The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski (The Edge of Never #1)

• Title: The Edge of Never
• Author: J.A. Redmerski
• My Rating: 5/5 Stars
• Format: Ebook

 

 

I first heard of The Edge of Never when I was just browsing around on GoodReads. The cover didn't really draw me to the book, but I do like it. I read the synopsis of this book and I thought it sounded like it would be a really fun read. I also looked through some of the reviews and the majority of them said great things about this book so that was a plus.

 

The Edge of Never is about a 21-year-old girl named Camryn. One day, Camryn decides that she is going to hop on a bus and go wherever it takes her. While she's on that bus, she meets a guy named Andrew. Andrew is someone who lives in the moment and he doesn't really care what everyone else thinks about him. When Camryn and Andrew become friends, he teaches her to live in the moment and say what's on her mind, no matter what it is. Camryn and Andrew have feelings for each other, but they hide their feelings because they don't want to feel vulnerable.

 

The Edge of Never is the type of book that sucks you in and you never want to put it down. I loved reading from both Camryn and Andrew's POVs. Being able to understand what both of them were thinking and feeling really brought the book together for me. Also, the banter between them had me cracking up.

 

This book will make you feel so many emotions you won't know what to do with yourself. One minute you'll be laughing so hard, then you'll be crying, then you'll be angry with one of the characters.

 

Speaking of the characters, I thought they were all wonderful. Camryn and Andrew were well developed and I love how they started really becoming their true selves as the story progressed. The other characters, such as Camryn's best friend Natalie and Andrew's family, were great too. Although sometimes they made me mad, I still liked their personalities and how they were all so different from each other.

 

I gave The Edge of Never 5/5 stars because it was a really fun, exciting page turner. I loved this book from start to finish. I only put it down when I absolutely had to. I had never really read a story about a road trip before and I think that little aspect appealed to me. This book was extremely entertaining to me and it definitely kept me wanting more.

 

Favorite quote: "I hate to say it, but sh*t really does happen. You just have to get over it. Beat the hell out of it by doing things that make you happy."

 

Do I recommend this book? Yes! It's such a great book! If you think you might like it, chances are you probably will. You should definitely give it a chance!

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles (Perfect Chemistry #1)

• Title: Perfect Chemistry
• Author: Simone Elkeles
• My Rating: 5/5 Stars
• Format: Paperback

 

 

Perfect Chemistry is one of the first books that really got me into reading. After I read a few books before this, I realized that I really enjoyed romance novels. I searched for different romance novels for days and finally came to the conclusion that I wanted to buy this one. I read this book in 9th grade and I can still remember every day when I got home from school I couldn't wait to pick it up.

 

Perfect Chemistry is basically your typical good-girl-bad-boy story. The main female character, Brittany, is a cheerleader with the perfect boyfriend and tons of money. However, her life isn't as perfect as it may seem. The main male character, Alex, is a bad boy and a member of the Latino Blood.

Alex and Brittany are forced to be lab partners in their chemistry class. The two of them basically hate each other because they are nothing alike. Alex ends up making a bet with his friends that he can get into Brittany's pants before Thanksgiving without thinking that he might actually fall for her.

 

I really, really enjoyed reading this book. It's still one of my favorites today. I loved how it switched back and forth between Brittany and Alex's POV so you could get a glimpse of what both of them were thinking in that moment. I enjoyed the chemistry (see what I did there ;P) between the two main characters and I felt like it was easy to relate to both of them.

 

Although the storyline wasn't very original, I still fell in love with this book. It is very typical but it does have some twists and turns that will really draw you in and keep you wanting more. Perfect Chemistry is a definite page turner and I think a lot of people will enjoy it.

 

I gave this book 5/5 stars because I instantly fell in love with it. I loved the characters, the story, and basically just everything about this book. Simone Elkeles became a favorite author of mine after reading this book.

 

Favorite quote: "If there's one thing I learned, it's that nobody is here forever. You have to live for the moment, each and every day...the here, the now."

 

Do I recommend this book? YES. It is still one of my favorite books today, and I read it almost 3 years ago. It's such a great book and you should definitely read it!

Book Haul #1!

I've decided that I want to start doing book hauls. They won't be very often because when I buy books it's usually just one at a time. I'll do these whenever I feel that I've gotten enough books worth hauling.

