Tuesday, March 31, 2015

March Book Haul 2015!

So I did pretty good this month when it came to my book buying and I'm super happy about that! Here all the books that I bought this month!
 
Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver- Target- $15.19
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins- Half Price Books- $3.00
All Fall Down by Ally Carter (signed)- Half Price Books- $14.39 (gift for a friend)
Spirit Bound by Rachelle Mead- Half Price Books- $3.00
Last Sacrifice by Rachelle Mead- Half Price Books- $3.00
Out Of Sight Out Of Time by Ally Carter- Half Price Books- $7.99
Save The Enemy by Arin Greenwood- Library- $0.25
Extras by Scott Westerfeld- Half Price Books- $4.99
What Happened To Goodbye by Sarah Dessen- Half Price Books- $4.99
The Grim Grott by Lemony Snicket- Half Price Books- $3.00
The End by Lemony Snicket- Half Price Books- $3.00
The Giver movie- Wal-Mart- $13.95
 
NOT SHOWN IN PICTURE:
Judy Moody Diary- Half Price Books- $1.00 (birthday gift)
 
So that's it for my book haul this month! I hope you guys enjoyed this! Read on bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

Review: Wake by Lisa McMann

Wake by Lisa McMann
Rating: PG-13
Genre: YA Fiction, Romance
Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Page Count: 210
Book #1 of the Dream Catcher trilogy
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: March 4, 2008
 
For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.
She can't tell anybody about what she does they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can’t control.
Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant.
 
Review:
PROS:
1. I got so many requests to review this book as well as a ton of people telling me to hurry up and read this trilogy! I'm a fan of the Visions trilogy by Lisa McMann and I've heard a ton about this book series (all good things) and so I decided that I would finally pick it up and check it out for myself. Here's the review!
 
2. The characters were interesting ones to say the least. Our main character, Janie, doesn't exactly have the best life and the last thing she needs is a weird ability that she doesn't even know what to call. I liked her character because she isn't in the best situation, especially since her mom is always drunk and passed out on the couch. She's a bit of a loner and doesn't really have any friends that she actually likes. I think this book has a great cast of characters that are likeable in a sense and I thought they were all interesting, especially since one of our characters, Cabel, seems to be hiding something from Janie throughout the whole book.
 
3. I thought the whole dream aspect of the story was really cool. I liked how some of the dreams Janie was sucked into would last anywhere from a couple of minutes to a few hours and I thought it was cool how they not only transported her into whoever's dream she was seeing, but it also affected her physically. Though I find it odd how no one noticed her practically having a seizure when she was seeing someone's nightmare in the library or on the bus but I guess that's a problem for another day.
 
4. I loved Lisa McMann's writing in this book, as always. I thought it was interesting how the book is written in parts and also in a timeline. You knew exactly when there was a flashback and what was happening in the present. It was a really quick read because most times the book was written in paragraphs, some a few sentences, others even just a couple of words. Needless to say, I think I found a new favorite author to add to my growing list.  
 
CONS:
1. The reason why I didn't give this book a five-star rating was because, even though I enjoyed the book overall, it lacked a plot. It felt like I was just following Janie around as she goes through her every day life as a teenager with a weird ability to see people's dreams. The only real plot I could get from the book was when Janie tried to figure out who was having the nightmares with the monster in them and after she eventually found out who that was, the book kind of did it's own thing from that point on with no real direction towards a bigger part of the story. I liked this book enough to continue on with the trilogy but I really hope the next book has a defined plot.
 
Follow Lisa!
 
I hope you guys enjoyed this book review! If you have any other book requests you would like me to review, just leave a comment or send me an email! Read on bookworms! See you in the next chapter!
 


Monday, March 30, 2015

Music Matching Monday: The Maze Runner

So there were a few reasons why I made this particular pairing. The Maze Runner is all about these boys who are mysteriously transported into a place called the Glade which is surrounded by 'The Maze'. The only thing they're worried about is finding a way out of the maze in order to escape to freedom, if there even is any. They can't remember a thing about their lives outside the Glade and in order to make it out alive, they have to band together and fight to survive. The song I paired it with just reminds me so much of the story and characters and how much they're the same: strong enough to survive and strong enough to not be controlled and most importantly, strong enough not to give up on each other or escaping the maze.
 
PEOPLE LIKE US by KELLY CLARKSON


Sunday, March 29, 2015

Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Dystopian, Historical Fiction
Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Page Count: 355
Book #1 of The Winner's Trilogy
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Published: March 4, 2014
 
As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.
One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.
But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.
Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.
 
Review:
PROS:
1. I've heard nothing but really great things about this book and I was really excited to pick it up because of what I was hearing. It's been getting a lot of hype lately since it's sequel just recently came out and I thought it was the perfect time to jump on the bandwagon. Here's the review!
 
