Fathomless Reveries

I really had no intention to read this book, what-so-ever. Having a six-hour long exam in school made me bored, then I saw there was a corner with books, and someone told me to just read Before I Fall. So, I thought, why not? I’m bored as hell, and this might help me pass time.  At first, I really didn’t know what’s going to happen with the book. The idea of death is sort of creepy and all that, then it started to get boring. Sam started to tell what happened on the day that she died. It turns out that she wakes up the next morning, living her last day for seven times. I got bored during the first half of the book because the events just kept on repeating, but it was mysterious and I really wanted to know what happens in the end, so I continued on reading.

There were a lot of times that I got annoyed with Samantha (okay, she’s bitchy) and I really felt frustrated with the way she handles things. She doesn’t know how to speak up for herself, and even though she knows there are some things that she’s doing wrongly, she just lets it be because that’s the “in” thing in cliques. There came a time also when I really hated her because she started to do whatever random things that pops into her mind because everything’s going to be erased the next day anyway. It scares me how something can be so fearless and you just don’t know what will happen next. It was really amazing how she was given this chance to see for herself the things that she has been doing, and was given the opportunity to make things right. 

The physical descriptions of the characters were quite few that I don’t really remember much of their appearances (especially Ally) but their personalities were really well-developed. Although the story was an open-ended one, and left me with a lot of questions, it was okay for me. Oftentimes I hate open-ended ones, but this time around, I think that it just fits the story. I don’t necessarily love it, but I don’t hate it either. A more concrete ending would have been better though because there were really a lot of unanswered questions. However, the ending just made me think that there are indeed infinite possibilities that can happen in life, and it’s just up to us on how we’re going to make use of those chances.

Lauren Oliver gave us the perspective of teenage life really well, along with its consequences and how everything is just really like a domino. The way this book is written just makes me feel connected and relatable even though we have different stories. Before I Fall isn’t a preachy novel, but it just gave me the chance to think back on all the things I have done. It made me want to become a better person than I was before because not everyone is given the same opportunity as what Samantha had and not everything can be granted with second chances to make things right.

An incredible, phenomenal story about friendship, life and redemption with very powerful messages that makes you think about everything. As long as you keep an open-mind while reading this, and try to really understand the point of the story and go deeper the surface, you’ll love this book! This is definitely a must-read to all!

The synopsis has certainly pulled me in. I mean, a girl protagonist who has two facades, and keeping up with all the pretending? How’s that going to end for her? I was really curious, and that’s what got me hooked up.

It started on Charlotte’s Spring Break, wherein she got to meet Mason and they have this carefree, spring fling romance and not really get to know each other, thinking that they will never see each other again. Everything turns differently when they realize they live near each other. Mason wanted to get to know more about Charlotte, and she just could not forget the time that she had spent with Mason. The political career of Charlotte’s mother has always been more important than Charlotte’s happiness that is why her mother always demanded perfection, class and elegance from her. Because of this, Charlotte and Mason were forced to have a secret relationship instead. Everything goes downhill once again, when Charlotte’s mother introduces Donnie, a son of a political person.

Charlotte has always been living a double life to please her mother and herself. I actually admire her for this because she is selfless to live a life in order for her mother to be happy. Selfless as it seems, she shows a weak personality whenever she could not stand up to her mother. Seeing her real self being so carefree, artistic and passionate, a total different image from what her mother wants her to be, makes me just cheer for her to go speak up for herself. I loved that she has learned how to become strong and took it to herself to do something to be able to be free from the suffocation she was feeling from her mother. Not to mention that I could somehow relate to Charlotte, especially when she puts up all those facades to be able to deal with what’s happening based on her companions. Been there, done that. I’m glad that Charlotte was able to break herself free from this because it is really amazing to become who you truly are.

Coming from a poor family, I love that Mason did not allow money matters to come between him and his dreams. He is determined and hard working to be able to get reach his aspirations. He is truly passionate and does not give up easily.

The romance between Charlotte and Mason seemed really natural and has this overwhelming emotion. They were really sweet and passionate with each other. Most important of all, they helped bring out the best of each other and could be who they really are. No pretending, and just the two of them.

