Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Published: January 2, 2012
Hardcover, 236 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

As soon as I found out this book was going to take place over a 24 period, I knew I'd love it. I love books like that, where so much happens in such a short amount of time that you realize each day really does count for something. I immediately loved Hadley. She's been going through a lot - her parents have gotten divorced and her dad is getting re-married. She's running to get to the airport in time for her flight to England, where her dad now lives, and ends up missing it by four minutes. Now she's stuck waiting for at least three hours, worried she'll miss the wedding and nervous about seeing her dad and meeting her new stepmom. A chance encounter with the boy who will be sitting beside her on the plane changes everything she had planned for that weekend. Oliver is from England. He's sweet, has nice eyes and a killer accent. Hadley tries not to fall for him, but it's impossible. And before she knows it, he's all that matters to her.

Insta-love isn't always my thing, but I loved it in this book. I think it was how they met that sold me on it. I've been in airports, I know the feeling you get when you're alone and see someone cute across the lobby. It's easy to strike up a conversation with someone you may never see again. It's easier to fall for them and fear never seeing them again. Hadley and Oliver were adorable from the start. Both had their own issues to deal with and found solace in each other. Hadley struggles with a lot of family problems over the course of the book. We find out how her parents got divorced and how her life has been different ever since. She has a book that her dad gave her that she hasn't had the guts to read since it's the last thing he gave her. She hasn't seen him since he moved to England and she's not sure how well this weekend will turn out. 

Smith has created a story that makes me believe in love at first sight. There are real concerns mixed in with that fuzzy feeling you get when you meet someone you really connect with. Both characters were likeable, and everything that happens from their first meeting to their last is wonderfully written. I wanted to read this all in one sitting to get the full effect of the book. I wanted to play out my life along side theirs, feeling their feelings at the same time as them. It only takes a minute to connect with someone, maybe only an hour to know you want to get to know them better. Less than a day to realize you like them. This was one of the best contemporary books I read in 2013 and I'm excited to read more from this author. 

“Love is the strangest, most illogical thing in the world.” 

“He’s like a song she can’t get out of her head. Hard as she tries, the melody of their meeting runs through her mind on an endless loop, each time as surprisingly sweet as the last, like a lullaby, like a hymn, and she doesn’t think she could ever get tired of hearing it.” 

Review: Catching Fire

This week is Hunger Games week on my blog! With Catching Fire hitting theatres this Friday, I'm devoting every post to my favourite series. 

Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins

Published: September 1, 2009

Hardcover, 391 pages

5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Sparks are igniting.
Flames are spreading.
And the Capitol wants revenge.

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

If The Hunger Games didn't make you cringe with despair, the sequel certainly will. I don't mean this in a bad way at all, in fact this series quickly became my favourite and still holds that title, but it's brutal, let's be honest, and unlike anything you'll read in the YA genre. Katniss has won the Hunger Games against all odds and she got to save Peeta while she was at it. Her actions did not go unnoticed though and now the Captiol is out for her blood. Her victory tour proves to her that everything they feared is happening. There are uprising in the Districts and President Snow wants her dead. He is sure that everything she did in the game was just a ploy and now it's up to her to prove that everything she did was out of love for Peeta. But nothing is good enough for Snow and when the Quarter Quell is announced, he uses this against her and announces that the Quell tributes will be drawn from only Victors. Without a shadow of a doubt, Katniss knows she is returning to the arena and her mission is to keep Peeta alive no matter what.

Katniss never fails to surprise me. She is at a crossroads at the beginning of the book. Her love for her family makes her want to run away, taking Peeta and Gale with her. Gale refuses to go, knowing that whether Katniss admits it or not, she has feelings for Peeta. When new Peacekeepers arrive and turn everything about District 12 into something unfathomable, Katniss realizes too late that she should have run. When she's shipped back to the Captiol, Peeta in hand, not ready for the next games to come, she does whatever she can to fight the Captiol. What I love is that as Katniss is coming up with her own ways of rebelling, everyone else on her team, as well as the other Victors, are also trying their hardest to let the Captiol know that what they're doing is wrong. There are so many small moments that took my breath away and I was eager to see how the Games would play out. Katniss never stops being strong, never stops worrying about Peeta, and is able to go into the Games ready for him to make it out alive. The way that she propels herself by thinking of Peeta is the most selfless thing she's ever done and it just prove how deep her love for him really is, even if she doesn't know it yet.

