Paper Princess

Paper Princess: A Novel (The Royals Book 1)

Erin Watt; Everafter Romance 2016

Summary:From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone. 

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees. 

My Review: This book was recommended to me on top YA books of the month on amazon. It had really good reviews n amazon and goodreads, so naturally I purchased it.  Honestly, this book kinda stressed me. There are so many twists, turns, drama, darkness, comedy, revenge, love, and friendships, that it constantly keeps you on your toes. It reminded me of the TV show Gossip Girl in many ways. The beginning was a little slow for me and then it picked up towards the middle. The end of course was a cliffhanger, which I hate! It literally made my jaw drop because of its intensity. Now I have to wait until the end of the month to get the second one! Just plain rude.

The best thing about this read was Ella. Ella was really likable and tough. She is a strong character, who yearns for love and acceptance, but hides behind a hard exterior, and she really developed throughout the story. For someone so young, she has gone through a lot. I really respected her, because she is a fighter and she wasn't going to crap from anyone. She really stayed true to herself and said what was on her mind.

Callum Royal, the dad and guardian of Ella, was so sweet. He is probably my second favorite character. He is constantly saving the day and is really a diamond in the rough.

The Royal sons were a buncha Mc-A-Holes in my opinion. They had their honorable moments, but seriously were evil the rest of the time. Reed, who is the ringleader of the brothers, was pretty brutal at times, but he also had a protective and soft side to him that I loved.

There were several things that turned me off in this book. The control the boys had in the community, school and home. The bullying and spoiled brat like characters. The sexual tension, sex scenes, and hardcore partying scenes.

Overall, not my favorite. I would call it an OK read.

Quotes:
“No one wants to be ruined. We all want to be saved.”

Watch Out For:  Language, drinking, drug usage, partying, sex scenes, lies/deceit, greediness, violence, fighting, etc..

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault of Our Stars

By John Green;Dutton Books 2012


Summary: 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.

My Review: I have read a few of John Green's books over the years and thought them to be alright, until this book. 

I have been meaning to read this for some time. People were always asking me if I had read it yet? My answer was always no. A couple of months ago it was on sale on Amazon. So I bought it and downloaded it to my kindle. There it sat for months and months until yesterday. 

While on my road trip to Colorado. I decided to read it. From there on out I could not stop reading it! I was so drawn into the story of two teenagers with cancer, who fall in love even thought they are eventually going to die. It really showed me that even when life is bleak you still have to live every day like it is your best day and to not let an opportunity pass you by. 

The main character Hazel, I found to be very relate able. She enjoys reading, watching TV, laying on the grass and looking at the night and day sky. Through out the book you can see her journey of opening up and letting people in. Hazel provides us with insight about what it is like to know you are dying. Her story is about deciding to love and be loved, even when you know it will cause pain.
  

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed it! And I highly recomend it! 


Watch Out For: Cancer, near death experiences,  brief sex scene, kissing, mild language, brief drinking scene, and descriptions of drugs for cancer patients. 


Video Trailer:

Sisterhood Everlasting 

by Ann Brashares; Randomhouse 2011

Summary: Now Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting.

Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.

Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.

As moving and life-changing as an encounter with long-lost best friends, Sisterhood Everlasting is a powerful story about growing up, losing your way, and finding the courage to create a new one

My Review: It has been so long since I have read a whole book! It feels good to read a whole book again, instead of samples on my kindle. I have been behind these last few months. But I am making a goal to start reading and blogging reviews again. I've missed it a ton.

This books was something I needed to read at this time. It reminded me of friendships I have and the friendships I've let slip away. During my junior year of college, there were four of us. Just like the sisterhood. We would have bridge night, where we lit candles, had junk food, and talked about everything. We were best friends. A teacher told us that eventually we would all stop talking and that our friendship wouldn't last. We of course deined it then. It has almost been five year since that time and I only comminicate with one of them.

Much like the sisterhood, each character goes down a different path and lives their lifes. Often their thoughts turn to thier friends, with wonder on how things are going in their lives.
This was a difficult read because of the tragedy that happens to them. It was heartbreaking to watch each character go through struggles and heartbreak. I am not going to lie. I shed a tear or too while reading this.

