Proud Professional Reader
Monday 29 April 2013
1. Romance
This one is kind of obvious. If the summary of a book alludes to anything of the romantic variety, you can sure as heck know that we would be on the lookout for it!
This is similar to the first word. British boys, cute boys, bad boys, good boys... If a book has a good lead male, we will be lining up to pick it up and SWOON.
Sun, beaches, freedom, romance... Summertime is the best time of the year. Most summer books that we've picked up in the past have blown us away, so you can definitely expect this topic to arouse our interest!
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour, Saving June, and Two-way Street are just a few (rare) examples of how incredible a road trip novel can be. To be honest though, nothing will ever top Amy & Roger's Epic Detour for us. But if something does, then it will sure be fantastic.
This one is self-explanatory. Adorable novel = Paula and Sarina likey.
6. ADJFKSDJKAFJDLKJAKFD
So you know when you have nothing to say so you freak out and a whole bunch of jabble comes out? Well when our fellow book reviewers do so, we know we're in for a treat.
7. Irresistible
How could we ever resist an irresistible novel/romance?
8. Heartwrenching
Books that make you feel are the best. If a novel is labelled heartwrenching then you know that it will be put on your favourites list.
9. (Going to be) Made into A Motion Picture
This could be controversial, but most book-turned-movies only happen if the book is good. Not all of them, but a heck of a lot of them. These books would go on to-read list if not only because they're good, but we'd like to compare the novel to the film.
10. Best selling series/author
There must be a reason why a series or author would become best selling in the first place. If it's on a best selling list, then we would for sure want to check it out!
That's a wrap! What makes you instantly fall for a book?
Saturday 27 April 2013
Title: Two-Way Street
Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Date Published: June 26, 2007
Grade: B
It's too late to change plans, so the road trip is on. Courtney's heartbroken, but figures she can tough it out for a few days. La la la -- this is Courtney pretending not to care. But in a strange twist, Jordan cares. A lot. Turns out, he's got a secret or two that he's not telling Courtney. And it has everything to do with why they broke up, why they can't get back together, and how, in spite of it all, this couple is destined for each other.
Review: I was very doubtful whether I would like this book or not. After reading some pretty tough reviews about it, it sounded dreadfully cheesy and frustrating. Surprisingly, I did enjoy it much more than I had initially thought. It wasn't a life changing, amazing novel, but it acted kind of like a guilty pleasure read. A light, super fast, and engaging read about first love and heartbreak.
*SIDENOTE* The cover... Doesn't exactly have much to do with the story (other than a boy and a girl on a road trip). 1) Jordan isn't a blonde, he is supposed to have dark brown hair. 2) It's not supposed to be a small, roofless car- it's Jordan's truck! and 3) I don't think they ever get stuck on the road are are forced to open the hood of the car.
Okay well, firstly, I really liked how the book was from both Courtney and Jordan's points of views. It made the plot fast moving and extremely engaging. I loved seeing both sides of the story. For instance, one of my favorite parts of the book was when Courtney didn't want Jordan to think she was interested in his conversation, so she tried to look busy by rummaging through her bag, even though she was very interested. Then, when we get to Jordan's perspective, he tells us how disappointed and sad he feels because he thinks Courtney didn't care about his conversation. I found that funny.
Jordan... The more I read, the more I liked him. At first, he seemed like an obnoxious, stereotypical "thinks he's so cool" player. But I really fell for him by the end. You could tell he really loves Courtney; the way he held her hair back when she was sick, how he left eighteen messages on her phone, how badly he wanted to be with her. Oh gosh, it was so cute. Courtney was kind of the opposite for me. I liked her at the very beginning, I found her funny and somewhat relatable (I too, would have made an itinerary). But as I read on, she annoyed me more and more. Especially at the end when she was mad at Jordan. I couldn't understand why she was so upset. Courtney seemed so self centered, she rarely thought about things from the perspective of Jordan. And she often over-reacted to everything. However, I think they worked well together as a couple, and I really enjoyed reading about their chemistry.
Although a lot did happen throughout the novel, there didn't seem to be a real climax. Just a bunch of events that happened one after another. Readers had known about the big "twist" since near the beginning of the book. Furthermore, the "twist" was kind of anti-climatic.
