Anticipated releases!

As always summer makes me more eager to read, especially because most days I'm working! So not a lot of the days are over to get a lot of reading done, because then you're just so tired as well... You know the drill! Even though I can't read a lot right now, I'm really looking forward to two books that will be releasing in the next coming time! Both feel like a big summer read but one isn't coming out until 2018! Sad face... Here are my anticipated releases!

Just Friends by Tiffany Pitcock
Release date: 1st august 2017
I might never have read anything by this author, the cover and the synopsis just really make me feel like this needs to be read during summer. I'm in luck, it gets released this summer in August so I will be able to read it this summer and feel absolutely great about it! 


Jenny meets Chance for the very first time when she is assigned as his partner in their Junior Oral Communications class. But after they rescue a doomed assignment with one clever lie, the whole school is suddenly convinced that Little-Miss-Really-Likes-Having-A’s and the most scandalous heartbreaker in school have been best friends forever. It’s amazing how quickly a lie can grow―especially when you really, really want it to be the truth.

With Jenny, Chance can live the normal life he’s always kind of wanted. And with Chance, Jenny can have the exciting teen experiences that TV shows and movies have always promised. Through it all, they hold on to the fact that they are “just friends.” But that might be the biggest lie of all.

I also just read that the author is a debut author which makes this release even more exciting! I'm always on the lookout for new authors that present a first book. It's nice finding new ones because it means a new writing style and who knows maybe a new favorite author!

Also the story just gives me amazing vibes and who doesn't love to read something like this? It's a classic romantic one so I'm hoping that it'll get a twist anyway and maybe a bit of drama. For short I'm just really, really excited about the book and I can't wait to get it in my hands. 

Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch
Release date: 1st May 2018
A little downside to the book: we need to wait another year before we can get this book! Nevertheless am I absolutely thrilled for this one! Last year Jenna Evens Welch brought her first book Love & Gelato which I fell in love with the moment I saw the cover.

A few of you might remember that I wanted to take this book with me on my trip to Italy because the characters were based there but that the release was postponed to a later date and I had to leave without the book. I read the book when I got home and boy, I loved it! This book has so much thrill and romance and a beautiful written description about the city that it was hard not to love. Of course I just had been to Italy and I had seen the beautiful piazza's which added a lot to my imagination in the book.

This time around the author will do something similar but in another city and with another background story! I'm already very excited for this as the cover is very close to Love & Gelato's so that makes it even more thrilling in my opinion.

Addie is visiting Ireland for her aunt’s over-the-top destination wedding, and hoping she can stop thinking about the one horrible thing she did that left her miserable and heartbroken—and threatens her future. But her brother, Ian, isn’t about to let her forget, and his constant needling leads to arguments and even a fistfight between the two once inseparable siblings. Miserable, Addie can’t wait to visit her friend in Italy and leave her brother—and her problems—behind.
So when Addie discovers an unusual guidebook, Ireland for the Heartbroken, hidden in the dusty shelves of the hotel library, she’s able to finally escape her anxious mind and Ian’s criticism.

And then their travel plans change. Suddenly Addie finds herself on a whirlwind tour of the Emerald Isle, trapped in the world’s smallest vehicle with Ian and his admittedly cute, Irish-accented friend Rowan. As the trio journeys over breathtaking green hills, past countless castles, and through a number of fairy-tale forests, Addie hopes her guidebook will heal not only her broken heart, but also her shattered relationship with her brother.

That is if they don’t get completely lost along the way. 

I'm already so excited to visit Ireland through the eyes of the characters, and through the eyes of the author. I really love her writing style and it was also very easy to read in Love & Gelato so I'm hoping that this won't be any different. I really loved the author's first book so my expectations are high!

If you're interested in reading my review on the first book by Jenna Evans Welch, the review on Love & Gelato is HERE! It was my summer read of July 2016 so it's absolutely a recommendation to read during summer!

Those are the two books with summer-y feeling that will be released in the next couple time (ugh year!) that I'm really looking forward to! Hopefully I can read both during summer as I know this will add more to the feels while I read. I do wonder if I'll be able to contain myself for a month with Love & Luck since it comes out May but it's not summer yet... we'll have to see!

Book Haul

Ha! It's been a long, long time since I've done another book haul so I thought why not? In the past few months I've bought a total of 5 books and then of course there were all the books I got for my birthday which you can find on my post about my Birthday haul! 

The first load of books are books I bought on Amazon! As you might have read in an earlier post, I had a hard time finding out how to buy from Amazon, but found a loophole. Luckily! After my first time buying from Amazon, I ordered other books there as well.

