21 ❤

Don’t just give your heart to any guy, give it to someone who reaches for your hand during a prolonged moment of silence, just to remind you they’re still by your side. Give your heart to a man who pulls you close after a fight instead of pushing you away. Give it to a man who doesn’t make you doubt yourself or causes you to feel guilty for something you didn’t do. Give your heart to someone who’ll comfort you throughout periods of insecurity, when you’re feeling inadequate or lost. Someone who continuously reminds you of your worth.

Give your heart to a guy who would never cause you to feel inferior in your relationship, because he’ll do everything his power to make you feel the opposite. Give it to a man who shows genuine interest in your passions and supports you in every aspect of your life. Someone who will go the extra mile to make you smile.

Give your heart to a guy who will make you a priority instead of a second option.

A guy will follow you anywhere in the world merely because a life without you is unimaginable. 

Give your heart to a person who asks if something is wrong, instead of keeping silent for the sake of not starting an argument. Give it to the guy who takes responsibility for his actions and apologizes when he’s done something wrong. Someone who doesn’t allow an argument to overshadow your relationship or keeps score. Give it to the man who shows up at your doorstep to apologize simply because the thought of you being upset hurts him. Give your heart to a person who finds time to text you when he’s out with his friends rather than waiting until the end of the evening. Give it to someone who won’t take your feelings for granted and reminds you how he feels each day.

Give your heart to a man who will safeguard it with his life, because he knows the true value it holds. Don’t just give your heart to anyone. Find someone spectacular and never let go.

(c) Preach It

Book: This Modern Love by Will Darbyshire

★★★★/★★★★

Dear Danny,
You are the definition of cliché;
Showing up at my doorstep with flowers,
Writing poems and love letters,
Framing our memories on your bedroom walls,
And filling up my life with laughter.
So predictable but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
To many more years together,
Faly
Singapore

I finished This Modern Love in one sitting last night and let me tell you, it's amazing! I accidentally found this book while browsing for new books to read and I'm glad I did when I did! It's a collection of letters, stories and photographs which are all lovely, heartwarming but also heartbreaking.

It's divided into three sections; beginning, middle and end. The beginning includes letters about crushes and when you first start falling in love. It's really fun reading all those letters, some I definitely related with and most were adorable. The middle section includes thank you letters sent by those in a relationship and the end section is composed of letters by people who had their heart broken before.

To my crush,
You’re the reason for the soft smile upon my face, the reason for my rosy cheeks and racing heart.
Thank you, just for being you.
Hannah
Connecticut, USA

***
Dear —— ,
I pushed you away and put up a wall to keep you out. To keep from getting hurt. I was scared of how I felt. I was scared I would hurt you, that you would hurt me. But now I know that you are perfect, perfect for me. I want you, no I need you. I want to spend every night holding your hand and be wrapped in your embrace. I want someone to care about me and protect me from all that is bad in this world. I just want you. I want you to love me again like I love you.
Danielle
Australia

***
Dear guy who I used to know,
I wish you never took me to the movies in my favorite cinema. I wish you never took me to my favorite restaurant. I wish you never spent christmas with me. I wish you never took me to Amsterdam. I wish you never kissed and hugged me in my room. I wish you never told me that you loved me at my favorite spot in my hometown. I wish you never gave me my favorite book for my birthday.
You’re gone now, but all my favorite places and things still remind me of you. They aren’t my favorite places and things anymore.
Anonymous

I really enjoyed reading the whole book. It has a good concept, letting people express their feelings through letters and if only I knew about this project, I would've joined and sent my letters.

Book: Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

★★★/★★★★★

“You fall in and out of love, but when you really love someone...it's forever.”

 Can You Keep A Secret? was my first book of Sophie Kinsella and I fell so in love with it. I adored the story so much that it took me weeks to get over it. Then a few months later I picked up I've Got Your Number and the same thing happened. By then I was sure that I'll love everything Kinsella will write. A couple of months ago I picked up my third Sophie Kinsella book, Wedding Night, and with my past experiences with her books I thought I'll enjoy this one too. Don't get me wrong, Wedding Night was fun and fluffy but unlike CYKAS and IGYN, it wasn't everything I expected. 

Lottie has been waiting for her boyfriend Richard to propose to her ever since and when Richard finally starts dropping hints, Lottie can't contain her excitement anymore. The night the proposal is supposed to happen, Lottie is very nervous and happy at the same time. But to her surprise, no proposal happened and Richard actually has no plans for them whatsoever. Now, Lottie is known to make rash decisions every time she's upset or things don't go the way she wants them to, so when the proposal didn't happen, her sister Fliss is so sure she'll do something stupid or something she'll regret in the future. True enough, after Richard broke her heart, Lottie decides to meet with her ex boyfriend Ben after she gets a call from him. They have dinner and right then and there decided they want to get married. Then it's Fliss' time to make Lottie see clear, to make her realize that marrying her ex boyfriend from 15 years ago won't make her forget about Richard.

“Men who want to get married propose. You don’t need to read the signs. They propose and that’s the sign.”

I loved Lottie and Fliss! They were adorable and the two of them together was hilarious. It's just that sometimes I didn't understand the decisions/choices Lottie made. And I get why Fliss did those disastrous things but I don't know, it's out of character. The other characters were fine but I didn't like Ben for some reasons. The whole story was fine, I was laughing most of the time and sometimes can't help but pity Lottie and Ben for how unlucky they were. 

Overall I did enjoy the book though there were instances it felt flat for me. It's hilarious, fluffy and it's a little different from the other Sophie Kinsella books I've read but it's still good.