2. I'm changing things around a bit and starting off with the world of this book. I don't read a ton of historical fiction but I was very pleased with this book. I was really interested in the world that the story takes place, the architecture and even the old-world feel and traditions strewn throughout the book. I love anything with a medieval or 1800's era feel and this book was no exception. I could just imagine the stone walks and villages and shops and buildings. It was a very entertaining read because of that.
 
3. Now the characters. Even though this group wasn't exactly a favorite of mine, I still really enjoyed them. I thought our main character, Kestrel, was a great female protagonist. I thought she was strong and even though she knew her place in society was a greatly respected one, she didn't abuse her position and would much rather decide things for herself even though she struggled to please her father and live up to his expectations. The side characters such as Arin, Jess and Ronan, were really great to get to know and I also thought the book had an even amount of good guys and bad guys. In my opinion, they weren't all that memorable but I'm still excited to see how much they grow in the next book.
 
4. I liked this book because it was about sacrifice and having the determination to fight for what you want and what you believe in. It had it's romantic elements as well as it's intense and honorable moments where Kestrel has to decide what she wants to fight for and what the right choice to make is. It's also about trust and learning to let people in and finding what truly makes you happy. I really liked this book and I can't wait to pick up the sequel.
 
CONS:
The reason why I didn't give this book a five-star rating was because I would've loved to see more fantasy and action in the book. Some of the high points in the book were still a bit slow and for me, the book lacked enough fantasy for it to be out of that genre altogether. I still enjoyed the read but it didn't meet my personal expectations.
 
Follow Marie!
 
I hope you guys enjoyed this book review! If you have any other book requests you would like me to review, just leave a comment or send me an email! Read on bookworms! See you in the next chapter!
 
The Winner's Crime
The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski (The Winner's Trilogy #2)
Available Now

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Upcoming Book-To-Movie Adaptations 2015

 
So I get asked all the time if I know about any other book-to-movie adaptations that will be released in the upcoming months to give my friends and family a heads up on what to read before the film is released. I'm pretty good at keeping up with this stuff so here is a list of book-to-movie adaptations you should keep an eye out for!
 
Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews.
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release Date: June 12, 2015
 
Synopsis: Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.
Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.
 
Temple Hill Entertainment - Paper Towns.png
Paper Towns by John Green.
Director: Jake Schreier
Starring: Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Justice Smith, Austin Abrams, Halston Sage, Jaz Sinclair, Cara Buono
Distributed by: Temple Hill Entertainment
Release Date: June 19, 2015
Trailer: Paper Towns

Synopsis: Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew...

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner.
Director: Wes Ball
Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, Patricia Clarkson, Rosa Salazar, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen, Nathalie Emmanuel, Katherine McNamara, Jacob Lofland, Barry Pepper, Lili Taylor
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: September 18, 2015

Synopsis: Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.

Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch—the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction—and they’re determined to survive.


Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Release date: November 20, 2015

Synopsis: Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans--except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost.


Fallen by Lauren Kate.
Director: Scott Hicks
Starring:  Addison Timlin, Jeremy Irvine, Harrison Gilbertson, Joely Richardson
Distributed by: Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date: Fall 2015

Synopsis: What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?

17-year-old Lucinda falls in love with a gorgeous, intelligent boy, Daniel, at her new school, the grim, foreboding Sword & Cross . . . only to find out that Daniel is a fallen angel, and that they have spent lifetimes finding and losing one another as good & evil forces plot to keep them apart.

Get ready to fall . . .
  


Allegiant by Veronica Roth.
Director: Robert Schwentke
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Jai Courtney, Ansel Elgort, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer, Octavia SpencerNaomi Watts, Daniel Dae Kim
Distributed by: Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment
Release Date: March 18, 2016 (Allegiant Part 2: March 24, 2017)

Synopsis: 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
 
 Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.
Director: Tim Burton (LIKE WHAT?!?)
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Eva Green, Samuel L. Jackson, Ella Purnell, Allison Janney
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: March 4, 2016

Synopsis: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.


The 5th Wave by Rick Yancy.
Director:  J Blakeson
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Alex Roe, Maika Monroe, Liev Schreiber
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: January 29, 2016

Synopsis: After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker.

Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up



Let me know which YA book-to-movie adaptation you're most excited to see in the comments below! If I've missed any other YA book-to-movie adaptation, please let me know! Also, let me know if you want to see a list of potential book-to-movie adaptations that are currently in the works! 

