Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louis Gornell

Rate: 5/5

GoodReads Description

Norah has agoraphobia and OCD. When groceries are left on the porch, she can’t step out to get them. Struggling to snag the bags with a stick, she meets Luke. He’s sweet and funny, and he just caught her fishing for groceries. Because of course he did.

Norah can’t leave the house, but can she let someone in? As their friendship grows deeper, Norah realizes Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can lie on the front lawn and look up at the stars. One who isn’t so screwed up. 

My opinion

Since I started reading Under Rose-Tainted Skies knew I was going to be hit emotionally, and I was.

The book is narrated by Norah, who suffers from anxiety,  OCD and agoraphobia. But what happens when a girl who is used to the routine that helps keep her mental problems comes  his new (and handsome) neighbor to remove everything that she has believed to have advanced.

For me, reading about Norah was something like a spiritual awakening, is that as a person with mental problems: anxiety, depression and OCD it was very easy to get along with her. There are so many people out there who do not understand how it is that we ran inside and how difficult it can be to deal with certain situations.

We all need a Luke (either as a boy or girl) to help us and motivate us to improve ourselves, as much as these problems be serious, there is always a way out.

Undoubtedly, a book that will not leave anyone indifferent and the reader will be delighted with the characters from beginning to end . A raw, realistic and hopeful story.

Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake

Rate: 5/5 stars

GoodReads Description

Hadley St. Clair's life changed the day she came home to a front door covered in slips of paper, each of them revealing the ugly truth about her father. Now as her family falls apart in the wake of his year-long affair, Hadley wants everyone-her dad most of all-to leave her alone.

Then she meets Sam Bennett, a cute new boy who inexplicably "feels like home" to Hadley. Hadley and Sam's connection is undeniable, but Sam has a secret about his family that could ruin everything.

Funny and passionate, Suffer Love is a story about first love, family dysfunction, and the fickle hand of fate. 

My opinion

Bittersweet, that's the adjective I would describe this book.

If there is anything that could catch me when I'm reading a book are the characters, it's really known that good characters can make a good plot a fascinating, rich and meaningful story.

At the beginning of the book we see that it is narrated by two voices; Sam and Hadley. Two different and distant, yet so similar and loved ones. And no, I digress, that's honestly what I felt while reading. Both characters have a heart of gold, they are full of love and passion but in turn, life has become strong, reserved and afraid to take the next step.

Starting with Hadley; one of the aspects in which I look upon to see the development of a character, is in the past. In as much as we do or do people in around us it has an enormous importance and greatly influences how we continue to see things. Hadley, by far, was a character congenial since personally we've both been through situations (not equal) but very similar in appearance to a simple action changed the way we see people, our around and our future.

Then there's Sam, who feels somewhat guilty for knowing about certain things and still not able to do anything (or not to do) about it. Again, the heart wins. But what if by hiding that little secret, we can ruin everything we love and care about. Like Hadley, Sam seemed quite intelligent, mature character to its original time.

Speaking further about it. the author takes us into a bittersweet, sad and highly addictive story. The plot, the characters, the background and certainly the last of the characters complement the story shaping, coherence and cohesion.


It is noteworthy that exceeded my expectations 100% so if you want mourn a while and read stories of tragic love, do not hesitate to add Suffer Love your tbr

PRE-ORDER THE BOOK HERE  

ESP

Agridulce, esa ese es el adjetivo con el que calificaría este libro

Si hay algo que me pueda enganchar cuando estoy leyendo un libro son los personajes, y es que de verdad que unos buenos personajes pueden hacer de una buena trama una historia fascinante, rica y llena de significado.


Al inicio del libro vemos que nos lo es narrado por dos voces; Sam y Hadley. Dos personas distintas y lejanas, pero a la vez tan parecidas y cercanas. Y no, no estoy divagando, honestamente eso fue lo que sentí mientras leía. Ambos personajes tienen un corazón de oro, están llenos de amor y pasiones pero a su vez, la vida los ha hecho fuertes, reservados y temerosos a dar el siguiente paso.

Comenzando con Hadley; uno de los aspectos en los cuales me fijo al momento de ver el desarrollo de un personaje, es en su pasado. En como todo lo que hacemos o hacen las personas al rededor nuestro tiene una relevancia enorme e influye mucho en como seguimos percibiendo las cosas. Hadley, por mucho, fue un personaje con el que congenié puesto que personalmente los dos hemos pasado por situaciones (no iguales) pero si muy parecidas en el aspecto de que una simple acción cambió la forma en la vemos a las personas, nuestro al rededor y nuestro futuro.

