Book Review: Where'd You Go, Bernadette

25 September 2016

blog challenge

Book Review: Where'd You Go, Bernadette

My Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: fiction, humour, contemporary, mystery, chick lit, adult fiction 

Summary Back of the book:

When fifteen-year-old Bee claims a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, her fiercely intelligent but agoraphobic mother, Bernadette, throws herself into preparation for the trip. Worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted, Bernadette is on the brink of a meltdown. As disaster follows disaster, she disappears, leaving her family to pick up the pieces. Which is exactly what Bee does, weaving together emails, invoices, and school memos to reveal the secret past that Bernadette has been hiding for decades. 

Where'd You Go, Bernadette is an ingeniously entertaining novel about a family coming to terms with who they are, and the power of a daughter's love for her imperfect mother.

My Thoughts 

Where do I even begin?

First off, I've read a lot of reviews giving praise to Where'd You Go, Bernadette. These are the type of books I gravitate towards, especially when it has such a cute cover. I actually bought this book at a used book store a while ago, and left it on my shelf since. It wasn't until recently something change my course of interest when I decided to sway away from the love stories and found myself picking up this book. 

I wish I read this book the moment I brought it home. 

I loved everything about it! It was also more hilarious than I expected. The stereotypes here and there (esp. about Canadians hehe) made me laugh out loud on the bus. I loved the positivity of the book, and I especially loved the relationship between Bernadette and Bee. That was evident throughout the entire novel. 

The writing style itself was also interesting. It was a timeline of documents and interchanging emails  between various characters, collected by Bee, with the addition of her comments to fill in a few gaps. So, although you're reading from the perspective of Bee, you basically have a full story (and not a one sided version) because of all these compiled documents. Quite interesting if you ask me. 

And, lastly... Bernadette. I did not expect to like her character as much I did! I think that maybe because of my background in psychology. I really like the fact that her character was a spot-on reflection of someone with an anxiety disorder. Like common... she hired a virtual assistant in Delhi just to avoiding dealing with others. How can that not be interesting to read about? 

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It was a great mix of quirky and mystery. I usually don't read mystery books, but I might have to pick one up soon because this novel was a real page turner.

Favourite Quotes:

• "That's right,' she told the girls. 'You are bored. And I'm going to let you in on a little secret about life. You think it's boring now? Well, it only gets more boring. The sooner you learn it's on you to make life interesting, the better off you'll be."
• "Maybe that's what religion is, hurling yourself off a cliff and trusting that something bigger will take care of you and carry you to the right place."
• "I can pinpoint that as the single happiest moment of my life, because I realized then that Mom would always have my back. It made me feel giant. I raced back down the concrete ramp, faster than I ever had before, so fast I should have fallen, but I didn't fall, because Mom was in the world."
• "What's this?" She pulled out a card and half it away from her face. "I can't read what it says." I took it from her and read it aloud.

     1. Beeber Bifocal

     2. Twenty Mile House

     3. Bee

     4. Your escape

Fourteen miracles to go." 

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Three Books

12 September 2016

blog challenge

Three Books

This past summer, I think it's fair to say that I definitely caught up on a lot of reading that I didn't get to do during the school year. I don't know how a lot of you manage your time so well! I read a lot of your blogs and I realized that a lot of you have full-time jobs, and some are full-time students who all seem to still have time to read. Maybe because I tend to leave a lot of my school work last minute, I don't have the time to read?

But, with graduating from school and all, I've had such a rush of energy. I was finally able to pick up a book, lay on my bed and just ignore my netlfix account. I'm being serious. I'm technically paying for my little cousins, sister, and parents to watch netflix with my account.

Back to books...

Let's quickly talk about what I read, what I'm currently reading, and what I want to read. Three books (hence the title). Let's go.

What I read...
Where Rainbows Ends by Cecelia Ahern
What a BEAUTIFUL read! I absolutely loved being able to read the journey between Rosie and Alex friendship from ages 5 to 50!! The writing style throughout the novel was in the style of emails, letters and IM messages. And, I think this is what grabbed and kept my attention throughout the entire read. There were a few times I wanted to hurt them both for being so blind... but, that's for you to read and find out why!