I love how Juliana Haygert has provided the point of views of both characters, and the story has good pacing. It is fast-paced, and does not have too much filler scenes, which puts Playing Pretend into a good length.

A passionate love story between two people of different status that shows the beauty of real personalities, Playing Pretend is ideal to contemporary romance readers!

Review also found on Fathomless Reveries


Defining Destiny is one hot, steamy and sexy romance. Right from the start, I was already captured into the story, and I was so engrossed with everything that is happening that I felt like as if I was already suck into the story. It kept me on my toes throughout the entire duration, and I almost pulled an all-nighter. I love anything related to music, so this was a plus plus for me. Not to mention that Chase provided the point of view of both characters which I really love. It’s nice to be inside Seth’s head and read what’s going through his mind.

There were a few things that I didn’t like with the plot though, namely, the insta-love and soul mates concept. I’m not really a big fan of them, especially insta-love, which happened to Lucy and Seth. There was an irresistible connection immediately between the two of them which didn’t suit me well. Soul mates also played a big role in the story, especially when Seth got hesitant because of his mate, and that Lucy also already has her own, and all that. It got a bit annoying, but maybe that’s just on my part, since I’m not a believer of soul mates.

Nonetheless, I love how the characters were portrayed in the story. Lucy’s life is centralized around music, which has an indescribable effect on the people who listen, and that’s really incredible. I could totally imagine it, and felt like I was there during her concert (amazing!) After Cadan, her boyfriend/soul mate’s absolute betrayal in many forms (ugh -_-), she bravely walked out from the life that she was really comfortable with. It was unfathomable on how she felt with the betrayal; I don’t think I could have walked away with dignity, just like what she did. The way she’ll do whatever it takes just to save something precious to her, just like her dad’s house, is just really admirable. She’d sacrifice what she already has to be able not to lose the things that are really important to her. Of course, she also has her own imperfections. She makes impulsive decisions and assumes easily. She doesn’t really give others the chance to explain their side, and assumes the worst possible scenario immediately. But I was easily able to look past these because she was able to learn how to stand up for herself, and that she’d choose the thing she’s passionate about over love.

I love how Seth learns to open up himself again and move on from the past. He learned how to put himself out there, even though he knew that there was big chance he’d get hurt again. He is sweet to Lucy and gives her space. He knows when he should make a decision, and when he should leave it to Lucy. He’s really amazing (and sexy haha!) but he easily gets jealous (-.-)

As for Cadan, he’s an A-rank A-hole! He should just burn and rot in hell. I absolutely hate him with a passion. (pfft) There was a point in time wherein I thought he’d come to his senses and turn around, but in the end, he’s still an A-hole! He seems to be a firm believer of soul mates but he doesn’t appear to love Lucy anyway. Really, for me, he’s just a user and should just disappear from this world.

Jax, the best friend of Lucy, is really an amazing friend because she’s always there for Lucy. She was also able to have Lucy step foot on stage again after a couple of months because she knows that Lucy really belongs up there on the spotlight. There were a lot of times that she appeared to be needy and insecure, but yeah, she’s still a good friend. She’d support whatever Lucy decides, as long as she knows it’s good for her.

This is one story that shows how we can inspire others and touch lives without even knowing the effect we have on others. Defining Destiny has taught me how to learn to accept the things that we cannot change, and how life is all about second chances. It’s just up to us if we want to grab them or not because they only come once in a while.

A beautiful, exhilarating story with a touch of music and romance, Defining Destiny is all about letting go, growing up, and going all in with the things we love.

Also posted at my blog, Fathomless Reveries

Solving for Ex is a book that almost had me pull up an all-nighter again! It’s so cute and adorable, and I’ve been hearing everywhere that this one’s a modern retelling of Austen’s Mansfield Park, but I haven’t read it yet so it really helped that I didn’t know how things would turn out.

Right from the start, I have always been Team Brendan rather than Team Vincent because Vincent seemed too perfect, and there was really something off about him. But while I was in the middle of it, I started to be swayed to Team Vincent as I was absorbed into Vincent’s personality (well, a lot of girls would love to have a good personality like his.) It didn’t help that Brendan was pushing Ashley away and so deeply engrossed with Sofia. Really, I hated Brendan for that. I’m glad I stuck to Team Brendan, especially when Vincent showed his true colours. Ashley and Brendan were both so adorable and just meant to be with each other, as they continuously help each other grow and realize their own mistakes.

