Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell

Goodreads rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

"he'd stop trying to bring her back. She only came back when she felt like it anyway, and dreams and lies, and broken down déjà vu. "

Honestly I had low hopes and expectations for this book. This book has been on my shelf for over a year now and I had no urge to pick it up. The only reason I brought it was because it was all over my Instagram feed and I was kind of curious why people were going crazy over this book. I gave into the crowd and finally decided to buy the book.

So recently I started to read Eleanor and park and let's start off by saying that this was my first time ever reading anything by Rainbow Rowell and I don't regret anything. I'm so glad for picking it up and following the crowd. This book was funny in it's own way and was very relatable.

Eleanor & Park is about 

Two misfits.

One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

I Personally was able to compare myself to Eleanor  more than anyone else in the book. All my life I've been bullied because of how I look and my weight. Yeah kids suck but anyways, this book was touching, cute, and funny. It was an easy and fun read. So if you happen to have a chance to pick it up please do. Or it's been sitting on a shelf please do me a favor and pick it up it is a highly recommended book. 

A Brilliant Madness - Robert M. Drake

Goodreads rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy new year! 2016 is now in the past and we can move on with 2017. Since this is a new year, that calls for new goals. I've made several New Year's resolutions for myself this year, some are book related resolutions and some are not. For book related resolutions, I boosted up my reading goal to 50 books this year. Last year the goal was 40 books and I finish the year off with the 46 books. So that means I have a lot more reading to do. 

The next goal is to post more reviews. Last year I was not able to review all the books I read and that made me want to make this a goal. I want to keep this blog up and running all year round.  I want to watch  my Instagram, Twitter, and Blog continue to grow. So this means I should be writing and posting 50 or more book review this year. With that said, this lead me into the first book review of the year.

 A Brilliant Madness this is a collection of beautiful poetry and art work done by the author himself, Robert M. Drake. This book is very real and laced with the sad truth about love,  pain, heart break, and the ugly truth about the world. It is written very nicely and I love the artwork that one along with each poem. I have never read anything like this book before and I am excited and happy this was the first read of the year. 

On another note, I was able to connect with some of R. M's pieces, while others I agreed with 100%.  My favorite pieces were "CONSUMES US ALL" , "BECOME SUN" , "ONE THING CANNOT GET OLD" , and many others. I think the best part about reading this book was that it gives me the push I need to start writing my poetry again. I have not been able to write the way I use to in years. I want to get back to that point again and make poetry one of my priorities. 

To conclude this book review, this book will definitely be recommended to my friends and everyone on my social medias. Thank you for taking the time to read this review. I am truly thankful for everyone that took the time to read this book review. 

Keep in touch! Feel free to follow and talk to me 

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Book Review - "Aftermath" - Clara Kensie

Goodreads rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Some stories won’t have a happy ending,” he says. But there’s always hope that the next one will.

“Some stories won’t have a happy ending,” he says. But there’s always hope that the next one will.

This beauty was sent to me by the author herself, Clara Kensie. I was so ecstatic to be able to get an advanced readers copy (ARC). This book was heartbreaking and very beautiful.  At first glancing at the cover, I thought it was going to be another contemporary about someone falling in love. But I was shocked to read it was about a girl who survived four years of being kidnapped. Here is the actual synopsis:

Charlotte survived four long years as a prisoner in the attic of her kidnapper, sustained only by dreams of her loving family. The chance to escape suddenly arrives, and Charlotte fights her way to freedom. But an answered prayer turns into heartbreak. Losing her has torn her family apart. Her parents have divorced: Dad's a glutton for fame, Mom drinks too much, and Charlotte's twin is a zoned-out druggie. Her father wants Charlotte write a book and go on a lecture tour, and her mom wants to keep her safe, a virtual prisoner in her own home. But Charlotte is obsessed with the other girl who was kidnapped, who never got a second chance at life--the girl who nobody but Charlotte believes really existed. Until she can get justice for that girl, even if she has to do it on her own, whatever the danger, Charlotte will never be free.

This novel was very heartbreaking, beautiful and touching. I cried three times and that’s a new record for me. Charlotte is such a strong young lady and has such a big heart even after she went through four years of hell. The way everything flowed together and created such a haunting tale of surviving and growing made this a heartfelt story. The topics discussed may be very sad and not many like to read or to write about topics along these lines, but the way Clara Kensie wrote and elaborated each character and the difficulties Charlotte faced was outstanding.

