POP FICTION BLOG TOUR REVIEW: THE CONSPIRATION OF THE UNIVERSE BY KENNETH OLANDAY.

Title: The Conspiration of the Universe
Author: Kenneth Olanday
Series: Standalone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: 2017 by Cloak Pop Fiction (Summit Books)
Source: Finished copy provided by the publisher
Pages: 241
Genre: Romance, Magical Realism (?), Fantasy, Contemporary

Synopsis:
Luke believes in a quote by his favorite author -- that is you want something so bad, the universe will conspire to help you get it.

Luke must have wanted to find love so much that Eureka, the heroine of his favorite book, comes to life and falls in love with him.

There is just one catch: once Eureka reaches the end of her book's storylike in the real world, then her story with Luke will end, too.

Will the universe conspire to help the star-crossed lovers find true happiness with each other?

One thing is for sure, Luke will do everything he can to keep Eureka forever.

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LOCAL BOOK STORES

I just finished reading my second Pop Fiction book. My first was Karmic Hearts that unfortunately, I didn't enjoy at all. Texts were confusing, typos were all over the book and it was honestly a hard one to read. Though reading The Conspiration of the Universe felt as if it was still a draft manuscript instead of the finished copy, I enjoyed it well enough to land three stars.

If you have read Literally by Lucy Keating (and loved it), this one's for you. Eureka is a character in Luke's favorite book. She appeared in Luke's life just right in the middle of his heartbreak. It's as if universe conspired for Luke to fall in love again. They were happy but you know how it goes, once the book ends, so as Eureka's story in real life.

A scene in TFIOS had a cameo, too. The part were Hazel and Augustus went to meet the author of the book and confronted him about the ending, the characters and a sequel. This made me deduct two stars from my rating because apart from being super similar to Literally, I wasn't expecting another kinda dupe scene to pop-up. I was enjoying it despite the similarities because I thought that the spin of the story would be somehow unique and I would see the author's print in it but I didn't. Would have been a superb one if the story was you know, owned. I am not saying that this book copied Literally (it might have been written prior to Literally) but the similarities are so uncanny and I didn't experience 'discovering' new things in this book. It felt flat at times and aside from the typos and cliches, it wasn't the book I could say gripping or mind-blowing or anything that would stick for a while.

Matt's short story made me absolutely giddy though. He's a side character that I would love to see more from and by the end of the book, I was given a few pages from his point of view. He's absurd at times but definitely a friend you would love to have.

The Conspiration of the Universe is a story I enjoyed. I may have had some issues with it but seeing Luke and Eureka happy made the reading journey worth it.

Thank you for the review copy and for having me, Summit Books!

"Every day we had to make a choice. Most of the time, the effect of our choices would be so small that we'd forget about it. But sometimes, it would be so big that you'd never forget it for the rest of your life."

"Isn't love like a ground wire?"

Check out the participating blogs for reviews:

REVIEW: THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END BY ADAM SILVERA.

Title: They Both Die at the End
Author: Adam Silvera
Series: Standalone
Edition: Kindle
Publication: September 5th 2017 by HarperTeen
Source: eARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, LGBTQPIA+, Romance

Synopsis:
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They're going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they're both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There's an app for that. It's called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure and to live a lifetime in a single day.

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I am a huge mess right now! I have been pacing back and forth and I just cannot wrap my mind around how gooooood this book is! It is definitely one of the best books of the year! This is my second Silvera book and HE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT!

LIKE WTH JUST HAPPENED? My heart is racing right now because this book gave me so many things at once. There is the beauty of knowing you have one last day to live so you get the chance to literally live it to the fullest, there's the chance of becoming the person you always wanna be even for just a day, there's the ability to say proper goodbyes to people who meant so much to you and there's this opportunity for you to touch people's lives in more meaningful ways. You get to live the next several hours left pushing past your boundaries and making the most out of it without the fear of regrets later. I mean, if that's not beautiful, I don't know what is! What happened to Rufus and Mateo is etched in my heart so so deeply that it pushes me to get out of my comfort zone. This story just pushed me so hard that now I want to be out there leaving marks.

