Review: The Survival Kit by Francesca Freitas

Title: The Survival Kit
Author: Donna Freitas

My Rating: ★★★★☆
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction
Published October 11th 2011 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Format Read: Hardcover, 351 pages
Goodreads/Amazon/Book Depository

Description from Goodreads

When Rose’s mom dies, she leaves behind a brown paper bag labeled Rose’s Survival Kit. Inside the bag, Rose finds an iPod, with a to-be-determined playlist; a picture of peonies, for growing; a crystal heart, for loving; a paper star, for making a wish; and a paper kite, for letting go.

As Rose ponders the meaning of each item, she finds herself returning again and again to an unexpected source of comfort. Will is her family’s gardener, the school hockey star, and the only person who really understands what she’s going through. Can loss lead to love?

My Review:

I'm not sure why I'm so interested in reading books about death and loss. Maybe it's because I've never experienced the loss a loved one, and so I want to know and understand what it's like. However, I don't think I fully understand it yet, and I don't know how I'll react if something that horrible ever happens to me. But I've read and loved a couple of novels that portray honest emotional responses to loss, and I've just added The Survival Kit to that list of wonderful books, because this novel is simply beautiful. It's sweet and I really, really enjoyed reading it.

I liked that Rose's mom leaved her a 'survival kit' to help her go through her loss and grief. I liked that each item in the survival kit eventually helped Rose during hard moments, and that Rose knew exactly when she had to use them.

The beginning of the book was really slow, the first chapters were like an introduction to either the objects in Rose's survival kit or the characters, but thankfully around 60 pages or so a few interesting stuff began to happen. Although I usually don't like reading slow-paced books, I liked how The Survival Kit took its time to talk about Rose and what was going on with her. I got to know her really well which is why I ended up deeply caring for her; I believe I wouldn't have loved this book as much as I did if it just gave me a glimpse of her life.

After her mom's death, Rose finally acknowledged Will, and the two just clicked. They realized that they understood each other really well, so they became good friends and then more than friends. But since things were going so smoothly between the two of them, I already knew that there would be a little bit of drama towards the end.

Will is an okay love interest. Well, maybe he's more than okay. I really like that he's mature and responsible, and I totally get why Rose is so into him. He's an amazing hockey player and he's got the looks and all. But when he did this huge mistake I was like:

How can you not care Will???

I really enjoyed the book though. The ending was so beautiful, and I love how the author listed all the songs on Rose's playlist at the end of the book.

Review + Giveaway! Unrequited | Girl Meets Boy Band by Emma Gray

 Full tour schedule here.

Hi, there! I haven't been very active this week, but I promise I'll reply to all your comments and visit your blogs.

I have a blog tour scheduled for today. Read my review below and enter the giveaway!

Unrequited

by Emma Grey
My Rating: ★★★★☆ (more like 3.5)
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Music, Romance
Release Date:  May 26th 2014
Format Read: Ebook, YA Bound Books BT

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

Description from Goodreads

Give her 5 Seconds of Summer. Now.

Or maybe the seriously-hot med student who rescued her on a train—and who could be Douglas Booth's twin! Perfect formal partner, much?

But when Kat comes face to face with Angus Marsden himself, things start to get complicated. Very. Throw in a deranged female popstar, final exams, a part in the musical and a mum who just doesn't get it—and where is her best friend?

When did life get so crazy? Kat's just an ordinary schoolgirl.

Isn't she?

My Thoughts:

I had so much fun reading this book! I've read novels about celebrities and actors, but I haven't read any book about a boy band before! Needless to say that I enjoyed this book very much. It does have its negative points, but we'll get to that later.

First let's talk about how cool this book is! OMG. The coincidences that occur in Unrequited are so improbable to happen in real life; there are stuff that would happen only in some crazy fangirls' dreams, and that's why I think this book is so fun to read. (Warning: Don't expect the story to be realistic, because you'll only be disappointed.) I can't help but compare Unrequited to a shoujo manga, because it's full of those cliches that are very common in shoujo. And I believe that this book would be an AMAZING shoujo manga, if it were ever made into one.

