Christmas comeback and giveaway!

I guess one has to come back blogging sometime on Christmas! Long time blog readers, friends!
I had just been busy from a lot of school and work so I kind of neglected blogging a bit. I just can't find time to fit on my schedule. 

This is kind of a make-up post and I have stuff to giveaway! By stuff I mean a whole lot of books!

Get all these 25 books!

And all 12 kindle copies of all these books

Here’s how to join: Just fill-up the rafflecopter form! That should be totally easy. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To get extra entries, kindly sign up on my downline website on YWB: http://yourwebbase.com/?ref=mightazerie and leave on the comments  the username you used to sign-up. 

You get to win ALL these middle grade, young adult, mystery books with a surprise included. Will be checking the entries and the winner is responsible for claiming the prize and contacting me. Thank you! Merry Christmas!

ARC Review: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

Title: The Rest of Us Just Live Here

Author: Patrick Ness

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: October 6, 2015

Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a copy of this book for review from HarperCollins International. Many thanks to them for entrusting me the advanced readers copies (ARCs) of the books they publish and believing in me that I will make a good book review to encourage more readers and share the book love to people. All thoughts on this review are my own.

Here’s to the kids that aren’t so special and cannot save the world.

This is a very original and unique YA book by Patrick Ness. The story happened on the background of our typical sci-fi and dystopian fantasy books. How the rest of the people that doesn’t have super powers and the like continues to live their life. We’re so used to kids unbelievably saving the world but what do we really know about the lives of the rest that is caught up amidst those crisis?

Mikey and his friends are quite the norm amongst the indie kids (the chosen ones). He has OCD and has parents that suck but has amazing siblings and friends. Though he may not be fighting the monsters or the super villains, he has problems and things to deal with on his own and that is enough to make him an unforgettable character. He fiercely believes in friendship and the things that come attached with those relationships and learn how important it is even if he can’t save the world like the indie kids. He can conquer his own world by knowing that he can and he will by himself.

With this I’ve realized that humans, well..basically us, the people from afar of those special and popular ones have our own battles we’re fighting. And that makes us our own heroes even if we don’t acknowledge or recognize it we don’t have to be heroes to slay our own demons. We can. Even without telekinesis.

Patrick Ness is a well written author and his books pull you in like no other books can. There’s this originality and uniqueness that makes you deserve the time you read and feel something different deep inside toward his books. Gorgeous, important and a unique read! If you don’t want to read this book, something is wrong with you. I’m joking! But for real, read it!

Movie Review: The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner 2)

Movie Review

Title: The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner 2)

Starring: Dylan O’brien, Ki Hong Lee,

Thomas Sangster, Kaya Scodelario

Director: Wes Ball

Show date: September 9, 2015

Rating: 6/10

It was an impulse motive to go watch Scorch Trials last Saturday, been meaning to watch it but a friend ditched me on uni so I had to wait. I went to the bookstore first, and I met a friend there and we went together to watch. We didn’t make it to the start but we missed a few minutes because we were late.

I’ve read the book about 3 years ago and I must have forgotten so many things because I didn’t re-read it and I might have a few recollection of the things that had happened. All I know is that I don’t hate Teresa and I was never Team Brenda and Aris.

The first thing we’ve seen was the Gladers being chased by Cranks. No, shucks, klunks and slintheads (referring to people who haven’t read the book yet) those aren’t Zombies, they’re called Cranks, where the flare virus had gotten to their system and slowly ate away their brain and humanity. They move impossibly fast huh. I don’t remember that in the book, but anyway they’re real creepy your skin will crawl. Consider yourself warned.

The dessert was there yes, they’ve got to leave friends behind like Winston, Frypan etc. And for the readers that probably hurt. The scene where they met Brenda, and oh by the way, she’s not really good-looking here and I kind of doesn’t like the actress that played her. But I remember Jordan (feel free to correct me) I’m not sure if I got his name right but I’m pretty sure he isn’t Brenda’s father. They probably screwed that up. Yes, I still remember Tom kissing Brenda at the party and saying “You will never be her”. And in case you didn’t know Clary form the TMI TV series, Missandei from Game of Thrones and Petr Baelish are all in this movie. Strange and amusing fandom crossovers.

