Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Goodreads summary:

Can Anna find love in the City of Light?

Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she's not too pleased when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year. But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new friends, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he's taken--and Anna might be too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she's been waiting for.

I wasn't in love with this book as many others did. It wasn't the best I've ever read, but I totally related to some of the characters and issues addressed in this -not your average-contemporary book. First of all, I love Paris! It has always been my dream honeymoon destination and it will be. (hopefully). I laughed out loud at some of the situtations that occurred and I loved all the characters. Except for Amanda and Rashmi's sister. Ugh.

Secondly, Stephanie Perkins shed some light on some serious topics, like peer pressure, bullying, betrayal and even family issues. The fact that these problems still followed Anna in France.. it lets you know that you're not alone if you're facing any of these things and someone somewhere out there in the world relates to you. Also, these problems followed Anna in a different country, in a different continent. No one's life is perfect, even the handsome Etienne St Clair. I must say that the portrayal of friendships, relationships and "familyships" made me love the book more than I would have if it was just your typical romance. 

All in all, Stephanie shows you that happy endings are not always a cliche and you should wait for your happy ending. THIS BOOK MADE ME HAPPY, read it if you're in a pick me up mood, it'll definitely do the job perfectly. 

One thing that I want though is a story in Etienne's POV and his background. I'm more interested in his story and his relationship with his parents more than Anna's. It would've been better if he was the narrator instead of Anna and if they were together earlier in the book! I was waiting for it to happen the whole time and that's why I lowered my rating for this one.

It was very fast paced, the writing is extremely easy and beautiful. I cannot wait to read more of Stephanie's books. I literally was smiling and happy because their relationship is adorable that when I flipped the page and was met with the stupid acknowledgments I was like.. what NOOOOOOO

Now onto the spoilers!

Spoilers 

(Highlight to view)

Dear Etienne, where can I find a guy like you? Although I hated that you couldn't get your shit straight with the Ellie situation. Like come on St Clair, it was freaking obvious that Anna liked you back! I get that it would've been a mess if they were together though.. Mer is in between them and this to me, was the biggest obstacle standing in their way. I love how she was cool with it in the end, because it's good for her as well. 

My favorite part was when Etienne called Anna beautiful and she tripped. The scene went pretty much as follows.. 

Etienne: "You're beautiful." 

*Anna trips and falls down on the sidewalk* .. OMG I'M A FREAK. 

Hahahaha I died.. 

I loved the "you don't get to choose who you fall in love with" aspect. I totally agree with that statement.. 

I hope you have a great day guys, and if you read Anna and the French Kiss (which I'm sure you did), make sure to comment down below what you thought of it! Did it live up to the hype surrounding it? :) 

10 Books I Procrastinate Reading

Hello bookworms! 

I know, I haven't been posting for the most of this month.. It was my birthday on the 21st (I turned eighteen), and I was at my grandma's, therefore no internet. Sorry about that lovies! 

I was inspired to write this post by Cait @ Paper Fury, check her out! She's one of my favorites <3 
These books I've been meaning to read for the longest time and I KNOW I'll love them, but I have been pushing them off .. I just get distracted, but it will happen soon. I promise. 

1. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (# 1) 

Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can. 

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. 
There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love. 
She's wrong.





3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (HP #6)

I won't write a synposis for this one so I don't spoil it since it isn't the first in the series, but I'm probably the only one who isn't done with this series yet. SOON though! 
















4. Cinder by Marissa Meyer 

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 


Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. 





5. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson #1)

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends -- one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena -- Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.


6. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 


Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. 

7. A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Grey

Every Day meets Cloud Atlas in this heart-racing, space- and time-bending, epic new trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray.

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure. 

8. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called "Le Cirque des Reves," and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway--a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per-formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. 

9. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doehrr 

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When Marie-Laure is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.


In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge. 

10. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover 

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.

Love gets ugly. 


Those are all the books! If you have read any of them (I'm sure you have) leave your opinions down below, I'd love to read through them :) 

Update: I have read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and currently reading Ugly Love. 

Have an amazing day everybody! 

Book Haul: November and December 2014

 Hello readers! 

