Top 5 | Book “baes” of 2016

You’ve read “Top  Best Books of 2016”, “Worst Books of 2016” and you may have probably read this kind of content if you did, you can just – NO DON’T CLOSE THIS TAB– and you haven’t read this type of content – YES WE WILL FANGIRL OUR SH*T OUT OF IT.

Here’s the Top 5 (in my opinion of course) Book* Baes of 2016: 

* Full Disclosure the book baes of 2016 is polled from the male characters of the books that I have read this year. The book may have been published this year or the years previous to 2016.

• Kaz Brekker from The Six of Crows Duology

I know you feel the same thing. We all have the hots for a brooding mysterious guy   who we have a very complicated relationship/friendship with. And deep down, we  kind of hope the he feels the same way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• EVERY SINGLE ROYAL HOTTIE from the Royals Trilogy/Duology

I you have read any of the books from this 3 book series, then you’ll know that every Royal family member is written off as hot as any Abercombie model.

• ROWAN WHITETHORN from Heir of Fire

For all those who are Team Chaol (wait are we dividing to teams for varying love interest in this book series?), if we are, I still respect you choice of companionship for Celeana but we all know that Rowan is what’s best for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• DORAN SPAULDING from Starflight

Doran is probably one of my favorite male character for all time, maybe because his humour reminds me of my great male bestfriend (ever), and his character development through out the book is really promising!

• CLARK from Unexpected Everything

I must confess, I forgotten what Clark’s family name was. He is by far the #boyfirnedgoals for every contemporary-fave reader. He just a really cute eye-glass wearing 6-pack under the shirt-hiding, fantasy author boy you won’t meet in real life – but 2017 is full of possibilities so – va va voom betches!

 

Bookrantings | A Christmas Announcement

Ola blog-o-sphere, it’s been a while and if you were with me in Twitter and you would know how my reading month of the remaining months of the year went. For those of you who didn’t know, it went pretty downhill. I think I only read a single book for the last 5 months, and it was for a book tour. You could just throw the shame bell at me.

But now I have 2 whole weeks to spend with my family, my books my dog and of course  do some blog post  before 2016 ends. I already have post ideas lined up, so you might be become sick of my post for the next 2 weeks (I really hope that you won’t).

I think that’s for now, bye and I’ll be back with a Rogue One gush.

Twitter | Goodreads

 

 

 

Book Tour : The Vrai Domicile by Courtney Ruggle | Book Review: The Sixth Domicile

The Sixth Domicile (The Domicile Series Book 1) by Courtney RugglesPublished on January 20th, 2016Published by Elephantine Publishing

Genre: New Adult Dystopian

In a future ravaged by greed and war, The Domicile has emerged. A new civilization governed by clandestine Elders where citizens are united by white masks and uniform identities. To remove one’s mask, to go outside the Domicile, to show defiance, means being sent to the Meurtre, a horrifying death sentence.

Q437B doesn’t follow the rules. She craves sunlight, dares to love her childhood friend B116A, and–the most forbidden of all–has seen the true face of her beloved beneath his mask.

But when Q becomes an Adulte, The Domicile threatens to take away everything that makes her happy. She is forced to marry an abusive soldier who demands she conform.

Whispers spread about the unconventional lessons she teaches her new students. And when Q openly disobeys the Elders, the people become restless, questioning the truth of the world in the wake of such defiance.

Rumblings of discontent stir as others begin to follow the path toward their freedom. The Revolution has begun, and Q is the spark that ignited the flames.

The Sixth Domicile is book 1 in the Domicile Series, A New Adult dystopian. Fans of Veronica Roth’s Divergent and Ally Condie’s Matched series will love The Sixth Domicile.

 

It has been a long time since I have enjoyed a dystopian novel and it is my first time to read a New Adult dytopian novel, and I must say this book kind off met my expectations. It was fast-paced and an easy-breezy read if you are not a fan of too much complicated plot and plot twist.

Even if I enjoyed this book immensely and read it for 5 hours staright without moving an inch out of my bed, there are still technicalities that needs to be pointed out.

Characters:

The characters are likeable but they were written too one-dimensional that you wouldn’t care too much on their problems and likewise on how Q was talking about the male protagonists penis for at least 2 paragraphs, but I am cutting them some slack off since it’s a New Adult and we need to read about how taut it looks and glittery under the moonlight.

