Lola and the Boy Next Door

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss #2)
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Release Date: September 28th, 2011
My Rating: 5/5

Hey there!

I just finished a wonderful book by Stephanie Perkins. Lola and the Boy Next Door was such a good book. I could not put it down. I finished it in two days and wanted more. It was funny and quirky and just such a great read. It was fast paced and was entertaining the entire time. To my delightful surprise, Anna and Etienne return for cameos in this sequel.

I loved Lola. She was spunky and adorable. She doesn't care what people think of her. I also loved Cricket. Well, I loved his name to begin with, but then I just fell in love with his personality. I obviously hated Max, but who didn't? Lola's parents are hilarious and I wish I knew them in person. They remind me of the couple from Modern Family. Overall, this was a great group of characters and I am very pleased.

This book was 100% contemporary. It was short, sweet, and focused on the love interest. I loved every minute of it. This is exactly the type of book I needed to pull me out of a reading slump, and I am going to recommend it to anyone who needs a cutesy book to brighten their day.

Spoilers below the picture, so for those of you clicking out, see you next time!

**SPOILERS**

Here we go. 

I loved loved loved loved loved Cricket. And when he made the bridge between their rooms?!? I wish I had a cute neighbor guy like that. He was just so smart and loving. It killed me to read the look on Crickets face every time Max was mentioned. There were some parts where I didn't like Lola very much in those situations.

I was so happy when Lola kicked Max to the curb. I loved how Stephanie Perkins gave Lola time to grieve her breakup. A lot of authors just assume that because a character dumped someone for someone else, they will just skip on their merry way and move on. I like how Perkins kept it real and realized that even though Max was a jerk, there was a part of Lola that loved him. 

I surprisingly liked Norah. Well maybe I didn't like Norah, but I liked her appearances in the book. She added some drama and the scenes with her and Lola were some that stick out in my mind. I loved the scene at the end where Lola and Norah are watching TV and they feel like they are finally getting to know each other. 

I also liked Calliope. I know she was kind of stand-offish, but I just couldn't bring myself to dislike her. I was hoping that they would become friends at the end. My favorite scene of the entire book was when Lola was making Calliope a new outfit. It really brought the novel together for me. 

I can't think of much more to say, but overall I loved this book. I can't wait to read more from Perkins in Isla and the Happily Ever After. 

I recommend this book to anyone that loves a great, romantic, and funny book. 

Until next time, Keep Reading! 

The Lightning Thief

Title: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)
Author: Rick Riordan
Release Date: March 21st, 2005
My Rating: 5/5

Alright Everybody!

I'm finally done reading The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, and it was pretty amazing. It took me so long only because I am a new University student, and was getting used to college life. Otherwise, this book was so fast paced, I could barely keep up. I am most definitely now a Percy Jackson fan and cannot wait to finish the series. (By the way, I found a great box set at B&N for only $35).

This book kept me entertained the entire ride. It seemed like Riordan just jumped to the action. If the scene didn't have action in it, we only got a brief description and continued on to the good parts. That's one thing I loved about this book. I can't stand boring transition scenes.

The relationships between Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, developed very quickly. This meant we got to see the humor that true friends bring out in each other. They weren't afraid to throw insults at one another. This trio reminded me of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Percy, the hero, Grover, the comedic relief, and Annabeth the genius.

Riordan created a world full of myth, action, and anticipation. I absolutely loved how much I learned about Greek mythology and what it means to be a hero.

This is one of the only books I've read that I would recommend to readers of all ages. In fact, I'm about to force it onto my own younger siblings. I suggest after you read it, you do the same. I'm not going to insert a spoiler section, so don't worry to those who haven't read it yet. I'd love for you to find a way to contact me to discuss what you thought of the book! I love discussions. Feel free to leave comments!

Read this book.

Until next time, Keep Reading!

OPPOSITION!

Dun Dun Dun-Da!
Finally! It has come! the day you have been waiting for is here! That's right, my review of the fifth and final book of the Lux series, Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It has been a long time coming, I know. I have been reading this book for a long time (two weeks) because I have been busy moving in to college and getting used to the whole college life thing, but this morning I finished! I'm so excited to share my final thoughts of this beautiful series with you.

If you have not read the Lux series, go read them. If you have read them up to Opposition, stick around.

This book is full of comedy, drama, action, and multiple Harry Potter references. It all mixes together to form this great addition/finale to the series. I don't have enough good things to say about this book, so I'm going to jump to the spoiler section.

