Book Review: A Really Awesome Mess by Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin

Goodreads Description:

A hint of "Recovery Road," a sample of" Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist," and a cut of "Juno." A Really Awesome Mess is a laugh-out-loud, gut-wrenching/heart-warming story of two teenagers struggling to find love and themselves.

Two teenagers. Two very bumpy roads taken that lead to Heartland Academy.

Justin was just having fun, but when his dad walked in on him with a girl in a very compromising position, Justin's summer took a quick turn for the worse. His parents' divorce put Justin on rocky mental ground, and after a handful of Tylenol lands him in the hospital, he has really hit rock bottom.

Emmy never felt like part of her family. She was adopted from China. Her parents and sister tower over her and look like they came out of a Ralph Lauren catalog-- and Emmy definitely doesn't. After a scandalous photo of Emmy leads to vicious rumors around school, she threatens the boy who started it all on Facebook.

Justin and Emmy arrive at Heartland Academy, a reform school that will force them to deal with their issues, damaged souls with little patience for authority. But along the way they will find a ragtag group of teens who are just as broken, stubborn, and full of sarcasm as themselves. In the end, they might even call each other friends.

Title: A Really Awesome Mess
Author: Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Coming of Age, Mature YA
Format: Paperback

Pages: 288
Publisher: Egmont USA
Source: Purchased from Boarders Malaysia

This book is so true to the title... one of the biggest EFF UP MESS UP book I've read and IT WAS AWESOME!

It follows a duo narration of Justin and Emmy, two newly admitted students at Heartland Academy, a reform boarding school and therapy unit to help teenagers sort out their eff up lives from addiction to depressions.

Justin has depression and was caught in a situation by his dad that got him diagnose with Sexual deviant. After a suicide attempt, it got the attention of his parents to send him to the facility.

Emmy's was adopted from China and always felt like she never fit in with her very tall blond family. She suffers low esteem and eating disorder as she diets to fit in. Things get worse when she gets caught in the middle of an internet prank which got her suspended from school.

Both characters are enrolled to the facility by their family in the hopes of helping them with their problems, wants nothing to do with Heartland and want's out as soon as possible.

Things start to change when they meet four other students in an anger management class and it might involve a piglet.

All the characters in the book are very mess up! Even so they made the book for me. This is one of the best and most diverse cast of characters I've encounter in a book! They were all well written and developed characters, each with a different personality yet compliment each other really well.

I liked how the book is told in alternative POV between Justin and Emmy as we see a different perspective of what they are both going trough in the facility. Its cool that we get the perspective of a guy and a girl. At the start both of them were very angry and rude on the idea of going to the facility but as the book progresses we see a lighter side of them where they are laugh out loud hilarious and sarcastic remarks come in place. Also they are both admitted for different reasons so its great seeing the different therapy classes they are taking and their reactions. Between Justin and Emmy I personally like Justin more as he has one of the best and sassiest humor I've read but also cause I like how they handle his problem. Emmy was okay but I was not found of her avoiding her problem and her purpose of being in Heartland whether she liked it or not.

Each side characters are more than meets the eye. They all suffer from some sort of problem whether its PTSD to an unlikely addiction, they all have layers upon layers and the more I read about them the more I like and care for the characters. I wanted them to get better and get the hell out of the facility.

My favorite side character is Jenny cause though she suffers a traumatic past and is the youngest in the group, she's the toughest and grungiest and is practically the 'leader' of the group. Also like Justin she has some of the best and sassiest lines in the book.

While the romance between Justin and Emmy sweet, it felt rush. I prefer the friendship they made in the facility as well as them mending their relationships with their families.

Though this book is laugh out loud hilarious while being grudge and full of teenage angst, it still has it serious note where they don't sugar coat the situations the characters are in. The situations feels real where there is consequences for their actions from Emmy stubbornly dealing with her eating disorder to saving a piglet. Also the ending is bittersweet (NO ONE DIES DON'T WORRY!!! LOL sorry but I just have to assure that) and also freaking awesome on how the book nicely wrap up with some really smart and mind blowing schemes that friends did.

I highly recommend this book if you are in the mood or like really snarky and sarcastic angry teen narration that is also a really quick read light hearten reads.

Book Review: Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle

Goodreads Description:

An ill-timed storm on Christmas Eve buries the residents of Gracetown under multiple feet of snow and causes quite a bit of chaos. One brave soul ventures out into the storm from her stranded train and sets off a chain of events that will change quite a few lives. Over the next three days one girl takes a risky shortcut with an adorable stranger, three friends set out to win a race to the Waffle House (and the hash brown spoils), and the fate of a teacup pig falls into the hands of a lovesick barista.

A trio of today's bestselling authors - John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle - bring all the magic of the holidays to life in three hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and kisses that will steal your breath away. 

