Review: Such a Pretty Girl

Hello, everyone! I'm baaaaccccck! Finally, it's the last week of school and I'm looking forward to more books and more blogging time. Wow. I seriously miss setting up posts. This time it's official and I'm hoping I won't miss posting days.

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Title: Such a Pretty Girl
Author: Laura Wiess
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

They promised Meredith nine years of safety, but only gave her three.

Her father was supposed to be locked up until Meredith turned eighteen. She thought she had time to grow up, get out, and start a new life. But Meredith is only fifteen, and today her father is coming home from prison.

Today her time has run out.

Blog Tour: Branded (Trailer + Excerpt + Review)

Title: Branded (Sinners #1)
Author: Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.

Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home. 

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain. 

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.

The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me. 

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. 

My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

Review: True

Title: True
Author: Erin McCarthy
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

When Rory Macintosh’s roommates find out that their studious and shy friend has never been with a guy, they decide that, as an act of kindness they’ll help her lose her virginity by hiring confident, tattooed bad boy Tyler Mann to do the job…unbeknownst to Rory.

Tyler knows he’s not good enough for Rory. She’s smart, doctor smart, while he’s barely scraping by at his EMT program, hoping to pull his younger brothers out of the hell their druggy mother has left them in. But he can’t resist taking up her roommates on an opportunity to get to know her better. There’s something about her honesty that keeps him coming back when he knows he shouldn’t…

Torn between common sense and desire, the two find themselves caught up in a passionate relationship. But when Tyler’s broken family threatens to destroy his future, and hers, Rory will need to decide whether to cut her ties to his risky world or follow her heart, no matter what the cost…

ISPA Event: Going Under (Review + Giveaway)

Title: Going Under
Author: S. Walden
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Brooke Wright has only two goals her senior year at Charity Run High School: stay out of trouble and learn to forgive herself for the past. Forgiveness proves elusive, and trouble finds her anyway when she discovers a secret club at school connected to the death of her best friend. She learns that swim team members participate in a “Fantasy Slut League,” scoring points for their sexual acts with unsuspecting girls.

Brooke, wracked with guilt over her friend’s death, decides to infiltrate the league by becoming one of the “unsuspecting girls,” and exact revenge on the boys who stole away her best friend. An unexpected romance complicates her plans, and her dogged pursuit of justice turns her reckless as she underestimates just how far the boys will go to keep their sex club a secret.

(This is a New Adult fiction book with mature themes. It contains graphic sex and language and a description of sexual violence.)

Review: Dare You To

Title: Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2)
Author: Katie McGarry
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: "I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

Blog Tour: Shattered Soul (Review)

Title: Shattered Soul

Author: Jennifer Snyder

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: Hellish Nightmare...

If seventeen-year-old Seth Bradson were to describe his life in two words, those would be the two he’d choose. Seth prefers to cope with his crappy existence by spending his days in a drug-induced haze. But when Ali Carson steps into his life, Seth finds something he’s subconsciously been seeking—a new drug, one that consumes his mind unlike any other.

Love.

In a moment of unforgivable weakness, Seth allows Ali to try crystal meth, his most addictive temptation. This single event begins the unraveling of both their lives and forces Seth to learn the definition of regret the hard way.

Review:

"Life's a bitch and then you die. So, fuck the world and let's get high."

The title fits this novel so, so much! When I agreed to read this for a review, I seriously thought I knew what I’m putting myself into, but damn, my heart was definitely shattered after reading this book. 

I’m not new to this drug addiction theme since I’ve been writing my research paper since high school with this as my topic, but reading about it and making it seem like it is more real and part of someone’s life, plus Snyder’s amazing talent in making such words blow so hard, that it affects its readers. 

I was first confused with Ali’s personality. Being the new kid, she gives me the impression of being a good girl, not saint-like but still good. Then all of a sudden, she gives hints to Seth about popping pills and ‘having fun,’ which contradicts to that good girl image she has on my mind. But after a while, I mean after having some fun, I got used to it and was okay with her acting wild. 

What broke my heart were her actions towards Seth. A part of the blame is on Seth, it’s pretty obvious, but I hated how she acted towards him and how she keeps on ruining her life on her own that caused hurting those people who cares about her. I had this crazy nausea while reading this book, waiting for the next bad thing to happen and it felt worse after reading it. What she did to Seth in the end was just low. It was goddamn low, no matter how much she wanted that goddamn meth. Maybe this nausea wasn't just because of the story but also because of what she did. 

