What I've Been Reading In September

Hey guys!

I managed to read a grand total of 7 books this month, and I don't even know how! I guess I chose fairly short books, that I could get through in a few days. I read Everything, Everything, Entangled, Solace of the Road, Allegiant, The Duff, Untamed, and Every Day. Yep, they're all YA novels...I was hoping to read Emma this month but didn't really have time :( Depending on how much work I manage to complete this term, I'll hopefully be reading Emma during the Xmas hols. I do love a bit of Jane Austen. Anywayyy, below are my reviews of the books I've been reading in September (and I do apologise if some of them are a little long, got a bit carried away while I was writing them!):


1. Everything, Everything

Although I received an ARC copy of Everything, Everything from Netgallery, I wasn't actually planning to read it for a while. However, I heard amazing things about this book on Goodreads, and couldn't put it off any longer. I am so so so glad I read Everything, Everything - it's such a beautifully written book. I like the illustrations too. If you want to read my full review, head over to my book blog. But, for those of you in a hurry, I'd just like to tell you that I urge you to read Everything, Everything. Nicola Yoon has done an incredible job and I hope she releases more books soon!


2. Entangled

Entangled is the second book I've read by Cat Clarke, Torn being the first. Yet again, I was impressed with her writing; Cat Clarke has this way of capturing the reader's attention right from the start and making them want to read until the very end. This was definitely true for me, when I read Entangled. It's a fast-paced novel and I found myself aching to find out why Grace (the protagonist) was in the white room, separated from all her friends and family. I will point out that there is a twist near the end, and if you're anything like me, you'll be thinking "damn! I knew it!" I could just see it coming! Grace isn't a very likeable main character (she's a bit obsessed with boys and partying), but the twist is guaranteed to make you feel sorry for her. I'll also mention that the ending of the book isn't very clear - you're left to your own interpretation. I kind of feel like there should be a sequel, though maybe that's just me? Nevertheless, I think I do prefer Entangled to Torn!


3. Solace of the Road

I've also done a longer review of Solace of the Road over on A Secret Book Lover, but I'll write a brief summery of the book here. Solace of the Road is by Siobhan Dowd, who sadly passed away a while ago. I'd heard of Siobhan Dowd years ago, but I had no idea she was no longer alive until fairly recently. Anyway, Solace of the Road is a beautifully written novel (yeh, I said the exact same thing about Everything, Everything, but it's true!). The author has done a fantastic job at drawing in her reader and making them want to read on and find out whether Holly ends up being reunited with her mother or not. Holly may not be the most likeable character, but I was able to sympathise with her and I did understand why she was so desperate to see her mother again. I love how Holly stumbled upon a wig in her new foster parents' house and uses it as a way of reinventing herself when she goes on her journey across England. I've added A Swift Pure Cry to my reading list as I want to see what else Siobhan Dowd has to offer.


4. Allegiant

I actually managed to successfully complete the Divergent trilogy before the first part of the final book is released in cinemas early next year. Woo! Although I did enjoy Allegiant as a whole, I was a bit disappointed with the ending. I know I'm not the only one. Ok, so I did already know what would happen (yay for spoilers!) but I did still have this tiny glimmer of hope that it was all just lies. Unfortunately, the truly devastating thing did happen. Veronica Roth, how could you do that to your readers?! I trusted you! Anyway, if you haven't already done so, go read the Divergent trilogy. Just be prepared for violence, death and heartbreak.


5. The DUFF

I always try to read the book before seeing the film, but this completely failed with The Duff. But now, almost four months after watching the film, I finally got round to reading the book. As with the film adaptation, Kody Keplinger's book is hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. Having already seen the film, I was shocked at how different it is to the book - there are so many changes (though I won't reveal what those are). However, Bianca remains her cynical self, and Wesley is still a total douchebag. I did find Bianca to be somewhat excruciating at first, what with all her pessimism, but I did end up liking her as the story progressed, and I could connect with her. Bianca's home life is pretty terrible, and it's understandable why she would turn to Wesley as an escape, even though the very thought of his name infuriates her. The Duff  is a light-hearted read and I'll definitely be reading some of Kody Keplinger's books in the future.


