Book Review -- A Spy in the House by Y. S. Lee

I just finished reading the book A Spy in the House by Y. S. Lee from The Agency.

Here's a quick summary of the book: 

Mary is saved from death and then taken to a girls school by her saviours. After a few years of attending the school, she discovers that the school is actually a cover for an all-female detective unit called The Agency. At the age of seventeen, Mary is put in the position of a lady companion, in hopes of finding out what happened to the missing cargo ships of a rich merchant. Packed with mystery, suspense, action, and a bit of romance, this mystery presents a young but daring spy who tries to uncover the secrets of a rich merchant, but discovers some of her own past along the way.

I loved how well we got to know the main character (Mary) in the book. We hadn't gotten such a clear idea of what exactly had happened in her past, but we knew that it had shaped a large part of who she was. Mary was easy to connect with, and a likeable character. I definitely liked the concept of having a strong female protagonist in the book. 

I really liked this book, but something that I found a bit irritating was that there were so many subplots. Sometimes I got a bit carried away with these subordinate plots instead of focusing on the main plot, but overall, it wasn't overly distracting. 

I give this book a rating of 4 stars, because it was well written with a sturdy plot, and well-thought out characters. 

If you want to read a book that includes a strong female protagonist, as well as a book with a mystery to solve, I recommend this book to you!

Readabits Book Tag

 

Hey everyone!! Today I'm doing the Readabits Book Tag!

If you'd like to participate, feel free to leave a link to your blog in a comment below so I can visit your block and read your answers.

I actually did this book tag last year, but I just realized that I hadn't posted it. My answers aren't exactly the same anymore, so I did a comparison between my original answers and my older answers.

Let's get started!!

Readabits Book Tag

1. When do you find yourself reading? Morning, afternoon, evening, whenever you get the chance or all the time?

Last year: I read whenever I get the chance. It seems that I read most often at home or in the car. 😄

Now: I read if I have time, but I often don't. I often read before I go to bed, but that often means that I end up going to bed much later than I had originally planned. I'll read when I'm on the bus or in the car, or at home, if I am ever at home with enough time to actually read.

2. What is your best setting to read in?

Last year: A comfy, cozy, warm place. Lots of blankets and enough light to read without trouble. Reading on my bed meets this criteria.

Now: I have to say, a comfy, cozy, warm place sounds great! However, it isn't often the reality! Hopefully I'll get to snuggle up with a blanket though, and read a few great books this winter.

3. What do you do first – Read or Watch?

Last year: Read first of course!! I always prefer to read a book before seeing the movie. It has only happened twice that I have seen the movie before reading the book. I didn't know that The Martian was originally a book!!

Now: Still the same.

4. What form do you prefer? Audiobook, E-book or physical book?

Last year: Physical books. I just love the feel of reading a normal book. It's just perfect. I don't know how to explain it, but hopefully you know what I mean. I find that E-books can get hard on the eyes after awhile and Audiobooks don't really seem to be my thing.

Now: Still the same

5. Do you have a unique habit when you read?

Last year: Not that I know of...

Now: Still the same. I think...


Thanks for visiting! This tag is really fun to do, and a bonus is that it is pretty quick! If you'd like to do it, go ahead! Comment your website link so that we can check it out. :)

Thanks for visiting and have an awesome day!

~ Pegasus

Book Review -- Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Hi everyone! I know it's been a really long time since either of us have posted something. Life has been pretty busy and stressful lately!

However, now that winter break is here, I've had more time to read! Yay! Over the past couple of days, I was reading a book titled Crank by Ellen Hopkins. To be quite frank, I didn't exactly find this book an enjoyable read. In fact, I particularly disliked it.

I found this book rather disappointing, and couldn't bring myself to finish it, so I will only be reviewing the first 3/4 of the book.

Here is a quick summary of the book:

This is a book about a girl who is struggling with an addiction to crank. She is attempting to feed her addiction, but she is also having to deal with the consequences of her poor choices.

For me, the characters in this book were very difficult to connect with. Specifically, the main character. To be honest, I was repulsed by her character, perhaps because of the numerous poor decisions that she made throughout the book. Nothing about her character is very likeable. She made poor choices, didn't care about herself or the people around her, was a drug addict, and wasn't trying to get herself into a better situation. To add to this, she was also letting the people around her control a large part of what she did with herself.

Although there were many things I disliked about this book, I enjoyed the way the book was written. The book was written through many free verse poems, which I found very interesting. I was amazed at how well a story could be told through a few verses. Ellen Hopkins is very good at being able to tell so much in just a few words.

It was extremely disturbing to see how a drug can completely destroy the life of a person. The main character started off as a character who seemed to have everything going for her: good grades, friends and good health. As the book progresses, we see how the main character begins to completely destroy her life because of her addiction.

Perhaps I didn't enjoy the book very much because of the topic and how it was presented rather as a good thing than a bad thing. This didn't settle very well with me. Because of how graphic the novel was, I found that it was too hard to read, and I didn't want to finish it.

Overall, I liked the style of writing, but I didn't really enjoy the story that was being told. I would give this book 2.5 stars out of 5.  Although this isn't a fantastic rating, I did like the writing style and would be willing to read some of Ellen Hopkins' work on other topics.


Thanks for stopping by!

10 great quotes from To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

You might remember that a while ago, I did a book talk on To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which was an amazing book. As promised, here are some of my favourite quotes from the book. There were so many to choose from, but I narrowed the list down to 11 quotes. Enjoy!



To start off, let's go with the quote that gives the book it's title.


1. "Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird"





2. "Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing."








3. "Atticus, he was real nice."




"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."







4. "They've done it before and they'll do it again and when they do it -- seems that only the children weep. Good night."


5. "Summer, and he watches his children's heart break. Autumn again and Boo's children needed him. Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough."


6. "Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad."








7. "Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."


8. "Some negroes lie, some are immoral, some negro men are not be trusted around women - black and white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men."







9. "I think that there is just one kind of folks. Folks."





10. "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."








Those were just some of the quotes that stuck with me, but there are even more. ;) Maybe on a rainy day I'll sort through a few more; we'll see.


I hope you enjoyed these quotes, and that if you haven't read the book, you'll read it soon!


