Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publication Date: January 2nd, 2012
Source: Bought
Rating: 4.5/5


“People who meet in airports are seventy-two percent more likely to fall for each other than people who meet anywhere else.” 
― Jennifer E. Smith, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Summary: Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

My Thoughts: I sped through the first half of this book, and then I waited a very long time to finish the second half. I will admit that I kind of lost interest a bit, but once I was in the mood to read the book again, I flew through the last half. This was such a cute book.

 I really liked the beginning. I have to say that the first half is amazing and I loved the way everything was described and the way Hadley felt. It all felt so real to  me; like I was witnessing the whole thing myself. Oliver was adorable and perfect. I also really liked Hadley's parents and felt like they had a lot to offer to this story.

  If you're a fan of contemporary love stories, there's no doubt in my mind that you will love this book, and you should totally pick it up!

~Bradi

Book Haul (#5)

Yesterday I went to an amazing bookstore that sold new and used books for discounted prices. At first, I didn't think they would have any YA fiction or anything I would be interested in, and after a long search for the section (this bookstore was huge and jam PACKED with books), I found the YA section and I was very surprised about what I saw. There were so many really nice, new books. I was just excited to see some titles that I've heard about; and I saw a lot more than just a few. There were so many more books I wanted to get, but these were the ones I wanted the most. All but a few are brand new.

1. Panic by Lauren Oliver- I found an ARC! I heard a YouTuber talk about this book a while back, she explained the premise and it sounded really cool. I also loved the book Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, so I was excited to see she had another book out. Even if it is an ARC. ;) I got it for only $7!

2. Impossible by Nancy Werlin- Honestly, I was really drawn to the cover of this book. And I saw it won an award, so I figured, eh give it a shot.

3. The Luxe by Anna Godberson- This bookstore had the whole series, and I was kind of thinking of buying them all, but I don't know how much I'm going to like the series so I shouldn't waste money buying them all! Although I am super excited about this book because I've heard great things.

4. The Madman's Daughter & Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd- The second book in this series, Her Dark Curiosity, is brand new. I was very surprised to see it sitting on the shelf! I've been wanted to read this series for a while and it sounds super interesting.

5. Unravel Me & Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi- They didn't have the first book in this series, Shatter Me, but I really want to read this trilogy, so I went ahead and bought the next two books because I'm pretty sure I'm going to love this series. I'm buying the first one on Amazon. :)

6. Hysteria by Megan Miranda- I saw this book in a haul by someone not  too long ago, and the plot sounded quite intriguing. Plus, I'm a sucker for a good boarding school story.

7. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell- Surprisingly, this is the only real contemporary that I purchased in this haul. But seriously, when I saw this book I freaked. I've been trying to get myself to buy it forever, but I never wanted to pay full price. Now I have it yay!

Along for the Ride Review

Title: Along for the Ride
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publication Date: June 16, 2009
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5

“He was the closest thing I'd ever had to something, or someone, that mattered. But in the end, close didn't count. You were either in, or you weren't.”
― Sarah Dessen, Along for the Ride 


Summary: It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.


My Thoughts: Before I read this book, The Truth About Forever was my favorite Sarah Dessen book. But now I think that one's tied with this one. I loved this book and the setting and the plot and I just loved it.

  Having the setting be at the beach was my favorite part about this book. I love the beach and boardwalks and boutiques, so this setting really excited me. 
  
  Like every Sarah Dessen book, it took me bout 100 pages in to get hooked and invested. That's mostly due to the fact that the romance starts rolling in the middle usually.

  I loved the characters! Maggie and the other girls at the boutique were cute and fun, And I absolutely loved Eli. I didn't really like him at first, but he definitely grew on me. The dad, though, made me so mad at times. It would sometimes make me wanna put the book down! But I got through it thankfully.

  Overall, I loved this book and it was a perfect summer read.

~Bradi 

The 5th Wave Review

Title: The 5th Wave
Author: Rick Yancey
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5

“That's what you do when the curtain is falling--you give the line that the audience wants to hear.”
― Rick Yancey, The 5th Wave 


Summary: (goodreads) After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.


My Thoughts: Before I start I just wanted to say: this was one of the best books I've read in a long time. Yep, it's pretty much up there with Divergent and all of those amazing books. This book is hyped for a reason; it's epic.

  So it basically centers around this girl names Cassie who's living alone in the world with 97% of its population wiped out. There were 4 waves that took the population, 4 waves made up of technology loss, tsunamis, diseases, and these things called the silencers. You'll figure out what those are once you read the book. Throughout the book, Cassie goes on a journey to find/save her brother who was taken, and along the way meets a character that will end up helping her do it.

