Review: Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

Published: November 20, 2018

Publisher: Simon and Schuster BYR

Format: via Overdrive

Rating: 3.5/5    

Synopsis

Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

My Thoughts

I will admit I was a little iffy about this book but I was surprised how much I liked it. In Five Feet Apart we meet Stella and Will who both have CF but react to their disease in vastly different ways. Stella does everything she is supposed to do. She’s the go by the book type of patient while Will isn’t. All Will wants is to be 18 so he can live the life he wants, he wants adventures and to live his life to the fullest before his CF takes his life.

So when Stella and Will meet there is, of course, a clash, she hates that he doesn't take his treatments seriously and he hates that she doesn't truly live her life. So like all tales of hate/love they soon fall for each other. However this affection they have for each other will literally kill them, they can't come within five feet from each other because while they both have CF they have different forms of it and if they come close to each other they can ruin Stella’s chance of lung transplant something that she has been hoping and striving for forever.

I really enjoyed this tale I loved the chemistry between Stella and Will and I also loved the supporting characters as well. This story could've easily been cheesy and over the top but it straddled the line perfectly. I fell in love with these two and their story and it truly gave me the feels. I made me laugh and smile but it also touched and broke my heart. This is one story that's a fast-paced tale of love, friendship and shows us how to truly live.

Review: Room by Emma Donoghue

Room by Emma Donoghue

Published: September 13, 2010

Published: Little Brown and Co.

Format: purchased

Rating: 5/5

 

Add to Goodreads * Buy: Amazon

 

Synopsis

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits. Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work. Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, Room is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.

 

My Thoughts

Talk about an emotional rollercoaster! Room is everything I thought it would be and more and let me tell you this read WILL NOT DISAPPOINT! As many of you might know from the book or movie this is the story of Jack who with his Ma are victims of a kidnapper and are confined to a single room.

The book is told through Jack and it is heartbreaking. From his limited speech and knowledge, we learn what their days consist of and his sole view of the outside world is via a skylight. Ma does the best she can and she protects Jack fiercely when Old Nick comes by from time to time. Jack doesn’t know that there is a whole world outside those four walls but as he grows older his Ma wants more for him so she sets a plan in motion to give Jack a chance in life. I won’t go into details because I honestly want everyone to read this book, it’s one that not only will touch your heart but it will creep into your soul as well. The things we take for granted every day are things he doesn’t even know exist. The fact that he doesn’t even know there is a world out there is what’s shook me up so much. You feel for them both and know that once they are “free” it’s simply the beginning while they might be free so to speak the years of abuse have taken its toll. They must now learn to adapt to the outside world but it’s the hardest for Jack who has to learn everything and that is what is so hard to read.

You can’t help but to feel for these two and once you read their full story you will be brought to tears. I am very curious to see how this story will transfer to film. Usual it’s not a good move but seeing how it’s gotten a lot of great reviews and raves this is one that I will definitely check out. As a stated before this is a rollercoaster of emotions one that I was glad I took and one that I highly advise everyone to take as well.

Book to Movie [11]: Paper Towns by John Green

Paper Towns by John Green

Published: September 22, 2009

Format: paperback purchased

Publisher: Speak

Challenges: 2015 TBR Pile

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Who is the real Margo?

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.

My Thoughts

It’s no surprise that I’m a huge John Green fan and while this one isn’t my fave it’s very enjoyable. We meet Quentin who is just an average kid who has always been in love with the girl next door Margo. Margo is of course the untouchable girl who is popular and hasn’t really spoken to Quentin since they were kids. All this changes one night when Margo comes into his room and makes him come on an all-night adventure with her and makes it a night he will never forget.

The next morning Margo is gone and her parents are tired of her little adventures and don’t seem to care she is gone. Q soon finds out that she tends to leave little clues and is determine to find out where Margo went and more importantly who is the real Margo. Is she the girl he was always dreamt her to be or is she indeed much deeper than people give her credit for?