I have nothing negative to say about this book. It was such a good read and I recommend this book frequently and I’m happy to say I was given a chance to read this book. I want to thank the author for being such a kind hearted person and giving me this special opportunity. I’m sorry I am late with this review but life has been pretty hard on me lately and I really did try and get the review out as soon as I could.

I felt as if I was Charlotte and I was kidnapped for four years. The story was detailed and grabbed me from the first page. I have gone through a lot myself and I felt like I was able to get the tears out because of this book. I wish the story was extended and made everything complete.

On Goodreads I had to give this book a solid 5 out of 5 star rating. If I could, I would give it a 10 star rating. Aftermath is on my top favorites of 2016. So thank you again for this special opportunity. If you guys are interested please check out her instagram @ClaraKensie .

Book Review - "Stepping Stone" - Dakota Willink

Goodreads rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dakota Willink was kind enough to send me a copy of her first novel of the Stepping stone series, Heart of Stone. I loved that book and I gave it a 5 star rating. And once I found out that book two was coming out, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.

On her instagram she was looking for beta readers for the second installment, Stepping Stone. So anyone that was interested could sign up on her website. So I decided to sign up and I was hoping I would be lucky enough to be chosen as a beta reader. All the entries would be chosen at random. Knowing me, I didn’t expect to win anything. I never win anything when I enter for a contest, giveaway, or anything else really. So I believe weeks has passed since I signed up to win a chance and when I checked my email I was shocked to see that I was one of six or seven people chosen. I was more than excited when I opened the email.

I, of all people was actually chosen for this. I am so honored and happy to help in any way I could. Once I was able to download the file on my kindle, I was ready to dive right into this sexy read. So my job was to help find any plot holes, any grammar mistakes, anything that doesn’t fit right and point them out to Dakota. This phase is very important to authors in general. So my job was crucial to her and the whole editing process of getting Stepping Stone published. I couldn’t wait to stick my head right in.

So I found myself binge reading and falling in love all over again with Krystina and Alexander’s crazy love. They’re so cute and their love gets hot and steamy very quickly.  I enjoyed being able to grow with the characters as well as the author herself. I found myself getting lost inside their world. Dakota Willink does an amazing job creating a world filled with love, pleasure, pain, and craziness, a world you won’t be able to escape.  I felt the pain of their past of both Krystina and Alexander. Even through the hard times, they both grew into very strong and successful individuals and when they’re together, they’re stronger than they think. This made the book even more personal for me.

This happens to be my favorite sequel so far this year and no I'm not just saying this just because. I’m being 100% truthful. This series is adorable and very sexy. Their sex life has me on edge and I can’t wait for book three.

I want to thank you Dakota for giving me this opportunity to help you and giving me a chance to grow as a writer myself. You have been nothing short of amazing and I can’t appreciate your friendship enough. The best part is I am being sent the final copy of Stepping Stone in a physical copy. Now I have to go and buy Heart of Stone for my shelf.

On Goodreads this book deserved its rating. I gave it a 5 out of 5 star rating. I loved every second of reading and if you enjoy some steamy reads and romance then this series is for you. So if you’d like to know more about Dakota and the Stepping Stone series visit her on instgram @DakotaWillink and her website www.dakotawillink.com

Book Review - "Let Me Be the One" - Lily Foster

Let Me Be the One - Lily Foster

Goodreads rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

            I read this beauty on my road trip to Florida this year. It had been sitting on my Kindle app for awhile now and it came in very handy on the 17 plus hour drive. It was a short read for me, only 200 pages. I was determined to read about three books on this vacation. I wanted to make sure that I actually complete this year’s reading challenge.

            This book is about a beautiful, popular, and intelligent young female, Darcy, who seems to have it all together. She takes the opportunity to study abroad, which seems like a perfect escape for her. She is trying to leave behind the insecure and scared girl she has become. But someone else that is not her boyfriend is waiting for her to realize that he can be the one for her.  

            This is book one of a six part series. Each book is a standalone but the books are each inter-connected as the characters each have their turn at sharing their stories. I enjoyed reading this book until 5 am. I stayed up until I was able to add this book to my read list on Goodreads. I did not find this book boring or a drag. Each character was able to shine in their own way and if they didn’t get enough light then they’re most likely going to get their turn in the next book to the series. The story fell together very nicely and I enjoyed being able to complete it.