  I loved how this book had shifting points of view. That really helped the story develop and blossom and become amazing and intense. It was just fascinating how the points of view all came together in the end and fit like puzzle pieces.

  The characters on this book were excellent. Cassie was a fantastic main character who was strong, smart, and witty. I loved her! And don't even get me started about Evan. *swoon* He was perfect. I absolutely adored him. :)

  I do believe that there will be sequels to this book and I can't wait. I'm recommending it to all of my friends and YOU!

~Bradi

 

Stacking the Shelves (#4)

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

My summer goal is to read every Sarah Dessen book. At first I wanted to own them all, but let's be honest: I don't have enough money for that, plus, my friend and I exchange books all the time and she has the Sarah Dessen books I still need. But I'll keep a look out at thrift stores and such ;) (btw: I had no choice but to get the new cover. I used to not like it, but it's growing on me.)

Bought: Barnes & Noble, $9.99

Fifteenth Summer by Michelle Dalton

I honestly had no idea that Sixteenth Summer was the book before this one... Does it matter...? :P Whatever. It caught my eye in the book store and I plan on reading it soon!

Bought: Barnes & Noble, $9.99

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

Oh my goodness. I absolutely cannot WAIT to read this book. I've heard nothing but fantastic things about this book and it's all over the book community. Can it please just come in the mail already so I can read it?!

Bought: Amazon.com, $11.45 

Lock and Key Review

Title: Lock and Key
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publication Date: April 22, 2008
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5


Summary: Ruby, where is your mother?
Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.
That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future; it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?
Best-selling author Sarah Dessen explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen circumstances and learning to trust again.

“It's a lot easier to be lost than found. It's the reason we're always searching and rarely discovered--so many locks not enough keys.”
― Sarah Dessen, Lock and Key 


My Thoughts: Okay. I actually started this book in December, and kept putting it down for six months. If you've read a Sarah Dessen book, you'd know that sometimes it takes you a while to really get into the story and really get to know the characters. For me, Lock and Key was a little tough to get into. Personally, I really enjoy the romance aspects of books.The romance in this book started toward the middle and that might be one of the reasons why I couldn't get into it right away. But once I was in, it was quite tough to put down.

  In regards to the plot of this book, it was a lot different than any book I've ever read. Ruby's mother left her. Vanished. Left Ruby all alone. Ruby gets sent to live with her long lost sister and her sister's new husband in an upscale area; quite different than she was used to. I thought this story was very unique and interesting to read about.

  The characters in this book were not my favorite, but interesting nonetheless. I really liked Ruby as a main character, she was more bearable than most female main characters, if you know what I mean. I really started to like Ruby's sister Cora as the book went on, and same goes for Cora's husband Jamie. The only problem I had with the characters was the love interest, Nate. Don't get me wrong, he was a fine character, just definitely not my favorite love interest.

  Overall, I do recommend this book to anyone that likes YA contemporary. Don't go into it thinking you're going to get a great romance out of it, because that's not the point of the book. But you will get a great story about a girl trusting others and finding out where she stands int this world.

~Bradi


   

Lola and the Boy Next Door Review

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publication Date: September 29, 2011
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5

 “And if I'm the stars, Cricket Bell is entire galaxies.”
― Stephanie Perkins, Lola and the Boy Next Door

Summary: Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion...she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit--more sparkly, more fun, more wild--the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket--a gifted inventor--steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. 


My Thoughts: Oh. My. Goodness. I LOVED this book. This was such a breath of fresh air with the plot and the chracters and the romances. Definitely on my list of my top ten favorite books.

  Quite a while back I read Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins; and I fell in love with that one. I was reluctant to read Lola and the Boy Next Door because many reviews said it was good, but not as good as Anna. I was afraid it wasn't going to be as good and that I would be disappointed. I wasn't. In fact, I liked it better than Anna and the French Kiss.

  I really loved that Lola- despite her costumes- found herself by the end of the book. The journey to it wasn't easy, but that's what made her so interesting. I really liked her as a character.

  Oh, and I loved Cricket. Pretty much the best fiction-guy-character ever. The way Lola described him was perfect and he made me smile.

  I can't say anything was wrong about this book because, in my opinion, nothing was. I loved the "girl/boy next door" feel and I didn't want the book to end. I TOTALLY recommend it. :)

~Bradi

P.S. I can't wait to get my hands on Isla and the Happily Ever After!