It’s Monday….
It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?
It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. The purpose of the meme is to discuss books we are reading this week, as well as books we completed the previous week.
BOOKS COMPLETED LAST WEEK:
The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone
Easy by Tammara Webber
A cutesy read and a very mature yet heart-warming read. I smiled all the time I as reading this both and I’m just happy with them. This week has been really hard for me. I’ve been sick for most of the week and didn’t finish all my target books to read. Well, there’s still another time and I’ll keep up with all of them soon.
BOOKS I’M READING THIS WEEK:
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
The Princesses of Iowa by M. Molly Backes
Hoping for a sick-free week. I’ll do some catching-up on my reviews and reads. Toodles! Enjoy the week heaps! 
You, What are you reading this week?
Review: This Is So Not Happening
This Is So Not Happening by Kieran Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
‘I was in love with Jake. Whatever he’d done, whatever was going on in his life, however mad at him I was, I was in love with him. I could never kiss another guys wile we’re together. I wouldn’t do that to him.’
As soon as I finished the Second installment to this series, I was already waiting for its last installment since the second book left us on a very huge cliffhanger and the story just seems to be more and more complicated. I just really needed to know what would happen next and after acquiring a copy of it GAAAAA! I was jumping up and down around my room and immediately started reading it, taking aside other books that are lined up on my reading list. >:)
—-
At last! They’re finally together now. Jake and Ally are now back together after a wonderful and sweet summer hoping for a drama free senior year to come on their way. Until the day before school starts — Chloe, the perfect, kind and the girl-next-door chick is pregnant and claims that Jake was the father. Hammond, Chloe’s ex-boyfriend was pretty pissed of with his best friend, Jake and can’t believe that Ally is still willing to stay with him. Ally, on the other hand is dealing with the fact that Jake had sex with Chloe, but as she’s tired with being away from Jake, she’s still willing to make it work knowing that Jake consumes most of his time with Chloe. But as Jake tries to come to terms of being a father and supporting Chloe through her pregnancy, will his relationship with Ally would still work?
As their graduation come, more drama and secrets are revealed. Will they all get through it? Will Ally and Jake get out of Orchard Hill to college still together?
—-
Another ending to one of my most anticipated trilogy for this year. *tears* I still can’t believe it’s over. It’s like I’ve been reading Ally and Jake for a long time and now their series is done and I’m really sad to see it end. In fact, this series greatly remind me of the TV Series Gossip Girl, since it was also full of lies and drama and deceit. Things are complicated and even the characters are complicated.
I have done my review on the first two books and as I read those reviews again, I saw that I have a change of heart with Ally’s character. On the first book, I saw her as very timid and shy but a very powerful girl and I loved her there. On the second book, I find her bitchy and always full of complaints with everything around her and now as I have come to the final book, I think I would have a change of heart again. On this book, I see Ally as another person, she is much stronger and trusting and mature. She believes in what Jake says to her and I could really feel the she is really willing to do everything to be with him. Her character really captures the mind of a teenage girl who’s dealing with so much crap but still tries her best to not lose it. I idolize her for standing with Jake after all the he’s been through and at times I really feel the hurt she feels when Jake forgets about her. I feel myself on the verge of tears because of this.
Jake, on the other hand is just wow. I don’t really know if I would love him or hate him. I love him for the fact that he is willing to support Chloe through her pregnancy. A 17-year -old teenage guy, I’m proud that he is willing to take his responsibility with Chloe. On the other hand, I hate him for the fact that he acted like a douche bag to almost half of the book. He just gets out of control at times and can’t control his temper. I didn’t like the idea that he seems to forget that he still has a girlfriend who also wanted a part of his time. Ally stayed with him even knowing he has banged her best friend. She stuck with him even he was at Chloe’s call for month and she stuck with him even after he had became the loud-mouthed asshole from hell he has became. Anyway, at the end, I think the love part still has won. The efforts he has done and the apology he uttered to people he has done harm to was enough for me to love him again.