Por otro lado está Sam, quien hasta cierto punto se siente culpable por saber acerca de ciertas cosas y aun así no poder hacer nada ( o no querer hacer) al respecto. Una vez más, el corazón gana. Pero que hay si por guardarnos ese pequeño secreto, podemos arruinar todo lo que amamos e interesa. Al igual que Hadley, Sam me pareció un personaje bastante inteligente, maduro a su vez original.

Hablando más a fondo del tema. la autora nos sumerge en una historia agridulce, triste y altamente adictiva. La trama, los personajes, el transfondo y sin duda el pasado de los personajes complementan la historia dándole forma, coherencia y cohesión.

Cabe mencionar que superó mis expectativas un 100% así que si quieren llorar un rato y leer historias de amor trágicas, no duden en añadir Suffer Love a su tbr 

How it Ends by Catherine Lo

Rate: 5/5 stars

GoodReads Description

There are two sides to every story.

It’s friends-at-first-sight for Jessie and Annie, proving the old adage that opposites attract. Shy, anxious Jessie would give anything to have Annie’s beauty and confidence. And Annie thinks Jessie has the perfect life, with her close-knit family and killer grades. They're BFFs…until suddenly they're not.

Told through alternating points of view, How It Ends is a wildly fast but deeply moving read about a friendship in crisis. Set against a tumultuous sophomore year of bullying, boys and backstabbing, the novel shows what can happen when friends choose assumptions and fear over each other.

My Opinion

Books rarely have left me speechless as he did How it Ends. I really do not know where to begin to explain all the feelings that caused me and how fascinating, refreshing and adorable that reading was.

At first glance, we might think it's just another story about two friends who for some reason or another have problems or typical teen drama. But the story itself has too much meaning, or at least for me it did.

Anxiety, heartbreak, betrayal, distrust ... and the list of topics covered in this book can continue, but the two main ones are the friendship and the way in which we perceive certain things and delve into them. Leaving clear that sometimes we do not need over-think things since such action could lead to too much distrust him.

"The problem with the world is that intelligent people are the full of doubts while the stupid ones are full of confidence"

One of the topics mentioned most often is bullying and how even time can't erease Irreparable scars left for people who suffered it. 

Characters as invaluable as Jess and Annie are those who will always be etched in my memory. Two very different but yet so similar personalities. Starting with Jessie: simple dresses may seem typical introverted teen who prefers to stay home and read than partying and socializing. but we must remember that there is always a reason behind all that to which we see no explanation. It depends on how you see it, but I think we all have a Jess within us. An unconscious that makes us distrust in many cases, that stops us and full of uncertainty. To some extent it is good but a bit of mistrust in the case of Jess shows that abuse it can be detrimental to both sides, both for us and for people who are around us.

For me (a person suffering constant anxiety) anxiety theme discussed in the book is very important because it is well explained. Opening eyes to people who had only a vague idea of ​​what it is, to see the world through the eyes of a person with that condition.

On the other hand, we see Annie: extrovert, confident and happy. But it's just another example of people who have suffered most are those who always show a happy face when in fact still suffering inside. Annie's life has been a bunch of disappointments from the issue of her mother. Although he has tried to cope it is remarkable that such things can never be overcome by more that you try. To be honest, it's one of the strongest characters of which I have read. There is a phrase a couple of times is repeated for the book that stuck in my memory, "I can't  go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then" that simple quote got me thinking about the constant change in the we are every day and the impact it has on us both around us to change our personality, thoughts, and even our lives. Not to mention that we also explore the mind of two people completely passionated about art, I personally enjoy widely.

It teaches us that a good and true friendship is based on trust, and without it many times would be lost.

I think it goes without saying that Catherin did a wonderful job in this book, which will certainly be one of many stories that will be looking for her. A very good debut for those who want to laugh, mourn and have a good time reading endearing characters.

PRE-ORDER THE BOOK HERE 

ESP

Muy pocas veces libros me han dejado sin palabras como lo hizo How it Ends. De verdad que no se por donde empezar a explicar todos los sentimientos que me causó y lo fascinante, refrescante y adorable que su lectura fue. 

A simple vista podemos pensar que es solo otra historia acerca de dos amigas que por alguna u otra razón tienen problemas o el típico drama adolescente. Pero la historia en si tiene demasiado significado, o por lo menos para mi lo tuvo. 