Poem: One Lie Then Goodbye

Those were the days when we still smiled to each other
You would hold my hand and I'll blow you a kiss
Everything was so simple, things were working out
But now look at us, always screaming and things are going south

Those were the memories we treasured most
We were walking down the street with love in our eyes
Everything was dear to us, our words were enough
But we've changed, now we walk away when things get rough

Those were the good old times we thought would last
I promised to love you a lifetime and you did too
Everything felt so right, we thought we'd stay forever
But what happened to forever when you couldn't even stay longer?

That... was us
You and I... and our great love
Everything... everything was so perfect until that lie
Now I'm fighting for our love while you prepare to say goodbye

Those are my tears I can't stop anymore
Because you choose to walk away while I choose to fight
Everything I did, and yet you're still leaving
When you were the one who lied and left me hurting

Now this is my goodbye
It still hurts but I don't deserve this
Everything... everything will still lead me to you but...
I'll try to unlove you after this lie then I'll be fine

Book: Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell

 

★★★★/★★★★★

in the end
we
as in you and me
were never
meant to be

This is one sad, heartbreaking but honest and at the same time lovely poetry collection. It's divided into sections like when you're in love or feeling sad or need encouragement which I think is convenient since you can just flip to the section you feel like reading and be lost in the words.

I like the simplicity of it, the rawness and the flood of emotions you will feel when you read something that completely touches you. I really liked this one and if you need a good poetry book, try this one.

You can be in love at 3am or 5pm,
and sometimes it is with someone else
and other times it is with the way the sky looks
on a Saturday afternoon.

***

We should kiss.
Not because you passed my way by chance,
but because you stopped
and I haven't been the same since.

Poem: Waiting Still

I'm not the kind of girl you fall in love with

Not the kind you'll ever notice

Maybe not the one you'll ever need

But can you just give me a chance, please?

I will try my best to be that girl you like

Because I can be like her too

I can be funny and sweet and loud

I can be everything she is to you.

You just have to look my way and see me

Notice the girl who's been waiting

'Cause I've been loving you patiently

All these years I've been hurting.

Poem: Can you?

I didn't care when you called
I ignored all your messages
I always made you wait long
I just took you for granted.

But you continued calling
You kept sending 'good mornings'
You always made sure I was home safe
You gave me everything I wanted.

But now you realize what I am
Than I'm the girl who hurts you
So you start keeping your distance
And now I'm brokenhearted too.

Because I was starting to fall
I regretted not giving you importance
I don't deserve you at all
But can you give me another chance?

This time we'll talk for hours
I will never ignore you again
I'll accept every chocolate and flower
I'll hold your hand forever.

Just give me a chance
I will never hurt you again
I know it's late but,
Can you love me again?

Poem: One Day

'I'm over you.' I tell them.
But I don't know how long I can fool everybody.
'I'll find someone else.' Another lie.
Because I know there wouldn't be someone else.

'We'll be fine.' I convince my heart.
But I'm not sure how long I can lie to myself.
'It's okay.' I try to hope.
Because I'll be over you–eventually.

'One day.' I promise.
Because I can't be miserable forever.
'I'll be over you.' I tell myself. 
But for now let me hurt so badly.

Movie: A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits 2016

Main Characters:

Sofia Carson as Tessa/Bella

Thomas Law as Reed West

Jennifer Tilly as Divine

Amy Louise Wilson as Athena

Jazzara Jaslyn as Olympia
Nicola Fortuin as Georgie

In a Cinderella musical competition, Tessa is forced to accompany her evil stepmother Divine and stepsisters Athena and Olympian to become their personal assistant. As much as Tessa hates it, she can't do anything but follow their orders. While at the competition, Tessa finds herself wanting to take part in the musical and realizes she has what it takes to be the next Cinderella. With the help of her new friend (and fairygod mother) Georgie, she reluctantly agrees to disguise herself so she can audition. The problem is, she gets the part and now she has to play Cinderella and become Bella (her disguise name) while trying to avoid getting caught by Divine and her crazy daughters. In addition, she starts to like Reed West, the one playing Prince in the musical. Tessa and Reed unexpectedly became close when Reed asked Tessa's help on fixing the motorbike needed for the musical since Tessa is a mechanic like her father. As they spend more time together, fixing the motorbike, Tessa struggles to play her role as Tessa and Bella at the same time. Soon it's time for the actual musical but Tessa's evil step-sisters learn her secret and they're determined to ruin her.

A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits is the fourth installment in the A Cinderella Story series. The first one, A Cinderella Story is actually my favorite of all but I always love a Cinderella story! I love Sam and Austin but the other characters from the series are also wonderful.

Sam and Austin from A Cinderella Story 2003

 Joey and Mary from Another Cinderella Story 2008

 Luke and Katie from A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song 2011

 And now we have Tessa and Reed from A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits 2016.

I'm hoping for more Cinderella movies because I don't think I'll ever get tired watching one! :)

Poem: Sunday Rain

It was Sunday when you called me at home
You asked me out so I was smiling at my phone
Soon you picked me up in your old blue truck
It was all lovely and all I could ever asked

Then we drove down to our favorite place
I was so happy to see a smile on your face
We were laughing and dancing and happy
We were everything we wished we could ever be

Suddenly the angry rain poured down on us
It was when I hoped for everything to last
Your hands on my waist, my arms around your neck
That was the best night 'cause everything was perfect

Then you brought me home that cold rainy night
I still remember when everything felt so right
  You slowly made your way to keep me warm
And I was so thrilled to be tucked inside your arms

You lent me your shirt and asked me to stay
Of course I wouldn’t have it any other way
And then your hand found mine after a while
Soon we were tangled together which made me smile

Book: The BFG by Roald Dahl

 ★★★★/★★★★★

‘I is a dream-blowing giant,’ the BFG said. ‘When all the other giants is galloping off every what way and which to swollop human beans, I is scuddling away to other places to blow dreams into the bedrooms of sleeping children. Nice dreams. Lovely golden dreams. Dreams that is giving the dreamers a happy time.’