What I currently reading...
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
I've read many great reviews about this book. Plus, it has been sitting on my shelf for a while being neglected. So far, I'm really liking it! Maybe I'll write a review when I'm done.

What I want to read...
Girl Up by Laura Bates
I've never read a feminist based book before. I've never even really thought about doing so either until I read this amazing book review(ish) on Sarah Eliza. It was actually a guest post, but still a good read. She presented her favourite 5 feminist reads, and I decided to start this reading exploration with Girl Up!

What are your thoughts? Any books I should be reading? 

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Book Review: Tell Me three Things by Julie Buxbaum

25 August 2016

book review

Book Review: Tell Me three Things by Julie Buxbaum

My Rating: ★★★★★ Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance, fiction, realistic fiction 

SUMMARY: According to Goodreads:

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that's what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she's thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? OR can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

It's been barely two years since her mother's death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her step monster and her pretentious teenage son.

In a leap of faith - or an act of complete desperation - Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can't help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?

Julie Buxbaum mixes comedy and trade, love and loss, pain and elation, in her YA novel filled with characters who will come to feel like friends.

MY THOUGHTS:
I won't lie to you, but one of the reasons I decided to pick up this book was because of the many pretty pictures I found myself scrolling through on instagram. I remembering thinking to myself, what book is this?, and what's with all the hype? I actually looked through more pictures on insta, and went on Goodreads and found myself admiring the simplicity of the book cover, and instantly decided to try it out.
What a great decision that was! 

I absolutely loved Tell Me Three Things! It was such a quick and easy read - it literally took me like a 2 days or so (with work in between). I think the main reason why it was fast read was because of the writing. Julie Buxbaum provided a mixture of regular paragraph writings with texting, IM's and email messages. So, reading through the conversations between the characters via electronic outlet was just as easy as reading through my own messages.
Also, from Jessie to Theo to SN, I loved all the characters. Their lives and behaviour just seemed so realistic. Of course each character may have a flaw that I personally disliked, but isn't that how it is in the real world as well? I do have to say, a lot of the critics I read online found the main character Jessie to be selfish. I personally thought she should be selfish. She was literally going through many changes, i.e., adjusting to a new school, a new family, a new city, all of which she really had no choice not to go along with to begin with.  But, she did have her goofy moments which made me relate to her even more! I love when I relate to characters, I guess that's another reason why it was an easy read!
What I also loved about this book was how different the romance was presented. I think this is the first book I read (keep in mind I'm starting to get back into the reading book drive, so I missed out on a lot of reading throughout my school years) where there was flirting through texting and emails, something that is very similar to the real world! I personally never got into flirting with someone I've never met through texting, so it was a nice to have that perspective by reading through the emails, IM's and texts between SN and Jessie. 
One thing I do have to mention, unfortunately, is that I personally found it pretty easy to guess which character was SN. I wish there was a bit more mystery, or at least gave more options at the beginning of the book. But, towards the end, I was really routing for the character who I thought was SN to be SN anyways, so it all worked out! 
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Tell Me Three Things! I usually read library copies, and if I love it enough, I decide to buy to book. This was no exception. I got my hands on a copy the day after I finished reading my library copy. I definitely would love to read through this story again in the near future! 
Favourite Quotes:

• "One of the worst parts about someone dying is thinking back to all those times you didn't ask the right questions, all those times you stupidly assumed you'd have all the time in the world. And this too: how all that time feels like not much time at all."
• "Just because you're strong doesn't mean you shouldn't ask for help sometimes. Remember that."
• "Perfect days are for people with small, realizable dreams. Or maybe for all of us, they just happen in retrospect; they're only now perfect because they contain something irrevocably lost."