Friday, March 27, 2015

Top 5 Friday: Villains

 
One thing I think readers love more than an awesome hero is an epic villain to go along with the do-gooder. Villains are always the most loved yet hated characters in a book and always has more to their character and sometimes a dark past that sometimes justifies their actions. Before I get into more villain talk, check out this awesome post by Soudha Parsan to read what her favorite villains are: Of Stacks and Cups: My Top 5 Vllians
 
5. Count Olaf from the The Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket.
 
It's no secret that this series is my favorite of all time and I love this series to pieces because of not only the characters and the story but of course, the villain. Count Olaf never fails to try everything he can to get the Baudelaire orphans in his grasp to steal their parents' fortune. In each book, he gets more determined and no matter how old you are or how many times you reread this series, never fails to be creepy and scary. I love this villain because of the fact that he's presented right off the bat as a very cold, greedy and extremely selfish person who isn't at all the fatherly type. I love his character because he's very interesting and even witty in a dark and sinister way and he's just entertaining in that way. Count Olaf is definitely one of my favorites and he's not being replaced any time soon!
 
 
 
 
4. Jeanine Mathews from the Divergent series by Veronica Roth.
Another one of my favorites is of course, Jeanine Mathews. Ever since I read about her character in the books, I couldn't get enough of her and kept wanting to get into her head to see how she thought and how she justified her actions. She's a very strong and superior villain who isn't afraid of being defeated because she truly believes that isn't possible. She's smart and determined and doesn't give up easily at all. She's very meticulous and as the leader of Erudite, very confident in her position of power and makes for a great put-together and business type villain in a world threatening to fall apart right before her eyes, something she's extremely determined to put an end to and keep things in order.
 
 
 
3. Adelina Amouteru from The Young Elites by Marie Lu.
I think Adelina makes for a great villain considering she started out as a potential hero that wanted to use her powers for good but found it hard because of how powerful she grew and how dark her power actually was too. I loved her character because she grew up in a bad home where she was treated horribly by her father and was almost killed for being accused of being a witch so needless to say, she hasn't had the best life at all. I loved how much she struggled to stay on the path of being the good guy but found it hard because of her powers and what she was capable of doing. She couldn't help that she had a certain element of darkness in her soul and how much anger and pain she had inside of her and how it affected her powers and made her that much more dangerous and made it hard for her to control herself when using her abilities. Adelina is a great example of a villain walking on the line between good and evil and I'm excited to see how much she grows in the sequel.
 
 
 
2. White Witch from The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis.
This villain really intrigues me so much it's pretty much a constant adventure to get to know more about her character and exactly how she thinks and justifies her actions and decisions. One thing I love about the White Witch is that she crowned herself queen of Narnia and just by the laws, rules and even her personality, she was able to make all of Narnia fear her and tremble under her rule, making sure no one ever tried to defy or stand up against her. Of course, she is also an amazing sword fighter and I think that adds to just how powerful she actually is. I love this villain because the last thing she'll do is ignore anybody's attempt to go against her or even speak out against her laws for the people and animals of Narnia. I love that she's called the White Witch because it delivers on the point of her being a cold-hearted person and very aware of her position of power. She's a great villain and by far one of my favorites. She has an awesome way of burying her anger inside of her and having it boil up in bursts of fury. She's definitely power hungry, strong, and beautifully evil.
 
 
1. Queen Levana from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.  
My all time favorite villain at the moment is hands down Queen Levana! I just love her character and how she's more than an evil villain but a broken character that was never loved the way she wanted to be, accepted for who she was and how she looked and of course, a girl that just wanted to love and be loved by someone. I loved how much of a back story she had and how complicated her character actually is. Queen Levana, in my opinion, is the idea of a perfect villain with a dark and sad background story, dark justifications for her actions, and an eerie and mysterious image that she tries as hard as she can to keep. She's power hungry, attention seeking and desperate for love from everyone around her and extremely insecure despite how much she tries to hide that fact.  
 
If you have your favorite villains, please let me know who they are in the comments or write a post about it and leave the link down below! Please check out the post from Of Stacks and Books linked above and check out her blog! (You won't regret it!)
 




Thursday, March 26, 2015

Review: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Contemporary
Score: 4.5 stars
Page Count: 377
Standalone Novel
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: March 10, 2015
 
Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.
In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.
 
Review:
PROS:
1. This book pretty much had me from the beginning when I first heard about this book back in January. I love psychological thrillers especially in book form and even though I don't read many of them, I was excited to get my hands on this one since not only is it a psychological thriller, but it's also in the category of YA which is something you don't see very often. I read this book in just two sittings so I loved it needless to say! If you loved We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, this is perfect for you. Here's the review!

