Sunday 14 September 2014

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Summary: If you've never heard of this book, well I don't know where you've been. It's about a girl named Hazel Lancaster (Diagnosis: terminal) and a boy named Augustus Waters (Diagnosis: remission) and their star crossed romance. It's about their lives as side effects. It's about cancer. It's about parents who are scared that they won't be parents anymore. It's about a book that brings them together. It's about dying. It's about living.

It's a frightening book. It's a sad book. It's a funny book. It's a cry yourself to sleep book. It's a wake up in the morning book.  It's a book that makes you question.  It's a book that make you feel.


The Good: This book is hope.  Life happens.  We move on.  But... some infinities are bigger than others.  And we should never forget that. 

The Bad: This book is sad.  You have to be in the right mood to read it.  You have to be prepared to read it.  It's not something light.  It's not something to be picked up on a whim. 

The Heartbreaking: Cancer is heartbreaking.  Being a side effect is heartbreaking.  This entire novel is heartbreaking.  I've never cried so hard during a book.  I've never been reminded of things I had thought I had buried so clearly.  This book knocked me down.  This book help me stand up. 

Rating/Reasoning: I'm not sure how to rate this book. At 2 in the morning, there were a lot of things running through my mind. Good things, bad things, awful things, things I've been trying to forget. But anyway.  I'm not going to rate this book.  Honestly, it's a book I probably won't be reading again, at least for a while. It was good, though. Wonderful, in fact. But, I just can't.

Recommend? John Green writes a heartfelt book.  It's not for everyone, but I think everyone should give it a try. 


Thursday 11 September 2014

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss Series by Stephanie Perkins




Summary: There are three companion novels in this series. Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door, and Isla and the Happily Ever After.  Each novel revolves around a couple as they work through their relationships with each other, family, and friends.

In Anna, you meet Anna and St. Clair (Étienne) as they go through their final year at SOAP (School of America in Paris). This is Anna's first year in Paris as her dad has decided she needs to be more "sophisticated".  She's friendless, lonely, and unsure of what she wants. Until she meets St. Clair. Because she KNOWS she wants him. Unfortunately, he's the one boy she can't have. So, she settles with being his best friend.

In Lola, you meet Lola and Cricket and spend the summer with them in California as they try to reconcile with one another after a disastrous occurrence years ago.  Lola Nolan is perfectly happy with her life. She loves her clothes, she loves her dads, and she loves her rock star boyfriend. But what happens when Calliope and Cricket, the twins from her past, return home and unearth all the hurt that Lola thought she had buried?  Cricket and Lola's story is super sweet. I mean who doesn't wonder about those second chances and if your first was actually the one?  This story is about those second chances. It's also about reinvention, knowing yourself, and of course, love.

In Isla, you meet some familiar faces from Anna, Isla and Josh, and once again we are transported SOAP (and Barcelona!!!!) Josh and Isla begin their relationship with very little drama, but that never lasts long.  Dealing with their crazy families, their senior year, and the fact that their futures may not be together, this is the sizzling and sweet finale to a series that you can most definitely read over and over again.

The Good: Everything.  I could fangirl about this series all day long.  It has everything a feel-good, super sweet, extra lovely, contemporary read needs.  We have cutesy dialogue, quirky and adorable characters, and relatable situations.  The books may seem cheesy from my summaries, but the writing is honest and nothing is over done. 

The Bad: I NEED MORE!  There will never be enough of the awesomeness of these books.  (Some people didn't seem to care as much for Isla as the other two, but I really connected to Isla as a character, so it's really all comes down to you, the reader.)

The Beautiful: Everything in the good section, times ten.  They are easy to read and just make you feel all the feels.  There aren't enough adjectives to describe the love. 

Rating: 5/5 for the entire series and every individual book.

Reasoning: Cutesy dialogue, loveable characters, relatable situations, and just plain awesomeness makes this series one of my favourite contemporary reads!!!!

Recommend? Yes, yes.  A thousand times yes.  If you need something lighthearted and rather beautiful, pick up these books.  If you need to feel better, pick up these books.  If you need some fun, pick up these books.  Falling in love was never so easy. 

Monday 8 September 2014

Monday Check In

So, I just got back from camping and I'm sneaking this blog post in between the clean up. 

A quick update...

Currently reading: Opal, which is book three in the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I am in love with this series. I got them all in those sparkly, floppy bind ups recently and am so digging the floppy.  Once I finish the series, I will do a series review because that how I like to review series and or/trilogies!

Upcoming reviews: 
 1. Anna and the French Kiss series (which includes Lola and the Boy Next Door and Isla and the Happily Ever After) by Stephanie Perkins
2. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
3. The Fault in our Stars by John Green
4, 5, & 6. Attachments, Eleanor & Park, and Fangirl all by Rainbow Rowell

I know this is short but I've been slacking the book blog department, so I just wanted to post SOMETHING!



Peace & Love