6. Untamed

I've actually gone over the number of books on my summer reading list, but that's probably because I've received quite a few ebooks and ARCs recently, Untamed being one. Untamed is Madeline Dyer's debut novel, and it was released fairly recently, so don't worry if you haven't heard of it (I probably wouldn't know the book existed either, if it weren't for the fact that it had cropped up on my newsfeed earlier this summer). Untamed is a dystopian novel that focuses on Seven, a young girl whose mother has just disappeared. Seven has to decide between betraying her family and joining the Enhanced, the group she believes her mother is now a part of, or staying with the Untamed, the group she's been brought up it. The story follows Seven as she tries to make the right decision, encountering her enemies and first love along the way. Seven is a brave and strong protagonist, as YA Dystopian heroines should be. She's had a tough upbringing, but doesn't let it affect her too much. Although gripping and fast-paced, Untamed is very dark and violent. It can get a bit uncomfortable at times. However, Untamed is a well-thought out novel, and it's hard to believe that it is a first novel. Untamed is a great book for anyone who is a fan of the dystopian genre but wants something unique and different.


7. Every Day

Every Day is a very unique book. I've never read anything like it. Every day is sort of the same for A, the protagonist - he / she wakes up in someone else's body, but it's a different person each time. In a way, this does make the book feel a little repetitive, but it is interesting to find out the stories of the various people whose lives A borrows. There was one part that was particularly moving, when A wakes up as a girl who is about to commit suicide. A is a very difficult character to talk about since he / she doesn't have a gender or body. However, it is clear that A is kind and sweet. Despite this, I didn't like the fact that A tried to split Rhiannon and Justin up - a selfish move on A's part. Nevertheless, Justin is a complete jerk, so it's understandable that A thinks Rhiannon can do better. I also thought that the ending was a bit of a let down - it does seem quite rushed. Every Day is such a quotable book - my copy was literally full of post-it notes with phrases and paragraphs that I loved. I wish I could share them all with you, but this post is already getting rather long. There is, however, a quote that sums up A, and his / her life quite well, so I'll insert it here: "I am a drifter, and as lonely as that can be, it is also remarkably freeing. I will never feel the pressure of peers or the burden of parental expectation. I can view everyone as pieces of a whole, and focus on the whole, not the pieces. I have learned to observe, far better than most people observe. I am not blinding by the past or motivated by the future. I focus on the present because that is where I am destined to live." So beautiful, isn't it?!

In summary, Every Day is a book about identity, and above all, acceptance. It shows that we all fall in love at some point, no matter what shape, size, gender or orientation we may be. Every Day is heart-warming, captivating, original and thought-provoking. I'd highly recommend it.



So there are my mini book reviews for September! What books have you been reading lately? Have you read any of the same books as me?! What is on your TBR list for October? I'm going back to uni on the weekend, so unfortunately I'll be back to a few months of absolutely no fiction reading :(


Hasta luego!


Serena

June + July Goodies

Hey guys!

Today I will be sharing some treats I bought during the last couple of months!

1. Shoes - I bought these during a sale in New Look several weeks ago. 

2. Mr Kipling Cocktail Fancies -  I heard about these and when I found them for only £1.50 I knew I had to buy them. I've tried a couple, and they're all right, but I wouldn't say they're anything special. The fancies just taste like normal ones. Bit of a shame really, as they could be so much better and taste like actual cocktails!

3. Books - I added a lot of books to my shelf during July, and you can read the post about that here. 

 

4. Trident Tropical Flavour Chewing Gum - I bought this gum from a sale in a sweet shop in York. They taste delicious but unfortunately the flavour doesn't last very long. 

5. Dessert Skittles - I'd been wanting to try these for a while, and I finally gave in when I saw them in a sweet shop for around 75p. As with the Cocktail Fancies, Dessert Skittles aren't amazing. 

What treats have you bought for yourself this month? (doesn't have to be food!)

Hasta luego!

Serena

Something Like This Book Review

Hey guys!

I finally finished my second ARC book a few days ago - a week after I was supposed to post the review. Whoops. I thought I'd review it anyway since it's not a very well-known book.

BOOK DETAILS:  

Something Like This by Eileen Cruz Coleman

Publication date: April 24th 2015

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Link: Amazon / Goodreads


SYNOPSIS:

Twenty-three-year old Jadie Santiago has a secret.