Overall though, I found this book very light. It didn't really fulfill me very much. There was no sudden greater life realization that occurred to me while I read it. It's not a book that will stick with me for a very long time. Two Way Street was simply a fun and cute little read.
PAULA :)
Thursday 25 April 2013
Title: The List
Author: Siobhan Vivian
Date Published: April 1, 2012
Grade: B+
It happens every year. A list is posted, and one girl from each grade is chosen as the prettiest, and another is chosen as the ugliest. Nobody knows who makes the list. It almost doesn't matter. The damage is done the minute it goes up.
This is the story of eight girls, freshman to senior, "pretty" and "ugly." And it's also the story of how we see ourselves, and how other people see us, and the tangled connection of the two.
Review: This book. Ugh. From the start to the finish, I found myself constantly rolling my eyes, sighing in frustration, and shaking my head, annoyed. Yet, somehow, for some crazy unknown reason... I just couldn't put it down. I mean, sure, it was super cheesy and frustrating half the time, but how do you rate a book so negatively when it was near impossible to release from your grip? Obviously, this book had great aspects to it. It tackled many major and realistic teen issues that teenage girls face in high school today; rejection, anorexia, cliques.
Let's start with the characters. Vivian tackled a pretty big feat by having the points of views be from eight different characters. This had both its advantages and disadvantages. It kept the plot interesting and complex, and at the same time, it was impossible for the characters to each be completely developed, therefore making it hard to really invest into a character. Some of the characters' stories were more interesting than others. For instance, Danielle's storyline was my favourite to read because she was a swimmer, and it was easy to relate to (also someone should go punch Andrew), rather than Lauren's storyline, which was pretty boring for me to read. Furthermore, although the characters were very annoying at times, (I guarantee you will want to throw every single one of them off a cliff as some point) they were still- unfortunately- pretty relatable.
This being said, I was extremely annoyed with the ending. I was left with a very unresolved ending, which made me frustrated in ways I cannot even begin to describe. Out of the eight characters, only a couple of them had their ending's resolved. The ones that weren't mentioned again kind of just faded away as if they weren't important (like Danielle! :( ). Also, it wasn't exactly a happy ending, not to give away any spoilers or anything, I just didn't feel entirely happy after finishing the book.
The writing itself was decent. It felt really simple, and I guess that can be a good thing if you're looking for a light read. Overall, The List really was an interesting read. It did a pretty good job of showing the different perspectives of teenage girls facing different challenges throughout high school. It showed how much pressure is put on girls to look "beautiful" in society, and it did a painfully good job of showing how most girls depend on the opinions of others to feel good, or bad, about themselves. Although it did focus on a bunch of serious issues like anorexia, it was still a really easy, light contemporary.
Thanks for reading!
PAULA :)
Tuesday 23 April 2013
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly feature, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that features upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Harper Teen, 320 Pages
Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.
So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.
She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.
~Summary taken from Goodreads
Look at that cover. 'Nuff said.
Okay, but seriously, I am really looking forward to this book. As you guys all probably know already, Sarina and I are major suckers for some straight up, good ol' fashion romance. It probably helps that the average rating on goodreads is a whopping 4.4 and that the reviews are all really positive! Apparently Xander Spence is also super adorable and cute and swoonable (is that a word..?) (sounds like a very likely addition to our top ten book boyfriends!), which would also help quite a bit, wouldn't it?
And not to mention that I cannot wait to have that ADORABLE cover on my bookshelf.
PAULA :)
Monday 22 April 2013
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish. Because your admins here at From Covers to Covers love the idea of making funny and interesting lists, we are really excited to participate in these weekly challenges!
BOOKS WE LIKED LESS... :S
1. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Leviathan
A boy and a girl meet through a bookstore, they fall in love by communicating through the pages of a book, from both a girl's point of view and a guy's point of view. How can you not be head over heels in love with that little summary? We sure were. It had SOOOO much potential to be an amazing book. Everything from the cover, to the plot, to the names Dash and Lily sounded perfect... I guess we just created expectations that were way too unreachable, because sadly, it was a let down. There wasn't enough context, the characters were annoying, and the writing felt dull.
2. The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
We bought this book together and were both pretty excited to read it, but when we got half way through, we both couldn't even finish the book. I hated that it was in third person POV because I felt so emotionless while I was reading, it didn't engage me in any way and I found Cam, the main character, so annoying and exhausting to read.
