Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Publisher: Quirk Books (very fitting, eh?)
Publication Date: June 7th, 2011
Pages: 352
Song I Played While Reading: Disarm You by Kaskade
Rating: 3 stars

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores it's decaying bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that Miss Peregrine's children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow- impossible though it seems- they may still be alive. 

I don't even know where to begin with this emotionally confusing book. First of all, I've heard nothing but great things from all the booktubers, especially Jesse from Jessethereader. It's one of his all time favorites, so I was pretty damn excited to start this and see what he always raves about.
You know when you read a book and you have such a hugely different view point from most of the readers out there that it feels like you've read a different book? Thats how I felt in this situation. Miss Peregrine's was a weird combination of boring and enjoyable. I almost want to say enjoyable boring, because honestly thats how I felt most of the time; bored. I was expecting more; more adventure, more creepiness, and more of a lively world filled with 'peculiar children'. They weren't very peculiar to me, and instead came across as annoying and childish. Only a few seemed genuine to me, and even then I'm hesitating to even say genuine.
Jacob was a solid narrator but supremely bland. There was no winning attribute, something that made me connect or even really like him. I also couldn't picture what the hell he looked like, since Riggs failed to mention even his hair or eye color, and that is a huge pet peeve of mine. How am I supposed to enjoy a character when I can't even picture what he looked like? It's like a gaping hole in my mind, a missing puzzle piece that would have helped make the rest of the story fit together.
Riggs writing wasn't anything special either, and the ending seemed incredibly rushed but also incredibly dragged out, if that makes any sense. It was a long, long climax, but it was written so dryly that I felt like I was reading a play and the characters were just going through the motions, with very few thoughts or feelings behind it. I almost skimmed it, but managed to push through since I was curious to know how Riggs would wrap it up.
I tried really hard to not use the word boring a lot in this review, but if I did I apologize. Every aspect of this story, from the plot, to the characters, and to the writing, was just so BLAH. It was a pretty steady story, with a few interesting moments that got me excited and thinking it would finally pull me in, but then nothing would happen. I definitely recommend reading this if you haven't, since most people have really seemed to enjoy it. I'm hoping that, if I do pick up Hollow City, it'll be much more exciting since we've gotten most of the world building out of the way.

Quotes
"I thought mom would object- three whole weeks!- but the closer our trip got, the more excited for us she seemed. "My two men," she would say, beaming, "off on a big adventure!"
I found her enthusiasm kind of touching, actually- until the afternoon I overheard her talking on the phone to a friend, venting about how relieved she'd be to "have her life back" for three weeks and not have "two needy children to worry about."
I love you, too, I wanted to say with as much hurtful sarcasm as I could muster, but she hadn't seen me, and I kept quiet. I did love her, of course, but mostly just because loving your mom is mandatory, not because she was someone I think I'd like very much if I met her walking down the street. Which she wouldn't be, anyway; walking was for poor people."

"..what an unchallenging life it would be if we always got things right on the first go." 

""You're right, Dad. Dr. Golan did help me. But that doesn't mean he has to control every aspect of my life. I mean, Jesus, you and mom might as well buy me one of those little bracelets that says What Would Golan Do? That way I can ask myself before I do anything. Before I take a dump. How would Dr. Golan want me to take this dump? Should I bank it off to the side or go straight down the middle? What would be the most psychologically beneficial dump I could take?"

"It was difficult to argue, since our only remaining options were either giving up or running into a hail of gunfire.
"Fine," Emma said. "If you really think you can make it."
"Someone's got to be the hero," he replied, and walked off across the hull.
"Famous last words," I muttered."

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Happy Monday!

Last week was not a productive week for me. Besides working, I didn't do squat. And I feel like such a poo head about it. Nothing bugs me more than being in a weird book slump/ tired-from-work haze, which was me all last week, so Ms. Peregrines sat on my desk for five whole days without being touched. SIGH.

I really hope this week will be better. I've noticed something like this happening before, and there's really nothing I can do about it. But I do have a legit excuse for two of the days! I got really sick Saturday night, and then was at my grandparents house all Sunday since it was my grandpa's birthday. 

So, here's to hoping this week is much more productive!

Read Last Week

NOTHING *cringes* 

Currently Reading

Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

To Read

Wonderland by Robert McKay

Addicted To You by Krista and Becca Ritchie 

QUEEN OF SHADOWS BY QUEEN MASS 

Y'all, I'm scared of QoS. Like, outright frightened. It's going to destroy me. I work a lot these next two weeks and I'm so annoyed cause I know I'll need at least a week to read and process and be okay with QoS and I DONT HAVE THAT KIND OF TIME AND I CANT JUST BURST INTO TEARS AT WORK, BECAUSE THAT WILL MOST LIKELY HAPPEN. *heavy breathing* Pray for me.

Happy readings :) 

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Underhyped Recommendation: The Body Finder series

The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she's more disturbed by her "powers" to sense dead bodies- or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers. 

Violet has never considered her strange taken to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girl he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderers- that Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself. 

I went back and fourth a lot on if I should post this recommendation on this series, solely because I haven't finished it yet. I thought this was going to be a trilogy, so wasn't I surprised (and a little upset) when I found out there was a fourth book. 

I was mad because I had said goodbye to Violet and Jay. I was satisfied with the ending of The Last Echo, and had reread the first two books prior, like I usually do. Plus, The Last Echo?? Really?? DOES THAT NOT SCREAM THE FINAL BOOK IN A SERIES? It would have been better if the third book had been called Dead Silence, and then the fourth book, The Last Echo. I wasn't on Goodreads yet either, so I had no way of knowing if Derting was writing a fourth one. 

So sadly, Dead Silence is on my Goodreads TBR. We all know how never-ending those are. It's like a black hole for books. 

