I'm the world's biggest fan of books about the HolocThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*3.5 star rating*
I'm the world's biggest fan of books about the Holocaust and books with beautiful covers that you can touch and fawn over.Paper Hearts is a book that features both of those two things I just mentioned: a gorgeous cover, and a true story about friendship, war and loss, all tossed into the dark times of the Holocaust. Meg Wiviott will never fail to disappoint a reader with her tale, written in beautiful, memorable verse. I just can't get this story out of my mind.
[image]
Since my background is Polish, I've been thrown into a bunch of history lectures about the war, and basically have been prone to pick up any YA Holocaust book that is ever published. And plus, this really interests me and I love reading about the different experiences which many young people faced, things that they were forced to encounter without anything to say. One of my favourite things about this novel is that it is taken place in Poland, in different cities or concentration camps that created history, and those that I had to head to the computer to look up. It's such a meaningful story.
"We will stick close together so no one will be alone on a Kommando at night in the Koje. We will be each other's family. I unfolded a corner of my heart." (115-116)
There are five girls who Wiviott focuses on: Fania, Zlatka, Bronia, Giza, and Guta, and they all are in Auschwitz, one of the largest and most killer concentration camps in the whole war. Zlatka and Fania turned out to be best friends, but Wiviott's audience doesn't even know how they met. They make origami paper hearts for each other which began a legacy, giving many other girls in the camp happiness and hope, hope for freedom and living a different life after the war.
IT'S A TRUE STORY. WOW. Wiviott has actually really made an inspirational tale which will probably cause me to run over to Montreal, hours away from my small town, searching for these origami hearts that I have read about, but never have heard about beforehand. I bet that many, many of her readers presently or in the future will choose to take that route as well, because part of my heart has been given to Fania and Zlatka, two girls who remind me so much of myself, and who definitely would've become best friends with Anne Frank, another young woman who created a legacy for young people, showing them that freedom is possible no matter what situation you find yourself in.
[image]
Aside from the fact that the war felt tormenting toward me, leaving me with an endless amount of chills and weird feelings of sorrow and sadness, I felt happy at times reading about these girls. The five main characters turned out to have five different personalities and attributes that can make every reader feel like they fit with one of them perfectly. For me, that person was Zlatka, the one and only.
Wiviott's writing is pretty swell. I loved her use of poetry, because this kind of tale is the perfect way to resemble and represent the beautiful writing style that is more deep than an average narrative. I did get bored at times as the pacing of their friendship got too fast and rapid for what it's worth, but the meaning of the story and friendship is what kept me going, even though some parts were unreal.
"Rain pelted down, tears shed by God and all His angels." (226)
With her writing, Wiviott is capable to create those little sentences that mean so much, that have a meaning beyond what is seen. It's soft, gentle and heartwarming, unlike many of those sorrow, gory war tales about cellars and gas chambers. It wasn't only about the war, but about people keeping their hopes up, which tells us that anything is possible.
Paper Hearts has inspired me in tons of ways, beyond measure. I feel like cutting out a million paper hearts, and taking a plane to Poland and dropping them all around Auschwitz, or at least the memorial area, leaving my own legacy and doing something good to make me feel like anything is possible. Not many novels are able to give readers an experience despite the fact that they hadn't even set foot in the world which the author's writing about. If you enjoy poetry and a special group of characters, you will be stunned....more
I spotted this beauty in the midst of being on Goodreads when it was reThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
I spotted this beauty in the midst of being on Goodreads when it was recommended to me. I figured that I NEED IT SO BADLY. What other novel has been written with the same premise like this? You're probably thinking of it being another Nativity story, but it's actually nothing like that. Katelyn Detweiler delivers a premise that's not-so religious as you may assume, but more looking upon fate and teen pregnancy, of course. Bullying's a huge thing, too.
After reading, I feel like this is kind of like 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf,' you know? This girl, Mina, is pleading and telling all of her schoolmates that this is true, that she's pregnant but has no idea how. And then when it all happens, she gets this insane amount of support, possibly and probably. Detweiler kind of leaves readers off with an open ending that we have to guess in the end. At least we discovered the gender of the child and the name of course! No, this isn't your Nativity retelling. It's a modern day tale of friendship and discovery, mixed in with some religious aspects. Some.
"I was being ridiculous. My life was on track. I was going places. We were going places. And no strange old lady would have the power to change that." (16)
[image]
Isn't it hilarious when you look over some quotes like the one which I mentioned above, the ones where the protagonists seem so confident in their conflicted situations and they firmly believe that no one can change the way life is? And now you reread them and laugh, because hell yeah the 'old lady' had the power to change her life. Is it for the best, you ask. Of course it's for the best. Contemporary stories always talk about life being life and fate controlling everything, including your soulmate, who's somewhere out there. Mina did agree to have the child to just get out of the situation. There was basically a 50/50 chance for her to say yes or no.