The Games in this book blew me away. They were sneaky and strategic and not at all like the previous. Katniss immediately became allies with Finnick, the pretty boy from District 4. Unsure if she can trust him, she goes through a lot of emotions throughout the game, continuously trying to keep Peeta alive. More allies soon arrive, putting Katniss in a very difficult situation. She knows she can only save one person and she wishes she weren't becoming close to more. This has always been Katniss's mindset. She is the kind of girl who does not get close to anyone because she knows in the world they live in, getting close surely means a harder goodbye. But the more time she spends with Peeta, the more she longs to stay with him. She still does not want to lose the boy with the bread. There were spins and surprises every chapter ad even though I'd read the book before, I was still eager to see how it all played out again. Collins is brilliant in her writing and plotting, keeping us guessing until the very last page. The new characters are memorable and unique, their stories all so different even though they have all been through the same thing. The acts of rebellion, the hints of trust, and the subtle nods to how well they all know each other, offered a completely different games with a much harder result to render. 

The cliffhanger ending killed me the first time I read it. Luckily, I have Mockingjay beside me so I can quickly dive back into the conclusion of this fantastic series. Katniss, the face of the rebellion, the Mockinjay, still has so much to go through before she can finally be out of the Hunger Games.

“I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now and live in it forever.”

“My nightmares are usually about losing you. I'm okay once I realize you're here.” 

“I realize only one person will be damaged beyond repair if Peeta dies. Me.” 

Review: Shadow Kiss

Shadow Kiss
Author: Richelle Mead
Published: November 13, 2008
Paperback, 443 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all... might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose's forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line - and choose between the two people she loves most.

I was super excited going into this book. Frostbite was so good and I couldn't wait for more Rose. It started with a bang with Rose having dark thoughts since killing her first Strigoi. Things aren't feeling quite right and she's pretty sure she's seeing Mason, her could be boyfriend who got killed during the attacks in the last book. Not only that but Lissa is experimenting with her magic with Adrian, causing friction between Lissa and Christian, and Victor Dashkov may be released from jail soon. Shit just keeps hitting the fan in Rose's life but she doesn't  have time to deal with any of it as she is now in her field practice for becoming a guardian, protecting someone she didn't think she'd be paired with. 

There was so much going on in this book, it was hard to put it down. I loved the field practice, where the dhampirs have the chance to put everything they've learned to practice and fight off the Guardians as though they are real Strigoi. Rose's practice starts off rough, but we all know how strong she is and she eventually proves it again to everyone around her. This book is a game changer. Everything that happens in it is sure to make an impact on the rest of the series. Lissa's powers are getting stronger everyday, but this is bad news for Rose since she is sucking up all the madness coming off of Lissa. Victor is still alive, though locked up for good, but I have a feeling he'll be back. Rose has finally discovered what being Shadow Kissed really means and it may not be a good thing at all. The ending is flawless and unexpected. Everything was written well and sucked me in and there was no way I was letting go. 

Rose and Dimitri's relationship also changes drastically in this book. I got chills every time they spoke, hoping for another kiss to add to the two they've shared so far. Dimitri is a good match for Rose. He knows how to calm her down but also understands that if she wants to do something, she'll do it. The age difference barely registers with me when they are together and the moments they spend together in the cabin were swoon worthy. I'm not sure what I'll think of the next book, Blood Promise, since the ending to this one may have scarred me for life, but I'm eager to find out what happens between Rose and Dimitri now that everything has happened. Rose is such a refreshing heroine, and I can't wait to see what other trouble she gets into. 

