What are books for?

I started this blog post nearly four years ago and after years of neglecting this website I found a draft with the caption "What are books for?" At this time I read an article in a magazine about books and I guess I wanted to tell you all about this article and what journalists have already found out ..et cetera et cetera.
While I am now re-writing this post I am thinking - why shouldn't I just write my own list (you must know I am very good at writing down any kinds of lists!) because I mean if this article would have been any good I would remember, wouldn't I?

So, here we go: 5 reasons why I think we should (all) have books at home:

1) You never get bored!  If you just want a time out from your own life you can just dip into a sea of millions and thousands of other people and for a moment just imagine how their lives turn out.

2) The smell. There is almost (almost!) nothing better than the smell of a new book, untouched pages and the first crack when you open it.

3) With every word you read, every page you turn, every book you finish your own creativity starts to bring out your thoughts. How about that? In a few years you will hold your own book in your hand.

4) There are books we were meant to have. Words meant to be written. Pages meant to be read. They change our lives.

5) Just.

going too far by Jennifer Echols

Synopsis:

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from the backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far ... and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge - and over ...




My review:

going too far a story by the wonderful author Jennifer Echols is a book that I read a couple of years back and just recently fished out of my bookshelf to read it again.
Even the second time I enjoyed reading the book very much and thought that I couldn't withhold it from you any longer.

Meg is a seventeen year old senior at high school and there is nothing she wants more than to get out of the boring town she is living with her parents.
A lot of things happened there in the past she just wants to forget and what better way is there than to run away  ... and leave a mark.

John on the other hand just wants to stay in town and put everything back in place. He acts like a though and strict adult which he's not. There are things in his life that he wants to undo and protect everyone else from.

Both of them can't be more different and still there is something that connects them: their secrets.
They have secrets of their own that they're not aware of and so it happens that they drive each other right into the mess.

There are a few reasons why I like this book very much.
Firstly, there is the chemistry between John and Meg. From the first day on they met, it's just there.
Secondly, John. Actually, there are no more words needed but I just want to give you a little teaser: sexy, big, uniform, serious, funny, ... I mean how can you not like him?
I do have to be on Meg's side here: It's sexy as hell when he puts on his serious act "Never thouch me while I'm in uniform!" - Don't you want to do it even more now?
Though, thirdly, the stroy is very serious and the two of them have to deal with a lot of stuff it's also funny; Meg is alway good for a come-back and tries to provoke everyone around her.
My list would go on and on ... but you just have to read for yourself!

going too far is a book that you don't want to take out of your hands not even the second time! - Compelling, real, funny, provocative - a real page-turner.

A perfect summer read

All we want for our summer holidays is to have fun, get tanned, spend a lot of time with our friends and fall in love.
But on the top of our list: read as many books as possible.
Why not have a look in to the life of someone else and root for their love life (if ours isn't cookin')
Just right before summer ends .. a few books you might want to take a look at.

1. Where I belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

Meet Corrinne. She's living every girl's dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . .

When Corrinne's father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she's stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she's supposed to be living. She doesn't care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed.

My thoughts: 3/5 Stars
It's an easy read but somehow the story isn't new. A crossing between Hannah Montana  - The Movie (I don't know why I even know this one) and the Carrie Diaries (TV show).

2. Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart? 

My thoughts: 3/5 Stars. 

Girl meets boy. Girl tries to ignore boy and pretend that she doesn't like him. Boy makes girl laugh. Girl falls for boy.
Lovely summer read if you like to enjoy the weather outside .. maybe sailing?

3. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. 

My thoughts: 4/5 Stars
Who doesn't like a road trip with some friends?
Travelling around the country and discovering places where once people you loved spent their time. You'll fall in love with Amy and Roger!

4. Not That Kind Of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

Natalie Sterling wants to be in control. She wants her friends to be loyal. She wants her classmates to elect her student council president. She wants to find the right guy, not the usual jerk her school has to offer. She wants a good reputation, because she believes that will lead to good things. But life is messy, and it's very hard to be in control of it. Not when there are freshman girls running around in a pack, trying to get senior guys to sleep with them. Not when your friends have secrets they're no longer comfortable sharing. Not when the boy you once dismissed ends up being the boy you wants to sleep with yourself - but only in secret, with nobody ever finding out. Slut or saint? Winner or loser? Natalie is getting tired of these forced choices - and is now going to find a way to live life in the sometimes messy, sometimes wonderful in-between.

My thoughts: 4/5 Stars
You should know me by now. I do love a good high school love-hate relationship - it couldn't be better.
It turns out that not every guy is a jerk even if he looks like one.
Keep in mind to stay true to yourself. You shouldn't change for anyone!
 

A quick read for a nice weeked. Even if you don't like them all, I am sure one or two of them will catch you eye and mind!

I have enjoyed reading all of the books. Some more the others less ...
If you go and pick up one of the books let me know what you think! 

