Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Goodreads Summary:

A teen escapes to a boarding school abroad and falls for a Korean pop star in this fun and fresh romantic novel in the vein of Anna and the French Kiss.

Grace Wilde is running—from the multi-million dollar mansion her record producer father bought, the famous older brother who’s topped the country music charts five years in a row, and the mother who blames her for her brother’s breakdown. Grace escapes to the farthest place from home she can think of, a boarding school in Korea, hoping for a fresh start.

She wants nothing to do with music, but when her roommate Sophie’s twin brother Jason turns out to be the newest Korean pop music superstar, Grace is thrust back into the world of fame. She can’t stand Jason, whose celebrity status is only outmatched by his oversized ego, but they form a tenuous alliance for the sake of her friendship with Sophie. As the months go by and Grace adjusts to her new life in Korea, even she can’t deny the sparks flying between her and the KPOP idol.

Soon, Grace realizes that her feelings for Jason threaten her promise to herself that she’ll leave behind the music industry that destroyed her family. But can Grace ignore her attraction to Jason and her undeniable pull of the music she was born to write? Sweet, fun, and romantic, this young adult novel explores what it means to experience first love and discover who you really are in the process.

Review:

FREAKING ADORABLE. That is all I can come up with when I think of Hello, I Love You.

Many of you don’t know about my Kpop phase in college. I was OBSESSED with Korean pop my first year of college. I’m still a fan, but not in the obsessive way I was, so when I saw a YA book about a Kpop idol I went all grabby hands for it. I called dibs on Kayla’s copy.

HILY is a very fluffy and fun read, but it does have some serious moments. My heart broke several times watching Grace struggle with the family issues she was running from, but enter Mr. Kpop and the heaviness of the situation melted away. While I was not always a fan of Jason, I grew to like him. He was your typical aloof male Korean character. I felt like I was reading a Korean drama instead of watching one. It was GREAT. I devoured this book in two days. I am glad to report that I picked a great book as my first read of 2016.

I do want to point out that there are several out there that will most likely not LOVE this book like I do. If you are a fan of Korean dramas and the Kpop culture in general, I’m pretty positive you will at least like this book. If you are not into Korean entertainment, then it is 50/50.

If you are looking for a light, quick read, pick up Hello, I Love You. Give it a try at least. 🙂

Rating: 4 out of 5

Vero Signature copy

Reviews, ya romance

Book Review: 99 days by Katie Cotugno

January 8, 2016November 20, 2016 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

Review:

OH MY GOSH. WHY. MY FEELS. *dead* I never thought a book on cheating would be so insightful and real. I am blown away. The entire time I was reading it I experienced many emotions. At times it made me feel uncomfortable, but I could not look away. It was addictive. I finished it in one sitting.

Cheating is a very messy subject. Many people see it as black and white, but in reality there is more to it. Take for instance the story being told in 99 Days. It makes you think. It gives you all the information you need in order for you to make an educated decision. Are you on the side of the cheater or the one cheated on? At first you think, she deserves what she got! But then as the story continues you see how complicated and messy it is, and you start to question if she did cheat on him? Was that really cheating? Once you get to know each party involved in the mess, you start to see it wasn’t what it all seemed like in the beginning. Katie leaves you confused, and questioning the side you took at the beginning of the story.

At the end of the journey 99 Days takes you on, your decision on whose side you are on doesn’t even matter anymore. Who did or didn’t cheat, who was at fault, none of that matters. What matters is the lesson being taught. There are many sides to every story. Is cheating wrong? Yes. Should you judge the person? No. Life is messy and the only thing we can do is our best to do what is right and pray for some grace for the moments we fall short.

99 Days will leave you catatonic. You’ll have no idea what hit you and left you in a pile of feels on the floor.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Vero Signature copy

Reviews, YA Historical, ya romance

Book Review: Passenger (Passenger #1) by Alexander Bracken

January 1, 2016November 20, 2016 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

Review:

V: Oh My Gosh. I was warned my feels would die and I joked about it but I did not know how badly it would hurt. THAT ENDING. DEAD. But… I guess we should start of with something lighter. Let’s talk about Etta. I think she was a good main character and I was actually not annoyed by her at all. What do you think Liz?

