The Elite

The Selection began with thirty-five girls.

Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever- and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want- and America's chance to choose is about to slip away. - excerpt from book.

The Elite by Kiera Cass is the second book to the Selection trilogy. The book picks up right where the story stops in the first book. I have to say the dress worn by the model for the cover is absolutely fierce and chic. In this book, I find that the main female character was a bit annoying for me as she can't decide which male character she loves. The love triangle in this story was a bit annoying for me as I have already picked a side and wanting the girl to be with the guy that I've favoured. In this book, the side characters were getting better as there were more emphasis on them. I like reading more about those who help support the story, people who influence the actions and reactions of the main character.

The plot for this second book was very very good, there were many exciting turn of events happening in the book. It captured my attention so well that I could not stop reading. I loved how the characters reacted to the situations, it was on point and revealed so much about their personality at the same time. I love that there is another agenda in the story that slowly surfaces and it was so so good. This is the part of the book that made me keep reading even though the love triangle was a bit off putting for me.

Overall I think the second book was really good, the twists and turns were better than the first, the characters revealed more which was interesting. I love that this book is a quick read, enjoyable and like the first a wonderful page-turner as well. If you have read the first book, you'll definitely pick up the second book. I highly recommend this trilogy to young adult lovers as the story is getting better and better, readers who enjoys love triangles and also readers who enjoys books on imbalance society.

The Selection

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime.

The opportunity 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, and leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she begins to realize that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. - excerpt from book.

The Selection by Kiera Cass is the first book in the trilogy. This is my first time picking up this book from the author because my cousin sister recommended it to me. This trilogy is also quite popular in its genre so why not find out it's hype right? Lucky for me I did not need to wait like the fans yearly for a new release, I bought all three of the books one shot.  Firstly, I want to say is the dress worn on the cover is absolutely gorgeous, so classy that you only wear to Grammy or Oscars and also there an image of a crown over the top of the book title, so pretty.

Before I read the book it was implied that is like The Bachelor TV show, so there will be many girls and the bachelor will pick one to be his wife. For this book, there has been a tradition where the prince will pick his wife from a selection of eligible ladies from the country. The point of view in the book is on one of the ladies that were to compete with other girls. I would say that the female heroine has quite a number of good traits along with one or two that I may not like. I felt that the growth for the character in the book is quite minimal.  The side characters were quite okay, supporting the story very well. The male characters were really good and interesting to read about, I wished there was more written about them.

I really like the setting and the world build by the author in the book. I like the idea of the social/job system in place in the country. That idea is quite fresh and unique. As for the plot, it was quite good and fun, it captured my attention well. The twists were good but one of the twist I was able to predict. This book is similar to other books in the dystopian genre such as Hunger Games minus the violence. I also thought that I would read about those girls competing each other like the Hong Kong drama s where the kings chooses a new concubine and there usually will be concubine wars,  the queen making her own pick eliminating other concubines who can obey her. Luckily it wasn't that dramatic else it would have put me off a bit, seemed like the author copied of those dramas.

Overall it was an enjoyable read, a very good start for the trilogy. The story is a good page-turner as well, it got me hooked easily and I kept reading it quickly. I highly recommend this book to readers who love young adult genre with romance, competition like the bachelor show theme. I definitely will read this book again in the future as it was a fun and light read.

Pixel Block - Snowman

The following pictures are instructions on making a snowman pixel block from this Innisfree christmas set. The proceeds of this item is all going to charity. It was really fun assembling this decoration. You can replicate this snowman with nanoblock or Legos but the Lego one would be really big. I have also recorded a video on how the snowman was assembled. I will link the video at the bottom of the post.

Video on how it was assembled:

Pixel Block - GingerBread Man

The pictures below are detail instructions on how to make a pixel block Gingerbread Man. It can be replicated with Nanoblocks too, you just need to follow the block shape that is used. Have fun!

The video below is how the pixel block is assembled, video recorded by my sister.

Tonight the Streets Are Ours

There must be more to love, more than this.

When Arden stumbles upon the online musings of Peter, a young New York City writer, it feels to her that she's finally found a kindred spirit. His blog gives voice to feelings that Arden has never known how to express and she's convinced that, if they met, he would understand her in a way that no one else does.

So she sets out on a road trip to find him.

