Tuesday 30 September 2014

Ten Book Challenge!

Thank you so much to Anne @ Anne Books for tagging me to do this challenge!



Rules
List 10 books that have stayed with you in some way. Do not take more than a few minutes, and do not think about it too hard. They do not have to be the "right books", or great works of literature, just ones that have affected you in some way. Paste these instructions and tag 10 friends, including me, so I can see your list!

Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone by: J.k. Rowling

This book has stayed with me for about 6 years! I like to think that this is my favourite book, but of course I have many favourites. This was however, the very first time I obsessed over a book. I love magic!

The Fault in Our Stars by: John Green

I have loved this book since the beginning, Hazel and Augustus' love goes beyond, and touched me emotionally. This story was amazing!

Percy Jackson and The Olympians by: Rick Riordan

I have always loved Greek Mythology, so when this book came around, I easily became obsessed with it! I loved that this book had a modern twist to mythology!

Paper Towns by: John Green

Another John Green book, and easily my favourite John Green book! I loved how this story contained mystery, suspense and even romance!

Fangirl by: Rainbow Rowell

I loved this book because it was so relatable! I too am obsessed with books, and I also have a twin sister who is the complete opposite!

Where She Went by: Gayle Foreman

Even the first book in this series, If I Stay didn't affect me as much as this book did. I felt more of a connection to the character,s but either way, both books were brilliant!

Divergent by: Veronica Roth

This was the first dystopian fiction that I read, and I can say that this is my favourite dystopia novel that I have read so far! I loved how wise the characters were!

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by: John Boyne

This book was heartbreaking, but was also amazing. It was powerful, sad but also showed true friendship. Very memorable. 

Pride and Prejudice by: Jane Austen

I have loved this classic novel for years! This was a beautiful story of love and friendship. My favourite classic novel for sure! 

Delirium by: Lauren Oliver

This story of forbidden love captivated me from the beginning! The book had great characters and an interesting plot. 

Again thanks to Anne for nominating me. I will only nominate a few people: 
Eileen @ Book Cat Pin











Saturday 27 September 2014

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by: Jennifer E. Smith

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Romance

If I  could describe this book using one word it would be romantic. This is about a boy and a girl, who are brought together purely by fate. The book follows Hadley Sullivan, a teenage girl who is travelling to London for her father's wedding. It was supposed to be a terrible day, seeing as her dad is remarrying after breaking her mother's heart. Hadley's nerves of the big day, suddenly disappear when she meets a teenage boy travelling on the same flight. His name is Oliver, and the two are smitten with each other as soon as they meet. However, the chaos of the airport in Heathrow, splits them apart, and Hadley wonders if she'll ever see him again. Driven by fate, Hadley discovers that true love really does exist.

This was a good book. It was very charming book, and it really kept the theme of fate throughout the book. The story of a boy who it looking to be loved, and a girl who thinks that true love doesn't exist, really put me in the mindset that their love was meant to be. The characters were witty and adorable, and I was happy with the outcome of the story.

What I didn't like about this story, was that I thought it was a little bit safe. What I mean by this, is that there was no real plot twists in it. It was a basic story of boy and girl meet, get split up, but live happily ever after. It wasn't boring, it was just predictable.

This book was good, but not great. Like I said before, it was cute but overall a little too uninteresting for me. I like it when romance books contain twists, like you think that one thing it going to happen, and something different happens. I like authors who take risks. I did not get that with this book.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you are looking for a romance novel, although I would not say that it was an amazing and unique book. I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. It just didn't do it for me.

Bye for Now!
Paperback Princess


Thursday 25 September 2014

The Truth About Forever by: Sarah Dessen

Genre: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Romance

The Truth About Forever is a heartwarming story about love,loss and the future. The story takes place during the summertime, where a teenage girl named Macy is trying to figure her life out. She is recovering from the sudden loss of her father, a bad breakup, and her future. Macy used to be a star runner, but she gave up everything, even a social life, after her father died. She starts a summer job at a library, where her co-workers torment her. However, her life changes when she meets Delia, a young mother with a catering company. Macy helps Delia and her struggling company, get back on track. She also meets new friends, and learns to be herself. For the first time in her life, she learns to live.

I really enjoyed this book. The book was a great coming of age novel, because of this young girl trying to come to terms with her life. She is not perfect, and she is struggling with who she wants to be. She also has to deal with sudden tragedy, and how to move on. I think that anyone going through loss of any kind, could relate to Macy, and benefit from this book.

I liked this book because even though it was dealing with tragedy, it wasn't too "heavy" of a novel. Anyone could relate to this book in their own way, and the beauty is that this book could help anyone. The book was kept humorous and interesting, and also included some romance, which I always like.

