The Last True Love Story by Brendan Kiely

Hendrix's grandfather is slowly disappearing into an Alzheimer haze and is living in a nursing home. All his grandfather wants is to go back to New York to see it one more time. That's when Hendrix gets an idea to drive his grandfather away from California back to New York fulfilling his grandfather's dying wish. The only problem was that he didn't know how to drive and he didn't exactly have his own car. That's when Corrina comes in. Corrina is one of Hendrix's friends and she is going through a rough time. All she wants is to get away so Hedrix proposes that she drives him and his grandfather to New York. They take Hendrix's mom's car, pick up his grandfather and then start driving to New York. It's a long drive but Hendrix is determined to make it there.

This book is filled with moments of happiness, some of sadness, and many filled with adventure and laughs. I love the 'relationship' between Corrina and Hendrix have during the story and I also really enjoyed how different parts of the story unfolded. I am shocked by a number of reviewers who didn't like this book. Some say it's "too John Green" or "too similar to every other YA book". In my opinion: so what if it shares similar plot lines to other books? It was still a great book and to be honest I didn't notice similarities to many other books.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes mild adventures. This isn't an action book, no one's being chased or shot at, but it's still a fun adventure to read. This book is exciting, funny, and heartwarming. It even has a little romance, but not too much to get sappy. I truly think this is a great book, and a wonderful read.

Books like this:
The Odds of Lightning by Jocelyn Davies
My Unscripted Life by Lauren Morrill

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Teach Me To Forget by Erica M. Chapman

Ellerly is passed being depressed, she's ready for it all to be over. The date is planned down to the minute. In her closet sits the gun accompanied by the one bullet she will need. She has savings set aside for her mother to help with afterward, including hiring a cleaning crew to come the next morning. What she didn't plan for was the gun not working. 

This isn't just some suicide story. Yes, Ellerly wants to die, and even tries it more then once. But when she's returning the broken gun, a guy from school recognizes her and her distress, tries to stop her from getting a new gun. She doesn't know him but he refuses to leave him alone I thought that this books was well written and the parts of the story I do find relatable (and I promise, it's not the suicidal parts

I honestly don't know who to recommend this book to. It's a hard book to recommend. It covers a tough topic. If you are interested in books that cover sad, tough topics like suicide and depression then you might be interested in this book. 

Books this one reminded me of:
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
To Catch A Killer Sheryl Scarborough

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Wake by Amanda Hocking

Gemma is about to into her junior year of high school and is working towards her goal of becoming an Olympic swimmer. Gemma's life is going great! She's dating an amazing guy, the boy-next-door, named Alex. Her swimming time keeps getting better and she's all around happy. In Gemma's town, summer has started and tourist season has begun. There are three mysterious but gorgeous girls are in town visiting and they give Gemma the creeps. These girls, Penn, Lexi, and Thea make Gemma nervous especially when they approach her. When the missing teenage boys are found in the woods completely ripped apart, Gemma starts to worry. It seems that Penn, Lexi andThea may look normal but Gemma quickly finds out that they're far from it.

This book was good. It moved painfully slow at times but that's the way first books in a series tend to go. Gemma and Harper are so close and their dynamic, in my opinion, is what makes this book especially good. In a few of the Goodreads reviews it is mentioned that they're not a fan of Gemma, the main character. They say she isn't too bright and is mostly bland. I don't totally agree with this opinion but I can sort of see where they're coming from. They also say that the story moves too slow. I agree with that, as I said before, it does move slowly but in my opinion it needed to. I think that the pace was necessary for you to know the information to make the story work. There were many other reviews, some good some bad as you can guess, but none of them are worth arguing.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys mythical sea creature books. This book has mermaids, adventure, some suspense, and even romance. 

Books this reminded me of:
-Siren by Kiera Cass
-Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
-The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kesler

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My absence...

I am so sorry that it's been so long since I've written a post! A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel from typing so much. So I was told that I needed to take a break for at least a month and type as little as possible and that's why I haven't been posting at all. My month is almost up and my wrists have been feeling a lot better! I'll start up again the first Monday of April! :)

Keep reading!
-Delanie

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Yes, I finally started reading Harry Potter series. I know this is book two but I didn't like book one, I couldn't finish it. It was too much like the movie which I've seen so many times. Although I didn't read it I was impressed with it's similarity in the part I did read.

I honestly feel like I don't need to explain what this book is about. There is so much hype around this wizarding world that if you haven't heard of Harry Potter then you've mastered a skill I wish I could have. In this book, Harry and his friends find out about a secret chamber created by one of the founders of Hogwarts that supposedly contains a beast so vicious it was impossible to defeat. This chamber can only be open by an heir of Slytherin, and no one knows who that is. Harry is worried that something bad is going to happen and knows he needs to try to stop it. 

Clearly there are many many reviews of this book, most of them being positive. I want to talk about the negative ones I've found. Most of them are just magic haters, don't really get into the magic 'thing', or it wasn't adult enough for them. All valid reasons. Others trash J.K. Rowling's writing and the way she goes about writing the book. I disagree but okay. Then there are the people who start to get too personal. They hate the characters, one specifically stated that she felt Harry shouldn't even be in the book at all and that he is so dull and predictable that it made the whole series "fall flat" in her mind. Wait what? 