Mateo and Rufus' story is absolutely one story that will leave you on edge and holding your breath. The anticipation is so high I am both nervous and scared. Once you read it, it stays in your system and I swear, I would babble about this one for a long, long time. Their friendship breaks the stereotype that you have to know a person this long in order to build trust and all that bullshit because M and R had a day and theirs had even more history than some of my friendships combined. It's so special, nurturing, welcoming and free. I want more friendships like this.

They way the story was told is another thing that blows my mind. It's an alternating POV between M and R and several more surprise POVs which soooo kickass because of how they are interrelated. Words are failing me right now but this damn book should be made in to a movie and I wanna see this Number #1 in NYT BestSellers List because THIS IS ONE HELL OF A GRIPPING BOOK I WILL FOREVER BOOK PUSH TO YOU ALL. (That is if you aren't convinced yet that Silvera delivers, but I know you are BECAUSE THIS IS ADAM SILVERA, PEOPLE)

I think Adam is really the Evil Queen in disguise. He loves ripping our hearts out and enjoys swimming in his reader's tears.

They Both Die at the End is one of those books that will change you because you certainly won't be the same person after reading. A gripping story of two lives crossing paths at the very end, it all in all teaches you to live to the fullest, love hardcore and seize every fucking moment as if every day is your last day.

Thank you HarperCollins International for the eARC!

"But no matter what choices we make - solo or together - our finish line remains the same … No matter how we choose to live, we both die at the end."

"Entire lives aren't lessons, but there are lessons in lives."

"Maybe it's better to have gotten it right and been happy for one day instead of living a lifetime of wrongs."

"People have their time stamps on how long you should know someone before earning the right to say it, but I wouldn't like to you no matter how little time we have. People waste time and wait for the right moment and we don't have that luxury. If we had our entire lives ahead of us I bet you'd get tired of me telling you how much I love you because I'm positive that's thepath we were heading on. But because we're about to die, I want to say it as many times as I want--I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you."

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: HOW TO DISAPPEAR BY SHARON HUSS ROAT.

I would like to thank my amazing friend, Hazel of Stay Bookish, for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour! I really enjoyed How To Disappear and hopefully you would, too!

Title: How to Disappear
Author: Sharon Huss Roat
Series: Standalone
Edition: Kindle // Paperback
Publication: August 15th 2017 by HarperTeen
Source: eARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss // ARC loaned by Hazel
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary, Mental Illness, Romance

Synopsis:
Vicky Decker has perfected the art of hiding in plain sight, quietly navigating the halls of her high school undetected except by her best (and only) friend, Jenna. But when Jenna moves away, Vicky’s isolation becomes unbearable.

So she decides to invent a social life by Photoshopping herself into other people’s pictures, posting them on Instagram under the screen name Vicurious. Instantly, she begins to get followers, so she adds herself to more photos from all over the world with all types of people. And as Vicurious’s online followers multiply, Vicky realizes she can make a whole life for herself without ever leaving her bedroom. But the more followers she finds online, the clearer it becomes that there are a lot of people out there who feel like her— #alone and #ignored in real life.

To help them, and herself, Vicky must find the courage to face her fear of being “seen,” because only then can she stop living vicariously and truly bring the magic of Vicurious to life.

In this beautiful and illuminating narrative, Sharon Huss Roat shines a light on our love of social media and how sometimes being the person you think you want to be isn’t as great as being the person you truly are.

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Vicky is an invisible girl in her high school who is only getting through the day with the help of her best friend, Jenna. She has social anxiety and it is so hard for her to go out and be around people. Jenna moved to another state and Vicky is having a hard time adjusting to life without her. It started getting worse when Jenna butt dialed her and mentioned to her new friends that Vicky is pathetic. But Jenna dumps her but Lipton enters the picture. Vicky then started photoshopping herself in different photos and uploading them on Instagram under the handle @vicurious. This helped her find her people and it helped her a little bit to cope. She never thought she'd gain more than 2 million followers and that she'd finally be seen. She started feeling a little bit okay until Jenna texted her and implied she's suicidal.

First 50% of the book is where the build-ups happened. It was excruciating because there are moments I couldn't really understand what Vicky wants. She wanted to be seen but she's trying so hard to be invisible and she clearly shuts everyone out. It was also excruciating because I feel like it's started dragging and that I am starting to also get tired of Vicky and her mother to be honest. I powered through holding on to the fact that Lipton is there, and that I wanted to really know how the events would unfold.