Paper Towns is a good read that flies by and that’s solely because John Green is a master of words. He writes in such a way that the words just flow with such ease that you are quickly swept up. This book is funny and the road trip scenes were my favorite I never laughed so much I had tears in my eyes. While this book focuses on Margo and Q the relationship I really loved was that between Q and his friends. These are true blue friends ones that always have each other’s backs and you could see how much they truly cared for one another plus they were so goofy who wouldn’t love them?

This book comes to life on the big screen tomorrow and I will definitely be checking this one out it seems like from the previews that the movie has captured the feel of book. You really can’t go wrong when it comes to a John Green book and this one captures that fun and youthful feel that takes me back to my teenage days, when everything was fun, new, exciting and you had the world at your fingertips. So if you want something fun and yet mysterious add this read to your list.

Audiobook Review: The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

Published: September 30, 2014

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Format: via Hachette Audio
Challenges: 2015 Audio Book Challenge

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

Ira Levinson is in trouble. Ninety-one years old and stranded and injured after a car crash, he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image materializes beside him: his beloved wife Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by recounting the stories of their lifetime together - how they met, the precious paintings they collected together, the dark days of WWII and its effect on them and their families. Ira knows that Ruth can't possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories, reliving the sorrows and everyday joys that defined their marriage.

A few miles away, at a local bull-riding event, a Wake Forest College senior's life is about to change. Recovering from a recent break-up, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke, who bears little resemblance to the privileged frat boys she has encountered at school. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes of survival and success, ruin and reward -- even life and death - loom large in everyday life. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imagining a future far removed from her plans -- a future that Luke has the power to rewrite . . . if the secret he's keeping doesn't destroy it first.

Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples who have little in common, and who are separated by years and experience. Yet their lives will converge with unexpected poignancy, reminding us all that even the most difficult decisions can yield extraordinary journeys: beyond despair, beyond death, to the farthest reaches of the human heart.

My Thoughts

This is one of my favorite Nicholas Sparks reads of all time! This was also my first venture into audiobooks and not knowing what I was in for I must say I was very pleased. I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to concentrate but it was actually the opposite, I wasn’t able to let go. I loved that it was a dual story of sorts, the story of Ira and Ruth then the story of Sophia and Luke. Both are opposite stories but the bottom line is of course love. I also enjoyed how you never knew how the stories would come together until the very end. Not knowing made it so worth it because I truly became invested in all the characters. I personally felt this one was one of Nicholas Starks’s best stories in a while. While I love all his books I felt that some past reads were the same old stories recycled over and over. However with this one it is different and such a breath of fresh air this one reminds me why I fell in love with Nicholas Sparks books!

You will fall in love with both couples for different reasons each one showing us what love is all about and how real love should be. You will be taken on a journey that not will only touch your heart but also your soul. I was lucky enough to listen to the audio books and I loved everything about it. The voices of Ron McLarty and January LaVoy really brought the characters alive. They sucked me in and I couldn’t get enough of the story. The story will soon be brought to life to the big screen and while I know many books lose a lot in the transformation but I’m hoping the true essence of the book will come across. Not to mention I’m really feeling the chemistry of the film’s stars Britt Robertson and Scott Eastwood. So do yourself a favor and read then watch the movie, Nicholas Sparks has blessed us once again with the tale of love and loss and no one does it better than he does.

                  

Review: The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

Published: October 11, 2011

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Format: Kindle purchase

Rating: 3.5/5

Synopsis

THE BEST OF ME is the heart-rending story of two small-town former high school sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks. Now middle-aged, they've taken wildly divergent paths, but neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever altered their world. When they are both called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter, they will be forced to confront the choices each has made, and ask whether love can truly rewrite the past.