“Even I make mistakes." I put on my brash, overconfident face. "I know it's hard to believe—kind of surprises me myself—but I guess it has to happen. It's probably some kind of karmic way to balance out the universe. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair to have one person so full of awesomeness.” 

Review: Allegiant

Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Published: October 22, 2013
Hardcover, 526 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories. 

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love. 


Veronica Roth is a brilliant storyteller. She knows just which words to use to lure you in and just what plot points to keep you there. Divergent blew me away. It took me into a world that seemed so plausible yet scary as hell. A world divided and ready to fight. Tris made the hard decision to leave her family for the faction she belonged in and soon found herself a Divergent, hunted and dangerous. The second novel, Insurgent, explored the world around her, helped her fall in love with Four, and revealed secrets we never saw coming. Together in the final book, Tris and Four step out beyond the fence in hopes of getting answers, but only find more secrets, more rebellion and answers they may never be ready for. 

I anticipated this book since I finished Insurgent. Talk of the world beyond the faction made my mind go wild with possiblities. When they finally left the city, I had no idea what they would find, and I wish I could say I was just as excited when I found out what they did. Unfortunately, none of what played out was what I thought it would be, but that doesn't mean I wasn't drawn into the story just as well. Final books are hard to live up to the first ones. We expect a lot, we expect resolution, lots of fights and lots of love (at least I do). This novel opened up a whole new world of possibilities that I found  weren't explored. We stayed in the new compound, we barely got to know about the fringes and everyone ended up back in the city in the end. Nonetheless, Roth took some brave moves and took the story in a direction that we would not soon forget.

Told through the alternate views of Tris and Four, we finally have a real chance at getting into Four's head. At first, the chapters were confusing as I couldn't remember who was talking because I was so used to only hearing from Tris's head, but eventually I got the hang out it. Four wasn't as unique as I thought his voice would be, nor did he feel as strong as he did in the earlier books. It seemed like he almost lost himself while Tris was becoming everything she knew she could be. Their relationship had a few bumps, jealously rearing its ugly head, but there was no denying their love for the other. They are the type that would do anything for the other and that backfired a few times. Tris is still the bravest girl out there, willing to do whatever it takes to save those she loves, even if they've betrayed her in the past. She is strong enough to forgive her brother, Caleb, as well as earning the forgiveness from those she's betrayed in the past. Her story arc has been heartbreaking. She's had to do a lot to survive and endure death after death. Somehow though, even i the end, she never falters, especially since she knows what she has to lose. Four may only have four fears, but I think Tris is the one who has overcome her fears and continued being brave. Tris and Four were separated for most of the book, which made the two points of view nice so we could follow them both. A lot happened to them outside that fence as they tried to turn their city back into what they thought worked before. Enemies sprang up from everywhere and unlikely heroes fought against them. 

This book was nothing short of epic, though there were some scenes that could have been deleted or sped up, and Roth went out with a bang. Bravery and sacrifice have been following Tris since the beginning and if anything, her character had the hardest decisions to make. The other characters I loved made sure they had their say in this book and helped every way they could to get through the final task. Tris and Four's relationship took some hits, but their love kept them strong. Even when they were apart, the other was always on their mind. This series could have finished stronger, but I'm still impressed with everything Roth has done. This will easily become a hit with a lot of fans, even more so after the movie comes out. I can't wait to see what else Roth has in store for us.

“There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater.

But sometimes it doesn't.

Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life.

That is the sort of bravery I must have now.” 

Review: The S Word

The S Word
Author: Chelsea Pitcher
Published: May 4, 2013
Paperback, 304 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.

But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's looping scrawl.

Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.

