Review: American Panda by Gloria Chao // A combo of refreshing and realistic

Title: American Panda
Author: Gloria Chao
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count and Format: 320 pages, Ebook
Published: February 6th, 2018 by Simon Pulse
Source: Purchased
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents’ master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfil the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.

With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can’t bring herself to tell them the truth—that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.

But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?

From debut author Gloria Chao comes to a hilarious, heartfelt tale of how unlike the panda, life isn’t always so black and white.

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American Panda was such a heartfelt read! There were some aspects I could really relate and Mei is bae! ❤

She is an early college student aiming for a doctorate degree when all she wants to do in dance. But she doesn’t have the heart to tell her parents about it as her brother already walked on their family. She develops a crush on Darren Takahashi who is actually Japanese. Another no go from their parents who only want Mei to marry someone of their choice who is also specifically Taiwanese. A breaking point comes into Mei’s life when she is forced to make a choice about how to live her life, according to her own will or her parent’s.

The plot of this book was refreshing and relatable. American Panda is a more of a character-centric novel which focuses on the life of Mei. Mei is a hard working above average students who are working towards a career path to be a doctor. Apart from being a germophobe, she manages to fall asleep in the core subject of medicine, a.k.a biology. She goes by the rule of her parents as she does not want to disappoint them at all cost. A chance encounter with his brother changes her aspect of living life. Her opinion finally clashes when she sees her brother’s life through her own eyes rather than their parents’ words.

“If I lied, the real me would disappear.” 

Her rebellion starts in a slow process but it takes a turn as she experiences a whole new world. Her crush towards Darren slowly intensifies. Mei actually tried to do everything possible to do that she had been taught. She really tried but the heart wants what it wants. Of course, Darren is by her side but she gathers the courage to stand up for herself. And on boy, she does! The most surprising as well as beautiful moment was Mei’s reuinon with her mom. I wish her dad felt the same but well things take time. Sometimes the broken pieces can be mend together and sometimes it’s just better left alone. Mei felt like whole different person when she danced. She truly felt like herself. I can totally get this point. All parents want their children to have a stable career but that doesn’t only come from money. Happiness is the other factor which goes hand in hand.

“I couldn’t go through life as a shadow.” 

Overall, American Panda was a beautiful lesson that one should learn about both sides of the coin before judging. The plot was fresh and kept me engaged. Although I couldn’t identify it but I felt something was missing but the characters made up for it. This book was not only diverse but also shone light on various cultural aspects. The pace was kinda slow and steady in different portions of the book an the words flowed smoothly. I will definitely be anticipating her next book.

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Sooo guys, have you read this one? If yes, what are your thoughts on it? And if that’s still a no, are you think of picking it up anytime soon?

Also, yeeeeeah. I have no excuse of abandoning my beloved blog for so long. I am just too lazy and tired after coming back from work. But that’s a lame excuse. I am tryiiiiiiiing guys! Hopefully September will show its magic!

Review: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas // A diverse book which lived up to the hype!

Title: The Hate U Give
Author: Angie Thomas
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Format: 447 pages, Ebook
Published: February 28th 2017 by Balzer + Bray
Source: Purchased
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterwards, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

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Hi guys!! I am still pretty much AWOL, I know. As much as I would like to blame everything on my schedule, I am kinda lazy too! XD So umm yay to me not being for once!

I also just realised I have not done a wrap-up in 3 months!!! I love doing wrap-ups!! And I haven’t done them since May!! Oh! What has the world has come to! I also veeery dramatically failed in Camp NaNo this July. I mean… I didn’t even write. *facepalm*

Anyway, one can only hope. So I am hoping to bring myself back on track this month!

Okay, enough blabbering. Now let’s move onto this review, shall we?

I believe I am the last person on planet Earth to pick up this book. I haven’t seen a single blogger who hasn’t read this yet. (Any minority out there?!) Hehe… if you get the reference!

Sooo this book was eye-opening and absolutely heartbreaking. Hell, I did not realise this book was going to be so realistic. I mean I know this was going to be a serious one but this one just hit it in the feels. The Hate U Give tells the story of a young black girl named Starr who has a pretty normal life. Well, at least on the outside where she maintains two different kinds of avatars. She is someone different when she goes to her school while a different person with her kind of people. Everything turns up and down for her when her friend Khalil is shot in front of her eyes without any reason. Even after his death, the injustice does not stop and that’s when Starr decides to speak up. But telling the truth comes with a whole lot of prices.