Mina = Mary, Jesse = Joseph? I kind of had that prediction from the moment where Detweiler introduced Jesse's character as the nephew of one of the owners of the restaurant/diner that Mina works at. Whoops for predictability? Though I'm actually not even sure if his character becoming Mina's 'boyfriend' was initially supposed to be some kind of plot twist or whatnot. Let's just say that their romance was adorable and totally meant to be as love is. His caring and affection for Mina from the moment he met her (NOT insta-love) was everything I could've asked for. *tingling smile*
So what you guessed about the story is probably right. But at the same time, I'm sure this is just meant to be a smooth read that you read without expectations or trying to predict anything. It goes with the flow of life. Mina works at a restaurant, has a gorgeous boyfriend and are perfect for each other. One day when she has an evening shift, an older woman comes in and automatically tells Mina that she'll be having a child (without a father, of course) and asks her if she agrees to it. Mina says yes just so she could get out of the situation more easily and finds that she is pregnant after a few weeks. When her secret is exposed, people begin tormenting her and bullying her because they think she's lying. This tale goes immediately from the start to the birth of her child.
"But how could I know—how could anyone in the world know—that miracles were, by necessity and without a doubt, the plan, the doing, the sign of God? Of a god, of any god? And if so, which god? Whose god? Last I checked, there was more than just one perception of God, so why should I assume that this was the work of the same god as in my Bible?" (300)
[image]
Mina's a character who's so innocent and you'll find yourself feeling so bad for her. She's young, intelligent and has a whole life ahead of her, until this 'catastrophe' comes out and no one believes her except: Jesse, her best friend Hannah, her younger sister and possibly her mother. She has no one there for her and everyone keeps spreading lies. Just because she's having a kid, a stupid brat starts a website about her and creates a chat forum where people post insulting comments. News channels start contacting her family and things go out of control. Why do other pregnant women have no troubles like this but this sixteen year-old does?
It kills you, it really does. I never cried, but my feels exploded here and there and I felt like I had no one there for me, like if I was in Mina's situation. Thankfully the relationships that still stuck with her were memorable and utterly fabulous, which was a definite plus. I can't help but wish for books to follow the steps of this one.
You know how everyone's TBR reviews are stating that the premise of this sounds perfect and unique? Well, it definitely is. This is such a memorable read that touched my heart and has tweaks and sprays of contemporary-romance all over it. You don't have to understand anything of the Nativity story, because Mina has her own, and it's stuck in my head to this very date. Everything about this seemed intriguing to me, including the cover, title and summary. Now it's your turn to find that captivation by reading this!...more
Awake is one of those books that would leave you hesitThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*3.5 star rating*
Awake is one of those books that would leave you hesitant before reading. At least, I know I was hesitant to read it. When I first spotted it, I was originally captivated by the stellar cover, which is so simple but now suits the premise and events of the novel greatly. There are many negative reviews to it, and as I see why, my opinion surely doesn't skip to the lower ones. It was a good book, after all.
This novel is a first for me. A first for a cult book. I've always been (not creepily) interested in the premise and concept of cults and people's religion in that case, and no YA author has touched upon it that I know of. Natasha Preston's book focuses on one called Eternal Light, and the whole story behind it is creepily eerie. It all starts with a sacrifice that went wrong, which moves onto a boy thrillingly falling in love with a girl who he's not supposed to. It's really messed up, weird but awesome at the same time. It's one of those books that you'll continuously have to have patience for so that it can turn brilliant, as it did in the end. I nearly bit my fingernails until they bled while reading.
"People called themselves free when they were governed and bound by so many laws. They worked forty plus hours a week, and most still struggled, gave up a portion of their money, and followed what society expected. That was the furthest thing from being free, but they still went on fooling themselves. They believed they had a voice, but they didn't use it past voting for someone they knew was lying to them anyway. It made absolutely no sense. Democracy. Freedom. Bullshit." (66)
I just had to add in an except of that strange but wonderfully true quote that Preston added in Noah's perspective on the novel. As you can see from there, Preston is a fabulous writer. Her words capture and take readers into a fictional world that no, they wouldn't want to be part of due to thrill and adrenaline and crime matters, but into one that they can stand by and watch, hearing their hearts jump out of their chests. This is one cool read, that's for sure.
[image]
I so don't want to be Scarlett, the main character, in this book. She's stuck in a family with tons of secrets. The thing is, she has zero memory of her past before she was four years old. She longs to discover the truth behind it all, but no one tells her anything. When a new guy, Noah, comes to her school, they begin to date soon after and their relationship builds from there, but he also has a secret that forbids him to fall in love with her: she's going to be a sacrifice for the cult that she was born into as well as the one Noah is in.
Spooky. That's the perfect word to describe this book, as well as "full of insta-love." It seriously was. After three chapters, Noah and Scarlett were already making out and totally in love, as Scarlett described it. This sure wasn't the perfect time to add an instant love relationship when this is a pretty lengthy novel. *rolls eyes* WHY, SCARLETT AND NOAH? You guys were so adorable, but I couldn't stand thinking about how there was the need for so much development in your relationship. *cries* There goes a lost star for the lack of nice, creditable romance. Ugh.