 

 

There are times when you just want to slam your head against the wall, because you don’t know if you’ll like the female protagonist for being “brave” and extremely stupid at the same time. But, I find her portrayal refreshing to old dystopian readers. She did not hesistate when ask to join the rebellion, which you don’t see a lot in dystopian (there’s always that part of the main protagonist to play hard-to-get through out the book.)

Plot:

There is a lot of potential for the plot to flourish, (i do hope this happens in the second book), government oppression, strict implementation of rules, secret rebellions here and there but it focused to much on the love between two characters you won’t care until the end of the book. Dystopian buried deep deep deep down in a plot too focus on much on romance between two characters.

World-building:

There is nothing new with the world and world-building with this book. It simply follows the typical dystopian history on how the world was in chaos and blah-di-blah-da-blah a group of people try to save them blah-di-blah how oppressing it became blah-di-blah we have a girl who clearly is a threat to the said oppressing government.

 

 

Courtney’s love for writing started pretty much when she learned to read, which her mother would tell you was a feat in itself back when she was in the first grade. Once she aced those flashcards with vocabulary words, Courtney’s writing took off.  And her love with it.  In school, she was always writing short stories on a word processor (What?? Word processor with floppy disks?). Oh yes, she literally had a card filing case full of floppy disks.

Now getting her Doctorate in social work, she’s used this education to help her write some of the gritty issues entwined in her stories. When Courtney isn’t writing her next book while drinking coffee, you can find her doing homework (drag) with chocolate chip flavored coffee, reading series of books (because school books are only so interesting) while drinking pumpkin flavored coffee, playing with her little boy, or daydreaming of future beach houses while drinking some other scrumptious flavor of coffee.

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Pokemon Go Book Tag | Gotta catch them all

Hello blog-o-sphere! I haven’t been quiet active recently (1.) because SCHOOL (nothing new there) and (2.) I have become quiet addicted to throwing pokeballs at Pokemons.  I have spent too much time on catching Pokemons than doing school stuff and reading, and yes I really do know how to straighten out my priorities in life.

I wasn’t tag by anyone, credits for original graphics goes to Readatmidnight. ( look how cute these graphics are!)

One of the very first books that got started me into reading was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Yes, as a newb in reading I read the second book in a series and still enjoyed it, without any knowledge regarding the first book.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen has always been an iconic classic and a favorite of mine (also probably the only Jane Austen book that I have read in my entire life).

I have lost interest in reading Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kauffman and Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. But I do hope that my interest in them would perked up and I might pick them up again.

Maybe not entirely on the love level, but I did really enjoyed Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard immensely even if it there are certain parts are have drowned with tropes form other books.

I am giving you a very obvious answer– Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. I bought the book last year, and was shocked because itwas a massive hardcover book with tiny tiny paperback fonts.

I have read a lot of books that keep me up all night, but the most recent read was Broken Prince by Erin Watt and Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen. 

My latest bookish OTP is Cecile de Troyes and Tristan de Montigny from Stolen Songbird, their slow-burning, too hot to handle romance is just burning every inch of my skin.

SIX OF CROWS BY LEIGH BARDUGO.

(I had said enough)

You can feed me any book with regards to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and I will cobble it up like it was my favorite pizza in the least amount of time.

Starflight by Melissa Landers did surprised me. I was not a huge fan of the authors previous series. I read the first book Alienated and decided that I cannot force-read myself into liking a hyped book again. But from awesome recommendations from the good fellows from GoodReads I had picked up Starflight and was surprised, I bet that you would too!

 

I will be using a book as an answer since, the series just started with it’s first book being published earlier, and that would be Nevernight by Jay Kristoff the hype these past few months was so huge that its making me hesistant to want to read it, but I am excited though!

My body is so ready for Caraval and Long may She Reign, and both books aren’t either near to being publish yet.

Every Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell Special Collector’s Edition.  *baby grabby hands*

I will not pass out from buying any Sarah J Maas books. You will see my shelves be filled with SJM’s books, you will.

 

I already did my waiting for 12 years in Azkaban for Lady Midnight by Cassanra Clare, my new frustrating wait for this year is Book #3 for the A Court of Thorns and Roses Series/ Trilogy ( and I still haven’t read ACOMAF, so… I really need to get to that)

I am tagging anyone who wants to do this tag. And see you when my internet data is low and Pokemon Catching has loss it’s novel to me! Oh look a Dratini outside my college dorm!