These two teenagers are not perfect and they admittedly do mistakes but the way they handle the situation they’re with has been funny and awkward and admirable all at the same time. They just seem to be playing with their situation, that’s why it greatly reminds me of Gossip Girl. And now I consider Jake and Ally one of my OTP. The author writes them so well that when something mad comes out, I’m awfully worried that they might not end up together. Their relationship has been put through a great test and watching them surpass those and grow into mature individuals and work things on their own was great and very much helpful.
The other characters such as Annie, Quinn, Gray, Chloe, Hammond, Faith and Ally’s parents and the whole other that has not been mentioned make this more fun to read. Without them, the story of Jake and Ally would truly not be more memorable.
So, I guess that’s it. *tears*. This book concludes the She’s so/He’s so trilogy. It was a story very much different from the first two and it was a story filled with much more unpredictable and exciting cascade of events. I loved how this story wrapped up. Yes, I’m expecting for more, but it left me at peace as I end it. I’m really sad to see this series end and hey, if you haven’t read this series yet? This might be the time for that. Enjoy heaps!
Oh and by the way, thank You Ms. Kieren Scott for this wonderful series. Maybe if you have time, you could write another trilogy with Jake and Ally on college. There’s no harm in hoping. 
It’s Monday….
It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?
It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. The purpose of the meme is to discuss books we are reading this week, as well as books we completed the previous week.
BOOKS COMPLETED LAST WEEK:
A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
This Is So Not Happening (He’s So/She’s So, #3) by Kieran Scott
First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone
The Princesses of Iowa by M. Molly Backes
Waiting by Carol Lynch Williams
Easy by Tammara Webber
The Disenchantments by Nina Lacour
Pretty much excited for these books this week! Pretty hyped up with it! )
You, What are you reading this week?
Review: First Comes Love
First Comes Love by Katie Kacvinsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
”Take life seriously. That you have to do. Don’t take yourself seriously, that’s the key. Let it all go. Don’t care for a second what people think of you. In fact, go out of your way to keep them guessing.”
Seriously, I don’t know where to start with a review for this book. It seems like I have a lot to say but can’t quite put it into words. Speechless. That’s me after reading it. I’m still at awe with it. It was amazing and beautiful and impressive and awesome and wonderful and astonishing and all other superlatives that can level up with those words.
—-
Opposites do attract.
Gray is very closed off and tends to be a private type of person. Dylan is the opposite; she is ecstatic, always full of energy and always on the go. They may seem to be a very unlikely couple but their looks can be very deceiving. What started as a simple friendship turns into affection and caring until they finally fall in love with each other.
But staying in love is not as easy as falling in love. If Dylan and Gray want their love to last, they’re going to have to work at it. And learn that sometimes love means having to say you’re sorry.
—-
Amazed. I’m really amazed with this book. I wasn’t really expecting for it to have this great impact on me yet, it still surprises me. I didn’t also expect for this to left such impression to me, yet it left a great dent in my heart. For such a very short book, it is packed with tons of lessons and emotions. I really find it hard to quote something from here since everything written on this one is very much quotable and the whole book itself is one big quote for all of us.
The story was narrated on the alternating point of views of Dylan and Gray. I think it is very effective since we could really see how they see each other. And through this, it makes me believe more in their bond and relationship and chemistry. Everything seemed to be more structured and nothing seems to be at false or rushed.
Dylan and Gray are like 2 sides of a coin; Very much different from one another. Gray is very closed off to everything. He prefers to do things on his own. He is a very determined and stubborn kind of guy yet he is very sweet and loving. He is such a wonderful guy for Dylan. The depth of his love for her was just wow and it’s just clearly undeniable. Want a proof of the depth of
Though he has a difficulty moving on with his past, I feel happy that he still gave Dylan a chance and let her in on his life. I also liked how he takes initiative to fix things regarding what happened to his past and all.
Meanwhile, Dylan, is the other way around, she is funny, artistic, carefree and very much filled with enthusiasm. It would be hard to clearly forget this character since she is really one of a kind. She outshines and stands out with her quirky attitude and her hate to being called as normal. As she has said:
“But I don’t want to fit in. That’s when no one notices you. You leave a longer impression when you’re brave enough to stand out.”