“Once upon a time there was a hazel-eyed boy with dimples. I called him Khalil. The world called him a thug.
He lived, but not nearly long enough, and for the rest of my life I’ll remember how he died.
Fairy tale? No. But I’m not giving up on a better ending.”

This book is pretty character-centric. I absolutely loved the diverse representation. And a realistic portrayal at that. It really deals with some sensitive topics like racism and I felt that the author did an absolute justice to that. Well, this book is pretty much more than that. It brings out the injustice, unfairness a certain amount of people have to deal with even if it’s the 21st century just because they are of a different colour or have a different faith. Unfortunately, it’s a sad truth which exists even today. And for the fear of being judged, Starr, our protagonist of this book maintains a different facade when she’s at the “white” school as quoted by some of her friends. (Frankly, quoting those made you racists too! Stupid people! But well that’s how the world functions I guess.)

“I’ve taught myself to speak with two different voices and only say certain things around certain people. I’ve mastered it.”

Starr is not a biggy for parties but she decides to go with her step-sister. There she meets her childhood friend Khalid with whom she hadn’t talked for quite a long time. It’s on their way home when the calamity strikes. Even it was a book, I felt everything happened at slow-mo. I knew what was about to happen next but it still shocked me to the core. I actually had to put the book down for a few minutes before I could pick it up again. The thing is Khalid even didn’t do anything wrong but him being black was what got him killed.

“People like us in situations like this become hashtags, but they rarely get justice. I think we all wait for that one time though, that one time when it ends right.”

I fiercely wanted justice for Khalid but I could understand Starr’s reluctance too. Especially after she and her family were personally attacked. And those of you know me already, can understand how badly I wanted to go after that with a frying pan. Anyway, I want to highlight a few things which I absolutely adored in this book. The family rep!! Like a huuuuuge thank you to Angie Thomas for representing such an awesome functional family which we rarely get to see in YA. Starr’s parents were thankfully normal and mature, unlike some books where parents are even more childish than the main characters. She had a two brother, although one was a step-brother who was annoying as hell but it was clear how much Starr cared for them.

“What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?”

Starr’s boyfriend was a white guy. And he was such a damn gentleman! I mean he had his shortcomings but Chris really was a pillar of strength to her. Thank god, he wasn’t a douchebag! I was very much afraid he was going to turn out that way. I also didn’t like Kenya, Starr’s step-sister at first but she slowly grew on me. I don’t think without her motivation Starr would have gotten the courage to speak up. Ms Oprah was pretty awesome too.

“Brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared. It means you go on even though you’re scared.”

The ending of this book hurt like hell. I mean I kind of knew this book was not going to be all rainbows and sunshine in the end (I still hoped?) But yes, it definitely left me with hope. (J-Hooooooooooooooooooooooooope!! Sorry!! Sorry!! That was absolutely inappropriate and unnecessary. But that has become a habit like breathing!!!) Anyways, I loved the fact that how everything made their family more unified. I even enjoyed the small aspects like Uncle Carlos and DeVante’s story. I mean I was not a fan of Carlos in the beginning but as I got to know him more, I understood he was a genuine person as well. I loved Starr’s character development. She grew up so much from a scared girl to a matured person who’s able to let her voice shine for her!

“Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong. The key is to never stop doing right.”

So why did I give it a 4 star? It’s because the beginning was pretty slow. I almost put it down but then again this book was received too much hype for me to shut down my curiosity. I am glad I listened to that voice and continued with it. Overall, The Hate U Give was a pretty fantastic read. I adored Starr’s parents to the moon and back, especially her father. I mean usually, parents encourage to stand up against wrong but when it’s something that big, they usually fear for the children’s safety. But Starr’s father went beyond that. Even after getting personally harassed, he not for once told Starr to back down. That man earned my respect! Her mom was no less by any chance. Now. let’s come to the writing. It felt a little weird in the beginning because the author wrote in a different accent but once I got the hang of it, it didn’t matter much. Whoever still has not picked this up, really needs to asap!!!

(Wow. I did not realise how big this review was. Thank you to those of you who have made it till the end. Sarangheeeoo!)

Recommend it?

Yes.

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So guys, have you read this yet? Well, that might be an understatement. I think I was the only one yet to read this book!! Is anyone out there who still haven’t picked this up? Then, is it in your tbr?

Also, who’s excited for the movieeeee???

Duology Review: Daughter of the Pirate King & Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller || Full of Pirate-y Awesomeness!

