Feb 28, 2019

One Of Us Is Lying.

☆☆☆
one of us is lying.

   Karen m. mcmanus.

Publisher  Delacorte Press.
Publication Date:May 30,2017.
Genre: YA Contemporary Thriller.
Format|Pages: Hardcover|361.
 Source:  Goodreads|Owned. 














 CONTAINS SPOILERS



Pay close attention and you might solve this.


On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn,
the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy,
the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, t
he criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper,
the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon,
the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.


Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose?
Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them. 




 




Four Teens. Murder. Suspense. Unexpected twists.



ONE OF US IS LYING was an impossible book to not fall in love with. In a way, it reminded me off The Breakfast Club but with a twist. I bet none of them expected for one of them die while in detention. I always loved books and tv shows like these. I watched Pretty Little Liars , Riverdale . For me, ONE OF US IS LYING had a lot more suspense and every page, every time they switched character’s point of view, it pulled you into story more. From the moment that Simon died, I wondered if there is possibility that one of them was the killer. All of them had reasons to hate Simon, but was it enough to kill him? My question was, how did the peanut oil got into his cup? Just like the questions that the police was asking all four of them. The story was mysterious from the start, all way until it reached the end, and I couldn’t get enough. Once I reached the end, I wanted to go back and read it all over again. I already know that ONE OF US IS LYING will end being one of those books that I will re-read multiple times in the future. It was one of the best young adult mysteries that I have read in a while. A book that will keep you on edge of your seat for hours.



I think that writing this book from each of character point of view, fit well and it’s a way to get to know each character, and know what they were thinking through it all. I got attached to them all fast, and once I did, I hoped that none of them was the killer. If one of them were, I was curious what was their reason behind killing Simon? Or was it because of what he posted about them in the app? For a bit, I assumed that there could be a possibility that it wasn’t either of them, but Jake. What I had found out, I was in shock. I didn’t like Jake, there was always something off about him, and fact that he seemed control Addie while they were together. Even I didn’t see the ending coming. I thought that was going too far, even for Jake. It makes me glad that her and Jake broke up. I thought that Simon was bad, Jake was worse. I feel as if Simon wouldn’t gone as far as Jake had. There were quite few twists in ONE OF US IS LYING that I did not see coming. That is one of the reasons that it was impossible to put this book down, a lot going on and as reader you wanted to know what would happen next.



That ending…wow. Out of all the twists in the book, that was the most shocking one. It never even entered my mind that it could be possibility. I know one thing for sure, it was unlike anything that I read before, and to try to accuse them as well? That is so twisted. I do feel, despite how it happened, it brought Bronwyn, Addie, Nate and Cooper closer together then before Simon was murdered, at least it was a feeling that I got while reading the book. Especially Bronwyn and Nate, and I was rooting for them and hoped that two of them can get back to what they were before. ONE OF US IS LYING always had something going one. A book that I wish I read sooner that I had. A book that you can’t help but fall in love with. I did. I still can’t get out of my mind.



Splendid. Haunting.


Feb 26, 2019

The Hundred Lies Of Lizzie Lovett.

☆☆☆
the hundred lies of Lizzie lovett
   chelsea sedoti.

Publisher  Sourcebooks.
Publication Date:January 3,2017
Genre: YA Contemporary|Mystery.
Format|Pages: Hardcover|383.
 Source:  Goodreads|Library.










 CONTAINS SPOILERS



A teenage misfit named Hawthorn Creely inserts herself in the investigation of missing person Lizzie Lovett, who disappeared mysteriously while camping with her boyfriend. Hawthorn doesn't mean to interfere, but she has a pretty crazy theory about what happened to Lizzie.



In order to prove it, she decides to immerse herself in Lizzie's life. That includes taking her job... and her boyfriend. It's a huge risk — but it's just what Hawthorn needs to find her own place in the world. 



 



This book was not what I had expected it to be. Instead, it ended up being so much more. When I picked up THE HUNDRED LIES OF LIZZIE LOVETT I did not know what to expect. It was the cover, the title that caught my attention. Once I read the summary, I had a feeling that would end up being a story that I would enjoy. I ended up enjoying much more than I assumed I would. I felt captivated with the story, the characters. I knew that Hawthorn theories were unrealistic, and yet it was better that what happened to Lizzie. Don’t you just love her name, Hawthorn, I know that she didn’t and considering what she named after I didn’t blame her. I thought that it was unique, and never came across a name like hers in any of books that I read before. I thought that it was a creative theory that Hawthorn came up with, that Lizzie was a werewolf. I could not get enough of this story, and while reading the book, I wondered if Lizzie would ever be found, or if she would be lost in woods, forever. The mystery aspect of THE HUNDRED LIES OF LIZZIE LOVETT had me curious more than ever before.



