By Your Side Book Review

By Your Side, by Kasie West

Rate: 4/5

Goodreads Summary:

When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Only he doesn’t come. No one does.

Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side? 

Thoughts and Opinions:

          A book about being stuck inside a library? Sign me up. In this Kasie West novel, the book is about a girl named Autumn. She was at the library with her friends finishing up a history paper they were assigned in class, getting ready to leave for a long weekend at the cabin with her friends, unfortunately for her, she drank too much soda, so she had to go to the washroom. She left all her things at the back of a friend's trunk and went to the washroom.. Only when she came out, the doors were locked. It was a long weekend at that, so the library wouldn't be opening till Tuesday morning. After a while, she realised that someone was with her as well, his name is Dax. Dax is a quiet person and an intriguing one at that. She tries to be nice and befriend him, but he likes to keep to himself. So what do you do when you're at the library for the whole weekend, stuck with a stranger?? Try and make befriend him of course. 

          Kasie West is my go to author when it comes to quick and cute stories. I thoroughly enjoyed her previous books, and this book did not disappoint. As a reader, I always love staying in the library and smelling that "paper" scent that comes with books, so I was really excited to read this book. As much as the book focused on the romance part, it also focused on mental health. I love seeing more books on things like this because everyone at some point have those moments where they are overwhelmed with anxiety and stress, and sometimes that's okay. It's okay to focus on your mental health and not just your physical health. There was a character growth throughout the book and I loved it because she was able to admit to herself that it's okay. It's okay not to be okay. And even though there was a love triangle, it didn't end up with one of the boys being a jerk and being a douche, so plus points for that. I also wasn't expecting more drama in the book, but I was wrong and I was happy that I was wrong because I did not expect one of the events in the book to happen. 

          Overall, this book was about friends and acceptance, yes there was romance in it but the MCs helped each other and they understood each other. And Dax totally made my book boyfriend list for sure. There were great minor characters as well who deserve props and I really enjoyed this book. 

Strange the Dreamer Book Review

Book Depository Preorder

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads summary:

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around— and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he's been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance to lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world?
 What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo's dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? and if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

In this sweeping and breathtaking new novel by National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor, author of the New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, the shadow of the past is as real as the ghosts who haunt the citadel of murdered gods. Fall into a mythical world of dread and wonder, moths and nightmares, love and carnage.
Welcome to Weep.
The copy of this book was provided to me by HBG Canada, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are mine completely.

Thoughts and Opinion:

"You think good people can't hate?" she asked. "Good people do all

the things bad people d, Lazlo. It's just when they do them, 

they call it justice." 

"And that is how you go on. You lay laughter over the dark parts. 

The more dark parts, the more you have to laugh. With defiance , with abandon , with hysteria , any way you can. "

          I'm going to try to describe this book as much as I can without giving away too much details, so here are some of the words I would use to describe it: confusing, dreams, funny, relatable, confusing, brings out your emotions. This book is a bout a dreamer, he has this great fascination about this city called Weep. Every since he was a child, he would listen to this monk who told him stories, until he ran away to a city and became a librarian's assistant. During his time at the great library of Zosma, he spent his time reading and finding out what he can about the city. That is until a group of warriors called Tizerkanes, came to his city, their leader, the Godslayer is looking for a group of people who can help them solve this "mystery" in the city of Weep. Thus the story of Lazlo Strange begins... but not. At the same time, there is a group of hidden kids in a citadel. They're called godspawns and they are blue, with red hair.  Yep, blue. And the magic begins.
         During the first few chapters of this book, I was really confused. A character made me very mad and I just wanted to strangle him. Then I sort of got the hang of things, that is until more characters got introduced. Again, I was confused, but I kept reading cause the curiosity was too much. I had to know what was going to happen next. This book has so many concepts and ideas into it that it's like bits and pieces of different ideas and different themes all in one book - I loved it. As I kept reading I got more and more transfixed with the idea of dreaming and magic. I think that Laini Taylor did a fantastic job interpreting and expressing the book. AND OH MY GOSHH THAT ENDING!!! I AM SHOOK! I want to read the second book because I am left confused and wanting more, but sadly the book hasn't even been released yet. *silently cries*
          The book was left at a cliff hanger, but it was the bearable kind, the one that got you on your toes anticipating what would happen next. I loved the characters, they did their jobs very well. Some made me mad to the point where I just wanted to punch them (there were 3 of them), made me feel bad, and just made me love them. All the characters and the plot of the book has been put together so well they just work perfectly. There were many beautiful quotes that I just had to highlight. The plot of the book flow very well, and the writing style was easy to understand and comprehend.