I only started to connect to her through those small moments I can identify with what she's going through. It is at times frustrating but by watching her tell her story, I gained focus. It's hard when your brain is not functioning the way it's designed and it's harder when the people around you add to the pressure and keeps pointing out what is wrong with you. Vicky was alone in her battle and she's always at war with herself. I am just so glad she found her people even just from social media because I know she did feel accepted in there. I loved how her huge following didn't get to her head and that she welcomed help at the end. The most important thing is when she confronted her mother. I also felt like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. It was a relief and very crucial that family is there for us.

How to Disappear is a battle against invisibility, bullying, name-calling, slut-shaming, peer pressure, depression and anxiety. It is also an eye-opener for those who are clueless as to what is really happening in our heads. It implies such a strong message: You are not alone in this fight, I see you.

Thanks you Hazel and HarperCollins International for the galleys!

"I cringe at the pictures of cut marks, of blood dripping down pale arms or thighs slashed and raw. Of too-thin bodies, and mascara-stained cheeks. People are liking their photos, which feels wrong. Is that what they want--positive reinforcement of their suffering? Or maybe it's just acknowledgement. To be seen. They expose their deepest paint for a handful of little red hearts."

"Joy attracts and misery repels."

"But the kissing? This is something worth living for."

REVIEW: THE SECRET HISTORY OF US BY JESSI KIRBY.

Title: The Secret History of Us
Author: Jessi Kirby
Series: Standalone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: August 1st 2017 by HarperTeen
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 288
Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:
A near drowning…a coma for days…and then…

Olivia wakes up to realize she doesn’t remember. Not just the accident—but anything from the last four years. Not high school. Not Matt, the guy who is apparently her boyfriend. Not the reason she and Jules are no longer friends. Nothing.

That’s when it hits her—the accident may not have taken her life, but it took something just as vital: her memory. The harder she tires to remember things, the foggier everything gets, and figuring out who she is feels impossible when everyone keeps telling her who she was.

But then there’s Walker. The guy who saved her. The one who broke her ribs pumping life back into her lungs. The hardened boy who keeps his distance despite Olivia’s attempts to thank him.

With her feelings growing for Walker, tensions rising with Matt, and secrets she can’t help but feel are being kept from her, Olivia must find her place in a life she doesn’t even remember living.

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The Secret History of Us is my first ever Jessi Kirby book and I am so happy and grateful that I was given a physical ARC. Been meaning to read her Things We Know by Heart for some time now but didn't have the time to read back then. I decided to pickup The Secret History of Us instead because the synopsis is promising and that it is the most recent book. I am happy to report that it did not let me down.

Walking up from coma left Olivia disoriented. She couldn't remember. Then it was revealed that has amnesia, the last 4-5 years of her life she couldn't remember. She's trying to learn to accept her new reality but it's sometimes overwhelming for her. Matt claims that they have been in love for a while but Olivia couldn't remember. She pushes herself to remember Matt, her bestfriend Paige and her family but she just can't. But she couldn't shake this connection she feels for Walker - the guy who saved her from the accident.

This story is so heavy that at times I needed to put it down to breathe. I cannot imagine how hard it is for someone to go through this, to almost die, to lose their memory. Walking this journey with Olivia, I can feel her emotions and struggles. What I absolutely adored in this story is how love finds its way back to you. It's like the movie The Vow all over again!

The Secret History of Us is a story of losing and finding; of forgetting and remembering; of endings and beginnings. This one captured my heart and it is such a source of hope for those who are feeling empty and alone.

Thank you HarperCollins International Sales for the physical galley!

"Because that's the worse. That's worse than growing apart, or falling out of love, or even lying. Being with someone because you feel guilty is worse."

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: ALWAYS AND FOREVER, LARA JEAN BY JENNY HAN.

Title: Always and Forever, Lara Jean
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #3
Edition: Hardbound
Publication: May 2nd 2017 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Bought from National Bookstore
Pages: 336
Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Chick-Lit

Synopsis:
Lara Jean’s letter-writing days aren’t over in this surprise follow-up to the New York Times bestselling To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and P.S. I Still Love You.

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

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Always and Forever, Lara Jean is a suprise follow-up book for the To All the Boys I've Loved Before series. It wasn't supposed to come out but Jenny Han loves her readers she gifted us another one that we will treasure forever. However, I think PS was the perfect ending.

