Breanna Blabbers: Interesting YA Quotes

"I like flaws. They make things interesting." -The Truth About Forever, Sarah Dessen

"Maybe, sometimes, it's easier to be mad at the people you trust because you know they'll always love you, no matter what." -The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, Ann Brashares

"Politeness is deception in pretty packaging." -Divergent, Veronica Roth

"Life is an awful, ugly place not have a best friend." -Someone Like You, Sarah Dessen

"Don't think or judge, just listen." -Just Listen, Sarah Dessen

"You don't think or plan. You just do it." -The Truth About Forever, Sarah Dessen

"So many things become beautiful when you really look." -Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver

"Beauty--real, everlasting beauty--lives not on our faces, but in our attitudes and actions. It lives in what we do for ourselves and for others." -North of Beautiful, Justina Chen Headley

"Everyone says that the Internet is so awesome because you can connect with people from all over the world, but I think it's the opposite. The internet doesn't make it easier to connect with anyone--it just makes it so you don't really have to." -Bittersweet, Sarah Ockler

"You should never be surprised when someone treats you with respect, you should expect it." -Keeping the Moon, Sarah Dessen

"I'd rather be completely alone than with a bunch of people that aren't real." -Fixing Delilah, Sarah Ockler

Disclaimer: Credit for these quotes go to the awesome authors that wrote them. I am not being compensated for this article. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins Review

(Photo: stephanieperkins.com)

 

 

            If you have not heard of Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, you probably are not a fan of YA fiction. Anna and The French Kiss is a favorite among YA fanatics and I am no exception. Naturally, I had to pick up Lola and the Boy Next Door. After reading, I can happily say that Stephanie Perkins did not suffer from a sophomore slump, and I even like Lola and the Boy Next Door more than Anna and the French Kiss.

            Lola and the Boy Next Door follows Lola Nolan, a girl who lives in San Francisco and has a passion for outrageous costumes. Lola’s parents do not like Lola's older boyfriend, but Lola is perfectly content… that is, until the Bell family moves back in next door. Years before, Lola had a ‘thing’ with Cricket Bell. Now years later, it seems as if their spark has not diminished.

            I absolutely adore Lola and the Boy Next Door, even more so than Anna and the French Kiss. While I feel that Anna and the French Kiss is slightly too overdramatic by the ending (kind of like Degrassi), Lola and the Boy Next Door is consistently amazing. Although some may think that the plot is too similar to Anna and the French Kiss (character is already in a relationship, but likes the other character, etc.), the unique characters definitely make Lola and the Boy Next Door its own special novel.

            I LOVE Lola. She is honestly one of my favorite YA characters. She is just so unique. Her struggles didn’t just consist of liking a boy. She also has problems finding out who she truly is underneath all the costumes. 

            Cricket is such a cute love interest. Whereas I find St. Clair flirtier, Cricket is slightly awkward. He is literally so cute. Every time Lola walks into a room, he gets so excited. Seriously, it is adorable. I also like how he is an inventor. It makes him stand apart from other male YA love interests.

            Lola and Cricket have such a cute relationship. I find that some YA relationships come off as forced, but Lola and Cricket naturally fit together. Their relationship progressed a little too slowly for the fan girl in me, but I appreciate that they do not get together in a day. 

            One aspect of Lola and the Boy Next Door that is 'eh’ is Anna and St. Clair. While I like having them part of the story, I feel ar times they are just in the story too much. Throughout the entire book they act all cute-sy, and sometimes it is just cute over kill.

            So, why do I prefer Lola and the Boy Next Door to Anna and the French Kiss? It feels more real. Don’t get me wrong, Anna and the French Kiss is a realistic love story. But, it takes place in Paris, has a love interest with a British accent, and the final kiss overlooks the entire city. Lola and the Boy Next Door takes place in San Francisco with just an average boy next door, which I personally find more relatable.

            All in all, Lola and the Boy Next Door is not one to be missed. I can’t wait for Isla and the Happily Ever After! 

 

Disclaimer: I purchased Lola and the Boy Next Door with my own money. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten Review

(Photo credit: amazon.com)

           It is rare that a book completely takes me by surprise. Honestly, I was not expecting much from Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten. Judging by the cover, I thought it would just be another fluffy YA novel that is simply good for passing the time. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Although Wherever Nina Lies isn’t the most well-written novel, I found that I enjoyed it far more than I originally expected.

            Wherever Nina Lies follows sixteen-year-old Ellie, who’s older sister Nina mysteriously disappeared two years earlier. Although Ellie’s friend Amanda says that Ellie should “get over it,” Ellie decides to reinvestigate her sister’s disappearance after finding one of her paintings stashed away in a box. This painting leads Ellie on a wild goose chase across the country with her new crush, Sean. Each stop along the way unravels the mystery surrounding Nina’s disappearance, which could be more deadly than Ellie ever imagined.