Who would I recommend it to:

          I highly recommend it to anyone who is into magic and a story that includes great characters, a good story line, and Laini Taylor in general. I also HIGHLY  encourage you to buy the book and preorder it, NOW.

Here are the links to Amazon, Book Depository & Chapters:

• Amazon Preorder
• Book Depository Preorder
• Chapters Preorder

P.S. I Like You, Book Review

P.S. I Like You, by Kasie West

Rate: 4/5

Goodreads Summary:

Signed, sealed, delivered…
While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!
Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

Thoughts and Opinions:

          Let me start off by saying how much I enjoy reading Kasie West's books. The first book of hers I've read was the Pivot Point series. I love all her books and I was very excited when I finally decided to read this book. I have been seeing this book every where on my bookstagram and I felt like I was missing out since I haven't read it yet. So here I am, writing a review half an hour after I finished reading the book, around 2 in the morning. 

          This book is about a girl named Lily, who is adorably awkward and has a world of her own. She listens to bands most people wouldn't usually listen to or do things that people would think was "weird". She also has a very adorable sense of humour that most people who really know her only understand. Not to mention, she is also an aspiring song writer. Everywhere she goes, she carries her notebook around with her where she has ideas and half finished songs written, along with some doodles. Chemistry isn't her best subject so during this period, she usually spends time writing song lyrics on her notebook or doodling. That is until her chemistry teacher calls her out about it and tells her that she needs to get her grades up and that he doesn't want to see her notebook out in class and has to provide him a sheet with notes by the end of each class. Trying really hard to focus, she couldn't help but write something, so she writes a lyric on her desk instead. The next day, she notices that someone has also written on the desk, it was the next line of the previous lyrics that she wrote down. Eventually, she and the mystery pen pal exchange notes through papers and letters. As the days go by, she can't help but feel compelled and intrigued by the mystery pen pal.

          I think one of the reasons as to why I liked this book is because of Lily's character. I can relate to her awkwardness because that is me in school and pretty much anytime I have to "socialise" with people. It also didn't hurt that I love love love her sarcastic sense of humour. Even though I already predicted who her anonymous pen pal is (which I got right btw!) I still wanted to read it. I was curious as to how everything would turn out because our MC is very unpredictable and anything can happen in books. I was amused by all the idea of the book and I regardless of the fact that the romance part of it it may be unrealistic. However, it contains the craziness of life and the fact that not everything goes the way as planned which made the book even better. The book contains the idealism of family and how we all want to have that "normal" family like in those perfect Hollywood shows, but this book showed that every family is different and there are no such thing as "normal". It shows how communication is really important, things can get lost in translation and the only way of dealing with it is through facing it head on. 

         As much as I enjoyed this book, I couldn't give it a 5. I feel like I was left with the cliff hanger. I needed to know more of what happens after the book. Did they end up together after highschool? Did she get into the school she wanted? Did she win the contest? So many unanswered questions! But what I really really want to know is how her song sounds. I want to hear what it must've sounded with a guitar and what the tune would've been. Overall, I found this book very cute and it didn't even matter that the story is cliché or unrealistic, because I feel like Kasie West did a great job at writing and expressing the story.

January Wrap-Up

Books I've Read This Month of January:

1. Firebird Series by Claudia Gray:
A Thousand Pieces of you
Marguerite Caine's physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite's father is murdered, and the killer—her parent's handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul— escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows—including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul's guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father's death is far more sinister than she expected.



Ten Thousand Skies Above You
Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions. Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared. 





 A Million Worlds With You
The fate of the multiverse rests in Marguerite Caine’s hands. Marguerite has been at the center of a cross-dimensional feud since she first traveled to another universe using her parents’ invention, the Firebird. Only now has she learned the true plans of the evil Triad Corporation—and that those plans could spell doom for dozens or hundreds of universes, each facing total annihilation. Paul Markov has always been at Marguerite’s side, but Triad’s last attack has left him a changed man—angry and shadowed by tragedy. He struggles to overcome the damage done to him, but despite Marguerite’s efforts to help, Paul may never be the same again. So it’s up to Marguerite alone to stop the destruction of the multiverse. Billions of lives are at stake. The risks have never been higher. And Triad has unleashed its ultimate weapon: another dimension’s Marguerite—wicked, psychologically twisted, and always one step ahead. 




2. Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows:
The Orphan Queen
Wilhelmina has a hundred identities. She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne. She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone. She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others.