For those of you who haven't read it, this is me demanding you read it and get back here to discuss.

**SPOILERS**

Alright everyone. I am so sad to see this series go. I loved it so much and can't believe it is finally over. All of the books are amazing and this book was no exception. If anything, I have just fallen even more in love with Daemon Black. 

In the beginning of the novel, I was very confused by the whole zombie-brain-luxen thing going on. At first I thought Daemon was going to stay all bad, but then we saw from his P.O.V. and knew that he still loved Katy. Daemon and Dawson are not brain-washed by the other luxen because they are connected to humans. Dee, on the other hand, gets sucked in and cant escape on her own. 

I'll admit, I'm getting kind of tired of Dee always being hostile. I wish there was one book where Dee and Katy just get to be best friends. I can't help but love Dee, yet she always pisses me off and starts crying in every book. 

I loved seeing the connection between Dawson and Bethany grow even stronger in this book. During Origin, I honestly thought that Katy would be pregnant too because there was a bunch of foreshadowing, but I'm glad it was only Bethany. I loved seeing baby Ashley in the epilogue, it gives us some insight to Luc and Archer's background and how they grew up. It also made me think that if the Daedalus children grew up in homes, they would be as normal as Ashley. 

I feel like I didn't see enough of Daemon and Katy's relationship in this book. They were either always fighting the Luxen, Katy was hurt and Daemon was comforting her, or they were having sexy-time. I miss the back and forth from the previous books. That is what really kept their relationship interesting to me. 

The action in this book seemed rather anti-climatic. Through out the entire series there was all this buildup, and I was just expecting more. During this novel, there was a lot of action so for the finale I was expecting something huge, but then it turns out that Katy just runs away and lets the Arum handle it. It seems like the biggest climax was when we find Katy's mom, and even then it was a short scene that didn't really have an impact on the book as a whole. I was just a little disappointed by this. 

Don't get me wrong, I loved this book entirely. It was action packed and kept me on my toes. I just think I liked the first book, Obsidian, the best. 

Overall, I would definitely tell you to read these books. They really are fast paced and worth your time. They are hilarious and witty and gut-wrenching. I really don't want to say goodbye to these books and wish I could read them for the first time again. They will always have a spot on my favorites shelf, that's for sure. 

Until next time, Keep Reading!

Opposition release!

Hey there everybody!

As most of you already know, Opposition by the wonderful, fantastical, Ms. Jennifer L. Armentrout, was released a few weeks ago (And if you didn't already know that, get out. Go buy her books. Read them. And get back to me). In honor of this, I have decided to reread the entire series,  all five wonderful books. This is why I have not been posting very much recently. I'm getting through these books so fast, I don't really have time to write a full review on each.

To make things easier, I have written a short overall series review:

Read them. Now. 

There. Now that's done. These books are funny, romantic, and action packed. The paranormal characters are not vampires, werewolves, faeries, or angels. No, no, they are aliens. Miss Armentrout is a creative genius with witty characters, twisting plots, and lots and lots of relationships of the love-hate variety. Go read them. 

Now to make it easier for you, here they are in order: 

1. Obsidian (Lux #1) 

2. Onyx (Lux #2)

3. Opal (Lux #3)

4. Origin (Lux #4)

5. Oppositon (Lux #5)

Until next time, Keep Reading! 

(especially if it's these books) 

Throne of Glass

Title: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: August 7th, 2012
My Rating: 5/5

Well then.
Holy. Mother. You. Must. Read. This. Book. Now. It was amazing. It definitely has a spot on my favorites shelf and I am so excited to read the next 4 to 5 books. The world is amazing. It is the perfect mix of fantasy and history. Sarah J. Maas created an exciting book that I am definitely a supporter of.

The main character, Celaena, is the most feared assassin in the entire country. When she is 17, she is captured and sent to a death camp. Somehow, she survives a year, and the Crown Prince comes to recruit her to fight in a competition to become the kings personal assassin.

This is a fast-paced, adventure-filled book that really deserves a read. I couldn't put it down.

If you haven't read this book, I insist you go find it and read it, then come back and read the rest of my review!

**SPOILERS**

Gosh, I can't even think about what to write, there is so much going to my head. 

I LOVED the love triangle in this book. Dorian, Chaol, Celaena. I'm totally team Chaol, but there's no way I can't love Dorian also. I mean come on, he got her a puppy. A PUPPY. In every love triangle, there is always the playful guy, and the serious guy. Dorian is definitely the playful one and Chaol the serious one. 

