Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

I was on board a four-hour flight about a month ago, so I decided it was the perfect time to catch up on my reading since there ‘s really nothing to do when you are up in the air. I picked Love letters to the dead by Ava Dellaira as my travel companion.

I don’t why I chose this book in particular, but if I had the chance to re-do my choice, I would choose a lighter read since I was literally up in the clouds with all these feelings!!

Love Letters to the Dead tells the story of Laurel, who is still grieving the loss of her sister, while trying to begin life at a new school, making new friends, and possibly falling in love for the first time. What begins as an English class assignment to write a single letter to a dead person, ends up being a full-blown notebook of letters to different departed individuals.

The entire book is composed of these letters that Laurel has written. These were not exactly letters to people that Laurel personally knew, but rather prominent departed people who she associates with her dead sister.

The fact that the book was written in the form of letter was already a luring factor for me. I really love books that are written through letters because I myself want to write letters to people, but for some reason, can never find the right worlds to say or how to say what I want to.

There was simply no boring moment in the story. My mind was racing the entire time I was reading. I wanted to know what would happen next.

The way the book was written was amazing. There were so many striking lines that really hit me. Reading them made me feel like Laurel was writing to me, and not all of those dead people.

I wish I had written this review earlier when my mind was still fresh from reading it and all my feelings were still in tact. This was such a riveting tale for me that it took me a few weeks before I could read something else because I was looking for something that would also get my attention and make me feel as much feelings as this book did.

It’s been weeks since I read this book, but I am still finding it hard to find the right words to say about it. All I know is that if made me feel so much and that’s one thing I look in a book. I think it is pure magic to be able to be moved by story.

Again, I am still speechless but I really really recommend everyone to read this book. I guarantee you it will bring all the feels.

Love Letters to the Dead definitely deserves a five out of five stars rating.

Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

I’ve been feeling down in the dumps lately, and I’ve been in sort of a reading slump for the past few weeks after reading Love Letters to the dead, so I decided I needed to read something short and fun. Having read the previous collaborations between David Levithan and Rachel Cohn, I knew Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List was exactly the book I was looking for.

Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List tells a story of two best friends who create a list of boys that are absolutely off-kissing-limits for the both of them. Naomi and Ely know that they love each other, but it seems like Naomi may actually be in love with Ely, while he is more interested in boys. Despite being inseparable since childhood, a turn of events threatens to destroy the life-long friendship they’ve formed.

When I picked this book up, I kind of set my expectations a bit low, because the last time I read a Cohn-Levithan collab, particularly Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, I expected too much since I really loved Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares, and ended up being disappointed. But as I began reading the book, it immediately enticed me. I love how the dialogues of the characters were written. The way Naomi and Ely conversed with each other was hilarious.

Another thing I like about the book is that it was written from different perspectives of the characters, just like the other Cohn-Levithan collabs. But what was different for this book was that it showed the point of view of the supporting characters as well, in contrast to the usual he-said, she-said type of writing.

Despite liking this format, there were a few points in the middle of the book where in I felt a bit confused because more perspectives from different characters were being injected into the story. I felt like I had to look and remember who is this character again, since he/she isn’t really a major character in the story.

In addition, there were some character point of views that bored me a bit, particularly Gabriel the doorman. But I did like the collection of songs he mentioned haha.

The story itself was very lighthearted. There were challenges presented to the characters, but it didn’t feel too heavy, from a readers perspective.

Overall, I was really entertained by this book. It offered me the kind of escape I needed. It sort of leaves with that rom-com movie feels.

The entire book was around 320 pages, so it was really just a quick read. Exactly what I needed to get over my reading slump.

I recommend this book to those who just want to chill and have a few laughs. It’s quite a short book and you can probably finish it in one sitting.

I give this book four out of five stars.

Love and other perishable items by Laura Buzo

When I picked up a copy of Love and other perishable items, I was not expecting a lot. It seemed like a laid-back read to me. A light read that will help you kill time. Man, was I wrong.

From reading the synopsis of the book, it seemed like a typical love story about young love, crushes and all the other stuff. Just to see the world ‘Love’ on the title makes me think about something cheesy. I thought this book would end on a positive note, like the usual lighthearted novels, but surprisingly, it had a more realistic finish. This proves, that I shouldn’t judge a book by the cover, or rather, by its title.