While I was reading this book, I spent most of the time fangirling. I enjoyed reading it also because I kept my sister updated with what was happening with Kat, Angus, Joel and Sarah. And obviously we both fangirled together. (Yep. That's what sisters are for. =D)

Although it seems like I overly enjoyed reading this novel, there are things I want to complain about. Firstly I think that the book started off really, really well, but towards the end it lost its spark. At first it was very addicting with lots of moments that made me grin like an idiot, but then the story became predictable, and I knew exactly how it would end which was a little bit boring. Also, the lyrics of the songs in this book aren't that good, and I didn't like any of them except for Somehow. Nevertheless, I still had so much fun reading this book. However, I believe I would have enjoyed Unrequited a lot more, if the author managed to keep the spark till the very end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves 1D or any other boy band, especially to those who love to fangirl!

Read the first three chapters at: www.unrequited.com.au

About the Author
Emma Grey has two teenage girls, a three-year-old boy, a couple of businesses and another teen novel in the pipeline. Her first book, 'Wits' End Before Breakfast! Confessions of a Working Mum' was published in 2005.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Blog Tour Organized by YA Bound Book Tours

Review: Of Scars and Stardust by Andrea Hannah

Title: Of Scars and Stardust

Author: Andrea Hannah

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Genres: YA, Thriller
Release Date: October 8th 2014 by Flux
Format Read: eARC via NetGalley

Description from Goodreads

After her little sister mysteriously vanishes, seventeen-year-old Claire Graham has a choice to make: stay snug in her little corner of Manhattan with her dropout boyfriend, or go back to Ohio to face the hometown tragedy she's been dying to leave behind.

But the memories of that night still haunt her in the city, and as hard as she tries to forget what her psychiatrist calls her "delusions," Claire can't seem to escape the wolf's eyes or the blood-speckled snow. Delusion or reality, Claire knows she has to hold true to the most important promise she's ever made: to keep Ella safe. She must return to her sleepy hometown in order to find Ella and keep her hallucinations at bay before they strike again. But time is quickly running out, and as Ella's trail grows fainter, the wolves are becoming startlingly real.

Now Claire must deal with her attraction to Grant, the soft-spoken boy from her past that may hold the secret to solving her sister's disappearance, while following the clues that Ella left for only her to find. Through a series of cryptic diary entries, Claire must unlock the keys to Ella's past—and her own—in order to stop another tragedy in the making, while realizing that not all things that are lost are meant to be found.

Review:

Gosh, it took me so long to read this book! When I was halfway through it, there was a part of me that wanted to quit and mark it as DNF, but I kept reading because I hardly ever give up on books. I struggled a lot to get myself into the story. The book started right away with the mystery of the wolves' existence, and I kept wondering whether they truly existed, because Claire certainly believed they did. There were times when I thought that maybe she was really crazy and imagining things, but then again I wasn't sure what to believe. I liked that it kept me guessing, and I think it was A LITTLE BIT intriguing, but most of the time I felt that it was tiring. I was bored for the most part, and to be honest I skipped a few pages of this book just to get it over with. I have little patience with slow placing books, so I don't know how I even managed to read this till the very end.

Claire was such a confusing character, as the narrator she didn't tell the story clearly. She didn't give you the details and the facts, because she had difficulty in remembering things? Maybe it was done to build up the tension and suspense, but it didn't work for me.

I was expecting this book to be about Claire's venture to find her sister Ella, but the story ended up to be a totally different one. I usually like reading unusual books, but that didn't happen with Of Scars and Stardust. I didn't like that there were so many loopholes, and the ending! It was so frustrating! In the end we did get the truth behind the wolves' existence, but I hated that it didn't explain what happened to the other characters.

Overall, I didn't enjoy reading this book at all. Although I found it a little bit interesting, I was confused and bored most of the time. The main character was annoying, and I hated that the story wasn't well told.