One morning on her way to work she stops to offer a homeless man a bottle of water. As she meets the man’s eyes, Jadie instantly recognizes they belong to her father, whom she hasn’t seen since she was sixteen. Unable to accept the truth of her encounter, Jadie flees, hoping eventually to forget the experience and continue leading a normal life.

But then she meets Reece, an aspiring writer with a mysterious past who is set on capturing Jadie’s affection. Jadie wants nothing more than to give her heart to Reece, but her broken past and crippling secret keep her from surrendering it to him fully.

Things won’t come easy to Jadie as she fights for her place in the world, but there is strength in her, and she is determined never to stop struggling for what so many others have:  love, happiness, and a sense of belonging.


REVIEW:

Something Like This is another book I hadn't heard much about before reading. However, when I saw the synopsis on Xpresso Book Tours I thought that the blurb sounded interesting so I decided to request it. I was happy when I found a copy in my inbox a few days later.

Something Like This focuses on Jade Santiago, a young woman whose life changes dramatically when she comes across her homeless father on the way to work. Jade tries to rekindle her relationship with her father, whilst at the same time falling in love with her boss's nephew, Reece.

I found this book to be better than I had anticipated. It was an emotional read, and I felt some sympathy towards the protagonist. I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to find a relative, or even a friend, homeless after having not seen them for several years. Jade is also an easy character to connect with and relate to; I am sure we all feel worthless and insecure at some point in our lives.

Whilst I did enjoy Something Like This, I find that the relationship between Jade and Reece did seem a bit rushed and unrealistic. Nevertheless, it was cute. I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a coming-of-age story but want something a bit different, or are into new adult fiction.



Disclaimer: I received this book in return for an honest review from Xpresso Book Tours.


Have you read Something Like This? Let me know your thoughts :)


Hasta luego!

Serena





July Book Haul

 

 

Hey guys!

 

As you can see from the post banner, I have done a book haul this month. And yep, I did get a lot of books! There are 12 books total, 5 of which I got for free (through work experience and a competition on Goodreads). I'll be reading some of the books this summer, but the rest will have to wait until after I finish uni!

 

 

1. Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult

 

 

Jodi Picoult, bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper and The Tenth Circle, pens her most riveting book yet, with a startling and poignant story about the devastating aftermath of a small-town tragedy.

Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens--until the day its complacency is shattered by an act of violence. Josie Cormier, the daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes--or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show--destroying the closest of friendships and families.

Nineteen Minutes asks what it means to be different in our society, who has the right to judge someone else, and whether anyone is ever really who they seem to be.

 

 

I found this book in one of my local charity shops for only £1 so I knew I had to buy it. My Sister's Keeper is one of my favourite books and Nineteen Minutes is the next book I want to read by Jodi Picoult.

 

 

2. Sister, Missing - Sophie McKenzie

 

 

It's two years after the events of Girl, Missing and life is not getting any easier for sixteen-year-old Lauren, as exam pressure and a recent family tragedy take their toll. Lauren's birth mother takes Lauren and her two sisters on holiday in the hope that some time together will help, but a few days into the holiday one of the sisters disappears, under circumstances very similar to those in which Lauren was taken years before. Can Lauren save her sister, and stop the nightmare happening all over again?

 

 

I read Girl, Missing years ago and really enjoyed it so I thought I'd read the sequel too. I bought this book off Amazon.

 

 

3. Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles

 

 

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect.

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

 

I just love the premise of Perfect Chemistry. I like stories about star-crossed lovers - erm, Romeo and Juliet, anyone?!  

 

 

4. How To Build A Girl - Caitlin Moran

 

 

What do you do in your teenage years when you realize what your parents taught you wasn't enough? You must go out and find books and poetry and pop songs and bad heroes—and build yourself.

It's 1990. Johanna Morrigan, fourteen, has shamed herself so badly on local TV that she decides that there's no point in being Johanna anymore and reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde—fast-talking, hard-drinking gothic hero and full-time Lady Sex Adventurer. She will save her poverty-stricken Bohemian family by becoming a writer—like Jo in Little Women, or the Brontës—but without the dying-young bit.

By sixteen, she's smoking cigarettes, getting drunk, and working for a music paper. She's writing pornographic letters to rock stars, having all the kinds of sex with all the kinds of men, and eviscerating bands in reviews of 600 words or less.

