Book review – All your perfects by Colleen Hoover

Blurb:

Colleen Hoover delivers a tour de force novel about a troubled marriage and the one old forgotten promise that might be able to save it.

Quinn and Graham’s perfect love is threatened by their imperfect marriage. The memories, mistakes, and secrets that they have built up over the years are now tearing them apart. The one thing that could save them might also be the very thing that pushes their marriage beyond the point of repair.

All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?

My review:

When I think about Colleen Hoover’s writing, “intense” is the word that comes to my mind. She’ll take everyday things and give the perfect depth by her raw writing. When comes to romance, Coho is the queen. She makes me believe it. Not the happily ever afters, the reality.
In this book she has written about infertility which many of us don’t understand the devastation it brings, many of us don’t even talk about it.
This book hit me like anything and I still remember the night I finished it. I woke my mom and started telling her about the story, about their love, about Graham at 2AM in the morning. And she’s to console (& convince) me to sleep as I’d to go to office the next day.

And now after 2 months, I listened to the audio book and cried again. It’s just perfect every time I read it.

Graham & Quinn’s love is not the perfect one, it’s messy, beautiful and real.
The book is split into 2 parts – now and then. “Now” is fully focused on the infertility and the marriage that’s breaking day by day. And “then” is the story of their love which has ended in marriage. So one part you’ll see them fall in love and in the next you’ll see the turn of events. It’s really broken me to see their relationship falling apart.

“If you only shine light on your flaws, all your perfects will dim.”
“I’m a grammar snob. It should be your perfections.”
“That’s what makes me like it. The one word they misuse is perfects. Kind of ironic.”

In the start, Quinn is just a next door woman who falls in love, gets cheated on and falls for the right guy. But as the story moves forward, she doesn’t talk the situation out and she’s started losing her side of the thread in their relationship. But she isn’t a coward. Her struggle is really written well.
Graham is my favorite though. He tries to be the perfect companion. He fails too. But the things he say now and then will make you smile and the climax makes you fall for him.

“I love you more in this moment than any moment that has come before it”

And my quote fir Graham would be “I love him more in the last part of the book than all the parts before it”

This story completely shattered me and I found myself picking the pieces and put back together as the story ended. A perfect example of “Love conquers all”.

I’ve loved this book and I will read it again and again to fall in love with Graham & Quinn’s relationship. To all the couples those have sailed through Category 5 hurricane!! ❤ ❤

My rating: 5 perfect stars

Review : Confessions of a Shopaholic

Title: Confessions of a Shopaholic
Series: Yes.The first in the popular Shopaholic series.

Author: Sophie Kinsella

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Humor, Chick-lit, Adult
Published by: Black swan
Pages: 319
Format: Paperback
Place: London, England

Cover love:
I’ve the movie tie in edition of the book which looks lovely.

 

Story:
The main character Rebecca (Becky) Bloomwood, a financial journalist, loved to shop anything & everything has a job of telling people how to manage their money but not herself, resulted in debt.
She tried cutting back of the expenditures which didn’t work because of the shopping.
She also tried in making more money but didn’t know where to start.
Her only consolation was to buy herself something . . . just a little something.

Characters:
Becky was clueless about saving & came up with some crazy schemes to make extra money which were funny. Her character was portrayed well and I liked her with the flaws.
I didn’t like Derek Smeath(Bank manager) in the movie but he appeared as a good one in the book.
And Luke Brandon in the movie was amazing than the book. I missed their scenes in the book.

My thoughts:
I watched the movie adaptation 5 years back & totally loved it but I didn’t know about the book then.
When I came to know about the book & Sophie kinsella is the author of it, I wanted to read it.I really didn’t want to compare the movie with the book but the movie was definitely better.(there.. I said it) I accept that it was my mistake to watch the movie before the book. So I was kinda expecting the scenes in the movie to appear in the book which disappointed me a little. The movie was like a fan fiction of the book.
When I think about it now after finishing the book, I liked it and very much enjoyed the story.
If you want to read a super fast and light, then this is the book for you. An enjoyable read!

 

Book review – Milo and Marcos at the end of the world

Blurb:

When Marcos moves to town, Milo is forced to acknowledge the feelings he’s kept hidden, especially from his religious parents. But as natural disasters begin to befall them the closer they become, Milo and Marcos soon begin to wonder if the universe itself is plotting against them in this young adult debut by playwright and creator of The Two Princes podcast, Kevin Christopher Snipes.