I personally loved this book, but I can see how it may not be for everyone. So far I am in love with the characters and I can't wait to keep reading these books! If you're into magic, and fantasy you'll love these books. I especially recommend these books to middle schoolers. Being in high school and reading many different reading levels I can see that this book/parts I've read so far is definitely catered to younger kids in the difficulty levels. That being said, I know many adults who have loved it and have claimed that it made them feel like a kid again. So who really knows. 

The last thing I want to say is: don't let the coverage and media around this series decide whether you read them or not.

Books like this:
I'm not going to do this. I have honestly never read or heard of anything like this.

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Unforgiven by Lauren Kate

Now that Luce and Daniel have found their happy ending Cam is left wanting to find his own. Cam wants to find Lilith, the girl he almost married years ago.  When he finds out that she is being put through hell by Lucifer he does everything he can to get her out. Lucifer gives Cam 15 days to get Lilith, who remembers nothing about him, to fall back in love with him. It is much harder than he could ever imagine but with Luce and Daniel as his inspiration, he keeps fighting no matter what.


I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I always liked Cam throughout the whole series and when I found out that there's a book just about him I was so excited. There were many people that were excited about this book too, even people that didn't like the other books. This book allows you to see a different side of Cam and that's what I loved most about this book.

I recommend this book to readers who loved Cam in the other books. Although I do think this book is for readers who liked Cam I also think that if you like Lauren Kate and the Fallen Series I think that you'll still like this book. It really gives you another step into that world and if you didn't like Cam before I bet you will after reading this book.


Check it out!

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Ezra Faulkner believes that everyone will have some tragedy in their life that marks the start of your life. Ezra's tragedy was getting into a car accident after finding out his girlfriend cheated on him. Ezra was a star at his high school. Top tennis player, and popular. His accident ended his tennis career and completely changed the corse of his life. He makes new friends, joins the debate team and even gets a new girlfriend. But everything still doesn't play out the way he thinks it would.

This book was surprising, you don't really know what to expect with this book. There's absolutely no predicting with it, no guessing. Which makes it really hard to say much about it, so I've turned to others. In a few reviews they mention how this book is funny but not easy to laugh at. I agree, there were many parts that made me laugh out loud and it's not like the book ended unhappily. But it was just a very weird story line and I still don't know what to think of it.

I don't know who to recommend this book to. It's kind of a mix between Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and We Were Liars because Ezra has a very similar voice to Greg from Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, he has similar feelings, opinions, and acts very similar in some ways. But this book also has a sort of tragedy aspect to it like We Were Liars and that's why I'd compare the two. Honestly, I don't really know but look, I've filled 3 paragraphs.

Books like this:
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney
My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

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Short Story Saturday!

It’s hard for me to write about myself and then share it with other people. Sure I’ve put parts of myself into characters but that’s different. Not everyone knows everything about me and when I put small things like opinions or feelings in my writing someone reading it won’t always know. This is me using my safety net to break away from my comfort zone a little. Writing allows me to branch out and move forward, to grow. I’m thankful I’m a writer because it makes me feel good to write. Whenever I’ve had a rough day I can always go and write about it or just sit down and write something, and then I feel better. Writing is something that allows me to be creative and express myself. I’ve never considered myself a creative person or an artist but I’ve come to realize that there are many forms of artists; there’s painting, drawing, music, photography but mine is writing. Writing is the way I make something, and even though I rarely share all of it with people I still feel great doing it. Putting pencil to paper, fingers to keys, no matter what way it happens it clears my mind. When I write it feels like I’m taking words out of my head and putting them somewhere else. My mind is cleared and I feel better. I can escape from everything and dive into something else. I love how you can write about anything you want to. If you don’t want to be where you are in the moment you can put yourself on a beach somewhere or anywhere else you want to go. If I don’t want to be sitting at home, doing homework, I can take a break and write about being somewhere else. I could go anywhere with a piece of paper and pencil. I am thankful I’m a writer.

Me & Earl & the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Greg has managed to make it to his senior year in high school completely invisible. He has one friend and that's Earl. Earl and Greg make movies together that nobody is ever allowed to see. Everything is fine until one day Greg finds out that his childhood friend, Rachel, is dying of cancer. Greg's mother forces him to hang out with her and cheer her up. Eventually Rachel decides to stop treatment and let things run it's corse. This is when Earl and Greg decide to make her a movie. This movie brings Greg out of his veil of invisibility and into the spotlight, and the movie isn't even good.

This book is told by Greg and he constantly talks about how he hates writing it. Greg's voice is relaxed and nonchalant. He goes back and forth from him telling the story to the story being told in script form. Many people, myself included thought that this book was absolutely hilarious. Which is true! Greg is a typical teenage boy out of touch with his emotions and at times obliviously in denial, but that's what makes this book so good! 

I recommend this book to people who liked The Fault in Our Stars but could have done without the romance. What Earl and Greg do for Rachel is sweet but there's nothing romantic about it. Every time you expect something romantic to happen it doesn't. The story is great and funny, but don't expect it to be romantic at all. It's a perfect read for non-romance lovers and I'd say from ages 13 and up.