Teresa didn’t betray them, FYI. She only did what she has to do for WICKD not to explode Thoma’s brain. They got him and he doesn’t know that. He doesn’t even remember his past that it was his idea of the maze, the scorch and the cure. It was his fault in the first place but he doesn’t remember. How could he understand? He doesn’t understand that she loves him so much she has to risk him and herself to protect Thomas and her friends. But still Thomas will turn to Brenda as if what all Teresa did was all wrong. And I kind of hate him for that. Don’t you dare judge Teresa.

Good thing there are Newt and Minho in here or else I wouldn’t watch it. They have always been my babies. It always pains me to think about Newt. It’s just- Oh anyway the movie effects was brilliant. I give them that but it wasn’t enough to portray the book right. While watching I couldn’t put things into place, it’s jumbled and from what I read it just made me more confused. Scorch isn’t an amazing movie for me, it's just good.

ARC Review: What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler

Title: What We Saw

Author: Aaron Hartzler

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: September 22, 2015

Rating: 5/5 stars

I received a copy of this book for review from HarperCollins International. Many thanks to them for entrusting me the advanced readers copies (ARCs) of the books they publish and believing in me that I will make a good book review to encourage more readers and share the book love to people. All thoughts on this review are my own.

Let me start this book review by telling you that this is a very, very important book and that it made me cry in the middle of the day.

I started reading the book when I went to bed. I thought the book will be published by Sept. 15 as printed on the release date of my ARC copy, so I had to read and draft a review by today. Turns out when I googled it and checked it on twitter, It’ll be out by the 22^nd instead. But I don’t regret reading this book earlier than what I intended, in fact I want you to pre-order the book now because this book is seriously one of the most important releases of 2015 and it shouldn’t just go unread. I read this book in only one sitting and I don’t regret it.

Amazing how some few words printed on a paper can make your heart break, can change how you feel about things, can make you cry tears. It had been a long time since a book made me cry. I can’t even remember the last time. But amazingly this book did. Kate is an amazing character. I don’t even know how I should describe her. She is not the naïve girl. She figures out the truth, no matter how much the truth would hurt her and still does the right thing. She’ll make you laugh, she’ll make you cry and most of all she’ll make you have trust issues to people. But then again things nothing is exactly how they see, the closer you look, the more you’ll see. It’s just so amazing and so overwhelming that there are still people like Kate and her family that knows to do the right thing. Morally acceptable and humane.

This book is such a brilliant comparison to reality. After all it’s based on true-to-life events. Maybe that’s why. The friendship on this book is actually friendship and squad goals. Rachael was so funny I loved her, but in the end they didn’t stick with her until the end. And I loved Ben, the love-interest; the relationship was perfect, from childhood friends to lover. And yet, one single lie, one small seismic shift like Kate is always saying-can change everything-can even ruin what most people think as perfect. I don’t know what to feel about Ben about abandoned friendships and ruined lives and after I’ve read this book. There are just too many emotions.

This book gives a specific lesson to the guys, and the girls. This is why it is so important. Rape shouldn’t be taken lightly. Girls don’t deserve anything such. Guys always have an option. It goes on. But the most important thing is sometimes we don’t have to keep things we saw only for ourselves. If we see people being abused we have the right to go against it. We don’t cower in fear from people who has influence in such things and just let them go on continually abusing and stepping on rights of other people. We have to see past the storm. We have to see ourselves in the victim’s shoes and do certain precautions. We don’t shut up about all things wrong, we speak up, we fight for what’s right, we fight back.

Now get going and pre-order the book or mark your calendars. Out September 22. What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler. Once again this book is so important you need it in your life. Afterwards share it to people.

ARC Book Review: Dreamland by Robert Anderson

Title: Dreamland

Author: Robert L. Anderson

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publishing Date: September 15, 2015

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

 

I received an advance copy of this book for review from HarperCollins International. I thank them a lot for entrusting me the advanced readers copies (ARCs) of the books they publish and believing in me that I will make a good book review to encourage more readers and share the book love to people. All thoughts and words on this review are my own.

Synopsis:

            Odea Donahue has been able to travel thorough people’s dreams since she was six years old. Her mother taught her three rules of walking: Never interfere. Never be seen. Never walk the same person’s dreams. Dea has never broken the rules.

          Then a mysterious new boy, Connor, comes to town. For the first time in her life, Dea feels normal. But as she is increasingly drawn to Connor’s dreams-and nightmares-the boundary between worlds begins to deteriorate, putting everyone she loves in danger.

Favored Quote:  “Maybe everyone was carrying ugly monsters and dark little corners, nightmares and broken pasts.”

