Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Rebel Belle

Series: Rebel Belle series #1

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Publication Date: April 8, 2014

Genre: YA fiction, fantasy, paranormal, romance

Pages: 345 (hardcover)

Age Range: 13+



Summary


Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts. Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.


Review


Harper starts off as your normal girl excited for her Homecoming tiara. She's confident, polite, sweet, and hilarious. Her prose is rather girly--coming from a girl who just had to worry about shoes and dresses--but as the book progresses, you can see her growth. Harper has am archenemy, named David Stark, that she is forced to when she gets her super powers and she's confused by it. Why David? Why me? Why can't I kiss my boyfriend without thinking of David?

One thing that I especially loved about the book was that Harper and Davis made mistakes. You could tell that they were just as confused by their powers as we were. It made for a hilarious, light book.
The book was hysterically funny. Harper was the least likely candidate to get powers. She goes on and on about how she missed her huge back story, she starts a new trend (#lotionproblems), and is the worst girl to make excuses ever!

Harper has issues making excuses, using her powers, getting along with David, and coming to terms with her new powers, it makes the book so light, funny, and easy to read.

Rebel Belle is now one of my favorite books, and I have to wait forever for the next one! I think know I'm in major book withdrawal....

J.K. Rowling Wrote a New Short Story About Harry Potter

Calling all witches and wizards!

OMG! I am ecstatic!!! I just read J.K. Rowling's new short story on Pottermore.com! Finally, after years of waiting, we get further insight into what happens after the Epilogue of the final Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows).

This is the first thing that Rowling has released about the duo since the Deathly Hallows! It's been 7 years! And some of our questions are finally answered.

J.K. Rowling has taken to writing for the Daily Prophet as Rita Skeeter on Pottermore.com. The short story is set at the Quidditch World Cup, and is titled: DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY REUNITES AT QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP FINAL.

She talks about some of Dumbledore's Army, and naturally is her normal gossip-self as she questions every little thing that they do, or don't do. She bashes most of the characters in some way, as she normally does when someone becomes a subject in her gossip column, keeping true to her character.

Aaaaand that's all I'm going to give away. You have to read the column yourself ;)

I'm so happy Rowling wrote this short story! Her writing stays true to her wonderful Harry Potter books; being the accurate, and annoying Rita Skeeter as she writes the gossip column for the Daily Prophet. Rita hasn't changed since the last time we heard from her.

Please write more J.K. Rowling!!!!!!!

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Lost Souls

Series: The Mortal Instruments #5

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Publication Date: May 8, 2012

Genre: YA fiction, romance, thriller, action, fantasy, paranormal

Pages: 544 (hardback)

Age Range: 13+



Summary


When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?


Review


It's book five and all the characters are just as witty, humorous, loving, and courageous as ever! The characters have really come a long way in development.

The writing--as always--is amazing. I really like how Cassandra Clare writes (I very much envy her). The book was very loving, there were parts where I was really touched by how close these characters are and how much they've bonded.

There were also parts where I got goosebumps. But this book isn't gruesome like the last one (City of Fallen Angles).

Moments between Jace and Clary are as sweet and loving as always....well, when he's himself at least, and not him. They understand each other to no end; and love each other to the point that they would literally do anything to keep the other safe. The romance between Simon and Isabelle heats up, as well as the sparks between Jordan and Maia.

A bond between Sebastian and Jace also forms; and is intense, and unnerving, because you know Jace wants to kill Sebastian. More than anything. But he doesn't have the ability to separate himself from the Jace that Sebastian is controlling to do it.

As usual, book five ends in a brutal cliffhanger that leaves you with a need for more! Time to run to the bookstore for book six! But....it's also the final book in The Mortal Instruments series.....I'm going to be really sad when this series ends.....I might walk around like a zombie for days, wondering what to do now that I've finished such an amazing series, like I did when I finished the Harry Potter series.....*sigh*

Breakable by Tammara Webber

Title: Breakable

Series: Contours of the Heart #2

Author: Tammara Webber

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)

Date Published: May 6, 2014

Genre: New Adult fiction, romance, tragedy, contemporary, realistic fiction

Pages: 368 (paperback)

Age Range: 17+ (sexual content, murder, rape, drugs, alcohol abuse, language, violence)


Summary

As a child, Landon Lucas Maxfield believed his life was perfect and looked forward to a future filled with promise—until tragedy tore his family apart and made him doubt everything he ever believed.

All he wanted was to leave the past behind. When he met Jacqueline Wallace, his desire to be everything she needed came so easy…

As easy as it could be for a man who learned that the soul is breakable and that everything you hoped for could be ripped away in a heartbeat.

 Review

This sequel is told from Lucas/Landon's perspective. You get to read about the years after his mother's brutal murderer: How he copes with what happened, how his father deals with the loss, and how the loss of his mother affects him throughout the years.

This book jumps between him being Landon and Lucas ("Lucas" being the present, and "Landon" being the past). It is a companion book to Easy, so you get to read about what's going on through his head once he takes notice to Jacqueline Wallace.

