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Aliena's little book corner
I live books, books, books. Reading is my passion. I'd do it all day if there weren't these little things called work and boyfriend (even though I do love my bf like crazy ;))
I'm having a hard time rating this book and maybe I shouldn't right now. I'm way too emotional after just reading the last 10% or so.
I wish I could have loved the book as much as I did the first two and the little sequel to A Song for Julia. I wish it would have gripped me as tight and made me turn each page biting my nails wanting to know what was going to happen next.
I did turn the pages, but it was in hope of the book getting better. In all honesty, I couldn't have cared less about the trial and the sexual harrassment charges. It just didn't touch me. I felt it was too much, too over the top and angsty for the sake of angst.
I think the book would have had enough angst (and I'm an angst!whore) without the drama happening outside of the car accident. Adding these two story lines just made it dull for me. Also the skipping from present to past just didn't work well for me. I was sadly bored by some of the flashbacks.
I loved Ray's inner monologue though. I loved when he talked about Carrie and his love for her. I loved seeing them in love and I wish we would have gotten more of that. I wish they would have had the possibility to have time to fall in love and get married before the accident. I loved the epilogue, even though - especially might be more accurate - it made me cry a lot.
I'm still baffled and surprised at the way the book ended. But I guess that's just the way life is. It isn't always sunshine and rose and everything will be okay again. Sometimes it's just the opposite. It's hard and real and bleak and rips your heart out and stops on it. But in the end there might just be a light a the end of the tunnel.
I wish I could have loved the book as much as I did the first two and the little sequel to A Song for Julia. I wish it would have gripped me as tight and made me turn each page biting my nails wanting to know what was going to happen next.
I did turn the pages, but it was in hope of the book getting better. In all honesty, I couldn't have cared less about the trial and the sexual harrassment charges. It just didn't touch me. I felt it was too much, too over the top and angsty for the sake of angst.
I think the book would have had enough angst (and I'm an angst!whore) without the drama happening outside of the car accident. Adding these two story lines just made it dull for me. Also the skipping from present to past just didn't work well for me. I was sadly bored by some of the flashbacks.
I loved Ray's inner monologue though. I loved when he talked about Carrie and his love for her. I loved seeing them in love and I wish we would have gotten more of that. I wish they would have had the possibility to have time to fall in love and get married before the accident. I loved the epilogue, even though - especially might be more accurate - it made me cry a lot.
I'm still baffled and surprised at the way the book ended. But I guess that's just the way life is. It isn't always sunshine and rose and everything will be okay again. Sometimes it's just the opposite. It's hard and real and bleak and rips your heart out and stops on it. But in the end there might just be a light a the end of the tunnel.
SPOILER ALERT!
Just Remember to Breathe
What wonderful 'screwed up' characters. I'm really enjoying this series. I do have a little problem with them not even mentioning Andrea in this one, though. I mean she would have been like twelve or forteen by then, so I think it was kinda weird and confusing that Alexandra hadn't even shared one single thought of her, especially during Thanksgiving. And how can it be that after what happened with Julia the parents are still as clueless as ever? Can two people be really so ignorant of their own kids? I think this is incredible sad and a lot infuriating. This is the second time the dad apologized to one daughter for practically ignoring her and what was going on around her. How often does he have to do this until he realizes what's going on?
The scene after the party where Randy assaulted Alex made me so angry, because it was so realistic. Of course a spoiled rich brat would never rape someone, no way. It must have been the girl trying to lead him on. It's so sad and infuriating that this wasn't at all an imagined situation but one that still happens everday even in our times in 2013.
The love story was sweet though. I wanted to shake Dylan at times. But I'm glad he got to work on his issues and Alex will be there to help him figure everything out.
Now I'm definitely looking forward to reading about Carrie's story. I really liked her and Ray in this, even if we only got a glimpse.