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My Summer Reading List

23 May 2016

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My Summer Reading List

Ah, summer. FINALLY. 
I am currently sitting outside on my front porch with my book and iced coffee nicely resting beside me. Oh, and of course, with my laptop on my lap, because, how else would I be describing what I'm doing?  Anyways, I couldn't be in a better mood. Not only is it a long weekend here in Canada, but the weather is no longer gloomy. IT IS FINALLY NICE AND SUNNY. The way the weather should be in May. Canada, please stay like this. No more grey, cloudy, and rainy days. 
I've always loved the sun, the fresh breeze, and the smell of BBQ that neighbours are constantly cooking up. That's how you know it is that time of the year where we can just relax.  
Since finishing school, the majority of my time has had me either working, or cooped up in my room binge-watching ever possible TV show I already watched, just because there wasn't much to do outside. Now, with the weather so nice, I can't find the will to pick up the television remote or turn on my laptop. I just want to sit outside and read all my books I've neglected over the school year. 
So, with the motivation of the beautiful weather, plus the goal I created myself over at Goodreads, I decided to create a Summer Reading List in hopes of reading a total of 20 books this summer!
1. Tell Me Three Things - Julie Buxbaum 2. Bliss - Shay Mitchell + Michaela Blaney 3. Why Not Me? - Mindy Kaling 4. Where'd You Go, Bernadette - Maria Semple 5. One Hundred Names - Cecelia Ahern 6. Finding Audrey - Sophie Kinsella  7. Me Before You - Jojo Moyes 8. Red Queen - Victoria Aveyard (Triology) 9. Fallen - Lauren Kate (Series -- 4 books) 10. To All The Boys I've Loved Before - Jenny Han (Series - 2 books)
The list above are currently the books I have on my "to-read" shelf on goodreads. As the days/weeks go on, I will hopefully find more books to add onto my list to officially complete my goals of 20 books! But, one step at a time!
Are any of these books worth reading? Let me know some  recommendations as well!
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Book Review: P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

13 May 2016

book review

Book Review: P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

My Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: chick-lit, romance, fiction, adult, contemporary

Summary

According to Goodreads:

A novel about holding on, letting go, and learning to love again. 

Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other's sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.  

According to the back of the novel:

Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry.

They were childhood sweethearts - no one could imagine Holly and Gerry without each other.

Until the unthinkable happens. Gerry's death devastates Holly. But as her 30th birthday looms Holly discovers that Gerry has left her a bundle of notes, gently guiding her uno her new life without him, each signed 'PS, I love You'.

With some help from her friends, and her noisy and loving family, Holly finds herself laughing, crying, singing, dancing - and being braver than ever before.

Life is for living, she realizes - but it always helps if there's an angel watching over you.  

My Thoughts

My goodness. What a story.

I cried. I laughed. And, I cried some more.

I have to admit, I was a bit nervous that having watched the movie 100000000 times beforehand would impact my judgement on the novel. But, that was not the case. Like many other movies based on books, they were completely different!

By that, I mean that the book was better than the movie. 

Yes, I said it. Plus, Tthere were many changes that I really wished the movie hadn't done.

For one, I really enjoyed the books exploration of each of Holly's relationship, including Daniel, her mother, her friends, and siblings.  I really did wish the movie showed more of Holly and her family, especially her brothers.  Those were probably one of my favourite parts of the book; those were the parts that made me laugh the most.

Everyone really should read the book. In fact, there were many parts of the book that explained parts of the movie. But, that is usually the case for many movies based on books.

Overall, the story was beautifully written. It honestly touched my heart, and taught me to not only open myself up to those who love me, but to also surround myself with them. Yes, everyone has their own sh*t going on in their lives, but dealing with life with someone else make it that more easier. Especially if there is laugh or two along the way. 

Favourite Quotes (in no particular order):

• "Finding someone you love and who loves you back is a wonderful, wonderful feeling. But finding a true soul mate is an even better feeling. A soul mate is someone who understands you like no other, loves you like no other, will be there for you forever, no matter what. They say that nothing lasts forever, but I am a firm believer in the fact that for some, love lives on even after we're gone.” 
• “Shoot for the moon, even if you fail, you'll land among the stars” 
• “...God leads you to it and takes you through it.” 

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Book Review: How to Fall in Love by Cecelia Ahern

22 January 2016

book review

Book Review: How to Fall in Love by Cecelia Ahern

My Rating: ★★★★★

Genre: romance, contemporary, chick-lit, fiction

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Summary

According to Goodreads:

She has just two week. Two weeks to teach him how to fall in love - with his own life. 

Adam Basil and Christine Rose are thrown together late one night, when Christine is crossing the Halfpenny Bridge in Dublin. Adam is there, poised, threatening to jump. Adam is separate - but Christine makes a crazy deal with him. His 35th birthday is looming and she bets him she can show him that life is worth living before then. 