I am thankful that I get to spend so much time with Peter K in this book and we get to see old characters again. But since I marathon-ed the books, the gap between PS and Always is so obvious I felt like I was reading a totally different series. I felt it. And half of the book kind of dragged for me. It was just so fortunate that Peter K's retorts made me laugh and love him even more.

The last seventy pages shattered me. I wasn't expecting it to be this raw and I felt so much pain for myself and for Peter. He didn't deserve that treatment, no he did not. He's worth it too just like Lara Jean and I couldn't help but shed a tear or two because damn heartache is real.

Also, I am going to miss Stormy.

Always and Forever, Lara Jean is best read if you miss the characters so badly. This series just became one of my favorite series of all time and thank you, Jenny for making me love the entire cast even more. Bittersweet ending, I know I wouldn't be able to say goodbye just yet. I keep making up stories in my head because I NEED A BOOK IN PETER K'S POV!

Other posts you might also want to check out:

To All The Boys I've Loved Before review

P.S. I Still Love You review

Jenny Han in PH Book Signing Event in 2014

My live tweets thread during my readthon

"Peter will love Lara Jean with all his heart, always"

"Pack light and figure the rest out as you go."

"I guess that's part of growing up, too--saying goodbye to the things you used to love."

REVIEW: P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU BY JENNY HAN.

Title: P.S. I Still Love You
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #2
Edition: Hardbound
Publication: May 26, 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Bought from Book Outlet
Pages: 337
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction

Synopsis:
Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.
She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

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The first time I read To All the Boys I've Loved Before was back in 2014 and it was an underwhelming read to me. I was all hyped up about the book but then I didn't get anything from it. It was such a bummer I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. Fast forward to 2017 and after re-reading it in prep for books 2 and 3, I was like, OMGGG?? WHAT WAS I THINKING BACK THEN?? WHY AM I JUST NOTICING PETER K NOWWWW? I LOVED IT SO SO MUCH?? The experience this time was absolutely different I still feel my heart go wild whenever think about this book! Like, I couldn't believe my review back then. PETER K LEGIT CAPTURED MY HEART AND GOD DAMN IT, I AM SO EXTREMELY JOYFUL TO HAVE MET LARA JEAN AND PETER K THE SECOND TIME AROUND!

I have so many feelings and thoughts about PS I Still Love You I can't map them all out properly. Just like TATBILB did to me, I am a huge mess right now. THIS BOOK IS PERFECTION. A quick read but packed with everything I needed in a story. It's just amazing to see how much a book can do damage to your well-being (in a good bookish way).

PSISLY isn't what I can put in the Middle Book Syndrome List. It's one of the best sophomore books I've read in a while and it just makes me so happy that I loved it. The amount of awww, oh, and OMG expressions I've uttered while reading blew me away because this one is THAT good. But there are just some points I didn't understand (but didn't make me love this any less)

- How can Peter let Gen manipulate him?
- How can he let her get away with everything when he says he is over her?
- How can he put Lara Jean in a position where she feels she's just his option? (LIKE, REALLY, PETER K?)
- How can Lara Jean not trust her get and still believes nothing is going on between Peter and Geb when she saw it with her own eyes? (COME ON)
- How did Gen become the victim?
- How can Gen's manipulative and abusive behaviour not discussed and given attention to? Nothing she did is okay.

Even though I didn't get much of Peter K in this book, I appreciated Lara Jean's development here. She's not that naive anymore and she's a much better sister to Kitty in this book. Her relationship with her family is one aspect I am thrilled about and I'm absolutely happy to have been given plenty of that. I still adore Kitty so much for being a child and an adult all at the same time! You get me? She is so fierce and she made everything happen!

Jenny Han wrote the love triangle in a quirky way. I was so against it being the center of the story, I couldn't help but feel angsty towards Peter K. I do love him its just that his actions are ridiculous to me (regarding Gen). Lara Jean did put up a fight and to be honest, she made the right choice BECAUSE THAT IS THE CHOICE I WANT HAHA

P.S. Still Love You made me fall in love with Peter K harder (and Lara Jean). This story keeps making me squeal and I still have butterflies while writing my review! It is absolutely the perfect follow-up installment and man, I wish I read it sooner!