Ceaseless and predestined by Abbi Glines
My first time ordering there I bought Existence by Abbi Glines. I could only find the series up there because it wasn't available anywhere else. I had my eyes on this series for a very, very long time and finally I could read them! After seeing if I was still interested in the series after I read the first book, I ordered the others! Here is the synopsis of the first book, Existence:


Pagan isn't any normal girl, aside from going to school and doing homework she sees things nobody else sees. And she shouldn't be able to see the things she sees:souls. None of the souls give her any attention, and she doesn't give them any attention either. One day, that all changes when one of them starts staring at her and eventually starts talking to her. Trying to ignore him, Pagan can't do anything else but start getting attached to the soul. But he is nowhere near a soul... 

I have to say that my expectations were really high and I was a little disappointed. Nonetheless I decided that I really wanted to read the rest of series and see if it gets any better. I've been waiting to read this series for such a long time so I wasn't ready to give it up! 

REVIEW ON EXISTENCE HERE!

The Struggle by Jennifer L. Armentrout
While I was ordering there I decided that I was going to pre-order 3rd book in the Titan-series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Many of you know by now how much I love Jennifer L. Armentrout and how in love I am with the Titan-series! So of course I pre-ordered this book! 

For everyone who doesn't know what the heck I'm talking about, the Titan-series is a sequel to the Covenant-series by Armentrout. It's a series that gives us a look in Seth's life and my god, do I love it! A short synopsis of the first book in the Titan-series The Return so I don't spoil you guys for book 3...

It's been a year since Seth made a deal with all Gods, getting on his knees and pledging his life to them. Now he's theirs, he gets all sorts of assignments but most are violent and bloody. Apollo now has something else in mind for him. This assignment will be more difficult for Seth because he has to keep his hands to himself. That's kind of difficult for a guy that doesn't understand the word 'restraint'. 

Josie on the other hand doesn't know what's going on. Her mother is sick and she's doing everything to understand how it all works. Hoping to help others and help them understand. That is until her world get's overthrown by the ancient myth. Starting with meeting the golden-eye, mysterious Seth she thinks is kind of attractive. 

Together they get dumped into a story of danger, discovery and even forgiveness and redemption. For Seth this journey will be challenging, for Josie this journey will be discovering. But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all. 

As far as I know this series has 4 books, the 4th coming in March 2018! I can't really say anything bad about this series. It contains everything to write a good book: feelings and action. The author makes sure that there are so many plot twists so every book still has this unique thing they concentrate on while fighting something on a bigger scale that comes to all books in the series. It's just such a big variety in situations that happen it really never gets boring. Then again who gets boring from Seth? Not me. 

This is really one of the series I absolutely recommend but I also recommend reading it after the Covenant-series since you'll spoil yourself if you read Seth's story first. Other than that: PICK THIS SERIES! You won't regret it.

REVIEW ON THE RETURN HERE!
REVIEW ON THE POWER HERE!
REVIEW ON THE STRUGGLE COMING SOON!

Tell me three things by Julie Buxbaum
The last book I bought on Amazon was Tell me three things by Julie Buxbaum. I never heard of this book before or saw it on Goodreads until I watched Jesse on Youtube. He had the book in a haul of his if I'm correct, and it really spoke to me. I just really needed it. 

In comparison to the other books I bought, this is a more realistic one and also one I already read and loved! This book doesn't have anything paranormal but it does have secrecy and really had me excited...

Moving across the country, Jessie has to adjust to a new lifestyle of rich snobs and high expectations. Not feeling like she belongs anywhere, Jessie eats all by herself on the new school, and getting support from her new stepbrother is nothing she needs to wait on. It isn't until an unexpected mail that Jessie understands someone has been watching her very closely. Calling himself SN, he guides Jessie in school situations while keeping his anonymity. She finds herself swooning for him very soon as SN is starting to become bigger part of her life and someone she feels comfortable with and can relate to. But then there's Ethan Marks who made a very good first impression on her... Fighting against the feelings she has, Jessie will have to pick. Before deciding anything she thinks it's time for her and the famous SN to finally meet... 

This. Book. It has so much suspicion I read the first 200 pages in one day! I needed to know who this SN person was and I needed to know it fast. This book is a real page turner because it'll keep giving information about the person and you won't be able to contain yourself! The will to find out who it is, is very strong!

Next to the fact that you want (no, need) to know who this SN person is, you'll really be able to enjoy reading this book because of how Jessie is now growing and trying to adjust to her new lifestyle that also contains bullies. I absolutely loved having this suspicious SN part in the book as well as seeing her handle new things while she's feeling homesick. The main character really was to die for and I absolutely loved reading this book so much. 

The only thing that disappointed me a bit was the fact that I felt it was a bit predictable. And I'm talking about the SN part, reading the first 200 pages of course you built a list of who it might be. However I really knew who it was as well halfway through the book, a little disappointed that it was so predictable but nonetheless I really loved reading this book and enjoyed every feeling in it! 