Ansiedad, desamor, traición, desconfianza... y la lista de tópicos abarcados en este libro puede seguir, pero los dos principales son: la amistad y el modo en el cual percibimos ciertas cosas y profundizamos en ellas. Dejándonos en claro que en ocasiones, no necesitamos sobre-pensar las cosas puesto que dicha acción puede acarrear demasiada desconfianza consigo. 

"El problema con el mundo es que las personas inteligentes están llenas de dudas, mientras las estúpidas llenas de confianza" 

Uno de los temas mencionados con más frecuencia es el bullying y el como aunque pasen el tiempo deja marcas irreparables para las personas que lo sufren.

Personajes tan invaluables como Jess y Annie son de los que siempre se van a quedar grabados en mi memoria. Dos personalidades tan diferentes pero a la vez tan parecidas. Comenzando con Jess: a simple viste puede parecer la tipica adolescente introvertida que prefiere quedarse en casa a leer que ir a fiestas y socializar. pero debemos recordar que siempre hay un por qué detrás de todo aquello a lo cual no vemos una explicación. Depende de como lo vean, pero a mi parecer, todos tenemos una Jess dentro de nosotros. Un inconsciente que nos hace tener desconfianza en  muchas ocasiones, que nos detiene y llena de inseguridad. Hasta cierto punto es buena un poco de desconfianza pero en el caso de Jess nos muestra que abusar de ella puede ser perjudicial para ambos lados, tanto para nosotros como para las personas que están en nuestro entorno. 

Para mi ( una persona que sufre constantemente de ansiedad) el tema de la ansiedad tratado en el libro es de suma importancia dado lo bien explicado que está. Abre los ojos a personas que no tenían sino una vaga idea de lo que es, poder ver el mundo a través de los ojos de una persona con dicho padecimiento. 

Por el otro lado, vemos a Annie: extrovertida, confiada y feliz. Pero no es más que otro claro ejemplo de que las personas que más han sufrido son aquellas que muestran siempre una cara feliz cuando en realidad siguen sufriendo por dentro. La vida de Annie ha sido un manojo de decepciones desde el asunto de su mamá. Aunque ha tratado de sobrellevarlo es notable que ese tipo de cosas nunca se pueden superar por mas que lo intentes. Para ser sincero, es uno de los personajes mas fuertes de los cual he leído. Hay una frase que se repite un par de veces durante el libro que se quedó grabada en mi memoria "I can't go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then"esa simple frase me dejó pensando en el constante cambio en el que estamos día a día y en el impacto que tiene en nosotros lo que nos rodea tanto para cambiar nuestra personalidad, forma de pensar e incluso nuestras vidas. Sin mencionar que también podemos explorar la mente de dos personas completamente apasionadas por el arte, que personalmente disfrute ampliamente.

Nos enseña a que una buena y verdadera amistad se fundamenta a base de confianza, y sin ella muchas veces estaríamos perdidos. 

Creo que está de más decir que Catherin Lo hizó un trabajo maravilloso en este libro, que sin duda va a ser una de muchas historias que estaré buscando de ella. Un muy buen debut para aquellos que quieran reir, llorar y pasar un buen rato leyendo a personajes entrañables.

With Malice by Eileen Cook

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

GoodReads Description

For fans of We Were Liars and The Girl on the Train comes a chilling, addictive, compulsive read about a teenage girl who wakes up in a hospital bed and cannot remember the last six weeks of her life, including the accident that killed her best friend--only what if the accident wasn't an accident?

Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital room, leg in a cast, stitches in her face and a big blank canvas where the last 6 weeks should be. She comes to discover she was involved in a fatal accident while on a school trip in Italy three days previous but was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident...wasn't an accident. Wondering not just what happened but what she did, Jill tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life.

Bryan's Experience

I swear I can still hear my heart pounding in my ears.

''Feelings aren't wrong. They just are''

What a fascinating read ! Really, every time I'm more a fan of psychological thrilles but let's face it, who would not like to stay in the air while reading a book? With Malice  gave me panic attacks, could not sleep and of course I said the reader's biggest lie every time I was reading: one more chapter and then sleep. I finished the book in two days because the story really hooked up to me and I think barely made a pause to eate while reading. The book focuses on Jill Charron, who I felt sympathy from the first paragraph that I read it, and I loved her very Robert Lagdon input at the beginning of the book. I must admit to a certain extent its insistence on being the perfect friend annoyed me, but only a little. Jill is trying to remember what happened in the accident and what was the trigger that caused all the problems that this hauling her. Accused of something that she does not remember, and have to deal with her own mind to know what is true and what is just and invent of her brain.

