Book Review | Zac and Mia by A.J. Betts

Another book from my recent library excursion! So, I'd first like to say that this book is definitely not like The Fault in Our Stars, contrary to many people's initial opinion. Yes, Zac and Mia by A.J. Betts follows two kids with cancer. However, Zac and Mia's story greatly differs from Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters' tale.

Summary:
Zac is an expert on the c-word issue. He's been in and out of the hospital for awhile for

leukemia treatment in Perth, Australia. Then, one day, a loud blast of Lady Gaga from the room next door alerts Zac to Mia's presence. Angry, feisty, and pessimistic, Mia is a handful, especially for the nurses and doctors that are trying to treat her cancer. However, Zac feels drawn to her. Simultaneously, Mia finds something endearing about this pale boy. The two's love story unfolds in this tough, tender novel. The odds may be against them, but at least they've got each other.

First, I would just like to say how much I loved the fact that this book was set in Australia. I also really liked how Zac's family ran an olive farm. I just pictured a bunch of baby alpacas roaming the grounds.

Without a doubt, Zac was my favorite character. He was a fighter, through and through. He tried to remain upbeat and positive for some strange girl that he didn't know. I also enjoyed his subtle sense of humor. By the way, I pictured Zac as Charlie from Red Band Society. Man, I miss that TV show...

Mia irritated me from the start. Her attitude towards her mother got on my nerves. And her thing with Rhys? Please. She deserved so much better. I'm glad everything was sorted in the end. Mia was also incredibly too pessimistic. However, I sort of understood where she was coming from. But simultaneously, I got annoyed at Mia and her irrational behavior. Of course, I would say much, but I felt as if she acted so immature. Everything was resolved in the end, so I don't have too many complaints about Mia because she redeemed herself and all was well.

I felt that the plot was somewhat...forced? I know that sounds odd since books need a driving action in order for a plot to even begin to take place. However, I felt that some things were a bit unnecessary (*cough cough* Mia...). The plot didn't feel real to me at times. I don't really know how to describe it, except that I wasn't really impressed by a majority of this book. Yes, it was cute, but I merely felt lukewarm during most of the book. I wouldn't say that this book was disappointing because I really had no expectations, but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be.

The ending was a bit confusing for me. I felt as if the ending wasn't as clear cut as it should have been. However, I was glad that the author included an epilogue. I felt like the epilogue was the perfect ending to the story. It left me feeling happy and warm inside.

Zac and Mia isn't the greatest book that I've read, but it was sweet. I was a little unimpressed; however, I wasn't totally let down. I rated this book a 3/5 stars.

Book Review | No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown

I've been reading quite a lot lately, as you've probably seen from my previous reviews. Three books in three days, huh? I'm pretty proud of myself. One of the books I acquired from my recent library visit was another contemporary book: No Place to Fall by Jaye Robin Brown.

Summary:
Amber Vaughn is a good girl. She goes to church every Sunday, babysits her nephew, and hangs out

with her best friend Devon every Friday night. During the summer, Amber meets some hikers on the Appalachian trail, and she finally feels apart of a world that's bigger than her own. However, living in a small town like Sevenmile, it's hard to escape.

Then, Amber learns about an audition at North Carolina School of Arts. She knows that this school is the only ticket out of her small town. With the help of Devon's older brother Will, Amber might just get a shot at her dream.

But things aren't as clear cut as they seem. Amber's family has fallen on tough times, and Amber realizes that the decisions she makes affect everyone.

I hadn't heard much about this book. I saw it recommended on Pintrest since I'm constantly on Pintrest, looking for book recommendations. However, I was somewhat surprised by this book. It went further it to depth than I expected. This book focused a lot more on family aspects than I thought it would. I enjoyed the family aspect of this book since it was so unexpected. I liked the family dynamics, despite the fact that it was a little messed up. I liked Amber's family's imperfection, and I thought that their family's flaws made the book more realistic since no family is perfect by any means.

At first, No Place to Fall was hard for me to get into because of the southern "twang," and I found it hard to picture the setting because well, it's not what I'm used to. However, I ended up liking the southern-feel of the book. I thought it added to the book's dimension.

