Goodreads Summary: Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.
Review: What a monumental moment. Writing my first review in over a year and on a book written by none other than my favorite author. Colleen has been an author I’ve been loyally committed to since the day I opened up Hopeless. From the moment I opened to page 1, my bookworm life was changed forever (“spare us the dramatics, Eileen!” I know, I know. But it’s true!!). Since then, I’ve read all of Colleen’s books and each time she somehow tops the previous book. I don’t know how she does it, but she is seriously some sort of romance novel wizard. Please, Colleen, teach me your ways!! Each time I read one of her books, my expectations get higher and higher which is why I was quite nervous to read November 9. Will I fall in love with the characters as much as I did in Hopeless? Will I cry my eyes out like I did in Ugly Love? Will my heart break into a million pieces like it did in Maybe Someday?
Despite my doubts, November 9 was everything I wanted it to be and then some. Whenever I read one of Colleen’s books, it doesn’t feel like I’m reading. It feels like I am on some sort of crazy adventure tagging along with all the characters. An adventure I never want to leave.
It all starts with Fallon. A girl insecure about her flaws embarking on a new adventure across the country when she meets Ben the day before she leaves. With a ridiculously funny introduction, it leads these two characters to spend her last night in town with each other. This becomes the inspiration for Ben’s first novel and for the two too met up every year on the same day.
Okay pause. I admit that looking at this plotline by itself, it does seem a bit cheesy and predictable, but trust me when I say that Colleen will blow your mind.
And OKAY we’re back… I’m literally so obsessed with Fallon and Ben. They’re both so easy to fall in love with. Fallon with her insecurities and Ben with his boyish charm will win your heart over within a few pages. Fallon is this character who is struggling to find her passion again in life, and Ben who knows what he wants to do, but needs a little guidance. I loved being able to witness their ups and downs. I loved how their struggles became our struggles. Like all the characters in Colleen’s books, we get to grow alongside Fallon and Ben as well as going through so much time with them. Fallon and Ben will make you feel every single emotion. Literally ALL THE FEELS. One page these two would have me dying laughing then I would turn it and the next I would be crying so hard I couldn’t breathe.
Overall, November 9 did not disappoint. It surpassed my exceedingly high expectations, reminded me why I started reading books in the first place, and question why I ever stopped. I absolutely recommend reading November 9 with every ounce of my being. It will be the most emotional rollercoaster you will ever be on, but a ride you will not want to get off.
“When you find love, you take it. You grab it with both hands and you do everything in your power not to let it go. You can’t just walk away from it and expect it to linger until you’re ready for it.”
Thank you guys for always supporting Bookwormstothemax and helping me make it what it is today. I’m so excited to be back and I can’t wait for my bookworms to see everything I have planned for the future. 🙂
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
After over a year of growing, learning, and embarking on new adventures, I’ve decided to bring back Bookworm Eileen thus the return of my beloved, Bookwormstothemax. 🙂
With my first semester of college completed, I now have extra time to do some reinventing and show you all a different side of Bookwormstothemax. Get Excited!
Thank you to my favorite bookworms who are the reason I am returning to the Book Blogging World that I call my home. I can’t wait to show you all a different side of me as well as a new and improved version of Bookwormstothemax!
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads Summary: Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.
Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.
Review: I’m BACK. It’s been 2 months since I’ve done a review. Part of the reason why is I’m still super busy with school and college applications. The other part is I’ve been having major blogger’s block. (Is that even a thing?) Either way, I’m glad to be back. 🙂
This book was essentially everything I needed it to be. It was quirky, moving, and ALL THE FEELS. I don’t think anything can beat Anna and the French Kiss, however this one was pretty close to amazing.
Isla has been enamored with Josh since she could remember, yet she’s barely talked with him, and is almost certain he doesn’t even know she exists. Isla runs into Josh while high on Vicodin (she had her wisdom teeth surgery), and therefore begins her romance with him.
It was a very enchanting read, and I loved that their relationship was a more private one, in a very sweet way that isn’t easy to explain. The clichés were the good kind which made the book even more enjoyable and as I reached the end of the book I couldn’t really comprehend my thoughts anymore.
It’s funny because in Anna and the French Kiss you don’t really even notice Isla (at least I didn’t). If you haven’t read the book as many times as I have you may not even notice her. And Josh, he was a great secondary character and side kick to St. Clair, but not someone you really thought about. Even though I had my doubts about the character selection, I was super excited when I learned these were our two leads in Isla and the Happily Ever After. There was something that fascinated me about what I did know about them and it peaked my curiosity.