Despite her determination, Christine knows what a dangerous promise she's made. Against the ticking of the clock, the two of them embark onward escapades, grand romantic gestures and some unlikely late night outings. Slowly, Christine thinks Adam is starting to fall back in love with his life. 

But has she done enough to change his mind for good? And is that all that's starting to happen? 

According to the back of the novel:

Christine Rose is crossing the Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin late one night when she sees a stranger, Adam, poised to jumped.  Desperate to help, she talks him into a reckless deal: if he gives her two weeks - till his 35th birthday - she'll prove life is worth living. 

But as the clock ticks and the two of them embark on late-night escapades and romantic adventures, what Christine has really promised seems impossible... 

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My Thoughts

Where do I even begin?

This was my first Cecelia Ahern novel, and oh em gee, am I in love with her already. Her work is very easy to read, while descriptive enough to provide a mental picture. It's literally like watching Netflix for hours, but.. the reading version of Netflix.... get it?

Anyways, after reading How to Fall in Love, I think I've spent the last few hours online looking at all her other books to purchase. I feel like I need to experience all of her books. I LOVE IT. I absolutely loved everything about it. How to Fall in Love is not only a love story, but it is a story with an important message of life that will stick with you even after finishing the novel.

Right from the beginning, I felt like I had an attachment with Christine and Adam, I loved them as individual characters as well as a pair. Their story was as realistic it can get - they were both a bit broken from their own separate lives, but coming together, they learnt more about themselves than they possible ever imagined.

I finished this book in a period of 7 days, most reading for a couple of hours before I fell asleep.  And, when it was over, I literally sat in bed in silence, couldn't believe it was over. So much has changed from the beginning of the book til the end. But, I loved the ending; I just wanted to know more. Since I developed that attachment with Christine and Adam, I just wanted to know more!

Like I mentioned, the story was as realistic as it could get. And, it really made me think about my life during and after reading the book.

I wouldn't be surprise if a movie is made soon, in fact I HOPE How to Fall in Love will be made into a movie. Such a beautiful and well written story.  I loved everything about it. I fell in love with this book!

Favourite Quotes (in no particular order):

• "Where would we be without tomorrows? What we'd have instead are todays. And if that were the case, with you, I'd hope for the longest day for today. I'd fill today with you, doing everything I've ever loved. I'd laugh, I'd talk, I'd listen and listen, I'd love, I'd love, I'd love. I'd make everyday today and spend them all with you, and I'd never worry about tomorrow, when I wouldn't be with you. And when that dreaded tomorrow comes for us, please know that I didn't want to leave you, or be left behind, that every single moment spent with you were the best times in my life."
• "... you are loved because I love you."

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My Initial Thoughts on "You First"

14 October 2015

book review

My Initial Thoughts on "You First"

If you seen my post on instagram, then you would have already known the EXCITEMENT I was feeling when I finally got my hands on You First by Lea Michelle! I absolutely LOVE Lea Michele, and ever since I was exposed to her through Glee, I fell in love with, well her! And ever since, she has just been an idol and an inspiration of my mine. Oh, and how can you not talk about her voice? Her voice is literally to die for!

I haven't gone through the entire book as of yet, I thought I'd give you guys a first initial look into the book, in case there were others who were curious about what Lea's second book was about. 

It wasn't even planned - me purchasing this book. I knew it had been release for a couple of weeks, but I decided to wait a bit when school work dies down to purchase the book. But, I happened to be in the area of my favourite used book store, and actually found the it there, and for a really good price of $10. I was literally jumping and smiling as I pulled the book from the New Releases shelf, and I purchased it in that instance. 

To much of my surprise, You First is a journal - like literally a journal. There are few excerpts of written words, but it is not much. It is basically like an introduction to what you will be writing and exploring through your thoughts about. So, I have to admit... if this journal is about me, I was a bit confused as to why her face was on the cover... 

But, nevertheless, she's beautiful, and the cover is removable anyways; so, I really shouldn't complain, aha! AND, once you actually have a quick overview of what you will be through, it can actually be exciting! 

I haven't started the book as of yet - I'm planning on starting tonight after I finish my marathon of midterms. So, I am very excited to journal my way to a better life! YAY!

What were your initial thoughts? Do you have interest in purchasing the book!?