Have an amazing day! :)


~ Pegasus

GUEST BOOK BLOGGER!!!!! Book Talk -- Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Hi everyone! It's Pegasus! And with me today, I have a special book blogging guest: Dragon!!

Hi! I’m Dragon, Pegasus’s friend, and I’m doing a guest book talk today!

Recently, I reorganized my book shelf, and I realized how many books I have that I haven’t read yet. I decided to try and read all of them this year, and Understood Betsy, a book that I’ve probably had for 5 years, is one of the first ones that I’ve finished. Here’s a quick summary. 

At the beginning, Elizabeth Ann lives with her Aunt Frances, Great-Aunt Harriet, and hired help, Grace. The whole household revolves around her. She is extremely sheltered, lest anything upset the sensitive, “impressionable” little thing. Aunt Frances, the aunt who makes herself primarily responsible for the girl, tries to understand her entirely and protect her from anything which may upset her. Elizabeth Anne never has to think for her self- in school, she is always focussed on getting the answer right, and at home, she has her aunts to do everything for her. The little bubble that is her life as she knows it come crashing down when Aunt Harriet gets sick and she is sent away to live with the Putney cousins. She’s grown up hearing about how strange her “queer Putney cousins” are and how they don’t know how to raise children, so she is unsurprisingly terrified to go and live with them. When she first arrives, she is perplexed and terrified by some of their ways of doing things. Over time, though, she comes to accept and appreciate the freedom and responsibility she is given here. She learns to think for her self, and instead of weakly trying to do what her aunts want her to, she makes her own decisions and forges her own path. She starts to care for a younger girl named Molly, and on multiple occasions, her newfound abilities are put to the test, when Betsy must get them both out of difficult situations using her wits.

Elizabeth Anne, or Betsy, as she comes to be known, is an amazing character. Her transformation from shy, timid, and nervous Elizabeth Anne, to strong, independent, and capable Betsy, was realistic and believable. I got really attached to her throughout this journey, and I cheered along with her. The cousins who take care of her, Aunt Abigail, Cousin Ann, and Uncle Henry, were also really great characters. They were excellent role models, and an good balance between being caring and loving, but also giving Betsy responsibilities and not being overprotective (unlike Aunt Frances). The rest of the characters, including Molly, Ralph, and ‘Lias, were also well-developed and believable.

The author, who wrote Understood Betsy in 1916, is credited with bringing the Montessori form of education to America. These values of independence, critical thinking, curiosity, and joy of learning and living are found throughout the book, adding a layer of commentary on modern education and parenting that make this book an interesting read for young and old alike.

I loved this book, but if I had to identify something that wasn’t so great about it, I would probably say the ending. The ending was what I wanted to happen, but it was a bit too “tidy” and unrealistic. 

Although it may not be an action-filled adventure novel, I appreciated this book for the meaningful character development and heartwarming description of life in rural Vermont. Overall, I’d give Understood Betsy 4.8 stars. It’s well written and perfect for what it is, which is a sweet and simple story about a little girl. 

If you’re looking for an uplifting and heartwarming story that also has a layer of thought-provoking commentary on society, you should definitely try Understood Betsy.

Thanks for letting me pop by! Have an amazing day! 

~Dragon

Reading Habits Tag

Greetings fellow earthlings!! We haven't posted in awhile due to our busy lives becoming even more busy. It's been awhile, but here's a fun book tag called the Reading Habits Tag. Enjoy!

1. Do you have a certain place at home for reading?

Not really, but usually I'll read on my bed, or on the couch. Comfy, cozy places are the best.

2. Bookmark or random piece of paper?

I wish I could say bookmarks, but I really only have 2 and I have not been able to find them lately. Usually I'll just grab whatever is nearby: receipts, ripped pieces of lined paper, etc. I really wish I had more bookmarks. It's really sad. Sometimes I'll just memorize the page number and then close the book. I don't like bending pages. I'm sure you can understand!!

3. Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/ a certain amount of pages?

I can stop reading wherever, but I really truly prefer stopping at chapters, however I don't always have that choice as I am often busy. If I stop at a random page, I usual have to read a page ahead of where I stopped to get a better idea of what last happened.

4. Do you eat or drink while reading?

Not really. Maybe. Possibly? Sometimes. Maybe if I'm starving or dehydrated.

5. Multitasking: Music or TV while reading?

Not really. I have no idea how anyone is able to watch TV while reading though. Impossible!!

6. One book at a time or several at once?

It has happened too many times where I read more than 1 book at a time. Nowadays, I am trying not to do that because it can get confusing. Even then, sometimes I still read more than one book at a time.

7. Reading at home or everywhere?

Anywhere. In the car, on a plane, at school, in a library, at home, in a bookstore, etc. You get the idea.

8. Reading out loud or silently in your head?

Silently!!

9. Do you read ahead or even skip pages?

Sometimes. Maybe once or twice, but usually not. Sometimes I'll skip pages if the book isn't going anywhere and I want the pace to pick up, but I try not to.

10. Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?

I try to keep my books in pristine shape. I don't want a bent spine! Thank you very much!

11. Do you write in your books?

NO!!!!!!


I tag One of the Bookworms from From The Light Side and Neha from Ink Affairs.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have an amazing day!

~Pegasus

How To Overcome Reading Slumps

Hello everyone!

If you're a a reader, you've probably come across the dreaded reading slump. Basically, a period of time where you just can't read. For whatever reason, you just can't. You don't want to pick up a book, and you have no desire at all to read. For some, this can be hard to overcome, so I've compiled a list of ways to overcome a reading slump. Enjoy!

1. Read something different!

I personally read a lot of dystopian, so when I'm in a reading slump, I like to read a different genre. Contemporary, mystery, fantasy, historical fiction, etcetera - there's plenty out there. If you're having trouble reading, maybe you're just sick of the same old genre - or the book itself.

2. Visit a bookstore or the library

If you pick out or buy a new book you really want to read, you'll probably be so excited about it that you can't wait to read it. This can get you back into reading.

3. Don't like it? Don't read it.

If you really don't like a book, don't force yourself to read it. There's no point in finishing a book you don't find entertaining. By the end of it, you probably still won't find it entertaining. It wastes your time, and will probably put you in a reading slump in the process.

4. Audiobooks are options too!

If you just aren't up to reading words off of a page, listen to an audiobook. Almost no effort required whatsoever.