Title: Daughter of the Pirate King & Daughter of the Siren Queen
Author: Tricia Levenseller
Series: Daughter of the Pirate King duology
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: A bit warm
Format: 320 & 342 pages resp., Ebook
Published: February 28th, 2017 & February 27th, 2018 by Feiwel & Friends
Source: Purchased
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Daughter of the Pirate King –

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

Daughter of the Siren Queen –

Alosa’s mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he’s under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father’s justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

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Okay, wow. This duology was pretty great, especially book 2. All the piratey awesomeness was sooo worth it!

Alosa is sent on a secret mission by her father who is the Pirate King to retrieve the pieces of the map of lost treasures. She allows herself to be captured by the enemy in order to do so but Riden, the first mate of the enemy ship is too clever to fall for her tricks. And when feelings come in the way things start becoming complicated. Along with that when Alosa’s learns a hidden truth, her whole world turns upside down. It’s up to Alosa to choose her destiny and fight for it or give up everything.

*A biiiit spoilerish. Proceed at your own risk!*

The plot of this duology was pretty awesome and kept me on the edge the whole throughout the series. In book 1, Alosa cleverly plans her own capture to fulfil her goal to retrieve the map. Despite her well thought out plan, her journey was not an easy one. She had to face betrayals and plenty of struggles along the way. But the torture at the end of book 1 broke my heart. It was really cruel and disgusting how they made use of her powers of being a half siren.

“I am me because I choose to be me. I am what I want. Some people say you have to find yourself. Not I. I believe we create ourselves to be what we want. Any aspect of ourselves that we do not like can be altered if we make an effort.”

As a character, Alosa was pretty badass and cared a lot about her crew and treated them like her own family. Her faithfulness to her father despite his cruel treatment felt a bit weird but I guess she was brain-washed like that and I was glad when she finally understood the whole truth. She justified her father’s behaviour a lot and that showed how much she was psychologically affected. Sure, it made her a kickass pirate but she didn’t deserve to be treated like that by her own father. The nature of the Pirate King became more clear in book 2 as we get to see him up and close.

I enjoyed book 2 a looot more than book 1. It’s because of the fact that though as a heroine I loved Alosa and her feelings for Riden was only a facade at first which slowly started to become real as they gradually got closer to each other. This was the only factor that bothered me a little because she was basically using him. But this changed in book 2 which made me very, very happy because I basically wanted to bash their heads together. IIt took a little for me to warm up to Ridden but as the book proceeded, he managed to win me over! He was sweet and caring but stubborn like Alosa too!

“I may not have been born in the sea, but I was born to rule it.
I am the daughter of the siren queen.”

Anyway, book 2 had a lot of more action than book 1 which I really enjoyed. I enjoyed how the pace was build up and finally executed in such a unique fashion. I seriously didn’t see the twist coming. I thought that there was going to be something like that but not in the exact way it happened and I was glad to see Alosa get closure. IThe final showdown was pretty epic, it reminded me a lot of Pirates of the Caribbean. 🙂

Overall, Daughter of the Pirate King duology was a great read! I don’t think I have read many pirate books or any pirate book in fact and I enjoyed this journey so much! I had a great adventure along with Alosa and I definitely enjoyed the character growth. The plot was executed neatly and it was fast paced throughout the series which made it a pretty quick read!

Recommend it?

Yaaas!

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Soooooo guys, have you read this duology yet? What did you think about it? Do you have any good pirate book recs?? Or good siren ones?

Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys || Poignant and Heartbreaking…

Title: Salt to the Sea
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Standalone
Genre: Historical, [Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Format: 391 pages, Paperback
Published: February 4th, 2016 by Puffin
Source: Borrowed
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

It’s early 1945 and a group of people trek across East Prussia, bound together by their desperation to reach the ship that can take them away from the war-ravaged land. Four young people, each haunted by their own dark secret, narrate their unforgettable stories. 

This inspirational novel is based on a true story from the Second World War. When the German ship the Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk in port in early 1945 it had over 9000 civilian refugees, including children, on board. Nearly all were drowned. Ruta Sepetys, acclaimed author of Between Shades of Grey, brilliantly imagines their story.

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Salt to the Sea had a predictable ending yet the whole story was unpredictable as hell. I spent the whole afternoon crying after finishing this book. It was raw and realistic and knowing that this actually happened made it more heartbreaking.

“Guilt is a hunter.
Fate is a hunter.
Shame is a hunter.
Fear is a hunter.” 

The book is narrated in 4 POVs of Joana, Florian, Emilia, and Alfred as we follow their journey during World War II to the German ship, Wilhelm Gustloff that would take the refugees to a safe land. We see a world torn in war and the people who suffer the most are the innocent ones. It was not an exception here as well.

