Top Ten Tuesday|Love

 




Hey everyone! It’s time for another Top Ten Tuesday! This weekly meme was created by the wonderful people at The Broke And The Bookish. Go check them out for more information, topics and so much more! This week’s topic is:

Ten Books I Loved Less/More Than I Thought I Would (recently or all time) — or you could do something like books I liked more/less than everyone else

I have decided to do Ten Books I Loved More Than I Thought I Would


Ten Books I Loved More Than I Thought I Would:

1. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

Image result for harry potter series

I’ve already cheated! This is seven books not one 😀


2. The Raven Boys By Maggie Stiefvater

Image result for the raven boys


3. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before By Jenny Han

Image result for to all the boys i loved before series


4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Image result for the book thief


5. None Of The Above by I.W. Gregorio

Image result for none of the above book


6. I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak

Image result for i am the messenger


7. Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Image result


8. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

Image result


9. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera


10. The Sky Is Everywhere By Jandy Nelson

Image result for the sky is everywhere


That’s a wrap! What books did you love more than you thought you would? Let me know!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more Top Ten Tuesday!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Advertisement

Book Traveling Thursday (#40)|First Love

Hey everyone! It’s time for another Book Traveling Thursday! This weekly meme is hosted by Cátia @ The Girl Who Read Too Much and Danielle @ Danielle’s Book Blog. Go check them out! To find out more information, future themes and more, go visit the meme’s Goodreads group here. This week’s theme is:

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner… Choose a book that deals with first love.

The book I have chosen for this theme is Holding Up The Universe By Jennifer Niven. I recently finished this book and will review it ASAP. For now, I’ll say one word: incredible. Stay tuned for more!


Original Cover/Cover From My Country (US):

Holding Up the UniverseThis cover is so simple yet beautiful!


Favorite Cover(s):

Most of the covers are a variation of the original. They’re all my favorites.

Čitav svet na leđimaSerbian

This cover is so colorful and unique. It really stands out.


Least Favorite(s):

None!


That’s  a wrap! The covers for the book this week were mainly the same. What do you think of the cover? Have you read this book? Let me know your spoiler free opinions!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more Book Traveling Thursday!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Top 5 Wednesday (#3)|Polarizing Books

 

Hey everyone! It’s time for Top 5 Wednesday! Let me know whether or not you’re enjoying this weekly meme! Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by gingerreadslainey and Sam @ Thoughts On Tomes. Both of these lovely ladies have video blogs on YouTube. It’s definitely worth checking out! To find out more information, future topics and more, go visit the meme’s Goodreads group here. This week’s topic is:

These are books that people either tend to love or hate, with no in between. Pick some of your favorites that fall into this category.


Top 5 Polarizing Books:

1. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

Image result for harry potter series

With this series, either you’re a Potterhead or not. To me, there’s no “partial fans”


2. The Fault In Our Stars By John Green

The Fault in Our Stars

Either you’re against the “romanticized and repetitive cancer theme” or you’re in love with Hazel and Gus’s tear jerking romance.


3. Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns

Some think the story is boring. Others get drawn into the adventure. To me, there’s no in between.


4. Fans Of The Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

Fans of the Impossible Life

Some are drawn into the crazy friendship. Others are thrown off by the inappropriate and strange themes. My recent review/rant will tell you where I stand on this.


5. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight (Twilight, #1)

I’m cheating the topic a bit by putting this book. I actually haven’t read it. Twilight came to mind anyway when I read this week’s topic. It’s definitely a book that you either deeply hate or a few enjoy. There’s no in between!


That’s a wrap! Do you agree with my picks? What books would be/are on your list?

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more T5W!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Fans Of The Impossible Life Review/Rant

Hey everyone! I finished Fans Of The Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa a couple of days ago. Now it’s time for me to review/rant about it for you! Let me know your thoughts about this book!


“They rolled up the maps of their bodies until they were two continents of interlocking roads and rivers and dreams, and she thought, ‘This is how I will learn to live again’.”  

Fans of the Impossible Life

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary(?)

My Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Published: September 8th, 2015


Summary:

Mira is starting over at Saint Francis Prep. She promised her parents she would at least try to pretend that she could act like a functioning human this time, not a girl who can’t get out of bed for days on end, who only feels awake when she’s with Sebby.

Jeremy is the painfully shy art nerd at Saint Francis who’s been in self-imposed isolation after an incident that ruined his last year of school. When he sees Sebby for the first time across the school lawn, it’s as if he’s been expecting this blond, lanky boy with mischief glinting in his eye.

Sebby, Mira’s gay best friend, is a boy who seems to carry sunlight around with him. Even as life in his foster home starts to take its toll, Sebby and Mira together craft a world of magic rituals and impromptu road trips, designed to fix the broken parts of their lives.