Sofia. I hated Sofia with a burning passion. She’s a good epitome of mean and bitchy girls. She’s so fake and I just want to hit her for it and all that (ugh) She has this insta-popularity because she’s rich and pretty. She’s someone who gets whatever she wants, and she keeps on getting between Ashley and Brendan, which really annoyed me to the max. In short, there’s not one characteristic of hers that I liked. However, I think that it’s her personality that makes this story even more interesting.

As for Brendan, I had a love-hate relationship with him. Yes, he’s adorable and sweet and all that, but sometimes, he’s just so irritable. He has this childish personality with Ashley wherein, ‘oh, you’re spending time with Vincent; I’m going to spend time with Sofia then,’ type of thing. He gets jealous but doesn’t do anything about it. It’s like, he has these feelings inside him and tries to act on them, but pulls back on the last minute, making Ashley so confused. On the other hand, he was caring and sweet to Ashley that didn’t seem fake. Brendan got easily swayed by Sofia’s beauty, but it was great that he learned a lot of things in the end.

Ashley had the most realistic personality of all. She got bullied the previous year, and is trying to cope with all that while moving to another place. It didn’t help that she seems to doesn’t fit in the crowd, but then, Brendan came into the picture and helped her. She’s amazing in the way that she doesn’t get easily swayed, and saw pass through all the seemingly perfect personalities that surround her. She had a clear vision on what she wanted and that’s really nice. She also found the strength in her to stand up to others, which made her grow into a better individual. The only thing I didn’t like with her is that, she kept on going on and on how perfect her life would be if she’s with Brendan and all that stuff. It got annoying in the end.

Kopans did a great job in showing how the teenagers feel when they want to fit in, finding happiness, and going all in with the things or people you love, even if there might be a chance to lose them. Life, after all, is about finding happiness and taking risks. It’s about putting yourself out there, and becoming even stronger than you were before. I also loved the way she put some math-related notes at the end of every chapter. Even though I don’t crappy understand how the most of the answers were solved, the messages were really cute. It was awesome to have linked mathematics into sending short messages. The ending of Solving for Ex was especially cute, and I was going absdjfabsjdfan when I saw the last note. (teehee)

Overall, Solving for Ex is just a brilliant, fun, enjoyable, standalone YA read. It had me smiling throughout the book, and I totally recommend reading this one!

Ohmygosh, ohmygosh. I really liked this series! I fell in love with the Onslow people when I read the first book, The Boys of Summer. I especially loved the relationship between Tess and Toby and all that. (Imma write my review on this sometime soon!) I skipped the second book (yes, I suck. I just went straight to That One Summer so that I’ll be on time for tour stop HAHA) This is why there are some things that I don’t really quite understand like who Amy is or who Tammy is and all those things. But still, it didn’t lower down my reading feels. Ohmygoooosh. Chris and Tammy <3 (Fangirling moment!) I love their moments together and I can really feel their chemistry together. Oh, the feels! They help each other grow, and break out of each other’s shell, which is really fantastic.<br/>
I love how Tammy is just naturally hilarious, which makes reading this book even more fun. She’s genuine and cares for the people she loves. The way she thinks she won’t be able to fit in the group, but in the end she really felt like she belonged was really amazing. It’s really admirable to see someone ready to step up to something and wanting to make a change in themselves. It’s that inner strength that makes me really admire them, and I think Tammy has this.

I love how Chris is all-so-serious and moody but he’s actually a responsible, caring and sweet person. At first I didn’t like him because he was so serious and all that, but Tammy going on a road trip with him changed my views. It taught me on how to really stop being judgemental on people because we never know who they really are until we get to know them better. He was so adorable! (insert fangirl moment! *squeals*)

It was also awesome that the characters from previous books were also given the spotlight and still a part of the story. Duggan wrote amazingly well and I was kept on my toes through all the things that were happening. I don’t know if I should be mad or what with all the false accusations that was going through my mind when I was reading it. But anyhow, I really loved the ending! It just fits, and it was amazing.