Books like this:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green- but with less romance
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider- the main characters have a similar voice and view

Check it out!

There's also a movie but I haven't seen it so I can't compare the two...

The D.U.F.F. by Kody Keplinger

Bianca Piper is the Designated Ugly Fat Friend. All this means is that in her friend group she is technically uglier than her other two friends. When she is told this by Wesley Rush, a guy she absolutely hates, she actually throws a drink in his face. Bianca's home life isn't doing too good, her mom keeps leaving, and her dad keeps thinking she'll come back. So Bianca is in desperate need of a distraction. That's when she ends up kissing Wesley, who ends up being her perfect distraction. Bianca still hates Wesley but she continues to use him until she realizes that he may be more than just a distraction. 

I started reading this book because I watched the movie and thought it was really good. I loved the book just as much but I do have to warn you: they are nothing alike! There is almost no resemblance between the book and the movie, and I can't figure out any explanation of why they did it that way. There are a lot of mixed reviews on this book and I don't even know how to explain them. Some say Bianca's voice as a character is very strong and really brings you into the story but some think that that's not true. They're all conflicting and I'll just say this. This was a good book but don't compare it to the movie or expect them to be alike. 

I recommend this book to people that like high school stories. Bianca is an awkward, cynical girl who doesn't really fit in. Her voice is what separates all of the other books like this. If you like that sort of story then you'll like this one too.

Books like this:
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

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Rapture by Lauren Kate

Luce and Daniel, as well as the others, only have a few days to find the site of the fall and stop Lucifer from deleting the past. All they have to do is follow the clues, get to the fall, and then Luce and Daniel have to make the same choice they chose years ago, again. 

This is the last book in the Fallen series and it is brilliant. So many questions are answered, so many 'oh my gosh' moments. This is one of those endings where there is no way you could have guessed it or have seen it coming. I turned the last page and was simply left in awe. There aren't many reviews at all of this book, I think all the angry reviewers finally gave up on this series which makes me glad. This book was wonderful.

I feel like every recommendation I've given for this series has been the same so I don't really know what to say about this one other than tell you that this book makes the series even better. It is the best ending and I am so glad it ended the way it did. If you've enjoyed this series so far you'll love this book and the end of Luce and Daniel's tale. 

Check it out!

Short Story Saturday!- A Captivating Presence

I’m sitting a room, only lit by the almost overcast sky that shines through the windows, reading from my kindle. This is a place that, even early in the morning, explodes with chaos but today no one’s even bothered to turn the lights on. Although nothing special, like a long weekend, made this Monday morning harder than previous ones, it was clear that this sluggish mood would define the rest of the day. I'm not alone. He is also in here, the one I’ve mentioned before, pacing from instrument to instrument. My eyes follow his every move, completely forgetting my book. I try not to let him catch me watching him but I know he’s seen that I’m here. He doesn’t move like today’s a groggy Monday morning, he walks swiftly and with purpose. I suppose that’s simply his walk. A walk with meaning and destination.

He handles each instrument with careful calloused hands, and it’s beautiful. Without knowing a thing about him you can tell that his respect for each one is a mountain's worth. I’ve known him for almost four years now. We’ve played music together, in this same room, filled with other people playing too. We’ve gone to movies, walked on the beach, and sipped hot chocolate together. I have shared many deep and meaningful conversations with him and him with me. All these memories and yet I can’t find anything to say to him. I keep opening my mouth to say something but each time I bite down on my lips to close it. I really don't know what to say. Do I tell him that just his presence captivates me? I’m sitting here, my hands starting to sweat, holding another world in my hands but the only thing with my attention is him. I can’t go back into my fantasy world, I can’t even tear my eyes away. Should I tell him that being in the same room as him causes my heart to race? My hands that usually shake with chills could burn through the floor with just a touch. My face burning as red as a fireplace. My heart beating faster than a drum. Why can’t I say how I feel? How do you tell someone you’ve built a friendship with that you secretly hope your hands touch in the dark movie theater? How do I tell him that every conversation rings word for word through my head days later?

My attention snaps back to focus. He’s moving towards the door now, maybe the bell rang while I was lost in my thoughts. Just before he goes, he turns around and looks at me. His eyes are so intense they’re hypnotizing. A smile is spread across his face. He lifts his hand and gives a swift wave. For a split second, he doesn’t move, it looks like he’s going to say something. Then the moment passes and he turns back towards the door and goes on his way. I didn’t tell him anything and probably never will. I’m happy where I am. I love what we are. The thought of ruining that is terrifying. So this right here remains a secret. May it never past the confines of this single sheet of paper for if it did I would never be able to forgive myself.

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

Franny Banks is an actress living in New York City but she has a deadline. If she doesn't get a good acting job by the time her self-set three-year deadline then she has to go back home. It's getting really close and she's starting to get nervous. She lives with her best friend from college, Jane, and a sci-fi writer, Dan. Dan has feelings for Franny but she has no idea. Her agent isn't return her calls, her dad wants her to come home, and her new friend Penelope turns out to be her competition. 