This wasn’t really a new concept of a book that I’ve read. It is kind of the same with Sleep No More by Aprilynne Pike. Though not as much. But walking in people’s dreams to find out the killers and to solve the mystery it is like that.

Dea may be weird, yes. Her life is. Her mom is. Her friend-Gollum-is too. Good kind of weird, with a huge reason behind it. She had spent her life running from something she doesn’t exactly know what they’re running from. She was tired of running and everything and decided she wants to experience what are real teenager was supposed to be like, to be doing, to be experiencing. I’ve decided that Dea is one of the characters in books where she’ll do everything to find out the truth, no matter how hard and brutal it is. She’s also the kind that does everything for the few people she loves. No matter what comes the cost.

Connor is the boy next door, and the love interest that in the first seems to be like freaked out and detached of the girl’s secrets once she’d revealed them already to him but deep inside he doesn’t care because why? He had getting a hang of loving her. Also Gollum is the perfect book sidekick best friend.

Aeri, though is the character I sought after the most. I’m rooting for him. He’s the literal dreamboy from the literal dream world. The kind guy who makes the girl confused and wonder if she had liked a guy in default. The kind that makes the girl, have no control of her heart, mind and body. These are my kind of fictional guys.

So, the plot was steady and really intriguing. You have to read, and try not to stop for the anticipation of what’s coming next. Robert did his trick to-slowly but surely unfold and reveal what comes next. It won’t be a shock on the plot twists because everything will just fit and click in to place. Its theme is fiction, suspense, mystery and love rolled into one dream, one book. It’s been a while since I’ve read a happy ending from a book, even if it’s only in a dream. If you’re a very much reader on mystery I insist that you read this book. You’ll like it like I did.

Book to Movie Adaptation Review: Descendants

Title: (Disney) Descendants

Starring: Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson,

Booboo Stewart, Cameron Boyce

Director: Kenny Ortega

Show date: July 28, 2015

Rating: 10/10

 

This is my new favorite Disney Movie, I tell you. I’ve read the prequel book by Melissa De La Cruz-The Isle of the Lost, and I loved it and I hope you read my book review here.

I love that the story is new and fresh and it gives chances to the kids of our famous villains. It is a story of discovering yourself and choosing which way to go and what future to choose. Our future is not-should not be pre-determined by our parents. We have the right to choose what we will become.

This movie is somewhat a movie adaptation of The Isle of The Lost so I was very interested to watch it. I adore Dove Cameron so much after I’ve watched the movie. She is just so flawless beyond words. I love girls with white blond hair really-Daenery’s, Dove, etc. She may be a Targaryen at some point but lol we’re getting away from the story here. Evie played by Sofia Carson is brilliant and so pretty in the movie, I approve. Jay played by Booboo Stewart reminds me so much of Kenji from Shatter Me. And Cameron Boyce playing Carlos is such a cutie.

I ship Mal and Ben, Bal is kind of like a weird shipname so no. But *hearty eyes* Mitchell Hope is my new bae. Actually fancasts him as all Princes in all the books I’ve read. You may not, at first, like their costumes but what do you expect of villains?  But it’s not the costume that matters it’s the plot and the story. This is undoubtedly the High School Musical of this generation. Kenny Ortega directed it as well. Oh and let’s not forget about the soundtrack of the movie which topped on the Billboard Charts and Itunes: If Only by Dove Cameron and Rotten to the Core by Sofia Carson.The songs had been actually playing on my tab for 2 weeks now and I have no regrets. So..IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE MOVIE DROP EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW AND GO WATCH IT. It’ll bring back those high-school feels you had and you’ll probably die of cuteness.

I am so ready of DESCENDANTS 2 and the next Descendants book that Melissa is writing for us.

#RBFYAChat

#RBFYAChat

            Book bloggers are fond of book chats on Twitter where they can meet new reader and blogger friends, and interact with them about the books that they are reading, as well as their personal interests and book blogs.

            What is #RBFYAChat? It stands for Reader, Blogger/Booktuber, Fangirl/Fanboy Young Adult Chat. All readers of all kinds have the freedom to join so long as they have their own twitter accounts.

There had been a lot of book chats on Twitter like #RQWN, #WeekendYAParty and #FAC16 etc. They are all hosted by awesome book bloggers that wants to join the book community for once a week.