3. The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen
With a summary that defines this books as "Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss", I had some seriously high expectations for this one. After reading it, I guess I understand the Pretty in Pink side of things, but Anna and the French Kiss? No no no no no... This books is incomparable to Anna.
With a summary that defines this books as "Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss", I had some seriously high expectations for this one. After reading it, I guess I understand the Pretty in Pink side of things, but Anna and the French Kiss? No no no no no... This books is incomparable to Anna.
4. The Evermore series by Alyson Noël
I started this series when I was in the paranormal mood. It was pretty good. Then it got really good. After that, it got worse and worse. It honestly got to a point where I was skimming the book because everything was so boring and repetitive. At least the series is now over, so I am put out of my misery.
I started this series when I was in the paranormal mood. It was pretty good. Then it got really good. After that, it got worse and worse. It honestly got to a point where I was skimming the book because everything was so boring and repetitive. At least the series is now over, so I am put out of my misery.
5. 13 Little Blue Envelopes/ The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson
We heard rave reviews about these books. Maybe it was the third person narration or maybe it was just the story, but this book did not live up to the hype for us. It lacked romance and appeal. Everything was just a bit too bland for our liking.
6. The Delirium series by Lauren Oliver
This one is a bit of a cheat. We've read the first book. It was pretty good. Then the next one came out, and we heard an uproar about it because many people did not like the direction it was heading. From what we've heard about it, we also don't like where it was heading. Maybe one day we'll give this series a go again, but that day won't be for a long while.
BOOKS WE LIKED MORE... :D
1. The Wolves of Mercy Fall Series by Maggie Stiefvater
Werewolves. Sounds supernatural/paranormal. Well this book exceeds this stereotype. It was about love and family and love and friendship and love. We doubt that we'll ever find another book with a romance as innocent yet mature and cute yet passionate as this one ever again. This series is a gem.
2. Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
Alright so I (Paula) just finished this book like, a couple days ago, and you can check out my full review in our reviews section. Overall, I thought this book was really well written! It surprised me how much I liked it considering there wasn't much girl-boy romance. The writing was gorgeous and Whaley painted such a vivid, and beautiful storyline and a really cool set of characters, which resulted in an amazing story.
3. The Ivy Series by Lauren Kunze with Rina Onur
When I first read the summary of this book, I thought that it'd be a nice and entertaining read. Four books later, I can safely call it my guilty pleasure. While I wouldn't ever want to watch a show like this series (because it would honestly be very cringe worthy), I could not help but get sucked into these books. Oh and the cliffhangers! The best/worst cliffhangers I've ever read. Honestly.
4. Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
I didn't hear much about this book before I picked it up which is most probably why I liked it more than I thought I would. The best way to describe Dairy Queen is that it's refreshing. It deals with friendship struggles, family issues, and a budding romance. If you're looking for a summer read, look no further! Dairy Queen is sure to brighten your day.
That's a wrap! What books may have impressed or unimpressed you?
Alright so I (Paula) just finished this book like, a couple days ago, and you can check out my full review in our reviews section. Overall, I thought this book was really well written! It surprised me how much I liked it considering there wasn't much girl-boy romance. The writing was gorgeous and Whaley painted such a vivid, and beautiful storyline and a really cool set of characters, which resulted in an amazing story.
3. The Ivy Series by Lauren Kunze with Rina Onur
When I first read the summary of this book, I thought that it'd be a nice and entertaining read. Four books later, I can safely call it my guilty pleasure. While I wouldn't ever want to watch a show like this series (because it would honestly be very cringe worthy), I could not help but get sucked into these books. Oh and the cliffhangers! The best/worst cliffhangers I've ever read. Honestly.
4. Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
I didn't hear much about this book before I picked it up which is most probably why I liked it more than I thought I would. The best way to describe Dairy Queen is that it's refreshing. It deals with friendship struggles, family issues, and a budding romance. If you're looking for a summer read, look no further! Dairy Queen is sure to brighten your day.
That's a wrap! What books may have impressed or unimpressed you?
Saturday 20 April 2013
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Author: John Corey Whaley
Date Published: July 24, 2012
Grade: A
Goodreads Summary: In the remarkable, bizarre, and heart-wrenching summer before Cullen Witter’s senior year of high school, he is forced to examine everything he thinks he understands about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town. His cousin overdoses; his town becomes absurdly obsessed with the alleged reappearance of an extinct woodpecker; and most troubling of all, his sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother, Gabriel, suddenly and inexplicably disappears.