2. The characters in this book really stood out to me, specifically our main characters, Dara and Nick. The story follows the two sisters as they recall what happened before the night of the accident that caused the two to become estranged, but also followed them through the summer, a few months after the accident. It was really interesting to see just how different the sisters were from each other, how Dara and Nick were complete polar opposites from each other. Dara is more of the wild-child and loves being in the spotlight and constantly craves the attention from people around her. Nick, however, couldn't be happier waiting in the sidelines and almost never does anything to count as being wild other than staying up past bedtime. The diversity between the two sisters was great to read since you got to know both characters in different ways.

3. The writing in this book was very interesting and very cool when it came to the layout. The story is written in two POV's, one Dara and the other Nick, but it also had another story going on while theirs played out, which was the story of Madeline Snow and her disappearance. I loved reading this book because not only do we read from Dara and Nick's POV, but we also get journal entries from Dara in the book, e-mails, internet chats and even a webpage taken from the website made to keep people updated on any new developments on Madeline Snow in the book. It felt very real as the book also had a picture of the young girl and even had pictures of Dara and Nick as well as pictures from FanLand where Nick works. It was a really cool book to pick up and I don't regret doing so.

4. The last thing I really loved about this book was the epic plot twist towards the end of the book. After reading it, I had to stop reading for a minute to quickly go over the entire book as everything fell into place again when I thought it was already in place to begin with. It was really mind blowing and had me in shock. Of course, if you read a lot of psychological thrillers, you might be able to guess what the plot twist will be when reading the book. I didn't catch on because the story and characters were built up so well for me that nothing seemed all that suspicious until a few pages from the plot twist. For me, it was probably one of the best that I've read ever so far and hands down the best this year. If you love psychological thrillers and mysteries, I definitely recommend this one!

5. This book also deals a lot with broken relationships and how everything can sometimes get complicated in just a single moment. I loved that the book had a deeper meaning and appreciated how the book was about two sisters who are completely different from each other, don't always get along and even might be jealous of the other but are still friends and are there for each other no matter what comes in between them. I loved how the book was also about forgiveness and what exactly you're willing to do and how far you're willing to go to protect someone you truly love and care about. Having a sister myself, I related a lot to this story and recommend this book to anyone who has a sister or knows someone with a sister.

Follow Lauren!
 
I hope you guys enjoyed this book review! If you have any other book requests you would like me to review, just leave a comment or send me an email! Read on bookworms! See you in the next chapter!
 


Book Talk #2: Bookish Pet Peeves

 
So we all have those awful book pet peeves that show no signs of going away any time soon but they vary for us all. Whether it's the ones listed below or ones not mentioned, we all have them and there's honestly no getting over them or even coping with them. It's a daily war we have to face and we as book lovers need to vent about these things sometimes. So read on for a very understanding rant!
 
1. Bent Pages.
One thing that always annoys me more than anything is dog-earing pages! Every time I open a book, I want to take in the beauty of it's perfect and white pages that are still fresh and crisp without having to see the ugliest line on the corner of my page. Not only does it damage the book page (seriously, once the crease is there, it's there for all eternity) but it makes no sense to dog-ear a page when it's so easy to reach into your pocket or purse and pull out a receipt or gum wrapper to mark your place in a book. Also, bookmarks are, what, 49 cents? Even a leaf can work as a bookmark! Please, mark your place in a book with anything around you but whatever you do, don't dog ear my page! Thank you and good day.


 
2. Damaged Spines.

Another kind of damage that drives me bananas, is a damaged spine. Not only can it be damaged on the actual spine of the book, but it can also be damaged on the spine of the dust jacket, which could honestly be worse. Imagine a beautiful and perfect dust jacket that couldn't be any more perfect and then you see a small tear on the top or bottom. I've had it happen to me multiple times. It's a true nightmare.

3. Stickers.
There's nothing more annoying for some people when you buy a brand new book or a used book from a bookstore with a sticker or two on the cover or back and no matter hard you try to peel it off as smoothly as possible, the sticker just won't come off! It leaves behind sticker residue and you have to scrape off the stuff with your nail or wet cloth and it would make life a lot easier if the stickers weren't on there at all. Let's face it, stickers are not going away anytime soon and we just have to learn to live with that fact as best we can. No matter how many stickers you're able to peel off without a problem, eventually you're going to have that one sticker that doesn't want to come off and wants to forever connect to your book. Just scrape and scrape and eventually you'll get it off. Until you run into that problem, my very best bookish wishes are with you.

 

4. More stickers, but worse.
This is a problem that occurs mostly at the library for me. Don't you just hate it when a book catches your eye and you turn the book over to read the synopsis and you can only read about half of it because there's a sticker covering the words? Most times when this happens, I have to look on Goodreads to read the synopsis when it'd really be nice if the sticker was placed in a better place and I can read what it says right then and there. You'd think people would want to strategically place the sticker where it's not covering anything important. Just saying.
 
