Top Ten Tuesday: To Read Or Not To Read?

It's that time of the week again where I link up with The Broke and the Bookish for their Top Ten Tuesday feature. And this weeks theme is Top Ten Books I'm Not Sure I Want To Read. I have a lot of books on this list. It's a hard decision for me. Do I spend time reading a book with the chance that I won't like it? Or do I got for it and read it? First World Problems right there!

First up on this list is....

I've heard so many mixed reviews. Some liked it, some didn't. Some didn't like it till the very end. I don't know what to do. And the movie is coming out next month (at least I think it's next month). I don't particularly enjoy reading books after I've watched the movie so I feel as though I have to make my decision quite soon. At the moment I'm leaning towards not reading it and my brother read it not too long ago and he said it wasn't the best book ever (but then again, he doesn't read too many books). I will definitely watch the movie though

Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Title: Just One Day (Just One Day #1)
Author: Gayle Forman
Pages: 400
Released: August 2013
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Favourite Quote: “Sometimes the best way to find out what you’re supposed to do is by doing the thing you’re not supposed to do.”
Add on Goodreads

Allyson Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life. A book about love, heartbreak, travel, identity, and the “accidents” of fate, Just One Day shows us how sometimes in order to get found, you first have to get lost. . . and how often the people we are seeking are much closer than we know.

My Review

Initial Thoughts: Gayle Forman continues to show me why she is one of my favourite authors. Actually, I might change that. She is now my favourite author. Her ability to writer such an amazing story with such relatable characters is so spectacular.

Just One Day follows Allyson - a reserved and shy teenager who follows all the rules. For her graduation present, her parents decide to send her on a holiday with her best friend to Europe. However, while there she meets Willem - he's free spirited, loves life and lives it to the full. He is the complete opposite of Allyson. So when he agrees to take her to Paris for 'Just One Day', she is ecstatic. This is the first time she has done something that her parents will not approve of. But most importantly, it is the first time that she has lived in the moment. However, things change when he's nowhere to be found the next morning. Upset, frightened and hurt, Allyson makes plans to travel back home. But little does she know that that will not be the end of her adventure.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I'd Give To Readers Who Have Never Read Young Adult

Today, I'm linking up with Broke and Bookish for their Top Ten Tuesday feature with this weeks theme being Top Ten Books I'd Give To Readers Who Have Never Read Young Adult. In no particular order:

If I Stay - Gayle Forman  

For its moving tale about how you should be grateful for all you have because it can be taken away from you in an instant

Divergent - Veronica Roth  

This is the book that got me into reading so it'll always have a special place in my heart

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins 

For showing that YA is not just heavily focused on romances

The Fault in Our Stars - John Green  

To show them to live life to the full

We Were Liars - E. Lockhart  

For something different. This is not your typical YA novel

Just One Day - Gayle Forman  

A story on self discovery and growth

Harry Potter - J.K Rowling  

Well, I consider it a 'classic'

Briar Rose - Jane Yolen  

Her ability to mix sleeping beauty with the Holocaust in a delicate way

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare  

So I can sit there and watch them go through the pain I went through because of the Jace/Clary sibling situation

Delirium - Lauren Oliver  

It has amazing quotes on love

 

Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Released: May 13 2014
Pages: 240
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Add on Goodreads
Favourite Quote: “Always do what you're afraid to do.”

Goodreads Synopsis:
'A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE'

My Review

'We Were Liars' was an amazing and thought provoking novel. This is not a heartwarming book that makes you feel happy and warm inside. But it did make me question my choices and make me very appreciative of what I have. This is actually a very hard novel to review. Not because it was bad. But because you can't give a lot away due to spoilers. 

I went into this book not knowing too much about it. All I heard was that it had amazing reviews. And I'm really happy that was all I knew. The novel is sort of like a mystery. But the thing is, you don't really know what the mystery is until the end, and neither does the main character. 

I had my suspicions while reading the novel over what happened, but every time I thought of one, it sort of got proven to be false. Until the end. Everything comes out in the end. I read half the book in one sitting and that was because we kept getting closer and closer to what really happened and then everything came out.  I don't cry too much in books but this one made me.

The beginning of the novel was very confusing. I had no idea what was going on but I was still intrigued to find out what was happening. That was very different for me. Usually, if I get lost in the beginning of a book I want to move onto a new book. But that wasn't the case with this one. Yes I felt lost, but that didn't make me want to put down the book. If anything, it made me want to keep reading. If you do plan on reading the book and get completely lost in the first section of the book, keep reading. It'll be worth it.

I would highly recommend others to read this book. This is not your 'typical' YA novel. It deals with some serious issues in a different type of format than I'm used to. But just be aware. Do not find out more about the plot of the book. It will ruin it and won't be as enjoyable as it could have been. Mostly because, you don't really know the point of the novel until the end.

5 out of 5 stars

Have Bloglovin? Follow me there
  

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Authors I Own The Most Books From

Hi everyone,
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Broke and the Bookish and this weeks theme is Ten Authors I Own The Most Books From. However as I don't particularly own a lot of book (due to the high book prices) and use the library quite often, I have decided to change this to Top Ten Authors I've Read The Most Of. So here it is, from highest to lowest

10

Suzanne Collins

9

Kiera Cass

8

Stephanie Meyer

7
Gayle Forman

6

Veronica Roth

5

Lauren Oliver

4

J.K Rowling

3

Richelle Mead

2

Rick Riordan

1

Cassandra Clare  

Have Bloglovin? Follow me there
 

Review: The One by Kiera Cass

Title: The One (The Selection #3)
Author: Kiera Cass
Released: June 5 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 323 
Add on Goodreads 
Favourite Quote:“Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway.”