5. Read something unusual.

Read something you wouldn't normally read. You can ask others for their personal recommendations, or just pick out something random from the library. Don't like it? Don't finish it. (Point number 3!)

6. Read something easy!

Whatever it is; a collection of poetry, short stories, or a novela, there's plenty out there that isn't a 600 page book. Maybe you just need a break and don't want to delve into a ten pound mystery novel.

So in the future, remember the following 3 key points to prevent getting into a reading slump:

1. Don't force yourself to read books you really don't enjoy.

2. Don't always stick to the same exact genre.

3. If you find that you're getting sick of reading, take a short break or read something easy/quick.

I hope these tips help you! Do you have any specific things you do to overcome and prevent reading slumps? If so, feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments. Have an awesome day!

Popular YA Books I Still Haven't Read

As you may know, I've read quite a few books throughout my life. However, there are a lot of popular reads I've never cracked open, and may or may not plan to read in the future. Here is a list of some of the books I've heard a lot about, but strangely haven't read yet!


1. The Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Series by Ransom Riggs

 

2. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

3. All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

4. The Throne Of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

5. The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

6. The last two books in the Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

7. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

 
There we have it! There are many more, but that's it for today's list. Who knows, maybe someday I'll make a part two! What well known books haven't you read? Let me know in the comments below! Have a great day!

5 Things To Consider When Reviewing A Book

Before I started blogging, I could read almost any book and enjoy it. Now, not so much. I have more specific criteria for what I consider a good book. However, some of you who have just started blogging recently might like some tips on what to consider when rating a book, and what to discuss in a book review, so I thought I would share my ideas with you.

1. Plot

Did the book capture your attention? Was it exciting? Fast paced? Slow and boring?

2. Difficulty

Was the book (too) hard to read? Was it so easy that it bored you? Did it confuse you due to poor explanation/plot holes/too much going on/poor worldbuilding?

3. Characters

Were the characters realistic and relateable? Did they annoy you? Did the have any quirks you loved? Were you able to connect with the characters?

4. Emotions

Did this book make you laugh/cry? Did you feel happy/sad for the characters?

5. Maturity

This doesn't have to affect your rating, but it's something to include in your book review. Was there a lot of swearing/mature scenes? That might be worth mentioning if the book is more mature than what you usually read and review on your blog.

Of course there are many more things you can mention in your book reviews, these are just the top 5 things that work for most books. Feel free to leave your own opinions and tips in the comments. Have an amazing day! :)

Book Review -- The Shadows of Atlantis: The Emergence of Engi by Donsha Hatch

As a request by Donsha Hatch herself, I recently finished reading the book, The Shadows of Atlantis: The Emergence of Engi.



Here's a quick summary of the book:

Eiris is a normal teenager, or at least he thought so. Until weird things started happening, such as his iris' glowing a bright purple, or always having the sensation that someone was watching him. Then everything changes. Eiris discovers that he isn't really as normal as he thought...

This book was an okay read. The ideas of the book were well thought up. Although the ideas were great, they weren't always presented in a manner that made complete sense, but I managed to get the idea of the book over some time. This book was interesting!

To start off, I'll start with the characters of the book. To be specific, the character named Eiris.

Eiris is smart, witty and brave. In fact, he had a handful of good qualities. Even though he seemed like a character that one could relate with, I couldn't relate with him or connect with him at a deep level. Perhaps this was because he reacted strangely when he discovered that he was not only royalty, but alien too. Usually, a person would be shocked, confused, and bewildered, but Eiris seemed too calm. The way he acted was unrealistic, it was as if he knew he had been a royal alien from birth. One thing that I like about Eiris was that he exemplified a bit of moral courage. When the characters were supposed to choose their guild's, Eiris chose one that he wasn't really supposed to choose because of stereotypes, but he chose it anyways. Eiris is also very bold, and leaves a mark wherever he goes.

At the beginning of the book, I was quite confused. The writing style could've been improved and I found it difficult at times to completely understand what was going on. The flow of events could've also been written differently to help the reader understand the plot line more clearly. Punctuation wasn't used properly either, and sometimes, the book wasn't completely enjoyable. The book bored me at times. The pace was slow, and sometimes, I had to force myself to keep reading until it got enjoyable again.

I enjoyed the characters of the book and the fact that everyone on the planet got to find themselves a guardian animal! I love animals and this warmed my heart. :)

Overall, I give this book 2.3 stars. This book wasn't exactly my book type, but it was alright. It was a decent book, but also impressive, because it was the author's first novel! Congratulations! ;)

Have a great day!

Book Talk - The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

I was at my local bookstore a while ago to study for final exams with Pegasus. I didn't think I would actually buy a book, but this one caught my attention. I had heard about it before, and the summary sounded intriguing, so I bought it!

The Girl On The Train is one of my first mystery books, and I really enjoyed it. It's absolutely one of my favourite books.

In this book, a girl takes the same train to work everyday. Everyday, from the window of the train, she watches the same couple on their terrace. She sees them so much she even feels like she knows them. Then, one day, she sees something impossible to ignore. She cannot keep her discovery to herself, and so she tells the police. Yet they do not think she is reliable. Soon she is entangled in the investigation and the lives of everyone involved in it.

The characters in this story were very complex, Rachel especially. Nothing about her character is really likeable, given that she is an insane alcoholic, but for some reason I liked her. She was so complex and seemed so real. I was able to relate to her and really liked her as a character. Logically, I should prefer Anna, right? She has her life together and has a happy family. Yet throughout the whole book I preferred Rachel, which was quite interesting.

This book was very hard to put down. I read it whenever I had time. It was fast paced, and I liked that it was broken up into days and different times of day. It kind of reminded me of a diary, which was a neat aspect. The end of the book left me thirsting for more, which wasn't necessarily a good thing. Yes, there was an ending, everything was resolved, but I wanted to know what happened to the characters afterwards. Like Scott. What happened to him afterwards?

I love how each piece of the story unfolded one by one. It was a very well put together mystery book. I'm going to give this book 4.5 stars. It was pretty fantastic! It is more of a mature read with quite a bit of swearing and such, so if you're a younger reader I wouldn't recommend this book to you.

If you're looking for a fast-paced mystery book to read, I highly suggest picking this one up.

