Me Before You

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Me Before You
By Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books/Viking 2012
Pages: 369

Summary: Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

My Review:
This is by far my favorite book I have read this year! The movie was really good too! I read the book a couple of months before the movie came out, since I am one of those people who has to read the book before I watch the movie.

 It's impossible not to fall in love with the characters and story. The book is deep and insightful in many many ways.It tells the story of a man and women in a small British town, where one is confined there, while the other has confined herself there. Most of the story is told from the viewpoint of Lou, with a few chapters from the viewpoints of the other characters. Lou was such a fun and witty character. She has a lot on her shoulders, but still manages to be funny and charming, especially when she starts babbling. Will more of a cipher as confront major problems; such as being confined to a wheelchair, missing his old life, dealing with pain, and not knowing when his condition will deteriorate. This book was very educational, emotional, and inspirational in many ways.

With this book's relation to education there was extensive information on the life of a quadriplegic.This    included treatments, medication, pain management, deterioration of their condition , difficulties in getting out and about, the way  relationships change, and emotional states. As someone who studies health, this was all really fascinating to me. It helped me to understand what quadriplegic people go through on a day to day basis. Like having to have someone feed you, help you go to the bathroom, move you to and from your chair, bed, and car. It would be very frustrating, especially if you had done those things yourself before.

Emotionally, this book took a toll on me. My poor brother and sister-in-law had to hear me wailing in the back of the car, as I read. You can really  feel what each character is going through. You finally come to terms with their decisions and actions. You feel frustrated, sad, happy, hopeful, and every other emotion you can think of while reading. In this book, Will represented a view that life isn't worth living if you're disabled, but Lou fights hard to promote that life is always worth living no matter what. 

As for inspirational, this book teaches you to push yourself to realize your full potential, even if you are one of those people who is afraid to takes risks. To always be open to try new things. It teaches you to learn to love and support someone, even if you don't agree with his or her choices or decisions. It also inspires you to not let one bad incident define you, but to rise up and keep going. I loved that it inspires you to keep an open mind when you are dealing with someone difficult, because you never know what emotional battles they are fighting in their lives.

You think you are getting into a romance, but instead you will find yourself enmeshed in a suspenseful, emotional, and beautiful novel. It is a MUST read! So please please read it :) 

Watch Out For: Kissing, brief sex scene, drinking, Infrequent swear words (British slang), motorcycle accident, and some arguing.

Watch the Movie: 

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..

Lean In

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

by Sheryl Sandberg : Alfred A. Knopf 2013

Summary: Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In is a massive cultural phenomenon and its title has become an instant catchphrase for empowering women. The book soared to the top of bestseller lists internationally, igniting global conversations about women and ambition. Sandberg packed theatres, dominated opinion pages, appeared on every major television show and on the cover of Time magazine, and sparked ferocious debate about women and leadership.

Ask most women whether they have the right to equality at work and the answer will be a resounding yes, but ask the same women whether they'd feel confident asking for a raise, a promotion, or equal pay, and some reticence creeps in.

The statistics, although an improvement on previous decades, are certainly not in women's favour – of 197 heads of state, only twenty-two are women. Women hold just 20 percent of seats in parliaments globally, and in the world of big business, a meagre eighteen of the Fortune 500 CEOs are women.

In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg – Facebook COO and one of Fortunemagazine's Most Powerful Women in Business – draws on her own experience of working in some of the world's most successful businesses and looks at what women can do to help themselves, and make the small changes in their life that can effect change on a more universal scale.

My Review: This book changed my life and where I stand as a women and the leader I want to be. As someone who is hoping for a place in the career world its going to take alot of courage to challenge the process, enable other to act, and to put yourself out there. Sheryl Sandberg is truly inspirational.  It is a must read! Here are some highlighted themes worth mentioning in her book. 

1. The Leadership Ambition Gap: What Would You Do if You Weren't Afraid? 
2. Sit at the Table 
3. Success and Likeability
4. It's a Jungle Gym, Not a Ladder 
5. Are You My Mentor?
6. Seek and Speak Your Truth 
7. Don't Leave before you Leave 
8. Make your Partner a real Partner 
9. The Myth of Doing it All 
10. Let's Start Talking about it
11. Working Together Toward Equality

Watch this Video:

The Watchers: Knight of Light

The Watchers Book 1: Knight of Light

In England, 1270 A.D., Auriella (pronounced yurr-ee-ella) flees her village after being accused of witchcraft. Pursued by nightmarish creatures, she struggles to accept the truth about her humanity. Filled with fairies, dwarves, pixies, dragons, and monsters, Knight of Light is an enthralling tale that will capture the imaginations of readers young and old.
The Watchers Series has been described as Braveheart meets Supernatural. The mythology for the series is based on many theological texts from dozens of sects with correlating themes. Ancient writings include The Dead Sea Scrolls, The Traditional Apocrypha, The Pearl of Great Price, and The Kabbalah.

“The Watchers” are supernatural beings in human form whose duty it is to protect and guard mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, as the Book of Enoch mentions, some of these Watchers go bad. Although the mythology is based on these texts, Deirdra Eden’s The Watchers Series is written in a traditional fairytale style with a young girl’s discovery of incredible, but dangerous powers within herself, a cast of humorous side-kicks, a quest for greater self-discovery and purpose, and villains of epic proportions.

