Never Have I Ever by Katie Heaney Review

Never Have I Ever: My Life (SO FAR) Without a Date, by Katie Heaney
Publication: January 14, 2014, by Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Non-fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Memoir
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: ½

So begins Katie Heaney's memoir of her years spent looking for love, but never quite finding it. By age 25, equipped with a college degree, a load of friends, and a happy family life, she still has never had a boyfriend ... and she's barely even been on a second date.
Throughout this laugh-out-loud funny book, you will meet Katie's loyal group of girlfriends, including flirtatious and outgoing Rylee, the wild child to Katie's shrinking violet, as well as a whole roster of Katie's ill-fated crushes. And you will get to know Katie herself -- a smart, modern heroine relaying truths about everything from the subtleties of a Facebook message exchange to the fact that "Everybody who works in a coffee shop is at least a little bit hot."
Funny, relatable, and inspiring, this is a memoir for anyone who has ever struggled to find love, but has also had a lot of fun in the process. 

Memoirs are hard to find. I mean, you can obviously find one, but not any good ones that you are able to really feel to heart. Sure, you're able to read a life story of someone's, but it'll never be the same if it actually touches your heart. With Never Have I Ever, Katie Heaney has taken my heart and got me thinking about the real meaning of love and what it's like to take things s l o w.

What's the best thing that I saw throughout this novel was that Heaney didn't care to talk about love all the time. Guess what? If she did, I would actually would question the real point of the book. And here, I feel that the author was strong and favourable with her situation of being man-less or without desperation, which was another one of the things that I loved about her. Was she desperate to get a boyfriend or kiss a guy? Absolutely not. Heaney's voice was one that anyone is able to relate to, teenager or adult. She's hilarious and states the truth and what people don't seem to believe that comes from a modern day world like ours. She tried to find love, and she's still looking for it. Sure, readers were expecting one of those happy endings where everyone wanted her to find the right guy and get married with him, or even we expected that for her best friend to... but major S P O I L E R, she didn't. *chuckles* And that's perfectly okay. 

I can honestly state a summary of this whole memoir in one sentence, as it's pretty simple with loads of detail throughout. I can't even get going onto how her childhood went and how she evolved into an adult, because there were so many small details that actually had contributed A BUNCH. But mainly, Katie is someone who is loveless but feels happy with it all the time—though she's never gone on a second date or kissed a guy in a while. 

This is Katie's story about her true awesomeness as a person and what kind of influence people like her have on the world. That was the main message, and it left me wanting more. She's such a witty, bright person with all of the confidence in the world, but doesn't take it out like she's looking for attention or wants people to feel bad for her and her situation. Yeah, she's seen people she used to know with children, but does it bother her? Absolutely not, and her attitude is what stays by me. 

And guess what I'm planning on doing now?

Yes, going on to Buzzfeed as it has already been my favourite news website for more than a year and where I check on my NEWS of the day, every few hours and take their quizzes. HOW DID I NOT KNOW THAT KATIE IS AN EDITOR? Yeah, and she's obsessed with writing quizzes about zodiac signs. THE COOLEST PERSON ON EARTH.

Anyways, she's awesome and I love her and her personality. *smiles* But in the end, this book wasn't perfect either, as all you've heard so far is just positive stuff. What I wasn't such a huge fan of was the plot at times and the surroundings characters. The way Heaney had described them was... poorly. Yes, she's a fantastic writer, but a lot of the detail was missed and the story lacked someone who can give the story a bunch into awesomeness. 

Well... This was a very interesting read. I spent a quick time going through it and enjoyed it very much, especially because it was something unlike I usually read and decide to go for. I definitely recommend it if you enjoy chick-lit, with a larger sense of realism. Heaney is a satisfying writer who will do anything to let her story be seen into the world, with some achievement felt. Never have I ever... Read a book like this!