This book was a great summer novel because it was a motivation for teens struggling with the up coming year. Most teens could relate to Macy in the sense that she worries about college, summer jobs, etc. Throughout this book, readers can learn the lesson that even if times are tough, opportunities will come, and it is important to never give up.

Overall, this book was beautiful. I liked the lesson learned , and I loved the relatable characters. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Bye for Now!
Paperback Princess

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Top Ten Tuesday #1 Books on my Fall TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish where bloggers share their top ten choices based on the topic that week! I have never done a meme before, and thought that this one would be cool to do.

Here are my choices:

1. Anna and The French Kiss (Anna and The French Kiss #1) by: Stephanie Perkins
2. Lola and The Boy Next Door (Anna and The French Kiss #2) by: Stephanie Perkins
3. Isla and The Happily Ever After (Anna and The French Kiss #3) by: Stephanie Perkins
4. Ruined (Ruined #1) By: Paula Morris
5. The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus #5) By: Rick Riordan
6. I'll Give You The Sun By: Jane Nelson
7. Anatomy of a Misfit By: Andrea Portes
8. Girl Online By: Zoe Sugg
9. Love and Other Foreign Words by: Erin McCahan
10. Hey! Let's Make a Band By: 5 Seconds of Summer

As the weather gets colder, there is nothing more comforting than curling up with a good book. Some of these books have already been released, and some are going to be released soon! Either way I'm excited to read all of them. The last book is actually not YA fiction, it is an autobiography by my favourite band that is coming soon. I decided to include it anyways, because I am really excited for it :).

What books are on your Fall To Be Read List?

Bye For Now!
Paperback Princess

Saturday 20 September 2014

Thirteen Reasons Why by: Jay Asher

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery

Thirteen Reasons Why was an AMAZING book, however it has a very sad plot. The book is quite serious. The book follows Clay Jensen, and his journey through Hannah Baker's mysterious tapes. After the tapes mysteriously arrive at Clay's doorstep, he thinks someone might be playing a prank on him. Hannah is dead, she couldn't have sent these tapes. He listens to them anyways. Clay is taken on a journey through is town, uncovering the secrets of Hannah's death, and all who played a part in her devastating end.

This book was devastating, but is was incredible. I really love mystery novels, and this book was amazing at keeping that suspense. However, the book does have a very serious topic. I liked this book because it was honest. This book was very different than other YA fiction books I have read. The tragedy has already happened, it's what comes after that matters.

I liked reading a story from the perspective of someone after a person's death. Hannah's story might of been tragic, but I also found it amazing how her tapes affected so many people, especially Clay. This book reinforces the idea that words can hurt a person.

I liked this book because of the suspenseful plot. The book was constantly kept interesting, and it was definitely an addictive novel. That being said, the book is very sad, and is very sensitive. Then again, it was nice to change the topic of books I usually read. Sometimes you can't always read such bright, happy books. A serious book was different, but just as good.

The main thing that I loved about this book was the message. A story following a girl who was tormented her whole life, can be an eye-opener to many people. It can help people to watch what they say, and to simply be nice. I think this book can help there to be less hate in this world.

Overall, I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars, it was that good. Everything from the message, to the plot was captivating. However, I do warn you, you will cry when reading this.


Bye For Now!
Paperback Princess

Wednesday 17 September 2014

Before I Fall by: Lauren Oliver

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Thriller

Before I Fall was a heartbreaking story of being reborn. Samantha Kingston thought her life was perfect. She was part of the popular crowd at school, and had a gorgeous boyfriend. However, that all changes after she is killed in a car accident by her friend's drunk driving. Still, wakes up the next day. The thing is, she wakes up on the day she was killed. Confused and scared, Samantha continues to relive the last day of her life. She tries to prevent her death, but every time she continues to wake up on the same day. Samantha must figure out what she must do to change her path. And what she discovers, will change her life forever.

This book was a very good book, however was not exactly to my taste. The book definitely hits you hard. It is a very emotional book, but with that, it can also be kind of confusing. I loved the concept of the book, as a girl is trying to make things right for the people she loves. The book was well written, however I found myself wanting more. The ending completely threw me off, and I didn't understand it. Cliffhanger endings can be either good or bad, and in this case, the ending left me confused. I'd like to know more information.

I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that the book is VERY sad. I also found that some of the characters, even Samantha, really annoyed me. The way these characters treated people got on my last nerve. Then again, I do have to remind myself that these characters are fictitious.

I wouldn't say that this book was amazing, but it was definitely something worth reading. I feel like a lot of people could relate to some people in the book, and maybe could take something out of it. Also, readers who like cliffhanger endings, would very much enjoy this book. The book was just a little too sad for me.

Overall, I would say that the general plot of the book, was good. It was just the ending, that sort of ruined that for me. However, I would still recommend this book, if you are into emotional books. I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars, for the good plot, but a bit of a confusing ending. Still, I applaud Lauren Oliver for writing such a moving book.