Preston is a fantastic writer. Her words left me breathless between chapters and pages, and I honestly couldn't stop reading for a huge chunk of the book, excluding the slow middle. By the time the pace picked up, it was almost the end of the book and I wondered what would the author even add into the plot to make it extra worthy and fabulous, y'know? I just was a little confused with the whole memory thing and why it had to be at four years old. I don't remember much of when I was a baby, so that kind of left me with my jaw wide open.
"Was eternal life worth sacrificing this girl for? Even if we waited another four years, gave her one more cycle before performing the sacrifice, it still wasn't enough time for her to properly live this life." (119)
With a crew of supporting, interesting characters, I guess that you can call this book a true success compared to what other reviews note. Scarlett and Noah both are super pleasing characters (and Noah takes onto the hot role for me *snickers*) but together, eh, not so much.
[image]
This book sure did have a bunch of moods that kind of left me thinking about the true and inner genre. Hmmph.
Awake surely could've turned into that perfect novel for me. It initially was a highly anticipated 2015 read for me, and I'm glad that I've made the decision to read it now because it was pretty great. Boring at times with a not-so-hot romance, Preston did manage to grab my attention and leave me wanting more of writing in my hands in the coming future. But most of all, this will be noted on your diverse-genre list, not because of actual diversity, but because of the unbelievable premise and plot that she created. I'm seriously in love with a lot of this, and it'll be dying to keep you awake at night.
*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!*...more
Well, I must say that it's been a serious knThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more reviews!
*3.5 star rating*
Well, I must say that it's been a serious knack of a while since I've read a book like this. Okay, it's been a long time, and since the third book in the Temptation series, I haven't read a book dealt with Amish people and romance like this. Rachel's Deception was a fresh wave of romance, loss and trying to hide from inequality. Everyone would love this, fans of the previous novels or not. Though... you'll need to read the others before this one.
My love for this series actually first began when I discovered the initial start to this series, Temptation, which truly speaks of its title. It began off with Noah and Rose's legacy, one that even is spoken about by the newer generation of characters in this novel, which is like Romeo and Juliet, though their love certainly is forbidden to some extent by some individuals. It's real, raw, and I can imagine this story being told on the news or like a legend, as I usually say during each and every single one of my reviews of any book from this series. Why do I find myself repeating some of the same phrases and terms over and over again? Because it sticks to the same path and ratio, and I just can't get enough. Don't take my 3.5 star rating as something cheap and disliking. It was pretty fab, if you ask me.
[image]
3.5 stars is great, awesome. I'm proud for getting through this novel in a matter of hours, also for the fact that I forgot about this blog tour until the last minute. But I knew that I would enjoy it anyways and would absolutely get to it... eventually. Me having an ebook copy isn't as intimidating as having a physical copy would provide me with. The feelings are real and strange, but that's the way my reading habits work, people. What did Karen Ann Hopkins provide readers with from the matter of the different protagonists and perspectives given? She gave us feelings, a new view on secretive lives.
This takes place some time into the future from where the last book left readers off with. Rose and Noah's daughter, Sarah Ann, is SO CUTE and she's growing up little by little. Rose is beginning to handle the madness of being a mother more and more, and she and Noah are willing to take any risks in order to protect their family and enhance their love relationship. What is a little cliché is that now, this is mostly taken place in the perspective of Justin and Rachel, Rose's brother and Noah's little sister. This is their love story.
I bet you're all wondering if something like this would work out. But yet again, you must keep in mind that this is fiction, and from the looks of it, anything is almost possible. This is the start of me listing the negative ideas that I saw while reading. THIS was cheesy. I expected things to go the way they did, and don't you all think it's a little absurd for two love interests to both be in relation of our star main characters from the rest of the series? I understand if it was taken place in the POV of one sibling... but both? Mashed-up together? That could've definitely been played with a little better, just saying.
[image]
I believe in love at first sight. The ultimate famous Shakespearean couple taught us all about that and the misfortunes that it can lead to. Though, Hopkins' romance here wasn't believable as I hoped it would be as were the characters. Yes, the purpose and prose of this novel is to convince readers that one can be a rebel and live life differently than most individuals (as both Rachel and Rose did), though I feel like this is a whole new spinoff when it wasn't needed. What're readers supposed to do or commence when something new and broad is brought into their minds again when the subject and doors were already closed? What are we supposed to do? Fight and try to read it. Never mind what I just said, if you're here for the positive side of the story, then you should actually stay tuned since I'm not the chick who says only disses and walks away with a smile upon her cheeks.
