Hopeless

Hopeless
by Colleen Hoover

Summary

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies… 

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried. 

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever. 

My Review

At first, I was a bit hesitant to read this book, because the title made me feel like the story would be all negative and sad, but as I read through it, I found out what it actually meant, and I thought it was really cool. So for anyone thinking that it’s a depressing novel, it’s not (for the most part). 

I think that Hopeless, despite not exactly being original, is a great book. It’s nicely written, and it describes the emotions of the main character so well that I actually felt like I was in her body feeling all those things with her. I love how the characters developed throughout the book, especially Sky. At the beginning of the novel, she wondered why she couldn’t feel any connection with others, but as the story went on and she met Holder, she started realizing how much she was really missing out on. She and Holder really complemented each other in their relationship, too, because through it they were able to help each other grow into better people. Holder kind of started out as this bad boy type, but when he’s with Sky, he’s gentle and caring, and it was really nice to see Sky bring out that side of him. 

The book mainly focuses on Sky’s past, and it opened up my eyes to the horrible things that parents could do to their children. I adore Sky’s bravery, because it takes a lot of courage to get past something that scarring and still turn into a person as strong as she is. I’m really glad that Karen was able to help her, and it made me see that sometimes, the best thing to do may not necessarily be the right thing. 

The plot is pretty intense, with so many tragic things happening. I also felt like the ending didn’t give me a sense of closure. Overall, was a tragic and painful story, but there was still beauty in all of that. It taught me that bad things can happen to anyone, and it is important that we stay strong amidst anything that life throws our way. As they say, you can’t have a rainbow without a little rain.

Quotes I Like

“The sky is always beautiful. Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy, it's still beautiful to look at... it'll be there no matter what... and I know it'll always be beautiful.” 

“Its real, Six. You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. Its the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off.” 

“I'm not a sucker for happily ever afters, but if these two characters don't get theirs I might climb inside this e-reader and lock them both inside that damn garage forever.” 

And while I could sit here and feel sorry for myself, wondering why all of this happened to me... I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to wish for a perfect life. The things that knock you down in life are tests, forcing you to make a choice between giving in and remaining on the ground or wiping the dirt off and standing up even taller than you did before you were knocked down. I'm choosing to stand taller. I'll probably get kicked down a few more times before this life is through with me, but I can guarantee you I'll never stay on the ground.” 

“Sometimes you have to choose between a bunch of wrong choices and no right ones. You just have to choose which wrong choices feels the least wrong.”

Slammed Series

Slammed Series

by Colleen Hoover

Summary

Slammed

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

Point of Retreat

Hardships and heartache brought them together…now it will tear them apart.

Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins.’

This Girl

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from his point of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.

My Review

Slammed

There aren’t a lot of books I’ve read that I can consider good, but I think that Slammed is one of those few. Honestly, I started out without much interest in this book. A friend recommended this book, but the first time I tried it, I stopped at chapter two. It wasn’t that the story was bad, it was more that I felt like it was just going to be another one of those love at first sight things, and for me that’s just completely unrealistic.

I don’t remember how I got around to giving it another shot, but I’m glad I did, because it only got better from that point. The main characters, Layken and Will, were interesting enough, and their struggle to keep their relationship amidst all the drama that threatened to pull it apart. I found Kel and Caulder undeniably adorable. I would have to choose Eddie as my favorite character, because I love her strength in how she doesn’t let the complications in her life dictate her feelings. She had this bubbly and fun personality that just made you want her to be your best friend, too.

Now, the book became more engaging with the introduction of Will’s passion – slam poetry. I thought it was great that the author was able to incorporate something unique despite the story being a bit typical. Without the slamming, I don’t think I would have loved this book as much I do. It was just the perfect way for the characters to express their feelings completely and let go of their fears. I loved that the plot also focuses on family aside from romance, because I’m a huge sucker for touching stories about familial love. It was good to see Layken’s family being brought closer after the death of her father and the discovery of her mother’s big secret. I thought Will’s relationship with his younger brother was sweet as well – how he would give up anything to keep Caulder happy.