A Very Late July + HP Readathon Wrap-up | Curse Child Panic

Another month has past. Another month was spent reading and fangirling all-around. There’s no regrets there.

Hello blog-o-sphere and welcome to my monthly wrap-up. Yes, I had broke through from the claws of procrastination and decided that July also needs a wrap-up even if I have not done anything amazing this month.

Life Update: 

Sad truths: (a.) My summer vacation ended this month  (b.) I am not ready for school (tbh I am always not ready)

Now since it was our last, and my college buddies and I finally met after a 4-month long vacation, we were planning to make it count. And by making it count, meaning will be spending less than 300 php (that’s less than $7)

here’s a random photo you’ve wished you can unsee!:

Pardon the faces. I know, we look like victims of a shipwreck-happy victims to be precise

Reading Update: 

This is the month were I was reading non-stop (although I did because I took pee-breaks and short trips to the kitchen for food). I read a total of  10 books and Dnfed 1.

July was also the last league for the HPREADATHON2016. Although I finished Deathly Hallows by August I still pride myself for neglecting 3/4 my tbr pile. *high fives self* Re-readathons are the greatest excuse one can use to reread a favorite series without being shame on the amount of untouched books that still needs to be read.

Cursed Child Panic:

I am panicking. You just can’t tell because I am hiding it in tons of fangirl layer and calmness. But truth be told, I.AM.FREAKING.PANICKING. The excitement in killing me. The wait is killing me. AND BOOKDEPOSITORY INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING IS KILLING ME. A tiny tiny part of me wishes that I have purchased my copy from a local bookstore but me being channeling my mother, canvassed few both international and local book shops and stores to try to look for the cheapest book with shipping and Bookdepository is the only one who understood the frustrations of being on a limited budget set by your parents.

Yes I did save a lot with the purchased and shipping cost, but the span of time for shipping had me on my toes. My friend (whose wallet spew cash every week) already had her copy, and she read it and NOW I AM TRYING TO AVOID HER AND SPOILERS. (I am such a great friend.)

Stolen Songbird |SHOVING-THIS-TO-YOUR-THROAT RECOMMENDING THIS BOOK!

SPOILERS ARE INEVITABLE

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

pages: 324

Format: e-book

Publisher: Strange Chemist

Publishing date: April 1, 2014

Source: Purchased

SHELVE IT TO GOODREADS

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the mountain. When Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she realizes that the trolls are relying on her to break the curse.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind: escape. But the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time…

But the more time she spends with the trolls, the more she understands their plight. There is a rebellion brewing. And she just might be the one the trolls were looking for…

We have been wrong about trolls —VERY WRONG about them.

Not this troll.

Nope, that’s a boxtrolls.

Wait are these even trolls? Stone trolls?

Clearly there is not enough representation of trolls to accurately describe the trolls from Daniel Jensen’s prospective. To sum it up (hopefully, it’s accurate), trolls from Stolen Songbird are descendants of the feys that now live under the mountain because of a curse. Some of them bore deformities which make then undesirable to humans, however those who escape such circumstance bore the great resemblance of fey – in short they are effing good-looking. 

WHY I WANNA SHOVE THIS TO YOUR THROAT:

1.) World-building and plot

As some of you know, I am a sucker for really great world-building. Sucker- would be an understatement since I LIVE and BREATHE for awesome great-building and this book has it!

The world was a combination of  history, lies darkness and all-in-all beautiful. (I am trying  not to turn my capslocks on)

This is one of those books which you read and be effing surprised on how you ended up loving it. The premise clearly didn’t do the whole plot justice and so does the cover, but you need to ignore those because once you have entered Trollus.

The political game in this book is effing complex and is just a webful of political plays from different sectors and people in the city and sometime you don’t know who the real villian in the story is.(that’s what keeping me on my toes) It was either the gluttonous king, or if it was the Duchy or was everything a lie.

Every single chapter had you at the edge of wherever you are sitting.

2.) WRITING

I tweeted (a lot) about this. I have raved about it in my Goodreads. I bombarded my group chat with book friends with the constant “I LOVE IT” gifs to the point where they actually considered in temporarily kicking me out from the chat, and here I’ll still be gashing about it.

The writing ( I will repeat myself again) is just pure gold. There is really something about the writing that will make you finish the book unconsciously in one night without every putting it down.