During one crazy night in New York - the type of night when anything can happen and nearly everything does - Arden discovers that Peter isn't exactly who she thought he was. And maybe she isn't exactly who she thought she was either.- excerpt from book

Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales is a standalone book about a girl finding herself. Firstly I have to mention that the titles to each chapter are very well thought of which makes reading the chapter more interesting because I will see how the content relates to the title. The font type for the chapter title is beautiful, same font as the title of the book. It certainly puts me in a good mood reading this book every time I look at the nice font.

I love that there are two parts to the book as you read you will realize why the author plotted the story that way. I thoroughly enjoyed both parts of the story very much each playing a different role for the main character. I like that the story started with a cliffhanger and then the plot slowly unfolds itself to reach that peak point. The first page itself have captured my attention well because the author has already inserted a point into your head and throughout the story you'll be searching for it. I also love that from that peak point the story continues to be exciting. There were some twist and turns which was delightful to read about. I would say that the author plotted the events of the story really well.

Now the characters in the book seems like mediocre people but I really like the main female character. Her personality was adorable, sweet and so kind, her reactions to situations were understandable and her interactions with her friends is just too cute. I would say that if I have a friend like her I would be so lucky. The side characters of the book is wonderfully suitable in supporting the main character and helps her progress well in the story. I felt that with the situations that happened to the main character, it changed her and allowed her to grow.

At the end of reading a book, I always ask myself did I learn anything and the answer to this book is yes, I've learnt much. It was a book about finding meaning in love, it's a good book about a young girl's perspective on it. Even though it's seems to be a young girl's view but I very much think that adults would think like that too. I truly love the message that the author is sending to the readers, it's very meaningful.  I highly recommend this book to young adult contemporary readers, you will definitely enjoy this book. Or if you're a reader who loves book on the topic of love, this is your cup of tea.

Below are some of the quotes that truly speaks to me when I read the book:

"but usually she went to the Internet to reassure herself that there was a whole world of people out there, living their lives just as she was living hers. Sometimes they had experiences like her own, and sometimes they had experiences that seemed completely bizzare, but either way, their mere existence made Arden feel less alone. No matter what time of day or night you go online, there are always countless other people there too," - page 55, line 17 to line 23

" It didn't seem right that somebody else's carelessness or selfishness could have such a huge impact on your life. Could destroy you. It didn't seem fair that your happiness was constantly at the mercy of everybody else." - page 155, line 7 to line 11

" Maybe loving somebody means simply they bring out the nest in you, and you bring out the best in them - so that, together, you are always the best possible versions of yourselves." page 342, line 7 to line 9

Be Careful What You Wish For

I wish:

I could get a seat on the tube....

I hadn't eaten that entire bag of Maltesers....

I could meet a man whose hobbies include washing up and monogamy...

Heather Hamilton is always wishing for things. Not just big stuff- like world peace, or that Brad Pitt wants her as jis next leading lady- but little, everyday wishes made without thinking. With her luck, she knows they'll never come true...

Until one day she buys some heather from a gypsy. Suddenly the bad hair days stop. A handsome American answers her ad for a housemate. She starts seeing James- The Perfect Man who sends her flowers, excels in the bedroom, and isn't afraid to say 'I love you'.

But are these wishes-come-true a blessing or a curse? Does getting what you want make you happy? Ans is there such a thing as too much foreplay? - excerpt from book.

Be Careful What You Wish For by Alexandra Potter is the author's fifth book which I enjoyed very much and I really liked the storyline. The reason why I liked it is because I kinda connected with the main character very much, some of the things that happened to her are quite similar to my current life. The messages that I picked up from reading the book was really meaningful to me and it touched my heart. Those messages helped me look at certain aspects of my life differently and I really have to thank the author for it, it was so unexpected to read it from the book. 

The plot of the story was quite well written with very good twists and turns. One of the twists that happened totally gave me a shock and made me really nervous for the characters. Other twist were not so easy to predict at all which is what I like when reading genres like this. If a romance book is totally predictable to me, I would not have enjoy it so much. Unless the characters that I ship so strongly will end up together, that's the time I want to get my prediction correctly.

I really really like each and every incident that happened in the book, it certainly changes the behaviour of the characters. I love how the main heroine reacts to those situations and I love the side characters that bring out her personality so well. The characters all interact so well with each other which are so entertaining to read about in the book. My favourite is the relationship between the main character and her father, it touches your heart and pulls at your heartstrings. 