Bookish Outfits: Lola and The Boy Next Door

Bookish Outfits is a feature here @ Jiha's File where I share outfit ideas inspired by books! So, for today's post I want to share two outfits that are inspired by Lola Nolan.

Synopsis from Goodreads

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the negihborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My thoughts:
- I truly hate Max. ARGH Why is he such a jerk!
- I love Cricket! Well, that's to be expected. I usually fall for the bad boy, but Cricket's good-guy nature is very cute and adorable.
- Lola is a one of a kind. She has a unique sense of fashion and I like that she doesn't want to blend in. She isn't perfect and she makes mistakes just like any other person.
- Lola's parents are unusual and very overprotective, but I think they're cool.

The Strawberry Outfit.

"Today I'm a strawberry. A sweet red dress from the fifties, a long necklace of tiny black beads, and a dark green wig cut into a severe Louise Brooks bob."

The Picnic Outfit.

"I settle on a similarly checked red-and-white halter dress, which I made from an actual picnic blanket for the last Fourth of July. I add bright red lipstick and tiny ant-shaped earrings for theme, and my big black platform boots because walking will be involved."

 

 I think these are cute outfits, but not something I would wear.

  Have you read Lola and The Boy Next Door? Did you like it? What do you think of the outfits?

Review: Prompossible Plans by Laura Pauling

Title: Prompossible Plans

Author: Laura Pauling

Series: Prom Impossible #1.5

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

Genres: YA, Contemporary

Publication: August 2014 by Redpoint Press

Format Read: eARC provided by the Author

Goodreads

Description from Goodreads

Prompossible Plans: the guys have their say.

Follow Cassidy’s senior year from the perspective of Zeke, Jasper, and Michael as they fight their own battles, make mistakes, and fall in love with the same girl. 

Look for Covert Kissing in the fall of 2014!

My Thoughts

After reading Prom Impossible (read my review here) I wanted to know more about the three guys who got involved with the cute, rambling and delusional Cassidy. And when the author asked me to review Prompossible Plans, a companion novella told from the guys' perspective, I was more than happy to read it!

Zeke, Jasper and Michael have their say in this novella; it was nice to learn about their background, and without any doubts Zeke was my favorite of the trio. He was the only one who truly wanted to get to know Cassidy, and even though he was afraid to end up in jail like his dad, I don't think that will be his fate. As for Jasper, he surprised me with his big brother role. I didn't expect him to have that sweet and tender side, and I think that he could have been a great, great guy if he wasn't too proud and full of himself. Lastly there was Michael, who was my least favorite of the three. He ignored Cassidy the whole year, and suddenly the day of prom he saw the light and realized that she was the one? Nope. Just no. He was so annoying and foolish, and I truly didn't like him.

I also had an issue with the story; I didn't like how it was divided into three parts, each one told by a different character. I think I would have enjoyed Prompossible Plans more if the narrator varied from chapter to chapter.

From the way the story is going, it seems like Jasper and Michael will do anything to win Cassidy's heart, but I truly hope Cassidy doesn't mess up her relationship with Zeke! Now I'm both curious and anxious to read what will happen in Covert Kissing!

I received a copy of Prompossible Plans from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Other books from the series

Review: Aspen by Rebekah Crane

Title: Aspen
Author: Rebekah Crane
My Rating: ★★★★★
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Publication: June 5th 2014 by In This Together Media
Format Read: eARC via NetGalley
Goodreads/Amazon/Book Depository

Description from Goodreads

One quiet night in Boulder, Colorado, Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor made a mistake.

In the next instant, her life changed forever.

Aspen doesn't want to remember the car accident that killed Katelyn Ryan, a sleek-haired popular soccer player. But forgetting is hard-- because Katelyn may have died -- but she didn't leave. Her ghost is following Aspen around, and heading into senior year, it's kind of a problem. Especially when Katelyn's former boyfriend Ben appears to be the only person at school with a clue as to how Aspen feels. 

