It's Not Summer Without You | Booking It

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It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

       

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.

   

I. Adored. This. Book.

I don't know what it is, or why, but I even think I liked this better than the first one. There was just something about it that I loved. Maybe it was because it dealt with something a bit more serious (not that the first one didn't but, I don't know, this one seemed to more.) I absolutely loved seeing how much Belly grew up since the first book and how much Conrad and Jeremiah changed as well. 

Also, I still can't decide whether I'm for Belly & Conrad or Belly & Jeremiah. They're both pretty fantastic and it's hard to choose.

                     

*****

five out of five. 

(one more star than the first in the trilogy).

I loved it so much. 

read on.

xoxo, shi

goodreads 

Next on my bookshelf:

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

The Summer I Turned Pretty | Booking It

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The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

   

Some summers are just destined to be pretty.

When each summer begins, Belly leaves her school life behind and escapes to Cousins Beach, the place she has spent every summer of her life. Not only does the beach house mean home away from home, but her favorite people are there: Susannah, her mother's best friend, and her sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. Belly has been chasing Conrad for as long as she can remember, and more than anything, she hopes this summer will be different. Despite distractions from a new guy named Cam and lingering looks from Conrad's brother, Jeremiah, Belly's heart belongs to Conrad. Will he offer his to her? Will this be the summer that changes everything?

   

I thought that this book was sweet.

It wasn't my absolute favorite book I've ever read, but it was good. It was a quick easy read that definitely put me in a summer-y mood. I did tear up a couple of times and some of it had me laughing out loud. 

I could really relate to Belly.

Conrad and Jeremiah were lovely. Even though Conrad was a moody poophead for half of it. I still loved him.

I don't know who I was routing for more, either, Jeremiah or Conrad. I liked them both, so. 

                 

****

4/5

I liked it a lot and can't wait to continue with this trilogy.

xoxo, Shi

goodreads 

Next on my bookshelf:

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

To all the Boys I've Loved Before | Booking It

To all the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are the ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved--five in all. When she writes she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jeans's love life goes from imaginary to out of control. 

I'd heard so many good things about this book, so I just had to pick it up. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. Lara Jean's character was so easy to relate to and understand. There was some spots that were humorous and some that were serious. Overall, it was a perfect combination of the too. Sweet and salty if you will. I loved all of it. It was also a quick read, which I wont complain about. I finished it in about two days (although, I could've done it in one if I didn't have to finish my summer reading first. Bleh). 

I highly recommend this book. 

                 

 *****

    five out of five. 

I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel to come out next year!

xoxo, Shi

p.s.

don't forget to add me on goodreads.

Next on my bookshelf:

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

If I Stay | Booking It

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make--and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

This book was something very different than what I'm usually into. As you all know, I usually go for the YA romance books. But I had heard so much about this one that I thought I had to pick it up; especially before the movie comes out! And I have to tell you that I don't regret it at all. This book was actually stunning. The idea of it and the way it was written; ugh it was just fabulous. Gayle Forman did a fantastic job conveying what she wanted to with this novel. I loved it. 

"I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard." 

"Sometimes you make choices in life and sometimes choices make you." 

****

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. While it was a fantastic book, the ending didn't really leave me feeling satisfied. I'm hoping that the second book will bring that satisfied feeling that the ending of this one didn't quite leave me with. 

In other news I was wondering if you guys would be interested in me making videos about my book reviews. I've been watching a lot of booktube lately and have been strongly considering it. So let me know if you'd be interested in that. 

Thanks for reading.

xoxo, Shi

The Beginning of Everything | Booking It

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

EZRA FAULKNER was supposed to be homecoming king, but that was before--before his girlfriend cheated on him, before a car accident shattered his leg, and before he fell in love with new girl CASSIDY THORPE. 

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them--a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: In one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra's knee, his athletic career, and his social life.

No longer the front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra's ever met--achingly effortless and fiercely intelligent.

Together, Ezra and Cassidy discover flash mobs, buried treasure, and a poodle that might just be the reincarnation of Jay Gatsby. But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: If one's singular tragedy has already hit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

This book was utterly fabulous. The book had a very John Green-esqe feel to it, which I obviously loved. 

Ezra was really easy to relate to for a lot of reasons. He didn't want to just do what everyone else was doing to fit in, yet he wanted to fit in and find out who he was so desperately.  And Cassidy was great. There was some stuff she did that I didn't really get and I sort of hated her at certain parts of the book, but in the end you truly know why she was the way she was and I thought that was great. 

