Thirteen Reasons Why- Jay Asher: Review

Before I start typing the review in here, I want to tell you all that I'm really sorry. I've missed a lot of Friday Feels, and I'm sorry, I think I'm cancelling the feature. I posted nothing in more than a week, and all that without some notice.

There are some breaks in school, and in those breaks, I read books, but unfortunately, I find no time to post my reviews. It's either I'm busy, or our computer's busy. I just got a little lucky this weekend. Again, I am truly very sorry.

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin)
Format/s I have: Paperback from Fully Booked
Summary:
You can't stop the future. You can't rewind the past. The only way to learn the secret is to press play.
Clay Jensen doesn't want anything to do with the tapes Hannah Baker made. Hannah is dead. Her secrets should be buried with her. 
Then Hannah's voice tells Clay that his name is on the tapes- and that he is, in some way, responsible for her death.
All through the night, Clay keeps listening. He follows Hannah's recorded words throughout his small town...
...and what he discovers changes his life forever.

Review/Reaction:

First of all, big thanks to three of my batchmates and my sister who contributed a lot in making me want to grab a copy.

Thirteen Reasons Why is an eye opener, and for some reason, it made me cry.

This book is just brilliant. Ellen Hopkins is right, this is a book that you can't get out of your mind.

Jay Asher delivers a great thought as the book goes on: We should be aware of how we treat others. How our actions affect them. Because of this book, I shall be more sensitive with what I do.

This book also deals with trust. Hannah just trusted that one person, and BAM, her life was ruined. And she just needed a break from it. But, the people around her just won't give her that.

But, some people might think that the book is unrealistic.

Yes, I agree that most of her reasons happen to many people, but there's this thing they call the snowball effect. I got the term itself from the book. Her reasons may seem light, but the combination isn't. Say, Hannah has been wounded by that reason, and before it heals, another stab comes, and then another, and another, you get the thought. As I see it, one of the biggest things that teens want, is acceptance. Some leave value for acceptance, but Hannah got neither. 

Her family either wasn't mentioned, or were too gone to be significant. I've read a review on Goodreads saying, where is her family to help her? Look, not all people open up fully to their family. I think it's in tape 12, Hannah requesting the people on the list to hide the reasons why to her parents. (Correct me if I misunderstood)

Each one of us is different, some people are strong enough not to make a big deal out of those, but Hannah is that type of person who's easily hurt, and we should be aware that there are people like her. People handle situations differently.

I see the book as a sad and beautiful one. But hey, I'm not saying that suicide is right. In fact, I think it is, in a way, selfish. As I see it, they want an escape to their problems, and just end life. Don't they see that their suicide adds problems to the people who care? Plus, yes, they ended their life. But, they won't even feel like their troubles are over. It's actually better to find a way to solve the problems than to just take it in until you explode.

This book, therefore, opens up a lot of talking. 

I started looking more at the positive side when I started trying to give reactions with what I read, and what I can say is:
I see this book as a help for my stronger self, and a reminder for me to have some more filtering with what I do. I don't see it as Jay Asher telling us it's okay to commit suicide!!!. Because this book was meant to reduce the number of suicidal people.

My Rating: 5 potatoes c:

Birthmonth June: Only Everything- Kieran Scott: Review

Title: Only Everything

Author: Kieran Scott

Publisher: Simon BYFR

Format/s I Have: Paperback from Fully Booked

Summary:

Sometimes the gods can be so unreasonable.

Like Zeus, the king, who thinks the proper reaction to finding me kissing a mortal is to threaten my boyfriend Orion's life, banish me to Earth, and force me to inspire true love between three couples without my powers. I know! Elders! I'm Eros, a.k.a. Cupid. The Goddess of Love. Until this morning, anyway.