As always, thank you so so much for stopping by! Have an amazing day!

The Ultimate Book Tag

Hello everyone! It's me, Unicorn.

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for the lack of blog posts in the last while. I've been extremely busy studying for my upcoming final exams and doing homework, and have had hardly any free time. Pegasus as also been having this same problem. But as my exams are now coming to a close, I decided to do a book tag! This tag was created by Megan on Goodreads, but I originally saw on on Books With Bite. Hope you enjoy!


1. Do you get sick while reading in the car?
Unfortunately, yes, I do. I can't read in the car for very long without getting a headache.

2. Which author’s writing style is completely unique to you and why?
Leigh Bardugo! I've only read Six Of Crows, but I really liked it. The style had a very different feel than that of the books I usually read.


3. Harry Potter Series or the Twilight Saga? Give 3 points to defend your answer.
To be honest, I have no idea. I haven't read or watched Twilight, so I can't really say which I prefer. From what I've heard about Twilight, I'd have to say Harry Potter, because 1. All of the characters are amazing. 2. The world building is just fantastic and there's magic and wizards and witches and sorting hat ceremonies and Hogwarts and everything. 3. The Golden Trio is so perfect and I just want to be friends with them so badly.


4. Do you carry a book bag? If so, what is it in (besides books…)?
I don't actually have a book bag. I usually take books to class with me in my bag, but that mainly just has binders and notebooks in it. So fascinating, I know. ;P


5. Do you smell your books?
Sometimes, yeah. You can't let all that delicious book smell go to waste, after all!


6. Books with or without little illustrations?
I have no trouble reading either, but I greatly prefer books with illustrations. Like Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon, for instance. I also really want to read Ms Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs because it has photos, which look pretty epic.


7. What book did you love while reading but discovered later it wasn’t quality writing?
I don't really know. I never reread books, so for most books I just go off of my first impression. Before I can realize the writing isn't good, I've usually already read 3 more books.


8. Do you have any funny stories involving books from your childhood?
I'm trying so hard to remember something, but I really can't. I could literally do a whole post of embarrassing/funny stories, but I can't remember any book-related ones. :(

9. What is the thinnest book on your shelf?
My drawing prompts book, but that doesn't really count, because it just gives you drawing ideas. (It's pretty fantastic though.) The thinnest book on my shelf is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, which I have the paperback of.


10. What is the thickest book on your shelf?
Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.


11. Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author?
I actually write quite a bit. I have a ton of unfinished books on my laptop that I've written. I always come up with great ideas that I love but I never have the determination to finish writing them. Right now, I'm working on a new book. I really like the idea of it, but I don't know if I will ever finish it. If I do, I might post a bit of it on this blog. :)


12. When did you get into reading?
In grade one, my class had a ton of really short kid books, and our daily homework was to take home a maximum of two books and read them. Whenever we finished a book, we got a sticker, and we had to fill up a sticker sheet. Once that was filled, we moved onto a bigger, cooler sticker sheet, and so on. I took home 5 books a day. My classmates always told me I was cheating, since we were supposed to only take two a day, but I just really liked reading, so I kept doing it. The teacher was fine with it. :D


13. What is your favourite classic book?
I never read any classics. *lowers head in shame* I don't think I've ever really read any books I would consider classics. I really need to do that!


14. Was Math/Language Arts your best subject in school?
As you've probably figured from the beginning of this post, I'm still in school. English isn't my best subject overall. My best is drama, or maybe math. My worst is gym. Oh goodness, gym. I've always been so bad at gym. Most sports I like are never covered in gym, so I've never been good at it.


15. If you were given a book as a present that you had read before and hated…what would you do?
Thank the person for thinking of me and getting me a gift. Then I would probably return/exchange the book if there's a gift receipt, or give it to someone who would like to read it.


16. What is a lesser known series that you know of that is similar to Harry Potter or the Hunger Games?

I haven't read anything that is similar to Harry Potter or The Hunger Games, now that I think about it. How weird.


17. What is a bad habit you always do (besides rambling) while filming?

I never really film things. But I feel like if I ever filmed with friends, I'd just laugh for most of it and not be able to focus on what we're trying to film.


18. What is your favourite word?

Bombinate and, as you may know because it's at the top of this blog, vellichor. I never really use either. I like vellichor because of the meaning and bombinate because of the sound. Bombinate. Bombinate. Hehehe.


19. Are you a nerd, dork, or dweeb? Or all of the above?

According to a venn diagram I found on the internet, a nerd is a combination of a dork, dweeb, and geek. Nerds have the qualities of all three combined; bad social skills, smarts, and they obsess over things a lot. I guess I'm a nerd?


20. Vampires or faeries? Why?

Faeries, I guess. Vampires are pretty terrifying and their whole blood thing kinda grosses me out.


21. Shapeshifters or angels? Why?

I've never really read anything with either, but shapeshifting is pretty cool.


22. Spirits or werewolves?

If it's werewolves like in Harry Potter (e.g. Remus Lupin), then definitely werewolves.


23. Zombies or vampires?

Vampires, because zombies are just horrifying. I cannot read or watch or play anything with zombies. Nope, nope, nope.


24. Love triangle or forbidden love?

Definitely forbidden love. I like that much better than love triangles, unless they're well written.


25. Full on romance books or action-packed with a few love scenes mixed in?

Definitely action-packed with a few love scenes mixed in. But if it's a nice contemporary romance that's well written and has a few other topics as well, then I like that too.



I hope you enjoyed this tag! I tag Neha (and Ananya) at Ink Affairs. I highly suggest you check out their blog if you haven't already. They do a fantastic job!

Have a great day!

P.S. We probably should have saved some of the posts we did in March and April and kept them for times like this when we actually really need posts but don't have time to write them. I'm not much of a blogging expert, as you can tell, but I'll keep that in mind. :D

Most Anticipated Book For the Past 6 Months

Greetings all! As you probably know, awhile back I read the first two books from Rick Yancey's trilogy, The 5th Wave. They were amazing! In fact, Unicorn and I recently watched the movie, which we both enjoyed, but we also talked about many improvements that could've been made to improve the film. 😄

Anyways, to the point! I am so excited to read The Last Star!!! I have been waiting ages and now that it is finally out, I cannot wait to read it!! Unfortunately, I am sick and stuck in bed so I cannot go to the library or to a bookstore to get it because I am stuck inside. Anyhow, I am highly anticipating this book and am so excited to read it!