One night, by the witching hour, Sophie sees a giant. Because Sophie has seen him, the giant decides to kidnap her from the orphanage. Sophie is scared and thinks the giant will eat her but to her surprise, he doesn't. When they reach the Giant Country, the giant explains that he only took her so she can't tell anyone about his existence. Soon, the giant tells her that he doesn't eat human beans like the other giants, that he's a Big Friendly Giant. As Sophie and the BFG spend more time together, they become closer and each learn a thing or two from each other. They avoid the other bully giants who always go away to find new human beans to eat at night, they go dream collecting and later will pay the Queen a visit to stop the other giants from eating more human beans.

 My first book of Roald Dahl was Matilda which was brilliant. This time I read The BFG and no doubt loved it too! Sophie and the Big Friendly Giant are soooo fun to read!! It's only my second book of Dahl but definitely not the last! It's very entertaining but beyond that I think it's very ironic too that it'll make you ponder at times.

‘Do not forget,’ the BFG said, ‘that human beans is disappearing everywhere all the time even without the giants is guzzling them up. Human beans is killing each other much quicker than the giants is doing it.’ 

‘Human beans is the only animals that is killing their own kind.’

I enjoyed everything about this book! Sophie is a brave and smart girl while the BFG is a kind, thoughtful, well, friendly giant. I loved their adventures and somewhere along the way they formed a beautiful friendship. I liked it everytime the BFG talks in a funny way and Sophie corrects him everytime. They're hilarious and I found myself cracking up at the BFG's words most of the time.

‘You is welcome to go and search my cave from frack to bunt,’ the BFG answered. ‘You can go looking into every crook and nanny. There is no human beans or stringy beans or runner beans or jelly beans or any other beans in here.’ 

And the more I read on, the more I loved the BFG!! He dislikes the other giants because they eat human beans and it's really cute that instead of eating them, the BFG gives them pleasant dreams. And because the BFG is only 24 feet tall, not 50 feet like the others, and he doesn't eat human beans, the other giants bully him but of course, he doesn't hurt them back because for him, “Two rights don't equal a left.”

I think this book is amazing! When talking about giants children always think they are scary but Dahl was able to write a book about a friendly giant who befriends a sweet girl. Yes, there are scary giants in this book but Sophie and the BFG are able to punish them for being brutish. It gives the idea that even little girls and friendly giants can do great things together. I also like that it shows us that not all giants are scary and eat human beans. In short, don't judge a book by its cover!

This book is really entertaining with Sophie and the BFG's adventures, the BFG's silly words but I especially loved the dream collecting part and when they visited the Queen! And the fact that they involved the Queen is brilliant enough!

Then out he came!

Twenty-four feet tall, wearing his black cloak with the grace of a nobleman, still carrying his long trumpet in one hand, he strode magnificently across the Palace lawn towards the window.

The maid screamed.
The Queen gasped.
Sophie waved.

The movie adaptation came out months ago but I'm yet to watch it. The trailer looks great and it's really cute so I'm really excited to watch it! :)

KDrama: Descendants of the Sun 2016

Main characters:

Song Joong ki as Yoo Si jin

Song Hye kyo as Kang Mo yeon

Jin Goo as Seo Dae young

Kim Ji won as Yeon Myeong ju

I remember when Descendants of the Sun made a buzz when it was aired back in February and people went crazy over it! It was what everyone was talking about, how the scenes were sweet and how hot and handsome Song Joong ki was. Even my friends who don't really watch kdrama watched it and became addict since then. My sister and I didn't watch it until two months later when all the episodes were already aired and I admit it was addicting. But then we thought it was over-hyped since we've seen better dramas.

So the story revolves around the lives of Yoo Si jin, the Captain of Team Alpha, an elite special forces in South Korea, and Dcotor Kang Mo yeon, a cardiothoracic specialist. These two accidentally meet in the hospital where Mo yeon works and there Si jin quickly falls in love with Mo yeon's assertiveness. At first, Mo yeon is skeptical towards Si jin but soon sees that Si jin is really a soldier. They then begin dating but every time they go out something comes up. It's Si jin who usually needs to go because of his job and soon Mo yeon realizes how different the two of them are. Si jin is a soldier who kills to protect lives while Mo yeon is a doctor who saves lives. Eventually they stop seeing each other. 

Mean while, Sergeant Major Dae young (also Si jin's friend) struggles with his feelings towards Myeong ju, an army surgeon. He likes her but he can't risk being removed from the army by Myeong ju's father who is the commander of the South Korean Special Forces Brigade. 

Eight months later, these four meet again this time in Urk carrying their own mission. Si jin, together with Dae young, was sent there earlier to lead his team on a peacekeeping mission while Mo yeon is sent there to lead a medical team. Myeong ju, on the other hand, followed so she can be with Dae young. There, the four of them fall in love again and together they help save lives. 

I actually enjoyed this drama with all its kilig moments and funny scenes. I also understood why girls went crazy over this drama because the writers surely did a good job developing the relationship between Si jin and Mo yeon who had a great chemistry and of course, the intense feelings between Dae young and Myeong ju. And though they did a good job building the relationship between the characters, they did little to the sub-plots and to the plot in general, for me anyway.

 They also have good and funny secondary characters. Sang hyun (Lee Seung joon) and Ja ae (Seo Jeong yeon) were my favorites and Onew as Chi hoon was a surprise to me but nonetheless did a good job.

Descendants of the Sun surely captured a lot of hearts but I still think it was over-rated. Don't get me wrong, I loved it and enjoyed every single episode but like I said, I've seen better drama with better plot. I mean, the plot of this drama had lots of potential with its military and medical stuff going on but they settled on melodrama which is really not a bad thing. I'm just saying that maybe they should've developed the military and medical sides of the show which would be more interesting since I, myself, am a huge fan of action-romance! But either way, I guess DotS's magic worked on a lot of people seeing that the drama's ratings were higher than expected.

