REVIEW: Perfect (Flawed #2) by Cecelia Ahern

Perfect (Flawed #2) by Cecelia Ahern

Publication Date: April 4, 2017

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: Received from Publisher 

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

*This eARC was received from the publisher, but it did not influence this review in any way *


My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Celestine North is Flawed.

Ever since Judge Crevan declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with Carrick, the only person she can trust.

But Celestine has a secret—one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. A secret that has already caused countless people to go missing.

Judge Crevan is gaining the upper hand, and time is running out for Celestine. With tensions building, Celestine must make a choice: save just herself or risk her life to save all Flawed people.

After Flawed, we find Celestine on the run from the Guild and trying to figure out how to reconcile her life while also making an impact on the lives of the Flawed community in which she is now a part of. Through all of the chaos that goes on in this story I love that there is so much character development for Celestine and her friends. Her growth into a women of character, strength, and grit was so refreshing to see because in the first book she was selfish, naive, and just overall annoying to read. I love that we get to see a totally different side to her sister, as well. I think all the characters went through a major come up in this book and we got to see who was really there for Celestine and who wasn't.

This is a story about prejudice, bravery, and the human condition. I loved (and secretly hated) the concept of this dystopian world because it felt way too real for me. It left me with the taste of possibility as I considered our current society and the capabilities of hateful people and how far they're willing to go. The pacing of the story felt a lot smoother than the first book which made it a lot easier to follow and kept me interested the entire time.

Overall, this was one the best follow up's to a series i've read in a while. I loved this duology as a whole but this book really brought everything together and gave the story a good close with resolution.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys reading Dystopians. If you haven't read it yet--what are you waiting for!?

Quotes (#39)

Morning Swooners!

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted anything. Life has been extra crazy with school and i've been in a weird antisocial phase lately.  No worries though, I think i'm finally coming out of it. I recently reconnected with an old friend and it's filled me with this new kind of hope. Something I haven't had in a really long time. The kind of feeling that makes you feel strong and brave. It suddenly hit me the other day and I came to a realization about that feeling. What a wonderful thing hope really is. How it can fuel your passion and give you motivation in a time when you lack it the most. So in honor of that feeling and my new/old friend I dedicate today's quotes to hope...because sometimes we all just need a little hope from a friend to help you get by.



“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist


“If you can love someone with your whole heart, even one person, then there's salvation in life. Even if you can't get together with that person.” ― Haruki Murakami, 1Q84


“I like the night. Without the dark, we'd never see the stars.” ― Stephenie Meyer, Twilight


“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”
― Emily Dickinson


“There is some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers


“They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” ― Tom Bodett


“Maybe everyone can live beyond what they're capable of.” ― Markus Zusak, I Am the Messenger


“I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.” ― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl


“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.” ― G.K. Chesterton

Quotes (#38)

Morning Swooners!

I'm swamped at school today and in desperate need of caffeine because I was so unbelievably sleepy this morning and just couldn't make myself get up in time. So not the best start to my day but i'm determined to make sure it doesn't become a rolling effect. My entire day will not be ruined by my not so great morning! So let's get the day started with some motivational quotes.


“Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.” —Anne Frank


“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”  ― Wayne W. Dyer


“Don't be afraid of your fears. They're not there to scare you. They're there to let you know that something is worth it.”―C. JoyBell C


“We are all different. Don’t judge, understand instead.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart


“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” ― Neil Gaiman, Coraline


“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ― George Bernard Shaw


“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” ― Mahatma Gandhi


“You see things; you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?” ― George Bernard Shaw, Back to Methuselah


“After all, the wrong road always leads somewhere.” ― George Bernard Shaw

Favorite Poem Friday (#7)

Morning Swooners!

So today i'm posting one of my absolute favorite poems of all time. This particular poem speaks to me on so many levels and it gives me such a good feeling whenever I read it. It's one of those poems that I always go back to because no mater what kind of day i'm having, it just works its' magic on me and I instantly feel better (even if it's short lived lol). I hope this one resonates with you as well.

Hope is the Thing With Feathers by Emily Dickinson 

Hope is the thing with feathers 

That perches in the soul, 

And sings the tune without the words, 

And never stops at all, 

And sweetest in the gale is heard; 

And sore must be the storm 

That could abash the little bird 

That kept so many warm. 

