Wednesday 29 May 2013

Review: Lovesessed by Pamela Diane King

A fun middle-grade novel. Phoebe, an ordinary 14-year-old American girl is hopelessly in love with Chase, a famous teen idol. When he fails to notice her at his concert, Liz, her best friend, and a budding chemist, plays Cupid by concocting a love potion. What could be sweeter than a love potion on Valentines Day? But when Phoebe gets more than she wished for, is it what she really wants? From Goodreads

This book at the beginning was great. I could relate to it and it made me laugh because it reminded me of some of my friends who are obsessed with boy bands.
Then , it got really annoying. Due to fact of her and Chase being 'soul mates' she seriously dismisses most of the people who care about her in her life. Like, she once forgot her other best friend, Ben's birthday.

Ben was such a great character. You knew from the start that he was devoted to her... not in a creepy way. Phoebe is kinda creepy. I mean she had a poster of Chase beside her so it would feel like he was beside when she was sleepy. Really? This takes obsession to a whole new level... 

Then her friend Liz, who's more academic and when she has a crush on someone she isn't.... obsessed, uses Chemistry to make a love potion and they put it into chocolates. Sent as fan mail to Chase and he eats them- everything goes crazy.
I thought this book was an alright quick read and.... yeah....

*You can get it free from Amazon. (it's an ebook by the way!)

Rating 2.5/5

Saturday 25 May 2013

Review: Just One Day- Gayle Forman

From the blurb---------

A whirlwind day in Paris...
A chance at true love...
Heart break is waiting just around the corner.

This story starts when Allyson is in Stratford-upon-Avon which is in England and is the birthplace of Shakespeare. She is a sheltered girl who doesn't get involved in drinking or breaking the rules. She is about to go to college or uni but, after graduation her parents send her off to tour Europe. She then meets Willem, a Dutch guy who helps her expand her horizons. She ditches staying in London for a few days to go to Paris with Willem and they explore.

Even though you can sense their chemistry between them from the start they lose each other. I can't say much as it'll spoil the book for you but, just after when they have a night of passion, Willem goes missing and Allyson is heartbroken and is a mess when she enters college. She plans to do medical school but she gets mostly low grades so, with the help with her counselor, she is in classes that connect to her.

A year after, she goes back to Paris to try to find Willem.

I found this story so beautiful and poignant. Just like the blurb says "story of love, loos and learning to live again." There is a major cliffhanger and I absolutely hate it. So many questions!!!

Anyways, Just One Year is coming out in October I think..... Well, it's coming out soon. So excited and I really recommend this book if you want a love story that has a hint of sadness. (Not a hint but not a lot as well) Here's the cover of the sequel. So beautiful... (wipes a tear)

Book Rating: 4.5/5








Review: The Longest Holiday

Laura has been married to the man of her dreams for seven months but then finds out that a week before the wedding, Matthew made a terrible mistake on his stag do.

Laura escapes with her 2 friends to Florida's Key West and over there is full of cocktails and fun and they are surrounded by very good looking men but, Laura is not feeling it and who can blame her?

Meanwhile, her husband tries to apologizes to her but that doesn't work out.

Laura meets Cuban scuba diver, Leo and he is a mysterious guy- Laura instantly feels chemistry between them.

When the end of the holiday approaches, Laura doesn't want to go home.

I thought that Matthew was an asshole (excuse me for the language.) I mean he was still in a relationship with Laura and he just liked the 'attention' and that led to him down the road to being a father but he did really love Laura and he committed one mistake and that ruined everything.

Since Laura is the main character, you obviously have to like her and if you have read Chasing Daisy then you would know that her first boyfriend was Will and that Will dumped her for another girl a few weeks or days before his death. Her love life is sad. I thought that Leo was kind of compatible with her and that he made happy again. The result of Matthew's mistake can never be forgotten and the presence of the mistake can hurt Laura too much.

I thought this book was exciting and you can't help but empathize with each character. Great romance story. Always a Paige Toon fan and loved how every book she writes, link with each together some how.