My Thoughts

Oh how I wanted to truly love this book. As a huge Nicholas Sparks fan it had everything I wanted and needed in a classic book by him. It had two characters who weren’t supposed to be together but you know were meant to be, there was that something that kept them apart and lastly there was the undeniable love that couldn’t keep them apart no matter what. So what was the problem you ask? Well I think there was just too much doing on. There was the flash backs to when they were young, which I had no problem with. However there was this storyline of Dawson’s family that honest I could’ve done without. Yes it did play a role in the end but I just didn’t feel like it did much in the overall aspect of things.

Overall I did enjoy the story; I love the way Nicholas Sparks gives us characters to root for. However of all his characters I just didn’t fall in love with these two, I didn’t feel that connection like I have in the past. I will admit the ending did get me and that was classic Sparks to me. While I wasn’t head over heels with this one I do want to see the movie which comes out today. I want to see how the book and movie differ and how the characters work with each other. Plus I just adore James Marsden I think he is so underrated as an actor not to mention he isn’t hard on the eyes. Haha! This is once instance where the movie trailer really made me want to see the movie and not so much just because I read the book.

Late to the Game [6] If I Stay/Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Late to the Game is a series I do featuring books that everybody and their mommy have read…except me. The thing is 99% of the time I have these books but they have just been pushed back on my TBR pile. This won’t be a review of sorts seeing how everyone already knows the basics of the story but more of what I felt and how it affected me. I’ve dedicated this feature to try to put a dent in my pile and also to see if they live up to the hype…good and/or bad.

      

If I Stay/Where She Went by Gayle Forman

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Format: purchased

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis [If I Stay]

On a day that started like any other. Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, admiring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. In an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left. It is the most important decision she'll ever make.

Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, and loving.

Synopsis [Where She Went]

It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life. And three years he's spent wondering why. When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night.

Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?

My Thoughts

Talk about heart wrenching! If I Stay will pull at your heart strings like no other book I swear. It’s a story of strength and a love that’s like no other. I dare you read this and NOT feel something….anything! Where She Went picks up a few years later and is told by Adam’s view point. 

Mia and Adam’s love is like no other I’ve read. The love is so grand and powerful that you completely forget that they are very young. It will stand the test of time because you know it’s real, it’s meant to be, it’s simply something that can’t be denied.

When I read that it was being made into a movie I was like NO!! Let’s be honest film hasn’t been too kindly to novels. However after seeing that Chloe Grace Moretz was cast as Mia I was convinced this would be awesome, she is one of my faves she can’t really do wrong in my eyes. Plus after seeing the trailers…OMG I was done. If I can ball my eyes out in a 2 minute trailer I will be a wreck once I see the whole film. While the film looks like it will be true to the book and awesome I HIGHLY encourage anyone who hasn’t to read the books now before the movie comes out, you won’t be disappointed although you may be kicking yourself that it took you so long to read it to begin with.

   

Late to the Game [3]: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Late to the Game is a series I do featuring books that everybody and their mommy have read…except me. The thing is 99% of the time I have these books but they have just been pushed back on my TBR pile. This won’t be a review of sorts seeing how everyone already knows the basics of the story but more of what I felt and how it affected me. I’ve dedicated this feature to try to put a dent in my pile and also to see if they live up to the hype…good and/or bad.

 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 

Published: January 2012

Publisher: Dutton Books

Format: purchased copy

Rating 5/5

Synopsis

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

I went into this thinking it was a book about cancer and yes it is but that’s just a sliver of what it’s all about. It’s a book about life and living it to its fullest. It’s about love and if you’re lucky enough to find it then embrace it, relish in it for no matter how long you have it. I would rather have a few moments of wonderful,blissful, earth-shattering love than a lifetime of nothing.

The love between Hazel and Augustus is one for the ages. I have never felt so taken by a book in all my life. It goes between teen romances; it’s just that unstoppable beyond this universe kind of thing. We owe it all to John Green. His words are like magic, he comes up with words and phrases that I couldn’t even fathom. All we all know the movie comes out tomorrow and this is one book to screen read I can’t wait for, from what I can tell it looks so amazing! This is one of those once and a lifetime type of books that will continue to make an impact for decades to come, and I for one am so happy and honored John Green shared it with all of us.