L: I loved Etta as a character. When authors talk about writing strong female characters, Etta is exactly what I imagine. She is courageous and fierce. But she is also feminine and unsure of herself. Strongly written female characters don’t have to be badasses who don’t ask for help. They just have to be fully developed and well-rounded. Do you agree Veronica? And also what about Nicholas? *Swoon*

V: I 100% agree with you! I loved that Etta asked Nicholas to be her partner, not her servant, her helper, etc. It truly shows a lot about her character and what we can come to expect from her. And Nicholas. I did not expect to like him as much as I did. He is such a good male character and so far, I haven’t really found fault in him. I hope this doesn’t change. But darn him if he’s not swoon worthy and that is all I can see right now. *wiggles eyebrows* What do you think of the “villain” or “Villains” I should say? And Etta’s mom. She’s… cold. And doesn’t seem to have a motherly instinct in her.

L: Nicholas is probably one of my favorite male characters that I’ve read in a long time. (Kind of wish he was real 😉) I would also say that there is more than one villain, which I think is important to the story, to keep it moving. BUT who is actually a villain v. who is just a terrible person? Alice is precious and needs to be protected. And Etta’s mother… Ugh she’s abhorrent and probably ONLY has Etta to fulfil Rose’s wants/needs. I would define her as narcissistic.

V: I like that. Not everyone is a villain, but there are a lot of terrible people in Passenger. I can’t wait for the second book to come out. I really need to know more about Etta’s father and how the heck did Etta’s mom evade everyone?! Any last thoughts Liz?

L: I had seen this book several times, read the summary but wasn’t sure I wanted to read it. I am so glad I did. Passenger is beautifully written. Full of details. Flowery language. Alexandra Bracken has stolen my heart. And I can’t wait until Wayfarer is published.

“Possibility, dear one. Possibility.”

Rating: 5 out of 5

Disclaimer: Thank you Disney-Hyperion and NetGalley for giving Liz and I the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this book for free does not influence my opinion.

Reviews, ya contemporary

Book Review: Joyride by Anna Banks

December 13, 2015November 20, 2016 Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Goodreads Summary:

It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.

Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber’s mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.

All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.

Review:

All I can think right now is… YES. Why do I have such reaction? Well I’ll tell you why. WE FINALLY SEE MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS AND UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS PORTRAYED CORRECTLY IN YOUNG ADULT FICTION. *claps forever*

Okay, maybe I should not be screaming that at you guys, but I am just SO HAPPY to see a real portrayal [even if we didn’t really go down and dirty into the lives of an immigrant family]. I’m disappointed with how little the publishing world talks about the reality of hispanic immigrants in the United States. And we all know how rare it is to see another ethnicity other than caucasian as a main character in young adult fiction. Now let me clarify, I am not bashing those books. I obviously don’t mind reading about white characters, but it is refreshing to see someone rise up to the challenge and write something else. With all that said and done, let’s continue.

One of the reasons why I really like Joyride is how real the story felt. Every single character was developed. They didn’t feel two-dimensional to me. They had depth. I love it when an author can write a story so well that the reader feels as if she were reading a true story, an account of something that happened in real life. Maybe I feel that way because I grew up in neighborhoods full of Mexican/Hispanic immigrants and know the struggles of those whose parents are undocumented. It is tough when you have to grow up at such a young age just like Carly. There is a lot I want to talk about, but I would go off on a tangent so instead…

In Fat Amy’s famous words… Ms. Banks crushed it!

Rating: 5 out of 5

Vero Signature copy

Editor Letter, Giveaway

HAPPY 3RD ANNIVERSARY TO THE TALKING BOOKWORM

December 12, 2015December 12, 2015 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Guys, I turn 3 years old TODAY!

As I meditate on the birth of this blog until now, I can only see the growth I’ve obtained as both a blogger and an individual. This blog has been with me through many milestones and I am glad this has been a constant in my life.

I would like to thank every single one of my readers and wonderful blogger friends for supporting me and reading my content. I wouldn’t be here today without you guys.

I want to do a little shot out to Emma (Miss Print), Anjie (Love Thy Shelf), Kayla (The Thousand Lives), and Andi (Andi’s ABC’s). You guys have been my rock through the years here in the book blogging community.

Also Liz, my co-blogger, thank you for taking time out of your busy life to do this with me. Don’t know what I would do without you!

And now to the most exciting part…

GIVEAWAY TIME!

*pops champagne*

The giveaway will run from December 12, 2015 12:00am PST to January 11, 2015 11:59pm PST. And to answer the unspoken question many of you have, yes this is an INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY. The prize is 1 book with a maximum value of $15 US dollars. If you live in the USA, it will be shipped to you via Amazon. If you live outside the USA, I will be using Book Depository to purchase the book.

Thanks again for everyone’s support. I love you all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Tuesday Meme

Top Four 2016 Debuts Novels We Are Looking Forward To

December 1, 2015 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Thank you to The Broke and The Bookish for this wonderful meme! If you want to learn how to participate, click here and check it out. Promise you won’t regret it.