Love and other perishable items tells the story of 15-year-old Amelia, who develops a crush on 21-year old Chris, her co-worker from her part-time job at a local grocery store. Amelia falls head over heels in love with Chris even though she knows there is zero chance of them being together, given the wide age gap. But somewhere along the way, the possibility of Chris liking her back arises, which makes Amelia fall for him even more.

The story is told from two perspective narrative, particularly by Amelia and Chris. It’s been awhile since I’ve read books that were written this way, and I do miss it so it was refreshing to read this book. Having two sides to story gives an all the more realistic feel since there’s always more than one side to a story.

Although I am all praises for this book, I think the beginning wasn’t so enticing. I got a little bored at first. It took me awhile to really get hooked to the story. But when things started to get interesting, I could not put the book down. I had to know how the story ends.

For the most part, the story was indeed a lighthearted read and it did make me smile a lot times. I like how Amelia and Chris wrote letters to each other. It made me want to have someone who will exchange letters with me someday.

Despite the story lingering on the happy side for the most of it, I was completely shattered by the ending. I was not expecting it.

With my assumption of the story being a typical cheesy love story, I thought the two characters would eventually happily together. When I reached the climax of the story and the conflict unveiled itself, I was expecting for the conflict to be resolved after, but that’s not how it exactly happened. I won’t spoil the ending for you guys, but all I can say it was a bit of an open ending.

I don’t know if it just because of the low expectations I set for this book that blew me in the end, but I really like the ending. I left me hanging with all of these feelings. It ended way better than what I expected.

Overall, I find the book to be a worthwhile story.It was a pretty quick read at 243 pages, exactly what I needed for a chill Sunday afternoon.

You guys should definitely read this if you like stories with realistic endings that keep you guessing what happens next.

I give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating.

Breakaway by Kat Spears

’ve always been a fan of books that deal with the aftermath of death. It’s that theme that makes the story feel more realistic. I have lost people that I love at a young age, and it was never easy. To read stories that feel similar to something I’ve been through, makes  me feel more connected to it.

That’s why when I picked up Breakaway by Kat Spears at a bookstore, I knew I had to take this book home.

Breakaway tells the story of Jason Marshall, a senior high school student who just lost little sister. Apart from dealing with the death of sister, Jason is faced with more problems as his three bestfriends are starting to drift apart.

And then a girl enters the picture. Jason finds himself torn between building a relationship with a girl he might be in love with, grieving for his sister, and trying to keep together the friendship he has always relied on.

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve last read a book since I’ve been too busy at work, I’ve been having a hard time finding a book that will actually entice me from the very beginning. That was not the case for this book. From the moment I began reading it, I could not put it down.

The way it was written was so laidback, it made me feel like the main character was talking to me. With that being said, I was able to finish the book in about two sittings.

I loved the connection between Jason and Raine. It made me imagine the kind of chemistry I want to feel when I eventually fall in love with someone. They seemed so comfortable with each other. It was like they could talk about anything with ease.

Another thing I liked about the book was the realistic feel it gave off. Since the events in the story actually could happen in real life, it made me feel like I was actually listening to someone’s life story.

While I did enjoy reading the book, and I found the premise to be interesting, I felt like the story was missing a climactic moment. Of course the story did have a climax, however, I wasn’t wowed by it. And because of that I think the story fell a bit flat in the end.

But despite the flat ending, I think the entire book was a worthwhile read. I wouldn’t say Breakaway is a life-changing book, but I think it made me rekindle my love for reading. I think I’m going to start reading books again.

Overall, I would give the book 4 out of 5 stars.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

I’ve always believed that books have a certain way of entering our lives when we need them to. Every time I read a good book, I feel like it’s so relevant to what I currently feel or it features a similar situation that I’m going through.That’s how I also felt when I read the Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

The Knife of Never Letting Go is the first book of the Chaos Walking trilogy. It tells the story of Todd Hewitt,the last boy in Prentisstown.He lives in a world where everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts through what they call “noise”. A month before Todd turns into a man– which is when he turns thirteen–Todd and his dog Manchee– who also has noise– hears silence– which is of course impossible. Word broke out about what Todd heard through his noise and now he is forced to run away from the town.