But even with the hurt feelings and miscommunication, I was obsessed with this story. I was 14 when it first came out (that just made me feel incredibly old, bless my 14 year old heart), and this was one of the first YA books with a solid romance in it that I had read. As expected, this was my holy grail for a long, long time. I loved Violet and her unruly, curly hair and her strange ability to sense the dead. I have to give Derting credit for how original her ability was. Even to this day, I've never read a story with a similar gift. 

Plus, those covers? *drops dead from the beauty* 

GORGEOUS.

Jay was you're all american boy with those classic good looks and ugh, if that's not my kryptonite. He was so sweet and thoughtful, always looking out for Violet and sometimes cracking hilarious jokes. He was absolutely perfect. 

These books are definitely an easy read, something you can pick up if you're in a book slump and want something fun and light. They're creepy, entertaining, intense, and swoon-worthy.

(Pictures from Goodreads) 

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Happy Monday!

Hello all! A new week is upon on us. I've got school today (it's an online class, but we have to go in for an orientation) and I'm excited for it. It's a Work Experience class and we learn about the work field and what they look for in applicants and dealing with coworkers and bosses and juggling your work load. I think it'll be pretty useful for the future, plus I get credit for my job I have right now! Definitely an easy A :) 

Read Last Week

You by Caroline Kepnes

Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay

To Read

Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Wonderland by Robert McKay

Addicted to You by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Happy readings :)

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Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay

Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: October 9th, 2012
Pages: 363
Song I Played While Reading: Clean by Taylor Swift
Rating: 5 stars

   Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland and get her to fall in love with him.
   Ariel doesn't know it, but she holds the fate of the world in her hands. She's at a center of a power struggle between the Mercenaries, who fight to destroy love, and the Ambassadors, who try to keep it alive. If Romeo can win Ariel's heart and make her believe in true love, she will turn from her darker side once and for all. She'll no longer be a threat to the Ambassadors or to the world- and Romeo will be guaranteed protection from the wrath of the Mercenaries. 
   The seduction begins as a lie- Romeo is only out to save himself. But little by little, he finds that the lie has come truth: he's in love with Ariel, as she is with him. So Romeo vows to protect her for harm and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. When Ariel beings to suspect that Romeo's love is a deception, however, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation  and her inner darkness may tear them apart. 

Sweet baby Jesus was Romeo redeemed. I have an insane urge to laugh and cry at the same time because life is so incredibly unfair. I read something like this book and it's so tender and heartwarming and wonderful that my heart aches. The chances of having a love like this is so slim in real life and it makes me sad. So, so sad. Romeo should be the prime example of how a boyfriend/husband should treat their significant other.
I fell for him. Hard. He just might be in my Fictional Book Boyfriend Hall of Fame. I think because his intent was to woo her that he pulled out ALL the stops. Every fucking word was perfect and beautiful and so unrealistic that I would stop and cry a little because WHERE IS MY KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR? WHERE? And then, he of course fell in love with her and everything was so mushy and charming and delicious AND I'M RUNNING OUT OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE THIS BOOK.
Jay really knows how to rip a reader apart. Her writing is flawless and she described falling in love perfectly. Scratch that, she described life perfectly. It reminded me of Tabitha Suzuma's writing, how it seems like she's able to snatch a thought from your head and write it down on paper and make you realize "oh, that's what I'm feeling!" I definitely want to get my hands on her other books now.
I loved, loved, loved Ariel. She was human and realistic and I was able to connect with her on so many levels, it was insane. I'm always so wrapped up in fantasy novels that, when I come down to Earth and read book that takes place in the real world with real problems that I face, it's weird. A little unsettling at first, but then I realize that my problems matter too. That may be a strange thought, but it's comforting knowing that I deal with things that other people deal with too, even in a fictional story. I love having all those feelings broken down and dissected.
I still had an issue with the ending and where Romeo and Ariel ended up, which is the exact same problem from the first book. Jay doesn't describe how or why it occurs, which is a little frustrating since I really like how she does it. I like it, but I resent it since I don't understand it. BUT, that wasn't enough to stop me from giving this a whopping 5 stars. Books that can make me emotional, especially angry, are rare, and boy did one part piss me the hell off. I was enraged. Like, my face and ears were turning red and I was getting super hot and I just wanted to reach inside the book and strangle the idiot that was trying to sink my ship. Sign me up for being an Ambassador. I will protect true love WITH MY FREAKIN LIFE.
If you've read Juliet Immortal but haven't picked this one up yet, this is me telling you to get your life together, a.k.a. DONT YOU LIKE GETTING YOUR HEART BROKEN? Romeo, O Romeo, how I wish this story never ended.

Quotes
"I nod. "Understandable. Lamentable, but understandable."
A wrinkle forms above the bridge of her nose. "Lamentable."
"Regrettable; sad; worthy of much lamenting, wailing, gnashing of teeth." I smile, ready to put the series moment behind us.
"I know what it means. I just don't understand where you've been hiding this vocabulary."
"In my boxer briefs," I say with a silly grin. "If you'd let me take them off, you would have seen for yourself.""

""I like this." His voice is hushed. It's as if he feels it, that charge straight to the heart I get whenever I look at something by a master. Who would have imagined?
I guess I would have. Back when he sang that song for me at the spring formal rehearsal, I did. I believed he felt the way I get, that books and music and art dug deep into his guts and rearranged his molecules and seemed more real to him than real life ever does."

""It's only sixteen ninety-five," I say with a flutter of my lashes.
"You're series."
I prop my hands on my waist and stick out a hip, striking a pose worthy of a supermodel. "Look at me. Don't I look series?"
She collapses into the chair outside the dressing room in a fit of giggles so cute they make my inside fizz. "No! You must be stopped," she says.
"Why?" I strut down an aisle of yellowed lingerie, swiveling my hips, batting bras with flicks of my fingers. "I will be the king of the disco. I will be-" I spin and strike another pose. "An inspiration."
She sniffs and swipes at her eyes. "The real Dylan would die before he'd been caught in public in something like that."
"The real Dylan is boring." I brace my hands on the arms of her chair and lean down until our faces are a whisper apart. "And he's not one fourth the kisser I am."
"Is that right?" Her lips quirk.
"You know it is."
Her smile melts, and her breath comes faster. "Yeah. I do."