“What had human beings become? Did war make us evil or just activate an evil already lurking within us?”

The book started off slowly, letting us sink into the war-sicken world where everyone was ready to do anything for their survival. Florian was a soldier on the run with a secret, Joana a nurse threatened by guilt and Emilia, the youngest of the three but pregnant and Polish, if anybody found out about her real identity, she would be dead in seconds. The three of them along with a few others make their journey to their only ray of hope, the Wilhelm Gustloff not knowing about the terrible fate they were going towards. It’s a no-brainer how this book was going to end, but it still hurt like hell!

“War had bled color from everything, leaving nothing but a storm of gray.”

There were various other characters but the shoe-poet left an impression even after I turned the final pages. His words of wisdom were something that should never be forgotten. But Alfred was a character I detested, I didn’t like his chapters but his role becomes prominent in the last quarter of the book. He lived in his own world, he was dumb and self-centred and he got what he deserved in the end.

The war was described vividly through the eyes of the common people and what they had to face. People were being killed mercilessly and there was danger in each step. Everyone had a heartbreaking story, but Emilia’s just broke my heart. Even though that wound was something never to be healed but Joana made her realise the importance of life.

“When the survivors are gone we must not let the truth disappear with them. Please, give them a voice.”

And I will be eternally grateful to the author for giving them a voice.

Everything speeds up in the last quarter of the book. I was actually pretty afraid to move forward because I was dreading the ending. Everything just turns upside down. Every single thing. The sinking of Wilhelm Gustloff just broke my heart, I had to stop so many times because I just couldn’t stop crying. The Germans had done terrible things to the Russians but killing a shipload of innocent people, in turn, was not the answer. Actually, war is never the answer. It only takes, it doesn’t give anything back and you are left with a hollow and emptiness forever. And it’s the 21st century now, people still don’t get it.

Overall, Salt to the Sea was an eye-opening experience since I was unaware of the incident which was the most disastrous in maritime history. What made this book a fast read was because each of the POVs was pretty short, rarely 1 to 2 pages and we got to see the 4 characters and the things going around them from their respective point of views which made the story progress with an equal flow. I think this is a book everyone should read in their lifetime.

P.S. The sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff is the deadliest disaster in maritime history, with losses dwarfing the death tolls of the famous ships Titanic and Lusitania. On January 30, 1945, four torpedoes waited in the belly of Soviet submarine S-13 which ultimately led to the demise of more than over 9000 civilian refugees, including children, on board.

Recommend it?

Yes.

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So guys, have you read this yet?Is it in your tbr?

Review: We Are Okay by Nina LaCour || Where I felt only Okaysh…

Title: We Are Okay
Author: Nina LaCour
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count and Format: 240 pages, Ebook
Published: February 14th, 2017 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

You go through life thinking there’s so much you need…

Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

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First of all, the cover is beeeeeautiful!

Second of all, I have no idea how to write a review for this book.

But imma gonna try.

Marin hasn’t spoken to anybody since her grandfather passed away. She is angry at the world, angry at herself, she hasn’t even spoken to her best friend Mabel who had sent her endless messages. When Mabel finally comes for a visit during the holidays, would Marin be finally able to open up and move forward?

That’s basically it.

This book didn’t have any solid plot, it was basically character-centric. Marin isolated herself from the world after her only companion since childhood, her grandfather passed away. This book mainly dealt with grief and how every individual handles it differently. But a certain fact about the grandfather part was a bit confusing… (if anybody knows please tell me what that was. -_-) Anyways, I wish there was some kind of plot development because the whole thing kind of stayed at once place throughout the whole book.

“The trouble with denial is that when the truth comes, you aren’t ready.”

This book was diverse. Marin is a lesbian and in the course of time, we get to know that Mabel is a bisexual. The two had a lot of history together since they were best friends since childhood. I would have enjoyed if there were more interactions instead of inner monologues. But this book was kind of peaceful? I don’t know exactly how to convey this feeling but I felt at peace after finishing this one.

“I was okay just a moment ago. I will learn how to be okay again.”

I enjoyed the flashback parts of this book where the actual romance takes place and I definitely loved the friendship between Mabel and Marin. Even without communication and a past history, some things never change. Although Marin had a hard time confronting her present, she finally did open up her heart, slowly.

“I learn that I am a tiny piece of a miraculous world.”

Overall, We Are Okay was a different kind of read. This book is not for everybody, especially because of the writing style which may not suit everyone’s taste. The pacing was slow due to which I felt bored at sometimes.But I am glad I could make it to the end!

