Book Haul #1

Hello everyone,
Today I had the pleasure of going to Barnes&Noble to buy myself some books! My 16th birthday was on the 18th of July and yesterday was my birthday party. I was blessed with some funds to spend and thus decided to buy some books.
Alright here is the haul:
Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Super excited to read this! I've heard really good things about this book. Gives me a Criminal Minds, mystery vibe.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
I already started reading this and so far it's pretty good. It's proved interesting to me and I just hope it keeps getting better. You guys might laugh about this but I actually decided to start reading it because one of my man crushes will star in the movie. Dylan O'Brien if you all are wondering who it is.

Eleanor&Park by Rainbow Rowell
Who hasn't heard about this book? I did a happy dance when I saw it in Barnes&Noble. Looks super cute and I'm hoping it is as great as everyone says it is!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
This book has been out for quite a while and I totally missed the bandwagon for it but oh well it's never too late. I'm not a fan for anything that's creepy, or scary but who knows this book might not be like that. But one of my friends said it was creepy so we shall see. Kinda reminds me of the show American Horror Story for some reaason.

That's all for now and I'm super excited for all of these books!

Happy Reading,

Ashlinn

Review: Paper Towns

Paper Towns by John Green

Published by:Dutton Juvenile

Released on:October 16th, 2008

Pages:305 hardcover

Buy here 

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues - and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer Q gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.

 

My Thoughts:

  I decided to get this book at the library after looking for a new book to read by an author that I knew wrote great books. Thus comes along John Green. This book was excellent and I'm not exactly sure what else I could say besides that. It's not the type that I would fangirl over and recommend to everyone but at the same time if someone mentioned it or something reminded me of this story I wouldn't hesitate to talk about it.

  I liked Quentin, or Q, a lot. He was a cool dude. I could see myself being friends with him in real life. Q was real and you could relate to him on many different levels, and I appreciated that John Green made him that way. I really loved the whole adventure awaits, live free, do your thing, attitude Margo carried. Margo is a crazy soul and there was no stopping her from day one that's for sure. I'd say the majority of the story is Q searching for Margo and trying to decipher the clues left for him. Which was fun, because as the reader you're solving it along with him and coming up with your own theories. As time went on, Q became more desperate and desperate to find her, which I admire. I think until you're in a situation where the person you like or love has left, seemingly run away from your life, you never really know the lengths you will take to get them back or get an answer. And I'm still trying to figure out if you always do get that answer you're searching for, whether it be closure from that person or from yourself. Or if some things are meant to be left a mystery and we must move on with our lives and hope one day we will forget it and them.

  Overall, I'm happy I decided to read it and share my thoughts with you all. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Favorite Quotes of Paper Towns:
“What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person.”

“That's always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they're pretty. It's like picking your breakfast cereals based on color instead of taste.”

“When did we see each other face-to-face? Not until you saw into my cracks and I saw into yours. Before that, we were just looking at ideas of each other, like looking at your window shade but never seeing inside. But once the vessel cracks, the light can get in. The light can get out.” 

“The town was paper, but the memories were not.” 

 “Radar threw his books into his locker and shut it. Then the din of conversation around us quieted just a bit as he turned his eyes toward the heavens and shouted, "IT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT MY PARENTS OWN THE WORLD'S LARGEST COLLECTION OF BLACK SANTAS.” Oh, how much I loved Radar. He was flawless. Let's be real.

That's all for now!

Comment please and Happy Reading,

Ashlinn

Catching Up!

Hello everyone who is reading this :). I'm sure many of you who follow totally forgot about my blog as it has been more than a year since my last post, but I just wanted to talk about the few amazing books I read during the year hiatus.
First off, I just finished my sophomore year, 10th grade, and as much as it was stressful it had many amazing moments and I'm thankful for all the people I got close to and everything I learned about myself and others. However I have 3 weeks until I start my junior year, so it's not the most convenient time to try to start blogging again so I probably won't be posting a lot but my hope is to review books that I had the great pleasure of reading. I've been trying to catch up on the latest and greatest books right now and reading my favorite book blogs which I have greatly missed.
Alright, onto the books I read:

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I read this back in September of last year and yes it does indeed stack up to everyone's hype as anyone who has read it can confirm. I bought it during the summer and my friend who had read Divergent and Insurgent at the time told me I had to read it immediately. It was fabulous and is one of my favorite books, I honestly recommend it to anyone who I'm chatting with about books. I even got my little brother to read it(he loved it, keeps begging me to buy Insurgent) and he is not the type to love reading. My cousin Olivia, who basically is my double and fellow book nerd, finished it in a day and bugged me as well about getting Insurgent! And finally, the movie will be coming out in 2014!!Stoked.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Second book in the Divergent trilogy. I devoured this one and I liked it as much as Divergent. But I'm sure as all of you know second books don't always have the same spark as the first one did. The ending though, it was fabulous. Who's excited for Allegiant??Cause I sure am.