It's the first time I'm doing my a book haul, I went a little bit crazy ..
I may or may not be getting more books by the end of this month, so this may not be the last book haul of the year. 


Books that I got:

In December:

1. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (The Darkest Minds #1)
2. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass #1)
3. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass #2)
4. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #2)
5. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling (Special edition box set)
6. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

 


In November:

1. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
2. Looking for Alaska by John Green
3. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini
4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan (1-3 box set)

So this is it for my book haul, if you've read any of these books let me know in the comments down below! :)

Have a great day everyone!

-Jay

BOOK TAG: Reader Problems Tag

Hello everyone! I haven't been tagged by anyone to do this tag, but I'll do it anyways! I saw it on booktube and decided I'm going to do it :) 

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

According to my mood pretty much, I stare at my TBR shelves and the first book I lay my hands on, I read next! 

2. You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

Depends on the book, if I've heard good things about it, I will surely finish it. If it's just not for me and it hasn't intrigued me in any way, I put it down. I have done this to only 4 or 5 books though that are the worst I've ever read.

3. The end of the year is coming and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

I try to catch up! I'm so competitive and I love me a challenge. I was 20 books behind this summer (due to excessive school work) so I started reading like crazy. Two tips I'd recommend are (1) Reading short books, maybe novellas. (2) Listening to audio-books. 

4. The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

Unlike everyone, I'm not really annoyed by that matter. Besides, where I live, they sell paperbacks and I buy the whole series at once. It's not an issue really..

5. Every one and their mother loves a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

Goodreads is my place to go.. I don't have any avid reader friends, sadly. Usually, I'll find someone somewhere on goodreads that dislikes the same book as I do. Although I rarely dislike a book, everyone else I know in real life loved Fifty Shades of Grey, most booktubers didn't and I was extremely thankful for that, since I was so lost and confused. I wanted to discuss this, okay? haha

6. You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

I let it out! haha, I really don't care about what others think. When I was reading The Maze Runner, I cried and people haven't really noticed. It's not like I'm going to read TFIOS or The Book Thief in public though, I know better. These books will make you live in your bed for a couple of days.

7. A sequel of a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!?

I'm NEVER a re-reader. I would never re-read a book, unless it's crucial. The logical thing that I do is go on a beautiful place called the internet and find myself a detailed summary/ recaption of the first book. They usually refresh my brain and then I continue on with the rest of the books. If it has been like 2 years or 3, I will re-read the book. (I guess I'll re-read unwind because I've read it in 2012.) Marathoning series it totally my thing, I like reading them back to back to back! :)

8. You do not want anyone. ANYONE. borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people nope when they ask?

Hahaha! I don't get why would someone ask you to borrow your books anyways, they should at least wait until you offer or something. One thing I do, is that I tell them someone else is borrowing that book.  If I trust that person with my book, I will let them borrow it. (Not a lot of people ask to borrow my books, thank God.)

9. Reading ADD. You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

Ohh, that would be depressing. I usually will read a book I REALLY want to read, I never put down an overly hyped book; I would read that. Overly hyped books arouse my curiosity, I keep wondering what about them is that interesting that everyone else loves them? Although that would never happen with me. If I'm in a reading slump though, I don't read. I will catch up on some TV shows or listen to an audio book. Reading slumps usually fix themselves, I get interested afterwards so I ease myself back into reading with an intriguing dystopian or a light contemporary. 

10. There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

Only the ones I've been anticipating, I'm trying to stop myself from buying books. If my TBR shelf goes down, I will allow myself to buy all the books I need. Does anyone else fail at keeping their TBR shelf minimal? I surely am not the only one.. 

11. After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

This is the embarrassing part, books sit on my shelves for several months and years. If this book I've bought and I've been wanting for a long time, I will get to it right away. There are just too many books and too little time, if only they'd do something about that.. maybe stop time? Increase our reading speed? I would fly through my TBR shelves.. Okay I'm daydreaming, I need to stop.. 