 
 
 
5. Mismatched books.

This is a pet peeve that's pretty much the number one among book lovers and readers. There's so many series and trilogies that have only a few books that match both in height and cover and look beautiful together because of that. And then a publisher decides ten books into a series to change the look of the rest of books and your chance of having that series to all match goes completely goes down the drain. You can only hope with everything you have inside of you that one day in this lifetime the books will all match by being republished in the same look and/or format (hint, hint, Shatter Me by Taherah Mafi).

 
6. Covers that don't cover?
Okay, so this one I just don't get. Covers are made to cover the whole book from front to back. Not MOST of the front and back. It makes no sense to have a random little strip of paper peeking out, like, what's that supposed to do? Cover the whole front of the book for goodness sake! It's annoying to see that random slice of paper peeking out at the edge of the "cover" and does nothing for the book or for me. What's the point of it? If you're trying to hint at the fact that there's something cool on the inside, I'm going to open the book to check for that regardless if I know there's something cool inside or not. There's just too many books like this in the world and I demand that they get a full cover or be published in hardback to make everyone happy. Please, make a full cover for a book. That's all I'm asking for.
 













 

Monday, March 23, 2015

Music Matching Monday: To All The Boys I've Loved Before

This book is one of my favorite contemporaries so naturally I had to pair a song with this book! There are so many songs that I listened too that could easily be paired with this book so it was pretty hard narrowing the selection down to one. I decided on a song, however, that reminded me of Lara Jean and Peter's relationship. Lara Jean, at first, starts "dating" Peter in order to get her mind off things and it also helped that it made one of her crushes jealous in the process. Even though the two kind of hate each other a bit, the chemistry between the two is just undeniable. I loved watching Lara Jean and Peter become something they never actually intended on becoming, going from frienemies to two teens that are totally into each other no matter how hard they try to deny it. Peter is constantly trying to figure Lara Jean out and picking on her which drives the girl insane. They can't stand each other at times but they can't stop feeling something for each other either. Lara Jean really struggles to figure out her feelings for Peter when she knows he's both good and bad for her.
 
BAD FOR ME by Megan and Liz
 


Sunday, March 22, 2015

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (THG #1)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure, Science Fiction, Drama, Action
Score: 3.5 stars
Page Count: 374
Book #1 of The Hunger Games series
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published: September 14, 2008
 
The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games. In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games. The 'tributes' are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.
When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives. , she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature
 
Review:
PROS:
1. After being encouraged to finally read this book by pretty much everyone I know, I finally did so and read it to make everybody happy. I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't excited to read it but I wasn't exactly over-the-top about reading it either. Most of the hype that surrounded this book when the first movie came out ruined the book for me and made me stay away from it. What's worse than hype you guys? Nothing, that's what. But, I read it nonetheless so here's my review!
 
2. The first thing I came to love about this book was the world in which everything takes place. I liked how messed up and cruel the system of things was and it seemed a decent enough world that no one really wants to live in. It was pretty complex in a way but simple to understand. It was interesting to see just how exactly they justify the cruel way in which their world and government works and it honestly was a pretty cool dystopian world.
 
3. I really liked how much the book focused on the survival element of things. Most of the book takes place and follows Katniss as she struggles to make it out alive and in one piece back home. I liked seeing her actions as she tried to survive and outsmart the other "contestants" in order to stay alive for as long as possible. You even pick up a few survival tips from reading the book and it was pretty interesting.
 
CONS:
1. Even though I liked the book for the most part, I didn't really like any of the characters. I couldn't connect with them and honestly didn't really care what happened to them. Katniss, for me, was a hard character to like since she was always expecting someone to betray her or turn their back on her. It was a little annoying and I couldn't relate to her. The other characters, Peeta, Gale, Rue, Prim and whoever else, lacked personality and I couldn't relate to them either. They were an okay group of characters but they definitely weren't my favorite.
 
2. I was also expecting more from this book but didn't get that. I was expecting a lot of action and suspense like I was led on to believe but the book fell short of my expectations and I didn't get any excitement. It was also really slow for the first half of the book which I could've let slide were it not for how long the slowness progressed. The romance in this book was just flat-out annoying to me and I would've been happy if it was taken out completely. It was just way too forced into the story and it didn't flow well with the storyline. Don't get me wrong, I love a little romance in a good dystopian but for this book, it just didn't work.
 
Overall, it was a cool book and I'm sure it picks up in the next two installments of the series. I might pick up the second book in the future but as of now, I'm in no hurry to continue on with the books.
 
Follow Suzanne!
 