I know this was an extremely short post but I thought I'd just post something anyways. 😄

Have a great day!

-Pegasus ;)

P.s. If you've already read The Last Star, share your thoughts! Did you enjoy it? :)

A Helpful App For Reading

I haven't done any posts lately, because I've been really busy. Since I've had so much to do, I haven't finished any books. So today, I thought I'd do a post a little different from what I usually do. It'll be short, but more posts are soon to come. :)

We've all been there; wanting to read, but texting a friend instead. The same thing goes for homework. Procrastination is something we all do. However, I've found a solution to this problem!

A few days ago, an app popped up under my 'recommended apps' and it looked interesting, so I decided to try it out. It's called "Forest: Stay Focused". (This is of course not a sponsored post.)

In this app, all you do is plant a 'tree' whenever you want to focus on something and stay away from your phone. You can pick a duration of time. Let's say I want to do homework for 15 minutes. I'd plant a '15 minute tree' and after the fifteen minutes, I'd be able to plant that tree in my forest and receive coins. With those coins I can then purchase new types of trees to plant. However, if you use your phone during those 15 minutes, the tree will die, and you won't get coins. The tree in your garden will also die.

This is a really simple, useful app for staying focused. I recommend it for doing homework, reading, and just any activities where you want to stay off your phone.

More posts to come soon! I hope you all have a lovely rest of the week

Book Talk - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

For English Class, I recently finished reading the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It was  pretty good! I really enjoyed it! I have to say though, it was a trickier read than most other books.

Here's a quick summary of the book if you haven't read it:

Scout lives in a depression era (1930s) in Maycomb, Alabama. Her father, Atticus, is defending a black man who was accused of raping a young girl. Told through the eyes of Scout, we learn about herself, her brother, her neighbours, and her father, who is trying desperately hard to prove the innocence of a black man.

To start off, I have to say that this book was actually so much better than what I expected! To Kill A Mockingbird is a book that often comes up in many conversations and is overall a very well known book. It's a classic! Everyone has come across this book sometime in their life. It goes without saying that I was a bit nervous to start reading this book because I was worried that I wouldn't understand much of it or that I wouldn't like it at all.

When I started reading it, I was absolutely muddled. I could not understand why a six year old girl knew so many fancy words and why she was describing her ancestor, Simon Finch, in such detail. But, after getting through a few chapters, the book started to make more sense and I started enjoying it more. On one hand, I found that Part 1 of the book was not extremely eventful, but still interesting. On the other hand, I found that Part 2 was much more eventful and interesting!

Now, let's get to the characters! I love Scout! She is such an awesome character. I love her curiosity! She's always wondering about everything, but is too young to understand the answers to some of her questions.  She has an awesome streak of adventure within herself that made her such an interesting and unique character. Scout is also super smart!! She is a book lover (which is pretty awesome!!) and has loved books from a very young age. Furthermore, Scout is also a really courageous character! She took risks throughout this book such as tasting the gum from the Radley tree (even though she thought there was a chance it might be poisoned; this also showcases her curiosity). One of my favourite traits about Scout was that she has a hilarious romantic nature!! I thought that this was very humorous, especially since she was only six years old. At a certain part of the book, when Dill was away, (her future husband 😉) she expressed how she missed him for an entire two days and how dreadful it was to be longing him.  Overall, Scout was one of my favourite characters from this book.

Atticus, Scout's father, is a lawyer in Maycomb, who defends Tom Robinson, an innocent black man accused of rape. Prejudice never affected his choices, which was definitely an awesome quality of his. Atticus is a kind, caring, gentle, and stern character, but is also a very loving father. He is a brave man who believes in what is right instead of what everyone else believes in. He has a lot of courage and teaches his children wisely. Atticus shoots a rabid, sick dog in this book which shows his bravery. It also shows how humble he is. He never told his children or bragged to anyone that he was excellent at shooting; he shoot the sick dog with one single shot. A quality that I really like about Atticus was that he sees people for who they truly are instead of what they look like on the outside. Throughout the book, many people dislike that Scout won't wear dresses like all the other girls, but Atticus doesn't care. Atticus sees Scout for who she is. He doesn't worry about her dressing the way that society wants her to. (Can you tell that I strongly admire Atticus?)

Next there's Jem. Jem is a super creative and curious character. Why? Throughout most of the book, Jem was always wanting to find out more about Boo Radley. He made lots of dramas with Dill and Scout about Boo Radley, which shows off some of his creativity. Something I love about Jem is how he views his world! Jem believes that Tom Robinson should win the case because he knows what is right and doesn't let other people's opinions affect his own. Throughout the book, Jem was an awesome brother to Scout.

All the secondary characters are also amazing as well! Calpurnia, Miss Maudie, Ms. Dubose... and even Boo Radley! I loved how they added to the story, and how in the end Boo Radley was actually an important character to Scout and Jem.

This book combines prejudice, loss, hope, death and other serious topics and is a really good read.

I really loved this book! Although it was a hard read, it was a good book and deserves a high rating.

I give To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee 4.7 stars. The reason I take off 0.3 of a star is because of the slow start (there was no action), but other than that, it was marvellous!

I do recommend this book! Feel free to comment your thoughts below! :)

Have an amazing day!!!

P.S. I'm planning to post some of my favourite quotes from this book soon. Stay posted!

Book Review - The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

 Before reading this book, I originally thought that The Power of Six was about Six (the character) and her journey in battling the Mogdorians. After reading a few chapters into the book, I realized that the title was actually based off of the fact that there were only six remaining Garde who need to fight off the Mogdorians. The book is still based out of Four's aka John Smith's perspective, but also Number Seven, who is known as Marina.

This book took me longer to get through than the first book (I am Number Four) because I found that the beginning was uneventful, therefore I wasn't glued to the pages. After reading to just less than halfway, I became more interested and excited to get to the end of the book. After finishing this book, I've decided that I really want to finish these series to find out what happens!!

I really like the character additions in this book, even a bit more than in the first book. My favourite new character (other than Marina) was Héctor. He was such a sweet character who really cared about Marina. He went so far to protect her; it really warmed my heart. I loved his thoughtfulness and compassion.

