The Fault in Our Stars By John Green Review

Title - The Fault in Our Stars

Author - John Green

Hardcover - 318 pages

Published January 10th 2012

Publishibg House - Dutton Books

Characters - Hazel Grace Lancaster, Augustus Waters

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.

Review

“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” 

I have to admit that I was anxious to read The Fault In our Stars seeing as so many of you loved it and I am so glad I did. The story was different that what I expected and in a good way. My heart laughed and cried so many times during the story. Even though I somehow suspected how the story would end it still broke my heart to actually see the story progress that way. 
That said, while I knew to expect sadness, what I didn’t expect at all was to laugh. I laughed, I smiled, and I chuckled. So much of this book was just downright cute and funny.
So this amazing but tragic story is about Hazel & Augustus. Hazel is diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. It was supposed to be terminal, but thanks to a miracle drug, she’d continued to live. And while she had to carry an oxygen tank around with her at all times she was still living her life, surrounded by her loving family and living each day to the best she could. In Support Group, she met Augustus. Oh Augustus! So self-assured, gorgeous, witty, and just wonderful. He had a form of cancer that had an 80% survival rate, and was doing quite well for the most part. And he and Hazel struck up a friendship that, over the course of the book, developed into so much more. 
When he first appeared on scene, I felt that sort of instant connection and love for him that you feel when you meet those special book characters that steal your heart. I knew when I met him though, that there was no way this book would not break my heart. He was just downright swoonworthy – in an oddly witty and endearing way. For the first half of the book, I honestly spent most of it smiling. I loved watching Hazel and Augustus fall in love. It was slow, sweet, and beautiful… and sometimes you just forgot what they were going though. Sometimes, they just seemed like regular happy teens – gorgeously intelligent, fun, flirting teens.

“May I see you again?" he asked. There was an endearing nervousness in his voice.
I smiled. "Sure."
"Tomorrow?" he asked.
"Patience, grasshopper," I counseled. "You don't want to seem overeager.
"Right, that's why I said tomorrow," he said. "I want to see you again tonight. But I'm willing to wait all night and much of tomorrow." I rolled my eyes. "I'm serious," he said. 
"You don't even know me," I said. I grabbed the book from the center console. "How about I call you when I finish this?"
"But you don't even have my phone number," he said.
"I strongly suspect you wrote it in this book."
He broke out into that goofy smile. "And you say we don't know each other.” 


"Seriously, don't even get me started on my hot bod. You don't want to see me naked, Dave. Seeing me naked actually took Hazel Grace's breath away,' he said, nodding toward the oxygen tank.” 

This book is full of absolutely beautiful & amazing quotes! The quotes were actually what made me decide to start the book in the first place. It’s so rare for me to read a book that doesn’t have a happy ending, but I felt I had to make an exception in this case. The Fault In Our Stars was a beautiful book, with beautiful moments and a beautiful story. Augustus and Hazel have a special place in my heart.

Favorite Quotes

“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” 

“That's the thing about pain," Augustus said, and then glanced back at me. "It demands to be felt” 

“You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.” 

You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful.” 

“Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.” 

"In freedom, most people find sin.” 

Beautiful Beast (Enchanted Fairytales #1) by Cindy C. Bennett

SUMMARY

Calli is cursed by her beauty.

Though she knows it's cruel, Calli agrees to accompany her friends to Monster House where it is rumored the beast howls at the moon each sunset. When she hears him for the first time, her heart is wrenched by the anguish she hears in the sound. 

Facing trespassing charges for her folly, Calli is forced to move into Monster House where she is to befriend the beast. Using the bribery offered by his father to gain some desperately needed money for her father, Calli accepts his terms. Horrified but trapped by her circumstance, Calli steps inside the doors of the great house to face the unknown.

Alex is cursed by his beastliness.

Alex believes Calli has bribed her way into his home in order to get a look at the beast of Monster House, and is determined to hate her. He isn't prepared as she batters down the hard walls of his soul with her kindness and humor.

Alex allows Calli into his inner sanctum, sharing with her the most private parts of his heart. But when he finds out the truth, will her love be enough to convince him of her true feelings, or will she lose him forever? 

REVIEW

Beautiful Beast is a short story that somehow manages not to feel like one. It has great character development and the storyline is also well set up and well developed. The characters felt real and I in particularly really liked Calli. She was strong and stubborn yet sweet, funny and humble. Alex is haunted by his past and his story is sad and turns out to be pretty heartwarming. The romance between these two was quite beautiful as was their friendship.
I would recommend this read to those of you who enjoy happy endings, romance and/or fairytales.

Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11) By Charlaine Harris Review

SUMMARY

There's a reckoning on the way ...

Sookie Stackhouse is a cocktail waitress in Bon Temps, Louisiana. It's a job which has its own challenges, but now the vampires and the shapeshifters are finally 'out', you'd think the supernaturals would get on with each other. But nothing is that simple in Bon Temps!