Next I want to talk about Arobynn, the king of assassins, if you will. At first I thought he was a cool guy. He took in the orphaned Celaena, and raised her as his own. But as the book goes on, we start seeing more insight to his true character. He trains her to be ruthless, breaking her own hand, paying him back for his training, and running his errands. I really hope we see more of him in the next books. 

In the beginning, I was very confused by the magic aspect. There are Wyrdmarks, which seem like runes in a way, then there is the black ring aspect used by Perrington and the King. This black magic can apparently control the thoughts of others, as seen with Kaltain. 

Some of my favorite scenes were the tests.  Especially the test where they climb the wall. I loved seeing Celaena save Nox. This was the first scene where we see the true talent and strength Celaena has.  

I loved the bond of Celaena and Nehemia. Celaena was able to have a gal-pal, who turns out to be a bad-ass magician that saves her life multiple times. I can't wait to see their relationship grow as the story continues. 

I also can't wait to see Queen Elena. I want more explanations of all her actions in this book, and I think we will get them in the next books. (I also think Elena and Celaena are related. Yay!) 

I have undying love with this book and can't wait to continue it. I suggest it to everyone. 

Until next time, Keep Reading! 

Fangirl

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Release Date: September 10, 2013
My Rating: 4.8/5

Hello there,
Today I have Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, and may I say, wow. This book almost didn't feel like a book. It felt more real than that. The entire time I was reading it, I didn't really feel like I was reading. Rowell created such a realistic world and even more relatable characters, I felt like I knew each and every one of them.

Cath, our protagonist, reminded me so much of myself. Rowell creates the most relatable characters in all of her books. Cath is an avid reader and loves to write fanfiction. She spends her time in her dorm room, writing and reading. She is socially awkward and has anxiety, which I see in myself. Her reactions to other characters are almost exactly what I would do in the same situation.

This book is hilarious and dramatic and tear jerking. The only reason I give this book only a 4.8 is because I wish it was longer. It ends and I don't feel like I know enough of what is going to happen. I recommend it to everyone, especially introverted people like myself.

For those of you who haven't read it, this is the end of the line. See you next time!

(spoilers below the picture) 

**SPOILERS**

Here we go. 

First, I want to mention the Simon Snow aspect of this book. It sounded so much like Harry Potter, I was almost shocked when Levi mentions Harry Potter in the book. Throughout the entire book, it kind of bothered me how alike the two story lines were, but then when I found out they both exist in Caths' world, it almost made me mad. I didn't think they should be so alike. However, I loved the idea of having another hit series and having the fanfic portion of the book. It might have been my favorite aspect (other than the reality). The scene towards the end, when they are waiting for the release, just brought me back to 2007, waiting in line for the final Harry Potter book. The emotions I had experienced were the same as Cath and Wren's in this book. 

I also loved reading the Simon Snow  and Carry On chapters. I loved how Cath took the main character, kept them basically the same, but twisted their actions to how she would write it. Before this book I was never really aware of the fanfic universe, but now I'm a little bit interested. 

I love Cath. Now, normally I love the bad-ass leads that can kick and punch their way through everything, but this book was refreshing. I saw a character that reminded me so much of myself, I almost couldn't differentiate the two worlds. Cath is real, and awkward, and funny, and caring, and sarcastic. The best part of all that, however, is how she reacts. She doesn't say anything I wouldn't be able to think of myself and I love that. 

Another one of my favorite aspects, cheesy as it may seem, was the romance. It was so awkward and silly, but again, real (I keep using that word, but only because it's true). Levi is such a sweet guy, I only wish I could meet someone like him. One scene I didn't think was very realistic was the kitchen scene. I don't really know why Levi was kissing someone else because Rowell made it seem like he wasn't that kind of guy. I agree that something had to happen to make Cath not trust him, but I wish it would have been something else. 

When I first met Levi and Reagan, I thought they were siblings or something. I never really believed they were together, like Cath did. Also, I love Reagan. I wish I had a friend like her. She was so hilarious and drama-free.  

When I first met Levi and Nick, I thought Cath would be going between them. I was pleasantly surprised when she doesn't actually like Nick. However, I loved the writing scenes with Nick, and then how Levi came and walked Cath home every night. That's when I knew that Levi would be the one Cath chose. When Nick showed up at Cath's door at the end was when I actually didn't like Nick. The whole novel, I didn't mind him that much until this scene. I was so happy when Cath didn't take credit for the paper. I totally saw where she was coming from because it wasn't actually her story and she finally put her foot down. 