Review:The Fine Art of Truth or Dare

The Fine Art of Truth Or Dare

by Melissa Jensen

Published by: Speak

Released on: February 16th,2012

Pages:380 paperback

Buy here

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

 

    The Fine Art of Truth or Dare sounds like a cute read and it was but it just wasn't as good as I expected. The first couple chapters we're introduced to Ella an art junkie who is in love with Edward Willing who happens to be dead. And her two best friends; Frankie and Sadie. I loved Frankie he was one of those characters you can't help but want to be friends with them in real life. Sadie I felt like we didn't get to know her as much as Frankie but I still liked her. Ella's like any other love struck teenage girl. She likes this guy Alex Bainbridge one of the most popular guys at Willing. I didn't really think much of Alex because I was sort of in and out of the book but in the end I neither liked him or disliked him. He was just kind of blah. He's pretty much like another stereotypical athletic-boy-who-is-dating-the-most-popular-girl-but-who-then-starts-to-fall-in-love-with-the-quiet-invisible-girl-and-makes-her-feel-special. Not that there's anything wrong with that but it's just so overused. Overall this book was ok it was pretty long for my taste but I rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

Happy Reading,

Ashlinn

Review: Perdition

Perdition

(Goddess of Night Novella:Book Two)

by Ley Mesina

Released on:March 8th 2012

Pages:45 PDF

Buy here

In the second installment of the Goddess of Night series, Lily ventures out into the Underworld determined to find Nyx and finally get the answers she’s been looking for.

Xander, Drew, and Roxy head out on a mission to rescue Roxy’s parents from the secret facility hidden below Devlond University.

The time has come. Secrets will finally be revealed and the world they once knew will change…  Forever.

   Perdition was a great second installment to the Goddess of Night Series. Immediately I connected with the characters again. I had forgotten some of the story because I read Reborn last summer but I immediately caught on. 

  I felt like I got to know Lily a lot better and I'm glad the book answered some remaining questions from the first book. Also I'm very happy that Xander and Lily's romantic relationship progressed. Overall I enjoyed the book very much and I'm looking forward to the third book. I rate this 4 out of 5 stars.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Ashlinn

P.s. I will be out of town for a couple days so I plan to 

read some great books!

Review: The Beginning of After

The Beginning of After

by Jennifer Castle

Published by:HarperTeen

Released on:September 6th, 2011

Pages: 432 Hardcover

Buy here

Sixteen-year-old Laurel’s world changes instantly when her parents and brother are killed in a terrible car accident. Behind the wheel is the father of her bad-boy neighbor, David Kaufman, whose mother is also killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Laurel navigates a new reality in which she and her best friend grow apart, boys may or may not be approaching her out of pity, overpowering memories lurk everywhere, and Mr. Kaufman is comatose but still very much alive. Through it all, there is David, who swoops in and out of Laurel’s life and to whom she finds herself attracted against her better judgment. She will forever be connected to him by their mutual loss, a connection that will change them both in unexpected ways.

   I haven't read a book in a long time that I couldn't simply put down but today I found one. The Beginning of After had me hooked from the beginning. The idea of losing people that are in your life everyday, and then they simply vanish because they have died scared the bejibus(not exactly a real word) out of me and also intrigued me. I know your thinking I'm might be a psychopath but it was interesting to see how Laurel dealt with her grief. I'm going to admit it I teared up more than five times. This book was honestly depressing in a sort of good way. What I mean by that is, it helped me realize all the good I have in my life and how much I take for granted.

   I didn't know exactly what to expect but I think I got a lot more out of it then I originally thought I would. This wasn't an amazingly well written book but it's just right for someone who likes somewhat of an easy read in the sense of the writing style. One of the only things that bugged me was in the book she show's text messages from Laurel's friends and not every teenager texts like this: "city 2mrw? goin stir craZ alrdy." It was really quite annoying and that's an actual example from the book. The only other thing that bugged me was in the summary it claims her best friend and her drift apart but that's not really what happened at all. If anything I'd want a best friend just like Meg. Overall this book was a nice weekend read made me sad at times but I really did enjoy this. I rate it 4/5 stars. Check it out or if you already have leave me a comment on your thoughts!

Bonjour and Happy Reading,

Ashlinn :)

Long Time

It's been a long long time since I've posted on here. It's really quite sad because I haven't read any books that I can post about. Anyways, it's such a beautiful day where I live and I'm in the mood to read all day but unfortunately can't because I have to study for finals, oh yeah and school ends on the 25th! YAY! Summer here I come... I'm going to be home all summer so I plan to read but who knows with me I just really have to be in the mood. Thanks for all the followers I have that have stuck by BBBBooks :)

Happy Reading,

Ashlinn :)

Review:Freshman Year&Other Unatural Diasters

Freshman Year&Other Unnatural Diasters

by Meredith Zeitlin

Published by:Putnam Juvenile

Released on:March 1st,2012

Pages:288 hardcover

Buy here

Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.

Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.

Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course…

    This was such a cute and fun read! Kelsey is a relatable character to any teenage girl out there. Her friends were also so funny! I mean every teenage girls has gone through at least one of the embarrassing moments in life. I mean I have my fair share, I embarrass myself daily. No joke. I loved that it started off just when she was starting high school and then her first day because I'm a freshman too! Although none of the crazy stuff has happened to me yet it did make for some exciting moments. I can relate to Kelsey so well because going into high school is such a scary thing, I was scared out of my pants the first week! But high school is awesome and super fun if you make it that way.


   I thought this book was very well written and is a must read for incoming freshman or girls in high school. I rate this 4 out of 5 stars! Check it out.

Happy reading y'all!

Ashlinn