Recommend it?

Yes.

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Sooo guys, what do you think about this book? Have you read it yet? How was the experience for you??

Review: Saving Me by Sadie Allen || Where the Beautiful Message Was Worth Saving

Title: Saving Me
Author: Sadie Allen
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mental Health, [Young-Adult]
Trigger Warning: Depression, Attempted suicide
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count and Format: 290 pages, Ebook
Published: February 22nd, 2018
Source: I received an eARC of this book from Enticing Journey Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

On the outside, Ally has everything any teenager could want. She’s beautiful, popular, and athletic. She has the right friends, an adoring boyfriend, and the picture-perfect family.

Too bad it’s all a lie.

Every day she’s dying a little on the inside, drowning in everyone’s expectations and opinions, the weight of it all pulling her under.

She wants to do the unthinkable … until a boy with shaggy hair, unusual eyes, and a lip ring changes her plans.

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This book was beautiful. First of all, I loved the fact that the author acknowledged that love is not the solution for curing mental illness but it definitely helps in the process. That love doesn’t always have to be romantic, it can be any kind of love and when you have a strong support system, your will to get better definitely increases. At least that much I can say from my personal experience.

Ally lives the life of a puppet. Although it might seem that she has everything, a perfectly planned future, a boyfriend and a gang of girlfriends but in reality, each and every one of her decisions are made by her father. Overwhelmed by everything, when she finally decides to give up, a ray of hope appears in the form of Sterling, a guy she has always considered way above her level but he shows her that there are things that are still worth fighting for.

Saving Me is seriously a beautiful book which touched my heart. The narrative flowed smoothly giving us a vivid picture of Ally’s life. Ally’s father is the dictator of her life who wants to fulfil his dream of becoming an athlete through her. I have seen real-life examples of these kinds of pressures and the endings are almost always not positive. This breaks my heart. Whatever happens, a person should have the whole liberty to live his/her life in a certain way they want. Of course, it’s the duty of the parents to guide their children when they are growing up or if they are making a mistake but when it crosses that level, it becomes controlling instead of caring.

On top of her father’s pressure, her cheating boyfriend was a cherry on top. That guy, oh my god!! I wanted to bash his head with a frying pan. Like seriously?!! How can someone be that dumb and shallow!! Anyway, I could feel Ally’s depression. I could empathize when she felt the world was closing down on her, choking her in every possible way. She didn’t have the luxury to share her troubles with the kind of parents and friends she had in her life. That’s where the importance of the support system comes in. When you have people cheering for you, it is a little easier to hold on to the hope. And seriously, every freaking one needs to understand what a mental illness can do to a person, and like very fast because even its the 21st-century, the world is still narrow-minded and we are losing way more people that way.

Ally’s support system came through Sterling and the friends whom she met in the theatre. I seriously loved that guy!! He was the ray of hope that Ally needed in her life and with him, she started finding a way out. Also, she had been an athlete her whole life but in the theatre, she gets to do something different, she discovers a whole new side of herself. Finding oneself is as important as loving oneself and that message was beautifully described in this book.

The only part which I didn’t like was the cliched jealous ex-girlfriend trope who cause unnecessary troubles. I would have loved if the book focused more on Ally and her new non-toxic new friendships and more of that instead of the drama. Nonetheless, I loved the faith that Ally and Sterling had in each other, despite everything their faith never wavered which I absolutely loved!

Overall, Saving Me was a great read! I enjoyed the plot and the character development throughout the book. The writing was smooth and easy to read and the pace was even throughout the book. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of Allen’s works.

Recommend it?

Yes!

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Author Bio:

Sadie Allen lives in Texas with her husband and three young children. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, catching up on her favorite shows, or chasing her family around the house.

Author Links:

Amazon || Facebook || Facebook Group || Twitter || Website || Pinterest || Instagram || Newsletter

Purchase Links:

Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Kobo || iTunes

 

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Soo guys have you read this?? Is it on your tbr? Have you read any other book by this author?

Review: Fade to Us by Julia Day || Where the Moments Faded Away into Nothingness

Title: Fade to Us
Author: Julia Day
Standalone
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count and Format: 320 pages, Ebook
Published: February 6th, 2018 by Wednesday Books
Source: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating: 

Blurb:

Julia Day’s Fade to Us is a story about found families, the bond of sisterhood, and the agony and awe of first love.

Brooke’s summer is going to be EPIC— having fun with her friends and a job that lets her buy a car. Then her new stepfather announces his daughter is moving in. Brooke has always longed for a sibling, so she’s excited about spending more time with her stepsister. But she worries, too. Natalie has Asperger’s–and Brooke’s not sure how to be the big sister that Natalie needs.