What I like so much about the sisterhood is that even though each character is flawed, they still grow and come to find their own happiness. And that their friendship is everlasting.

Watch Out For: Sex, planned parenthood, birthcontrol, explicit swearing, drinking, death, and suicide.

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl  # 1

By Cecily von Ziegesar; Little Brown Books 2002


Summary:Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side, where my friends and I live, go to school, play, and sleep--sometimes with each other. 

S is back from boarding school, and if we aren't careful, she's going to win over our teachers, wear that dress we couldn't fit into, steal our boyfriends' hearts, and basically ruin our lives in a major way. I'll be watching closely...

You know you love me, 
gossip girl


My Review:
 To be quite honestly I did not like this book at all. I found it rather trashy and disappointing. I was into the first few pages and I was like o no I know right now that I am not going to like this book, but I give every book a chance. 


The story takes place in Manhattan young, rich, and fashionable. Where the characters Serena, Blair, Nate, Chuck, and others throw parties, fall in love, and try to get into Ivy League colleges. The story is narrated by the characters and the online site Gossip Girl. No one knows who this Gossip Girl is, but she knows and sees everything.


 I am not into the snobby rich girl scene, where they just party every night, steal each others boyfriends, and keep up or ahead of the fashion treads. And yet hundreds of young girls want to be like them. They want the popularity, the money, the fashion, and the boys.And yet how to these girls feel about characters such as these? Do they want to be like them? Do they hate them? Do they feel sorry for them? Do they envy them? Something to think about.


But overall I didn't really like it and I don't plan on finishing the series. What will your opinion be?


What Out For: Sex, strong language, smoking, drinking, rumors, and gossip.

Beastly ( Lindy's Diary)

Beastly Lindy's Diary
By Alex Flinn; HarperCollins 2012

Summary:
Diary,

I am locked away . . . with no one to confide in but you . . . and him. His fur, those claws—they caught me off guard at first, but now I'm noticing something else about him—something deeper. It's the look in his eye. It tells me he's got a secret to keep. That's okay—I've got one, too. I think I'm falling in love with him. . . .

Lindy
My Review: The is the Beastly story through Lindy's eyes. She keeps a dairy and records her captivity with the beast. Her thoughts, feelings, and actions gave a greater depth to the book Beastly. Finally we get a better view of the character Lindy and what her feelings were about Kyle and the Beast Adrian. We take an inside look of how Lindy came to love the beast and see the inner beauty inside him. For those who have not read Beastly or even have heard about it this is my review on Beastly. I suggest reading  Beastly first and then this one.

Watch Out For: Drug usage, some kissing, and mild violence.

Twilight Graphic Novel 2

Twilight: the Graphic Novel, Vol 2 
By Stephanie Meyer, Young Kim ( Art/Adaption)
;Yen Press 2011


Summary: Having uncovered the dark secret of her enigmatic classmate, Edward Cullen, Bella Swan embraces her feelings for him, trusting Edward to keep her safe despite the risks. When a rival clan of vampires makes its way into Forks, though, the danger to Bella has never been more real. Will she make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the people dearest to her? The second volume completes the visual adaptation of Meyer's worldwide bestselling debut novel and is a must-have for any collector's library.


My Review: Love Graphic Novels! Always have always will.  Best adaptation of the twilight series. I prefer the graphic novels over the actual book.  What I like most about the graphic novels is that they show my favorite parts in the book that weren't shown in the movies.  The illustrations are just amazing and beautiful.  I really hope that they do graphic novels for the rest of the series. All in all I loved it!


Watch Out For:  Some kissing, fighting, and super natural (mind reading, vampires, etc...).

The Truth about Lilly Barnes

The Truth about Lilly Barnes
By Kimberly Russell; 2012

Summary: “Today is the day it is going to happen. I’m not melancholy or nervous. I just want to get it over with more than anything. Today is the day that I, Lilly Barnes, die.”

 Lilly Barnes doesn't want to live anymore. She is prepared to leave her life, family, and more importantly, her best friend Buddy behind for good. But, why? What could be so horrible that it makes a young girl want to end her life? Find out in The Truth about Lilly Barnes.

