If I Stay

  So " If I Stay" by Gayle Forman is being made into a movie. I read this book last summer and even seeing the preview I was bawling. I don't know why but I like to read these sad, tear jerking stories every once in a while and this is one of those stories. I couldn't get into it at first. It seemed really boring but the synopsis kept me going.
  The book is set in Mia's mind. It includes a lot of flashback and memories and stories. I can't tell you why but I'll warn you. I cried so much and so hard during this book. Mia is going through an extreme crisis and has to make a life or death decision. Her thoughts about the decision are about her relationships, and her family and her past. It's a very touching story.
  I really connect with Mia. I mean, she has both parents around but the way they treat her, and love her is the same way my mom treats and loves me. Mia also has a little brother, and our brothers are both very similar. Mia and I are close in age (High schoolers). We both have one really close friend that we tell everything too, and we both have boyfriends who are similar haha. Mia is a driven and intelligent girl. I respect her character (not like her personality). Her drive plays an important role in this huge decision and I tried to think about what I would do in her situation but it was incredibly difficult.
  This book also shows life from a different point of view. Literally. It also illustrates a deep communication barrier between Mia and the other characters.
  It's a very good, quick, emotional read and I loved it. I can't wait to see the movie. Most people would like this book if you liked TFIOS and books like that.

Empire State of Mind

  I went to NYC three weeks ago!! I went the day after my last day of school which was also the day of my Semi, Regents, and Graduation. We left at 7 in the morning and got there around 10. We stayed with my mom's friend in Jersey City.
  I'll include some pictures. I had so much fun. I went to so many places and shopped at the little close- out markets on the streets. I got a Nutella crepe after I went to the New York Public Library. I got a library card and bought a NYPL tote bag! I went on a ferry which took us to about two blocks away from the 9/11 Memorial Building and Fountains. It was beautiful and amazing. I took a picture with 3 NYC police officers.
  I went on the subway 4 times, rode on the PATH train, walked, took a bus, took a taxi and walked more haha. I had NYC coffee and bought an I Heart NYC hoodie across the street. I haggled the price from $20 down to $15.
  I went to Bryant Park after the library and enjoyed my crepe while listening to a live orchestra. After that I think we took the subway to Times Square. We went into Aero which is HUGE. Then we walked to the Red Stairs where Glee and The Amazing Spider Man 2 have filmed. Then we walked to Rockefeller Center where Clary and Simon (The Mortal Instruments; CoHF) have gone Christmas shopping. Then went into the Lego store and got my brother two Legos. We then took a subway to the base of Trump Tower and then walked to Central Park.
  We took a subway back to 7th Ave. where I got a knock off purse for $10. Then we walked to a PATH station, and took the train that took us back to Jersey City. We ate a delectable dinner at The Roman Nose. It was Italian and I the Insalata de Pollo (Chicken Salad). After that we went across the street to Downtown Yogurt which is A LOT like sweet frog. I had the Parasian Tarte yogurt.
  That was the end of my NYC expedition. The next day I embarked on the new adventure of flying in a plane down to Austin, Texas!!

Harry Potter

  I could spend every day for the rest of my life talking about Harry Potter, so forgive me if I "fangirl" a little too much. To me, Harry Potter is the best book series in the world. Each book has a different lesson, and deeper meaning than just a boy who finds out he's a famous wizard, and goes to a famous school.

  J.K. Rowling is a literary genius. Her writing is enrapturing and bewitching. I have read the series as a whole THREE times. Every time it feels like I'm reading them for the first time. I've reread a few of the books more than 5 times. 

  I'm going to add my favorite Harry Potter pin EVER to this blog. It seriously explains what I mean by a "deeper" meaning. 

  The first book wasn't my favorite but I still loved it. I love the friendship that formed between Ron, Hermione, and Harry. I was 8 when I read the first book, and I truly felt connected to all of them. I felt like I was experiencing Snape's dagger like stares, and like I was listening to Dumbledore talk, and like I could feel the drool from the three headed dog when they went after "Snape" to get the stone. I learned the same lesson about the feeling of desire that Harry did with the mirror. I learned the same lesson that some things are worth fighting for. And I learned that it's okay to stand up to your enemies.

