Just One Day

"We are born in one day. We die in one day. We can change in one day. And we can fall in love in one day.  Anything can happen in one day,"

Just One Day by Gayle Forman
4 of 5 Stars
Format: Hardcover
Genre: New Adult, Adventure, Romance, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, College
Pages: 368

Summary:

Allyso has pretty much had everything set for her. Her overbearing mother constantly makes plans for her and her parents never take the time to talk to her, just at her.

For a graduation present Allyson goes with her best friend on a tour group to travel around Europe. On the last day of the tour she and her best friend sneak away from the tour to go see an underground performances of the Twelfth Night. Allyson seems to have a instant connection with a dutch actor, Willem, who performs as sebastian.

By chance, they managed to find each other and Willem convinces Allyson to go away with him to Paris for the day and for the first time Allyson takes a leap of faith and joins him  They find adventures and talk of love. By the next morning she finds herself alone, deserted in Paris.

From that one day her life would change. While searching for Willem she also learns about herself along the way.

"And that's when I understand that I have been stained. Whether I'm still in love with him, whether he was ever in love with me, and not matter who he's in love with now, Willem changed my life. He showed me how to get lost and then I showed myself how to get found. 

Maybe accidents isn't the right word for it after all . Maybe miracle is.

Or maybe it's not a miracle. Maybe this is just life. When you open yourself up to it. When you put yourself in the path of it when you say yes."

My thoughts

I swear books like this one ruin my chance of ever finding someone. Willem in this book is just perfect (except for the disappearing bit), I would love to meet him the way Allyson did and have that one day.

I would've given this book a 5 star but this book seemed to drag a bit. Allyson whiny attitude drove me nuts I just wanted to shake her! She was a bit o a downer, couldn't she just let her friend and the people who wanted to be close to her know of her story. That would've saved a lot of time. The story was very predictable. I really liked the vivid details so what was happening and how she was feeling. It was easy to immerse yourself with the characters and everything she felt, I felt.

This book has got me wanted to travel now, just reading the details of her adventure makes me want to go somewhere anywhere but here. I liked that she started off as the sheltered girl who pretty much did what she was told and went to being a girl who asserted herself and went for what she wanted. She did what she felt was right and gone for it not matter what her parents felt.

Trust me when I say, to spare your feelings wait till the next book comes out to read it. Or else you'll be like me and have to wait months till it comes out. I hate that!

Gayle Forman is such a talented author and can really get her reader so emotional with her heartbreaking and inspiring books. If you liked this book you'll love her other books: If I Stay and Where she went.

Oh yea I forgot to mention, Cliff hangers!!!! No!!!! Can't believe I got to wait till October to see what happens next. When I went to the book signing Q&A for Gayle Forman the next book is supposed to start went he left her that day and what he had to find her and what happens at the ending of this book.

"...being Lulu, it made me realize that all my life I've been living in a small, square room, with no windows and no doors. And I was fine. I was happy even. I thought. Then someone came along and showed me there was a door in the room. One that I'd never even seen before. Then he opened it for me. Held my hand as I walked through it. And for one perfect day, I was on the other side. I was somewhere else. Someone else. And then he was gone, and I was thrown back into my little room. And now, no matter what I don, I can't seem to find that door."

The Mind Thieves

The Mind Thieves by Lori Brighton (The Mind Readers #2)
4 of 5 Stars
Format: Ebook
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure, Suspence
Pages: 228

Summery

After Cameron got out of her mysterious coma she moved to the islands with her grandma working at a bar on the beach livings a perfectly good life. That was until a stranger showed up walking straight towards her at the end of her shift. Eventually she finds that there are more like her (Mind readers) and that the man had come to fetch her to bring her to her father who was supposedly dead or was it missing? Before the guy could bring her quietly people appeared at her grandmothers also with the intent of taking her also.

My Say:

I'm not sure why I wrote 4 of 5 stars. There was a bit of love interests. Lots of chases and things going on. Plenty of bad guys appearing that may be good guys that are just misunderstood  This book was fast paced. I liked the Cameron questioned everything but it drove me crazy that even if she asked certain things nothing got answered.

I don't know what to say something about this book rubbed me the wrong way. Normally a book this interesting would get 5 stars but not sure whats up this time.  The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger but for some reason wasn't surprising. Maybe it was too predictable.

Dark and Hollow Places

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Stars 5 of 5
Pages: 374
Genre: Young Adult, Zombies, Dystopia, Horror, Fantasy, Romance

Summery:

At a very young age Annah and Elias left Annah's twin sister in the forest of hands and teeth by herself and when they went to go find her they managed to get lost. For many years Annah and Elias managed to roam around till the made it to the Dark City meanwhile Abigail Gabriel lived in Vista both leading different lives.

When they finally come together, they find themselves in trouble with the city being overrun by inconcecrated/Mudo (Zombies). With the help of Elias and Catcher they are sent with recruiters to a secure place where they can be safe... for a price. Since Catcher is immune to the infection he must help the recruiters gather supplies and foods and in exchange his friends have a safe place to stay. Soon enough Annah comes to realize they aren't safe as they thought they where and will try to come up with a way to get out. 

My say:

Where has this book been hiding? Just perfect. Finally a great zombie book from Carrie Ryan. The first two books should be chucked out the window and this book should just be the only one left. This book had loads of zombies, a decent amount of action and suspense to keep me wanting more. 

