U is for... The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

   

      Since many people have been raving about this book because of Noah (the hottest guy character ever) and its amazing story, so why not talk about this and share my thoughts on this congenial book that is the start of a heart-racing trilogy with the third and final book coming out in June 2014?

      

    The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is about a girl named Mara, obviously, haha. She wakes up in a hospital not knowing who she is, what happened to her, and where she is, and about her troubled past. So she starts off her new life by going to a new school and starting her life over with a fresh start. But at the same time, strange things are happening to her- hallucinations, visions, you name it. She needs to discover what in the world happened to her and why all of these weird things are happening to her. Adding to that, a boy (NOAH) has his eyes on her. 

    This book was a serious wild roller coaster ride. The beginning zoomed us into the main idea so fast, and by the first chapter, I was already hooked. This is not your average mystery teen book- this is a mystery book that deals with paranormal activities. Beware, you might be reading this late into the night, with goosebumps all over your body because this sure is a nail-biting thriller!

    I got a little bored into the middle of reading this book because I felt like nothing much was happening, (that brought my rating to a 4/5 stars) but Michelle Hodkins (the author) did a pleasing job bringing me back into this fantastic world. 

    One of the reasons why I loved this book is because it's only Mara who's going through all of this paranormal distress. In many paranormal books, there's always that main character who just began to go through weird things, and then there's a whole other group of people who are going through the same things as he/she and then they'll all become friends, and la dee da, besties forever. No. I hate that, and this book helped me realize that because it's an unique story that just made me read it late into the night.

    The characters, were OH-MY-POPSICLES AMAZING. Mara was an absolute KICK-ASS AWESOME protagonist who really made her emotions and feelings clear, and I felt everything that she was feeling, because she just wants you to hear her story. and listen/read about everything that she's going through. Michelle Hodkins did such a great job of creating a relatable and appropriate character for this type/genre of the book, and I wouldn't have wanted this aspect any other way.

    Noah just made me..

   GO ABSOLUTELY CRAZY BECAUSE HE JUST MAKES ME LOST FOR WORDS EVEN THOUGH I CANNOT SPEAK TO HIM BECAUSE HE'S FICTIONAL AND OH MY GOODNESS WHY AM I ANNOYING YOU SO MUCH. 

  There. Excuse me for my craziness. But SERIOUSLY, Noah just hopped onto my list of favourite male characters because he just made the book 10000000000... *two hours later* BETTER. A lot of people say that the romance ruined the overall aspect and concept of the book, but I seriously disagree because this book NEEDS a romance, and Mara seriously deserves a man who loves her. With no romance, this book would have been much more boring, and do we want that? Uh, nope. 

  This is one of my favourite books ever, and probably one of the best mysteries I've ever read. Mystery, paranormal and romance? Count me in, and I'll count you in as well.

  This book sounds interesting? Visit its Goodreads link now!

The Ruining, by Anna Collomore

The Ruining, by Anna Collomore

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Mystery-Thriller-Murder

Rating: 5/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: Annie Phillips is thrilled to leave her past behind and begin a shiny new life on Belvedere Island, as a nanny for the picture-perfect Cohen family. In no time at all, she falls in love with the Cohens, especially with Libby, the beautiful young matriarch of the family. Life is better than she ever imagined. She even finds romance with the boy next door.

All too soon, cracks appear in Annie's seemingly perfect world. She's blamed for mistakes she doesn't remember making. Her bedroom door comes unhinged, and she feels like she's always being watched. Libby, who once felt like a big sister, is suddenly cold and unforgiving. As she struggles to keep up with the demands of her new life, Annie's fear gives way to frightening hallucinations. Is she tumbling into madness, or is something sinister at play?

The Ruining is a complex ride through first love, chilling manipulation, and the terrifying depths of insanity.

Review:

 Okay seriously, this book was some

'

 From the summary, who'd expect this to be a jaw-clenching, spine-chilling thriller? I was totally expecting an average contemporary novel with a few secrets in between, but I got something more and deep.

