Reread: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K Rowling

November 3, 2017November 2, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

17347384 I’m not gonna write a “normal” review on this one. Mostly because it would not be fair. I do love Harry Potter, no questions about it. I grew up in the Harry Potter prime time and read all the books and had all the stuffs and when the movies came I watch them over and over again and what not. There where no books and movies that I loved as much as I loved Harry Potter. And it is the one series I wish I could forget so that I would be able to read them as “New” again. And it will be the one series I will be reading for my future children and grandchildren.

However, now as I reread the books in a grown up age, I see and perceive the books in a different way then I did as an child. Not necessary a bad way, just different. And since I have seen the movies to many times to count, I do not feel comfortable in writing a accurate review since my feelings from when I was a child, the movie and my grown up perspective is muddled together and I cant separate them enough to be fair. Does it make sense?

Do not misunderstand me here. I do love the Potter series and I give the book the five star rating that it deserve, there just will not be an official review from me on it.

Wonder – R.J Palacio

September 26, 2017September 26, 2017 Book Chick2 Comments

11387515 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He’s about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you’ve ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie’s just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

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My thoughts: What a heartwarming, sweet little book that I´m so happy I got to read (or actually listening on). The book is funny, sweet and makes you laugh and cry. Little to many cliches and the book is a little to fluffy sometimes but it is still a really great book.

We meet August. A boy born with a heavy facial deformity. He is starting a regular school for the first time and the book is about him, his first year, his friends, his enemy’s, his family and his family’s friends. We get to see and learn about August from all the people around him.

The book takes on the hard topic about being different and struggling in a world there everyone is suppose to be perfect. There is bullying, hard words, the struggle to fit in and the struggle to be a good person. The struggle to be brave and the happiness in being original and just your self.

Me myself got a huge flashback to my early school years trough this book. I was bullied a lot in school and had low self esteem. Hardly any friends. The desire to just fit in was big. The book brought it all out. I was August when growing up. I was his friends and his sister and the feelings I long ago forgotten started poring back. I think that is a huge reason to why I love this book, since I in some ways can relate with August even though I don’t have a disability. I can relate, understand and now as I´m an adult I can see that I have come really far from that small, scared little girl I once was. And it gives me the hope that everything is possible and if we all could look outside off our self, books like this wouldn’t be needed.

I love the book. And yeah i do agree with some of the reviews on goodreads that just being disable in any way do not make you great och deserves a medal. But I think some of them do not think that this is a more of a children book. It is suppose to have a happy ending. It is suppose to take up a hard topic in a way that i child can understand. It is supposed to show that great tings happens to great people and to be kind and open toward others.

In November the movie about August is having its premier. Me of course is gonna see the move and I’m totally gonna remember this one and read this for my future children.

Have you read the book and what did you think about it?

Contemporary · Romance · Sports/Games · Young, New adult/College

The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me – Mariana Zapata

September 16, 2017September 26, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: Vanessa Mazur knows she’s doing the right thing. She shouldn’t feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she’s beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn’t find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He’s asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

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My thoughts: I have had like three books by Mariana Zapata in my electronic library for ever and when I finally read this, I certainly do not regret it. I dont know why I hesitated so to read her books. This one for example has an 4,34 in average rating and over 30.000 people have rated it and there is over 3000 reviews on the book. It should say something. But after my experience I do not often like the stuff that “everybody else loves”. But I did love this one. Not 5 star loved it but still loved. And I shall explain why.

First of, the book is on like 700 pages, but that I hardly noticed because the story captured me from the beginning. I love the characters and the dynamic in the book. I love the fast, funny banter between them and how it all just evolves. I love the up and downs and I specially love the female character Vanessa. That is a girl with skin on here nose and when you think on here childhood and the person she has evolved till, you cant stop loving her even more. Aiden however is so silent and closed for the major part of the book that its hard to get to know him, but also he is a great characters and you will see that as soon you get to know him.

The reason the book not got a full pot is because it was kind of slow. Not boring slow really, but still slow. Some things could have happen a lot sooner and some stuff should have been said earlier. Due to this it made me not get that 100% connection with the book that I need to have to be able to give a five star review. But the book is pretty damn close and I certainly will be reading more from her.

DNF · Romance · Sports/Games · Young, New adult/College

Bender – Stacy Borel

September 15, 2017September 26, 2017 Book ChickLeave a comment

21971980 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: All Keegan wanted was a roommate who was quiet, minded their own business, and paid for part of the rent. Instead, she got Camden Brooks.

Camden, with his sinful body, sharp tongue, and the inability to stay out of Keegan’s personal space, couldn’t seem to curb his interest in the new girl who wouldn’t put up with his domineering ways.