This book was written very well. Lauren Graham includes pages of weekly schedules and it is filled with her witty charm. It wasn't a love story, it wasn't too exciting but it was still overall enjoyable. I feel like it's really delved into what the acting world can be like. The people that didn't like the book are people who don't really like Lauren Grahm. They couldn't get into the book because her voice bugged them. I totally can see that. This book definitely appealed to me more because of her. I love her and have always looked up to her.

So, I recommend this book to fans of Lauren Grahm and people that like books about the acting world (fiction style of course). Someday, Someday, Maybe really touches on that lifestyle, and it's coming from a true actress who probably has some true experience. If you like Lauren Graham I can almost guarantee that you'll like this book.

Other books like this:
Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess
My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

Check it out!

The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger

The Perfect Storm is a book written with stories, dialogue from interviews and memories, plus lots of research. This book not only tells the story of the storm that took down the Andrea Gail of the coast of Nova Scotia but it also shows what the life of a fisherman typically is like. Sebastian Junger starts on shore, explaining everything the crew did, what they each were like, how they all felt and what they had to come back to. He also talks about swordfishing in general, and different facts about the ship; all sorts of technical stuff. You'll then move on to the perfect storm, the one that joined together and struck all at the 'perfect' time.

This book was wonderful but also a little heartbreaking. No one truly knows what happened on the Andrea Gail, neither it nor the crew were ever found. All this book can do is tell you what might have happened. What I liked most about this book was that it did have a lot of information about the storm itself as well as other storms throughout history that are like it. The reviews on this book are almost all praising. It's just all around a good book.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories of the sea or is curious about what it can be like. The ocean is a marvelous and mysterious thing, and this book truly shows that. 

I have never read another book like this but my pal Goodreads recommends:
The Hungry Ocean by Linda Greenlaw
Ten Hours Until Dawn by Michael Tougias
South by Ernest Shackelton

Check it out!

Short Story Saturday!- Little One

Right now you radiate sunshine, brighten everyone’s day. You’re innocent, and still dance around the living room in your footie pjs to the music in your head. Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny are all real. Eyelash wishes come true, dream catcher work, and everyone gets a happy ending. Daddy loves Mommy, Mommy loves Daddy, a big happy family. You live in a big house with a trampoline in the back yard. You’re surrounded by a horde of cats that let you dress them up and pull them everywhere you want. The world is perfect and at peace. There is no war. What even is politics? Your dreams soar at great heights. You want to be a farmer and cook for people with ingredients from your farm. You live off of late nights and Cocoa Puffs. Second graders can be mean, school is early, and sometimes hard. You’re past 2+2 and your reading level is higher than the rest. Chapter books are more fun than the books you have to read. Baby sitters are over rated. Why do vegetables even exist? Asleep before 9? Please. You’re 7 now that obviously means you need to stay up an extra hour or maybe two. You’re growing up but at least boys are still gross and pull your hair. Barbies are still your favorite toys. It’s still fun to color pictures of imaginary beings and put them on the fridge. Your height is documented on the doorway, and you ask to check if you’re taller everyday even if you haven’t grown. You will not say goodbye to your invisible friends for a little while longer. We all have a little longer where you still stand on our toes and have us dance around. I never want you to stop being little, no one ever does but someday you’re going to drive yourself to the movies, read bigger books, and live on your own. Someday the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus will be strangers. You’ll learn about war and the lack of peace we have. Footie Pjs won’t be your go to dance outfit and your pictures won’t decorate the fridge. It happens to everyone, and it will happen to you. Just don’t let it happen too fast, give us time to breathe.

Passion by Lauren Kate

Luce stepped into an announcer, sending her through her past. No one would tell her about her life, out of fear or whatever it might be, she didn't care anymore she was going to find out for herself. Luce travels from life time to life time, going back as far as she can, learning as much as she can. Daniel and the others are chasing after her, trying to stop her from messing with the past. 

I have to say this was by far my favorite book in the series. I guess it comes down to me being Luce's number one fan. I love her, and this book makes me love her even more. In this book you get to see not only what she's like in other lives as she goes further and further into the past you also get to see how she learns from each lifetime. Many people found the time traveling confusing, and it is at first. You definitely need to pay close attention when reading it but I certainly didn't think it wrecked the book. I personally think that it must have been a hard thing to write. She goes further back then any of us could have lived through. It must have taken a lot of research and for that I commend Lauren Kate for. I couldn't imagine putting that much work into a book. 

I recommend this book to people who have loved the series so far. I always find it hard to recommend books that are in the middle of a series because really you should never start from the middle. If you're interested in this series book one is Fallen I have already written about it so you can find it under the Lauren Kate label. It's truly a great series and I recommend it to fantasy lovers.

Series like this:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Check it out!

Revelations by Sophia Sharp

Nora is now a vampire and although she's escaped the people hunting her for awhile she still has many more things to do. She's on the run and headed to find a magical cave with answers. Hunter and her meet some other vampires on their way to the same cave. A fight breaks out, Hunter says some mean things, and he leaves with one of the travelers they met up with. Now Nora is alone, with a stranger, Alexander, who has promised to stay with her.