It's common to find young adult novels involving suicide and ostracized girls. I've read quite a few books about a girl who finds her boyfriend cheating on her or a girl who gets labelled as a slut, but this book was nothing like those others. It involved many of the same ideas, but it stood out of the pact. Angie discovers her best friend, Lizzie, in bed with her boyfriend on prom night. She doesn't wait around for an explanation and by monday, Lizzie is labelled a slut. Angie ignores her, agreeing with everyone else, until Lizzie commit suicide and suddenly Angie doesn't feel okay about anything she did. When Suicide Slut shows up on Lizzie's locker in her own handwriting, Angie takes it among herself find out who won't let Lizzie rest in peace. Throughout her investigations, she finds out more about herself than anything else and realizes she wasn't the best friend she could have been those last weeks of Lizzie's life. 

This book started with a bang. I knew the writing would show up, but when it did, a chill ran down my spine. I had no idea how it would play out - did Lizzie somehow come back from the dead? Never died? Was someone just screwing with everyone? Wanting to know the answer just as much as Angie did, I had to keep reading, and reading, until I was done. I plowed through this book and as more clues and hints were given, more suspects coming to light, I found myself constantly thinking about who could be behind all this. But the writing on the locker wasn't even the scariest part of this story. Angie discovers things about high school that she was oblivious to. As she reads Lizzie's diary, she finds out how Lizzie really felt about high school. As one of the most popular girls in school, Angie didn't know how hard it was for others to survive the hell that is high school. She becomes friends with Jesse, one of Lizzie's old friends, and finds out first hand how hard it is to be an individual where all everyone wants is to be accepted. The brutality of high school is shown without filters, and Pitcher nails it on the head.

Not only did this book show the cruelty of teens, but it also had a dash of mystery and teen sleuthing. Angie was a nice mix of Veronica Mars and the guilty best friend, and Lizzie was an updated version of Hester Prynne, a nice big little S by her name. The twists and turns that come to light as this story progressed kept me on my toes and eager for more. Everything came together in a hauntingly beautiful, realistic ending with a nice dash of revenge involved for good measure. Not only did this book touch on bullying, slut shaming, and suicide, but it also dove into the heart wrenching reality of child abuse, sexuality, gender roles, and rape. 

Angie's character developed like any real girl would after something brutal and unforgivable happens in her life. Much like the main character in Speechless, she discovers the consequences of her actions as she tries to redeem herself throughout the book. Everything sequence of events leads to the unforgettable ending and there is not better way for this book to have played out. Pitcher took risks and succeeded, Angie's voice is bitter with anger and regret and even Lizzie's voice is haunting from beyond the grave, pleading and loving and wishing for only a better life. A heartbreaking, realistic and fragile read, Pitcher hits the bullseye of this genre.

“It scares me to see someone so together come unhinged. It makes me think none of us are in control.” 

Review: Frostbite

Frostbite
Author: Richelle Mead
Published: April 10, 2008
Paperback, 327 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose... 

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory. 

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

This series is quickly becoming one of my favourites and I'm only two books in. Mead's world of vampires is believable and refreshingly different than what I've seen in YA lately. The first novel, Vampire Academy, began the thrilling tale of Rose Hathaway and her best friend Lissa Dragomir, a vampire elite whom she'd do anything for. Rose's job in life is to protect Lissa from the Strigoi, an immortal race of vampires out to destroy the Moroi. When an attack on one of the royal families causes alarm, the academy takes to a sheltered ski resort in hopes of keeping everyone safe. The students spend their days making out, and falling in love. Rose desperately tries to get over Dimitri while hanging out with Mason and deciding whether he's worthy of her love. But some students aren't satisfied with just hiding in the shadows, some want to go out and fight the Strigoi themselves, and unfortunately for Rose, those students also happen to be her friends. 

The story weaves itself so tightly it's hard to put it down even at chapter breaks. I found myself halfway through it in one day and wishing I didn't have to sleep so I could keep going. The tension between Rose and Dimitri only heightens in this book, making me want to tear the pages until they finally kiss. There's no doubt those two are meant for each other, and I love that it's going to take them until the end of the series to finally get together (just a prediction). The friendship between Rose and Lissa is lovely to watch. The way that they act is very realistic. They love each other but still keep secrets and don't tell each other everything, as most of us do. It's the kind of friendship I know will transcend every awful thing that happens to them, and I know there will be more terrible things if these first two books are anything like the rest of the series. 