I’ve heard it in the chillest land, 

And on the strangest sea; 

Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

REVIEW: Flawed (Flawed #1) by Cecelia Ahern

Flawed (Flawed #1) by Cecelia Ahern

Publication Date: April 5, 2016

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: OwlCrate Subscription 

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

You will be punished…

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found flawed.

In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society where perfection is paramount and flaws lead to punishment. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

All the stars for this one, guys! I mean I absolutely loved reading this book!

The society in this world is one where doing unethical things will deem you a flawed person. Illegal acts are handled the same way as our current society but unethical acts are handled a bit differently. If you perform an unethical act, you are tried for said act. If you are found guilty of being flawed, which everyone usually is, the judges will determine what branding you will receive as punishment to let the world know that you were unethical and branded flawed by society. That premise alone was enough to keep me intrigued the entire time just waiting to see how everything turned out.

Celestine, our MC, is a teenaged girl who always follows the rules...until one day she doesn't. For purposes which are unclear to her family and friends at the time, Celestine breaks the rules to help a Flawed citizen in front of a large group of people. I think her actions were admirable for doing what she did and I love the person she becomes after she finally realizes that what she did was not an accident. Realizing that human kindness is not a flaw at all was inspirational to read and the people of this society needed this dose of reality because their views were seriously skewed!

Overall, I truly loved reading this book and losing myself in this world with Celestine and her friends. I can't wait to get my hands on the next installment, Perfect. 

Quotes (#37)

Morning Swooners!!!

Today is a pretty good day for me. There isn't anything specific going on, it's just the first day i've felt like myself in a little while. So i'm hopeful and rejuvenated and I want to share that with you today. Here are some quotes that I hope will give you the same feeling of renewal today and the rest of the week :)


“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.”  ― John Lennon


“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”  ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist


“I like the night. Without the dark, we'd never see the stars.”  ― Stephenie Meyer, Twilight


“It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”  ― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl


“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”

― Emily Dickinson


“I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.”  ― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl


“Since I was young, I have always known this: Life damages us, every one. We can’t escape that damage. But now, I am also learning this: We can be mended. We mend each other”  ― Veronica Roth


“It’s probably my job to tell you life isn’t fair, but I figure you already know that. So instead, I’ll tell you that hope is precious, and you’re right not to give up.”  ― C.J. Redwine, Defiance

Favorite Poem Friday (#6)

Morning dearies!

Today's poem is a special one for me. It's one of my all time favorites and no matter how many times I read it, it always seems so deep and impactful to me. I guess it reminds me of my younger years and my first love and all those feelings that were perfect to me at the time. It definitely makes me feel nostalgic whenever I read it. I hope it brings you those same feelings of nostalgia that it so happily brings to me!

Just For a Time by Maya Angelou

Oh how you used to walk

With that insouciant smile

I liked to hear you talk

And your style

Pleased me for a while.

You were my early love

New as a dawn breaking in Spring

You were the image of

Everything

That caused me to sing.

I don’t like reminiscing

Nostalgia is not my forte

I don’t spill tears

On yesterday’s years

But honesty makes me say,

You were a precious pearl

How I loved to see you shine,

You were the perfect girl.

And you were mine.

For a time.

For a time.

Just for a time.

Life Update

Morning Swooners!

I'm still not feeling myself lately and I haven't been able to write any reviews for you guys. I keep wanting to get something down but I just don't have the words right now. I'm sad and cranky all the time and I just want to hide in a hole for a week. So basically I just need you guys to bare with me until I get my emotions in check.

For now, i'll update you on my life as a nursing student. Things have been really crazy at school this semester. I'm on my 5th semester out of 7 so things are getting down to the nitty gritty. If I thought it was hard before, that doesn't even compare to the amount of work and stress I feel now. I have tests every other week and on the weeks I don't have a test I have a paper due so the stress level hasn't had a chance to come down since the beginning of the semester. I heard through the grape vine that it will only get worse for the rest of the program so i'm not looking forward to that. I guess I can say bye-bye to my sanity now because it's already on a thin line to begin with.

So that's my life in a nutshell right now. What's going on with you?

Favorite Poem Friday (#5)

Morning Swooners,

I haven't fully recovered from the recent loss of my grandpa so my posts are still going to reflect those feelings that i'm going through. I promise i'll buck up to my old self soon, but today just isn't that day. I hope you enjoy today's poem by Charlotte Brontë. Please don't run away just yet, my poem choices will be bubbly soon enough, I promise!

