Top Ten Tuesday: Best Sequels Ever

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful girls at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week there's a new topic to go gaga over.

This week's topic is: Top Ten Best Sequels Ever. Some books have second book syndrome, but these one blew it out of the park

1. Catching Fire (The Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins: I for one loved this book! In fact, I liked it more than Mockingjay. Going back into the arena gave me more of what I loved from the first and the Katniss/Peeta love was swoon worthy.

2. Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer: Cinder blew me away and I wasn't sure if Scarlet would live up to it, but it exceeded my expectations. I loved Scarlet and Wolf and I love how it tied in with the first book. This is going to be a series to remember.

3. Through the Ever Night (Under the Never Sky) by Veronica Rossi: This is a dystopian worth mentioning. The characters are wonderful and the storyline is new and different. This sequel took everything we knew about the first book and stepped it up a notch. 

4. Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss) by Stephanie Perkins: Not sure if this entirely counts since it's a new set of characters, but Perkins writes teenagers so well and this book was everything the first book was and more. 

 

5. It's Not Summer Without You (The Summer I Turned Pretty) by Jenny Han: Ugh, what can I say about this series? Every book was perfection and I would love to read more about Belly's summers and boys. Heartbreaking and so real, Han has captured the essence of summer and this may have been the only love triangle I actually liked.

6. The Evolution of Mara Dyer (The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer) by Michelle Hodkin: The first book made me ask a lot of questions and this book just gave me more. Now, this is not a bad thing at all, in fact it's tangling the story up so much that I know by the time I read the final book, I'll be blown away by all the clues hidden throughout the books. Amazing series so far!

7. Where She Went (If I Stay) by Gayle Forman: This book broke my heart.As if the first book wasn't bad enough, Forman dug that knife deeper. It was great seeing the story told from Adam's point of view and it answered so many questions. Beautiful and heartbreaking.

8. Insurgent (Divergent) by Veronica Roth: Some people may not have liked this book, but it was perfect to me. There was a lot of character development and the post traumatic stress was the perfect addition to the series. Oh and that ending? Let's not forget that!

 

9. Shift (Shade) by Jeri Smith-Ready: This was another great series. Aura and Zach are the cutest couple ever and each book took an important step in the story. It was perfection, all of them.

10. The Dead Tossed Waves (The Forest of Hands and Teeth) by Carrie Ryan: I liked the second and third book better than the first only because it was more relatable. All three are so different but they tie together nicely and they were all equally scary. Still one of the bet zombie series I've read. 

Review: Just One Day

Just One Day
Author: Gayle Forman
Published: January 8, 2013
Hardcover, 368 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

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

This book started with Shakespeare. Anytime Shakespeare is involved, I know I'll enjoy the story. Allyson is on a European senior trip before going off to college and she's been doing everything she's told. But when she meets Willem, seduced by his performance in an impromptu performance of Twelfth Night, she only hesitates a bit when he asks her to go to Paris with him. The most insane thing she's ever done takes her on a journey that she never thought possible. The day in Paris with Willem is one she will never forget, especially since she wakes up the next morning to find him gone. 

I was heartbroken when Allyson woke up, knowing that Willem would be gone. Even though we are warned on the back cover, it's still hard to read as she wakes up to discover she is alone. It was easy to see why Allyson fell for him. Tall, charming, and ready to show her a world she's never seen. But when he's gone, I wanted to hate him, but I didn't know why he left and neither did she. Allyson goes to college in September anyway, trying to forget that faithful night. She lives life half alive, thoughts of Willem constantly in her head. When someone falls in love, that love get stained on them, as Willem says int he book, and there is no doubt that Allyson is stained. Her journey through her first year of college is bittersweet. The way she acts, like she's lost the love of her life, is not exagerated. This is how a young girl whose never been in love before would feel. She gave her everything to someone who disappeared from her life. 

I thought Allyson would immediately return to the scene of the crime, but she spends most of her year away from there in school. There was no filler. It was important to see her develop through these months, to see how hard this has affected her and to see if she could gather the strength to find answers. She finds herself in a Shakespeare class and makes friends with Dee, a man who hides his true self from everyone. They help each other in the ways they need it most and both grow together as friends. Allyson discovers a lot about herself throughout the year. and yes, Willem continues to haunt her, but she learns to survive. When lie brings her back to Paris, it's time for her to put everything she's learned to the test.

Forman writes beautifully. Her first novel, If I Stay, blew me away. Her words flow off the pages like poetry, sucking me into a world not unlike my own, and making me feel things I haven't felt in a long time. I remember the terror of falling in love, the high that comes with it, and she captures this wonderfully. It's in the simple words that she uses that make the story leap from the page. When Willem describes falling in love like being a stain, I wanted to shout this analogy to the word. It was so perfect, so true, that I may not be able to think of love the same way again. Life isn't easy, and love is harder, but that does not mean we don't try. That does not mean we give up. Allyson's story may seem far fetch to some, but we all go through this, it just may not take place in Europe. This is a beautiful story that made me laugh, swoon and cry. Willem's story will be told in Just One Year, and hopefully then we will get the answers to our long awaited questions.

