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.

P.S. I Still Love You

Lara Jean didn't expect to really fall for Peter.

They were just pretending. Until they weren't. And now Lara Jean has to learn what it's like to be in a real relationship and not just make-believe one.

But when another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean's feelings for him suddenly return too.

Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel, Lara Jean is about to find out that falling in love is the easy part. - excerpt from book.

P.S. I Still Love You by  Jenny Han is the conclusion to Lara Jean's love story. This book was cute but I prefer the first book's cuteness more than this one. I think it's because the heroine book changed a bit previously which influences the cute and sweetness in her relationship. Her relationship is like every normal teenager relationship sometimes. The character have definitely grown much in the first book and this second book too which was significant to her reactions through out the story. As for the male characters involved, let's just say I'm partial to the new guy introduced in this book.

I fell in love with the new male character introduced which made me dislike the other male in this book. I feel that the highlight is definitely this new guy while the other one seems lacking in many aspects. The interactions between characters were just wonderful and I wanted more to happen between those people. The plot of the book was good with incidents happening that are realistic. The reactions were really good too which made me realize this is a good slice of life of a teenager girl story.

The story is unpredictable which is the reason I can't put down the book. There were instances where I was excited because of Lara Jean and the new guy. Sadly for me I didn't love the ending and was hoping for otherwise. The ending really made a difference in how much I love this book compared to the first. I don't think I would pick up this book and read again anytime soon. I'll most likely read the first book again and then continue on with this book. But knowing the ending already really puts me off a bit. I do enjoy other things from the book just not the ending. I'll definitely recommend this book to those who have read the first book since it ended in a suspended manner. I also recommend this book to people who love to read about cute young adult romances.