REVIEW ON TELL ME THREE THINGS COMING SOON!

Hidden by Marianne Curley
At the end of June there's also this big book feast in Ghent. In the previous years on my blog, I talked about this before as well as posted the book hauls from it! This year I went again but I didn't really find a lot of books that I wanted. Some I even had already! I did find a lot of children's books which was a good thing, but for YA and English reads I didn't find a lot.

In fact I only found one book! I was doubting if I should take it but after running around the place once again, my mind kept going back to it! Of course this is an Angel-themed book, I can already guess it which is also why I couldn't leave it behind. Everyone who's been around here for a while knows how much I love books that have angels in them and so I took this beauty with me!

For as long as Ebony can remember, she's been sheltered. Confined to her home in a secluded valley, home-schooled by her protective parents, and limited to a small circle of close friends. It's as if she's being hidden. But something is changing in Ebony. Something that can't be concealed. She's growing more beautiful by the day, she's freakishly strong, and then there's the fact that she's glowing.

On one fateful night, Ebony meets Jordan and she's intensely drawn to him. It's as if something explodes inside of her--something that can be seen from the heavens. Ebony still doesn't know that she's a stolen angel, but now that the heavens have found her, they want her back.

I don't know a lot about the book or author, never read a book by her before. I did find out through Goodreads that it's a series of 3 and yes, maybe I couldn't contain myself to read the synopsis of the second book... and third. Although it's only a 3,46 on Goodreads, I'm having high expectations to find out how much I'll enjoy this book! 

And that concludes my book haul featuring all the books I recently bought! Of all the books I bought I already read two of them and those reviews will be posted online in the next few weeks, so stay tuned...

Invaded

So we had the month of April which was basically invaded by Luxen, aliens. We're June and once again this blog is going to be invaded by yes another alien species! It's also the 21st of June which means it's FINALLY summer and we can all look out to summer reads that brighten our day even more. And of course the lay-out will change with the season, so I'm excited! Anyway, back to our invasion of today: Invaded by Melissa Landers!

Note: this is not a first in a series! I recommend not reading any further as Invaded is the second book and there have been many developments and changes made since Alienated. If you're interested in the series or want to read Alienated, I wrote a review of this book on my blog HERE!

Earth is in need of planet L'eihr's technology but L'eihr won't help out Earth before they have an alliance where everyone agrees to the terms. Cara and Aelyx need to make sure that alliance will be formed by pleasing their people. Cara needs to please L'eihr and Aelyx needs to please Earth. Both knew it would be a huge adjustment and them being away from each other doesn't make things any easier. Especially because both are being targeted and the alliance is in danger.

First off, the characters! Cara seriously grew so much onto me. I can't believe that I didn't like her at first in Alienated. This character really has a very big task and she's very sure of herself to make it true. Her determination and her trying so hard was something I really appreciated. Especially because she's now on another planet, surrounded by species who don't like her at all, Cara is really being tested. I appreciated that this character showed us to always believe everything will come to a good end, and didn't give up. 

I did love the fact that the author made the balance between her being totally alright and not giving up and then give her moments where she really doubts if she can do this and want this. I think that's a very realistic perspective of life as well, the ups and downs, and our character has these moments which gives the book a very realistic twist (well in the feels department since Aliens are not real yet.)! Cara really surprised me by her actions and motivation and I'm really keen on her! 

Then we've got Aelyx, also he is on a planet where the species will test him. Also Aelyx the alien has changed a lot over the past two books, his hatred for mankind has simmered down now he knows Cara. During the book we'll also see his perspective and his feelings towards her and can I just scream? He's so adorable! Another trait in this character was his patience on the unknown planet and try his hardest to form the alliance. He's also really gentle, gentler than I had expected, and really caring which really is a trait that I feel he had less in Alienated! 

The bond between Cara and Aelyx will be tested as both are on unknown territory and are away from each other's support, but they're still there for each other and that will be highly appreciated by the readers. Both of them might be far away from each other, but the cuteness and gentle, comforting moments will get a chance in this book as well. Something I really appreciated to see as I was a bit scared that we wouldn't see these moments at all because they were apart. However readers might also really appreciate the fact that they're on their own, it really gave them the chance to feel one with the planet they're on and also made sure that the characters knew further development! 

Lastly, I really want to talk about Cara's brother! It might come as a surprise but he really grew on me! I don't want to spoil too much because it really is something to enjoy during the read, but I just love this character so much. He's really funny and caring but in his own way and I was really happy that we'd get to know him after all. Troy is a very surprising character, especially after all the things we already knew about him (which weren't all the most positive ones) and readers will really be pleased by him!