Meanwhile, the crisis of faith spawned by a young missionary’s disillusion in Africa prompts a frantic search for meaning that has far-reaching consequences. As distant as the two stories initially seem, they are woven together through masterful plotting and merge in a surprising and harrowing climax. This extraordinary tale from a rare literary voice finds wonder in the ordinary and illuminates the hope of second chances
Review: You known that feeling you get when you aren't really sure you want to read a book? I was in my school library, with this paperback novel in my hands, and I was trying to decide whether it was worth my weekend's read. And I am extremely happy that I was smart enough to give it a try. To be honest, I wasn't expecting too much from Where Things Come Back because of it's surprisingly low rating on goodreads, and because Sarina described it as a book she "wasn't sure I would like", so as you can see, I had my doubts.
This book completely exceeded my expectations. It's memorable, a classic- perpetual. Although it was a bit confusing at the beginning and pretty hard to get into, by the end of the book, I felt so satisfied and happy. I love when a book has a really interesting story. Quality writing and quality storytelling make a really, solid book. Everything was so easy to imagine: The little, sleepy town of Lily, Arkensas, Cullen Witter and his pocket notebook full of book titles, his best friend and forever-loyal (and super funny) sidekick Lucas Cader, the gorgeous girl of the town Ada and her popular, zombie like boyfriend Russell whom Cullen detests.
To give the book an additional touch of complexity, Whaley introduces another story that occurs while Cullen lives his life in Lily. A completely different story with a completely different set of characters. A huge reason why I enjoyed the book so much was because how cleverly Whaley connected the two plots; Through a series of events, the two casts of characters meet (but that's all I'm going to say about that, because I don't want to give away any spoilers). Anyways, everything was just so well described and engaging. There was a perfect balance between seriousness and hilarity. When it needed to be serious, Whaley used symbols to represent deeper meanings while he tackled solemn issues like death, and when it needed to be funny, oh, it was extremely funny. The characters were straight up hilarious and I found myself falling in love with Cullen and Lucas and their random, spontaneous stories. Cullen's narration of the events were also a big reason why I enjoyed this book so much. It was impossible not to be drawn in by the stories.
When I had about twenty five pages left, I began panicking. How was the story going to end in twenty five pages!? There was so much that had yet to be resolved and there were so many things needed to be explained. For a painful moment I thought I was going to be left hanging with an open ending. Thank goodness Whaley doesn't want to give his readers a heart attack... The ending was the best part of the book. It was the perfect cherry on top of the deliciously satisfying chocolate syrup on top of the creamy, wonderfully churned vanilla ice cream. Like the sundae, this wonderfully complicated and beautifully written book Where Things Come Back, has many layers that will suck you in deeper and deeper as you experience more of it.
Oh, also. I highly recommend this book to John Green lovers, as both author's have a similar writing style.
Happy reading!
PAULA :)
Wednesday 17 April 2013
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly feature, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that features upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
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Release Date: May 28, 2013
Katherine Teggen Books, 400 Pages
Things you earnestly believe will happen while your parents are away:
1. You will remember to water the azaleas.
2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.
3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.
4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.
5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.
Things that actually happen:
1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.
2. He says he has her stuff.
3. What stuff? Her stuff.
4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—
5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—
6. You pick up a pen.
7. You scribble down the address.
8. You get on your bike and go.
9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*
*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.
Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.
1. You will remember to water the azaleas.
2. You will take detailed, accurate messages.
3. You will call your older brother, Denny, if even the slightest thing goes wrong.
4. You and your best friend/bandmate Lukas will win Battle of the Bands.
5. Amid the thrill of victory, Lukas will finally realize you are the girl of his dreams.
Things that actually happen:
1. A stranger calls who says he knew your sister.
2. He says he has her stuff.
3. What stuff? Her stuff.
4. You tell him your parents won’t be able to—
5. Sukey died five years ago; can’t he—
6. You pick up a pen.
7. You scribble down the address.
8. You get on your bike and go.
9. Things . . . get a little crazy after that.*
*also, you fall in love, but not with Lukas.
Both exhilarating and wrenching, Hilary T. Smith’s debut novel captures the messy glory of being alive, as seventeen-year-old Kiri Byrd discovers love, loss, chaos, and murder woven into a summer of music, madness, piercing heartbreak, and intoxicating joy.