This was quick, sharp and an easy read. It is chick-lit, if you ask me. There are flirtsy (yep, I made that word up) points of the story that were pretty cute, and they all shaped the plot and made it 10x more interesting and intriguing. It's all about the romance, nothing else, nada. If you're not in for a fluffy contemporary read incorporated with a few droplets of gunshots, then this isn't for you. But yet again, you wouldn't be captivated to this review if you weren't. I know you're all interested, and I recommend that you continue to be and just start off with this series if you haven't had already! The ships are real, people.
I'm trying to stop with the rhetorical questions, I really am, but here's my last one: where does the reader go from here? To the bookstore, onto Amazon, to grab the whole series. This can definitely become something that you'll binge read in a matter of hours (all together) and fall in love. It'll be so much better if you do it that way, since there's no need for crazy reviews and major spoiler summaries! At least, that's what I would do, and I needed to recap everything for myself since I couldn't even get myself to remember who Justin was, or who died previously.
Karen Ann Hopkins has done it again! Here you have a fourth fascinating story that has snippets of realism, chick-lit and pure fiction all mixed up together with a dash of strawberry ice cream. It's sweet, but I was definitely able to shed a few tears and really feel sorrow and sympathy for the characters. It's hard not to when you feel like the whole story is happening right before your hands and in front of you! ...more
For readers who enjoyed The Tyrant's Daughter? Yeah... Not so much. I aThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
For readers who enjoyed The Tyrant's Daughter? Yeah... Not so much. I actually did read that one and ADORED it fully which is one of the reasons and factors that took me to request a copy of this book. I was lurking around YA fiction for diversity and something new that would catch my eye with the contemporary aspect. To be honest, this wasn't what I was expecting and just a meh-read that thankfully was short and sweet.
I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister is a nice tale of sisterhood and loss, as well as politics and human rights. Looking at the way I feel when looking at the cover, I don't think that I'd recommend this one to anyone, unless you're very fond of a variety of novels that have diversity. The diversity part of it was a big factor that played to me giving this a high rating. Other than that, I didn't enjoy the rest of the book. Let's just narrow it down to a 'What I Liked' and 'What I Disliked' review, because this is just a tiny book, anyways.
"It is for Djelila that we cry today. She is not a symbol of a broken youth and even less the symbol of divide between two cultures. Djelila was none of that. All Djelila wanted was to live, that is all. We are here for our sister, the sister we will not forget, our sister, Djelila."
[image]
My summary consists of the basics. This is about two sisters: Sohane and Djelila. (To be honest, I even had to check the summary because I forgot Sohane's name. Whoops?) They're basically total opposites—Sohane is very religious while Djelila basically couldn't care less about the way she dressed up. She just wants to be normal. Sohane doesn't really mind what her sister does because she's her own person, but eventually things go too far when Djelila gets harassed and things go farther than they're supposed to. Not to mention Sohane being made fun of when she wears a head scarf to school.
What I Liked/Enjoyed About this Book:
-The pacing. While reading, you'll realize that you've never read such a quick read in your life, speaking of YA books. Sarn's story doesn't need much explaining, as there's so much more between the lines that readers need to figure out before, during, and after reading that the 152 pages just flew by so quickly. It took me about an hour to read, honestly. It blasts from different points so quickly. Enjoy that, my friends.
-The characters. Sohane honestly is the coolest chick around who has so much love and affection for the people around her that it's amazing. You think you've seen a gorgeous sibling relationship? You haven't until you've read this book. And most of the novel revolves around that relationship, just take a peek at the title. Sarn definitely knew what she was doing while forming the memorable relationship that shapes these kinds of diverse reads.
-Learning about the religion. Islam is a religion that I hear of quite often, but I don't know much about it except the typical things: the headscarfs or the holidays that the religion has. Reading from the perspective of a young girl who's very religious was a wonderful experience for me, and it's given me a broader understanding, actually. Double yay for that point.
[image]
What I Disliked About this Book:
-Something. I'm not exactly sure what it was still to this day, but I found it boring and I guess the premise is too overused in contemporary? Not the diversity aspect, but the whole loss thing? It didn't make me sad and lacked emotion, which leads me to my next point.
-No emotions involved in the writing. I couldn't feel depth, or sadness or happiness. This was just a straight monotone read, which might kind of frustrate readers for the length of the novel. Maybe if it had been longer, there would've been better writing? I don't know, actually.
All together, these two negative points affected my enjoyment of the novel by quite a bit, just letting you know. Remember—it's all about the quality, not quantity.
I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister could've been amazing, I feel. The story had the potential to fly into the stars and bring the sun to me, but I didn't feel nothing coming from it, except nice characters and a good use of diversity. But that was the author's choice. She had the choice to write about characters who are Muslim, and this brought the diversity up, which did impress me a lot. It's just... I found myself getting bored and seeing the lack of depth complete in this short book. Maybe, just maybe, some others will enjoy this more than I did. I guess you could. Take a shot, if you feel like it, but I'm not saying that I'm completely recommending it at all....more
Guts? Gore? A horror story? Excuse me for those rhetorical questions, This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
Guts? Gore? A horror story? Excuse me for those rhetorical questions, but those questions actually explain something that I'm totally in love with—but not in a creepy way of course. Danielle Vega's 2014 debut is something that's been sitting on my shelves for ages. AGES, I'M TELLING YOU. And never have I ever expected it to be SO good. It blew me away, literally. I'm flying in the wind, ready to grab a copy of any future works by Vega, because she's the next Stephen King, YA form.
