Tag: Young Adult Fiction

Reviews, ya contemporary

Short Book Review: Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks #1) by Miranda Keneally

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Score_CVR.indd

Goodreads Summary:

“Whoever said football and girls don’t mix hasn’t read Catching Jordan. I couldn’t put it down ” — Simone Elkeles, New York Times bestselling author of the Perfect Chemistry series

ONE OF THE BOYS

What girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn’t just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that’s just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she’s ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he’s also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan’s feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart’s on the line?

Review:

I was a bit skeptical about this book because I thought to myself I can not in any way relate to Jordan, I’m not a football player but after reading the first chapter at Barnes & Nobles, I went against my previous stance and bought the book. This book was perfect. Some people say it was cliche but I have a different opinion. To me it was the opposite of cliche. The love triangle was very different in the sense of I didn’t expect it to turn out like it did. I loved this book and the fact that Jordan stood up for herself and when she saw that something was wrong for her, she changed her behavior and did what was best for her. In YA we see a lot of female characters be at the mercy of the guy and I loved that Jordan was not that girl.

Rating: 5/5

Rating System:

1/5: I hated it.

2/5: It had some redeeming qualities but overall, not a good book.

3/5: I liked it (A fun read).

4/5: I really like it, but something was missing.

5/5: I love it! It’s as close to perfection as it can get!

NA Romance, Reviews

Book Review: Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Veronica Porras (TTB)

pushing-the-limitsGoodreads Summary:

So wrong for each other… and yet so right.No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can PUSH THE LIMITS and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her HOW TO LOVE AGAIN.

What I liked:

Oh Boy, there is a lot I liked in this book! I liked that we had both Echo’s and Noah’s point of view. I also liked the way the background of the characters was presented in the book because it did not bore me. It didn’t feel like I was being given background information. What I mean by that is that sometimes in some books when the author is giving background information, it seems to drag on forever and I start getting impatient. Also, the pace of the novel was perfect. It wasn’t too slow or too fast. I also enjoyed that the characters in the book were relatable and I was able to empathize.

What I disliked:

The writing could have been a little better. It wasn’t bad, but some sentences felt awkward to me. I wish we would have known a little more about Echo’s mother and Beth. I know this will make me sound nit-picky but I didn’t like the font they used for Noah.

Overall:

I really liked this book. It got me out of the reading funk I was in. I had just finished Clockwork Prince and couldn’t seem to read anything else after that. I guess I was in a book hangover type of situation. Pushing The Limits wasn’t heavy, but it wasn’t a light book either. As the tumblr book community would say, This book wasn’t too hard on the feels. I encourage you guys to read this book. You won’t regret it. 🙂

Rating: 4/5

Rating System:

1/5: I hated it.

2/5: It had some redeeming qualities but overall, not a good book.

3/5: I liked it (A fun read).

4/5: I really like it, but something was missing.

5/5: I love it! It’s as close to perfection as it can get!

Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun

Veronica Porras (TTB)

toptentuesday-1

This week’s topic is: Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun

Tired of having book hangovers and getting too emotionally attached to a book? Look no further, I have ten books that will keep you sane and entertained. Thank you Broke and Bookish for these wonderful Tuesday Meme’s. *hugs*

1. Ana and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

2. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

3. Getting Over Garrett Delaney by Abby McDonald

4. Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

5. Confessions of a Serial Kisser by Wendelin Van Draanen

6. Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

7. The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler

8. The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper

9. The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

10. Amy and Rogers Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

 

What are some of your light and fluffy books? 🙂

Reviews, YA Dystopian

Review: Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Veronica Porras (TTB)
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Goodreads:

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth’s much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

What I liked:

I liked that Insurgent had the same feeling of dread, excitement, and heart pounding adrenaline that Divergent had. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole entire time. The ending was… perfect. Veronica Roth is the only author I approve of using that type of torturous cliffhanger on me.