On the Death of Anne Brontë by Charlotte Brontë

There’s little joy in life for me,

And little terror in the grave;

I’ve lived the parting hour to see

Of one I would have died to save.

Calmly to watch the failing breath,

Wishing each sigh might be the last;

Longing to see the shade of death

O’er those belovèd features cast.

The cloud, the stillness that must part

The darling of my life from me;

And then to thank God from my heart,

To thank Him well and fervently;

Although I knew that we had lost

The hope and glory of our life;

And now, benighted, tempest-tossed,

Must bear alone the weary strife.

Quotes (#36)

Morning Swooners.

I've been MIA recently because my grandfather passed away and i'm still trying to deal with my emotions and figure out how to live without him. It's been a week since he passed and I just feel like I need to share this tragedy with you all, my wonderful followers. My grandpa was the best man i've ever known and the literal love of my life. I wish I could tell you everything about him but words will never do him justice. Just know that to know him was to love him and he was a widely loved man. He had a kind heart and was full of life. The biggest jokester i've ever met, he constantly had me laughing. From the moment we met it was love between us and now I have to figure out how to spend the rest of my life without the person I loved most (sorry grandma).

So here are some great quotes that are hitting me in the feels more than anything today.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring


“It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things.” ― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish


“When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.” 
― William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Collection)


“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!” ― Hunter S. Thompson, The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967


“If you gave someone your heart and they died, did they take it with them? Did you spend the rest of forever with a hole inside you that couldn't be filled?” ― Jodi Picoult, Nineteen Minutes


“That was the thing. You never got used to it, the idea of someone being gone. Just when you think it's reconciled, accepted, someone points it out to you, and it just hits you all over again, that shocking.” ― Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever


“You'll stay with me?' Until the very end,' said James.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows


“Does it hurt?" The childish question had escaped Harry's lips before he could stop it.

"Dying? Not at all," said Sirius. "Quicker and easier than falling asleep.”  ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows


“Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone.”  ― Mitch Albom

Quotes (#35)

~Morning Swooners~

So this is my first day back to school from Spring Break and i'm sooooo tired. I mean, I had a week of staying out late and waking up late to then come back to 8AM classes and traffic. So i'm not enjoying the loss of my free time. Not to mention the loss of an hour of sleep which I already miss so dearly. Life just isn't the same without it (pours out some liquor) So anyway the book i'm currently reading has me so broken inside right now. Such a sad story that is beautifully written. So to share my joy (or sorrow depending on how you look at it) I posted some quotes from the book and I hope you love them as much as I do [read: I hope they break you like they have broken me lol]



“I'll never understand how time can make a moment feel as close as yesterday and as far as years.”  ― Adam Silvera, History Is All You Left Me


“There’s nothing wrong with someone saving my life, I’ve realized, especially when I can’t trust myself to get the job done right. People need people. That’s that.”  ― Adam Silvera, History Is All You Left Me


“Time doesn’t heal all wounds. We both know that’s bullshit; it comes from people who have nothing comforting or original to say.”  ― Adam Silvera, History Is All You Left Me


“I was in love and love died and the pain you've left isn't pain I can see myself having the strength to face again.”  ― Adam Silvera, History Is All You Left Me


“I'm blown away by how happy you make me. Thank you for being there for me when I'm stupid enough to think I'd rather be alone.”  ― Adam Silvera, History Is All You Left Me


“People are complicated puzzles, always trying to piece together a complete picture, but sometimes we get it wrong and sometimes we’re left unfinished. Sometimes that’s for the best. Some pieces can’t be forced into a puzzle, or at least they shouldn’t be, because they won’t make sense.”  ― Adam Silvera, History Is All You Left Me


“Then there’s the kind of zombie I’ve become now: the one who has lost everything—his brain, his heart, his light, his direction. He wanders the world, bumping into this, tripping over that, but keeps going and going. That is life after death.”  ― Adam Silvera, History Is All You Left Me


“History is nothing. It can be recycled or thrown away completely. It isn’t this sacred treasure chest I mistook it to be. We were something, but history isn’t enough to keep something alive forever.”  ― Adam Silvera, History Is All You Left Me

Favorite Poem Friday (#4)

Today's poem is an oldie but a goodie and kind of hits home for me today. I live with my grandparents and they've both had a lot of health issues recently. In a way it's been a little reminder of their mortality and the fact that they won't be in my life forever. They have both been so strong for so long and they continue to "rage against the dying of the light." They wont be overcome by the darkness and I love them for showing grace and strength during times when they are expected to be scared and angry. So here's to my grandparents, my favorite warriors!