After Natalie joins a musical theatre program, Brooke sacrifices her job to volunteer for the backstage crew. She’s mostly there for Natalie, but Brooke soon discovers how much she enjoys being part of the show. Especially sweet is the chance to work closely with charming and fascinating Micah–the production’s stage manager. If only he wasn’t Natalie’s mentor…

When her summer comes to an end, will Brooke finally have the family she so desperately wants–and the love she’s only dreamed about?

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This book was somewhat okay. It’s kinda actually between 2.5 and 3 stars. I loved Day’s The Possibility of Somewhere, so I wanted to read this one too. Unfortunately, it didn’t manage to meet my expectations.

Brooke had her whole summer planned out, working as much as possible so that she can finally buy her own car. But when her step-sister Natalie who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome comes to stay with them for the summer. And when Natalie ends up getting a role in a play, her plans take another route. She decides to stay with her sister in the rehearsals so that she can come to the rescue her sister whenever needs her and there she also meets Micah whom she develops feelings for.

Sooo, I didn’t know what I was going into but I’m glad I learned about Asperger’s Syndrome. I felt that this book had a lot of potentials but it fell flat for me. This book is essentially character-centric and that’s what saved it from completely drowning. One of the things that I loved this book was how caring Brooke was towards her step-sister, Natalie. Although she unintentionally hurt Brooke a number of times but I loved the fact that she was protective of her and stood up for her whenever anyone badmouthed her, even to her best friend (who was really shitty btw). But it was a little weird that she never spoke her mind even when the lines crossed.

The thing that I did not like about the book was the romance. It was out of nowhere and a little insta-e. I understand they met during the rehearsals and Brooke also started working as an assistant there but I felt there was no chemistry between her and Micah. Not at all. It kinda felt forced. I would have loved if this book solely focused on Brooke and Natalie’s relationship and the growing bond between them. I wanted to see more of it. That simply would have been enough but oh well.

Also, I wanted to see more of their family together. It was clear that Brooke did not have the same kind of relationship with her step-father like Natalie and although it came to a conclusion, I felt it was rushed as well.

Aaaand as per following the cliched norm, Brooke makes the most foolish decision in the last part of this book before realising her mistake. Brooke felt like a mature character and this part kinda seemed out of her character because there were other ways to deal with that particular matter.

Overall, Fade to Us was an okay read. I liked the characters but this book didn’t leave much of an impression on me. I just wish a few things were executed in a different manner. Anyway, the writing was smooth and the pace was even throughout the book. I really hope I enjoy her next book!!

Recommend it?

Maybe.

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Soo guys have you read this?? Is it on your tbr? Have you read any other book by this author?

Review: The Lost Savior by Siobhan Davis || Where the Romance was Lost On Me

Title: The Lost Savior
Author: Siobhan Davis
Series: Alinthia, book 1
Genre: Fantasy, Science-fiction, Romance, Reverse Harem, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Warm
Page Count and Format: 344 pages, Ebook
Published: February 1st, 2018
Source: I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating: 

Blurb (from Goodreads):

They came from another world to protect her. Now it’s her destiny to save them…
Tori King is a normal senior in high school. Head over heels in love with her childhood sweetheart, she is busy making plans for college when a chance encounter with an alien bounty hunter turns her world upside down. Now, she’s experiencing terrifying changes and developing supernatural abilities that leave her questioning her entire existence.

Then the arrival of four hot new guys at school has everyone talking—especially when they become fixated on Tori, following her wherever she goes. She can’t shake them off, and as they grow closer, she finds herself drawn to all four of them in ways she cannot explain.

When they finally reveal their true identity, and why they’re here for her, she discovers everything she thought she knew about herself is a lie.

Because there is nothing normal about Tori King.

And she’s about to discover exactly how underrated normal is.

[From a USA Today, bestselling author comes a captivating new alien reverse harem series that is intended for readers aged seventeen and older. This is upper YA/NA crossover which gets steamier as the series develops. This book ends on a cliffhanger and cannot be read as a standalone.]

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Ooookay. so I was very much excited to read a new science-fiction series by Siobhan because her last sci-fi series The Saven series is my absolute favourite!!! I definitely enjoyed this book but, to be honest, I don’t think this is my cup of tea.