            So I here, on the other had come up with #RBFYAChat where all kinds of readers, be it book bloggers, booktubers, or just readers who doesn’t have blogs can easily participate. Every chat I threw in about 10 or more bookish questions to be answered by the chatters. The first book chat started of by late June this year and I’m very proud to say that our first #RBFYAChat had been the longest book chat that ever run on twitter and that is about 22 hours. It happens every Saturday or two depending on my schedule, usually 8-10 PM Philippine Standard Time.

            For every chat we have prizes to the most active chatter. It could be an advance copy or a physical book or a bookmark bundle. It’s very fun hosting a book chat on Twitter and you, my lovely blog reader are very welcomed to join as well. If you have questions you can tweet me directly on twitter @MightaZerie and I will get back to you the very soonest. Also, #RBFYAChat has about an average of hundred chatters or so and you’d make good friends!

            Have you once joined my book chat? Do you have suggestions about the chat? Do you want to be my co-host? (Email me.) Do you know any other book chats and who hosts them? If you do, comment them below.

Series Review: The Dark Elements by Jennifer Armentrout

Title: White Hot Kiss, Stone Cold Touch, Every Last Breath

Series: The Dark Elements

Author: Jennifer Armentrout

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Date Published: July 28, 2015

Rate: 5/5 stars

            It’s kind of difficult to really write a book review when you’ve read the book about three weeks ago, but here I am now again breaking the blog hiatus because I don’t want the blog getting idle. So another series review, from a series by Jen Armentrout. It feels I had waited for forever for the last book and it feels like I have just read the first book yesterday. If you’d ask me why I love JLAs books, it’ll take me forever counting off the reasons. But JLA writes the best paranormal books you can find in YA.

            Let’s have the overview of the series in case, you, my lovely reader, haven’t read the series. It’s about a half-breed, gargoyle and human (or so she thought), saving the world against what might have been the end of it. Torn between two hot guys, one her childhood crush-who she grew up with and a sexy dark, sarcastic guy. So how would she save the world, being some kind of a freak, mix-breed? Read the series.

            Ohhhh how I had missed Roth so very much. And I certainly voted for him on the dark elements poll on who Layla should end up with. I had been very confident on the matter; I just hoped no one would die. #TeamRoth to my very last breath.

            So here in the last book, we can read that Layla had woman-ed up to deal with the two guys who pulled on her heart strings, I’m glad that she did that early in the book. And we get to see her accept who she is and fully develop her abilities for her own good and the many. We also get to meet the cutie Thumper and Robin. It was honestly my first time to cry on a love scene-here on this book-I had a rough day that time and I just teared up reading it. Beware though, have your heart ready for the breaking because of Bambi. That hurts, JLA. Thank you so much.

            The last book was all that I have expected and what I haven’t expected both at the same time.  Oh, and I have my perfect fancast for Roth, Bo Develius. Hmm, what do you guys think?

            You haven’t read a YA about gargoyles have you? Well, start with this one. You will be amazed how JLA would bury you into the world she created, just for you. This one’s my favorite book series by Jennifer and I’m so stoked on what she’s going to write next.

ARC Review: Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Title: Illuminae

                                            Author: Jay Kristoff & Amie Kauffman

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: October 20, 2015

Rating 4/5 stars

I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher.  Many thanks to them for entrusting me an e-ARC of this book and believing in me that I will make a good book review to encourage more readers and share the book love to people. All thoughts and words on this review are solely my own.

This book review had been long due, I’ve read Illuminae about a month ago but because I want to chill out of the world right now, well I think this is now a good time to write it. I may be mad and a hundred shades of stressed writing this but I promise I’m in the right mind enough to write this book review. This is also my post-hiatus book review.

Illuminae is a genre and life changing kind of read. It’s a kind of Sci-Fi that is also Dystopian. It’s a break from your typical and normal reads. The writing is different, also the conversations and there are badass illustrations. It is a funny and quirky read and a lot more. It’s saving the whole fleet from danger of genocide without losing its strong characters, flow, and plot of the story.

I can’t say I haven’t read a book like Illuminae because I can, not as closely but a bit, associate it to Across the Universe by Beth Revis and also the other books by her. But it doesn’t mean that they have neither entirely the same plot nor the same theme. Illuminae is a very entertaining read; it’s by far witty and unpredictable. You may not have read any book like this yet but as Marie Lu had said it’s one of the most extraordinary read you will have this year.

