Fifteen Seconds of Normal Review

Fifteen Seconds of Normal
By: Alex Marestaign 


Step 1: Transfer high schools Step 2: Hide your Tourette’s Step 3: Find your fifteen seconds of normal Kaeya Garay has a plan. And it seems to be working.But when a curious interruption named Thatcher Kelly stumbles upon her “safe” place in the school’s abandoned art gallery, her grand plans for normalcy are suddenly derailed. Set over the course of three weeks, Fifteen Seconds of Normal is the quirky saga of a literature obsessed teen on the edge of a meldown and the hope driven heroine who begins to pull him back. Fans of Eleanor and Park be warned. You won’t be able to put this one down. 

Everyone is familiar with those internet memes? What many tend to forget is that those pictures are of real people. With lives. And Hearts. Thatcher Kelly becomes familiar with this in the beginning of Fifteen Seconds of Normal. When his “normal” is snatched away he finds a new one in the hidden art gallery where he meets the beautiful Kaeya Garay. A girl with secrets of her own. 

I’ve met people with Tourette’s and I didn’t know much about it really until I picked up this book. The storyline begins like any other contemporary read but stretched into the unknown territory about the harsh judgmental society we live in today. 

Thatcher Kelly is a sweetheart, honestly, there needs to be more guys like him out there. It almost seems rare now to find one. OR maybe I’m not looking hard enough? Either way, his selfishness and devotion to his sister makes this protagonist a cuddly teddy bear I want to hug every moment. 

Kaeya Garay took me a while to be able to pronounce her name. Something about the “e” in the middle just threw me off. But her character and perfect flaws made up for it. She channels the classic teenager in high school. She just wants to be “normal.” Which is shown as she constantly tries to jump hurdles that she only needs to walk around. As the reader, you learn along with her about the lesson of just being yourself. 

The overall storyline was good, but I feel like the author could have stretched it out a little longer. Add a bit more drama maybe? Allow the relationships to grow and get more intimate? It would make the book a little more longer and add more emphasis to the characters. Because the book flew by way too fast; or maybe I just plowed through it because of how great it was. 

Either way, this book is filled with good content, interesting characters, and full of cute little jokes and quirks. I highly suggest it. 

[A Review copy was sent in exchange for an honest review] 

The Possibility of Somewhere Review

The Possibility of Somewhere
By: Julia Day

Together is somewhere they long to be.

Ash Gupta has a life full of possibility. His senior year is going exactly as he’s always wanted-- he's admired by his peers, enjoying his classes and getting the kind of grades that his wealthy, immigrant parents expect. There's only one obstacle in Ash's path: Eden Moore—the senior most likely to become class valedictorian. How could this unpopular, sharp-tongued girl from the wrong side of the tracks stand in his way?

All Eden's ever wanted was a way out. Her perfect GPA should be enough to guarantee her a free ride to college -- and an exit from her trailer-park existence for good. The last thing she needs is a bitter rivalry with Ash, who wants a prized scholarship for his own selfish reasons. Or so she thinks. . . When Eden ends up working with Ash on a class project, she discovers that the two have more in common than either of them could have imagined. They’re both in pursuit of a dream -- one that feels within reach thanks to their new connection. But what does the future hold for two passionate souls from totally different worlds?

I love contemporary reads so much.  There is just something about them that get's my blood pumping at the thought of reading them.  It was no different with this book.

Eden is a girl driven to escape the life her dad has planned for her and what she is expected to be.  She will do anything to achieve her goal, but she just wasn't expecting the dreadful four letter word: Love. 

Individually these characters are insecure, lonely, and unsure of themselves. But together? They compliment the best in each other.  It was amazing to see their animosity towards one another blossom into this infatuation in which they can't live without another.  That's the best kind of love stories in my opinion.