  Here we have Annie, who is living in horrible conditions with her mom and stepfather, Dean, in Detroit. All she wants is to get out of there and never come back. When a spiking new job opportunity in sunny California pops up to be a babysitter for the Cohen family, she decides that she will take it, and go to college at the same time. When she meets the Cohens, she is absolutely in love with her new life and everything they have to offer. Soon enough, Libby, the woman/wife of the family, begins to act strangely and treats her differently than her than the usual, and Annie begins to question what's really going on and about the truth.

  Anna Collomore hooked me in from the first page, honestly. I felt like I was in a realistic world, and Annie definitely made us be a large part of it. She told us her story, and we were the listeners. There must be some sort of story behind this because it's so deep, and intriguing. 

  It's very rare to read a book that never makes you bored once. And that's what The Ruining did to me. I was hooked in, and I inferred about what would happen next so many times, but I was always wrong. Anna Collomore creates the best plot twists, no joke.

  If you react to books the same way as I do, then you will be thinking that you're losing your mind while reading this book. I was shaking, and I felt so many spine-chills and my heart felt like it was going to come out of my chest when I was reading this, especially towards the end, and when we found the truth and all. This never would be expected to be a thriller, but it definitely was, as well as a contemporary-mystery.

  These characters were stupendous. I loved Annie- she went through so much and the best thing was that her voice was real. She was involved a tragic accident, and things didn't seem to get better for her when she expected a new and brighter life. That's what I love about this book- it's not perfect, and you won't expect everything to be all happy and smiles. It's reality, and how some people live today in the world. And the catch is, all throughout the book I never thought that she was crazy and that something was going on in her head, I just didn't know the truth.

   Owen and Annie's relationship added something good and happy to this book. He never judged Annie, he believed her and went out to search for the truth. I love guys like that- and especially to read about ones like him. The romance was something extra, but it was good because the whole book didn't revolve around the romance, it wasn't all about that.

   The ending to this was quick and spectacular. It all happened so fast and I never expected for what happened to happen. In fifty pages or so, the plot was drifting in a whole other level and we were in a whole other setting.

  This is a unique read that will grip you and send shivers down your spine. Also take a note to self: make sure you have a lot of time to read this (2-3 hours all in one) because you will be hooked and you will NEED to find out what the truth is.

What I Thought Was True, by Huntley Fitzpatrick

What I Thought Was True, by Huntley Fitzpatrick

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

Rating: 3.5/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: From the author of My Life Next Door comes a swoony summertime romance full of expectation and regret, humor and hard questions.

Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

A magnetic, push-me-pull-me romance with depth, this is for fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Deb Caletti.

Review:


   So I originally read a sample for this before it released, and I was totally hooked in after reading 5 chapters or so. Meaning that Cass already took my breath away! Just kidding, okay maybe not. But seriously, once you begin reading this book, you'll be hooked in onto it from the first page.

   I was anticipating a fantastic summery contemporary novel from the amazing one and only Huntley Fitzpatrick. After reading her debut novel, My Life Next Door, I couldn't wait to read more from this awesome author. Although this book had its ups and downs, I'd recommend it for any teenager considering to read a light, quick novel.

   First I may say that Mrs. Fitzpatrick has a serious talent in hooking readers in and getting them to stay hooked in. I mean seriously, this book was so long and I never felt like I doubted reading this. I feel like this was written naturally, if you know what I mean. (Natural talent)

   This book confused me because I seriously didn't get what the point was. I completely understand that this was a romance-contemporary book, and the main point was supposed to be the romance, but what? Like I didn't know where this was going halfway through the book, and by the end, I felt like I was just reading an ordinary teenager's life story, with a few (okay maybe more than a few) plot twists in between that will possibly make readers suffer. To me, that kind of was everything that it was about.

    Now this is supposed to be about Gwen Castle, daughter of a "cleaning lady" and a restaurant owner. She can't wait to leave the island that she lives on, and go into the real world, but this summer, she is still stuck being a babysitter for an elderly woman, and next thing you know, she bumps into gorgeous Cassidy Somers, who is the yard boy for the woman. It's love at first sight (it was during a faithful moment in the Spring) and Gwen has to find out who she is and what she wants to do.

