Review: The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak

The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Romance, Music

Score: ❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 336

Book #1 of The Heartbreakers series

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Published: August 4, 2015

"When I met Oliver Perry, I had no clue he was the lead singer for The Heartbreakers. Unbeknownst to him, I was the only girl in the world who hated his music."

Stella will do anything for her sister—even stand in line for an autographed Heartbreakers CD... for three hours. At least she met a cute boy at the Starbucks beforehand. A blue-eyed boy who looks an awful lot like...

Oliver Perry. Of course Starbucks guy is the lead singer for her least favorite band. Thanks, universe. But there may be more to Oliver than his world-famous charm, because even after she insults his music—to his face—he still gives her his number. Seriously, what is her life?

But how can Stella even think about being with Oliver—dating and laughing and pulling pranks with the band—when her sister could be dying of cancer?

Review:

PROS:

1. Not going to lie, I honestly just bought this book last year simply because the cover had a guitar on it. That, and I'm quick to purchase a Wattpad book. Gotta support my fellow Wattpad authors! Anyway, I started hearing a lot of good things about this book so it quickly became a book on the top of my TBR pile. I finally got around to reading it so I'm excited to give you guys my thoughts on this book! Let's get started: 

2. First off, I adored the characters. I thought Stella was a very caring and hard working character, especially when it came to her siblings. She was willing to put her whole life on hold if it meant being there for her brother and sister which is a very important quality. I also really loved her siblings as well. They were both always looking towards the future, one a lot more optimistic than the other but nonetheless passing back and forth some classic sibling banter. I also loved The Heartbreakers themselves, each one a little more entertaining than the last but such a lovable group of boys who love causing trouble and mischief. My personal favorite was Xander but it's hard not to love them all.

3. This book explores the risks and fears that come along with chasing your dreams as well as the struggles of overcoming past mistakes and learning to forgive yourself. This book really goes behind the scenes of the flashing lights that surround The Heartbreakers and show their own personal struggles, successes and most importantly, their dependency on each other as both a band and a family. I loved that this story's theme was all about relationships and the things you'd do for someone you loved and really cared about.

4. This book has a few other themes such as photography, music, and just plain teenage mischief. I think because of these themes, it really gives this book a fun feeling and is such an entertaining read but also has it's emotional moments every now and then. Overall, this book is one I'd read again because of the amount of things it talks about, both serious and lighthearted. If you want a fun and quick read that will keep you entertained and make you laugh from the very first page, I totally recommend this one!

I didn't give this book a five-star rating simply because there was just something about it that I can't quite put my finger on that didn't make me love this book. I really liked it, but I just didn't love it for some reason. Maybe it was a slower read, maybe there was just a lot going on, maybe it was something else entirely. Either way, I still really enjoyed it. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this book review! Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

Also, do you guys read books on Wattpad? Are you on Wattpad? If so, leave your usernames down below!

Fantasy Favourites Read-A-Thon 2016!

Hello, my lovelies! Today I have a fun post for you guys about a read-a-thon I'll be participating in within the next few weeks and I'm very excited about it! One of my blogger friends Olivia from Olivia's Catastrophe and Inge Aly from Of Wonderland will be hosting this year's Fantasy Favourites Read-A-Thon starting on July 10th! I've left the links to the original posts above for you guys to get the details on what this read-a-thon is all about and how you can sign up to join in on the reading fun. 

So, in this post, I'm sharing with you guys my TBR that I hope to take on during this week long read-a-thon and I have to say I'm super excited. I love fantasy and science fiction so I'm beyond stoked to get back into some magical worlds, especially one in particular. 

My TBR looks a little something like this:

The Fellowship of The Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Peter and The Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

The Lightening Theif by Rick Riordan

All of these books have been on my bookshelves for THE LONGEST TIME and I've been meaning to read them but keep pushing them back. And before you get out the pitchforks, yes, I've never read Percy Jackson and I'm equally ashamed of myself for it. That's about to change, though, and I'm ready to find out what this Percy fellow is all about.

So that's my little TBR for this read-a-thon! Are you going to be joining in on the fun? If so, awesome sauce! Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Contemporary

Score: 4.5 stars

Page Count: 310

Stand Alone

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Published: September 1, 2015

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Review:

PROS:

1. First off, I really hate myself at the moment for waiting so long to read this book. I bought it the day it came out and since then, it's just been chilling on my shelves, screaming at me to read it already. I'm in a huge contemporary mood, whether it's because of the season or what, so I'm reading as many as I can. Specifically, contemporaries that I have yet to read and really need to. I love contemporaries but I DO NOT like the cheesy, sappy, gag-worthy storylines so it's a little difficult for me to not find things I didn't like about a romance book. However, this one is a game changer. Here's the review:

2. I adore books that are diverse in the sense that the main character is very different from other books that I've read. In this book, our main character Madeliene has a very rare disease which prevents her from going outside and keeps her in a sterilized environment for her entire life. I loved that she was the type of person who didn't feel like she needed anything, not really. Sure, she wanted to know what it felt like to be outside but at the same time, she made the best of what she had and the situation she was in. I love characters that have something very different about them and Madeliene was an instant favorite for sure. 