“Or maybe it's not a miracle. Maybe this is just life. When you open yourself up to it. When you put yourself in the path of it. When you say yes.” 

Review: The Disenchantments

The Disenchantments
Author: Nina LaCour
Published: April 18, 2013
Paperback, 307 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Colby and Bev have a long-standing pact: graduate, hit the road with Bev's band, and then spend the year wandering around Europe. But moments after the tour kicks off, Bev makes a shocking announcement: she's abandoning their plans - and Colby - to start college in the fall.

But the show must go on and The Disenchantments weave through the Pacific Northwest, playing in small towns and dingy venues, while roadie- Colby struggles to deal with Bev's already-growing distance and the most important question of all: what's next?

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book. In fact, I must not have read the back cover very well because I didn't even realize the narrator was a male until I read the first page. I knew there'd be music, some drama, and hopefully some laughs, and I was mostly right, though none of it was the way I expected it to be, which turned out to be perfect.

Colby and Bev's relationship is one of a kind. She's this gorgeous girl who fronts a girl band. She makes out with random people and she likes to live life as freely as possible. Colby likes routine, like schedules and plans. So when Bev tells him that she's going to college in the fall instead of taking off to Europe with him like they'd planned, Colby doesn't know how to process this information. He's furious, for good reason, and she's told him while they're on the road with her band, The Disenchantments, on the final tour before everyone's life changes. Watching all this unfold through Colby's eyes gives this story that different edge that it needed. If this were narrated by Bev, I don't think it would have struck readers as much. 

What I loved most was that this played out like a John Green novel. He's one of my favourite authors and his characters have a way of sticking with you long after the last page. They are funny and multi-dimensional and his plots are unlike anything out there. LaCour has the same spirit as Green. Her characters jump off the page and not just because they all have such different looks. They are each so strong in their own ways and the minor characters we meet throughout the story hit you as hard as the mains. This is a road trip book, which Green does so well, that never bores. Each night the band plays a different venue, each more random than the last. The band is not very good which made me laugh since the band is everything to them. I love that they kind of suck, it's much more realistic that way. Garage bands are just about the music, and boy did these girls love the music.

The small things that happened are what made me love this book. Meg's tattoo, the lost amp, the graffiti, Colby's art and Bev's carvings. This book was full from beginning to end. Each new town brought new characters, new challenges, and moments where I wasn't sure if Colby and Bev would make it through the trip together. Colby's voice put me right in the van with these girls, the pain he felt every time he looked at Bev and knew he couldn't have her. The longing in his voice whenever he spoke to his parents. The need to leave his mark on the world, and the familiar feeling of not knowing what you'll be doing with your life when everyone around has it all planned out. This book hit that area after high school and before the rest of your life right on the head. We all feel lost when we graduate from what we know. Some people go off to school, others take a year off, and then there are those that just want to see the world and escape real life fir awhile. Plans change, people change, and all you can do is try to keep going, try to make new plans and love the people anyway. This book captured every feeling I felt when school ended, and I love how it all played out. This was not a typical love story, it was about friends who have changed without each other knowing it, and dealing with what comes next. Beautiful writing and wonderful characters made this a heartwarming read that made me glad it wasn't the comedy I thought it would be.

“Searching, always. And yes, we all are, or soon will be, disenchanted, I still want to know it all: the heartbreak, the fear, the friendship, the anger, the love. All of it.”

Waiting on Wednesday: Split Second

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Split Second

by Kasie West
Publication Date: February 11, 2014

From Goodreads:

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

The first book in this series, Pivot Point, blew me away. I loved the special abilities, the private lives, and the integrating into normal society. West wrote the two different worlds perfectly, connecting each together without over lapping information. I can't wait to dive back into Addie's world and see where her next search will take her.

Has anyone read Pivot Point? Who's looking forward to this book? What book are you dying to read? I'd love to know!

Top Ten Tuesday: Anticipated Fall Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week they post a new topic that the participants come up with a top ten list for.

This week is all about the books on our Fall TBR lists, be they books actually released around now or just books we are planning to read. My list is a mixture of both.

1. Allegiant by Veronica Roth: Pretty sure this is on everyone's list!
2. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black: I just won a copy of this, can't wait to read this new tale of vampires! 3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: I've been hearing amazing things about this book, so there' no doubt I'll pick it up!
4. Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano: Her writing is amazing and this new series sounds fantastic!