I love that the character development in the story is quite complicated since the build-up of the relationship of Ezra and Kady started off as break-up couples. They interacted not physically but through technology from far two different battleships. They had to hold on to each other even if they’re miles apart in space and gradually fixed their broken-relationship. Kady is one genius girl and a fighter, she fights for what she loves and she too is a hard-headed, bad-tempered girl, I usually am most fond of. AIDAN though is my favorite character of the story. No, he [it] is not on the love triangle, as you were thinking but he or [It] I honestly don’t know what pronoun I should use on him but he is not human and what we know is that what isn’t human may never feel, but AIDAN is the exemption of it.

Overall, Illuminae is the book that’ll blast you off your seat. You might as well have it.

The Isle of the Lost by Melissa Dela Cruz Book Review

Title: The Isle of the Lost (Disney Descendants Prequel)

Author: Melissa Dela Cruz

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Rating: 4/5 Stars

 

Have I ever mentioned I loved Disney? Of course. Everybody does, who can hate on Disney?

I’m so fond of reading fairytale retellings and I constantly rewatch old Disney movies. My favorite Disney movie of all is Beauty and the Beast. I love Belle. Favorite Disney Villain? I don’t actually have any. So yeah, I’ve been wanting to read about Disney characters ever since but I can’t actually find the perfect book that can make me like remember all the Disney movies I’ve watched and I think this book is the answer to every Disney fan out there.

In fairy tales it’s always Evil vs. Good and Good always wins. But this book, this one is about the Villains for once and not the goody good sweet characters. Like what if you were born in an Evil family and have a parent who is evil? What would you do and what are you expected to do?

Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos are the kids of the most cruel and terrifying villians we thought when we were kids, Maleficent, Evil Queen, Jafar and Cruella. They go to Demon Hall which teaches them to be evil, to carry on their parents unfinished business and to not repeat their mistakes for all the villains were exiled in the Isle of the Lost forever.

Mal goes on a quest to retrieve Maleficient’s scepter because there had been a glitch of magic because of Carlos’s invented device. The four of them went together in the forbidden castle, where they faced their fears and challenges but in the end they failed, they failed to be evil.

I love that this book tells a lesson that even if evil runs in your blood, that doesn’t mean you’re not good in the heart. I adored this book because it’s like I watched a new Disney movie featuring all the villains in my head and it was awesome. And *screams in excitement* because the actual movie “Disney Descendants” is coming out on Disney Channel this July 31^st! So stoked to watch! I just know I will love the movie as much as I loved the book.

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera Book Review

Title: More Happy Than Not

Author: Adam Silvera

Publisher: Soho Teen

Publishing Date: June 2, 2015
Rating: 3/5 Stars

This is a coming to age book about one’s self and self-discovery and sexuality. This is normally not my genre to read but I gave it a go.

Aaron is the guy who has the perfect life in the present, not considering his past. He has a loving girlfriend who loves him unconditionally, a mom that cares for him deeply, a normal brother that doesn’t bother him and friends that he can constantly hang out with.

He has struggles about his present life on how to please her girlfriend, how to always agree with his friends even if deep inside he’s not really with them, how not to be a burden to his mother, and how not to deal with his older brother. Life is normal and life was good for Aaron until he met this one guy, Thomas who became his best friend because her girlfriend had to move away for an art class for a few weeks.

Genevieve (his girlfriend) was with Aaron even when everything began. She was with him in the beginning and even if she knew that he can’t really love her back, she still stayed beside him. I love her so much because of what she honestly did. I want to learn how to love like her; she’s actually my favorite in the book.

So back to the story then, Aaron fell in love with Thomas and he was rejected, much to know about his past, that he was this boy who fell in love with another boy and got a treatment to make him forget of who he is because he felt like it’s the reason everything in his life turned out messed up. But life must go on for him. You must get the book for yourself to read on.

I can’t really say anything about the book or how the book was written because honestly, Adam is a good writer. Although the book is kind of fast-paced for me that I can’t sometimes keep up, this book is still well written, funny, quirky and heartbreaking. You can’t say not to that. But it’s just that I don’t I can’t seem to figure Aaron out because I honestly love Genevieve for him. She is seriously his perfect homogeneous pair, it’s just that he can’t see that and he keeps on looking for somebody else and he only gets nothing but heartbreak and false hopes I just don’t understand. I just wished Aaron saw that.

Overall, this book was still good even if it really is not my genre and not really the way I see things, but this is a good read for teens that may have doubts about on who they really are and that they may see that there is a Genevieve for them to choose no matter what.

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon ARC Book Review

Title: Everything Everything

Author: Nicola Yoon

Publisher: Random House Kids

Publishing Date: September 1, 2015
Rating: 5/5 stars

I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher. Many thanks to them for entrusting me the advanced readers copies (ARCs) of the books they publish and believing in me that I will make a good book review to encourage more readers and share the book love to people. All thoughts and words on this review are my own.

I was just done reading another contemporary book before this so I was thinking of reading a fantasy one but something about this book made me want to read it. I’m thinking it’s probably about the beautiful cover or the fact that bloggers and authors alike are raving good stuff about it.

Let me start by saying that this book is beautiful beyond words. The kind of beautiful that you want to read when you wake up, the kind of beautiful that makes you sigh. It’s the kind of book that makes you speechless and the opposite of it all at once. It makes you feel all the feels all at once.

Maddy is not the typical white girl you read mostly on YA contemporaries. She’s half African-American and half Japanese, so basically she’s African Asian. She has brown skin and curly puffy hair. But she is sick and that is kind of mainstream but well not really for her case, not like Hazel Grace sick but like prisoner sick, she can’t leave outside of her house because literally anything in the outside world can kill her in an instant. She had been depraved of physical contact with people ever since she can remember. But when she met Olly, she wanted everything she can never have. I just love how fierce she is spending her days even with all the risk and uncertainty with Olly. I love the way she loves fiercely.

Olly on the other hand is the weird-emo-angel-of-death boy next door. He’d been through a lot with his family being depraved of love and has his own issues but that doesn’t stop him from loving Maddy. He does everything for her even if he knows she might be taken away from him in any moment.

The content of this book will in no way get you bored because the words, the phrases are artistically written with world theories from medicine to life to love and to everything everything. There are also artworks on this book drawn by Nicola’s husband, David that is too beautiful to even describe. The illustrations are everything everything as well.

The plot of the book is utterly compelling and moving and it’s the kind of book that makes you choke while sighing, and laugh while sobbing, and cry while smiling. You must have this book. It is simply beautiful. And we all need Nicola to write more beautiful books for all of us. 

(c) art by @iceybooks

Book Review: Joyride by Anna Banks

Title: Joyride

Author: Anna Banks

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Date Published: June 2, 2015

Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

 Who says opposites don't attract?

It's been several years since Carly Vega's parents were deported. Carly lives with her older brother, studies hard, and works the graveyard shift at a convenience store to earn enough to bring her parents back from Mexico.

Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He used to date popular blondes and have fun pranking with his older sister. But now all that's changed, and Arden needs a new accomplice. Especially one his father, the town sheriff, will disapprove.

All Carly wants, at first, is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to not do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they've been living according to the wishes of others. Carly and Arden's journey toward their true hearts - and one another-- is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh. Just like real life.

Review:

Have I mentioned I adore humorous reads to death? No? Well, I do. This is why I love Anna Banks to the ends of every fictional world. What’s on a book that’s all serious, too much drama and sadness? I’m not really much on those. We read to make ourselves feel happy and light in contrast to what we’re feeling in real life. And books by Anna Banks (and also by Kasie West can do all that.)

I’ve never remembered cracking up so much than reading any other book except by Anna Banks. Her jokes and punch lines in all her books get my tummy aching and laughing out loud. I never laugh out loud. I’m the silent, serious, shy type but when I read any of Anna’s books I giggle to death. That relaxation I get from reading Ana’s books are so worth it. I don’t think I can ever repay her.

 This book is easily the new best contemporary read of the year. Carly and Arden are on the list of my favorite couples this year. There are so much feels in this book you actually have to:

Yeah, seriously, I mean that. The plot of the book revolves around unconditional teenage life struggles, financial status as love barrier, and racial discrimination. So it was awesome, very original compared to any other books I’ve read. I’ve read a book about Mexican cartel and the like issues from Kiss Kill Vanish by Jennifer Martinez but this book is really incomparable. I usually can’t help but compare books to other books I’ve read in the past and perhaps say this book is like this book+this book+this book, but Joyride by Ana Banks, I can’t. The plot is a high ten-a perfect score for me.

The characters are very inspiring and unpredictable not like other characters. A ten too. Not like other books. Carly is poor and works hard for her family. You rarely see that, what you see in reality the other way around. It inspires me to be more like her. I really want to be like her. Actually now, I’m thinking of getting a decent job that pays me in my extra shift whilst studying in college so I can support my bookish needs and education and stop depending on my wretched parents. Arden is the exact opposite of Charlie. He’s rich and a happy-go-lucky-guy. But not all of us are perfect; we all have struggles, Arden on his relationship to his parents and Carly to money and her brother.

Opposites do attract. Magnets can even prove that. As Carly and Arden found their way to each other, they learned that there is more to doing what is and is not expected of you. There is more to life than just existing for other people. There are more of you that you have yet to discover. You live the life that was given to you by enjoying and living it for yourself, and not solely dedicating it to others, especially when you’re still young. Ten also to character development. Pacing is all good as well.

So if you need a swoon-worthy and fiercely funny book, I urge you to read and have this book, it’s worth the feels and the tummy ache.

Add the book on your TBR List: Goodreads

Get your copy here: AmazonITBDIKobo

Author Interview: Rachael Allen: Author of The Revenge Playbook

Author Interview

RACHAEL ALLEN

(Author of The Revenge Playbook and 17 First Kisses)

HarperTeen

This is actually my first ever author interview for the blog and I’m so happy that it is Rachael Allen that I interviewed first. I will definitely be having more, that’s for sure.

I have read The Revenge Playbook and it is seriously a must read, especially for readers who are craving girl power and friendship goals, this is for you all. Here’s my review of the book and it is unquestionably 5/5 stars : The Revenge Playbook by Rachel Allen ARC Review

So I interviewed her for her new book that will be out this June 15, The Revenge Playbook.

Synopsis:

Four girls. One plan.

And the night that changes everything.

Liv is the girl everyone gossips about. But when the rumors threaten to crack her relationship with her longtime boyfriend, she's desperate to prove that not everything you hear is true.

Peyton is the girl no one knows. But flying under the radar doesn't mean she's willing to let people walk all over her.

Melanie Jane is the girl everyone wants to be or be with. Beautiful, sassy, and untouchable, she breaks hearts before hers gets broken. Most of the time.

Ana is the girl no one talks to. Not after what happened at the party that ended her friendship with Melanie Jane.

They have nothing in common . . . Except for revenge.

In the small town of Ranburne, high school football rules and the players are treated like kings. How they treat the girls they go to school with? That's a completely different story. Liv, Peyton, Melanie Jane, and Ana each have their own reason for wanting to teach the team a lesson—but it's only when circumstances bring them together that they come up with the plan to steal the one thing the boys hold sacred.

All they have to do is beat them at their own game.

So here are my questions to Rachael and her awesome answers:

Hi there!

I'm so sorry for the delay on this! I was swamped after BEA, but I've got my answers for you now! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, and also for the really fun interview! I appreciate it so much!

xoxo,

Rachael

1.       Describe The Revenge Playbook in 3 Words.

Girls being awesome

2.      If you were (or the girls) an Ice Cream Flavor at Jake’s what would you be and why?

Guess what! Jake's is a real place. *pauses while you flail around in excitement* It's in Atlanta, GA (so you should all come to the Decatur Book Festival sometime so you can try it), and all those flavors are both real and insanely good. http://jakesicecream.com/ You're welcome.

Oh, and this is the flavor I would be:

Devyn’s Animal Cracker™– Your favorite circus friends all frosted up and celebrating you with a rainbow of sprinkles

Because I'm very in touch with my inner child, and I'm really optimistic and love being silly. Not that I don't have a serious side, but this is the ice cream that fits how I'm feeling today :)

3.      How did the concept The Revenge Playbook come to mind?

It was kind of a mash up of ideas and a group effort. I wanted to write a book with a scavenger hunt and also a book that was full of girl power and friendship and girls getting revenge on boys. My critique buddies helped me put the two together and brainstorm from there. And then my editor read the first 10K words and gave me a ton of really great feedback. It was her idea to have the girls start out wanting revenge, but later realizing they wanted to change things in their town. Also, I had written the break up scenes and the scene in the ice cream shop where the girls first team up, and it was her idea to make the break ups connected - like a targeted thing - which is how the idea of The List was born. (So, basically, Jen Klonsky is my hero.)

4.      In real life, do you think it’s too late to break the high school hierarchies or is it already like the nature of high school?

I don't think it's ever too late to try to form a friendship with someone amazing, or to tell people how you really feel. Especially if you're at a school with problems like the ones in The Revenge Playbook, I think those are worth speaking out against. Will it work? I guess it just depends. But I always think it's worth trying (um, but I am not recommending that girls everywhere go out and do all the things the girls in this book did!).

