To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Interesting premise but I felt that the book leans towards the younger kids. It was light, easy-to-read, engaging, but it can also be annoying, boring, and predictable. Lara Jean likes to write letters, but never sends them. She pours her feelings and emotions on paper, after all, they wouldn't be able to read it right? WRONG! The letters get sent, and now what would she do? It's funny how the lie she created turned into something big. Lara Jean is one of those girl characters who gets annoyed when people treat her like a child but ironically acts like one. Probably the thing I love best in this book is the relationship of the family, the sisters, and even their dad.
Love is all about taking risks. True we can get hurt, but we never know what will work until we are willing to give it a try. That is a lesson I've been reminded of while reading the book.
Living Dead Girl
It is heartbreaking to think that this book is a work of fiction yet the story is very real. There are monsters around us, pretending to be nice and quiet, but are capable of horrific acts. I have to say that the author made a brave move in creating this story. Ray, a pedophile who claims to take care of his girls, is actually the reason of their pain and struggles. But why is he doing that? He was also bound by his traumatic past - a mother who instead of nurturing and loving him, forced him to do things that are morally and legally wrong. And the cycle continues; Ray is now the perpetrator. Even Alice, upon knowing that there might be a little girl replacing her, had excited thoughts an even looked forward to that day.
This book is meant to open our eyes to the evils happening in the society. We are not in a place to judge or chastise. It is true, people would ask, "Why didn't you do something?" How swift we are to comment when we don't even know how much they've been through. My heart goes out to these people, who even time, will not erase the scars of such morbid past.
Keturah And Lord Death
I will tell you a story of magic and love, of daring and death, and one to comfort your heart. It will be the truest story I have ever told. Now listen, and tell me if it is not so.
Basing only on the cover and the title, I had my doubts on this book, but I'm glad I cam across it. Keturah and the Lord Death has a unique plot taking place in an older setting where there are kings and peasants, and people find pleasure in the simple village life. The beginning of the story details how Keturah almost passed on to the other side, but made a deal with Lord Death in order to have a few more days to live. Will true love help her overcome this tragedy? Will she be able to save her village from a coming plague? or will she simply let Lord Death take her?
One of the things that I love about this story is the language the author used. Obviously, it took place before the modern world, but I love the simplicity of it. Although the story tried to include the village and some of its people, it wasn't confusing and didn't dwell on unnecessary details. The ending was something I anticipated although I'm sure the author didn't try to make it as obvious. An added plus was that it was a quick read, which was made for busy people like me! :)
Of course we can never cheat death, but that is why we make the most of life while we can. :)
The Summer I Turned Pretty
Quick and easy read. Achingly beautiful but Belly annoyed the life out of me. It's the imperfections that make life beautiful.
Fire & Flood
Common dystopian plot but I really liked the story. I guess one of the things I liked was the lack of the usual "love triangle".
Heist Society
And so we meet Katarina Bishop, who hails from a family of thieves. And not just ordinary thieves, but also the best ones. Katarina dreams of something else, but was forced to go back when a threat comes to her father's life. Will a group of kids be able to take on a job that was deemed impossible? Will Katarina be able to save her father's life?I like mystery books so I was excited for this book. It kind of reminded me of 39 clues when they had to travel to different places and seek for ways to steal from Henley. I like the brilliant schemes they put together, the art pieces that were discussed, and of course the characters who helped with the whole conspiracy. I'm not sure if I liked Katarina very much but I still look forward to reading the next books in the series.
The plot was something I enjoyed considering it was a quick and engaging read.
Anna and the French Kiss
For the two of us, home isn't a place. It's a person.
And we're finally home.
I enjoyed reading this book! The story line was simple, yet the characters were lovable and Paris as the setting made it more likeable. Anna, a belle from the South, was forced to attend school in Paris by her father. It was such a huge change but she was lucky to have made friends who helped her adjust. But, one of these "friends" started to become more than that to her. His confusing advances started a twirl of romance, excitement, and heartache for Anna. Will Paris once more prove itself to be the city of love?
The conversations were witty and funny. I love how the reader can also become acquainted with Paris and its culture through the explanations in the book. Isn't amazing how you feel like you have also visited the place just by reading? :) And the ending.. oh my goodness! It was just so sweet how much St. Clair loves Anna, and how he loved her all along. All those complications were a result of misunderstandings and self-interpretations, but I'm glad that it worked out for them in the end.
Such a feel-good book! :)
Let the Sky Fall
I'm so relieved that the ending was so much better than the other parts of the book or I would have been really frustrated. The author gave me a new world to explore since I've never heard of sylphs before, but the story didn't really make me that interested. It wasn't really bad, but it wasn't that good either.How would you feel if one day you would discover that you aren't human? Let us leave that question to be answered by Vane Weston when he found out that he was a sylph. Not only that, but suppressed memories were suddenly becoming clear. The greatest event was meeting that girl he often dreamed about - Audra.
The story was interchangeably from Vane and Audra's point of view. Vane's tone is usually sarcastic and funny whilst Audra's more serious and uptight. I guess one thing I didn't like was the info dump regarding the winds and windwalkers and other wind talk. The conversations were a bit too long for my taste while the action came at the end. Each day that they were together was just too long. Romance-wise, it was alright, not something I'd really fangirl about.
Hopefully the next installment wouldn't be as dragged out as this one!