Mead just has a way with words. There is nothing special about her writing. The prose does not roll off the page and stay with you long after you've finished the page, but I like that about it. I don't need fancy words and metaphors galore, in fact I prefer the simple writing of hers. She tells the story as Rose, a straight forward girl who doesn't have time to dream about the flowers or gaze into the stars as she thinks about Dimitri. But Rose is more memorable a character than most I've read. She is loyal, loving, and determined to protect those she loves. She hasn't had an easy life, her mother wasn't around and she never knew her father. It may be impossible for her to find love and start a family as her role as a Guardian means protecting Lissa above all else. But you don't feel sorry for her, in fact you fear her. She is strong and brave and snarky. My kind of girl. Every character i this book stands out on their own, begging for attention from the reader. Dimitri is tortured and dreamy but it's never annoying. Lissa is in more pain than Rose, but does not want to burden her friend even though she fears for her life. And even those characters you want to hate, like Rose's mom and Adrian Ivashkov are likeable in the way that their characters are well rounded and real. Everyone has good and bad in them, and that's what creates a remarkable character.

Each book gives more information about these vampires and what it means to be them and fear them. Rose has a lot to learn and Lissa still has to figure out her powers. The need to find out how this series ends makes me crave the next chapter, Shadow Kiss, which I'll no doubt start shortly.

“There's nothing worse than waiting and not knowing what'll happen to you. Your own imagination can be crueler than any captor.” 

Review: Eleanor & Park *Book 50!*

Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: February 26, 2013
Hardcover, 328 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

The characters in this book by no means have perfect lives. They are labelled as misfits, but I think they are just ordinary. A lot of us felt like misfits in school, maybe because we were different and didn't fit into the stereotypical cool crowd. I certainly felt like a misfit in high school. Eleanor is a bigger girl with bright red curly hair and a wild fashion sense to match. It's 1986 and she's just moved back in with her mom and siblings after living with a foster family for a year. Starting a new school is hard enough, but it's worse when you have to take a bus and can't find a place to sit. Enter Park, a half white, half Korean boy who has been accepted in school even though he feels he doesn't fit in. He lets Eleanor sit beside him, against his better judgement, putting a start to what will soon be a love story about star-crossed lovers with a love of all things nerdy.

It starts out slow, this relationship between two unlikely kids. Eleanor spends her days trying to get through school and wishing she didn't have to go home to her abusive step father. Park tries to avoid his father who is pressuring him to drive and be someone he's not. But on the bus, he reads his comics and Eleanor reads over his shoulder. Their relationship begins like this, no words, just comics. Soon Park is giving Eleanor comics and more and more words are being said. Every interaction between them gave me the shivers and I couldn't wait for something more to happen. It's simple how they fall in love, realistic and how many teenagers in real life probably would. And when things do start to happen, it's wonderful and made me melt. These two are just perfect, on their own and for each other. The story is told by both Eleanor and Park, sometimes whole chapters, sometimes just paragraphs. I loved when Rowell would have the point of view switch during a scene, allowing us readers to hear both lovers's thoughts as they trailed through the unknown together. 

The love in this book flies off the pages. When Eleanor and Park are alone together, everything is perfect in the world. Nothing can stop these two from giving each other their all. There is so much love that it's hard to know that they must leave each other and go back to places they don't want to be. And where the love makes my heart flutter, the abuse and bad family life makes me shutter. It's all too real when the love Eleanor feels for Park is the only thing keeping her there. There were wonderful moments in this book, but then there were terrible moments, moments I wish I didn't have to read because I wish moments like this didn't happen in real life. But they do and this made the book even more real. Every word gave me a new emotion. Every page left me wanting more. Every thought from Eleanor made me fall for Park and every way that Park described Eleanor made me smile. These two are unique, and maybe they are misfits who listen to The Smiths and make each other mix tapes and hold hands like it's the most important thing to do in the world, but that's what keeps them in my mind long after I've read the book. Rowell is a writer. She knows how to make you feel and fall and wish you were on that bus, watching these two teenagers find the love we all hope to find in our lives. 

