[Review] Hopeless (Hopeless, #1) - Colleen Hoover

Author: Colleen Hoover

Original Title: Hopeless
Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: March 7th, 2013
Finished Date: April 16th, 2015
Pages: 416
Read in: English

Synopsis

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.

Source: GoodReads

Rating

I don't get this one. I thought Hoover was growing on me after I thoroughly enjoyed Confess (click here to see that review) but this one was definitely not for me. A lot was happening - too much was happening.
I could see the big reveal coming from a mile away, and it honestly was so angsty and dramatic that I couldn't connect to the characters in any level. It felt just like I was watching it happen, but I didn't really care.
There was insta-love, there was drama, there were unrealistic situations - all in all it was a bunch of things glued together, and it made the book seem like a jumbled mess.
This might have been much better had Colleen Hoover decided to tackle only one of the million issues this book deals with.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Tangled (Tangled, #1) - Emma Chase

Author: Emma Chase

Original Title: Tangled
Publisher: Gallery Books

Release Date: May 20th, 2013
Finished Date: April 13th, 2015
Pages: 256
Read in: English

Synopsis

When rich, handsome, and arrogant meets beautiful, brilliant, and ambitious, things are bound to get tangled.

Drew Evans makes multimillion-dollar business deals and seduces New York's most beautiful women with just a smile. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed? He'll tell you he has the flu, but we all know that's not really true.

When Katherine Brooks is hired as the new associate at Drew's father's investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy's life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

How can one woman turn a smooth-talking player into a broken, desperate man? By making the one thing he never wanted in life the only thing he can't live without.

Source: GoodReads

Rating

Despite the spoiler warning down below, I wouldn't worry too much about spoilers. And that's because I only managed to read about 20% of the book. Nothing had happened between the main characters yet. Why didn't I read more?, you ask. Well, it seemed to me like Drew had a cronic case of asshole. And I really dislike reading about presumptuous pigs who enjoy degrading women and think of them as lower beings only fit to have sex, cry and be, as he called them, bitches. No thank you.

The following extended review contains spoilers
If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Confess - Colleen Hoover

Author: Colleen Hoover

Original Title: Confess
Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: March 10th, 2015
Finished Date: April 9th, 2015
Pages: 306
Read in: English

Synopsis

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

Source: GoodReads

Rating

Yes. This book finally made me understand why people seem to praise Colleen Hoover so much that they almost treat her as a GOD. This was so much better than what I anticipated, I can't even put it into words. It wasn't perfect - there were some things that didn't really set quite right with me, but it was powerful. It was moving. It was beautiful.

As in Maybe Someday, which I've also read and reviewed (click here to go see that review), Colleen decided to transcend the written word as a way to tell her story. In Maybe Someday she used music to complement the story. In this book she used paintings. Beautiful, soulful paintings. And I don't even like paintings all that much.

The story was heart-wrenching, and even if it was a bit too much at times - which, lets face it, is Colleen's style - it still managed to throw me off with a big revelation that changed everything.

If you're looking for a good NA, go pick this one up.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Maybe Not (Maybe Someday, #1.5) - Colleen Hoover

Author: Colleen Hoover

Original Title: Maybe Not

Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: November 24th, 2014
Finished Date: April 4th, 2015
Pages: 129
Read in: English

Synopsis

Colleen Hoover, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe Someday brilliantly brings to life the story of the wonderfully hilarious and charismatic Warren in a new novella, Maybe Not.
When Warren has the opportunity to live with a female roommate, he instantly agrees. It could be an exciting change.
Or maybe not.
Especially when that roommate is the cold and seemingly calculating Bridgette. Tensions run high and tempers flare as the two can hardly stand to be in the same room together. But Warren has a theory about Bridgette: anyone who can hate with that much passion should also have the capability to love with that much passion. And he wants to be the one to test this theory.
Will Bridgette find it in herself to warm her heart to Warren and finally learn to love?
Maybe.
Maybe not.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★.5 out of 5

Well honestly, I don't even know where to start. This was an extremely popular novella - everyone seemed to love it. I didn't even know it was about Warren and Bridgette; I really thought it would be about Sydney and Ridge's downfall. And I might have enjoyed that more.
The problem I had with this was the problem I have with almost every NA out there: the virginalisation (is that even a word?) of the characters. I mean, no, Bridgette was not a virgin necessarily, but never having had an orgasm? Seriously? I find this hard to believe, that's all.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

Author: Stephen Chbosky

Original Title: The perks of being a wallflower

Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: February 2nd, 2009
Finished Date: March 31st, 2015
Pages: 232
Read in: English

Synopsis

"I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they're here. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's had their heart broken that day...or wondering who did the heart breaking and wondering why."

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★ out of 5

Please don’t hate me for this. I mean to offend no one.

I had heard wonderful things about The perks of being a wallflower. And by that I mean that it is many people’s favourite book ever. Yep. I was expecting greatness. I was expecting mindblowingness (And no, I don’t even care that that word does not exist. It does now). Instead, I got the meh of an awkward teenager’s life. And note that teenager is a term applied loosely here, considering Charlie sounds like he is a seven year-old.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a very real portrait of the (very) early years of teenager awkwardness. It is also kind of boring. Especially if you see the big twist/reveal at the end coming from the beginning, like I did.