5. This Song Will Save Your Life by Laura Sales: This looks like a nice change from other contemporary books. Music, DJs, and all that jazz.
6. Champion by Marie Lu: Prodigy broke my heart and I know this one will probably not repair it, but I can't wait to see how this series will end!
7. The House of Hades by Rick Riordan: This series is so good and each character is perfectly crafted. Yes, I want to see what will happen to Percy and Annabeth, but that's not the only reason I'm excited for this book. I feel like this will be a game changer and Riordan never disappoints!
8. Resist by Sarah Crossan: One of my new favourite dystopian series about a world without oxygen.

And two that I still haven't read but will very soon!

9. Frostbite by Richelle Mead: I fell in love with Vampire Academy and once I get my hands on this book, I'll fly through this series!
10. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor: This book has been popping up around me a lot lately, so it's been bumped up my list and will be consumed very shortly.


Are any of these of your list? What other new books should I be dying to read? Let me know!

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: July 9, 2013
Paperback, 368 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

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 neighbourhood. 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.


There's just something about Perkins's writing that gets right into my soul and makes me want more. Maybe it's her brilliantly flawed characters that come alive and beg to be heard. Or her settings, rich in detail and just as much a character as the rest. Though I bet it's both these things, twisted together to create a story that leaps off the page and feels like it's happening to your best friend. After reading Anna and the French Kiss, I knew I'd found a new favourite author. And the sequel did not disappoint. Each character was unlike any before and it was refreshing to see such diversity in such a small amount of space.

Lola does not live a typical life. Raised by her uncle and his boyfriend, she loves to be theatrical. She goes everywhere in costume, a new wig everyday and a stand out outfit to match. She knows people thinks she's quirky, but it's all she knows. Her life is working out exactly as planned, she's got great plans for her winter formal dress and she's dating an older rockstar. But when she spots one of the Bell twins, people she grew up next door to most of her life, she knows it's not long until she sees the other, Cricket, and the heartbreak that comes with him. Before she knows it, she's feeling things she shouldn't be and trying to get her life back in order.

One thing that stood out most to me was how non stereotypical this novel was: Two gay dads that are strict and act like normal parents would, no special programming about gay marriage. A female teenage character who's had sex and does not let this change who she is. A male love interest with little to no sexual experience, and a drug recovering mother who isn't there to be taught a lesson or change who the female is, she's just there because that's how life really is. Everything about this book felt real. The emotions Lola felt for Cricket resurfacing after not seeing him for years. He broke her heart, but seeing him after all that time and having him be so different than she remembers creates new feelings that can't be ignored. Real life is hard and sometimes there are people who will get hurt, and maybe she didn't do things the best way possible, but that just made it more real. I've never been one for love triangles, but this one was not forced at all. It was similar to the one in The Hunger Games, where you knew there was really only one person she could pick. Perkins could write just about anything and I'd root for it.

I love how she connected Lola's story to Anna and Etienne's. Lola and Anna work together and Etienne knows Cricket from school. They play small roles in this book, but they are pivotal and help Lola to make some hard choices. I can't wait until all the stories come together in the final book, Isla and the Happily Ever After. I've fallen in love with these characters so quickly and I can't wait to see more of them. Lola is one of a kind, eccentric and outspoken, and Cricket is just as he's described, the boy next door who would do anything for the girl whose heart he broke. Realistic obstacles, strict parents, and problems every teenager faces, this book will break your heart and then make you laugh at the next page. This book was utter perfection, an equal contender for its predecessor, and I know the finale will not disappoint. Some YA books fall short, but this was is perfect and heart warming. If you have not discovered this series yet, then what are you waiting for?

“Just because something isn't practical doesn't mean it's not worth creating. Sometimes beauty and real-life magic are enough.” 

“And if I'm the stars, Cricket Bell is entire galaxies.” 

Waiting on Wednesday: Side Effects May Vary

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't wait to be read" selection is:

Side Effects May Vary

Author: Julie Murphy
304 pages
Expected Publication Date: March 18, 2014

From Goodreads:

What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? 

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most? 

Julie Murphy’s SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY is a fearless and moving tour de force about love, life, and facing your own mortality.

Here's a snippet:

Harvey laughed to himself in a sad way and rubbed his eyes. “You want me to help you with a list of things you won’t disclose to me.” He leaned forward and bit the skin around his thumb. “Classic.”
“You won’t regret it.”
“But—”
“Harvey,” I said, my voice low. “Trust me.”
I knew what this looked like. It looked like I was using Harvey. But here was the reality of the situation: the minute my life went from semi-permanent to most likely temporary, I decided to latch on to everything in my world that had always been permanent, and for me, Harvey was so permanent he was concrete.

This book sounds so delightfully different and I can't wait to get a hold off it! What do you think? What book are you eagerly anticipating? Let me know!