To all the boys I've loved before

To all the boys I've loved before by Jenny Han.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

 

I devoured this book. I had no choice because I simply could not put it down, even brought it to work with me. First of all, I love that Lara Jean is Korean and white because I'm Korean and white so it made me feel cool. Just kidding, but I do love that Jenny Han puts in little tidbits that I connect with like the Pocky sticks and the yogurt drink. But this book had me on an emotional roller coaster. One thing I generally dislike about contemporary is how predictable the story ends up being. However that's not how I felt reading this story. It had me emotional. I felt so invested in the characters. A great number of stories I have read lately have let me down with this perfect cookie cutter ending where everything has to come together in a perfect ending for everyone. Jenny Han did not let me down.I will say I was a little creeped out that she was in love with her sister's boyfriends, but whatever I'm still team Joshy all the way!

An intense look at the rules of high school attraction -- and the price that's paid for them.

It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.

This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.

The author follows all 8 girls that are victim to this list. However most of the girls unfortunately end up being simple, vain, shallow, or predictable. The story touches on taboo subjects such as eating disorders and many issues teenage girls face such as peer pressure, fitting in, and how fake and malicious teenage girls can be (we've all met at least one "mean girl").

I found near the end, the only reason I kept reading was to find out who wrote the list. I started to lose interest in the story lines because they started to fall apart. However I did like the very ending and with the comment of the tiara the author is able to sum up Margo's realization that sometimes things aren't as great as we perceived them to be.

One of my favorite quotes: " Maybe you haven't noticed, but everyone shares the same brain around here. It's like a mass cult. They've all drunk the Kool-Aid."

Between the Lines

By: Jodi Picoult and

Samantha Van Leer

Simon Pulse

Delilah, a loner hates school as much as she loves books— one book in particular. In fact if anyone knew how many times she has read and reread the sweet little fairy tale she found in the library, especially her cooler than cool classmates, she’d be sent to social Siberia forever.To Delilah, though, this fairy tale is more than just words on the page. Sure, there’s a handsome (well, okay, incredibly handsome) prince, and a castle, and an evil villain, but it feels as if there’s something deeper going on. And one day, Delilah finds out there is. Turns out, this Prince Charming is not just a one-dimensional character in a book. He’s real, and a certain fifteen-year-old loner has caught his eye. But they’re from two different worlds, and how can it ever possibly work.

I've always wanted to read one of Jodi Picoult's books but just never got around to it. When I found this book that was wrote by both Jodi Picoult and her daughter, I was intrigued. When I learned it was about storybook characters coming alive I was sold! It was a cute story about storybook characters that come to life once the book is closed. This book is YA but it reads for a much younger audience. It is a fun read. It keeps you reading to see if Oliver and Delilah find a way to be together in the realm of reality. I am not a huge fan of the ending but it was a cute story.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl





In Ethan Wate's hometown there lies the darkest of secrets . . .

There is a girl. Slowly, she pulled the hood from her head . . . Green eyes, black hair. Lena Duchannes.

There is a curse. On the Sixteenth Moon, the Sixteenth Year, the Book will take what it's been promised. And no one can stop it.

In the end, there is a grave.

Lena and Ethan become bound together by a deep, powerful love. But Lena is cursed and on her sixteenth birthday, her fate will be decided. Ethan never even saw it coming.





When I first started reading this book I thought it was refreshing that the narrator was a teenage boy. But I quickly realized the narrator may be a boy but thinks and feels too much like a girl, so that was a little disappointing.

I had a love/hate relationship with this book. This book is over 500 pages and very much felt like it. There were chapters that felt irrelevant and parts of the book that crept so slowly that I felt I was never going to be able to finish it. Usually a book either captivates me to the point I can't put it down or doesn't so that I can't make myself endure through it. This story, however, was a combo of both. I would get frustrated with it but I was still captivated enough that I couldn't give up and had to follow it through. The story had enough surprises to keep me wondering what Ethan and Lena would have to endure next.

The authors gave so much back story on the town I wish they would have gave more about Ethan's mom and less about Ethan's daddy issues. I also wished the telepathic conversations were a little deeper, most of them felt pointless. Regardless of the disappointments, the story was still worth reading. I loved the ending it wasn't entirely predictable nor did it have some cookie cutter happily ever after ending.

My favorite lines:
I heard every word she had said, but I only knew one thing. I was all in.

I had fallen. I think I had always been falling. And she might as well know, if she didn't already, because there was no going back now. Not for me. She looked up at me, and the whole world disappeared. Like there was just us, like there would always be just us, and we didn't need magic for that.

She was powerful and she was beautiful. Every day was terrifying, and every day was perfect.

 Mortals. I envy you. You think you can change things. Stop the universe. Undo what was done long before you came along. You are such beautiful creatures.

Atlantia

I loved the fantasy world the author created and I loved the divide so that the reader longed with Rio for the above and what life would be like.

The book made me go through some intense emotions. I felt abandoned and lost with Rio, I felt confused as she was trying to piece together what was happening. But one thing that was completely lacking in the the story was love.
I felt the love between Bay and Rio at the end but the love story that was building between Rio and True I felt never quite developed.
It just leaves you hanging.
Good story but not one I'd read again.

