My True Love Gave To Me

Title: My True Love Gave To Me

"Long, cold nights are for falling
in love."

Author: Stephanie Perkins (Editor)

First Published: 2014

Series: Stand-Alone (12 short stories)

Genre: YA, Romance

Available As: Hardcover, Ebook

My Rating: 9.5/10

My True Love Gave To Me is a book, edited by Stephanie Perkins, containing 12 winter romances! This was my Christmas present, and I was so excited to read this book, especially during Christmas! I was definitely not disappointed by the book!

Goodreads Summary:

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or New Year's there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons this season to stay indoors and fall in love.

1. Midnights by Rainbow Rowell. It tells the story of a young girl who meets a boy
with whom she slowly falls in love with. The story revolves around each New Year's Eve they spend together. It's cute and sweet. I was captivated by the plot straight away. From the beginning, you can tell it's going to be a great story.

2. The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link. It was a nice story, but the writing wasn't as captivating as it could've been.

3. Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Peña was epic. It started strongly, and ended strongly. It's not your cliché love story, but the main character was definitely someone you could relate and sympathise with. Of course, Haley was awesome. You can tell those two are in loooove!

4. Polaris Is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han. I haven't read any books by her (but I'm planning on it!) but I've heard mixed reviews about her writing. Some say she's a great writer, but some say she's not the best. I agree with the former! Her writing is really nice! (Minus the open ended ending)

5. It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins absolutely warmed my heart. The characters were really unique, especially North. It's not everyday a guy comes and helps you rearrange your apartment and life, for that matter.

6. Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan was quite good. The style of writing was nice, and it was quite funny. It isn't your average Christmas romance, so *winks*, get ready.

7. Krampuslauf by Holly Black was interesting. I've seen reviews about her writing, and they were pretty mixed as well. Apart from the title (that my brain found confusing to pronounce - or that's just my limited vocal chords), the story was okay!

8. What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman was an okay read. I have ready other books by her: If I Stay and Just One Day. Her writing is fabulous! The plot was well though out, just... I took longer than expected.

9. Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire was pretty interesting. The characters were likeable and so was the plot.

10. Welcome to Christmas, CA  by Kiersten White was amazing. Maria works at a restaurant, and they just hired a new chef. She's experiencing some family troubles, and the chef helps a lot. This story nearly made me cry buckets, especially the ending. It was so heart-warming an I re-read it twice!

11. Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter was a very interesting story. There was also a touch of mystery, so it really brought forth the mood.

12. The Girl Who Woke The Dreamer by Laini Taylor was a really different story from the others. This seems to be set in some alternate universe where magic is everywhere. The title is also quite eye-catching and I loved the story.

So, these 12 winter romances were absolutely amazing to read. I was sitting there, with my hot chocolate, devouring the book. And it was the time of my life! This is one of the best books to read during the winter, and you can also find this book on my Winter Recommendations post!
So, happy winter! And enjoy what's left of it! :)

Movie Adaptations of 2014!

Movies are so exciting in the cinemas!

Is it just me, or do you get excited to see your favourite book being made into a movie? I love it! Unless the movie turns out to be horrible, like some certain movie I can think of ;)

Usually the movie adaptations are not horrible, they're pretty good. Directors miss out details here and there, but it's not much of a big deal.

Does anyone remember the movie adaptations of books in 2014?

1. Mockingjay, Part One was crazy! It missed out a couple of details, but does it matter a great deal? No. Josh Hutcherson's acting was incredible; he portrayed tortured Peeta in the most intense and amazing way. The ending though, was a (sort of?) cliffhanger! Why another year?
2. The Maze Runner was absolutely amazing! It was like the book, apart from missing out a few details here. They took out the complicated code and the telepathy between Thomas and Teresa! It would've been cooler, but it might've been too complicated. The movie was a bit simpler, but was as exciting as the book!
3. Divergent was pretty good! I read the book a couple of years back, back when nobody had even heard of it, so my feelings for it were quite neutral. Once I heard a movie was being made, I decided to re-read it, and I was quite excited! The movie took out the butter-knife scene, which disappointed me a bit, but nevertheless, it was great!
4. The Fault In Our Stars was such a heart-breaking book, and a heart-wrenching movie! The cast was impeccable, and they stuck close to the book. I loved how John Green appeared in a small scene (I screamed!) and of course, the movie made me cry, as did the book.
5. If I Stay was a great movie. It followed the book to an extent, and really brought forth the waterworks. Isn't Chloe Grace Moretz a great actor? She totally fits Mia perfectly!