As Jeremy finds himself drawn into Sebby and Mira’s world, he begins to understand the secrets that they hide in order to protect themselves, to keep each other safe from those who don’t understand their quest to live for the impossible.


“I know what you mean”, she said. “Families can seem so normal and boring from the inside that you don’t know you’re different until someone else makes you feel different.”

Fans Of The Impossible Life is a pretty good book! It has three friends who are pretty close. This book has great adventures and characters.  This review focuses a lot on the flaws.That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it. You definitely should at least try it out. I just decided to focus on the negative for this review.  I’m surprised that it has a 3.73/5 stars on Goodreads. People have some serious issues with it. I guess I do too.


The Issues With The Book:

  1. Three Different POVs

One of the reviewers on Goodreads brought up a good point about the POV. The book is told from three points of views. Sebby, Mira and Jeremy. Mira and Jeremy’s POVs made me feel pretty connected to the character. I agreed with the reviewer that Sebby’s point of view was “Jarring”. It was kind of confusing and strange to read.

Image result for me no likey gif


2. Misleading Synopsis

People are having issues with the synopsis. It claims that the book is about “a bisexual love triangle.” Sadly, that’s not at all what you find within the pages. It does address relatable and real life issues but no bisexual love triangle. I personally didn’t have an issue with it. The synopsis shouldn’t have misleading lines to get the reader to read it.

Image result for dont lie to me gif


3. Not Much Romance

If you’re looking for an adorable/steamy romance, you’re not getting that here. Like many reviewers on Goodreads said, there’s not much romance. What is there is “unhealthy” and “skewed” Nothing like the usual Young Adult Contemporary novels.

Image result for where is it meme


4. Serious Issues That Were Shown As “Okay”

Hopefully this isn’t too much of a spoiler section. There’s a strange and inappropriate student-teacher relationship. A character who frequently steals and turns to drugs. Underaged drinking.  Forced sexual moments while either drunk or on drugs. It’s not okay. These are all serious issues that shouldn’t be messed with. An inappropriate relationship is wrong. Stealing and drug use is/can be illegal. Forcing someone to do sexual things is terrible and totally inappropriate. This was a major issue in the book.

Image result for this isnt okay gif


All of these complaints and issues make it seem like I hated this book. I actually enjoyed it a lot. Reading the reviews and thinking about the plot made me realize the flaws in this book. I still recommend reading it. It’s a great story about three friends and their adventures both in and out of school. There’s just some parts that are uncalled for, misleading and/or incorrect.

Image result for take a risk quote


That’s a wrap! Thanks for letting me rant a bit about this book. Reading through the reviews on Goodreads made me realize some huge issues with this book. What did you think about this book? Let me know!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more book reviews/rants

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

My Most Anticipated 2017 Releases

Hey everyone! I couldn’t think of anything to do for the Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week. I have decided to share with you, books I’m looking forward to this year. This list will definitely grow as the year goes on. These are all by authors that I love. Are you looking forward to these releases as well? Let me know!


1) Always And Forever, Laura Jean by Jenny Han

Image result for always and forever lara jean

The conclusion to the three book series To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.

Release Date: April 4th, 2017

Lara Jean is having the best senior year a girl could ever hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad’s finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot’s coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.

But change is looming on the horizon. And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father’s wedding, she can’t ignore the big life decisions she has to make. Most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means for her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean’s the one who’ll be graduating high school and leaving for college and leaving her family—and possibly the boy she loves—behind.

When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?


2) The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Upside of Unrequited

Becky’s second novel!!

Release Date: April 11th, 2017

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. If Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker, Reid. He’s a chubby Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him.


3) History Is All You Left Me By Adam Silvera

History Is All You Left Me

Adam’s second novel!!

Release Date: January 17th 2017 (In One Week!)

When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course.

To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart.

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life. 


4) Honestly Ben By Bill Konigsberg

Honestly Ben (Openly Straight, #2)

The sequel to Openly Straight!

Release Date: March 28th, 2017

Ben Carver is back to normal. He’s working steadily in his classes at the Natick School. He just got elected captain of the baseball team. He’s even won a full scholarship to college, if he can keep up his grades. All that foolishness with Rafe Goldberg the past semester is in the past.

Except . . .

There’s Hannah, the gorgeous girl from the neighboring school, who attracts him and distracts him. There’s his mother, whose quiet unhappiness Ben is noticing for the first time. School is harder, the pressure higher, the scholarship almost slipping away. And there’s Rafe, funny, kind, dating someone else . . . and maybe the real normal that Ben needs


5) Panda-monium By Stuart Gibbs

Panda-monium (FunJungle, #4)

The fourth book in the Fun Jungle series for Young Teens.