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5 Books

14 September 2015

blog challenge

5 Books

I love reading. If there was a course that only involved reading, and no essays - just the mere fun of just reading, I'd probably major in that! Books bring such joy to me. More specifically, the reading is the best parts.

I love how reading can take you to a whole different world, a place to escape from reality and just live through the lives of others. There were many books I've read that have had an impact in my life - whether it being an eye opener to reality or just a way into my soul. Books have a little world within themselves that I love to explore. Something I do not mind always travelling to! 

Below, I've listed 5 books that made an impact in my life. 
1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling  2. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown  3. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp 4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen  5. The Giver by Lois Lowry

A lot of these books I've read once before, and it was not until a second read where they've had a significant impact on my life. I would give a detailed explanation as to what they've done for me, but  I do not want to mislead what the book will do for you if you have yet to read it! But, these are great reads, I'll tell you that!

And, truthfully, I'll probably start rereading One Thousand Gifts once more... my favourite from the bunch above! 

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I'm linking up with #blogtember hosted by Bailey @ Brave Love Blog. Today is DAY 14 of the challenge. Today's prompt: The 5 books that have impacted you the most. If you happen to stop by, please don't hesitate to leave a comment and a link back to your blog! I would love to come and meet a lot of you in the challenge!

Most recent posts:
     Day 13: Mood Board for My Current Season
     Day 12: Currently in September
     Day 11: A Typical Friday Night
   
 

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Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

10 July 2015

book review

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Can't you tell I'm doing a John Green book marathon? I actually read this book right after I finished reading Paper Towns and blogged about it (my Paper Town summary HERE). So, it has been a month since I finished reading it, but I thought it would be better to space out my book reviews, since I usually don't have this much time to read books while in school. To me, this makes sense... Anyways, to the book review..  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

According to Goodreads:

Despite the timor-shrinking medical miracle that has brought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's is about to be completely rewritten.

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My Thoughts

Let me be completely honest here; never have I ever laugh or cried this much from reading a book. The Fault in Our Stars was just perfect - presenting a romantic love story between Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace, in the most realistic way possible. John Green did an amazing job with this one. 

Hazel

I loved her. I loved everything about her. She is completely the most down to earth character I've read, and I wish I had a friend with her sense of humour and her no bullshit attitude. I loved sitting down and reading what she was thinking about. She wasn't a boring character, nor an annoying character. I loved her! 

Augustus 

He was just... the perfect guy in the most unexpected way. His sense of humour is definitely one I've never come across in real life; and every move he makes, is just meaningful, if not for himself, then for others. I wouldn't mind having a friend like him - he was so great with Isaac. (Side note: I loved their friendship!) 

Augustus and Hazel... wow. What a love story they have. From the beginning, I was emotionally invested in their story. I was basically like their third-wheel best friend who is always there at their dates, not ruining their date or anything, but just admiring their cuteness.  However, their love story honestly is so much more than a love story, their story demonstrates that people who are sick, can/will also have the privilege of experiencing falling in love. And these two, remain in love until the very end.

I really enjoyed this book. I fell in love with Augustus and Hazel, I fell in love with both sets of parents (who were all just hilarious), and of course I fell in love with Isaac. Every character, was just so perfect. So over, I fell in love with this book.

It is a beautiful story that really did touch my heart, and honestly, I am thankful to John Green for having this much of an impact. The Fault in Our Stars definitely send out an nonprejudicial message of love.  

Favourite Quotes:

• "Maybe our okay will be our always" 
• “Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.” 
• "As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."
• “I'm in love with you," he said quietly.
  
  "Augustus," I said.
  
  "I am," he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.” 
• “There are infinite numbers between 0 and 1. There's .1 and .12 and .112 and an infinite collection of others. Of course, there is a bigger infinite set of numbers between 0 and 2, or between 0 and a million. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. A writer we used to like taught us that. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful.” 
• "Some infinities are bigger than other infinities."
• "You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.” 

My Rating:  5/5 
I fell in love with this book.

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Book Review: Paper Towns by John Green

08 June 2015

book review

Book Review: Paper Towns by John Green

I always wanted to read a John Green book for a while, but I never got around to it. I actually own four of his books - Finding Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars. I even intended on reading The Fault in Our Stars before the movie came out. That didn't happen... opps. But, just a few days ago, being bored with netflix, I decided to put it to instagram to figure which John Green book I should start with. And, as the picture above gives away, I read Paper Towns. 