Overall I give it a 3-star rating out of 5! It wasn't that bad but it wasn't that great either. I guess people were just too excited to see Song Joong ki in uniform which I admit was really manly and sexy! This drama was also his first role after getting out of the army which I think also helped on gaining viewers since people were waiting for his comeback.

And, oh, I forgot to mention about the bromance in this drama because there was!

♥

Book: On The Fence by Kasie West

 ★★★★★/★★★★★

 “We can't let boys define how we feel about ourselves. You have to know who you are before you should let any boy worth anything in.”

Okay. So, On The Fence is officially my new favorite West book! Like her other books, this one is cute, sweet and everything is just so perfect! Few pages in and I knew I was going to love it. And West does not disappoint. If I enjoyed The Distance Between Us, The Fill-In Boyfriend and P.S. I Like You, I really truly dearly loved On The Fence!! ♥

On The Fence is the story of Charlie, a girl who grew up with a single father and three brothers, Jerom, Nathan and Gage, plus Braden, their neighbor who might as well be her fourth brother for always being with them. Right from the start it's always been Charlie, her father, her brothers and Braden. They're a family which everyone is comfortable with. Now Charlie is sixteen and growing up surrounded by her brothers and Braden, she has somehow became "one of the boys", acting and dressing like them which also became normal for her. All of them love sports; soccer, basketball, baseball, you name it, and they all get along so well when it comes to that. And being raised by all boys actually has its perks like in the field of sports and other boy stuff. But when Charlie suddenly takes a job at a boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she has no clue what to do. Being a tomboy, it's like she's lost and needs someone to teach her the basics when it comes to dresses, makeup and other girly stuff. Fortunately, Linda, her boss, can read her and just knows what to do. And it doesn't really help that one night she and Braden just suddenly starts having their own alternate world by the fence, which eventually leads to realizing some hidden feelings inside her.

This book seriously gave me all the feels! It's adorable and sweet and I just love everything EVERYTHING about it, thus 5 shining stars! The story runs in a good pacing, the characters are all lovely, the family dynamic is present and Charlie is the kind of character you can easily connect with. The story is actually refreshing since I've been reading vampires and dystopia lately so it was really nice to read a fluffy contemporary!

Let me give you three reasons why I superfreakin'love this book! First, Charlie has more sides than meets the eye. She may not act girly but at one point she starts worrying about how she acts and how guys look at her. And I think we all came to that point where we worry about how we present ourselves and how other sees us just like her. We all have our insecurities and I think it's harder for Charlie since she thinks she's not "normal" because she doesn't wear a dress or sparkly tops, doesn't put on makeup and instead of being a cheerleader, she plays sports. Her brothers make it even harder by treating her like she's one of them, wrestling and throwing her around. But despite struggling to find her true self, Charlie eventually learns that the people who truly cares will love her for who she is whether she plays sports better than any other guys or wears makeup and beautiful clothes. 

“I could've killed you guys three times by now. Stop flirting with my sister and get your head in the game. I'll give you a ten-second head start.”

Second reason, Charlie's family. I freakin' love her goofy brothers! Each of them has their own personalities and they're adorably protective of Charlie. They love her and would punch anyone who messes with her. Especially guys! I personally love Gage the most since he's the craziest and closest to Charlie. But Jerom and Nathan are cool as well. I liked it everytime they tease and harass Charlie. Lol. We also see Charlie's father and his struggle on how to raise a daughter. It's obvious he doesn't have a clue how so he depends on a book by Carol which is really heartwarming. Then there's Charlie's mother who died when she was young and I think it plays a major role in her character development. Sometimes it makes Charlie wonder if things will be different if only her mother is around. Will she spend more time with her than with her brothers? Will she be more feminine? Will she not play sports but go shopping and learn make up? And now that she discovers that she actually likes putting on makeup and dressing up a little, she's afraid to let her dad and brothers know because she thinks they might not approve. She thinks it will disappoint them to see her a little girly because they're so used to seeing her in baggy clothes and playing sports with them.

“What are you doing and why did you have a goofy grin in your face when you came in here? You sneaking around? Is there some boy I need to beat up?”

This book actually made me want to have brothers because how cool and fun would it be to have brothers like them? But either way I got my three super girly and fun sisters and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. Well, maybe except for Braden? Lol. And that leads us to the third reason why I love this book. Braden. He's charming, sweet, kind, caring, athletic and he's perfect! He knew Charlie more than she knew herself and Charlie claims that she knew him more than he knew himself. They're actually perfect for each other! The romance in this book is slow but really sweet. Like ohemgeethey'resoadorable sweet! Charlie's interactions with Braden are my favorites and I so so love seeing them bantering with each other.

“If you can't be yourself around him, then you shouldn't be dating him.”

I think it's really sweet that Charlie and Braden started off as friends then eventually developed feelings for each other. They've known each other since they were kids so they knew everything about each other. They're comfortable goofing around and interacting with each other—sitting too close, holding each other, playing around—but when when Charlie starts realizing her real feelings for Braden, even looking at him becomes torture because she thought Braden only see her like a sister. Little does she know that Braden has been feeling the same way but only stopping himself because he doesn't want to ruin their friendship and I think he's afraid to face the wrath of Charlie's overprotective brothers, and father, in a way.