 

Over the past couple of months or so, I've bought these books:

 

 

•  The 1st book is Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. I've already read this book and really liked it!
• The 2nd book is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I borrowed my cousin's copy of this book and really enjoyed it, so I wanted to buy my own copy.
• The 3rd book is The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. I haven't read it yet, and I'm a little bit hesitant to do so because I'm not really sure about it.
• The 4th book is Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. This is the 2nd book in the Caster Chronicles. I haven't read it yet, but I will soon!
• The 5th book is Beautiful Chaos also by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. It's the 3rd book in the Caster Chronicles.
• The 6th book is Betrayed by P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast. It's the 2nd book in the House of Night series and I will read it soon!
• Now, the last book! The last book is Paper Towns by John Green. I just finished reading it yesterday and I absolutely love it!

If you know of any books you think I might like, please let me know! I'm always looking for new books so it would be greatly appreciated! :)

 



Scribbler of Dreams by Mary E. Pearson

• Title: Scribbler of Dreams
• Author: Mary E. Pearson
• My Rating: 5/5 Stars
• Format: Paperback

 

 

Scribbler of Dreams is a book that I had to read for 9th grade Honors English. At the end of 8th grade, we were given a packet with lists of books to choose from and instructions for projects for our summer reading. I originally didn't know what book to pick from the list because I wasn't into reading at all, but my cousin had to do the same thing for summer reading when she was entering 9th grade. She had Scribbler of Dreams and told me she really loved it and that I should give it a try, so I did.

 

Scribbler of Dreams is about a girl named Kaitlin Malone and a boy named Bram Crutchfield. This book definitely goes along the lines of Romeo and Juliet because it has the idea of forbidden love. Kaitlin and Bram come from families who hate each other. They were both raised to hate each other's family. When they first meet, Bram doesn't know that Kaitlin is a part of the Malone family, so you can kind of imagine how things go from there.

 

I enjoyed reading about the relationship between Kaitlin and Bram. I thought the character's personalities were very creative and amusing. I didn't like that Kaitlin didn't tell Bram sooner that she was a Malone, but with a relationship like theirs, I guess I would've held off for a while too.

 

I thought the storyline in this book was very entertaining. While it is does have the Romeo and Juliet feel to it, Scribbler of Dreams definitely had its own aspects that make the book really enjoyable.

 

I gave this book 5/5 stars because when I read this, I was completely in love with it. I read it in one sitting, staying up past 2 a.m. to complete it. It's a definite page turner and I enjoyed it all the way through. It's a wonderful book, especially for such a quick read.

 

Favorite quote: "On a small planet where minute follows minute, day follows day, year follows year, where tradition marches on with a deafening orderly beat-sometimes the order is disturbed by a dreamer, an artist, a scribbler-sometimes the beat is changed by one person at a time."

 

Do I recommend this book? Yes. If you enjoy romance and some drama, you should totally read this. Also, it's pretty short so it's definitely a cute, quick read.

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

• Book Title: A Midsummer's Nightmare
• Author: Kody Keplinger
• My Rating: 4/5 Stars
• Format: Hardcover

 

 

I heard about this book after I read The Duff by Kody Keplinger. I enjoyed The Duff so much, I knew that I wanted more from this author. A Midsummer's Nightmare is about a girl named Whitley Johnson. Whitley has a one-night stand on her graduation night, only to find out later that the guy she had the one-night stand with is her soon-to-be stepbrother.

 

I really enjoyed reading about Whitley. She really stood out to me and I loved that she didn't care to be who she was. Whitley's character really develops throughout the story. She does make plenty of stupid mistakes, but I we all make stupid mistakes sometimes. Whitley's character really grew on me throughout the book and I felt like I could feel the emotion in her struggles.

 

Whitley's soon-to-be stepbrother, Nathan, wasn't very interesting to me. He seemed kind of boring at times and I just didn't really like him. There were some scenes where I really did like him, but there weren't very many. There's nothing bad about him, it's just that he seemed too plain, in my opinion.

 

Thinking about all of the characters in this book, I enjoyed most of them. I did not like Whitley's parents very much at all. Her mother was selfish to the point where I just wanted to slap some sense into her. Her father made me mad a few times. Especially since he never told Whitley about her new step-family basically until she met them. The other characters, like Harrison and Bailey, I enjoyed reading about.

 

I gave this book 4/5 stars because I did really enjoy it, but I felt like it could have been better. This wasn't a very original story, but it was well written and entertaining. I could definitely see the whole 'my one-night stand, who I thought I'd never see again, is now my soon-to-be stepbrother' scenario happening in real life. I would say this book is a page turner because I finished it in just a few days and, like I said before, it's very entertaining.

