REVIEW: LUCKY IN LOVE BY KASIE WEST.

Title: Lucky in Love
Author: Kasie West
Series: Standalone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: July 25th 2017 by Scholastic
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Pages: 333
Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:
Can’t buy me love…

Maddie’s not impulsive. She’s all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment—

She wins!

In a flash, Maddie’s life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she’s talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun…until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now Maddie isn’t sure who she can trust.

Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn’t seem aware of Maddie’s big news. And, for some reason, she doesn’t want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?

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When I read The Distance Between Us in 2013, I remember I wasn't really that much swooning over it (but my review is raving lol maybe I chose to highlight only the positive ones. Who knows.) There's something about the writing that didn't quite sit well with me. And it happened again in Lucky in Love.

Maybe West and I aren't meant to be.

The gist of Lucky in Love is, Maddie won fifty million dollars in the lottery and rejected the only boy who cared for her because she thought he was only after her money. It was such an intiguing plot but I was underwhelmed. If I won the lottery, I would feel various emotions at once. I guess you would, too. But I didn't understand how I couldn't connect to Maddie at this point. I wasn't really impressed by how she reacted. It felt so flat to me, actually. I couldn't wrap my mind around how calm she was. Or maybe she wasn't but I didn't feel it at all.

Seth Nguyen is my favorite in this book. He's so DREAMY, caring, thoughtful and sweet. I hated how he was treated at the end. He deserved better. He deserved better than Maddie.

Lucky in Love is such a promising novel but it lacked real feelings, it absolutely felt flat. I wished hard that I'd enjoy it but I weren't lucky this time. Too bad.

Thank you so much, Scholastic Philippines, for the ARC!

"We make our own luck."

"Magic cannot be explained. It can only be experienced."

REVIEW: ALL THAT GLITTERS BY INES BAUTISTA-YAO.

Title: All That Glitters
Author: Ines Bautista-Yao
Series: Standalone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: 2017 by Spark Books
Source: Bought from National Bookstore
Pages: 124
Genre: New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:
hen they have nothing better to do, college students Billie Santiago and Carlos Angeles enjoy imagining what their lives will be like five years into the future. It’s never serious—just a whole lot of teasing and poking fun at each other. Until blindingly handsome, PR professional Iñigo Antonio saunters into the university bookstore where Billie works. All of a sudden, she finds herself face to face with the physical manifestation of the very dream she tells Carlos about.

Captivated by Iñigo’s magnetic personality, Billie is lured into his dazzlingly glamorous world—much to Carlos’s frustration. But as Billie notices Iñigo might not be playing by the rules, Carlos begs her to stay away from him. When Billie doesn’t listen, she realizes too late that she is in over her head and it may take a miracle (or a boy who cares deeply about her) to help get her out of it.

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Bulleted thoughts:

• Bestfriend turns lovers trope. Was absolutely stoked about this but then I was just underwhelmed.
• The plot is too predictable.
• Typos here and there (siiiiiigh).
• Carlos Angeles, the bestfriend, is another character that is just too good to be true.
• Billie, the female lead, the female-jealous-and-girl-hating lead. Why would you hate someone just because they like glittery things?
• And then we have Iñigo, the hunk who Billie fancies the first time she saw him and then she started stalking him on social media.
• Practically skimmed sixty pages of it because a) predictable and b) too flowery.
• What happened (SPOILERY): Billie practically is drooling over Inigo. Carlos is with glittery girl Patricia (she's nice to be honest, she didn't deserve the hate and cold treatment from Billie). Billie hates Patricia. Inigo offered Billie a part time job but only to bust Inigo's extortionist ass. Billie is jealous with Patricia. Carlos is jealous with Inigo (and it's as if he used Patricia for distraction/diversion which is so unfair). Then Billie had undergone makeover. Carlos fell for her. Dafuq.
• How shallow it is for a person to realize he's in love with someone right after her makeover. Women are more than their physical appearance so fuck you po Carlos. You could have assessed yourself in the middle of the story but no, you waited till she had her makeover. So fuck you po Carlos.