If I missed out any movies, I'm sorry! But, if you liked or didn't like these movies, let me know what you thought of them! And have a Happy New Year!

The Chrysalids

"If you run away from a thing just
because you don't like it, you don't
like what you find either."

Title: The Chrysalids

Author: John Wyndham

First Published: 1955


Series: Stand-alone

Genre: Classic, Dystopia

Available As: Paperback, hardcover, ebook

My Rating: 7.5/10

Watch thou for the mutant! These phrases has stuck with David all his life. Anyone found with a deviation must be killed. At first, David believes in this saying, but as the years go by, he slowly by slowly loses his faith. He just doesn't understand! What makes them so different, just because of a small physical difference? Until David realises he also has a
deviation. And everything is now at stake.

Reading The Chrysalids was like a taste of fresh dystopia. It was told a bit differently from the dystopian books we read nowadays. It is almost scary how much Wyndham was close to predicting how our world is like now.

David started off as a young, naive boy in the beginning. He blindly accepted everything that was happening, even when he knew it was wrong. Throughout the book, he slowly opens his mind more and more to the world around him, and he finally understands how it is wrong to live the way he has lived all his life.

One thing irked me in the book though. Why does David have to fall in love with Rosalind? And vice versa? But I guess, love is love and there is no controlling it.

The ending is an open ending. We never really find out what happens to all the characters (do we ever?), and all we know is that most of them will get their happy ending. This was a really good dystopian book, written about half a century ago. Does it remind us of our world today? In some ways, it does. These older dystopian books aren't really just for enjoyment (although it can be), but rather some kind of foreshadowing, if we're assuming our whole existence is like a book. Foreshadowing for a future that is yet to come.

Winter Reads

Winter is here! And it's the perfect time to find a great book to snuggle and read with. A cup of hot chocolate anyone? Cookies? Gingerbread cookies? Or... Starbucks? Tea?

Enough about food. What about the books?!

Here in this little post, I'll give you a small list of my all-time favourite books to read during the winter, and maybe you would like to check them out! Or maybe tell me your favourite winter books, if you have any!

Let's begin.

1. Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle. Who doesn't love this book for Christmas-y feels? It is a winter romance anyways. Three little stories about different people. But they all link together in the end! It's really cute, and I love how they seem to intertwine and end. It's a really sweet story; what can you expect from these three authors? They're the best!

2. Girl Online by Zoe Sugg. It's a cute love story, but it's not only about love. It's also about life, facing fears, and standing up for what's right. Who doesn't love a story with so many different themes? Oh yeah, the main character Penny is also a kind girl, and it's hard not to like her.

3. Sweet Honey by Cathy Cassidy. It's actually the fifth book in the Chocolate Box Girls series, but who cares? Although, it may be better if you read the first few books in the series. It's great, really. It's about Honey turning over a new leaf, but of course, the past never really goes away. Like they say!

4. My True Love Gave To Me, which is a collection of 12 short stories. The stories are very cute, and the short stories are written by famous romance authors! The book was put together by Stephanie Perkins, and it's really pretty.

Are there more? Yeah! Of course! They're tons of books to read over the winter, and here are just some suggestions. If you have any recommendations, feel free to just comment!

Stay warm, and read a book!

Girl Online

"Every time you post something online
you have a choice."

Title: Girl Online

Author: Zoe Sugg (A.K.A Zoella)

First Published: 2014

Series: Stand alone

Available As: Hardcover

My Rating: 8.5/10

Under the pseudonym 'Girl Online', Penny writes all about her life, her troubles, her happiness on her anonymous blog. It was just her way of escaping her life and be herself. She was able to write all her feelings without the fear of being found out. Except for her best friend Elliot, of course. He was the only one who knew about her blog.

When her parents bring Penny to America to help with organising a wedding, she meets the charming, mysterious, sweet Noah. The guy that seems to be her soulmate, her first love. Life just seemed to get a lot better in a couple of days. And of course, she blogs about this Brooklyn Boy. But, what if her sweet relationship just got a whole lot sour?

Girl Online was such a great book about facing your fears and first love. Penny was an awkward, down-to-earth girl, who is likeable. She learned to face her fears and conquer them through many different ways, thanks to the support of her family and friends. She's quiet, shy, but also stands up for what's right. And this book can teach you so much.

This here is Penny's tent. Keep out!
... unless your name is Noah.

Girl Online is Zoe's first novel, and it was written perfectly. It had those moments where you would just want to melt, cry or laugh at the same time. It was very mature, and told exactly from the perspective of a teenage girl. Overall, it was a really good read, and it is perfect for a warm winter day.

Why winter? I don't know. Probably because I read this during winter. By the way, don't you wish for a tent with fairy lights? How beautiful would that be?

Once

"Everyone deserves something good
in their life. At least once."

Title: Once

Author: Morris Gleitzman

First Published: 2005

Series: Once Series

Genre: Historical Fiction

Available As: Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook, Ebook

My Rating: 9/10

Felix is a 10 year old Polish boy living in World War II. He was originally from an orphanage where his parents dropped him off when he was little. One day in the orphanage, Felix witnesses police burning all the books and he is intrigued why they would do that. He then runs away in search of his parents, to find that the world isn't what it seemed.

World War II is a brutal war fought for many years. Told from the events from the Holocaust, Felix was on the run from the Nazis and struggling to survive. Being Jewish, he knew that if he was ever caught, he would never make it back alive. Journeying through the co
untry, he is joined by a girl called Zelda and they both made their way to the city, where they meet some friends in hiding.

Once is told from Felix's point of view, where he is struggling to survive and understand the world for it isn't as he once knew it. In the city, he meets Barney, a Jewish dentist, who is taking care of children in hiding. Through most of the book, Felix believes that his parents are alive and waiting for him to bring him home, until he witnesses the actual world. But being with these people, Felix finally understands the true danger of the world.

This book is a very sad yet heart-warming book. It gives of the aura of hope and tragedy. Like, even though things are horrible and it couldn't get any worse, there is still some good out there. Also, Felix is filled with hope for a better life for him and his friends. He keeps his hope until the end. When things were bleak, he would tell stories to the children in hiding and bring some happiness and laughter to their lives.

This book is a beautiful book and is wonderfully written. It was quite sad, but it's a great read.

Checkmate

Title: Checkmate

"If you're naive- which means immature,
inexperienced or a bit
thick- you get eaten alive."

Author: Malorie Blackman

First Published: 2005

Series: Noughts & Crosses Sequence, followed by Double Cross

Available As: Paperback, ebook

My Rating: 8/10

Callie Rose, daughter of Sephy and Callum, has grown up. She's 16, and dealing with a stressful life. But she's not as normal as the average teenage girl. She was secretly helping the Liberation Militia and training to be a bomber with the help of her uncle, Jude. Also piled on her plate is her love life troubles. Such a confusing life for a teenage girl.

Checkmate is told in different perspectives, ranging from Callie Rose's, Sephy's, Jude's, Meggie's, and Jasmine's. All the characters are in conflict with another. Callie Rose is on bad terms with her mother, Sephy. Their relationship had gone downhill ever since Callie found out that Sephy had been lying to her about her father's true identity. Jasmine is determined to put an end to Jude's reign. Violence and pain is filled in these pages.

Callie Rose takes after both Sephy and Callum. She's sweet, loving, and a fighter. She knows what's right, although she doesn't realise this until she's older. However, she's blinded by her fantasies most of the time to realise what is going on in the real world.

Checkmate is a game position in chess, the final move. It suits the book very well. It's practically a game for the characters. Especially for Jude. To solve their conflicts and to win at the same time. Unfortunately, not everyone can have a happy ending; not everyone can win.

For every game, there has to be someone who wins, and someone who loses