Milo Connolly has managed to survive the first three years of high school without any major disasters, so by his calculations, he’s well past due for some sort of Epic Teenage Catastrophe. Even so, all he wants his senior year is to keep his head down and fly under the radar like the quiet, well-behaved, churchgoing boy that everyone thinks he is.

Everything is going exactly as planned until the dreamy and charismatic Marcos Price saunters back into his life after a three-year absence and turns his world upside-down. Suddenly Milo is forced to confront the long-buried feelings that he’s kept hidden not only from himself but also from his deeply religious parents and community.

To make matters worse, strange things have been happening around his sleepy Florida town ever since Marcos’s return—sinkholes, blackouts, hailstorms. Mother Nature seems out of control, and the closer Milo and Marcos get, the more disasters seem to befall them.

In fact, as more and more bizarre occurrences pile up, Milo and Marcos find themselves faced with the unthinkable: Is there a larger, unseen force at play, trying to keep them apart? And if so, is their love worth risking the end of the world?

From debut author Kevin Christopher Snipes, Milo and Marcos at the End of the World is a new coming-of-age novel about finding the courage not only to love others but also to love ourselves.

My review:

Milo is a religious boy and this story is all about his journey of self love and embracing himself. It was super hurting to see his internal struggles as a gay person from a religious family.

Marcos is such an amazing character. Loved him throughout the story. He was super proud of who he is and patiently waited for Milo to love himself first. He is an atheist with very religious parents.
(Every time Marcos calls Milo, Connolly, I melted) 

Whenever they both have cute moments something bad happens. So Milo thinks God is punishing him for being gay. His thoughts were heart breaking during those times(and I wanted to simply hug him) but I’m glad how his character turned out in the end.

I’ve to mention the best friend anyone could ask for – Van. I love how she was always there for Milo and Marcos.

I just hated all the adults in this book except one person whom I didn’t expect to be supportive.
This is a story of loving and accepting oneself. The ending was a bit rushed though, also little confusing but the overall story is just lovely (and  sometimes sad).

TW: homophobia, bullying

Also #miloandmarcosattheendoftheworld is a YA contemporary and not a dystopian. Don’t be confused with the title and blurb. 

Book review: From blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout

Where to start???? Let me just state the obvious thing first. Hawke is love! My love! He pushed many of my favorite book boyfriends down and is now one of my top favorite bbfs. This man ruined me with his dimples. He observes everything and is so protective and just like he is intrigued by Poppy, he intrigued me in every scene.

Let’s not forget Penallaphe aka Poppy, our maiden who is forbidden to live her life in the name of her duty to the Gods. She is super skilled, badass heroine I very much enjoyed knowing about.

What should I say about the slow (yet fast) burn romance developed between them. I loved their banter and their chemistry is on fire. I loved every single time Hawke called Poppy “Liar” and also melted whenever he says Poppy or Princess. It was like I could hear him call her.

JLA focused on other characters too. Vikter is one of my favorite characters in this book. He is more than just Poppy’s guard. He is like a godfather. Tawny is such a cutie. I loved how protective she is and is the only friend Poppy has. And even though Kieran’s scenes are less in this book, I  liked him more in book 2.

This story is everything you are looking for. You’ve loyalty, friendship, suspense, action scenes, revenge, paranormal creatures, A-mazing romance and what not! The world building is next level. Even though it felt like too much info, I was okay with it.

This is my first JLA’s book and I’m sure it’s not gonna be the last. I read book 2 as soon as I finished book 1. I never do that most of the times. So you should know how amazing this book is. Treat yourself by reading this awesomesauce story but remember, Hawke is mine! ❤️

Book review : Aru Shah and the end of time by Roshani Chokshi

I love Indian mythology and Mahabharatham is one of the stories I grew up with. When Aru, our heroine lights up a candle on a dare, she didn’t expect the  characters she thought as fictional to come alive. An imaginative young girl becomes a Pandava now and she’s to go in a quest to save her mom and the world.

What I liked?
✨Indian mythology! For someone who loves it, this book is so fun & for someone who doesn’t know anything about it, you are in for a treat.