*I call this sophomore book because I read it long after Always and Forever, Lara Jean was released. This was supposed to be a duology.*

"I know now that I don’t want to love or be loved in half measures. I want it all, and to have it all, you have to risk it all."

"People come in and out of your life. For a time they are your world; they are everything. And then one day they’re not. There’s no telling how long you will have them near."

"You have to let yourself be fully present in every moment. Just be awake for it, do you know what I mean? Go all in and wring every last drop out of the experience."

"It doesn't become important until you don't have it anymore."

REVIEW: WHENEVER I'M WITH YOU BY LYDIA SHARP.

Title: Whenever I'm with You
Author: Lydia Sharp
Series: Standalone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: January 3rd 2017 by Scholastic Press
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Pages: 304
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:
A missing boy.
A road trip into the Alaskan wilderness.
A week that will change everything...

After Gabi’s parents’ divorce, she moves from California to Alaska with her dad. At first, it feels like banishment—until she meets Kai. He welcomes her into his life, sharing his family, his friends, and his warmth. But as winter approaches, Kai pulls away for seemingly no reason at all. He's quiet, withdrawn. Then one day, he disappears.

Kai’s twin brother, Hunter, believes Kai is retracing their missing father’s steps in the wilderness north of Anchorage. There’s a blizzard on the way, and Kai is alone out there. Gabi's frustration over his emotional distance quickly turns to serious concern. This is the boy who saved her from the dark. She can't lose him to it.

So Gabi and Hunter agree to head out together on a wild journey north—a trip that will challenge them physically and emotionally, as they try to convince the boy they love to return home.

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When I first saw Whenever I'm With You's cover, it screamed fluffy contemporary romance to me. (I wasn't familiar with this title until Scholastic sent the galley! Thank you!) I was expecting a friends-turned-lovers-on-a-roadtrip trope in here because the cover felt like a dead giveaway.

Guess what.

I was kinda right.

But also wrong.

Whenever I'm With You is a heavy type of story that revolves around twin's relationship told from a female love interest's point of view. Gabi is the daughter of a famous Hollywood actress and a well-sought lawyer in SoCal. She and her dad moved to Alaska to get away from her cheating mother and get over the divorce. She feels she didn't belong there. Her glamorous life in SoCal suddenly becomes a "normal" one because they need to lay low. The only thing that makes her sane in Alaska is her boyfried slash neighbor, Kai. When Kai sets off to find his dad without saying a proper goodbye to Gabi, she's worked up about it and seeks Kai's twin brother's help in going after him. Only to learn the truth about what Kai has been keeping from her and his real reason from leaving.

I don't want to really talk much about Gabi in this story or else I would not probably stop ranting. She's a rich kid alright and I totally get why she's angsty and bratty. She grew up with well-off parents so she's not accustomed to so many things that are normal for regular people. There was just this part where she had too use a squat toilet and she said she became an animal in Alaska. Like, girl. Calm yourself and be respectful because that's the least you could do. Off all the annoying things she's said and done, that's what really made me angry. Just because you're rich doesn't give you the right to say awful things like that. Her character eventually starts to mature (she's proud she's finally doing the dishes, I'll give her that) and I think if she's given some more time, her character would develop but I just couldn't erase her hurtful comment in my head.

But to me, the story wasn't really about Gabi's life problems but the twins'. To tell you honestly, eighty percent of the story is about Kai and Hunter. It just so happen that Gabi was narrating it. I couldn't remember the best sibling story I've read but this book would have been waaaaay better if romance wasn't the key factor in getting this book to sell. Kai and Hunter's bromance was one of those stories that leaves a mark. The feels would just keep tugging your feels. It was honestly surreal that I wanna hug my sibs right now. Their love for each other led them to make choices, choices they thought would benefit the other. But the choices also led them to lose so much time. They could have talked but they spared each other pain. This story is about them figuring out what happened to their dad, how much they shut each other out, how they messed up by keeping to thmeselves. In short, Whenever I'm with You is Kai and Hunter's relationship as brothers told by Gabi. Such a bunpy reading experience this one.

Then there's the Tlingit rep that according to an Alaska Native reader Debbie, wasn't represented correctly which is offensive. Here's the review - click me. In my opinion, the narrator sees everything from an outsider's POV. I believe that she learned to love Alaska and everything about it at the latter part.

