Review of: The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

Page Count(Hardcover Edition): 425 pgs
Publisher: HarperTeen
Released: September 6th, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
My Rating: 3/5 stars
Read: from 5/13/13 to 6/26/13
Source: Books-A-Million
Synopsis: 

Anyone who’s had something truly crappy happen to them will tell you: It’s all about Before and After. What I’m talking about here is the ka-pow, shake-you-to-your-core-and-turn-your-bones-to-plastic kind of crappy.

Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss—a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

Jennifer Castle’s debut novel is a heart-wrenching, surprisingly witty testament to how drastically life can change in the span of a single moment.

(from Goodreads)

The Beginning of After was truly it's title. After a horrible thing happens and it affects your family or friends, you have to start over again. I know, I've been there my share of times. This book perfectly navigated one girls' journey after her mother, father and brother were killed in a car accident.

One of the most important things this book taught me was how to be sad, how to grieve, which I think everyone needs to know how to do. If you don't grieve, you will never be able to get past something that has happened. But also, after grieving, you have to begin to grow from it. Laurel taught me that it is perfectly okay to feel bad for yourself when something awful happens. But she also taught me the importance of getting back up on your feet and persevering through life once again. Life is full of ups and downs, no matter how much we wish the downside's of life ceased to exist

I think the story line was brilliant. Bad boy neighbors-dad, Mr. Kaufman,  is responsible for the deaths of her family. He is comatose, but the only survivor of that night. I sympathized with Laurel as she began to come to terms with what has happened. She didn't know who to blame, herself for not saving the day, or Mr. Kaufman. David, his son, is also dealing with this car accident as his father is in critical condition. It was nice to see that Laurel didn't automatically shun him, whilst she didn't exactly invite him over for dinner as well. It took time for their relationship to grow, and I appreciated that! Not very fond of insta-loves!

On a happier note, I adore this cover! The actor perfectly resembles what I would have thought Laurel would have looked like. Plus, just the colors and design are gorgeous!

If you're looking for a deeper, emotional contemporary read focused on moving forward in life, this book is for you!

♦Haley♦

Review of: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky

Page Count(Paperback Edition): 216 pgs.
Publisher: MTV Books
Released:February 1st, 1999
Genre: Young Adult Realistic Fiction
My Rating: 3 stars
Read: from December 11 to 27, 2012
Source: Borrowed from a friend(Thanks Meagan!♥)

Synopsis:

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix-tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. 

But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up. 

(from Goodreads)

Okay, I'm going to start off saying this: I may say some things that offend your opinion or P.O.V, and I'm sorry. There is no other way for me to explain why I rated this book 3 stars, without criticizing it. I admit, it will be hard for me to do this too. I will not, however, harp on all the negative things and leave out the positive ones. That would be unfair of me. But let's get to this!

So, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This almost turned into a DNF, because I was so depressed in the middle of the book. How could I not be? I felt like Charlie kept talking about his deceased aunt Helen all the time, and everything else that was going on in his life. Then, I started feeling bad! I felt that I should have loved and adored this book like everyone else, but I couldn't. I couldn't fake my feelings about this.

Charlie was an odd character. I still don't know whether I liked him or not. He's a freshman, who hangs out with juniors and seniors. That seemed unrealistic to me, but I won't get into that. Charlie is a wallflower, and an intellectual one at that. And this is where my feelings for him waver; he seemed too smart and knowing for his age! How is that realistic?

Ok, here come my two favorite characters: Patrick and Sam. I absolutely loved them. They were fantastically written, and seemed real! Maybe I loved them because I actually know what they look like in the movie...

The last negative thing I will say is how the mood of the story really, really affected me and my progress on this book. I was confused and sad almost the whole time.

Okay, now onto positive things! In the second half of the book, I started liking the story a whole lot better because happiness seemed like it entered the atmosphere. I started reading the book faster because I felt better as a reader. I also really liked Bill, Charlie's English teacher. While he kept giving him books to do essay's on, you learn that he really thinks Charlie is very smart.

I loved Charlie's, Sam's and Patrick's relationship. They were so close, almost like sibling's. If that relationship didn't exist, I wouldn't be able to cope with this book.

All in all, I didn't loathe The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I semi-liked it. It just wasn't the book for me, but I still would recommend everyone to read this, since it is a must-read book.

♦Haley♦

Review of: The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

*Sorry if this is really crappy, I haven't done a review in forever:(*

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Page Count(Paperback Edition): 360
Publisher: Razorbill
Released: (this edition) July 5th, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Read: September 17th-November 21st 
Source: Books-A-Million


Synopsis: 

A dying teen learns to live in this heart-wrenching debut, perfect for fans of If I Stay

Campbell Cooper has never been in love. And if the doctors are right, she'll never have the chance. So when she's told she needs a miracle, her family moves 1,500 miles north to Promise, Maine--a place where amazing, unexplainable events are said to occur--like it or not. And when a mysterious envelope arrives, containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies, she finally learns to believe--in love, in herself, and maybe even in miracles, as improbable as they may seem

I could have finished this book so much quicker if school work/life wasn't in the way! Geez! But back to the book(: This was so magical. I was seriously falling in love with living in the paradise of Promise, Maine. I even googled it to see if Promise, Maine exists! Sadly, it doesn't.