The plot really surprised me the most, because it felt like a huge contrast and I actually really liked that. I'm in love with the fact that it's a reversed world where both characters go to the partner's world and live there. Of course there's this bigger task that's important while they're there but still, it is something really cool!

Especially because now Cara lives on planet L'eihr we'll even get more drowned into the culture and above that get to see the landscapes, the government, the daily schedules and how everything works on the planet. Get ready to become full L'eihr! I really think this is a great asset to the book to see the functioning of this other planet and the contrasts it shows with ours.

But as I already mentioned, a bigger task needs to be done: the alliance. It's only because of the alliance that both character now reside on each other's planet. Thank you alliance, now I know how planet L'eihr looks like. The alliance between the two should help the earth with it's problems but readers will soon try to find out why the L'eihrs want this alliance: what's in it for them? And that's how all the suspicion starts to take place. 

It's not a secret that the Earthlings hate Aelyx and it's also not a secret that L'eihrs hate Cara, these relationship between the alien and the earthlings and the earthling and the aliens will really create a tension and more division in both camps. The remaining question is how everyone is going to react to the tension and that was also the surprising moment in this book. (Which I'm not going to get say because hello spoilers!)

This book actually really contains a lot of surprise and I really loved it a lot more than I did Alienated because there's a lot more action and mystery that's supported by the tension. Above that now Cara resides on L'eihr she won't only find out more about their culture but also about many more other cultures in the galaxy which once again gives a nice twist to the story. When we finally find out what on earth is actually going on, you'll be actually really surprised by this as it is something unpredictable, yet fantastic to find out. I have to say this outcome was actually a lot more twisted and original than I had expected. Then again, I hadn't expected anything like this in the plot.

Next to mystery, action and thrilling I really felt like the story made a lot more room for the feels. Now the characters are divided, the tension will also be transferred onto their relationship which then causes moments of comforting, love and caring but also moments of jealousy and uncertainty which I actually really appreciated. The bonds created will receive a new dept that was really amazing to witness and of course there are also the family bonds and friendships that get more attention! 

Lastly, I noticed that this book has a third in a series, but I don't know if I want to read it. It's not that I hated the two books in this series, not at all. In fact I absolutely enjoyed them! However the author made it look like this was the last in the series as the end feels really the end for me. I'm satisfied with it. I think that's a good thing actually, if readers want it to be the end they can but they can also go on and explore further. I did notice that there's a suggestion that opens the way for a third book, but I also thought that it could be a future thing that we wouldn't ever know and didn't really mind that. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, either read on or stop here and make this my ending. Either ways are possible and I like that about the series. 

PS: I actually originally thought that this was a duology! That's why I thought this was the end, until I found out a few minutes ago that there was a third in the series! 


This book shows such a contrast to Alienated! The characters are now more evolved but still show their traits and strengths through the book. I even felt like we finally got to know them a lot more and a lot better, which is a very big asset to this book. Above that the plot takes a whole new turn as the worlds are now reversed: Cara is on the planet L'eihr and Aelyx is on earth. I really loved to see this going that way because both are foreign on the planets and that causes a lot of new things and a lot of adjustment. We finally also got to know the L'eihr culture a lot more because Cara lived there and I must say this culture was nice to explore! To top it all off, the two characters need to make the alliance between the two races stand, but some don't agree and sabotage which gives the plot a taste of action and suspense! I loved this book even more than I did Alienated!

“When you preach hatred, how do you expect your followers to respond?” 

Raveling You

A few months back, let's make that almost a year ago, I read a book by choice for my English exam. Of course I went for one of my favorite authors and I guessed it was about time to move on with the series and read another book by her. I have to say, it did not disappoint: Raveling You by Jessica Sorensen.

Note: this book is the second in a series of 5. If you have not read the first book, I highly recommend to not continue because more developments have been happening in the book in comparison to the first book. Reading on will spoil you for the first book in the series. If you are interested in the series, I did write a review on the first book: Unraveling you.

REVIEW UNRAVELING YOU: HERE

Ayden's past has finally come to knock onto his doorstep with a threat: his dead brother is only the beginning. Ayden is trying to remember everything that has happened when he was kidnapped so many years ago but his fears is keeping him from remembering. All the while, Lyric stands by him and tries to ease his fear and worries for what might have happened to his sister. While both try to solve the mystery, both also start to realize how important the other is for them and they can't afford to lose each other. When danger comes knocking on his door again, he doesn't know if he'll be able to save her from it.