Late to The Game [2]: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Late to the Game is a little feature I’ve been doing that focuses on books that seems like everyone’s read but me. This one features…

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Published: February 28, 2012  

Format: Kindle purchased

Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books

Rating: 4/5

Seeing how it seems like everyone has read Divergent but me I won’t do this as a review so much but just some rambling about my thoughts on it.

I must admit I was a tad apprehensive when it came to reading this. I was back and forth if I wanted to start another series. Was I going to like it and feel as crazy about it as so many others seemed to be? Most importantly did I really want to invest the time to read that huge of a book? lol Well I went for it and what can I say I loved it!

I loved how Tris wasn’t your typical heroine. She just represents your average girl who was just trying to find her way and find out who she was. In the process she finds out she is more powerful then she could ever imagine. What wouldn’t be a great read without a little romance? Although I love the other parts a little more I love the interaction between her and Four.

Now seeing how the movie comes out today I must admit when I heard it was becoming a movie that made me want to read the book more. I know book to movie adaptations can be god awful! So when I first heard about the actors cast I was a bit scared. Though I like Shailene Woodley I didn’t see her as Tris. However when I finally saw the previews I totally bought it, I can’t wait to see it! The trailer looks so cool and very true to the book... dare I say it even looks better than the Hunger Games?? *GASPS* I know it’s not fair to compare the two they are totally different so I won’t.

So to wrap it up… I’m a Divergent believer now. I got sucked in once again by an amazing story and characters that leap off the page and take you on a ride you will never forget. Now I will admit I haven’t read the complete series…yet…but I will…if anything the movies put pressure for me to finish.

Do you have any wildly popular books you can suggest that I haven’t read it? 

Review: The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp

The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp

Published: December 14, 2010

Format: purchased

Challenge: 2014 TBR Reading Challenge

Publisher: Knopf BYR

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

SUTTER KEELY. HE’S the guy you want at your party. He’ll get everyone dancing. He’ ll get everyone in your parents’ pool. Okay, so he’s not exactly a shining academic star. He has no plans for college and will probably end up folding men’s shirts for a living. But there are plenty of ladies in town, and with the help of Dean Martin and Seagram’s V.O., life’s pretty fabuloso, actually.

Until the morning he wakes up on a random front lawn, and he meets Aimee. Aimee’s clueless. Aimee is a social disaster. Aimee needs help, and it’s up to the Sutterman to show Aimee a splendiferous time and then let her go

forth and prosper. But Aimee’s not like other girls, and before long he’s in way over his head. For the first time in his life, he has the power to make a difference in someone else’s life—or ruin it forever.

My Thoughts

I’ve been wanting to read this for some time now. When I saw that it was going to be made into a movie I knew I had to read the book first before I saw it. I know that when books are made into movies they have to change some things for the sake of time. However I’ve known a lot of movies that either butcher the book more than stay true. So I tried to go into this with an open mind and tried not to replay the book version in my head while I watch it. I can honestly say I loved the movie just as much as the book.

I loved the story of Sutter Keely, I think he is one the best characters I’ve read about in a long time. I liked how he is messed up and has some twisted views. While he has troubles in his life he meets Aimee a shy girl who is so sweet that everyone in her life takes advantage of her. At first glance you might think that they are polar opposites I actually like how they work together. I see them as mirror imagines of each other. Sutter is a jokester who masks his pain with alcohol and being the life of the party, Aimee needs that in her life she needs to have fun and loosen up. Sutter takes it upon himself to help Aimee but in the process he falls in love with her. At least I honestly believe he does. You see this is where you can take the story as you want it.