At first, Dylan just forced Gray to spend time with her and go along with her random ideas. As the days pass by, Gray realizes that hanging out with Dylan is what he really needed. He needed her to push his through his boundaries, push the walls he has built around him and see his life again.
This book is mainly about the relationships and how two different people, who seem to belong into two different types of worlds, meet and fall in love and how their story unfolds. The plot of the story is very much simple yet very much endearing. Of course, it is not only filled with happy moments because every relationship has its own dark sides. It shows how people who are together in a relationship stays in love despite all the trials and maze that would come to their love. Another thing is that each chapter was titled as to the every ‘Firsts’ of their relationship, therefore aiming the title ‘The Book of Firsts from me.
This book was amazing. I think I already used all the other positive things I could to describe this. It was very short and simple yet very heartfelt and intricate. It was very memorable and I just love everything about it. There might be some flaws with it but I didn’t really see it, I guess I was blinded by the beauty of the way it was written and its characters. The way it was ended really makes me think of things. It was a perfect way to end it yet a perfect start for both of them. It was a fun ride with Dylan and Gray. A ride that makes me laugh, cry and fall in love all over again.
One of the best YA read for 2012. SUPER RECOMMENDED!
And Finnick Odair says..
Please give me sometime to process this. I’m not crying, I just have Finnick Odair on my eyes. :”|
Typography courtesy of TUMBLR.
Review: A Vintage Affair
A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is what I love about vintage clothes. I love their beautiful fabric and their fine finish. I love knowing that so much skill and artistry have gone into their making.”
—
Spare me the beauty of its cover. Yes I’ve been behold by its beauty and I was really expecting something more from this one and I get not even half of my expectations to it and I’m pretty much not happy about it because I feel so unappreciative when I really don’t like something. And in my own defense, its not that I don’t appreciate this literary piece, I just find it hard to go with and read it and really get into it.
Phoebe and Mrs. Therese Bell are the two protagonists in the story. They are two women from two different times and life circumstances but they quickly learn that their souls are joined by the very same losses in their lives but for different reasons.
As much as I loved its cover, I struggle while reading this. I find it very slow. I was not even halfway through it and the mystery behind Mrs. Bell was already revealed and I get to think: “What is there to happen more now that the secret of hers was revealed?” Though a lot of other things were revealed halfway though it, I still wasn’t hooked at it as much as possible, maybe I’m just more in tuned at the moment to Young Adult stories and I can’t appreciate this contemporary one that would be more serious life stuff.
But despite the struggling I encountered while reading this, I can’t help but feel amazed at Phoebe’s Vintage shop for I, myself is fond of vintage things, though I don’t really collect them. I feel exhilarated with every description of the dresses and bags and shoes that she sees and sells. My most favorite of her collection are those Cupcake Dresses,as she likes to call them, which I imagine to look something like THIS!
The thing that really keeps me going with this book are those vintage dresses. Seriously, I’m just like bored at it at times and like spaced out while reading and not really processing what I’m reading it.
But despite of my struggle in reading this, I still realized and learn things with it. I realized that each one of us has its own journey and no matter how hard it was always see that that struggle along the way made the journey more worthwhile. Another thing is that, letting go is necessary and we should live in this moment. Never take what you have for granted, enjoy everything up to its very last second so that when the time comes you, yourself will have the courage to let it go.
In all, it was a good and poignant read. But I guess it’s not just really the type of book for me though I really appreciate those Vintage dresses and stuffs.
Review: One Moment
One Moment by Kristina McBride
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“All it takes is One Moment for your entire world to turn upside down. One wrong decision and it’s over.”
As a reader, I have a tendency to get attached to some books I’m reading. Being attached meaning I can’t seem to stop thinking about its story and its characters and this book once again evoke that certain attachment to me. I never really expected this book to get this much of me, I was expecting something light and ordinary YA story. Instead, what I get is a story full of mystery, depression, sadness and the realization that all it takes is just One Moment to change everything around you.