    Yeah, the idea is kind of cheesy, I know what you're thinking. I wish that the idea was bigger and brighter. In every contemporary novel we find a female heroine who falls in love with a hot guy who may or may not be particularly nice as a person (but secretly likes her on the inside). The girl needs to find who she is and needs to find out what she wants in life. There's only one author who can accomplish this kind of plot and totally make it rock, and that is Sarah Dessen. She's done this with all of her novels and most of them ended up being amazing. So credits to Sarah for this idea, basically. This kind of was the good cheesy, though.

     But on the inside, I'm thinking that there's something about this book that pulled me in. Was it the characters? Probably. They are the most realistic and smokin' hot (CASS) characters that I've read about in a long time. It's difficult to create realistic characters that speak to readers, but Huntley Fitzpatrick created them with a snap, just like that.

     Seriously, the romance dragged me into reading this book. It was so beautiful, and I WANT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY CASS. He was so dreamy and like I can't even (tumblr much?) talk about him because I just feel like I die when I think about him. (Die on the inside)

       Gwen was a very relatable protagonist. Her words got stuck in my head, and I felt everything that she felt. Her intimate struggles and worries made me see her as a better character. She's the type of person who felt everything on the inside, and since this was told in her perspective, you will feel everything, and that will cause you to think more, and about the surrounding characters.

      Although this had its flaws (the idea,) I'd seriously recommend getting it, maybe you'll enjoy it even more than I did. All that matters is that you should give this a try, because this is written by a fantastic author.

    

T is for... The Last Princess

 

  Asdfghiklasdfghiklasdfghiklasdfghikl. That's all I have to say.

Just kidding! Of course not! This is a fantastic review, isn't it? Hah, that's what I thought. (:

The Last Princess was nothing but extraordinary. It's one novel that you won't find similar plots or characters anywhere else, because yes, it just is that amazing. Please, please, please read it, you will never in a million years regret it. I'm begging you, okay?

Now, where do we begin... oh yes, the wonderful plot. What can I say? Galaxy Craze has turned my world upside down. Every single moment was one to treasure. As we quickly, I mean quickly, scrolled through the storyline, we all began to realize that this is an amazing story. Where in the world can you find one similar to this? Where did Galaxy Craze get this idea from, because I sure have no clue!

I felt that I could read 1000 pages of the same story, and I still wouldn't get bored. This really was a breath of fresh air for me, and will be and probably has been for every other reader of this story.

Princesses, Queens, Princes, and Kings, I am here to serve you your fresh cup of tea, psst, also known as my opinion of the beautiful job done of the characters. Lets start off with the mystical, mysterious Eliza. What an astonishing heroine, she truly made my day. Eliza really showed that heroines could also save the world, and there are some that we have to remember in the stories that we have read. I loved being in the world of hers. Then we have characters like the bad villain, Eliza's brother and sister, Jamie and Mary, and her best friend, and the love interest, whose name I shall not mention. All of these characters are kept in a special part of my heart/mind, even it's a tiny piece, I will always remember them. 

Galaxy Craze has created a fantastic novel that I will remember about for a long time. I can't wait for the sequel, that I hope will COME SOONER.

S is for... Someone Like You

  

   Okay, okay, we all know that friendship is magic and all of those cheesy friendship quotes, but do we actually know what our friendships do for us and what we would do without them?

   You've all probably heard of this astonishing book by Sarah Dessen, and I seriously recommend reading it, to everyone who needs a smile in their day, anyone who's willing to read a gorgeous contemporary/chick-lit/romance novel that will cause them to shed tears in their eyes. 

    Halley and Scarlett are best friends to the end. When Scarlett gets pregnant and finds out that the baby's father has been killed in a motorcycle accident, all she needs is Halley to help her out, and of course, Halley will. Together growing in a new kind of relationship, Halley and Scarlett will learn many new things and will fall in love.

    Okay, my summary sucked. I really made this book sound cheesy, and that's what I thought it'd be before I picked it up, but it's not, not even a bit.