This was the end of the tag everyone! :) I hope you have an amazing day x


I tag: 

Izzy @ The Reading Izzy
Evie @ Prescription Fiction
Jules @ The Book of Jules
Gloria @ Gloria The Violinist
Melissa @ In a Bookish World

Original tag

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

I was nominated for this award by Gloria @ Gloria The Violinist  Thank you soo much Gloria! :), go check out her blog everybody.. she's AWESOME.

My answers to Gloria's questions:

1. What is the first book you ever read out of your own free will ?

That's a hard one, but probably a Roald Dahl book. I don't actually remember my first ever book that I've read.. 

2. If you could replace your best friend with any book character, would you do it ? If yes, with who ?

I would definitely choose Gale from The Hunger Games. He is so supportive and caring over Katniss and even though he loves her, he wants the best for her. I'm team Gale if you haven't noticed.. 

3. How many books do you own ?

Most of my owned books are ebooks. I find them more convenient, I have around 150 books.. not too many but as I've mentioned, I own more ebooks than actual books :)

4. Which book character is the most like you ? 

In determination and the love of family, Katniss Everdeen
In the fangirl aspect, being non social, Cather from Fangirl
In the falling so hard in love aspect, Lena from Delirium

Am I cheating for choosing 3..? um I don't think so.. 

5. Which book character do you hate the most ?

Abby from A beautiful disaster. OH MY GOD, she annoyed me SO MUCH! 

6. What is your favorite color ?

This Blue and black

7. If you would write a book, what would be the main character's name ? 

Probably Elena, even though I hate Elena from TVD, I love her name.

8. If you could live in any country, which one would you live in ?

France, hands down. In Paris.

9. What is it about reading that you like so much ?

I love that readers get to transport into different worlds, every book you've ever read is a world that gets you sucked in. You can indulge in the life of the characters and you can feel them, it's kind of an escape from your real life into theirs. 

10. If you could switch lives with a book character, who would it be ? 

TRIS from Divergent, oh I wouldn't do that because Allegiant haha
I just want to be Four's love interest.. sue me. He's hot.



I nominate: 

Izzy @ The Reading Izzy
Evie @ Prescription Fiction
Jules @ The Book of Jules


My Questions for the Nominees: 


1. What was the best dystiopian book you've ever read?
2. How many books are on your TBR shelf?
3. What is the book that you really want to read but can't get your hands on?
4. What book is your most anticipated book of the year?
5. Who is your most read author?
6. Do you have any signed books? What are they?
7. Who is your favorite contemporary author?
8. What is your favorite book to movie adaptation? 
9. Who is the most relatable character you've ever read about in a book?
10. Which book that you own has the prettiest book cover?

Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Goodreads:

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Let’s just start off by saying that I really hated the fanfiction in this book, I skipped all the fanfiction parts and I know that I shouldn’t have, but I did. It really annoyed me more than anything else. I can’t tolerate the idea of fanfiction and it’s totally not my thing. I haven’t read HP yet (I’m ashamed, yes.) and some reviewers mentioned that the fanfiction in the book [Simon and Baz] represents HP in real life, and I tried to read it but I honestly don’t get it. I guess that the fanfiction part can either make or break the book and for me it totally downgraded it to 4 stars instead of 5.

It was a slow-paced book; it took me around 200 pages to really get into it. Dear Levi, thank you for being the main factor that made me fall in love with Fangirl. Another factor was Rainbow Rowell’s writing, it’s so easy and light. 

On a personal note, I related to the characters and the situations, I felt like this is a real story, and not fiction. Wren and Cath remind me of my sister and I, we fight A Lot and she’s out of control most of the times and I’m the one who gets to talk some sense into her. 

This book branches into many things; relationships, friendships and family relationships. Rainbow Rowell  conveys the beauty of loving someone and loving what they love and trying to better yourself for them. I loved it so much and I recommend it to anyone!

Did the fanfiction make or break the book for you? Comment down below your thoughts, I’d love to discuss this with you all and if you HAVE READ the book, continue reading the post for spoilers.

Have a great day guys. x

-J 

SPOILERS START HERE. Continue ONLY if you've read the book. Highlight the paragraph below to read spoilers.