Marina was also a fantastic character, but what really exasperated me was how she acted in one of the battle scenes near the end of the book. (SPOILER ALERT. SKIP TO NEXT PARAGRAPH). When Héctor was hurt and he and Marina's chest were sinking to the ocean floor, Marina introduced herself to Six -- while Héctor was slowly dying!! This got me so mad!! There was a possibility that Héctor could've been saved, but Marina wasted precious seconds by introducing herself instead of going after Héctor. Why?!!!

Overall, I give this book 4 stars.

If you haven't read this book, I recommend it to you if you read I Am Number Four, and enjoyed it, or if you are a fan of alien related books. These series are an adequate book series, but are pretty good.

I know this was a shorter book talk than usual, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same.

Have an amazing day!

The Hamilton Book Tag

I, along with thousands of others, am currently obsessed with Hamilton. And guess what? There's a book tag for it! What more could you ask?
If you don't know, Hamilton is a Hip Hop/rap musical about Alexander Hamilton. It's is currently super popular and has an absolutely amazing soundtrack. You think history is boring? Think again.
I've wanted to do this tag for so long, and here it finally is! I'm not sure why I hadn't done it up to this point. Anyways, I'm so excited!!! Let's do this!

1. The Room Where It Happens

A book world you'd put yourself into

This one is a total no-brainer. Harry Potter!! I'd get to be a witch and use magic and go to Hogwarts and have witch and wizard friends!!! Not to mention the amazing adventures we'd go on together! I'd love to have a wand pick me and get a magical pet. I'd probably pick a cat! I'd also love to play Quidditch! I really don't like sports, but if I can FLY in the process of it, I would totally love it! I'd never get bored at Hogwarts. Okay, moving on!

2. The Schuyler Sisters

An underrated female character

Who to pick? There are so many underrated female characters. I'll have to go with the obvious answer of Hermione. Without her, Harry and Ron would not have survived the book series. Also, she doesn't settle for anyone who doesn't fully respect her (hence the many times she gets angry at Ron.) She's a very cool, kick-butt character without losing her femininity.

3. My Shot

A character who goes after what they want and don't let anything stop them

I love this song! It's one of my favourites on the soundtrack. (I just love them all!!!!) For this one, I think I'll go with Kaz Brekker (and his epic crew) from Six Of Crows. They worked so hard for that heist. Honourable mentions go to Katniss from the Hunger Games trilogy, America Singer from the Selection series, and Adelina Amouteru from The Young Elites.

 

 

4. Stay Alive

A character you wish was still alive

 

Hum, hum, hum, who to pick?? I could go for one of the many dead parents. Literally all book parents ever are dead. Divergent, The Young Elites, The 5th Wave, Atlantia, etc. I honestly can't name them all. But I'm going to go with

Noah and Jude's mom! I know she wasn't even a main character but it was just the most emotional book death I've ever read. So sad!

5. Burn

The most heartbreaking end to a relationship you've ever read

Hmm... I guess FourTris had a pretty sad ending. I don't really wanna go with I'll Give You The Sun again (there were so many painfully heartbreaking relationships in it) (and you should definitely read it) so I'm going to pick Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, which I also think fits perfectly for this. That one specific relationship, *cough, cough* was just too good to be true, I guess. No spoilers. :P

6. You'll Be Back

The sassiest villain

Draco Malfoy maybe? He's pretty darn sassy. but not much of a villain. I'm going through all villains I know mentally. What's-his-name (Torren?) from The Young Elites is quite sassy, I guess, perhaps. Not really though. I'm gonna have to pass on this one. Really sorry!

7. The Reynolds Pamphlet

A book with a twist you didn't see coming

 

I'm not going to spoil any twists. If someone tells you a book has a twist, you'll spend the whole time waiting for the twist and it won't surprise you. If you have no idea what's coming and then read the part with the twist, you're in total shock and so confused and fascinated and re-evaluating your entire reading experience. You aren't getting any twist spoilers out of me, although there are lots of good ones.

8. Non-Stop

 A book series you marathoned

 

The Matched trilogy by Ally Condie! I read this series in about 4 or 5 days last summer. I'm not a very fast reader, but I literally breezed through this series. I really enjoyed it! It's one of my favourites. ALSO, the Last Dragon Chronicles. I was hooked! That was many years ago though.

9. Satisfied

Favourite book with multiple POV's

Perhaps I'll Give You The Sun? I really need to pick different books. I'm currently mostly just looking at the small amount of books on my bookshelf. Eek... I know! Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo! But I also really liked Reached in the Matched trilogy.

10. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story

A book you think will be remember throughout history

Absolutely the Harry Potter series. Perhaps also The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Divergent by Veronica Roth. Those are just very popular books I think will be talked about for years and years to come.

11. Helpless

A relationship you were pulling for from the very start

 

I want to pick I'll Give You The Sun again. It was just soooo darn amazingly perfect and I needed it to happen! I've already used The Selection too, in which I would have picked Aspen. And of course Six Of Crows with basically everyone you could possible ship. I can't think of a book I haven't mentioned where I actually wanted a relationship to happen, so I'll just have to leave it at that.

12. Ten Duel Commandments

Favourite fight scene

 

I've read tons of books with fight scenes but can't recall any specific ones I enjoyed except the last battle in Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard.

13. Say No To This

Guilty pleasure read

 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens, Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon, etc. Basically any decent contemporary romance.

14. What Comes Next

A series you wish had more books

 

I'm not sure. All books I wish had a continuation aren't yet part of a series. :(

 

 

15. Right Hand Man

Your favourite brOTP

 

Celeste/Marlee and America from The Selection. I'm so sorry for repeating myself with the book again! :(((

16. What'd I Miss

A book series you were late to reading

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins! I read it a few months ago. I actually listened to an audiobook, which was pretty cool!

I hope you enjoyed this tag! Thank you for bearing with me through the repetition. What's your favourite Hamilton song at the moment? I'm currently obsessed with Dear Theodosia! :)

Book Talk - Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

(This post is being republished due to issues. If you receive multiple subscription emails, I apologize for the inconvenience.)