3. The writing style is also very unique and I loved it. The book has small illustrations strewn throughout and even some pictures, sticky notes, emails, IMs and other cool little bits to really bring the story to life. I also loved that the chapters were very short, never being more than five pages it seems. Some chapters were as short as a single paragraph or even a single sentence. Every word counts in this book and I couldn't stop reading it because of that. 

4. I also loved that all the characters in this book are dealing with their own personal emotional stresses and the book doesn't gloss over it but instead builds upon it to give it a more realistic feeling. The emotions are brought out as the story progresses and you get to see and feel the frustrations, sadness, grief, and love as you get to know the characters. Another thing I loved was that there were some surprising twists to the story that honestly left me shocked and the ending was nicely written so as to leave you as a reader hanging a little bit but still satisfied. Feeling all the feels, of course. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a really quick read and I can totally see myself rereading it in the future. I don't really know if I even have anything at all about this book that I didn't like other than that it got a little too sappy for me a couple of times but then again, it is a contemporary. I still highly recommend it! 

So I hope you guys enjoyed this book review! Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

Review: The Crown by Kierra Cass (The Selection #5)

The Crown by Kiera Cass (The Selection #5)

Rating: PG

Genre: Dystopia, Romance

Score: ❤❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 279

Book #5 of The Selection series

Publisher: HarperTeen

Published: May 3, 2016

When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined.

Review:

PROS:

1. I was so excited when this book was first released that I was just dying to get my hands on it, which is why I pre-ordered it because I didn't want to have to worry about finding a copy at the store. Before I begin my review, I would suggest not reading this post if you haven't yet read the first book in this series or if you haven't yet read The Heir which is the book prior to this one. I want to avoid spoiling anyone! Now with that said, let's get onto the review! 

2. The first thing I loved about this book is the fact that from the previous book up until the end of The Crown, you really get to see how much Eadlyn has grown up both as a leader and as a person. I loved that the book portrayed her as a stronger, less bratty character in this book since she comes to some pretty harsh realizations at the end of The Heir which influence her actions in this continuation. Eadlyn really matures as she goes through her Selection and realizes that she can still be a leader without having to stray away from who she really is. I thought it was a very valuable lesson.

3. I absolutely adored following Eadlyn and her suitors throughout this book! The final six were just a hoot to get to know and it was hilarious with the way they all teased each other, lifted each other up and became really good friends with each other including Eadlyn. It was clear to see once the story was wrapped up that some of the suitors will more than likely be life-long friends to the young Highness and with each other which made me really want a sixth book in the series. 

4. I honestly don't think there was a single thing I didn't like about this book. Which is a new one for me. I loved the writing style, how quick and fun of a read it was, the characters were so entertaining and everything ended in a way I was hoping for yet not expecting at the same time. I won't spoil you guys for who Eadlyn chooses to marry or if she even does get married, but I was so happy beyond words with how the story came to a close and I still have all the feels from reading the ending. 

So that's it! I really hope you guys enjoyed this book review and hope you have a fun time reading this book if you plan to in the future. Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

Follow Me Around: The Art Show!

Hey, lovelies! Today, I have a very fun post for y'all! Yesterday was my art class's art show in which we each got a display to show off our art pieces that we worked hard on throughout the past few months to show our family and friends. I have to say, the set up was pretty cool and a little different than last year's arrangement since we had more pieces to display this year.

It was a really fun show and definitely made my day so much brighter after having a rough morning battling a really bad migraine! Having our friends and family there made it much more fun as well so here are some pictures to show off!

Abby's Set-Up

Grace's Set-Up

The students consisted of me, my two best friends Grace and Abby, and our adorably entertaining Hannah and Stella. It was so much fun getting to look at everyone's art and there was A LOT of picture taking! Which is nice that we impressed some people.


Sadly, I forgot to take pictures of everyone's set up (grrrr!!) but I was distracted with looking around so I have a good excuse, right? The above pictures are ones my friends took. Anyway, one thing that made the show more fun was the fact that I ended up selling most of my pieces half an hour into the show. None of us had planned on selling any but offers were made and, well, it was a huge compliment. To make things even more awesome, me and my mom bought two of Grace's pieces and my mom is so excited to hang them up! They go so well with our decor and Grace can do magic with pastels, I swear!