Bye for Now!
Paperback Princess

Saturday 13 September 2014

Skinny by: Donna Cooner

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Coming of Age

Ever Davies thinks she'll never be loved. After the death of her mother at a young age, Ever begins to eat her sadness. She gains over two hundred pounds. Her gorgeous blond stepsisters don't help with her confidence either. That is when Ever begins to hear Skinny, a little voice inside her head, telling her that she'll never be perfect. Skinny is like a heavy blanket over Ever's shoulders, and completely crushes her self-esteem.. Her once gorgeous singing voice, is now lost in a pit of sadness. Ever then makes a life-changing decision: undergo surgery to lose weight. With the support of her only friend Rat, Ever begins to shed pounds. But Skinny is always lurking, and Ever soon realises that fighting Skinny off, will not be easy.

I loved this book because of how truthful it was. This book was not about a girl who gets everything she wants, it was about a girl who had real struggles. I admired Ever because if how brave she was. Her character was strong, and kind-hearted. I had so much respect for her. Ever may have not been a real person, but her story touched me.

I also liked this book because of the message it gives. At any time in our lives, we may have low self-esteem. We may have a voice inside our head, telling us that we're not worth it. This book shows people that they are not alone. A lot of people could benefit from hearing Ever's story, as low self-esteem is a struggle that almost anyone has encountered.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt for a second, that they are not worth it. Just to hear Ever's words of wisdom showed me, and I think can show others, that they can overcome anything. I think that we will all get inner demons from time to time, and although they may be hard to shake off, we must realise that these voices are not real. They are, in fact, are own minds tricking us into thinking that others are talking bad about us.

I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars, for it's words of encouragement, and for Ever's drive to make a positive impact in her life.


Bye for Now!

Paperback Princess

Saturday 6 September 2014

Birthmarked by: Caragh M. O'Brien

Genre: Young Adult Fiction,Adventure,Dystopia

Birthmarked tells the story of sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone, and her quest to find out the secrets of her parents' strange disappearance. In this post-apocalyptic world, the people are separated into two worlds. Those who live inside the walled town, or "The Enclave", are perfect. They work good jobs, wear nice clothes and are taken care of. Those who live outside The Enclave are the outcasts. These people are the ones with "imperfections". They are poor, and have to work very hard to make ends meet. Gaia lives outside The Enclave, because of a scar she has on her cheek. This scar means that Gaia and her family must not enter The Enclave. Gaia works as a midwife, delivering perfect babies to The Enclave, to be brought up by adopted parents. The babies are taken from their "imperfect" parents outside the wall, and brought inside the wall. If they do have "imperfections", they must live with their birth parents. Gaia finishes delivering a baby, but soon finds her parents to be missing. Another midwife tells her that her parents have been arrested by The Enclave, but that her mother left her a note. Gaia takes the note, and is soon entered into a quest to find the truth behind The Enclave's evil ways.

I really enjoyed this book. This book was suspenseful and interesting, with surprising twists. I love books with plot twists, and this was definitely one of them. The book really made me think. The clues that Gaia uncovers throughout the book, made me want to try to figure them out as well.

I liked this book because it was a different take on Dystopia. I have never read a dystopian book quite like this one before. The plot was unlike any other book I have ever read. It was different because it contained quite more mystery than most other dystopian books. This book wasn't only based on romance and adventure, but instead brought forth more clue-solving.  The only complaint I have about this book is that I wish it contained a bit more information. What I mean by this is, some parts were hard to understand, and in a book with a lot of clue-solving, I found that parts of the book were left with no explanation. I had to read parts over again because I didn't understand what was going on. However, it still was very good.

Overall, I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars, for a unique plot, but a few confusing parts.


Bye for Now!
Paperback Princess


Wednesday 3 September 2014

Between Shades of Grey by: Ruta Sepetys

Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction

Between Shades of Grey is a heartbreaking story of  bravery,sacrifice and suffering. The story takes place in Lithuania, 1941. Lina, a 15-year old girl with a passion for art, is preparing for art school. That is, until Soviet police rade her house, and take her family. Lina, her mother and her brother are separated from their father, and shipped on a train to Siberia. Her father, is sent to a prison camp elsewhere. The story follows Lina's fight for her family, her journey to find her father, and using her talent of drawing, to escape the Russian's grasp.

I loved this story. This is much different than books I usually read, (romance and adventure) however it was equally as brilliant. I liked this book because the author took a real-life event, and created a plot around it. Lina's story is both sad and beautiful at the same time, because this story represents true sacrifice. Lina's parents' sacrifices to protect the children, and Lina's sacrifices to find her father. This book was equally sad and extraordinary at the same time.

