was absolutely beautiful. Also, it left you wondering what was real and what was just made up by Mara's mind.

I though most of the characters were great. I LOVED Jamie though, his jokes and his sarcasm. Daniel was another favourite. He was a great brotherly figure and he helped Mara out so much in the book.
Noah Shaw. Dear god, my ovaries.
Mysterious, hot, strong, caring.

The only couple of things that threw me off a little was Mara and Noah's relationship. It felt cringy and uncomfortable at times and there were definitely some cliche moments there. However, I loved how they are so similar to each other and I also really liked how their relationship started out with the whole 'you're too arrogant for me' thing and the banter between them.
Another thing that threw me off was how hard the story was to follow. I loved the mystery and the creepy thrill but there were times that I just had no idea what was going on and how they got there. Mara's 'PTSD'state was so interesting and having her narrate the story was awesome.

I am so excited to read the next book and find out what happens and also find some answers to some of my questions!
Great read! I definitely recommend it:)

View all my reviews

Bout of Books 9.0 & Read Your Bookshelf-a-thon TBR

Ten Books to Read During 2014

As I said in my last post, 2013 was an amazing reading year for me and I read so many fantastic books. However, my TBR list is still full of books that I really want to read. So to end the year I am going to be doing my ten books to read during 2014!

• Legend by Marie Lu - This has been a favourite in the booktube community and I am so pumped to read it! I'm thinking of getting the hardcover box set because the covers are really neat.
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas- Another very popular YA book this year. I've heard that there is a kick-ass protagonist in this book so I am really excited to start the series. Fortunately, I was given a copy of this for Christmas. *dances*
• Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry- I love me a bad boy romance. I use to read quite a lot of them on Wattpad and I just love the tension and the thrill. 
• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi- MUST READ. MUST. I don't own this book yet but I will read it during 2014. I just have to!
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer- I use to love princesses when I was younger and I've heard that this is a really unique series of fairytale retellings. 
• Allegiant by Veronica Roth- I love love love the Divergent series! I tried to read this book but I couldn't get very far because it's been a while since I've read Insurgent but I'm planning to reread Divergent and Insurgent during the readathon so that I can finally read Allegiant!
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell- Rainbow Rowell has been the author recommended the most to me this year. I've heard so any amazing things about her writing and I have not yet picked up a book written by her. I think it's tie to change that! Also, the title describes me perfectly.
• The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black- Vampires. Just say that word and I'll pick it up. I've heard that this is a really unique approach to vampires so I'm definitely going to pick it up!
• The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken- I am so behind! I was meaning to pick this book up this month but I guess I didn't. *hides* I have read and watched so many reviews for this book and I have a feeling that it's going to be in my Top Books of 2014 list.
• The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin- Another series I have been seeing a lot around booktube and other blogs. Romance, thrill, fantasy, paranormal. I think this book has it all!

So that is all from me for this year! It has truly been an amazing year and I can't wait to see what 2014 has to offer. I'm not going to do the whole 'new year, new me' lark, but I am setting myself some goals for 2014, on of which is to post more regularly on this blog!

I hope you all had a fab 2013 and have a great start to 2014!