A breathtaking story about friendship and love with that laid-back summer Aussie vibe and funny road trip adventures that is surely enjoyable to read! That One Summer can be read as a stand-alone, but it’s better to read the prequels to have a better connection with the characters.

Also posted at Fathomless Reveries

I got absorbed in this entire series, from the journey of Emily and Sergei’s relationship in the first book, and the countless dramas the characters have experienced in the second book. But, this third book is sort of different because dual POVs were provided (Emily and Aubrey’s.) At first, it was kind of confusing when the first POV (Emily) will switch to third POV (Aubrey.) But after I got that nailed down, this story is beautiful, and the series of problems and drama really got me hooked up.

Emily and Sergei once again encounters an unexpected challenge of their own. I love how Sergei is always supportive of whatever Emily decides, as long as it is for the good. He just knows the right things to say to boost Emily’s confidence up, and I really admired him for that. His unrelenting devotion to Emily is truly stunning.

Emily is also a character that I adored. She has strong spirit and determination to get the things she want done. She continues to grow as a person throughout the series, but I think this is the point wherein she grew the most. I like the way she doesn’t drill people to tell her how they feel towards a situation, and she just gives an ear when they’re prepared.

I enjoyed reading Aubrey’s side as well. I’ve always seen her as the bubbly person she always is, but reading this book has made me realize that she also has her own sad, depressing moments. It was great to see that she was able to change, and learn how to believe in things. She may have experienced a lot of troubles and drama, but she got past through it all. She was strong, in the way that she put herself out there.

Above all else, I loved Chris the most. He stayed regardless of whatever problems Emily and Aubrey had to face, and he continued to support them. He became their bedrock, and really, it’s nice to have a person like that. He was protective of his friends, but he also knows how to give space. I really admired him for the way he wholeheartedly accepted Aubrey even after knowing her past. Not many people can do this, and I really loved him for it.

I really felt like I was in the book, together with the characters, and it made me feel what it’s like to be in the skating competition. I wasn’t into the book right away in the first half, so I wasn’t really reading it continuously. I had countless breaks in reading this, but when I reached the latter half, I got really absorbed, and it had almost made me pull up an all-nighter.

Comeaux’ Fighting for the Edge is a beautiful story of love, family and friendship, along with a feel of the world of figure skating. This last instalment to the series can be read as a standalone, but I would definitely recommend reading the first two books first.

When I first saw The Summer I Found You on Netgalley, I didn’t really pay much heed to it. Sure, the cover is pretty, but the synopsis wasn’t that interesting. I mean, a diabetic girl and a one-armed guy? And yet somehow I found myself giving the book a shot. It’s something unique, after all, and now that I’ve read it, I have no regrets. It sucked me in right at the beginning, and I had a hard time putting my phone down. The only reason I didn’t pull an all-nighter this time was because I was kind of sick and I didn’t want to make it worse. It served as an awesome year-ender for 2013!

I started off thinking this was just another novel about teen drama. For a main character we have Kate, a seventeen year-old dealing (or not really dealing at all) with type 1 diabetes. Her boyfriend broke up with her, her parents and friends are constantly worried about her, and she feels like her life is completely over. And then there’s Aiden, a veteran who’s lost an arm. There was a whole lot of melodramatic stuff, but even though I’ve never faced either situation (obviously), in some way, it all felt real to me. Kate’s denial, Aiden’s anger and frustration - it seemed like their emotions became my emotions as well.

The characters’ strengths and weaknesses were well portrayed by author Jolene Perry. There was this understanding that not even the strongest people can escape moments of vulnerability. The character development was nicely done, and I just felt so connected to the characters, like I was living in their world. You know the writing’s good when a book can make you feel like that. Something else that added to how much I love this novel was the dual POV, because it was helpful in gaining a deeper understanding of the two main characters.

Some things were still a bit off in the book. First of all, I fail to understand why it’s titled The Summer I Found You when it happened during the school year, and although the cover is admittedly gorgeous, I don’t see how it has any connection to the book. Then there’s the issue with Aiden’s name. Is it Aiden or Aidan? It seemed to vary every few times, and it was kind of confusing. There were also quite some grammatical errors.