My Review:  Whew....Honestly when I received this novel I was a little skeptical.  When I heard it was about a girl wanting to end her life, I was really unsure. But I like reading new things and I always give a book a chance. And  I was quite taken by surprise to how much I like it. When I take on a read such as this, I become the character. I put myself in their place and try to think and feel like they do. Just to understand the character and get a better reading experience.  And with this read I gained a better perspective about how certain events in your life can effect how you feel about yourself and life in general. This really gave me a better insight to what people go through and how they deal with it.

Lilly is just incredible. I am in awe by her courage. She is such a raw character and has this haunting feel about her. Lilly comes from a very dysfunctional family, which is why she turns to her best friend Buddy and his family. Buddy and his family are awesome. They are so kind and thoughtful and really reached out to Lilly in her time of need. There is something so intriguing about Lilly.  She is totally content with the thought of ending her life and giving up on the future and her dreams. Nothing was holding her back from wanting to kill herself. I was so fascinated by her thought process and her feelings. She was just so numb and willing to die. Some of us have never felt that way before. This read pulls us into a view of what people go through everyday and how people are hurting so much inside that dying would bring them more happiness than living.

This read  made me think about  the realities of life, what teens go through, and how one event or more can change your life. We all know what kind of issues iare out there and sometimes we are scared to listen or read about it. Suicide, depression, and abuse is real.We nee to be informed about these sort of things, so when the time comes we can handle it. I give major props to this author for touching on a sensitive subject such as this and giving me a better insight to suicide and abuse.

If you are looking for a short read and something different than your usual reads, then this is a read for you.

Watch Out For: Sexual abuse, suicide, language, and some kissing.


Guest Post from Kimberly Russell:

Thank you Channing for letting me be a part of your blog! Today I wanted to talk about the advantages of being self-published. When I started this process I didn’t know anything about self-publishing, so if anyone here is thinking about writing or publishing I hope this helps.

People always ask me if I ever plan on trying the traditional route in publishing and my answer is:  I did and it didn’t work out.

 If you don’t know how it works I’ll explain it quickly.  After you finish your novel you write a letter called a query to agents. You tell them about your book and a little bit about yourself. It should only be a page long. Every agent has different requirements for a query, but generally they ask you for a sample of the book. Then, you wait. Wait for them to tell you no or wait for them to ask you for more.

With my book, The Truth about Lilly Barnes, I had a lot interest but ultimately I couldn’t find an agent.   At first I was really upset; actually, I was hurt more than anything. I wanted people to read and love this book as much as I do! I turned to self-publishing as a way to get my work out, and I’m so happy that I did. I never imagined how much joy it would bring me.

Here are the top 5 advantages of self-publishing: 

5. Retention of Rights – that means I own everything that I come up with, and I can do with it whatever I want. A lot of times when you sign a contract you don’t actually own your work anymore.

4. Marketing – I get to market the book however I want. I’m on tumblr, facebook, twitter, etc. No one tells me what I can or can’t put on these social media outlets.

3. Publication Speed – I published The Truth about Lilly Barnes 6 months after my first novel Between Balloons. If I was working through traditional channels, the process would have been much slower. Books traditionally take two years to become available.

2. Creativity Control – One of my favorite things in the book process is working on the book cover. My little sister is my cover model and that would never happen if I was published traditionally. The time and memories we built during the process are invaluable.

1. Price – Both of my eBooks are on sale for 99 cents. I know most eBooks sale for more but I like that mine are so cheap. I want them to be accessible, available, and affordable to as many people as possible. I hate when you hear about a book you really wanted to read and its $8 on the NOOK.

Thank you, again Channing, for letting me be a part of your blog, and if anyone has any questions you are more than welcome to contact me.www.kimberly-russell.com

Giveaway:  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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When the Bough Breaks -A Guest's Review

Hello everybody! I'm Cambria, a guest blogger for A Book Without Pages! I love books and I love writing. Sometimes when I read books I have to put them down just to think about the story! That's how much I love reading. So hopefully I can review this book and help you, the readers, love books as much as me.