The writing was pretty good, eliciting some laughs and a few tears from me, and I liked the song quotes that preceded every chapter. Slammed is definitely number one in my list of must-read new adult novels right now; I give it a full 5 stars!

Point of Retreat

The sequel to Slammed is just as good as the first book, if not a little bit better. The love story continues, but it’s from Will’s point of view this time. Kel, Caulder, Eddie, and Gavin are all back, and we are introduced to the new characters of Kiersten, a weird new neighbor whom Kel’s got a crush on, and her mom, Sherry, who’s equally as weird. But don’t get me wrong; it’s sort of an endearing kind of weirdness. Here we have Will and Layken as a couple, but soon enough, there’s drama yet again, and it prompts them to reevaluate their whole relationship and what it means to them. And then just when things seemed all right again, I was caught way off guard by a second incident, and it just felt like I was riding an emotional rollercoaster the whole time. Of course, it didn’t fall short of poems from the characters, which were as amazing and touching as ever. This book certainly didn’t disappoint!

This Girl

The third installment to the series is more or less just a narration of the events in Slammed from Will’s perspective, with just a few extra scenes. It was an okay book; I didn’t really feel much for it. Maybe it’s because there was not much that was new. I don’t know. Either way, I found Will’s thoughts amusing, and it was nice to read both sides of the first book’s story. There were some funny and cute moments, like Layken’s reactions to information that Will was just then revealing, and also this poem at the very end that I thought was really sweet. I think that Colleen Hoover ended the book nicely, and for me, this series is not one that can easily be forgotten.

Quotes I Like

“The points are not the point. The point is the poetry.”

“So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake.”

“I got schooled this year by a boy. A boy that I'm seriously, deeply, madly, incredibly, and undeniably in love with. And he taught me the most important thing of all... To put the emphasis on life.”

“Push your boundaries, that's what they're there for.”

“Choose your battles, but don't choose very many.”

“Sometimes two people need to fall apart to realize how much they need to fall back together."

“Sometimes things happen in life that you didn’t plan for. All you can do is suck it up and start mapping out a new plan.”

“I’ll never be able to give you everything you deserve, but I’ll definitely spend the rest of my life trying.”

“Love is the most beautiful thing in the world. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the hardest things in the world to hold on to, and one of the easiest things to throw away.”

“I just wanna make sure that you don't miss out on the things in life that are happening when you're not thinking. Because believe me, those are the best things in life.”

The Archived

 

The Archived

by Victoria Schwab

Summary

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

My Review

Right from the moment I started reading the summary, I was intrigued by the idea that this book presented: a world where the dead were stored like books, their memories to be read like words. I loved its originality, and the fact that the author could have thought up such a concept is really cool.

The beginning of the book was a bit slow, but it got more interesting as the story progressed. It was the kind of novel that kept me asking questions and always had me on the edge of my seat, and I like that. It never grew short of plot twists. I liked how Mackenzie was portrayed as a strong heroine but also showed a softer, more emotional side when it came to her brother. I appreciated the flashbacks that gave us glimpses of her relationship with Da, as well, and it was sweet how much she looked up to him and he believed in her. Wes was also a great character for me, because he had a more easygoing attitude that helped Mac find some peace amidst her grief. Lyndsey was also good, and even though she only played a small role, I think that her being Mac's best friend gave Mac some sense of the normalcy that she sometimes dreamt of. And now, Roland. I think I can safely say that he was my favorite character. I loved how he was so protective of Mac and acted as her father figure despite their having no blood relation at all, and I loved how he always wore red Converse (!). Finally, I liked how it ended with the Bishops somewhat being able to accept their loss of Ben and start moving on with their lives.

Overall, I found it a brilliantly imagined book with a wonderful set of characters. It's a pretty great read, and I fully recommend giving it a shot. :)

Quotes I Like

"Lying is easy. But it's lonely."

"What do you mean?"

"When you lie to everyone about everything, what's left? What's true?"

"Nothing," I say.