I definitely won't read this again. Sigh. I wish I loved it like a lot of people did but I just can't. Here's hoping Ines' other books would redeem me because this one certainly let me down.

"Now, I'm not content. I want more than this with you. So much more than this But I... I know you don't."

DNF REVIEW: THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN BY ROSHANI CHOKSHI.

Title: The Star-Touched Queen
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Series: Standalone
Edition: Kindle
Publication: April 26, 2016 by St. Martin's Griffin
Source: eARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 352
Genre: High-Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire...

But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.

A lush and vivid story that is steeped in Indian folklore and mythology. The Star-Touched Queen is a novel that no reader will soon forget.

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Marked as Did Not Finish at eighty percent.

I know, right? I only have twenty percent left so why not push through it? Believe me, I tried. For weeks. I kept giving myself one more push to finish reading this but I. Just. Cannot. Anymore. I don't want to punish myself, there's just nothing in this story that makes me stay.

I was so excited when I was sent an eARC of this one because The Star-Touched Queen is one of my most sought titles this year. However, I was already gagging at page five. I thoroughly enjoyed the Mythology aspect of The Star-Touched Queen but the writing style just didn't work for me. It was all too freaking (borrowing Nushrika's term) flowery and it honestly felt so pretentious to me.

"I want to lie beside you and know the weight of your dreams," he said, brushing his lips against my knuckles. "I want to share whole worlds with you and write your name in the stars." He moved closed and a chorus of songbirds twittered silver melodies. "I want to measure eternity with your laughter."

"The woman whom Amar had looked at, as though she held the universe in her gaze, as if galaxies lined her smile, as though she were myths and love and song contained in one body."

CAN YOU LIKE, STOP RIGHT THERE? Gaaaad. I just can't with the writing style. Ninety-five percent of the time, this is the reason why I just couldn't go through this. Maybe this lyrical kind of writing would work best for a contemporary novel than fantasy? I mean, it could still work but not this heavy? I tried but there is just no way I can fake that I enjoyed it. Don't even let me talk about the crappy insta-romance because ugh no, I can't.

What I also hate about the book is the part where our Queen was tricked by Nritti. And when I say tricked, she was tricked THAT easily! Oh gods of bookish universe, why do we have to suffer for the stupidity of our heroines?

The mythology part of it though is one thing I absolutely enjoyed. It was the highlight of this story and I want to immerse myself in it. It was rich, colorful and intriguing. I have Indian friends and let me tell you this, their culture (and food) is amazing! Oh, and Kamala is the best horse ever!

The Star-Touched Queen didn't capture my taste at all. I wish there were more to it than just fancy wordings. I would have loved the concept it if was kept simple but striking.

Thank you so much St. Martin's Griffin for the electronic ARC!

"I loved the feeling of discovery, of not knowing how much I wanted something until I had discovered its absence."

"There is no romance in real grief. Only longing and fury."

REVIEW: THE LIES ABOUT TRUTH BY COURTNEY STEVENS.

Title: The Lies About Truth
Author: Courtney C. Stevens
Series: Standalone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: November 3, 2015 by HarperTeen
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 326
Genre: Young adult, Romance, Contemporary

Synopsis:

Sadie Kingston, is a girl living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.

As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she's unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him — even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events comes to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future or if she'll always be trapped in the past.

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This is one the shortest reviews I will write on the blog because this book just didn't work for me at all. But before you squeal and ask "WHYYYYYY", let me tell you this:

It is not the book, IT IS ME.

Why me? The story is good alright. I believe it was well-written and well-executed. However, I was *I think* never been in this position thus, there is absolutely no connection at all. I want my contemporaries striking. I almost DNF-ed it because I could not find it in my heart to sympathize with the characters and it was so hard to relate to it. It might be unfair that I am rating this book 2 stars, but this rating is the truest I could give. Last week when I checked GR, there was no 2-star rating and mine was I believe the first. It feels terrible that I am the first black sheep here but I want to be honest about how this made me feel. The entirety of the story is something forgettable, unappealing and I wasn't touched by it. Even if I try to see from the character's perspective, my bookish lifeline was just not fluctuating.