When I first picked up this book, I had a really good feeling about it. I guess it's part of its whole magical miracles it's got going on(: The romance, illness, suspense and magical-ness of it made my contemporary heart swoon!

I thought the plot developed great on it's own. Wendy didn't try and rush into the story , like many other authors do. She let it sit for a while in the beginning, giving you a feel of what was happening/going to happen, and it gradually started to kick up to some of my most favorite parts. Ex: When Cam meets Asher and when they go to Disney World together(dawwh). Wendy somehow managed to have this sense of paradise in this small town of Maine while holding onto " Cam is a very sick cancer patient at the end of her run". I began to love everything about Promise, like the beach, Cam's new little house, ASHER!<3, little shops and festivals and the people in general! It just sounds like a place I would love to live in. I,myself, started believing in this magic of Promise. There was some parts towards the end where was like "wow I totally forgot that Cam has cancer" I think Cam did too sometimes. The ending was so bittersweet and beautiful, yet it seemed like it fit perfectly. I still felt sad because that was opposite of what I expected/wanted to happen. But, I mean what to expect? Miracles can only do so much :'(.

The characters were phenomenal  I loved everyone. Cam, Asher, Perry, Cam's Mom, Izanagi, Nana, Elaine and so many more! Even the animal characters were perfection. They all had their special, unique quirks that added to the story and made it that much better. I just loved this book so much, all these feelings I can't even explain.

So there you go! I recommend this book to everyone and anyone. Bye, for now, before I start rambling!

♦Haley♦

Review of: The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti

Why I have been absent:

This may sound like an excuse, but the real reason why I am having trouble posting, is because of school. Almost every class gives me homework every night, and this all totals up to about 6 hours of homework a night. I am hoping to at least put out one post a week, whether it be a review or a meme. I hope you all understand the pressures of high school, and forgive me for not being on! </3

The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti

Page Count(Paper Back Edition): 288
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Released: February 27th, 2007
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Read: September 3rd-15th
Source: Books-A-Million

Synopsis: 

I am not my illness. "Girl with Anxiety," "Trauma of the Week" -- no. I hate stuff like that. Everyone, everyone has their issue. But the one thing my illness did make me realize is how necessary it is to ignore the dangers of living in order to live. And how much trouble you can get into if you can't.
Jade DeLuna is too young to die. She knows this, and yet she can't quite believe it, especially when the terrifying thoughts, loss of breath, and dizzy feelings come. Since being diagnosed with Panic Disorder, she's trying her best to stay calm, and visiting the elephants at the nearby zoo seems to help. That's why Jade keeps the live zoo webcam on in her room, and that's where she first sees the boy in the red jacket. A boy who stops to watch the elephants. A boy carrying a baby.

His name is Sebastian, and he is raising his son alone. Jade is drawn into Sebastian's cozy life with his son and his activist grandmother on their Seattle houseboat, and before she knows it, she's in love. With this boy who has lived through harder times than anyone she knows. This boy with a past.

Jade knows the situation is beyond complicated, but she hasn't felt this safe in a long time. She owes it all to Sebastian, her boy with the great heart. Her boy who is hiding a terrible secret. A secret that will force Jade to decide between what is right, and what feels right.

Master storyteller Deb Caletti has once again created characters so real, you will be breathless with anticipation as their riveting story unfolds.

This book has been on my to-read list for a little while now. I am so overly happy that I randomly decided to read this! The Nature of Jade was an emotional ride for me, but so worth it because of the great moral behind the story. (:

I was really intrigued when I first read the synopsis. Jade has an anxiety disorder which she has lived with all her life, which made this book stand out a little more than others. Throughout the book, you travel with her and her struggle with anxiety. Jade spends her time as a senior in a repetitive routine; school, watching elephants via webcam and homework. Then she spots a boy, Sebastian. Jade continues to watch him until..She decides to change up her routine, and goes to volunteer at her local zoo, and help with the elephants. Jade wants to change her fate, and finally meet Sebastian. She does, and her whole world is changed forever.

What really amazed me was Jade's ability to calm herself down when she got really stressed out. She reminded herself that physically her body was fine, even though her mind made her think otherwise. Jade would breathe in and out, and focus on smaller things to stay calm. At the end, Sebastian has to help her regain her calmness when she really is spun out of control. That was a really emotional part of the story that helped me understand what it's like to live with a disorder like that.

I really did like the character set in this book. I couldn't get enough of Jade and Sebastian and little Bo. Oliver was really cute, and appealed to me more than anyone else because he loved to read! Jenna, Hannah, Kayla, Michael and Akello were side characters that I didnt really care for that much. They didn't help nor hurt the story, but I felt they weren't all necessary, except for a few crucial parts. Jade's Mom and Dad were a really good add to the story, because along the way, they start to play a big part in Jade's life(I can't really explain it very well). Abe, her counselor, gave me more depth into dealing with an Anxiety Disorder. It was all sort of a learning experience for me when he asked Jade questions, and I really felt like I was there in 1st person. Damian and Delores were the two major people at the zoo that Jade communicated formed a bond with. Damian was like the head boss of the elephant part of the zoo, and trained Jade on how to interact with them, feed them, do enrichment tasks, etc. I found that really fascinating, Jade being able to be in person daily with elephants. Delores was the ticket booth person, but towards the end she bonded with a special elephant who was in need of it.