I finally finished Six Of Crows!!! I got this book about a month and half ago, and finished it today. I'll explain why it took me so long to read this, but first, here's a book summary:

Ketterdam is a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone. Kaz forms a group of runaways and thieves, and together, they attempt this seemingly impossible heist.

This book was a very long read. I read it for two weeks and got about 80 pages in. I then took a break from it to read some light contemporaries and some other books on my To-Read list. I finally came back to it this week and finished it. Why did this take me so long to read? Not because there's 462 pages, but because the first 100 pages bored me to no end. I had no motivation to keep reading. If I hadn't purchased the book (due to great reviews), I probably wouldn't have finished it. But I'm really glad I persevered until the end - it was well worth it. After those first 100 or so pages, the pace really picked up, and I was glued to the pages.

One of my favourite things about this book was the characters. I think the character development was very well done. I was attached to every single one of the characters. At first, I didn't like some of them, but then their backstories unfolded and they became much more understandable and likeable. I loved that you get to learn more and more about the characters as the story goes on.

The plot (after the first 100 pages) was so well thought out! I loved that the characters always had clever plans and

how they somehow were always able to get out of tricky situations. I loved the part where we found out Jesper was  a Grisha and he made the lock picks! Absolutely genius! Or when they got the tree out of the ground to stop the truck and everything. Incredibly clever! It must have taken quite a bit of work for the author to come up with things like that too. It was very well done!

I didn't really like the ending. I mean, of course I definitely have to read Crooked Kingdom (the next book in the series) as soon as it comes out, but I would have liked for this book to be a bit more well concluded. It simply ended with another problem. The whole book also contained only bits of romance, and I thought that the romance aspect of the book could have been much better concluded.

Overall, I'd give Six Of Crows 4.5 stars. I really loved the plot and all the characters, but it was quite difficult to get past the first quarter of it.

If you like fantasy, heists, or both, then you should definitely give this book a try. If you do read it, let me know your thoughts on it. Have an awesome day!

Zombie Apocalypse Book Tag

Greetings fellow earthlings! It's me, Unicorn! Today, I'm doing the Zombie Apocalypse Book Tag. This should be fun! Find the original video here. I'll give a basic summary of how it works:


1. Select 5 books.

2. Turn to a random page.

3. Find the first name on that page. That person is on your team.

4. Do that twice for every book so you have 10 characters.

5. Apply the characters to the different situations in the order you got them.


These are the books I chose (from the limited amount that I own):

Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Jewel by Amy Ewing
Atlantia by Allie Condie


Alright, I've randomized the order the characters will be in. So let's get going, shall we?


1. The first person to die.

Maire from Atlantia

Well, I guess, maybe. Okay. We can still work with this.


2. The person you trip to get away from the zombies.

Eric from Divergent

I doubt that I'd do that. He's pretty good with weapons, so he might be useful, but he's also pretty mean. I'd rather trip him than have him trip me, which would probably eventually happen.


3. The first person to turn into a zombie.

Enzo from The Young Elites

Nonononono We're so doomed. He would have been so great and helpful but now we're all going to die. We have no chance against Enzo.


4. The person that trips YOU to get away from the zombies.

Peeta from The Hunger Games

Really? And I thought we were friends.


5. The idiot of the team.

Rue from The Hunger Games

This really, really isn't working out for me. Rue is smart and good at camouflage and all that. Great.


6. The brains of the team.

Annabelle from the Jewel

Alright. Okay. Hmm. She seems like she's averagely smart, so if she's the smartest in the whole team, that's not great.


7. The team's medic.

Bay from Atlantia

I don't remember much from Atlantia, but I do remember that Bay's plant/herb/medicine knowledge isn't very extensive.


8. The weapons expert.

Raffaele from The Young Elites.

This one's a little better I guess. But we're still very, very doomed. Enzo the zombie will kill us all with his fire powers.


9. The brawler.

Peter from Divergent

Oooh. This might work out. Peter's probably strong enough to knock out a few zombies. Not bad.


10. The team captain.

Raven from The Jewel

Hmmm. I'm not sure if this will work. She's tough and all, but I don't know if she'll keep us all alive.


So, our overall chance of survival is very, very low. I thought this would turn out alright. I guess not. I suggest that if you're reading this, you give it a go. It's really fun! If you try it, leave a link to your blog post down below, I'd love to see your answers. Thanks for reading!!!


~Unicorn

The Family Book Tag -- A Tag Made by The Pegacorns!!

Hello all! Today is a very exciting day! We are making our own tag! Yipee!!! In this tag, we will question a couple family members book related questions! Let's get started!! (Note: We ended up interviewing our families and writing down every single word they say. That isn't part of the tag, but it's funny). Enjoy!

The Family Book Tag

What is the book you are currently reading?

Pegasus' Mom: Oh, it's called Playing Big by Tara Mohr

What is the most memorable book that you've read?

Pegasus's Mom: Oh gosh. Oh! I know! Lord Of The Flies by William Golding. You really should read it.

What was your favourite book from your childhood?

Pegasus' Mom: I... I just said it to you. 

Pegasus: No, you told me your most memorable book.

Pegasus' Mom: Oh okay, so my favourite was probably Anne of  Green Gables.

Pegasus: Oh! I loved that one too!!

What is a book that you are planning to read this year?

Pegasus' Mom: Playing Big

That doesn't count.

Yes it does. It does so. I don't have time to read another because I'm working and teaching fitness classes and doing laundry and making smoothies. And baking. I bake a lot. Are we all going swimming tonight?

What is a book that you hate?

Pegasus' Mom: Well any book I hated, I wouldn't have read. 

Pegasus: Well, think of a book you never finished because you hated it.

Pegasus mom: Let me think. That's gonna take awhile.

5 minutes later...

Pegasus: So, what's a book that you hate?

Pegasus's Mom: *shrugs* Usually I just picked books that I thought I liked so I didn't hate any. Unfortunately, I can't answer your question. Maybe Unicorn's mom has ideas I can use.

*walks away*

If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what book would it be?

Pegasus's Mom: *Glares* One book for the rest of my life???? What a sad life. *sighs*  I can't do that. I don't know.

Pegasus's Mom: Okay, solution: How about I read the newspaper everyday for the rest of my life? That will make me happy. 

What book would you recommend to me?