''It doesn't matter what's true, what matters is what people believe''

The relationship between Jill and Simone seemed a bit over-acted, and when Jill talks about Simone implied that was a bit hypocritical sometimes. And thus we see morbidity media before the event Jill and dig all they want their friendship, and as the media are a big influence on people when taking a case or to influence others to believe in certain respects.The story never loses the thread and rhythm. I remained fully engaged from start to finish. The plot is very well structured; the atmosphere, arguments, plot twist and other components made this book one of my favorites of the year.

''It's normal for people to get angry. Maybe someone hurts us or disappoints us, and our response is to be upset. Now, there are people who take it too far. And in those cases, often what's happening is that they're confusing fear with anger. They don't want to let themselves be scared, so they lash out''

I liked the handling of romance, because without that touch a lot of history would not have made sense, as the author takes the romance to cause real conflict definitely hooked me instantly. Nico was a great complement on the development. Character development is great but not that consistent, The most developed characters are Jill and Simone but besides hers I think the other ones are very linear, but everyone has a role that complements the story line.The writer uses the flashbacks on a very diligent way since they are well placed and each of them brings a big question to history. Although sometimes they are a bit confusing and leave you begging for more. The ending was one of my favorite things ever: is concise, explains and describes everything in a way that leaves you completely satisfied.

''I think it is okay to be disappointed by things. It doesn't matter if things don't work out exactly as we want. The important thing is that we keep trying and keep shooting for the ideal''

I can not but praise Eileen Cook style and narrative skills. This is the first book I read of her but certainly am looking for read more of this wonderful autor.The truth is that the criticism is not wrong, she have certain dyes with E. Lockhart and Hawkins but her writing goes high with its intriguing and explosive style.A highly recommended read for those who enjoy Psychological thrillers and have no desire to sleep a few nights. Written by an author who truly dominates the genre.

Note: This book was a courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt but that does not affect my review and thoughts about it.

Amazon | B&N 

This Raging Light by Estelle Laure

Rate: 5/5 stars

Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

GoodReads DescriptionCan the best thing happen at the worst time?

Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she's about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend's brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure's soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.  

Bryan's Experience.

''Everyone's crazy, girl. You learn that after a while. Just depends which kind and whether you want it or not. That's what you decide. The rest is out of your hands''

It is worth mentioning that this book I officially completed my GoodReads challenge of 50 books. So that makes me even happier I have done with this wonderful book.

 

This Raging Light promised much; the cover is beautiful, the synopsis is truly intriguing and a rollercoaster of emotions. And I'm happy to say it met all my expectations.
 

''I guess we all have to be grateful for the little things''

The plot itself is not very complex but if it is full of feelings and humanity. At first we see a teenager dealing with the reputation that his father left them and to top it off now that his mother has abandoned her and her sister must begin to take care of his sister. Alone and with little money, Lucille shows that even in the worst times someone will guide you and give you light. Someone like Digby Jones.

Lucille tenacity along with their desire to succeed without anyone knowing that his mother is gone, go make it grow throughout the book. Little did I meet with something, but I really identified with the characters. Eden is wonderful and a beautiful human being like Wren.

''Maybe there are just some things we can't explain. That maybe when a lot of bad things happen, good things have to happen too''

If you pay attention, you can see that the characters have to repetitive chains which are exercised, as the mother of Lucille. By the way, if you're waiting to know why her mom left, believe me you will be disappointed that you will not find it. Although not very relevant, if I would have liked to know more about that but eventually you can elucidate why she abandoned them, you just need a little common sense.

''Most people totter their whole lives. They never let themselves fall, never take the hit. They just go along, trying to do what they think they're supposed to. They never try to find put what's true for them, because that would mean being brave in a way people aren't''

As I said, I loved the characters that are not typical linear and fictional characters; they are real, show feelings and you can related to them. Each has its own essence and personality. They range from a waitress on Fred's or even a dancer lover of literature.Estelle Laure certainly wowed me with his literary style and its fascinating and entertaining prose. His way of seeing things is encouraging. Really, I stressed many parts of the book and phrases that have become my favorites.
A funny, sentimental and emotional story that will leave you with a smile on your face, tears in your eyes and wanting more.

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