If I Stay by Gayle Forman Review

Title: If I Stay (#1)
Author: Gayle Forman
Publisher: Dutton Penguin
Publication Date: 2009
Source: Bought
Rating: 4/5

“I just wanted to tell you that I understand if you go. It’s okay if you have to leave us. It’s okay if you want to stop fighting.”
― Gayle Forman, If I Stay

Summary: In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands.


My Thoughts: This book is about a girl who gets into a car accident and becomes in between life and death. She is watching from afar what is happening to her body and how her friends are taking everything. She gets to decide if she wants to stay, or leave. Oh my. I bought this book about a year ago, started it, got halfway through, and stopped. I stopped because I didn't like how unemotional the main character was when something terrible was happening to her. But reading it a second time, I come to realize that's the point. That's what Gayle Forman is going for. After hearing countless rave reviews about it, I decided to give it another go. This book was very good and I'm super happy that I picked it back up.
  
  I loved the characters in this book. You've got Mia, the main character, who is the one in between her life and a decided death. You basically live her story through flashbacks and I really liked her as a character. Her boyfriend Adam is a musician just like Mia. I liked Adam a lot because of how much he cared for Mia and what a great boyfriend her is. He melted my heart by the end of the book. Mia's other family and friends were great too, each ones for different reasons.

  Although the flashbacks were crucial to the story, I enjoyed reading about the present rather than a flashback of the past. 

  Overall, this was a really great contemporary and I highly recommend it.

~Bradi 

Book Review: The Darkest Minds

Title: The Darkest Minds (#1)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publication Date: December 18, 2012

Source: Bought, Hardback

Rating: 5/5

 “The Darkest Minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces.”
― Alexandra Bracken, The Darkest Minds

Summary: When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

My Thoughts: I really loved this book.

 A couple weeks ago I was watching Christine on Youtube (PolandBananasBOOKS) and she was doing a booktalk on this book. She gave a synopsis and I immediately knew I wanted to read it. 

  

  The atmosphere at the beginning really set the book up nicely. Right from the start I could tell it was going to be an interesting world that we are thrown into. The whole idea of a concentration camp where kids are forced to go to gives me chills down my spine. 

  The main character Ruby is one of those kids at the camp. The book goes through various stages of her life and introduces the world in that way. I like Ruby because she's not like all the rest of the YA dystopian main characters. She isn't too stubborn and has a good mindset. Ruby's character development blew me away. She starts off not being able to stick up for herself, and by the end of the book she's the strongest character.

  The other character in the book were amazing, too. I loved Zu, Chubs, and, of course, Liam. I really enjoyed Ruby and Liam's chemistry. They're relationship also developed immensely and I loved every second of it.

  Cliffhangers always make me mad. But this one was by far the most frustrating in the best way possible. Now I simply cannot WAIT until the second book comes out!

I totally recommend this for those of you who liked Divergent or The Hunger Games. It's a great read and well worth your time. :) Happy reading!

~Bradi~

Anna and the French Kiss Book Review

Title: Anna and the French Kiss
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: December 2, 2010
Source: Library
Rating: 4.8/5

“For the two of us, home isn't a place. It is a person. And we are finally home.” 
― Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss

Summary: (Goodreads) Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home. As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?

My Thoughts: Do NOT be turned away by the cover or the title. It may look cheesy, but it's not cheesy. It's a darn good book. I'm serious. I have to admit, I was initially turned off by it because of how I thought it would be. Then I started looking online at reviews and such, 99% of them praising it. So I saw it in my library and thought, why not? Wow. I really wish I had my own copy. 

So in this book, Anna is sent to a school for Americans in Paris by her father. She doesn't want to leave her best friend and crush in Atlanta. But while Anna is there, she meets new people and meets a very attractive, Parisian boy of whom she definitely has her eye on. That makes for some romance that will surely leave you in awe.

Let's just talk about St. Clair for a moment. I don't think there are enough adjectives to describe just how awesome his character is. He's the PERFECT boyfriend and his interactions with Anna are just so dang adorable. Stephanie Perkins did a fantastic job describing St. Clair. I love him.

As for Anna's friends, they weren't the best characters, but that was okay. I was more interested in St. Clair anyway. :)

Overall this was an AMAZING book and I totally recommend it to anyone. I feel like so many people would enjoy this book. Happy reading! 

~Bradi~

Stacking the Shelves (#2)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews as way to share all the great books you've received throughout the week.

 

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I've heard SO MUCH hype about this book and how amazing it is. I never wanted to pick it up until recently when I saw it at my school library. I figured, why not get it? So I've read a ton of reviews about this book and I'm more excited than ever to read it.

Borrowed: Hardcover, school library

My Life in Black & White by Natasha Friend

I saw this at the store on an end cap next to the book Before I Fall. I LOVED Before I Fall, so I thought that maybe this book is similar. I read the summary and decided to get it!

Bought: Paperback, at Barnes & Noble for $8.99

Wake by Amanda Hocking (Watersong #1)

I was INSTANTLY attracted to the cover. I Know, I know. Never judge a book by its cover! But how could I not?! Such a beautiful cover and an impelling synopsis. I had to pick it up!

Bought: Hardcover, at Wal-Mart for $12.03