The Summer I Turned Pretty (by Jenny Han) Book Review

Blurb

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along

Review time.. 

The summer I turned pretty... I'm disappointed, I really, truly am. I expected way more. This story lacks details. "...I cupped the back of his head,moved it toward me, and kissed him. Tentatively at first, and then he started kissing me back, and we were kissing each other. His lips were warm and needy. He needed me. My mind went pure blinding white..." WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? She is freaking kissing her all-time crush and all I get is THAT?! What? WHAT?! I've been reading 260 pages to this moment and all I get is that? No, no, I'm not happy, at all. It's her first real kiss, her crush for as long as she remembers, I wanted more about what she feels around her, the setting, the air, smell.. etc. I want to throw the book at someone, too bad it's not too heavy. Belly is just... Not the kind I expected, she could have turned pretty by just being physically more improved, it's also the mature mind, and she didn't seem to let go of that. Her character was undecided and confused throughout the whole book. Does that make her more mature?  No.  She's been pouting and crying at every stupid thing, OF COURSE THEY WOULD TREAT HER LIKE A KID when she was younger. But I grew up around 4 brothers, so this might seem normal. I would treat her like a baby too, I'd even throw her out the window if I was Conrad or Jeremiah. Pfft. This deserves way less. There've been many attempted jokes, all of which I hardly laughed at. Cancer makes me sad, it was truly devastating finding out that at the end. I would rate it 3.5, because my expectations were higher. I liked the fact that it went back to how she was before, the thing is that I was confused, I didn't know which chapter was when, sometimes I forgot that she was looking back, the only thing giving it away was Steven's presence in her memories after he left. I hate the fact that she's 15. At 15, I don't remember being so... But everyone is different so I wouldn't count on my past to judge people simply because I'm sometimes still a kid and people tend to mistake my looks for a 14 year old. Anyways, the way she handles Cam, I thought that was stupid. Give the guy a reason for not answering his calls or texts or whatever. How would she feel if Conrad would avoid her. Things moved way too fast. This story lacks so much detail. I expected romance, the gooey kind,with awkwardness and suspense, but as her relationship with Cam got deeper, if it did, I couldn't help myself but dislike Cam more and more. His character was basic and I hated that. Total: 3.5 stars (more of 3) I wasn't happy with it, I liked the ending, and the first chapter that came along with it. But not enough to make me like the whole book. It felt like reading an empty book, no romance,no humor, not quite the summer-y feel I needed, especially since I read this at the beach. I do not want this happening in my dream summer

Beach Book

What is the magic book of this summer to me?

You might have guessed it right. It is summer. I am a teenager after all, and the last but not the least, the summer mood is on!

The Summer I turned Pretty!

Everyone talks about it. So, I found the perfect time to squeeze in a little book like that.

A weekend at the beach, with the perfect book in hand. What makes suntanning better?

What sets the mood, if you're not at the beach. This is basically the definition of summer.

The Selection (#1, by Kiera Cass) Review

Blurb

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review:

There's a reason for why I had to almost  remove a star and make it a 4/5. 

But it's a 5/5 book. 

This was a difficult book to read. Not in that sense, I finished it in under 24 hours, I was hooked and I liked it. I was curious and the end killed it. I hate the ending. Like really hate the ending. 

It was a short book, which is why it felt like I didn't have time to form general opinion. I feel like the ending was the kind I could stop to,  because it's frustrating. She loves one guy, yet she stays for the other. No love mentioned for the other. She just stays and it seems to me like she's putting her life at risk and I don't like that. 

According to the rules, 'cheating' on the prince is punishable by death. If this ends with her dying I will burn the book, I don't care if it's my brother's book. I.Will.Burn.It. 

I'm team Maxon, personally because I hate guys, or men, that act like cowards, Aspen led her into this Selection, ready to give up on her because he cares about her. 

What?

He's an idiot, and I don't like idiots, so if she ends up with him, I won't be happy. 

And he's only 'more' attractive because someone injected some weird stuff that made him bigger, stronger. No. Maxon seems like he has real beauty.  Born perfect, raised perfect. 

Aspen is just... 

Maybe I find pessimistic guys extremely unattractive.

Okay, okay. Putting all this negativity aside, I liked the book. It's definitely worth reading and with some girls leaving and staying, I'll admit I was surprised, and I like surprises, sometimes. 

I like how each relationship is going slow. Only two kisses in an entire book. Call me crazy but I think it's pretty awesome. 

I have this fear that Aspen and America will take things to the next level and it'll just make me hate her. I deeply do not wish that. I'm hoping for the best, praying the worst will not happen.

America is such a difficult character to get, one moment she's jealous at the other girls with Maxon, next moment she's making out with Aspen. 

Why? Decide woman.

I guess I'm glad she's going to try to win, despite the events going on with Aspen and Maxon. I hope her decision is wise.This might not seem like a review for a 5/5 book, but I enjoyed reading it, and it sure as hell got me hooked. I'm curious to see what happens.

I really am.

The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3, by Richelle Mead) Review

Blurb

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Review time.. 

I'll admit, seeing, whom I'm assuming is, Markus on the cover of the book gave me a number of doubts. I thought Adrian would be completely exterminated from the story and it had me worried, A LOT. 

This book was different. I mean, it was different from the two previous books. It's the characters have changed completely. It's great don't get me wrong, it's exactly what I wanted and expected, it's cute and really romance-y, and I believed  the previous books didn't have much of that, so this book definitely makes up for it. 

I like all three books equally so far, but this book had the best ending. My brain started creating all those awkward scenarios with Sydney hiding from her sister and trying to act colder towards Eddie, Angeline and Jill and especially Adrian. I think, and I hope the next book will be full of humorous situations, because honestly that's pretty much all I can picture at the moment. 

I don't have a lot to say about this specific book, except that it involved a lot of problems at once, I felt like my head would explode along with Sydney's as I read every responsibility she had under her nose, it tends to be overwhelming when trying to keep up with everything. 

There was little mention of the gang, which wasn't as fun, despite Angeline being the real issue, I would have liked a bit of Jill moments, even though I might have had enough of her in the first book. 

Oh, Richelle Mead, excuse me if I ask but what's with obsessing over blue eyes. If I'm not mistaken, all guys introduced in the book have blue eyes, except Adrian, but still, I have barely imagined different faces with the same eye color. And coffee and sweet stuff. I found myself craving pies and other desserts while reading this book. I, just like Sydney, obsess over calories consumed and pies and other desserts are just no fun to keep away from. 

I like how Sydney wants to be who she wants to be and not what people expect her to be, so I admire her, and her courage for going against everything she was taught just because it felt right, yet wrong at times. 

I've grown very fond of the characters, the past 3 days have been all about the Bloodlines series, I'm taking a break because I have one last book to read before buying the last one.  

Much appreciation, I adore these books, I've become a huge fan of Richelle Mead's works and hope to read more from her.