3.) IT DEFIES TROPES

Are you now sick of reading book with love triangles? How about the ones with the most abuse trope of all – “The Chosen One” or “The Special One” or whatever they are called this days? Or totally over with read books with a Mary Sue-mentality? BECAUSE THIS BOOK HAS NONE OF THOSE.

This is what made this book so special, because it doesn’t surf with the usual tropes Young Adult books are drowning. You got your ass-kicking bad-ass and arrow shooting heroines and you have your damsel-in-distress heroines that needs a man and you have those heroines like Cecile. The ones where you know are independent and head-strong and yet they don’t weild any metal to defend themselves and they surely knows how to play a political game.

Then you have Tristan, who by the way was from from a Prince Charming that’ll will sweep you off your feet and drop your panties when you first met him and he was kind of a douche back then but he DO HAVE A LEGIT reason to. He was not your brooding-for no-reason bad-boy prince.

It was clear that every word, every emotion and every character did play a very important role as the story progress to being more complex and dark.

You really need to read this. ASAP. (This is not a request)

 

Book Adaptation Wish List Tag

Hello blog-o-sphere, and welcome to another tag post courtesy by yours truly. The original tag was created by by Monica @ shemightbemonica at BookTube. I wasn’t tag  by anyone, maybe because this tag haven’t surface to the book blog community, but since you know that I am a little (an understatement) rebel, I am STILL going to.

The great  thing about this book tag is you are given categories to which you would love to some of your favorite books be turned to musicals, plays, cartoon shows. It is awesome!

Let’s get to the tag:

1.) Movie

We have seen a lot of books turned to movies and either directed their path to a successful franchise (i.e. Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games, Divergent) or die after one (or two) movie attempt (i.e. City of Bones & Percy Jackson, Vampire Academy). The next series I wanna see in the big screen (and hopefully don’t get butchered) is :

LUNAR CHRONICLES

Someone please make it happen.

 

2.) TV Show

This might be a little controversial, but I was rooting for the Infernal Devices to become a TV show rather than TMI. (Hold your horses let me explain). REASONS:

(A.) There are 3 books and I think the screen writers would not milk it to far to the point that unnecessary seasons come to life.

(b.) The setting and costumes would just be EPIC.

(c.) WILL HERONDALE (I want Will Herondale to materialize into flesh)

3.) Cartoon

I actually want to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians as a cartoon TV series. One GREAT thing about this is now we won’t go BALLISTICS over wrong casting choices.

4.) Graphic Novel/Comic

Wanna know the perfect book?

Can I get a drumroll! (This is where you’ll play the drum roll sound in your mind)

I think I don’t need to explain this.

Also..

5.) Play

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak would be a nice play. The setting, the costumes and everything is screaming play to me.

6.) Musical

I would love to see Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover as a musical. There are already songs existing in the book, it would be really cool to see dancing here. (Just saying)

Here’s my book adaptation wishlist. I am tagging anyone who wants to do the this!

Paper Princess | The cliches are highly addicting

Paper Princess by Erin Watt

Pages: 370

Format: epub

Published: April 4, 2016

Series: The Royals

From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.

To be honest, this is not the kind of books I gravitate towards now but since I have been reading a ton of fantasy I decided to take a little break. It’s not the greatest book ever written BUT IT IS GODDAMNED ENTERTAINING AND ADDICTING. 

The premise reminded me of Wattpad books being publish in my country , a generic poor and pretty girl, Ella (bonus points is also given since she’s an orphan too) rags to riches story with the ever cliche band of ridiculously hot and rich guys, in this case 5 well-built brothers who look like thugs rather than normal private school attendees. Let’s not forget the high school drama and clique-system (this trope never grows old). 

Aside from high school drama, it also features family drama which resembled the once that usually recurred in telenovelas, I could visualize the over the top dramatics and camera spans in revelation scene. I wasn’t really biting the book for it’s plot.

PLOT RUNDOWN IN FOUR WORDS:

1. Under-age drinking
2. Drugs
3. Sex
4. Tons and tons of drama

It’s not the plot that would drive you to binge-reading this book  (I think it’s too cheesy and telenovela-y), but the characters and their many layers.

“Somewhere along the line, I started thinking that if I just got through this bad experience, this bad day, that tomorrow I’d have something better, brighter, newer.
I still believe that. I still believe that there’s something good out there for me. I just have to keep going until my time comes.”