    This by far has to be the best Sarah Dessen book, right next to This Lullaby! There was so much drama, suspense, fun, and even laughter has been brought up into this, I can't even believe myself!

    This is going to be the book that you'll never forget about, the book that really made you think and the book that seriously is going to make you an emotional wreck for a few hours. I spent the last 100 pages of the ending crying, but it really had an unexpected amazing ending, just like all of Sarah's books do. But seriously, this one is something special.

    “There are some things in this world you rely on, like a sure bet. And when they let you down, shifting from where you've carefully placed them, it shakes your faith, right where you stand.”

    This book sounds interesting? Visit its Goodreads page to find out more.

    

The Treatment, by Suzanne Young

The Treatment (The Program #2), by Suzanne Young

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopia, Suicide/Death

Rating: 3.5/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: Can Sloane and James survive the lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end? Find out in this sequel to The Program, which Publishers Weekly called “chilling and suspenseful.”

How do you stop an epidemic?

Sloane and James are on the run after barely surviving the suicide epidemic and The Program. But they’re not out of danger. Huge pieces of their memories are still missing, and although Sloane and James have found their way back to each other, The Program isn’t ready to let them go.

Escaping with a group of troubled rebels, Sloane and James will have to figure out who they can trust, and how to take down The Program. But for as far as they’ve come, there’s still a lot Sloane and James can’t remember. The key to unlocking their past lies with the Treatment—a pill that can bring back forgotten memories, but at a high cost. And there’s only one dose.

Ultimately when the stakes are at their highest, can Sloane and James survive the many lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end?

Review:

  I cannot calm down, because I didn't KNOW THAT THIS WAS THE LAST BOOK UNTIL I READ THE ENDING AND FIGURED, "IT'S DONE."

  

   But in a way, I'm very proud that this was the ending of The Program series. For once, we don't have a trilogy, and both books still were awesome put together. I'd rate this series a 4/5 altogether, but credits to Suzanne Young for the amazing idea, plot and characters. She's created two books that really mean a lot to me.

    The Summary: Sloane's and James' memories are still missing after escaping The Program and going through the horrific suicide epidemic that has been occurring for the past four years. They finally escaped, and are ready to bring The Program itself to justice and show the world what really goes inside of there. Adding to that, Sloane isn't sure if her and James' romance is working, but she realizes that she loves him too much to let him go. A pill (The Treatment) still lies, and everyone is wondering if it really can bring back the memories of their past.

    What upsets me is that I feel like every single dystopian/science-fiction series has one of those books that has the characters rebelling and screwing around with the world that they live in. This was one of them, and I seriously feel that even though this was a good book, I am going through the case of "Second Book Syndrome." I'm heart-broken because I really hoped for this book to be as good as the first or even better, but I got the same thing as other books, and I want something new and beautiful.

     So I'm lying here, thinking, what was the problem with this book? The character development, dull scenes and idea. Suzanne Young just added in a new character in the second page of the book, hoping that it would cause some sort of enjoyment for us readers. Dallas was a slut and an idiot, that's all I have to say. Why did she have to show up, to replace Lacey and be the bad-ass of the group? Uh, no thanks. I also felt like the romance was going nowhere, and everyone was just fooling around, and no chemistry was happening. There was romance, don't get me wrong, but I just didn't feel it.

  

      James ended up being really wimpy when Dallas supposedly described him as "tough." I couldn't stand him and ended up loving Michael by the end. Sloane ended up being a pretty good protagonist, just like in the first book, although she didn't know what she wanted at times. 

      This book was full of dull scenes, over and over again. Some parts just could've been taken out, and the book would flow just fine. Know what I mean? 

      So you're probably sitting there, looking at your computer/phone thinking, (a) What the heck is this freak talking about, (b) Get to the point, lady, or (c) I totally get you. Whichever it is, I just want you to know that this had a fantastic ending, even though we kind of expected it. It had a lot of action through the end and it definitely was going somewhere, and then I found out that it was all done. That just broke my heart because I was seeing a series that I absolutely enjoyed and really liked, ending. I know that I'm repeating this over and over again, but I don't want anyone like myself to be surprised with the big boom in the end.