Whenever I'm With You is likeable. But it would have been an unforgettable one if the execution isn't that of a let down. Giving it three stars for the attempt to show different sides of relationships which I appreciated and for the potential of the characters to see more of the world than just themselves.

Thank you, Scholastic Asia (Philippines) for the galley!

"Remember how it takes your breath away- remember that this is how I felt the first time I saw you, and how I've felt every day since then, whenever I'm with you. This is my version of heaven."

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: ELIZA AND HER MONSTERS BY FRANCESCA ZAPPIA.

It's been a while since I joined a blog tour and I'm happy to be a part of this one! Thank you so much, Precious of Fragments of Life for hosting and HarperCollins International for the galley!

Title: Eliza and Her Monsters
Author: Francesca Zappia
Series: Standalone
Edition: Paperback
Publication: May 30th 2017 by HarperCollins
Source: ARC provided by the Tour Host/Publisher
Pages: 400
Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of Monstrous Sea, a wildly popular webcomic, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she’s worked for begins to crumble.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, smart, and friendless. Online, Eliza is LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of a popular webcomic called Monstrous Sea. With millions of followers and fans throughout the world, Eliza’s persona is popular. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves her digital community. Then Wallace Warland transfers to her school, and Eliza begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile. But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart. With pages from Eliza’s webcomic, as well as screenshots from Eliza’s online forums, this uniquely formatted book will appeal to fans of Noelle Stevenson’s Nimona and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl.

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When I read Made You Up, I wasn't expecting anything at all and just went through with the story's flow. As you may know, I like books surprising me and Made You Up did. Zappias' writing is simple so it's quite easy to fly through the words and her story is full of twists and turns that keeps the reader hooked. Eliza and Her Monsters absolutely delivered.

If you are a fan of Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (which I didn't enjoy, oops), this book is for you. Let me start by saying ELISA AND HER MONSTERS IS WAAAAAAY BETTER AND COOLER. Monstrous Sea deserves a separate novel and I will one hundred ninety nine point nine percent buy it! This book screams nothing but amazing and I am so so glad to have been given a copy of it for review!

Eliza is so relatable especially to those introverts (and anxious lol) out there like me. Most of the time, I also prefer to just stay at home to read and journal over socialize outside with real people. Eliza is like that. Hiding her true identity behind LadyConstellation who created an online sensation comic book, her life revolves in drawing characters for Monstrous Sea. Her friends are online people and her time pretty much is devoted to her art. But it all changes when Wallace came in to the story as a transferee to her school.

I loved how the story moves along with the graphic novel. The illustrations, chats and letters in the book give so much life to it and I just can't get enough of it. The execution is how it should be: no confusion at all between the main story and the sub-story. Sub-story didn't overtake but instead lifted the main one to its glory. Major character development only happened at the latter part but in between, Zappia made sure all her characters were given sufficient voice to convey their message. It wasn't tiring to watch them all grow and the reading experience is soooo enjoyable and addictive.

What made Eliza and Her Monsters stand out in my opinion is that characters didn't suppress their feelings. They are not afraid to say they are mad or sad, hurt or loved. The way they discover and put names to their emotions and experience are things that are truly validating and speak volumes that it is okay to be different and it is okay to make mistakes. Plus, you wouldn't predict when the twist will happen. It's like riding a roller coaster, you just die in anticipation at the top waiting for the drop.

I have discovered another name to put in to my list of Auto-Buy Authors. Intense, adorable and swoony, Eliza and Her Monsters is such a precious book that needs to be devoured right away and deserves a spot on your glorious bookshelves. It is so good you CANNOT shut up about it!

Thank you Precious and HarperCollins International for the galley!

"The doubt itself is a stupid thing, without sense of feeling, blind and straining at the end of a long chain. The monster, though, is smart. It's always watching, it unchains the doubt and lets it run wild. Even when I know it's coming, I can't stop it."

"He never stops beings scared, but he doesn't let it stop him from doing what he has to do."

"What's the point of being alive if you don't do what makes you happy?"

"The things you care most about are the ones that leave the biggest holes."

"Broken people don't hide from their monsters. Broken people let themselves be eaten."

"I learned years ago that it’s okay to do this. To seek out small spaces for myself, to stop and imagine myself alone. People are too much sometimes... I take a moment of silence and think: I am here. I am okay."