The Selection
I have mixed feelings towards this book. Entertainment value is high; I get giddy about the selection part because it reminds me of tv shows with similar mechanics. But it remains as it is - just pure entertainment, something to occupy time when bored. I did enjoy reading the book, but it didn't give me a feeling of amazement when I was done.Aside from the ridiculous names (ehem *America Singer* ehem), there wasn't much of a plot in this book. Rebels were attacking the palace but whatever the real reason was unknown. Some of the girls were just let go without real explanation on why they had to. The focus was mainly on Lady Singer and the too common plot - a love triangle. Seriously? It seemed like Prince Maxon was made perfect for that very reason - to make him level with Aspen and confuse the damsel-in-distress' heart. Ugggghh.
But no worries, I'll still read the next book. There are a lot of unanswered questions and issues to be addressed. Maybe that was wise on the author's part so we have to continue reading. I do hope the next book at least makes it certain what direction this series is taking. America, please be decisive and not play with other people's hearts. It is seriously becoming overrated. :)
Omens: A Cainsville Novel (Omens and Shadows)
Olivia's life totally changed from a rich and cultured to independent and superstitious when the secret about her biological parents came out. Who would have known that she was Eden, the daughter of serial killers? Now she had to stay away from her former life and embrace a new one, in this small town called Cainsville. It didn't turn out to be hushed and quiet; there are mysteries to be solved.I loved the unique story that the author has presented. I thought the beginning was kind of slow, but it became truly engaging as the plot developed. It wasn't much of a fantasy book as it was categorized but more or a mystery, questions waiting to be answered. It wasn't much of a tedious read as I thought considering the number of pages but you would never notice that you've even read that far!
Will definitely read the next books in the series! :)
Tabula Rasa
*I received a free digital copy from EgmontUSA via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest feedback.Forgetting is the antidote for every problem. Is it really?
My thoughts would probably resonate what others had to say for this book. The story started out extremely interesting and exciting. I actually loved the mystery of it all, waiting to be revealed. Turns out, the hype was all for nothing because what you'll get further along is more questions, commonplace revelations, until you'll find it a bit of a bore.
Tabula Rasa's setting was in a hospital facility believed to have been helping its patients forget the past. After all, that was solution to everything right? That's what the readers are bound to find out. Be warned that answers may take awhile. I was disappointed with some of the answers because they were given so much buildup when there wasn't really anything special going on. :(
Of course there were parts when the heroine outlasted them all just because of stupidity or sheer luck. Example : There were armed men all over the building wanting to kill Sarah/Angel. Twice, they thought she was dead when in reality she was just playing along. How it happened? Instead of checking for heartbeat or a pulse, they checked her breathing. Stupid ain't it? Obviously that's something you can try to fake :| Nice concept, but poorly executed that it took away the good vibes I got during the start of the book.
Born of Illusion
I actually started out having no idea what the book was about. The beginning was so much of an introduction to Anna and her mom, both of whom are entertainers in the field of illusions, magic, communicating to spirits and the like. Only, Anna turned out to be the real deal - having visions which really come to pass, reading people's emotions through connecting with them, and even being a medium for the dead. She attributed her skills as being Houdini's daughter or so her mother claimed. She had been seeing a terrible danger to befall her and her mother, and that leaves her with more questions than ever before.Set in the 1920's, I actually like the steam-punk feel of the story. The plot was unique in it's own with Harry Houdini being a part of it. My mind continues to wander how life was during that era; parties, dances, and shows which are very different back then. The characters exude language and behavior that was consistent with the feel of the setting. I especially enjoyed how the shows were described and how exciting it must have been to be a part of it. There was a lot of irony with the characters which led me to be confused in hating them one minute, then turn back to liking them again. I'm not sure if that was supposed to be how the writer saw it.
Probably one of the downside I find in the story is how slow it began, building the story up by adding more questions to the unanswered ones, but then the climax was abrupt. The visions Anna saw were terrifying and I can't help but wonder what was bound to happen. However, when the story actually reached that part, it was over in an instant. I guess that was what left me somewhat disappointed with the book. Dr. Boyle escaping the arrest kind of hinted there could be more to the story and would probably touch on it in the next books.
Actual rating is 3.5
Charlotte: Prowling for Enchantment
I received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest feedback.This was another shot on a new genre, which I kind of regret. Charlotte was a young woman in search of an adventure which she luckily (or unluckily) got while on a cruise. She met two interesting guys who surprisingly vied for her attention, considering she was described as someone who wasn't bound to get laid with her looks. Who would she choose? And the answer to that is up to you dear reader.
Choose your own adventure books would forever remind me of R.L. Stine's books so I was excited with that part in the story. There were different paths to take, options to weigh, and decisions to make. I liked the idea of the choice index being the different parts of a ship as the story took place during a cruise. But I didn't really find the story parts exciting. In fact, the fantasy part of the story put me off. I thought there were too much drama, even to the point of being silly. Because of that, I didn't really venture on every possible ending.
The writing wasn't so bad, but I guess this genre is just not for me.
Legacy Code
I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest feedback.The story was easy to understand and follow. Era, the pregnant main character, sought to discover the truth of things she was led to believe in order to save the ones she love. While reading this book, I just have this feeling that the concept wasn't new. It seems like a common plot, as you can often read in dystopian/sci-fi YA books. Maybe one of the things that sets it apart was how the MC is already married, hence romance was limited.
It was short yet tragic. It seemed like there could have been more to the story, almost like something was lacking. The characters weren't really developed as time was spent for the unfolding of the story. Thus, I can't really say I loved the characters or relate to them. It seemed that the next book will be the story of another character so I wonder how that'll turn out.
Thanks Autumn Kalquist for the opportunity to review your story!