I'll admit, this series still hasn't been the best I've ever read but I am one who can't help trying to figure out how a story ends. This book was better than the first one in my opinion. It was less a copy of Twilight and branched more to it's own story. It is still very similar to Twilight. For example, in New Moon Edward leaves Bella and she is left with Jacob. In this book, Hunter leaves Nora and all she has is Alexander. Many reviewers agree that this book was better than the first. I haven't decided if I want to hope it only gets better or just give up. I am curious about how it all ends and if it continues to resemble Twilight. 

I recommend this book to someone who loved Twilight and wants another story similar to it. It's also a quick short read but still interesting. If you didn't like Twilight and/or didn't like the first book in this series then don't read this book.

Books like this:
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer
Enchant Me by Anne Violet

Check it out

Spindle by Shannon Slayton

Briar Rose's life is far from a fantasy. She's raising her siblings by herself, she makes very little at the spinning mill and her wages keep getting cut. Her best friend, Henry Prince, has decided to go off on an adventure, leaving her by herself. While he's gone a mysterious peddler comes into town and sells her a new spindle, saying it has magical powers. Little does she know this spindle will bring her danger and possibly death.

I went into this book thinking it was a spin-off of Sleeping Beauty, without giving anything away from the book I can say that it's not. I'm not saying that that means I didn't like the book but it's not Sleeping Beauty. People had similar opinions about this, they expected Sleeping Beauty but that's not what they got. Other than that many people liked the book. I guess I finally read a book that other people liked just as much as me! :) 

I recommend this book to anyone who likes fairytales but also I need to warn you that this isn't your classic fairytale so don't get surprised when you start reading it. I think that you'll especially like this book if you like Sleeping Beauty. Although this is not another Sleeping Beauty story it does have aspects of it in it. 

Books like this!( with some help from our pal Goodreads)
Spinning Thorns by Anna Sheehan
Becoming Beauty by Sarah E. Boucher

Check it out!

Short Story Saturday!- Dear Reader

Dear Reader,

I’ve stood pretty still for most of my life. I like my home, and maybe that’s why I’m here for so long, although I don’t really know. Most of my days are spent in the same spot except the occasional, often exhilarating moment where I get to leave this spot and am fed the attention I constantly crave, the attention I need to survive. We all need it, all of us in this place but some more than others. Newbies get more of it, and feel it’s because they need it more than others. Oldies, like me, don’t get it much, we’re not new and shiny anymore. Kids don’t run to us with grubby hands eager to hear what we have to say. Even adults forget about us from time to time. It takes someone some time, and digging and even then they might look but decide on another. It’s rather suspenseful, and exciting but it often gets followed by disappointment.

During my younger days, I wished to spend more time in my home, I felt that I never got a break, no chance to breathe, but these days I long to be taken away. I want to feel my insides move! I dream about stretching out, bending my spine, feeling that sigh of relief after a good stretch. I need to ruffle out everything that’s gotten stale from sitting so long. Breathe in the fresh air, even if it’s not fresh! I don’t even care anymore, it’s different and that’s all I want. Different air.

It’s hard sometimes as the years go on. Getting fed less and less. I crave to be picked up, to have someone’s hands on me! I try my best to call out to any passerby but I’ve lost that voice I had long ago. It’s been so long since I’ve been held that I don’t think I remember what it’s like. Sadness hits me to think of it that way but it’s the truth. That feeling is lost, taken away by mountains of time. Time is hard to track from where I am but I’m sure it’s been awhile since I first got here.

I’ll admit, it gets rather lonely here on my perch. None of us can talk or move without the help of someone else. Our keeper occasionally moves us around, but all it does is change our view of the room but that’s not really what we desire. I have a great story to tell! I promise! iI just need people who are ready to hear it. I’m running out of options and I know what they do to things like us when we get old. I’ve seen it many times but I never thought it’d get to my turn. I know that we all have to go sometime, I’m just afraid that my story will get lost in the ocean waves of others.

I believe in my heart that other’s stories are equally important but mine is too! So, I’m begging you. Please don’t forget who I am. Don’t forget my story, it truly is a good one. If you remember then I know that there will always be hope. All it takes is one person to spread my tale like wildfire, and that’s all I am asking you to do! I believe in you!

Sincerely,

Just another book on a shelf waiting to be read.

Torment by Lauren Kate

Book two in the Fallen series! After everything that happened at Sword & Cross Daniel sends Luce to a new school with higher security. She gets sent to a school in California, far away from her small town in Georgia, that caters specifically to people like her. Not only does Luce get pulled from her home and away from her family, who thinks that she's still enrolled at Sword & Cross, Daniel still can't be with her because it's dangerous. Luce does make new friends at her new school and also starts to learn more about her past selves and even more about her current self. 

This book wasn't my favorite in this series and let me tell you why. First of all, this book makes you kind of hate Daniel in my opinion. He's distant, refuses to tell Luce anything, and just overall feels blocked off. I'm not complaining, I really get why it had to be that way and I think that it really helped us learn more about Luce as a person. This book allowed you to see Luce without the veil and awe of Daniel. Like Fallen, there are a lot of low rating reviews on this book. Many people felt the same way I did about Daniel, but they let it ruin the book for them. Yes, Daniel and Luce fight and argue during most of this book but in my opinion, that's not what monopolizes the whole story. Basically, what I'm saying is that there's more to this book than Daniel being a jerk and Luce being a little whiny. 