Popularity, Homecoming Court, hot guys - none of these things ever mattered to Aspen. She's been busy trying to keep her stoner mother Ninny in line and out of unemployment. But with Ben sitting next to her in Physics and her therapist begging her to remember all the things she wants to forget, Aspen is thrust into a vivid, challenging world she can't control ... and doesn't want to. 

A darkly funny, emotionally gripping story of opening up, letting go, and moving on, Aspen is about the best-worst accident of your life ... and what comes next.

My Review:

I love this book! I love this book so much that I bought a copy of it. I wanted to have Aspen on my bookshelf so badly, and wasn't able to resist the urge to purchase it. 

At first I thought this was going to be the usual sweet book that you read for fun, like most contemporaries, but it turned out to be meaningful and much deeper than I expected. I don't want to give away too much, so I'll keep this short: the narrator is Aspen, a teenage girl, who gets involved in a car accident. Fortunately, she survives with minor injures, but Katelyn doesn't; the most popular girl in school is dead, and Aspen has to live with all the guilt.

Aspen is a very honest girl, but she is hiding something from everyone and even from herself. I like the fact that she is just like most teenage girls who hate their own hair and have their own issues. She has flaws and that made her real and someone I could easily relate to. I truly loved Aspen; she is quirky and has a great sense of humor. Reading about her struggles, as she tries to deal with everything after the accident, was a very emotional experience for me.

Another character I really enjoyed is Ninny, Aspen's mom. Ninny is a free being who doesn't want to fit into society's expectations. I think she is a very cool person, but she isn't doing a wonderful job as a mom; she's not the responsible type, and most of the time it's Aspen playing the role of "the mom" and Ninny being the irresponsible teenager. Even though they have this unusual kind of relationship, I like that Aspen accepts her mom for what she is. And I think it's fun to have a mom like Ninny once in a while, because unlike most parents, she doesn't pressure you into doing anything.

I've grown to care for everyone in this book, and that's the best part of Aspen; it succeeds in drawing you in with the characters and their lives. Aspen is truly a brilliant narrator, even though she's going through lots of heavy stuff and the guilt is almost eating her alive, she doesn't cease to smile and have fun.

I think this book is realistic. It's very touching, and it made me cry, but I loved that it's beautifully balanced with lots of humor.

When I requested Aspen on NetGalley, I didn't expect it to have a great impact on me, and when my copy arrives I think I'm going to read it again. I highly recommend it!

Review: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Genres: YA, Contemporary
Published August 13th 2013 by Hachette Audio
Format read: Audiobook, SYNC
Goodreads/Amazon/Audible/Book Depository

Description from Goodreads:

How would you spend your birthday if you knew it would be your last?

Eighteen-year-old Leonard Peacock knows exactly what he'll do. He'll say goodbye.

Not to his mum - who he calls Linda because it annoys her - who's moved out and left him to fend for himself. Nor to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing the unthinkable. But to his four friends: a Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour, a teenage violin virtuoso, a pastor's daughter and a teacher.

Most of the time, Leonard believes he's weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he's not. He wants to thank them, and say goodbye.

My Review:

I'm not sure how I feel about this book, but I think I kinda liked it, so I'll give it a 3 stars.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is about Leonard, a teenage guy, who delivers presents to his "friends" on his eighteenth birthday, before he goes to kill his former best friend and then himself.

Leonard is a very strange character. He's pessimistic and sharp, and the way he sees life has made me think a lot, which I believe is the reason why I kept putting this book down. Also, he can be irritating sometimes, and I have to say that I really got annoyed with certain things he said. At first I thought he was being overly dramatic, and I found it hard to relate to his overwhelming feelings. However, I was also curious to know more about him; I wanted to know why he felt the way he felt, and to fully understand why he was so negative about life and his future. And when I finally understood, I truly felt sad for him. I think he is a very complex character. And although I didn't like him at first, as the story progressed he grew on me and won me over.

