Review: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

Title: The Last Song
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date Published: Sept. 1st 2009
Genre: Romance
My Rating:

Seventeen-year-old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer with him. Resentful and rebellious, Ronnie rejects her father's attempts to reach out to her and threatens to return to New York before the summer's end. But soon Ronnie meets Will, the last person she ever thought she'd be attracted to, and finds herself falling for him, opening herself to the greatest happiness--and pain--that she has ever known.


Ronnie is forced to spend the summer with her father far from where she belongs and while she is in North Carolina ignoring her father, she meets certain people, some good and of course some you wouldn't want to get involved with. Ronnie's father makes a great attempt to regain Ronnie's trust, still, she leaves the house as much as possible and leaves her father spending all his time with Ronnie's little brother who doesn't seem to have a problem with his father and actually enjoys the time spent together. It takes Ronnie some time to realize where it is that she really belongs. 
   About the romance part of the story i didn't care that much about, don't get me wrong I liked it but I was a lot more interested in Ronnie and her father's relationship. That is one of the reasons I really enjoy reading Nicholas Sparks, he not only focuses on the romance and the "I-know-exactly-what-is-going-to-happen-to-these-two" but focuses plenty on what would be the reality to most love stories
   
I fell in love with this book. The only other book I have read from Sparks is Dear John and watched some of the movies. Even though his books are a bit depressing I do look forward to reading the rest. This story is incredible and in my case something I was able to relate to. Yes, a very sad story but I really do recommend it.


One of my favorite books!





Dear John by Nicholas Sparks Review

Review: Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Dear John
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date Published: Aug. 5th 2007
Genre: Fiction, Romance 
My Rating: 

An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who has captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love—and face the hardest decision of his life.


John Tyree is the bad boy and Savannah Lynn Curtis is the good girl, you can predict pretty much everything that is going to happen in the book, or so you might think. Also a depressing story like most Nicholas Sparks books, or so I have heard since I haven't read all his books. In this story you are surprised by some of John's decisions and in my opinion I despised most of them. What is it so hard about staying with the girl you love? I understand his patriotic side and the need he has to protect his country but it makes me wonder if this story could ever be real. All i can say is that I wouldn't want to be neither one of these characters.


Despite my negative words, I liked this book. I decided to read this book knowing the movie was coming out, bought it two days before the movie and finished it on time. This book is a light, quick read. The movie was off a bit, especially the end...  disappointing. Good book. Read first, then movie!




The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks Review

Review: Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars #1) by Sara Shepard

Title: Pretty Little Liars (Pretty Little Liars #1)
Author: Sara Shepard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Date Published: Oct. 1st 2006
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating:

Everyone has something to hide—especially high school juniors Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna.  Spencer covets her sister’s boyfriend. Aria’s fantasizing about her English teacher. Emily’s crushing on the new girl at school. Hanna uses some ugly tricks to stay beautiful. But they’ve all kept an even bigger secret since their friend Alison vanished. How do I know? Because I know everything about the bad girls they were, the naughty girls they are, and all the dirty secrets they’ve kept. And guess what? I’m telling.


I have to say that i really loved this book, the story and the way it's written is just great. When i first saw this book series at the book store they looked interesting but not enough to make me buy them, or so i thought. After a while I heard about the TV series coming out and I guess I just never paid attention of what the books were about all along because when i heard about it from the TV series preview it really caught my attention.
   
To know that one of your best friends is missing and maybe even dead then getting a message from them is just scary. Finding out she really is dead and getting another message from the same person talking about one of the secrets only your dead best friend knew is even more scary. This story really keeps you wondering and even when you think you know what is going on you really have no clue. And like many people, I don't like drama but the drama in this story is great! It is seriously entertaining. I can admit I  enjoyed this book in a guilty pleasure kind of way. These girls have real interesting secrets that you fall in love with... yes you learn to love their "dark" secrets! 
-"secrets" in the book summary on top ;)
   
If you have seen the series on TV but haven't read the books, I suggest you read the books because they are way better... of course..they always are. I really do like the TV show but the books show you how they are in no way innocent and obviously give you more detail. It is a quick read that i believe anyone can enjoy.






