IF I STAY By Gayle Forman

May 13, 2016 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Reviewer Purchase in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

IF I STAY By Gayle FormanIf I Stay by Gayle Forman
Series: If I Stay #1
Published by Speak on 4/6/10
Genres: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Source: Reviewer Purchase
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ReviewedbyDani

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen ­year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family

Short and Sweet

After a devastating car accident, Mia wakes up only to find herself out of her body. Mia is caught between a choice of staying alive without her family or passing on. Mia witnesses how her remaining loved ones deal with the loss of her family, and weighs the decision of leaving versus the decision of staying behind. Ultimately, the choice is up to Mia and this choice is a matter of life or death.

What I Liked

~ The flashbacks, it gave the book an interesting tone.

~ The Music, I love that there was so many different kinds introduced in this book. I loved how it brought people together and drove people apart as well.

~ I also loved Mia she was easy to connect to.

What I Didn’t Like

~ At some points I found myself getting disinterested.

Quotes

~ “I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard.”

~ “But the you who you are tonight is the same you I was in love with yesterday, the same you I’ll be in love with tomorrow.”

Overall

If I Stay was such a moving and captivating read. This book is incredible. It’s a short read and wonderfully written. But I did have to push through sometimes, because I did get a little bored. Otherwise everything was great and it had me guessing up until the very end what Mia would choose to do.

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WILD SWANS By Jessica Spotswood

April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

WILD SWANS By Jessica SpotswoodWild Swans by Jessica Spotswood
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on 5/3/16
Genres: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 304
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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ReviewedbyDani

The summer before Ivy's senior year is going to be golden-all bonfires, barbeques, and spending time with her best friends. For once, she will just get to be. No summer classes, none of Granddad's intense expectations to live up to the family name. For generations, the Milbourn women have lead extraordinary lives-and died young and tragically. Granddad calls it a legacy, but Ivy considers it a curse. Why else would her mother have run off and abandoned her as a child?

But when her mother unexpectedly returns home with two young daughters in tow, all of the stories Ivy wove to protect her heart start to unravel. The very people she once trusted now speak in lies. And all of Ivy's ambition and determination cannot defend her against the secrets of the Milbourn past...

Short and Sweet

Ivy plans on having the time of her life before her senior year starts. But things don’t always go as planned. Ivy is struggling trying to find her calling in life and feeling the pressure of the Milbourn legacy in her family. Ivy’s mother left when she was young, so she was raised by her Grandad. When her mother returns, with two young children or Ivy’s half sisters, her life is turned upside down.

What I liked

~Ivy, she wasn’t perfect (who is?) but she was a strong character and stood her ground.

~Connor, he’s Ivy’s love interest and he was honestly so sweet and supportive.

~I liked how most of the issues in the story were resolved.

~Ivy’s best friend Claire she’s funny and a feminist who isn’t afraid to speak her mind. (Look at the quote below)

~Also liked getting to know the background on some of the characters like Ivy’s mom and some of the other Milbourn women.

~ It touches on gender identity and feminism and body image.

What I didn’t like

~The ending I mean it was good I just wish we got to know more. An epilogue would have been nice.

Quotes

“When it comes to the family legacy – that it’s a gift, not a curse; that the Milbourn women were extraordinary, not doomed.”

“And that better be the only wiener you put in your mouth. We do not give blow jobs so that boys will like us!” Claire roars, and Connor nearly chokes on his beer.

Overall

Wild Swans is a  feel-good book with realistic friendships, romance, and family. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA coming of age stories and contemporaries.

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Filed Under: Reviews

THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS By Marieke Nijkamp

December 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS By Marieke NijkampThis Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
Published by Sourcebooks Fire on 1/5/16
Genres: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 288
Source: Publisher
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ReviewedbyDani

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told from four perspectives over the span of 54 harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

This Is Where It Ends follows four characters; Sylv, Autumn, Claire, and Tomas. It’s the new semester of school at Opportunity high school and when the principal finishes her speech everyone is expecting it to be a regular day but they realize they’re locked in the auditorium and the terror begins. What I really liked about this book is getting to see the four POVs because Sylv and Autumn were in the auditorium but Claire and Tomas were outside of the school and getting to see how each character is going to deal with the situation was interesting to me. We also get to see text, tweets, and blog post from kids who were either in the auditorium or at home. I didn’t like the shooter I thought there would be more of a motive there but there wasn’t.

In the beginning I had a hard time keeping track of the characters in this book mainly because their were four of them. After I got into the book I figured out the connection between the characters. The book is short and easy to read. The ending was okay but not what I was expecting, so I was caught off guard.
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Filed Under: Reviews