"She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me in tight, and I swear I feel my soul brush against hers. I expand beyond the boundaries of Dylan's body, out until I am the waves crashing on the beach, the sun shining in her hair, the wind that sweeps over our skin. I am everything and nothing and exist only because this girl presses her heart to mine."

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You by Caroline Kepnes

You by Caroline Kepnes
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: September 30th, 2014
Pages: 422
Song I Played While Reading: Cool For the Summer by Demi Lovato
Rating: 3.5 stars

   When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he googles her name on her credit card.
   There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she'll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight- the perfect place for a "chance" encounter.
   As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck's life, he begins quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way. Joe will do anything to ensure Beck fingers herself in his waiting arms- even if it means murder. 

Gah, I expected so much more from this. From the rave reviews I saw, I expected to be creeped the fuck out. As in, keeping the lights on when I sleep and constantly looking over my shoulder and feeling watched. But no. All I got was a hilarious inner dialogue of a guy horny as shit over this girl and being able to WEIRDLY justify his actions. And when I saw he was able to justify them, I mean he convinced me murder was okay. I was all gung-ho for it! "Hey, this person is being a piece of shit and is super mean to Beck. KNOCK 'EM OUT, BUDDY." I actually wanted him to kill a person in this story cause they were so aggravating. Is that messed up? Probably. But do I regret those feelings? NOPE.
This was like a handbook for how to rationalize being a stalker and a murderer. And honestly, I was okay with it. This wasn't crazy amazing because in all honesty, nothing happens. There's maybe 3 exciting, action-packed moments, and then the rest is descriptions of Beck's hair or her ass or her boobs or her vagina or, good lord, Joe's fantasies over her. This could double almost as a porno, which was something I wasn't expecting. I got used to it quickly, and found it pretty hilarious at times.
This was told in a second person narrative, which made everything feel more intimate, as if Joe was writing this to Beck.

"You walk into the bookstore and you keep your hand on the door to make sure it doesn't slam. You smile, embarrassed to be a nice girl, and your nails are bare and your V-neck sweater is beige and it's impossible to know if you're wearing a bra but I don't think you are. You're so clean that you're dirty and you murmur your first word to me- hello- when most people would just pass by, but not you, in your loose pink jeans, a pink spun from Charlotte's Web and where did you come from?"

It's also written very loosely, resembling a constant stream of thought. Thank God Joe is interesting and comical or else I would have been bored out of my mind.
There weren't a lot of side characters that kept up a solid presence throughout the entire book so I can't say much about them, but I will say one specific person pissed me the hell off. Its possible thats because Joe got into my head, so this could be a false statement. WE'LL NEVER KNOW.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but nothing scary. There is a LOT of sexual content and vulgar language, so if you aren't into that than I highly suggest not picking this up.

Quotes
"You sneeze, loudly, and I imagine how loud you are when you climax. "God bless you!" I call out.
You giggle and holler back, you horny girl, "You too, buddy."
Buddy. You're flirting and if I was the kind of asshole who Instagrams, I would photograph the F-K placard and filer the shit out of that baby and caption it:
F-K yes, I found her."

"You want brunch. What's the only thing more sexless than lunch? Brunch, a meal invented by rich white chicks to rationalize day drinking and bingeing on French toast. And you don't even drink when we get brunch and pretty soon we're going to places where they don't even have waiters. You're into this fucking deli where you stand in line with nine-to-fivers who read Stephen King on their iPads while they wait for their turn to order their sexless green salads, fucking beans and dressings and scallions and onions (Red or white? Grilled or raw?), for fuck's sake people, it's a SALAD. Stop overthinking it."

"I'm home when you finally respond and as it turns out, there is something worse than the dreaded K.
You: Long story, honey but I gotta bail. Call you tomorrow xoxo
I cry and watch Pitch Perfect and sing along with the Barden Bellas. I don't want to be a person who knows the name of a fictional a cappella group in a chick flick but thats what love has done to me."

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Top Ten Auto-Buy Authors

This meme is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish :)

1. Sarah J. Maas

Not ONLY can she rip our your heart and smash it to tiny bits with her amazing writing, but she's stunning. Face goals right there.

2. Jandy Nelson

I've never loved an authors work so much so than I do this woman's. CONTEMPORARY QUEEN. 

3. Lauren Oliver

Her writing is amazing and so are all her stories and she's super, super, SUPER nice and, honestly, what more could you ask for in an author? 

4. Richelle Mead

She introduced me to the fantasy genre. I could kiss the ground she walks on.

5. Cassandra Clare

She created Will Herondale...? *starts rocking in a corner* I'M STILL NOT OVER THAT EPILOGUE. Seriously, I say this every time I bring Cassie up but I'm not. I won't ever be. 

6. Tahereh Mafi

"Lift your hips for me, love"

"Ignite, my love. Ignite."

*PTERODACTYL SCREECHING*

7. Alexandra Bracken

NO, all these wonderful authors haven't created my book boyfriends? NO, I'm not that shallow and love their work mostly because of a boy???? OF COURSE NOT.

8. Erika Johansen

Kelsea is my fucking BOO. And so is Pen. STOP JUDGING ME.

9. Jenny Han

If you want to find an author that writes the cutest summer romances, then look no further!

10. Maggie Stiefvater

Richard Campbell Gansey III. And Ronan Lynch. Do I neED TO SAY MORE?!

I would also like to add that all these authors have absolutely breathtaking writing, since I don't seem to able to convey that in the blurb underneath their photos. If you haven't read any of their work, I recommend doing so! :)

Who're some of your auto-buy authors? Link your TTT down in the comments!