I hope you guys enjoyed this book review! If you have any other book requests you would like me to review, just leave a comment or send me an email! Read on bookworms! See you in the next chapter! 

Friday, March 20, 2015

Insurgent Movie Review!

Rating: PG-13
 
So since my obsession with the Divergent series is bordering on unhealthy, I of course couldn't wait to see this next installment in the movie adaptation of the book. So, as always, I have a review for you guys (spoiler free of course) and I hope you guys enjoy it!
 
Review:
So of course, I always love to start off a review with the characters and I seriously cannot get over how perfect the casting really is for this movie! I thought the actors were great in the first movie but they were even better in this sequel! I loved how each character was brought to life and how much they're able to develop these characters even more by just playing the role. I seriously loved how the amazing Shailene Woodley was able to capture how strong and brave Tris is in the Insurgent book and how much more of a fighter she was as well. Just brilliant!
 
The next thing I really loved was the really cool effects. I couldn't have imagined certain scenes from the book being as epic as they were in the movie. The action scenes were fast-paced just like in the book but with a bit more edge in my opinion. It was exciting and overall fun to watch come to life.
 
I also really liked how in the movie, the point of the series is really exaggerated. I loved how the characters were focused mainly on bringing down Jeanine Mathews just like in the book but still had other factors fighting them the whole way. I really enjoyed the fact that the film delivered how much stronger, and more determined the characters are and how much they're willing to sacrifice in order to rebuild their world and bring back freedom and order. It had a great sense of determination and courage.
 
Overall, the movie was a great action-packed book-to-movie adaptation that I would honestly see again and again. I really loved watching the story play out and I couldn't put my excitement for this movie into words even if I tried. However, there were some changes that were made (big surprise) and I couldn't help but take note on them:
 
1. Scenes were moved around and/or changed.
It's not surprising that some things were moved around a bit and changed a little to better fit the adaptation of the book. Take the beginning scene where Tris cuts her hair. That scene technically happened the same way in the book though not completely. Small events were moved to different places throughout the movie and most of them were changed to be more along the lines of what really happens in the book instead of it actually and exactly play out the same way. Some changes I didn't mind whereas others I felt where unnecessary.
 
2. Things were added and/or taken out completely.
So if you've seen the trailer for this movie, you know that even though everything looks really cool, you honestly have no idea what the heck is going on. You're not alone on that one. The first big thing that was added to the movie adaptation was "The box". The film explains what the thing is but I didn't think it was a necessary addition since it didn't add anything to the story other than it being a really cool box. Some scenes were also completely skipped over, such as the confrontation of Evelyn and Tris having a "talk" and even the confrontation of Tori and Jeanine after Tris gets through the simulation. If you've read the book, you'd what those were exactly. I would've liked to have seen those scenes play out in the movie.
 
3. Character personalities were changed for certain ones.
The last big change about the movie I think was that some of the characters' personalities were changed a bit and some characters barely made any appearance. The latter part being characters like Uriah and Tori. The first part being for characters like Johanna, seeing as she was a lot more hesitant to help out the running fugitives. Even though these seem like minute changes that don't necessarily matter to the story, they were changes I noticed and didn't really agree with.
 
Overall, I still enjoyed the movie for what it was and liked that despite the changes, it was still along the lines of the book though not a perfect adaptation. I can't wait for the third movie, however! Next March seems too far away. The movie was entertaining, exciting, and even funny at times!
 
I'm NOT an expert on movies, but these were my thoughts and I hope you enjoy them!

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3.5)

Fairest by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3.5)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: YA, Science Fiction, Romance, Dystopian
Score: 4.5 stars
Page Count: 220
Book #3.5 of the Lunar Chronicles Series
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Published: January 27, 2015
 
In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?


Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.
Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.
 
Review:
PROS:
1. Seeing as I recently just finished reading the first three books in this series, I couldn't resist picking up this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter to read more about the beloved villain, Queen Levana. I really love Queen Levana as a villain and think she pretty much has the role down to a T but I really wanted to get to know her story more. I was really excited to pick it up and once again, flew threw it's pages in just one sitting!
 
2. Queen Levana is a seriously interesting and horribly evil character that you honestly can't help but love her for. She fits the criteria of a villain so well and pretty much does the job perfectly. While reading this book, I really loved getting to know who she was when she was younger and how exactly she came to be the person she was now. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Levana as events in her life played big roles into turning her into something sinister when she could've been a sweet person. Her life was far from perfect and full of rejection and she was constantly being told she wasn't good enough or pretty enough. I also enjoyed some new characters that we probably would've never met had this story not been written. I also really enjoyed seeing some character references to the other books such as Prince Kai, Cress, Wolf and of course, the one and only Cinder.
 