Review: Flawless (Pretty Little Liars #2) by Sara Shepard

Review: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1) by Charlaine Harris

Title: Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1)

Author: Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Ace Books

Date Published: May 1st 2001
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
My Rating:

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome--and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's exactly the kind of guy she's been waiting for all her life...

But Bill has a disability of his own: he's a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs out with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of --big surprise-- murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next...


Many might know about these books because of the TV series True Blood. I heard about the TV series from a friend and I loved it but i didn't know there were books on it until the end of the first season and even then I told myself I wasn't going to read them, but then there was a moment where I just couldn't help it and I just had to go and buy the first book Dead Until Dark.


I have to admit i really liked these books even if many say it's trash. I hate to say this but this story reminds me of The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer but in a more mature and a for "grown-ups" way because let me be the one to tell you, they are pretty graphic just like the TV series. 
  Sookie is the main character, and a very likable one who is believed to be a normal human but can somehow read minds. She is innocent and a sweetheart and doesn't have a sex life until vampire Bill shows up and she falls in love, but the story isn't just about their romance. My favorite part about this series is how the vampires have "come out" ... out of the coffin, in other words they have revealed themselves to the world after a synthetic blood has been invented, but now there is a lot of prejudice against vampires. Not only has the world found out about vampires but they have found out about how special their blood is, that a vampire's blood has certain power and can improve the consumer's sex life, this brings many humans to drain vampires and sell their blood. You meet many interesting characters throughout the story for example Eric, who is one of my personal favorites, though i don't want to mention much about him without ruining the rest of the books.


  I am on the fifth book and I pretty much stopped there, i needed a break from them because they do tend to get a little exhausting. I am not saying that they are boring because they really are full of adventure, but too much of Sookie's (main character)  obstacles to living a normal life can get tiring... hey maybe it's just me.

2011 Debut Author Challenge!

A challenge to read twelve or more books, YA or MG, from 2011 Debut Authors...

Pretty much fell in love with the challenge idea when I heard about it through Kate (CallMeCrazy YA Reviews) .

The Story Siren is hosting it for the third time and I must say i am really excited for it! Click here for more information about the challenge and a list of books you can choose from.

Since I am new to the blogging world I am really excited for this challenge, my first!

Thank you Lindsi and The Story Siren for the awesome buttons!

OKAY! Finally here are the books that I have chosen:

1. The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher 1/1/11
2. Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand 1/4/11
3. XVI by Julia Karr 1/6/11
4. The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney 1/8/11
5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis 1/11/11
6. Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer 2/15/11
7. I Am J by Chris Beam 3/1/11
8. The Liar Society (Liar Society #1) by Lisa and Laura Roecker 3/1/11
9. Wither (Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano 3/22/11
10. Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth 5/3/11
11. Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky 5/23/11
12. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab 8/2/11

Most excited about!!!

Wither (Chemical Garden #1) by Lauren DeStefano 3/22/11
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky 5/23/11
XVI by Julia Karr 1/6/11
The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney 1/8/11
Unearthly (Unearthly #1) by Cynthia Hand 1/4/11

Review: Love, Cajun Style by Diane Les Becquets

I know i should be reviewing new books coming out and things like that but i want to get books i have read before and liked a lot and that you guys might like over with so... here we go...


Title: Love, Cajun Style
Author: Diane Les Becquets
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Date Published: Aug. 25th 2005
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating:

  

For Lucy Beauregard, each day in her sleepy southern town looks a lot like the next – days of riding her bicycle and skinny dipping with her friends, delivering flowers to the wonderfully odd folks in her town, and listening to her mama dish out her Loo-zee-anna gospel of wisdom.
Falling in love isn’t something she has planned. In fact, there are a whole lot of things she hasn’t planned, like her two best friends getting their first tastes of love, or the attraction her very-married mama seems to have for another man, or the confusing flurry in her own heart stirred by a handsome and much older stranger. And then there’s the arrival of Dewey, a boy unlike anyone she’s ever known. In one sweltering summer, Lucy not only discovers herself but soars into love, Cajun style.
In this novel brimming with uproarious characters and deeply immersed in the romantic allure of the South, Diane Les Becquets serves up a humorous helping of love, growing up, the resilience of friendship, and – oh, yes – uses for hot sauce that are sure to make you blush!