Not much has changed when we look at Lyric, she still surprises me so much with her optimism and how happy she can be all the time, even when happiness isn't standing on her side in the story. I really, absolutely appreciate the fact that the author wrote a character that shows such positive vibes to the readers. Even when the times are very hard and rough, Lyric tries to find the brightest thing in it and tries to make it shine for everyone. Lyric is one of those characters that makes you smile because of her bright personality but also because of her sarcasm and dry humor which I can surely appreciate. 

Another thing I really enjoyed with this character was how much more we could see her support the people around her. Everyone is suffering from what's happening and she's such a supportive character that it's just so hard not to love her. Her support for others really is something beautiful in this character and what makes her also very relatable. 

This time around, Lyric will also try to find a way to her dreams as well which really made me appreciate her even more. Even though she tries to support, she doesn't dwell and won't put a stop on her dreams because of it. She'll find a way to include everyone else in her dreams so they can be happy and enjoy themselves. I really saw a development in this character, even though it was tiny when I compare it to Ayden.

Ayden is the other counterpart in the story and we see the huge contrast between him and Lyric. While Lyric always has had a good life and still can find happiness, we have Ayden who's been through a lot and gets pulled into his past once again. This time around, in contrast with Unraveling You, I feel like we know Ayden a lot better. His messages in his head aren't as cryptic anymore and he's really trying his best to become a full human being again.

We see him struggle a lot under the pressure of the police as well, he's doubting and worrying but that fact that he's trying really hard to make his existence count and to show that he can be useful and good enough really shows how much courage he has and that brightens his personality a lot. Of course this character is also the key to all the mystery that came in Unraveling You because it's his past that we need to access to get answers. 

We all know what has happened with with his brother, and for everyone's sake can I just say how surprising that actually was? Let's face it: we were never prepared for an ending like that! Raveling You will therefore really concentrate a lot on the mystery too and that's where our character Ayden comes in because we need him. 

This character shows such a huge difference and contrast to the first book in the series. Although there are many moments of doubt and worry, of fear for the unknown and his past, we also see how much he's trying to become such a great personality with happiness. I'm really glad that we also know a lot more about him and his feelings, without making his character seem too different from Unraveling You. The author stayed with his personality and only tried to change him for the better in small ways which I found very fantastic. She stays close to his reality which I think is a very important thing in this series. 

As for the plot, I already said it: it's mysterious. I was very surprised when I read Unraveling You because all the books I've read by this author didn't necessarily have this kind of mystery. And of course the mystery was only becoming bigger towards the end of book one and now it continues. The author will finally release some details we need to get a picture of Ayden's past and what we're up against. The best thing is that she doesn't give us everything because the character isn't ready for it. It really gives such a great feeling and made me feel aligned with Ayden. This of course gives Jessica Sorensen bonus points! 

As we're finally unraveling more of the mystery, the two main characters will start to align themselves more and more with each other. The lines between romance and friendship will be blurring and becoming very, very thin and who does not love such a thing? What was something that I really appreciated was the fact that the author really focused on their personalities: Lyric might be ready for anything, Ayden is really struggling and might not be ready for anything. It also made sure that both of them won't only support the other but also find a way to be pleased both and to find the golden midway. I really can't say it enough; the author did a great job with using their personalities and build the events around it. 

This growing affection between the characters and the mystery is also very well balanced out. The only remark I have toward this book is the fact that the author focused a lot on the sexual tension between the characters. Of course this was necessary in the book because this will have impact on the characters but I often wondered where the feelings are hanging around as they just talked about wanting to kiss the other constantly. I just wished the author focused a bit more on this. Other than that this book was very well written with a lot of new mystery that sometimes chilled you to the bones but that's really an asset to the plot in my opinion. Of course there are also very happy feelings and other kind of feelings, which are always there in a story by this author.

Raveling You was a great follow-up on Unraveling You. The characters are still very well written and still showed a lot of developments. The plot also has a good balance with the mystery about Ayden and the development between Lyric and Ayden. Although sometimes I wished the author didn't focus all the time on the sexual tension between them and focused a little bit more on their feelings for each other. Of course their feelings are written, and they're well written, I just wished the focus was more on that. The mystery also starts to get more and more detailed which really makes the readers get pulled into the story and get very chilled at times because of what this all might mean. Once again Jessica Sorensen made a very unique story that follows up the first part in this series amazingly: it makes you wonder about what will happen next and how the mystery will evolve! I can only say one thing: I am excited!

"Endlessly Yours."

Birthday Haul

So last Sunday it was my 19th birthday and what presents to give a book junkie? Books of course! First of all I want to thank everyone for the gifts and for the books because: I love book so now I love all you guys because you gave me more books! I hope that explained it all :) Let's jump into the birthday haul!

Reboot by Amy Tintera
A book that was in the 3 books I want to read in 2017 post and lucky me, because now I have it right here! That also means I will absolutely read this book in 2017 and accomplish that goal. It's a book that I've had in my hands a few times in Dutch but I'm an English reader so now I can read it! This is what the back of the book says:

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

I mean I can't say no to a book like this, can I?!