Top Ten 2016 Debuts Novels We Are Looking Forward To

Liz’s Picks

I’ve only got two picks this week. I have a lot more books by established authors coming out in 2016, but not debut authors.

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Rebel of the Sands

Rebel of the Sands reveals what happens when a dream deferred explodes—in the fires of rebellion, of romantic passion, and the all-consuming inferno of a girl finally, at long last, embracing her power.

The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry

The Love That Split the World

Emily Henry’s stunning debut novel is Friday Night Lights meets The Time Traveler’s Wife, and perfectly captures those bittersweet months after high school, when we dream not only of the future, but of all the roads and paths we’ve left untaken

Vero’s List:

The Heir and The Spare by Emily Albright

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I haven’t really heard much hype about this book, but as I was looking at the YA 2016 Spring Debuts this one seemed like it would be a fun read. The title almost intrigues me!

A Study In Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

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John Watson. Sherlock Holmes. Enough Said. That’s all I need to know for it to be on my watch list! CAN’T WAIT!

Reviews, Special Review, ya romance

Book Review: The Trouble With Destiny by Lauren Morrill

November 24, 2015November 20, 2016 Veronica Porras (TTB)

The Trobule With Destiny High Res

Written by : Veronica Robles

Goodreads Summary:

It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey…

With her trusty baton and six insanely organized clipboards, drum major Liza Sanders is about to take Destiny by storm—the boat, that is. When Liza discovered that her beloved band was losing funding, she found Destiny, a luxury cruise ship complete with pools, midnight chocolate buffets, and a $25,000 spring break talent show prize.

Liza can’t imagine senior year without the band, and nothing will distract her from achieving victory. She’s therefore not interested when her old camp crush, Lenny, shows up on board, looking shockingly hipster-hot. And she’s especially not interested in Russ, the probably-as-dumb-as-he-is-cute prankster jock whose ex, Demi, happens be Liza’s ex–best friend and leader of the Athenas, a show choir that’s the band’s greatest competition.

But it’s not going to be smooth sailing. After the Destiny breaks down, all of Liza’s best-laid plans start to go awry. Liza likes to think of herself as an expert at almost everything, but when it comes to love, she’s about to find herself lost at sea.

Review:

*Spoiler-y Review*

For some reason all I can think of right now is the sugar cubes Finnick eats in Catching Fire. The Trouble with Destiny is a sweet, crunchy sugar cube. If it were a stuffed animal, I would squeeze it so hard because of all the feels it gave me. Alright let’s begin.

Liza is stressed, frazzled and has a one-track mind. All she can’t think is “Save The Band From Funding Cuts!” The band is on the Destiny for that very reason, The competition taking place on the Destiny that can give them the money they need so that the school can keep the band for another year. That is if they win of course. The entire trip she experiences, sabotages, misunderstandings, a broken heart, and hope.

What I really like that Lauren Morrill did is that in a fun way, TTwD shows the reality any schools are facing today. Public schools around the country are being forced to close the art and music departments due to funding cuts, just like Liza’s school is facing. It is a sad reality, one that seems will not be disappearing anytime soon.

TTwD also focuses on friendships. A big focus of Liza’s and Demi’s. Liza and Demi were best friends when they were young but one day it all fell apart when Liza was done being Demi’s twin. Both girls are enemies for most of the novel until they have a heart to heart and what really happened is said and moth make amends. I really liked seeing a good friendship gone bad, become something more than a sour note in both of the girls’ lives.

Last but not least we have Lenny. Lenny is an adorable teddy bear. At first, I was fooled. He seemed a little bit like the stereotypical air-head jock, but he is a lot more than he seems. Lenny’s actions made him seem as air-headed and annoying, but he was doing those things intentionally. Lenny’s crush made him act in a way that fit the stereotype which made everyone oblivious as to what was really happening and where his actions were coming from.

The Trouble with Destiny was a breath of fresh air. It was light, fluffy, and sweet. The perfect dessert after a long day of work.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Vero Signature copy

You can preorder a copy here: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Indie

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Disclaimer: Thank you Random House Children’s Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this book for free does not sway my opinion.

Tuesday Meme

Ten Books We Are Thankful For

November 23, 2015November 23, 2015 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Thank you to The Broke and The Bookish for this wonderful meme! If you want to learn how to participate, click here and check it out. Promise you won’t regret it.

Vero’s List:

THIS. IS. SO HARD. And I am going to cheat because I can’t just pick five. No way. All the books in this list made an impact. I’m thankful for each one for different reasons. I don’t want to make this a long post, so I will save that for the comments. If you want to know why I’m thankful for a specific book, ask me in the comments!

