Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Summary:
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Review:
WARNING. This book is addictive. I was hooked right from the beginning. Its not every day you pick up a book and it just sucks you in with every word. I mean come on, you just read the summary and immediately you want to know the story. Anyone who says differently, obviously doesn't get out much.This book was another recommendation from my best friend Lysh. I remember getting this book along with Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next door, and I literally finished all three books within a week and Alysha asked me how I am finding the time to do it (being that it was my last semester at college)....But when a good book is involved...you MAKE the time. Trust me.

The beginning of the book goes quickly, but I think that is a genius idea because it makes the reader pay attention and it keeps people wanting to know what happens next. I enjoyed how Mafi takes the time to paint a picture of her characters. Her description of the setting and her characters allowed me to grasp a better idea behind the madness of this dystopian society. Juliette's character is written to shear perfection. There are not enough words to describe the intensity of what goes on in her mind, but the way that Mafi captures her story and portrays it with the right amount of emotion is pure magic.

One thing that I wasn't prepared for was the writing style of Tahereh Mafi. Parts of the story were written as one very long train of thought, but her words are so down right captivating that you don't even realize that you were holding your breath through the whole thing. 

Adam. Oh Adam. Mafi's description of him literally had me sold from the beginning. Team Adam. Put a fork in it because I was done. I loved how protective he was of her and how he just wanted her to be safe. He could touch her! DUN DUN DUN. On the other hand, I had mixed emotions about Warner. I knew there was more to his story because no one is that ruthless no matter how much they want to think that they are. Every story needs a good villian. MUHAHAHA 

This book is one of my favorites and my only regret is that I didn't read it sooner than I did.

Review: Where the Stars Still Shine

Summary:
Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Review:
I don't think there is a more perfect gif to explain my thoughts about this book. You never get a better feeling than picking up a book and have it meet every single one of your expectations. Nothing is more fulfilling that that feeling. When I finished it I immediately thought, "pero...why is it over?" 

Let me just start off by saying that Trish Doller is a genius when she writes about teens. This is a story about betrayal with the right amount of a love mixed in. Ugh this book is shear perfection. I had the privilege of going on a trip with my friend to Tarpon Springs and every time I would read about those stores and scenery I could imagine myself being right there. On a more important notion, I love love love the concept behind this book. Callie was taken from her family and forced to live in constant fear but then she is thrown back into the life she once was a part of. 

I liked how the story starts and gives us an idea of what Callie's life was with her mom. It made me understand why Callie couldn't really get close to guys. I remember texting my friend saying that she doesn't know any better. That is what she grew up seeing and believed it was the only best way of handling the situation.

The best part of the book is her relationship with Alex. At first I thought "oh great another bad choice" but Alex started warming up on me. He was the one that pulled her back to reality. It was nice how Trish Doller portrayed both of their struggles. Don't get me wrong I love reading perfect love stories but what made me appreciate this one a little more is that no relationship is perfect. The obstacles that they both went through allowed them grow as characters. 

Alysha I thank  you for recommending this book to me. This books is honest, and it will slap you with all the feels but I love it. I would even dare to say that it is my favorite book. Only a few can compare to it. 

Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Summary:
     Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Review:
     Okay I might be the only idiot who read Lola and the Boy Next Door before I read this book. I was just so excited to start reading again (and actually having the time to do so) I really didn't look into it before I just picked it up and started reading. I blame my friend Alysha for that one ;) Jk I love her and she knows that. No wonder we have been friends for like a billion years now.               

We all like to think that we know a thing or two about falling in love. But it was refreshing to see a different outlook on young love. The humor, the setting, the tone in this book was ideal. But besides the point that it is a story about falling in love I feel that this book was more about Anna finding herself and testing the waters in regards to what she likes.  College was a scary place at first but after a couple of semesters and a few good friends you find yourself trying new things.

Perkins does a good job writing the dialogue between her characters. Its not forced or fake. It stays true to the younger generation and it was easy to read (for us old farts) and relate to. All in all, this book was funny, sweet and you dive head first into Perkin's sense of charm . Come on, what girl doesn't want to go to Paris and live out her dreams?

This book along with Lola and the Boy Next Door were my very first YA contemporary books that I read. And it made me question why I never read from this genre before. I must admit, I tried staying away from the corny love stories but I was glad I picked up this book and read it. It was cute in all the right ways. I am definitely not against reading YA contemporary books now that's for sure. 

Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Summary:
          Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.


Review:
             Before this book I hardly read cute romance stories. Now I am a huge sucker for them. Don't get me wrong, most books these days focus on the romance part of the story that the ideal story is lost behind it all. I am glad that this one was different. I am not here to bash on a book or tell you how awful it is or give you a whole review on how it was perfect. I write honest reviews of what I liked about the book and how I could relate it to my own experiences.

             This book was a very easy read for me.  It isn't just a love story, it is a story about growing up and having to make hard decisions. We all have that moment in life where we are forced to do something that could ultimately change our lives for the good or the bad.  What made me love this book is that yes, it is cute and romantic but it puts into perspective that growing up isn't just some fairy tale. 
             Stephanie Perkins takes the time to develop her characters. She gives you their back story and guides you through their journey. She knows how to write about boys. We often read about Prince Charming and how he just comes and sweeps you off your feet. But we don't  really get a chance to read about boys who have to live in their twin sisters shadow and struggle with expressing themselves. I too lived in my sisters shadow and I hated it. It was nice to relate to a book and see yourself in the little things that make the book what it is.
              I adored this book and although it is cute and gushy and it has a lot of feels, its enjoyable. If you don't' believe me then read it for yourself.

A signed paperback copy of The Ruining by Anna Collomore

Yeah I am not afraid to admit that I went FULL nerd when I opened the package. Not to mention I almost tackled my brother when he tried to open it.

The struggle has always been real

Review: How to Love by Katie Cotugno

Release Date: Ocotber 1st 2013
Publisher: Balzer+Bray
Pages: 389 pages
Rating: ALL THE STARS

Summary:
Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he's never seemed to notice that Reena even exists until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated-and pregnant-Reena behind. 

After: Almost three years have passed, and there's a new love in Reena's life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena's gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she's finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn't want anything to do with him, though she'd be lying if she said Sawyer's being back wasn't stirring something in her. After everything that's happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

Review:
I don't even know where to begin with this review. This book is literally one of a kind. I want to thank my friend Lysh for giving me this suggestion. I have never read another story quite like this one. I remember reading the first chapter and thinking I don't want this book to ever end. I knew right from the beginning that this was a journey that I wanted to be a part of. The setting, the tone, the context, this book is just perfection. 

You don't fully realize how messed up you are until you find someone just as messed up as you are. These two characters were perfect for one another. They try to stay away from each other but they are so messed up they cannot see anyone or anything else but that person that is just like them. At first I didn't know how to feel about Sawyer, primarily I thought of him as a total douche but then I realized that he is as royally messed up as Reena is without him so in the end it all made sense.

You can't help but to wonder why they function before or after, but then you get to see this different side and then you are hit with the realization that after being so wrong every now and then they would get it right and it is those moments that make reading this story worth it.

I appreciate how Cotugno portrays the life of a teenage mother. It is so much different than those shows you see on tv. It isn't easy but at the same time its not the end of the world. Reena is a good mother to her child and she puts her daughters needs before her own and it makes you respect her. My mom does that til this day and after reading a story like this one it just makes you appreciate it even more. I think the best message you can get out of reading this book is that having a kid didn't stop Reena from living out her dream, because her child is not an excuse, her kid simply gave her enough reason to finally get out there and live out her dreams.

I loved every word of this book and I definitely recommend this book to everyone.

And with that,

Art: Klaus Mikaelson/Joseph Morgan

I love watching The Originals and The Vampire Diaries and I have gone to two conventions and have meet a lot of the actors. This portrait took me about 6 months to finish. I am my hardest critique. I had to capture his smirk just the right way and I kind of gave up on his nose at one point. I must have erased his nose a good 6 times. I remember irritating the crap out of my mom, asking her "mom is it straight. mom tell me its straight. ugh its not straight." Although my usual art pieces in high school are much darker and took me years to finish, I was proud of myself for starting this project light and adding the dark parts later. My art teacher would be so proud of me. He took away my darker art pencils at one point, to him I was "fearless" because I always started my projects with my darkest pencils. I left no room for error because at that point I had no choice. Art is my escape from reality and I just lose myself in the small intricate details that goes into each piece. This isn't my best work and lately I have lost my touch but I am proud of how it came out.