—
Memorial Day was supposed to be one of those perfect days for Maggie – there’s a party coming up and cliff diving on a secret hideout with her life-long friends – a prelude to the upcoming summer before they head out and become seniors. But then something went wrong. Something is really terribly wrong. She remembers climbing the trail to the cliff with her perfect boyfriend Joey. She remembers their last kiss. But why can’t she remember what happened in the moment they were supposed to dive? Why was she crying and hiding and cowering at the top while Joey ended up below floating on the water dead?
So many questions and no answers have come yet. But as her memories starts returning in small snatches, they just lead to more questions and nothing seems to make sense anymore. And with everyone pressuring her to remember and share what happened, her friendship on the verge of collapse, and Adam, one of her closest friend, seems to drift away from their group, Maggie realizes she never felt this alone.
—
This is my first novel of Kristina Mcbride and I received a copy of it from net-galley. As I have said, I was expecting something light to read but instead I get a book which really curls and plays up my emotions – not that I’m complaining. Okay?
Maggie Reynolds, I liked her. She’s a normal girl who was deeply in love with Joey making him the center of her world. She is pretty scared of heights that’s why she never did the Cliff Diving thing her friends was really into. I really felt for her. I felt her as she struggled with her own emotions over Joey’s accident. I felt for her as she struggled with grief and with realizing that Joey wasn’t the person she thought he is. I really felt her sadness and loneliness and all other synonyms to those words.
Adam, Pete and Tanna. I liked them too. They’re one of those characters I really wanted to be friends with. Though they may get some of their own moments at times at the very least they are still there with you especially in times of need and grief.
Now Joey and Shannon. I know I’m spoiling something when I put them together but hey! These two characters just for together like a jigsaw puzzle and it is up to you to determine their connection. Joey is the Boyfriend. Shannon is one of Maggie’s life long best friends. I’ll start with Joey, well, he seems nice and perfect and handsome and all that. But he can also be a jerk! I feel bad on how he treats Maggie, yes, he treats her like a princess but he just can’t seem to say his true intentions or feelings to her even though Maggie’s feeling on the other hand was already out of the box. It just seems inappropriate for me like they we’re just playing Friends with Benefits kind of thing. Then there is Shannon. She’s just so horrible since the start of the story so I’m really keeping my ears up to her since the beginning. But as the story progress, I also liked how she protects Maggie from the things that could hurt her more since losing Joey makes her brittle like a glass. She treats her still as her very best friend not only for the sake of coping up with the badly things she did to her but also for the sake of their lifelong friendship.
SEE SPOILER ALERTS ON MY GOODREADS REVIEW.
I really love books evokes a lot of reactions to me. I loved how they make me feel all things at the same time. A big hooray! for the set of characters presented on this book. Another thing that is likeable about this one is on how the story was told. It jumps between the past and the present telling the story of Maggie and her friends and the fact that once the twist was resolved and worked out it didn’t ruin the story at all and would keep you wishing for more.
I can’t also help but notice some songs mentioned while I’m on the process of reading this. Songs that Maggie listens to since their group of friends seems to have a great love for music. But one song I can’t help but sing with them with is FarAway by Nickelback. Pete sang this with Tanna and Maggie while they we’re on their hiding place. That scene was just so heavy and it really makes me cry. It makes me feel sad about Joey and Maggie and it really suites their story. And now, everytime I listen to that song, it reminds me of this story.
Different emotions curled up inside me as I read this one. There was the sadness and loneliness, but mystery and adrenaline comes next and then hope and then that little happiness as I come to the end of it. It was a tough read but as I end it, all I gave was a little sigh of relief that at least it’s all done and everything is settled though the lost one can never come back again. It was well-written and very much enjoyable and would grip your from the beginning up to the end. The answers to the questions and mystery weren’t a surprise; it would still get you hooked up. It also captures how teenagers feel about certain things such as love, friends, family and love.
In all, it makes me realize that the hardest part in losing someone at times is knowing that they weren’t the person you thought they were. And each and every moment should be treated with great importance.