Overall, despite the few negative areas I noticed, the story was still a moving one. It’s perfect for anyone who’s looking to read YA romances. It’s easy to read, and before you know it, it’ll pull you in like it did me!

CHARACTERS
Even though I didn't really get Hannah's love/hate relationship with her friends, I did kind of understand her using popularity as something of an outlet for the frustration she felt with her family falling apart. It's nice to know that in the end, she found growth and realization in her life, and she got her own happy ending. And then there's the ever awesome Julian. I love how he was able to see through Hannah's mean facade and even took it to himself to break it. He was a good listener and was always willing to learn. Most of all, though, I admired that he was confident enough to not care what other people thought of him, because that's something really rare nowadays.

PLOT
The plot was shown in the perspectives of both Hannah and Julian, and that was really great because it saved me the trouble of trying to grasp the thoughts of the other. (Also, I'm a total sucker for guy POVs.) The book was well-written, and it was fun as well as a bit dramatic.

CONCLUSION
This novella was entertaining enough to read, and it makes me want to try out all the other books in the series. Fortunately, though, it can be read as a standalone, so you don't have to worry if you haven't read the other ones yet!

ALAVEEEET! It’s the first time I read something related to surfing, but ohmygoooosh. La-la-love. Reading this book has made me think of what it’s like to chase forever down. Haley and Linzi went off to a journey to find the mysterious guy that shows up in their town. This journey is about finding friendship and finding oneself. Reading this book made me realize that really, not all things appear to what they seem to be. One should not be quick enough to judge others, rather, one should come to know others better, understand them. Judging someone does not bring out any good, after all.

I really just got hooked up right at the very start. I’d kept on telling myself, just one last chapter. One last chapter, then I’ll hafta go to sleep, but I just can’t bring the book down! Pulling up an all-nighter to finish this was definitely worth it. This book is an amazing, awesome, fantastic read! I can’t wait for the sequel! AAAAHHH.

CHARACTERS
Cami was probably one of the main reasons why I felt so connected to this book, because like her, I am at a point in my life when I have to make all these decisions regarding my future. I loved how passionate she was, especially towards cooking, and how she was able to see past Julian's shortcomings. Their relationship was pretty solid, and they were quite mature when it came to each other's decisions.

PLOT
This book absolutely took my breath away. I started off thinking it was going to be just another sappy romance, but it was so much more than that. It dealt with real problems - facing losses and hardships, and being courageous enough to decide things on our own. It showed the struggles that we undoubtedly have to face sooner or later, and how we have to stay determined in working through these things. The romantic aspect of the novel began flirtatious and such, but as the characters of Cami and Julian grew, so did the strength of their relationship. Overall, the story was very nicely written and well-paced.

CONCLUSION
This one is fun, sweetness, and romance all rolled into one! It focuses on self-discovery, but with an added touch of cuisine (even the food descriptions were mouthwatering!) and French culture. I totally recommend reading it!

Also posted at Fathomless Reveries

CHARACTERS
At the beginning of the novel, I found myself getting bored of Lacey, because she usually just went with the flow of things, and that really didn't help me like her. She came off as weak and insecure, which is why I initially preferred Tina, who had so much more self-confidence. However, in the middle of the tour, my opinion changed completely. While Trina started to appear irritatingly bratty and possessive, I couldn't help but fall in love with Lacey, whose character development was just so beautifully written.

PLOT
I have to admit, I was a bit envious of the girls. I mean, getting to go on tour with my favorite boy band? Count me in! But anyways, the plot was pretty good. I especially liked how the development of the band was shown as the story went on. And then there was the romance between Lacey and Logan, which was just so adorable! Ahhh! (Sorry, excuse my fangirl-isms!)

CONCLUSION
If you like contemporary YA books, you're into music, and you're looking for something short, light and fun to read, then this book's for you!