I wish I knew a teacher like Professor Piper. She was actually involved with her students and cared about all of them. She paid attention to their writing, and I loved how she could differentiate between Nick and Cath on paper. 

Thinking of the mother aspect, I loved how Cath and Wren had different views and were each strong enough to follow their own paths. I could also see the situation from both sides; Wren wanting to know their mother and Cath wanting nothing to do with her. Laura herself however, I was not a fan of. This was particularly in the hospital scene. It didn't make sense to me how Laura could wait all that time with Cath to see Wren, and then when it was finally time she bailed. I was a little confused, but it really showed Laura's true colors and made me sympathize with both of the twins more; Wren losing her mother again, and Cath realizing what Wren had been going through. 

I feel like there were too many medical emergencies, with Wren and alcohol, and Art with going crazy. It almost felt like too much, but when I think about it, I could not get rid of either. They do tie in to each other and make sense on both ends. 

By the way, I also love Art. He's pretty great. 

Anyways, I'm reaching the end of my review, and the last point I can think of is the end. I wanted more. I felt like the book just cut off. I didn't know it was going to end there and kept reading into the Snow portion in the back before I realized the actual novel had ended. I wish there were two to three more chapters to show what happened with the fanfiction, Simon Snow, Levi, Nick, and Reagan. 

Overall, this book was a happy read. It just made me feel good. I would recommend it to everyone on the face of the planet (well okay, maybe not everyone but most people). 

Until next time, Keep Reading! 

Delirium

Title: Delirium (Delirium #1)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Release Date: February 7th, 2012
My Rating: 3.5/5

Hey all,
Today, I have for you, a review of Delirium by Lauren Oliver. This is a dystopian novel, where love is considered a disease and must be wiped out. The government created a procedure that "cures" people of any feeling of love at all, weather it be romantic, familiar, or just enjoying something. Everyone gets matched to be married and assigned a college and major. This means that they have to control over their lives, but they don't care because they can't be passionate about anything without love. This carries over to their family lives as well. There is no true love in the family unit and because of this, if mothers get too annoyed with their children they will abandon them or worse, kill them. This book reminded me of a few books; Matched by Ally Condie, 1984 by George Orwell, and Divergent by Veronica Roth.

I absolutely loved Oliver's writing style. It was artistic, but not confusing, and delightfully descriptive. I have found that I can't stand it when books are over descriptive. This book was a happy medium, enticing me in the details of the world Oliver created, yet not boring me with nonsensical jabber. This book had many creative aspects that really made me think about issues in the world we have today, which was previously done by George Orwell in his book, 1984.

The characters in this book were not my favorite. Lena did not always think in a sensible way and often react in a non-realistic way. I did like seeing her point of view from wanting the procedure and believing in it, to not wanting it. Which brings me to Alex. I feel like I never really got to know this character. He always seemed secondary and I feel like Alex and Lena just fell in love because of one incident. They didn't actually fall. I did however, love the contrast between the cured people and the uncured. Oliver does a beautiful job making the cured seem like they have some emotion, like it's hidden.

Overall, I am glad that I read this book, however it was not my favorite. It seemed rather anti-climatic. It just kind of went on and finally got interesting the last 70 pages. I would recommend reading this book to anyone who asks, but I wouldn't say it is a "Oh-my-God-you-need-to-read-this-book!" book.

For those of you who have not read this book, this is the end of the line for you. There are spoilers below the picture!

**SPOILERS**

Alright, there isn't really much to say in this spoiler section that I haven't already said up above. There are only a few points I would like to hit on here. The first is the crypts. I thought that was a very interesting twist when we found out that Lena's mom had been there the whole time. However, I did not find it very believable that she could dig a tunnel through a concrete wall, and nobody noticed. I am glad that she is alive and escaped, I just found it unrealistic. I also thought the punishment for Thomas was too severe, even taking in the nature of this book. He had reported the hole in the wall, after all. I feel like the rest of the guards should have caught on to Thomas and Alex. That would have made it more interesting, at least. 

The second thing I would like to bring up is more of a question. Is Alex alive? It never specifically explained if he was actually killed. I mean, I can expect that the guards would have killed him, but these books are a trilogy, what can Lena really do after this? Half of me wants to keep reading the series to find out, and the other half of me doesn't feel like it is worth it. 

Please, please share your opinions on this one, since I'm on the edge. 

Until next time, Keep Reading!