What I disliked:

I don’t really have anything negative to say about the book except that I kept thinking, “Dear women let me breath!!” At the same time, it is also why I like it. I am a very complicated person when it comes to this series. It also seemed that Insurgent lacked the ‘love’ part of the story. What redeemed the lack of love in the book was the ending, when Four did what he did (if you read this book already, you know what he did) and believed Tris. The understanding and loyalty between these two just gets to me. They may just be one of my favorite pairings at the moment.

Overall:

Insurgent was phenomenal. I loved every second of it and I can only hope Allegiant is going to be as good as the first two books in the trilogy.

Rating: 5/5

Rating System:

1/5: I hated it.

2/5: It had some redeeming qualities but overall, not a good book.

3/5: I liked it (A fun read).

4/5: I really like it, but something was missing.

5/5: I love it! It’s as close to perfection as it can get!

Random

Mash: Book Blog Edition

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Jesse the Reader started the MASH: Book Edition Tag on Youtube and I’m bringing it over to the written format!

I played MASH many times when I was young (well I am still young but I am in my twenties, not in my tweens anymore) and this made me reminisce to a time where things were simpler and all of our life decisions were made by this simple little game.

All of the names, places, etc., must exist only in Book World’s. The categories I will be using I took from PolandBananasBooks and her list is longer than Jesse’s.

Categories are:

  • Future Husband
  • Best friend
  • Where will I live?
  • Mode of Transportation
  • Job

Here I go!

MASH

Future Husband:

  1. Tobias
  2. Will Herondale
  3. Adrian Ivashkov
  4. Eddie Castile
  5. Jem
  6. Hale

Best Friend:

  1. Elizabeth Sutton
  2. Rose Hathaway
  3. Ana
  4. Rebecca Baxter
  5. Kat Bishop
  6. Tessa Grey

Where Will I live?

  1. Gallagher Academy
  2. Uncle Eddie’s (from Heist Society)
  3. Divergent World
  4. London (TID)
  5. Paris, France (Anna and the French Kiss)
  6. Delirium World

Mode of Transportation

  1. Public Transportation
  2. Carriage
  3. A Classic Mustang
  4. Jet/Airplane
  5. Flying
  6. My own two feet

Job

  1. Government Spy
  2. A Con
  3. A school professor
  4. Police Officer (Delirium)
  5. Author
  6. In charge of Dauntless Initiation (Divergent World)

I got the number six, now let’s eliminate some choices!

Results:

  • Future Husband: Adrian Ivashkov
  • Best Friend: Ana 
  • Place: Uncle Eddie’s
  • Transportation: Carriage
  • Job: Author
  • And I will live in a Mansion.

Well, this was fun and it makes no sense.

“I will marry Adrian and we will live at Uncle Eddie’s in NYC even though we have a Mansion, unless Uncle Eddie stole the Mansion which means his new place is a mansion. My best friend will be Ana. I will move around town in a Carriage and I will work as an author.”

Totally makes sense right?

Here is a picture of my “great penmanship” where I played MASH.

My MASH: Book Edition on paper.
My MASH: Book Edition on paper.

I messed up the first time so I had to re-do everything again. That’s why my writing is no longer coherent. Oops.

Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Tuesday REWIND: Top Ten Books I Loved But Never Wrote A Review For

Veronica Porras (TTB)

toptentuesday-1

 

I haven’t been doing the Top Ten Tuesday posts for that long so I went back to the Top Ten Tuesday Archives of The Broke and The Bookish, who are hosting this lovely Tuesday meme, and I found a Top Ten I would have liked to do. At first, I thought it was going to be easy but then I noticed I’ve done a review on almost every book I’ve read this year. This Top Ten Tuesday ended up being much harder than I originally thought. Without further blabbering from my part, here is my Top Ten list for this week!

Top Ten Books I Loved But Never Wrote A Review For:

1. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

2. The Selection by Kiera Cass

3. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

4. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

4. The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler

5. The Daughters (the whole series) by Joanna Philip

6. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

7. The Liar Society by Lisa Roecker

8. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

9. Love Story by Jennifer Echols

10. Vampire Academy (the whole series) by Richelle Mead

 

 

Which books would you like to review if you had the chance?