He set his forehead against hers. She didn’t know what to do with her eyes or her hands. “Nothing before you counts,” he said. “And I can’t even imagine an after.”

“You can be Han Solo,” he said, kissing her throat. “And I’ll be Boba Fett. I’ll cross the sky for you.”

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.”

Review: Imaginary Girls

Imaginary Girls
Author: Nova Ren Suma
Published: June 14, 2012
Paperback, 348 pages
4 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.


This book gave me the chills from beginning to end. The opening chapter promises mystery, lush settings, and possibly even murder. Even the cover haunts me as I still try to get this story out of my mind. It begs not to leave, it promises to stay with me in the dark, under the water, in the woods, and in my dreams. Ruby and Chloe are characters I've never encountered before and don't think I ever will again. There's nobody like them out there, no one with quite the same bond that these sisters share, a bond that threatens to suck me in with them and never let go.

Ruby is the kind of girl everyone loves. She rules the small town her and her sister, Chloe, have grown up in. Ruby raised Chloe and would do anything for her. Chloe is cool by association, invited to parties because her sister will be there, and looked at by boys because she has the long almost black hair like her sister. When Ruby tells her friends that Chloe can swim across the town reservoir one night, a blackened pool of water that seems to have no end and holds the mystery of the sunken town of Olive, Chloe jumps in without hesitation, knowing her sister will take care of her. When her swim finds her in the middle of the reservoir looking at a dead body in a rowboat, Chloe's life is suddenly ripped apart. She is sent to live with her dad, separated from Ruby. The chapters she spends there are the saddest in the book. It's clear Chloe loves Ruby and doesn't feel like the same person without her. Two years later, Chloe returns to town and things  are certainly not what they seem. Suddenly Chloe is deep in a world she's never known, keeping secrets from Ruby and feeling a strange pull to the town of Olive. Only Ruby knows the truth and Chloe is determined to seek it out.

This small town is just as much a character as Ruby or Chloe. The way that everything seems to revolve around Ruby is enough to send a shiver up my spine. And Olive, the sunken town under the reservoir, is even more haunting. Ruby tells stories of the people who still live down there, gils instead of lungs, and hoping for people to go swimming so they can pull them under. At any mention of Olive, I gripped the pages tighter, knowing there was no way for me to be prepared for what could happen next. Every setting stood out: The house that Ruby and Chloe live in, unfinished and strategically placed by the reservoir. The old cemetery where the people of Olive are buried, and the reservoir itself, black and endless with more secrets than you can count. 

Chloe is the perfect narrator for a tale like this. She is unreliable, a girl obsessed with her sister and willing to do whatever it takes to be with her. And Ruby, a mysterious girl full of secrets and magic, even more unreliable than Chloe. Both girls leave haunting words on every page. They have a relationship unlike anything I've ever read, almost obsessive, but full of love. They only know each other, they know there is no one else that can be counted on, and they go through life needing each other. The further into the book I got, the less I knew about these two girls. Shrouded in mysteries, the girls are just as obscure of the town of Olive; it was hard to know if they actually really existed. Most of the time, I wasn't sure if they were real. I wasn't sure if any of the story was real or if it was all in Chloe's head. That's the beauty of this book. It tightroped along the line of reality and fantasy just enough to make me question everything I read. Who existed and who was just in Chloe's head? Was the town of Olive real? Is it still under the water just like Ruby says it is? None of these questions are answered, like I knew they wouldn't be. The story went in a direction that I couldn't have imagined, but in the end made perfect sense. 

The mysterious and haunting nature of this book  keeps me thinking about it days after finishing it. It's the kind of book I could read four times and still not have answers to my burning questions. Just like the girls in this book, this book is unreal and chilling, leaving me breathless and scared to go near dark waters at night. Suma is a brilliant writer, someone who can make me believe everything she wrote even though I was confused and scared most of the time. I hope the people of Olive enjoy this review and stay away from me when I'm swimming.