And, and! I really liked that scene when Charlie just came back from camp and everyone is watching a rom-com movie courtesy of Amber and Charlie wishes they're watching an A's game and then Braden just starts spelling something on her knee with his finger letting her know that he wants to watch the A's game too but can't do anything about it. That's a really sweet scene! And oh my god that soccer scene where Charlie bites Braden on the neck and Braden bites her back. All the feels, you guys!! :")

I also remember Skye from The Distance Between Us and if I liked her there, I  loved her in this book! She and Linda are charming and it's good to see that she gets along well with Charlie too. The other secondary characters are also amazing. Amber and Evan are both likeable and Evan is actually nice. And I like that Amber and Gage end up together.

Overall it's a very sweet, charming and fluffy read! A cute contemporary that will surely give you all the feels. Charlie and Braden are so good together but can I please have Braden? I don't play any sport but I'll learn just for him. Or I can be his cheerleader! ♥ It's my fourth book of Kasie West and now I can't wait to read her next book!

* * *

He stared at me for a long time, as if trying to read my sincerity. His breath touched my lips. It took everything in me not to close the distance between us. When his lips brushed against mine, I let out an involuntary gasp. Had I done that?

“Am I reading you wrong?” he asked.

I shook my head no. I couldn't find my voice, couldn't dare to believe this meant what I  thought it meant.

He let out a slow breath of air that smelled so familiar. “I was going to tell you that.”

“You were going to tell me that you wanted to kiss me?”

He nodded. “Is this going to change everything?”

“I sure hope so.”

He smiled and his gazed went from my eyes, to my mouth then up to my hair. He tucked a piece behind my ear. “You're so beautiful.”

Book: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

 ★★★★/★★★★★

 “The best discoveries always happened to the people weren't looking for them. Columbus and America. Pinzón, who stumbled on Brazil while looking for the West Indies. Stanley happening on Victoria Falls. And you. Amy Curry, when I was least expecting her.”

This might not be my most favorite Matson book but I surely loved and enjoyed it! Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is a perfect summer read with an exciting road trip and likeable characters. This actually reminded me so much of With This Heart by R.S. Grey with the road trip and a cute boy for a company. Light, heart warming and entertaining, this book is one of those you will certainly enjoy.

I always love road trip stories especially because they mean exciting destinations, good music, lots and lots of snacks and road trip games! I admit I want to have a bizarre road trip myself (of course, with a cute guy with me!) and who knows someday I might write a book about my epic trip too!

“But there are two things that are absolutely necessary if you're going to be hitting the road.”

“And what are those?”

Roger smiled at me as he paused at a stoplight. “Snacks and tunes.” he said. “Not necessarily in that order.”

Amy Curry just lost her dad in a car accident. Ever since the accident, Amy found herself afraid of driving and somewhat distant from her mother and twin brother. And it didn't really help that her mother decided to move to Connecticut to start anew. Now Amy is living alone in their old house, finishing school but once it ends, she must travel to Connecticut to live with her mother. Everything is going as they planned until Amy's mother tells her she has to drive her car all the way to Connecticut because it'd be cheaper that way than to ship the car. Instantly, Amy knew there's no way she can but, of course, her mother knew it and tell her she's got her a driver who's willing to drive her. Enter Roger, Amy's childhood friend and now driver. It's awkward at first but soon Amy and Roger find themselves enjoying and taking a little detour from the route Amy's mother had planned for them. It's an epic detour with lots of music, snacks, 20 questions and spontaneous stop overs. A journey that lets both Amy and Roger realize and accept some things in life.

“It’s not about the destination. It’s getting there that’s the good part.”

 I love all the characters! Amy is the kind of character that is so hard not to like and she's been through enough pain. There's the guilt from the accident which she really struggles from that she can't even talk about it and then there's her issues with her mother and brother Charlie. The trip also reminds her so much of her dad which just breaks her heart because she, her dad and Charlie were supposed to go on a trip their dad had planned and was so excited about. And Amy just seems so hurt and broken I want to hug her myself! Roger, on the other hand, is so good to be true! I mean, he's a total gentleman, adorable and sweet. He takes care of Amy all throughout and I love that along the way he gets to clear some issues of his own too.

The secondary characters are also as lovely and likeable! Walcott, Bronwyn, Loenard and Lucien are a hell of secondary characters and I enjoyed them all. I think they made the book more exciting, inspiring and entertaining. Amy's short but meaningful encounter with them surely teach her a lot about some things. And Lucien? If I didn't like Roger enough, I would've shipped him and Amy! Lol. 

“Tomorrow will be better.”

“But what if it's not?” I asked.

Walcott smiled and let go of the CD. “Then you say it again tomorrow. Because it might be. You never know, right? At some point, tomorrow will be better.”

I loved that Amy and Roger both enjoy the trip and along the way they meet new friends, discover new things and feel new feelings. They both learn a few things and Amy finds herself slowly opening up and mending her relationship with her bother and mother. Same with Roger for he finds himself moving on from a relationship he doesn't deserve. And the romance between them is really sweet. Though it doesn't happen until the latter part, it's there. And I'm actually glad it's not an insta-love!

 

This book is really an entertaining read, has a simple plot, interesting characters and a bit emotional. I don't live in America so I also found it a bit informative with all the details about some of the states. The scrapbook part is one of my favorites too.The playlists, the pictures and notes make it more interesting and fun.

* * *

“Sancho Panza.” Drew repeated. “It's from Don Quixote. The navigator. But listen. The thing about Magellan is the thing about most explorers. Most times, they're just determined to follow impossible things. And most of them are so busy looking at the horizon that they can't even see what's right in front of them.”

An ex-almost...

“No, we didn’t date. Technically he wasn’t an ex-boyfriend. But he was an ex-something, an ex-maybe. An ex-almost.” 

He used to tell her everything. From his crappy morning to where he'd go to bed and why he can't fall asleep. They used to laugh at every funny joke he loved to tell and at all the crazy things he always did. He was sweet. He was stubborn. He wasn't the nicest person in the world but he can be at times.

He was a guy who once confused my feelings.