Cath’s character developed from the start of the novel till the end, she was the shy one, the antisocial, the one who had a guy-friend boyfriend and also the one who never liked partying. With Levi, she stepped out of her comfort zone; she went to a party for his sake. She liked him and he changed her, he made her a more courageous character and their love story blossomed into something beautiful... with their love for fanfiction, something he never thought he’d like.  

I loved that Levi always smiled “like it cost him nothing”, I’m an always smiling person and it annoys people sometimes, but I’d rather be happy and spread positivity than become a grumpy source of negativity. It made me smile just by thinking of Levi’s smile.

I disliked Wren throughout the book, I thought she was a total bitch.  I understand that she’s trying to be someone different and experiment with new things, but her past and not what she is right now is what she’ll always be. That is proof that one can’t change even if they wanted to. Rainbow Rowell juxtaposes Cath and Wren, fraternal twins but completely opposite mentalities.  I loved that in the end, they both came to terms that they’ll never act like frenemies again. I loved that Wren still read Carry On and kept that part of her intact and untouched even when she thought she was changing.

I loved loved loved Cath and Levi.  Their relationship just clicks, they remind me of a lock and a key. They both were made for each other, he accepts her and loves her even though people think she’s weird.. He saw the beauty in her weirdness.

Another thing I’ve loved is when the book started with Cath sitting in her dorm room and said “there’s a guy in my room.”  which was Levi.. Later on in the book, Cath also said “there’s a guy in my room”. When she and Levi were a couple. I LOVED THAT DETAIL, it made me nostalgic and it linked everything together beautifully. 

Book Review: Requiem by Lauren Oliver (Delirium #3)

Warning: I don't recommend you read this 
review if you haven't read Delirium and Pandemonium as this review contains spoilers of the first two books.



Goodreads: 

 Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight. Of Pandemonium, ALA Booklist noted that "like all successful second volumes, this expands the world and ups the stakes, setting us up for the big finale." After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven-pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fianc e of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena's and Hana's points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

I will simply start out by saying that this is the ending to my favorite trilogy. The suffering is real..

You get to witness the story from two point of views, Hana's and Lena's in this book, I liked that because you got to see the how the life of Lena, the invalid develops in the Wilds vs. Hana, the cured, how her life turns out to be in Portland. Lauren Oliver does a perfect job in juxtaposing the two characters so that we could see the difference between Hana and Lena; who were former best friends.

As you all know, Alex supposedly re-appeared from the dead (in Pandemonium) and his voice had a bitter tone in it. I know some people would have mixed views about Alex and Julian, but I'm actually team Alex ALL THE WAY. It sucked that he didn't make any appearances in Pandemonium, but Lauren Oliver makes us experience Lena with Alex in Delirium and Julian in Pandemonium, so that she can put us (especially me) in agony in Requiem. It was a hard task watching Julian and Lena together.

If you have been on my blog for a while, you'd know that I'm a strong believer in love, I think it's a beautiful and a powerful emotion so I really took this trilogy as a challenge at first. I thought that a book that convinces me that love is a disease is a must read. I soon came to the realization that Delirium wasn't about proving that love is a disease, but the total opposite, it tries to prove that the world is diseased without love and that's what really got me hooked on the series, it echoes my views on love. Of course, my words don't simply apply to the love of a spouse or a bf/gf, my words apply to every one you love, whether it's a cousin, a sister, your parents, a friend.. anyone. The urge that you must sacrifice your being to save someone is just beyond me. Love is the reason they survive in this book. Look closely at the characters and you'll realize that the only shield that is protecting them isn't their weapons, not their skills to fight.. it's love.

I love Lauren Oliver's writing, it flows beautifully, the book is fast paced, it took me a day to get through it. I love how Lena develops from a girl who is afraid of a prickle and a drop of blood [As Hana described her] to such a bad-ass character. Same goes to Julian, he has developed and grown so much stronger by the help of Lena and it simply amazes me how people change under tough circumstances such as surviving and fighting for your life.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel like I've got full closure to the trilogy, I still feel that there's something missing. The ending is abrupt .. only because of one thing, the thing that I've been waiting to know throughout the whole book.

