The Summer I turned Pretty Book Review

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty
Author: Jenny Han
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Blurb: 
Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along. 


Review:
I had my sights on this series for like 3 years now and finally recently stumbled on this again on goodreads. Boy, I don't even know why I hadn't read it when I first saw the book!

I love it like a teenager mooning over his crush. This is my third book by Jenny Han and now I can say that I'd read all her chick lit books. Seriously. I just love the whole vibe this book gives off. When I was reading this, I felt like I have a Jenny Han cocoon and no one can ever disturb me. I love shutting off the world and devour this book.

This was light and easy to read. Though it took awhile before I got used to the narration jumping off to the past. But I love it. It made the characters and the story more engaging.

I love Jenny Han's writing style. It has this teenage touch that teenagers and teenagers at heart can really relate and connect to. The main protagonist's character development was really pronounced for me and the situations in this book were really realistic. I have a brother and sisters, so yeah, the situations were really on point.


Reading this book in December made me wish it is summer already. I imagine the beach, the smell of the summer's sea breeze, the Sun, the sea. Still, this book is perfect for any holiday read. Just to be safe, if you are reading this, ready the next two books. :)


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Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Title: Our Souls at Night
Author: Kent Haruf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Blurb: 

In the familiar setting of Holt, Colorado, home to all of Kent Haruf’s fiction, Addie Moore pays an unexpected visit to a neighbor, Louis Waters. Her husband died years ago, as did his wife, and in such a small town they naturally have known of each other for decades; in fact, Addie was quite fond of Louis’s wife. His daughter lives hours away in Colorado Springs, her son even farther away in Grand Junction, and Addie and Louis have long been living alone in houses now empty of family, the nights so terribly lonely, especially with no one to talk with.

Review:

              Thought provoking. Honest. Raw. Beautiful.

I’ve been meaning to read this book for quite some time now. And I finally decided to pick it up. This is me trying to be a diverse reader, to try and read something I don’t normally read. Haha.

Our souls at night took me by surprise. At the first few pages I really expected myself to pull away from this book and read something else. On the contrary I continued reading page after page unable to peel away myself.

I love how honest and raw this book is. It was one of the things that hooked to this book. Though the book is simply written there was a deep profound feeling to the story that tugged my heart to listen to Louis and Addie, to feel what they feel.

It took me awhile to get used to the writing style but once I did, it was an easy read. I also love the pacing of the story. There was never a dull moment.

I can’t believe how the quotation marks on the dialogue contributes to the intensity of how the lines were spoken that without it, I feel the conversations were muted somehow. And it was not a bad thing. It added to the beauty of the book.

Their story means being free. Free of what people thought of you and free from yourself to do what you really want to do.

Years from now, where will you be? Happily married? Or alone at night reading yourself to sleep? Wishing you have someone to hold your hand at night?

I say read this.


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Book Review: Wolf by Wolf

Title: Wolf By Wolf
Author:  Ryan Graudin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars















Oh My God!! This book!!! I can't even.....


This is what a kickass book should be!!!


What if Axis power were not defeated during the World War II? What if Japan did not bombard Pearl Harbor and just focused on expanding its territory on Asia? What if Operation Sea Lion was carried out and Hitler invaded Great Britain? What if there was non-aggression pact between America and Germany? Above all, what if Hitler did not shot himself dead?

Endless possibilities and alternate history. A lot could have happened. And this book delivered a great scenario with so many kickass plot twists and added variables. And a really badass heroine!

Year 1956. Yael has one mission. For years she trained hard, been preparing and waiting for it. She has one mission to carry out: Kill Hitler in a televised event and give out a signal that would spark a revolution and end Hitler's reign once and for all.

But in order to do that she have to enter the brutal Axis Tour. The motorcycle race across Germania and Japan's territory. She have to win it. And she have to be someone else.

I can list all the things I love about this book and it would be endless and would start from "love" to "badass".

>Well Crafted
>Great character development
>Great story development
>Badass heroine
>Crazy plot twists
>Engaging characters.
>Intense racing scenes

The list can go on!!

I love prose of the book and the author's writing style. I felt every period, comma and pauses. The ache of every emphasized word. The howl of the wolf in pain.

Yael's character was well written. She was a master piece among the heroines I have ever read. For me she's greater than them. I love her character development. How once a frightened six year old girl on a labor camp turned out to be the greatest weapon the resistance can have. How this little girl was scarred by the cruelty of the world, chased by death in every corner, too afraid to hope even for a fleeting moment. I love her weakness too. It made me really connect with character.

Then I met the 17 year old version of that girl. Brave. Strong. Full of drive to achieve her mission. A lethal woman.

Reading this, I thought of The Hunger Games, Battle Royale and thought that this book, the Axis Tour concept is a force to be reckon with. I love the brutality of the race. How it intense it was for the racers. Germania to Prague to Rome to Africa to Cairo to Baghdad to New Delhi to Hanoi to Shanghai to Tokyo. Imagine how intense and brutal the race was.

This book would be a badass movie! I can picture the scenes of this book so vividly. The cinematography on my head is so beautiful, I could cry.

I WOULD GIVE THE WHOLE GALAXY TO THIS BOOK. That is how much worth this book is to me.

P.S. THAT BOOK COVER IS SICK! I love it!
P.P.S. I can't shut up about this book.


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