 

Favorite quote: "Anger was less painful than abandonment."

 

Do I recommend this book? Sure. It's an entertaining and enjoyable read. Most people seem to really like it!

The Devil's Metal by Karina Halle (Devils #1)

• Book Title: The Devil's Metal
• Author: Karina Halle
• My Rating: 5/5 Stars
• Format: Ebook

 

 

I first heard about this book through some one's blog. As soon as I read her review, I just knew that I needed to get my hands on this book. The Devil's Metal is set in the 1970s, which to me is pretty awesome. It's a book that revolves around rock n' roll music, and for someone who loves rock n' roll as much as I do, this book definitely pulled me in. It's also a paranormal book that involves demons, so that's a plus in my opinion.

 

The main character in this book, Dawn Emerson, is a music journalist that goes on tour with a band, called Hybrid, that she has been in love with forever. I really loved Dawn's character because she is a super strong character and she's determined to follow her dreams.

 

Then we get to Sage Knightly, the lead guitarist for Hybrid. Sage is a bit mysterious at first because he doesn't really say much at all. But when he starts to open up a little, let me just say that you might fall in love. Sage is totally swoon-worthy. As soon as I finished this book, I was asking myself "Where can I get a Sage Knightly?!"

 

I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book. Some had me cracking up, some had me smiling like an idiot, and some had me wanting to throw things at the wall. Overall though, I really did like most of the characters.

 

I gave this book 5/5 stars because I was totally and completely in love with it the entire time I was reading it. I never wanted to put it down, I was staying up all night reading it, and I just kept wanting more and more. It's definitely a book that will suck you in and you won't be able to stop. All I have to say is well done, Karina Halle.

 

Favorite quote: "I wanted to be someone, someone important. I wanted to be revered, I wanted to be respected, I wanted to be loved. I wanted it all so much that I remember thinking I would do anything for it. I would give anything for it."

 

Do I recommend this book? Yes. If you love music, swoon-worthy guys, and demons, you should definitely check this book out. It's incredible.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Delirium #1)

• Book Title: Delirium
• Author: Lauren Oliver
• My Rating: 5/5 Stars
• Format: Paperback

 

The first time I heard about this book was when I was browsing Barnes & Noble's Teen section on their website. I clicked on it simply because I was drawn to the cover. After reading the synopsis, I knew I had to get it. Seeing that this book involved both romance and a dystopian world really captured my attention, considering I absolutely LOVE both genres. I also watched a few reviews on YouTube for Delirium, and just about everyone was raving about this book.

 

I remember when I first started reading Delirium, I thought it was kind of slow; however, it does pick up after a couple of chapters. Delirium is about this dystopian world where everyone believes that love is a "disease" and you can be cured of this "disease" when you are old enough. The concept of this story is just extremely interesting to me. I mean, who would ever think that love was a bad thing? At least, I wouldn't.

 

The characters in this book are very well developed and I love how they change throughout the book. Every bit of this book is interesting and definitely keeps you reading. The entire book is very captivating and makes you want to stay up all night just so you can see what's going to happen next.

 

There are some mixed reviews about this book, but I enjoyed it a lot. If you are into dystopian or romance novels, I highly recommend Delirium because it contains both and Lauren Oliver puts them together beautifully. I will say one thing though...you should really prepare yourself for the ending of this book because you will want the next book immediately! Major cliffhanger!

 

Anyway, I gave this book 5/5 stars because I loved the concept of the story and I thought the characters were wonderfully developed, as was the story. Romance and dystopia put together is pure bliss.

 

Favorite quote: "He who leaps for the sky may fall, it's true. But he may also fly."

 

Do I recommend this book? Yes, especially if you are a fan of dystopia or romance. This is such a wonderful book.

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy #1)

• Book Title: Vampire Academy
• Author: Richelle Mead
• My Rating: 5/5 Stars
• Format: Paperback

 

 

I don't exactly remember the first time I had heard of or seen this book, but I want to say it was on YouTube. I was watching a review of this book, and was a bit hesitant about reading it. I thought it would end up being like Twilight (even though I haven't even read Twilight). I just didn't want to read anything that had to do with vampires or werewolves or anything like that because, at the time that I read this, vampires and werewolves were a big thing. I was just afraid to read this because of the 'vampire hype' and because I just didn't think I would like it so much.