Feelings were running rampant, sexual tension was thick, and both were struggling to let go of control.

To some people, getting a roommate simply meant living with another person. But to both Camden and Keegan it was a curve ball that neither was prepared to swing at.

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My thoughts: My good! I will not waste much more time on this one because i really hate it. Hate it!. Wow I do not say that often about books and I realize now that I should just have ended it and marked it as DNF (did not finish), but you fellow readers probably understands me when I say that I hoped that it would get better. I really did and so wrong I had. I need to start listening on my gut feeling. I saw early in the book that this would turn out to be nothing for me.

The writing is bad, the story is bad, the characters is bad. I wanted just to jump in the book, get in Keegans face and scream “GROW UP“. My god! I felt like I was back in high school there some moments and in the end all I wanted to do was:

Which pretty much says it all. So no more from me about this piece of crap. Over and out.

Romance · Young, New adult/College

Kid – Marie James

September 6, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

29613668 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: When Khloe Devaro’s best friend and fiancé is lost to the war in Iraq, she’s beyond distraught. Her intentions of joining him in the afterlife are thwarted by a Cerberus Motorcycle Club member. Too young to do anything on her own, the only alternative she has now is to take Kid up on his offer to stay at the MC Clubhouse. As if that’s not a disaster waiting to happen, but anything is better than returning to the foster home she’s been forced to live in the last three years.

Dustin “Kid” Andrews spent four years as a Marine; training, fighting, and learning how to survive the most horrendous of conditions. He never imagined that holding a BBQ fundraiser for a local fallen soldier would end up as the catalyst that turns his world upside down. Resisting his attraction for a girl he’s not even certain is of legal age was easy, until he’s forced to intervene when her intentions become clear. All his training is wasted as far as he’s concerned since none of that will help him when it comes to Khloe.

Will the self-proclaimed man-whore sleep with a woman in every country he visits as planned, or will the beautiful, yet feisty girl living down the hall throw a wrench in his plan?

My thoughts: Terrible. Is it just me who is getting old and don´t find this type of books that believable and frankly, quite excessive. I mean, come on! It had all the potential to be good. Here you have a young, strong but broken girl/woman who lost her best friend and fiancé. Completely alone in the world and not yet old enough to do something about her situation, makes the depression a factor and the will to live not that strong anymore. In comes the good guy. The good hearted, good guy who just want to help. The guy who sees beyond the walls and layers of barbed wire. They fell in love and….. there it ends. The rest is just immature drama and not really exciting.

The story gets immature and sexually excessive. There is a lot of talk about the same thing from both Kid and Khloe. Then a situation happen and it all just gets worse. And nothing seems real for me anymore. And the whole sexual atmosphere is just to mature and don´t fit in with the characters and its just wrong. No! No, no no. I liked the first book, but this one, no. And quite frankly, I don´t even know if I want to read more of her books now.

Contemporary · Humor/Funny · Romance · Young, New adult/College

Truth or Beard – Penny Reid

August 30, 2017August 30, 2017 Book Chick3 Comments

23314731 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why Jessica James, recent college graduate and perpetual level-headed good girl, has been in naïve and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life.

His friendly smiles make her tongue-tied and weak-kneed, and she’s never been able to move beyond her childhood crush. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can’t stand him, and she’s pretty sure he can’t stand the sight of her…

But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. Jessica James has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane’s disdain; therefore she’s unprepared for the reality that is Duane’s insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica’s muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order.

Certainly, Beau’s magic spell is broken. Yet when Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, now more dangerous than ever, how much of her level-head heart is she willing to risk?

My thoughts: I had this book in my kindle for months. It had such good reviews that I felt that this book/series I needed to read. And when I finally got around to do it, I wasn’t disappointed.

In this book you are introduced to the Winston brothers. There is 6 brothers and one sister. They are a tight family, who hadn’t have the best childhood. They all have their own quirks and seem to be characters I will be falling in love with in the future. This book is mostly about Duane and Jessica. I love Duane. The first impression of him is so wrong and when you get to meet the real Duane, you fall hard. Jessica is a warm and really likable characters. I often has problems with female characters in this kind of books but not Jessica. She is a grown up, funny, strong woman with enough self perspective to stop her self when she sees she is being ridicules. I LOVE THAT!

The whole book was realistic and the story felt real. It was a really great book that many times made my chest retract and give me that anxiety/tingling feeling in my stomach. I was on pins and needles when I read and tried to get to the good parts where the truth was out and everything was as it should be. Unfortunately I was missing something, I felt it was a bit slow sometimes and that´s the reason to why I cant give it a full 5 stars.

It is an adorable book and i really looking forward to read more.