The writing is good, the characters are good. Though I feel like there is only a small connection between Lucas and Jacqueline, the rest seems completely physical.

The author also could have taken this book to bigger places with the subject of rape, making it more personal (even in the first book, there wasn't much emphasizing on this subject and how it really affects), and realistically emotional. The main focus was Lucas' and Jacqueline's relationship when she should have balanced the book with how Jacqueline deals with what "almost happened" to her (in both books). Tammara Webber doesn't even take the chance when Buck strikes a second time on another girl and succeeds in his intentions.

The strongest subject in this book is Mrs. Maxfield's murder and how Lucas deals with it over the years.

In the end, I feel like Jacqueline and Lucas really have a connection that is much more than physical, but it isn't dwelt on.

The Fault In Our Stars: Differences Between the Movie and the Book

In the book, Hazel goes to visit Isaac in the hospital after his eye surgery. In the movie, she doesn't. Poor Isaac :-/

In the book, Hazel has a friend named Kaitlyn--who keeps up with Hazel's growing relationship with Gus. In the movie, Kaitlyn doesn't exist.

In the book, Augustus has former girlfriend, Caroline Mathers--who died of brain cancer a few years before. In the movie, Caroline isn't mentioned.

In the book, there is a comedic ad that Gus and Hazel put up for her "Desperately Lonely Swig Set." In the movie, though the swing set is there, they don't even try to sell it, or put up the fun ad.

In the book, there is a part where Hazel and her mother (Mrs. Lancaster) hears Gus crying and yelling at his mother (Mrs. Waters) before they leave for their trip to Amsterdam that is relatively important. In the movie, this doesn't happen.

In the book, Gus tells Hazel he loves her on the plane as they come back from Amsterdam. In the movie, he tells her at dinner at Oranjee.

In the book, Gus and Hazel sit outiside Oranjee and enjoy the look of the elm trees and the canal. In the movie, they sit inside.

In the book, Gus' obnoxious sisters and their husbands and sons are there constantly during his last days. In the movie, they have no screen time.

In the book, Hazel finds Gus mumbling in his sleep after he "pisses the bed." This is when she realizes that his cancer is taking its toll. In the movie, this scene isn't in the movie.

In the book, Hazel reads through comments on Gus' Facebook after his death, and isn't pleased about what she reads, leading to her sending another commenter a harsh message. In the movie, she doesn't do this.

In the book, Hazel searches everywhere for that letter Gus wrote for her before he died, until, finally, his parents tell her there are some torn pages of his notebook, and that the pages are missing. Not finding them anywhere, she decides to email Peter Van Houten--who sends her what Gus wrote to him. In the movie, Van Houten gives her the letter when he comes to Gus' funeral.


It was a very enjoyable movie! I really really liked it! And though I was a little disappointed about a few of these details they left out, I understand why they couldn't do everything exactly and put everything that was in the book into the movie.

It is a must-see if you've read the book!

If I Stay Movie Poster Release

If I stay movie poster! Yay! Whatya think?

I can't wait for August 22nd!

If I Stay - Prologue Trailer

My arms are covered in chill-bumps....

8 Books to Read This Summer (2014)

Here are 8 books to read this summer.

 1. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. This is one of my all-time favorite books. The series is amazing, gripping, and sweet, but also tragic. It has a smorgasbord of cutsey characters to fall in love with. And this book made me fall in love with Summer in a way I never have before.

 2. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han. Yes, another novel by Jenny Han. A really sweet, family-based novel that will keep you wondering until the very end.

 3. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. A sad, sweet, romantic novel about two teens that have cancer. It's funny, sad, and then funny again. This book has many emotional twists and turns; one minute you'll be laughing at something one of the character's say, and then, you'll want to cry. The movie is to be released June 6th, so read it before you see it!

 4. if i stay by Gayle Forman. I know, not exactly a summer read, but the movie is coming in August and you might want to read it before you see it. Again, sweet romance mixed with tragedy, but it's a gripping novel with an exhilarating ending. It was such a perfect book that I bought it and reread it about four times that week. It's a cute book about love and life, and most importantly, hope.

 5. First Love by James Patterson. Another sweet, but tragic, novel about two teens on the run from their problems.

 6. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins. It's a quick, easy read. It had me laughing throughout with it's quirky and silly prose. It's a very easy read (I read it in two hours). It censors the language for the most part, there is only a couple kisses through the book, and it's readable for any teen!

 7. Summer of my German Soldier by Bette Greene. is an old book, but it is worth doing a little searching for. It is an amazing story of hope and sacrifice for the greater good. This book is a heavy book, a book filled with emotion and tabulations, but it worth every tear shed.

 8. Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter. A humorous, quirky, fun read that is perfect for summer. It's about a girl who is sent away to a special summer camp to learn how to use her abilities and realize what she is. There are many funny parts throughout this book--one minute it can be some-what serious and then, the next, someone is making a joke or something happens that is just so random and funny.