For me, Amber's character was a bit "eh," but I got used to her. She tried to do what was best, even though she made some dumb decisions. I really liked Devon's character because I though he was a good friend to Amber. I also really liked Cheerleader Amber. She was great, and I was glad that Amber didn't only have one best friend because I feel like that's a thing in young adult contemporaries where the protagonist only has, like, one friend.

The love dynamics in this book were a tad cliché, but I suppose that's what you would expect from a contemporary novel. Nonetheless, it was enjoyable. I liked Will and his easy-going character. It was sweet and cute, perfect for a contemporary novel.

I really enjoyed the ending. I thought that it wrapped up the story nicely. The ending gave me a satisfying feel, and I'm glad. I ended up giving this book a 3.25/5 stars. Originally, I awarded No Place to Fall a flat 3/5 stars, but the ending made me happy so I bumped up the rating a bit. I think this book is perfect for anyone who's up for a sweet, family-oriented contemporary novel.

Book Review | Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

In my 2015 Reading Wrap-Up, I talked about my newfound love for David Levithan. Like I mentioned in my last post (which was literally three hours before this one), I said I had visited the library. Along with checking out On the Fence by Kasie West, I also checked out Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan since I wanted to read more David Levithan. And I'm so glad that I did. David Levithan never ceases to amaze me with his stupendous writing skills.

Summary:
Paul, like any sophomore boy, is finding love to be difficult. But with the help of his friends Joni,

Tony, and Infinite Darlene, he just might manage to make it through the year with his heart unscathed.

But that's until Paul meets Noah. And Noah is the boy that just might change everything.

Gosh, I love David Levithan. Did I say that already? David Levithan just has a wonderful way with words. I thoroughly enjoyed Paul's character. He's intelligent and such a people-person. I also enjoyed his town and his high school, how they readily accept anything "different." Paul's friends were also great. Infinite Darlene had such a sparkily personality, and deep down, she was a good friend to Paul. Tony and Paul's friendship was beautiful and deep as well. I loved Tony's character development.

The story itself was beautiful It was also heart-warming and even made me laugh at times. I can't get enough of Levithan's witty humor. Boy Meets Boy is such an adorable story. I gave it a solid 4/5 stars.

Book Review | On the Fence by Kasie West

After exam week (giant groan), I decided I wanted some cute contemporaries to read. So I headed over to my local library and picked up some very cute, fluffy contemporaries. One of them was On the Fence by Kasie West. I had heard many good things about Kasie West. I had heard that her books were super cute, so I was excited to see that On the Fence was at my library.

Summary:
Charlie is a complete tomboy. Growing up with three brothers and raised by a single dad,

Charlie hasn't exactly been in touch with her "girly" side. But after getting another speeding ticket, Charlie's dad forces her to get a job. Charlie finds herself working at the last place she ever thought she would: a sparkly, fashion-filled, makeup-loving boutique. To her surprise, Charlie is beginning to actually enjoy her job. However, she feels as if she has to hide her newfound feminine side because she fears for her brothers' and dad's reaction.

Simultaneously, Charlie starts to develop some feelings for her neighbor and brother's best friend, Braden. Every time Charlie meets Braden for a late night chat by the fence, Charlie questions her feelings for him more and more.

Charlie needs to find the right balance between her double-life. But in the meantime, she'll probably just play a pick-up game of football.

I usually love cliché contemporaries. However, I found Charlie slightly annoying which made the book hard for me to read. Although I did relate  to Charlie's lack of emotions, I found it irritating, especially in the beginning (slight spoilers but that pick-up game with Dave...). In the end, Charlie's emotions were more rationalized so I was okay with them. I didn't love this book as much as I wanted to. There were some parts that were a little coincidental and made my eyes rolls a little (*ahem* the first meeting by the fence... it got better though!).

Despite the book's frustrating beginning, the ending was really fulfilling. All loose ends were tied, and Charlie sorted out her feelings. I also learned more about Charlie towards the end, and I really enjoyed learning about her past. Overall, I gave this book a 2.95/5 stars, but since I'm feeling generous, I gave it more of a 3/5 stars.

Goodbye Alan Rickman

Today is such a sad day. As everyone on the internet has heard, Alan Rickman died at the age of 69 in London. Apparently, he was surrounded by friends and family. Rickman died of cancer. Like many fans, I wish his family the best and hope they are okay. Also like many fans, I am terribly upset. My mom told me that people die all the time. Yes, but Alan Rickman will be missed...