This book reflects what society tends to jump to when it comes to relationships, looks, or anything that is deemed, "different." Which is why I honestly loved the diversity and unique structure in which this story was shaped upon. I have never read anything quite like it and get by the last page I was deep in love with it.  

For a debut novel, the pages held deep thoughts and insights to love, school, and life with different incomes.  Great book to read for seniors before they go off to college, or freshman college students starting their new life.

4/5 Stars

Book Playlist:

Drive by: Oh Wonder
You Always Make Me Smile by: Kyle Andrews
Bruises by: Train
2 Broke Kids by: Ruth B
Back To You by: Twin Forks

(Many thanks to St. Martins Press for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review)

Detached Review

Detached 
By: Christina Kilbourne 

Anna has always been so level-headed, so easy-going, so talented and funny. How could anyone have guessed she wanted to die?

Anna is not like other people. For one thing, she’s been an accomplished artist since she was a preschooler. For another, she’s always felt like she didn’t belong: not with other kids, not with her family, not in her body. It isn’t until her grandparents are killed in a tragic accident, however, that Anna starts to feel untethered. She begins to wonder what it would be like if she didn’t exist and the thought of escaping the aimless drifting is the only thing that brings her comfort.

When Anna overdoses on prescription pain killers the doctors realize she has been suffering from depression and start looking for a way to help her out of the desperate black hole she never thought she would escape. It’s then that rock bottom comes into sight and the journey back to normal begins.

Depression is an illness that my family has suffered from generations to generations.  That being said, I have always been weary of books that have that plot written in because I am very critical of how its portrayed.  It's not something that causes you to be sad, or a result of your parents grounding you.  It's an illness that infects your mind and turns even the brightest, most colorful days, into a dreary grey.

From the first page I absolutely fell into rhythm of this book.  Anna has what some people would say is the perfect life: two married parents who are well off, a great relationship with her brother, good grades, and a wonderful talent.  How could she be depressed?

Slowly through the pages you see the illness drive Anna deeper and deeper into this dark cloud, where the only way out in her mind is death.

I loved everything about this book from the beginning to the end.  It correctly and accurately shows depression and how you never know what is going in someone's head.  On the outside they could be happy and all smiles, but inside slowly dying.

I really connected with Anna because depression runs in my family so much, and I have been a victim of it's dark ways.  Maybe not driven to the point of suicide, but some days I have clouds of darkness too.

I suggest this book to everyone and anyone, it's important to understand depression and how it can change even the happiest of people to these shells of themselves. It was a beautiful read and will always remember it.

 September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. This year's theme is Connect, Communicate,‎ Care. I encourage you to be part of the Conversation. 

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 (available 24 hours everyday)

Lily's Top 10 Summer Reads

As Summer comes to a close, and school shopping takes over everyone's days I'd like to reflect on the memorable novels I read over the summer.   Most of these (or maybe all) are contemporary love stories, because what else does a single eighteen year old want to read in the middle of July?

10. Hopeless by: Colleen Hoover

      Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

      Of course I had to include a CoHo book in this Top 10.  As one of my favorite authors, I was thrilled to obtain this book since it was the only one I have yet to read.  She certainly did not disappoint.  Every page was filled with that magical Colleen spark we all know and love her for.  She has a knack of those plot twists and just giving the reader an emotional connection to the readers.  This book was definitely a top favorite and will be a story I will forever remember.

9. The Neverland Wars by: Audrey Greathouse
  

 Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That's what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.

However, Gwen doesn't know this. She's just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn't know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she'll discover she's in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.

She'll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won't be the only one. Peter Pan's constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she's going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she's going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.


Ever since I heard the song Lost Boy by Ruth B, I have had Peter Pan fever.  I was lucky enough to be able to get an eCopy of this lovely book in exchange for a review.  I read it while on vacation over the summer and was glued to my screen, my mind wrapped up in the story, rather than paying attention to the actual vacation.  The characters were witty, fresh, and exciting.  It took a whole new turn on the Peter Pan legend and spun it up from it's feet.  I will definitely be first in line for the sequel.