So I've never read a book that's about satanism and a view on religion that way. Exorcism? Never have read about it, only have seen it in those disgusting horror films. When I first read the summary a long time ago, I wondered how crazy this book would be, because I've never read anything like it. Let me just tell you beforehand that you'll need to brace yourself for cliffhanging chapters (and pages, even), a fucking crazy ending that left me sitting there with my jaw open, gore, gore, and gore. I'm not sure if you're anticipating a description of someone's skin being eaten, but it's all worth it, close to nausea or not. *snickers*
"We can face the demon together. Your strength will be my strength." (Hardcover, page 110)
[image]
Da fuq? Facing demons? This isn't exactly what you may suspect. Sure, there's some fantasy weird stuff mentioned because of the pentagram and all of that, but it's not magical or anything like that. Picture four pretty girls going mad and trying to ruin a "weirdo's" life by splashing her with holy water, saying prayers that have been printed off the internet and throwing salt at her. And of course, pulling fingernails out and putting a house on fire. But that's just the start of it, to be honest. And you don't want to go anywhere near the hell-like storyline that Vega has written about. I don't know how she came up with this idea, but I LOVE IT.
What I just mentioned above about the story is exactly what it is. Sofia is new to her Mississippi town, and she automatically befriends the three most popular girls in her school: Riley, Alexis and Grace. They're all Christian and just about the most pure and perfect you can imagine. But they keep mentioning how this girl who has tattoos and seems punk, Brooklyn, is weird. They claim that she killed one of their teachers and skinned a cat. WHAT?! is what you're probably asking. Yeah. And then the three want to perform an exorcism on Brooklyn to get the bad spirit out of her and cleanse her. Here's what happens.
Not going to tell you, sorry! I sincerely apologize, but what happened that night in Riley's house is completely eerie and strange. I can't even bring myself to remember those events or I'll pee my pants... again. (Just kidding!) I actually read this at nighttime and completely lost my mind. But then I didn't finish it so I picked it up the next morning and finished it in another sitting. I died. I couldn't put it down. I didn't eat because I felt like puking because of the gore. That sign kind of tells you that the author did an amazing job scaring her readers and leaving them breathless, speechless and unable to read anything else without expecting it to be like this.
Although this story was pretty messed up, it was in a definite good way. It's a divergent read to be, and something unknown. In its pretty little pink jacket cover and that pentagram, you obviously can't even expect it to be something so horrendous and messed up as it was. And then you open the book and see, "FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY" and your whole life flashes before your eyes. I've never seen something like that written in a book, just saying. That's one of the freaky warning signs.
"The evil is inside me. I feel it. I scratch harder to tear it out of my body, drawing blood. In my head, I hear my grandmother's raspy voice. Diablo, diablo..." (Hardcover, page 279)
[image]
Everything was freaking amazing. Vega's writing seems so simplistic and sincere, yet haunting. It's like this book was written to cause MY FEELS to explode and leave me like one of them. I adore the suspense created in the end, the number of questions still haunting my head, and the fact that this is a standalone. We never need some kind of actual conclusion in these kinds of stories. Scratch that, in this story, because this book is just one of a kind and its own. I'll never read something like this ever again, I feel it. And I bet that I'll also end up rereading this again one day when I just want to be freaked out. But then I'll spend the night by my window, making sure that no one enters my house. *bites lip of fear*
Sofia, our protagonist, seems to be a goody-two-shoes. She takes care of her grandmother who suffered a stroke, she's a good girl to her mother, she doesn't cause trouble at school or breaks curfew. But when she meets those girls, she feels like rebelling for some reason. I guess it's the vibe. She gets an eyebrow ring and the sensation of evil kind of hits her. She's super cool and memorable, the pure definition of badass. And she falls in love, too, which is super cute. (At least, it was a major crush THAT WE NEVER GET TO HEAR ABOUT AFTERWARDS.) It's so interesting to read about the way her independence helps her in this situation and what she does in the end to save herself and her friends. (Tries to.)
This may seem like a book that's totally out of your league. But its concept was something that captivated me and I needed to read it immediately. Of course, I waited more than a year to read it, but that's not the point here. To some, it's a messed up read that scarred them for life, but for me, it's just brilliant. If there's gore and gross descriptions, it truly shows the author's intelligence with words and how they can make a reader go mad with their story. Girl power plus exorcisms equals something that may not work out in the end, but it's a definite gazillion star read for me. ...more
"It's not quite a Hollywood kiss. It's tame and sweet-- chaste, even-- and it's over too soon. I want more. So I kiss him."