Every new chapter, there was an excerpt from  the book The Fundamentals of Animal Behavior by Dr. Jerome R. Clade. Each related specifically with what was happening in the story at that time. The facts were so interesting, that I put that book on my to-read list!

Overall, The Nature of Jade was a very touching, emotional read(to me), and I highly recommend this to anyone. Seriously, pick this book up ASAP! ♥

♦Haley♦

Review of The Daughters Break The Rules by Joanna Philbin/ Stacking The Shelves #3

This is a combination post, as I have just gotten a new book in the mail!

The Daughters Break The Rules by Joanna Philbin

Page Count(Paperback edition): 276  
Series: Daughters #2
Publisher: Poppy (I love poppy!)
Released: April 5th, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Realistic Fiction
My Rating: 5 stars
Read: August 16th - 26th
Source: Books-A-Million    

Synopsis:

Daughters Rule Number Six: Never talk to the press about your parents.

After leaking a story about the family business, impetuous high school freshman Carina Jurgensen is cut off by her billionaire father. Always resourceful, she fibs her way into a job as a party planner for New York's annual Silver Snowflake Ball. But when Carina finds out that the party committee expects favors and freebies from her dad's A-list connections, a choice must be made: Does she get real about her downgraded status, or pretend she's still the ultimate heiress?

Best friends and fellow daughters of celebrities Lizzie Summers, Carina Jurgensen and Hudson Jones are back in Joanna Philbin's second stylish and heartfelt Daughters novel.

This is going to be a shortish review, as I am still on hiatus. Hope you enjoy! (:

Ah! What can I say? The Daughters Break The Rules was an excellent sequel to The Daughters, and I'm very happy I picked it up. It didn't disappoint, in fact it may even be better than The Daughters!

From this book I got a good mixture of emotions. People may just think that this sounds like every other chick-lit book. I admit, it had some of that (but I LOVE that), but it also had real tones of learning how to live with little. Carina was put in the situation where she was cut off from everything and had only $20 a week, and they twenty dollars included food, clothes and extra stuff. If you haven't noticed, $20 goes by quick. So throughout the story, Carina had to learn how to not only cope with it, but also be grateful for what she has. She definitely grew during the story.

The plot was cute and quick. There was no slow down from point to point, and still had enough sufficient points to make me happy. I really thought that Carina was going to have to stay in California, and would have liked to seen that. But I'm still really happy with how it ended. Almost everyone had a picture perfect ending.. I can't tell you who didn't though! I am really looking forward to reading the third book in the series, The Daughters Take The Stage. I most definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a sweet and relatively short read. (:

And now... drum roll please..

This is also a Stacking The Shelves! Just today, I went to my mailbox and found an ARC copy of:

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian. I have received the paperback copy(YEEE) and a complimentary sunscreen!(I'm going to cherish it forever hehe) Courtesy of Kristi from The Story Siren(Thank you so much Krisi! ♥)

 Without further ado, here is the beautiful cover and synopsis!

Lillia has never had any problems dealing with boys who like her. Not until this summer, when one went too far. No way will she let the same thing happen to her little sister.

Kat is tired of the rumours, the insults, the cruel jokes. It all goes back to one person– her ex-best friend– and she's ready to make her pay.

Four years ago, Mary left Jar Island because of a boy. But she's not the same girl anymore. And she's ready to prove it to him.

Three very different girls who want the same thing: sweet, sweet revenge. And they won't stop until they each had a taste.

I cannot wait to start reading this! I'm so happy that I got to post this much today, especially because of how busy high school is! Also, due to Hurricane Isaac, I had today off and tomorrow too! So tomorrow I will have Top Ten Tuesday up for you. Hope you all are safe and away from Isaac.

Any questions or comments on my review and/or my Stacking The Shelves? Leave them below please (:

♦ Haley ♦

"Waiting on" Wednesday #2

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins. This edition is in ebook and the expected publication date is September 11th 2012

Synopsis:

Three teens, three stories—all interconnected through their parents’ family relationships. As the adults pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the lives of the teens begin to tilt…  . Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year—and decides to keep the baby? Shane turns sixteen that same summer and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister’s impending death. Can he accept Alex’s love, knowing that his life, too, will be shortened? Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be. Love, in all its forms, has crucial consequences in this standalone novel. From Goodreads

Tilt really caught my eye when I first read the summary. Sounds like a great Young Adult Realistic Fiction/Suspense book! I literally said "oooh!" after that! It's going to be interesting when they switch P.O.V's. I mean, at least I hope they do! (:

What are your "Waiting on" Wednesday's? Leave me a comment below with your link to the post, and you can count on me that I will check it out!