My attention was certainly captured well by this book and many a times the messages I pick from the book gave my heart a little bit of warmth. I'm impressed that the author did such a good job with the story, it's not a wonder that this book is a best seller. I highly recommend this to chick lit lovers because this story was quite meaningful and you'll certainly learn a thing or two. Whether I'll read the book again, I'm not quite sure but I think I would probably 4-5 years later.

Here's a quote from the book that we often forget:
"yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why we call it the present." page 45, line 3.

Ten Thousand Skies Above You

Ten Thousand Worlds.

Ten Thousand Enemies.

One Love

Marguerite Caine has done the impossible, travelling to alternate dimensions with the Firebird- the brilliant invention of her parents, her boyfriend, Paul and their friend Theo. But she has also caught the attention of enemies willing to kidnap,  blackmail, and even kill to use the Firebird for themselves.

When Paul's soul is splintered into four pieces- pieces that are trapped within Paul in other dimensions - Marguerite will do anything, and travel anywhere, to save him. But the price of his safe return is steep. If she doesn't sabotage her parents in multiple universes, Paul will be lost forever.

Unwilling to sacrifice her family, Marguerite enlists the brilliant Theo to help, The two forge a plan to save Paul and the Firebird, but succeeding means outsmarting a genius and risking not only their lives but also the lives of their counterparts in every other dimension.

Their mission takes them to the most dangerous universes yet: a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each leap brings Marguerite closer to saving Paul-but her journey reveals dark truths that lead her to doubt the one constant she's found between the worlds: their love for each other.  - excerpt from book.

Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray is the second book in the Firebird trilogy. Right from the start the book had already captured my attention, it had such an exciting start. The first chapter was really good and the rest of chapters were just amazing. The dimensions involved describe by the author was just so fascinating to read about and of course our heroine's adventures there was just as exciting as the world she jump to.

You will not stop reading as you just want to keep knowing what is going to happen, the storyline just keeps getting better. The plot twists and turns so well, so unexpectedly, it always catch you by surprise. I love all the events and incidents that happened in the story and all the reactions of the heroine touched my heart dearly. You could say that the flow of the book was just perfect, no flaws to talked about at all.  I love how the author brings the dimension into life with the description of the places. It's just so good where the timeline is same for all dimensions but because of some things, the world is in a totally different state and era.

I love the characters in the book very much, all of them were special and unique people. I especially love the main heroine, she really grew a lot in the book and also her actions were just really true to her personality. I also love how there can be many possibilities for each character in a different dimension where circumstances are different which changes your outcomes in life, certainly quite true in reality.  But out of everything I love, the thing that made me love this book the most is the Marguerite's love for Paul. It touched my heart greatly and it's exactly how I feel about my boyfriend too. The way she describe her feelings is just the same as mine and it was this point that made me connect with the character which made me love the book so so much. Below are some lines that meant a lot to me in the book, there are more but I forgot to jot it down:

"But grief changes. It softens, adapts its shape to become part of you. The kind of sorrow never gets any lighter, but you grow accustomed to the weight as you carry it on." - Pg 342 line 27 to pg 343 line 2

"I would love you in any shape, in any world, with any past." - Pg 369 line 12

The author has done a fantastic job in building the world, writing about the character's feelings, their actions and reactions all together in this wonderful second book. I highly recommend this to young adult fantasy lovers, readers who enjoy dimension travel, readers who enjoy an adventure with many many twists. Lastly, I have to say if you read the first book, why miss the second book? The first book is one of my favourite and this second book has easily topped it and become my most favourite book that I read this year. Truly a fantastic sequel to a fantastic start. If you have not read the first book, here is my review: click here =)

Me and Mr Darcy

He's every woman's fantasy...

After a string of disastrous relationships, Emily Albright has had it with modern men. 

She'd rather curl up with Pride and Prejudice and step into a time where men were honourable and strode fields in breeches, their damp shirts clinging to their chests. The men she meets are more into pleated trousers, two-timing and internet porn.

So when her best friend invites her to Mexico for a week of margaritas and manhunting, Emily books a guided tour of Jane Austen country instead.

