The Selection – Kiera Cass

“Sometimes people don’t know whether to interpret silence as confidence or fear.”

America Singer is one of the fortunate girls who has been selected for The Selection – a competition. The prize? The heart and hand of the deviously handsome – but boring as hell – prince, Maxon Caliv Sohreave and the crown of Illéa.

35 stunning girls… 35 competitive rivals. It is a chance of a lifetime for America. By stealing the heart of Maxon, she can have the crown on her head, power in her hands and basically anything handed to her in a silver platter.

But this is not what she wants. She wants to marry her first love Aspen. But this dream is easier dreamt than lived. She has a lot of things to worry about. They are from different castes which is the reason of all their problems. But now that she is Selection, she has begun to question if this, is what she really wants in life. Read the first installment of The Selection to begin with the not – so – easy journey of America living as a princess.

Honestly, I couldn’t agree more with the beginning quote. The quote is flawlessly perfect and philosophical. Talking about the book, The Selection is set in the future dystopian America presently known as Illéa. There are castes and positions. America is a Five & Aspen is a Six.

One thing which could have been better in the beginning would be the introduction of this caste system. Later in the novel, this system is elaborated but due to the lack of information in the first few chapters, the book might be confusing for some.

The Selection is a beautiful but girly novel. Cass has a way to intrigue you and end every chapter with something dramatic that you have no idea what to expect in the next few chapters. But no matter what, the book was good. Sorry, but just good. It was not so extraordinary that I initially assumed. But, I do need to admit that of all the dystopian novels I have read, I found this one to be the best. 

Seriously though, neither did the book exceed my expectations nor did it let me down. It just about touched them. But one good thing was that it was not your Cinderella retelling. This book was definitely one of its kind. Also, there were many laugh out loud moments which, honestly, I wasn’t expecting in such a serious setting of the novel.

The worst part was that the book had a love triangle. A freaking Love Triangle! I loathe love triangles with every single inch of my bones. I get worked up in such cases and tend to have very violent thoughts about the protagonist who has to choose. Even when it is obvious that you belong with the first person, you end up giving hope to both the protagonists and ultimately hurt both of them. Like Hell!? What is your problem? Go Big or go home! Choose one but do not hurt the other one by giving him hope!

Apart from that, the characters were somewhat realistic. Key word being ‘somewhat’. Although, I really did like Maxon. His character was something which exceeded my expectations. I expected him to be slightly cocky, self – conceited and very strict. Rather, I found he was the polar opposite of it. He was really kind and gentle. He was just like a normal teenager forced to gain maturation earlier than usual because he was a prince.

America’s character was what frustrated me the most. She is very whiny and at times, ungrateful. The first time she met Maxon, she lashed out on him. Why? Because she was terribly homesick and not over her breakup with Aspen (her boyfriend and first love). The only thing I liked about America was her determination. She had some self – restrain and did not immediately take any action. No matter what anyone said to her, she rarely talked back. Though, during most of the part of the novel, it was a very pleasing idea to somehow get into the novel and give her a piece of my mind (more like my hand).

Anyway, excluding the few moments when I had the utmost desire to hurl my laptop out the window, the book was a quick read. You should definitely give the book a chance because the second book in the series The Elite is better than this one. So, in my opinion, you should give this series a go.

The book did teach me a few things like every book does. It is not easy to live with power and authority and have everyone love you. This is mere fantasy. Not everyone will like you if you are above them. They will be envious and they will try to bring you down. But no matter what, you should never lose your cool and learn to let their envy guide you to your destination. After all, we all know that “It is the fear of looking stupid that stops us from becoming AWESOME…”

So, until the next time…

Adios Amigos!  

Worth a Thousand Words – @Wattpad

“They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes, just sometimes, someone or something comes along and changes your whole outlook forever.”

Harley – A loner in school who loves photography. Ryan – the gorgeous new guy who has a sparking interest in basketball. What happens when both of them are paired for a photography project? A picture is worth a thousand words. Harley, being a photographer believes it but Ryan, being an amateur believes it to be something more. Which way will their story turn? Most importantly – Good or Bad…?

I personally have always have been fascinated towards photography because I find it so deep and meaningful. The way it describes the photographer and the person is simply awesome. Only a few people are able to understand this tiny lil’ secret of photography.