When the Bough Breaks
By Kay Lynn Mangum; Dessert Book 2007


Summary:Rachel Fletcher thought the biggest secret she'd ever have would be her crush on Jason West. But everything changes the night her father dies in a car accident--an accident she believes is all her fault. Starting high school is hard enough but carrying her secret guilt, enduring her mother's depression, and, worst of all, dealing with the alcoholism of her seventeen-year-old brother Ryan, plunge Rachel into a world she never wanted or imagined. Add to all that the unwelcome intrusion of a stepfather and a teenage stepbrother--a stepbrother she doesn't want to like but can't help liking. Maybe too much. It isn't long before Rachel feels totally overwhelmed. Things like this aren't supposed to happen to good LDS people, so why are they happening to her? She's praying for Heavenly Father's help. Why isn't he listening? With two new people living in her home, nothing can remain a secret for long. Rachel learns that Heavenly Father doesn't always answer our prayers in the way that we want, but he does answer them--in his own time, usually through other people, and often in unexpected ways.


Review:  This book was very well written. Rachel Fletcher shows extreme courage throughout the entire book! Her dedication to her family is incredible. When her father dies, Rachel feels like it is entirely her fault. When her mother remarries, Rachel feels more pressured then ever. The only thing that makes her feel better is poetry and creative writing. This book was pretty good, but sad. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 


Watch Out For: minimal cussing, extreme drinking, and sexual tension.

Scribbler of Dreams

Scribbler of Dreams

Mary E. Pearson;  Harcourt 2002

Summary: Romeo and Juliet had the right idea. About dating the enemy that is. They were true to their hearts. 

Kaitlin Malone know what it's like to date the enemy. She was raised to hate the Crutchfields, and absolutely does - until she meets Bram Crutchfield. It turns out he's a great guy - one she could talk to, share things with...even love. But when Kaitlin gives her heart to Bram, her world spins out of control. Soon the Crutchfields are here friends and she's a traitor to her own family. 

To make things worse ,Bram was raised to hate the Malones, especially Kaitlin's father - who murdered Bram's dad. Bram doesn't know Kaitlin is a Malone. If he did he would hate her, too. 

What's a star-crossed lover to do?

My Review: I am a sucker for Romeo and Juliet-like books. The tale of Romeo and Juliet has always been my favorite.  It’s the whole idea of forbidden love I think. I find it so tragically romantic.  It’s hard to be in that position where you love someone so much, but you know that your parents don’t approve. It’s also hard knowing that the person you care for’s family doesn’t approve of you either. It makes the relationship you’re in difficult knowing that you’re families hate one another. It’s this tore feeling, it hurts, but you don’t want to give up on the person you care about. 

Sounds like I’ve had experience in this huh?  I think this is why I like this book so much because I had to lie to the person I cared about. It was like living a double life. I was really stuck in between family and a person I truly cared about.  I think that’s why I like this book so much it is because it is relatable to everyday life. 

 Teenagers lie, fall in love, deal with family drama, and so much more. This may not be a book that is beyond any other amazing read you can imagine, but it is simple and has a truth to it. A truth telling us that love is real, forgiveness can happen, and that families are important.  I whole heartedly recommend it.

What Out for:  Fighting, mild language, hate, some kissing, and mentioning’s of death.

Along for the Ride

Along for the Ride

Sarah Dessen;Viking Juvenile 2009

Summary: It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live. 

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

My Review: I am very picky when it comes to Sarah Dessen books. I will either really like the book or not. Along for the Ride turned out to be one that I really liked.  I found the character Auden to be a relatable character. She is a teenage girl who suffered from her parent’s divorce by having a lack of a childhood.  She didn’t have a social life in high school because she was busy doing homework and working. I felt really sorry for her most of the time because of the ways she coped with her parents fighting and dealing with her parents once they were separated. She became an insomniac and left the house in order to escape from everything. Once she moves in with her Dad and his new wife and child things start looking up for her. She works with girls who help her break out of her social problems and she meets Eli who becomes a close friend. Eli brought out the best in Auden and Auden brought out the best in Eli. I thought their relationship to be adorable. All in all I really enjoyed this book.  I couldn’t put it down. I actually read it in one night. So if you like stories about troubled teens then this is a book for you!

Watch Out for:  Teen Drinking, Brief occasional use of swear words, partying, clubs, and non descriptive sexual moments. 

Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why

By Jay Asher; Razorbill 2007

Summary: Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

My Review:  This is an intense haunting book. It deals with teen suicide and how bullying, gossip, and indifference can affect an individual. Every little action that you do can affect someone without you realizing it. It’s sad, but true.

It was hard watching Hannah go through what she did. Watching her thoughts slip to the worse and not being able to see hope was really hard for me. I wanted to save Hannah even though I knew she was already dead. I wanted to yell at those who hurt her and convince her that life is worth living, but I couldn’t. 

It really is a page turner and I could not put it down because I wanted to see how Hannah got to her point of action.   

The thing that I really got out of this book is how I can be a better person and what I can do to help others. We need to watch how we treat people and watch our actions. Here is a quote from Thirteen Reasons Why that really kit me. "You don’t know what goes on in anyone’s life but your own. And when you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can’t be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re messing with their entire life. Everything. . . affects everything." 

I would not recommend it to children younger than 14. It is a really sensitive book and should be read by those who can handle it. A word to parents is to read it with their children and discuss the issues of suicide. I found this to be an educational book about suicide and a meaningful book about how we affect the lives of others. It shouldn’t take a tragedy to reach out to others.  I truly admire this book.

Watch Out for: Rape, depression, suicide, some language, death, fighting, and underage drinking.

Such a Pretty Girl

Such a Pretty Girl

Laura Wiess; MTV Books 2007

Summary: They promised Meredith nine years of safety, but only gave her three. 

Her father was supposed to be locked up until Meredith turned eighteen. She thought she had time to grow up, get out, and start a new life. But Meredith is only fifteen, and today her father is coming home from prison. 

Today her time has run out.

My Review: This is such an intense and emotional book. It deals with real problems that people face. This isn’t usually the kind of book I would read, but a close friend told me I had to read it and I am thankful she recommended it to me.

Meredith is a fifteen year old girl who lived through a nightmare of an experience that some of us can’t even imagine going through. Her father sexually abused her when she was little and her mother didn’t do anything about it. He abused several other children, but Meredith was the one who was injured and admitted to what was happening that put him in jail.  She thought she was finally safe until he comes back early.  Meredith has no one to turn to and she has to find the strength with in herself to overcome her biggest nightmare.

This is such a haunting book, but I am glad I read it because this stuff is real. It isn’t graphic, but you get the general idea of what happens to her. I really admire Meredith for her strength and courage to defend herself from her demons.

If you can handle it, then definitely read it.

Watch Out for: Violence, sexual abuse, sex, language, and mental flashbacks. 

Kissed by an Angel

Kissed by an Angel

Elizabeth Chandler; Simon Pulse 1998

Summary:  Ivy and Tristan are meant to be together. Both stunningly attractive, brilliantly talented and very much in love, they think their happiness will last forever. When a terrible car accident shatters their world, killing Tristan and injuring Ivy, she must face life alone - or so she thinks. However, Tristan is watching over her as her guardian angel - so close she can feel his touch and hear his voice. And no one needs a guardian angel more than Ivy, because someone is trying to kill her. But if Tristan saves Ivy, his mission on earth will be finished, and he'll have to leave her behind. Will saving Ivy mean losing her forever?

My Review: Thank you Target for putting this book on your shelve all those years ago.  When I first picked up the book I didn’t know what to expect.  I guessed from the title that it would be a love story, but it was more than that. It was also a murder mystery.  I love mystery and this book gave it to me. I loved trying to guess how things connected or matched up.  I was on my toes towards the end. I started to speed read through this book just so I could see what happened next.

Here is my favorite quote from the book! "When you love someone, it’s never over. You move on, because you have to but you take them with you in your heart" –Kissed by an Angel

Tristan(Love that name) is such a sweet heart  and really cares about Ivy and looks out for her.  I feel so badly for Ivy because losing someone like that would be hard and I wouldn’t know how to move on. And it doesn’t help that some creeper is trying to kill you either.

Chandler  presented interesting ideas about guardian angels. She really knows teenagers and the lives that they live. She also presented about the nature of first love and relationships.

I thought it was good book and just something to nice to sit down and read.

Watch Out for:  Murder, death, obsession, Love, kissing, and some language.