Book Review: Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone.

 Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone.
Book Summary: Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett has the unique ability to travel through time and space, which brings him into Anna’s life, and with him a new world of adventure and possibility.

As their relationship deepens, the two face the reality that time may knock Bennett back to where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, Time Between Us is a stunning, spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new voice in YA fiction.

Liana's Summary: Anna is 16 years old in 1995. Bennett? Well, he's.. not even 1 years old in 1995. However, when Bennett discovers his traveling ability when he grows a bit older, he goes back in time and meets Anna when she's 16. They were never supposed to meet. Never supposed to meet when both of them were the same age, anyways. When romance unexpectedly occurs, Anna is heartbroken to see that Bennett can't stay.. what can she do? And more importantly, what can Bennett do?

Rate(1-10): 10

Okay, call me a judgmental person. At first I thought that this book was boring (shame on me shame on me shame on me) based on the cover. (I need to slap myself.) Usually, I dislike contemporary novels. A lot. With some exceptions. Well, as I've been reading more and more contemporary novels and a wee little less fantasy, dystopian, etc, I've come to realize that contemporary novels aren't so bad after all.

I should have guessed it was about time travel based on the title, but I didn't really think that. Ugh. I thought that this was a normal contemporary novel.. however, it's time travel time travel time travel. How cool is that?!

At first I was so set not to read this because it just wasn't a book that fit into my usual genres. But then I got this as a recommendation. 2 times. From people I trust with their book opinions. So I guess I had to give it a try. After all, I don't turn down recommendations.

I've always been fascinated with time travel. I would do it if I could but the whole thing is kind of scary because of the butterfly effect and all, and especially that one story by Ray Bradbury.. A Sound of Thunder, I think. It just scared the crap out of me and I know the significance of time-travel and messing with stuff that was about to happen. Because we are all catalysts (sounds like something I could use in an essay).

So the guy character. Bennett. I feel the need to talk about him first, LOL. He's the time-travel guy. He can teleport and time-travel. It's amazing because I want to be able to think of one place and then be there in a flash. I'd take the teleporting ability, but not the time-travel one, thanks. Ha. 

Now, the protagonist. Anna. She's a good protagonist. But she was really pushy and selfish and just plain annoying at specific times. Otherwise, she's fairly likable. 

The romance between Bennett and Anna? It was PEEEEERF. Yes, totally. PERF. Although I find it sort of strange how they live in different times.. how she's 17 years older than him. LOL. But they fell in love when they were -supposedly- the same age, if that makes sense, so everything's good.

The ending is also perfect. It ended right where it should have ended, and I'm glad it ended that way and at that moment. 

If you think hard about this time & space travel thing it messes with your brain. LOL so just go with the flow..

This was totally an amazing 368 pages and I wasn't even eager to finish it and yet I was so eager to finish it because I didn't want to finish such an amazing book but I didn't want to leave it alone because it was so amazing. My point is, I loved it, and finished it in one sitting. 

-it hurts me to think that I have to return this to the library-

Anyways. Quotes.

"He dog-ears his page.."

HE DOES WHAT. HELL NO

"Anna?" He stares at me in disbelief. "Your name is Anna?"

Is this recognition I smell?

"..a connection."

Awww. Y'all have a connection! (;

"Go away,"

Wtf he has issues.

"..but Bennett is gone."

"..the proximity makes my heart race."

Aww the proximity makes your heart race. (;

"His arms are more muscular than I'd pictured them.."

"Your friend from the record store, Justin, sort of asked me out."

BLOODY HELL WHAT

"Bennett has gotten a haircut."

NO WTF WHY

"..I'm completely in love with you."

Awwwww he's in love with her. :')

"..because he's suddenly leaning forward, closing his eyes..."

GASP GASP GASP GASP HYPERVENTILATE

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That's that. What did you think of this review?(:

Book Review: The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey.

 The Storyteller's Daughter by Cameron Dokey.
Book Summary: In a faraway kingdom, a king has been betrayed. Deeply hurt and bitterly angry, he vows never to be deceived again. Unfortunately, the king's plan to protect himself will endanger all of the realm's young women, unless one of them will volunteer to marry the king - and surrender her life. To everyone's relief and horror, one young woman steps forward. The daughter of a legendary storyteller, Shahrazad believes it is her destiny to accept this risk and sacrifice herself. On the night of her wedding to the king, Shahrazad begins to weave a tale. Fascinated, the king lets her live night after night. Just when Shahrazad dares to believe that she has found a way to keep her life — and an unexpected love - a treacherous plot will disrupt her plan. Now she can only hope that love is strong enough to save her.

Liana's Summary: A king has been betrayed. He's furious-- therefore, he promises himself to never be deceived or betrayed by a woman ever again. However, his promise to himself puts all women in his kingdom in horrid danger.. unless one of them stands up and sacrifices herself. The king is doubtful. Should he trust her? Or should he not?

Rate(1-10): 8

Have I mentioned that I love Cameron Dokey's retellings? SO SO MUCH.

So, this one is a retelling of The Arabian Nights. This wasn't as good as the author's other retellings, but it was still good.

I haven't read the original story of The Arabian Nights, but I've read another retelling of it in Girls to the Rescue.

The narrator-- whoever that may be (It can be Cameron Dokey herself)-- is very conversational and acknowledges the reader. I find that kind of interesting.

