Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Really Want To Read But Don't Own Yet

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks theme is Top Ten Books I Really Want To Read But Don't Own Yet. Even though I am a frequent user of my local library, I do still love buying book, placing them on my bookshelf and admiring them (who doesn't?). So today, here are my Top 10 Books I want to read but don't own (yet)

Review: Just One Year by Gayle Forman

Title: Just One Year (Just One Day #2)
Author: Gayle Forman
Released: October 2013
Pages: 336
Genre: Romance, Contemporary 
Favourite Quote: “There’s a difference between losing something you knew you had and losing something you discovered you had. One is a disappointment. The other feels like losing a piece of yourself.”
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Before you find out how their story ends, remember how it began.... When he opens his eyes, Willem doesn’t know where in the world he is—Prague or Dubrovnik or back in Amsterdam. All he knows is that he is once again alone, and that he needs to find a girl named Lulu. They shared one magical day in Paris, and something about that day—that girl—makes Willem wonder if they aren’t fated to be together. He travels all over the world, from Mexico to India, hoping to reconnect with her. But as months go by and Lulu remains elusive, Willem starts to question if the hand of fate is as strong as he’d thought. . . . The romantic, emotional companion to Just One Day, this is a story of the choices we make and the accidents that happen—and the happiness we can find when the two intersect.

My Review

Initial Thoughts: I am a bit confused as to what I think about this book. I loved the first book in the series and I expected to love this one even more. But I found it to be quite boring. I was no where near as invested in the storyline as I was for Just One Day and I'm really upset about that. Why Gayle Forman? Why?

The storyline of this novel basically takes place the night after Williem and Lulu spent in Paris. Where Just One Day follows the story of Allyson's (Lulu) year after meeting Williem and her quest to find him again, Just One Year does the same but from Williems perspective. This book is not a sequel. Do not believe what Goodreads may say or stuff like that. It is more of a companion novel. I would not classify this as a sequel as it ends at the same time Just One Day does.


The Pros: Honestly, there isn't much that comes to mind. For me, it was finding out why Williem left Lulu that night in Paris and to have his perspectives on things. It was really nice to read about that because the last we saw of him in the last book (before Lulu finds him again) was him leaving Lulu after the night they spent together. We didn't know where he really was. All we knew was where Lulu thought he was. It was nice getting to know Williem that bit better

The Cons: I found Williem to be quite frustrating at times. I felt as though he wasn't very keen on finding Lulu as much as Lulu was for him. He had so many opportunities to find her and he often gave up when he was so close. He always got sidetracked (by various girls) and it just didn't make sense. Here he was trying to find Lulu but he will get together with the first girl he sees. Even though it was obvious that he did not plan on having a long lasting relationship with them, it was still very annoying. Like, get your priorities right. Do you even want to find her?

The storyline was no where as near exciting as it was for Just One Day. In Just One Day, I was interested to find out more about Allyson's (Lulu) family and friends. But for this one, I honestly didn't care. I found that there were too many character introductions and it got to a point where I had no idea who these people were and had no idea how he knew them. Maybe I found it harder because I wasn't into the story very much, but that was a major let down. I also didn't enjoy his various adventures everywhere (eg. India, Amsterdam etc). I enjoyed about reading about the places but why he was there I did not. I found some storylines pointless and meaningless. There was basically no point for all this except to show readers more about his past. I can honestly say I'm so happy that this book was only about 300 pages. I would have probably stopped reading it earlier if I knew it was longer.

Would I recommend this book?  Honestly, not really. However, this novel is necessary to read if you do plan on reading Just One Night (the novella) which details what happens after Lulu finds Williem in his apartment in Amsterdam. So if you want to read about that (and that was a very satisfying 30pages to read. It kind of made up for this book) I would suggest reading Just One Year as there are some things that are necessary to know, such as characters, to fully understand what is happening.  But if you don't mind the specifics of everything and just want to know what happens, I guess you could go straight to the novella. But as I said, you may be a tad confused (just a tad).

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books People Have Been Telling You That You MUST Read

Hi Everyone,
Today I'm linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for their Top Ten Tuesday. This weeks theme is Top Ten Books People Have Been Telling You That You MUST Read. The two books that I've been told to read the most is The Lux Series and Anna and the French Kiss, but I have just finished reading them both. So, I've had to think about what were the other books that I've been told I must read. So, I've come up with 6 that I've been told to read the most. I do hope to get around to them soon

Discussion: Those times when all you do is read 24/7

Hey Everyone,

Guess what. I love to read (well, duh. As if you didn't know that). But lately, all I have been doing is reading. You see, I have just started the Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout and I can't stop reading it. All I think about is Daemon and Katy and what they are going to have to face when I continue reading. You wanna know what I did at school today when I should have been paying attention in class? I was thinking about my book and how awesome it was. I just wanted to fangirl with my friend who has read the book (and who recommended me read it) in the middle of class. I do go through this fangirling stage a fair bit with other books, but with this series, it has taken a whole new level.

I am not sure if this has anything got to do with it, but I have just come out of a exam period (and honestly, it is like the second most important exam period of my school life) and I think I wanted to reward myself for getting through the exams (yuk, exams). But you see, during my exam period I was reading Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins and that is the last time I read a 4.16 Star Goodreads average rating in an exam period. Worst decision of my life. You know what I was thinking when I should have been studying Biology? I was thinking St Clair! St Clair! Why you no tell Anna your feelings for her? (insert excessive hand movements here). There were times where I had to bribe myself. I was like, Ok Monica. Just study for half an hour and you can read a chapter of Anna and the French Kiss. I did this over and over again. And then when exams finished, I spent two hours reading straight, finally finishing the book. Nothing was going to stop me seeing Anna and St Clair together. Nothing!

I have a feeling my excessive reading habits will decrease after the Lux Series. Don't worry, I will still be reading as I usually do. Just not every single moment I am at the moment.
Anyway. I'm going to leave it here today so I can go continue to read the Lux Series. But hey, there is nothing better than a good book right?

Have you ever had a book where you could not stop reading it? Let me know below

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.”
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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