“The story you choose to tell isn't always the story you believe.” 

Review: Truly, Madly, Deeply

Truly Madly Deeply
Author: Hannah Jayne
Published: July 2, 2013
Paperback, 262 pages
2 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

They Said It Was An Accident...

Sawyer Dodd is a star athlete, a straight-A student, and the envy of every other girl who wants to date Kevin Anderson. When Kevin dies in a tragic car crash, Sawyer is stunned. Then she opens her locker to find a note:

You're welcome.

Someone saw what he did to her. Someone knows that Sawyer and Kevin weren't the perfect couple they seemed to be. And that someone—a killer—is now shadowing Sawyer's every move...

I had really high hopes for this book. The description sent an eerie chill up my spine. A car accident kills Sawyer Dodd's boyfriend, Kevin, but when she gets a note in her locker that just says "you're welcome", she's not so sure it was an accident anymore. I was eager to see what else would happen to Sawyer after she got the note in her locker. A few more things happened to her that could have been scary and should have been, but somehow just didn't give me the thrill I was hoping for.

There wasn't much character development. Sawyer feel flat and did not really it the description set for her on the back cover. Yes, she did track, but I saw nothing saying that she was a star athlete, and nowhere did it mention hoe great her grades were. Perhaps this is who she was before the accident, but there is no indication of that anywhere in the book. Some more background history on her and her life would had made me like her more. I found there wasn't much to like. We discover early on that she was in an abusive relationship, but I didn't feel her pain, I didn't feel how scared she was to be around other people. Not that I've been through  anything like that, but in books I've read before, there has always been an emotional and physical change after a character goes through distress. There wasn't much feistiness to her, and I think that could have benefitted her in the situations she got herself into.

There were a lot of characters amped up as suspects. I had fun trying to guess who the culprit was and enjoyed having new suspects come into play. I think if I had read this book in one sitting, I may have enjoyed it more. The suspense may have been more evident to me and I might have jumped if I read it during a thunderstorm. I wouldn't tell anyone not to read this. A lot of reviews I've read have said very good things, but I guess it just wasn't the book for me. I haven't read many thrillers and maybe that's just not a genre I'm into. I'd say read it and judge it for yourself. It's a quick read and there is a lot of emotional struggles. I'm curious to see what you guys thought of it, and don't get me wrong, I won't be spreading hate for this book or anything, it just wasn't for me. 

Review: The Mockingbirds

The Mockingbirds
Author: Daisy Whitney
Published: January 2, 2012
Paperback, 332 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Some schools have honor codes.

Others have handbooks.

Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way-the Themis way. So when Alex Patrick is date-raped during her junior year, she has two options: Stay silent and hope someone helps, or enlist the aid of the Mockingbirds-a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of the student body.

For someone who can't even think about the possibility of being raped, I certainly read a lot of books revolving around it. I am always drawn to books about girls who have been through something terrible and come out on top in the end. Sometimes they win in a small way, but other times, like in The Mockingbirds, they get all the justice they could want. Yes, no matter what happens, there is still the fact that the assault occurred, but there are ways to help you sleep at night, and Alex certainly got hers.

This book jumped right into it. We don't see the event happen, just the aftermath. Alex doesn't remember anything when she wakes up in a dorm that isn't her own. She listens to the guy she wakes up beside when he says they had a great night together. It isn't until she gets home when she realizes something is wrong. It's hard for her to admit what happened, and when she finally finds the strength, her sister suggests The Mockingbirds, a secret society inside the school that holds trials for cases that the school board chooses to ignore. Frightened, Alex agrees and is soon transported into the underbelly of her school. Suddenly her fear is replaced with bravery and she's ready to stand up for what happened and make sure the man who did this to her pays.

