ANNE WNDR READS: TWENTIES GIRL BY SOPHIE KINSELLA

Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don't get visited by ghosts. Or do they?

When the spirit of Lara's great-aunt Sadie-a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance-mysteriously appears, she has one request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie's possession for more than seventy-five years, because Sadie cannot rest without it.

Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie's necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different "twenties" girls learn some surprising truths from and about each other. Written with all the irrepressible charm and humor that have made Sophie Kinsella's books beloved by millions, Twenties Girl is also a deeply moving testament to the transcendent bonds of friendship and family.

“No human on God's earth is a nobody.”

This book has been sitting on my shelf for the past few years since I got it from a booksale and it's not what I expected. It mainly focuses on family and friendship which shies away from the usual book I read. I must say that I wasn't able to feel the excitement and joy not until I am almost done with the book. I wouldn't say it's boring but more like, you have to give it some time for you to eventually get what you asked for and I know that it's pretty big and most people won't give that much of a thought.

I had a hard time putting myself into it and finding that instant connection I get whenever I open or read a book. I found myself putting a lot of effort trying to completely understand and be patient with this book. It's not really irritating but it's a lot of work.

The plot is too predictable. You put a ghost with a twenty something broke woman, they search for the missing stuff and after that, the ghost gets to be peaceful. I get that but I guess I was looking for more thrill  and something to actually push me off the edge and make me say "I did not see that coming!".

There's no shade being thrown on this book but I believe it has more to be work on. 

Let's get to the main characters. The protagonist is Lara and she's completely out of track of her life. She's broke, her lovelife is a mess and her business is down, can she be more pitying? I feel like she has nothing good in her life. She has a conceited Uncle and a sister that is evil, she finds enjoyment in putting her little sister down. I mean, what is with that? 

I don't wanna criticize her on her lovelife because everyone's been there in some time of their lives, you know. Being so hang up on someone you think you really love and finding it so hard to move on just because you're so fixated in the complete fantasy that you guys are meant to be. The only humour I got from this part of her life is the very fact that we do not only share the same experience but also the name of the ex. Coincidence? I guess.

“It's not enough to believe! Don't you see that, you stupid girl? You could spend your whole life hoping and believing! If a love affair is one-sided, then it's only ever a question, never an answer. You can't live your life waiting for an answer.” 

Sadie Lancaster or the ghost of her  great-aunt is completely annoying. It's like being with a kid. You know, she constantly nags her and what 27-year-old lady would scream all the time just to get what she wants?  I mean, I get it that her necklace is too important so that she could move forward to afterlife but c'mon, she's too obnoxious and selfish especially on the scene where Lara was on an important meeting with a client. It was too much for me because that was Lara's low-low moment and she was really struggling to save her business. She could really appreciate some support even from a dead lady.

I refuse to delve further on the other characters because they're just so-so and I have a lot to say about her best friend, Natalie, but I choose not to discuss that because boy, oh, boy, I am so pissed at her.

I believe what made me made an effort reading and allotting my time for this because every book needs a chance to be understood and I really think highly of Ms. Kinsella. 

What I love about this is that, it's witty and it's not about love-love-love. And the whole relationship between Sadie and Lara really hits a spot. It made me sad that I wasn't able to give much love and care to my late grandma and this book showed me how important it is to give time to the our loved ones before it's too late.

Am I crazy about this? Not really. Will I recommend this? I guess if you're the kind of bookworm that has a lot patience and time in your hands then be my guest.

ANNE WNDR READS: SUICIDE NOTES FROM BEAUTIFUL GIRLS

Pitched as Gone Girl meets Thirteen Reasons Why

That particular sentence is the one that caught my attention. I'm no fan of Gone Girl nor have I read it but I am most certain, based on all the reviews I've seen and read, it's a great book and I could say the same thing to Thirteen Reasons Why (which is one of my all-time favourite) so that's why my eyes kinda perked up out of curiosity. I was really hoping that I'd be in for a good 'ol ride.