One thing I really liked about this book was reading about Leonard's inner struggle. He was determined to accomplish his mission, but I kept noticing that he was constantly looking for "excuses" to do otherwise. This fact was what made me think that maybe there is still hope for him.

The side characters were interesting enough, but Herr Silverman was the only one I ended up liking; I wish I had a teacher like him, but I think he's too good to be true.

The ending. Well, I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. <spoiler>I want to know what happens with the characters</spoiler> so I'm disappointed with how the story ended, but at the same time I think the ending was beautiful. So, like I said, I'm very confused.

The audiobook. The narrator did a good enough job narrating the story. I think his voice was a bit harsh, but it suited Leonard's personality well; it didn't bother me so much, and after a few chapters I got used to it. What I didn't like, though, was that I often got confused with the characters because the narrator's voice didn't vary much. Overall, I think it was a decent performance.

Review: Sealed with a Kiss by Rachael Lucas

Title: Sealed with a Kiss 

Author: Rachael Lucas

My Rating: ★★★★☆

Genres: Women's fiction, Chick Lit

Published May 8th 2014

Format: Paperback, Won

Goodreads/Amazon/Book Depository

Description from Goodreads:

* The Top Ten Kindle bestseller, now with brand NEW material! *

Kate is dumped on her best friend's wedding day by the world's most boring boyfriend, Ian. She's mostly cross because he got in first - until she remembers she's now homeless as well as jobless. Rather than move back home to her ultra-bossy mother, Kate takes a job on the remote Scottish island of Auchenmor as an all-round Girl Friday. Her first day is pretty much a disaster: she falls over, smack bang at the feet of her grouchy new boss, Roddy, Laird of the Island. Unimpressed with her townie ways, he makes it clear she's got a lot to prove.

Island life has no room for secrets, but prickly Roddy's keeping something to himself. When his demanding ex girlfriend appears back on the island, Kate's budding friendship with her new boss comes to an abrupt end. What is Fiona planning - and can she be stopped before it's too late?

This funny, big-hearted novel is the perfect read for fans of Carole Matthews, Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde.

My Review:

Sealed with a Kiss follows Kate, a woman who has always chosen the "easy option"; she settles down with a guy (Ian) out of convenience, and not because she has affectionate feelings for him. And when her relationship went downhill, she grabs the opportunity to escape to a remote Scottish island, and figure out where to go from there.

Kate is an adorable character. I like that she's silly in a cute way, but doesn't make stupid choices. She has a really tender and sweet personality which makes it easy for you to adore her. On the other hand we have Roderick who's another character I really loved; he is Kate's employer, and the owner of the island. He's a gorgeously handsome guy who has lots of responsibility thrust upon him, and I love how he and Kate work together to save the decaying island.

As you can deduce from the title and the beautiful cover, this book focuses on the romance. But unlike other novels with a not so believable insta-love, Sealed with a Kiss has a slow building romance. It takes things really slowly, and makes you savour every moment. I've lost count on how many times I re-read some parts and dialogues because they were extremely romantic, and made me smile.

The setting is wonderful, the book beautifully describes Scotland in its winter glory. I can imagine myself in one of those cottages with a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. *Sigh*

This book makes you feel warm inside, and I'd say it's a great book to read during winter holidays.

Review: Marionette by T.B. Markinson

Title: Marionette
Author: T.B. Markinson
My Rating: ★★★★★
Genres: YA, LGBT, Contemporary
Published November 7th 2013
Format: Ebook, 255 pages
Copy provided by Author

Description from Goodreads

Paige Alexander is seventeen and has her whole life in front of her. One day her girlfriend comes home to discover that Paige has slit her wrists. Paige isn't insane, but she acts like she is. Why? 

After the incident, Paige agrees to go to therapy to appease her girlfriend, Jess. However, Paige doesn't believe that therapy will help her. She believes she’s beyond help. Paige doesn't want to find herself and she doesn't want to relive her painful past in order to come to terms with it. What Paige wants is control over her life, which she hasn't had since her birth. 