Every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves, and herself, while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

In Divergent I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. I loved Tris's pride and strength and Four kept me intrigued. In Insurgent I couldn't relate to Tris anymore. She was completely a different person. She become so wreckless she was some what of a trainwreck, she was a hot mess. The relationship with four no longer kept we wanting more but was so full of tension it felt awkward reading about them.

Divergent Cast

CAN'T WAIT!! Only four more months.

Divergent Official Teaser Trailer #1 (2014) - Kate Winslet, Shailene Woo...

I can't wait, and Four looks so yummy!

Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

THIS STORY IS AMAZING! I could not put it down, read the whole book in one day. I love Tris. I love how strong she is and can relate to her pride. No matter how much she struggles, her pride will not allow her to hang her head or embrace defeat.I love how strong she becomes. I instantly fell in love with Four. I clung to every page that was about it him and wanted much more of him. He was like a mystery I couldn't wait to solve. The story was full of action and suspense while still providing a love story and self empowerment. Hope Insurgent is just as amazing.

Children's book: Cinderella Smith By Stephanie Burden

Cinderella Smith has a problem with a capital P. She loses shoes almost as quickly as she puts them on her feet. But now she's lost the most important shoe of all: her shiny, ruby red tap shoe. Without it she won't have a chance of being chosen Pumpkin Blossom Fairy for the fall dance recital--and that means no special tutu, no crown, and no solo The school year is starting out with big problems too. Her new teacher laughs at her name, she's sitting at the smart-boys table, and her old best friend is ignoring her. Now the new girl, Erin, has asked for her advice on wicked stepsisters. And Cinderella doesn't have stepsisters--wicked or otherwise The recital is just around the corner and the stepsisters are on their way. Can Cinderella and Erin solve the capital P problems in time?

I loved reading this book to my daughters but more importantly they loved it. They have a full schedule and are always busy with homework so we only get to read a chapter a night. But even on the busiest nights when I'm rushing them to bed because it's been yet another late night they won't ever let me forget to read them a chapter of Cinderella Smith and I check out about 20 books at a time from the library. The story was very cute. Every chapter title is a type of shoe. The main character is very prone to losing her shoes, no matter the situation or location. This little girl, who is nick named Cinderella is to hard to not love.

Cinderella has it rough. She's starting a new school year and her best friend starts the year off with bullying Cinderella and always trying to disclude her. What I loved the best about this story is Cinderella never lets herself become the victim. She stays strong, independent, and true to herself. I love that the story shows my daughters that even the best of us can be bullied ,but don't let it get you down and never change yourself to fit in with the in crowd but stand out. This is a must read for every growing girl!!

I should be researching and writing my paper right now and also tackling the mountain of laundry ,so of course I'm reading blogs and pinning instead. I should probably stop reading blogs, they just leave me feeling unaccomplished. I read how these ladies accomplish so much in a single bound when I seem to not be able to get anything done on my days off. Plus they do it all while running a site or blog. I rarely blog but a couple times a year, but regardless just want to write about this book my daughters LOVED and then get to researching this paper I need to write (yuck!!).

Finally done with finals!!

Woot Woot!!! Party over here this girl is done with her finals, awesomeness. However this is a very short lived celebration, next quarter starts January 9th :(

I've spent the day doing absolutely nothing productive and probable will continue to spend my days off from work in that same exact fashion until school starts back up. I have finished reading Matched though and was unaware that it was a trilogy until I reached the end of the book and the story completely left me hanging. so I looked online and read about the second book, Crossed, and the first two chapters plus reviews. I must say I'm not as excited about this one, which shocked me since I LOVED Matched. I still ordered it though, I have this need to know how it all ends.

                                  

I neglect my blog entirely too much, but I'm off to go read some blogs.

blog alert

I was surfing and pinning (hi my name is Christina, and I'm a pinterestaholic) and stumbled upon this blog. Um in love with it. Reading Elise's posts is like talking to my bestie, who moved away :(. Great, I've  found something else   to keep me glued to my laptop.

                                                                          elise's pieces

NBR: neat find

I have finals next week and a messy house so in true procrasinator fashion, I am surfing the web instead of what I should be doing. I happen to stumble upon the cutest etsy shop. 

whatnomints 

Microbial magnet grabbag

It is geeky handsewn gifts.

so neat!!

 

My first challenge!!

 

I am so excited to participate in a challenge, even if it doesn't start til next year. I liked this one since the challenge is for the whole year and it is debut authors, so I'll get to discover fresh faces :)! Plus it is hosted by my favorite blogger! Now I just need to compile a list and look to see what's coming out, I'm such a nerd.

Getting the intial post out of the way

I love Christmas and winter it gets me all festive and makes me want to stay indoors and cuddle up with a good book and a warm cup of coffee (not a big fan of cocoa). So I just loved this layout with the snowflakes. I got it from the Cutest Blog on the Block.

So I became a mommy about a year after graduating HS. Once I became a mommy, all my reading entailed children's books and parenting magazines. Then I realized I never make time to read for myself. So I dabbled here and there to figure out what it is I like. After a couple of failed attempts I discovered I love YA. Which isn't a big surprise considering I haven't leisurely read since HS and what books I have read have been children's. Now the only problem is how to find the time between being a full time mommy of two, a full time nursing student, and a full time optometrist technician. We'll see how it goes.