There are no dream men here. The coach is full of pensioners, apart from one Spike Hargreaves, a foul-tempered journalist writing a piece on why most women would love to date Mr Darcy.

But then she walks into a room and finds herself face-to-face with Darcy himself. And every woman's fantasy suddenly becomes one woman's reality... excerpt from book.

Me and Mr Darcy by Alexandra Potter is a chick lit book about this woman who had many failed relationships and for her the perfect man would be Mr Darcy which is a character from Pride and Prejudice. At first I thought the book was quite at a slow pace revealing the personality of the main character. Slowly then did the story picked up with interesting incidents happening after the main character had more interactions with other people. I guess you can say that she is one boring person and it is the side character that are much more interesting to read about. The side characters all have a wonderful background story to read about.

The setting of the book is also good as I've always loved chick lit that is in England. The author did a great job describing the places that the characters visited, those places sound so beautiful. The plot of the book was smooth with some good twist and turns. I find that at the end of the day, this book was trying to get a message across and I think it's a good message for adults who are in the dating scene. 

In summary, this was just an okay book, it can capture my attention for a while and then lose it quickly after that. I don't think I would be reading this book again. I only recommend this book to readers who like the author. Maybe I picked up the wrong book from the author to start with as I saw that she actually have quite a number of books published. I'm going to give this author another try so I bought her best selling book Be Careful What You Wish For. I will review that book as soon as I finish reading it.

Love and Other Foreign Words

Can anyone be truly herself or truly in love in a language that's not her own?

Sixteen year old Josie knows a lot of languages: she speaks High School, College, Friends, Boyfriends, Break-ups, and even the language of Beautiful Girls. But none of these is her native tongue-the only people hwo speak that are her best friend Stu and her sister, Kate. So when Kate gets engaged to an insufferable guy, how can Josie see it as anything but the mistake of a lifetime?

As battles are waged over secrets and semantics, Josie is forced to examine her feelings for the boy who says he loves her, the sister she loves but doesn't always like, and the best friend who hasn't said a word-at least not in a language Josie understands. - excerpt from book.

Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan is about a teenage girl who is very good at languages but  not good at dealing with strangers and love. I did not know what to expect for this book and just hoped that it will be a funny young adult romance story. It was an interesting book as the main character herself is cute and weird. Her conversations and reactions to people and incidents are not what you expect from a teenager. It was also good to read about her thoughts as she interprets words that are said differently from the normal teenager. The other characters of the book are also not bad in supporting the plot. Her family is definitely not a typical family but I guess it's because of how they need to interact with the main character. 

The plot was okay allowing the story to move forward smoothly. Some of the incidents were funny to read about, often making me laugh. When I was reading the book, it made an impression to me about people because the main character has a very unique personality. The whole book was about her life and it captured my attention well. This book was not a fantastic love story, but it was more of a coming-of-age book instead with a little bit of romance included. 

I highly recommend this to readers who always enjoy a good coming-of-age story. I quite love coming-of-age books as it allows me to have a perspective about teens these days as when I was a teenager, my era was totally different. This book is also recommended to readers who enjoys a book about friendship and family. I'm not sure if I would read this book again as it did leave an impression but not a strong one that I would get warm and nice feelings from the book that triggers me to read it again.

  

The White Rose

No one said leaving The Jewel would be easy.

After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude.

But as they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it into the safe haven they were promised-a mysterious house in the Farm.

But there's a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known? - excerpt from book.

The White Rose by Amy Ewing is the second book of the Lone City trilogy. My attention was already captured at the start of the book, it was super exciting and action packed. With a start like this, the book was bound to be good and surely it did not disappoint me at all. It was a book that was hard to put down, you have to keep reading to know their journey. As you can tell, the plot was fantastically good, non stop action and excitement with many incidents in the story. The incidents that happen are very smooth and connects really well to the plot line, everything happens at very good timing. The plot twists were just so good and unexpected.

The main character in this book has the most growth in this second book and mostly it is the circumstances that she's in that needed her to change. I love that we get to learn more about the side characters in this book as the first book just manage to touch the surface of those characters and in this book so much more was revealed about their past. Their actions towards incidents of the book was fantastic and on point to their personality. I loved every character in this book and they truly make the story come alive.