I don't recommend this book to people that didn't like Fallen. I get it if you want to give it another chance, see if it gets better, or whatever reasoning you have about it. If you don't like the first one just stop with the series. Don't write mean, annoying reviews over and over again, if it's such torture than stop reading the books! There are millions of books out there, find one, read it, and move on. On the other hand, if you enjoyed Fallen like I did then please read this book. It's not the best but it keeps getting better. 

Other Books Like This Series:
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
Need by Carrie Jones

Check it out

Creative Writing: From Think to Ink by Simeon Lindstrom

This is officially the 100th post I've made :) I'm not going to lie, I'm super impressed with myself. I have never successfully kept a blog for more than a few weeks before and now I'm at post 100 and it's almost been a year!

This book is a great assistant when writing. I used it a lot throughout my writing process and it's very helpful. This book is filled with tips and truths about how writing can be. It is written in a way that is easy to read and understand. This author writes in a way that is funny and witty, it had a lot of information about writing, writer's block, and other ways to keep your writing moving. 

I really enjoyed this book. Reviews on it are very mixed, some loved it and some think that it's crap. The people who loved it talk about how it's not packed with too much information and is a good quick read. Ones who don't talk about the same thing but negatively. They expected more and disliked it's lack of fine detail. For me, this book was helpful as a beginner writer, it didn't have too much info but helped me out. I can see how more experienced writers might not enjoy this book.

I recommend this book to any beginner creative writers. It has simple tips and tricks that can help with confidence and getting your writing down on the paper. It's also an enjoyable read for anyone interested in writing. 

I don't know many books like this, and apparently, neither does Goodreads haha!

Check it out.

Forsaken by Sophia Sharp

Forsaken is about a girl named Nora Colburn. She is your classic, plain-Jane, unnoticed high schooler. Until one day a new kid arrives and rumors about him a spreading fast. Her friend tells her that he was kicked out of all of his other schools and is trouble. On his first day Nora gets assigned to stay after school to catch him up in the class they share. As they get to know each other he shares a secret with her that blows her mind. What he shows her is an ancient secret that puts them both in danger.

This book is not very good. I enjoyed it enough but it was just very poorly written. Almost every review I've read about this book compares it to Twilight, seems to be a trend in my recent posts. However, unlike what I said in my review of Fallen, I completely agree with it. When a friend asked what it was about I basically told them that it was Twilight with different characters and a slightly different plot. Even though it's different the basic plot is the same. Twilight- Quiet, new girl drawn to mysterious guy, falls in love, a secret is shared, suddenly she's in danger. Forsaken- Shy girl drawn to mysterious and rumored to be dangerous new guy, falls in love, he tells her something he shouldn't, and bam she's in danger. Don't get me wrong, it's not THAT terrible, I still went onto the second book and it does marginally get better.

I recommend this to someone who liked Twilight and enjoys a quick read. I will admit you have to be understanding and patient to read this book, it moves slow in some places and then jumps in others.

Books like this (maybe better):
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer-clearly-
Dust by Sarah Daltry
Alias Dragonfly by Jane Singer

Go for it and check it out

Short Story Saturday!- The Blanket

A little girl skipped hand in hand with her Mother down the streets of Bar Harbor. They were leaving the playground and were on there way to Grandma’s house. It was just a few houses down from mine, I’ve seen them around town but they keep to themselves. This girl had a bottle dangling from her teeth and a blanket in her hand, her pigtails bobbed as she hopped down the street. She kept trying to run ahead but her Mother’s grip held firm. Although her mouth was full she continued to talk to her Mother. I could hear her giggles, they rang like a bird’s morning song all through the street. As they got closer, before we passed each other, I noticed more detail. Her blanket was lighting dragging against the ground. It was bright pink and had grey kittens on it. The edges were made of smooth, white silk and reflected the sun off of them. Her small fingers were holding on so tightly to that small blanket, I know she would never let it go. They turned the corner and I continued on my way home. We lived in the same town but I rarely saw her after that day.

A few years later I noticed her again, playing tag on the grass in the center of town. She no longer had a bottle between her teeth, she must have grown out of it, she looked to be about 5 or 6. As she ran her long, curly, blond hair trailed behind her but that wasn’t the only thing flowing in the breeze that her running had created. Her blanket was pinched under her arm playing along too. After a few laps around the gazebo she ran to her Mother and asked her to hold the blanket for her while she played. She passed it down to her with care, like putting down a really full cup of soup. I noticed that the blanket had aged. It was more faded, the pink was turning grey but I could tell that it was still the same blanket. The silk edges had a few holes and scratches. The white faded and you could no longer see the sun shine off of it. Then suddenly, I was snapped out of my daze as cries filled the air and before I could look to see what happened the girl’s Mother had already scooped her up. She asked for her blanket, her tone eager and demanding but her eyes were still filling with tears. Once the blanket was in her arms she rubbed it across her face, wiping the tears away. She held it to the side of her face and I could tell that it brought her comfort.