 

I was at a used bookstore when I came across Vampire Academy and thought, 'What the heck, I'll give it a shot.' I started reading, and immediately I was hooked. I loved the characters and the storyline. According to GoodReads, I read this in 4 days, which was pretty good for me considering I had just really gotten in to reading.

 

The characters in this book are lovely. Rose Hathaway, the main character, is probably my favorite main character out of all the books I've read in my life. She has an attitude, and that's what I love about her. She can hold her own and doesn't let anyone bring her down. The other characters in this book are great too. They all have personalities that you can just fall in love with.

 

I understand that many people are very hesitant to read this book, because, well...the title isn't the greatest and neither is the cover. However, I promise you, if you just TRY this book out, you'll enjoy it. A lot of reviews that I have read say that the rest of the series is so much better than this book, but I personally thought that this book was just as good as the others.

 

I gave this book 5/5 stars because I really, really loved it. The storyline is awesome, and so are the characters. I love that there is both action and romance included in Vampire Academy.

 

Favorite quote: "The only thing better than imagining Dimitri carrying me in his arms was imagining him shirtless while carrying me in his arms." -Rose Hathaway

 

Do I recommend this book? Yes. If you are discouraged by the title, cover, or that fact that it has to do with vampires, just give it a chance. You'll love it!

Endless Summer (The Boys Next Door #1-2) by Jennifer Echols

• Book Title: The Boys Next Door/Endless Summer
• Author: Jennifer Echols
• My Rating: 5/5 Stars
• Format: Ebook

 

I found this book simply by searching 'Jennifer Echols' on Barnes & Noble's website. The reason I searched for her is because I had just read another book of hers, and I was in love with it. By reading the synopsis, I knew this book had to be good. I know a lot of people have mixed feelings about this book, but I absolutely loved it.

 

The Boys Next Door/Endless Summer bind-up is a book that can really suck you in, if you're into romance and drama. I read this bind-up around a year ago, and I just can't get enough! (I've actually read it like 3 times :P)

 

I really love how the books are set in Alabama, considering the fact that I live right above Alabama, in Tennessee. I also love how much fun the characters have during the summer. Totally beats what I do in the summer, which usually consists of Netflix and junk food. And the characters' personalities? Don't get me started. Sure, I wanted to punch some of them sometimes, but in the end you just learn to love them all.

 

I will agree with some other reviews that I've read that The Boys Next Door was better than Endless Summer; however, I thoroughly enjoyed them both.

 

This bind-up is the perfect summer read and it just puts you in such a good mood. I could honestly read this over and over again and not get tired of it. Jennifer Echols is by far a favorite author of mine and she really has a talent for writing.

 

I gave this book 5/5 stars because, even after reading it 3 times, I still loved it just the same. It's one of my favorite books and probably will always be a favorite of mine.

 

Favorite quote: "Son," he said, "you monkeyed up." -Mr. Vader

 

Do I recommend this book? Yes, because I think it's awesome and you will too!

Divergent by Veronica Roth

• Book Title: Divergent
• Author: Veronica Roth
• My Rating: 5/5 Stars
• Format: Paperback

 

I stumbled upon this book in the bookstore one day and I just had to pick it up. The cover drew me in because, in my opinion, it's just so fascinating. Oh, and because of the goodreads choice award sticker! Anyway, I saw this book, picked it up, and read the back. The back of the book actually doesn't say very much, so I just bought it on a whim.

 

When I first started this book, my expectations were extremely high. I noticed all the hype about the book on GoodReads and thought to myself, 'Oh, this has to be good!'. I read the first 3 or 4 chapters and I just didn't understand why people were so in love with it! I could not get into it at all, and almost put it down for good. However, I told myself that I had to keep reading it to see if maybe, just maybe it could get any better. And of course, IT DID.

 

I honestly don't know what made me hate this book so much at the beginning. I think it's because my expectations were so high and I was expecting something different. The main point here is that I ended up LOVING this book. Seriously, it's a favorite.

 

The characters in this book are very well developed and I loved how unpredictable things were. It's almost like you'll think something is going to happen, but then the total opposite of what you were thinking happens. Veronica Roth is such a talented writer. She really knows how to write an enticing story.

 

I've also read the second book in the trilogy, Insurgent, and I cannot wait for the third!

 

I gave this book 5/5 stars because even though I didn't like it at the beginning, it just got better and better and kept me wanting more.

 

Favorite quote: "Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now."

 

Do I recommend this book? Yes, but if you don't like the beginning at first, just give it a chance!