      Do I recommend this? Sure, absolutely, especially if you adored the first book as much as I did.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before, by Jenny Han

To All The Boys I've Loved Before, by Jenny Han

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

Rating: 5/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: 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.

Review:

 
  Jenny Han, you know that I love you and your books, but seriously, what have you done to me. I. AM. ABSOLUTELY. BROKEN after reading this unbelievable book.

  So I started off hoping and absolutely expecting the best. I love Jenny Han's books. She is one of my favourite authors and leaves me either crying or screaming happily by the end. And guess what I got when reading To All The Boys I've Loved Before? Haha, BOTH.

   Lara Jean has loved five boys in total, and after every single time she felt like it was time to say goodbye to the guy, she wrote a letter to them, expressing all of her fears and feelings. She'd end up putting the letter away in a teal hatbox that her mother once gave her before she died. One day, all of her fears were made public, and each letter was sent to the boys she loved before. She was mortified, just like any teenage girl would be. She found out that her father gave the box to Goodwill, and the letters then were given to the guys. Lara Jean unexpectedly kisses one of the guys she once loved in order to make another jealous, and that's where it all began.

   The Racing Plot: From the beginning, I was stuck in this book. After the main idea got to its point, I already knew that I was in love with this book, and it's normally difficult to figure that out until the end when reading a book. Jenny Han just keeps her books magical and amazing all throughout. Who'd think that someone would cry in this kind of book? Let me tell you, I never expected that I'd go through so many emotional breakdowns when reading this book, but I did. One minute I was so happy for Lara and the next I just wanted to die.

   
     I just don't understand how people say there was no romance in this book, because there. absolutely. WAS. OKAY? I listened to the reviews and was like, "Oh. This is going to be boring because there's no romance and it's all complaining and whining." NOOOO. The romance in this book may have been fake for a while, but it was there, and I'm not going to let anyone get by thinking the opposite.

     A love triangle in a contemporary/chick-lit book? Tell me more! Yes, this included a deep love-triangle, and I seriously didn't know who's side to be on because oh my, Lara was too lucky to have two hot guys running after her. I felt like I had to keep myself going strong and STAYING strong so I wouldn't squeal and feel like I was dying when a normal scene was going on in the book.

   
  So Jenny Han eventually left me crying and I had to calm myself, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE GUYS. Imagine that, guys breaking readers' hearts. -.-

  The Characters: Holy popsicles. The characters were too good. I loved the Song sisters, their bond was inseparable, and you can never find a sisterly bond like that in any book. It's the first time I've read about something like this. Lara was a downright kick-ass awesome protagonist. Many people disliked her because she liked her sister's ex-boyfriend, but I didn't care. She deserved a guy who would be good for her, and it didn't matter who he was, as long as she loved him. I seriously saw Peter as the perfect guy for her, although I didn't see that right in the beginning when we met him. At first I saw him as a snob, or one of those "popular jock guys we see in the movies," but in the end, I ended up loving him too much. He made me upset for not expressing his feelings for Lara sooner enough, and not knowing who to pick- Genevieve or Lara, but he was a little heart-breaking teddy bear that I just wanted to cuddle with.

    This is one of my new favourites, and one of my favourite contemporaries ever. Once again, Jenny Han has made me bawl and cry and love another novel again. :)

R is for... Riptide

 One summer. Endless possibilities. I think that this little caption just explains it all for this novel. You really don't need a summary now, everything's all clear here.

Riptide was unbelievable. WHY?! Why did this all happen?! Not that I regret reading this, because I didn't. 

  In this awesome novel, we have Grace Parker, a girl who only has surfing on her mind. Her best friend, Ford Watson is her piggy-back, and together, they can accomplish anything. When Ford signs Grace up for a surfing competition, Grace has to practice and find the truth about her life, she has to get through that riptide that holds everything behind.

  Starting from page one, I was hooked. Grace's voice was so realistic, I haven't read any book lately that's lead really connected to me, and that I pictured them fully. This is what the author did to me. 