A very moving book indeed. Definite must read!
Thanks to Egmont USA and NetGalley for providing and advanced copy for review.
Review: Somebody To Love
Somebody To Love by Kristan Higgins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At the sight of him, every egg in her ovaries leaped to attention and starts banging their tiny fists against the wall. ‘Let us out, Parker! Now!’
—
Parker Welles grows up having a golden spoon on her mouth. Her family has always been filthy rich. So for Parker and her son, money has never been an issue. She’s a successful author of a Kid’s book and since money was never really their problem she donated everything she earned from her books to children charity. The one day, everything is juts gone. Her father loses the family fortune from an insider-scheme and now she is faced with very hard decisions.
With her son and her own trust fund gone like poof! It’s time to fend for herself. All that was left to her was a little house located in Gideon’s cove which she inherited from her Aunt and not really imagining how many works it would take before it could be sold. When her father’s lawyer asks to go with her to the Cove, she’s not that thrilled even tough he’s drop-dead gorgeous and knows his way around tools and carpentry. She decided to sign as a florist assistant and starts to find life as the way it is.
—
What’s with me and Romance read these days? Not that I’m complaining or so, but I’ve been reading Contemporary-Romance stories for quite awhile now and I really find it funny. Yea. Never Mind me.
Here I go again with my sudden attraction with book covers. Honestly, I decided to request it on NetGalley because I find the cover nice and summery thinking well, its YA or stuff like that. At first I’m not really hyped about it and put this on reading hold, but I decided, what’s the harm on reading this? And gosh! I’ve never been so glad! I’m really glad I’ve decide to read it. It was fun and hilarious and fun and just enjoyable. And as I finished it I take one last glance to the cover and caught myself smiling over the fact that the cover really makes sense. The cover is there as you read the story.
Parker Welles is one optimistic lady. I really adored her optimism when she faced the great trial her family has ever encountered. Since having a growing child, she wants nothing but the best for him. She was a really fun character. From the beginning you could easily distinguish her humor because at times she gets internal dialogues to herself. Another funny thing about her is the way she despises the book series she have written. I always thought that authors love what they write but in Parker’s situation it seems the other way around. She is one strong woman because instead of throwing fits over her misfortune all she did was stand up by herself and do everything she can at her very best to cope up with her misfortune in life. Another thing I liked about her is her good relationship with her son’s father Ethan. Though what they have was a simple case of romance, they didn’t even regret having Nicky on their life. Though Ethan is now happily married with Lucy, Parker’s best friend, he was still always there for Parker as a friend, even Lucy his wife is still there for her. The easy going of these three really impressed me though the connection of them was really complicated. I can’t help but feel happy for the easy friendship they have.
The there’s James Francis Xavier Cahill or Thing One for Parker. He was the lawyer of Parker’s father. He’s the type of guy that has a good sense of humor and moral and he is honorable and respectable. I also really liked the idea that he was always there for Parker and her family. He was there when Parker gave birth up to her child’s baptism and birthdays and up to the last minute that he tells her that she’s loosing everything. His sense of loyalty to Parker and her family was really promising. He feels indebted to them so he decided to at least help Parker fixed up what is left of her.
The constant banter between these two is really nice and funny. They’re just both hilarious characters and even their dialogues lived up to my expectations. The love story between this two is not the main attraction of the story which is also nice. At least it doesn’t only focus on them and them alone. Its’ also nice to see a set of great community in Gideon Cove, the secondary characters are pretty cool.
Somebody to Love is a sweet and funny romance read for all. It’s filled with witty snide remarks and dialogues that would surely make you smile.
Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for providing and advanced copy for review.
Books can be hard to manage
It’s sunday and there’s nothing I should really do since I’ve been off to work since Friday. Today, I’ve decided to fix my books to stack them properly on the shelves. Guess the work is not that easy and I end up with this mess…
My growing book collection is starting to worry me. I’m in deep need of a new shelf for them.
WHAT I’M READING
READTHEPRINTEDWORD
Goodreads
READING CHALLENGE
BlogLovin’