Ascend by Amanda Hocking
I read the first two book in a course of almost two years and I think it's about time to finish this series. It's also the first series I've read by this author and I really love her writing style. Above that what this book is about really surprised me as I had expected something entirely else! I'm not going to post the back of this book as it's the 3rd one and I don't want to spoil... But here's what the first book, Switched, is about:

Wendy Everly was only six-years-old when her mother tried to kill her. She was so convinced that Wendy wasn't hers, that she was a monster and that she'll only mean trouble. Ever since that day her older brother Matt and her aunt Maggie have been taking care of her. Making sure their mother can't lay one finger on Wendy ever again. 

It isn't until years later that Wendy finds out that her mother might've been right all along. Together with Finn Holmes, Wendy tries to find out exactly who she is in a world she never knew existed. But she's not sure she wants to be a part of it...

Once again we'll end a series and it's sad but I'm actually really curious how the last book is going to turn out. I also wrote a review on the first two books so go check does out if you're interested!

REVIEW ON SWITCHED: HERE

REVIEW ON TORN: HERE

Found and First & Forever by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Finally I'm going to finish this series as well! I remember reading the first two books of the Crescent Chronicles during the exams when I was in high school. I read these book I think 2 years ago so who think it's time to go on and read the rest? YES, that would be me! Also here I'll give the back of the first book, Flight, so I can't spoil!

Sometimes you just have to take flight.

A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.

Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

Also those covers are really pretty, it's what partially sold me to read the first book! A review on the first book can be find here:

REVIEW ON FLIGHT: HERE
Apparently I didn't write a review on the second book so that gives me a good opportunity to read the series again to refresh the memory! 

Raveling you by Jessica Sorensen
One of my favorite authors and it's also about time that I read a book by her again. Last year for my English exam we could pick a book and I picked the first book in this series. Almost a year later, it's about time to continue the series by reading Raveling you.

I can't believe that I went so long without reading Jessica Sorensen as she actually was one of the authors that kept me reading. This series also has a lot of thrill and mystery in it which actually quiet surprised me because I felt like this was rather new in comparison to her other series I read! Here the synopsis of the first book, Unraveling You, so I don't spoil anything:

Lyric has everything in life to be happy. She has music to keep her buys, she loves singing, she has friends and she has both her parents. For her new neighbor, Ayden, this is different. He's been going from home to home without any support. He's been through so much, if only he could remember what exactly. His past has been so rough and dark that he doesn't remember anything, his memories are blocked. 
Slowly Ayden starts to feel comfortable around his new family and around the all optimistic Lyric. Together they can go anywhere they want and do anything. And soon the lines between friendship and romance are blurring. That is until Ayden's past decides to pay a visit...

REVIEW ON UNRAVELING YOU: HERE

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
This is a book that's been on my list for a long while now and I'm really excited to finally have it. I can't wait to read this one as I feel this is something very close to a genre I actually really enjoy. Also that cover it looks so bright and simple but I feel like a deeper story is behind it. Did anyone read it? And if so, what did you think about it? 

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.
Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

I just read it's going to become a movie! That means I should read it like right now and then wait anticipated on the movie... This is huge news, I really didn't know! 

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout
And once again there's one of my most beloved authors. I feel like Jessica Sorensen and Jennifer L. Armentrout are the authors I have most books of and I'm pretty proud on that. Also, the 3rd book in the Titan Series is almost released! I already pre-ordered it so while awaiting that one, I'll be reading this one. It's actually my first stand-alone by Jennifer L. Armentrout and probably also the most realistic one I've read by her. All the series I have by her are pretty paranormal... I'm curious to where this one will lead! What the back says:

For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.

Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.

It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with the lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory faces a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants, and the truths that need to be heard.

It also has great scores on Goodread (4.01 stars) but I didn't expect anything less by this author to be honest! 

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski 
And yet another book on my 3 books I want to read in 2017 list, which actually makes this one the last book in the 3 I wanted to read this year. Also that cover... I can't! It's actually pretty stunning and fabulous and dramatic and it's just all I want right now and I just need a gap year to read all the books I want to read... yep, that's basically what I should do. 

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. 
One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.
But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.
Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Let's repeat some of my words I wrote in the post about the 3 books I wanted to read in 2017: I just want to underscore that this book sounds amazing and thrilling and suspenseful. I mean "a story of deadly games"? YES! Kestrel hiding her growing love? HELL YES! And him having secrets? I can only imagine how this will go...