 I kept flipping and flipping the pages, I never wanted it to end, and it did, way too quickly.

 A book really has to be amazing in order for be to completely bawl and cry myself out, and that happens in rare occasions. Now, we have another novel that adds to the list, this one.

 Since I felt Grace's emotions very clearly, going through her situation also went through my mind. Seeing how cruelly her parents treated her, of course I had to cry, not shedding a few tears, like full-blast crying. I couldn't believe that something like this happens to people all around the world, if your parents treat you like that, with high-pressure and expectations, of course you want to run away or go live with someone else. I just wanted to be with her, and tell her that everything would be okay, that she would have to keep surfing, and that eventually, the world would come to its right place. She has Ford, and that was all that mattered.

Since Grace's life depended on quotes, here's one that has inspired me today, and I know would for Grace as well:

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”      -Douglas Adams

I think that I will remember this novel as the powerful, touching one that made me cry. Beautiful and inspirational, Grace's story is one to keep forever in your heart.

16 Things I Thought Were True, by Janet Gurtler

16 Things I Thought Were True, by Janet Gurtler

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Tragic

Rating: 5/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: Heart attacks happen to other people #thingsIthoughtweretrue

When Morgan's mom gets sick, it's hard not to panic. Without her mother, she would have no one—until she finds out the dad who walked out on her as a baby isn't as far away as she thought...

Adam is a stuck-up, uptight jerk #thingsIthoughtweretrue

Now that they have a summer job together, Morgan's getting to know the real Adam, and he's actually pretty sweet...in a nerdy-hot kind of way. He even offers to go with her to find her dad. Road trip, anyone?

5000 Twitter followers are all the friends I need #thingsIthoughtweretrue

With Adam in the back seat, a hyper chatterbox named Amy behind the wheel, and plenty of Cheetos to fuel their trip, Morgan feels ready for anything. She's not expecting a flat tire, a missed ferry, a fake girlfriend...and that these two people she barely knew before the summer started will become the people she can't imagine living without.

Review:

  First of all,

  

I believe and always believed that when a book makes you cry and creates the "feels," then the book really is amazing and worth a re-read one day. And seriously, that's what I believe with 16 Things I Thought Were True. Janet Gurtler is a contemporary novel genius.

Janet's work surprises me every time with a whole new setting, plot and a whole wide range of characters that possibly will shatter your heart into a million pieces. It's just remarkable to see and read a book with such depth and meaning to it. That's what 16 Things I Thought Were True was all about, meaning.

 I find that a plot in a book can be so simple, but can mean a lot and relate to the reader, and be so realistic at the same time, having the reader imagining themselves in the character's place/shoes. 

  The Summary: Morgan is just living your average teenager's life, with a few wild streaks in between. Her ex-best friend recently posted a video of Morgan on YouTube dancing with boy underwear on, where 3 million people were watching. Morgan was mortified, but of course, she had to move on. When Morgan lands a summer job working at a gift shop, she meets nerdy Adam who she couldn't care less about until the day her mom goes to the hospital, and Adam ends up driving Morgan there. What she doesn't know is that he possibly will become the person she can't live without, right next to a talkative wild eighteen year old girl named Amy. The three set off into a road trip to Victoria, British Columbia, where Morgan is about to meet her biological father, who left before her birth.

   Everything Else In Between: So my nerves were splattering all around the place when I was reading this. It just created so many emotions for me! One minute I was laughing my head off at something hilarious Adam said, and the next I was completely bawling my eyes out. This book gave me mood swings, I needed to finish it when I wanted to finish it. Okay? Okay.

    

   Why? Well because it was just too good. Now, let me explain right from the start. Janet Gurtler's beginnings are always so fierce and just bring us straight to the point within a few chapters. The big thing/point occurs and we're straight into the race. That's what I LOVE about her books! We never get bored and everything's perfect. 

    Even though this was a contemporary novel, there was so much action! xD Every moment I felt that my heart was racing or I was biting my nails, hoping for the best. There were many plot twists and when I thought I knew that something was going to happen, it turned all around and it went differently.