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Summary

Back of the novel:

Who is the real Margo? 

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open window and climbs into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mastery. But Q soon learns that there are clues - and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew. . . .

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My Thoughts

Paper Towns, being my first John Green books, I really was expecting a beautiful story. Especially after watching The Fault in Our Stars, and reading a lot of both good and bad reviews about this book, I was really hoping for the best. And, with positive thinking comes a positive outcome.

I loved this book. It was an easy read, and I actually ended up finishing the novel in less than 3 days.  There was something really genuine about Quenin which I really enjoyed reading. It may have something to do with the fact that he is a boy with a long-term (somewhat) hidden feeling for Margo Roth Spiegelman. And the entire book focuses on him finding her. This is usually the relatable story line I like to read about.

The book is divided into 3 parts, all of which made my feelings go up and down an emotional roller coaster.

Prologue 
This section was actually what got me hooked to continue reading the book. It was a brilliant introduction to both the characters of Q and Margo, and the friendship they shared together. This was a fun cute friendship, until what they both saw.

Part 1 - The Strings
I actually found this part of the novel to be my favourite. The scene with Margo taking Q out on her 11 Phase plan was both suspenseful and fun!  The adventure they both endure made it really easy to read through this part quickly. This part was also interesting as it shows how far Q is willing to go out of his comfort zone to notably try to impress Margo, but also the chance for him to spend time with his out-of-touch long dear friend.

The entire part between the two actually reminded me of a young self. A young self who was involve with the idea of "being in love" with my childhood friend. And growing up, I to went out of my comfort zone a few times in order to try to impress him. So, I understood why Q was doing this for her.

Part 2 - The Grass
To me, this part was a bit slow, but still interesting. It was interesting because of Q's friend, Ben and Roger, who I actually found to be enjoyable characters. One part I didn't like was the repeated emphasis of their excitement for prom, and I would it irritating that Q was a bit too obsessed with finding Margo. The poem he kept reading just frustrated me. IF I actually knew the poem, I probably would have had a better idea of what the heck each poem part was about.. but, it's not like I completely disliked this section.

In fact, I loved the clues and how each clue was properly planned to the next for Q to find. I find her to be an interesting character, although she was not physically in this part of the novel.

Part 3 - The Vessel 
I don't want to spoil the ending so, I'll say one quick thing about what I liked about this third part.

This part was great. I loved the set up John Green did for the last road trip to find Margo. It was fun, and exciting. In fact, I found myself laughing a few times during their car rides; especially conversations with Ben!

Favourite Quotes:

• "As long as we don't die, this is gonna be one hell of a story.
• "It is so hard to leave - until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world."
• "because not following her is the hardest thing I've ever done."

My Rating:  4.5/5 
Overall, I found myself loving this book! And, I was a bit sad when it was over.

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Did you enjoy the novel? I'd love to hear your thoughts as well!

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Book Review: Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

05 May 2015

book review

Book Review: Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I found my way into the cutest used book store, and found myself buying my first "chick-lit" novel (post found HERE). At first, I was bit skeptical about what a chick-lit novel really was. But, the title, Then Came You attracted my attention.  You know how people say, "Don't judge a book by its cover"? Well, you shouldn't with this book. 

At first the title, Then Came You, made me assume it would be a romantic type of novel where a girl had everything set in place for herself, until, unexpectedly, a man would waltz into her life and change everything - her perspective of life, her ideas, and habits, everything. But, that was not what this book was about. I should have realized that the moment I read the back of the book, which briefly introduced 3 of the 4 main characters that I was about to read about.

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Summary

According to Good Reads:

The lives of four very different women intertwine in unexpected ways in this new novel by best selling author Jennifer Weiner (In Her Shoes; Best Friends Forever). Each woman has a problem: Princeton senior Jules Wildgren needs money to help her dad cure his addiction; Pennsylvania housewife Annie Barrow is gasping to stay financially afloat; India Bishop yearns to have a child, an urge that her stepdaughter Bettina can only regard with deeply skepticism until she finds herself in a most unexpected situation. Interlocking dramas designed to ensnare; bound to be a bestseller.