As I read the first few chapters of the book, I was not immediately hooked.It was just an okay for me. I think the story got interesting in the middle of the book towards the end. There were moments when I felt like I wasn’t enjoying the story as much as I’d hope to but I was really hoping that the story would get better and gladly it did.

It was the message at the last few chapters of the book that really struck me. There was a part when Todd said something about life not being fair but there’s always hope. I felt like I could relate so much to that because that’s what I’m currently feeling being thrust into the world of adulthood and all.

Anyway, I also like the way how the book was written.I also love how  there’s a distinction between how each character’s lines were written.There choice of words were also simple, which made it very easy to read.

As I began reading the book, I didn’t think I would enjoy the book so much but as I reached the end, I cannot stop gushing how much I want to read the next book. The ending just left me hanging! I don’t  even know how can the book end just there! There’s still so much more I need to know about the story. I just felt like a huge big ball of feelings after reading the book!

I have to admit, I underestimated the wonder of this book and I take it back. I’m completely drawn to the story and I cannot wait to read the next books of the series.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Mythology is a subject that I don’t have much interest in. When I was in high school, I did have a couple of friends who were really fascinated by it when we discussed in class, but the topic just didn’t really stick to me. We even had this class presentation where in we had to dress up like gods and goddesses but still the topic did not appeal to me.

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series wasn’t exactly on my book wishlist. The series does indeed have a following, but like I said, the subject of mythology did not appeal to me but since I was away from my bookshelf without anything good enough to read a few days ago, and I was craving to read some YA, I decided to borrow The Lightning Thief from my sister who for some reason, brought the book with her.

From the moment I started reading the book, It immediately caught my attention. It was written in such a laid back manner that it felt like I wasn’t actually reading but just listening to someone tell me a story as if just casually saying how your day went by. I was very much drawn to the story that I didn’t want to put the book down,

Percy’s character felt so relatable and genuine. The way his dialogues were written felt so authentic that he could really pass for a real teenager who doesn’t care about a lot of things.The ending of the book did leave me hanging a bit. I want to know so bad what happens next and what kind of monsters and gods will he battle in the next books.

I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy this read but I really did and I so wanna read the other books in the series but sadly I’m still saving up for copies of those books. Why do books have to be so pricey? huhuhu Anyway, the rest of the series is now definitely on the top part of my wishlist.

I do understand the all the hype about this book now and I am now a fan of the series. I cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of the series .

(Late Post)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

I know I’ve been so lame for waiting this long to read the Harry Potter series but, a great series truly never dies or loses its relevance. It’s been almost a decade since the last Harry Potter book was published but it still hasn’t lost its magic.

I’ve been wanting to read this book for months after I finished reading the Halfblood Prince– I just never had the time to do so since school took over my life. I didn’t want to force myself to read it in the midst of my stressfulness because I knew that I wouldn’t be able to finish it anyway. I wanted to read this book when I had time to myself when I wouldn’t be bothered by anything or anyone. I knew that a great book like this deserves my full attention.

Whenever my friend and I would talk about Harry Potter, they’d always say that I was such a loser for not finishing the entire series so I promised them that I would finish  reading the series before I graduate–And I’m glad to say that I finally did YAY!

If I would compare this book with the rest of the series, I’d say that this was the most action-packed and the most plot twist-filled. I certainly did not see a lot of things coming. I won’t go into detail cause I don’t spoil it for those of you who haven’t read it yet.

From the title of the book itself Deathly Hallows, I kind of anticipated that a lot of characters would die ( and because a lot of people have spoiled it for me). Although I don’t think the title was directly referring to the numerous deaths in the book. I think I’m just being really literal hahaha.

With that being said, I felt like a big ball of emotions while I was reading the book. The plot twists made me gasped like crazy and it certainly did make me feel guilty that I immediately judged the characters in the previous books. I really want to express all my feelings so there’s a lot of spoilers below the cut.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The year has just begun and yet I already feel down in the dumps. For some reason I’ve been feeling rather sad and pessimistic about life itself so I decided that I needed to read something that would somehow uplift my spirit. It’s been awhile since I’ve read something Inspirational and my copy of Paulo Coelho’sThe Alchemist has been sitting in my shelf for about two years now so I decided to give it a go.