Release Date: April 4th, 2017

Teddy Fitzroy returns as FunJungle’s resident sleuth when the zoo’s newest addition goes missing—before she even arrives!

FunJungle is frenzied, awaiting the arrival of its most thrilling animal yet—Li Ping—a rare and very expensive giant panda that the zoo went to enormous lengths to secure. But when the truck transporting Li Ping shows up, its precious cargo has vanished into thin air. The FBI steps in to investigate, and Teddy is happy to leave the job in their (supposedly) capable hands. After all, FunJungle has never encountered a crime this serious. But when someone threatens to blackmail Teddy’s girlfriend, Summer, if he doesn’t solve the crime, his involvement in this mystery is no longer black and white.


That’s a wrap! These are five books that I’m looking forward to reading so far this year. What books are you looking forward to? Let me know!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more book posts!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

 

Book Traveling Thursday (#38)|New Year

Hey everyone! It’s time for the 38th Book Traveling Thursday! This weekly meme is hosted by the wonderful Cátia @ The Girl Who Read Too Much. Go check her blog out for all things bookish. To find out more information, future themes and more, go visit the meme’s Goodreads group here. This is the first BTT of 2017. This week’s theme is centered around new beginnings.

New beginnings… Choose a book you would like to read for the first time again.

There is so many books that I’ve already done that would be perfect for this. I have decided to do To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han. I’d love to be introduced to the characters all over again. I am absolutely in love with Jenny Han’s two books in the series.


Original/Cover From My Country (US):

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)


Favorite Cover(s):

Những chàng trai năm ấy (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)Vietnamese

Besides the original, this was the only different looking cover I enjoyed. Props to the creators of the Vietnamese cover!!

 

Least Favorite Cover(s):

Do wszystkich chłopców, których kochałam (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)Polish

This was the only cover I didn’t particularly like. It just doesn’t fit the book. Sorry Poland.


That’s a wrap! I thought this book would have a ton of covers. Most of them looked pretty similar to the original. These were the only two that didn’t. Hopefully the covers will be more diverse next week! What book would you read for the first time again?

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more Book Traveling Thursday!!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Book Review|Are We There Yet-David Levithan

Hey everyone! It’s the beginning of the work week! I’m still in school and am on winter break. No stress for a bit. Today I am going to finally be doing a review of Are We There Yet By David Levithan. It’s not a well-known book but is still in the teen genre. Let me know if you’ve read the book or plan to after reading this review!


“Although it is such a singular word, there are many variations of alone. There is the alone of an empty beach at twilight. There is the alone of an empty hotel room. There is the alone of being caught in a throng of people. There is the alone of missing a particular person. And there is the alone of being with a particular person and realizing you are still alone.”  

Are We There Yet?Image resultDavid Levithan

# of Pages: 215

Genre: Young Adult/Family

My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Publication: March 13th, 2007


A Bit of A Summary:

Are We There Yet is a story about two brothers named Danny and Elijah. Danny is 23 years old and has a job. He’s hardworking and successful. Elijah is 16 and still in High School. He’s penniless and has drug issues. They have a strained relationship. When their parents send them off on a trip to Italy, they’re forced to spend countless hours together. When Elijah meets Julia, Danny is cast off, and the brothers are separated once again. Julia’s unsure about her feelings and Danny is forced to make a decision. He can either honor his relationship with his brother or follow his heart. Read the book to find out what he chooses!


Cons:

There are some using and mentions of drugs in this book. If that bugs you, steer clear. It’s overall plot is a bit dry. The story is told from a third person point of view. It’s interesting but doesn’t always do the story its justice. There isn’t much of a back story on any of the characters but you get to learn a bit about them.


Overall:

Are We There Yet is a quick read. I enjoyed the setting and the descriptions of Italy and it’s attractions.  It’s not my favorite book but is definitely worth a try.


That’s a wrap! What did you think about this style of book reviewing? Let me know!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more book reviews!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

 

 

 

Book Review|To All The Boy’s I’ve Loved Before

Hey everyone! Thanksgiving break was all of last week for me. Now it’s over and back to school. I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday weekend if you celebrate. Even if you don’t, I hope you had a great weekend! Today I am going to be doing a book review. I am reviewing  To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han.


Image result for to all the boys i've loved before quote

Title: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)

Author: Jenny Han

Jenny Han

# of Pages: 369

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Published: April 15th, 2014

My Rating: 4/5 stars ****


Summary Provided By Goodreads:

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.