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Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Pages: 306
Song I Read While Reading: Clean by Taylor Swift
Rating: 4.5 stars

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, who made the sacrifice to ensure his own immortality. But Romeo didn't anticipate that Juliet would be granted eternal life as well, and would became an agent for the Ambassadors of Light.
For seven hundred years, Juliet has struggled to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent, while Romeo has fought for the dark side, seeking to destroy the human heart. Until now.
Now Juliet has found her own forbidden love, and Romeo, O Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy their happiness. 

To be honest, the only reason why I bought this was because it was $1 on Book Depository. Don't get me wrong, the premise sounded super interesting, but I had a $5 coupon and I wasn't letting a single penny go to waste. So this book sat on TBR shelf for quite some time, until two nights ago, when my mom picked it out the TBR jar. And god dammit, am I so happy she did! I started this book with the same feelings as I did with Hunting Lila; I would like the book but it wouldn't be anything special, maybe a 3 stars at the most. But guess who loved this book with every fiber of her being? ME.
This book could have easily been horrible and corny. I think most people actually do think that, cause I read some of the reviews on Goodreads. This is one of those books where you either love it or hate it. I, thankfully, loved it. It was the beautiful combination of Jay's fantastic writing and the way she weaved this intricate story. I tried explaining it to my mom and it was an absolute mess, so I just gave up and instead said they kind of got their happy ending.
Which is where I docked half a star. I don't understand how Juliet ended up where she did. I kind of do, but it's vague enough where it bothers me that I don't know if that's right or not. I care enough about the story to want to know, so I might email the author or something. Does anyone on here know? I'd be forever grateful if someone could tell me!
But besides that little blip, this really was the perfect story. It was sweet and tender, heartbreaking and  truthful. There's an underlying current of sadness, too, and I remember feeling my heart swell with that knowledge. That's what really did it for me. I'm a sucker for a sad, romantic story.
But this wasn't all sad! Romeo, O Romeo, how you took my heart. This is the kind of Romeo I'd want, not the the original one. He's a cocky, sassy, evil bastard and I gobbled him up. He brought a lot of much-needed humor to the story, making me laugh at his one-liners. Juliet was a treat too, a strong-head girl who knew what she wanted and wouldn't let anyone (namely, Romeo) get in her head. She was self-less and aware of the evil in the world, yet still believed in soul mates and true love.
She also had A LOT more patience than I did too, because I probably would have hit Gemma at some point in the story. She's one character I did NOT like. That little shit head. She was rude, bitchy, selfish, pushy, and WOULDT LET ANYONE FINISH THEIR FUCKING SENTENCE. The girl literally cut everyone off and refused to listen to them if they didn't agree with her. I couldn't stand her!
Okay, on to a better topic. The insta-love. Yes, thats present in here, and yes, I usually hate it. But, like I said earlier, Jay managed to somehow pull it off and make it so incredibly realistic that it felt like I was in the story, too, and falling for the love interest. It was pure and beautiful.
Some parts of this story were the complete opposite, however, and I gotta admit, I got a little queasy. Something I didn't realize but later read in a review (and connected with something said in the story) was that Romeo drank, or ate, some part of Juliet as part of the ritual when he first killed her. This book gets pretty raunchy, which is why it worked so well. You've got the lovey-dovey moments that make you swoon, but then you also have the intense, action-packed scenes that really help balance out the book.
Overall, this was an amazing story that I highly recommend picking up, on the off-chance that you end up loving it like I did. The ending was hilarious and I can't wait to pick up the second book, which is all about Romeo and him trying to woo some girl. Knowing Romeo, that is going to be an epic adventure that I'll definitely fall in love with.

Quotes
""I didn't come to fight," Romeo shouts, raising his arms in a defensive position. "I want to talk. That's all I've wanted all day."
"Talk."
"Yes, talk. Chat? Have... verbal intercourse?" He winks, and I fight the urge to show him what I think of him with my middle finger."

""No more school talk," Gemma says, putting an end to our discussion as to whether or not the physics teacher realizes his nose hair touches his upper lip. "Let's play a game."
"I hate games," Ben says.
"I hate people. And yet, here I am, with both you." Gemma counters with a grin."

""I'm sorry," Ben says, still breathing fast. "I wasn't even thinking. We can wait. We can wait as long as you want. We can wait until we're married if you want."
"Married." I sob the word.
"Yeah. Married. Why not? Someday?" He takes me wrists, pulls my hands away from my eyes. The love in his makes the tears roll down my face. "I love you. I want to do everything with you. I want to marry you and have kids with you and get old with you. And then I want to die the day before you do, so I never have to live without you."

"He hesitates only a moment before pulling me close, arms tightening around me, mouth meeting mine the same way it did before. Purely, sweetly, wickedly, perfectly. He sighs against my lips, a sound of such relief it echoes through my skin, making me smile and our teeth bump together. I know exactly how he feels. How it feels to come home, to find sanctuary, to be handed that missing piece that makes life not something it be endured, but something to be celebrated."

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Happy Monday!

Hi guys! The first week in the new house was a success. I'm so incredibly in love with my room and my bookcases, it's not even funny. I finally made a TBR jar and it's seriously the greatest thing ever. Why didn't I make one sooner? I've had my mom pick each time and I can tell she enjoys it, too. So far I've read two books that been sitting on my TBR for awhile, smaller ones that I wouldn't think I would enjoy as much, but I actually have! I've given 4 stars for both of them. Talk about a pleasant surprise!

Read Last Week
One Fling to Rule Them All by Deanna Dee
Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson
Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

To Read
I feel like there's no point in this part anymore since I use my TBR jar, BUT I did buy You by Caroline Kepnes today and actually really want to read it, so that will be up next.