-Ella Harper

I was cheering Ella the entire book. She’s an optimistic, strong, snarky, funny and independent heroine (which I applaud!) she doesn’t take sh*ts from anyone. She is probably one of the most realistic characters in the book. Her as a character, will make you empathize more to her.

Now we have the ridiculously rich and GOOD-LOOKING Royals. 

Now even if how unrealistically they are portrayed, these guys are funny, smart-mouth and the epitome of cookie-cut bad-boys, and YOU WILL LOVE THEM TO PIECES (because who can resist the charms of a bad-boy?). There is no denying that. Love would be an understatement.

you might wanna rein your hormones to the minimum if you will read this book

Aside from that, you have your cookie-cutter high-school mean girl, cookie cutter high school pecking order, cookie-cutter rich kids wanting parental attentions and a seemingly weird and fucked up high school faculty who you can pay to get away with anything, which makes the whole thing fun for me because I just discovered that this type of books are my GUILTY PLEASURES.  (There’s no denying that either.)

Even if how ridiculously the plot laid out,  and how some characters (fine, mostly) are cooke-cutter examples, I have no shame saying that I am a sucker for these kinds of tropes. 

One more thing, the CLIFFHANGER (because it’s not only the Royals)  WILL RUIN YOU.

p.s these kinds of books now is being held in a special part of my brain and heart

What books made me do | No I was not possessed by Riddle’s diary

No I am not talking about Tom Riddle’s diary giving me instructions on how to kill chickens nor open the Chamber of Secrets. I am talking about things books made me do like i.e (a.) go on a spontaneous and unplanned roadtrip (b.) bawl my eyes out crying (c.) climb an old Ferris wheel (d.) made me wish I was in Hogwarts (e.) set things on fire  and (f.) made me want a French boyfriend who prefers to be called by his last name. These are just some of the things books made me do or want to do in real-life (that also includes slaying dragons and monsters).

For this weeks Top Ten Tuesday, we will be talking about the ten things books had inspired me to do. This excludes me going on a killing spree ala Celaena Sardothein.

1.) SLAY EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SLAYING

Let’s get real here, although slaying monsters and dragon is still on the table, but I am talking about prejudices towards women by the society and breaking the norm on how people perceive girls. Slay ’em with “kindness”. *cue in Selena Gomez *

*this is a feminist rant. #strongwomen

2.) ACCEPT THAT THINGS WON’T GO AS PLANNED

I am referring to a lot of characters from a lot books but more specifically with Andi Walker from The Unexpected Everything and of course Mindy Kaling.

The Unexpected Everything was a book about a girl whose summer plans and internship got cancelled and things didn’t go as planned but then it turned out for the great.

3.) ITS OKAY TO BE GIVEN A RESTRAINING ORDER

Recieving a restraining order will not stop you from doing anything. Well, except “following” him around or burning any more of his possessions.

But sometimes you don’t need to take it literally, “restraining order” could also mean something that might hold you back.

(I am not promoting the burning of possessions, people.)

 

 

4.) MAKING SARCASM YOUR BEST WEAPON

Sarcasm is and always always be your best weapon against dim-witted and tiny-brained species in our kingdom. or just people that annoy you.

5.) BEING SMART IS ALSO BAD-ASS

It doesn’t mean that when you can’t kick an ass, wield a sword, aim an arrow, and throw knives that you are not a bad-ass.

Being smart, being strategic and being initiative is pretty bad-ass too. And when you are in a trio of friends you are the most important member because you basically save their butts a lot of times because you are smart. (i.e. Hermione, Annabeth, Kestrel- even if she’s not part of a ‘trio’.)

6.) YOU ARE YOUR OWN KIND OF PRETTY

You don’t need to have bleach-blond hair to be pretty. You don’t need to have crystal blue eyes to be pretty. You don’t need to have perfect curls in your hair. You are your own brand of pretty and you are definitely rocking it!

7.) SETTING UP YOUR STANDARDS IN MEN TOO HIGH

When Twilight came out, we want a sexy (non-glittering) vampire to watch us while we sleep. When The Fault in our Stars came out, we want some hot cancer survivor to loom and be friends and take us out to Amsterdam (hopefully not die). When Divergent came out we all want someone brooding and mysterious and older guy to train and climb an old Ferris wheel with.

Reading has amped our standards in men.

(And don’t even deny that childhood crush you had with Oliver Wood)

8.) QUESTION EVERYONE’S MOTIVES (JUST SOME TRUST ISSUES BUILDING INSIDE YOU)

How many books have taught us this? Some in very calmly manner and others made us cry as we read over the consequence of it.

