Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Title: If I Stay
Author: Gayle Forman
Published April 2nd 2009 by Dutton Juvenile         
Goodreads | Amazon
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Why do you lie to me, people? Here I am thinking this is gonna be one of the best books I've ever read, a real tear-jerker, one of those "changed the way I am now" kind of books.

And what do I get?: none of that. Nada. And I'm not mad, because by now I've learned that most of the time I go against the current when it comes to big-hype YA books, but for once, I mean have you seen the fan masses behind this book?, I thought this book had a good chance with me.

So anyway, you all know the plot, Mia's family has died in a horrible car crash and she's in critical condition, now Mia is at the limbo, wondering what's best, to let go and go with them or to stay. That sounds good, right? I bought this book months and months ago thinking it sounded excellent, but the journey that she goes through is full of old, boring memories. I know I sound mean but ahhh really, there were just so.many.memories, just when I thought we've gotten past the 'I just had the best father/mother/brother/boyfriend/grandma/neighbors/music teacher/life' memory, another would come my way at the turn of the page

And it's not that I don't like flashbacks, I mean I enjoy them as much as the next girl, but seriously, this book was all written in flashbacks. And that was a little boring.

But moving on, I liked the parts were the real-time was going on, when Mia's body is at the hospital and everyone comes to visit her, those parts were sweet. Except for maybe that time Adam sneaks into her room in the hospital, that I know people might think it's romantic, but as a med student I just find it reckless and stupid and if I were Mia's doctor I would have been annoyed haha.

I would say though, that I really want to try the sequel, Where She Went, because at the end of my copy, there's a chapter of it and it's in Adam's POV and it was fantastic, I'm hooked (although I have a feeling I know exactly where the story is going, my guess is on Mia loosing her memory and not knowing who Adam was, and Adam taking off).

Feel free to throw virtual tomatoes at me for not liking it.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Evolution of Mara Dyer

WoW is weekly meme created by Jill at Breaking The Spine in which bloggers can share books they're excited to get soon :)

(proceed with caution, summary might contain spoilers for those who hadn't read book 1)

The Evolution of Mara Dyer

Two days after Mara walks into a police station in Miami at the close of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, she is committed for psychiatric treatment for what her parents believe is a mental breakdown. But what seems like a hallucination to everyone else is a chilling reality for Mara. Someone from her past has discovered her strange, disturbing secret and that someone wants her to pay. But she's about to discover that the price is more than she can bear.

Dark and thrilling, suspenseful and passionate, The Evolution of Mara Dyer will have readers breathlessly turning pages to find out what will become of Mara Dyer next.

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Even though I wasn't a big fan of the first one, the plot and the cliffhanger at the end, had me hooked, so heck yes I'll be reading this one ;D

Review: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Title: Virtuosity
Author: Jessica Martinez
Published October 18th 2011 by Simon Pulse         
Goodreads | Amazon
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Ah, virtuosity. Music, romance, what can possibly go wrong?

Something always goes wrong.

The book turned out to be better than I thought but not as good as I hoped. I liked the getting to know the violin scene, I liked the Chicago setting, I liked the story’s building up. I loved the first chapter, it fulfilled its purpose of hooking me from the start.

What bugged me though, was Carmen’s personality, she is a total virtuoso, and maybe that’s just the way musicians are, but sometimes she was just, so, clueless. I wanted to shake her and tell her to grow a backbone during most of the book; annoying girls are something I cannot stand, but I somehow got over her and was able to finish the book with my head still full of hair.

The story is about Carmen’s violin competition for a Guarneri violin, which she wouldn’t need ‘cause she has a Strad, a $1.2 million dollar violin her grandparents lend her, but she wants to win for the year-long, world-wide tour that is also part of the prize.

But lately, Carmen hasn’t been herself. Ever since she started to take meds for stage fright she’s been going through the motions, like a robot, not enjoying the music like she used to. The exciting part here is that I recognized the med right away, knew what it was for, knew what were the risks and everything; it gave me a thrill haha. Although I understand that people are scared of meds, I wish I could tell them that meds do not take away their creative side or anything, the pharmacology industry has come a long way to help people and most of the side effects people talk about are just placebo.

She knows she can do it, the other only person in the whole competition who really stands a chance is Jeremy, a handsome Brit that is the male version of her career. When Carmen meets Jeremy she can’t believe how good of a violinist he is, not to mention he’s so charming and good looking. And when he asks her out and they start to know each other and even though they’re supposed to be enemies, the attraction is there and it can’t be denied. I like the sparks in their relationship, I thought it made sense for them to get together; they had so much in common. But young and naïve, they had to ruin it somehow and from Jeremy asking Carmen that, and Carmen’s mom doing that, *sigh* they almost blow it.

Good thing everything got sorted out at the end. And I actually enjoyed how it ended, even though it was a bit unbelievable, it was still worth the time I invested.

Waiting on Wednesday: This is not a drill by Beck McDowell

WoW is weekly meme created by Jill at Breaking The Spine in which bloggers can share books they're excited to get soon :)

 

THIS IS NOT A DRILL by Beck McDowell

When high school seniors—and former couple—Emery and Jake find themselves held hostage in a first grade classroom, they must do all they can to protect the kids. Brian Stutts, a U.S. soldier suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after serving in Iraq, pulls out his gun to convince the teacher to hand over the son he’s not allowed to check out because of a custody battle. The situation turns deadly when a security guard appears at the door and Stutts impulsively opens fire. When the teacher is carried from the room, the children's fate is in the hands of Emery and Jake.
While Jake searches for a way to communicate with the policemen surrounding the building, Emery, fighting her shyness, fear, and POTS symptoms, tries to reach out to the soldier. She gains a new understanding of what he faced in Iraq, and discovers remarkable strength in his small son.

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I've been waiting a YA book that deals with a situation deeper than just getting the boy. I mean I don't have anything against adorable bubble gum romance, in fact I'm a fan. But once in a while when a book about a difficult and realistic situation comes out, I devour it.

And don't tell me this one doesn't sound like an amazing, dramatic, full of action story, I need this one now!