Now I'm stuck on Earth with no clue how to function as a human, and I can't even conjure up my magical bow and arrows to help me do my job. I've already met this amazing guy—Charlie, a new kid in school like me—but matching him up isn't as easy as I thought. Turns out opposites don't attract, nearly identicals don't attract, and giving a guy what he seems to want is just one big disaster. My sweet new friend Katrina might work, but she's got more complications than Medusa's hair, and a live-in boyfriend with a serious mean streak. Probably not the best idea to go there.

If I don't make a match, I may never see Orion again. I have so much to lose, and only everything to gain. 

Review/Reaction: 

Mythology meets modern world. Very original.

Let's start with the cover: Perfect.

Next, the summary. I find the summary too personal because it looks like Eros wrote on a diary and then BAM, a summary. Plus, the summary was really a summary. To be honest, it gave out too much information. It was too obvious that Charlie and Katrina would get matched up. But still, I bought it because I really wanted to get a copy so bad since Stay Bookish posted about it.

Then, the most important part, the body. Things happened really slowly at the first half of the book, then for the second half... BAM. BAM. BAM. This happened. That happened. Many things happened. What I mean is, most of the thrill were found at the second half. But, lucky for me, I got to feel the thrill. Some bloggers/reviewers won't finish the book since they found the earlier parts boring. But, I'm not that type. :) (YAY)

I found some things confusing.
Note that the stuff after the questions are not answers, they are stuff that explain the question. Here are some of the stuff that I don't understand about the book:

• How did Orion live? When Artemis accidentally killed him, she hung him in the sky. 
• Why did Aphrodite suddenly start being not-so-lazy when Hephaestus came? She used to be a drunk lady in her bed, not even doing anything. But, when Hephaestus suddenly appeared, she started doing stuff. 
• Related to that, was Hephaestus an upper god? If not, did he have some sort of matter with Aphrodite? Like did Aphrodite owe Hephaestus something? Or are they very close friends? Etc.
• Does Artemis know about the Eros-Orion relationship? 

The last parts were amazing. As I've told you before, the thrill was mostly in the second half. And I want to read the second book for that. 

My rating: 3 potatoes

By the way, I'm sorry for missing last week's Friday Feels. School started last last week, and I'm getting really busy. Sorry! :'(

Friday Feels #2: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

For the second Friday Feels, I am featuring The Fault in Our Stars.
(Umm... Yeah, two TFiOS posts in a row)

Friday Feels- A weekly blog feature that spotlights a book that has a lot of feels in it. A book must be really recommended for me to give the spotlight to that book. So, if you haven't read the "spotlight book" yet, grab a copy immediately! You deserve all the feels I got from that book.

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books (Penguin)

"Look, let me just say it: He was hot. A nonhot boy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a hot boy . . . well."

-Hazel Grace, 3.09% of The Fault in Our Stars

That part was a combination of, like, everything. That part made me laugh, and have some of those romantic feels, and the "I relate!" feel. It's actually true. John Green really makes me wonder: how did he know how girls felt inside? (Or at least, what I felt inside) He must be really, really good.

With feels,

Erin

Friday Feels #1: The Selection

IT'S FRIDAY!

Note: I don't want my blog to be all about The Selection (in fact it isn't) but Kiera Cass really got me. *wink wink*

"If you don't want me to be in love with you, you're going to have to stop looking so lovely. First thing tomorrow I'm having your maids sew some potato sacks together for you." 

I hit his arm. "Shut up, Maxon. 

"I'm not kidding. You're too beautiful for your own good. Once you leave, we'll have to send some of the guards with you. You'll never survive on your own, poor thing." He said all this with mock pity. 

"I can't help it." I sighed. "One can never help being born into perfection." I fanned my face as if being so pretty was exhausting. 

"No, I don't suppose you can help it." 

I giggled. I didn't notice for a moment that Maxon didn't seem to think it was funny.
I stared out at the garden and saw out the corner of my eye that Maxon was looking at me. His face was incredibly close to mine.

Oh.My.God.........................!!!

When I turned to ask just what he was looking at, I was surprised to see that he was close enough to kiss me.