Those were all the books I got for my birthday and I wish I could read all of them right away! But I have school and it's asking a lot of attention. Hmm, I guess I should do a gap week instead ha! Thanks again for all the books, I'm really looking forward to reading them all very soon!

Me Before You

It's that time of the year to get all cosy with a good drink and a warm blanket and to read an amazing book. Well I can tell you, this book will be the perfect book for moments like this. I enjoyed this so much, not only because of how cozy it was in my room but also because of its content. This book will not leave you untouched: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.

Louisa Clark has never been out of her hometown and she never saw any reason to. Soon she finds herself changing for the better and that all by the man that she should be changing. Disabled in a wheelchair, Will Traynor has lost his interest in life and Louisa tries her best to make him think differently again. What they don't know is that both of them are in for a ride full of emotions and life changers. Both want the best for each other: Will wants Lou to live life but Lou wants for Will to find that passion about life again. Yet soon they find themselves battling against the other to make them realize life can be perfect, but not easy...

Yes. I have seen the movie first. I know. It's not okay! Of course I loved the book more but let me just explain. I was going to read the book first but I just didn't get around to buy it and there was a day where I just wanted to watch a movie... so it actually just kinda happened?

First off, I'd love to talk about Louisa Clark because this character was my absolute favorite! Not only because of the way she dresses, but also because she's such a deep character. You'd think a girl that wears the clothes she wears is confident. If I would wear the clothes she wears, I'd be judged and watched and I'm not even kidding about that! But we see that Lou actually isn't that confident about herself. The book will really show us so many facets of her insecurity and I was so keen on it. It often felt like she just didn't want to try something new because she thought she wouldn't belong.

My heart rooted for this character! She's very special, and I really saw that in her insecurities that alternated with her determination. As the synopsis tells us, Louisa goes to a new job with a disabled man who doesn't love life anymore. This will affect her deeply and will show us many times that Louisa is actually a much stronger girl that we might once have thought.

The thing I didn't like with Louisa, and this isn't anything directed to this character, was that she keeps being tossed from one to another. It was always her that needed to do things because the family needed it, because she shouldn't be selfish, because it's her duty and so on. I really felt with this character because of this, I wanted her to discover what she loved and what she wanted to do in life but many other characters held her back. And the good heart she has, she lets them.

Louisa Clark is really the character that makes you recognize things in yourself. She's a very reliable and realistic person and that's really what made this character amazing and deep and strong. Lou really sees the good in everything, she'll try everything she can and would put her whole life to a stop for someone else. Amazing character!

Another character I love to discuss is Katrina Clark, Lou's sister. Not for the same reason as Louisa really because I adored Louisa but I hated Katrina. In the movie, I didn't feel bothered by this character but as always, the book goes a lot deeper than the movie. Katrina is horrible. There isn't anything I love about her.

Katrina is the younger sister of Lou and during the book we often get the impression that she's the "better" one of the family, aka better than Lou. She's also a mother of a 5 year old which I don't mind. It does show us the reality of it all, people can have kids. But it's really the fact that Katrina is one of the people that stops Lou from doing whatever she wants to be doing. I really find her egocentric and selfish and there's nothing I can tell more about Katrina. She pushes Lou into everything, tells her she needs to do this or that for her own benefit. She always wants everything and is selfish. But we do see some change in a positive way at the end of the book.

This character of course gives us a very good impression on the insecurities of Louisa so Jojo Moyes did do a great job on Katrina Clark. The contrast between these two is very big and therefore very distinct which I loved. It gave us a much deeper level of understanding and it's something that I appreciated. But I just didn't grow to love that character because I always was team Louisa!

Then we have Mrs Traynor and this is a character you really grow to understand. In comparison to the movie, I feel like she wasn't pictured right at all. We know her son is disabled and how he feels about life and the movie really just shows us she doesn't want him to feel like it. The book goes into that so much more and explains how she feels. But the most important is, is that really reflects what she must feel like and how she tries to handle it.

There was also a part in the book where Mrs Traynor got her own chapter and explained her feelings and her posture and so on. She really does want the best for her son, that's also why Camilla is so weirded out and surly towards Louisa. The bonding between mother and son is reflected well and emotionally, to my opinion, which was a great asset to the book.

Three down, two to go! Will Traynor, in the movie played by Sam Clafin which is my bae, is great. Just fantastic. We all get a certain picture of how someone might feel in this state, and I'm pretty certain it's far worse than what's been shown in the book itself. Yet I really loved to read about it and to get descriptions of the hospital appointments, the meds and the things he goes through. If these descriptions wouldn't have been there, I'd feel like this book would be very superficial but it is there and it gives a certain depth to it.

The grumpiness of Will was something we grow to understand, it's not only because he doesn't enjoy life, there's more to it than that. That was something you really can understand and makes you see things in his perspective. A great asset to the story to my opinion! But his mood will lighten from time to time, which I was happy about because really... I love Louisa and he was mean to her...