Sometimes I wondered if Enzo went along with Hawthorn theory, because he wanted to find Lizzie or because he didn’t want to think about what might happened to her. I cannot imagine waking up and find your girlfriend missing. I am not sure if it’s me, but I felt as if he moved a bit too fast after Lizzie vanished, and I wondered if Hawthorn was more of rebound. I was curious if he actually cared about her. I know that Hawthorn kept telling others that Enzo and her were just friends, but even I could tell that what she felt for him, it went beyond friendship feelings. I did notice that when she was around him, when the two of them were hanging out, she seemed happier. It was as if she felt as she actually fit it. I did wonder what would happen between the two of them if/when Lizzie was found. I hoped they would kept on hanging out with each other.



Lizzie’s death wasn’t what I expected. I assumed that maybe she ended up murdered, or killed by an wild animal. Suicide never entered my mind. Like Hawthorn, I was as in much shock as she was. I didn’t even think that she was depressed. There was one thing I did not like much about Hawthorn, is a way that she treated others sometimes. I did feel as if she changed a bit towards the end of the book thought. I enjoyed reading THE HUNDRED LIES OF LIZZIE LOVETT and I will be checking out rest of CHELSEA SEDOTI works afterwards. THE HUNDRED LIES OF LIZZIE LOVETT is a type of book that will have you thinking, and you will go through emotions while reading this story.


Feb 23, 2019

The Way Back To You.

☆☆☆
the way back to you.
   michelle andreani. 
mindi scott.

Publisher  Katherine Tegen Books.
Publication Date:May 3,2016
Genre: YA Contemporary.
Format|Pages: Hardcover|384.
 Source:  Goodreads|Library.














 CONTAINS SPOILERS




Six months ago, Ashlyn Montiel died in a bike accident.



Her best friend Cloudy is keeping it together, at least on the outside. Cloudy’s insides are a different story: tangled, confused, heartbroken.



Kyle is falling apart, and everyone can tell. Ashlyn was his girlfriend, and when she died, a part of him went with her. Maybe the only part he cares about anymore.



As the two people who loved Ashlyn best, Cloudy and Kyle should be able to lean on each other. But after a terrible mistake last year, they're barely speaking. So when Cloudy discovers that Ashlyn’s organs were donated after her death and the Montiel family has been in touch with three of the recipients, she does something a little bit crazy and a lot of out character: she steals the letters and convinces Kyle to go on a winter break road trip with her, from Oregon to California to Arizona to Nevada. Maybe if they see the recipients—the people whose lives were saved by Ashlyn’s death—the world will open up again. Or maybe it will be a huge mistake.



With hundreds of miles in front of them, a stowaway kitten, and a list of people who are alive because of Ashlyn, Cloudy and Kyle just may find their way to back to her...and to each other. 




 





A heartwarming story, about love, friendship and an adventure of lifetime.




I have always been a big fan of road trip stories. Those are type of stories where you never know what might happen. THE WAY BACK TO YOU were somewhat different since they went on the road trip for a reason, even if Kyle wasn’t aware of it at first. From moment that I knew what Cloudy was doing, I wondered what would happen and if the recipients would know that Cloudy and Kyle known Ashlyn. I was also curious if the two of them would get through to all of the recipients. There was a lot emotions I felt while I read THE WAY BACK TO YOU , and I had this feeling as if I was on journey along with the two of them. The descriptions were so vivid and their emotions, it’s if I could feel what they were feeling. Halfway through the book, I had this feeling as I known Ashlyn and I have feeling that she would been type of girl I would be friends with. I wondered if this road trip would be a chance to reunite Kyle and Cloudy and their friendship, or what was left of it. I hoped that it would, they needed each other.



I know that they tried to deny it, was clear to anyone that Kyle and Cloudy were crazy about another. Even Kyle’s friend assumed that the two of them were together. I have a feeling that the reason that neither of them did anything about it was because of Ashlyn, even if it’s been six months since her death, the two of them felt as if they were betraying her. I have feeling that Kyle still loved Ashlyn, but at the same time he felt something for Cloudy. There was a connection between two of them. The more time they spend together during the trip, the stronger it seemed to get. I was waiting for them to figure out that the two of them should be together. I feel as if Ashlyn would be happy that the two of them had each other. I feel as if that trip change both of them, and gave them the closure that both of them were looking for. I loved the letters that were included there from each recipient, and I loved that story that Ashlyn wrote about two of them. It brought tears to my eyes. THE WAY BACK TO YOU is a type of story that you can’t help but fall in love with.