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads  Wattpad  Pinterest

About the Author

"My goal in writing is to saturate my books with intrigue, mystery, romance, and plot twists that will keep my readers in suspense. I want to see fingerprints on the front and back covers where readers have gripped the novel with white knuckles! Aside from writing, I enjoy jousting in arenas, planning invasions, horseback riding through open meadows, swimming in the ocean, hiking up mountains, camping in cool shady woods, climbing trees barefoot, and going on adventures."
-Deirdra Eden

Find Deirdra Eden and The Watchers Series online on Amazon, Deirdra's website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Wattpad, and Pinterest.


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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.

Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures
By Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

 Little, Brown and Company 2009

Summary: Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything

My Review: What an intriguing read! I watched the movie Beautiful Creatures a couple of weeks ago and on my trip to Washington D.C., I downloaded the book to my kindle. I was so immersed in this read. Ethan was a lovable character and he and I are so much alike when it comes to a small town life and our thoughts about it. He was a refreshing character, unlike so many of the other characters I have been reading about. I am so used to reading from a girl's point of view that a boy's point of view was a fresh approach and made the read that much more enjoyable.
 

Watch Out For: Magic, kissing, supernatural battles, drinking, mild cussing, and smoking.

A Quest Post: The Great Good Thing

The Great Good Thing
By Roderick Townley; Scholastic 2001

Summary: Sylvie had an amazing life, but she didn't get to live it very often.

Sylvie has been a twelve-year-old princess for more than eighty years, ever since the book she lives in was first printed. She's the heroine, and her story is exciting -- but that's the trouble. Her story is always exciting in the same way. Sylvie longs to get away and explore the world outside the confines of her book.

When she breaks the cardinal rule of all storybook characters and looks up at the Reader, Sylvie begins a journey that not even she could have anticipated. And what she accomplishes goes beyond any great good thing she could have imagined...

Things to Watch Out for: Dangerous characters.

Quest Post from Cambria Sees:

I've loved The Great Good Thing since I was in the 2nd grade. The plot line has twists and turns, which always keeps the reader quessing and wondering what will happen next. Sylvie is adventurous, spunky, and willing to go the extra mile to be apart of an adventure and the unknown. This read is fasinating because of how the point of view pulls the reader in and draws the reader into the story. The characters in this book seem to surround the story around the reader. The characters are seperate different beings with great personalites, which make everything work together wonderfully. I've enjoyed this book for years and I plan on enjoying it for many to come. 

The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia

by Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma, Patrick Thorpe, Akira Himekawa; Dark Horse 2013

Summary: Dark Horse Books and Nintendo team up to bring you The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia, containing an unparalleled collection of historical information on The Legend of Zelda franchise. This handsome hardcover contains never-before-seen concept art, the full history of Hyrule, the official chronology of the games, and much more! Starting with an insightful introduction by the legendary producer and video-game designer of Donkey Kong, Mario, and The Legend of Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto, this book is crammed full of information about the storied history of Link's adventures from the creators themselves! As a bonus, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia includes an exclusive comic by the foremost creator of The Legend of Zelda manga - Akira Himekawa!

My Review: All right all you Zelda Fans! It is here and it is awesome! I bought it and it is AMAZING!  

This book is dedicated to celebrating the long history of the Zelda. Hryule Historia is divided into four sections.  First is, "The Legend Begins: The World of Skyward Sword," which is devoted to the most recent Zelda game. In this section is provides sketched and character designs.  The second section,
The History of Hyrule: A Chronology," this sections provides the timeline of all the games. I found this to be my favorite section. It was full of detail information and images.  The third section, "Creative Footprints: Documenting 25 Years of Artwork," this section focuses on character and creature designs. Like early sketches and final promotional artwork. The final section is a new manga story of the first Zelda adventure. This one section I found to be pretty interesting with its story and illustrations. 

Overall, I love this book. It is a book that a Zelda fan will truly treasure.

Check out the Illustrations!  

Finding Forrest's Treasure

Finding Forrest's Treasure

Tips and Resources for finding Forrest Fenn's 

Multi-Million Dollar "Poem Treasure" 

By Maxwell J. Steele' Treasure Hunters Unlimited 2013

Summary: This book provides valuable tips and resources essential to finding Forrest Fenn's multi-million dollar treasure. The famed "The Thrill of the Chase Treasure", or the "Poem Treasure" contains valuable jewelry, jewels, and over 20 troy pounds of rare gold coins and golden nuggets. This book has the information needed to help you find it.

Maxwell J. Steele starts by breaking down the all-important nine clues contained in the now famous poem but he goes further by offering a tenth clue, personal facts about Forrest Fenn, and many extra tidbits and hints that will definitely help if you plan on searching for this treasure.

Extra treasure hunting tips are provided and two different methods for finding the treasure are discussed. The end of the book contains a resources section offering further ways to gather information for your search.

Review: I read this in one night. One word. DISAPPOINTING. It did not give me any insight whatsoever to help my find the Treasure of Forrest Fenn worth around 3 million dollars. It said things like "look on Google Maps." Thank you for pointing out the obvious Maxwell.I am about 9 clues ahead of you pal.  For those of you who do not know about this famous treasure hunt that is taking place in New Mexico, Here is a link explaining it.

 http://www.oldsantafetradingco.com/the-thrill-resource-page 

I, however, after much research and studying of his poem. I figured it out. If only my brother would follow my strict instructions to locate the treasure. I think he doubts me. O well. Once I return to my home town. I will follow my gut instict and will never be heard from again.