The last 30ish pages of this book were so intense and beautiful and I just loved it.

Oh, and I loved Cooper. He was a fabulous poodle. Just saying. 

"We all have been fooled into believing in people who are entirely imaginary--made-up prisoners in a hypothetical panopticon."

"'All of our longings are universal longings,' Cassidy said. 'I'm paraphrasing, but it's Fitzgerald.'"

"and I wondered what the future would hold once we'd gotten past our personal tragedies and proven them ultimately survivable." 

and my personal favorite:

"Oscar Wilde once said that to live is the rarest thing in the world, because most people just exist, and that's all. I don't know if he was right, but I do know that I spent a long time existing, and now, I intend to live." 

*****

5 outta 5

I completely and totally recommend this book it was lovely and wonderful and yes. 

You should read it. 

you can find Robyn Schneider on youtube!

Read on :)

Booking It: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

I loved this book. I thought it was humorous, but at the same time very thought provoking and interesting. The main characters, Hadley and Oliver, were so easy to love and relate to and I was left wanting to know more and more about them and what happened to them after the book was finished. 

I think that the author did a fabulous job at truly showing both of their emotions and the up and downs that relationships can have..even if they're only a day old. 

It was a really easy read and only took me a couple of days to finish (I probably could've finished in a day if I weren't so busy). 

 

*****

five out of five for sure.

check this book out!

Read on! 

Booking It: It's Kind of a Funny Story

It's Kind Of A Funny Story...

Booking It: Fangirl

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

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Description

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...But for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; It's what got them through their mother leaving. 

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from the fandom, but Cath can't let it go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words...and she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone. 

For Cath, the question is: Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

My Thoughts:

This. Book. I have no words. I just loved it so freaking much that I just...

I want to read it and reread it and reread it again. Like, seriously, I loved it. It's not too often that I find a book like this one, that I just love so much that I want to cry just because I finished it. I don't even know what I should do with myself now that it's over. (I have three other books picked out to read, but all I want to do is swoon over this one some more). Seriously. Just read it. 

It's absolutely flawless.

Cath was a really relatable character. She was quirky and funny and really shy. And the changes that we see in her throughout the book were phenomenal. And Levi...oh my gosh, Levi. Just. I want one. Okay, bye. 

My Rating:

{Can I give it like 100/5 stars? Is that I thing?--probably not).

Okay. Definitely, without a doubt, 5/5 stars. It's amazing. 

Read it. 

Okay, so you all know that I loved Eleanor & Park as well, and even though it's hard...Rainbow Rowell has just become one of my favorite authors of all time. She's tied with John Green. And that's saying something. Okay.

Read on.

Booking It: An Abundance of Katherines

So, sorry, but be prepared for like, a lot of book reviews in the next few days. (I've gone too long without updating.)

Description:

19 Katherines and counting...

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times to be exact. On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsy feral hog on his trail, and an over-weight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun-but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship and avenge Dumpees everywhere, and may finally win him the girl. 

My Thoughts:

To be completely honest, this wasn't my favorite book by John Green ever. I was sort of bored through about half of it. I got pretty sick of the word "fugger" and anagrams. And, quite frankly, Colin and his whining about Kathrine XIX. There were a few parts that were sort of funny, but overall, it didn't get anywhere near exciting until the end (and even that was great). I wouldn't recommend this as a first John Green book to anyone. Stick with, well, any of his other books.

My Rating:

I'd give An Abundance of Katherines 3/5 stars. I would probably not read it again, but I don't really regret reading it. It was alright. 

Leave me reading suggestions in the comments!

Booking It: eleanor & park

Today I have a book review for you all! 

This is my very first book review, so try to bear with me on this. 

Description:

Eleanor...Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park...He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds--smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. 

My Thoughts:

I really loved this book. It was so honest in everything that was said. The love of Eleanor and Park was so real and funny and awkward and just like first loves should be. Rowell wrote in such a unique way too; I loved how she used both Eleanor and Park's thoughts throughout the whole book, and also how she wrote in third person. I don't see a lot of authors using third person, so it was unique to read. 

My Rating:

I would give Eleanor & Park 5/5 stars. I completely and totally recommend it. 

~

Another thing that I wanted to mention on this post is about this app I use called GoodReads. If you're an avid reader like myself, I would highly recommend this app. 

App

Website

You can also follow or add me on goodreads as well to keep up with what I'm reading.