Back of the novel:

Jules is a gifted college student - but at a personal cost. She has acquaintances instead of friends and a father battling addiction. When she discovers she can earn much needed money by donating her eggs, she believes she has finally found a way to save him.

Annie married her high school sweetheart and became a mother. After years of struggling to support her family she think she's found a way to recover a sense of purpose and bring some extra cash.

India has changed everything about herself and when she falls for a wealthy older man, Marcus, she decides a baby will ensure her happy-ever-after. But she must turn to Annie and Jules to help make her dream come true. 

Then each of their plans is thrown into disarray when Marcus' daughter, intent on protecting her father, becomes convinced that his new wide is not what she seems . . . 

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My Thoughts

When I first opened the book, I was honestly surprised at how well the story gripped me into the pages. Although I was super busy that week, I did not want to put the book down. I found myself even bringing the book with me wherever I went. For example, when I knew I was suppose to pick up my sister from the GO Station, I found myself leaving at least 30 minutes earlier than usual so that I would have a 30 extra minute to read the book.

It was a real turn-pager in my opinion. Each chapter was based on the perspective of a different character. There were four women, all of whom were in different relatable stages of their lives. At first, I personally felt that I related to Jules because of the way she thinks. She usually likes to get away from her hectic campus life to be alone elsewhere. And, although she knew she was beautiful, she didn't really show too much of it. She would still dress in her sweat pants, wear her hair in a ponytail, and just wear a simple eyeliner-mascara look. What made me love her character much more was how much she really cared for her father; and what she was willing to do to help him. That is something I can most definitely relate to. Other than those attributes, I don't think we related in other situations.

Another character I found myself starting to relate to was surprising Annie. I think what realized I could basically be her, was when I read how she and her husband made love. The relationship between Annie and her husband, Frank, reminded me of the relationship between Jay and I - from the colours of skin, to his values and my wants. I found her character really related, which made me really start thinking more into my future.

The other two characters, India and Bettina, were complete opposites, both with lives I found interesting. Overall, all 4 characters were in different stages of their lives, and all connected in a way that resulted them meeting at the end - which I thought was very exciting!

Favourite Quotes:

"He's a fish. You're a big girl. Play him in easy, and remember: you're smarter than he is." - India

"You got a man?" he persisted.
"None of your business."
"Taking that as a no," he said cheerfully... - Bettina

My Rating:  4.5/5 
Overall, I found myself loving this book! Like I said, it was a real page turner, and was definitely interesting reading from the different perspectives of 4 completely different women, from different social and financial backgrounds. I loved the idea of the book, and I especially loved the characters. There is no doubt that Jennifer Weiner has a way with words, that makes reading fun, and easy!

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A Great Time to Read!

17 April 2015

books

A Great Time to Read!

As of yesterday at 10:30am, I am free from the stress of exams! With that, I've also completed my third year of university! Boy, people weren't kidding when they say time flies... 

Anyways, with the stress of studying and getting a certain grade on certain courses, the girls and I went to the downtown core after our exam. We planned to meet up with another friend around 1:00pm to catch up. Because we finished our exam a little too early, we actually found ourselves just walking down the street. 

Then, I came across this used bookstore that really caught my attention. I'm not sure what it was, but I knew I just had to go in there to check it out. And to my surprise, this used book store was jut absolutely perfect from the moment you walked into the store. Looking back now, I wish I took pictures, but all I have is their website if you're in Toronto and interested (BMV Books).

I think what shocked me the most was the quality of the books. I mean, 90+% of the books on the shelves as almost as new! The quality and care that the past owners had with these books was just astonishing. On top of that, the prices were just amazing. I don't think I saw a single book over $9.99.

But, because I am free of exams for the next month or so before summer school starts, I decided that it is time to put my laptop aside. Instead, I want to read. I haven't read in so long, I don't mind if I sit all day just reading, and reading, and reading. Besides, the weather is beautiful, and I think a good book will help set up my imagination for the summer!  

A blog post is never complete without pictures.... so, here are just a few pics! 

I'm most definitely going back whenever I get the chance, and whenever I am finished reading these ones. For now, I think I'm going to start with Then Came You. It will be my first "chick-lit", so hopefully this book will be great!

Have you read any of these books? Did you like them? If so, which one should I definitely start with?!

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