- Summary taken from Goodreads
It's impossible not to be intrigued by this summary. This book sounds like it has all the ingredients to be unforgettable, and so far I've heard some good stuff about it. It also doesn't hurt that it's a debut novel, and most debuts that I've read have been absolutely amazing! Can't wait to pick this one up!
What books are you anticipating?
~SARINA
Tuesday 16 April 2013
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish. Because your admins here at From Covers to Covers love the idea of making funny and interesting lists, we are really excited to participate in these weekly challenges!
First of all, we'd just like to say sorry for not posting this earlier! It's been a busy week, but I guess it's better late than never, right? Besides fictional male characters, this topic is one of our favourites to discuss. Basically, this post could consist of every word from The Fault in Our Stars, with possibly a few quotes from The Perks of Being a Wallflower included. Instead, we tried to vary it up a bit, but it's hard to avoid those books altogether. Without further ado, here are some of our favourite quotes!
Paula
Okay, well firstly... Let me just start off by saying IF I COULD LIST EVERY SINGLE JOHN GREEN QUOTE THERE IS, I WOULD. BECAUSE HIS QUOTES ARE MAGICAL. AND SO PERFECT. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. But I can't do that... So I will do my best to vary it up. Yeah. Here are a few of my favourites.
1.
"You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world... but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices."
2.
1.
"You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world... but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices."
2.
"I'm not saying that everything is survivable. Just that everything except the last thing is."
3.
"Sometimes people are beautiful.
Not in looks.
Not in what they say.
Just in what they are."
4.
"Her hands were freezing, just like they always were, so I warmed them, just like I always did."
5.
5.
"In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."
"It's not because I want to make out with her."
"Hold on." He grabbed a pencil and scrawled excitedly at the paper as if he'd just made a mathematical breakthrough and then looked back up at me. "I just did some calculations, and I've been able to determine that you're full of shit." -John Green, Looking for Alaska
"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep; Slowly, and then all at once" -John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
"Books are the ultimate Dumpees; Put them down and they'll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back." - John Green, An Abundance of Katherines
I tried to vary it. I tried.
Sarina
6.
""Tomorrow will be better."
"But what if it's not?" I asked.
Walcott smiled and let go of the CD. "Then you say it again tomorrow. Because it might be. You never know, right? At some point, tomorrow will be better.""
7.
"Your mind has a way of not letting you forget things you wish you could. Especially with people. Like, you'll always try your best to forget things that people say to you or about you, but you always remember. And you'll try to forget things you've seen that no one should see, but you just can't do it. And when you try to forget someone's face, you can't get it out of your head."
8.
"Years ago, I was crashed in Gram's garden and Big asked me what I was doing. I told him I was looking up at the sky. He said, "That's a misconception, Lennie, the sky is everywhere, it begins at your feet.""
9.
"Sometimes you make choices in life and sometimes choices make you."
10.
"We accept the love we think we deserve."
That's a wrap! What are some of your favourite quotes?
Thursday 11 April 2013
Author: John Green
Release Date: January 10, 2012
Grade: A+
Goodreads Summary: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.
Review: This review is going to be different than a typical review. Inspired by Farrah from I Eat Words, my review is going to consist of mainly gifs because I cannot find any words that will do this any justice. Without further ado, enjoy.
To end off, some words from the great John Green himself:
This book definitely does so.
~SARINA
Tuesday 9 April 2013
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly feature, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that features upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
Release Date: May 21, 2013
Simon Pulse, 352 pages
When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.
Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most imporant thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She's seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath - with candles and a contract and everything - to never have anything to do with one.
Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she's spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle - which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude's fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?
Jude tells herself it's strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away - no way would she fall for them. But Jude's defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she's speeding toward some serious heartbreak... unless her sisters were wrong?
Jude may have taken an oath, but she's beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.
- Summary taken from Goodreads
Sarah Ockler knows how to write a good romance, so it's exciting to see that this one is coming out soon. It's especially exciting because so many fellow bloggers have already read and absolutely loved this book. Knowing that they may not have liked her other books as much as I have, I have high hopes for this one! It seems adorable!
What books are you waiting on?