This book is something to be taken seriously. It’s heart-wrenching and really depressing but it was really good. I have to say that it was very well-written because of all the emotions it gave me while and after reading this book. 

To those who are planning to read this, approach with caution but never back down.

About the Author:

Jennifer Snyder lives in North Carolina were she spends most of her time writing young adult fiction, reading, and struggling to stay on top of housework. She is an instant coffee lover with an obsession for spiral bound notebooks and smooth writing pens. Jennifer lives with her husband and two children, who endure listening to songs that spur inspiration on repeat and tolerate her love for all paranormal, teenage-targeted TV shows.

Blog | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Tour Schedule

March 25th:

Ramblings of a Diva Booknerd

http://divainpyjamas.blogspot.com.au/ - Review

Book Addicts Not So Anonymous

http://bookaddictedaa.blogspot.com/ - Review

Reality Bites! Lets Get Lost!!

http://realitybites-letsgetlost.blogspot.com - Review

Paperback Princess

http://princess-paperback.blogspot.com.au - Promo

Simply Sensational Book Fanatics

http://ssbookfanatics.blogspot.com - Promo

ReadingRenee

http://www.readingrenee.com - Review

Confessions of a Book Addict

http://www.bookaddict24-7.tumblr.com - Promo

Bookwyrming Thoughts

http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/ - Promo

Sab The Book Eater

http://sabthebookeater.blogspot.com/ - Review

Charlie, Coffee and a Good Book

http://charliecoffeeandagoodbook.blogspot.com - Review

Tiffany Talks Books

tiffanytalksbooks.com - Review

Bookmarks, Spoilers and Happily Ever After

http://bookmarksspoilersandhappilyeverafter.blogspot.com/ - Review

March 26th:

The Book Cafe

http://thebookcafeblog.blogspot.com/ - Review

She's Got Books on Her Mind

http://shesgotbooksonhermind.blogspot.com/ - Promo

Books4Tomorrow

www.bookstomorrow.blogspot.com - Promo

Fictional Candy

http://www.fictionalcandy.com - Review

Magic World Of Books

http://magic-world-of-books.blogspot.ro/ - Review

March 27th:

Pamela Foreman, Published Author

http://www.pamelaforeman/com - Review

Babbling of a Bookaholic

http://babblingofabookaholic.blogspot.com/ - Review

A Bookish Escape

http://www.abookishescape.com - Review

Books Ahoy

www.books-ahoy.blogspot.com - Review

Taking It One Page at a Time

http://danicapage.blogspot.com - Promo

YA Book Addict

http://youngadultbookaddict.blogspot.com.au/ - Review

Lounging with Lindsey

http://loungingwithlindsey.blogspot.com - Review

Faerie Tale Books

www.faerietalebooks.org - Review

CBL Reviews

www.cblreviews.com - Review

Review: If You Find Me

Author: Emily Murdoch

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: There are some things you can’t leave behind…

A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes and boys.

Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go… a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

Review:

"Home. Four letters heavier than twenty thousand elephants."

I never thought I'd feel this way after reading the book. I didn't feel the connection in an instant the moment I started reading the book but as the story progressed, it pulled me towards it. It was heartbreaking, compelling and poignant. There's reality in it no matter how rare those things happen in real life. The emotions were there and the characters were tangible. Everything felt real.

I love how Murdoch maintained few characters and avoided a circus out of it. It was more believable because of Carey's background. The way each scenes rolled out was well-paced. It built suspense and makes you wanna read faster but at the same time, I felt like I wanna be suspended in time and slowly take it all in. It contributed to the right emotion I felt while I was reading Carey's confession.

The characters were amazingly written. I loved each of them, even Delaney! Among all of them, my favourite would be Melissa. I have read tons of books, fairy tales even, and step-mothers don't have a clean record but Melissa was so nice and motherly. She makes me wanna curl up beside my mother and make her read to me some stories.

Jenessa's vulnerability is heart-wrenching. If this was a movie, I'm pretty sure you'd see it in their eyes how they lost they were. Carey too. She acts tough and fearless for the sake of her sister but underneath it is a girl who's afraid and clueless on what to do next.

This is story will break your heart, but you'll love it.

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This copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.

Review: Speechless

Author: Hannah Harrington

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret.