My Thoughts:

I have heard only good about this book. I enjoyed it greatly. The imagery was fantastic. It really helped me picture who the characters really are. Jenny Han is an amazing writer. She knows how to draw you in. There are some parts that make me question the main character. That’s why it’s not a five star rating. If you enjoy a good contemporary novel full of love, drama and secrets, this is for you!


That’s a wrap! Have you read this book? If so, what are your thoughts? Please keep them spoiler free as always. Stay tuned for a review of the sequel once I can get my hands on it!

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more book reviews!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Miranda Sings Tag!

Hey everyone! After a month of being MIA, I’m back! I’ve missed blogging and hope you guys will still want to read and enjoy my posts!


Today I am doing the “Miranda Sings Tag.” I was tagged by Amber @ Only True Magic. Go check her incredibly creative blog out!

Image result for miranda sings

Rules:

  • Announce your win with a post and link the blogger who nominated you.
  • Nominate 10 bloggers (or as many as you can think of) and link your awardees in the post.
  • List 7 things you love about yourself (This can be about your appearance, your personality, your achievements, etc.)
  • Don’t use negative connotation. (I.e. Don’t say things like – I’m prettier than an average person or People have told me I’m smart. You ARE pretty. You ARE smart.)

This is a simple but amazing tag!


 

What I Love About Me:

  1. My hair!

I’m a ginger and love my hair color so much. Even though it’s wild and crazy, I still love it!

Image result for brownish red hair(This isn’t what my hair color is.)


2. My Weirdness

Most people are afraid to be weird. I embrace it. It’s part of who I am. If anyone insults me for being my self, they’re not worth being around.

Image result for cross eyed cat

3. My Love For Books

I love something that I love 🙂 My love for books as been abundant since I was in elementary school. I love how devoted I’ve been to books and how any teasing can’t stop my obsession.

Image result for i love books


4. My Ability to Overcome Obstacles.

Just like everyone’s, my life has had its ups and downs. I love how I’ve been able to get back up and keep going. If I couldn’t get back up, my life would be entirely different.

Image result for get back up


5. My Will To Learn

I’m still in school. Most bloggers are juggling work or a family. I’m juggling homework and school. My will to learn has always been strong. I don’t enjoy every subject. If I can find one I enjoy, I put everything I’ve got into it. I love how there’s never too much knowledge I can consume.

Image result for learningcredit to The Odyssey Online


6. My Small Hands

I have smaller hands than most people. I love that they make me unique. My small hands make me who I am.

 

Image result for baby hands


 7. My Glasses

I love them because they help me see! That may seem cheesy but I have terrible eye sight for my age. I’m only a teenager but have eye sight equal to an elderly man/women. Without my glasses, the world would be a blurry place.

Image result for glasses


I Nominate.. 

These are 10 of some of my most recent followers. I picked the ones that seemed likely to do it. Thank you so much for deciding to read my content. As always, there is no pressure to participate. Even if you’re not tagged, feel free to join in!

  1. Ida @ Books & Stardust
  2. Lily @ Lily’s Secret Blog
  3. Louise @ Genie Reads
  4. Kate @ Kate’s Bookish Library
  5. Emma @ It’s A Reader’s Life
  6. Jade @ Drink Coffee and Read Books
  7. Sammi @ One Bookish Girl
  8. Kaytlyn @ The Bohemian Bookworm
  9. Maggie @ Massachusetts Novel
  10. Alecia @ The Stair Case Reader

That’s a wrap! Feel free to nominate me or tag me for a tag or award. I’m always looking for fun things to post. This award in particular was very unique and positive! I hope you enjoyed.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more tags!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀

Book Review| More Happy Than Not

Hey everyone! It’s Monday and it’s time for another book review. This is one I should’ve done week’s ago. It’s More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera. It’s a young adult book. Let’s get started!


Title: More Happy Than Not

Image result

Author: Adam Silvera

Image result for Adam Silvera

Genre: Young Adult

# of pages: 304 pages

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5 stars

Amazon Rating: 4.4/5 stars

Amazon Summary:

In the months after his father’s suicide, it’s been tough for sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again—but he’s still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he’s slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely. 

When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron’s crew notices, and they’re not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can’t deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can’t stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is. 

Why does happiness have to be so hard?


My Thoughts:

More Happy Than Not is a great book! The characters are detailed so you feel like you know them. There’s lots of action and twists and turns to the story. Aaron, the main character has had some pretty tough moments in his life. He has a girlfriend name Genevive. When Genevive leaves for camp, Aaron meets a boy named Thomas who he spends time with a lot. What happens next? I’m not going to spoil anything! This is definitely worth the read.


That’s a wrap! Have you read More Happy Than Not? Let me know what your thoughts are on the book.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more book reviews!

~Makayla the Bookworm 😀