Pieces Sold:

      

               "Agäpé"                                                 "Bring Me To Life"

"False Persona"

 

                     "Consumed"                                          "My Thoughts Are Stars"

"The First Degree"

Pieces Bought:

So that's it for today's post! I really hope you guys enjoyed and PLEASE follow my friends on Instagram! I'll leave all of our artist social links down below for you guys to check out! Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

Grace: TinkeringWhimsy

Abby: MusicalAbby9

Me: TheArtJava 

The Siblings Book Tag!

Hello, everybody! Today I'm here with another fun little tag! This one was created by Soudha and her sister over at Of Stacks and Cups and I just had to chime in on this tag. Since my sister isn't able to do this tag with me, I've recruited by brother Jorge to help me out! He loves me so that's why he's helping me out today. (I also bribed him with movie tickets) ANYWAY, let's get started!

1. Name your favorite childhood book

Me: I have to say that my favorite is and forever will be Black Beauty. I remember reading it over and over again when I first discovered it at six years old when I went through a phase of being obsessed with horses. I still really love that book!

Jorge: My favorite is Goosebumps, specifically  Night Of The Living Dummy. I didn't read a lot as a kid but that series was one I stuck with.

2. Name a book you loved but which your brother didn't like


That would have to be Divergent. I recommended it to him and he did borrow my copy of the book but he only read the first six chapters before losing interest. At least he tried, though! He's not one for the bandwagon books and still hasn't read The Hunger Games but he has seen the Divergent movies so it's a process.

3. Name a character you love but which your brother doesn't like


OLAF!!! I mean, he loves hugs and Summer and he's a love expert. Now I do love my Frozen and I probably talk about it too much so I get why he no longer likes the little snowman. Sad face.

4. What are your favorite bookish habits?


Me: I like to smell my book before I read them. I know, it's really weird but I very much enjoy smelling books and getting all snuggly with them before reading the first word. 

Jorge: I don't know if it counts as a habit but I buy old vintage books or just books in general but never actually read them. 

5. Name a book you both hated


Me: Nothing so far has come up that we both hated. We usually read good books and we never really read the same books. I think one book I hated was City of Bones and my brother isn't too keen on the idea of the book either since we both hated the movie.

Jorge: I watched the movie, does that count?

6. What are your favorite fandoms?

Me: Divergent, Disney, Marvel, Any bookish fandom really.

Jorge: Dragon Ball and Star Wars because they're awesome.

7. Pick a book you want to steal from your brother's bookshelves

Me: I would LOVE to steal his Sherlock Holmes leather bind-up of every Sherlock mystery. It's just so pretty!

Jorge: I'd like to steal The Hobbit or LOTR from my sister's shelf.

8. What's your common favorite fandom?


Pokemon. I CHOOSE YOU!

9. Name a book you both really want to read


Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski. It's a horror story and one thing me and my brother both LOVE is a good thriller or creature feature and anything that has a horror element.

10. Name a fictional place you'd love to visit


Me: Narnia!
Jorge: World of Pokemon because Pokemon.

11. Name a book you recommended to your brother which he ended up loving


That would have to be The Maze Runner by James Dashner. We're both really excited for the last movie and we can't wait for it! I even got my dad into the movies and he's just as excited as we are to see The Death Cure.

12. Who's your favorite literary crush?


Me: Four, Prince Kai, Prince Enzo, Klaus Baudelaire, Prince Maxon, Cricket.
Jorge: Violet Baudelaire, she's pretty cool.

13. Name a book series you were surprised to both fall in love with


That would be The Host but for strange reasons. We didn't actually read the book but we watched the movie because we were bored and saw it at the library and thought 'Hey, why not?' We watched it and even though we wouldn't watch it again, we created so many inside jokes for the movie that we die laughing every time we think about them. Good times.

14. Name your favorite poets or authors


Me: Veronica Roth, Marie Lu, Sarah Dessen, Stephanie Perkins, John Green, Edgar Allen Poe, Jennette Oake.

Jorge: Edgar Allen Poe, Akira Toriyama, Marie Lu.

15. Recommend some books to your brother


Me: Asylum by Madeliene Roux, 172 Hours On The Moon by Johan Harstad, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, The Knife Of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

Jorge: Of course you'd pick a knife.

Me: Shut up, it's my turn.

I hope you guys enjoyed this tag! Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter! Also, let me know in the comments if you want to see more sibling posts on my blog. I think it'd be quite fun. Now if you'll excuse us, we need to dig into our candy jar.