This second book really beat the ball out of the park. It was exciting, capturing, fast-paced and also with a message attached to the story. I couldn't stop reading so I finished it quickly hoping it was a thicker book. I absolutely loved this book more than the first which was a great start but this second book puts so much more perspective into the world that the characters live in. I highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers, although there might be similarities to other books it's still unique. If you have read the first book, you must read the second, it will not disappoint you. I seriously can't wait for the last one to be out, it's gonna be a one year wait. For those who have not read this trilogy go pick up the first book, my review is here: The Jewel (The Lone City #1)

#scandal

#busted

Lucy's learned some important lessons from tabloid darling Jayla Heart's all-too-public blunders. Avoid the spotlight, don't feed the Internet trolls, and keep your secrets secret. These policies have served Lucy well all through high school, so when her best friend, Ellie, gets sick before prom and begs her to take Cole-Ellie's boyfriend-to the dance, Lucy accepts with a smile, silencing about ten different reservations. Like the one where she'd rather stay home shredding online zombies. And the one where she hates playing dress-up. And especially the one where she's been secretly in love with Cole since the dawn of time.

When Cole surprises her at the after-party with kiss under the stars, it's everything Lucy has ever dreamed of...and the biggest BFF deal breaker ever. Despite Cole's lingering sweetness, Lucy knows they'll have to 'fess up to Ellie. But before they get the chance, Lucy's own Facebook profile mysteriously explodes with compromising pics of her and Cole, along with tons of other students' party indiscretions. Tagged. Liked. And furiously viral.

By Monday morning, Lucy's been branded a slut, a backstabber, and a narc, mired in a tabloid-worthy scandal just weeks before graduation.

Lucy's been battling undead masses online long enough to know there's only one way to survive a disaster of this magnitude: Stand up and fight. Game plan? Uncover and expose the Facebook hacker, win back her best friend's trust , and graduate with a clean slate.

There's just one snag-Cole. Turns out Lucy's not the only one who's been harboring unrequited love... - excerpt from book.

#scandal by Sarah Ockler is a story about high school life mainly on the issue of cyber bullying. I find the story cute and also realistic at the same time. I quite enjoy the actions and reactions of the characters because it's real and it happens in the real world. I like the message of the story because this matter does happen often and youth these days need to be reminded and taught how to handle things like these. The main character certainly grew and learn a lot from her experience. The side characters were good too, they supported the main character well. The side characters all had unique personalities and their actions in the story helped carried the story well. I particularly liked one of the male characters because I feel I can connect with him well and it's interesting to read what he does in the book.

The plot of the story was good, everything strings together well. The twists and turns were not bad at all. It certainly did capture my attention for quite a bit. I kept reading to discover how the main character can fix her problem. This book has a simple story but I like how the author make the events interesting and I also like the message that you gain from it. The title for each chapter is also quite well thought of, you can see the author puts a lot of effort and heart into it.

Overall, I think it was not bad of a teenage drama type of story. It wasn't some romantic book or some sad sob story, it was just a typical story that could happen to a typical teenager. I recommend this to young adult book lovers who enjoys this author's writing (this was actually my first time reading her book), also recommending this to readers who enjoy a slice of life type of story.

Royal Wedding

Princess Mia's life in New York City is one glamorous whirlwind. Not only does she have to deal with nosy gossip columnists on a daily basis and the paparazzi following her every move, she's also expected to enchant wealthy strangers at royal engagements. Speaking of engagements...Mia's gorgeous long-term boyfriend Michael has popped The Question on an exotic Carribbean island. Finally they're ready to settle down...or so she thought.

When Mia and Michael return from their romantic hideaway, they discover that they are embroiled in a scandal of majestic proportions! A scandal that could turn the normally calm Michael into a runaway groom...Worse still, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia's father from the throne. 

Mia may be ready to wed, but is she ready to rule as well? - excerpt from book.

Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot is about Princess Mia after she's all grown up now in her mid twenties. From what I read around the internet this is the last book for the series, which makes me kinda sad as I started loving Meg Cabot's books from her The Princess Diaries series. I read this series when I was in high school through college so it's about more than 10 years since I've read this series. I was so excited about this last book, so naturally I bought it immediately when it's out. This book really brings back such good memories of my younger days, how much I loved it, laughed with it and smiled about it.