I can’t believe that I doubted Isla and Josh in the beginning. I found myself a lot in Isla. Isla and I are both shy, somewhat awkward, but passionate individuals. I even swooned over Josh. As I learned more about his character and his story, I understood why Stephanie chose him as the male lead character. 🙂 Another thing that Perkins does well is the secondary characters. Isla had some great people in her life that taught her things that made her grow as a person separate from her connection with Josh. Kurt was a fascinating addition that was able to be Isla’s voice of reason. He told her things she didn’t want to hear about herself but needed to hear.
Finishing Isla was bittersweet because this trilogy, all of these characters, mean something to me. It sounds weird but reading Isla and the Happily Ever After was the end of an era. It was like graduating and leaving everything behind. I almost felt like Josh did, all alone after losing my friends. Even though Anna, Lola, and Isla’s stories have reached an end, I’m glad they each got their own “happily ever after.” 🙂
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00007]](https://bookwormstothemax.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/18241800.jpg)
WOW.
That is all I have to say about The Keatyn Chronicles.
I’ve followed Keatyn on her journey for so long and I’m unbelievably proud of all she’s done.
Jillian Dodd did an amazing job with the series which makes it so hard to say goodbye..
The drama, the characters, and everything else in between was divine chaos.
Perfect. Divine. Chaos.
Aiden, Dawson, Riley, Maggie, Katie, Dallas, and even Whitney grew on me and I found myself fall in love with their drama, their relationships, and their hearts.
I don’t want to give too much away because I highly HIGHLY recommend you read the series. But I will tell you that you will be on a never-ending rollercoaster of emotions.
Goodbye Keatyn and see you the next time I re-read the entire series. 🙂
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
Stalk Me. (Bookwormstothemax Review)
Kiss Me (Bookwormstothemax Review)
Hello Bookworms and welcome to another Feature Friday! For those of you who don’t know about Feature Friday or if it is your first time on Bookwormstothemax, every Friday you can see posts about new bookish videos, announcements, authors, and etc. If you have any suggestions for a Feature Friday, let me know by leaving a comment below or emailing me at bookworm_tothemax@yahoo.com !
This Friday, I’m excited to share with you my interview with Johanna Parkhurst. I first found out about her books a few months ago and I’m happy I did. If you haven’t read any of Johanna’s books before, I highly recommend that you do! Check out her website here.
Eileen: Thank you Johanna for joining all of us here on Bookwormstothemax! We are so happy to have you! First off, What made you decide to become an author?
Johanna: I’m not sure I ever decided to be a writer—I’ve just always loved making up stories in my head and putting them on paper. I wrote my first “book” when I was eight: The Story of Jackie, the Killer Whale. My mom said it was awesome, so I figured I’d keep up the whole writing thing.
Eileen: Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it and why?
Johanna: I can’t imagine writing horror because I can’t read a horror book without having to close it every five seconds (I scare really easily). Other than that, everything’s on the table. The best part of writing is that it allows you to be a part of so many different worlds.
Eileen: Harmony Ink Press publishes LGBT-related Young Adult Books. What inspired you to write YA LGBT novels?
Johanna: I didn’t initially set out to write Dusty Porter (in Here’s to You, Zeb Pike) as a gay character. Over many, many drafts Dusty just happened to end up falling in love with Emmitt…and thus I had written a novel about a gay teenager (I sometimes joke that my own character came out to me).
Then, at the same time that I was looking to get Here’s to You, Zeb Pike published, I was also bringing more and more literature with LGBTQ characters into my middle school classroom. A principal I was working with made the following plea to me: “Please don’t just bring in stories where the gay kids get beat up and bullied and commit suicide all the time. I feel like that’s all kids see these days. I want them to know that not everyone’s story is like that.” I’m not saying those types of stories shouldn’t be out there, and neither was my principal. Those stories are vitally important to teens who need to see the worst possible consequence of bullying behavior. They are also vitally important to those teenagers who have had such an experience and need to know they are not alone. But when I was writing Every Inferno, I decided I wanted to write another story featuring LGBTQ characters, and that this time I wanted to create a high school which leans towards acceptance and inclusion. So I created the character of McKinley, a gay 16-year-old who enjoys huge popularity in his high school.
Eileen: What advice would you give LGBT teens who are struggling with themselves and their identity?
Johanna: What a great question. Almost every teen I’ve ever known is struggling with defining who they are in what way or another, and the advice I often give to them is this: surround yourself with the right people. People who appreciate every aspect of your identity, even if that identity is changing in some way. People who will support you in the process of defining yourself. People who will stand by you. That’s not always easy to do. Not everyone has people like that readily available. So seek them out. Actively look for them. They’re out there somewhere.
Eileen: Here’s to You, Zeb Pike was your first novel. Can you tell the readers a little bit about it?