During her childhood, Paige is blamed for a family tragedy, when in fact, her twin sister, Abbie was responsible. Abbie doesn't come forward and Paige becomes the pariah of the family. 

To add to Paige’s woes, while attending a college in a small town in Colorado, the residents are in the midst of debating whether or not gays and lesbians should have equal rights. Tension is high and there’s a threat of violence. She isn't out of the closet and pretends to be straight at school since she fears what will happen if her parents find out she’s a lesbian. Will she end up dead like her best friend, Alex?

My Review

Marionette is not type of book I usually pick up. To be honest, I've never been interested in LGBT books, and must confess that this is the first one I've ever read. The author requested to review it, and I happily accepted since I haven't read any book that discusses homosexuality. However, it took me some time to get in the mood to read it.

Marionette tells the story of Paige Alexander, a young college student, who has always hidden the fact that she's gay; not because she's ashamed of it, but because she fears that her parents will find out. She has a hard time dealing with her childhood trauma; her controlling father and evil mother see her as a possession, a thing they can bend to their own will. Furthermore, her twin sister doesn't seem to care about her at all. The story is told from Paige's point of view, and gets us involved as we follow her around, and see how she deals with with all the issues in her life.

Paige is a very pleasant narrator. She is sarcastic, and has a great sense of humor. She isn't very open with people, and doesn't make much conversation with those who are out of her inner circle of friends. So, it was really entertaining to read whatever was going on in that little brain of hers. She is a very complex and interesting character which is why I enjoyed Marionette so much! Initially, I didn't understand why she attempted suicide, but as I learned more about her past, everything brilliantly clicked into place!

Although she has grown neglected by her parents, Paige does have Jess and some friends who truly care about her. Jess is Paige's girlfriend, and is a very lively and loving person. Unlike Paige, she doesn't hide the fact that she's gay; on the contrary, she passionately fights for gay rights. I love their relationship! The author beautifully conveys their feelings for each other without focusing on the physical aspect. Aside from Paige and Jess, the other characters are notable and I feel that their vitality is what made this book really fun to read!

Overall, I really loved this book! It discussed a lot of deep topics, but still managed to make me laugh. It wasn't too serious, and had tons of hilarious parts that kept me from being bored. The main character had so many issues, but I've grown to care for her. If you're looking for an issue book that doesn't take things too seriously then you should read it!

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Inked Armor by Helena Hunting

Title: Inked Armor
Author: Helena Hunting
Series: Clipped Wings book 2
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Published March 4th 2014
Genres: NA, Contemporary
Format Read: eARC, NetGalley

Description from Goodreads

In this follow-up to Clipped Wings, the emotional love story continues between Hayden and Tenley; two young people who desperately want to love and be loved but are afraid to completely let go of their pasts.

In the wake of losing Tenley Page, tattooist Hayden Stryker's tumultuous past is haunting him. Plagued by nightmares about the murder of his parents, Hayden reaches out again to Tenley. Having run from the man she doesn't believe she deserves, Tenley finally lays her guilt to rest. Despite their intense physical attraction, Hayden and Tenley struggle to repair their fragile emotional connection. As Hayden gets closer to the truth, he must find a way to reconcile his guilt over his parents' death in order to keep the woman who finally cracked his armor, and found her way into his heart.

My Review

The ending of Clipped Wings was heartbreaking, so I had to pick up Inked Armor almost immediately, to know what happened next. I felt so bad for Hayden, Tenley left him without any explaination, and didn't even say goodbye! Needless to say that he didn't take it well.

The book started with Tenley still in Arden Hills, taking care of Connor's estate while Hayden was falling apart, thinking that she would never come back to Chicago. I was really impatient for Tenley to figure things out, so that she could go back to Hayden, and I think that if she'd known that he was ruining himself, she wouldn't have stayed away for so long. When Tenley finally decided to return to Chicago, things didn't go as she expected. There was no happy reunion and everything started badly, and I feared that it would take Hayden and Tenley forever to work out their already-fragile relationship. 