            Wherever Nina Lies is a surprising novel. Even though it is not the most well-written book, the plot makes the book significantly better. It is fast-paced with tons of twist and turns that kept me interested on each page. Recently, I have struggled to find a book that makes me want to keep reading and reading until I reach the end. I did not encounter this problem with Wherever Nina Lies. The author does a wonderful job of making the book so mysterious that I kept turning the pages to find out the ending (and find more clues to guess the ending myself).

            I actually really enjoyed Ellie’s character. She would stop at nothing to find her older sister, even when everyone told her to stop. I found this extremely admirable, and being a younger sister myself, I connected with the whole sister relationship. Yes, I think that Ellie is stupid for so easily trusting a guy that she just met, but her sheer determination to find her sister no matter what the cost makes her a lovable protagonist.

            The only downfall to the story is that parts of the plot are highly unbelievable. Ellie’s mom does not even call her to see if she is alright. I understand that Ellie mentions that she typically sleeps at her friend’s house every night. However, it seems as if Ellie’s mom would at least be concerned, even if she did receive a call from Ellie saying that she is staying at her friend’s house. After all, Ellie is under eighteen and she does not return to her house for clothes or anything for an entire week. In addition, most of Ellie’s hunches come from guessing and all her hunches are correct. While this does move the story along, it is very unbelievable.

            Despite its flaws, Wherever Nina Lies is a fun mystery that it bound to keep you entertained. I highly recommend it!

 

Disclaimer: I borrowed this book from the library. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

           

Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman Review

(Photo: authorsnow.com)

 

How do I breathe without you? If you ever go, How do I ever, ever survive?

            Okay, so no this book is not about Leann Rimes. But, those lines describe this book perfectly. Actually, that’s what I first thought after reading the description. So, was Breathing by Cheryl Renee Herbsman a hit like that Leann Rimes song? Um, not quite.

            Breathing follows Savannah, a fifteen-year-old girl who suffers from severe asthma that often leaves her hospitalized. At the beginning of the summer, Savannah meets Jackson, an older boy that immediately steals her heart. The two instantly become absorbed in a summer romance. However, when Jackson must leave to help his recently divorced mother, Savannah fears that she will not be able to figuratively or physically breathe without him.

            I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from Breathing since I hadn’t read very many reviews on the book. However, I did find the whole tagline to be slightly cheesy, so I feared that the book would suffer the same fate. After reading, my fears were confirmed.

            There’s not denying that the book centers around the romance. I thoroughly enjoyed how Jackson treats Savannah with respect. How well that he treats her is refreshing in a genre overcrowded with drama-filled love triangles and overly flirty/arrogant love interests. Yet, at times, their relationship is almost a little too perfect. Within only a time or two of meeting each other, they become so undyingly in love that it is unbelievable (even if it is a quickly heated summer romance).

            At first, I really liked Savannah. Her country twang and struggles with asthma make her a unique protagonist. However, like many YA protagonist, she pines for her boyfriend throughout the entire book. Let me make this clear. I don’t find girls weak for thinking about a guy or wanting to be with their boyfriend. But when a character literally belittles their friend’s relationship because she doesn’t think it is as real as her’s, mopes for half the book when she can’t see her boyfriend, almost gives up her entire future for said boyfriend, and constantly nags him about everything, I just want to scream because it’s so annoying! I know this is typically, overdramatic teenage girl behavior, but when the main character only whines about her boyfriend and nothing else, it gets old fast.

            My favorite character has to be Savannah’s mom. She adds depth to the story and her hesitancy to trust another man is very believable. She works hard for her family, and even though she can be rough around the edges, it’s clear that she truly cares for Savannah. I absolutely loved her character. While Dog is the typical annoying younger brother, I liked his storyline. Although I could predict it, it adds a nice touch to the story.

            As I mentioned before, I found the breathing aspect to be quite cheesy. Asthma is a unique topic and it is tied up nicely at the end, but the “How can I breathe without you?!” part was just too cheesy. I am not kidding you… Savannah actually says those words to Jackson. I think that I literally cringed.

            Breathing is a good choice if you are searching for a unique summer romance. Despite the somewhat cheesy premise, the book is decent and worth checking out.



Disclaimer: I borrowed Breathing from the library. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Breanna Blabbers: YA Covers That I Love

            We’re told to never judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to YA covers, it’s to hard to resist! What are my favorite YA covers? Find out below!

 

       

 

Disclaimer: I am not being compensated for this blabber. All thoughts and opinions are my own! Photo credit goes to goodreads.com!

 

Book Haul: July 1, 2013

I purchased these books for $9.16 (a total value of $74.31) from Ollie's! The books include: The Fault In Our Stars, This Is Not A Drill, A Million Suns, Pretty Little Liars (Volumes 1 and 2), and As I Wake.