That was one of the last times I saw the blond headed girl with the pink, kitty covered blanket. I stopped seeing her around completely a few years ago. I imagine that she moved away sometime ago, and was living and growing somewhere new. Her blanket is probably stored away somewhere folded nicely maybe in her closet or tucked underneath her pillow. I know she wouldn’t let it collect dust, it’s too special for that. It’s going to be with her forever, no matter how faded or tattered but it needs to be kept well. The magic it’s given her still can reach her from whatever safe place it’s been stowed. That’s the comfort of having it near, just like when she fell playing tag on that brisk fall day. There will never be anything else that provides that kind of comfort for her. I imagine that it’s been with her through a lot, it’s one of her prized possessions. I don’t know where that little girl is now, I guess she’s probably not too little anymore, but I know that wherever she is that blanket isn’t far.

In honor of it being Senior Exhibition Day...

Okay, so today I'm presenting my Senior project (AHHHH!). This project is where you pick an essential question, find a mentor, and then try to answer your question. After all of this, you present at the end of the semester. My essential question is- How will writing a novel in 30 days improve me as a writer? And before you ask yes, I wrote a novel in 30 days. It was 50,615 words by the end of the month. Since I'm presenting today I thought I'd share a few chapters from my book. So here it goes...

Dear Journal,                  September 20, 2001

Grief may only be five letters and one syllable but it’s the word used to describe the deep sorrow and loss. There are many things that can cause it but the main one is the death of someone that you care about. It comes in stages, five to be exact, or at least that’s what they all say. They being the internet and Dr. Rivers my new psychiatrist that Mom has decided I should go to. All we’ve talked about is grief so far like what it is, what causes it and what the stages are.

There’s denial; they say this is what helps us survive the loss of the person who died. It’s a state of shock, you wonder how to keep going, or why you should. Denial helps us cope and is completely natural. Then there’s anger, which is considered a necessary stage of grief. This anger can extend and be released to others that are close to you. But this anger is considered a strength. It can be used as an anchor. The third stage is bargaining, bargaining for you to take their place or change a behavior to get them back. It takes us back in time to fix the events that happened. You say “if only…” causing us to blame ourselves and think about all of the things you could have done differently. Stage four is depression, this is where empty feelings start to form and the grief enters on a deeper level. This stage feels like it will last forever, and you withdraw from life and stop doing regular things you normally would. The last stage is acceptance, the one I never think I’ll be able to get to. This isn’t being okay with what has happened, you will never feel okay about the loss but you have accepted reality as the permanent reality. You will learn to live with this reality that the person you cared about is gone forever. This often means that you won’t be able to return back to the way your ‘norm’ used to be, you have to readjust. Acceptance may just be having more good days than bad days. It may feel like you’re betraying the one you lost but you have to remember that you will never replace the one you lost, but you will make new relationships and friends, have new adventures. This is where you stop ignoring your feelings and embrace them. Acceptance allows us to grow and change.

My counselor, Dr. Rivers, went through these stages at great length during my first session. She thinks that I’m still in stage one, and she might be right. I don’t want to go to counseling, but I have to, and I feel like I might regret it later if I don’t go. Dr. Rivers is trying to help me understand the stages of grief so I can make it through them. Mom practically begged me to go, I didn’t say this, but I think that she should go to one too, so I went. She said she’s worried about losing me too. It scares everyone because I have a history of depression, but I don’t feel the same as I do during a ‘depressive episode’. I don’t want Mom to be worried but I also don’t have the ability right now to hide how I’m feeling. I miss Anna, I know I say that almost every day but it’s true. I miss her so much.

~Marlee

Dear Journal,                     September 21, 2001

I got a letter from the school today. They told me, again, that they’re sorry for my loss, and say that Anna was wonderful, and a bunch of stuff like that. They also said that I shouldn’t worry about school and I should stay home as long as I need to. Along with the letter, there were cards from kids at school, all saying they miss me and hope I’m doing well. None of them seem genuine, but that’s to be expected, I have never had many friends. There was also a giant packet of homework with notes from teachers, most of them say that I can do them if I’m feeling up for it. I might actually do some, I think homework might be able to distract me and help me calm my mind. Part of my mind has been in a constant state of panic because of how unproductive I’ve been lately, which could be helped by doing homework, but the other part of my mind is just on pause, all it can think about is the crippling facts about Anna’s death. It keeps going through the whole chain of events leading up to it and what I learned about her death, how she died. I know that there’s nothing I could have done but I still wish that I could have stopped it.

I had another silent session with Dr. Rivers. I still don’t feel like talking about my feelings. She mostly tries to get me to talk and I just nod my head. My view is that at least I’m going. That’s a step, right? Anna would disagree with me, but she almost always did anyway. Anna would tell me to talk about what’s going on inside my head. I’m not allowed to just write the feelings down, like I am, I have to talk about them. That’s exactly what she’d tell me if she was here. Then again, if she was here I wouldn’t be seeing a counselor at all or even be in this situation.