What I loved about this character was that even though he doesn't enjoy his life anymore, he will try to make Lou come out of her comfort zone. We know now that Louisa is held back by different people and even though he's disabled, Will will try to make her understand that things can turn out differently in just a second and that you need to make your life worth it. It's not only amazing to see and see her transform in a certain way by him, it's also a very nice and emotionally loaded message that's so important and greatly transferred to readers by the author.

Lastly, I really want to discuss Nathan. He's another caretaker at the Traynor's and god, he was amazing. I loved his accent in the movie, but also the book gives us a bit more perspective on this character. Nathan also had a little chapter in which he gives us clarity on what he is thinking and feeling and how he wants this to turn out. I'm really happy we got to see a bit more of this character because he has to go through this too and understand what's going on. Although I did miss him a bit at the ending of the book, but I also missed him at the end of the movie. So not much has changed.

As for the plot, what can I say? It was great. Firstly I'd like to discuss the fact that some characters got there own chapter. I already said that Nathan and Mrs Traynor had their own chapter. But also Katrina and Mr Traynor get their own chapter. I'm a big fan of this because it created a bigger point for us, we knew more, we felt more, we got more into the story and got a lot out of the story. It's really amazing to see how the other characters think about this or that, and how they feel about it. Some even compare things to their own life which was also an interesting thing to know, in my opinion.

Although I wish there was a chapter by Will too! He's a very important character and I hoped we'd know more about how he thought about Louisa for instance or about her efforts. All we knew was his mood and sometimes he'd say something, but I feel like his inner emotions will always be a big mystery for us. But I can see the fun in that too, now we can imagine ourselves! 

Another thing that was really present in the book was the discussion about euthanasia and I was a great fan of this being presented in the book. The story takes place between 2007 and 2009, so the mentality about euthanasia was different. The book really clears things for us and how the mentality is about doing this to yourself. At a certain point in the book we also see a big contrast between the people who are okay with it and support the person who wants it because it's his decision. At the other side of that we see the people who disagree and say it's not morally right to do this.

I really was keen on seeing the contrast and just in general to see this topic, which is still very sensitive for some, presented in the book. Some might be shocked that it turns out a certain way, others might not be shocked because they support. This book really makes you think about that and see the reactions. It might even make you feel very, how do I say this? Loaded? If you agree or not, it will give you a certain feeling. I loved that!

Further more there is the whole Louisa has a boyfriend and works with Will situation. I have to say I didn't really like her boyfriend at all. It's not that he's a bad person, I do generally think he's an okay guy. I just thought he thought a lot about himself and his interests and never really saw what Lou felt or wanted. The relationship between these two will be accentuated at a few moments and give a certain heated situation to the book I never expected. 

As for the relationship between Will and Louisa. I was just all about that! Seeing these two grow and see their relationship grow from nothing to real friendship? It's too good for words. This book really shows us how slow the process of a very close friendship can be and what can all get in the way. Will and Louisa are an amazing team although they something didn't want to admit it, they just work.

The plot will try everything to make Will love his life again. Louisa tries to do a lot of things, mostly get him outside of the house and it's really working out for the both of them in a certain way. I really was keen on Lou planning all these things because it showed her determination but it also did things to Will which gives the plot an interesting turn of events. What I loved most was the fact that Louisa was in contact with other people that were in the same situation as Will. It gave a bigger picture of it all and also showed many ideas of what can be done and what can't be done. The activities Louisa plans really gave us a funny feeling or a very loving feeling and I was also very happy about that.

Trying to make Will love his life again gives us also a very emotionally loaded and important lesson with the book, a moral. When books give you a certain lesson, I'm always grateful for it. In some ways you've experienced it through another body and another story, even though it's fictional. Me Before You shows you this on a very different way and it shows you the road down to a happy ending and a non happy ending. It really approaches both and closes with the moral of the story. Absolutely appreciated this!

I think we can conclude this book with saying that it's an emotionally loaded book but that has a very special and fantastic message in it. The characters were very deep and because of added chapters in other people's perspective there came a new level of depth. We understood them more and saw them handle things in the way they wanted to. Not only that, we also saw how and why they acted the way they do and see them come to their closure at the end of the book. The plot shows us the growing bond between the characters and represents this realistically, added with some humor at times. Above that, an asset to the book was a very sensitive topic which will make you see the pro and cons about it and makes you feel very loaded and self-conscious. I really loved this book because it was so emotionally, sensitive but funny at times and because you could really relate to characters and feel with them. I therefore also really recommend this book to everyone!

“Push yourself. Don't Settle. Just live well. Just LIVE.”