I would still recommend The Lies About Truth in a heartbeat. I loved Faking Normal so much that it made me sad I didn't click with this one. As I have said, this is all me, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you HarperCollins International for the ARC!

"From what I could tell, happiness was getting stuck with someone and never feeling stuck."

"A kiss can be a kiss or it can be an event."

"Maybe forgiving Gina and Gray wasn't letting go of what they've done or dulling it down. Maybe forgiveness was giving the past less power to hurt me. Or even building new memories that were stronger than the painful ones."

REVIEW: NOVEMBER 9 BY COLLEEN HOOVER.

Title: November 9
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: Standalone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: November 10, 2015 by Atria Books
Source: ARC provided by National Bookstore
Pages: 310
Genre: New Adult, Romance
Trailer: to follow

Synopsis:

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

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ON FALLON:
I don't mind her 'appearance' because I have scars as well. Hers are just a little extreme but those scars didn't change the way I see her. She's beautiful alright and I love her more because of it. Not because she is someone who needs the world's sympathy but because she is pretty. Period.

However, throughout half the story, gaaad she's been nothing but annoying. I understand that what she had to go through affected her confidence (emotionally, mentally, physically) but did she need affirmation from others to embrace herself? I don't think so. Most of the time, she just complains and I feel like she needed others to tell her her worth. I don't agree to that. When she regained her confidence, it went to her head? She makes it appear as if she only needed Ben to make herself feel pretty and her walkout tantrums? Annoying AF. Seriously.

I love the way she thinks though. I love her perception of other people and I just simply adored how she tries so hard to be fair to everyone. But that's it. Fallon is beautiful but she isn't for me.

ON BEN:
Damn, BENTON JAMES KESSLER. Damn, damn, damn. Why does he have to be too perfect for a fictional character? Is it because he's fictional? (HAHA sorry, bad pun) There were thousands of reasons why I would love Ben but I just couldn't wrap my fucked up mind how perfect he is. I cannot swoon over that ridiculously cheesy perfection.

ON THE STORY:
True enough, the story is one of a kind but also unbelievable. This part I guess is the hit or miss part of November 9. I personally couldn't connect to it and come on, people. It is just not going to happen in real life. Not even close. This story is definitely the exact definition of fiction. I want at least a small part in this story that I could connect to. But falling in love with someone you only get to be with once a year? No texts, calls, letters, social media = NO COMMUNICATION? Sounds pretentious to me. Also, flight from NY to LA and back without sleep just to keep your agreement? Has anyone tried this?

November 9 is the first Hoover book that underwhelmed me. I truly can't say if I can recommend this or not. I've seen so many people loved the story but I guess I am going to be in the minority for this one. Too unrealistic, too predictable with two characters who are too perfect for each other. Nope. I'll pass.

Thank you, National Bookstore and Atria for the advance copy!

'You’ll never be able to find yourself if you’re lost in someone else."

"When you find love, you take it. You grab it with both hands and you do everything in your power not to let it go. You can’t just walk away from it and expect it to linger until you’re ready for it."

"She’s not the kind of girl you choose your battles for. She’s the kind of girl you fight to the death for."

"Goals are achieved through discomfort and hard work. They aren’t achieved when you hide out in a place where you’re nice and cozy."

"I’m not sure if sex is supposed to make you feel like you’ve just lost a part of yourself to the person inside you, but that’s exactly what it felt like. It felt as if the second we joined together, a tiny piece of our souls got confused and a piece of his fell into me and a piece of mine fell into him. It was by far the single most intense moment I’ve ever shared with another person."

REVIEW: 99 DAYS BY KATIE COTUGNO.

Title: 99 Days
Author: Katie Cotugno
Series: Stand Alone
Edition: Paperback (International Edition)
Publication: April 21, 2015 by Balzer + Bray
Source: Bought from National Book Store
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.
Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”
Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

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I cannot even draft this review without feeling so angst-y and rage-y. I mean, this story? UNCOOL. Cheating is one thing (and that I could tolerate depending on how it would be presented) but it's full of slut-shaming, bullying, double standards and sexism I don't even want to elaborate.