In Inked Armor both characters were more confused than ever. Hayden was on the edge most of the time, and just snapped at everyone. Tenley was still dealing with her past, and occasionally had mood swings. But thankfully, even with all the complications in their life, the two characters were more open with each other, and really tried to work things out.

Unlike Clipped Wings, Inked Armor didn't focus much on the tattoos. There was a mystery aspect in the story, though, which I really liked; it kept me intrigued and eager to continue reading. After I finished Clipped Wings, I felt that some things were left hanging, for instance, there were unresolved issues between Cross and Hayden. So, I expected to see more of Cross in Inked Armor, and I also suspected him to play the part of the villain who would, somehow, separate Hayden and Tenley from each other. But surprisingly, it didn't turned out as I expected, things were more complicated than I thought, and I'm glad that the story wasn't that predictable.

Overall, I have to say that I enjoyed this book more than Clipped Wings. Tenley and Hayden were more open to each other, and I liked how their characters grew as they finally learned to cope with their past. 

I don't know if this is the last book in the series, I think that there's a possibility for the story to go on. And if there will be a third book I will defintely read it!

Review: Clipped Wings by Helena Hunting

Title: Clipped Wings
Author: Helena Hunting
Series: Clipped Wings book 1
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Published March 4th 2014
Genres: NA, Contemporary
Format Read: eARC, NetGalley

Description from Goodreads

An emotional love story that follows the touch-and-go relationship of Hayden and Tenley; two young people who desperately want to love and be loved but are afraid to completely let go of their pasts.

As Hayden and Tenley navigate their newfound but slightly unstable relationship, they want to trust each other, but Hayden is hiding a dark and shameful past that he doesn't ever want Tenley to find out about. And Tenley has secrets of her own that could make Hayden run away forever. When Tenley asks Hayden to put a beautifully elaborate tattoo across her back, the two form what they thought was an unshakeable bond. But when Tenley's past shows up on her doorstep, will Hayden stand by her side...or run?

My Review

I've read so many good things about this book especially from Ella (The Filipina Booknote), so I decided to give it a shot even though I'm not a big fan of the NA genre. The premise of the book didn't truly intrigue me, and if it hadn't been for Ella's lovely review, I wouldn't have read Clipped Wings. So, definitely go check out her review!

This book is about two broken souls, Hayden and Tenley. They both want to be with each other, but it's really hard for them to open up and start a new relationship because they're hunted by their dreadful past.

Both characters are full of complexity. Hayden is a tattoo artist who may look intimidating because of all his tattoos, but when you get to know him better, you learn that he isn't a bad person. I like how this book focuses a lot on the tattoos. I've always thought that tattoos were just a type of art that you put on your skin, and I've never really gave much importance to why people put them on their body which was really silly of me. So, I really like how, for Hayden, the tattoos are more than body art, and that they have a significant meaning to him. He had a really dark past, which was unfolded as the story went on, and I liked that he could still be cute even with everything he'd been through. On the other hand, Tenley has just experienced a tragedy, and she blames no one but herself for what happened to her. So, she lived alone, pushing everyone away.  But when she met Hayden she was instantly attracted to him, and she realized that she craved to be near someone, and that she was done with being by herself.

People say that opposites attract each other, well, that's not quite the case with Hayden and Tenley. They have a lot of things in common, they are both filled with pain and guilt, and I think that's why they are drawn to each other. Well, aside from the physical attraction. Initially the two were awkward towards each other, but after a month or so of stolen glances, self awareness and burning curiosity, they finally gave in. 

Although I think Clipped Wings tells a really great and engaging story, I had some minor issues with it. The first is that I couldn't relate to the two main characters because I  haven't gone through anything so horrible in my life. I have never felt the deep feelings of loss and guilt that Hayden and Tenley experienced, and I can only be grateful for my bright and happy childhood. The other thing, is that I was a bit annoyed by Tenley. I didn't like the choices she made, and if I were her I would have done things differently. I get that it's hard for her to share her past, but I seriously wanted her to trust Hayen. 