Title: Let It Snow
Author: John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance,Christmas/Holiday Reads
Format: Paperback

Pages: 368 pages
Publisher: Penguin UK
Source: Purchased from Big W

Sweet, heart warming, laugh out loud and crazy, this book has everything you will want in a Christmas reads.

Set on Christmas Eve in Gracetown during the worst blizzard in fifty years, we follow Jubilee, Tobin and Addie story which intertwining to bring one big Christmas story.

1) The Jubilee Train

Jubilee is sent to her grandparents place on Christmas Eve by train as her parents are arrested over a shopping riot. Due to the biggest blizzard on fifty years, the train gets stuck and she gets off the train at Gracetown and finds herself in a Waffle House with her train companions Jeb and fourteen hyper cheerleaders. There she meets Stuart who can't get to his work at Target due to the storm and after chatting for a while he invites her home for Christmas.

I love this story! Quirky, cute, fun, fluffy with a hint of cheesiness (in a feel good way) I wiz trough this and enjoyed ever bit to the story. Jubilee is not only my favorite character in the story but also in the book! I feel like she is someone I can be friends with. Stuart is a sweetheart. I also enjoyed their relationship.

 2) A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle

We follow Tobin, JP and the Duke (real name Angie) are on a mission after being tip off by their friend Keun (who we meet in The Jubilee Train) that there are fourteen cheerleaders at the Waffle House stranded due to their train getting stuck and wanting to play a game of Twister. Trough the worse blizzard in fifty years, our brave trio are on for an adventure where they have to get to The Waffle House before Keun co-workers friends get there. 

This story had me laughing from the start, adrenaline rush the middle and warm and gooey in the inside (in a good way) at the end.

John Green you've done it again! Tobin is something I can easily picture after reading every John Green book existing and love his character to bits. Quirky, comical but also one of those guys who is intelligent and i will want as my best friend. 

I also love his friends JP, Duke and Keun and their interaction. JP and his melodramatic dialogs was hilarious! I also love the hint of diversity since JP and Keun are both Korean/Asian characters yet they are very different from the stereotypical Asian characters.

Its trilling reading the snow adventure and reminds me a bit of the road trip aspect of Paper Towns.

Also the romance I kinda predicted from the start how it was going to turn out and though its not his best it still left me with happy warm feels at the end.

                                              3) The Patron Saint of Pigs

We follow Addie is depress over the break up with her boyfriend Jeb prior to Christmas. We get to know a bit about their relationship back story and how Jeb (who we meet in the previous stories) is not a fan of PDA which was one of the main reason of the break up. 

One the morning after Christmas she agrees to help her friend pick up her pet teacup pig (squeal!!! cuteness!!!) from the pet store across the street from the Starbucks that she works at. Of cause plot twist things don't go as planned and now Addie has to put aside her own problems to help with her friends.

Addie was at first not a likeable character with the fact she was freaking self centered annoying! Though the book she shows determination of changing for the better. 

Overall

I love Let It Snow as we get to see three different writing style under the same scenario. 

My most favorite story has to be Maureen Johnson's followed by John Green and Lauren Myracle respectively. Even so I did enjoy all three stories as they were good in their own ways. I like how each authors managed to write a well developed story in 100+++ pages that does not feel too rush and that you are left satisfied with the ending for each characters.

The final scene in the book is my favourite on how the story all wrapped up! I literally was grinning like an idiot at the funny and adorable ending. 

Even though some of the scenarios in the book are not that realistic, its one of those books where it all falls together and just works!

Let It Snow is still a fun romantic comedy book that reminds me a bit of the movie Love Actually.

This is definitely a book you are looking for a cozy Christmas reads! 

Kinda ironic that I read Let It Snow in a Starbucks... and yes I told them my name is Ruth eventhough its not... sorry Starbucks people but I troll you :P advantage of  NOT having an English name!

Also I highly recommend reading this at a Starbucks with one of their Christmas drink (my favorite if the peppermint mocha) or with a nice hot drink on the side to set the mode :P

 

 

 What's you're favorite Starbucks drink??? 

I usually like a Skinny Cappuccino at any coffee place but at Starbucks I like to go fancy and get a Dark Mocha frappe or the Green Tea frappe with whipped cream!

Also if you love Christmas Romance check out Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (Review Here)

Book Review : The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Goodreads Description : 

It's 1996 and very few high school students have ever used the internet. Facebook will not be invented until several years in the future. Emma just got a computer and an America Online CD. She and her best friend Josh power it up and log on - and discover themselves on Facebook in 2011. Everybody wonders what they'll be like fifteen years in the future. Josh and Emma are about to find out

Title: The Future of Us
Author: Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Science Fiction, Romance,
Format: Paperback

Pages: 356 pages
Source: Purchased from Popular Bookshop (Malaysia)

I have been wanting to read Jay Asher's 'Thirteen Reasons Why' but was not up for a 'sad read' so when I saw this and read the blurb at the back I knew I had to owe it.