✨Amazing main characters
-> Aru is confident when needs to be but also has her self doubts. I love how the protagonist lies a lot just because she wants to be popular. I loved how she thinks. Some of the questions she asked in the book are thoughts I’d too.
-> Mini is such an adorable cutie pie and the bond between Aru and her is just beautiful. She is part-Indian & part-Filipino and I love how she is so smart and talks about medical things.
-> Boo our grumpy, brilliant and lovely sidekick(don’t tell him I said so)

✨How can I say no to an adventure where I get to meet characters I’ve heard so much about.

✨Weird but cute chapter titles

✨I don’t have to worry about pronouncing the  names wrongly because I know them all my life

I loved this book but I’d have loved it more had I read this one when I was a pre-teen myself. I’m happy that such a book is written and people can relate to the characters. And remember this is a children’s book where the Hindu Gods & Goddesses are portrayed as cool & fun. So try to read this as a story and not as a depiction of a religion.
There are certain things which annoyed me a bit but I’m not gonna take them into consideration and recommend this book.

Book review : Radio silence by Alice Oseman

Listening to music or watching  happy videos soothes people. And that exactly this book did to me. This 400 pages story is about a girl who meets a boy who is the creator of this fandom she loves the most and how their relationship goes from there.

✨Firstly this book focuses on friendship. Nothing romantic between the above said boy & girl.
✨Secondly, the characters. Both Frances & Aled are my sweetie pies. If I could, I’d just hug them both. They are both nerdy & wear fandom clothes. I love how Aled is so passionate about the podcast and I love Frances for being such a fangirl. I love how they are both same yet unique in their own way. Basically I love them both.
✨Thirdly, this whole thinking about the future, the pressures young people feel to get into the best college or university and learning there are many things than just academic are beautifully said.

I loved Frances’s mom. I’ve never read a book with an awesome mom like her before. She is so cool. And Aled’s mom is completely the opposite. She is so abusive and I hate her with H in caps.

This book has the most diverse characters I’ve read in a YA book and let’s talk about LGBTQ rep. It has bisexual, gay, asexual characters. And also talks about depression. This is the best realistic YA fiction I’ve read and I highly recommend this.

Book review: One of us is lying by Karen M McManus

 

5 people end up in detention, one of them dies and the remaining 4 become the suspects.
The 4 suspects are Nate – a drug seller, Bronwyn – a topper, Addy – a perfect girl, Cooper – a baseball player. Simon the victim had a gossip app called About that which has secrets of all the students.

What I liked?

✨I really enjoyed the multiple POVs. We get to know their thoughts and reading them kept me guessing the suspect for most of the time. And I got to know them and their families.
✨I really liked Nate and Bronwyn’s relationship.
✨Let’s not talk about bad boy-good girl romance. Let’s talk about the character development of Addison. I was like “Go girl!!”.🤙🏼
✨Special mention to Maeve(Bronwyn’s sister) & Ashton(Addy’s sister). Liked them both.

Can’t explain much without giving away spoilers. Just remember that this is such an addicting page turner.

Book review : 10 things I hate about Pinky by Sandhya Menon

 

My review:

10 things I hate about Pinky by @sandhyamenonbooks
The follow-up to When Dimple Met Rishi and There’s Something about Sweetie follows Pinky and Samir as they pretend to date—with disastrous and hilarious results.

🔟 things about the book:
– a fun filled YA book with nice MCs.
– Pinky is such a rebel whereas Samir is a goody two shoes. Opposites do attract.
– Pinky’s passion, her love for wildlife
– enemies to lovers
– fake dating
– Pinky’s cousin, Dolly
– family expectations
– There is this one “being” that dies and resurrects every now and then and that’s the cutest thing ever.

Gif: Google

– a virtual summer vacation for the readers
– felt the arguments are a bit repetitive but overall it was a nice rom-com with sweet romance.

A good summer read!

Book review : The house in the Cerulean sea by T J klune

My review:

I collect things in a box that are associated with a memory. Be it a ticket, a card or a letter or anything that represent something. Whenever I open them I get this happy feeling remembering the incidents. That’s exactly how I felt reading The house in the Cerulean sea by @tjklunebooks . I don’t think I can review this book without any spoilers. You’ll get a warm feeling while reading it. It’s like a hug from a book. That’s all you need to know..