Johanna: Here’s to You, Zeb Pike is about Dusty Porter, a fourteen-year-old boy who is left to take care of his brother and sister by himself…and what happens when someone finally figures out what’s going on and Dusty’s life is turned upside down. It’s sad, and funny, and the characters in it were great fun to write.
Eileen: Your newest book, Every Inferno, was recently released. How is it different from Here’s to You, Zeb Pike?
Johanna: Every Inferno is a lot darker. While the topics addressed in Here’s to You, Zeb Pike aren’t lighthearted, that book has a decent amount of humor laced into it. Every Inferno is about an alcoholic teenager trying to solve the mystery of his parents’ murder, so the tone of that book is much more serious. Although, if you like sarcasm, you’ll still probably find it funny. JJ is pretty acerbic.
Eileen: What books are you currently reading?
Johanna: I’m just about to start Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin. It’s a YA novel about a character who’s born intersex, and it’s getting wonderful reviews.
Eileen: What is your strategy to get rid of writer’s block?
Johanna: It’s AWFUL. Most writers would say you should never do this!! Basically…I work on 2-3 projects at all times, and I jump back and forth whenever one stalls. While I would say that this strategy works for me, it also means that it takes forever for me to finish a draft of anything.
Eileen: How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
Johanna: I’m all over the place with names. Dusty’s name represents the fact that his life is in constant change—dust that hasn’t settled anywhere yet. But JJ’s name has no meaning whatsoever. I just liked the initials and started calling him that as I drafted the book. I didn’t even figure out what JJ stood for until the third chapter!
Eileen: What are you working on now? A new book? Project?
Johanna: Naturally, I’m working on two projects right now. One is my first attempt at a picture book! That’s taking some time, because I’ve never written one before. The other is a novel featuring a teenage girl who’s a history geek…and spends a lot of time with toilet seats. That’s all I’m going to say about that for now.
Thank you again, Johanna, for joining us on Bookwormstothemax!
Author Interview
Johanna Parkhurst grew up on a small dairy farm in northern Vermont before relocating to the rocky mountains of Colorado. She spends her days helping teenagers learn to read and write and her evenings writing things she hopes they’ll like to read. She strives to share stories of young adults who are as determined, passionate, and complex as the ones she shares classrooms with.
Johanna holds degrees from Albertus Magnus College and Teachers College, Columbia University. She loves traveling, hiking, skiing, watching football, and spending time with her incredibly supportive husband.
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
I’m so sorry I haven’t posted anything in a while! It’s been crazy on vacation during the summer, starting my senior year in high school, and getting ready to apply to colleges! But no worries because I’m back and have a lot of fun stuff planned for you all!
Tomorrow will be Feature Friday and I have something awesome to share!
New reviews will be posted this weekend as well.
Next Friday will be an Author Interview with the amazing, Johanna Parkhurst!
Lastly, I will be hosting a new giveaway next week so stay tuned!!
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads Summary: According to Anna’s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie–she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.
TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer.
Review: If you follow some of my posts, you would know that I usually describe an emotional book as “ALL THE FEELS”. I couldn’t do that with Twenty Boy Summer. Why? Because it was ALL THE FEELS and MORE. It was an INFINITE amount of feels. I actually read Twenty Boy Summer the day after I watched The Fault in Our Stars. So imagine a teenage girl already weak and fragile from the most emotional movie ever, putting her emotions into even more misery. Yeah, it was a disaster, but I don’t regret reading it at all. Although I went through a couple boxes of tissue, I can say that it is my favorite summer read by a long shot.
So how can a book make me bawl my eyes out, but still be my favorite summer read? I’ll tell you.
Before Twenty Boy Summer, I was reading a lot of other romance books. All of those romance books had one thing in common: they were unrealistic. The boy and the girl fall in love, then there’s something moderately shocking to keep the reader’s interest, and in the end, love conquers all and the couple lives happily ever after. BORING. I like reading these types of books, don’t get me wrong, but I needed a book to show what really happens in a relationship. I desired a book to show that a relationship isn’t just gumdrops and rainbows. Twenty Boy Summer did just that.
I loved how Sarah Ockler didn’t force sadness and grief down my throat. Some books tend to force you to feel a certain way whether that is happiness, sorrow, or anger. Twenty Boy Summer allowed me to feel how I wanted to feel. The writing didn’t seem forced either. It flowed at a perfect pace. My heart ached for all of the characters, but especially Anna. Not only did she lose one of her best friends in the death of Matt, but she also lost her first love. I can’t imagine how hard it is for someone my age to be put into that much tragedy. In addition, Frankie, who was her best girl friend, is dealing with the loss of her brother and the effects that it had on her entire family. It was almost as if Anna lost both of her friends with Matt’s death. Everything and everyone changed in some way. And since Anna promised Matt that she will keep their love a secret, Anna has her feeling bottled up.