The Future of Us is a fun, smart and lighthearted contemporary reads with a sci-fi twist.

Set in 1996 the book follows the duo narration of Emma and Josh, next door neighbors and best friends where they install an AOL cd into Emma's new computer and discover their future on  Facebook... Fifteen years into the future, 8 year before Facebook even existed!

While Josh is happy with his future, Emma is not and tries to alter her future with the present which causes a ripple and not only alters her future drastically but Josh's too. It comes to a point where she gets obsess with her altering her future to perfection that it doing more harm than good and affecting her friendship with Josh.

Emma's character took a while for me to like as she was very unsure of herself as well as selfish but she is a good person just that she does not have her head straight as well as she takes a lot of things for granted like her friendship with Josh or her relationship with her dad. There were times i wanted to shake her and shout 'stop being obsess with Facebook' and just live in the present! While I thought she was a bit whiny in some parts, I think trough putting myself in her shoes and maybe... just maybe she is just a perfectionist so I can't blame her for some of her actions but she really didn't have to go trough some extreme extend when alter her future. Also of all of the characters, hers is the one that has the biggest change by the end of the book where she matured and got her priorities straight.

Josh on the other hand I thought I would not like but actually love! He is sweet, sensible, lay back and a great guy to have as a friend not to mention the voice of reasons for Emma.

Speaking of friends, Emma and Josh's friends Kellan and Tyson are great supporting characters and awesome friends to the both of them !

A couple of complain about the book apart from the occasional Emma's character are the Facebook status. While some were actually hilarious most of them are the eye rolling shallow type of status that needs a TMI stamp or it looks like something I will maybe see on Twitter (hey maybe they can have a spin off book where the characters discover twitter! lol). The sub-storyline of Josh and his parents I didn't really care for and felt like it's just filler. 

Also the ending while it ended on a sweet and cute note but I either felt like it was kinda week or that I was missing 20 pages in my edition (tfios reference ?!?!).

The book talks about not taking relationships/friendships for granted which is something that Emma eventually learns, living the moment and in the present and the philosophical impact of altering time wimey situation. I love how this was very different from stereotype YA especially when it came to romance as it surprisingly took a back seat in the romance department. Also the friendship between Emma and Josh, though its a bit rocky but was genuine and real and I like how their relationship played out.

If you are a 90's kid (like me!) or lived trough the 90's this is nostalgic since the book is set in 1996 where cell phone were rear and the internet required hooking up to the telephone line. Also there are alot of pop culture references from the present and the 90's (and if you know me well I live a good pop culture reference!) from Harry Potter and Netflix to even Ellen Degeneres!

Overall definitely check this out if you love high school scenarios with a timey wimey 'time traveling' twist. The cast of characters are realistic and relatable.The storyline is fast pace, original, nostalgic and fun!

I definitely need to check out Jay Asher's other book and read the Carolyn Mackler book that is sitting on my shelve soon.

What's your favourite things from the 90's?

Cartoons! The Cartoons and TV show back then were one of the best things to grow up with!

Book Review: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Goodreads Synopsis:

"I've left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don't, put the book back on the shelf, please."

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors ofNick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a cosmic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Title: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
Author: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance,Christmas/Holiday Reads
Format: Paperback

Pages: 260 pages
Source: Purchased from Hill of Content bookshop

So I am one of those who don't care what time of the year the book is set in as long as its a goodreads and since I was in the mood for a Christmas in July book I decided to pick this up.

I really enjoy this! I have not read anything by Rachel Cohn but have read Will Grayson, Will Grayson which David Levithan has co-written and liked it so I kinda knew that I was gonna like this.

I like the concept of the book of Dare that Lily left in Strand bookshop and the mad exchanges of  dares between Dash and Lily across New York. I enjoyed how the book brought them together and what made it a page turner is to see when they will finally meet up. Its freaking witty but also cute and heartwarming. Also learning about each other trough the notebook was a really smart ideal of giving the back story of both characters.

Dash's a nerdy book worm who is snarky yet charming and hilarious! I liked him from page and fall for him trough out the book. Lily took a while to warm up but I eventually enjoyed reading from her POV (though I prefer Dash's more). Both characters were were very likable characters and same goes for the side characters especially Boomer (btw freaking love this guy! Heck they should write a sequel staring him!), Aunt Ida and Mark. Opposite in so many ways Dash and Lily both compliment each other very well.

Overall I DARE you to read this if you like fun adventurous storylines, cute yet sarcastic and witty dialogs which are at times LOL, an amazing cast of characters as well as a great heartwarming Christmas romance.