The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1) |REVIEW

The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1)
by Aimee Carter

My rating: 4/5 stars

Page Length: 293 pages
Publication Date: April 19, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Synopsis:
Every girl who had taken the test has died.
Now it's Kate's turn.
It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.
If she fails...

Review:
Alright, let's do this.
Many people had said that they didn't like this book because of the way the personality of Hades was altered. 
I am Greek, I grew up with mythology, I love it and it will always be a part of me since I know every detail (yeah felt like Kate here at some point) and I really liked the fact that we didn't get the cliche representation of Hades. It was a good twist to his character the fact that he was hurt and he had a sensitive side. 

This book wasn't like "oh my, they are gods nothing can touch or hurt them", no this book tried to make the Olympians more human-like, more realistic. For me, it tried to show that they have this other side that no one is aware of. And I liked that.

I liked Kate as a character. She had realistic reactions to several occasions. And I enjoyed the way she treasured the people around her. She was ready to sacrifice everything for her mother and her friends. 

Henry, as you may have gathered, I liked a lot. He managed to break, for me, the facade of the unbreakable Hades. The "nothing can get him" thing. He had a protective side and he supported Kate's choices. 

I enjoyed the twists in the end of the book. Some I expected, some I didn't. Nevertheless, they completed this book and answered questions. 
On to the next one!

They All Fall Down | REVIEW

They All Fall Down
by Roxanne St. Claire

Page Count: 339 pages
My Rating: 2/5 stars

Synopsis:
Pretty Little Liars meets Final Destination in this YA psychological thriller that will have readers' hearts racing right till the very end!
Every year, the lives of ten girls at Vienna High are transformed.
All because of the list.
Kenzie Summerall can't imagine how she's been voted onto a list of the hottest girls in school, but when she lands at number five, her average life becomes dazzling. Doors open to the best parties, new friends surround her, the cutest jock in school is after her.
This is the power of the list. If you're on it, your life changes. If you're on it this year? Your life ends.
The girls on the list have started to die, one by one. Is it a coincidence? A curse? Or is the list in the hands of a killer?
Time is running out for Kenzie, but she’s determined to uncover the deadly secret of the list...before her number’s up.


Review

^^Yup that was me.

Okay, here we are..it's not that I didn't like this book. It had great potential and it seemed so intriguing when I first read the synopsis. Plus, the cover is great. 
But I had several issues with it as well that I could not overlook. 

Kenzie as a main character was so promising. She was determined and she was looking at things rationally which, trust me, was a good thing in this book. But as the story was progressing, I found her less appealing as a character. 

Molly now, I did not like. I understand the need of the best friend that you would do anything for, but Molly seemed flat to me. The only sides of her that we saw truly develop were the ones where she wanted attention and popularity. Even when there was a small hint that she started to change, there wasn't much development. 

Levi, on the other hand, I really liked. He was the best character for me. I wish though that we got to see more of his backstory and what happened to him. It would have been interesting.

I didn't like Josh as a character, although he obviously was there to enforce the mystery aspect of it and create tension.

Now, concerning the turn that things took and the ending. I found it hard to believe. There has to be a better explanation. I had one question while I was reading it and that was "What?". I wasn't satisfied by how things ended up being and I didn't understand why the ending was sort-of open. Is there another book following this characters? There was no such indication. Maybe the author has some plans about this. I don't want to be unfair at this point.
But the explanations given did not satisfy me. I was expecting something more. The reason behind "the List" seemed weird, forced, unbelievable and a bit sexist to be honest. 

I liked, though, the fact that this book was fast-paced and it kept me reading even if there were moments with extensive eye-rolling. 
And a tiny last comment, I think it's a bit more like Pretty Little Liars. At least it had the potential of being. With the texts and stuff. But it wasn't that developed, unfortunately.

Book Quote of the Day!

“Sometimes people are beautiful.

Not in looks.

Not in what they say.

Just in what they are.” 

― Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger

Ugly Love | REVIEW

Ugly Love
by Colleen Hoover

Page Count: 320 pages
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis:
When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.
Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.
They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.
Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

Review:
After reading Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover, you can see why I was waiting for Ugly Love. I mean, it's Colleen Hoover what could possibly go wrong?! And I was frickin right! This book was great. THE FEELS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE. After being literally IN PAIN with Ridge's story (maybe someday), I didn't expect Miles's story to wreck me. Like why? Why Colleen Hoover do you have to do this? 
Ugly Love is New Adult and there are many graphic scenes so if you aren't comfortable with such stuff, I wouldn't suggest this book. And I know that the characters get sexually involved almost all the time and some people might not like that, but honestly I was focusing on the relationship in general rather than picking up on every sex scene in the book. Tate and Miles are epic. 
Throughout the book there is this mystery about Miles's past and it's worth the wait. Don't rush, get every single detail slowly. I loved how we got to see both the present and the past; it helped us understand exactly how things were. And you get to comprehend why Miles has this messed up behavior and why he can't be in a relationship with someone. 
Tate was a bit confusing at times. Honestly, I would have left if someone treated me like that, but at the same time the way she grew attached to Miles was well-written. Again, Colleen Hoover I applaud you. There were times I wanted to grab Tate and slap her. Like girl, get it together. But at the same time I was so proud of her when she realised in the end that she had some self-respect. 
Mixed feelings. But still I loved this book. Don't judge me.

"I didn't fall in love with you...I flew."  
THE FEELS, PEOPLE.

I loved the ending, I loved how the "relationship" evolved. I loved Miles. MILES I LOVE YOU.
Why are the broken characters so damn attractive? 
Why why why?
They crash your heart and soul but you want them anyways.
I guess I'm a little bit of a Colleen Hoover fanatic. Do you know what that means? Imma get the rest of her books. Yay!

You should read this!

The Book of Blood and Shadow | REVIEW

The Book of Blood and Shadow
by Robin Wasserman

Page Count: 440 pages

My rating: 4.2/5 stars

Synopsis:
It was like a nightmare, but there was no waking up.
When the night began, Nora had two best friends and a boyfriend she adored. When it ended, she had nothing but blood on her hands. Chris was dead. Adriane couldn’t speak. And Max, Nora’s sweet, smart, soft-spoken Prince Charming, was gone. He was also—according to the police, according to her parents, according to everyone—a murderer.
Desperate to prove his innocence, Nora’s determined to follow the trail of blood, no matter where it leads. But Chris’s murder is just one piece in a puzzle that spans continents and centuries. Solving it may be the only way she can save her own life.



REVIEW:
When a book starts with the line "I should probably start with the blood", then yes, you know that you'll like it.
As many other reviewers have stated before, if you liked The Da Vinci Code, you would probably like this one too. It has suspense, an intriguing plot, as well as a solid main character.

NORA: Nora is a great character with a surprising thought-process and a huge talent in Latin. She is most definitely my favourite character in this book. I liked the way she was paying attention even in the slightest details and how she seemed to cope with all that was going on (because, trust me, it was A LOT). She fought for what she thought was right and she didn't just give up on others, even when she might have had to.

ELI: Another character that I liked was Eli. He was a fighter. I understand why he had to say what he said and do what he did but in the end, he surprised us all. I really enjoyed his slight sense of humor, it was a great touch during rough and tense moments. You don't get to see his "plan" until the last 100 pages but it's worth it, trust me! I also loooved his moments with Nora.

CHRIS: I have no intention of spoiling anything for you but I will say that, even if we didn't get to see him much in this book, Chris is awesome. He is the definition of a true friend that will do anything for the people he cares about. He is nice. He made me like him instantly and as the story progressed, he made me like him even more. I liked the connection he had with Nora.

ADRIANE: No. Again, no. I don't think I can explain how much I despise this girl. If you just started reading this book, you won't understand why I hate her but you'll soon do. I wanted to get into the book and scream at her: YOU HAD A CHOICE AND YOU WASTED IT.

MAX: Another character that I want to punch in the face. (TINY SPOILER REACTION: HOW COULD YOU?!). From the very beginning I thought that this character was pretentious, I just didn't understand the level of that. I have to admit that him and Nora were cute as a couple. But if you reach the end of this book and you process what you just read, it will all make sense and you'll despise him.

ELIZABETH: I LOVED Elizabeth's letters and the way that with each letter, Nora seemed to connect a little bit more with her. Elizabeth was an amazing character and I felt so bad for her at some points. She was one of the most interesting characters of this book.

I also liked the "villains" of this story. They were well-written and very interesting.
There was character development, especially when it comes to Nora. And I found that also quite interesting.

Overall, this book was great and I hope you guys like it too, if you decide to pick it up!

Thank you for reading!
~Christiana.

Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1) | REVIEW

Pivot Point (Pivot Point #1)
by Kasie West

Page Count: 343 pages

My Rating: 4.7/5 stars

Synopsis:
Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .
Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Review
I've been wanting to read this book for quite a while now and I'm so glad I finally did!
This book follows Addie, our main character, who is a Divergent, which mean basically that when she's given two options she can "Search" them both and see the outcome of following each one of them. You could tell that she can see the future, but that only happens when she's in a dilemma.
This book is considered a Dystopian since Addie lives in the Compound, a place unknown to "Norms" (a.k.a. normal people). The cool thing about this book is that we get to see people with other abilities as well. Addie's best friend, Laila, for example, is a Memory Eraser. And there are various other abilities that will get you interested to keep reading.
Another awesome element of the book is that it practically takes place within Addie's Search. At the beginning of the story she's given two options and in order to pick the right one she Searches both. So in a way you meet the future characters from her visions. I found that very interesting!
Addie as a main character was someone you can easily relate to. I adored the fact that she loved reading books and that she was into comics. There should be more female characters with such hobbies. Even her way of acting around boys was so funny and adorable at times.
Trevor was one of the characters I enjoyed reading about. We find him in one of Addie's Searches and he is a part of her future. Now that's a guy you keep. I loved him! He was funny and cute and he had his own complicated past that added to the overall suspense of the book.
The characters of Pivot Point were so well-developed and in a non-boring way that I had to jump right into Split Second (the sequel) so as to keep reading about them. They got me hooked along with the concept. Jumping right into the sequel, probably, had also to do with that ending. Like why would you do that to us?!
At this moment I've already finished the second book and I have to tell you, it's worth reading! You guys will love these books. I got attached and I can clearly picture myself reading them both again in the near future. Kasie West, you rock.
Now, about this 4.7 instead of 5. It was mainly because I was trying to contain myself and get ready for an awesome conclusion in Split Second. But it was also because I wanted to see more of her life with Trevor. I needed more! It was so adorable that it got to me, guys. But this book is awesone, nonetheless.

I would recommend this book to everyone! It doesn't take long to finish because it's not that long but I'm telling you: It's worth it!!

Thanks for reading this review!

~Christiana.

Why We Broke Up | REVIEW

Why We Broke Up
by Daniel Handler

Page Count: 354 pages

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:
I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.
Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.



Review:
First of all, I'll begin this review by saying how much I enjoyed the pictures in this book! They were wonderfully done by Maira Kalman and I think they were, absolutely necessary for the book. I found them really helpful; plus, they were, in a way, helping in the pacing of the story.
Another thing I enjoyed about Why We Broke Up was the passion with movies the main character had. Her whole thought process was so interesting and so film-like that it made me like her as a character. She was more complex than the usual YA main characters. Min had a passion and she was not afraid to show it. She knew what she liked and she wasn't scared to go for it. I think the whole time she was like "I'll go for it no matter what." Even the idea of sending this box to Ed along with the letter, was very creative and movie-like.
The idea of this story in a letter form was something I read for the first time. I've come across letters as a part of a story but not as the story itself. So, that was something that made me want to read this book.
Now apart from Min, I also liked Al and in general Min's friends. They were adorably "weird", if I may say. And that was exactly what was so great about them. They didn't have to go with the flow to make people to hang out with them because they, simply, didn't want that. They liked hanging out together and I love the fact that they're here for each other. Even when for a few pages there seems to be a tension between Min and Al, they still know that they can count on each other.
Moving on to Ed, what can I say. I admit that in the beginning I thought he was cute but I didn't like or trust the guy. I always felt like he was too superficial for Min and that she could have someone better. I get the sweet-talking and complimenting and gifts thing, it can be cute and attractive, but I believe that human relationship have to be based upon more important things like understanding and being able to make a conversation about interesting topics.
Obviously Min and Ed didn't have much in common, but still I can see why they broke up (apart from the most serious thing that whoever has read this book knows; I don't want to spoil anything for you).
I think that an alternative title for this book could be "Why We Shouldn't Have Been Together". It suits the tone and the story.
About the rating, I gave this book 4 stars and not five because at some points there were some long descriptions about movies and stuff like that and I just wanted them to end so as to get back to the actual plot. I loved Min's passion and some movie-related narrative parts were very interesting since I got to know some things myself, but I was curious about the way the story was going to unfold.

Overall:

About Min: 

About Ed:

About the ending:

I would, definitely, recommend this book!
Especially if you are a fan of movies!

Thanks for reading,
~Christiana.