8.  My Life With The Walter Boys by: Ali Novak

My Life with the Walter Boys centers on the prim, proper, and always perfect Jackie Howard. When her world is turned upside down by tragedy, Jackie must learn to cut loose and be part of a family again.

Jackie does not like surprises. Chaos is the enemy! The best way to get her successful, busy parents to notice her is to be perfect. The perfect look, the perfect grades-the perfect daughter. And then...

Surprise #1: Jackie's family dies in a freak car accident.

Surprise #2: Jackie has to move cross-country to live with the Walters-her new guardians.

Surprise #3: The Walters have twelve sons. (Well, eleven, but Parker acts like a boy anyway)

Now Jackie must trade in her Type A personality and New York City apartment for a Colorado ranch and all the wild Walter boys who come with it. Jackie is surrounded by the enemy-loud, dirty, annoying boys who have no concept of personal space. Okay, several of the oldest guys are flat-out gorgeous. But still annoying. She's not stuck-up or boring-no matter what they say. But proving it is another matter. How can she fit in and move on when she needs to keep her parents' memory alive by living up to the promise of perfect?

I had seen all the hype on Wattpad and walked passed the book countless of times at Barnes and Noble so it was only time that would tell when I would finally give in and pick it up. 
I could readily relate to Jackie's "Type A" Personality and understand her culture shock in moving to a whole new situation, one she was not used to.  This novel was beautifully crafted and had lines full of wit, laughter, and 'awe' filled moments.

7.  The Chase: Trusting God with Your Happily Ever After by: Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky

Kyle and Kelsey Kupecky couldn't have dreamed a better love story for themselves had it been scripted by a bestselling novelist like Kelsey's mom, Karen Kingsbury. In fact, if you asked them, Kyle and Kelsey would name God as the author of their story. And they're glad they trusted him to write it for them.
Unfortunately, too many girls hoping for their own happily-ever-after have taken matters into their own hands, chasing after boys when they should be chasing after God. And that inevitably leads to heartache, low self-esteem, and poor choices as girls give in to pressure from media and peers to look and act a certain way to attract guys.
Kyle and Kelsey want girls to know that it's never too late to trust God with their love lives, that wherever they are, there's always hope for the future. Through their own story and the stories of others who long for love, they show girls how to put God first, how to value and protect their purity, how to deal with loneliness and bullying, and how to see themselves as God does--a one-in-a-million girl who deserves no less than God's best. 

This book doesn't beat around the bush.  It tells you the truth straight out, through the words of Kyle and Kelsey, and their stories.  Whether it be by personal experiences, their friends, or just pure Godly Wisdom, they take you on a journey through how they found their happily ever after, and encourages you to not give up on it either.  As a girl about to head off to college, this encouragement was much needed.  I loved how I could relate to Kelsey's worries and fears, and I enjoyed the guy's perspective on everything.  This book talks about sex, love, God, and everything in between.  Whether your religious or not, I suggest you pick this up and read it.  You won't regret it.

6.  Isla and the Happily Ever After by: Stephanie Perkins

Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series. 

I love Stephanie Perkins ability to tell a true and honest love story.  I had already read her other two books and quickly picked up her last one in the trilogy. I also had gotten back from my trip to New York City which coincidently is where part of this book takes place.

This love was more promiscuous than Perkins other two books which was a surprise, but a pleasant change in pace. I believe readers will be pleased to know that the other characters from the previous novels make an appearance in this last addition (A few scenes with everyone made me squeal with happiness I admit).  But it won't take away from the stars of this book: Josh and Isla.  Perkins has a knack for spinning a good plot twist and making her characters fall in love in real time, which is why she is a top favorite author.

5. Saint Anything by: Sarah Dessen

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

It's Sarah Dessen. That's a good enough reason to read it. Plus I'm a sucker for the Best-Friend-Brother story.

4.  The Hidden Oracle by: Rick Riordan

How do you punish an immortal?

By making him human.

After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disorientated, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus's favour.

But Apollo has many enemies - gods, monsters and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help, and he can think of only one place to go . . . an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.

Ever since sixth grade I have been a Rick Riordan super fan, and it hasn't stopped, even at eighteen years old.  I believe his books are timeless and you are never too old for an "Uncle Rick" book.  I didn't know what to expect when I read this book, same characters? Will Percy make an appearance? What does Rick have up his sleeves? Hesitantly, I cracked it open and didn't put it down until my mom yelled at me at four A.M that if we didn't leave that instant we would be late for our flight.

Any fan of Percy Jackson will fall in love with even Apollo, the most self centered person to meet, and his little sidekick friend.  You will be on the edge of your seat with this book and gasp at the ending... and curse yourself for finishing it so fast and having to wait a year for the next installment.

3.  Enchanted by: Althea Kontis

It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past—and hers?

Fans of Once Upon a Time will be "enchanted" by this fairy tail.  A;thea completely breaks down the fairy tales and rewrites them in a unique, and never before told way.  I loved Sunday and her love of story telling.  It reminded me of myself and that even a quirky, nerd can find a prince.  If you enjoy balls, fairy godmothers, and fancy gowns, I guarantee you will be wowed by this book.

2.  The Hamilton Affair by: Elizabeth Cobbs

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the American Revolution, and featuring a cast of iconic characters such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and the Marquis de Lafayette, The Hamilton Affair tells the sweeping, tumultuous, true love story of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler, from tremulous beginning to bittersweet ending—his at a dueling ground on the shores of the Hudson River, hers more than half a century later after a brave, successful life.

Hamilton was a bastard son, raised on the Caribbean island of St. Croix. He went to America to pursue his education. Along the way he became one of the American Revolution’s most dashing—and unlikely—heroes. Adored by Washington, hated by Jefferson, Hamilton was a lightning rod: the most controversial leader of the American Revolution.

She was the well-to-do daughter of one of New York’s most exalted families—feisty, adventurous, and loyal to a fault. When she met Alexander, she fell head over heels. She pursued him despite his illegitimacy, and loved him despite his infidelity. In 1816 (two centuries ago), she shamed Congress into supporting his seven orphaned children. Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton started New York’s first orphanage. The only “founding mother” to truly embrace public service, she raised 160 children in addition to her own.
With its flawless writing, brilliantly drawn characters, and epic scope, The Hamilton Affair will take its place among the greatest novels of American history.

To be honest I only picked up this book because of the cover and my enjoyment of the Broadway musical music. Other than that I didn't really know what I was getting into. There has been a huge rage for Hamilton and so I thought I would join the fun and see what it was all about. 

I've never actually been one for a historical romance but I pleasantly enjoyed this book and certainly learned a lot (considering I didn't pay much attention to U.S history in high school). Even if you don't care for learning, or history, I still recommend this book for displaying the history of Hamilton, while in a romantic and entertaining way.

1.  Anna and the French Kiss by: Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

This book is on my all time favorite and the perfect read for the summer. Set in a romantic country, with a British hottie and a seemingly ordinary American girl, every reader will fall in love with the characters and the magic of Paris.  There are simply not enough words in the English language to explain how beautiful this love story is.  I think I will forever be recommending this book to every single person I meet.

Broken Dreams Series Blog Tour (Giveaway!!!)

Broken Dreams Series
By: by Elodie Nowodazkij

A Summer Like No Other

 

She’s his best friend’s little sister. He’s the biggest player of them all.

They shouldn’t be together. But this summer’s just too tempting.Sixteen-year-old Emilia Moretti’s goal for the summer is simple: forget her brother’s best friend—Nick Grawsky—ever existed. It should be easy: He’s spending his summer in the Hamptons, adding girls in tiny bikinis to his list of broken hearts. Guarantee he won’t be telling them they’re like his little sisters. This summer, Emilia won’t stay awake at night thinking about him. She’ll need flawless ballet movements to have a shot at next year’s showcase, and she’s finally ready to search for her birth parents. But when Nick decides to stay in the city, Emilia’s resolve disappears in a pirouette. Maybe it’s the spin they needed to be together. As long as she doesn’t get stuck believing in happily ever after…

Nick is tired of pretending to be the happy, let’s-have-fun guy. His father wants him to change his career from professional dancer to…lawyer. He needs to put all of his focus on dancing to prove to Daddy Dearest he’s good enough to make it big. And he may have a case of the bluest balls in history courtesy of Emilia. She’s off-limits: The bro code with Roberto even forbids the dirty thoughts he has about her. Besides, he’s not boyfriend material. He only has time for flings, for girls who don’t expect much, for girls he doesn’t want to kiss goodnight. He knows he should resist her, but he’s not sure he wants to…

At least for this summer.

It’s going to be a summer like no other.

Review:

I love dancing and am very familiar with Ballet and all forms of dance.  So to be able to read a book based on dance? Basically my two favorite things combined! This novel had the perfect amount of drama, romance, and those  cute little moments you wish you could have in real life.

You can feel the electricity between Nick and Emilia in every little pass they have in the story.  Their story unfolds in a unique and bitter-sweet way that I enjoyed. I also was intrigued of Em's longing to find her birth parents.  Two of my cousins are adopted and so I got to go on Emilia's adventure with her as she tried to find herself and where she came from.

 I love summer romances and what better thing to do while in the middle of summer, single as a pringle? Read about it.  This book was the right pick. 

Always Second Best

Sometimes being first isn’t what you expected. Seventeen-year-old ballerina Emilia Moretti is tired of always being second best. And she’s going to prove the world she deserves to be first. In her upcoming School of the Performing Arts showcase. In the eyes of her birth parents. And in the heart of the guy she loves. She spends hours rehearsing, hours dreaming about becoming number one, hours imagining how her entire life is about to change. But when nothing goes the way she planned, she’ll need to realize what it really means to be first. 

Eighteen-year-old Nick Grawski doesn’t want to follow Daddy Dearest’s rules any longer. He's going to prove he's meant to be a dancer—not a lawyer—and he is not going to stay away from Em just because his father demands it. He needs to show Em that—this time around—he’s there to stay and that he won’t break her heart again. Even when her world goes down to shit, even when he finds out his dad may have been trying to protect him all along, even if being there for one another is harder than falling in love. 

ALWAYS SECOND BEST is a novel of hope and heartbreak and broken dreams. It’s a novel about falling in love and discovering that being first isn’t always what matters.

Review:
The words in this story have the power to crush the life out of you, then slowly build you back together.  You read through the book and think you have it all figured out and la dee da when you trip and the twist hits you.  This story was read in the matters of a plane ride; I could not put it down.  It includes every single element you know and love from Modern YA and I will forever re-read it, and remember this story.

***GIVEAWAY***

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Many Thanks to YA Book Bound Tours

Me Before You Review

Me Before You
By: Jojo Moyes

Now where to even begin with this books review.  Let's start out with the rating of 5/5 stars which almost NEVER happens.  I fell in love with the trailer and felt compelled to buy the book instantly and read it.  My love of Sam Claflin may have some bias to this book and movie as well.

I jumped into this book and finished it in about two days.  The diction was beautiful, the descriptions other worldly, it put me in the book instead of me reading it as someone telling me a story around a campfire.

Synopsis: Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

Will Trainor is one of the most complicated and sad characters I have read.  I want to hug him and hit him with a frying pan at the same time.  But it's his smirky remarks and tangible good looks that made me fall in love. 

Lou Clark is undoubtedly a european version of myself.  Like her I love to read, be around family, and help others.  I as well love to wear what is considered outside the social norms of style.  Her lack of adventurous attitude is the icing on the cake in comparison to me.  

 

Reading this book put a perspective on my life and how I should live it.  It's okay to want to stay inside, be boring and solemn for a day, but I realized taking risks is apart of life, and we only live for a short time, we should take advantage.  So today I actually ventured out to the neighboring city and went to a random coffee shop I've never been to or heard of, walked around and looked at all the street art, and drove on streets with all the road raged cars (Arizona has the worst drivers next to California).  May not seem bucket-list worthy but it's a huge step for me who could really just cross the street from the house to Starbucks.  

Me Before you contains such hilarious and witty comments that will make you laugh out loud, and meaningful conversations that will bring tears to your eyes.  My favorite was the intimate scene where Lou shaved Will and cut his hair.  You could literally feel the sexual tension from the book.  

"It was impossible to be this close to someone, to feel their skin tauten under your fingertips, to breathe in the air that they breathed out, to have their face only inches from yours, without feeling a little unbalanced.  By the time I reached his other ear I had begun to feel awkward, as if I overstepped an invisible mark" (Moyes 127).

Another favorite scene was at the wedding, when Lou sat on Will's lap and danced together.  She wore her infamous red dress and Will in a suit, twirling around in his chair, while his ex-girlfriend and best friend stared (along with the other guests).  I wanted to go to his ex and be like "Hah! Look what you missed out on!"   The tranquility and intense love in that scene was so die for.  DIE. 

SPOILERS

Okay now if you've read the book you know what happens. 

And it made me cry. 

But the ending was peaceful in the same way because Lou learned how to live and love.  Will taught her something she had never knew in her whole twenty-seven years of living.  When she traveled to Paris, whipped out that card, and read what Will wrote I got very teary eyed.  Will was dead and yet he still managed to live on through the story and through Lou's heart.  

Normally I'm not content with endings like these but I was surprisingly happy with this book.  It made you think about life and what does it really mean, "to live."  

Forever going to keep this book and recommend it to everyone I know. 

Bravo Jojo Moyes, Bravo.  

Now I just have to wait till the movie comes out....

Finding Audrey Review

I have walked passed this book millions of times since it came out in Barnes and Noble and it never quite struck my fancy until I saw the recommendation.

I took a chance and decided to read it above all my other books stacked under my bed right now. And my, oh, my am I glad to have.

I have actually never read a Sophie Kinsella book until now and I can never go back.  My next books in my TBR pile will be her Shopoholic series.

Anyways, back to Finding Audrey.  The book is about a girl with a social anxiety order due to something that happened a few months prior.  She can't look at anyone,her family included, leave the house (except to her therapist's office) or even talk to people other than her family.

I have to say, someone coming from experience of having an social anxiety disorder, the book was pretty spot on.  It puts you into the mind of someone with this illness and shows you how their world works. It gives you their perspective on the panic attacks, meltdowns, and why we are who we are.

Finding Audrey shows you the beauty of life and the roller coaster that we are supposed to be on.  Nobody just goes straight up and perfect, we go up and down and even sideways and backwards.  We weren't built to be perfect.

One thing I didn't particularly enjoy was the narration of her brother Frank and moms banter about his computer usage.  I see where it was necessary and quite funny, but also a little random to put into the story.

It also seems quite fast that Audrey turns around and gets better, but that's a book I guess, you can't cram months and months of recovery into a three hundred paged story or one would probably fall asleep.  Though I wish it focused a bit more on the recovery process and less about her getting a boyfriend and all of the sudden getting better.  Because even though Linus had a part in helping her to recovery, it wasn't all thanks to him.

We also never learn what happened to Audrey that causes the anxiety to emerge from its dormant state.  We get hints and it alludes to some sort of mean-girl bullying, but I'm a nosy person and I would love to have details.  But this is also the positive mention too because I totally forgot about my yearning to know what happened because of how great the story was.  I was at the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen and how event A would  make Event B better.  It wasn't until I had made dinner that I realized the reader never found out.  And I am slightly okay with that because the book as a whole was a beautiful masterpiece.

RATING: 4.3

“They talk about “body language,” as if we all speak it the same. But everyone has their own dialect. For me right now, for example, swiveling my body right away and staring rigidly at the corner means, “I like you.” Because I didn’t run away and shut myself in the bathroom. I just hope he realizes that.” 
― Sophie Kinsella, Finding Audrey

Anything You Want Review

You gotta love a pregnant teenage baby mama drama.  Secret Life of the American Teenager was quite addicting when I was younger; I would sneak it when my parents were in bed since I wasn't allowed to watch it.
Anything You Want isn't like The American Teenager.
Centered around the guy's point of view, Taco (Yes, he actually goes by that) falls mad over heels with Maggie Corrigan.  So hard, that he gets her pregnant.  But with his failing family, the death of his mother, and his positive, upbeat, attitude, he is thrilled to have a family of his own. But every rose has it's thorn and Taco will have to learn what it actually means to be a father, deal with Maggie's parents, and juggle school and other responsibilities.

It took me a while to get past his name... Taco. Honestly, I still can't get past it.  Why, why, why name a character after greasy, mexican, food, that you can buy at a food truck? Maybe it's just my pretentious self talking but I like real, classic names.  Don't get me wrong, unique names are one of the best things about books, but... Taco? Over the line just a little bit.

Another thing about Taco that bugs the living crap out of me: His stupidity.  He and Maggie literally were having sex like two horses in a dark barn and through all of that, he didn't think once, "Hmm.. Maybe I should listen to what health class taught me and wrap it before I tap it."  He may be smart in the books but his common sense is out the window on a ski trip.  I provided two quotes to show as examples:

[Taken place after he (wrongly) calculates when he and Maggie conceived their child and gets the results that it was before they even had sex]: "Our love made Maggie pregnant when we were both still virgins. That's a miracle. That's destiny. Our child would be destiny's child." 

“You do it. You and Maggie Corrigan do it all the time. Again and again and again,” he said.
“Right. We like to celebrate out love.” I said.
“Jesus Christ, Taco. Is she on birth control?” he asked.
“No.” I laughed. “Why would she be?” As I tend to be delusional but not totally stupid, I began to think.
“Oh shit. Are you using condoms?” he asked.
“No. We’re not serious about it, okay? We’re just having fun.”

And he was being completely serious.

Despite being a complete idiot, Taco has heart, I'll admit.  Most guys would run away and leave the kid with the mother to deal with, or suggest abortion or something horrific.  Taco is actually excited, and takes up a job to help Maggie.  He truly loves her and his kid with a full heart. Sometimes I wonder how can he be positive ALL the darn time.  Seriously, it was annoying to read. It gave me some faith though in humanity, maybe if everyone could be like Taco, the world would be a happier place.

I liked what the story taught about teenage pregnancy and the sacrifices you have to make when taking up such a huge responsibility.  Sometimes, you have to put others first, even if you don't want to, for the greater good.

This story started out to be one of those, that a while through I didn't really want to read, but I was curious to know the ending. So I pushed through and actually found myself content with the ending.  Wasn't the best, but I had a warm, little feeling inside my chest at those last words. It was a sweet, cute, and many times weird, tale to experience, but I was glad I finished it.

RATING: 3/5

I'll leave you all with some quotes I found to be enchanting and share-worthy from the book:

"So things were crap, and I began to lose the pep in my cucumber."

"I had to share a bed with Brad Schwartz, but it was a king-size (which was huge), so we didn't accidently wake up spooning with our hands on our muffins." 