She always knew he wanted them to get closer but she wasn't ready. They were friends, she though that was enough. They enjoyed each other's company and they were happy. She knew in herself that she never hinted him that she wanted to get their friendship to the next level (she was even verbal with it) but as they spent more time together they grew closer and closer. She never said she didn't like him, she did because he was a good guy, a bit difficult at times and super flirty but an okay guy nonetheless. She thought they clicked because she was a bit crazy like him and they had the same circle of friends in school.

Sometimes she tried turning down his offers of eating out or accompanying him somewhere but he was persistent. He had his ways of always making sure she said yes. Days went by and she was feeling more and more uncomfortable with their friendship because he started asking her (in texts and chats) more personal things about relationships and stuff. It was when things between them started getting awkward because she knew that sooner or later he'd eventually ask the can we be more than friends? question. They would see each other in the morning but not talk about the stuff they'd talked about the night before which just made everything worse. It was really awkward that their friends have started asking questions. Of course, she told them everything and that was when they started teasing them. Well, that's what friends are for, right?


Until he finally asked her. He dropped the I like you. Can we be more than friends? speech and she gave him the Can you wait? Because I'm still not ready... speech. It worked just fine because the following days they were back to their old selves. And in the following weeks he started to confuse her feelings. That was when she decided to finally give him a chance. She was ready.

I was ready but he'd already moved on.

She never told him but she was kinda falling for him. She also didn't tell him about the decision she made because she wanted to see if he would actually wait until she was ready. He told her he would and a part of her actually hoped he would. But one of her problems with him was that he was extra friendly with girls. She wasn't the jealous type but people were saying bad things about his being flirty with girls and she saw that herself. It was also one of the reasons why at first she didn't want them to be more than friends. It'd been four months since he asked her and things between them were fine if not great. They still spent time together just eating, laughing and having fun all the the time. They would see each other in the morning, text at night and tease each other all the chance they got. Things were working out for them. Another month passed and she was ready to tell him. She was excited, if you believe it. 

 Until she found out about this other girl. Maybe it was her fault for making him wait too long. Maybe it was her fault for not telling him sooner. Maybe. But that moment she was more relieved than angry because then she knew it was right that she didn't tell him her feelings right away. Then she knew he couldn't wait. Or maybe he wasn't really planning to. Who knew? She was hurt, of course. And she would be lying if she tells you that she didn't expect him to find another girl while he'd been telling her that he liked her because she did. Deep inside her she knew he was that kind of guy but somehow she was hoping, and praying, he wouldn't do that to her. Turned out, he already had. Because while she was falling for him, he'd already moved on to the next girl

 He was a friend who was an ex-almost.

They drifted apart after a while and she can't believe he just stopped texting her. She was mad because he could've at least told her that he can't wait anymore and be man enough to tell her he liked another girl. She would've forgiven him if he was honest to her and blamed her for making him wait too long because then she'd understand it was her fault. But to just leave and not say anything was a jerk move. Because all those times he was acting like he still liked her but in truth he was already making a move to another girl. It was like one day he was confessing his love to her but the next all his feelings were gone and he didn't know her anymore.

She was pissed because she should've known. She shouldn't have let her feelings get the best of her because she knew the guy! He was her friend and she knew him. But the funny part was she really hoped he would change for her. That was foolish, she knew, but you can't blame her for hoping. He was her friend after all. The guy who was an ex-almost.

 (8-25-15 /8-21-16/10-17-16)

Book: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West

★★★¹⁄₂/★★★★★

 

“The world sees you one way

And they listen to all you say

You crave their attention

To feed your addiction

You have to sides

Two faces

You're trying to hide 

In two places.”

[Warning: This review contains spoilers!]

Kasie West sure knows how to write cute contemporaries. A bit cheesy, sometimes cliché but books like this are always a fun read. I've read three of her books—The Distance Between Us was a so-so, The Fill-In Boyfriend was so far my favorite and this book was entertaining. And with Lily exchanging letters with a mysterious guy and the scene where Sasha reads Lily's notebook in front of the whole school, it actually reminded me a lot of the movie A Cinderella Story which I really really loved!

But while I liked that this book was light and cute, I also think it was too cliché. It was too mainstream that Lily is your typical unpopular-weird-looking-self-conscious girl who lacks confidence and Cade is your typical popular-arrogant-athletic-hot guy who everybody either loves or fears. But, but! That isn't exactly a bad thing because despite that, Kasie West has a way of keeping you read until the end. She makes it okay with her cheesy lines and swoon-worthy guys.

“So you think I'm hot?” 
“Doesn't every girl?”
 It surprised me when his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. I wasn't sure why that embarrassed him in any way. I was positive he already knew it. He ran one hand through his hair. Then he said, almost too quiet for me to hear, “You're not every girl.”

The story focuses on Lily Abbott who always spaces out during her Chemistry class because it's so boring. To make it bearable, she pretends to write down class notes in her special notebook when in fact she's writing song lyrics or just her thoughts. One day she gets caught not paying attention to class so her teacher warns and tells her to keep the notebook away and now she's only allowed to bring a piece of paper to class, no notebook to be seen with her. She agrees but now she has no space to write her song lyrics on which sucks. But no problem since she has her whole desk to write on. She then begins writing her favorite lyrics on her desk and the next day she's surprised to see that someone has continued it for her. Next thing she knew, she's exchanging letters with this someone and soon it makes her look forward to attend her Chemistry class since it's only then that she gets to read and reply to the letter.