THE WAY BACK TO YOU have been on my to read list for a while, and I am so glad that I finally had a chance to read it. This story made me cry, smile. Not just that, but the story was so beautifully written and with a lot of emotion, I couldn’t force myself to put down. I am still thinking about it and all the character. I highly recommend this book.


Feb 17, 2019

Warcross(Warcross,,#1)

☆☆☆
Warcross.
Warcross, #1
 marie lu.

Publisher  G.P Putnman's Sons Books.
Publication Date: September 12,2017.
Genre: YA Science Fiction.
 Format|Pages: Hardcover|353.
 Source:  Goodreads|Library














 CONTAINS SPOILERS




For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life.



The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. To make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.



Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire. 







This book…This story, a lot of emotions. It was astonishing.




There were so much going on in here, from start to the end. I am not a gamer, I played few games when I was teen, but did not played it often. I was hooked only after few pages into reading WARCROSS . I loved the whole idea behind WARCROSS and its unique, unlike any other book that I read before. A story that is impossible to put down, every page and every chapter will have you craving for more. I am already craving for the next book in series and placed it on hold at library. I know that it will end up being one of my favorite series, I can’t wait to see what will happen with Emika next. Emika, she’s an amazing character, I loved her from beginning to the end and I am curious to see what’s going happen with her next, especially now that she knows what Hideo has planned. Will she be able to stop him? I have the same feeling as she does when she did when she found out. Shock. Anger. Betrayal. I can’t imagine having someone you trust and cared so much for, how the betrayal might feel like. I know why Hideo did it, and despite that, it doesn’t make it okay. It makes sense why he took her out of game, and off the job. I wondered what the real reason behind it was.



It did not take long, to see a connection between Hideo and Emika. I know that she felt it as well, just not wanting to admit it at first. I do wonder, after finding out Hideo’s plan if he actually cared about her or not. Even if he wanted her by her side. I wonder if he thought that Emika would understand. There were a lot of questions when I reached the end of the book. Now that the truth is out, what will happen with them? That ending, how can you not want to pick the next book right away? I have a feeling that more challenges are about to come Emika’s way. I am hoping that she will find a way to stop him. All the gaming details, and descriptions were amazing. They were so vivid, I felt as I was there along with Emika, playing the game along with her. Everything about the game, the story and the characters felt so realistic to me. I loved the name, WARCROSS , just the name itself, so captivating. If it weren’t for classes and work, I would read it a lot faster than I have. Just when you thought you could put it down; a sudden twist will have you reading late into night.



WARCROSS is a first novel that I read by MARIE LU and I heard nothing but amazing things about this author. Now I know why, she’s brilliant. There wasn’t a single thing that I did not enjoy in this book. Each chapter had me falling in love more with the story. I wish that I could give this book more than five stars. Do you like science fiction? Are you a gamer or enjoy games? I highly recommend picking up WARCROSS now. Be prepared for a thrilling ride!

Feb 7, 2019

Starry Eyes.

☆☆☆
starry eyes.
   jenn bennett.

Publisher  Simon Pulse.
Publication Date:April 3,2018.
Genre: YA Romance| Adventure.
Format|Pages: Hardcover|421.
 Source:  Goodreads|Library.















 CONTAINS SPOILERS



Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern-day Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.



But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.



What could go wrong?



With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.



And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?



 





This book gave me butterflies in my stomach, while I was reading. It brought a lot of emotions. STARRY EYES has few of my favorite things in a book. Hiking, Camping, survival and adventure. I am positive that it was what both Zorie and Lennon had to face while they were stuck in wilderness with each other, and it’s what made it a lot more addictive. As a reader, you will wonder what will happen next and wonder if they will make it to their destination. Not only that, in addition of what challenges they might have to face next. I was rooting for them to make it, but on other hand I wondered what would happen with the two of them once they did. I feel as if this book got you to thinking, at least at the parts of it. I couldn’t seem to get enough of their adventure. I know that if it wasn’t for work, classes and homework, I would read this book a lot more then I did. I was glad when I finally got a chance to sit down and finish it. However, once I did reach the end, I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about it. Wondering what would happen after the end.