Alan Rickman was a phenomenal actor who deserves all of the praise. Of course, my favorite role of his was Severus Snape. I firmly believe there is no other actor who could have portrayed Snape like Alan Rickman did.

Although this post is short, I just wanted to make a simple tribute to an amazing man who will be dearly missed.

Rest in peace, Alan Rickman. My thoughts are with the Rickman family.

Wands raised to you, Alan Rickman.

Book Review | The Rose Society by Marie Lu

I finally got around to reading The Rose Society by Marie Lu. A few months ago (or possibly a year ago), I read the first book in Marie Lu's fantasy series, The Young Elites. If you're familiar with Marie Lu, you might know that she wrote the Legend trilogy. I absolutely loved that trilogy. And, not surprisingly, I love The Young Elites series/trilogy (I'm not too sure yet).

Summary:
The Rose Society is the sequel to The Young Elites so I won't give you a summary of the second book. Instead, I'll give a summary of the first book, The Young Elites. The Young Elites takes place in a world where a deadly blood fever has broken out. Those who have been ill and survived have been forever marked and are known as malfettos. Some of these malfettos have special powers. Those chosen malfettos are called Young Elites. Adelina Amouterou is a malfetto and has been marked by the fever with pale hair and a scar on her eye. She escapes the wrath of her father and encounters the Dagger Society, a group of Young Elites. Adelina questions whether she can be a member of the Daggers while trying to suppress her growing dark side.

I apologize the summary wasn't as good as it could have been. However, I hope it was still informative. The Rose Society picks up right where the first book ended. It focused a lot on Adelina's character as she uncovered the darkness within her. I absolutely loved this book. Although I forgot most of what happened in the first book, I still found the story to be extremely fast-paced and interesting. The novel was written like it was meant to be a movie, much like how the Legend trilogy is. I thoroughly enjoyed Adelina's character, despite the fact that she is very dark. She's more of an anti-hero, and I found that refreshing.

Overall, I rate this book a 4/5 stars. The main reason that I didn't give it a 5/5 stars is that I wasn't absolutely blown away, even though I really enjoyed this book. I will definitely be continuing with this trilogy (series?) since I believe the third book should be coming out soon-ish.

I hope you check this book out! Happy reading!

Book Review | Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid

Yesterday, I read my first book of 2016. How exciting! I read Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid. Last year, I read Alsaid's other book Let's Get Lost. I adored Let's Let Lost. In fact, it made my Top 15 Books of 2015 list. Sadly, my love for Alsaid's new book is not as strong. Actually, I found this book to be a disappointment.

Summary:
Never Always Sometimes follows Julia and Dave who have been best friends for about five years. The summer before their freshmen year of high school, they decide to make a list of all of the things they will never do in high school to avoid being unoriginal and a cliché. Then, in their senior year, the two decide to complete everything they swore they would never do.

I thought that this book sounded very cool before I read it. The summary intrigued me, and I expected cool road trips and crazy but exciting tasks that the duo would need to accomplish to cross it off their Nevers List. However, I was let down. I expected a more thrilling adventure, but the only adventure that was in the book was basically mediocre. The plot ended up being just meh for me instead of whoo yeah!, if you know what I mean.

In addition to the uneventful plotline, I found the character Julia to be slightly irritating at times. Occasionally, I thought she was fun and exciting. In Dave's point of view, he painted Julia as a beautiful and spontaneous girl who was always ready for something fun. But as the story progressed, I thought that Julia was actually really immature. She was supposed to be a senior in high school but she acted more like a freshman. Julia didn't know how to handle her feelings at times, and I found that frustrating. On the other hand, I happened to really enjoy Dave's character. I was rooting more for him and his happiness than Julia's. (Although in the end, I was kind of rooting for Julia too.) Dave was kind and a little awkward, but he was a great friend to Julia.

The ending was the reason why I ended up giving this book a solid 3/5 stars on Goodreads instead of maybe a 2.85/5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed the conclusion. The novel ended almost exactly how I wanted it to. The ending turned out to be slightly unexpected, shying away from the stereotypical conclusion I had originally imagined.