  This story's setting is a little different from what you might be used to, in the sweltering town of Sweetbay, Louisiana. This book mentioned the usual important topics like love and friendship which you might think is really cliché but the author uses it in a different way. Lucy, the main character seems so innocent and you just find yourself feeling bad for all the troubles coming towards her, she is forced to grow up instantly. Lucy believes her mom is having an affair and at the same time she finds herself being "part" of an affair. When Lucy needs her two best friends the most, they also find themselves in their own little troubles. The story is fun but at the same time serious even though the title makes you believe it is all about romance, it isn't. The author adds many other components to the story, not just romance.
    I have to admit the ending was not as good, it made the story stretch and it felt never ending, but like i said it was only the ending.


   I got this book at a bargain price, Barnes & Noble was having this sale and I just couldn't help myself from buying a bunch of books and so I got this one along with other ones. I admit once I got it I had it on my shelve for the longest time until at some point I ran out of books to read and had no choice but to read it. I read it in a day and must say I was impressed and well... i realized you really can't judge a book by its cover. This story was different from what i was used to reading and i really enjoyed it. This book should be given a try because you might love it just like i did. This story is one of my favorites.

I Rate It: 4.5/5 ... because of the ending.

Review: Rainbow Boys by Alex Sanchez

Title: Rainbow Boys
Author: Alex Sanchez
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Publication Date: October 2001
Genre: Young Adult
My Rating: 

Jason Carrillo is a jock with a steady girlfriend, but he can't stop dreaming about sex...with other guys.

Kyle Meeks doesn't look gay, but he is. And he hopes he never has to tell anyone -- especially his parents.

Nelson Glassman is "out" to the entire world, but he can't tell the boy he loves that he wants to be more than just friends.

Three teenage boys, coming of age and out of the closet. In a revealing debut novel that percolates with passion and wit, Alex Sanchez follows these very different high-school seniors as their struggles with sexuality and intolerance draw them into a triangle of love, betrayal, and ultimately, friendship.

This was the first book i read. I was in middle school and I didn't know reading was going to become a passion but since my school started this thing called SSR (sustained silent reading) we were required to have a book to read for 15 min... or was it 30min... I can't recall but yea, my brother let me borrow his book, Rainbow Boys, turns out I got really into this story and I ended up reading the whole trilogy.

  I have to say I really liked the trilogy but the last two books weren't as good as this first. These books teach you a lot about sexuality and how most homosexuals struggle through high school and pretty much through life, they are bullied just because of who they are. I have to say I learned a lot from this story and it gave me a really good point of view. I understand the mixed reviews for this book and I see that not many people support the gay community but I myself support it.


"The message is simple folks – peace, love, unity and respect." - Nikki (yareads)

  
The story line is great. This character, Nelson, makes this book a little extra humorous. I was most interested in Jason's side of the story most likely because he was the most troubled with the coming out part. It is a fun book to read but i admit it can be sad for plenty of reasons, a good example would be the fact that Jason's father is an alcoholic. He is abusive and well... homophobic, here you can probably see one of the first conflicts of the story. There isn't much i can review about it since i did read this book a long time ago and can't remember much detail.

  It is a good book. The characters are really likable. It's not perfection but it's not bad either, but it sure was great enough to spark up my interest in books. 

Book #2 and #3

Review & Recommendation: Harry Potter Years 1-7 by JK Rowling

Title: Harry Potter Years 1-7

Author: JK Rowling

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Genre: Fantasy, Young-Adult Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
My Rating: 

Summary on back cover of book #1:

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick. He's never worn a cloak of invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon. All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

  But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed. There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter.

I thought it would be a good idea to write about my favorite books as my first post. These books/series is everything to me. These are not the first books I read, I actually didn't read them in 4th grade like everyone else did, though i wish i had. I watched the movie and fell in love and then my best friend encouraged me to read them and so I did.

  I have to say these books are life changing, they mention an extraordinary world that captures your mind. Rowling did an amazing job, she has a really great imagination. You find yourself falling in love with the characters and can't help but obsess. These books take you in an adventure that you won't forget.

  Each book gets better and better. The way the story grows and develops throughout the 7 years at the wizarding school, Hogwarts, is unbelievable. I really think everyone should read them, it is perfect for all ages... well maybe at some point a little dark but hopefully all parents allow their children to read them because it is a great read. The only bad thing about this series is a really bad addiction to it.