When thinking about "It's not quite a Hollywood kiss. It's tame and sweet-- chaste, even-- and it's over too soon. I want more. So I kiss him."
When thinking about books that have been stated as a must-read for all teenagers or kids, you probably think-- classics. Sure thing, Little Women and The Catcher in the Rye are all amazing, but there are many new modern books that are surely classified as must-reads for all teenagers, and I must admit that this one is.
No one has ever read a book like this before. It's a total unique story that comes from a great author who actually has experience with these sort of situations. Being a CIA agent and all, she has created a beautiful coming-of-age story that is absolutely one to remember.
Laila moves to Washington D.C. with her mom and her little brother who supposedly one day will become king of their country. Her family flees from war and after her dad died. Since Laila speaks English fluently, she quickly fits in and makes friends at her new school and starts a whole new life, but her past still haunts her. Will she ever find out the truth behind her dad and her parents' past?
I originally expected this to be a story of terrorism and suffering, but in one way, it is absolutely not even close to that. This is Leila's story, Leila's sufferings and Leila's past. It's nothing about the war, or her dad, it's way more than that. The whole book is in Leila's POV, and she did a stellar job at it, which we'll get to in a second.
From the beginning, Leila's voice is strong, and you just want to keep on reading so you could see what will happen (but it's not really that suspenseful) and how Leila's personality will change and grow into someone confident and who knows what she wants. The plot was very fast paced and we got to know the characters and setting very quickly and it became so easy to relate to because we live in the society that Leila went to go live in. I can imagine what a huge change it was for her and her family to come to a place where there is freedom, and where everyone is expected of different things. In her country (which is never noted throughout the book) everyone suffers and most of the time go through the same sort of situations. Here, it's totally different. So, yes, this was an absolute action-packed mystery, in a way, but it's more realistic and contemporary than you have ever seen. It's something that was never done before and something that is sure to remember.
By the way, I feel like I won't use gifs in this review because of the subject matter, and how serious and different it is, although you will be able to tell my feelings throughout the review, just like you always do.
Like I mentioned, Leila was absolutely amazing. She was so independent and didn't have to rely on anyone-- even when she just immigrated to a whole new country where everything is different, and even when her father's corpse still lies at the home she has always known. I loved her and I wish all coming-of-age protagonists were like her-- she was truly someone to remember.
Every character had something special about them. I loved everyone, but I truly shipped Leila with Ian. They were meant to be from the beginning, and it was an absolute love at first sight relationship. I know that he would protect her, love her and respect her no matter what was going on with her family. And that's beautiful to read about-- a young love that is so deep beyond words. So yes, the ending did sadden me with Leila's love life, because in the US, her life just began, and then it sadly ended like that, but at least she was happy in the end.
"Ian seems surprised at first, but then he's kissing me right back, and there's nothing chaste about it. I wait for the kiss to erase the day before, to wipe away Amir's words. It doesn't, though. It just makes them even more complicated. Kissing Ian makes my here even more different from my there, and the nagging feeling that I don't deserve this sweet respite from my past pricks at my brain. I press against him harder, and the guilt grows fainter."
Oh, and yes, by the way, there is a love triangle in this book. I'm not going to say I hate Amir, because I don't, but I see Ian and Leila together forever.
In conclusion, this book was amazing. It's a must-read for every teenager out there. It has a mix of everything, including love, and it's a special read that will give you a break from mainstream books. ...more
I've read a few series dealing with the Amish combining with a sweet romance that is forbidden, but this certainly was the best one I've ever read. I've read a few series dealing with the Amish combining with a sweet romance that is forbidden, but this certainly was the best one I've ever read. Karen Ann Hopkins has created a gorgeous trilogy with mystery, squeals, feels, wants, and needs. If you enjoy contemporary reads, this is the perfect read for you that deals with a twist.
Temptation is all that Rose has dealt with since meeting Noah Miller. Their love has been forbidden since they met, but they both have loved each other too much to forget about the connection that they share. Now that Rose is pregnant, they both have to think about their future and what it will hold for their lives. Will Noah turn Amish and raise a family the English way, or will Rose join the Amish way of life?
Two choices. Two choices that can change everyone's life immediately. I had a lot of theories on how this trilogy can end from the start. And in the end, I was right, sort of. The ending either way was written spectacularly, and was a perfect goodbye to Rose and Noah, two characters that we've grown close with throughout the few years.
[image]
This plot started off very quickly from where the second book left off. We were left with quite a shocker, right? Now the mystery of what's going to happen is rolling around in our heads, and it stayed that way until about the end. We had no idea what the author was going to do with us towards the end... and then it happened so fast.
This plot was very fast-paced, as I mentioned above. It was all good throughout. Suspense and mystery was added into this delicate little-beautiful contemporary read, and that made it about 10 times better.
