Review: EVERY DAY

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere. It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day. 

“If there's one thing I've learned, it's this: We all want everything to be okay. We don't even wish so much for fantastic or marvelous or outstanding. We will happily settle for okay, because most of the time, okay is enough.”  

I remember coming across this book because it somehow struck me as different from all the other books I've read and not a big fan of SciFi, I wouldn't know if there's a book/story similar to this. Anyway, because of the presence/existence of this book, I came to love David Levithan to the point I bought all his books in paperback and like what I've mentioned before in one of my reviews, I don't just buy paperbacks, I make sure that that book is worthy of my penny/buck and that I am totally in love with it that I just really need a physical copy of it sitting in my shelf.

“It's one thing to fall in love. It's another to feel someone else fall in love with you, and to feel a responsibility toward that love.” 

Twistedly, I love this book despite it's flaws, as people would say. Yes, I am one of those people who just felt something in us move upon reading this. Cheesy? I know. I'm sorry. Reading this book irritated me. Why? Simply because I was imagining myself as A, going through all those situations, lacking sexual identification, lacking a real life, basically lacking the means of being a real person/identity. It's infuriating. 

"The past and future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple."

I must say, A's character is not unlikable. You could get fond of him/her and I like how we are able to see how he lives the lives of the host and at the same time, create meaningful moments or help the host at some point.  It's like story after a story after a story within a bigger story. I admire how the author made us feel that we could never be lost in those throngs of stories, that we are still intact with the big picture.  The stories varies, there's humourous, downright sad and tragic so it's never dull. There's something new to look forward to.

I got frustrated when it came to the end because I was looking for answers, wanted answers as to why A's is experiencing it/this but as I come realize, the questions left unaswered are what makes this book different and special. I mean, the whole point of the story is not knowing who A is or where A came from, the whole point is philosophical and could vary on how the reader perceives it.

“I wake up thinking of yesterday. The joy is in remembering; the pain is in knowing it was yesterday.”

With A's love interest. I'm just not quite ecstatic about it. I have no idea what makes Rhiannon different from the others, was it her relationship with the self-centered jerk? But who knows, it may not be as understandable to readers like me (A's relationship with her) but I guess A have found some kind of connection with her that he/she never found from anyone all throughout his life situation. I'm totally gonna read Six Days Earlier.

“I love you-I do-but I am afraid of making that love too important. Because you're always going to leave me, A. We can't deny it. You're always going to leave.” 

I kind of pity her because I could only imagine how overwhelming it was to have a bomb dropped into your lap out of  nowhere. It's fantastical and it would be hard to absorb but at some point she did. And I'm glad she did because I know how hard it might be for A to not find someone who would understand his/her situation and be acknowledged as something/someone he/she really wants. I just love the idea that A was not alone anymore and that there was someone he/she could confide into. That is refreshing.

“This is what love does: It makes you want to rewrite the world. It makes you want to choose the characters, build the scenery, guide the plot. The person you love sits across from you, and you want to do everything in your power to make it possible, endlessly possible. And when it’s just the two of you, alone in a room, you can pretend that this is how it is, this is how it will be.” 

I don't know but at the end of reading this, I felt comfort and sadness and I just found myself daydreaming for a few minutes. Some may not understand what I mean but it was what it was. It sure made an impact in me and I'm pretty sure to most of its readers too. It's just bittersweet. I may not be a fan of Rhiannon but A saying goodbye to her was just so heartbreaking for me. The story may sound aggravating or confusing but I'd like you guys to give it a shot, take a moment and learn to know its meaning.

Review: HOPELESS

 Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies… That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried. Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

“Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.” 

This book is the first book of Colleen Hoover that I got and I've read this like years ago. I remember just going through Goodreads and looking for something worthy to hoard/read when I came across with this title. Most of the time when I look for new reads, I usually go after the high ratings of the book followed by good reviews then the plot. The first two were promising and the latter part was a bit off for me. I wasn't instantaneously hooked with the plot but you know, when people are making a buzz out of something, you tend to become curious. That was what happened to me.

"And once again in my new world full of heartache and lies, this hopeless boy finds a way to make me smile." 

While the rest of the readers of this book were moved, teary-eyed, overpowered with such sadness upon reading it, I was not entirely impressed. I guess at the back of my mind I already knew the twist coming my way. Holder is intense and mysterious and not in a good way for me. I mean, if I were Sky, I'd prolly be so uncomfortable with him around and would kick his ass. I would not let some guy come up to me and demand things from me as if I owe him big. I would not even let that guy pass without making a dent on his face. And I would NEVER fall in love with him too because I'd probably be more cautious around that guy and would look after my well being first than thinking of how gorgeous he is.

"But I'm not falling in love with her piece by piece anymore. I'm in love with the whole girl. Every single piece of her."