Fixing Delilah and The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler.

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Tonight The Streets Are Ours and This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

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If I Stay by Gayle Forman

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Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

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Liz’s List:

I am so copying Veronica on this one because I also can’t pick five books. I’ve read so many books over the years that really opened the door to others I wouldn’t have found. In general, I am thankful for the wide variety of books and authors available to us to choose from, though there is never enough time to read them all. Also most, if not all, of these books made me cry.

Inescapable and Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol

Inescapable (The Premonition, #1) Under Different Stars (Kricket, #1)

A Matter of Truth by Heather Lyons

A Matter of Truth (Fate, #3)

Six of Crows and Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1) Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander (Outlander, #1)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)

Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Book To Movie Adaptations We Are Looking Forward To

November 9, 2015November 9, 2015 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Thank you to The Broke and The Bookish for this wonderful meme! If you want to learn how to participate, click here and check it out. Promise you won’t regret it.

Vero’s List:

1. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

*squeals* I know. I know. Fangirls everywhere are fanning themselves right now. It is in production. Nik keeps posting pilot selfies. It’s all too much. The book is really good, but I just hope they don’t turn it into another Fifty Shades of Grey because it is not!

2. Allegient by Veronica Roth

I feel like the Divergent hype might have died down, but I am loyal until the end. I need to see what they change and what they do. Also, the movie scores and soundtracks so far have been fantastic!

3. Heist Society by Ally Carter

You have no idea how much I want to see Hale come to life. That boy will be the death of me. Also, we need to see a kickass female con artist because its not just a male dominated industry. Hehe.

4. The Darkest Minds by Alexander Bracken

I’m really stoked this is being made into a movie. I’m a sucker for a dystopian novel turned movie and I can’t wait to see the book come to life. Reading TDM it was difficult at times to picture things which is why I think I never continued reading the trilogy. Maybe having visuals to go with it will push me to finish the trilogy once and for all!

Liz’s List:

5.Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

So clearly we know we’re getting this as a movie. Release date is in November 18, 2016. I have been overly pumped for this because the lack of anything Harry Potter in my life has been palpable. With the release of the cast in August 2015 and the exclusive Entertainment Weekly cover with Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander my excitement levels has increase exponentially. I wailed with excitement and cried at my desk for the beauty of the cover. Let’s just say I need November 18, 2016 to be here yesterday.

6.Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This movie adaptation was just announced by Jennifer herself. The production company Mr. Mudd will be working on the film and Sierra Affinity is backing the movie. I absolutely loved this novel and am totally excited to about the prospect of a film version. Alien love stories- my favorite! My worries are always the same when book to movie adaptations happen- wrong cast, leaving out of crucial moments, etc. One of my biggest concerns is that it will be another Twilight film (which I hated- books and movies). More information about the film can be found on Jennifer’s website. This movie is currently listed as “in development”.

6.Fallen by Lauren Kate

This book is part of a series I read a few years ago. “It’s about a young girl who attends a boarding school after being blamed for the death of a boy in her home town. At he school she finds herself drawn to a fellow student, unaware that he is an angel, and has loved her for thousands of year.” I am interested in how this movie turns out since the plot is fairly simple. They already have a cast though more information is difficult to find. I am confident that this movie will be halfway decent since the author, Lauren Kate, is credited as a writer for the project. It is currently “in production” with a release date of 2016.

8.The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

While this book isn’t necessarily labeled as “Young Adult”, it is a cross generational story for everyone to enjoy. There is magic, a feud, and romance. This was the first ebook I read and I was extremely impressed with the author- it was her debut book. The film rights have been optioned by Summit Entertainment but that is about all the information available at this point. Keeping my fingers crossed that it reaches “in production” status soon.

9.Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

This book was A-MAZ-ING! Read it! Karou and Akiva are two of my all-time favorite characters. It was suggested to me by my best friend and I threw through the trilogy because it was so good. And Hopefully the movie is great too. Right now drafts of the script are being written and it looks like Universal Pictures optioned the film rights. Lets hope we get more information soon!

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Editor Letter

Welcome My New Co-Blogger

October 28, 2015 Veronica Porras (TTB)

I have some big news. The Talking Bookworm is no longer a solo gig, but someone else has joined The Talking Bookworm family. Let’s all welcome Liz Brooks!

*throws confetti*

I want to thank you all for tweeting my link and helping me find a co-blogger. I’m really excited to be working with Liz and even more excited for you guys to see her upcoming content. Exciting new things happening here at The Talking Bookworm!!

You can now expect to see more YA sub-gentes being reviewed as a result of this partnership.

Who’s excited with me?! *raises hand*