As I previously stated, I gave Adi Alsaid's contemporary novel Never Always Sometimes a 3/5 stars. Even though this book was somewhat a disappointment, it was still a quick read and pretty enjoyable. On to my next read of 2016! Hopefully it'll be better...

Happy reading!
Kellie

2015 Reading Wrap-Up

Happy New Year! I can't wrap my mind around the fact that it's 2016. Crazy, huh? 2015 was a fantastic reading month for me. I completed my challenge of reading 70 books and ended up reading 81 books (four of which were re-reads). I'm sincerely hoping that 2016 will be even better! I'm aiming to read closer to ninety books, but we'll see what the future holds.

However, I do want to wrap-up my reading year for 2015. One of my resolutions is to blog more since I really do love it. I want to really develop my blog and post as often as I can. This is the start of many more days of blogging!

As I stated before, I read so many amazing books in 2015. I plan on uploading a video of my favorite books of 2015 (you can watch it here when it goes live). But there were of course some disappointments in my reading. My most disappointing book of 2015 was Doon by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon. Doon follows these two best friends who enter the magical world of Doon. I'm sure you can find a Goodreads synopsis since the exact details escape me at the moment. I heard many great things about Doon so I was excited to pick it up for my BookInvaders Book Club. However, I was thoroughly disappointed. The book was written as if it were directed toward preteens instead of young adults. The romance was rushed (insta-love anyone?) and I felt little to no connection to the characters. As much as I wanted to love the book and become entranced by the world of Doon, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Sadly, Doon, you were a disappointment.

Next up in my reading wrap-up for 2015 I'm going to be talking about the prettiest book cover of all the books I acquired this year. I also happened to have read this book, so bonus points for me! This book is Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon. Nicola Yoon happens to also be a debut author for the year of 2015. I thoroughly enjoyed Everything Everything. It tells the story of a girl named Madeleine who is allergic to everything and cannot leave her home. One day, a family moves in next door and Maddie is absolutely taken by the boy, Olly. The story was really fun and cut, not to mention there were awesome illustrations. Congratulations, Everything Everything, you were the prettiest book I acquired in 2015.

I'd like to also award my favorite manga to Ouran High School Host Club. I swear, I'll never shut up about this series. I love it with all my heart. Ouran follows the story of Haruhi Fujioka who attends Ouran Academy on scholarship. One day, she enters Music Room 3 and encounters the Ouran High School Host Club (I've heard host clubs are popular in Japan). Haruhi accidentally knocks over a very expensive vase and must repay her debt to the club by becoming a host. This series if filled with ridiculous antics and loveable characters. 10/10.

Since I talk about Ouran so much, I'd like to give a runner-up to my favorite manga. It seems only fair, ya know? So I'm giving my runner-up spot to The Legend of Arslan by Yoshiki Tanaka and Hiromu Arakawa. I believe Arslan is strictly a manga series so the award is fitting. The Legend of Arslan is about this boy named Arslan who is son to the king. There is a war going on and Arslan must learn how to defend his kingdom. However, there are betrayals that force Arslan to flee from his home. I found this newly released series interesting. It's a nice blend of medieval times and newly created ideas. I hope to see more of it in the New Year (since it is unfinished as of now).

Next, I'd like to name my favorite re-read of 2015. I did a lot more re-reading this year than I did last year. So that award goes to *drum roll please* Cinder by Marissa Meyer! Basically the entire Lunar Chronicles series before Winter. I re-read the series in preparation for Winter (which I still have not read yet... I know, shameful). I fell in love with this amazing series all over again. It was beautiful, really.

Lastly, I would like to reward my favorite author of 2015. I read quite a few debut authors this year (maybe like two, but who's counting?) and would like to honor them in my little blog post. So, my favorite author of 2015 is David Levithan. Prior to this year, I've only read one book that Levithan had a stake in and that was Will Grayson, Will Grayson which was co-written by Levithan and John Green. This year, however, I read three books by Levithan. Two of those books were also co-written by Levithan but still.... I extremely enjoyed Levithan's writing and the story he fabricates with his intelligent language. I hope to read more of his books in the new year.

I suppose that wraps up this post! Happy New Year, everyone. I hope 2016 is good to you and your reading.

Thanks for reading!
Kellie