3. I also loved seeing how she grew up and how the events took place over certain periods of time. This book isn't a full-length novel like some believe it to be, it's just a collection of short stories that intertwine to create a collection of events that happen in Queen Levana's teen and new adult years. From the time she was born up until she became the sinister queen that started hatching a plan to take over Earth. I really liked seeing how she grew up and just what changes happened to her to make her a cold, evil and ultimately broken character. It was kind of sad yet entertaining at the same time.
 
4. Overall, I thought this was a great way to dive into more details about the villain of the Lunar Chronicles and enjoyed reading more about her and her life and what she could've been and what she is. I thought this was a great little taste of more of the Lunar world until we're able to get the fourth and final book in this series!
 
The only reason why I didn't give this a five-star rating was because even though I fully enjoyed reading this book, I felt like it should've been a little longer. I was satisfied for now, seeing as this book also had the first four amazing chapters of Winter!
 
Follow Marissa!
 
I hope you guys enjoyed this book review! If you have any other book requests you would like me to review, just leave a comment or send me an email! Read on bookworms! See you in the next chapter!
 
Winter by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #4)
Out November 10, 2015

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3)

Cress by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: YA, Romance, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Page Count: 550
Book #3 of the Lunar Chronicles Series
Publisher: Macmillian
Published: February 4, 2014
 
In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.
 
Review:
PROS:
1. So ever since I finished reading Scarlet, the second book in the Lunar Chronicles series, I couldn't get over how much I needed to know what happened next with the characters and the story and all that jazz! I finally was able to pick this book up and flew through all 550 pages in just a couple of sittings.
 
2. The first thing obviously is the characters! I thought I loved them in the first book, the second but oh my gosh did I love them in this third book so much more! I really loved how strong Cinder's characters grew to be in each book. She just kept getting more courageous and strong and determined to overthrow Queen Levana and it was awesome to see her grow in that way. Scarlet, however, didn't make much of an appearance in this third book which really disappointed me because I really wanted to see her character develop a little more. In this third book, Cress is introduced into the group of misfits and I really loved her character despite how naïve and how much of a dreamer she was and couldn't really grasp reality. Captain Thorne takes on a bigger role in this book as well and I have to say, I couldn't get enough of him! Wolf and Kai obviously make their appearances as well which I didn't mind of course. Prince Kai is just everything. And, of course, the story wouldn't be complete without the lovable and precious Iko! She's just perfect in this book!
 
3. The story took on such a fast-paced turn compared to the last two books. The third book is by far my favorite book so far in the series with all of it's action packed scenes, funny moments, and romantic elements all blending so well into the story. I loved how much more adventure and suspense was in this book and it truly had me on the edge of my seat the whole entire time! I loved reading how the characters planned on taking down Queen Levana and how they planned on getting to Luna without dying. That would be bad.
 
4. I could honestly go on forever talking about this book! Character development was just so great in this book as well as the continuous world building and storyline. It was just a really exciting read overall and I honestly can't imagine how much better the fourth and final book in this series will be! I really love this series and I have to say this book left me wanting so much more and wanting to know more than anything what happens next in the story!
 
5. Can we just talk about that ending though? I mean, seriously, Cinder and Kai are just life.
 
Winter by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #4)
Available: November 10, 2015

Monday, March 16, 2015

Music Matching Monday: The DUFF


For this book, I wanted a song that really went along with the message of the story. In The DUFF, Bianca struggles a lot with her new title and just wants to fit in without being anyone's DUFF. In the movie, I felt the point of that was brought to life and made even bigger. It showed Bianca trying to change herself to prove everyone wrong about her being a DUFF but at the same time, her friends noticed a change in her that they didn't necessarily like. Bianca also had to deal with the fact that a boy she was in love with didn't like her the way she was. I wanted to choose a song that not only reminded me of the book, but also talked about just being yourself and not worrying about your weight, height or anything else people might judge you for. You're beautiful no matter what people say!

 Close Your Eyes by Meghan Trainor


Friday, March 13, 2015

Book Talk #1: 10 Things Every Fangirl Looks For In A Guy

 
Alright, girls, truth time. Have you ever wondered who and where your perfect guy is in the world? Have you ever wondered what he would look like? What he's reading? Who his favorite author is? Would he be more of a Harry Potter or more of an Augustus Waters? Well, I've asked a few of my friends what they would love the book nerd of their dreams to be like and I've gathered all of the characteristic into this post!
 