  The second book is one of the books that I've read over 5 times. I'm not sure what exactly it was that I loved so much but I loved it. It might have been the real introduction of the intense Mrs. Weasley. I thoroughly enjoyed the Howler Ron received, and the part where she is screaming at her sons but then she turns to Harry and uses the most loving tone to welcome him. Professor Lockhart made me so angry. He was so arrogant and I detested him. Now to that whole deeper meaning part. The whole thing with the Chamber started with the detest for "Mudbloods". A " Mudblood" was killed the first time the Chamber was opened and "Mudbloods" were the ones petrified the second time. I'm strongly reminded of racism. The detest for African- Americans, the KKK, the Quota System, even the Holocaust because of the belief that "Purebloods" are the superior race. I also learned from Ginny and Tom's relationship. Ginny didn't know who exactly she was talking to. Tom was an older, charming, convincing man and he lured Ginny into her self destruction. Again, I'm reminded  of the internet safety issue, Catfishing, and kidnapping. I learn from the Trio, again, that some things are worth sacrificing your self for.

I am going to post another blog about the next 2 books because this blog is getting pretty long haha.

The Probability of Miracles

I read this book last summer and promised a review for it and I still haven't written one.

  "The Probability of Miracles" by Wendy Wunder, was a heart wrenching story about a girl, Cam Cooper, who lives in Florida. The heart wrenching part is that she has cancer. Her mother is a firm believer in miracles and decides that the family (Cam, her mother, and her sister) needs to take a road trip to Promise, Maine. It's said to be a place of healing and miracles. Cam decides to make a checklist of things to do before she dies before she leaves for her trip.
  This book is so full of feeling. Some parts are so depressing and others are so uplifting. There are a few where desperateness is present. Some parts are angering. and Almost every part is saddening. To me, this book is so close to TFIOS on a literary level, and an emotional one.
  Crazy things happen when Cam is in Promise. Some good, some bad. I don't know how much I liked the way Cam's heritage distracted from plot. There are a few parts where it's definitely cool to read about but it doesn't always fit with the story.
  I read this before I read TFIOS and it was my favorite book (other than HP) for a while. I recommend it to teens, and TFIOS fans. But keep in mind TPOM was published before TFIOS.

The Replacement

  "The Replacement" by Brenna Yovanoff was disturbing yet... really good. It opened up and somewhat created a new world in Fanatsy. The book is about a boy, Mackie, who... isn't really a boy. Understand? He begins to notice weird changes in his behavior and the behavior of others when they're around him and he's not exactly sure why. People are stalking him and being straight up creepy. He lives in a small town that is rumored to be haunted by a twisted ritual performed by demon things every few years, and it involves babies. A girl's baby sibling is taken for the sacrifice and Mackie is determined to help get the baby back.
  The end of the book is really the best part. The message I took from this book is that ugly things can be beautiful if you love them. The sister, at one point, talks to Mackie about how when he was a newborn, he was beautiful, but then one day he was just ugly. The sister loved him and took care of him since the mother "couldn't". You'll know what I mean if you read it. But eventually, Mackie started to be less and less ugly and his sister assumes it's because she loved him so much. I try and be like this sister with my own brother. JUst be nice and loving even when it's really hard.
  Everything in the book is just really out there. It crosses some sort of line that's been silently created. It goes deep into the roots of  "teenagery" actions. It's not necessarily a bad thing it's just different. I liked the book and I liked the way Yovanoff created this underworld where Mackie came from.
  I don't know if I loved the book, but I had my friends read it and they liked it. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's graduated high- school haha.

Sorry for the flood of reviews!!
   

Bloodlines

  So I read "Bloodlines" by Richelle Mead a while ago, but whatever. It's a spin off of "Vampire Academy" also by Ms. Mead. Sydney is an Alchemist and her sister Zoe is requested for a mission but Sydney steps in and takes her place to protect a vampire, A.K.A. the bane of all Alchemists. Throughout the book Sydney's heart betrays her, and she is frequently put in life threatening positions. This continues through 4 books (so far), and Ms. Mead does a fantastic job keeping readers hooked.
  I read the VA series 2 years ago and was captured by "The Amazing World of Richelle Mead". Like most spin-offs, characters from the original series are present. Adrian, Dimitri, Rose, Sonya, Jill, Lissa, and others are active protagonists.
  I can't write too much without giving away both series but I will say it's so far from Twilight. It's so much better and there is more character development. I recommend it to people interested in VA, drama, romance, action, and of course, fantasy