The Alchemist tells the story of an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who is on his quest to look for treasure hidden in the pyramids of Egypt. On his journey to find that treasure, he encounters a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist. All of the them direct Santiago to where he should go to find this certain treasure but no one knows what the treasure exactly is.

I have to admit that I found the beginning of the book quite boring. It took me a couple of pages before  feel where the story was going—but when did feel it, I couldn’t stop reading. There was just so much thought in every line that I read. I felt like I wanted to write a quote from each page of the book because the words were so striking.

The story had a parable-like feeling to it. It gave off a very spiritual ambiance that while I was reading it, I somehow felt enlightened. It was like every page I turned, a new lesson in life unfolded. There were some lines in the book that were so relatable and spot-on with certain points that I’ve been through in life that it made me a bit teary-eyed. I can’t even explain it. It’s just such a beautiful piece of literature.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading the book. It opened my mind to so much lessons that I should have or have yet to observe in life. It was a very short read but the impact it had on me is not. The Alchemist is an inspiring, eye-opening and enchanting piece of literature that people from different walks of life should read.

Bridget Jones’s Diary and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason by Helen Fielding

Both of these books have been sitting in my shelf for about two years already. These were the kinds of books that you want to read but don’t necessarily feel too eager to read them. I’m kinda on a book-buying ban so I’m challenging myself to finish reading all the books on my shelf before I buy more books.

The Bridget Jones books aren’t exactly something that I would normally read. It’s more in the Women’s literature genre. It’s sort of a more mature version of the usual chic-lit books that I usually read but for some reason, it did catch my attention.

What I like about these books is the humor of it all. It was able to take an unfortunate but very relatable tale that most women go through at some point in their lives and turned it into something light-hearted and funny. I can’t say that the books were amazing or anything like that, but it was indeed a worthwhile read that can make you take off your mind on things even for just awhile. It was certainly entertaining.

Anyway, I am amazed by how a book enters your life right when you need it. While I was reading these two books, I was kinda down in the dumps. I was feeling rather sad about being alone and not exactly over-confident about my current appearance (I mean it’s Christmas season, YES I did get fat okay? haha). Picking up this book was exactly what I needed. It made me feel like I wasn’t the only one dealing with what I felt at the moment.

After reading the books, I realized that I shouldn’t settle for less and that maybe I should stop thinking of how alone I am. I need to quit being desperate for love. I should first focus on myself and the woman that I am before I go searching for love– I mean, if it’s meant to happen it will happen. If it’s the right time for love to come into my life then it will come. I should let love find me and stop searching for it.

Overall, both Bridget Jones’s Diary and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason were somehow consoling to me. It did lift my spirits up a bit right when I needed it. These books are certainly funny, lighthearted and relatable.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

It’s been awhile since I last posted a book review. I blame my hectic schedule and constant writer’s block (It really sucks huhu). Since I’m still on Christmas break (and because I’m stalling myself from things I need to do), I finally have the time to get back to writing book reviews.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the sixth book of the Harry Potterseries and actually took me a really long time to finish this book. I tried reading it about a year ago— right after I finished Order of the Phoenix but I just felt this particular disinterest for the beginning part of the book so I really couldn’t focus on reading it.

After months of trying to get myself to finish the series, or this book for that matter, I finally found my drive to get on with it. After I completed my 2014 reading challenge, I still had about two days before the ended and I was filled with this reading adrenaline so I decided to take this book on.

Like I mentioned earlier, the beginning part of the book sort of bored me, so after getting through to the middle of the story, things started to get interesting and I couldn’t stop reading the book. The flow of the story was so fast-paced that it draws you into reading because you want to know what will happen in the end so bad.

The latter part of the book was filled with emotion. I really felt attached to it. Especially the part where in a character dies huhuhu 😦 Anyway, just like the previous Potter books, it leaves you hanging. You immediately want to grab the next book and find out what happens next.

I don’t even know what to say anymore. How do you even write a book review for a Harry Potter book? The book itself is magical like its content— It needs no definition. It can’t be explained. It’s magic.