What I liked most is that even though she novel revolves around rape and a trial about it, it doesn't seem preachy. We find out the information about what happened that night throughout the book with Alex, feeling the pain of thinking it's her own fault for drinking too much, and the fear when she passes him in the hall. The Mockingbirds are a great touch. Named after To Kill a Mockingbird, they fight for justice in a school that decides it doesn't need to. The more Alex discovers, the more I rooted her for to get to the end where she feels safe enough to go out at night. The scariest thing about being assaulted is the fear of moving on with your life. Yes, there is no way to get over it in a night, but justice and knowing that the person who did this to you has been outed, would certainly help me sleep at night. The Mockingbirds protect the student body and help everyone feel safe. I think every school needs a society like this. 

The plot was fast paced enough to make me want to keep reading. The bits and pieces of Alex's night staggers throughout the pages crept into me just like they did her. This book stood apart from the other books about rape that I've read. Even though they all have the same major theme, Alex's story sounded real and believable. She was not attacked, she was date raped, and something like that is more likely to happen to a girl in college or university. Whitney approached it in the best way possible. Alex's story has happened to many girls, including the author, and the more we write about it, the more these girls will be strong enough to stand up and get the justice they deserved. No one should have to fear this happening to them, but if it does, they should know it's safe to tell someone about it. 

“In this moment I'm not defined by the other things, the things that happened to me, the things I didn't choose. This is the part of me that defines for all time, for always. The thing I choose completely.”

Review: Anna and the French Kiss

 Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Published: July 13, 2013
Paperback, 372 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

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. She is less than thrilled about boarding school in Paris - until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, he has it all - including a serious girlfriend. Will Anna get her French kiss?

Paris, the city of love. It's magical and anything can happen when you're far from home. Anyone would be happy to spend the semester abroad in this beautiful city, everyone expect Anna Oliphant. She's happy with her life in Atlanta, ready for her senior year of high school with her best friend and Toph, the boy who could very well become something more than a friend soon. So when her family ships her to France, she's content to stay in her room and pretend none of this ever happened. But life won't let Anna dwell on the past. Immediately, she finds herself friends with the girl next door and soon enough with Mer's friends. They force her out of her room and into the wonderfulness that is Paris. She finds herself drawn to Etienne St. Clair, the very handsome British boy who lives upstairs from her. And although she knows he's very taken and her feelings for Toph have not gone away, she can't help but want to be with him all the time. As she struggles to keep her feelings for him aside, she starts to discover the real beauty of Paris.

Paris is just as much a character in this book as Anna is. When Anna finally leaves her room, we see the cityin a beautiful light, like a new chapter in Anna's life. From Notre Dame to the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, the more Anna loses herself in the city, the more she changes from who she used to be. Throughout the pages, we see her grow up. She realizes some things can never be the same with her friends and family back home, and she realizes just how important some friendships are. She learns to except that paris is part of her life now and slowly she finds herself falling in love with a city she never wanted to be in. 

Every character stands out. Some have your basic characteristics, but Perkins makes them her own. Anna, who is shy and reserved quickly becomes the girl she never thought she could be.  St. Clair is your typical YA crush, but he has his own demons to deal with and tries to make the right choices in life. Mer is a girly sporty chick, Rashmi is a cool indie chick, and Josh is a loud artsy guy. The characters made this book what it is. Each one had their own story inside this story, each with their own drama to deal with. And even though Anna and St. Clair's story was the main focus, no one was forgotten in the background. Our main characters wouldn't get to where they ended up without help from their friends. 

This story is the perfect length. As I was reading it, I thought it was going to be long, I thought there would be a lot of filler before I got to the parts I wanted to read. But there is no filler. Everything that happens needed to happen. In fact, by the end, I was hoping for more. I can't wait to see what's next for Anna and Etienne, but I'm also looking forward to meeting Perkins's new characters in Lola and the Boy Next Door, where I'm hoping Anna and Etienne will make a guest appearance. I'm still new to the YA contemporary genre, but this book certainly stood out among the rest and will forever stay in my heart. Also, can I go to paris now, please?

Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place?