CONTINUE TO READ IF YOU'VE READ REQUIEM ONLY. SPOILERS.

PS: Highlight the black sentences below to view spoilers. Do this at your own responsibility.

It really pissed me off that Lena didn't get to properly choose who she will end up with.

It killed me that she and Alex were treating each other that way and I held back the tears at the end and was waiting for another Delirium moment, but the freaking book ended. Just like that. IT REALLY PISSED ME OFF. Who did she choose? I'm guessing Alex since she confessed her love towards him, but what about Julian? I still like him, he's a sweet character. Another thing that annoyed me, I've done to myself, I've read the last sentence in the book by mistake and I knew that they would bring down the walls, all throughout the book I was trying to convince myself that they won't and there will be a plot twist so I don't spoil it for myself, but it didn't help. 

I was really bummed when Raven died too, unless they honored her death by conquering the system and making the world a better place filled with love. The ending was tooo happy for my taste, but it's a good ending. No one died, thankfully. 

Please comment below if you've read the book and feel my frustration. I'd love to discuss the book with you guys :)! 

Have a lovely day everyone x

- J 

Tag: WOULD YOU RATHER..

Hello guys! I've seen this awesome tag going around on booktube but I really don't know who it was created by.. I'm sorry for not giving you credit, whoever you are. Anyways, here are my answers! Enjoy :)

Would you rather..

1. Read only trilogies or stand-alones?

I would rather read only trilogies, although this was a hard question but I enjoy living in the story more, and connecting with the characters on a more personal level. Don't get me wrong, I do love stand-alone novels, BUT I just fly through them too quickly..

2. Read only female or male authors?

I hate this question. Seriously though, why the discrimination? That's so mean. I must say that one should never pick his books by the author's gender but, most of my favorite books are by female authors so I'm going along with female.. it really aches me that I left out some good books by male authors but I had to choose. Sorry..

3. Shop at Barnes & Noble or Amazon?

Actually neither because I live in Egypt and it's like living in Narnia. I get to pay A LOT of money for shipping, therefore I get to buy my books from actual bookstores and online book shopping stores here in Egypt.

4. All books become movies or t.v. shows?

This one's also tough. I'd rather have all books become movies because I feel that tv shows can ruin a book for me, the longer the show gets the more off track you go from the book script so I'll go with movies BUT STICK WITH THE BOOK. ALWAYS.

5. Read 5 pages per day or 5 books per week?

Honestly, who would pick 5 pages a day? This would kill me. My curiosity won't allow this, I would rather make it through 5 books a week and I would actually LOVE that.


6. Be a professional reviewer or author?

My dream is to become a professional author, it's something I really aspire to become someday. At this very moment though, I'm content with reviewing books, I love doing that. It's a hard thing to do guys, leaving out the spoilers kill me every time.

7. Only read your top 20 favorite books over and over or always read new ones that you haven't read before?

I won't limit myself therefore I'd definitely only read new books that I haven't read before because honestly, I haven't read my favorite books more than once. I remember doing that once or twice but I don't like that. What if I reread it and hated it? I'd be too scared.

8. Be a librarian or book seller?

I'd rather be a bookseller. Imagine owning your own bookstore.. wow a dream come true

9. Only read your favorite genre, or every genre except your favorite?

Again with limiting myself, I hate it so I'd rather read every other genre except my favorite. Sorry YA, but I actually would experiment with more genres maybe then I'll fall in love with another genre that I didn't know I loved so much. Maybe? I'd like to think that. That question hurts.

10. Only read physical books or eBooks?


I shamefully read less physical books than ebooks. I know I'm bad, but they're just MUCH MORE CONVENIENT.. I'd hate for my book to be tossed around and to be taken everywhere I go and I love always having a book on me so ebooks are my main. Physical books are the bomb to own, imagine having a million physical books. That's the dream.. BUT the question says "read" not "own", so I'd own the physical copy and read the ebook. Yup, I'm sly.


So these are the questions to the tag, I hope you've enjoyed reading my answers and I'd like you to leave in the comments bellow your answers as well! I would love to read them and discuss them with you :)

Have a great day bookworms x