I am a very strong advocate of reading the book before watching the film/tv adaptation, so even though I knew there was a film I did not watch it, but I seriously believe its potential to be better than the book was.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Maybe Someday (Maybe Someday, #1) - Colleen Hoover

Author: Colleen Hoover

Original Title: Maybe Someday

Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: March 18th, 2014
Finished Date: March 31st, 2015
Pages: 385
Read in: English

Synopsis

At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move should be.
Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.
A passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance, Maybe Someday will immerse readers in Sydney’s tumultuous world from the very first page.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★★ out of 5

I have such mixed feelings about this book... This was my debut into the genre of New Adult, and although more than two months have passed since I've read it, I'm still conflicted.
There were some elements to this that were entirely refreshing, and the romance itself was swoon-worthy, but there were this little things that ticked me off.
Let's be honest: Maybe Someday is a book about cheating. Cheating and betrayals. And that particular topic hits a nerve with me. Colleen Hoover has this way of writing that makes you want to understand, and were it about anything else, I would have.
Still, I really liked the book, mainly because I think it was an incredibly original idea and very well executed. Although the accompanying music wasn't really to my taste, and I found the songs to be quite repetitive and similar, it was an amazing idea to combine literature and music and make it an incredible sensorial experience.
Two stars for the actual story. It gets one additional star for the innovative idea of incorporating music into the story.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Girl Online - Zoe Sugg

Author: Zoe Sugg

Original Title: Girl Online

Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: November 25th, 2014
Finished Date: March 12th, 2015
Pages: 352
Read in: English

Synopsis

From YouTube sensation Zoella comes a debut coming-of-age novel that perfectly captures what it means to grow up and fall in love in today’s digital world. Girl Online is the first book to be published by Keywords Press, an imprint under Simon & Schuster dedicated to today’s digital stars.

I have this dream that, secretly, all teenage girls feel exactly like me. And maybe one day, when we realize that we all feel the same, we can all stop pretending we’re something we’re not. That would be awesome. But until that day, I’m going to keep it real on this blog and keep it unreal in “real” life.

Penny has a secret.

Under the alias GirlOnline, Penny blogs her hidden feelings about friendship, boys, high school drama, her quirky family, and the panic attacks that have begun to take over her life. When things go from bad to worse at school, her parents accept an opportunity to whisk the family away for Christmas at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. There, she meets Noah, a gorgeous, guitar-strumming American. Suddenly Penny is falling in love—and capturing every moment she spends with “Brooklyn Boy” on her blog.

But Noah has a secret, too, one that threatens to ruin Penny’s cover—and her closest friendship—forever.

Award-winning and influential YouTube vlogger Zoe Sugg delivers a heartfelt coming-of-age novel that perfectly captures the highs and lows of first love, friendship, and growing up in the digital age.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★ out of 5

I know there has been a lot of controversy around this book and the way it was written, especially about the lack of transparency of the author in regards to her ghost writer.

Despite all that, I decided to give it a try, and judge it as I would judge any other book. The end result differed from what I expected. Although it was not exactly good it wasn't terrible either. 

It deals with very serious issues in a realistic manner, among a (almost too) fluffy romance.

I recommend this to younger teens (12-15 years old).

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

Author: Rainbow Rowell
Original title: Fangirl
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release date: Januray 1st, 2013
Finished date: February 25th, 2015
Pages: 445
Read in: English

Synopsis

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★★

Honestly, this is way overhyped. I was expecting much more of it.
It was sweet and funny in a quirky way but it was not a 5★ book.

"I still wish you'd get a dog," she said.
"I'd never remember to feed it."
"Maybe we could train it to feed you."

I also loved the fact that it portrayed mental illness in such a realistic way.I'm a huge fan of fanfiction, I read it often and I've even written a bit. It was refreshing to see such a big part of many teenagers lives portrayed in a book - it's the first book I've ever read about fanfiction.

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Attachments - Rainbow Rowell

Author: Rainbow Rowell
Original Title: Attachments
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Release Date: April 14th, 2011
Finished Date: March 6th, 2015
Pages: 323
Read in: English

Synopsis
"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you . . . "
Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.
Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.
When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.
By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.
What would he say . . . ?

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★.5

I'm going to be honest - up until half the book I wasn't very impressed. Beth and Jennifer were hilarious, but I wasn't convinced with Lincoln. It was hard for me to start seeing him as more than a creep who proof-reads other people's e-mail. Once I got over that, it was actually like experiencing a Nora Ephron movie in book form - think You've Got Mail, but creepier.

«Falling... was he falling? Or was he just bored?»

I will also admit that, since I don't even know what Dungeons & Dragons is, there might have been little things that I didn't notice and/or couldn't interpret correctly.
Anyway, it was nice, but not really my thing. Which is a shame, because I actually like Rainbow Rowell's writing a lot.
Give it a try, you might like it.

«"I think I missed my (...) get-a-life window. I think I was supposed to figure all this stuff out somewhere between twenty-two and twenty-six, and now it's to late.»

The following extended review contains spoilers

If you have not yet read the book and/or do not wish to be spoiled, please do not read any further.

[Review] Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Author: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Original Title: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 23th, 2005
Finished Date: March 1st, 2015

Pages: 183
Read in: English

Synopsis

It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who's just walked in to his band's show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City--and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date. 
This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be--and where the next great band is playing. 
Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you'll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

Source: GoodReads

Final Rating: ★★★