Coming back to the book, I can confidently say that this is one of the very few books which have third person narration and have yet enthralled me. Seriously though, this book was really something else. The hard work of the author can practically be seen while reading this book. My heartiest appreciations are with the author.

Another amusing thing about this book was the way it was written. Despite being written in the third person, it was not confusing. It was easier to understand and a light and entertaining read.

Well, any of my review is incomplete without me talking about the characters. So basically, Harley Williams is our regular loner except with an interest – or more like obsession – with photography.

Ryan Smith would be our signature bad boy just without the bad boy attitude. He is a self – conceited jerk & but he is not a playboy. Rather, he has a very pleasing and welcoming personality. Girls are more than willing to throw themselves at him but he is least bothered. This makes him stand apart in the wild crowd of male protagonists in teen fiction.

And now, before you guys ask… No! Ryan Smith is not available on eBay, amazon, Snap Deal or anywhere else for that matter. (Damn? I know right…!) He is only reserved for our Harley Williams. Sorry peeps…! You can’t have him… *winks*

Over and all, the book was great and no doubt about it being one of its kind. I recommend this book to the people who are looking for something funny & light, yet amusing at the same time.

Finally, Ladies and Gentlemen… I officially present you my newest favorite couple… The gorgeous, cute, awesome and photogenic Harley Williams & the handsome, hot, wonderful and lovey Ryan Smith.

So guys…! Keep reading! Keep Dreaming! Until the next time peeps…!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – JK Rowling

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

Harry Potter is a wizard who is delivered to the porch of his aunt and uncle’s house after his parents’ demise. His Aunt and uncle are very… Malicious would a good word, I guess. Soon, he is enrolled in the Hogwards School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he meets Albus Dumbledore. The headmaster of the school and the guardian of Harry.

What happen when suddenly things start to go downhill? Harry and his friends – Ron Wesley and Hermione Granger – have mysteries to solve and secrets to crack. Join Harry in this magical and mystical journey as a wizard.

The first edition of the wizarding extravaganza by Rowling, this book is irrefutably the most popular book on the entire planet. Yes, you read it right… PLANET. For the people who have been living in a cave for the past 15 years, this is a fantasy book which is tremendously renowned.  

The character of Harry, since the very beginning is shown as deferential and stoical. He never complains about the way his aunt and uncle treat him. This shows the utmost respect he holds for family relations. He also has a very sweet personality and it becomes really difficult not to get attached to him.

The narration of this book was in third person. Also, I would admit that after the Fallen series, this is the only book in which the third person narration did not matter to me. It was not as if I wasn’t able to connect to the book. In my personal opinion, this was because the entire narration showed only Harry’s outlook on certain circumstances. The only thing different was that instead of using ‘I’, the author has used ‘He’.

This first book, at a very steady pace introduces you to the magical world at Hogwards. You slowly start becoming accustomed to things and people appearing out of the blue. Also, while reading the series further, you will not find it queer to find a cat transforming into a lady (Yes! It did happen in the book.) Rowling has a very descriptive way of familiarize you with the world of wizardry. The petty things described with such minor details are what makes the book realistic.

In my opinion, the biggest reason for the surreal success of the book were its characters. The friendship of Harry, Ron and Hermione are sure to touch a few string in your heart. Also, all the characters, the professors, the fellow wizards, Dumbledore and the bad guys have a significantly believable personality. They are eccentric and flawed which is what makes them real. 

Because a flawless person, is not real. He is just akin to a surreal dream.

The dynamic climax of the book will not permit you to put the book down. The way Rowling presents her ideas and views is phenomenal. The sentences are so magnificent that you will love this book no matter what.

Also, many elder people and even some teens think that it is a useless hype about Harry Potter. Guys, I would seriously ask you guys to just read this book. I am sure that when you are halfway through the book, you will be unwilling to put it down because you have fallen in the trap. This book encases you within itself and make you feel like you never wanna leave the confines of this beautiful and incredible world.

Until now, the book is a fairly light read and does not disclose many of the dark secrets but… Guys, beware, this series is like a drug. The more you consume, the more you desire… And oh well, of course, my advice is:

DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS BOOK!

Trust me, you really are missing out a very wonderful world which you can easily be a part of. All you have to do is: Purchase a copy of the book, make a steaming cup of hot chocolate, lie down in your comforter, put on your glasses and dive into this book of magic, spells, wizards, witches, friends and… suspense…

Until the next time…

Adios Amigos… 

His Last Hope – @Wattpad

“The canvas of a menacing blue,

And soon comes out, the shining moon.

Thousands of stars, sparkling bright,

In this hellhole of darkness, distributing light.

She was like that star to him,

She was the one to set him free.

From the confines of his thoughts,

Which were making his senses rot.

She stood beside him, no matter what!

She sneaked up on his secrets, fearless of being caught.

She broke down all his walls,

Helping him, to stand so tall.

She tolerated his anger and stubbornness,

When he was drowning in the ocean of stress.

She made him learn how to cope,

And it was then he realized, that she, was HIS LAST HOPE…

- Shreya Vijay”

Just prior a month to final exams, Calista Hale, a senior in high school is told the worst news – she is being held back from graduation. The only way she can overcome is obstacle is by tutoring a notorious – or so everyone believes – student, Lincoln Pierce. A pro at deceit and skipping classes. What happens when these two are stuck together? A guy with severe anger issues and a stubborn girl who is desperate for her diploma. What do you get when you combine these two ingredients? Well, you get one heck of a story! So dive into this journey of Calista and Lincoln.

Above, is a poem which totally relates to this book because well, I wrote it for this book only! This book literally brought out my poetic side and compelled me to write this poem. So the first thing I did after reading the book, was write this poem.

Coming to my review, the book is a great piece of writing. Though I have to admit that the summary of the book was not so intriguing but the prologue was what engrossed me. The book is a little slow paced but not so slow that there is a point where nothing is happening. The mystery and thrill in the book is what keeps it going.

Also, this book contains some action scenes which are really descriptive. So if you do not prefer violence, I unfortunately break it to you that this book is not for you. The detailed description of each and every single moment was what I loved. It was like I am able to create the scene in my mind and can live in it as well.

The characters in the book were fictitious because they had little resemblance to reality. But still, they were interesting and made the book great.

Lincoln is a very shady character. It’s like he is always obscured in the shadows. His past is not something he is proud of and he does not trust people easily. He is your typical broken boy who has myriad secrets.

Calista is an outspoken girl, sometimes rude and obnoxious but still, a kind – hearted girl. She is also very magnanimous and caring. At times she can be nosey, but this is what makes her a little realistic. Also, she is not intimidated by Lincoln, rather, his mystifying persona seem to fascinate her.

At first, Calista’s whole and sole purpose was to tutor the guy so that she could pursue her diploma. But as she starts getting closer to Lincoln, she starts seeing through his façade. The guy with a super strong front is forced to grow up due to some grave circumstances.

Over and all, this book is full of mystery and there are thousands of things which you will decipher while diving further and further into their story. The book was decent but one flaw I would point out is that, the chapters are very, very lengthy. In my personal opinion, I like mediocre length chapters because it is a tedious task to read lengthy chapters even if they are interesting.

Other than that, the book is great and the writing of the author is easily understandable. Also, she has a great vocabulary which is very another wonderful feature of the author. Lastly, the book is great and worth reading.

Will Lincoln’s secrets ever be deciphered? Moreover, after knowing his secrets, will Calista still be with Lincoln? Will she be the one to show him what he has been missing on? Maybe, she would…! Because Lincoln has finally realized that she, is his last hope… and he ain’t letting her walk away from him any time soon…

So, until the next time!

Adios Amigos…!   

Can You Save Me? – @Wattpad

“He was created to destroy me but no one told me that. No one told me not to fall in love with him. Not to get trapped in those amber eyes!”

Amber Mickelson – a normal girl – or so she thought until that day… The day her life changed completely. The reason behind that change? None other than the possessor of those beautiful amber eyes – Laserian O’ Fearghaile.

Amber holds a lethal power which could be fatal for a tribe ‘The Hoods’. To save the tribe, the leader – Eibhir Mainle appointed a warrior, a shape shifter to assassinate her. Who?

Laserian O’ Fearghaile – the most ruthless, short tempered and dangerous shape shifter of the Hoods. The only thing he follows are the orders from the leader of the tribe who is like his second father. The prime target of the tribe is Amber Mickelson. Laserian has to kill a girl who is not scared of his cold demeanor. Will Laserian save her from himself or end up doing something which he will regret his entire life?

Fantasy has always been the kind of genre which has only little connection to real life. That is the prime reason that when I am bored out of my wits and am desperate to escape reality, I find peace in fantasy books. And this book too, did not let me down. It was a book which was a proper fantasy and less of teen fiction. Yes, it did have some romantic fragments but, that did not overrule the fantasy portion.

The narration of the story was in the first person from the perspective of both the protagonists. The plus point of this narration was that there was no overlapping of ideas or events. Both the narrations were significantly different from each other and had differences other than the personal feelings of the narrator.

Amber was a very sweet girl but can definitely be scary when she wants to be. She is innocent but not naïve. Other than that, she is also very brave and benevolent. She can pass off as an ambivert because she is neither outspoken nor is she shy.

Laserian O’ Fearghaile. He is my favorite book character. (Well, who isn’t? LOL!) One of the reasons would be that I am a complete sucker for amber eyes. First Cam and now Laserian... Damn dude…! Why aren’t you guys real? I am sure most of these girls here would love to have you for themselves. But girls, you need to be really subtle and careful. We do not want Amber to claw off your face now, do we?

Well, jokes apart, Laserian, despite being a fictional character, portrayed the characteristics of a real man. A few secrets to hide, in denial over his feelings for a girl who he was supposed to kill and obviously confused whether blindly following the orders of Eibhir is a step in the right direction.

Finally, the story is all about shape shifters, prophecies, an oblivious girl with apparent lethal powers and a ruthless and short tempered shape shifter. What will happen when Laserian comes to know the secrets of his tribe? Old friendships are broken whilst new ones are born. New prophecies are disclosed when the old ones are deciphered. In the midst of this rumble, the thing at stake is the love of Amber and Laserian. Will Laserian go to any extent to save Amber? Yes he will! Why? Because:

“His mission to kill, is now, his desire to live…”

Adios Amigos…!  

  

Burned - @Wattpad

Krystal Sanders wants nothing more than the internship at the Gloss Magazine. The only obstacle standing between Krystal and her dream job is the one and only annoying, arrogant, spoiled brat Douglas Burns aka Adonis Hoot.

What happens when the entire hell breaks loose which ends up with Krystal being the oh – so – responsible babysitter of our very own Douglas Burns. Well, the only logical prediction is that both of them are more than ready to rip each other apart… Slowly… Gradually… Limb by limb (Jesus! That was very violent). Yeah? No! Because, the logical never happens in Krystal’s life.

When these two people come closer, they realize that maybe they were hiding their real emotions behind their masquerade. Who will have the honor to slap these two love birds into reality? Who will be the one to see through their facades? Guess you’ll just have to read the book to find out.

Hello my dear friends. This was the not – so – brief summary of the book ‘Burned’. For those who didn’t know, it is the second book in the series of ‘Hate at First Flight’. The thing I liked the best was that despite being the second stand alone in the series, the book was NOTHING like the first one. No film stars, no celebrities, nothing! The only feature which indicates that this is a sort of sequel to Rushed, is the title and the reference of our very own and utterly unique couple… Any guesses? DYLEX…!

So yeah! We are not leaving Dylan behind. (Can I hear the loud cheers from the young girls out there?) Another awesome part was that this book had a summary of Rushed in it. So even if you haven’t read Rushed, you are more than welcome to read this book. You will still get it. There will be NIL confusion about any of the characters or the scenes in this story. Congratulations to the author for accomplishing this task.

Another aspect, I can’t say whether positive or negative, was that it contained a love triangle. Yeah! You are gonna have to root for one of the two guys. One of them being Douglas and the other one… Well, if I tell you, where will the suspense be? So Go Figure…!

Finally, the story features drunken confessions, a love triangle, and a guy holding a burger hostage. Not to forget mentioning, an apparent spoiled brat and a very sassy girl.

His entire life, Douglas has been misinterpreted. What will happen when the only person who happens to see through his façade is pushed away by none other than Douglas himself?

Krystal has a few secrets to hide. What happens when she realizes that Douglas’ past has also not been great? Whenever she comes close to deciphering his secrets, she is pushed away. Will she let Douglas push her away or will she be able to show him what he has been missing his entire life? Read to find it out.

Okay guys! On a very, very serious note, this book features TWO insanely hot guys namely Dylan and Douglas – the choice is definitely yours. Though I would prefer Dylan over Douglas any day. Oh Jesus! There has been a sudden overload of hotness near my laptop and I do not want it to burst. So… Umm…. Yeah!

Until the next time guys…!

Adios Amigos…!