Like I said earlier, I fell in love with the way Sarah Ockler writes. The characters were just beautiful, but I also really appreciated how authentic Sarah’s dialogue was. I can’t say enough about how she gracefully developed the characters in this story, especially Anna. Anna, Frankie, and the rest of the characters didn’t feel like characters. They felt like real people. I felt everything they felt. Being able to follow Anna on her journey was a beautiful experience. 🙂
“Nothing ever really goes away–it just changes into something else. Something beautiful.”
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
Rating: 5/5
Goodreads Summary: Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.
Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.
Review: This particular book is the reason why I LOVE dystopian-type books so much! The Program is so different from any book I’ve read. It’s new, refreshing, and addicting. Seriously, I’m hooked on The Program. So thank you, Suzanne Young, for being the reason of my obsession. 🙂
The world is not the same world you once knew. What once was a sudden spike in teen suicides has turned into an international epidemic. The Program has been established to put an end to the epidemic — as well as their memories.. The person keeping Sloane out of the Program is her boyfriend, James. Little does Sloane know that James has some problems himself. Sloane and James do everything they can to keep the handlers at a distance, but they can’t avoid their issues forever..
I absolutely have to point out the book cover. You see both Sloane and James, holding hands and getting ready to face the Program. When I first saw this book at the bookstore, the cover immediately caught my attention. In the book, it is obvious that Sloane is fighting against the Program, but she is also fighting herself. Like all teenagers, Sloane has some inner demons as well. She has to figure out how to outsmart the Program while saving herself.
Teenagers tackles some pretty deep issues in The Program with everything from teenage love to depression. To some extent, The Program can be considered as true because although teen suicide isn’t an epidemic in the real world, it is an issue. Many teens face bullying, depression, and etc. Suicide is something we should all be aware of and help those who need our help most.
Overall, The Program was an amazing read. I found myself dying to find out what will happen next. There wasn’t a single moment in this book where I felt bored or unsure of where things were going. It was perfection by far. I loved the experience of getting to read this one and I can see myself re-reading it over and over.
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
Bookworms, thank you all for being the best group of followers ever. Since creating Bookwormstothemax, my love for reading grows every day. You all inspire me to expand my reading genres and to become an overall better reader. Being a blogger has made me realize the becoming an author could be somewhere in my future. Knowing you guys love and support Bookwormstothemax means more than you know.
I love you guys! All 200 of you! 🙂
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
Bonjour Bookworms!
I have finally returned from my trip to Europe. It has been such a great month of traveling, but I’m so happy to come back to blogging again! Traveling Europe has opened my eyes to a new and spectacular world. It was a beautiful experience and I can’t wait to return! For the past month, I’ve been eating gelato in Italy, skiing the slopes in Switzerland, trying escargot in France, and tormenting the palace guards in England.
These next few weeks will be a bit unorganized and hectic since I will be trying to make up posts and reviews that I’ve missed, so bear with me!
I’m so excited to share a few of my pictures from my trip with you all!
On my first day in Italy, I visited the Roman Colosseum! It was great to see a big piece of Ancient Rome.
I also had to make a wish at the Trevi Fountain. Hopefully, I will return to Rome one day!
On my last day in Italy, I went to the city of Tivoli and fell in love with the scenery. The town, the buildings, and the people were so amazing!
After Italy, I traveled to Wengen, Switzerland. Switzerland was definitely my favorite country to visit. It was great to take a break from the hot weather and busy streets in Italy. Witnessing the snowfall, the mountains, and the waterfalls was so refreshing and peaceful!
In Switzerland, I visited the Jungfrau Mountain and had a great snow-ski day!
Leaving Switzerland was a bittersweet moment, but I was excited to move on to Paris! The Eiffel Tower was such a great spectacle. Paris was everything I imagined it to be. The little cafes, the effortlessly fashionable people, and of course the shopping was perfect. During my visit in Paris, I did TRY escargots (snails) and although the experience was rather peculiar, snails are actually pretty tasty! Weird right?
I ended my Europe trip in London, England. The UK was so much fun. I enjoyed learning about England’s history and admiring its amazing architecture. I even saw Wicked the Musical in London, which was PERFECT. Wicked is my new favorite musical and I currently have all the songs on repeat!
Thank you all so much for being amazing followers and following me through this journey! I am beyond grateful to have you guys!
Until next time….
Catcha later bookworms!
bookwormstothemax. 