I can gladly say that this book is still funny and witty like the previous books and I absolutely enjoyed reading it. I totally love reading about Princess Mia's daily life especially her reactions to events happening. The interactions of the characters are all so entertaining too, it was so fun reading about all her friends again. It's just so nice that the characters all feel familiar but then because they have grown up there's a slight difference in personality for everyone too.

The plot is very smooth with really good twists which I could not expect at all. I think the timing of events happening in the storyline was perfect. I have nothing to complain about the story and the only thing that makes me sad is I wished there was more in the series. Because I love the series so much, it's only normal that it was a hard book to put down, so I kept flipping the pages quickly.

Reading Meg Cabot's books are such joy to me and it has always been funny. After writing this review, I feel I must take out her other books and read them again. I highly recommend this to all Princess Diaries series lovers because we must read the ending for Mia's story (hopefully Meg Cabot changes her mind and writes more). I also recommend this to readers who enjoys reading romance books that are funny. Without a doubt I would reread this book in the near future.

The Darkest Part of the Forest

In the woods is a glass coffin. 

It rests right on the ground, and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives...

Hazel and her brother, Ben, live in Fairfold, where humans and the Folk exist side by side. Tourists drive in to see the lush wonders of Faerie and, most wonderful of all, the horned boy. But visitors fail to see the danger.

Since they were children, Hazel and Ben have been telling each other stories about the boy in the glass coffin, that he is a prince and they are valiant knights, pretending their prince would be different from the other faeries, the ones who made cruel bargains, lurked in the shadows of trees, and doomed tourist. But as Hazel grows up, she puts aside those stories. Hazel knows the horned boy will never wake.

Until one day, he does....

As the world turns upside down, Hazel has to become the knight she once pretended to be. But as she's swept up in new love, with shifting loyalties and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough? - excerpt from book cover.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black is a standalone story for young adults in the paranormal/fantasy genre. At first the story starts off introducing a little bit here and there and then very quickly things starts to get all mysterious, I was easily hooked. I couldn't put down the book because the mysteriousness was capturing my attention. The plots was smooth with many twists and turns that were wonderfully exciting. I really really loved how the events unfold in the book.

The characters were interesting people, both main and supporting characters. Their reactions and interactions were quite entertaining. It was exciting to read about what they were doing presently and their pasts as well. I totally anticipated the romance that was happening in the book but even if it was predictable, it was satisfying.  I'm so impressed with the author's writing, she never disappoints me.  Her writing style for the book was good too being in the third person view. The book was not really long so it was a fast read for me.

Holly Black really writes well, I can't compare her books with each other as they have all impressed me and I'm really fond of her work. It is without a doubt that she continues to be one of my favourite authors. Her books are all unique and I could not think of any other books similar to hers currently. I highly recommend this to readers who enjoys stories about abnormal things happening that is shrouded with mysteries. This also will be an enjoyable book for readers who loves this author.  After reading this book, the story is not easily forgotten.

Red Queen

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood- those with red and those with silver. Mare and her family are lowly Reds, destined to serve the Silver elite whose supernatural abilities make them nearly gods. Mare steals what she can to help her family survive, but when her best friend is conscripted into the army, she gambles everything to win his freedom. A twist of fate leads her to the royal palace itself, where, in front of the king and all his nobles, she discovers a power of her own- an ability she didn't know she had.

Except ... her blood is Red.

To hide this impossibility, the king forces her into the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks her new position to aid the Scarlet Guard - the leaders of a Red rebellion. Her actions put into motion a deadly and violent dance, pitting prince against prince and Mare against her own heart. - excerpt from book

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard is a debut book of said author. For a first book I think it's was quite good for me. I really liked the setting of the world, it's similar to other fantasy books that is themed around oppression, "super powers", rebellion and many more. Although there are many similar stories, this book is unique in the world that is built and not to forget the characters as well. Speaking of characters, I felt that the main heroine did not get much character growth instead the side characters were the ones who were more interesting for me to read about. I wished more were revealed about them but I guess it fits the plot.

The plot of the book was smooth and good, with some wonderful twists which I managed to predict a little bit. It was super exciting at the end, leaving a cliffhanger for the readers. I liked the direction of the story, it was quite good. One thing that would have made the book fantastic for me would be more action happening, of course there was action but more would be better.