... and Sookie has a knack for being in trouble's way; not least when she witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but before she can investigate something else - something even more dangerous - comes up.

Sookie's lover Eric Northman, and his 'child' Pam are plotting something in secret. Whatever it is, they seem determined to keep Sookie out of it; almost as determined as Sookie is to find out what's going on. She can't sit on the sidelines when both her work and her love life are under threat - but as their plans gradually become clear Sookie finds the situation is deadlier than she could ever have imagined.

REVIEW

Dead Reckoning is the 11th installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series. In this book Sookie sure finds herself fighting for her life once again.

The storyline of Dead Reckoning kicks off not long from where the previous book left off. Sookie is bonded and married to Eric in that unique vampire style,whilet  sharing her home with her fairy relatives i.e her cousin Claude and great uncle Dermot. Eric has a new boss, whom he simply despises and Bill is seemingly happy holed up with Judith, an ex-lover and vampire who has been helping him heal from silver poisoning. However, it isn’t long before the delicate peace of Sookie's life is shattered. First Merlotte’s is firebombed, then armed goons hold-up the bar looking to kidnap her.

Eric is as aiways over-protective of Sookie but even he seems distracted. He’s arguing with Pam and won’t tell Sookie what’s wrong. Sookie suspects it has something to do with Victor, Regent of Louisiana, and Eric’s new boss. It’s odd to think of vampires having such mundane problems as hating their boss but since most vampire problems tend to have violent and bloody endings.
This left me with the satisfaction of having read another good Sookie adventure but also with an eager anticipation of greater things to come in later instalments. Fast-paced action, quirky characters and mystery, combined with truly imaginative fantasy, served up with a dash of bloody violence and romance that’s got to be the recipe for the perfect urban fantasy novel. Recommended reading for vampire fans.

Favorite Quotes

“I love you,” Bill said helplessly, as if he wished those magic words would heal me. But he knew they wouldn’t.
“That’s what you all keep saying,” I answered. “But it doesn’t seem to get me any happier.” 


“Something always turns up. It always seems darkest before the dawn. When God closes a door he opens a window. All things happen for a reason. Into every life a little rain must fall. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.” 

Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely #5) By Melissa Marr Review

SUMMARY

Send the messengers for the Faery Courts. This is the end. 

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win...and some will lose everything.


The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

REVIEW

First of all can we all just agree that the cover is stunningly gorgeous? It really gave me high hopes that the series would end well. And those hopes were well founded, the series ended brilliantly.

Things ended dramatically in Radiant Shadows with the formation of the Shadow Court and the closing of the gates of Faerie from the mortal world. Banananch attacked and Irial is in a bad shape. Niall is overwhelmed with grief. Things are out of balance, Banananch is gaining power, and no one's happy in their love life! The events unfold with a sense of dread....a new guy is in town and his name is Death. And that's all I'll say about that *grin* I've actually surprisingly grown fond of all the characters in the series and of course the excludes Banananch.
The same conflicts that have always existed are becoming so important as to force our characters into decision points that have permanent consequences. And yes, sacrifices will be made.
This is the kind of book you race through because you must know what will happen, and yet, when I finished I wished I could discover the series all over again for the first time. 

I loved Darkest Mercy, was sorry to see it end, but I'm so thankful it ended well.

FAV QUOTES

“If you get killed. I'm going to be furious."
"I love you too. Come On.” 


“Stab one or two healers, and everyone overreacts.” 


“I'm not bloodthirsty, but...seriously, she killed you. She needs to be dead.” 


“Irial!”
“Still here.” Irial didn’t open his eyes, but he smiled a little.
“You’re an ass,” Niall said, but he kept his hands on Irial’s chest so that he could feel both pulse and breath.
“You too, Gancanagh,” Irial murmured.”


“I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you,” he whispered.
“Lucky them.” 


“If you fail me, I'll kill you. I swear it, Keenan. If you fail me, I'll rip your heart out with my own hands."
"If I fail you, I'll cut it out for you.” 


“Donia asked incredulously. “What were you doing?”
“The day had just begun, and we were dancing,” Aislinn said.
“Dancing?” Donia looked at the Summer Queen with the same disdain Keenan had once seen on her face when she looked at the Summer Girls. “Of course you were. Bananach is attacking faeries, stealing from our courts. Irial is injured. Faerie is closed. Yes, dancing is precisely what will help.” 


“The Summer King stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Can you offer me your fidelity? Your heart and your body and your companionship for eternity? Do you want my fidelity? Either love me or kiss me goodbye, my Summer Queen.” 

Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely #4) By Melissa Marr Review

Summary

Hunger for nourishment.
Hunger for touch.
Hunger to belong.

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.

Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.

Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?

Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in the penultimate volume of Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

Review

Radiant Shadows is the fourth book in the Wicked Lovely series. It's the story of Ani who is a half mortal-half faerie that has power unlike any of the faeries born before her, making her a target for both the queen of the High Court and War herself. Devlin had disobeyed orders by sparing her life once. When their paths cross again he will do whatever it takes to keep her alive. But he would also do whatever it takes to protect Faerie, so when it becomes imbalanced it is up to him to restore it.

Nothing really happens in Radiant Shadows until the halfway mark. It isn’t until 50 percent into the book that the two main protagonists have an actual conversation or spend more than five minutes in each other’s company. Something I loved about Radiant Shadows was that it was by far the most action-oriented novel in the Wicked Lovely series even if the action is in the other 50 percent of the book. The plot is slowly but surely moving towards its conclusion, and it really felt like all the pieces are settling into place before the final showdown.
Based on the way things finished up, I think Marr put herself in a nice spot to finish off the series in the next book.

Fav Quotes

“Love makes you foolish. It makes you throw every bit of logic away, do stupid things, dangerous things.” 

“Some things are more important than safety.” 

Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely #3) By Melissa Marr Review

SUMMARY

Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone - but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he'd ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her - but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever imagined.


In Melissa Marr's third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos.

REVIEW

Fragile Eternity, the third novel in Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series, builds on the premise of the first two, yet forges an entirely new path for itself. 

From the beginning of the series, tensions among the faerie courts were present. But in Fragile Eternity, they have come to the forefront. This political tone of the novel was something completely new and unexpected. It added an extra dimension to the series as a whole. The Summer Court doesn’t want war; they are still weak, despite the presence of Aislinn. The Summer Queen refuses to be more to her King than friends and co-workers which weakens their court. The Winter Court is still powerful and balance must be reached at any cost. This is what is central to Fragile Eternity: the need for balance between the Courts.

The four fairy courts don’t get along with each other, but since there are so many friendships/romances political machinations at work, the interaction between the courts is a constant thing, and is always tricky. Seth, in particular, plays a big role in that as the protagonist of Fragile Eternity, seeing how he has ties to every single court but Winter (and since he’s sort of friends with Donia, I think that one counts, too).

This is a book that is all about character interaction. Which, to me, makes it a book that is very much down to personal taste. Personally, I am not generally a big fan of books that have lots of sitting around and talking. So overall, Fragile Eternity isn’t my favorite book, however I did have fun reading it, and I appreciate the originality of the fairies Melissa Marr writes on.

FAV QUOTES

“Choose to be happy. It is what we have all done.” 

“Sometimes being human sucks.” 

“Have you ever tried?"
"No."
Then don't tell me I can't.” 

“[Keenan] 'What am I going to do?' He sank to the floor.
[Donia] 'Hope that some of us are kinder to you than you've been to us,' she whispered. Then, before she could soften again, she walked away and left the Summer King kneeling in her foyer.” 

“I was thinking it was worth the risk if it meant forever with my faery girlfriend.”

“I don't know if you realize it or not, but your sudden devotion to her is creepy.” 

Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely #2) By Melissa Marr Review

SUMMARY

Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.

Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.

The tattoo does bring changes—not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils. . .


REVIEW

Ink Ecxhange was quite interesting to be honest and surprisingly deals with deep subjects. A woman doesn’t need a man to be satisfied with her own life; a woman cannot be owned by anyone but herself; love is nothing if it isn’t an act of choice. I agree with and applaud all of those messages. 

In this sequel to Wicked Lovely, the world is the same, but the reader has a new character to focus on: Aislinn’s close friend, Leslie. Leslie is a girl with a very hard life. She has an abusive home that drives her to work as much to get out of her home as much as she needs the money to try and keep paying the bills. Her life is further complicated since she is a good friend of Aislinn, the new Summer Queen of the Summer Court of the Fae. Her association brings her to the attention of Niall – the Summer Kings advisor who fears he will addict her to him due to his fae nature. And worse, ultimately coming to the attention of the Shadow King.

The story was deep and well paced – it wasn’t action packed, it was a story of experience and development rather than action and events. It was a story based more on character interaction than event progression and it was handled excellently, never leaving me bored. The characters from Wicked Lovely are present, giving continuation to the story, but they’re not dominant, ensuring they do not eclipse Leslie’s story whcich was great.

Overall I give INK EXCHANGE an A and a perfect 3/3 for an absolutely gorgeous cover.

FAV QUOTES

“Sometimes love means letting go when you want to hold on tighter.” 

“What does it mean when nightmares dream of peace? When shadows wish for light?” 

“He was an answer to a question she'd forgotten to ask.” 

“He didn't slam the door, didn't rage, didn't weep, he simply left.” 

“-"Leslie? What are you doing?"
-"Choosing. I'm mine. Not anyone else's."
-"I'm still yours, though. That won't ever change, Shadow Girl.”