Overall, I really liked Clipped Wings. The phasing was perfect, and I easily got involved with the characters. There are a few sex scenes which I skipped because I don't feel comfortable reading explicit scenes in general, and I'm glad I was able to enjoy the story even without reading those parts. The book ends with a cliff hanger, so I'm really curious to read the Inked Armour to know what happens next. 

Review: White Girl Problems by Tara Brown

Title: White Girl Problems

Author: Tara Brown

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★☆ 

Genre: YA, Contemporary

Published: December 14th 2013

Format: Kindle, 267 pages

Description from Goodreads

Why did the white girl cross the road... 

When a severely drunk and slightly drugged Finley Roze slipped into a hospital bed, she never imagined it would start her on a path to meeting the man of her dreams. Mostly because she didn't believe in the man of her dreams, what seventeen year old even thinks of that?

But when Aiden Sorenson turns out to be Mr. Right everything else ends up being wrong, including Finley's family history.

But what is an average teenage girl if she isn't resilient, stubborn, and charming when she needs to be?

Don't miss this True Love Story, AKA fairy tale romance.

Just don't tell Finley.

My Review:

I knew when I set eyes on this book that I had to read it. The title is so eye-catching, and it instantly attracted me. I think the title alone, will easily compel any other reader to read this book.

Sometimes I take too many selfies and I don't know which one I should post, and I want to post them all, but then I don't want to look narcissistic. 

The protagonist, Finley, is 17 and a drama queen who's obsessed with instagram, twitter and basically any kind of social network. She tells lies, talks in circles, and is the typical spoiled and stubborn teenage girl. Now, I know she sounds like an awful character, and to be honest I hated her at first. But then she gradually changes, and when I realized that she's just another confused soul I started to like her. But it takes her a while to get her act together, and I suppose she would have never changed if her father hadn't sent her away. I think her friends are a really bad influence, and her evil stepmother only makes things worse.

So, Finley has to spend summer with her mom's aunt, Hattie, and that is when I truly started enjoying this book. I really like how the author writes about the elderly people; she incorporates them to the story adding some unusual yet entertaining side characters, and she manages to do that without making it look awkward. The presence of wise people around Finley has certainly helped her to mature, but most of her transformation is thanks to Aiden, who's the only other young kid in town.

"I missed your Shakespeare."

He leaned in, taking a deep inhale of my hair. "And I missed the scent of you in my air." 

I think Finley and Aiden are so perfect together. The two have opposite personalities; he's responsible, secretive and sweet while she's reckless, mouthy and stubborn. Their differences are definitely what attracts them to each other. I really like Aiden, not only because he's handsome and caring, but also because he is wise beyond his years. He's passionate about everything he does, and I like how he doesn't play around with girls, unlinke the other boys in Finley's school. 

Aside from the two main characters and the elderly people, all the other characters are enjoyable to read as well.

The author's writing is fabulous! I really enjoyed all the funny quotes and the clever dialogues. This author certainly knows how to make her readers laugh, and keep them entertained. But aside from the humor, there are also some serious stuff. The book deals a lot with family issues and friendship. Finley has to go through a lot of things, like dealing with self-doubt and the fact that everyone thinks she did drugs and cut herself. It's all more difficult for her because she doesn't have the support of her family, and her friends betrayed her.

The only reason I know anything about history and the world is the smart people who cast the historical romances with yummy dudes! 

Although I immensly enjoyed reading this book, I didn't give it 5 stars because the story is predictable, and I already knew how it would end. It also focuses a little on history and historical monuments which are not really my thing. There was a part when the book got all descriptive, and was a bit boring. But except for that, I fully enjoyed the rest of the story.

A fairy tale romance mixed with Mean Girls and a pinch of Cinderella story, White Girl Problems is a really amusing and enjoyable book that will make readers burst out laughing.