Book Spotlight

Book Spotlight #2 All-American Girl by Meg Cabot

Veronica Porras (TTB)

 

Another segment of Book Spotlight is brought to you by yours truly, The Talking Bookworm.

All-American Girl is a book I loved when I read in high school. Meg Cabot was my favorite author through middle school and high school and I still love her writing, but she hasn’t come out with any new YA books the past few years (or anything apart from the Princes Diaries Series). It seems she has switched her focus to adult fiction for the time being. Hope you like my recommendation for the month of April!

all-american-girl

Book Title: All-American Girl (All-American Girl #1)

Author: Meg Cabot

Org. Publication Date: August 2003

Goodreads Summary:

Samantha Madison is an average, cool Washington, D.C., teen: She loves Gwen Stefani (who doesn’t?), can draw like nobody’s business, and enjoys being opposite to her sister’s annoying ultra-social personality. But when she ditches art class one day, she doesn’t expect to be jumping on the back of a wannabe presidential assassin. Soon the young hero is receiving worldwide acclaim for her bravery, having dinner with her family at the White House, and is even being named teen ambassador to the UN. As if this weren’t enough, she and David, the president’s son, strike up a friendship that everyone wants the dirt on, which starts to give her romantic “frisson” feelings. Unfortunately, Sam thinks her sister’s boyfriend, Jack, is the true love of her life, and she makes a few wrong turns that could screw up what she’s developing with David. Will she ever stop following what she knows and start following what she sees?

 

Happy Reading! 🙂

Book Blast from the Past

Book Blast from the Past Review: That Summer by Sarah Dessen

Veronica Porras (TTB)
That Summer by Sarah Dessen
That Summer by Sarah Dessen

Originally Published: 1996

Copy Read: Reprinted 2012 edition

Publisher: Speak (An Imprint of Penguin Group USA)

Goodreads Summary:

For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She’s nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister—the always perfect Ashley—is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley’s reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future.

What I liked:

There is something about Sarah Dessen’s writing that I can’t get enough of. It seems to be personal and impersonal at the same time. Haven’s journey throughout the book had a nice pace to it. It did not feel rushed but it also wasn’t slow either. There was a nice balance with flashbacks to the summer where everything was perfect and to the present where everything was in chaos. This book showed a teenage girl’s journey of growing up and seeing that the world isn’t just black and white, and not everything we see is as it seems.

What I disliked:

The ending wasn’t enough for me. I wished I could have seen more resolution in Haven’s life but knowing Sarah Dessen and her style of writing and structure, the ending I got was as much as I would get.

Overall:

That Summer is your typical Sarah Dessen novel. I enjoyed it and it wasn’t as sad as I thought it might me and that was good because I don’t think I could have handled sad. If you guys want to know what Sarah Dessen is all about, read her debut novel. It is not her best work but it is what started it all.

Rating: 5/5

Rating System:

1/5: I hated it.

2/5: It had some redeeming qualities but overall, not a good book.

3/5: I liked it (A fun read).

4/5: I really like it, but something was missing.

5/5: I love it! It’s as close to perfection as it can get!

Editor Letter, Random

YouTube Channel

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Summer_Reading_08

Hello Everyone!

I’ve made a youtube channel for this blog. The channel name is: TheTalkingBookworm

I’m going to start making my book hauls into video format instead of a long post here so click on the link and go on and watch the latest books I bought that I will most likely be reviewing.

Book Haul #1

Happy Reading!

Editor Letter, To-Read

April Book Blast from the Past Preview

Veronica Porras (TTB)
That Summer by Sarah Dessen
That Summer by Sarah Dessen

Hello everyone! Just wanted to let you know that I will be doing Book Blast from the Past on That Summer by Sarah Dessen. If you guys want to know what it is about here is the Goodreads Summary:

For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She’s nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister—the always perfect Ashley—is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley’s reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future.

Happy Reading!