What are you guys currently reading, or have planned to read this week? Happy readings :)

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Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publication Date: August 5th, 2011
Pages: 306
Song I Played While Reading: Pray to God by Calvin Harris
Rating: 4 stars

Lila has two secrets she's prepared to take to the grave. The first is that she can move things just by looking at them. The second is that she's been in love with her brother's best friend, Alex, since forever.
After a mugging exposes her unique ability, Lila decides to run to the only people she can trust- her brother and Alex. They live in southern California where they work for a secret organization called The Unit, and Lila discovers that the two of them are hunting down the men who murdered her mother five years before. And that they've found them. In a world where nothing and no on is quite as they seem, Lila quickly realizes that she is not alone- there are others with special powers out there- and her mother's killer is one of them... 

I had pretty low expectations of this book. I expected a 3 star, okay novel, something I couldn't really connect with but still enjoyed. This girl is telekinetic- that's ONLY my dream super power, so I knew I would at least enjoy that aspect. Instead, I was blown away.
I expected the romance in this to be extremely corny. How can it not? Girl loves brothers best friend from afar. Thats just a recipe for a writing disaster, especially since this was Alderson's first novel. But the biggest thing that stuck out to me between Lila and Alex was their originality. Yes, the idea is well-known, but Anderson managed to weave the romance together incredibly. It felt fresh and exciting. I absolutely adored Alex, and god damn it, I want my own. Blonde hair in a buzz cut, vivid blue eyes, ripped, and he's in the Marines. Like???? *heart eyes*. What made him absolutely perfect was his more series, bodyguard type nature. Even at a bar, he was on the lookout.

"Then I saw Alex. It was easy to make him out in a crowd. It was the way he stood, like he was permanently on guard." 

Lila was a solid character, not someone I was too crazy about, but overall she worked. The thing that bugged me about her was the way Alderson wrote scenes with her using her powers. Sometimes, it wasn't clear if it was her actually using her ability to move an object, so I would get confused and then have to backtrack and reread the scene. I think because Lila had already been using her powers for some time now and it was natural for her, that it didn't seem to flow for me. In most books like this, we learn along with the narrator how to use the gift. Since she had already done that, it took me a while to realize when it happened.
Another thing was how she acted a some points. In the beginning, she was a little childish and threw fits over thing that were inconsequential. Luckily, she grew out of that as the novel progressed.
I really enjoyed all the side characters in this, especially the ones we meet towards the end. They all stood on their own so I was able to keep track of who was who, which is sometimes an issue I have. They were lively and brought an added punch of humor or suspense. And something else that was suspenseful? The plot! Holy guacamole, this book did a complete 180 on me. I was just going along, enjoying the ride, thinking how nicely Alderson was pacing this book and wondering vaguely how it was going to end, and then BAM. Everything gets turned on its head and shit starts rolling downhill, faster and faster until I had to put the book down to process everything. Shit. Got. REAL.
And then it just got better and better, with so many damn plot twists that my mind was spinning. This could be because my completely oblivious nature, but seriously I didn't see any of them coming. So kudos to you, Alderson. KUDOS.
Now, my one complaint would be the writing, which could be weird cause writing can make or break a story. But on occasion, there would be a grammatically incorrect sentence. The wording would be inaccurate, either because it was missing another word or was mixed up. It only happened a few times, so it really just seemed like the editor missed a few things.
But besides that, this book was awesome. It was a fun and quick read, perfect to get you out of a reading slump or out of your own head. I can't wait to get the second book!

Quotes
"He took a while to answer, then he said, "You think I'd let you go alone?" My heart leapt.
He stood up and came towards me and then knelt down in front of me. "Lila, when you asked me earlier why I was helping you and I told you I had no choice I meant I have no choice because you are-"
The trilling of a phone interrupted. I hung on to the last words, I am what? I am WHAT?"

"It's Lila--come on, Jack. She might be a little impulsive but that doesn't make her a sociopath.'
I swivelled my gaze to Jack, trying my best not to look like a sociopath."

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Book Boyfriends: Daemon Black

Daemon Black
The Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

Describe to be tall and muscular, with black hair and piercing green eyes, Daemon Black is the epitome of the snarky bad boy you see in movies and read in books. He's the kind of guy that will piss you off but do so in a way where you also get incredibly turned on, and then you get mad at yourself for feeling that way. He's also an alien with cool powers. DOES THAT NOT SOUND PERFECT OR WHAT?
There's so many reasons why I love Daemon. First of all, he's funny. Can you sense a pattern here with my men? If a guy can make me laugh, I will straight up fall in love with him. I don't care how old or how ugly he is, make me laugh and my heart will triple in size. Second, he's gorgeous.

"His stomach was ripped. Perfect. Totally touchable. Not the kind of stomach I expected on a seventeen-year-old boy, which was how old I expected he was, but yeah, I wasn't complaining. I also wasn't talking. And I was staring.
My gaze finally traveling north again, I noted thick, sooty lashes fanning the tips of his high cheeks and hiding the color of his eyes as he looked down at me. I needed to know what color his eyes were.
"Can I help you?" Full, kissable lips turned down in annoyance.
His voice was deep and firm. The kind of voice accustomed to people listening and obeying without question. His lashes lifted, revealing eyes so green and brilliant they couldn't be real. They were an intense emerald color that stood out in vibrant contrast against his tan skin."

Mmmmmm yum *drools*
Next, he's fiercely loyal. And loyalty is right up there with humor for me. There's something so incredibly sexy and sweet about a guy willing to give up everything for the people he loves. Sure, he acts like a jackass up front, but underneath that prickly exterior is a heart that pumps for the people around him. He's selfless, kind, and thoughtful.
And finally, he's persistent. Not only in his quest to win Katy (SWOON, SO MANY SEXY MOMENTS), but in everything he does. Once he makes a decision, he's set on it. There's no second guessing; it's all or nothing. Go big or go home. He'll throw himself in whatever he decides to do and won't rest till he's finished.
If you haven't read The Lux series yet, WHAT'RE YOU DOING?! I feel like I say that with every book I love but whatever. Jennifer L. Armentrout is a fucking genius. Not only is she a skilled and amazing writer, but she's a skilled and amazing writer machine. By the end of 2015, she'll have written 7 books. Yes, 7. S-E-V-E-N.
S
E
V
E
N
Like???
??
My mind is blown.

