Anna and the French Kiss Review

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

5 Stars

Anna and the French Kiss was the Better Read Than Dead book club's pick for May and I devoured it. Seriously, I read the whole book (minus chapter one) in just one day. I couldn't allow myself to put it down. Anna was a tad whiny, but once I realized that if my parents just sent me to boarding school I'd whine a little at first I got over it. After a while I actually found myself jealous that these characters were able to live in such a gorgeous city. I mean this group of friends seemed so tight knit and fascinating. Look at me, babbling like always. Moving on to Étienne St. Clair, he got on my nerves in a good way. I usually found myself frustrated by his choices, but seeing as how this novel is a contemporary, I had high hopes for the ending. Throughout the book Anna and Étienne, also known simply as "St. Clair" by pretty much everyone, go through quite the series of near misses and we really have hope for them. Stephanie Perkins is fantastic at creating characters that appeal to your emotions and keep you hooked from the very start. I'm hoping to get my hands on the companion novels soon. I'm looking forward to being so invested in the story. If you enjoy the feeling of going through all of the emotions that the characters go through, then I suggest getting yourself a copy of Anna and the French Kiss. I hope you'll let me know how it goes.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

The 100: Day 21 Review

The 100: Day 21 by Kass Morgan

5 Stars

I don't want to say too much about Day 21 seeing as it is a sequel and I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I often hear people saying that the show is way better and the books aren't worth the time. While the show is more action packed so far, the books are different and good in their own way. If you can separate the two in your mind, then you can enjoy them both. In Day 21 the 100 make some new discoveries that can change things for everyone. There are adventures, there are some mildly steamy scenes, and some serious eye opening. I hope more people decide to pick it up because, I feel it is worth the read. Have you read any of the books in this series?

Xoxo,

Gabriella

The Lying Game Review

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

4 Stars

For starters I picked up this book because I was absolutely gutted when the television adaptation got cancelled. Little did I know that they would be different from page 1. The Lying Game is about a set of twin sisters who were separated at birth. Sutton went to a privileged family in Tucson, Arizona while Emma bounced around foster homes for most of her life. This is not a spoiler, but the book Sutton is dead. I find it interesting that her spirit "follows" Emma as she tries to navigate all this new territory. Not only that, but she doesn't remember much about her life at all. I don't remember ever reading anything else like that. Throughout the novel I became suspicious of almost everyone and it was able to keep me guessing like any good mystery novel should. I loved it so much I immediately purchased books two and three in the series. I believe there are only six books and I intend to read every single one of them. I need to see where this goes. If you have seen and enjoyed the television show, then I recommend giving the books a go. They're not the same as far as I can tell. Well done. Share your thoughts?

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Liars, Inc. Review

                                   

Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes

5 Stars

I read Liars, Inc. along with my goodreads book club, Better Read Than Dead, and it was easily one of my most anticipated releases of 2015. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. Paula Stokes weaves together a great mystery with twists you may not see coming. You might find yourself saying, "What?!" several times throughout. I personally had a ton of fun trying to figure out who killed Preston. I even thought I had it figured out in the middle of the book only to be wrong and change my theory. The characters are not some happy go lucky teenagers and they shouldn't be. Their lives are complicated, messy, and real. I really appreciated that about them. The main character Max is labeled a suspect and he freaks out like any normal person would. Even though he's a "Liar" he's not all cool and collected as the odds are stacking against him. As I read this book, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I needed to know what was going to happen next and I needed more clues. I wanted to figure out who had done it before the cops did. This is what makes a good mystery. The thrill and the need to know. There is so much more that I wish to say, but I'll let you find out for yourself so I don't spoil any of the fun. I am looking forward to reading more of Paula's work in the future, especially if it's a mystery/thriller. I would also like to personally thank the incredibly kind Paula Stokes for sending me a signed bookmark (seen below).

Before I go, I would like to invite you to join Better Read Than Dead. Our May read will be Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. 

Join Here: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/157333-better-read-than-dead-bookclub

Xoxo,

Gabriella

A Work In Progress: A Memoir Review

A Work In Progress: A Memoir by Connor Franta

5 Stars

I will admit that I bought this book because I love Connor Franta. If you did not already know, he is a well known YouTuber. Don't hold that against him, he's great at what he does. The second he touched on what his book was going to be like on his channel, I went home and preordered it. I loved that I'd be able to get inside his head a little. I've heard things along the lines of "Who writes a memoir at 22?" and "He hasn't even lived!" However, I feel this was the perfect time for him to do so. Every page gave me insight into Connor as a person and also made me see things differently. He touches on topics like loneliness, friendship, dating, self image, and acceptance. I may be biased, but I felt he discussed these things with such grace and realness. A book that is able to make me reflect and reevaluate my life doesn't come around often. Mostly because I read fiction, but those can leave a mark on you as well. While reading A Work In Progress, I laughed, I cried, I felt inspired, but I also marveled at the gorgeous pictures. Have you met a book that is beautiful in every single way? From the message it sends to the cover design and just everything it is. I mean, WOW. I hope to one day accept myself as Connor has on his journey. I'm working on it, but I'm not quite there yet. Whether you're a fan of him or not, I suggest you read this book. It might open your eyes and give you a fresh outlook on life or a better understanding of the struggles that we all go through even if it doesn't seem like it. I seriously hope to see another book from Connor in the future. Let me know your thoughts.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Hooked Review