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas 

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

REVIEW: Splintered (Splintered #1) by A. G. Howard

Splintered (Splintered #1) by A.G. Howard

Publication Date: January 1, 2013

Publisher: Amulet Books 
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer  

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble


My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence.

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

LOVED. LOVED. LOVED! I truly loved reading this book! (in case you couldn't tell lol)

I had seen this book around the blogosphere for a while and never really had any interest in it until one of my friends read it and raved about it. So I was still skeptical at first, but of course I trust my friends reading choices and decided to give it a try. Boy was I amazed at how hard and fast I fell for this story!! From the synopsis you can see that it's kind of an Alice in Wonderland re-telling, which I totally loved reading. Retellings are kind of my new obsession which works out perfectly because they are popping up everywhere.

The author, A.G. Howard, did such an amazing job writing this story and it was so fun to read. The world building was off the chain! She took our boring and colorless world and turned it into a never ending rabbit hole that lead to a beautiful and fun filled Wonderland!

Alyssa, our MC, is such a fun character to read. She's always known that her family is cursed ever since her (infinite greats) grandmother, Alice Liddell, fell into the rabbit hole and got the family line cursed. The fear that Alyssa has when she starts hearing the bugs and flowers speak to her is so genuinely real that you really feel for her. I mean, I personally think it would be awesome to hear bugs and flowers speak, but after her mother is committed into the asylum for losing her mind for the same things that Alyssa is going through, She becomes extremely worried and fears that she will end up there too.

Then there's Jeb, I mean OHMAHGOD!!!! I think he is so swoony!! Also a bit dramatic, but definitely swoony! Jeb goes above and beyond to protect Alyssa and it's just so romantic to watch it all unfold! I want to say that the love they share is wonderful to see but it's definitely more than that. The bond they share as friends is so special, it honestly makes me jealous. I wish I could find someone that will love me unconditionally the way Jeb loves Alyssa (and the way she loves him.)

Now to Morpheous, I don't even know where to begin with him. I want to say that he's a mix between swoony half the time but also scary the other half of the time! He says some pretty romantic things to Alyssa, which of course gets her to do what he wants, but he also does some pretty scary things that had me questioning his motives. He's definitely a manipulative character but you can tell that he also genuinely cares about her. I definitely had a hard time deciding if I liked him or not but I can tell you for sure that I never trusted him. There were moments when I had to wonder if I actually could trust him but then I realized that if I had to question whether I could trust him then that meant I couldn't.

Overall, I really loved this book and I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of this series! If you haven't read it, I highly recommend that you do!

Quotes (#34)

Morning Dearies!

I know the week just started but i'm already exhausted. I have so much to get done this week for school and just thinking about it is making me sleepy (and sad lol) so to distract myself I decided to post some quotes from a book that I recently finished reading and still can't get out of my head. If you haven't read Flawed by Cecelia Ahern--pick it up asap!


“I know the difference between right and wrong. I understand the rules. But today I feel that the rules have been blurred, because today they were literally on my front doorstep.” ― Cecelia Ahern, Flawed


“I can't be afraid of someone whose human side I see and know.” ― Cecelia Ahern, Flawed


“But I can now understand why people read, why they like to get lost in somebody else's life. Sometimes I'll read a sentence and it will make me sit up, jolt me, because it is something that I have recently felt but never said out loud. I want to reach into the page and tell the characters that I understand them, that they're not alone, that I'm not alone, that it's ok to feel like this. And then the lunch bell rings, the book closes, and I'm plunged back into reality.” ― Cecelia Ahern, Flawed


“Courage does not take over, it fights and struggles through every word you say and every step you take. It's a battle or a dance as to whether you let it pervade. It takes courage to overcome, but it takes extreme fear to be courageous.” ― Cecelia Ahern, Flawed


“I’ve learned that to be courageous is to feel fear within, every step of the way.” ― Cecelia Ahern, Flawed


“My eyes move from side to side. I try to focus but I can't. I know why I'm here and I don't know why I'm here. I understand, and then I don't. I think it's fair, and then I don't. I wish I'd never done what I did, and then I'm glad I did. I want to scream, but I don't.” ― Cecelia Ahern, Flawed


“When the lows are so immense, victories are small. But they are there despite it. You just have to know them when you see them, little pockets of light and hope hidden away in darkness.” ― Cecelia Ahern, Flawed

Favorite Poem Friday (#3)

Morning Swooners!