Pegasus's Mom: *tilts head sideways* I bet you're writing down what I'm saying and doing. I suggest you read Miss Manners.

Pegasus: MOM NO

Pegasus's Mom: Well you have to write that down. I said it! 

Pegasus: No, mom, actually.

Pegasus's Mom: A book I would recommend for you to read... Let me think for a very long time. *Taps index fingers together repetitively* How about To Kill A Mockingbird?

Pegasus: I'm reading that right now. Hold on. Be right back. *leaves room for a second*

Pegasus's Mom: Okay, Unicorn. Book recommendations for Pegasus?

Unicorn: Six Of Crows.

Pegasus's Mom: What's that about?

Unicorn: 6 people who break into prisons. I'm reading it right now.

Pegasus's Mom: So what's the message so far? "Let's break into prisons?"

Unicorn: Basically yeah. *laughs*

Pegasus: *Returns* So, what books do you recommend for me?

Pegasus's Mom: Six Of Crows. Sounds... great. Sounds like you learn how to break into prisons and free bad people. Is this going on a blog by any chance?

Pegasus: Yup.

Pegasus's Mom: Alright. *sighs*

What's a book that changed your life?

Pegasus's Mom: No book changed my life, sorry.

Both pegacorns: Are you sure?

Pegasus's Mom: Yeah, I'm sure. *peels fruit*

Next Family Member To Be Interviewed: Pegasus' brother.

What is the book you are currently reading?

Pegasus's brother: Okay you see here, I am reading a very interesting book. It's called Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Pegasus: ok. whats so interesting about it?
Pegasus's brother: So, its about a kid with a malfunctioning brain, and he's really just stupid.

What is the most memorable book that you've read?

Brother: Diary of a wimpy kid. I already told you. Geesh.

What was your favourite book from your childhood?

Brother: I just told you that!!! Diary of a wimpy kid? *looks at unicorn.* Why does she keep asking me the same question??????

What is a book that you are planning to read this year?

Brother: How many times have a told you?

Pegasus: It's a different question! Listen!

Brother: Zabazeebazoo.

Pegasus: Okay, I give up. next question.

What is a book that you hate?

Brother: There's this really stupidly weird book. I'll give u time to write that down. It's called... well, it's stupidly weird. Haha just joking! There is no book I hate. Hold on, there is. It is called le Hamburger. its like 5 pages long. And it's dumb. It's like put the bread down! put the meat down! put the cheese down! It's really stupid, but it's kinda funny because it's so stupid.

If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what book would it be?

Brother: Ha! That is easy. I don't hear any typing of the keyboard! Never mind. You know why that's easy? Because it's Diary Of A Wimpy Kid because there's a whole series of it with books still coming out! *laughs at himself and how funny he is -- or how funny he thinks he is*

What book would you recommend to me?

Brother: Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. Why? Because it is so stupid! Actually it isn't stupid. Haha Just the guy in it is stupid so it's funny. *laughs at himself*

What's a book that changed your life?

Brother: Seriously? Why would a book change your life?? What type of question is that???? The answer is... I don't know. Nothing. Umm.... Is the interview done? Is it done? Hey! I never asked that. HEY No actually I never said that. YOU'RE RECORDING EVERYTHING I'M SAYING. Aw come onnnnnnn.

We hope you guys enjoyed this tag! It was really fun to do and very amusing! If you'd like to do this tag, feel free to do it yourself! It's highly amusing! We tag One of The Bookworms from From The Light Side.

Have a great day! 

Book Talk - Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

I asked my friend for contemporary book recommendations because I wanted something happy to read recently. She recommended Saint Anything to me. I had never read a Sarah Dessen novel, but heard lots about them, so I took it out from the library and totally loved it!

This book is about Sydney, a girl who’s brother Peyton was in a drunk driving accident that left a boy crippled. Peyton is now serving a jail sentence and Sydney has to deal with a troubled family, the aftermath of the accident, the guilt of her brother’s mistake, and not being able to be seen as an individual that isn’t her brother’s sister.

Saint Anything was mainly about how the aftermath of others’ actions can affect those who aren’t involved. Sydney feels guilty because of what her brother did, even though it wasn’t her fault at all. She’s always felt like she was living in her brother’s shadow, and the fact that her parents were so concerned about him lately didn’t help matters at all. I thought that this was a scenario everyone can relate to to some extent. Whether we’ve been living in the shadow of a friend or family member, it’s easy to understand Sydney and where she’s coming from, which I really liked.

I really loved the characters in this book. They all had quirks, aspirations, and were just overall fleshed-out characters. They seemed realistic. I enjoyed the dialogue as well - the teens didn’t speak in philosophical sentences, memorable quotes, or meaningful metaphores (cough, cough, The Fault In Our Stars, cough) but the way normal teenagers actually talk. I think it’s usually hard for authors to accurately portray teens in their thoughts, emotions, and speech, but Sarah Dessen did this very well.

Something I didn’t like was that there was no storyline. There was no goal. Bad things just kept happening to Sydney that were mostly not related to each other. Peyton was in prison and Eric wanted to record a track for his band. There were usually multiple things going on, but nothing that Sydney was aspiring towards. I’m not sure why I was able to read this book so quickly, since it barely had a plot and just dragged on different events.

When things did happen though, they were usually repetitive. (SPOILER ALERT, SKIP TO NEXT PARAGRAPH.) I’ll accurately sum the book up for you: Peyton calls, they argue, their mom cries. David Ibarra guilt. Layla’s mom is in the hospital. Peyton calls, they argue, their mom cries. Ames is being a creep. David Ibarra guilt. Layla’s mom is in the hospital. Peyton calls, they argue, their mom cries. Ames is being a creep.

For some reason, which I’m not able to identify, I was hooked from beginning to end while reading this book. It wasn’t that fast of a read, but I did really like it, which was strange since the plot was either repetitive, all over the place or not there at all. I guess Sarah Dessen was able to pull it off nicely, so I will only take off half a star for the strange plot. I really loved the characters, though, and think it was realistic and relateable. The akwardly laid out plot was barely a noticeable issue while I was reading it.

If you want a happy contemporary read about friendship, family, love, and guilt, I recommend you check this book out. It’s a pretty happy contemporary, yet gloomy and honest at times, and I personally enjoyed it.