Divergent

  As not many of you may know, I've recently added a poll to the bottom of my blog :D I'm going to try and have a new one posted every week or two.
  The move for "Divergent" recently came out. I, as a true bookaholic, read the books first. I started to read them about 4 months before Allegiant was released. Divergent begins with an interesting scene regarding the main character, Beatrice Prior. She's sitting in a room with people from other "Factions" before her choosing evaluation. She's observing the characteristics of each group, noticing how all of the members in one group are so alike. But when she thinks about herself, she doesn't know where she belongs. She thinks she could belong to a few groups. And this is where I realized that this was going to be a book about identity and breaking the mold society had created.
  I'm trying so hard not to spoil this book right now so bear with me.
  I cannot get over how amazing it is to read a book where the girl doesn't need a guy to save her. It's also amazing to see "labeling" and "cliques" blown up to the size of Chicago. It sheds new light on experimentation, and how our country is advancing technologically. It also makes one think about who they are. Questions I had through the books were "Where would I belong?", "Would I be like Tris?", "Would I be Divergent?". The answer to all of these questions is very simple. Everyone would be Divergent in this society. It's not one-size-fits-all in real life.
  Veronica Roth does an amazingly beautiful job with the crafting of this trilogy. It's an enticing series and I recommend it to everyone. Especially the people from American Girl who publish the books on "How to be a Young Lady."

Sarah Dessen

  I have decided that I cannot write a review for every single Sarah Dessen book... I mean I could, but I don't want to. Not because I'm lazy, or because I didn't like her writing, but because I loved her writing.

  I have read every Sarah Dessen book. The first one I read was "Lock and Key". I was 11 when I read it and still remember it. The story was about development and assimilation. And the most recent book that I've finished by Dessen is "Dreamland". It's a heart wrenching story about abuse and loss. In between those two, somewhere I read "Just Listen". It's funny actually... My name is close to the female protagonist's and my boyfriend and her boyfriend have the same name and the exact same personality... anyway... This is a story about falling outs, trauma, and mental illness.

  What I'm trying to say is Sarah Dessen captures basically everything into a collection of YA books. I also want to point out that all of the characters are connected to the other characters Dessen has created. A huge thing I look for in books is a way to relate to the characters. Sarah Dessen makes this so easy. Each girl is given a different back story, a unique personality, and a different problem. But each girl is written so amazingly that it's easy to relate to every one despite the differences.

  I don't however, like how we are thrown into the middle of a situation in the beginning of every book. Other than that, the books are easy to get into, hard to put down, and the stories stay with you for a while. 

  These books are geared towards teenage girls and that's who I'd recommend them to.

The Fault in Our Stars

  "The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green is the best YA book I have read. Ever. Everyone has either read it, seen it, or heard about it. It's about two teenagers with cancer. Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus "Gus" Waters. John Green is an amazing writer and I don't like him very much for that reason.
  He is able to write a book from the point of a teenage girl SO, SO well. What's more, is that this teenage girl has cancer in her lungs. I could say so many things about such a small book. Okay? Okay. This is obviously a tragic love story. It's also realistic fiction. It's a work of literary genius. Every word is carefully crafted and the tone and the mood of every line is so clearly conveyed. It feels like you ARE Hazel. and it feels like you're feeling what she's feeling.
  I read the book in 3 days. I COULD NOT put this book down, like it was glued to my face. It's a metaphor. Every page is a roller coaster of emotion and everything is flawlessly written. Gus and Hazel are teenagers. They walk, talk, sound, behave, and look like normal teenagers would. They are stressed. Both respond like any normal teen would. They cry. They break things. They cry more. They talk. And cry more.
  There is so much humor and happiness in the book as well. The characters are all funny and they all have unique personalities that are so perfectly illustrated. The book shines a light on other problems besides break ups and bad test grades and mean parents. It brings this side of life out of the shadows.
  I seriously recommend this book to everyone ever. It's the kind of book that will be good to have on your read list