    The Characters: Holy fudge. I loved these characters. Morgan was a great protagonist who was witty and hilarious and not afraid to wiggle her bum, haha. (You'll get it if you read this.) She used up all of energy all the time and was so bittersweet with a perfect personality. Adam broke my heart, I loved him too much and wanted him to be MINE! He was so supportive and always there for Morgan right from the start, and isn't it the best when male fictional characters are like little puppies? I just love that and it warms my heart. xD But in the end, Amy was the real heart-breaker. I loved her from the start from when we met her in the washroom. She is so chatty and bubbly, and we never find a character like her in a book, she's a keepsake to hide because she's so unique, I've never read about a character like her. 

     In the end, I kind of had a feeling that I knew what was going to happen, and it did. But it doesn't matter if it was a little predictable. The ending broke my heart. All of the memories that the characters went through shot back at me, and I cried a lot because it was so sad to just see things break up. Morgan did a great job leading the novel to the perfect ending, continuing with a legacy to get a bubbly girl in the better place up there to smile. In the end, Morgan made a HUGE character development and she ended up like a whole new person.

      Overall, I was utterly pleased with this book. It was everything that I wanted it to be and ended up spectacular. I certainly can't wait for more from this fantastic shining author.

A Mad Wicked Folly, by Sharon Biggs Waller

A Mad Wicked Folly, by Sharon Biggs Waller

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Historical, Romance

Rating: 5/5 stars










Goodreads Summary: Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.

            

After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?

Review:

  I hate historical fiction, and if you've read my other reviews, you will know that I really dislike the concept. But something about A Mad Wicked Folly was just spectacular and intrigued me in. But seriously, look at that cover. It's madness because it's just so beautiful!

   A Mad Wicked Folly is now one of my newest favourite books. It's just so good, and so hard to let go, because you will feel like you want to be in the world of Victoria Darling forever and ever. It's one of those books that will leave you wanting more, even if its a standalone novel, and it's one of those that you just want to forget about to, because you will be staying up late into the night thinking about what the heck I just got you into.

    So here we have Victoria Darling, daughter of rich parents in London in 1909. She lives a life in boarding school in France, where she has a secret adoration for art that almost nobody knows about. One day, she poses nude in front of male artists and is expelled from school and returns to London, where her parents try to change her reputation by trying to get her to marry Edmund Carrick-Humphrey, who is willing to join Vicky's father's business. Vicky is torn apart by the wealthy man who can help her get into art college and the man that she fell in love with at first sight.

    

  to... Vicky Darling, for her absolute amazingness in being such a fantastic charming brave heroine. We hardly find characters like her, and that's just another reason why Sharon Biggs Waller has created absolute excellence. Vicky charmed me and sucked me into her story from the beginning, with her witty and humorous point of view. She easily can fool people, and was a perfect mischievous liar who definitely gave me a lot of fun when reading this extraordinary novel. Thus, I'm begging you to read her story.

   Will Fletcher... I seriously am in love with you.

  There are only a few male fictional characters that I fell in love with when reading the books that they starred in: Four from Divergent, Augustus from TFIOS, Kishan from the Tiger's Curse series and Christian from the Unearthly trilogy. I am very proud to announce that Will Fletcher has now joined the group. 

  He was exactly the type of person that I wanted Vicky to be with in the beginning. They completed each other, and it's really hard to find that sort of chemistry between characters in books. Sharon Biggs Waller basically aced that part of writing, and mainly everything else as well. Will,

  

   The plot, from beginning to end, was absolutely spectacular. Never have I ever felt this wondrous and dreamy when reading a book, the last time I felt this way was a long time ago. I love reading amazing books like this because they just warm my heart and I will never forget about them. I never got bored reading this book, not even once, and that's truly the power of awesome authors. Their books just suck you in from beginning to end with their beautiful stories and characters.

  Boringness Perfection, check. A Mad Wicked Folly is one of those books that will blow your eye sockets out because it's just that amazing. Make room onto your bookshelf, this book definitely deserves a space in there.