Book Rating: 4/5


Friday 24 May 2013

Review: Level 2

Felicia Ward is dead and she's is trapped in Level 2. That is a place between Earth (Level 1) and heaven (Level 3) so it's basically limbo... I think...
She spends endless days just replaying memories of her life on Earth including memories about her boyfriend Neil, the guy who broke her heart, Julian, her family and friends.
Then she finds herself confused. Her friend Beckah is gone. There really is no place to go as there are no doors or windows. Felicia hacks into the database and there is no trace of Beckah at all. Other girls don't seem to remember who Beckah is.
Shortly after a few pages, Julian breaks in to her room that she shares with different girls. There is no boys there at all as they are probably in a different area on Level 2.
Julian gets Felicia out and she learns there is a rebellion rising in Level 2 against the Morati (Fallen Angels) who controls the level and they are basically corrupted.
Felicia is really annoying at times. She is so stubborn and thinks she always knows best this leads to her allies...(well the rebels) and her to get nearly caught by the Morati.
Julian was a more complex character. You don't know if you should like him or dislike him. Howbeit, I'm sure that I would pick him... I think... but I get where Felicia is coming from. He did do things that made him look like a bad guy but I think he genuinely loved her. She was so blinded by her 'love' for Neil, she never has time to consider Julian. As you can guess I'm Team Julian. Woooo!!!
We don't see much of Neil- only in her memories and at the end of the book. He is a very religious boy and just a good boy. Very plain.....
I think the concept of angels set in the future is a fantastic idea and the world they live in is very different from other books but, I was disappointed with the book after I was finished. It was like the ending was crammed into a few pages. It went too fast.
Finally, this book was okay, nothing special. I think it could've been better.
2.5/5

Thursday 23 May 2013

Review: Getting Over Garrett Delaney

Sadie has been infatuated with her best friend, Garret since she was 14 and for 2 years he still doesn't really notice her, in a girlfriend material way. I mean, at the beginning, I thought that this book was a typical girl likes her boy best friend thing and I kind of felt sorry for her. She spent two years just getting front row seats to see his new relationships with girls while she was pining over him.

Sad.

Well, these two best friends love books and literature. They both enter this camp thing that helps you develop and hone your writing skills. Unfortunately, Sadie didn't get in but Garrett did. She is obviously bummed that she can't spend time with him during the summer. So, she hopes that him going away will make him realise that he needed her in his life and blah blah blah. I mean from this point, I knew that she had false hope.
Then few days later on, she obsessed with checking her mail and messages to see if Garrett contacted her and gets a job in this café. Also, the catalyst that made her take action (is that how you use the word catalyst?)- Garrett called her to announce that he met this girl called Rhiannon. Apparently, she's just like Sadie and he's in love! Sadie is heartbroken and she embarks on a plan to get over him.
During the time of her detox, you learn so much more about her. I kind of got annoyed with her. She changed so much of her life to make Garrett like her. He was just like an addiction to her- it was very sorry to see.
Also, there are other characters like Carlos, who's the owner of the café. The waitresses who help Sadie to actually stick with the plan: LuAnn, Aiko and Dominique. The best friend, Kayla. Josh the chef.
In the book, there small things that happen to the minor characters but I feel they are just there... kinda... LuAnn and Aiko and Kayla got more involved in the plan. Dominique and Carlos share something that will kind of surprise the reader and you get to know Josh much better towards the end.
I thought this book was cute and it does relate to every girl or boy. The content in this book wasn't exaggerated and it has a realistic storyline and ending.
3.5 out 5.
If you want a fun, cute book to read then Read it!
Tata!

Wednesday 15 May 2013

Drummer Girl

It was supposed to be the summer of her life. Instead, 17-year-old Lucy finds her best friend Harper shot dead in an LA swimming pool. How did it come to this? Lucy Gosling is the drummer in Crush, a rock band formed by five London schoolgirls that has just won the UK semi-final of an international talent contest. But when the band lands in Hollywood for the big final, things are not quite as they seem. The band's lead singer, Harper, has just one thing on her mind - using sex, drugs and rock and roll, not to mention Crush itself, to win back her bad-news ex-boyfriend. Lucy must decide whether she's playing to Harper's tune, or setting the rhythm for the rest of the band. (From https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16691515-drummer-girl)

Yep. This is kinda the blurb I guess for a new book called Drummer Girl by Bridget Tyler!

At first I thought this was a normal girl band reality book thing and how they cope with fame and blah blah blah but now knowing that her best friend Harper is murdered- this book has been entered to my Must Read List. (but the murder is sad but makes the book interesting but still sad.....)

If this sounds interesting to you then, you could win a copy of this book.

To win this book go to this link: http://booksterreviews-cliona.blogspot.ie/2013/05/blog-tour-drummer-girl-q-with-author.html and you could have your own copy! and also a make up set! 

Great Giveaway!

Unfortunately, can't end my blog with a video like I always do as there is no time! (Revision is calling!)

Have a great day/ week and Tata!!