Book Review: Parallel by Lauren Miller

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.

This had been on my radar for quite some time but never got around to actually reading it. I don't know why I waited so long because it's a time travel/parallel universe story and I love those. They are easy for me to understand, and I love seeing how each author explains how these worlds work. 

Surprisingly, this one took a lot of brain power to fully understand. Actually, to be completely honest, I still don't fully understand. It's definitely a new theory/adaptation on parallel universes that I haven't read before, so really happy about that. You kind of learn with the protagonist through her journey to understanding it all. There's also a lot of scientific jargon that make it more believable. 

There's also a time leap from chapter to chapter. The protagonist doesn't remember the her senior year and we get to see everything that leads up to her present. Well, technically it's just her consciousness living out her parallel's life. Complicated, I know. It was weird seeing the path lead out for her while also adjusting to changes being made. It's confusing if you don't read it. How it happens it's that you make choices and in a parallel universe, you made a different one than the one you made. So interesting to think that the littlest things can have the potential to greatly steer our lives onto different paths. Anyways.

I did not like one of the love interests. Like, at all. I was very, very happy when the ending that explained everything and made it nice again happened. No spoilers, sweetie! But man, getting there, whoo boy. There's a point in the book where everything just goes to shi- poop. Just everything. It was So. Painful. You just wanted everything to go smoothly and her to end up with the right guy and UGH.

THE ENDING THOUGH. GOODNESS. I really want a sequel. Or an epilogue. SOMETHING. I know everything will be okay because it ended and stuff, but I want to know for sure. Everything just went poof! and all the trouble gone. Just read it. It's a good book in its own right and does a fantastic job in the parallel universe department, despite my slow understanding. I felt things and I wanted to throw the book. That means it's written very well. Ugh.

Read: July 2015

My Rating: 4.5 stars / 5 stars

The Quintessential Summer Reads

I'm well aware that it's not really summer anymore, but you can see feel the sand between your toes by reading these books! Escape to summer romance and the constant smell of sun screen with these reads (in no particular order):

      

        

1. Dream Factory by Brad Barkley and Heather Helper
2. Start of Me and You by Emery Lord
3. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
4. The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne
5. The Summer Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler
6. The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
7. I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
8. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
9. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
10. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
11. The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
12.  Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Book Review: Backlash by Sarah Darer Littman

He says: You're an awful person.
He says: What makes you think I would ever ask you out?
He says: The world would be a better place without you in it.
Lara just got told off on Facebook.
She thought that Christian liked her, that he was finally going to ask her to his school's homecoming dance. They've been talking online for weeks, so what's with the sudden change? And where does he get off saying horrible things on her wall? Even worse - are they true?
It's been a long time since Lara's felt this bad, this depressed, this ugly. She's worked really hard to become pretty and happy - and make new friends after what happened in middle school.
Bree used to be best friends with overweight, depressed Lara, but constantly listening to Lara's issues got to be too much. Secretly, Bree's glad Christian called Lara out. Lara's not nearly as amazing as people think. But no one realized just how far Christian's harsh comments would push Lara. Not even Bree.
As online life collides with real life, things spiral out of control, and not just for Lara. Because when the truth starts to come together, the backlash is even more devastating than anyone could have ever imagined

You would never think I'd actually pick this book up and read it by choice if you knew me in real life.

I can not stand the whole "Hey there, kids! Today we're going to talk about some serious topics in a way that's supposed to be entertaining but is actually cringe-worthy and somewhat diminishes the topic we're talking about!! Doesn't that sound fun???!!" Read: every Glee episode ever.

This, surprisingly, was not like that at all. Besides the topic. 

It deals with cyber-bulling and the effects it has on young people today. A touchy topic for someone who uses the internet constantly and is also a young person. I was afraid it was going to be the exact replica of the ABC Family Movie Cyberbully. I didn't watch it but a friend of mine did and easily filled me in enough for me to predict what was happening. 

Luckily, this was not that. It was very real in how something can easily affect people. The feelings from each of the characters were real and supported. They weren't treated like it was a soap opera where tears are enhanced and over-dramatized. I felt sympathy for each character can could understand a level of their pain, despite being very different from one another. 

I'm very glad the "bad guy" in this story wasn't portrayed as a villain or made out to be a bad person. They were just a person who made a bad decision and are now dealing with the consequences of that. They were human. Well, there was an actual bad person in this story and I hated them. It's easy to see why and know that they are a pretty terrible person- for multiple reasons. They deserve to go to jail, to be honest. 

It was great to see that the victim of the cyberbulling wasn't cured of their depression by falling in love. They learned how to deal with the stuff that happened to them and how to face how they felt as well as how to continue from that point forward. There wasn't even really a point in the story where this could have happened. There was hints but nothing definitive. 

This was definitely a surprise for me. I don't know if I liked it or enjoyed reading it really, but I was able to feel things for the characters, so it was a good book. Any book that makes you feel anything besides anger for making you read it, is a good book. 

If you don't mind the topic or getting angry, I'd recommend it.

Read: June 2015

My Rating: 4 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: The Young Elites (The Young Elites #1) by Marie Lu

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.
Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. 
Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. 
Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.
It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

The excitement I had for this book was really high.

It didn't meet my high expectations unfortunately.

The story itself was really interesting and highly imaginative, but it just didn't do it for me. I don't know if I just got lost from the beginning and that made it hard to read/hard to picture what was happening; or if it was the book itself.