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith Review

Grasshopper Jungle, by Andrew Smith
Published On: February 11, 2014, by Dutton Juvenile
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, LBGT
Pages: 388
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 

Sixteen-year-old Austin Szerba interweaves the story of his Polish legacy with the story of how he and his best friend , Robby, brought about the end of humanity and the rise of an army of unstoppable, six-foot tall praying mantises in small-town Iowa.
To make matters worse, Austin's hormones are totally oblivious; they don't care that the world is in utter chaos: Austin is in love with his girlfriend, Shann, but remains confused about his sexual orientation. He's stewing in a self-professed constant state of maximum horniness, directed at both Robby and Shann. Ultimately, it's up to Austin to save the world and propagate the species in this sci-fright journey of survival, sex, and the complex realities of the human condition. 

The real funny thing here is that my background is Polish. So guess what? I totally ended up with the laughs and giggles here when reading those funny words. And the history of Austin’s family was so weird but cool. Grasshopper Jungle was absurd, strange but my type of novel since I got the jokes. *grins sheepishly*

This book had it all. It was a contemporary romance with craziness, theories and grasshoppers with weird voodoo skills. The characters were struggling but hilarious and total gangsters. You felt like you were living in an alleyway since they were so rebellious and funny. I’ll be sure to read more from Smith in the future after giving this one a try. 

So this all began with a bunch of grasshoppers and a simple Polish legacy. Okay, okay, there were some struggles with orientation and hormones, but that was the main story and it kept me busy for a few hours. Austin Szerba is sixteen and spends most of his time with his best friend, Robby and his girfriend Shann. Please, please don’t forget about those hormones as well because they were like Austin’s best friend as well. There wasn't a chapter without a mention of hormones, haha.

In a regular, non-absurd novel, you would've thought that the weirdness that this book kept on going wouldn't have fit—but it sure did in this situation. Most of the time, I kept thinking about how this book didn't really have a main concept, but it was really about the feelings and thoughts of the characters. Don’t forget about the character development as well, and the fact that this is a large book, one of the thickest that I’ve read at the time.

What I loved about this book was the fact that I could relate to it. This was teenage innocence and rebellion. You could've seen the most random things in the plot, but in the end, it all made sense to the characters. Remember what happened to Austin’s brother’s parts? Um, that was a little disturbing and weird, but it all made sense because fate is just strange like that. It also had a strong idea going on that the world was ending, but to tell you the truth, that was confusing and I was like whaat-the-heck because it didn't show any signs in the plot at all. What was this praying mantis stuff as well? (That, I can call weird and not really likeable for me.)

The book began with a boom and a stud. It seems really easy to like this book. Smith’s writing style is very unique and took contemporary to a whole new level in the point of view of a crazy teenage boy—which I have to deal with everyday since school. So now I guess I can say what it’s like in the minds of the guys that I go to school with—and now I’m a little scarred. Scarred as in “What the hell are they thinking half the time” kind of thing. This plot was very fast-paced and cool and chill. I liked this story and its stuff. I had a ton of favourite scenes, and I could barely find myself bored most of the time. 

The characters were the thing and idea I would choose to stay away from if I were you. Austin, the main character, was quirky and adorable, but he was a little too self-centred and kept questioning his existence and what he should do in every situation. Like dude, you’re a human being, and what happens at the moment happens. You can’t change it later. He overthinks things too much and worries about what Robby or Shann would think when they both love him, both more than a friends-way. Robby was a little too rebel but then scared at the same time while Shann was like the mother of the trio. She knew what she was doing.

The romance? Haha, it was awkward but sweet. Shann and Austin were like Bonnie and Clyde and tested things out and how it worked for them. They always tried to get their love to work as best as possible but they didn't realize until the end that it takes time to create. Okay, I’m sounding like Oprah or some love therapist here, but it’s the truth.