            Even though I enjoyed the read, it wasn’t a book that had a lasting impression on me. I’m not saying that in a negative way. I did enjoy the plot and the characters but it didn’t leave me wanting more or making me rave about it to my friends or show it off on my bookstagram. I did not give this book a bad rating because of that. On Goodreads I gave “Let Me Be the One” a three out of five star rating. That’s not a horrible rating but it isn’t the best book out there. Regardless of the rating it was a good book and I enjoyed it myself.

            

Book Review - "November 9" - Colleen Hoover

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Goodreads rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"I thought I was stronger than a word, but I just discovered that having to say goodbye to you is by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

      You know the funny thing is that I first I was gonna pick this book up at all. My initial thought when I saw the book and read the back blurb was that it was going to be boring or something I would not like to read. Let's just say that it was a good thing I did pick it up.

      I should've known that this book was going to be nothing short of amazing. For the first chapter, I knew I wouldn't be able to put this book down. I personally think that all books that Colleen Hoover writes are simply beautiful. For the few books that I have read from her they were nothing short of amazing. Her stories create a world the drags me in and I get attached to the characters, to their ups and downs, their drama and the love.

      November 9 is based on two people from different worlds and they need one day under weird circumstances. They made a promise to each other, no matter what, and no matter where they are they have to meet up once a year on November 9. If you read that it may leave you with some questions, but that's what pulls you in. You'll learn about each character and how they develop or fall apart within these beautiful book. 

      My favorite character would have to be Fallon. I was able to connect with her more than anyone. She has her probl ems and she copes with them in her own way; which makes her strong and beautiful. I don't want to ruin anything about her that you will learn in the book. But she is a strong, beautiful, and troubled woman who has been through a lot and she's coping. She isn't letting it get to her. It took a lot of time for her to grow and learn to accept her challenge and that's what makes her so relatable. 

      On Goodreads I gave this beauty of five out of five star rating. This book is probably one of my favorite books of 2016. I talk highly of this book to my friends or anyone that needs a recommendation to read. I simply loved it and I'm so happy I own this book and it's displayed on my bookshelf with the other Colleen Hoover books I own.

Book Review - "We Were Liars" - E. Lockhart

Goodreads rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

"we are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken."

This book was seen a lot on bookstagram. It was given a lot of hype and had a 3.85 rating on Goodreads. Normally I do not give into the hype of certain books but I actually gave in after while and got the book myself. But I didn't pick it up for months after I bought it. I just let it sit on my shelf collecting dust. Honestly, I didn't even know what it was about.

So when I finally decided to give this book ago, I was kind of iffy about it. I thought he would inside and grab my attention, it made me want to see what it was about and all the secrets they held. I read this as I was going to work, most of my reading is done traveling. Since It wasn't a huge book so I was able to finish it pretty fast.

While reading this I actually wrote down a list of the pros and the cons of the book. They were few good things but they were more cons than anything. If you guys have read my previous blog posts then you'll know, I hate writing bad reviews. So I try and make it as positive as possible but remain very truthful to the author, everyone reading, and most importantly stay truthful to myself. I love what I do as a hobby and if I wasn't truthful to myself then I wouldn't be doing this at all. 

Not for all the pros of the book. The first pro would be that this book was able to keep me on the edge. I wasn't necessarily board with the book but it did keep me on my toes so it never did get boring. The next pro is that it was a very easy read. I was in a reading from so I wanted to find something that was easy to read and it wasn't 300 pages plus. I think the most important pro would have to be that the characters and their personality were very dominant and it known to the reader. Each character was well known and they each had their own role and in their own way played a significant role in unraveling the story. For the final pro, I personally like the way the book was written; it was an easy flow of words, so the pages turned very quickly.

Now for the most dreaded part, I just found the plot very weird and sometimes hard to understand. Even after finishing the book I still do not understand the whole reason for the book. I don't know if it's just me or what but In my opinion, I think the plot summary on the flaps of the books were the most exciting thing I read. The story was a bit of a let down. Again, this is all my opinion. I'm not attacking or trying to hurt anyone's feelings.