One of the flaws were that there were too many POVs. I don't remember if this was the case in the previous novels, but I really think that it should've stayed with just Noah and Rose. Adding Sam and Sarah into it was just too much and too complicated.
[image]
As I always did, I loved the characters, except Sarah. Noah and Rose are the perfect and favourite power couple of 2014 (well, one of them). Of course, they share such a beautiful connection and their love for each other beats the standards of anyone else's. I ship them to the highest standards. Rose became very strong and kick-ass in this book. She was getting ready to become a mother, and that honour overtook her insecurity of her past. She has grown up a lot throughout the trilogy, and she, in the end, was a powerful woman.
I loved Sam, but I had problems with Sarah. She, the opposite of Rose, was too insecure and didn't take risks. She didn't confess her feelings to Micah, and then she died and everything that could've been good for her just ended. She wasn't my favourite character or the worst one, so it didn't really matter if the author killed her off, although it was sad. (I sound so bitchy, meh.)
The ending was just stunning and cute and gave me chills all inside. I almost cried, tee hee. I'm going to officially announce that Karen Ann Hopkins has created a beautiful trilogy that's going to stay in my heart forever. It had its flaws, but it overall was beautifully written. Looking for a book with a new impression? Pick this series up....more
You know those books that you just want to finish beThis review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
*2.5 star rating*
You know those books that you just want to finish because it has been on your shelves forever and you honestly do not know why you wanted it in the first place? The Hallowed Ones is one of those books and it gave me a bad impression from the start. I have always been interested in books about Amish people, but this author, Laura Bickle, took on that strand in a whole contrasting twist. This time around, it's a series with the plot based on dystopian, fantasy and mystery elements all mixed in together. Yes, there are vampires and weird mythological creatures that we only expect to read in a Twilight-like story. This novel certainly was a disappointment, but I expected just the same.
It's nice to hear about different Amish traditions and routines, depending on the author's perspective, because we all know that they must have put tons of research and thought in to make this the right, truthful perspective on what it is like to be struck with this many expectations on you, to do the right thing.
[image]
"I couldn't wrap my mind around falling in love with someone from afar. I was accustomed to seeing Elijah every day, felt affection out of sheer force of familiarity, force of habit. For me, that was love. Tangible. Love was what was in front of me, not a distant fantasy." (122)
The writing of Bickle is beautiful, but the pacing just was not for me. When I read this, there was no such enjoyment coming out of it. I read the novel like it was painful (honestly, haha) and I just felt like it was written for the story and the pace was not paid attention to at all. I found myself completely bored out of my mind for points and I had a big issue with the concept: vampires and the main character, Katie's perspective on everything that was happening to her. Vampires were not an abnormality, they were part of Katie's life and she just adored everything that was happening to her like it was completely normal. How is this story able to be believable, somehow, if everything that the main character thinks is positive? We see a transition of Katie becoming someone who does not care about anything, to someone who is confused by more simple concepts, like love, when it is practically shoved in her face.
[image]
The Hallowed Ones is about your average fantasy-paranormal tale where a character is trying to find themselves. Nothing more, really. It's supposed to be a "horrific thriller" where I didn't experience any thrill whatsoever. There are witches, vampires, and hints of some kind of apocalypse where you cannot trust anyone. And of course, there are hints of romance, as you witnessed in the snippet I handed you above. Katie's annoying, Alex is annoying, and together, they could be classified as one annoying couple in a whole.
And apparently, there's a good sequel out there. And I have no plans to get it whatsoever. This book was not for me—I did not enjoy it, really. It's slow, more uninteresting than captivating, and I really enjoy books that are different than these.
The Hallowed Ones could go either way for those interested. It might not be the best possible book in the world to read, but it may also be very well written. I didn't enjoy the pacing, plot and characters, but this was not the best book at all. In fact, I feel like it is a mix between good and bad, but more on the bad side. I would not waste your time on this one, especially if you trust my opinion, heh....more
I received this book as an ebook, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Belonging was one of those books that you read right after you finished t I received this book as an ebook, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Belonging was one of those books that you read right after you finished the first book, and couldn't put it down. In this situation, I was hocked to it right away, wanting to find out what would happen to Rose's and Noah's relationship.
The cover/title told me that this book will be about Rose's belonging to the Amish, if she'd fit in with the religion. Honestly, I thought she would, because most books end up the way you want it to, and in this case, I wanted her to obviously end up with Noah, which *SPOILER* she didn't and kinda did, it's complcated to explain. The plot and characters just fufilled my requirements and my destiny. (haha) Everything included, and what happened was terrific, I mean the writing, even if what happened might've been sad at times. I find myself thinking that Rose grew stronger in this sequel, she kind of knew what she wanted, even if she couldn't express it out loud. She wasn't too insecure, and was a fantastic character to watch grow up in her own way. Noah was everything a girl would want in a guy. Charming, sweet, handsome, all of the requirements. Dr. Cameron and Sam was who I didn't like. Puhleeze, dude, let your daughter choose her own future, you don't choose it for her. Summer, Suzanna, and Miranda were great new characters to add to the mix, making me happy to see that Rose has made some new friends other than Noah and his family. Overall, I'm amazed on how Karen Ann Hopkins relates her life to the books. She does live in an Amish community, which tells me how much knowledge she has on this topic. Romantic, charming, and powerful, Belonging has everyone at their knees, cheering for more.