Picture a grasshopper jungle. That’s right, you can’t, really. At least not clearly. That’s what this book was. It was unique and unthinkable of because it was a contemporary. No, there wasn't any fighting or action of course, so anything could happen because it was just so real and like fate. You should honestly really go for this if you need a relaxing break in your life. Take a sip and indulge!

On The Fence, by Kasie West

On the Fence, by Kasie West

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

Rating: 4/5 stars

Publication: July 1, 2014, by HarperTeen

Format: ebook





Goodreads Summary: She's a tomboy. He's the boy next door…

Charlie Reynolds can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world. To cope with the stress of her new reality, Charlie takes to spending nights chatting with her neighbor Braden through the fence between their yards. As she grows to depend on their nightly Fence Chats, she realizes she's got a bigger problem than speeding tickets-she's falling for Braden. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high.

Fun, original, and endearing, On the Fence is a romantic comedy about finding yourself and finding love where you least expect.

Review:

"You're so beautiful." My cheeks heated. "Aren't we supposed to do this at the fence?" "No. I don't want this to be in our alternate reality. I want this to be in our real one."

   Kasie West is a definite favourite author of mine. She writes contemporary like it's a sundae--sweet, beautiful and daring. I've been looking forward to read On the Fence for over a year now, and I really think that the summertime is the best time to read it. 

     First of all, that cover absolutely captivates me. It's so beautiful!

    When looking at it, it looks like the perfect road-trip read. I definitely recommend taking this on your road-trip to who-knows-where! *giggles*

    Charlie is your average girl tomboy. She can never imagine setting foot in a dress or pair of sandals and wearing makeup. She plays sports for a living, and she knows nothing about beauty and being a true girl. When she scores herself a pretty large speeding ticket, her dad forces her to get a job. She finds one at a boutique, and well from there, everything changes. She gets used to wearing makeup and dresses and she suddenly changes. But there's one person who she knows will love her for her boyish qualities, and that's her neighbour, Braden. Next thing you know it, she begins to fall for the guy who she can have conversations on the fence with in the middle of night. But she has a secret, and that can seriously lose him for good, because she hasn't gained his trust.

    I love when book heroines are tomboys. We are so stereotypical these days, and always picture our girl-protagonists with picture-perfect hair and makeup, natural beauty, and a badass attitude at the same time. Charlie was a definite unique person, and I loved her and her personality. Inside, she hid the stereotypes and was still a girl no matter what. She showed that she's unique and can still love. That's the type of girl I like. She was an independent person, and I seriously praise and bow down to Kasie West for creating an awesome character like her. 

    The concept of this was okay. It was kind of cliche at times, especially with the fact that Charlie was "hiding a secret" and was "trying to find who she was." Kasie West really could've done better with that, just like she did with The Distance Between Us. Speaking of that, WE HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH XAVIER AND CAYMEN THERE.

   The plot was awesome! I love boy-next-door encounters and stories, and this was the perfect example. For once, the title actually goes with the book. (Because a lot of times, I'm always clueless.) I was captivated by the start because of Charlie's voice, and I recommend this if you like protagonists with awesome voices and tough stories behind them.

   The secret that Charlie was keeping behind was really dark, actually. This may seem like your average teen contemporary, but the secret that Charlie kept really turned things around in the end, and really shows how important love is to characters and to everyone.

     I didn't love Braden. KILL ME, OKAY? Something about him was strange and peculiar, but it's not like I hated him or anything. I liked him, he was alright, but weird at the same time. He was keeping a secret as well, and it was all predictable with a happy ending. *waves hands magically*

     But either way, I FANGIRLED LIKE HELL. I kept thinking that something was wrong with me because I felt like my heart was going to explode of happiness. Yeah, so I did adore the romance.

      The ending wasn't the best because it was predictable, but I liked it and the whole book as well. It was great and fun, and the perfect summer read. It wasn't crying-worthy, but something to definitely remember. Recommended? Absolutely.