Quotes
“I would do anything to keep her safe. Kill. Heal. Die. Anything. Because she was my everything."

""I have the feeling we just made a deal with the devil, and he's going to come back and want our first-born child or something."
Daemon waggled his brows. "You want kids? Because you know, practice makes--"
"Shut up." I shook my head and started walking."

""It’s not like I’m going to run up and hug him."
His expression turned bland. "I’d sure hope not. I might get jealous."
"You’d get jealous if she hugged a tree," Archer tossed out. 
"Maybe." Daemon coasted to a stop in a parking space behind the car. "I’m needy like that." 

""Did you think you could stop me?" Power shot from me, smacking into the door behind Dawson, blowing it off the hinges and into the house. "I'll burn the world down to save her."

""I want to get to know every freckle and every curve on a personal level."
"I think you did that last night."
"Nah." He shook his head. “That was just a meet and greet. I want to know their hopes and dreams."

""What kind of motel sells condoms?" 
"My favorite kind of motel?"

""We can go live in a damn cave. Look, I'm a selfish person. You know that. And I don't want you to go through that, so I'm willing to say screw it and we cut our losses.

"Really? What kind of life would that give us?"

"Don't bring logic into this conversation."

YOU WANNA KNOW WHO DAEMON REMINDS ME OFF? This literally just punched me in the face with that last quote. Damon (coincidence?! I THINK NOT) from The Vampire Diaries! At least, the tv version. I can't remember much from the books, but I keep hearing Daemon speaking in Ian Somerhalder's voice. 
(Quotes from Goodreads)

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One Fling to Rule Them All by Deanna Dee

One Fling to Rule Them All by Deanna Dee
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: June 19th, 2015
Pages: 175
Song I Played While Reading: Blue by Marina and the Diamonds
Rating: 3 stars

It began with the forging of a great friendship.

For three months, Lydia Bell has watched Craig, her best friend and the love of her life, be in a happy relationship with someone else. But she’s over it. Or thinks she is until she hears Craig’s voice on the phone. Desperate to put her romantic feelings behind, she joins her roommates for a night out. Maybe she’ll meet someone.

And meet someone she does—a guy named Scott, who looks a lot like Craig. Despite their awkward introduction, flaming arrows fly, and soon Lydia is running off the dance floor to get away from feelings she shouldn’t have. So much for getting over Craig, and so much for Scott.

Until Monday morning, that is. Turns out Scott goes to her school. Worse, they share a class. As if that’s not weird enough, Scott is also trying to get over someone. To help both Lydia and himself, he proposes a fling, and reluctantly, Lydia agrees. Now she just has to hope this fling rules and doesn’t crash into a fiery mountain

I'd like to thank Deanna Dee for providing me this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I knew Lydia Bell would be a memorable character when we open up with her talking about The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. First of all, BOOK WORM. Second of all, IT'S A BOOK I ACTUALLY KNOW. Most narrators either only read the classics or books I've never heard of, so I was delighted to see that I actually recognized this title, plus its on my TBR! 
Lydia was an awesome narrator. She was super, super relatable and I found myself laughing out loud at her awkwardness. She blabbered in her head a lot, which sometimes bothers me, but Dee made it work. Instead of being annoyed at how she sometimes second-guessed herself or for being self-conscious, I found myself thinking back to a moment when I felt like that. It was comforting. 
Scott was a total sweetheart. I WANT HIM. Besides one point where he acted like a total poo-head, he was such an easy-going and nice guy. I also really enjoyed Lydia's friends. They each had their own spunk and stood out, instead of being meshed together as "Lydia's home friends." Dawn was my favorite. Any girl that can scare a guy like she did Scott is completely admirable in my book! 
If you're a gamer, then I think you'll really like the other, more hidden, aspect to this story. Lydia and her home friends play this fantasy war game and most of it went over my head since I don't play and couldn't really understand what was going on, but I was surprised at the huge chunk of pages it gobbled up! They reference the Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and many other fantasy based books/movies, too. 
The ending felt a little rushed and too perfect, but it contributed to the overall theme of a light and fluffy read, which I figured this would be. So if you enjoy those types of contemporaries than I suggest you check this one out! 

Quotes
""Didn't you finish that one already?"
I blink and actually look at the cover. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I did finish this one, all glorious six-hundred-plus pages of it. 
"I wanted to reread a part of it." Which is not true in the slightest. This is absolutely not the kind of book one reads part of. It's all or nothing. 

"In my room,  I throw my clothes and my laptop into my backpack. Then I sit on my bed where Scott and I played games, laughed, and made out, and I sigh like some love sick tween. He's gone. We're done. We never even were. Get over it. And with that cheerful pep talk, I vacate my room. 

(Picture and summary from Goodreads)

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Top Ten Authors I've Read The Most Books From

This meme is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish :)

1. Cecily Von Ziegesar- 14 

Honestly, if I were to read that name today, I would have no idea who that is. If I had read that name in middle school however... I probably would have fallen to the floor screaming. She wrote The Gossip Girl series, and THE. OBSESSION. WAS. REAL. There's a total of 13 books in that series, plus I read her stand-alone novel, Cum Laude. 

2. Richelle Mead- 13

My homie G. The apple to my pie. The peanut butter to my jelly. She's one of my auto-buy authors, even though I haven't read half of her books. THERE'S JUST TOO MANY. I have read (obviously) The Vampire Academy series, The Bloodlines Series, and Gameboard of the Gods. Her succubus series is up next!