This book was terrific! The story and the writing completely blew me off, what with the well-expressed thoughts and emotions of the characters, especially Jessica. My addiction to reading this actually got to the point where I pulled an all nighter just to find out what happened to Jessica and her ex-boyfriend Taylor, and I don’t even regret having done that. Although Jessica could be described as bitchy, I appreciated her touching backstory, which made her so much more relatable for me. She may have started off on the wrong foot, but throughout the book, she was allowed to grow into a more mature and sensible person. It made me realize that there is no one solution to a problem, and what we choose to do in dealing with difficult situations are entirely up to us. This may seem like just another cliché story about finding answers or finding love, but in truth, it is so much more than that. I finished this book without disappointments, and I fully recommend that you give it a shot!

I think that from the beginning, I was already drawn to this book because of its association with music. What I didn’t expect, though, was that it had paranormal elements in it as well. I never got that from reading its summary, so I was really shocked when I got to that part of the story. Although it was a bit weird, I think it was cleverly incorporated into the plot. It served as quite an effective turning point considering I had no idea that anything like it would happen.
Becca and Carli were both really cool. I admired how they were always there for each other through everything. I found the romantic aspect quite sweet, too (Sketch is like Milo from American Girl on Saturn!). It’s every teenage girl’s dream to be able to hang out with a great guy from a great band! Sketch’s bandmates were also pretty awesome; they certainly lived up to their (kind of creepy) names. It was nice to see Spaceships Around Saturn mentioned in the story, forming a slight connection between it and AGoS.

I can definitely say that I loved the contemporary feel of the novel. It was a fun, light read, and I recommend it for anyone who finds interest in music, the paranormal, or both!

I loved this book, since I'm a complete sucker for time traveling and historical stuff. I liked that there was a clear description given for the time traveling storyline, although its origin was never really mentioned. The historical references were incorporated quite nicely into the novel. There were all these mysterious aspects involved, the explanations for which were gradually revealed. While some questions were left unanswered, these actually make me all the more excited for the sequel!

Regarding the characters, I would have to say that my favorite was probably Ben. He may have seemed like a jerk at first, but he turned out to have such a sweet personality. I was really enjoying the moments between Ben and Jenny, but then somewhere in the middle of the plot, Nikolai was introduced, and that kind of ruined it for me. I mean, love at first sight? Instalove? Seriously? (I hate instalove.) And after that, it seemed like Jenny completely pushed Ben out of her life. I'm sad to say that I didn't feel much connection or depth when it came to Nikolai. I have to admit, the Nikolai-Jenny romance was quite endearing, but I'd choose Ben over Nikolai any day.

All in all, I consider this a really good book, and it's something that is sure to interest the time traveling fanatics out there.

This one's a fun read, especially reading all the banters between Six and Daniel. It keeps you reading because you want more of it. However, for me, that's all there is. I dont really believe in love at first sight - it's cliche, the romance here developed too fast to my liking. It also centered too much on making out and all that, which didnt suit well on my part. Despite that, I think it was perfect for their personality (Six and Daniel) I kept on expecting something big that'd change the course of the story, but I just didnt have that moment. It was like, the story was developed rushedly, and was cut off abruptly. It might be due to it being a novella, and all that, but yeah. But all honesty, I was kind of disappointed.

Looking at the brighter side, it was nice being able to connect with Sky and Holder again from Hopeless. Also, it was nice on how both of them grew together and helped each other become a better person. This, I admit, I'm a sucker for these, especially if I see the great personality development of the characters. I also liked the beginning of the story wherein they all fall into this false pretend, like a fairytale (Cinderella)

If you're looking for a fun but short read, try this one out! :)

This is a book I’d heard a lot about from my friends, but I only decided to read it recently. I regret that now, because this book was absolutely breathtaking! This book took my breath away. Ohmygosh, THE FEELS! :O I loved the entire plot – from the factions to the romance – everything! It sucks you right into the story, and just reading it already made me feel like I was a part of it all. The characters were developed well, especially Beatrice. She was introduced as this timid little girl, but by the end she’d broken out of her shell, becoming stronger and bolder. The romance between her and Four was not rushed at all, which made it all the more realistic. The selflessness shown by Beatrice’s parents was so touching that it even made me tear up a little. This book inspired me, teaching me so much about family, love, fear, and true bravery.

I pulled an all-nighter reading the book, and I’m definitely adding this one to my list of favorites. I’m already excited to continue to Insurgent! For those looking for a fast-paced, action-packed dystopian novel, I completely recommend reading Divergent!