Also Known As, by Robin Benway

Also Known As (Also Known As #1), by Robin Benway

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Mystery, Chick-lit, Contemporary, Romance

Rating: 4/5 stars

Book #: 1

Publication: February 26, 2013, by Walker Books for Young Readers

Format: Hardcover Edition



Goodreads Summary: Which is more dangerous: being an international spy... or surviving high school?

Maggie Silver has never minded her unusual life. Cracking safes for the world's premier spy organization and traveling the world with her insanely cool parents definitely beat high school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations. (If it's three digits, why bother locking it at all?)

But when Maggie and her parents are sent to New York City for her first solo assignment, her world is transformed. Suddenly, she's attending a private school with hundreds of "mean girl" wannabes, trying to avoid the temptation to hack the school's elementary security system, and working to befriend the aggravatingly cute son of a potential national security threat... all while trying not to blow her cover.

From the hilarious and poignant author of Audrey, Wait! comes a fast-paced caper that proves that even the world's greatest spies don't have a mission plan for love.

Review:

  "As you can tell, I've never had a boyfriend, but whatever. It's cool. After all, most girls who have boyfriends probably can't say that they helped to bring the Peruvian government, right?"

    So my girl here, Maggie, is basically saying:

      And guess what? It's true. Maggie Silver and her story was just crazy hilarious and the most fun (as in chick-lit and haha's) I've had with a book in a long time, and that makes the book 10 times better. So yay for that.

       I really enjoyed this book. I had so much fun reading it and it made me laugh so much. I'm a very serious reader and it would have to take a lot to make me laugh, but this book certainly did. It was such a light read that is so easy to read and to make you smile. 

      This is about Maggie Silver- daughter of two spies and is a spy herself. For all of her life, she has travelled all across the world with her parents on missions and is part of the Collective-- a spy agency. When Maggie goes back to New York, a place where she once lived, she is thrilled, until she finds out that she will be attending a private school on a mission-- to find out more about a guy and his father so she could help her parents out. What happens when she realizes that she actually loves Jesse and makes real friends, delete the quotation marks? 

       I loved this book! From the beginning, I was barely bored but I had a few upset times with the book because of the idea and guy character, Jesse. Other than that, the book was absolutely great. The plot flew by quickly and everything was written together perfectly. The author's writing style is magnificent and very enjoyable when it comes to a light mystery chick-lit read. This is the type of book that you have to read with a nice cup or tea or coffee, on a rainy or sad day. It'll brighten you up and make you laugh!

        The idea was kind of boring and cheesy. I've read many reviews that have stated that this idea isn't cheesy at all or isn't Nancy Drew-ish, but it is for the cheesy aspect. The book itself was predictable and a little dull in idea. Coming from a chick-lit romance, I expected a little more wow or awe in it, but I just got plain bread and butter. Simplistic and average idea. Nothing else. -_- This is one of those private school- schoolgirl romances when there are mean girls and nice girls and is coming from the perspective of a weird teenage girl with secrets inside that falls in love with the handsome popular guy... Who actually likes her back. That's basically what this was, adding the spy element into it. Nothing really special.

          I absolutely liked Maggie. She was witty, funny and an unique voice for a shelled up spy-detective. You'd expect her to be very mature and selfish but she was hilarious and crazy-- the type of girl that you want to be friends with. What else can I say?

          Roux and Angelo were absolutely amazing friends to Maggie. They were both kick-ass and hilarious and total awesome people. Books usually don't have good side characters, but ones like this are unique and amazing. 

           The next other flaw of this book was Jesse. I didn't really like him. I saw him as a fake all throughout and he showed no importance to me and I didn't really see his love for Maggie shine. He was just there and reminded me of a friend, that's all. 

               Maggie had a large love for Jesse, and you could tell that so many times during the book. It was an one way relationship, and that's so sad to read about. The romance was wrecked, but I loved Maggie's side of it.

                 In conclusion, this book was awesome. I totally recommend it to all chick-lit lovers looking for a change!