In conclusion, this book was good with an ending that keeps you on your toes as you will have high expectations for the second book. I'm quite excited to read the next book in the trilogy as I have no idea what is coming. I have seen the book cover and title for the second book and I have to say I'm impressed and eagerly waiting for it. I would highly recommend this book to young adult fantasy lovers who like a society where citizens are oppressed and a rebellion is present. 

Me Before You

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life - steady boyfriend, close family - who has barely been farther afield than her tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life-big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel- and he is not interested in exploring a new one.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy- but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his hapiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, Lou sets out to show him that life is still worth living. - excerpt from book.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes is the first book from said author that I picked up. I heard many good things about this book and also it has been signed for a movie which is in filming stages now. This book was really touching hence it made me tear up. It was such a lovely story and very realistic about life at the same time. So much of it was so real and I appreciated the different perspective that this book gave me. 

The characters of this book is nothing special but I like them because they are just like any other person in this world. Their struggles were real, their personalities and their interactions were all just real. I love the simple writing of the book and sometimes a different point of view is written too but mainly it's the main female character's view. The plot is unexpected for me as I have no idea what was to happen so I just kept reading because I wanted to know the ending quickly. 

Thanks to this book it helped me understand something important that is currently happening in my life. I highly recommend this book to readers who often enjoy realistic love stories, a slice of life. If you are a person who enjoys books from Cecelia Ahern, Marian Keyes or adult novel writers that are in contemporary genre, this is most suitable for you. 

Extraordinary Means

Up until his diagnosis, Lane lived a fairly predictable life. But when he finds himself at a tuberculosis sanatorium called Latham House, he discovers an insular world with paradoxical rules, med sensors, and an eccentric yet utterly compelling confidant named Sadie - and life as Lane knows it will never be the same. - excerpt from book.

Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider is the author's second book in the same type of genre (contemporary young adult). The first book was good, this one was even better, I was so satisfied with the story. The book has such a beautiful story that has multiple great messages for the readers. I especially love the two point of views alternating between chapters, it gives the plot different perspectives.

The characters have much development which made them unique but realistic at the same time. I love how the characters are very different from each yet they all have something in common. Some people compare this book to The fault in our stars but I feel that it's completely different as the setting of the book is totally different, the only thing in common is the part where the characters are terminally ill. I definitely prefer this book more than TFIOS. The writing of the author is quite simple but there's lots of strong feelings expressed hence it made this book a tear jerker for me.I loved the direction of the story, the plot twist really caught me by surprise. It was hard to put down the book as I was quite eager to reach the ending of the story. The romance of the book was also quite cute but I think the main reason of this book was about something else (not going to spoil you).

Lastly, after finishing the story, the author left a long note for us readers. That note explained a lot about her intentions, her research and more. This note really was important as I agree with the message that she is trying to portray. Without a doubt this book is in my favourites for this year, I highly recommend it to readers who loved TFIOS, readers who loved contemporary and also readers who loves some tragic in stories. There were many thoughts from the characters that is so quote worthy, below is one that I especially loved:

There's a difference between being dead and dying. We're all dying. Some of us die for nintey years, and some of us die for nineteen. But each morning everyone on this planet wakes up one day closer to their death. Everyone. So living and dying are actually different words for the same thing. - page 96 line 21.

Doll Bones

Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been friends forever. And for almost as long, they've been playing one continuous, ever-changing game - a game that takes place in a world populated with pirates and thieves, mermaids and warriors, Ruling over them all is the Great Queen, a bone-china doll imprisoned in a cabinet, cursing those who displease her.

But the three friends are in middle school now, and Zach's father is pushing him to give up make-believe for basketball. When his father gives him no choice, Zach quite the game and lies about the reason. It seems like their friendship might be over, until Poppy declares she's been having dreams about the Queen- and the ghost of a girl who will not rest until the bone-china doll is buried in her empty grave. 

And so Zach and Alice and Poppy set off on one last adventure to lay the Queen's ghost to rest. But nothing goes according to plan, and as their adventure turns into an epic journey, creepy things begin to happen. Is the doll, or is there something more sinister at work? Has Poppy been telling the truth, or is she tricking them into playing a new game? And if there really is a ghost, will it let them go now that it has them in its clutches? - excerpt from book.