The story is not hard to understand. There's not much of a surprise or a big BANG in the middle. 

I really cringe every time a female protagonist salivates over a "handsome" or "hot" guy in the story. I mean, can't for once the guy be a little bit not so attractive to the point that not all the girls in the story wants to lick him up? Excuse my French. And to make matters worst, he's abusive and more of a stalker. And this guy is her love interest? Oh dear. Help this poor girl. But guess what, she describes him as "scary but beautiful." Another female protagonist to fell on to the palms of another abusive YET handsome guy. Bravo!

"I need to know how to rely on myself to stay strong because I'm the only one I can trust."

I also am not a big fan of Sky because I've noticed that she keeps on criticizing other girls and comparing herself to them. Then she keeps on saying that she's not a slut because she haven't slept with anyone even the "lots of people I made out with". And take note, she keeps on slut-shaming them after, of course, she stereotype them. It's as if she's the only girl in the story that is pure and chaste and could not and never be associated with the term "slut" because why? She freaking reads! What's up with that? 

I know protagonists are not perfect and all but could you please make her character a little bit nicer? Her character is not really someone that should be somebody's favourite.

The story lacks a lot in the consistency department, people and yet everyone is just swooned. There's a lot to consider before falling in love to such book. It's a shame that this book are read by young readers because it basically promotes unhealthy relationship. The message that this book basically wants to tell everyone is if you have an issue or something, just find yourself a hot (and abusive) guy to fix you because later on, you two would have sex to make you feel better. Again, excuse my French.

Review: THINGS WE KNOW BY HEART

Goodreads.com

When Quinn Sullivan meets the recipient of her boyfriend’s donated heart, the two form an unexpected connection.

After Quinn loses her boyfriend, Trent, in an accident their junior year, she reaches out to the recipients of his donated organs in hopes of picking up the pieces of her now-unrecognizable life. She hears back from some of them, but the person who received Trent’s heart has remained silent. The essence of a person, she has always believed, is in the heart. If she finds Trent’s, then maybe she can have peace once and for all. 

Risking everything in order to finally lay her memories to rest, Quinn goes outside the system to track down nineteen-year-old Colton Thomas—a guy whose life has been forever changed by this priceless gift. But what starts as an accidental run-in quickly develops into more, sparking an undeniable attraction. She doesn't want to give in to it—especially since he has no idea how they're connected—but their time together has made Quinn feel alive again. No matter how hard she’s falling for Colton, each beat of his heart reminds her of all she’s lost…and all that remains at stake.

"It's too much, this. Life & love & how fragile it all is."

The plot of this book, at some point, is very close to my heart. It's not like my boyfriend died or something but he came close to it so I guess reading this book brought back memories. It's good to read when you're alone and in a quiet place.

The plot is sad - and so is the story. I mean, I could only imagine how Quinn have felt. One day she's with him and the next he's dead. And to think that he was ripped to pieces. I mean, parts of his body were donated. That would be very hard for anyone who lost someone. She had a hard time moving on. She was clutching on to the past, to the pieces that could somehow make her believe that Trent is still alive.

When I was reading it, I felt like I was Quinn. I felt like I was the one hurting, mourning and betraying. It made it so hard for me not to feel my heart break for every chapter and at the same time, I felt as if I longed for Trent too.

The beginning is beautifully written. It's emotional, its heartbreaking, it makes you feel like you want to go back into time and wish Trent didn't die. Quinn's journey all through the out the story, the denial, her development - emotionally - and how she managed to get through it, it's all realistically put together.

I had a hard time not feeling sorry for Quinn. I mean, she counts the days Trent has died. What is not sad with that?  It's intentionally breaking your heart into tiny tic tac-like pieces. But I guess the part where she finds the guy who has Trent's heart, he happens to be hot and they fell in love, I think it's too cheesy and too cliche. I'm not really a big fan of Colton. But I pity him. You know, coz he tries to hard to feel and be normal despite his past and stuff. I like him as a character alone. 

"I'm the best kind of tired from the sun and the ocean, but I don't want to close my eyes."

I just really don't like that Quinn have moved on. I mean, she should move on but I guess I wasn't too keen that she lost count for the days Trent was gone. I felt like its betrayal. Although I love the romantic scenes between her and Colton, I could almost imagine the view up in the cliff or inside the cave. It was well described. I like it a lot.  I like the whole scene with her sister too. I think it's really nice to have someone like her sister that supports you, encourages you instead of showing pity. She's been a good inspiration to Quinn. The whole board thing, it's very nice. Overall, the book is not entirely perfect but it's definitely something that would make you think about stuff, it would break your heart, it would cut deep through you but it would show you the whole process of accepting a loss. It's a book that would make you want to read it again some time. I simply applaud Jessi Kirby for giving me such good first impression. This book definitely deserves a