"Exactly."

"Because the only way to truly record a person is not in words, not in still frames, but in bone and skin and memory."

"Things only hurt more when you can see them."

The Hunger Games Trilogy

The Hunger Games Trilogy

by Suzanne Collins

Summary

Hunger Games

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender.

If she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Catching Fire

Katniss is the spark to a revolution, and the Capitol wants revenge. She won the Hunger Games and returns alive with District 12 Tribute partner Peeta. But he and longtime friend Gale both reject her. On their Victory Tour of all the districts, locals riot but the winning duo must appear lost in their love.

Mockingjay

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Kat, her family, friends, and entire District 12.

My Review

I have this unwritten rule of always reading a book before watching the movie. I read The Hunger Games one week before the movie was shown in the cinemas. I was thinking that I'd be able to finish the book just in time to see the film, but I was wrong. I was so engrossed in everything that I couldn't put the book down! Before I knew it, I had finished the book, and in just one sitting!

I really don't know whether I love Catching Fire or hate it. I guess it's a little of both. This book is intense, fast-paced, and addictive, with everything heightened - the fear, the pain, the feelings. It certainly had one of the best/worst cliffhangers for me (depending on how you think about it). When it was at the peak of the story, it just stopped. Suddenly, you become someone who’s hanging on, who keeps wanting more. And for me, that's the worst feeling you can get when reading a good book.

By the time I read Mockingjay, I had come to really love Katniss. Because of all the series of tragedies that she went through, she has become a stronger person. She also became a different person in this last book, becoming more open when it came to her feelings. In the first two books, I kind of felt like she never really talked about how she felt. Apart from that, though, I didn't really like the other parts, especially the deaths of Finnick and Prim. It is realistic that a lot of people had to die because indeed, there was a war. They are rebels. The loss of many lives was inevitable. But is there really a need to kill the two of them? Especially Prim.

I wasn't really disappointed with the ending of this trilogy; rather, I was shell-shocked. I felt empty - like, emotionally drained. After being with Katniss throughout her whole journey, it just made me realize how bittersweet life can really be. We could be experiencing happiness now, but in the next moment, our world could come crashing down on us. Here come all the heartbreaks, the pain, the fear, and the hardest of all - the sense of loss. But despite all those difficulties that we encounter, we become stronger. We learn to pick ourselves up from where we left off, and start all over again because life goes on, no matter what happens.

Quotes I Like

“I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now and live in it forever.”

“At some point, you have to stop running and turn around and face whoever wants you dead. The hard thing is finding the courage to do it.”

“What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.”

“It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart.”

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

by Jennifer Smith

Summary

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row. A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

My Review

When I first heard of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, I was quite curious about it, but not enough to want to try reading it. I mean, it's the first time I've seen such a unique title, and the cover is cute, too! But from the title, I thought that it'd be just another cliche story - love at first sight. But as time went by, my friends finished reading it, and all of them were like, "It's so cute! You should read this!" I kept on telling everyone I will, but it never happened, until this summer.

Being free from all the school work, I finally had the time to read books again! Yay! :) And since everyone's been recommending this book to me, I thought, why not try it? After all, I've got nothing to lose. Once I've tried reading it? I couldn't put the book down! The book was totally not I expected it to be.

Even though it's something easy to read, something relaxing, the story is just simply like a roller coaster - full of ups and downs. It made me happy; it made me sad. Despite its title, it's not something where two people just fall in love instantly - it's where their love slowly, sweetly blooms. Not only is the story about love, it's also about family, which I really liked. I also liked the way that there are still some things that fit perfectly, even though all the other things seem totally wrong.

This one is simple, easy to read, that will absolutely make you smile. :) My friends were right, this story is cute! I totally don't regret trying this one out. :)

Quotes I Like

"It's not the changes that will break your heart; it's that tug of familiarity."

“Is it better to have had a good thing and lost it, or never to have had it?”

“Look what a hard time I've given him. But no matter how many times I've pushed him away, he always comes back around again. And I wouldn't want it any other way.”