Ugly Review

I have read very few books centered around domestic violence, so when I was given the opportunity to review Ugly, written by Margaret McHeyzer I jumped on it.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate this cover?  The mascara tears dripping down her face, and the contrast of the eyes and hair makes you to want to hug the book and never let it go.  It's what initially attracted me (Yes, yes, I know "Don't judge a book by it's cover" Yeah well I did. Sue me).

Ugly is about a teenage girl named Lily (Hey look it's my name! And it's spelled correctly!) who hasn't had the easiest childhood.  Trying to juggle her alcoholic father's swinging moods and violence as well as put on the charade of normalcy at school isn't the easiest.
So imagine her happiness when she meets Trent, the first person to ever notice the invisible blonde haired girl.  But as the saying goes, it does seem we are attracted to ones like our fathers, but just because Trent has a little anger issues doesn't make him abusive?
Right?

Upon reading the first page, I was drawn in with curiosity and wonder on how this book would be written.  Most domestic violence related books I've immersed myself in had been choppy and hard to follow.  They mostly just had countless scenes of their parents hitting them, hospital visits, and finding a lover.  This book however, showed the emotional side to this kind of abuse in a raw way.
I admit, I wasn't totally hooked as I went through the chapters.  It may have been because I can't relate to any domestic abuse or negativity at all occurring in my home, but this book was very hard to relate to.  Don't get me wrong, I don't expect to know how a survivor feels or relate to the pain, but I expected to be able to get inside her head a little more than the author allowed.
The writing in the beginning was too, a little rough cut and sounded just like words to me, as if I was reading an essay with no feeling put into it.
It wasn't until I reached halfway through the story that I realized the voidless words from the beginning was how the character was feeling. Lily was a shell of her former self from all the abuse she had suffered in her life.  The void I was feeling was her.
I think the author could have added a little more drama in the story with Trent.  I would have loved to see him more at the end of the story than what was put.  Throw in a little plot twist with his mother as well.
The last half was filled with countless wonder and interest as I tried to predict what was to happen next.  As Lily found herself, the writing became more in depth and personal, just like the character.
I have to say it's probably my favorite story written with the domestic abuse topic and serves as a great reminder to others that what you see isn't always what is.

Your best friend could be having the perfect relationship with a boy who buys her everything and showers her with love.  When inside the house, he brings her gifts as an apology for beating her up the other night; and that broken arm she got while riding a bike? Was really from him shoving her down the stairs.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Give take for the few things that bugged me. I give it an overall 3.5/5 It was a good read, and I hope to see it out in paperback at Barnes and Noble someday.

I'll leave you all with one of my favorite quotes from the book,

“And if you were broken, you’d give up on life, so you’re not broken.” 
― Margaret McHeyzer, Ugly

Good Girl Review

        Most of the time at my job at Barnes and Noble is spent looking at books and reading them profoundly when it's dead in the store... or when I'm bored.  Another part of my job description is setting up displays, so to my joy my manager gave me the delight in setting up the Psychological Thriller's Endcap. 
        That's where I found this beautiful gem known as "Good Girl." To be honest I don't get why it's named that, but I guess there's some mystery in that that makes me love the book even more.  
        The plot is about a girl named Mia Dennet who enters a bar to meet with her flaky boyfriend.  When he, once again, doesn't show (or else there wouldn't be any plot) and she is introduced to a new guy.  Colin seems like a good guy, one she can just hump-and-dump so to speak for the night.  But it ends up being the  worst mistake of her life.  
        I could go on to say the rest, but if I go on, I will speak of spoilers and go on a rant about the little clues and the huge plot twists contained in that magical book. 
        Let's just say it involves blackmail, paid-to-kidnap, and dangerous relationships in more than just the main character. 
        I had just finished reading the Girl on the Train and was looking for a book to match the hype it gave me.  Let's just say it surpassed my expectations.  The very last page is my favorite because, you think you know everything and it will all end like that and then BAM.  You are left completely flabbergasted and mind blown.  
        This book takes psychological thriller to a whole new level.  
        Definitely give it a 4/5