Tori is leading the perfect life a teenager is supposed to, she has a loving boyfriend, amazing best friends and caring parents. But everything crash lands when Sadie is attacked by a freak and then four mysterious boys turn up in her school and they don’t seem to leave Tori alone. When she is finally confronted with the truth, Tori is left to make the biggest decision of her life that might cost everyone she ever loved.

Sooo, the plot was definitely interesting. Tori (I keep writing Sadie!!!!) has planned her life out with her boyfriend Jensen but she discovers a whole new side of herself when she and her friends are attacked by someone who did not seem to be quite human. And when the four mysterious boys turn up, she can’t deny the pull towards all of them. Their first appearance was a little Twilightish… not that I minded but anyway Sadie kept discovering she had more powers than she could imagine. That super-power part was amazing!

I think the main problem I faced with this book was the romance. Most of you who already know me here know that I rarely enjoy love triangles and this was more than I could handle and this was just the beginning. I did not feel comfortable reading reverse harem (One Draupadi was enough for me). 😦 I liked her relationship with Jensen after the boys turned it definitely turned sour and Tori was forced to keep it that way to ensure his safety since she understands that one attack wasn’t the last one.

I also felt that Tori was a little too perfect making her almost a one-dimensional character. I expected the truth to sink in slowly since she had a lot on her plate but Tori was too adaptable. I also noticed these with the other characters as well, everyone was just kinda perfect and that usually isn’t the case in real life, especially in high school. I just wanted more character growth though I am sure we are going to get that and the amazing world building (believe me, her world-building are super-awesome!!) in the next book. Among the boys, I think I liked Beckett the most, he’s the nerdy and shy guy. But the others came off as too dominant, especially Dane. Anyway, I most definitely loved the action sequences of this book.

Overall, The Lost Savior was a good read but not my cup of tea. I think people who enjoy reverse harem would absolutely love this book but it was the main reason I couldn’t connect with the characters much. The pacing was even and the writing flowed smoothly. For now, I am not sure if I want to give the next book a try or not. 😦

Recommend it?

Yes (if you enjoy reverse harem or don’t mind it.)

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So guys, what do you think about this book? Do you want to give this one a try? Have you read any book by this author?

Review: How Hard Can Love Be? by Holly Bourne || Heartbreaking and Beautiful at the Same Time.

Title: How Hard Can Love Be?
Author: Holly Bourne
Series: The Spinster Club, book 2 [Can be read as a standalone]
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count and Format: 480, Paperback
Published: February 1st, 2016 by Usborne Publishing Ltd
Source: Purchased
My Rating:

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Amber, Evie and Lottie: three girls facing down tough issues with the combined powers of friendship, feminism and cheesy snacks. Both hilarious and heart-rending, this is Amber’s story of how painful – and exhilarating – love can be, following on from Evie’s story in Am I Normal Yet?

All Amber wants is a little bit of love. Her mum has never been the caring type, even before she moved to California, got remarried and had a personality transplant. But Amber’s hoping that spending the summer with her can change all that.

And then there’s prom king Kyle, the guy all the girls want. Can he really be interested in anti-cheerleader Amber? Even with best friends Evie and Lottie’s advice, there’s no escaping the fact: love is hard.

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Whoa, this book was an emotional roller coaster. I liked Amber in Am I Normal Yet? but in this book, we get to see her more closely and understand her and damn… I loved her sooo freaking much! There were so many times that I felt so bad for Amber that I kept hugging and patting the book.

Amber is excited to meet her mother after two whole years after she remarried. Although she is going to be away from her bffs, Evie and Lottie, she is more excited to form a new relationship with her mother. But her Summer starts going the exact opposite she was hoping for and on top of that, she starts to develop feelings for Kyle who’s working in the summer camp with Amber. He’s a notorious playboy according to her mother but the heart wants what it wants. Will she be able to handle everything?

Sooo, the plot may sound a little bit cliched. Yes, it was cliched but never have I ever loved a cliched book so freaking much! This was so much more than just summer romance, it dealt with Amber’s views of love and life. Amber always had body image issues for being “too tall” for a girl. This is clearly visible in the previous book as well and we can see how much self-confidence she loses because of that. I could relate to it on a personal level. And I could feel her struggle.

On top of that, she was clinging on to the hope of reconnecting with her mother who moved away two years ago after getting remarried. Damn, I could feel it that she was going to be hella disappointed. I mean, she was so happy and over-excited to meet her mother and what I dreaded came true, I felt so freaking bad for her. It broke my heart to see her hurting.