Today's poem is a popular one but it's always been one of my favorites. I hope you love it as much as I do. Dare I say it will bring back memories long forgotten...Enjoy!

Annabel Lee by Edgar Allen Poe 

It was many and many a year ago, 

   In a kingdom by the sea, 

That a maiden there lived whom you may know 

   By the name of Annabel Lee; 

And this maiden she lived with no other thought 

   Than to love and be loved by me. 

I was a child and she was a child, 

   In this kingdom by the sea, 

But we loved with a love that was more than love— 

   I and my Annabel Lee— 

With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven 

   Coveted her and me. 

And this was the reason that, long ago, 

   In this kingdom by the sea, 

A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling 

   My beautiful Annabel Lee; 

So that her highborn kinsmen came 

   And bore her away from me, 

To shut her up in a sepulchre 

   In this kingdom by the sea. 

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven, 

   Went envying her and me— 

Yes!—that was the reason (as all men know, 

   In this kingdom by the sea) 

That the wind came out of the cloud by night, 

   Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee. 

But our love it was stronger by far than the love 

   Of those who were older than we— 

Of many far wiser than we— 

   And neither the angels in Heaven above 

Nor the demons down under the sea 

   Can ever dissever my soul from the soul 

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; 

For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams 

   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; 

And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes 

   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; 

And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side 

   Of my darling—my darling—my life and my bride, 

In her sepulchre there by the sea— 

   In her tomb by the sounding sea.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Morning Swooners!!

So guess what today is??? If you said that it's my birthday well then guess what? YOU ARE CORRECT because it's my MOTHER F*CKIN BIRTHDAY!!! Today I enter the 29th year of my life and I am so excited because, well, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!! I get to eat whatever I want and do whatever I want and be whatever I want lol Well i'm actually kind of limited because I have a test today for one class and a midterm next week for another class but i'm going to own the hell out of dinner time today. Don't even get me started on dessert either, let's just say it's allllll mine and there will be zero limitations. I mean i'm exactly one year away from 30 so I think I have the right to enjoy myself this year...next year i'll be crying in a corner and won't be able to even think about food or treats. You'll see these quotes are as mixed as my emotions right now. I hope you enjoy them!


“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” ― Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You!


“People who go around advertising their birthdays are douchebags. It's a fact. You can look it up on Wikipedia.” ― Katja Millay, The Sea of Tranquility


“It’s my birthday, Horus insisted. Wish me happy birthday! “Happy birthday!” I yelled. “Now shut up!” ― Rick Riordan, The Red Pyramid


“I saw the world I had walked since my birth and I understood how fragile it was, that the reality was a thin layer of icing on a great dark birthday cake writhing with grubs and nightmares and hunger.” ― Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane


“You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.” ― Bob Hope


“…tomorrow was her birthday, and she was thinking how fast the years went by, how old she was getting, and how little she seemed to have accomplished. Almost twenty-five and nothing to show for it.” ― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women


“I was brought up to respect my elders, so now I don't have to respect anybody.”  ― George Burns


“You were born and with you endless possibilities, very few ever to be realized. It's okay. Life was never about what you could do, but what you would do. ” ― Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Anyway: Quotes, Verse, & Grumblings for Every Day of the Year

Favorite Poem Friday (#2)

Happy Friday Swooners!

This week's favorite poem is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I'd be surprised if you haven't seen it before but then again I know some people aren't into poetry. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do. 

How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43) by Elizabeth Barrett Browning 

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. 

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height 

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight 

For the ends of being and ideal grace. 

I love thee to the level of every day’s 

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. 

I love thee freely, as men strive for right. 

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. 

I love thee with the passion put to use 

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith. 

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose 

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, 

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, 

I shall but love thee better after death.

REVIEW: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Publication Date: June 16, 2015

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Gifted to Reviewer 

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):


If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

This book is called Every Last Word and you know what? For me that's what it was. I literally cannot even find the words to describe how I feel after reading it. I was completely enamored with this book from the moment I opened it and as soon as I turned the last page and closed the cover for the final time. I knew that I was in utter shock of how impressed I was with how the story turned out. To sum it up, i'll give you three words (in honor of Sam)-- glue sticks galore!