First of all, I had no idea what the story is all about. It was just recommended to me or more like requested to review and I didn't bother to ask what's the story is all about. As usual, I love being surprised and I tend to judge a book by it's cover. Having said that, the cover is really pretty and I love that the matches have some connection with one of the characters of the book. I already predicted that though.

Honestly, I was expecting a compilation of notes from girls. Yes, I took the title literally. Don't sue me. But I guess if that was the case, it would've been a lot interesting, in my opinion. 

Contrary to the praise it got physically, the content seemed to be a bit off for me. It started strong but then along the way, it kinda messed up real bad like there was no consistency, the situations and the actions of the protagonist towards the situation seemed to be questionable many, many times.

Sure, I kinda held on to the first few pages but I'm not gonna say that I was completely hooked.

I already predicted that it would be one of those mystery, thriller books where a friend investigates the real story behind another person/friend's death but I was also kinda hoping that there would be a much unique kind of treatment that would make this book different from the others.


The story is completely and utterly overwhelming. It tried to focus on multiple subjects like abuse, pregnancy, rape, drugs and so on and I must say it made the whole plot tangled in a very bad way.

The protagonist's characterization was a little crazy for me too. There was no consistency in June's character. She's very dynamic but not the good kind. I guess it would've been better if her character's progression was a little slow, like, taking one step at a time because it seemed like she has this double personality. Her character didn't let the readers get to know her more before she jumped into this new character which is frustrating.

"We protect the people we love."

And I kinda question how it was so easy for her to get clues from people and get to some dangerous places like when she went to talk to a drug dealer. It was questionable for her character that was tried to be described as innocent and mostly terrified. I get it that it's a mystery, thriller novel and it's fiction so anything can happen but I'm just saying that it would've been nice if her actions actually fit her personality. And besides, she was alone when she did some investigation and I doubt that some naive girl like her would be able to have some legit connection with people that could make the investigation easier on her part. She made the whole investigation pretty simple for a girl like her.

For Delia's part, it actually excite me to know what actually happened to her. The clues were enough to make me go whacky in thinking who the duck actually killed her or what actually happened to her. It's sad that it was the only thing or part in the story that excite me.

If anything, I'd say Delia's character is the only one who is interesting. Although her personality is very cliche and her actions are predictable too but at least I've seen more consistency on her part.

It would actually be nice if some of the supporting character were given a little more background. Like Delia's new found friends. They seemed to be left as a mystery which is maddening. Supporting characters oftentimes help the whole story to be a lot better. 

There were too many twists and turns in the middle of the story which made it really intense, not in the good way because the beginning seemed to be simple, not so overwhelming, just you know, fine or okay and then came the middle and BOOM! everything went cuckoo. Just like that. It was just thrown at the reader's messily. 

I actually love the transitioning between the past and present. It actually helped the reader's understand why the current situation is happening. And also how the POVs were changed at the end. It was actually done smoothly.

This book is just one of the many books that tried to top, if not, be the next Gone Girl and failed miserably. There is nothing oh-so-special with this book. Although it showcased such strong bond between two people, between two friends who got lost and apart along the way and found their way back to each other.

There are just so many questions left unanswered in this book that simply frustrates the hell outta me but hey, I gotta move on.

I wouldn't really recommend this but if you're into some crazy plotting then be my guest. 

Review: RANDOM

Who's the real victim here? This tense and gripping exploration of cyberbullying and teen suicide is perfect for fans of Before I Fall and Thirteen Reasons Why.

Late at night Tori receives a random phone call. It's a wrong number. But the caller seems to want to talk, so she stays on the line.

He asks for a single thing—one reason not to kill himself.

The request plunges her into confusion. Because if this random caller actually does what he plans, he'll be the second person connected to Tori to take his own life. And the first just might land her in jail. After her Facebook page became Exhibit A in a tragic national news story about cyberbullying. Tori can't help but suspect the caller is a fraud. But what if he’s not? Her words alone may hold the power of life or death.

With the clock ticking, Tori has little time to save a stranger—and maybe redeem herself—leading to a startling conclusion that changes everything.

“Don’t let your mouth write checks your heart can’t cash,” 

The short description of what the story is all about is not as intense as the story itself. The fact that it is recommended to fans of Before I Fall and Thirteen Reasons Why is enough to tickle my curious cat. I adore both books so it isn't a surprise that I have a soft spot for this one too.

What made it even more intense and gripping would probably be the fact that the whole thing happened in a span of 24hours.  I became invested to it from the very beginning and it escalated even more at the end.

I could only imagine the thoughts going on in the mind of a sixteen-year-old girl when she received some strange call from a person thinking of doing suicide. It's already bad that she had to go to a trial because of a felony act and now, she was  given such huge responsibility for another person or life.

I simply love the smooth twists and turns. It was beautifully sewn together. It wasn't cluttered or confusing. It all made sense.

I have also a strong objection against bullying in any form or type so clearly I am not happy with Tori's character. I just can't accept the fact that she wasn't aware that she was practically goading someone to bully another person or the fact that she was actually bullying someone. So the whole dropping of another suicide situation on her lap made me thought that she kinda deserves it at some point. It served as a lesson to her actually, in my opinion though. I mean, she's obviously too selfish, inconsiderate and plain insensitive. I just hate people like her that doesn't think twice about the consequences of their actions as long as other people thinks that they're cool.

This book is amazing in its own ways. The protagonist may not have killed the bullied person but that doesn't make her an innocent at all. And that's what this book is all about and what it teaches. It teaches us how a simple act could become something big and could ruin someone else's life. It may be a joke to you or your friends, you may not see the person you commented with something bad but it doesn't mean that that person isn't hurt or not taking it seriously. We have no idea what each person is going through in their lives so we gotta be careful with how we talk to them or how we deliver those unnecessary jokes.

The ending is priceless, its something I did not see coming. I was left speechless and my eyes widened. It made perfect sense and I loved it.

It may sound boring to some because it is consisted mostly of phone conversations but I do believe that it is what made the whole story intense and thrilling, like you're on a thread with Tori too. And as I've mentioned, Tori is selfish and it made the readers jittery because there could be a possibility that she might not help him and would more likely not be involved with it.

I highly recommend this to all. It's a must-read. A different treatment about cyberbullying because we get to see the other side of the story. It's in the perspective of one of the bullies. It would teach all the readers the value of being responsible with their actions and words. Kudos to Leveen!

Review: THOUGHTLESS

For almost two years now, Kiera's boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she's ever wanted: loving, tender and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together, Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university, everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart.

Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he's purely a friend that she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes... and none of them will ever be the same.

P.S.I'll be warning everyone who reads this that I might use cursing words here quite a few times so if you're not into vulgar expression of thoughts and feelings, you may stop from here.

Basically, the story of this book is about some bitch hooking up with her boyfriend's bestfriend WHO happened to be a local rock star. But to make it much much simpler, this is about CHEATING. Ain't that amazing?

I have strong objection towards infidelity. I don't go for "We're all humans, we are entitled to make mistakes along the way" kind of bullocks. I've never felt so loathsome to any protagonist or story 'til I read this badly written excuse of a book about romance. I didn't read anything romantic about this story or with any of the characters. This book teaches everyone what to do to ruin a perfectly built relationship AND how to be a bitch slut.


The protagonist, Kiera, is the biggest, prolly the Queen of all bitch sluts in the world. She is selfish, bratty and completely ridiculous in all forms. Actually, she doesn't deserve any pity or comfort, she doesn't deserve Denny at all. She juggled two bestfriends despite the fact that is crystal clear that she wants and been lusting over Kellan. I mean, what protagonist won't lust over a ROCK STAR, right? Pathetic. That's all I can say.

I wasn't able to find anything bad about Denny coz guess what, there's NONE. His character is every (sane) girl's dream. He's faithful, endearing and loving and quite frankly, stupid for even falling for a bitch like Kiera. He's the one who has the right to all our pities. He's been cheated on, both of his girlfriend AND bestfriend. 

And Kellan? I loathe that guy as much. He's ungrateful, disrespectful, downright immoral and the biggest DOUCHEBAG of all. He and Kiera are simply perfect for each other, a douchebag and a bitch slut. 

Your boyfriend goes overseas and you jump right into the bed of the douche available? WOW. Just WOW.

I must say, Kiera must have some magical vagina or is just a good manipulator to have two guys putty in her hands coz lemme tell you, I wasn't able to find anything good about her character. Honestly, I want to murder her. Yes, that's how much I loathe her. And what the freaking fuck is all the BLUSHING about?! It made me even angrier like do you even need to blush about almost everything? Don't tell me when someone tells you they're gonna poop right in front of you, you'll also blush!

And as I've said before, it is badly written. It's as if a five year old kid wrote this big blob. I am utterly disappointed. I am utterly disappointed to Stephens for this badly written book, for choosing a moron for a protagonist and for even putting all the readers in pure misery reading this book.

ANNE WNDR READS: JUST ONE DAY (JUST ONE DAY #1)

Goodreads

“Sometimes the best way to find out what you’re supposed to do is by doing the thing you’re not supposed to do.”

Allyson Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life.

A book about love, heartbreak, travel, identity, and the “accidents” of fate, Just One Day shows us how sometimes in order to get found, you first have to get lost. . . and how often the people we are seeking are much closer than we know.

The first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon!

"We are born in one day. We die one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day. Anything can happen in just one day

Exactly! Gayle Forman just proved to all of us that anything is possible. That it's not about the time, it's about how much you want something to happen. This book is a roller coaster ride of emotions. There may not be some heavy drama scene that have transpired in the pages but I have experienced more than just sadness and happiness. There is so much to this book that not everyone could see and read. Gayle was able to give us such promising story.

"Traveling's not something you're good at. It's something you do. Like breathing."

I must say I really like this book a lot. For a moment I imagined myself as Allyson and at some point, I feel like we have something in common. I actually wanna be her, you know, take a day off from everything, pretend I'm someone else, be lost in a foreign city and for once, not care where my feet takes me. It's something one would want to experience for once in their life.

"He showed me how to get lost. And I showed myself how to get found."

It's basically a slice of Aly's adventure and we just can't deny that her character developed so much throughout the story and we've seen it (I'm guessing we all did). I actually didn't expect that Willem would be her love interest. I usually don't read synopsis. I go for the "Judge the Book by its cover". It's thrilling and exciting because it's like reading with your heart and not with your eyes.

I appreciated Willem's character so much. He's that kind of a person you want to be free with. I love how reckless and impulsive everything seemed to be. His spontaneity is what made me love him and how peculiar he visions the world and everything around him. Being with him means taking risks and just letting go. It may sound crazy if it were acted in reality but the idea itself is something to look forward to.

"Accidents. It's all about the accidents"

I actually love this quote. Again with all the spontaneity. This book feels so liberating. And for once, I felt as if I could let destiny take over of the whole journey. I know, that sounds so cheesy (and maybe crazy) but hey, it's what books do to us, right?

Ally's character is not very positive. She has a different way of dealing with  herself, people around her and the situation she is in. I would say that she is like most people in the world. She's this lost girl that just needed time to finally find herself. She doesn't help, she's no damsel in distress. She's smart, She just need work things out on her own for her to able to learn.

 

"He showed me how to get lost and then I showed myself how to get found."

I could get annoyed at Ally for expecting something more from someone she just met but I refused to. I cannot exactly blame her for feeling that way. She just shared something special with someone, There was a bond, an intimacy between them. It's like, she finally have found someone who could truly show her how to appreciate life then she got overwhelmed.

"You have to fall in love to be in love, but falling in love isn't the same as being in love."

For a moment I learned how to hate Willem. Why? Obviously, she left girl he just slept with in a foreign place. Aly was lost. She put her trust to him. Again, I don't wanna blame her.

