Guest Review: Thousand Words - Jennifer Brown

Author: Jennifer Brown
Publisher: Brown Books for Young Readers 
Synopsis:

Ashleigh's boyfriend, Kaleb, is about to leave for college, and Ashleigh is worried that he'll forget about her while he's away. So at a legendary end-of-summer pool party, Ashleigh's friends suggest she text him a picture of herself -- sans swimsuit -- to take with him. Before she can talk herself out of it, Ashleigh strides off to the bathroom, snaps a photo in the full-length mirror, and hits "send."

But when Kaleb and Ashleigh go through a bad breakup, Kaleb takes revenge by forwarding the text to his baseball team. Soon the photo has gone viral, attracting the attention of the school board, the local police, and the media. As her friends and family try to distance themselves from the scandal, Ashleigh feels completely alone -- until she meets Mack while serving her court-ordered community service. Not only does Mack offer a fresh chance at friendship, but he's the one person in town who received the text of Ashleigh's photo -- and didn't look. 

Acclaimed author Jennifer Brown brings readers a gripping novel about honesty and betrayal, redemption and friendship, attraction and integrity, as Ashleigh finds that while a picture may be worth a thousand words . . . it doesn't always tell the whole story.

Julianne's Thoughts

This is not the kind of book that I would normally pick up to read. I’m not the kind to pick up the heavy stuff because I’ve seen a lot of drama in real life already. But this book is definitely something I didn’t regret picking up. 

Guest Review: The Catastrophic History of You and Me - Jess Rothenberg

Author: Jess Rothenberg
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: February 2012
Synopsis:

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever. 

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally. 

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after. 

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

Jules's Thoughts

One of the books that made me think. Made me cry. Made me remember how awesome it is that I'm living my life right now (As cheezy as that sounds). 

I've heard of this book before, from a friend I have in Goodreads. Reading his review, I found that this book was amazing and definitely something unique. Though not a lot of my GR friends had read this book. From the cover, I could imagine that it was light, sweet and maybe a little bit of a thought provoker. But I was a bit wrong, I left something behind. It was also a heartbreaker and a touching novel.

In this book, we follow Brie's journey after her death, which was caused by heartbreak (Kinda cliche, I know). She goes through the five stages of death.

1. Denial

2. Anger

3. Bargaining

4. Sadness

5. Acceptance

And as she explores these stages, she also sees how her life is a different picture with how she looked at it before.

Guest Review: The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

Author: John Green

Publisher: Dutton Books

Release Date: 10 January 2012

Synopsis:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Jules's Thoughts

I finally read, one of the most hyped up books ever since I started reading. I was warned of potential heart ache and possible(more like sure) falling of tears. And yet, reading it. I’ve never felt agony and mourning, and greatness as much as I did on this one.

I’ve been reading for more than two years now, and ever since I started, I’ve always heard of the book: Fault in our Stars. I was wondering then why it was so famous and well-known? Year 2012 has passed, and I’ve already heard of what this book has done to so many readers out there. This year, was the year I said to myself that I had to know the allure of this book.

Guest Review: The Forgotten Ones - Laura Howard

Author: Laura Howard
Published: April 28th 2013
Synopsis:

Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.

My Thoughts

My first thought when I first saw this book was; “Dang that’s one awesome cover.” Only now, I realize that I have once again fallen for the trick of having a good cover in exchange for a meh story.

I’d been thinking of how sad it is that everytime I post something here at Say it With Books, so when I first saw this book. I thought I would finally be giving Nuz my first five star review for the blog. Unfortunately, its not as amazing as the cover is.

Guest Review: Hourglass - Myra McEntire

Author: Myra McEntire

Publisher: Egmont USA

Published Date: June 14th 2011

Synopsis:

One hour to rewrite the past . . . 

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may also change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should've happened?

My Thoughts

Wow. That was definitely not expected. And I mean that in a good way.

She’s been seeing ghosts. Emerson has been used to it, she’s been seeing them ever since she was a kid. But then it stopped. Now its come back, and it has more mysteries with it.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with how Hourglass is. And I must say that it was a pretty book. The moment I saw the cover, I was already drawn to it, it just so happens that I didn’t really had the time to read it as of this time. When I first started reading the first parts, I became partly nervous. Why? Because there’s ghosts in it. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe in ghosts, they just creep the heck out of me, and it isn’t helping that I usually read from 9 up to 12 or even 1 in the morning. But then as I continued reading it, I realized that it wasn’t just a book about a girl who sees ghosts. There were a lot of secrets that were uncovered as I progressed through the story.

Guest Review: Dizzy - Nyrae Dawn & Jolene Perry

Author: Nyrae Dawn & Jolene Perry

Publisher: Next Door Books

Release Date: November 15th 2012

Synopsis:

Dylan doesn’t do relationships. He and his older brother watched their dad go through hell and back, so they made a pact years ago—no girl would come between the Gibson boys. But his brother sells out. He's getting married anyway. To the sister of a chick Dylan met at a party, who's probably the angriest girl he's ever met. Unfortunately, she happens to be hot, too.

Ziah’s life is upside down—her safe boyfriend turns out to be not-so-safe, and now her sister is getting married before college is over to the older brother of a spoiled, party boy who drives her crazy. And also makes her heart beat too fast.

There’s no denying the attraction, but there's also no denying how much they irritate each other. When they’re thrown together as forced wedding planners, they find an ally in each other--neither wants this wedding to happen.

But instead of putting a stop to the crazy nuptials they find themselves at fittings and cake testing. And maybe even…a few dates?
Dizzy is a novel about what happens when two people who are determined not to fall in love, maybe do anyway. Maybe.

My Thoughts

Cute. Light. Definitely chick-lit-ty.

I decided that I would break my reading schedule because my buddy read Stef, told me that it was a very good read. It was definitely such a cute thing :D

Its not everyday that you meet a girl that’s different from most. Especially since she doesn’t like you the very first time she sets eyes on you. Dylan could never forget how that one girl, Ziah. Then the whole wedding his brother is having is something he didn’t expect… and Ziah.

I’m not usually the kind of girl that reads a lot of chick-lit books. I tend to read more intense and emotional books. So its refreshing reading this book because its just so… light and sweet.

Guest Review: The Almost Girl - Amalie Howard

Author: Amalie Howard
Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Release Date: Jan 7th 2014

Source: NetGalley/Publisher

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Riven comes from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, a parallel world to Earth.

A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young Prince of Neospes. In Neospes, she has everything: rank, responsibility and respect. But when Prince Cale sends her away to find his long-lost brother, Caden, who has been spirited back to modern day Earth, Riven finds herself in uncharted territory.

Thrown out of her comfort zone but with the mindset of a soldier and in a race against time to bring Caden home, Riven has to learn how to be a girl in a realm that is the opposite of what she knows.

Will Riven be able to find the strength to defy her very nature? Or will she become the monstrous soldier she was destined to be?

My Thoughts

There were a lot of bumps in the road, but in the end, it was a good book. Not great, not bad, just good.

Very weird as it is, but this will be my first review of the year! (YAY FOR THAT!). It took me a long while to finish this book. I almost put in hold for a reason you will know later ;)

When I first started reading it… there was a lot of action already, to the point that it got me confused. After a few scenes, I got to see the “main character” which is  ugh… yeah Riven… Riven here is supposed to find this guy that her king and bestfriend is making her find. And she finally found him, but she never thought she would find feelings as well.

*sigh*