This story touches a little bit on depression and anxiety while also focusing on mental disorders and bullying. These are all some really important and heavy topics. I think this normally would have been fairly difficult to accomplish successfully, but the author does such a wonderful job at combining all these topics into one story while also giving it a realistic feel and a romantic feel at the same time. Kudos, Ms. Stone, for a job well done!

Sam, the MC who has OCD, was such a great character to meet and grow with. I loved seeing her growth from the beginning of the story to the very end. I think her story was believable and relatable to many young readers, even ones who don't have OCD, because many people go through the same situations as she did. From the crazy, backstabbing friends to the unplanned love interest with the most unlikely person...these things really happen and many people can relate to how everything was dealt with throughout the book.

Something else that I really loved about this book was the poetry. I've been a huge fan of poetry my entire life and from the moment I read that first poem to the moment I read the very last poem, my heart was so very full. It's such a great talent to be able to express yourself through poetry and I loved how the author was able to express so many emotions and sentiments through the eyes of so many different characters. It's a skill not many people (including authors) possess. 

Also important to note that I feel like I need to search the world to find my own version of Caroline because I truly believe that she is the best friend I never had (even though I already have the BEST best friends lol.) She's such a strong and loyal friend to Sam and it breaks my heart when we finally see how her story plays out. I wish that I could bottle up her essence and use it whenever I need to feel brave or smart or caring because those are just some of her qualities that I could always use more of. She's an inspiration to us all. 

Overall, I really loved this book and I wish I could expand my knowledge of the english language just so I could properly describe to you all what this book truly means to me. It's definitely a must read. If this book isn't already on your TBR--add it pronto!

REVIEW: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

Publication Date: July 26, 2016

Publisher: Point Publishing 
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer 

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble


My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Signed, sealed, delivered . . .
While zoning out in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk, and added a message to her.

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters— sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery, and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out . . .

I cannot stress enough how much I absolutely loooovvveeeedddd this book!! I went in with high expectations because I heard so many great things about this author and this book and let me just tell you, I was not let down! I literally could not put this book down and I was so sad when it ended because it was over (even though it was the happiest of endings and so perfectly written I couldn't have pictured it any better.) Plus, don't even get me started on the poems/lyrics. Everything was so brilliant and perfect, my heart was on overdrive in the feels department.

Lily writes. She writes a lot. While in her chemistry class, her teacher takes away her notebook and demands to see her notes at the end of each class in an attempt to get her to focus only on her class notes. Well this doesn't have the effect he was hoping for because she soon begins writing messages and letters back and forth with another student who sits in her seat during a different class period. She finds herself falling in love with the person writing the letters and begins her journey to find out who that person is. 

Unlike many other books, I loved how we didn't have to wait until the end of the book for the big reveal of who Lily's pen pal was. We found out about half way through the book and had to go through the same worries and fears that Lily had to go through to figure out how she should handle it. All while still having a chance to fall more and more in love with the pen pal along the way. I think Kasie West did such an incredible job with slowly revealing to us the writer all the while dropping little easter eggs about who it was. This kept me feeling 100% connected and invested in the story.

Overall, I think Kasie West did an amazing job with this story and I can't wait to binge all of her other books because I am officially in love with her writing. If this book isn't on your TBR--It needs to be!

REVIEW: If You Wrong Us by Dawn Klehr

If You Wrong Us by Dawn Klehr

Publication Date: October 1, 2015

Publisher: Flux
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):


Becca and Johnny become entangled after a car crash steals the lives of two people they love. Officially, the crash is an accident. But Becca and Johnny are convinced: someone did this.

As they plot revenge against the person responsible, a bond—intense, unyielding, and manic—takes hold of them. And in an unexpected turn of events, they fall for each other.

Or so they think.

In an upside-down world where decay is beautiful and love and hate become one, Becca and Johnny find themselves grappling with reality. Nothing is exactly what it seems, including what they've come to believe about the crash. Question is: will they learn the truth before it's too late?

No. The question is: when they learn the truth, will they care?

I fell in love with the synopsis of this book when I randomly saw it one day at B&N. I love going to bookstores to find all the books i've been eagerly waiting for but i'm also a big believer in fate leading me to random books. So I instantly knew I would love this one.