I would have given this absolutely ZERO fucks stars but I decided to give one star for the author's attempt hard work and one star for what it made me feel during the course of reading. Yes, it made do/feel violent things: I pulled my hair, I feared turning the next page and I wanted to slap Molly in the face with a chair so hard she'd come to her senses. It's rare for a book to make me feel that. I was just so infuriated the whole time. This book, I believe, would have ended in such high note but not even a glimpse of empowerment made it through its pages.

99 Days gave me the thrill initially. I have never read a book like this before. I wanted to flail because a cheating trope is something absolutely new to me plus I wanted to know how the story goes. Different people have different takes on cheating but heck, this was waist-deep let down. I loved the first couple of chapters but Molly's --- grrrrr -- stupidity threw everything out the window. I knew it, I knew that at some point she would fuck everything all over again and that was exactly what made me hate this one. Why does she have to make the same mistake? Like didn't she learn from what hell she just went through? And this is all for what? It isn't love, man. It's bullshit, that's what.

I also want to point out how come nobody's hating Patrick and Gabe but naaaa, I don't wanna even go there. I don't wanna stress myself. Also, Molly's mother? WHAT THE FUCK WAS WRONG WITH HER?

99 Days is one of the most horrifying books I've ever read and I wish I could buy some brain bleach from the grocery store so I could bleach mine BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN WANT TO REMEMBER IT. Sorry, I am not that forgiving today.

"Why are you going to let people who are hell-bent on not forgiving you keep you from something that could actually be great?"

REVIEW: I WAS HERE BY GAYLE FORMAN.

Title: I Was Here
Series:  Stand Alone
Author: Gayle Forman
Edition: Paperback (International Edition)
Publication: January 27, 2015 by Viking Juvenile
Source: Gifted
Pages: 270
Genre: Contemporary, Suicide, Romance, Mental Health
Trailer: to follow

Synopsis:

Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.

Forman knows her geography. I learned during her Manila stay that she travels a lot and that remarkably showed in her novels. I adored Just One Day and Just One Year so knowing she has a new novel coming up made me cheer. Her previous books toured me around the world and I Was Here toured me as well, though just in the US, it was still lovely for my heart full of wanderlust nonetheless.

I Was Here didn't appeal to me as much as I wanted to. It didn't leave a mark, it didn't tickle my tearducts, it didn't make me feel anything. It was an okay story, I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. It was probably because I didn't fully connect to anything in it: the plot, characters (though am swooning over Ben) or even the progress of the story. It would have worked for me if there were glimpses of Meg's side but her death appeared to be the bridge to the romance which didn't make sense to the entirety of the story. Don't get me wrong, I adored that part of I Was Here, but I couldn't see the connection of it to how or why Meg died. I mean, I was after the grief or pain or loss but I guess, I Was Here touched the unfamiliar side of losing someone which was its downfall in my opinion.

Cody's path in the story was so pretentious to me. It was absurd to be confronting such dangerous people and I honestly couldn't wrap my mind around it. Cody was different in both good and bad ways but the bad weighs heavier than the good. I know she loved Meg so bad but her guilt pushed her to find answers no one in the right set of mind would go for. I couldn't connect to her, to her grief or even to her loss. Or maybe, I couldn't connect to anything about this book at all.

I Was Here was such a let-down book for me. I've read a few emotionally invested story this year but this one was just underwhelming. What's worse is this is the first Forman book I didn't like.

Thank you, Dianne of Oops, I Read a Book Again! for my paperback copy!

"I was reminded just why God wants us to forgive. Not simply because it’s the key to a better world, but because of what it does for ourselves. Forgiveness is God’s gift to us. Christ forgave us. He forgave our sins. That was his gift. But by allowing us to forgive each other, he opened us up to that divine love. The article had it right. Forgiveness: It’s a miracle drug. It’s God’s miracle drug."

"Sometimes you don’t even need to be in the same room for the damage to be done."