*more feels*

I was even more surprised when he did.

I pulled away quickly, taking a step. Maxon stepped back as well. 

"Sorry," he mumbled, blushing. 

"What are you doing?" I asked in a shocked whisper.

"Sorry." He was slightly turned away, obviously embarassed.

"Why did you do that?" I put my hand to my mouth.

Me: Obviously with feels. Americaaa... Why did you do that?

"It's just... with what you said earlier, and seeking me out yesterday... just the way you acted... I thought maybe your feelings had changed. And I like you, I thought you could tell." He turned to face me. "And.. Oh, was it terrible? You don't seem happy at all."

I tried to wipe whatever expression I had off my face. Maxon looked mortified.

"I'm so sorry. I've never kissed anyone before. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just... I'm sorry, America." He breathed heavy sigh and ran his hand through his hair a few times, leaning against the railing.

I didn't expect it, but a warmth filled me.

He'd wanted his first kiss to be with me. 

It wasn't in bold form in the book, but I just had to. ***feels***

The Elite- Kiera Cass: Review

SUMMARY:

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

REVIEW:

This book was disappointing. But still, just to see what happens to my little luxury cruise ship with Maxon and America, I read it. 

I liked the first book more. But still, I liked this book, too. This book revolved around America being confused who to pick. And rebels. Rebels and rebels. And her problems. But to be honest, I mentally thanked the last rebels mentioned in the book. (Woohoo, Maxerica time)

The Kriss situation kinda crushed me. But still, it had to be fair in my eyes because if America has Aspen, Maxon has Kriss. (Do you get what I mean?) 

^ That leads me to a conclusion that Kriss and Aspen were just second choices.

It wasn't direct, but technically, America promised that she would marry Maxon.

Moving on...

America. Where's the brave America? Where's the self- confident America? In this book, she basically just told us I have a problem and I don't know how to solve it. She was always nervous and scared. 

Maxon. I see almost nothing wrong with him, except that I hated how he wouldn't eliminate Celeste even though it was common knowledge that Celeste was a brat. He eliminated a girl who just said something bad about America, so why wouldn't he eliminate a girl who made America beyond angry?

The King. Like a typical father of the richer-person-in-a-relationship, he was stupid. As stupid as Kriss.

The story flow was a little bit too slow, but it's fine. 

This book made me cry. But, I still think that it's a little bit ugh-able, so my final rating is 7/10.

I'd recommend this book if you loved book one.
I'll definitely read The One, because my feels covered the annoying feeling. ;)

The Selection- Kiera Cass: Review

SUMMARY:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


REVIEW:

The Selection. It's really good, thank you Kiera Cass! <3
From around chapter 1-3, almost everything was a blur. I didn't know what was a caste, and also, I was a little confused with America being her name, and her being a singer and her surname being Singer at the same time, but I continued because I wanted to understand.

As I continued, I started getting feels. It was like "Aspen and America against the world" to me. They break the rules just for them to be together. I started to ship them, and I shipped them even more the moment Aspen's mother talked about him being happy these days, and he's even "saving up" for the girl he loves. America knew that it was her. But when they met at the tree house, Aspen freaking didn't propose to her! I was a little broken with that part, but I continued to ship them.

I was annoyed with Celeste, but the other girls were fine. The story flow was just slow enough for me to grow feels. And I started to feel something annoying with Aspen. (was I annoyed with him or I was just starting to ship Maxon and America?) But that little undecided part of me kept me reading. And then I realized, I felt both. I was annoyed with Aspen and I shipped Maxon and America.

Maxon was the most awkward fictional character I've ever known. (Yes, America, you're right with that calling-me-my-dear-is-awkward.) He is just so dramatic and formal while America talks informally. (Maxon, you're the prince, and America's the one who should be more formal.) But... his awkwardness made me become more interested in their awkward little "friendship".

I'd definitely recommend this book. 

My rating: 9/10