5.      Had you ever had a friendship as cool as the four girls in the story?

I have! I have the best, most wonderful girlfriends in the entire universe! We met in college, and we're still so close years later that the moment we see each other, we fall back into laughing and talking and dance-offing like no time has passed. I love them very much, and I know having them in my life influenced this story.

6.      Should we love football and hate the football players or vice versa?

Great question. I'm a huge football fan, so I definitely wouldn't want people to take away to hate football or football players. Some of the football players in this book are terrible, but some are really nice guys. And some of the guys in the book who don't play football are terrible, and some are nice. You could look at pretty much any group and find good and bad people.

But when people with privilege use that privilege to do bad things or hurt other people and get away with it, that's what I hate seeing. That's something worth fighting against. And by the end of the book, that's what the girls are fighting against, even though personal revenge is what set them on their mission.

7.      The Terms! How did you come up with all those foreign words that the English language doesn’t have a word for? (By the way it was very awesome. My favorite part in reading the book.)

Thank you! I had a lot of fun putting those in the book. A friend had shared a list of interesting foreign words with me (I think it might have been going around Tumblr or something?). I loved reading it, and thought it would be really fun to have some of them in Melanie Jane's POV since she loves other languages. So, I looked up all kinds of other foreign words and made a list of my favorites, and then tried to figure out where it would make sense to have them in the book.

8.      Who’s your favorite of the four girls? (Only if you play favoritism)

I don't have a favorite because I truly love them all, but I will say that Peyton and I have the most similar personalities (though not the same interests and life experiences), and that Liv was the most fun to write of maybe any character in any story I've written.

9.      You’re an expert Dare List Maker! Dare me (or your readers) something!!

I dare you to change the world! (In some small way, in your own small patch of the world. It doesn't have to be huge.)

And if you're feeling like something more immediate and silly, I dare you to do the worm and take a picture and tweet it at me!

Me: No, thanks about the worm Rachael, I can't dance!! Lol.

10.    Writing advice to budding writers and reading advice/message to your readers.

Writing advice: READ READ READ all the time. And WRITE WRITE WRITE all the time. Those are the two biggest things anyone can do to get better at writing. Read books like the ones you want to write, and read books that stretch you. Read books and blogs about writing. Find critique buddies who will give you tough love and make your work better. Good luck!!

Message to readers: I don't know if I have one because I don't want anyone to feel like I'm telling them how to feel about my book. BUT if you love this book and want more contemporary YA, tweet me because I will totally give you recs!

Isn’t she awesome? One day, I honestly want to meet her in the future. Be sure to get your copy on the 15^th! It’s worth the girl power, let’s also anticipate more fabsome books to come from Rachael.

 

About Rachael: 

Rachael Allen lives in Atlanta, GA where she's working furiously on her PhD in neuroscience. When she's not doing science or writing YA, you can find her chasing after her toddler and her two sled dogs. Her debut YA novel 17 FIRST KISSES, is forthcoming from Harper Teen. Rachael may or may not have had 17 first kisses...luckily she doesn't kiss and tell.

More stuff about her:

- She loves reading and writing YA.

- She’s represented by the fabulous Susan Hawk of The Bent Agency.

- Laurie Halse Anderson recently gave her writerly advice on a post-it, and it was the culmination of my being.

- She’s obsessed with football. Playing flag football, watching pro football (Falcons Rise Up!), being a belligerent Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets fan, and playifantasy football with my family.

- She has held a human brain. (It was during anatomy lab. I'm not, like, a serial killer.)

- Her debut 17 FIRST KISSES comes out on June 17th, 2014, and according to a friend on Twitter, it's about: "kissing & making mistakes & kissing and friendships & kissing & girls figuring shit out w/o hating each other & kissing." Which she feel’s is pretty accurate :)

- She love reading about strong female protagonists, fully imagined worlds, rebellion against the establishment, neurodegenerative diseases, and makeover montages - though probably not all in the same book.

- Some writers she loves: Laini Taylor, Sarah Ockler, Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, Libba Bray, Suzanne Collins, E. Lockhart, Kody Keplinger, Sarah Dessen, Lauren Myracle, Stephanie Perkins, Rainbow Rowell, I could go on forever

You can find her on her BlogIGoodreadsITwitter