Let’s face it. Our trust issues are in a damned state. (Reading was never relaxing)

9. DITCH PLANS JUST TO READ

You go ditch plans to read or be as joyous asf when plans got cancel. Either that’s your inner book lover speaking or inner introvert cheering or probably both. (I really should apologize to my friends. Or maybe not.)

10.) LOSE your SH*T TOGETHER 

How many times have you been told by a non-sympathetic non-book lover friend that you need to get a grip, as you cry your eyes out at the farthest corners of your room? When, reading there is no guarantee that you’ll resurface to reality in your sane self after finishing a REALLY, REALLY REALLY GREAT BOOK, hence losing your sh*t together. 

 

 

The Cilantro in Apple Pie | We need to appreciate the relationship in this book

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

 The Cilantro in Apple Pie by Kimberley Nadine Knights

Format: e-book

Published: May 5, 2016

Source: Sent by author

SHELVE IT TO GOODREADS

Fragnut. Confused? Well so is everyone else at Lumiere Hall Prep when sixteen-year-old Rubie Keane rolls in from Trinidad and Tobago talking her weird lingo. Not that she minds the culture confusion; she’s determined to leave the past behind her and be overlooked—but a certain stoic blue blood is equally as determined to foil her plans.

Gil Stromeyer’s offbeat personality initially makes Rubie second-guess his sanity, but she suspects his erratic outbursts of violence mask a deeper issue in his troubled, charmed life. Despite his disturbing behavior, a gradual bond forms between the two. However, on the night of the annual Stromeyer gala, events unfold that leave Rubie stripped of her dignity and kick Gil’s already fragile world off its axis.

Both their well-kept secrets are uncovered, but Gil’s revelation proves that sometimes the best remedy for a bad case of lost identity, is a dash of comradery from an ally packed with flavor.

Purchase the book: Amazon

This book made me realize on why I read contemporary and why I loved the genre. I read this in less than 24 hours. (I know!)

It’s your generic coming-of-age story, featuring a new girl in a school, a guy with a disturb past, & high-school drama but by a lot of things it set itself apart from most of the contemporary book I have read, it was more than that.

The book has very diverse characters, not only in terms of their racial background and ethnicity but also the personalities each character had. This made me very invested with each including Sofia Crussip.  I really REALLY REALLY (can’t emphasize this enough) love Rubie. She’s witty, funny, independent. She could now be my spirit animal. She’s an amazing character.

Another thing with this book, is that it was about FRIENDSHIP (yay to platonic relationships!) between opposite-sex (and I was happy that the author didn’t milked it to much and turn their relationship to something more.) I think YA contemporary books need this trope to spice things up because (newsflash) as much as you and your boy bestfriend get along so great that relationship doesn’t always turn itself to something more. (And also sometimes you need a break from all the insta-love and fluffy relationships)

Even if I adored this book, I still have to knocked a star out of my rating.This is because of the sudden change of POV. It came out of nowhere. Here I was sitting until I was almost at 80% done with the book when ~BAM~ here’s another side of the story. I was not a fan of the transition. However, I still find both POV to be equally engrossing.  Rubie’s POV was fresh, funny and relatable while Gil was intense and emotional. It was well balance.

Also, I feel like I was watching an end of a particular episode of Star Wars. The book could have different possible endings and to me that was the last 3 or 4  endings disguise as chapters.

All in all this is a heart-felt book, with such amazing (diverse) characters and a friendship you wouldn’t trade anything in the world. Also a great debut novel kudos to the author!

 

                                         

 Kimberley Nadine Knights knew when she kept willingly opting out of parties so she could stay home and write instead, that she was destined to be an author.

Born and raised in the tropical twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago, when this Caribbean girl isn’t creating new plotlines for her ever growing lineup of fictional characters, she spends her time strumming her guitar to indie rock songs and snapping once in a lifetime photos halfway across the globe in countries such as Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and France.

She’s an avid fan of The Walking Dead series and firmly believes that The Food Network should consider her being a judge on the next Chopped challenge.

“The Cilantro in Apple Pie” is her debut novel.

 DO YOU LOVE READING ABOUT PLATONIC RELATIONSHIPS? WHAT WERE THE BOOKS (WITH THE SAID RELATIONSHIP) THAT YOU LOVED?