Feature and Follow Friday: What goes around comes around

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

Once you answer be sure to leave me your link so I can follow you back

Q: How many books have you got on your tbr list?

Une photo publiée par natalia (@natyuniverse) le 19 Mai 2015 à 8h09 PDT

127! 

Dusting ain't easy when you keep so many to-be-read books by your nightstand. I do read two books from the pile each month, and would be rid of it by now -- except I keep adding to it. Bad girl!

How big is your pile?

Review: Ten Things I Hate about Me

Jamilah might hate several things about herself, but only one keeps getting brought up.

Not fitting in is like leprosy at adolescence. No one wants you on their team. And the nasty daily comments can push any teen into a huge depression. It's no wonder that Jamilah dreams of having her classmate Timothy's courage and just be herself: a Lebanese/Muslim living in Australia. So she bleaches her hair, puts on blue contacts and changes her name to Jamie. And no one "notices."

To be honest, although the idea of feeling stuck in a nationality is not new to me (yup, been there) I didn't feel like Jamilah was so worried about her background. What truly bothered her was the relationship with her dad. His overprotective parenting drove her and her siblings crazy. And she associated that with him being Muslim: no girls should go out unchaperoned, girls must be home before sunset... too many rules to list (probably like ten).

More than character growth, we get to see bonding and how communication is key.

Review: Fixing Delilah

Every family has got secrets...

But Delilah's tired of being left out of the loop. She and her mom return to Vermont for her grandmother's funeral. A woman they had not seen for the past ten years, after a family fight regarding her father that no one wants to discuss with Delilah. Why did they keep away? Why so much resentment? Are things really better left unsaid?

Death has a way of reminding us that pride isn't always worth it. Ockler kept some really juicy secrets from Delilah in this book and made us sympathize with all sides of the equation. Loved the small town feeling of the book, and found the dialogue realistic with a contemporary plot that was easy to follow. 

A great fast read. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Red Eye Flight

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

TOP BOOKS I'M TAKING TO THE BEACH

Leaving next month and appreciate having to do this list in advance. Let me know if you recommend them as well: 

World After by Susan Ee

Loved the first book, can't wait to see what happens next.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Heard wonders about this novel. I admit it sounds sad, but reading this by the beach might make it easier to take in. 

The One by Kiera Cass 

Need to finish this series. Can't believe I'm behind...

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Isla means island in spanish. Island goes with beach which goes with summer.... It's meant to be. 

What's on your summer to read list?

Review: Panic

Summer means it's time for Panic.

Every year, the senior class collects one dollar a day/per student to raise a huge prize. This year the winner of Panic will receive 67,000$. For many living in the small town, the money means a ticket out. Heather never thought of leaving. She joined Panic as an impulse after a bad break-up. But with dares like Russian roulette and crossing a highway blindfolded, will this impulse be worth it?

Joining a crazy game like this, made Heather appear immature and foolish just like the rest of gamers who were there for cash or honor. But Oliver gave the story a twist by making it vital for Heather to win. The story was told with two point-of-views, giving us a wide perspective of the game. What I found most difficult was fitting the story into a genre. It appears Oliver managed to create a thriller/contemporary ya. 

Interesting concept!!