"But by the way he's looking at everything in the room but me, I think he knows that he didn't really explain why. And by the way I'm looking at everything in the room but him, I know that I don't really need him to."

REVIEW: THE JEWEL (THE LONE CITY #1) BY AMY EWING.

Title: The Jewel (The Lone City #1)
Author: Amy Ewing
Edition: Paperback
Published: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Harpereen
Pages: 358
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Genre: Dystopia, Romance, Sci-Fi
Trailer: Here.

Synopsis:

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

The Jewel, hands down, has one of the prettiest covers I've seen this year. As soon as I saw it, it was love at first sight. Seriously. Maybe it was the girly part in me that fell in love with it because you know, you can't go wrong with a gorgeous gown. I was so happy I received one copy for review from HarperCollins and it was the perfect book to end my Oozing October Dystopia Read Challenge.

Violet Lasting, also known as 197, ranked third from the best surrogates out of 200. They are all from the Marsh, the poorest circle in the Jewel. They are being trained to be surrogates for the Royal families that will soon buy them from the auction. This is built so the royalties can continue their bloodlines without bearing an heir with chromosome malfunctions. There is a unique genetic composition that is found only from the people of the Marsh. The Royalties can no longer bear children because of these chromosome incompatibilities. Violet was bought by the Duchess of the Lake and was then asked to bear a daughter in three months. Since these surrogates have special abilities called Auguries, Violet is supposed to make the child grow as perfect as she can in a short span of time so the child can be betrothed to the son of the Electress. She is not ready to bear a child, she misses her family and worries about her best friend, she's afraid of the Duchess and she falls in love with this handsome Companion, Ash Lockwood. Violet is overwhelmed with the events in her life that she has to find a way to escape. Treason or not, she has to escape from a life she didn't choose.

Okay. I would try my best to make this short. I was a little disappointed with The Jewel. Maybe I was expecting too much or I wasn't expecting anything at all but there's no surprise in it. The book was tagged as dystopia but I didn't feel much of that aspect in the book. Yes, the world building is a little dystopia but the rest is fantasy with sci-fi. I think the mash up of these genres fell short at some point because it didn't work for me. Or maybe it's just me, I really cannot tell. But I wish it stuck to being fantasy, I might have enjoyed it that way. Being a fan of dystopia, I was looking for elements of it in the story but I was given just dots of it. It was eighty percent fantasy in my opinion. It isn't true at all that this is "The Selection meets blah blah". The Jewel is far from The Selection and this part makes the Jewel stand on its own. But still, I wasn't impressed.

I was confused most of the time. It took some time for me to grasp the science behind Auguries and why they have to bear children for the royalties. That part was answered in the middle of the book and was thoroughly explained but their abilities weren't. I was hoping there would be more logical reason behind Auguries but I was left empty handed. I also hated how weak the protagonist is.

I understand that Violet isn't trained to become an assassin or something but hell, she's one the weakest characters I've encountered in a while. Though she doesn't have the luxury to decide for herself (because she's owned by the Duchess), she could have at least tried to be submissive and you know, be wise enough to save the people she cared for. But she's selfish that she risked Ash's life so she could get all cuddly with him. She didn't even think of Lucien who is only trying to help her. Stupid Violet. AND OMG, THAT INSTA-LOVE IS SO RIDICULOUS. That's it. It's official, I hate Violet.

The characters also felt like there's no concrete basis of who they truly were. Like, along the story, they were still trying to figure themselves out. I wasn't convinced a single bit on any part of this story. Nope, it just didn't click with me as much as I hoped for.

The Jewel would have been an amazing story if there's an absolute history in it or if the genre mash up were properly executed. Such a promising synopsis only to be led on. I don't think I would still be interested in reading the sequel though. But who knows, things might improve in it.

Thank you so much Megan and Sarah of HarperCollins International for the review copy!

"I love sunrises, even more than sunsets. There's something so exciting about the world coming to life in a thousand colors. It's hopeful."

"After I've left this place, when I look back on these last few weeks, amid all the memories and tangled-up emotions there will be a gaping hole of regret in my life, the empty echo of what could have been, if I'd only had the courage to stand up and say, "I want you for as much time as I can possibly have."