~SARINA
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish. Because your admins here at From Covers to Covers love the idea of making funny and interesting lists, we were really excited to participate in these weekly challenges!
Alrighty. So here's our Top Ten Favourite Books I Read Before I was a Blogger list for this week! Obviously, since we haven't exactly been blogging for that long of a time... These are pretty much our top ten favourite books. Ever. The titles listed below branch off into Paula's top 4, Sarina's top 4, and 2 that we both agreed on. We hope you enjoy!
Alrighty. So here's our Top Ten Favourite Books I Read Before I was a Blogger list for this week! Obviously, since we haven't exactly been blogging for that long of a time... These are pretty much our top ten favourite books. Ever. The titles listed below branch off into Paula's top 4, Sarina's top 4, and 2 that we both agreed on. We hope you enjoy!
PAULA & SARINA
1. The Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling
What can we say? This series pretty much summed up our childhood. We remember staying under the covers late at night, completely trapped in the magic world of Harry Potter and his friends. We remember eagerly awaiting for the next books to be published. We remember dressing up as Hermione seven Halloweens in a row. And most of all, we remember believing that my letter from Hogwarts would come. Years later, the Harry Potter series has, and will continue to stick with us for the rest of our lives, and we will always be proud to call ourselves fans of Harry Potter. It's pretty sad actually, our kids won't grow up with Harry... Actually scratch that, we're making them read the series.
2. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
With drawings, playlists, pictures, and an unforgettable story, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is one of the most unique novels we have ever read. It's impossible to write this description without a smile on our faces because that's exactly what this road trip did to us. It put a smile on our faces, one that returns every time this book comes to mind. Without a doubt, this book inspired us to pack up our bags, get in a car, and travel across the country. It would also be nice if we had a guy like Roger accompany us.
PAULA
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This book completely shattered me. By breaking my heart, and then mending it, and then breaking it, The Book Thief taught me so much about life and love. It made me think and it made me feel. It made me appreciate reading that much more and it taught me how brilliant writing can be. The writing in this book is so exceptional that everything you read feels so real. This book taught me how much love I can devote to characters. This book is gold.
4. I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
Another brilliant novel by Markus Zusak (I am a pretty big fan of him... He needs to write more!), I am the Messenger might be one of the most entertaining books I have ever read- and it didn't even have any lovey dovey cute adorable romantic scenes in it to persuade me so! It was just so funny and well written and clever- I couldn't put it down. The story was so engaging and there were twists and turns and as I was journeying through it's pages, I fell head over heels in love with the cheeky Ed and his amazing supporting characters. Superb. Absolutely superb. Well done.
5. 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Oh boy. This was a very emotional read for me, as I am sure most Jodi Picoult books are for most people. It has been one of my favorites for ages. Jodi Picoult is just such an amazing and captivating storyteller, while questioning these huge ideas about morals and life. By using so many different perspectives, she is cleverly able to toy with our emotions, showing all sides of the story. And of course, her books all have those huge plot twists that draws you in so tightly. I just loved the story of Nineteen Minutes in particular. Everything about it was so well done. Yay for sad memorable books that leave you lying on the cold hard ground (citation- taylor swift)!
6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Oh Gus. My Augustus Waters. I love you. Okay. That is all. <3
(PS. This is also one of Sarina's favourites but teeeechnically she read it after the blog took off.)
SARINA
7. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
My oh my. This book really was exceptional. There's something about Aussie storytellers, but every one of their books seem to blow me away. Graffiti Moon is told during a span of 24 hours, so it's the kind of book that you start and can't stop reading until you turn the last page. If you haven't read this one already, what are you waiting for?
8. Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
This was my first Jennifer Echols novel, and it made a huge impact on me. After reading this one, everything that Echols wrote was on my auto-buy list. Though I can't say that I've read another one of her books that ranked this high for me, I can say that this woman knows how to write. I think I swooned over 10 times in this one book.
9. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
I recently posted a review of this book, so I'll keep this short. Jase and Sam's romance was one of the most realistic and honest ones I've ever read. Read this book as soon as you can get your hands on it.
10. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Back to the Aussie writers. Jellicoe Road started off slow, but as the story progressed, so did my interest in it. Everything comes to this beautiful yet heartwrenching climax, and I have yet to see another novel that ties up all storylines in the way this one does. This book is a masterpiece.
And that's a wrap. What are some of your favourite books?
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