But I'll be a spoiler now. You may wanna read Just One Night to restore your faith and love to Willem. It would finally makes sense now. The ending, I mean.

Anyway, this book certainly deserves a. . .

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: REASON TO BREATHE (BREATHING SERIES #1)

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?" In the affluent town of Weslyn, Connecticut, where most people worry about what to be seen in and who to be seen with, Emma Thomas would rather not be seen at all. She’s more concerned with feigning perfection while pulling down her sleeves to conceal the bruises - not wanting anyone to know how far from perfect her life truly is. Without expecting it, she finds love. It challenges her to recognize her own worth - but at the risk of revealing the terrible secret she’s desperate to hide.  Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

This book is intense, beautiful and dang powerful. My emotions were haywire. I have never experienced lack of sleep because of a book. I mean, I was up the whole night because I just couldn't stop reading and my eyes, oh my eyes. I was a cry-baby. My heart shuttered into million tic-tac pieces and I felt like punching a wall because of full on rage. In other words, I was disoriented and lost after reading this book.

"In the balance of love and loss, it was love that made me struggle to breathe."

I have never felt extreme anger towards a character. Her aunt is someone I would want to use my steel bat on to. What she does to her is unacceptable and no amount of apologies could change the scars, the welts of the leather belt, the tears and the feeling of wanting to die. The way the antagonist is portrayed and written is powerful to the point that it's terrifying how effective her character is. I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who sympathize with Emma and want to help her. Her aunt screams cruelty beyond repair. I don't even wanna think about her because it only makes me feel like strangling someone. I crave for justice for Emma. No person deserve such treatment. I tell you. No person should feel inferior towards these kind of people but rather stand and take all the courage to tell someone. I mean, you're never alone. Never think that.

“Love helped me live life instead of just survive it.”

I found myself crying through every page I read. I even sobbed. And I'm not even a crier myself. It just proves how the story, the struggles and pain of the character really cuts deep through every reader's heart and soul. I know that there are people who goes through this kind of  situation in their life that's why this makes it even more hurting to read because at the back of my mind, I feel so helpless to those people in actual need like this. This is why no one should judge anyone. No one knows what the other is going through. People should be aware of other people. Be more sensitive. Gosh, I'm really preaching here. This just really hits right in my heart. And counting days til she leaves for college? BAM! More tears and piece of my heart stomped over and over again.

I salute Emma for being so strong, I know there is a downside on her character in this first book. People would say she didn't show much of a bravery because she didn't fight back or anything but we can't really judge her. We're not in her shoes so it's hard to tell. It's easier said than done. There are things to consider.

I love how Evan just sweeps in the picture. He might be considered as the "Knight and shining armor" but this is the kind of cliche stuff I love because Pete knows how Emma badly needs someone to be there for her, see right through her and even if she wants to be invisible, I bet a 100 bucks that she, at least, want someone to be her shoulder. And that, ladies and gents, is Evan's purpose.

His entrance doesn't focus on wooing her but rather helping her and that's what is amazing with this. The development of their relationship is slow, concrete and well-adjusted. Rebecca didn't hurry them. She build them thoroughly and that what's makes their relationship much more appealing and lovable. Despite the darkness of the issue, there are rays of light and hope. His determination and willingness to know more of her are extremely something to be noticed and take pride of.  I enjoyed their little moments. I was happy for them. That even though the situation is brutally terrifying, they have found peace with each other. I feel like I was part of every scene like I was living them with them. My heart raced because I know that at the end of the day, she has to go back to that house and face the evil music. The situations are very realistic. I love how it is played because I could actually walk through the scenes in ease with the characters and I could understand them full and feel every bit of it.

I love Rebecca's writing style because the writing may not be as graphic (to the point that it would scare you) but it sure still gives you the full context and essence of the story and it works your imagination just like a snap of a finger. I commend Rebecca and I definitely recommend this book to anyone who has the heart and soul to take up this challenge of reading such "serious but not too dark but definitely heartbreaking story". Please do prepare your eyes and heart for some serious damage.