I read the Legend series and loved them. I fell in love with Marie Lu's writing and her art of storytelling. This was a good book, I just didn't love it.

The main character is one that is more inclined to be "dark" and has these thoughts that in most books would make her a villain. I really enjoyed that. It's not everyday that you have a protagonist and a narrator be a character that can easily be classified as the villain in the story. Unfortunately, she kept going back and forth from embracing this "dark" side and being horrified that she even thought those things. I get that it's an indicator that maybe she's not terrible or can be saved/be the hero- but why can't she be just that? What's so wrong with having a morally ambiguous character? I mean besides, like, murder. 

I think, with how this ended, she might be gearing towards that way. Which will be a very interesting story in itself. 

I did really love the her whole attitude about making those who hurt her, be hurt in return. While probably not the best way to live your life, it's something to somewhat admire and understand once you see where she's coming from.

Speaking of the ending; that was this book's saving grace. It took a turn I was not expecting in the least. I mean, I figured out what had happened shortly before the narrator but did not see that coming before hand. I really liked it, even though it's not something one should probably like if they enjoyed the characters. It was a good story move. I think, anyways.

Might not read the next one. I'll see how the reviews are and whether I have the time (or motivation) to read it.

I'm making it sound worse, but it's not unbearable or anything. It's a pretty good book.

Read: June 2015

My Rating: 3.5 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?
Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.
The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

It's been a long time since I read Sarah Dessen's books. Last time I tried and ended up not liking it. I didn't actually finish it either. Oops.

The last one I ended up loving was probably Along for the Ride. So it's been a while.

This wasn't bad. Not terribly great, but not bad. 

I liked Sydney (the narrator), I could relate to her and could understand how she felt about all the stuff in her life. I liked Layla (narrator's best friend) and her huge french fry obsession. Fries are serious business. Their friendship felt real and was good for both of them. I felt like their friendship should've had a better focus than Sydney's love life.

Her love life was a slow, slow burn. I'm all for that because I hate the whole "I just met you, and this is crazy but I love you" thing. But, damn, it was like they got together because they each smiled at each other. There was no other basis for a romantic relationship than continuing doing what they always had done but with the occasional kiss. There was no chemistry between them. It was like the were put together for the sake of a romantic plot.

Ugh. There were no swoons; hell, there were no purely romantic moments between them. I don't understand. I digress.

Now, there was the whole Creeper McCreep. You know from the moment he's introduced and Sydney's reaction to him that something bad will happen. I kept waiting for her to say something or for him to do something but it doesn't. It doesn't happen until like the last few pages. (Spoiler?) What the heck? Why hint at something that big only to have a quick thing happen as like a sidenote? I'm not trying to diminish the severity of situations like that, but it felt like it was being pushed to the side as a plot point. That kind of stuff is not a plot point and should be treating carefully and with respect to the victims of those situations. 

I don't know. This book just didn't do it for me. There was no pulse in the story. It was flat. Like it was a really long checklist of everything that could possibly happen to a teenage girl. 

Maybe it was just me but it just kind of fell flat for me. Which is sad because I like Sarah Dessen. She's not a bad writer. But this was a bit of a snoozer.

Whether I read her next book is undecided. I might just wait until the library has it. Maybe. 

Read: May 2015

My Rating: 3 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.
As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

I can not tell you how excited I was when I found out that Sarah J. Maas was publishing a Beauty and the Beast retelling. 
I was really, really excited.
The story was great and a new twist on a classic tale that has not already been done before. I was apprehensive when I read that the "Beast" was faerie. I don't like to read faerie/fairy/fey novels anymore. Too many in my earlier years and they end up making me angry at Tinkerbell. Can't have that. This book did that genre a great service. 
It wasn't what I was expecting at all but it was still a really great story. The plot takes a little time to get going and once it does, it doesn't let go. I actually liked the end a lot better than the beginning. I can see how the series might go and I'm excited for it. 
But damn, that plot twist. If only you said something, girl. If only.

While I did not enjoy this book as much as her Throne of Glass books, it's definitely worth a try if you're a fan of Sarah J. Maas. Her writing is so magnificent. Regardless of the plot. It's the plot that got me on this one but I love her writing. 
I will probably be reading the next one when that comes out. It'll be exciting and interesting that's for sure. 

Read: May 2015
My Rating: 4 stars / 5 stars

Book Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend—two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.
The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party—three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.
Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

Kasie West is easily one of my favorite authors. She's written wonderful novels like Pivot Point Series, On the Fence and The Distance Between Us. 
This is definitely a new favorite of hers. Probably 3rd favorite- with Pivot Point and The Distance Between Us first and second. 
Her writing is so brilliant and thought-out that I end up finishing the entire book within a 24-hour period because everything just flows. The Fill-In Boyfriend was no exception to this. In fact, I liked it a lot better than her previous contemporary novel, On the Fence. 
The characters are so well-written and they are fun to read as well as see them (usually) fall in love. The book is a contemporary romance, so if "chick-lit" isn't your thing, this might not be for you. Plus it has one of my favorite tropes/cliches: the pretend romantic lover that turns into real love. I'm a sucker for romance and cliches.

You get to see the characters evolve through out the book and actually see the chemistry between them. It didn't feel forced or written purely for a romantic plot; these characters are compatible, bring out the best in each other and very comfortable with just being near each other. 
It's just a wonderful read and great quick read for a trip to the beach. 
I also highly recommend the rest of Kasie West's books. They're awesome.

Read: May 2015
My Rating: 5 stars / 5 stars