Some might take Sutter as an asshole who is just using Aimee to get back at his ex. I see him as a guy with problems and issues but with a huge heart. And while he claims he is “helping” Aimee I think it’s Aimee who is helping him. She comes into his life and gives him that unconditional love he needs. She loves him, all of him, flaws and all. She sees into his heart and sees him for who he can be, and not just as the party guy. I think this is one of those great YA books that really portray teens as they are today. It doesn’t sugar coat anything and while I didn’t really like how the book ended I was more satisfied with the ending of the movie. I like the closure and the possibility of more that the movie provided.

Tim Tharp wrote this amazing story of love, acceptance and coming of age that goes beyond teens. We can all reflect on the hardships of growing up. We all want to be accepted for who we are and hope that we find it. I highly recommend the book and movie, which doesn’t happen that often. Both well give you different takes on an awesome story that you will soon not forget. 

Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Publication: February 1, 1999

Publisher: MTV Books

Format: Purchased Kindle copy

Challenges: 2013 TBR Pile & 2013 Ebook Challenge

Rating: 4/5

[Goodreads] Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.
Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix-tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

My Thoughts

I went into reading this with as much as a clean slate as I possibly could. I’ve heard so many amazing things about it that I had to read it for myself. I tried to avoid all reviews [which were hard] and the movie. The movie part was sort of easy, since I don’t really like seeing a movie adapted from books anyways.

I must say I adored this book! The writing was wonderfully done and the characters were beyond rich in depth. I loved how the characters were true to teens. It never downplayed or overplayed depictions of a modern day teen. Although I will say as much as I loved Charlie he was a bit winey for my taste. Understanding why he is the way he is, was a shock to me. I actually didn’t see that coming.

This is one of those coming of age books that everyone needs to read. The story is timeless. No matter who you are and how old you are you can truly understand the trials of growing up. Not to mention finding out who you are and who you are meant to be.

Book to Movie [1] / Review:Christmas with Holly by Lisa Kleypas

　

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Published: October 26, 2012

Publication: St. Martin Press

Format: Copy provided by publisher
Rating: 4/5

[Goodreads] ONE LITTLE GIRL NEEDS A FAMILY
One rain-slicked night, six-year-old Holly lost the only parent she knew, her beloved mother Victoria. And since that night, she has never again spoken a word.

ONE SINGLE MAN NEEDS A WIFE
The last thing Mark Nolan needs is a six-year-old girl in his life. But he soon realizes that he will do everything he can to make her life whole again. His sister’s will gives him the instructions: There’s no other choice but you. Just start by loving her. The rest will follow.

SOMETIMES, IT TAKES A LITTLE MAGIC…
Maggie Collins doesn’t dare believe in love again, after losing her husband of one year. But she does believe in the magic of imagination. As the owner of a toy shop, she lives what she loves. And when she meets Holly Nolan, she sees a little girl in desperate need of a little magic.

…TO MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE
Three lonely people. Three lives at the crossroads. Three people who are about to discover that Christmas is the time of year when anything is possible, and when wishes have a way of finding the path home.

　

My Thoughts

Christmas with Holly spans months from Holly's mothers death up until Christmas. This is a story of tragedy, family and the belief that love can help heal all things. Mark Nolan is given custody of his niece Holly after his sisters death. Holly shocked with the reality of losing her mom shuts down and refuses to talk. However one day while visiting a local toy story the owner Maggie finally gets Holly to open up. While forming a bond with Holly, Maggie becomes close to her and her uncle. Although both Maggie and Mark are dealing with their own issues they can't help to be drawn to each other. Will they let go of their past and the walls they've built up to allow all the possibilities that life and maybe love has in store for them? Time will tell.

I truly enjoyed this read. It's sweet and it's back drop is my favorite time of year...Christmas! How can you not love that? I love how Christmas is a magical time of year where I believe anything can happen. Maybe I'm just a big kid but I still believe in all the Christmas magic and miracles.

Christmas with Holly is the first of the Friday Harbor series involving the Nolan brothers. I can't wait to read all that's yet to come.

I've recently learned that Christmas with Holly is being made into a holiday tv movie. Yay! Look out for it this holiday season.