1. A funny guy is always a winner.
If there's one thing us fangirls love to do other than read, we love a guy who can make us laugh without even trying too. You could say every book loving girl will always take note to see if his sense of humor is more along the lines of either Augustus Waters or even more of a Percy Jackson, either way he has to have a bit of a sassy, sarcastic and witty personality. Every reader knows that those types of guy characters in books always steal a girl's heart, both fictionally and in real life but the real pain comes from knowing that he isn't real. So, if you're a guy and reading this, you honestly have hundreds of thousands, even millions of girls looking for you. (Some might be hiding in your closet.)

2. A lover and talker of books.
Of course, because we're girls who love books more than life itself, we also love to talk about our favorite books and sometimes we don't always have people who will listen to us talk about those books that have taken our very soul. What makes a cute guy even better is knowing that he's also wanting to talk about his favorite book as if the story and characters were real. It's not only a great conversation that both guy and girl can have, it's also a sign that they get each other and that not all girls are obsessed with Seventeen Magazine and that not all guys are only worried about when the new Call Of Duty game releases. It's honestly a win win.
 
 
 
3. Kind is always great.
Even though we love reading books and love to laugh and all that jazz, a huge turn off for any girl really is a bad attitude. A kind guy is always great whether you're a fangirl or not. Have some class, boys!
 
4. Accepts fangirling without question.
As a girl born to fangirl at any point and time, you as a guy need to accept that us fangirls sometimes need to scream, cry, laugh and see a therapist whenever someone makes a TFIOS, Divergent, or fandom reference. It's just nature and emotions coming together into an obsessive and unpredictable reaction. Deal with it or don't.
 
 



5. Passionate about interests.
Whether it's a passion for books, music, art or anything that interests you, it's always cool to see a guy who's passionate about something without being afraid of being judged. Just an example, like a good friend named Josh (Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins) he's passionate about art and writing and surrounds himself with those things and completely immerses himself in it. We, as fangirls, know what it's like to be judged and stared at for outbursts of crying and laughing. We feel you. We're passionate about our fangirlness, don't be afraid to be passionate about something too.



6. Sweet as a cupcake.
It's also nice to have someone who not only understands we need space when fangirling or knows how to make us laugh, but it's also great to have a sweet guy who's thoughtful. Thoughtful doesn't have to be like texting us every 2 minutes that he's thinking about us (honestly, we need sleep because we stayed up until midnight reading) but thoughtful like he knows the types of books we like, knows which OTPs not to make fun of and most importantly, knows our coffee orders from Starbucks by heart. Now if that's not thoughtful, I don't know what is. Take the one and only Cricket Bell from Lola and The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. He's sweet, funny and even a little awkward but that's what makes him loveable. His sweet gestures, funny jokes and most importantly, his thoughtfulness towards Lola are what stole our hearts.

 

7. Has the time to listen to OTP talks.

As mentioned before, it's to be expected that we as fangirls will also want to have five-hour long conversations about our OTPs. If you want to make the decision of dating a book loving girl then, boys, take notes. We're not asking you to name every single one of our OTPs and know them by heart (though you get bonus points if you can) and we're not expecting you to even read the book our OTPs are in. But we do expect you to listen to us cry, laugh, and have anxieties and passionately tell you why our OTPs belong together when our friends are nowhere to be found. It's just a part of life. Deal with it! We do a lot of shipping.





 
 
8. Sees your true personality.
There's also a lot more than just the books we read. It's nice to be admired just as much as we admire the worlds and characters we read and love. Our true personalities are not a thing to go unnoticed. Just like we learn and grow with our favorite characters, we want to grow and learn ourselves and create a personality for ourselves that truly shines and we want someone to see that. Who we are should be looked upon like a piece of art that you can't help but become immersed in and enjoy seeing. Now that quality is one all girls want in a guy.
 
9. A gentleman is a keeper.
A gentleman is also a great quality that every guy needs to have. Honestly. Whether it's carrying our huge pile of books through the bookstore, helping us reach the tall shelves or dragging us out of a bookstore when we've already blown our budget, a gentleman is always nice to have.

10. Accepts that we're in love with fictional characters.
 And finally, the last thing that every fangirl looks for in a guy is this: The acceptance that we'll always be in love with fictional characters. It's just a part of us. Even though we live in reality, we wish every single day that we could live in our favorite books and be with our true love (St. Clair, Enzo, Four, Gus, Prince Kai, etc.) He has to accept the fact that if our fictional boyfriend knocked on our door, we'd more than likely kick him to the curb. We'll always be in love with them and there's no getting over it.


 

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Winter by Marissa Meyer Cover Reveal!

 
The cover is here! Marissa Meyer, the author of the amazing Lunar Chronicles Series, has finally released the cover for the fourth and final book in the series, Winter, out in November! This is something fans of the series have been waiting for forever, including me! I'm currently reading "Cress" but if you want to check out this series, below is the link to my review of the first book, "Cinder"!
 
 
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.