REVIEW: THE CHAOS OF STARS BY KIERSTEN WHITE.

Title: The Chaos of Stars
Author: Kiersten White
Edition: Paperback
Published: September 10, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 288
Source: Finished copy provided by the Publisher
Category: Romance, Mythology
Trailer: Not applicable.

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Synopsis:

Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of Paranormalcy, is back with The Chaos of Stars—an enchanting novel set in Egypt and San Diego that captures the magic of first love and the eternally complicated truth about family.

Isadora's family is seriously screwed up—which comes with the territory when you're the human daughter of the ancient Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris. Isadora is tired of living with crazy relatives who think she's only worthy of a passing glance—so when she gets the chance to move to California with her brother, she jumps on it. But her new life comes with plenty of its own dramatic—and dangerous—complications . . . and Isadora quickly learns there's no such thing as a clean break from family.

Blending Ally Carter's humor and the romance of Cynthia Hand's Unearthly, The Chaos of Stars takes readers on an unforgettable journey halfway across the world and back, and proves there's no place like home.

Being dazzled by such a gorgeous cover has always been my issue. I usually grab books randomly based on covers and this book is on of those instance. When I saw it being raved on by book bloggers from Twitter and Instagram, it didn't take a lot of effort for me to anticipate it. And I was so tempted to buy my hardcover copy at one point but thankfully, I didn't yet. HaperCollins sent me a finished paperback copy for review, and after months, here I am, struggling so bad coming up with a decent review.

The Chaos of Stars is my fourth White novel. I loved Paranormalcy and Mind Games and enjoyed Supernaturally. This is my first meh review and I am deeply disappointed with this. I was so stoked about her new Egyptian Mythology story but I think, the only good thing about this is the cover. I mean, I seriously did not enjoy anything at all. Nothing. White's take on Egyptian Mythology would have been revitalizing only if there weren't loopholes in it. I don't understand how can a child of pure-blooded Gods can be mortal and honestly, what is the plot? Was it how to design the museum?

Again, I was drowned by the raging waves of insta-love. Sigh. I will never be a fan of it because it doesn't happen in reality. Too bad though that the book oozed with left and right insta-love. I can only shake my head so much.

I couldn't find the right or decent words to express how disappointed I am with The Chaos of Stars hence the short (shortest I've written I think) review. I am giving another star though for effort and originality.

Thank you ever so much HaperCollins for the review copy!

"I didn't fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way. I do believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe we are only fated to do the things that we'd choose anyway. And I'd choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I'd find you and I'd choose you."

"I get that you're scared and that you've been hurt. But doing what is easy and safe is no way to live, and a life without passion and love is so far beneath what you deserve."

REVIEW: FANGIRL BY RAINBOW ROWELL.

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Edition: Hardbound
Published: September 10, 2013
Publisher: Albert Whitman Teen
Pages: 438
Source: Gifted
Category: Romance, Contemporary
Trailer: Not applicable.

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Synopsis:

A coming-of-age tale of fanfiction, family, and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan.... But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she's really good at it. She and her twin, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

After reading Eleanor & Park (which I absolutely loved), I became a Rowell fan. Following it up with Attachments, Rowell proved that she deserves to be included in my Auto-Buy Authors list. Attachment may have been an adult novel but I reviewed it and fell deeply in love with Rowell’s writing. She wrote it fantastically and her books always tickle my love for Contemporary. Until Fangirl.

I received my shiny hardbound copy of Fangirl last year (on its release week, yay!) on my birthday. I basically forced my ever loving brother to buy me one and used my birthday as the best excuse so he wouldn’t say no. Imagine how long it took me to read it (7 months) because as always, I was waiting for the right time for it to nudge me. I don't know about you guys but I have this weird book calling. I feel like there's always the right time for a certain title to be read (like what happened with TFiOS). Hearing so much raving about it made me proud that I am a Rowell fan (and I will always be). But after trying so hard for two weeks to finish Fangirl, I knew something in me changed. Just me, though. Sad to say that I didn’t like Fangirl. Rowell’s writing is still crisp, refreshing and fun. However, the characters and plot of this novel just didn’t entwine with what I expected. Like holding someone’s hand but the person keeps pulling back. You can reach it and hold it again but the person wouldn't let you hold it so long. I was so disconnected the whole time. Aside from the slow pacing that irritated me, I whole-heartedly couldn’t understand why I feel like I was reading two books at the same time: one contemporary/coming of age and one middle grade/fantasy.