But what happens when Johanna realizes she's built Dolly with a fatal flaw? Is a box full of records, a wall full of posters, and a head full of paperbacks enough to build a girl after all?

Imagine The Bell Jar—written by Rizzo from Grease. How to Build a Girl is a funny, poignant, and heartbreakingly evocative story of self-discovery and invention, as only Caitlin Moran could tell it.

 

 

I read Caitlin Moran's column in The Times on a regular basis so I thought I'd try one of her books. I chose this one as it's quite recent and I like the fact that it's a coming-of-age novel.

 

 

5. The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance - Kirsty Greenwood

 

 

Jessica Beam is a girl who knows how to party. Only lately she's been forgetting to turn up for work on time. Or in clean clothes. Down on her luck, out of a job and homeless, Jess seeks the help of her long-lost grandmother.

Things aren't going well for Matilda Beam, either. Her 1950s Good Woman guide books are out of print, her mortgage repayments are staggering and her granddaughter wears neon Wonderbras!

When a lifeline from a London publisher arrives, the pair have an opportunity to secure the roof over their heads – by invigorating the Good Woman guides and transforming modern, rebellious Jess into a demure vintage lady.

The true test of their make-over will be to capture the heart of notorious London playboy Leo Frost and prove that Matilda’s guides still work. It's going to take commitment, nerves of steel and one seriously pointy bra to pull this off...

 

 

When I saw The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance on the piles of free books in the office I knew I had to have it. The cover looks so fun and the premise sounds like something I'd enjoy.

 

 

6. The Invention of Wings - Sue Monk Kidd

 

 

Hetty "Handful” Grimke, an urban slave in early nineteenth century Charleston, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household. The Grimke’s daughter, Sarah, has known from an early age she is meant to do something large in the world, but she is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.

Kidd’s sweeping novel is set in motion on Sarah’s eleventh birthday, when she is given ownership of ten year old Handful, who is to be her handmaid. We follow their remarkable journeys over the next thirty-five years, as both strive for a life of their own, dramatically shaping each other’s destinies and forming a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement and the uneasy ways of love.
As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful will endure loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process. Sarah will experience crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women’s rights movements.

Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented, including Handful’s cunning mother, Charlotte, who courts danger in her search for something better.

This exquisitely written novel is a triumph of storytelling that looks with unswerving eyes at a devastating wound in American history, through women whose struggles for liberation, empowerment, and expression will leave no reader unmoved.

 

 

As I really enjoyed The Secret Life of Bees, I thought I'd try another book by Sue Monk Kidd. I also bought The Invention of Wings from Amazon. I was going to purchase it back in February but decided to wait until I was back in London as I already had enough books to bring back from York!

 

 

7. The Miniaturist - Jessie Burton

 

 

Set in seventeenth century Amsterdam-a city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religion-a masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition of Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Sarah Dunant.

"There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed…"

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office-leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist-an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .

Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand-and fear-the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?

Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

 

 

Okay, I'll admit that I was attracted to this book due to its cover rather than its premise. However, the blurb does sound quite interesting and different to the books I usually read. I also like the fact that it's set in Amsterdam - most of the books I read take place in either America or England.

  

 

8. I'll Give You The Sun - Jandy Nelson

 

 

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

 

 

 I was also drawn to this book by its cover and the fact that it's recommended to fans of John Green. I'll Give You the Sun is another book I got from work. I wasn't planning on reading this for a while, but since it's free there was no harm in getting it a little early! Plus, it means I now have no excuse not to read this! I've also got The Sky Is Everywhere on my TBR list so I'll be reading two books by Jandy Nelson next summer!

 

 

9. Emma 

 

 

 The best-selling and beloved author of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series now gives us his charming take on Jane Austen with this modern-day retelling of Emma.
The summer after she graduates from university, Emma Woodhouse returns home to the village of Highbury, where she will live with her health-conscious father until she is ready to launch her interior-design business and strike out on her own. In the meantime, she will do what she does best: offer guidance to those less wise than she is in the ways of the world. Happily, this summer brings many new faces to Highbury and into the sphere of Emma's not always perfectly felicitous council: Harriet Smith, a naïve teacher's assistant at the ESL school run by the hippie-ish Mrs. Goddard; Frank Churchill, the attractive stepson of Emma's former governess; and, of course, the perfect Jane Fairfax. This modern-day Emma is wise, witty, and totally enchanting, and will appeal equally to Alexander McCall Smith's multitude of fans and to the enormous community of wildly enthusiastic Austen aficionados.