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she’s ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there’s strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she’s done. If only she can forgive herself.

Review:

"Running my mouth has hurt enough people already—the least I can do is shut up."

Speechless was so much better that what I've expected. I might have read a few books about bullying, but it never touched the issue of keeping secrets. Hannah Harrington just taught me how important it is.

I honestly hated Chelsea. The moment I read the first scene with Kristen, I started to hate her despite not knowing her yet. She was part of the popular crowd and was obviously running around without thinking of the consequences of her actions. But that was until the consequence bit her. After the incident, the real Chelsea was slowly revealed. The one hidden beneath all those pink wardrobe, cosmetics and partying. Although my opinion about her did not easily changed, I slowly saw her in a different light.

One of the best things in this book is that the author made me feel like I was part of the crowd—the crowd that was judging Chelsea. I was there, present at the exact place where the characters were. It didn't feel like I was just reading. I didn't took Chelsea's side just because she's the protagonist and honestly, as a reader, I tend to do that. Harrington wrote her in amazingly and convinced me that she was worthy despite of what she did.

Each character was packed with their own problems and flaws. No one was perfect and it made everyone tangible. Even the secondary characters made a great difference. Every character's personality balanced everyone else's even though some of them didn't have much exposure compared to others.

I wish Kristen's character was developed though. I wish it didn't end with her being the same stuck-up bitch she was in the first part. Other than her police statement, I can still see her as the shallow, selfish queen-bee. Although I liked how her friendship with Chelsea wasn't mended. I loved how there was no cheesy apologies and stuff.

Brutal truth about friendships, bullying, keeping secrets and betrayal. Speechless is honest, fierce and poignant but not depressing. I love that it wasn't really that mind-blowing and heart-wrenching. It was simple, sort of light but would not fail to make you feel. I just loved every part of it.

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This copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.

Review: The Sea of Tranquility

 

Title: The Sea of Tranquility

Author: Katja Millay

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.

Review:

“Sometimes it's easier to pretend nothing is wrong than to face the fact that everything is wrong, but you're powerless to do anything about it.”

Oh wow. I cannot find the right words to describe this but saying that this is amazing is an understatement. It was raw and gripping and so goddamn emotional but still has the right mix of fun in between. Yes, it was heart breaking. Yes, it was a bit devastating. But no, it won't pull you behind the dark curtains of depression. It actually has this ability of making you hope and believe in second chances.

I love how the author got me so intrigued the moment I started reading it. She made it like it was a puzzle and there were pieces to pick up as I read along. It made me want to read it so fast so I can finally understand Nastya and Josh's individual stories.

Nastya \n(a)-st-ya, nas-tya\ as a girl's name is a variant of Anastasia (Greek), and the meaning of Nastya is "resurrection".

Nastya, after suffering a traumatic incident changed everything about her. She keeps on keeping everyone away, even her family and stopped speaking. I love how her character was written. She was portrayed as tough and vulnerable at the same time while keeping both personalities tied to her and without confusing the readers. Her self-loathing wasn't irritating at all and she seem to keep that attractive personality despite her standoffish attitude towards others.

Josh \j(o)-sh\ as a boy's name is a variant of Joshua (Hebrew), and the meaning of Josh is "Jehovah is salvation".

Josh, after losing everyone in his life, responsibilities and attachments were the last thing on his mind. Although he still got people on his side by default when his best friend chose to stay, he was still alone. Like Nastya, he doesn't want people to stay in his life only to find them gone one day but deep inside, he also craves normalcy and permanence. Both scarred, he and Nastya found solace in each other.

Drew \d-rew\ as a boy's name (also used as girl's name Drew), is pronounced droo. It is of Welsh origin, and the meaning of Drew is "wise". Short form of Andrew. It is of Greek origin, and the meaning of Andrew is "man, warrior".

Drew, the best friend who acts like a jerk but actually isn't. I personally think that the meaning warrior fits him because of how he looks after his friend. He's undeniably loyal to his family and friends. Among all things, what I'm glad about Drew is not on how he treats his friends or how he hugged his sister, but the fact that he proved himself as nothing like what others say about him; like how other people see him. There was definitely more of him than he lets on.

The other characters were also exceptional. It proves that no matter how small that certain character is, he/she has the ability to leave an impact and I think Millay did a good job on making everyone essential to the story. There might be some filler characters mentioned but it wasn't that much and it felt right for them to be there. It made the story real and tangible and not just revolve around the couple.

“We're like mysteries to one another. Maybe if I can solve him and he can solve me, we can explain each other.”

I was used to couples where one of them is flawed and the other one has sort-of-issues but helps the other get over his/her shit and gets together. Here both of them were flawed and deeply scarred. Both of them has issues that won't go away for a long time and it seems perfect how both of them found each other.

The only issue I had with the book is the scene between Aidan. I expected and need more from it. Maybe I wasn't convinced with his speech about what happened but it felt one-sided, abrupt and not-so believable.

But Aidan-scene aside, this is exceptional, amazing, brilliant, genius and I would love to reread it again and again.

This copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my review in any way.

Review: Before I Fall

    

Author: Lauren Oliver

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Review:

This is one of those books you can't describe. You just tell people to read it for them to understand how amazing it is.

I have to give it to Oliver and her amazing writing skills that made me feel a roller coaster of emotions whilst reading this book. She made me hate Sam and her friends but also understood their characters.

Sam was a very realistic character with not just superficial and cliche flaws but real flaws like those in real people. She makes stupid choices, says stupid things, does stupid mistakes but in the end, how she tried and tried and tried to right those things mattered the most. Even it meant doing something she can't undo and sacrificing something important.

This book tore my heart out and made me cry real tears. This is beyond amazing.

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why

   

Author: Jay Asher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret. . . is to press play.

Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead. Her secrets should be buried with her.

Then Hannah's voice tells Clay that his name is on her tapes-- and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.

All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah's recorded words throughout his small town. . .

. . .and what he discovers changes his life forever.

Review:

I believe every action someone does would create a great effect on one person no matter how small it is or if it was just a joke or something serious. This novel proved me that.

I was drawn to read this because of the subject it talked about: suicide. I expected it to be all sad and depressing but it was not. It was realistic and I love how the author gave us a glimpse in what might be happening inside the victim's mind.

But although the plot was amazing, I feel like there could be so much more with the way it was written. It didn't give off any emotions expect guilt for me because the sentences convey less emotions. I did not feel the pain Hannah felt and that was what I have been looking for. It's just straight to the point.

But on the other note, I believe suicide is an unanswered call for help and in this novel, what the others did to Hannah is not that enough for her to take her life but it was enough for her to feel useless, worthless and unwanted; even she can't accept herself. I wish people who did those things to her thought about the effect, even if it's just a small amount of anger or pain. And I wish Mr. Foster and Clay insisted to help her, and didn't wait for her to actually say, "Hey, I need help cos I'm thinking about killing myself."

Judgments aside, this novel scared me. Not that I'm scared of dying, no. It scared me about my own actions and its effect to other people. And it scares me because it slapped me the truth of what I can do to myself. She didn't even have a psychological disorder, and she was able to take her life. What about me? And what happens after I die? Should I also leave something, a CD or letter perhaps explaining to everyone? What will happen next?

This novel awakens every person's sensitivity towards others and maybe opens their eyes for them to look out for others.

Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

    

Author: Stephen Chbosky

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | TBD

Synopsis: Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

Review:

"But because things change. And friends leave. And life doesn't stop for anybody."

The book is a compilation of Charlie's letter to an anonymous friend whom he chooses to tell what happens to his life because he believed that that person would understand him. Throughout the book, you would know how he copes up with the changes in his environment and with his peers. He slowly learns how to wade through the realities of life with the help of his friends and family.

I honestly read this book because of other people's reaction to this and because it will have a movie adaptation next year where Sam will be played by Emma and Charlie by Logan. But after I've read this book, it seems like I don't care about the movie at all. Actually I'm quite afraid they'd disappoint me and ruin the whole meaning of this beautiful book.

Yes, it is definitely beautiful and very heart-warming/wrenching. It took me to another phase of emotional roller coaster whilst reading and I regret nothing. It made me understand certain things about life itself. A part of me got attached to Charlie's character. He reminds me so much about being in a group of people where you have no one but yourself.

A poignant book that has the power to connect to you through its simple words and composition. I love the fact that it's so easy to read yet it brings me to a roller coaster ride of emotions. Those who aren't into reading that much don't have to worry because it's not your typical deep novels with high-end words. It's simple and light and very understandable though some would really make you stop for a while and think what was it.

It's one of those books you'd love to share but can't figure out the right words to describe it. You just have to let others read it.