I hated 80 percent of the book. The fanfiction, Cather’s character and I believe I am missing something in the plot. But mostly the fanfiction. This book was so uniquely written but maybe I just wasn’t made for this kind of story. I skipped 80 percent of the fanfiction specifically when Cather’s reading it to Levi. I couldn’t completely connect to it. I hated how a fanfic writer can refuse an opportunity to write an original story. Like, really? REALLY? I hated how awkward Cath was thinking she’s 18 and should be more open-minded to things, like to Wren’s urge for freedom. Seriously, I’ve been to that phase and have seen a lot of people who are socially awkward but not to Cath’s level. She’s like the awkwardest awkward ever. Weird doesn’t even do her justice. At some point, I felt like her weirdness is bordering in mental disorder and that she has to really see a shrink. The fact that a person can live on energy bars alone can be acceptable but trying to suppress hunger to avoid people and to not go to the cafeteria? Absolutely bonkers. No. Unacceptable for normal people. I knew in the pit of my stomach that she isn’t normal. She just isn’t.

Cather’s too clingy also. Not only to her twin but to almost everything. I totally get how hard it is to let go of the things that matter to you most, but at one point in this life, you just really have to. Wren made the right decision to be separated to her. That part I agree on. It would make them have their own identity (only Wren took it too far). However, Cath chose to remain the same. I didn’t see her character progress at all. Like she’s the same old Cath from page one till the end. I was expecting her to at least try to open up but she’s focused only on her fanfiction and almost shuts everyone out. What in the world is normal with that? Ugh. This review is starting to be ranty, I know. I apologize but Cath is probably one of the weakest protagonists I’ve encountered. And I don’t want to ever repeat this hair-pulling experience again. Ever.

I thank the goddess of literature for balancing this novel with Reagan. She’s straight to the point, would have been a little strong at first but definitely knows herself. I wanted to know more about her but since she’s just a supporting character, I know I wouldn’t. I knew that Reagan is going to be a good influence in her own way to Cath and how I wish they spent time together. In short, I enjoyed reading Reagan’s normality in amid of their awkward situation and differences.

Another thing to be thankful for is Levi. Rowell made his character the only character PERFECT for Cath. Imaging a different one for Cath makes my brain hurt. Good thing Levi liked her in spite of her weakness. Levi’s very likeable and I adored how much he’s willing to go for the people/things he like the best. His efforts made me awww the whole time especially at the last 100 pages. He’s respectful and cute and funny and honest. Without Levi and Reagan, this novel would have received a one star rating. Seriously, I couldn’t wrap my mind about THE other things.

I said this a few times but Fangirl is my first Rowell let down book. My giddy expectations of it was because of Eleanor & Park and Attachments, confidently knowing it would knock me off my feet once more but this just didn’t do me any good. It was so weird I kept questioning where this would lead to. I am just glad Cath and Levi worked out for the best in the end. Fangirl and I are seemed to be like oil mixed in water. We wouldn’t mix at all, no matter how you do it, no matter how to try.

Thank you brother Arman for gifting me this one!

"I miss you."
"That's stupid," she said. "I saw you this morning."
"It's not the time," Levi said, and she could hear that he was smiling." It's the distance."

"How do you feel about Gravioli?"
"I like it. Is that what we're having for dinner?"
"No. That's the client I'm on."

"That's the ultimate kind of broken. The kind of damage you never recover from."

REVIEW: PANIC BY LAUREN OLIVER.

Title: Panic
Author: Lauren Oliver
Edition: Paperback
Published: March 4, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 416
Source: ARC provided by the Publisher
Category: Romance, Contemporary
Trailer: Not applicable.