 The Mirror King
Wilhelmina has a hundred enemies. HER FRIENDS HAVE TURNED. After her identity is revealed during the Inundation, Princess Wilhelmina is kept prisoner by the Indigo Kingdom, with the Ospreys lost somewhere in the devastated city. When the Ospreys’ leader emerges at the worst possible moment, leaving Wil’s biggest ally on his deathbed, she must become Black Knife to set things right. 
HER MAGIC IS UNCONTROLLABLE. Wil’s power is to animate, not to give true life, but in the wraithland she commanded a cloud of wraith mist to save herself, and later ordered it solid. Now there is a living boy made of wraith—destructive and deadly, and willing to do anything for her.
HER HEART IS TORN. Though she’s ready for her crown, declaring herself queen means war. Caught between what she wants and what is right, Wilhelmina realizes the throne might not even matter. Everyone thought the wraith was years off, but already it’s destroying Indigo Kingdom villages. If she can’t protect both kingdoms, soon there won’t be a land to rule.
In this stunning conclusion to THE ORPHAN QUEEN, Jodi Meadows follows Wilhelmina’s breathtaking and brave journey from orphaned criminal on the streets to magic-wielding queen.

3. Love Series by Tina Reber:
Love Unscripted
An A-List Movie Star. . . Ryan Christensen just wanted to be an actor. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine a life where fans would chase him, paparazzi would stalk him, and Hollywood studios would want to own him. While filming in Seaport, Rhode Island, Ryan ducks into a neighborhood bar for a quick escape from legions of screaming fans . . . and finds much more than he expected. A Small-Town Girl. . .  Nursing a recent heartbreak, Taryn Mitchell believes men are best kept at a safe distance. But when Ryan Christensen unexpectedly bursts through the front door of her pub, she can’t help but be drawn in by his humor, charm, and undeniable good looks. At six foot two, with dirty blond hair, blue eyes, and an incredible body, Ryan has every girl in Seaport swooning. But Taryn isn’t every other girl. A Relationship That Doesn’t Follow the Script. . .  Despite her better judgment, Taryn soon finds herself falling hard for Ryan. But is their bond strong enough to survive the tabloid headlines, the relentless paparazzi, and the jealous fans who seem 
determined to tear them apart?

Love Unrehearsed
There is no rehearsal for true love. When A-list film actor Ryan Christensen ducked into her pub to escape his screaming fans, never in a million years did Taryn Mitchell think her life was about to change forever. But now, eight months later, after a whirlwind romance, Taryn wakes up in Ryan’s Hollywood hotel room to find a diamond to die for on her left ring finger—and her face splashed across the cover of every gossip magazine. Ryan’s very public proposal is catnip to the tabloids, his management team is worried, and Taryn must figure out how a small town girl like her fits into his glittering world. What does it take to make a relationship work amidst telephoto lenses, daily on-set temptations, and jealous fans who will stop at nothing to keep you from walking down the aisle with the man of your dreams? With no script to follow and no chance for a dress rehearsal, Taryn and Ryan will be forced to take the plunge and risk everything to make their love last.




3. Pucked by Helena Hunting
Pucked
With a famous NHL player for a step-brother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation many hockey stars come with. She’s smart enough to steer clear of those hot, well-built boys with unparalleled stamina. That is until she meets the legendary team captain—Alex Waters. Violet isn’t interested in his pretty, beat-up face, or his rock-hard six-pack abs. But when Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s previous misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes more than just a hot body with a face to match. In what can only be considered a complete lapse in judgment, Violet finds out just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. But what starts out as a one-night stand, quickly turns into something more. Post-night of orgasmic magic, Alex starts to call, and text, and e-mail and send extravagant—and quirky—gifts, making him difficult to ignore, and even more difficult not to like. The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game. 


Forever Pucked
Being engaged to Alex Waters, team captain and the highest paid NHL player in the league, is awesome. How could it not be? In addition to being an amazing hockey player, he’s an incurable romantic with an XL heart, and an XXL hockey stick in his pants. And he knows how to use it. Incredibly, orgasmically well. Alex is the whole package and more. Literally. Like his package is insane. Total world record holder material. So it makes complete sense that Violet Hall can’t wait to nail him down to the matrimonial mattress and become Mrs. Violet Waters. It’s so romantic. Violet is totally stoked to set a date. Eventually. At some point. Likely before the next millennium. Or when Violet stops getting hives every time someone brings up the wedding, and their mothers stop colluding on stadium sized venues. Whichever comes first.