 

 

I have yet to read the original Emma but I'd quite like to read this book after. I've read a few of the books in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and they're quite good.

 

 

10. Solace of the Road - Siobhan Dowd

 

 

 Memories of mum are the only thing that make Holly Hogan happy. She hates her foster family with their too-nice ways and their false sympathy. And she hates her life, her stupid school, and the way everyone is always on at her. Then she finds the wig, and everything changes. Wearing the long, flowing blond locks she feels transformed. She’s not Holly anymore, she’s Solace: the girl with the slinkster walk and the supersharp talk. She’s older, more confident—the kind of girl who can walk right out of her humdrum life, hitch to Ireland, and find her mum. The kind of girl who can face the world head-on.

So begins a bittersweet and sometimes hilarious journey as Solace swaggers and Holly tiptoes across England and through memory, discovering her true self and unlocking the secrets of her past.

 

 

This looks like quite an interesting read. I've been meaning to read it for ages - I don't know why I never did.

 

 

11. The Looking Glass House - Vanessa Tait

 

 

Vanessa Tait, great-granddaughter of the Alice who inspired Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, tells the fascinating story of the childhood classic's strange beginnings through the eyes of a naïve and deceived governess.

What happened before Alice fell down the rabbit hole?

Oxford, 1862. As Mary Prickett takes up her post as governess to the daughters of the Dean of Christ Church, she is thrust into a strange new world. Mary is poor and plain and desperate for change but the little girls in her care see and understand far more than their naïve new teacher. And there is another problem: Mary does not like children, especially the precocious Alice Liddell.

When Mary meets Charles Dodgson, the Christ Church mathematics tutor, at a party at the Deanery, she wonders if he may be the person to transform her life. Flattered by his attentions, Mary begins to believe that she could be more than just an overlooked, dowdy governess.

One sunny day, as Mary chaperones the Liddells on a punting trip, Mr Dodgson tells the story of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. But Mary is determined to become Mr Dodgson's muse ­ and will turn all the lives around her topsy-turvy in pursuit of her obsession.

 

 

This is another book I got from work. The Looking Glass House looks like an intriguing book. It's written by the great-granddaughter of the girl who influenced Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland. The Looking Glass House has mixed reviews but I'm going to give it a shot.

 

 

12. Black Rabbit Hall - Eve Chase



 

At  Black  Rabbit  Hall  nothing  much  ever  happens  ­-  time  seems  to  move  slower  at  this  idyllic  holiday  home  in  Cornwall.  Until the  worst  thing  happens  and  for  the  Alton  children  time  feels  like  it's  stopped  altogether.  As  they  run  wild,  lost  in  grief  and confusion,  an  outsider,  Caroline  Shawcross,  and  her  dark,  angry  son  Lucian  enter  their  lives,  changing  them  forever.

In  the  present  day,  Lorna  Smith  is  searching  for  her  perfect  wedding  venue  and  is  inexplicably  drawn  to  the  now  crumbling  Black  Rabbit  Hall,  unaware  that  her  own  history  is  locked  up  in  those  derelict  walls...

 

 

I entered a few competitions on Goodreads recently and I wasn't really expecting to win anything, so I was so surprised when a copy of Black Rabbit Hall came through the post. Unfortunately, it's in hardback form so I might have to swap it for paperback before I start reading it.

 

 

 

 So those are the books I've bought (and received!) recently! Probably one of the biggest book hauls I'll ever do!! What books have you got in the last month? Have you read any of the books I have mentioned? Let me know your thoughts!

 

 

Hasta luego!

 

 

Serena 

Mini Book Reviews: June

Hey guys!


I've been off uni for one month now! Wow, time has gone by fast! I've managed to read FIVE book since my last exam! TBH, I did start two in May, so I've only really read three whole books, but still, that is quite a lot of reading for a short amount of time! To make life easier, I will review all five books in one post, like I did back in April.


1. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

(Goodreads link)

I was planning to watch the film version of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants sometime over summer, so I thought I'd read the book first. With its pink cover, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is clearly aimed at a young female audience, though I think it could appeal to women in their twenties too. The book is about four best friends who are spending their first summer apart. Lena is jetting off to the Greek island of Santorini to see her family, while Bridget has gone to soccer camp in Mexico. At the same time, Carmen is spending the summer with her father, and Tibby is working at a shop in the girls' hometown. Before their adventures begin, the four girls find a pair of jeans which seem to fit all of them, despite their different body sizes. These jeans soon become known as the 'Traveling Pants' and Lena, Bridget, Carmen and Tibby promise to wear them for a certain amount of time during their holidays and then send them on to the next girl.

I quite enjoyed The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. It was different to what I expected. As I said in my review on Goodreads, I thought that the characterisation in this book was great - I could really connect with the girls, particularly Carmen. Overall, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a lovely book about friendship. At just over 300 pages, it makes a quick and easy holiday read.


2. Lola and the Boy Next Door

(Goodreads link)

I read Anna and the French Kiss a while ago and really enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to reading Lola and the Boy Next Door. However, this book unfortunately failed to live up to my expectations. I wanted to hear more about Anna and Etienne, but Lola and the Boy Next Door focused on an entirely different character - Lola - and her crush on childhood friend, and neighbour, Cricket. Lola didn't really feature much in Anna and the French Kiss, if at all (I vaguely remember her name being mentioned one or twice). I was disappointed to find out that Lola and the Boy Next Door wasn't even set in Paris. Having said all the above, I think that I would've enjoyed Lola and the Boy Next Door more if it had absolutely nothing to do with Anna and the French Kiss. I'll probably read Isla and the Happily Ever After at some point, though not any time soon.


3. Stolen: A Letter To My Captor

(Goodreads link)

I can't believe it took me so long before reading this book! It's brilliant! Although I wasn't so keen on the use of the second person at first, it actually made the story more vivid and captivating. I ended up feeling sorry for not only Gemma, but Ty too. It seemed that he'd had a really tough life and just wanted to escape to the middle of nowhere with only one other person - he just went about it the wrong way. I would recommend Stolen 100 per cent - it's a unique book that will captivate you from the very first line and take you on an emotional rollercoaster for the next 300-odd pages.


4. Bright Young Things

(Goodreads link)

I was drawn to Bright Young Things for two reasons: firstly, I enjoyed The Luxe by Anna Godbersen, and secondly, I loved the cover of the book. In Bright Young Things, Anna Godbersen has successfully captured what it was like to live in New York during the 1920s. The reader is drawn into a world of parties and flappers. Bright Young Things is a great historical novel for fans of Gossip Girl.


5. The Host

(Goodreads link)

Hm...I don't really know what to say about this book. I mean, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good either. And does a book seriously need to be over 600 pages long? It's just so unnecessary! The premise is kind of strange too - an alien who inhibits the body of a human girl? Erm, ok...Perhaps it's because I don't usually read sci fi, but still...I think The Host would be so much better if it were 200 or so pages shorter. The story is dragged out when it doesn't need to be. As a fan of Twilight, I was expecting more from Stephenie Meyer, and this turned out to be a bit of a disappointment.



Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?


Hasta luego!


Serena

My Summer Reading List

 

 

Hey guys!

 

As I have finished all my exams and university work, I have plenty of time to read for pleasure. There are many books I want to read and here are the ones I am planning to read this summer:

 

 

1. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

I've actually finished this book (already!) and it's quite good.


2. Stolen

I'm reading this book at the moment and I find it so hard to put down!


3. Bright Young Things

This has been on my list for a while and I'm planning to read it after Stolen. I love the cover. Bright Young Things is by the same author as The Luxe, a book I enjoyed reading a few years ago.

4. The Host

I've read pretty much all of Stephenie Meyer's books except this one. The Host is such a huge book so I keep putting it off! However, it's been on my shelves for quite a while so I'm going to read it this summer.


5. Safe Haven

I loved The Last Song so I've been keen to read another Nicholas Sparks book. Safe Haven looks like quite a good book and I want to see the film.


6. Ash

Ash is a retelling of Cinderella but it's very different since the protagonist falls in love with a huntress rather than the prince. It sounds like an unusual book and I'm looking forward to reading it.

7. The Summer I Turned Pretty

Seems like a good summer book.


8.  Entangled

This is quite a dark book. I was drawn to it by the cover.