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Synopsis:

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

I have mentioned it several times in the past that Delirium is one of the books that pushed me back to reading and started my love for Dystopian novels. I loved it to the moon and back. I was also totally floored by its sequel Pandemonium like Oliver knows perfectly how to make her readers ask for more. However, this series didn't end the way I expected it to. Disappointment rushed to me like a mother longing for her child after reading Requiem. It was devastating for me. So hearing that Oliver has written a new novel made me a little iffy about it.

When I read Panic's synopsis and saw its cover, the anticipation was high. I believed it would redeem my confidence in her writing. Basically, I was really hoping I would love it like how much I loved Delirium only to be disappointed again. It was totally different from Delirium yes, but it didn't make sense to me at all.

The story revolves around Heather and Dodge's point of views and it is about the dangerous game, Panic. They would win a certain amount of money by doing crazy and dangerous challenges and they don't have rules, they don't even know who are the judges. Because Heather and Dodge's needed huge money to start a different life other than being poor, they joined and persisted to win even if it includes cheating. And in between the game, there goes the complicated life struggles and heart issues.

Panic didn't make sense to me. What kind of game it is?? Why would you risk your life for something as ridiculous as this?? It wasn't even THAT of a dystopian setting. They were just poor. And why name it Panic when you can name it something else. I didn't see how it fits the story because the game isn't even worth panicking for. It makes you terrified. Plus, how would the players know they weren't being cheated on?? Is this some kind of a Hunger Games remake?? Too vague for my taste and senseless to be honest.

Aside from having under developed world building and plot, Panic resonates SO MUCH bitterness. I don't understand how the characters pour out emotion this negative. There's just too much regret and hate and unnecessary pain that the story would jump from one subplot to another. It was just all over the place. The characters were so immature that they tend to cling to hate and become selfish. These characters whine about almost everything and push revenge as lightly as a pancake. Jesus. My head hurts.

Heather?? She's just phenomenally stupid. Hands down stupid. She's emotionally unstable, selfish, jealous, insecure, unworthy of trust and ridiculously stupid. She joined the game because her boyfriend dumped her then as the story goes, she realizes she's in love with her best friend. Then when her best friend tells her he loves her, she pushes him away. Like what the hell is wrong with her?? She is definitely one of the protagonists I hate. I totally hate. And Dodge?? Another ridiculous character. He joined the game to get even with the guys responsible for his sister's accident. Like IT WAS A FREAKING ACCIDENT. ACCIDENT. I understand that he loves his sister so much that he would do whatever it takes to make life easy for her but why would he even get jealous when she's being happy with a suitor? OMG. Unbelievable, right?? Just unbelievable.

Panic has a lot of potential to be a good novel. Oliver's writing style has always been amazing but I believe Panic was just totally underdeveloped. The plot and world building's uniqueness emerge on every page but the sensibility FOR ME of the entire story is lacking. It is a little difficult to immediately breathe after being drowned with so much negativity and I wish that I was pulled out a bit sooner. I don't hate this book. I just didn't connect with it. I got completely lost and wouldn't want to be lost in it again.

Thank you ever so much Sarah and Megan of HarperCollins for the ARC!!

"She didn't think. She just leaned in and closed her eyes and kissed him.

It was like taking a bite of ice cream that's been sitting out just long enough: sweet, easy, perfect.... [She] felt little bursts of happiness in her chest, as though someone had set off sparklers there.

Then, abruptly, he pulled away. "Wait."

And instantly, the sparklers in her chest were extinguished, leaving only a smoking black place. Just one word and she knew: SHE'D MADE A MISTAKE."

"[She] felt like she could cry. His clown-hair; his faded Rangers T-shirt and sweatpants spotted with paint; his smell. She had thought it was hers -- she'd thought he was hers -- but all this time he'd been growing up and hooking up and having secret crushes and BECOMING SOMEONE SHE DIDN'T KNOW."

"..when you love someone, when you care for someone, you have to do it through the good and the bad. Not just when you're happy and it's easy.."