My absolute favorite thing about Cameron Dokey is that she retells the original story in her own way and adds all these little details to make the whole thing more authentic, and make the characters more authentic as well.

This was a short and very interesting read, 78 pages in PDF. I'm excited to read the rest of her retellings!

Well, quotes.


"..she flew into a rage so great that her heart burst, and she died."


LOL WHAT

"Who is she? What is her name?"


Just imagine Haymitch saying "Whoa! So eager!" Right here and right now. LOL.


"..the possibility for love."


HA

"..and heaved it back into the ocean."





"Do you trust me?"


This is so... Aladdin.


"A great silence seemed to settle over them--"



-awkward-


"Then his lips found hers and neither spoke aloud at all."


AWWW IT'S ABOUT TIME


"Take this woman away."



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That's that!
What did you think of this review? (:

Book Review: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

 Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
Book Summary: Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

Liana's Summary: It's been a few weeks since Lena's sixteenth birthday. They've been counting down, ever since they met, and before, too. Lena's been dreading it. Would she turn dark, or light? But when it's time, things turn into a special occasion. Lena has to be claimed at age 17 instead. What will she do? Macon told her once to claim herself. So that's what she'll try to do. Ethan is confused and lost and hurt when Lena starts to pull away- and he doesn't know why. With the help of Link and Liv, Ethan tries to make things right-- or at least find out what's happening.

Rate(1-10): 8.5

Well, let me thank +Cindy for lending me her book so I could read it. THANKS CINDY. I DIDN'T RUIN YOUR BOOK. YAY. I TOOK FOREVER THOUGH.

To be honest, I only read this book for the sake of reading it. LOL. If that makes any sense at all. So, recently, as y'all know (or not), the movie for Beautiful Creatures just recently came out, and of course I watched it. I wasn't satisfied with a few things but I will not elaborate further because this is not a movie review blog. Ha. Anyways, as much as I hate to admit, if I didn't watch the movie then I would have been completely and totally lost in reading this book.

Some say that this book is better than book 1, but in my opinion, they're the same. Still pretty good though. I just feel like the only difference is that the authors added a lot more concepts into this book. I find it pretty cool how Kami and Margaret are co-writers. So awesome. Ermahgerd.

Can I just say, I'm glad that Ethan narrates? I really disliked Lena in this book, something I never thought I would do, based on the first book. Lena is starting to scare and annoy the crap out of me. PLEASE LENA JUST GO AWAY NOW AND LET ETHAN BE HIS MORTAL SELF AND LET HIM HANG OUT WITH HIS NEW MORTAL FRIEND

Ridley. She scares me. Really, really really really really scares me. So does John. Link is annoying. Liv is pretty cool. Just another version of Hermione Granger. (; I think I'm done..

Quotes!

"Which made me hate him."

Oh-kay.

"I have a lot of experience, you know."

"Good-bye, Ethan."

"There are always choices, Macon."

"Why do you say 'no offense' when you're trying to offend me?"

I should say this more often. LOL.

"..and leaned down.."

"I pulled away so fast,.."

"My mom was the girl in the visions."

"Liv was gone."

"Macon's face."

ERMAHGERD

"It was decided."

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And that's that. What did you think of this review? (:

Book Review: Where She Went by Gayle Forman.

 Where She Went by Gayle Forman.
(If I Stay #2) 
Book Summary: It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Liana's Summary: Adam and Mia have been separated for 3 whole years. They've both changed. They think that they'll never see each other ever again, but, that thought is contradicted when the two cross paths one night, explaining things, starting things over. Making new changes.

Rate(1-10): 7.5

This is the sequel to If I Stay, which I read 2 years ago, not to mention forgetting some of the details. Honestly, that wasn't even the best book ever. I felt like falling asleep on some parts, but I guess that's just me discovering that Contemporary books aren't my thing.

Since in If I Stay, Mia was in a freakin' coma, and she was the one narrating, I didn't get to know her that well from another person's point of view. One of the things I like about this book is that Adam is narrating, instead of Mia. So we can see Mia from his point of view.

Adam. Well, this is interesting, ain't it? In If I Stay, he seemed like a totally different guy. Or maybe I don't remember that well. He smokes now, gets angered at the smallest things, yells at people, and throws tantrums. He's a rock star rising to fame, and yet when the paparazzi comes he loses his composure and that sort of affects his stardom a little.

Mia, on the other hand, didn't change as much, if I'm allowed to say. Honestly, I don't know. From what I collected together about her in the first book, she was like that in the second book.

This was seriously a quick read. Finished in a few hours in one sitting. The story revolved around one or two days.

When I finished the first book, I was just like, "UGH NO I'M NOT READING ANY MORE GAYLE FORMAN," but I seemed to change my mind, since I was told the second book was better than the first, which is somewhat true... But, more accurately, I think they're both Gayle Forman style. I grudgingly opened this book and was faced with satisfaction. I like how Forman explained the stuff from If I Stay and made everything right again.

Quotes!

"I pull a cigarette from my pocket.."

Oh gosh, Adam! What happened to you?!

"..so butterflies scared me."

Butterflies scare me too

"I need a cigarette."

No you don't you just want one

"Because I hated you."

That escalated quickly..
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That's that.

What did you think of this review?(;