I loved the story in general. I love camping and I love nature. I can’t imagine myself being stranded like they were, I don’t think I would actually know what to do. I was glad that Lennon went on the trip with them, and I was actually happy that he was the one that she ended up being stranded with. I am not sure if she would made it as far as she did, if it wasn’t for him. Lennon seemed to be able to keep her calm, help her when needed. Not just that but it also gave them a chance to reconnect. Like Zorie, I wondered why they stopped talking and the real reason he didn’t show up at homecoming. When the truth came out, I was in shock, not something I expected. I can’t even begin to imagine what he went through. It made me glad that Zorie was there with him this time when he told her. I also wondered if her dad would found out, and I hoped that he wouldn’t, I know that nothing good would come up out of it. I am glad that Zorie and Lennon got a chance to reunite, it’s what they bother needed: each other.



If I were Zorie, I am not sure if I would be able to forgive Reagan. I know she was upset and angry, but a true friend would not leave their friend behind, in wilderness. She wasn’t only character I disliked, I did not like Zorie’s father at all. The way he treated Lennon and his family, and how he hurt his wife, and lied to her about it. I had a feeling that he wasn’t being honest about it. STARRY EYES was a beautifully written story, and I found myself feeling all emotions that Zorie was feeling as I read the story. I loved the maps they had in book, it gave me a better sense where they were. I could picture it all. STARRY EYES was the second book I read by JENN BENNETT . I read ALEX, APPROXIMATELY couple years ago which I loved. I have a feeling that this is going be an author whose books I will read, for years to come. I can’t wait to check the rest of her works. I’m aleready in love with her books, and you will be too.



Breathtaking.


Feb 2, 2019

Girl In The Blue Coat.

☆☆☆
girl in the blue coat.
   monica hesse.

Publisher  Little Brown Books.
Publication Date:April 5,2016.
Genre: YA Mystery| Historical Fiction.
Format|Pages: EBook|310.
 Source:  Goodreads|Owned.














CONTAINS SPOILERS



Amsterdam, 1943. Hanneke spends her days procuring and delivering sought-after black market goods to paying customers, her nights hiding the true nature of her work from her concerned parents, and every waking moment mourning her boyfriend, who was killed on the Dutch front lines when the Germans invaded. She likes to think of her illegal work as a small act of rebellion.



On a routine delivery, a client asks Hanneke for help. Expecting to hear that Mrs. Janssen wants meat or kerosene, Hanneke is shocked by the older woman's frantic plea to find a person--a Jewish teenager Mrs. Janssen had been hiding, who has vanished without a trace from a secret room. Hanneke initially wants nothing to do with such dangerous work, but is ultimately drawn into a web of mysteries and stunning revelations that lead her into the heart of the resistance, open her eyes to the horrors of the Nazi war machine, and compel her to take desperate action 






 






What an incredible, powerful read.



As you are aware by now, I am fascinated by historical fiction novels. I wanted to read more historical fiction in 2019. After I read GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT I fell in love with genre even more. I always feel drawn to historical fiction novels, and reading GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT wasn’t any different. I have been hearing about this book for a while, and finally curiosity got the best of me and I bough it. I’m so glad I did. I was hooked. I was drawn into Hanneke’s story from the start, and curious if she would find Mirjam, if she would be able to find her in time. One of things I loved about this book, not only was it historical fiction but had mystery aspect added to. Historical Fiction and Mystery, two of my favorite genres, I couldn’t pull myself away. I was as drawn to Mirjam as Hanneke was seems like. Part of me felt as I was there along with her, trying to find her and trying to make sure that she was safe. If someone were to ask me what was my favorite part of book, I wouldn’t be able to tell them, I loved everything about GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT .



When it was discovered that Mirjam switched her blue coat with someone else, and like Hanneke I wondered, Why? Was she running? Was she in danger? and how can you not have those questions. What I found out, wasn’t what I was expecting. GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT was a very moving story, and I got to be honest I cried few times while I read the book. It was also powerful and inspiring, and reading it, I see now why it got so many good reviews. I feel in love with story only after couple pages. I couldn’t stop thinking about the story, even once I reach the ending, it was on mind for a while. GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT is a story that will never be forgotten. I could tell from reading it, how much research went into it, the descriptions were vivid. I pictured everything while I was reading it. This story, it was real.



Love historical fiction? I would highly recommend for you to pick this book up now.

 

Story For Dessert Published @ 2014 by Ipietoon