9.Ransom My Heart

I've been waiting so long to read Ransom My Heart!

10. Torn

Another book I've wanted to read for a while, and the second book by Cat Clarke I'll be reading this summer.


11. Perfect Chemistry

I guess this is kind of like a modern version of West Side Story. It's about a girl who falls in love with a gang member.


12. The Miniaturist

This book looks so good! It's set in Amsterdam in the late 17th century.

13. The Invention of Wings

The Secret Life of Bees is one of my favourite books. I'm keen to read one of Sue Monk Kidd's other works. I love the cover of The Invention of Wings.


14. Easy

I haven't read many new adult / college books, only Losing It, but it's a genre I want to read more of.


15. Emma

I've read most of Jane Austen's books apart from Emma and Mansfield Park. I want to read Emma first as I quite like the story (and I absolutely love Clueless!).

16. The Scorch Trials

After reading The Maze Runner, I was aching to find out what happens next to Thomas and the other boys (and girl). I'm so glad there's a sequel! Can you believe I still haven't seen the film?!


17. Romiette & Julio

Modern retelling of Romeo and Julio? Yes please!


18. Where She Went

This is a sequel to Gayle Forman's brilliant If I Stay. It's told in Adam's point of view. It would be interesting to see what has happened since the accident.

19. Sister, Missing

I must've read Girl, Missing over seven years ago! I'd definitely like to read the sequel!


20. Before Midnight

This is a retelling of Cinderella and it looks like something I'd enjoy.


21. Solace of the Road

This has been on my to-read list for ages! I was just searching this book on Google to find images and I didn't realise there was a stage production of it! Rebecca Ryan, who played Vicky McDonald in Waterloo Road stars as the main character! I wonder if I could still see it after I've read the book!


22. Every Day

Every Day sounds really unusual. It's about a boy who wakes up in a different body every day. Strange!



I realise that 22 is a lot of books to read in just under four months, but I should get through most of these books :D What books are you planning to read this summer? Have you read any of the ones I have mentioned? What did you think of them?


Hasta luego!


Serena

 



Looking For Alaska Review

 

 

Hey guys!


I FINALLY got round to reading Looking For Alaska about a month ago. It's a book that had been on my To-Read List for aaages. I bought it a while ago, in September, but only recently decided to read it, as a break from my essays.


As I loved The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns, I was eager to embark on another book by John Green. It's undeniable that John Green is an amazing author - I can't believe I've only just got into his books. The Fault in Our Stars is one of my favourite books. It's realistic, relatable and funny. These three characteristics also apply to Paper Town and Looking For Alaska. Although these two books don't live up to the awesomeness that is The Fault in Our Stars, they are still fantastic novels.


Looking For Alaska is bound to be a book you've heard of - it's arguably one of the most popular young adult books of this century. According to Amazon, Looking For Alaska is "The unmissable first novel from bestselling and award-winning author of The Fault in Our Stars." It is definitely a book you should read if you get the chance. The story focuses on teenager Miles Halter. He is bored of his not-so-exciting life as an outsider and decides to attend Culver Creek boarding school to "seek a great perhaps". It is here that we realise that the Alaska mentioned in the title is an actual person and not the place. Miles also becomes acquainted with Chip, otherwise known as the Colonel, and receives his new name, Pudge. Chip and Alaska, along with fellow student Takumi, introduce Pudge to their crazy antics, involving cigarettes and booze. He starts behaving rebellious, getting caught up in the Colonel and Alaska's pranks.

As with The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns, John Green has yet again successfully captured the way in which adolescents think. Alaska is a mysterious character that instantly enthrals Miles and makes him want to find out more about her. I found it interesting how Miles is fascinated by people's last words - it makes him a unique character and relates to the catastrophic event that separates the first part of the book ('Before') from the second part ('After').

Although I also liked the characters of Alaska and the Colonel, I wasn't so keen on their obsession with pulling pranks. They seemed to want to get in trouble, smoking and drinking all the time. I also think that their nickname for Miles is a little rude. Alaska doesn't seem like a very nice character - she can be moody and keeps saying how she won't cheat on her boyfriend, though that is unlikely.


That being said, Looking For Alaska is a brilliant coming-of-age story that deals with tragedy, loss and first love. Looking For Alaska is the perfect read for fans of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Before I Die, If I Stay and John Green's other novels.