Hooked by Catherine Greenman

4 Stars

To be honest part of what attracted me to this book was the cover. I'm one of those people that has baby fever really bad. Anyway, a book with a baby seemed right up my alley. This book was not really was I was expecting. The main character, Thea, fell in love pretty fast and the way that she felt kind of got on my nerves. I probably felt that obsessed or "hooked" at some point in my teen years, so I can't blame her. However, I felt the struggles in this book were pretty damn realistic. It's not a super difficult life, but it's not what some teenage girls may dream of when they get pregnant. That aspect is probably what bumped it up to a four star rating for me. If not for that, I probably would've rated it a 3 out of 5. Thea was whiny, obsessive, and completely off in la-la land a good amount of the time. The book was still enjoyable, but I feel it could have been made better. Either way, I'd read a sequel just to see how things ended up. I'd like to thank Catherine Greenman for not painting the prettiest of pictures and glorifying teenage pregnancy. Have any of you picked this book up? How did you feel about it? Does the topic interest you? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic of teenage pregnancy whether you've read this book or not.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Never Never Review

Never Never Part 1 by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher

5 Stars

What can I possibly say about this novel without giving the plot away? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I needed to know what happened to these people. I found myself trying to figure it out and let me tell you, I still have tons of questions and no answers. It was a completely addicting read for me. At the very end I needed more and I know I'm not the only one. If you love mysteries and you love feeling like you've been thrown for a loop, I highly recommend this book. I honestly wish I could say more. Have you read this book? How did you feel about it? I need to discuss it with someone, please leave a comment below.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

The DUFF Review

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

5 Stars

I decided to read The DUFF because I always felt like the ugly one out of my group of friends. I actually still do even though I'm in my twenties. I don't think that feeling ever really goes away. I was interested in seeing the thoughts of someone like me and seeing if they got the happy ending that I longed for. I actually didn't love the main character, Bianca, from the start. I'm still not sure if I do. When it came to her thoughts, I began to hope I didn't sound that annoying. Not to say she's a bad character, she's actually pretty great. I just found myself a little annoyed at times, but what book doesn't have even one thing that gets on your nerves? Nothing is perfect. Moving on to Wesley Rush. He was my absolute favorite character in this book. I mean, I loved him from the very start even if he seemed like a douche. Maybe this is because I had my own Wesley at some point. Actually a few Wesleys, you get the point. Kody wrote a novel that makes you feel like you're not so alone in what you're feeling. However, it isn't all sad and moody. It's actually quite hilarious at times and very feel good as well. I definitely see myself rereading this book in the future whenever I need a smile. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Dorothy Must Die Stories Review

Dorothy Must Die Stories by Danielle Paige

5 Stars

I am so glad that this exists! I loved being able to get a glimpse into what happened before Amy Gumm arrived in Oz. After each novella I became more suspicious of each character and in a way I kind of loved it. Was the magic twisting Dorothy, was it a person controlling her, or was this who she really was? Is Glinda really even a "good witch"? Has the Wizard really changed? I was left with questions, but I didn't mind. The stories were full of little things that don't seem important, but then it all comes together and you start to think. I have my theories about who is truly bad and whatnot. I'm excited to find out if my theories are correct. It was also nice to get in the heads of 3 other characters. I highly recommend to anyone who loved Dorothy Must Die and even though they are novellas, I suggest you still read book one first. I know some people don't care, but I think in this case it's really helpful. Danielle Paige is fantastic at what she does and I will read anything she writes. I cannot wait to dive into The Wicked Will Rise. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares Review

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

4 Stars

I had originally planned on saving this book for Christmas and I kind of wish I had. I feel like reading it so early in the year might have taken away from the experience? I could be wrong. The story was cute and I'm all about people getting out of their bubble, I'm trying to myself, but at the same time I wasn't completely in love with the characters. However, at the end I still found myself wanting more. I hate how it just ended so abruptly. Out of fear of giving away anything, I'll just keep it short and say that it's a cute contemporary especially for the Winter time. If there were ever to be a sequel, I'd read it.

Xoxo,

Gabriella