It's a really cute story and though the concept isn't new to me, it was still entertaining. Lily isn't the best character either but you can relate with her in many ways. She loves music but she's not confident enough to let anyone read or hear her lyrics. She's not popular at school and she had her fair share of having hard times in the hands of popular ones and her quirkiness doesn't really help. She has a huge crush on Lucas who she thinks will never notice her and she has the best friend in the world, Isabel (I like her!) who is her biggest supporter. She also has this big-not-so-normal family and I can very well relate with her on this part because I also have a big family and you can't really say we are the normal type too. And then she has this conflicted feelings toward this pen pal of hers who later on turns out to be someone she knew and is so different when writing his letters and in real life. Anyway, Lily is a likeable character and I liked that she's weird.

Now let's get to Cade. He's Lily's archenemy, Isabel's ex-boyfriend, the one Lily will always hate. But of course he's also hot and athletic and every girl falls for him. Well, maybe all except Lily. The moment Cade was mentioned I knew. But it didn't stop me from reading because like I said, West has a way of making you read until the end. At first I was so intrigued with Cade and I somehow hated him for how jerk he is towards Lily but towards the end his image changes and well, you know, I kinda fell for him. Haha. 

“P.S.” He brushed a piece of hair off of my cheek. “I like you. A lot.”

Lily's family might be my favorite in this book. Jonah and Wyatt are so adorable and Ashley, as a big sister, isn't that bad at all. Lily's parents are actually cool and let's not forget Bugs Rabbit! I wouldn't mind a weird family like theirs because really, mine is the same. Lily writing song lyrics is also one I really loved. I love writing poems and lyrics myself so I like that there's a touch of that in this book.

It might be predictable and cliché but this book managed to make me giggle and sometimes roll my eyes for how cheesy it is which I didn't mind. Overall, P.S. I Like You is really adorable and sweet, just the kind I needed after a heavy novel that is A Monster Calls. A light, fun read which will surely entertain you.

Book: Matilda by Roald Dahl

★★★★/★★★★★

“The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.”

I've missed a lot of good books when I was younger and now I'm trying to catch up on everything! One is Matilda and I really enjoyed this one. What a brilliant and mischievous girl Matilda is!

 Blurb:

Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda's world. For starters she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Then there's the large, busty nightmare of a school principal, Mrs. ("The") Trunchbull, a former hammer-throwing champion who flings children at will and is approximately as sympathetic as a bulldozer. Fortunately for Matilda, she has the inner resources to deal with such annoyances: astonishing intelligence, saintly patience, and an innate predilection for revenge.

She warms up with some practical jokes aimed at her hapless parents, but the true test comes when she rallies in defense of her teacher, the sweet Miss Honey, against the diabolical Trunchbull. There is never any doubt that Matilda will carry the day. Even so, this wonderful story is far from predictable. Roald Dahl, while keeping the plot moving imaginatively, also has an unerring ear for emotional truth. The reader cares about Matilda because in addition to all her other gifts, she has real feelings. 

What a fun read this book was and I loved Matilda! She's clever and despite having nasty parents, she grew up to be a wonderful child. She loves to read, she's smart and she doesn't tolerate injustices! At age five she's read a lot of books and she's got a beautiful heart. Though she can be vengeful at times. Haha.

Matilda said, "Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog. Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it's unbelievable...”

Matilda's story is somewhat sad, having self-centered parents who don't encourage reading because why would you if you have the telly? Thankfully she's intelligent and patient and she has her books to keep her company. And of course she has Ms. Honey, her kind and sweet teacher. While I loved Matilda and Ms. Honey, I hated Matilda's parents and Ms. Trunchbull!! Grr. They are the spiteful grown-ups most children fear, the kind of adult who crushes children's dreams. They are evil but I liked that Matilda has ways of getting even with them. That said, it was a fun and great book! :)

Book: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

★★★★★/★★★★★

“Just because someone hurts you doesn’t mean you can simply stop loving them. It’s not a person’s actions that hurt the most. It’s the love. If there was no love attached to the action, the pain would be a little easier to bear.”

Naked truth:  This book is probably the best book I've read this year!

Colleen Hoover sure knows how to break hearts! Because this books just managed to break mine and my tears just won't stop pouring for the most part of the book. Like, seriously! It was like I was feeling Lily's pain and oh my god it hurt! :'( But that ending was perfect! ♥

SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST

It Ends With Us is a powerful, emotional and beautiful story that gives us an outlook of life, family and relationships with some of their ugly sides. Colleen was able to write a story we can all relate with and what I loved most in this book was its honesty. It was very sad and painful but very honest. EVERYONE should read this book! The story doesn't only give us an inspiring story but it teaches us how to have the strength to make right choices especially in the hardest situations.

[Warning: This review contains some spoilers!]

Lily Bloom, just like some us, didn't have the perfect family. And really, who has ever had a perfect family? She grew up with her father occasionally hitting her mother and she hated her father for that. As a child she didn't understand why her mother stayed but as she became older she realized that sometimes the people we love are the ones who hurt us the most.

Now in her early twenties, Lily is living in Boston in hope of starting her own business. She moved out of her parents' house after graduating and somehow she just wants to see if everything is really better in Boston. On the night of her father's funeral, she meets Ryle Kincaid on some rooftop she Googled and right there and then they just start telling each other naked truths. Their meeting didn't end there and next thing they knew they are falling in love with each other. But as Lily and Ryle begin to get serious, someone from Lily's past just suddenly reappears. Someone who held, still holds, a piece of her heart. Atlas.

I have so many things I liked in this book and let me start with how much I loved the characters! Lily is such a brave and lovely and talented and amazing character. She's smart and she likes making bold decisions because she trusts herself to succeed. She's able to start up her own business; a flower shop with the help of her new bff, Allysa, Ryle's sister. Everything is going right for her and she can't believe how things are turning up. She has her own business, she's married Ryle and she's in good terms with her mother. Until things from her past start to hunt her. What she went through wasn't easy; seeing her mother getting abused by her father and now she's experiencing the same in the hands of her own husband. She told herself she's not going to be like her mother but soon she finds herself in the same situation, not being able to just walk away. And now she understands why her mother chose to stay: because it's not that easy especially when you truly love the person.