Gif: Google

I loved all the people (except maybe one or two) especially the children. They have different personalities but they are anything but adorable. I really wish I get to meet them in person. Bhavya(my sister) would love to get some advice from Talia and she would also love Phee’s help. And I’d love to sit beside Sal and read whatever he writes with Theodore on my lap or my shoulders. I’d also like to listen to music with Lucy and to cook with Zoe. I’d buy a hotel just to have Chauncey’s dream of becoming a bellhop come true. I’d love to eavesdrop Arthur and Linus discussing things along with the children. See, I love these children and would do anything to protect them. They are my sweet little weirdos. This book is what you need during this time. Actually it’s timeless.. you can read this one any time and would love it the same.. ❤️❤️

Blurb:

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

Book review : The Mall by Megan McCafferty

Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Megan McCafferty returns to her roots with this YA coming of age story set in a New Jersey mall.

The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes and 90210 are, like, totally fresh. Cassie Worthy is psyched to spend the summer after graduation working at the Parkway Center Mall. In six weeks, she and her boyfriend head off to college in NYC to fulfill The Plan: higher education and happily ever after.

But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

Set entirely in a classic “monument to consumerism,” the novel follows Cassie as she finds friendship, love, and ultimately herself, in the most unexpected of places. Megan McCafferty, beloved New York Times bestselling author of the Jessica Darling series, takes readers on an epic trip back in time to The Mall.

My review:

When I read this book’s blurb “The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes and 90210 are, like, totally fresh.”, it caught my attention. Being a 90’s kid myself, I wanted to know how things were back in 1991 when I wasn’t born yet.
In this novel, most of the story happens in the mall where Cassie works. We get to see her making new friends, adjusting to her new job and also her treasure hunting. This book has a good start but the ending is a bit rushed.
Cassie isn’t a character you’d root for. She isn’t very likable but you get used to her. Drea and Cassie were best friends once but they don’t talk anymore and now Cassie works in Drea’s mom’s shop. If you ask me, I’d say I like Drea better. The thing is, there isn’t much back story to the characters. So I can’t get attached to them.

I liked the treasure hunt and the friendship between Drea & Cassie. I liked the premise & author’s writing style. So it’s an okayish fun read for me.
Give this a go if you want a nice summer YA read with 90’s vibe.

Book review – A good girl’s guide to murder by Holly Jackson

 

Story:

Pippa, a normal teenager who wants to pursue her studies in investigative journalism takes up a project of a closed case to find out the actual murderer of a girl who disappeared/(killed?!) 5 years ago.

My review:

Pip’s detective skills are amazing. We get to see her findings as journal entries, maps & production logs and this format of story isn’t something I’ve read before. I really enjoyed it.

Source: Google

I loved the plot and execution of this book. This gripping and fast paced book didn’t allow me to think anything else and made me finish it as soon as I could.

Pick this one and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with this YA mystery.

Anne with an E – Netflix show recommendation

 

If you haven’t read Anne of Green Gables like me, I suggest you to watch the Netflix show first. 😛 Yeah.. You read that right! You can read the book first and then watch the show too but please please watch this beautifully made period drama.
I’ve been reading the book after watching the show and when I read Anne’s dialogues, I’m reading them just how Anne in the show delivered them. And I have the visuals of the beautiful Prince Edward island – the white way of delight, the lake of shining waters and everything!!

Characters:
I love the female friendships in the show. Be it Anne & Diana’s or Bash & Gilbert’s or Anne & Cole’s, everything was beautiful in its own way.

Source: Google

My favorite character has to be Mathew. And I loved the supporting characters – Marilla, Sebastian, Mary, the cutie pie Delphine, Aunt Jo & Cole.
And Gilbert Blythe – “a tall boy, with curly brown hair, roguish hazel eyes, and a mouth twisted into a teasing smile” Such a sweet heart..❤️

Source: Google

In the Netflix show which isn’t the exact adaptation of the book, they have made few additions to the original story which are exactly what we need in the current scenario. There is women empowerment, there is inclusion of queer & black people and treating everyone as equals and voicing out own’s opinion. It’s inspiring and this show is for people of all ages.

I’m in depths of despair(as Anne calls it😣) as Netflix cancelled this show after 3 seasons.. #renewannewithane

Watch this show and you’ll fall in love with the Prince Edward Island and it’s people just like I did.