I will say that this book is very saddening. The theme is quite upsetting, and the book has quite a few sad parts to it. Although the book is not the most joyous, I will say that the ending is both happy and sad. There is defiantly and lighter side at the end.

I liked this book because it is unique. In a world where most YA fiction is dystopia or romance, it's fun to have a change. I have never read another historical fiction book as interesting as this one. I applaud the author for trying something different, in this trend of books.

Overall, this book was amazing for it's uniqueness. This book is not a history novel, it is history told in an amazing story of a heroine who is much more wise beyond her years. I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I have no complaints.

*a note* off the topic of this book, I just wanted to add that I finally saw If I Stay earlier this week, and it was AMAZING! The movie was everything I wanted it to be like. If you haven't already, you should definitely go see it.

Bye for Now!


Paperback Princess

Monday 1 September 2014

Liebster Awards

I was nominated by two bloggers for the liebster award! Thank you to:
  Anne and Charlotte for nominating me!

Rules:
1. List 11 facts about yourself
2. Answer the 11 questions asked by whoever nominated you
3.Nominate 9 bloggers with less than 300 followers, and let them know they have been nominated
4. Ask new questions for your nominees

Facts:

1. I have a twin sister!
2. I hate horror movies, even the commercials freak me out!
3. I am left-handed.
4. Despite the book being so popular, I really didn't like the Mortal Instruments series.
5. I never use bookmarks when reading, even though I have so many.
6. I am obsessed with Disney movies, especially Aladdin.
7. I hate fruit.
8. I am a very fast reader. I can finish a Harry Potter book in a day, if I have no distractions.
9. I am obsessed with watching Youtube videos. My favourite Youtube channel is Our2ndLife.
10. The first book I properly read by myself was the Rainbow Magic fairy books.
11. I am the first person in my family to have a blog.

Charlotte's Questions:

1. If you could rewrite any book which would you pick? Why?
I would rewrite Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, so that my favourite characters would not die.

2. Do you have more read or unread books on your shelves?
I have more read books. Once I buy a book, I have to read it.

3. What's the most unusual book you have read?
The Mortal Instruments. I found it confusing.

4. What do you enjoy most about blogging?
Getting to communicate with people who have the same interests as me.

5. Are you a fast reader or a slow reader?
Definitely a fast reader.

6. Do you prefer e-books or physical books? Why?
I prefer physical books, because I like to go to book stores, or the library.

7. Which of your books has the most beautiful cover?
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. The cover is simple, and the artwork in the inside cover is adorable.

8. If you were a superhero what would your power be? What would you do with it?
I would teleport, so that I could teleport myself out of bad situations, and into a good situation.

9. What is your favourite genre? Why?
I love adventure novels because of the suspense.

10. If you had to pick one food to eat for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
I would pick pepperoni pizza!

11. Which book by your favourite author, is your favourite?
Paper Towns by John Green is my favourite!

Anne's Questions:

1. Did you ever not finish a book? Why?
I haven't finished House of Hades by Rick Riordan because I completely forgot about it! I'm planning on finishing it now.

2. If you must burn one book you own, which would it be and why?
I would burn An Abundance of Katherine's by John Green because I found it quite boring. 

3. What is your favourite series/trilogy of all time and why?
My favourite trilogy is the Divergent trilogy because it was a great trilogy of novels!

4. If you could kill one author and wouldn't go in jail for it, who would you kill and why?

I wouldn't kill anyone! Every author has something great to offer to the world. 


5. In which language do you mostly read?
I read in English. 

6. Have you got a list with books you wanna buy? If so, how many books do you have on it?

I don't have a list, I usually just buy books that I hear people talking about to be brilliant. 

7. Do you take note (while or after reading) or do you just write down your thoughts while writing a review?

I write down my thoughts when writing a review. 

8. Which year (school or college) are you in?

I am in Grade 9. 
9. What was the most horrible book you had to read at school?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It was too confusing! 

10. If you could just bring three books to your new apartment, which three would you bring and why?

I would bring Paper Towns, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Eleanor and Park because these all are my most favourite books. 

11. How many books do you have in total?

I have no idea, too many to count! 

Many people have already been nominated, so I will only nominate a few:

Michelle
Jessica and Amber
Sophia
Fiction Addiction


My Questions: 

1. If you could be any book character, who would you be? 

2. If you could kill off one book character, who would it be? 

3. Do you consider yourself to be open to many genres of books, or just one genre?

4. What book have you read that you could relate to the most? 

5. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

6. If you could interview one author, who would it be?

7. Did you always like reading? 

8. If you could spend a day with one book character, who would it be?

9. Besides reading, what are you other hobbies?

10. Do you enjoy writing stories or just reading?

11. What is your favourite subject in school? 

Don't feel pressured to answer these questions! If you do answer them, I would love to read your answers! 


Paperback Princess