A Song for Julia
As I predicted this book made me angry, angry at what happened to Julia, angry at how her parents, especially her mother, handled it (or not handled it), angry at Harry for not getting what he deserved. But the book also made me smile and I loved how wonderful Crank was, patient and gentle. He's the one guy I dreamed of when I was a teenager. Bad boy turned loving boyfriend and that completely without the horrific tendencies of other NA books I've seen around.
I can't wait to read the other books in the series.
Second Chance Summer
4.5 starsThe best of times, the worst of times.
I think that sums up the book pretty well. On the one side it tears your heart out and you just wait for the inevitable to happen, and on the the other side I rooted for Taylor and Henry, laughed and rolled my eyes at the bad puns. It's a feel good book while it reminds you at the same time that life is too short and that we should hold on to our memories and never take anyone or anything for granted. But I think despite the heavy topic of dealing with death, it still stays hopeful and lighthearted.
Try (Temptation #1)
Oh my holy fucking shit, this was awesome. Exactly what I was looking for hot and sweet, but mostly hot, hot, hot. And now I have to wait til Summer??? That is the only thing that sucks right now.
What I Didn't Say
4.5 starsThis was a wonderful book. I thought I would cry a lot reading it and while I did at the beginning, the smiles trumped the tears in the end. I was expecting an angst fest - I'm always for those - but instead I got a quiet and hopeful story about growing up and accepting who you really are. The love story was nicely done and I wish we could see more of them in college.
Zero at the Bone
It was good, I enjoyed it a lot. There were a few things that didn't make it a 5 star for me, but I'd rec it to anyone who likes their m/m story with strong and bad-ass guys.
Champion: A Legend Novel
I'm having a hard time rating this book, because for the most time it was probably closer to being 3 stars, but then the last 5% happened. I think that's what saved the book for me. Maybe my expectations where just too high and the book/books could never have been able to meet them. I wanted this series to be good, I wanted it to sweep me off my feet and spin me around, leaving me short of breath and lightheaded. And it did at times, mostly when June was thinking about Metias (I so wish he wouldn't have to die in the first book, because I wanted to know more about him. While he was dead for like 95% of the series I think he's still my favorite character) and Day about his family.
But often enough it just didn't deliver.
I wondered what the third book would be like after the ending in the second one, which would have even worked as an overall ending for me. And I'm gonna say some parts down right bored me. First and foremost the romance. I mean was there even romance? I didn't feel it. Not once in any of the books did I get why Day was so deeply in love with June. It just passed right by me. I think it would have worked better if they'd been friends - Lu could have still had the ending she wrote.
Also, even in the last book I couldn't behind the idea of Day and June being fifteen/sixteen. I feel like I've been missing parts that explain to me why they're already so grown up.
The end to the war felt just anticlimatic to me. At one second they're going right at each other's throats and then suddenly it just seems to be over. I appreciate that Lu kept her books so short and full of action, without filling the pages with unnecessary info dumps. But here I would have liked a little more detail.
Now the ending that was beautiful and it worked best for me. I think to me that was the best scene in the entire trilogy between Day and June. I really loved it.
It was an enjoyable read overall, but it didn't blow me away like I hoped it would.
Oh, wie schön ist Panama
Oh man, how much I love this little book. Even now with 32 it's still one of my favorite children's books.
Legend
I was so nervous to start this, because I wanted it to be good, great even. Thankfully it didn't disappoint. Yes, there are still left a few questions to answer, but I didn't expect anything else from a trilogy. I have to admit that I have a hard time believing that both Day and June are only fifteen, but I guess I'll just have to accept that in this world things are different. In my head they're older, though. I'm looking forward to the next book.
Crash into You
3.5 starsI have a hard time rating this. It started promising and I really liked Rachel, most of the time at least. The inner whining going on on both sides annoyed the hell out of me. And seriously the plot took one too many turns. I don't know. Sometimes less is more, and here that would have been the case. Also the ending kinda felt a little anticlimatic to me. So yeah, it was okay. But nothing that could even touch the awesomeness that is Pushing the Limits and Noah and Echo. I'd rather read more of their struggle to get the life they want going than about any of their friends, or friends of friends.