I was left breathless here.

Review: THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE

If fate sent you an email, would you answer? When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.  Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

“There are different kinds of happy,” she said. “Some kinds don’t need any proof.”

Upon writing this review, I kept on wondering, "What do I really feel about this book?'. I mean, I was interested before as like everybody else. Some of the bookworms I know were gushing about this so, what did the bookworm inside me do? I got a copy because I just can't stop thinking, "What's the fuzz about?".

“Exactly. How can you know it makes you happy if you’ve never experienced it?” 

Well, it's a typical "girl meets and falls in love with a handsome famous boy who happens to have personal issues", blah, blah, blah, blah. I gotta say it's cliche and in my opinion, this is what boring and legitimately uninteresting story looks like. No offence to the fans and all but I'm not impressed. Aside from the fact that I've heard stories like this a bunch of times so, it's not exactly unique per se, it's just not the kind of book you'd get hooked on to or to the point that you don't get to sleep because you can't stop reading.

It's plain boring. I wasn't moved. I wasn't hooked. I didn't fall in love with the characters nor did I come to love their connection to each other coz I believe there's no connection or chemistry. What I did notice is that it is fast. The whole L-O-V-E is too fast. It's like *snap* I'm in love. It's instantaneous. 

They met online. They talk to each other using email. That's it. They didn't even talk over the phone or see each other via Skype or something to at least feel that there is an attraction going on between them. I mean, how would u know that you actually like this person from the other side of the World Wide Web/Internet? He/she is basically a stranger and more importantly, might be a serial killer or a pedophile. You don't even know if those things in that email are completely true. The default thing to do to actually verify if that person you're talking to online is, at least, who he/she really is, to see the person via Skype. And from that point, you don't instantaneously fall in love. That's crazy. Sure you feel like you two have a connection, share the same interest and all but L-O-V-E? Nu-uh! Don't be too gullible. This is not "Love at first click/email".

It's funny. How they knew that it must be something more or that Graham wanted to kiss her instantly. I mean, you don't know the person. Your information is basically unverified and verified by one person only and that's her/him.

Honestly, I only liked the first few chapters. The emailing and stuff were cute but that's it. Beyond that, it's blah. No climax. Nothing to get excited about. No hype. I mean, I'm supposed to get excited to the fact that they'd meet for the first time but since the characters are delusional, thinking they feel more about each other, I just yawned. 

The personal issues of the characters are realistic but not well thought of. I guess I'm pointing to Graham's issue with his parents. Doesn't make any sense to me. There are contradictions with how their characters are established or how the situation is established. I get it that the author wants to, you know, make things happy and all so at the end she claims that his parents are keeping tabs on him. 

“Childhood memories were like airplane luggage; no matter how far you were traveling or how long you needed them to last, you were only ever allowed two bags. And while those bags might hold a few hazy recollections—a diner with a jukebox at the table, being pushed on a swing set, the way it felt to be picked up and spun around—it didn’t seem enough to last a whole lifetime.” 

And don't get me started with Ellie and her mom's financial issues. Her mom is completely selfish. I mean, I get it she has pride and dignity that's why she refused money from the biological father but c'mon, if you know that you can't fully support your kid then shove that pride away and think about what's best for your kid's future. Money is important. Let's not lie. And in Ellie's case, it is proven. 

“Maybe growing up was really nothing more than growing away: from your old life, from your old self, from all those things that kept you tethered to your past.” 

Anyway, I really can't believe I finished the book. But it wasn't easy since it's not something I'd love to sit through the very end. Obviously, I am looking for more than just cuteness. More concrete plot, I guess. But I'd definitely recommend it to those who are just into fluff and this kind of cliche story. But you know, I'm not closing doors to Jennifer's book. I'm actually liking her The Geography of You and Me. Just kudos to her illustrator. The covers are pretty. Hooking, actually.