Goodreads Synopsis
'THE SELECTION changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. Now, only one will claim Prince Maxon’s heart…

It’s swoon meets the Hunger Games in the final installment of THE SELECTION trilogy!

For the four girls who remain at the palace, the friendships they’ve formed, rivalries they’ve struggled with and dangers they’ve faced have bound them to each other for the rest of their lives.

Now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.

America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown – or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realises just how much she stands to lose – and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants.

The breathtaking finale to THE SELECTION trilogy will make you swoon!'

 My Review 

Can we just stop to admire that cover. The cover was so beautiful. This has to be one of my favourite book covers.

I have never been so annoyed with a protagonist ever. Like oh my gosh, America Singer you annoy me so much. You need to make a decision and stick to it. And stop with this whole 'I'm going to tell him later'. Tell him now! It was painful to read at times cause he needed to know now not later. The whole thing could have been avoided.

Anyway, The One is actually enjoyable cause it was very fast paced even though the protagonist was so annoying. I know, that sound weird. How could you love a book if you hate the character so much? Well, for some reason I just needed to find out what would happen. And also I needed to read more about Maxon. Maxon is so adorable. I just love him. He was so patient towards America and honestly if I was him I would have kicked her out already. However, America actually wasn't as annoying as she was in the Elite. It was so nice to finally not go back and forth between the two guys (don't get me wrong, it did happen at times. Just not as often as 'The Elite'). However, America was still annoying in terms of her actions. She does not think about her actions. She is very impulsive and at first its like 'haha, oh America' but once it happens over and over again, I just wanted to throw the book and slap her.

The action part of this book happened very abruptly (I'm talking about the one in the end). All of a sudden, the story seemed to be wrapping up a bit when bam, this massive action scene occurs between the Rebels and the Palace. Although it was good to see, all we saw after the fight finished was 1 chapter plus an epilogue. I would have liked to see more about Maxon and America's new relationship after the fight, what would happen in more detail to the caste system as well and more about Celeste. We see this awesome character development for Celeste and then it just stops (view spoiler)[because she dies (hide spoiler)]. I think it could have ended better in terms of that. However, how it did end was good, I just would have liked to see more

(view spoiler)[But how it ended. It was so cute. She was going to marry Maxon and my heart just melted. She finally made a decision. Horray! It was also quite sad to see The Queen die. That was just abrupt and mean. But the king dieing, I was fine with cause you know, he's horrible (hide spoiler)]

Overall, the story was very entertaining and even though the main character does get very annoying at times, I was still compelled to continue to read it. It was so addicitve that I finished it within 24hrs.

4.5 out of 5 Stars  

Have Bloglovin? Follow me there
 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Characters I Would Want With Me On A Deserted Island

Today, I'm linking up with Broke and Bookish for their weekly meme 'Top Ten Tuesday' with this weeks topic being Top Ten Characters I Would Want With Me On A Deserted Island. This means, I get to list all my favourite fictional male characters and let them compete for my heart. Just kidding. Anyways, here is my response in no particular order

Four - Divergent Trilogy 

How could Four not make it on this list? He would definitely protect me from anyone who tries to hurt me and I think, he would risk his life for me. Cause after all, he's Dauntless and it's their duty protect 

Peeta - Hunger Games Trilogy

Even though he may not be the best person in the world to protect me from all the potential harmful things that may be present on an island, he does know how to make bread which could come in handy. Sure, we may not have any electricity or anything to make it, but I'm sure Four would help us make a fire so that Peeta can cook. And he's also skilled in art so, when its gets boring he can teach me some interesting art stuff

Augustus Waters - The Fault in Our Stars

Augustus would make a great companion on an island cause he knows how to make things enjoyable. He can turn being on an island out in the middle of nowhere to this awesome time cause he is the life of the party

Katniss Everdeen - Hunger Games Trilogy

Let's face it. She would be a great choice. All her Hunger Games training and experience would come into play on the island. She could help us find food as well as give us some helpful advice on how to survive

Will Herondale - The Infernal Devices Trilogy

Will, my Will. He would be able to fight all the demons that come to attack us on our island. Even if there happens to be no one, I'm sure he knows a thing or two about surviving on an island. If not, he would be great company as he loves books as much as I do 

Adam - If I Stay
Ok, so he may not really know how to survive on an island but he does know how to play his guitar. He could entertain us all by playing his guitar and playing a show for us. That would be fun   

 Annabeth Chase - Percy Jackson Series
Since I think I should have a few more girls on my list, I think Annabeth would be a great choice. She ran away from home when she was younger so she would know a thing or two about where to get food, how to entertain themselves (even if she was sort of running away from monsters). But I also think she would be a great girl to hang out with. She's friendly and caring and would look out for me if necessary

Hermione Granger - Harry Potter Series
Hermione is book smart, meaning that she would know how to survive on an island and shes done it before (when she was with Harry in The Deathly Hallows)
  

Rose Hathaway - Vampire Academy Series

Let's face it. Rose knows how to kick-ass. Shes funny, unpredictable and fun to be around. She knows how to party but also knows how to fight. So, I guess if anyone tried to attack me on my island, it'll be alright. Cause Rose is here

Tessa - Infernal Devices Series

How could I go to a desert island without a book buddy? I'm sure she would love to fangirl with me about fictional characters and even recommend me some books to read

Well, I had way to much fun with that. Let me know what your choices were below. 

Have Bloglovin? Follow me there