This book goes back and forth between the POV's of Becca and Johnny. Alternating between the present in Johnny's view and the past in Becca's view. The event that brings these two together is a car accident involving Becca's twin sister, Johnny's mother, and a third party who shall remain nameless for the time being.

Before the accident, Becca and Johnny had no concrete connection to each other. Then, in a chance meeting at the accident site, they became closer and began their journey down this twisted and sad rabbit hole. In an attempt to exact revenge on the person Becca believes to be the culprit behind the car accident, they both do things that they regret. From beginning to end, being able to see the character arc for both of these two MC's was incredible. The Becca and Johnny that we see in the beginning of the book are not the same Becca and Johnny we see at the end of the book.  Being able to watch these two separate view points unfold had me captivated the entire time--hook, line, and sinker!

Becca becomes completely obsessed with getting revenge on the person she thinks is responsible for the death of her sister and she convinces Johnny to join her in her plan. Without giving away too much, i'll let you know that one of the two narrators was slightly disturbed and seemed a bit unstable throughout the book. The other narrator was completely naive and gullible. Seeing the true personalities of these characters while listening to their thoughts about each other was so fun to read. I also really loved that little plot twist in the end. It completely threw me off and I had no idea it was coming.

Overall, this book was a fun and quick read and i'm so happy I picked it up. Though there were a few unanswered questions in the end, they were minor and didn't take away from the story. If this book is on your TBR, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Quotes (#33)

Via Giphy 

Morning Swooners!

Monday's are hard and I reeeeaaallllyyyy didn't want to wake up early for school today! That's all I have to say about that. Let's get started with some quotes that will hopefully motivate everyone. Let's make this week as amazing as we all are!

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”― Thomas A. Edison


“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” ― George Eliot


“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ― George Bernard Shaw


“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill


“I can't give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time.” ― Herbert Bayard Swope


“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.


“Maybe there is more truth in how you feel than in what actually happens.” ― Ann Brashares, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants


“I don’t know what’s worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be, and feel alone.” ― Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon

Favorite Poem Friday (#1)

Morning Swooners! So i've decided to do something new and fun. I've always loved reading and writing poetry and now I want to share that love with you. So every Friday i'll have a different poem posted for you guys to read. Maybe you've seen them before and maybe you haven't but either way they are all beautiful. So here's the first of many. Hope you enjoy! 

If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda

I want you to know

one thing.

You know how this is:

if I look

at the crystal moon, at the red branch

of the slow autumn at my window,

if I touch

near the fire

the impalpable ash

or the wrinkled body of the log,

everything carries me to you,

as if everything that exists,

aromas, light, metals,

were little boats

that sail

toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,

if little by little you stop loving me

I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly

you forget me

do not look for me,

for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,

the wind of banners

that passes through my life,

and you decide

to leave me at the shore

of the heart where I have roots,

remember

that on that day,

at that hour,

I shall lift my arms

and my roots will set off

to seek another land.

But

if each day,

each hour,

you feel that you are destined for me

with implacable sweetness,

if each day a flower

climbs up to your lips to seek me,

ah my love, ah my own,

in me all that fire is repeated,

in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,

my love feeds on your love, beloved,

and as long as you live it will be in your arms

without leaving mine

Happy New Year!

Well hello there 2017, so nice to meet you...

Sorry i'm late to the game. I've been a horrible blogger lately but you guys have been so patient with me and I appreciate it. I was swamped at the end of the year with school work and then threw myself into slumber and relaxation during my break in December. Radio silence on my part, which I completely enjoyed but now i'm ready to be back. I spent a lot of time reading during my break and I can't wait to post my reviews of the great books I read. Seriously, it just felt so good to read in peace and not have anything else to distract me...the perfect vacation! Now it's back to business though. Let's get the year started on a good note with some great quotes!


“Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”  ― Thomas Jefferson


“Of course motivation is not permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis.”  ― Zig Ziglar, Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World


“The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can't achieve it.”  ― Jordan Belfort


“When someone tells me "no," it doesn't mean I can't do it, it simply means I can't do it with them.”  ― Karen E. Quinones Miller


“You'll never get ahead of anyone as long as you try to get even with him.”  ― Lou Holtz


“You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose.”  ― Lou Holtz


“The individual who says it is not possible should move out of the way of those doing it.”  ― Tricia Cunningham


“If you start by promising what you don't even have yet, you'll lose your desire to work towards getting it.”  ― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist


“Great things happen to those who don't stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful.”  ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart