~Views and Reviews~: December 2014

“Everyone’s had shit in their lives. Some people have it worse than others. But no one can turn you into a bad person, just like no one can turn you into a good one. We’re all dealt our hands in life, and how we choose to react is entirely up to us. That’s free will.” from Hushed by Kelley York

16. Shortest & Longest Book I Read In 2014

Shortest: Opposites Attract by Hiba Khan (67 pages)

Longest: Fallout by Ellen Hopkins (665 pages)

17. Book That Shocked Me The Most

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

18. OTP Of The Year (I Will Go Down With This Ship!)

Sophie & Kai from The Blooming Goddess Trilogy by Tellulah Darling

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Theo & Sophie (best friends) from The Blooming Goddess Trilogy by Tellulah Darling

20. Favorite Book I Read In 2014 From An Author I've Read Previously

The Blooming Goddess Trilogy by Tellulah Darling

21. Best Book I Read In 2014 That I Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green because of peer pressure.

22. Newest Fictional Crush From A Book I Read In 2014

Since it says 'newest' I will choose Kai from The Blooming Goddess Trilogy by Tellulah Darling. Another fictional crush who sits on the throne beside Kai is Kyle Hamilton from V is for Virgin by Kelly Oram.

23. Best 2014 Debut I Read?

Butterfly Season by Natasha Ahmed

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting I Read This Year

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

25. Book That Put A Smile On My Face/Was The Most FUN To Read

Opposites Attract by Hiba Khan

26. Book That Made Me Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year

The Blooming Goddess Trilogy/My Ex From Hell by Tellulah Darling

28. Book That Crushed My Soul

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

29. Most Unique Book I Read In 2014

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

30. Book That Made Me The Most Mad (Doesn't Necessarily Mean I Didn't Like It)

Onyx by Jennifer L' Armentrout

MY BLOGGING/BOOKISH LIFE

1. New Favorite Book Blog I Discovered In 2014

The Perpetual Page-Turner

2. Favorite Review I Wrote In 2014

My Life From Hell by Tellulah Darling

3. Best Discussion/Non-Review Post I Had On My Blog

I enjoyed doing the Sunday Spotlight and Currently Watching posts.

4. Best Event That I Participated In (Author Signings, Festivals, Virtual Events, Memes, etc)

Battle of the Book Boyfriends (Hosted by Kelly Oram)

5. Best Moment of Bookish/Blogging Life In 2014

Sadly I haven't been able to read or blog much this year due to college. But I feel like I have grown a lot as a reviewer. I write much better reviews and I've also learned to choose books I most probably will enjoy instead of randomly picking up something. The best moment? I guess when my dad bought me loads of books for my birthday. Not only do I hardly ever get such amazing books at such good deals but my father doesn't usually buy me books. So even though it was a stupid little moment, it meant a lot to me.

6. Most Popular Post This Year On My Blog (Whether It Be By Comments Or Views)

Countdown Survey

7. Post I Wished Got A Little More Love

Battle of the Book Boyfriends

8. Best Bookish Discover (Book Related Sites, Book Stores, etc)

I discovered a book shop (more of a stall than a shop) which sells old and new books at great prices! They also sell manga so that's a plus for my brother. Sadly it's really far from my home.

9. Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I knew this year was going to be a busy one so I didn't join any specific reading challenges. But I did do the reading challenge on Goodreads. I challenged myself to read 30 books and read 31. So yeah, I completed that. :D

LOOKING AHEAD

1. One Book I Didn't Get To In 2014 But Will Be My Number 1 Priority In 2015

Game Of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. I really need to finish that book! It's been ages since I started it then left it in the middle. But since it says a book I didn't get to so I'll say An Abundance of Katherines by John Green because a friend has been pushing me to read it for so long!

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (Non-Debut)

Well I'm not sure if it will release in 2015 or 2016 but I really really want to read Remembrance (Mediator #7) by Meg Cabot.

3. 2015 Debut I Am Most Anticipating

Well nothing in particular... Maybe Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard.

4. Series Ending/A Sequel I Am Most Anticipating In 2015

None

5. One Thing I Hope To Accomplish Or Do In My Reading/Blogging Life In 2015

I hope to write more and better discussion/non-review posts. I also hope to read pending review books.

6. A 2015 Release I've Already Read & Recommend To Everyone

I haven't read any 2015 releases.

Top 10 of 2014~Best Book Boyfriends of 2014

Hosted by Two Chicks On Books, Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, Tales of a Ravenous Reader & Reading YA Rocks

Today's Topic (Thursday, December 25th): Best Book Boyfriends of 2014 (MUST be from a book released in 2014 and from a book you've READ in 2014)

Since I haven't really read many books this year which were released in 2014 I will be making a list only out of the books I read this year.

*All book names are linked to their Goodreads pages.

10. Seamus from Primordial Dust by Sarah Daltry

Seamus was such a sweetheart! I loved him! Despite his lineage he was different and so supportive of Alondra. You can read my review of the book here.

9. Daemon from Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Daemon is hot! And despite how douchy he is at most times, his sweet moments were just so sweet! Read my ~~fangirling~~ full review of the book here.

8. Beau from The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

Even though I didn't like the book much, I loved Beau! He was a bad boy but of the best kind and I and my friend (with whom I read this book) loved Beau!

7. Cinder from Cinder & Ella by Kelly Oram

Cinder a.k.a. Brian Oliver is the best boyfriend ever! Other than being a huge celebrity he is the sweetest person ever!! Read my review of Cinder & Ella here.

6. Alex from Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Alex was so different from the usual bad boys. Most of the time I wanted to give him a huge hug! My review.

5. Augustus from The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Oh come on! Who wouldn't want Augustus Waters as their boyfriend? Handsome, witty and so adorable!

4. Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice Manga by Stacy King & Po Tse

I know I might be cheating by including a manga in this list but this list would be incomplete without the brooding and smoldering Mr. Darcy. You can read my review of the manga here.

3. Dash from Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan & Rachel Cohn

I reread Dash & Lily this year and fell in love with them and their story all over again. Dash is funny and witty and most importantly he loves to read! Who wouldn't want a boyfriend who loves to read? ;) Read my review here.

2. Kyle from V is for Virgin by Kelly Oram

Kyle is one of the best book boyfriends of all time! He is a bad boy rockstar and oh so hot! I did a post on him a while ago so go here if you want to read more about our rockstar. And also check out my reviews of V is for Virgin and A is for Abstinence.

1. Kai from The Blooming Goddess Trilogy by Tellulah Darling

Oh my Kai! :D Other than being the son of Hades, God of the Underworld, Kai happens to be extremely hot, a great kisser, and a very passionate lover. He can be the sweetest person ever when he wants to be and it is very hard not to fall for him. He is perfect, I love him and he happens to be my best book boyfriend this year! My reviews: My Ex From Hell, My Date From Hell, My Life From Hell.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

The Heart Cries Out~A tribute to the shaheed in the Peshawar attack by Hiba

This poem is written in the memory of some of the beautiful faces that we lost in that brutal Peshawar Attack.May ALLAH grant all the victims the highest place in Jannah AAMEEN!!

The Heart Cries Out
The sound of gun shots
the feeling of being caught

There is nowhere to escape
All you have to do is just wait

When they came inside
It felt as if they were here to bite

There was utter chaos and fear
All this was too much to bear

They were no one but cruel men
They even took out children from their dens

The army came there but to everyone's dismay
They were late and it was no less than Doom's day

Blood was spilt everywhere
They had massacred without any care

The outburst of cry,the feeling of despair
Everyone knew that this was not fair

They killed in the way of God
But this was not the way of Lord

Mother's crying,father's aghast
Who would bring their loved one's back?

The Taliban although dead
Can't take the memories out of anyone's head

Oh Lord! Grant those flowers a beautiful life
We know that Heaven is a beautiful sight

Give their parent's a little sabar
And always enlighten their qabars

They have got the title of a Shaheed
I know that its the best gift there ever could be

The thought of them makes me cry
The tears can never really dry

The Heart is shattered
But now it doesn't matter

For now they are with YOU
And its always the best whatever YOU do

But still,The Heart Cries Out
The Heart Cries Out

Top 10 of 2014~Best Contemporaries of 2014 (Blogger's Choice)

Hosted by Two Chicks On Books, Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, Tales of a Ravenous Reader & Reading YA Rocks

Today's Topic (Wednesday, December 24th): Best ________ Of 2014 (Readers/Bloggers choice. Please fill in the blank with one or more of these topics - Villains, Contemporaries, Dual POV's, Novellas, Adult titles, New Adult titles, Love Triangles, Couples, Bad Boys, Debuts, etc. REMEMBER - this list MUST be from books you've READ in 2014)

*All book names are linked to their Goodreads pages.

10. Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot

This was such a funny, quick and light read. Perfect to relax with! You can read my review here.

9. Hushed by Kelley York

This book was dark and deep and so different from anything else I've read. It is one of those books you can't stop thinking about even after you have finished it. An amazing read!

8. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry was beautiful and thought-provoking and allover a great read! Read my full review here.

7. Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

I loved the poetry style writing of this book. It was a serious, emotional read and extremely well-written.

6. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

I fell in love with Hazel and Augustus and this book made me cry so much! But the experience was worth it!

5. Cinder & Ella by Kelly Oram

I loved this one! It made me laugh and cry and I just loved it! Check out my review here.

4. The Contract by Zeenat Mahal

This one is more of an adult book than YA but I loved it just the same. Awesome story and great characters! And it's set where I live! :D You can read my review here.

3. Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas

This was such a unique and dark book! A great YA contemporary thriller!

2. V is for Virgin & A is for Abstinence by Kelly Oram

These books have been two of my best reads this year! They were so much fun to read! I loved Val and Kyle! Read my reviews: V is for Virgin, A is for Abstinence.

1. Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Hands down one of my all-time favorite books! I loved this one! It is so intriguing and suspenseful and amazingly written!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Top 10 of 2014~Best Book Covers of 2014

Hosted by Two Chicks On Books, Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, Tales of a Ravenous Reader & Reading YA Rocks.

Today's Topic (Tuesday, December 23rd)): Best Book Covers of 2014 (MUST be a book released in 2014. Would be best if it's a book you've READ in 2014, but it's not required)

*All book names are linked to their Goodreads pages.

10. Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst

9. Touch by Natalia Jaster

8. Sand Omnibus by Hugh Howey

7. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

6. Sanctum by Madeliene Roux

5. Revival by Stephen King

4. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

3. Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre

2. A Thousand Pieces Of You by Claudia Gray

1. Jackaby by William Ritter

Monday, December 22, 2014

Top 10 of 2014~Best Books Read in 2014

Hosted by Two Chicks On Books, Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, Tales of a Ravenous Reader & Reading YA Rocks.

Today's Topic (Monday, December 22nd): Best Books I've Read in 2014 (Doesn't have to be released in 2014, just a book you've read in 2014)

*All book names are linked to their Goodreads pages.

10. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

I read this along with a friend and both of us enjoyed this a lot! We loved Brittany & Alex and the story was so sad and beautiful! You can read my full review here.

9. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

I finally read this book after hearing so much about it. I did like it a lot but not as much as others did. I have a friend who is so head over heels in love with John Green's writing that she is unable to read any other author and keeps rereading his books. I, on the other hand, did not like his writing much. It is good but I've read better. I loved the story and characters though!

8. The Contract by Zeenat Mahal

This book is a recent one I read and I loved it a lot! It has an amazing story, great writing and characters I loved! Read my review here.

7. Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

I LOVED the poetry style writing of this book! Plus this book was so sad and amazing! I haven't read the previous two books and I probably won't either but I did enjoy and love this one.

6. Cinder & Ella by Kelly Oram

I love Kelly Oram's books! She writes such amazing stories and characters! Cinder & Ella was no exception, this book was awsomesauce! Read my full review here.

5. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I know it took me a long long time to read this but I loved it! Sadly I did not enjoy the second book so much and probably won't be continuing this series. I did love this book though, read my review here.

4. Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas

Abigail Haas is so amazing, she writes the best YA thrillers! I loved Dangerous Boys! It was creepy and intriguing and so gripping!

3. V is for Virgin and A is for Abstinence for Kelly Oram

As I said, Kelly is an amazing writer and I loved Valerie's story! Kyle is definitely one of my all-time favorite book boyfriends and V is for Virgin (my review) and A is for Abstinence (my review) are two of my all-time favorite books!

2. The Blooming Goddess Trilogy by Tellulah Darling

One of the best series/trilogies I have ever read! I don't usually like series but I loved this one! I still miss this world and these characters. You can read my reviews here: My Ex From Hell, My Date From Hell, My Life From Hell.

1. Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

This book is everything I want in a thriller and then some. As I wrote before, Abigail Haas writes amazing thrillers and Dangerous Girls is one of those books you can't get out of your head. I kept thinking about it for a few days after I finished it. Even now I sometimes find my mind wandering to this book. Amazing, simply spectacular!

Book Review~The Contract by Zeenat Mahal

Title: The Contract
Author: Zeenat Mahal
Publisher: Indireads
Pub Date: June 12th 2013
Format: ebook
Pages: 108
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult
Links: Goodreads ~ Amazon/B&N ~ Book/Author Site

Synopsis: “…We’ll get married, but I’ll pay you a monthly salary to behave and appear for all practical purposes as my wife…If you agree, the marriage vows can be taken on the phone on Saturday, since I have an hour free in the morning.”

Shahira, a young, divorced mother of a seven-year-old son, wants nothing to do with men ever again. But circumstances have forced her hand, and Hussain’s unusual proposition leaves her secretly relieved. As per their contract, she’ll have his name, will be paid to look after his ailing mother and motherless daughter and will be left well alone by him. Perfect!

Until her new husband decides to stop playing by the rules.

Hussain is suave and rich. He is nobody’s fool…and is not about to be bested by the ex-schoolteacher he is married to. He has Shahira in his sights and she has to have all her wits about her in order to hold him at arm’s length.

Rating: 9.5/10
Source: Provided by the publisher in exchange of an honest review. Thank you to Indireads, Neheed & Zeenat! :)

My Thoughts: I loved loved loved this book! I gobbled it up in one go and had so much fun reading it!

Story: This novella was about two scarred people who heal each other. They don't know it but they are what the other person needs. The author expertly took a serious subject, abuse, betrayal, dysfunctional relationship, and told it in a lighthearted way. Don't get me wrong, this book is pretty deep and a food for thought. But it makes you think without being too serious. I love "contract relationship" plots. I haven't read them in books much but I've seen plenty in Kdramas and I love them! So I enjoyed that very much in this book too. There is just something about two people who are unlikely to ever meet let alone fall for each other are somehow forced into a relationship and then fall for each other. It's just so cute! Especially when the guy falls first! I really enjoyed this story, especially how everything was so perfectly balanced.

Writing: Zeenat Mahal did such a good job! I really enjoyed her writing! It's gripping without being overly expressive and I like how she can keep balance between different aspects of the story. She expresses the characters' thoughts and emotions really well and I loved the humor and romance!

Characters: I loved Shahira! She is very relatable and I love strong women like her! Even though she had past horrors she took control of her life and refused to let any man control her. I was so proud of her! She deserved all the happiness! She has become one of my favorite book characters.

I really liked Hussain! He was such a gentleman! If only guys like him existed in real life... He had his past ghosts too and I liked how he was eager to give a new relationship a chance. He was so caring! He seemed selfish but I felt like he really did love his family. I loved the things he did to get closer to Shahira! He was so cute when he was teasing her!

Aunty Salma was such a fun character! She was like the fairy-godmother except she was more funny and endearing! I really enjoyed her plans of getting Hussain & Shahira closer!

Nudrat was the evil witch trying to get between our couple. She was really well-written and even though I hated her I also felt sorry for her.

Overall: I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to fans of contemporary romances! It is really well-written with great characters and an awesome story!

About The Author:

Zeenat Mahal (@zeemahal) is an avid reader and has been writing for as long as she can remember. She has an MPhil in English literature from Government College Lahore and is currently doing an MFA in creative writing from Kingston University, London. She won a BBC short story competition in 2001 and has been a regular contributor to newspapers.
Running out of Ink, another international online magazine has published her short story, The Accidental Fiancee in their August 2013 issue.
‘Haveli’ and 'The Contract' are Zeenat’s first two published novellas. Currently she is working on a novel.

She can be contacted on her FB page https://www.facebook.com/zeenatmahal.author

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Drama Review~High School-Love On (Korean)

Title: High School - Love On, Hi! School - Love On
Writer: Lee Jae Yeon
Director: Sung Joon Hae, Lee Eun Mi
Main Cast: Kim Sae Ron as Lee Seul Bi, Nam Woo Hyun as Shin Woo Hyun, Lee Sung Yeol as Hwang Sung Yeol
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, School
Original Run: July 11, 2014 - December 19, 2014
Duration: 60 min.
Original Channel: KBS2
No. of Episodes: 20
Language: Korean
Links: MDL ~ Wikipedia ~ Drama Site

Synopsis: Lee Seul Bi is an angel who is sent to Earth to look after Shin Woo Hyun, who lives with his grandmother and carries emotional scars from being abandoned by his parents. Despite his cold demeanor, Woo Hyun is popular in school because of his good looks and singing ability. When his best friend, Hwang Sung Yeol, finds out a secret that ties them together and also develops feelings for Seul Bi, who is posing as a fellow student at their school, the best friends turn into rivals.

My Rating: 7/10

My Thoughts: This drama started out so well but them somewhere along the way it turned into an absurd melodrama that made me cringe and roll my eyes.

Story: The story started out really well. I loved the premise and I think they handled the angel part really well. In the beginning I loved the romance! It was so adorable and made butterflies flutter in my stomach. I even liked Sung Yeol's angsty, raging hormones teen story. But then Sung Yeol became a psycho (and I seriously think he needed professional help. Even by the end I felt like he should go see a psychiatrist.) and somebody cried in each episode and Woohyun's and Sungyeol's mom was selfish and lame and the romance became boring with all the tears and separations. The story seemed to have no direction and the writer kept adding weird stuff to keep the lead couple apart. It was all very absurd and stupid. I would have dropped this drama a long time ago had it not been for Sungyeol & Woohyun and I don't like to leave things unfinished.

Actors/Characters: This drama, like Heirs and I think most of the high school drama, had a huge cast. I'll start with Kim Sae Ron. I was very impressed with her acting in the beginning. I mean she was doing such a good job even though she was so young. But I think, like me, even Kim Sae Ron got bored of her character because her acting became boring and meh. Or maybe it was only her character. I really liked Seul Bi in the beginning. She was cute and lively. But she soon lost her charm. She became stupid and clingy. I like my lead girls strong but Seul Bi was far from that. And soon I became very irritated with her.

Woohyun was better than I thought he would be. He wasn't that good in the beginning but he improved a lot and by the end he was the best out of the three main leads. He wasn't very good but he wasn't too bad either. I felt like Woohyun really understood his character. His character was also a lot like him (or at least what I have seen of him in variety shows and such). Woo Hyun was a nice guy albeit a bit narcissistic. It was sweet how he cared about the people around him and I really liked his relationship with him grandmother.

Sungyeol, oh Sungyeol! You were so good in Please Remember Princess! What happened?! Sungyeol was so stiff in this role. I had high expectations after seeing him in PRP but I was sadly disappointed. He was doing pretty well in the beginning but it went downhill in the more expressive scenes. He was really good in some scenes but cringe-worthy in others. His character was an interesting one in the beginning. And honestly he had a lot of potential. Which all went to waste. Soon he became this psycho, jealous boy who wanted to hurt the people around him any way he could. He was confused and raging and desperately in need of help. I was surprised he acknowledged that at some point and reached out. But really though, it was very weird where the writer took him.

I'll talk about the parents now. Please someone give Ms Ahn the Worst Parent of the Year award! Seriously, she was so selfish and so so stupid! Some would say she redeemed herself by the end but I disagree. The woman couldn't chose between the two sons, she couldn't solve the problem like an adult, she kept making things more complicated, it was all so frustrating! Sungyeol's dad, Hwang Woo Jin was better. He was a nice man who cared about his son and loved his wife. But he neglected Sungyeol. And sometimes he refused to act like an adult too.

I did like the side characters. Ki Soo was funny and cute. I really liked Choi Jae Sook. He was a layered character and much more interesting than the main characters. Na Young Eun was similar. She was also well-written and more interesting. I really like Lee Ye Na and wish that the writer would have focused on her a little more. And given her a better storyline. Byung Wook and that girl who was with him were so adorable! I also wish Byung Wook would've gotten more importance. He was a good character. I also really liked Cheon Sik.

My favorite character in the whole drama was Kim Joo Ah. Not only was she a lot like me, she was also very interesting and her love story with Tae Ho was much better than the main love story. I wish she would've gotten her very own drama. Or that she was the main lead. Because I loved this girl! And I loved her with Tae Ho! Tae Ho was so caring towards her and so adorable in trying to win her by giving her books. If someone did that for me I would so totally fall in love with him! I mean he was buying books for her! Because she loves reading! How awesome and romantic is that?! I need a drama with these two in it!

Sunbae, Sunbae, Sunbae. Honestly I wanted Seul Bi to end up with Sunbae. I did like Sunbae in the beginning and I didn't start disliking him or anything. But I did get tired of him and frustrated with him. He was weird.

Romance: A lot of people had problem with Kim Sae Ron being 14/15 and Woohyun being 23. Honestly I didn't have much problem with it. They had good chemistry and seemed comfortable with each other. Plus their weren't any inappropriate scenes of any kind so it was fine. They were a cute couple. But all the crying and stuff irritated me. Sungyeol though, I never felt like he actually loved Seul Bi. He did like her but I didn't feel like it was serious. He just had a problem with Woohyun having her.

There were plenty other ~~better~~ couples in this drama. Ki Soo and Young Eun were really cute. Byung Wook and his girl were adorable! Jae Sook and Da Yul were an interesting couple. And my favorite Tae Ho and Joo Ah were the best!

Overall: This drama had a lot of potential and a great start. But I don't know what the writer was thinking because this soon turned into a trainwreck I had to force myself to watch. A lot of people did love it though. So if you want a melodrama for younger audiences then I would recommend HSLO.