Ryle is the kind of character you easily fall in love with. He's straightforward and ambitious and maybe a bit arrogant but just like the rest of us he's got his issues. He may be successful and looks so perfect on the outside but he's just as broken. His childhood had done some serious damage on him and now it's threatening his relationship with Lily. I actually loved him because he's very sweet (and sometimes cliché) but I didn't care because he loves Lily! And he loves her so much to let her go! :'(

“I feel like everyone fakes who they really are, when deep down we’re all equal amounts of screwed up. Some of us are just better at hiding it than others.”

 Some of my favorite parts were of Ryle because he's just so in love with Lily it hurt. He might have told her that he prioritizes his career more than anything else but he's willing to put it second just for Lily.

“If you don’t want to be with me . . . please tell me right now, Lily. Because when I saw you with him . . . that hurt. I never want to feel that again. And if it hurts this much now, I’m terrified to think of what it could do to me a year from now.”

Now, now, let's get to Atlas Corrigan. While I loved Ryle, I really really loved Atlas! Atlas showed up in Lily's life when she was fifteen. He was homeless then, finding shelter in the abandoned house at the back of Lily's  house. When Lily found out about his situation, she began to worry and eventually decided to help him. As they spent time together, they got to know each other and feelings started to grow. But Atlas had to leave. He didn't have a choice and like it or not he had to leave Lily. Before leaving, he made a promise to find her when he knew he's already good enough for her and told her that if she ever though of finding him in the future then she knew where to look; in Boston where everything is better.

Atlas's story is as heartbreaking as Lily's and Ryle's. He ran away from home and his mother didn't care much. He was actually ready to end his life but when he saw Lily, it gave him hope. And I guess that's a really powerful scene.

“You saved my life, Lily,” he said to me. “And you weren’t even trying.”

During those times Lily was with Atlas, she was also writing to Ellen DeGeneres. She never sent them but it was her form of journal in which she wrote to Ellen and told her everything that's happened to her including Atlas. Especially Atlas. Later, Lily introduced The Ellen DeGeneres Show to Atlas and it somehow became a big part of their lives. So when Atlas left, Lily stopped watching it. She just can't watch Ellen without Atlas. She also stopped writing. Because what's the point if she can't tell Ellen about Atlas anymore. After some years, Atlas reappears in Lily's life and it's when her relationship with Ryle is threatened. Lily still remembers everything about Atlas and how could she forget him when he was her first love—her protector.

Lily,

Atlas says just keep swimming.

—Ellen DeGeneres

Now that Atlas and Lily have met again and Ryle found out about it, things between Lily and Ryle start to go south. Ryle starts to do things he doesn't mean to do and he ends up asking for Lily's forgiveness over and over again. The first time it happens, Lily lets it slip. The second time she tries to convince herself it won't happen again but the third time, it's too much. She has to walk away. And Atlas is there when she needs someone the most.

I knew what Ryle did to Lily would permanently damage their relationship but I was actually hoping for Lily to give him one last chance! But at the same time I wanted to punch Ryle and tell him to fudge off! And then some parts of me were rooting for Atlas to just grab Lily and take her away where no one can hurt her! I know it's a little fuck up but I just wanted everything to be fine with Lily! She didn't deserve that shit and someone just please hand me a tissue because I feel like crying! Again! :'(

 Naked truth: Atlas is just so perfect I want to marry him! 

“In the future . . . if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again . . . fall in love with me.” He presses his lips against my forehead. “You’re still my favorite person, Lily. Always will be.”

 Other characters that I loved are Allysa and Marshall! They are just as endearing and they are a lovely and funny couple. I liked that Allysa became Lily's bestfriend and together their girl power is just too much! And let's not forget Lily's mother. I loved that she and Lily are in a good relationship and that they take care of each other.

 “Sometimes even grown women need their mother’s comfort so we can just take a break from having to be strong all the time.”

I can't imagine how hard and painful it must be for Lily's mother all those times. She's been a very strong mother, enduring her husband's beating just because she loved him. My heart broke for her. :'( And Lily must've not understood before but now she knows how brave and strong her mother has been. But unlike her mother, she chose to walk away because she knew it's for the best. Both for her and Emerson!

“It stops here. With me and you. It ends with us.”

 

Gahhh! I still can't get over this book. Maybe not for another week. Or month! It's just soooo good that I'm forcing my sister to read it. YOU SHOULD READ THIS!! Colleen managed to give us a very powerful story and I hope everyone gets the message she wanted to deliver. It's heavy and painful but let's learn from it. 

This book is really especial and I hope it reaches more readers! Good Job, Colleen for writing a book that will forever be in my heart. ♥

 

- - - - -

People say that teenagers don’t know how to love like an adult. Part of me believes that, but I’m not an adult and so I have nothing to compare it to. But I do believe it’s probably different. I’m sure there’s more substance in the love between two adults than there is between two teenagers. There’s probably more maturity, more respect, more responsibility. But no matter how different the substance of a love might be at different ages in a person’s life, I know that love still has to weigh the same. You feel that weight on your shoulders and in your stomach and on your heart no matter how old you are.

Lost at Twenty

She didn't know what else to do.

She didn't have a job, her family thought little of her and her friends were all doing great. At twenty she felt so lost and it might be cliché but she felt alone in a sea of people. She felt like drowning in her own tears. She felt useless. She felt embarrassed. She didn't know what else to do. What could've she done?

She fought.

She strived harder. She endured pain. She pushed herself to do better. From then she told herself she was the only one who can help herself. She needed to be strong. She needed to work harder. She needed to trust herself. So she fought.

And she's still fighting.