My favorite character is Annah, I love how courageous and selfless she was. She faced danger to help the ones she cares about and helps those who she doesn't even know. Shes also resourceful and smart coming up with ways to help escape when they where in trouble. Shes definitely a quick thinker and managed to narrowly escape many situations that should've left her dead. The only problem was her insecurities about how she looked. She compared her looks to her sister a lot and I just felt like screaming at her, that looks aren't important. I also loved how strong she was and how she didn't depend on any one to help her, She didn't play the victim  When she was in trouble she'd face it head on and take what ever consequence that came with it. She didn't like when she guys tried to fight her battles and defend her, she fought for herself.

So to those who haven't read this trilogy or what ever you'd call it, don't bother reading the first two just skip ahead to this book. The great thing about that too is if you ever do actually take my advice and do just that you wouldn't be missing anything because there is pretty much a recap of what happens in the past books when they talk about old memories.

Highly Recommend!

Coffee, Snacks, and a Book I must be in heaven.

Got my book, coffee, and snack looks like its going to be a good day. As of right now I'm "reading" more like listening to the audio book of The Calling by Kelley Armstrong which is the second book to The Gathering. It should take me 6 hours to get through according to the cover so I gotta start now if I want to finish the book by tonight. I'm hoping this book would be more interesting then the first. From the looks of it, the second book is more promising. There more conflict going on and things are looking up (For the book that is not, for the characters). Well I gotta get back to my book, I'll write another update soon, maybe after I'm done with the book.

The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

4 of 5 stars

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Supernatural, Romance, Shapeshifters, 

Pages: 359

Summery

Everything in Maya's life was perfectly normal until her 16th birthday came around. Now Cougars seem to cross paths with her more often. Then there was a strange encounter with a seemingly senile old women. And the strange fainting spells and visions she seems to be having. Adding everything up with the help of a new student and love interest,  Rafe, she learns things the never new about herself and begins to question everything  This also raises questions on why her late best friend, who was a swim captain, had a freak accident and drowned.

My Say

This book was interesting enough that I managed to read this book within 24 hours wondering what was gonna happen and was left with a cliffhanger in the end. Goddess I hate cliffhangers >_< . 

As you can see from the summery the book has the same premise as most YA books so you got the idea of how the book is. Girl living a totally normal life until the new hot guy comes into the picture, girl possibly hates the guy then learned the guy is misunderstood and falling for the guy. Then strange things started to happen and find out some life altering information about themselves. 

I for the most part thought the book was good, I wish there was more conflict going on to keep me interested. The pace for the book was pretty low which is a problem for me. The story felt like I've read it many other times before. Despite that, I think the book was interesting enough and hope that the next book surprises me. I found the characters very likable and the main character Maya funny at some points where I couldn't keep my laughter to myself with her little comments that she would say. I would've liked to know more about what was going on with the project, or about her heritage, or what happened to Serena. I don't expect any of it to just be answered in the first book but at least give us a bit to go on, solve at least one of the questions that many may ask of this book. 

Overall I enjoyed the book even if its a cliche and look forward to the next book hopefully some of the questions I want answers will be done in the next book.

The Forest Of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The Forest Of Hands And Teeth by Carrie Ryan
4 of 5 Stars
Pages: 223
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia, Zombie, Horror, Romance

Goodreads Summery

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

My Say

I've had this book for a while and just never could find the time to pick it up. Then when I did I could only get a couple pages in before I got disinterested. Little did I know that if I had red a couple pages more I would've had a hard time to put it down. The book was well written, gruesome and very intense. I had no problem pretty much devouring the book, the fact that it was a Inconsecrated (zombie) book and had loads of action and the suspense of what happens next kept me hooked. 

One problem I had was the main character Mary. Mary is selfish, immature, and very annoying at some points. Yea I get that she has dreams but at what expense? Loved ones have suffered for her dreams that lead to her making stupid and dangerous choices. Some other points that kind of annoyed me about Mary is that when it came to dangerous situations happening she'd be all I wonder what Travis doing. Death and destruction is happening, that's not exactly the time to think about love and what the guy shes crushing on is doing. 

The end I didn't like too much, it was good but I wanted to know more. The ending just kind of fell flat. At first I thought it was just because the author might pick up where she left off with this book to the next but no its a different characters point of view from the same time. So I'm curious of what happens next. Hopefully they will be more interesting then Mary was. 

If you want a copy of this book you can click here for : Paperback or Kindle Edition

I've decided to show off the new books that I bought last night.

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Morganville Vampires by Rachel Cain Volume 2
Swoon by Nina Malkin



Books-A-Million Had an amazing $3.00 sales rack. Thank goodness I came across it because I would've missed out on a deal. So if you lovely people live near a books-a-million there is that great deal I asked when the deal was over, one of the workers said at the end of the weekend. So Sunday the deal ends so get that deal!

While I was at the YA section I was going to buy Clockwork Angel for $9.99 but then by chance I managed to pass the deal section you can imagine how glad I felt when I found out about the deal. I only had $10 in my pocket and expected to come out with one great book and after the deal I came out with 3 plus manage to save $6 on Clockwork Angel.

Have any of you read any of these books? I would like to know what you think of them.