Doll Bones by Holly Black is a book about adventure and though it is for middle grade I still picked it up as this author is my favourite. I won't be giving a long review as this was a short and nice book to read. It had just the right amount of adventure and mystery to it. Even though the cover looked creepy it was not scary at all. I loved the setting of the book and how the plot progressed. There were a good amount of twists in the story to keep it interesting.

The characters were really cute as they just entered their middle school years and this story definitely talks about growing up. I liked their friendship and it's really good to read about their interactions with each other. The characters are really typical teenagers that you'll encounter in real life. I had a good time reading this book as it's a different intended audience from the author, but you could still read her style of writing in the story which is what I love about her. I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy Holly Black's writing because don't let the middle grade part fool you, she still wrote this book well.

The Sky Is Everywhere

Adrift after her sister Bailey's sudden death, Lennie finds herself torn between quiet, seductive Toby - Bailey's boyfriend who shares her grief - and Joe, the new boy in town who bursts with life and musical genius. Each offers Lennie something she desperately needs....though she knows if the two of them collide her whole world will explode.

Join Lennie on this heartbreaking and hilarious journey of profound sorrow and mad love, as she makes colossal mistakes and colossal discoveries, as she traipses through band rooms and forest bedrooms and ultimately right into your heart.

As much a celebration of love as a poignant portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often uproarious, and absolutely unforgettable. - excerpt from book.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson is the author's debut book. I've actually read the second book first and it impressed me much to pick up her first book. I was really impressed by this book too, it was such a heart-warming story on family love, The grief written in the book felt so real, it really touched my heart and it made me tear a bit. The characters' reactions and personality really catches my attention and I absolutely loved their interactions with each other. The character development was very good, I liked the heroine a lot. 

The way this book was written is so lovely as there were parts with the past which at the same time letting the readers get to know the character who is already dead in the heroine's perspective. The relationships that the heroine have is quite exciting and complicated which got me flipping the pages non-stop. I also really like that the author inserted small notes and poems in the chapters as it extends the plot. Generally the plot has a nice pace, exciting twists and the ending was just wonderful for me.

This book easily crept into my favourites for this year as the message of the book was really good. I hope that everyone who read this book would learn the same meaningful message that I did. I highly recommend this book to readers who loved I'll give you the sun. I also recommend this to contemporary lovers as this was such a touching story, you will not be disappointed. Below is a part of the book I absolutely love but it might a bit of a spoiler so do not read it if you do not wished to be spoiled:

Beside  me, step for step, breath for breath, is the unbearable fact that I have a future and Bailey doesn't. 

This is when I know it.

My sister will die over and over again for the rest of my life. Grief is forever. It doesn't go away; it becomes part of you, step for step, breath for breath. I will never stop grieving Bailey because I will never stop loving her. That's just how it is. Grief and love are conjoined, you don't get one without the other. All I can do is love her, and love the world, emulate her by living with daring and spirit and joy. - page 256 line 25 to page 257 line 7.

Finding Audrey

Audrey loves her family, even if they are a bit off-the-wall. When Audrey develops an anxiety disorder as a result if an unpleasant incident, her family us there to help. Audrey now wears dark glasses whenever she feels the need to protect herself, but she's also making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah.

Then Audrey meets Linus, her brother's gaming teammate, and she is energized. She can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she's never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family. - excerpt from book

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella who is one of my favourite authors. This is her first YA book as she usually writes chick lit. This book is one of the funniest read I've had this year. I laughed out loud and giggled many times in public while reading this book that my sister thought I went mad. I really really enjoyed the book as all the characters were interesting and fun to read about. The interactions between the characters were really good. The female heroine in the story is a very realistic character as her struggles are real and I love her bravery in dealing with her problems. The relationship between Audrey and Linus is quite sweet and cute as well, totally loved it.

As for the plot of the book, it was quite unexpected and the twists were good. I love that it's a book that I can't predict at all. The story of the family is also funny and heart warming. The book has such good meaning because the issues highlighted are important to know, well at least for me. Overall the book was really enjoyable to read and I felt it was too short as I just wanted more. This is a book that without a doubt I would read again and again. The author never cease to amaze me as I have no book of hers that I'm disappointed with. I highly recommend this to Sophie Kinsella fans, book readers who enjoy humour and some serious stuff at the same time.