Cam has been such a good boyfriend, I mean he’s always a good boyfriend, but I know that I’m not the easiest to deal with right now. I’ve continuously pushed him away because I haven’t been feeling like a people person lately. He has respected my space and whenever I’ve needed him or asked for him he’s always come to my aid like a knight in shining armor. He brought me flowers accompanied by chocolates, watched movies with me, and just laid in bed with me, cuddling for hours. I think that he’s missed almost as much school as I have, but he said he’s not falling behind and wants to be here for me when I need him. Getting through this would be a lot harder if I didn’t have him. I keep thanking him and he just acts like it’s nothing. I wish I knew a way, or had the energy to, show him how much it means to me.

~Marlee

Dear Journal,                   September 23, 2001

It is Sunday yet again, or at least I think it is I haven’t really been keeping track, to be honest.  I think I’m going to go back to school tomorrow. I know it may be soon, or maybe it’s not, but still I feel like I’m ready. It’s been a few weeks and I’m starting to lose my mind just sitting at home. I have been doing school work and that has helped so I think that going back to school could help too. Mom thinks that I’m crazy and should stay home longer. She’s planning another 2-3 weeks at home, but I just can’t do that. If I stay at home I’m just going to sit in bed thinking of Anna, and right now that does not help the not wanting to cry anymore thing. It really sucks, I don’t know how Mom can do it right now, let alone another few weeks.

Mom was so distraught about me wanting to go back to school that she actually took me to an “emergency session” at Dr. Rivers. She called the office while we were already in the car and on our way. I didn’t know what to expect when walking in there. What she would say or do, or tell my mom was all a mystery. My mom sat down and as soon as her butt hit the couch she started ranting to Dr. Rivers. I think I almost saw her eyes roll back into her head while listening to my Mom. After a lot of nodding and mmhmms Dr. Rivers asked me why I wanted to go back to school. Unlike other times I gave a verbal response. I told her my reasons like I told you and she just got up, looked at my mom, and said, “That is a perfectly good reason to go, and this is progress.”. Then she walked to the door and held it open for us to leave. Mom stayed quiet the whole car ride home. Mom’s still resistant but I’m going tomorrow.

~Marlee

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Lucinda Price doesn't know what's wrong with her. She was in an accident where a friend died and now she has to go to a reform school called Sword & Cross. While at this school she gets captivated by a mysterious guy named Daniel. He's hot and cold towards her sending her mixed signals. She doesn't know why but she still can't shake the feeling that she's seen him before. Later she finds out that there's some mysteriously magical force that is trying to tear them apart. Being with Daniel has more complications and dangers than she could ever imagine. 

This book, and whole series, is filled with a wonderful and powerful romance that really captivates you. It's filled with action, drama, and suspense. Many people like to compare this to Twilight and THAT'S FINE until they say that it's way worse. Most of the problems people have with Twilight are dialogue, characters, and plot. A.) I don't care about how the dialogue is written or the way the author decides to do it, whatever. B.) The characters in this book aren't like Twilight. They're deeper, more sincere and just all around better (in my opinion). C.) Yes, I agree the plot is similar- girl goes to a new school, falls for an edgy boy, and something crazy happens- but Luce and Daniel's relationship runs deeper and stronger than Bella and Edward's. They have a massive intertwining history that takes four books to learn about. Don't listen to the haters, comparing it to Twilight is like comparing the first draft of an essay to a final draft. This book is wonderful and I'd read it a million more times if I didn't have a to-read list that's a mile long. 

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy romance. This book isn't your classic sci-fi fantasy with vampires and werewolves. In fact, if you don't like werewolves or vampires then your in luck because this book doesn't contain either. Luce and Daniel's relationship is one like no other that causes you to move from book to book as fast as possible. I will be honest, this book is not for romance haters. Book one is light on the subject but trust me it's there and grows throughout the series. If you like fantasy at all just give it a chance, I can almost guarantee you'll at least enjoy it a little. 

More books like this!
Need by Carrie Jones
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Check it out!

(p.s. I loved the Twilight books...)

What Light by Jay Asher

The main character of this book is spunky, nice, but also slightly reserved. She, like most teenage girls, looks to her friends for advice even if she doesn't always listen to them. Sierra sells Christmas Trees from her family's tree farm in California every year for the month of December. Her whole family packs up and leaves Oregon to sell Christmas trees. She has a life back in Oregon but also has one in California. While in California Sierra meets a boy named Caleb but everyone tells her that he's bad news. Okay, I know what you're thinking, this is the same premise for so many books these days how is this not boring? Just trust me okay? This book is not your average, good girl meets bad boy and falls in love, there is so much more I promise. I laughed and cried over this book. It was beautifully written and the characters a totally lovable. Although other reviewers say it puts you in the Christmas spirit or that it's a Christmas book, I disagree. Yes, it does take place in December and it revolves around Christmas trees but to me, there's so much other stuff put into this small book that makes it so much more. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good vanilla romance. Sierra and Caleb's romance is very middle school, nothing super intense but still makes your heart swell. It's a fast, easy read that swept me off my feet. 

Other books like this (according to Goodreads):

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lilly by Rachel Cohn

Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland 

Check it out!