Kyle, on the other hand, was like a ray of sunshine she never expected in her life. That guy is seriously awesome, he is a forever kind of guy, that I could feel within a few seconds of being introduced to him. He was genuinely caring and sweet. And basically nice to everybody. Amber had a tough time believing such a boy could fall for her because the society’s standards were different. God, I hate that so much! Why does society get to decide what we are gonna wear, where we are gonna go, it’s our life and it’s up to us to decide that!!!

“Why would anyone get drunk? Why does anyone need anything like that to escape the world, when the world is its own antidote?”

Okay, before I divert any further, Amber was a tough girl but there’s a limit to how much she can handle. Luckily she had super-awesome friends who were a part of the Spinster Club as well, I loooved how Evie and Lottie encouraged her and boosted her confidence. Everybody needs friends like that in their life. 🙂

“Be you. It’s all you can ever be anyway. But own being you. It’s a fab thing to own.”

The romance was indeed cuuuuuute! And I very much liked Amber and Kyle together. They were adorable and why her mother was so apprehensive of him becomes clear later so. Seriously, I hated that woman. How could she call herself a mother? She didn’t even try… Although Amber kind of forgave her but it definitely wasn’t an easy thing to do but Amber’s last decision was quite weird, totally based on a whim! It just felt a little weird. But nonetheless, I’m glad how it all turned out in the end.

Overall, How Hard Can Love Be? is an interesting read. The writing flowed so beautifully, I didn’t want to put this book down. I loved how the plot was executed and I felt attached to the characters. I just wish some of the characters were developed more throughout the book, especially Amber’s mother but it was a satisfactory read.

Recommend it?

Yes!

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So guys, have you read this book yet? What did you think about it? And if you haven’t, is it in your tbr?

Review: Fate’s Keep by T. Rae Mitchell || Another tumbling journey through the book of fables

Title: Fate’s Keep
Author: T. Rae Mitchell
Series: Fate’s Journey, book 2
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, [Young-Adult]
Heat Rating: Cool
Page Count and Format: 446 pages, Ebook
Published: February 26th, 2017 by Original Mix Media Inc.
Source: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating: 

Blurb (from Goodreads):

Fate Floyd survived and escaped the deadly fairytale world of the Book of Fables, but at a terrible cost. The boy of her dreams, Finn McKeen, remains a prisoner of the cursed book. To find her way back to him, she must travel to a new world, where she’ll confront the mysterious Keep and the truth of her heritage.

With her heart sworn to saving Finn, and an unbreakable blood oath to guard the Keep, Fate must dig deep for the strength to protect those she loves. Unimaginable creatures of myth and legend threaten to destroy the Keep, while a slumbering evil awakens within the bowels of the arcane storehouse of magical objects. Fate’s only chance for salvation lies in a series of desperate quests and battles, any one of which may mark the end of everything she holds dear.

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This book was equally fun to read as book 1. Although this book could have been a little short but there was not a single dull moment and the anticipation of what’s going to happen next made this an exciting read!

*Spoilerish.*

Fate and Finn get separated when Finn gets cursed and is bound to the oak and Fate returns to the real world. But she is determined to save Finn but the only way back is through is by going through the Keep and one has to be the guardian to pass by first. Desperate to get back, Fate accepts the hard choice, but this time she is not the only one who tumbles into the world of fairytales. When more danger crosses her path, will be able to reach Finn in time?

The plot of this book was unpredictable which I really liked. This book picks up right where it was left off. Fate’s gets back from the book of Fables but Finn is still stuck there, on top of that her whole book signing after party moves to the bookstore which puts her in a compromising position. With the help of Gerdie, she is finally able to return to the fables but quite a few of her friends tumbles along with her. It was actually quite fun and irritating at the same time seeing how her friends reacted. I was especially angry towards Jessie, Fate’s bff and I was very much glad when they resolved the issue between them.

The dangers got more amplified in this book, especially the Gorgons. They were nightmarish. But I was soooo glad to have Sithias back!! I love that snake so freaking much! The action sequences were done well and I really enjoyed the backstory of the Keep. Though I felt that the book stretched a bit too much. Anyway, finally, the real villains of the Keep were also introduced. Although we just got a glimpse of them in this book, I have a feeling shit’s about to hit the fan in the next one which I’m really excited to read about. And I was soooo happy when Fate and Finn finally got reunited. It’s not going to be an easy journey for them but at least they are in it for together.

Overall, Fate’s Keep was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed both the plot and the characters. The writing was smooth and easy to read and it was fast-paced throughout the book. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what happens next in this series.

Recommend it?

Yes.

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So guys, have you read this book? What did you think about it? Do you think you’ll give it a try if you haven’t read it yet?