3. Sara Shepard- 10

I was obsessed with The Pretty Little Liars series, but got tired of it after the 9th book. If there's more than 10 books (theres 14 in total) in a series, it's way too long for me. She could smush the books together and make it a 7 book series instead. I also read The Lying Game, but it was so similar to PLL that I could barely finish it.

4. Cassandra Clare- 9

This is a given. I've read The Mortal Instruments series and The Infernal Devices. I'm SOOOO freaking excited for The Dark Artifices. Emma is my kind of girl!

5. P.C. and Kristin Cast- 9

Another perfect example for a series that has waaaaay too many books. It feels like this mother-daughter duo just drew them out to make more money. Don't get me wrong, the story is fantastic and I do plan on finishing it, but seriously, 12 books? Combine 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, etc. and it would be perfect! 

6. J.K. Rowling- 7

Let's try and guess what 7 books these are. JUST TRY. 

7. Marissa De La Cruz- 7

I've read all of her Blue Blood books except for the last one. And I'm not sure if I'll ever finish the series cause I tried marathoning them but the first 2 books are so damn hard to get through. You can really tell how much her writing has developed through this series. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it someday!

8. Alyson Noel- 7

I read The Immortals series and Saving Zoe. Her writing in The Immortals? The bomb diggity. 

9. Sarah J. Maas- 5

Another MAJOR given. Maas is my queen and I'll buy WHATEVER she writes. Though I've been hearing a lot of things about QoS (some bad, some good) and I gotta admit... MY FEELINGS ARE A LITTLE HURT. WHAT DO I BELIEVE? I DONT KNOW. SO MUCH DRAMA. 

10. Stephanie Meyer- 5

This was a tough choice. The amount of authors I have that have either written a 5 book series, or I've read 5 of their books, is enormous! Rick Riordan, Becca Fitzpatrick, L.J. Smith, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Lauren Oliver, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl... the list is endless. But I had to give a little shoutout to Mrs. Meyer and her life changing books. Not only did Twilight consume a huge part of my life (Twilight is basically Harry Potter for me), but it got me into reading. So thanks for that! Plus The Host was the shiz and totally amazing. 

Link your TTT down in the comments! I love reading them :)

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Happy Monday!

Hi guys! Wow, it feels like I've been gone for months from this blog! It's been less than a week. I need to chill. My mom and I moved into our new home and I've been unpacking like crazy this week, plus working, so there has been no time for reading or blogging. But we're just about finished and all my books are up in their beautiful bookcases and GOOD GRACIOUS I MISSED THEM. I absolutely adore my room and am so happy with the way it turned out. We didn't know if we could fit my 4 bookcases, bed, and desk into the space but it ended up working out perfectly! It flows too, which is important.
Whenever I walk into my room I think of the line from Looking For Alaska: "When I look at my room, I see a girl who loves books." That book is in dire need for a re-read, to be honest.
So, since my reading situation is still the same as last week (currently reading One Fling to Rule Them All by Deanna Dee), I decided to make this post all about my books.

LETS GET TO SOME SHELFIES.

SO. It's beautiful, isn't it? *smiles dreamily to myself*

It's still a slight work in progress (notice the half empty box in the middle bookcase) and I promise to take a better picture when it's fully complete. I also could have moved my desk chair. But whatever, I HAVE #NORAGRETS. 

I organize my books by genre, and excluding the middle bookshelf, it goes from fantasy/sci-fi/dystopian (the entire left bookshelf), which then transitions into mysteries/thrillers/anything-that-is-set-in-the-real-world-but-not-a-fluffy-or-sad-contemporary. That section starts with the Pretty Little Liars series, which you can see on the second to last shelf. Shepard likes her books colorful! 

Then the middle bookshelf is all my favorites, genres be damned. We've got Throne of Glass, Harry Potter, I'll Give You the Sun, Ignite Me, The Grisha trilogy, The Mortal Instruments/ Infernal Devices, The Lux series.. ALL THE GOOD SHIT. 

And then we've got these last two beauts. The books to the right of the picture are my contemporaries, which let me tell you, I lack severely in. I have almost two whole shelves of fantasy/sci-fi/dystopian books and then barely even half of one of contemporaries! And most of them are old ones I read in middle school. Thats definitely one of my goals this year, I need to stay grounded on Earth or pretty soon I'm going to be floating in the clouds. I actually called one of my coworkers Blue a couple of weeks ago. Oops!

And then the smaller one is my TBR bookcase. It's the one I used at my grandparents house for the past couple of months. It's the perfect size for my TBR pile! Small bookcase = the restraint I need to not buy all the books on my Goodreads TBR. 

See any of your favorites? Anything I'm missing? And what should I decorate my shelves with?! Everyone has those bobble-head looking things (I can't think of what they're called!) Should I get some of those?

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Ten Fairytale Retellings I've Read/ Want To Read (TTT)

This meme is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish :)

Fairtale Retellings I've Read

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

This is technically a cinderella retelling, but about as far fetched as it comes. Maas originally got the idea by thinking, what if Cinderella wasn't there to win over the prince's heart? What if she was an assassin and was instead sent to kill him? IT COUNTS, OKAY.

2. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, written by Queen Maas. If you guys haven't read this yet, WHAT. ARE. YOU. DOING? 

3. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

A retelling of A Thousand and One Nights. I'm assuming you know what this is about, so seriously go your hands on this one, too. It's magical and rich. KHALID IS BAE.

4. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

This book is so damn good. Not only because the writing and world is phenomenal but because I love how Paige flipped all the characters. Dorothy and Co. are bad. The Bad Witches are good. WHAT. 

Fairytale Retellings On My TBR

5. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Oh, the hype over this series. I'm DYING to read them!!

6. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

I first heard about this book from the dedication page: "For the girls with messy hair and thirsty hearts." Thats bloody brilliant, if I do say so myself. So thats what first piqued my interest. And then I learned that it was about Peter Pans ex-girlfriend and that was it for me. Not only because I barely even remember anyone mentioning her (just Wendy saying "Tiger Lily?") BUT she sounds like a kick-ass narrator. I'M IN.

7. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Another Beauty and the Beast retelling! There's nothing I love more than a girl falling in love with the evil guy (Leigh Bardugo, TAKE NOTE).

8. Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

My first Little Red Riding Hood retelling! I've heard fantastic things about this book and will probably order it if I enjoy Cruel Beauty.

9. A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

All I'm gonna say is cover porn. And girls falling in love with the evil guy. Mwahaha!

10. Uprooted by Naomi Novik

I don't know exactly what kind of retelling this is. But it looks and sounds good, so why not just add it to the list?

As you can see, I haven't read much fairytale retellings. Any suggestions? Link your TTT in the comments down below! Happy readings :)

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Happy Monday!

Hi guys! As you read this I'll be hiking through Yosemite national park with my friend and her sister. I've never been, so I'm super excited! I'm also just excited to get away from home for a day, my mom and I have been moving our stuff into our new home and my back is screaming. This break is much needed!

Read Last Week
The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Currently Reading
One Fling to Rule Them All by Deanna Dee

To Read
Since these next two weeks will be encompassed by the move, I don't think I'll get a lot of time to read :/ So I'll make my TBR for this week only one book, and that will most likely be The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker. I've got four books I plan on reading in August so it's really what I'm in the mood, so we'll see I read!

Happy readings :)

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Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: May 7th, 2010
Pages: 454
Song I Played While Reading: Sound of Your Heart by Shawn Hook
Rating: 2 stars

Lochan and Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together, they have stepped in for their unreliable, alcoholic mother to take care of their three younger siblings. The stress of there lives- and the way they understand each other so completely- has brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be.
So close that they have fallen in love.
Lochan and Maya know their relationship is wrong and cannot possible continue. And yet they are powerless to stop what feels so incredibly right... 

Let me just get this out of the way for anyone that has not read this yet; this book is sad. Actually, no, that's not even the right word for it. This book will physically hurt your soul. Even if you had mixed feelings on it, like I did, you still come away with this heavy burden. No only does that burden encompass this impossible relationship, but Lochan struggles with severe social anxiety. And honestly, I've never read from a more hopeless and pathetic character. And I use pathetic in a good way, not in a demeaning way. You just feel so bad for this guy. Not only does he struggle with this crippling issue that seems to be taking over his life, but he wants to canoodle with this sister. This spells a disaster.
Right away, I noticed the phenomenal writing. Suzuma has a knack for it; it's clear and articulate, resulting in a weirdly satisfying expression of emotions. You can't help but relate in some way because it's just so right. Does that make sense? It's difficult to explain but I'm hoping some of you will understand. It's like she took an emotional thought from your head and put it into this book. She describes things only you feel like you've ever felt before, as if she's saying, "I hear you. I understand. Let me put those confusing feelings into words."
Now, as some of you may know, I hate angst. The perfect example for me would be the angst in Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. That yo-yo type of relationship, where you're either connected at the hip or having a screaming match with each other, is just so exhausting to me. So I was a little surprised at how Lochan and Maya handled their relationship. I expected them to be pretty mature about it, since they've had so many responsibilities with their family. They're basically the parents of the house. But these two never talked openly about their feeling; instead they bottled them up until they exploded into multiple screaming matches.
And not only was the angst annoying, but it was repeated. The same inner dialogue, the same array of feelings, and the same fights that happened like clockwork. It felt like I was wrapping myself in blanket that was slowly suffocating me. When you have such a heavy book like this, you need to have some happier moments to balance it out. We got a few of those, but they weren't enough. They were spaced too far apart, so you'd forget it would even happen.
At times, I thought Maya acted like a little twit. She would say these awful things to Lochan and blame him for something he said, and this poor fucking guy would literally almost have a panic attack. You can't treat someone with severe social anxiety like that. I know it's all in the heat of the moment, but she should have known what her words could do to him. It made his anxiety worse and he was second guessing everything he said. I hate to judge these two like this since I don't know what its like to be in this situation (nor do I ever), but it was such a huge portion of my dislike for this story that I had to include it into my review.
Once I got to page 300, I stared skimming. I think the face that they were siblings was starting to really sink in. I have no idea why cause I was fine up until then. But that, coupled with the drowning sadness, was the final push for me to stop reading and to just skim. And the ending was absolutely horrifying. Like, dear God I can't tell who I feel more bad for; the characters or the author that somehow concocted this in her brain. It almost was a little disturbing. It's like Suzuma was thinking, "No, that wasn't bad enough. I need to make it so I rip out the hearts of every person that reads my story." And rip she did.
This was a difficult review for me, which is evident in how messy it is. I apologize, but seriously this book scrambled my brains. I can't even imagine what I would be like if I had actually enjoyed the book. I am super sad that I didn't enjoy it though, because everyone raves about this story! This review makes me sound like a total baby but seriously I love books that crush your soul. But something about this specific story was just too much for me.

Quotes
"I recognize my cue. I want to say something to him, something along the lines of It's all an act. Everyone else is pretending anyway. Kit may have surrounded himself with a group of kids who spit in the face of authority, but they're just as scared as everyone else. They make fun of others and pick on loners just so they can belong. And I'm not much better. I might appear confident and chatty, but I spend most of my time laughing at jokes I don't find funny, saying things I don't really mean- because at the end of the day that's what we're all trying to do: fit in, one way or another, desperately trying to pretend we're all the same."

"I want to tell her that I can't pull her down. I want to tell her that she has to let go of my hand in order to swim. I want to tell her that she must live her own life. But I sense she already knows that these options are open to her. And that she, too, has made her choice."

"At the end of the day it's about how much you can bear, how much you can endure. Being together, we harm nobody; being apart, we extinguish ourselves."

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