I remember when I first saw this novel at the store. It was sitting there on the shelf, it's gorgeous cover peeking towards me. I couldn't believe it I remember when I first saw this novel at the store. It was sitting there on the shelf, it's gorgeous cover peeking towards me. I couldn't believe it that it was such a bargain, $2! I ran towards it, picked it up, skimmed through the captivating summary, and voila, I bought it.
I've never had much trust in bargain books, what they call the lower-priced novels at my bookstore. They most of the time were really crappy, and got a bad rating in my opinion. I thought that this one also would be one of them. Seriously, it's been sitting in my bookshelf for about half a year. Now, I'm thinking, why didn't I pick it up sooner?
"There is nothing greater than love; it is stronger than any evil, any darkness. Show me the way, Jesus! Love is the answer. If we love one another, then we need not fear anything else. Love is everything."
The Patron Saint of Butterflies is a two-perspective novel, with both Agnes and Honey, best friends since birth, as the narrators. Both girls are totally different, Agnes plans to become a saint as she grows older, and Honey is the one who can't wait to get out of the town of Mount Blessing, the religious Catholic town outside of Connecticut where 260 other people live, and follow the rules of the Bible, and what Jesus Christ has wanted us to do. Everyone's lifestyles are strict, and hardly anyone gets the sense of the real life out there, disturbances are the fear.
When Agnes' grandmother, Nana Pete, unexpectedly visits the commune, she starts convincing the girls that the life out there is better, and is not wrong. When a disturbing event occurs, Nana Pete convinces the girls to leave Mount Blessing, and to go into the world of secrets and reality.
I adored this storyline. It's totally unique, I don't think that I've ever read a religious book before, so this was a first. I felt wildly captivated, I didn't want to speak to anyone until I was done. Without the deep dark secret that Mount Blessing hides, I'd love to live in this world for a day, Agnes and Honey would be my best friends.
Agnes is a character that someone would describe as independent, and of course, heroic. She's very confident of what she wants to do, and follows the rules of life. I think that she was my favourite character, I got super excited when her chapter came along.
Honey was the rebel here. Watching TV when it's forbidden, going against the rules, she's that girl that you would want to sneak out with. Although she did have her ups and downs, Honey did end up as another great heroine for me. She had a lot to take in by the end, and I thought that her story is realistic.
This book was beautiful, that's what I describe it. I felt like an angel reading this one, watching throughout the heavens, okay, I think that it influenced me a little too much, haha.
I hope that you will pick this one up, you maybe won't find it anywhere, but that's the key, it's just that good to not be anywhere, you'll have to seek for it. ...more
“I'd never reacted to a girl this way before. My body was on fire when I was around Rose, and when I wasn't with her, all I did was think about her. T“I'd never reacted to a girl this way before. My body was on fire when I was around Rose, and when I wasn't with her, all I did was think about her. Today had been the longest day of my life, dragging on forever until it was finally time to go meet her in the field.”
Temptation literally blew me away.
asdfghjkl... I have nothing else to say other than how much I adored this book!
Cover: Okay, if you look at this stunning cover, you'd obviously know that it's about love, maybe love at first sight, if you have a lucky guess. It looks like two people can't get enough of each other, and have to fight for love. This is what I thought. And the title, Temptation is perfect. Rose and Noah were tempted for love, and had to fight for it.
Plot: The plot was ideal. No other author could beat this plot! A new girl moves into a town where the Amish live, and when she meets her neighbours, the Millers, she finds her soulmate, Noah. The two can't live without each other, but the problem is, he's Amish, and she's not. Can the two be together?
Characters: All of the characters were placed in a special place in my heart. Noah, especially. Boundless, explains the relationship. Although Sam wasn't the best fictional brother, you could tell that he cared about his little sister's actions, and how they changed her life.
Love: Again, I'm fangirling here. The love between Noah and Rose was one of the best love relationships in any book I've ever read. I'm speechless. Hopkins adds her heart and soul into their personalitites and fighting for each other, and adds a few twists and turns in-between.
What really inspired me to read this book was the concept of the Amish. This summer, as my family and I were driving to a beach a few hours away, one moment as I looked out the window, I saw them. There were many of them, and they looked as if they have a simple life. I wondered that day, what their lifestyle includes, and the rules of their religion. And here, I've learned lots, and now I know! Temptation was super. I reccommend this 120%, for lovers of any romance novel, this will keep you busy thinking for hours....more
Loading...