-Lola

p.s.: You want to know more about one of the books? - Just tell me!

10 Things I ❤ about books

1. The smell of a new book. It's just wonderful.

2. I get really exicted just at the thought of buying new books. Strolling through the bookshelves or scrolling down the websites and reading the summaries.

3. Opening the book for the first time and having a peek in the middle or the end.

4. Books come alive. Not just from the movies but also from your thoughts.

5. You can easily carry them around and take them with you wherever you want.

6. Every book is different: The cover. The story. The size.

7. The books are always better than the movies.

 

8. Books extend your vocabulary.

 

9. They make you creative.

 

10. The books we read give us stuff to talk about.

 

 

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Synopsis

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there's an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.





My review

Allyson has always been the good kid. She never really had her teenage phase and she doesn't mind not going mainstream.
As a graduation present her parents sent her on a journey she will never forget.
Together with her best friend she travels Europe and meets Willem.
Until that day the trip isn't at all what she thought it would be but when Willem intives her to go to Paris for one day she says yes.
Together they explore the city and it's more than Allyson wished for. For one day she can be someone else. Someone exciting and experienced. But every day has an ending. Even if it's not the way you want it to.

A year goes by and Allyson hasn't been herself ever since. Can she find Willem with the few information she has? Will she be whole again?

Just one day, a book by Gayle Forman that inspired me. And I bet it will inspire you!
Have you ever been traveling? - No, I should ask this differently. Have you ever been spontaneously traveling with a complete stranger and not thinking about the consequences?
Did one day or person change your entire life?Think about it. What was it like?

When I still went to school I had the chance to go to Paris for a few days and even though I didn't really appreciated it back then .. I knew there was something special about the city. I wanted to go back ever since.

I really enjoyed reading the story about Allyson and Willem. About the things they exeprienced. The good thing: Both, Willem and Ally are nearly grown ups. They can "move" something. Be someone.
That's one big thing that inspired me. This book/the story animates you to do something. To go out and explore the world. To take a risk and be spontaneous.

I know, that doesn't say much about the story itself but that's what comes to my mind when I think about the book.
We should take our time and have a look around. Take time to make new friends, travel the world and try out something new.
Our time is precious and we won't get it back, so we have to make the best out of it.
Fall in love with a city. Find true love by "accident" and just .. live!

Read it for yourself and let me know what you think!

p.s.: Just one Year is coming out very soon! ;)

Meant to be by Lauren Morrill

Synopsis

Meant to be or not meant to be . . . that is the question.

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

Because sometimes the things you least expect are the most meant to be.


My review

Julia Lichtenstein is what some people call a dork. She loves books, always follows the rules and is a model student.
Also, Julia believes in the one true love, her MTB.

Jason Lippincott is the exact opposite, so she thinks. He's loud, always flirting with other girls and he doesn't know anything about culture.

When the two of them get paired together on their spring break trip to London Julia fears that this might be the worst week of her life.
They have never even spoke one word to each other and now they should wander around London? - So when Jason takes Julia to a party she doesn't even want to go she's breaking rule after rule. Now this mysterious guy named Chris is always texting her and Jason wants to help her find him .. It's all too much.
She should stay at home, dream about her "Meant to be" and not get annoyed by Jason.

I loved this book from the first page to the last. I loved Julia! I saw so many things in her that reminded me of myself. She's always carrying a book with her. She's a little Miss-know-it-all and she loves swimming. This made the book so much better.
Jason annoying Julia, the best thing. You never know what he is going to do next or what she's going to say. It's the kind of relationship I love, you should know this by now. ;)
While there are many ups and downs you don't only get to know the characters but also the city of London.
One of the many reasons I devoured this book in two days. Though the only thing that bugged me are the descriptions of the directions. They don't really fit with the picture that I have in my head from when I lived there. But with the time I could get over it and with every chapter I was so excited and wondering what will happen.

If you think you know what happens at the end .. think again.
While I thought I knew exactly what was coming, I didn't!

The book is not perfect because there are a few bits that I missed that the author could have solved in the end but other than that I have nothing bad to say.

An amazing story taking place in the most amazing city. You will devour chapter by chapter, like I did.
Lauren Morrill's debut novel and it's worth every hour you will spent reading it.

Favourite Books

You know it too, don't you? You're sitting in school, at work or someplace else and the only thing you want to do is take out your book and start reading again.

The story just won't leave you until you're with it.

I do have this a lot and in the following I will show you my all time favourite books, for now.

 

1. Adorkable by Sarra Manning

 

 

2. Meant to be by Lauren Morrill

 

 

3. going too far by Jennifer Echols

 

4. before I die by Jenny Downham

 

5. Time of my life by Cecelia Ahern

 

 

So tell me, what are your all time favourite books and why are they your favourites?

 

 

- Lola