When We Collided - Review

Book Review:
Title: When We Collided
Author: Emery Lord
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: 7th April 2016

I received an early copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

"We are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know"

I don't want to say too much about the premise of this book, but I'll give you a little insight on what it's about. When we collided follows two protagonists by the name of Vivi and Jonah. It's safe to say, that these two teenagers are completely different: Vivi craves adventure and living life to the fullest, whereas Jonah is more reserved and uses all of his time to look after his family. Meeting these two characters, you wouldn't associate one with the other, they're polar opposites, but when their lives collide (see what I did there) everything thing seems to lock into place.

I was quite sceptical going into this book after hearing that it deals with a mental illness. I normally find that when reading a book that deals with mental health, the topic is glossed over and kept quite tame. It's never realistic enough. This book however, could possibly be one of the best portrayals of a mental illness that I have ever read. It dealt with the topic very maturely and realistically.

Every character is going through their own personal struggles and fighting their own demons, but they fight through it with the help of their loved ones. And I admire that immensely.

My favourite character and the one I admired the most was Jonah. From the start, we can see that Jonah is living a hard life. He's only seventeen, yet he carries the burden of looking after and providing for his siblings. He has essentially put his own life on hold, so that his brothers and sisters can have have everything they want and need in life. When Vivi bounces into his life, she encourages him to break out of his shell and start living for himself like a normal teenager and although we did see him embrace his life much more, he still continued to put his family and even Vivi's joy before his own. There's this one quote that comes from Vivi which I think describes Jonah perfectly,

"All this pain in his life, all this care he doles out to everyone else. And yet he still cracks his broken heart open even wider - wide enough to fit me too."

He's such a sweetheart.

Now moving onto Vivi. I found her chapters quite difficult to read at times. Not because I didn't enjoy them, but because they were very intense. Through Jonah's pov we see Vivi acting carefree and just embracing life and seeing the good in everything, but in Vivi's pov we see the truth. She tries her hardest to not let her disorder consume her after feeling flat and unaware for so long, yet these little snippets come out of when her actions catch up to her and we can see that she's struggling. As Jonah's life was improving, Vivi's was slowly crumbling around her. It broke my heart.

Both Jonah and Vivi are complex well-developed characters and their relationship was no different. The journey that they went through together was both beautiful and bittersweet. Both of their lives were shattering around them, but with the help of each other, they managed to build each other up again. The book didn't end exactly how I wanted it to, but it really did not bother me all that much, because when you really think about it, it works. It's realistic.
This book will stay with me for quite a long time, it would be quite difficult to forget such a powerful book. I laughed. I cried. I fell in love.

The YA genre needs more books like When We Collided. They are incredibly brilliant for teaching people about mental health if they do not know much about it themselves.
So, if you haven't ordered this book yet, do yourself a favour and go buy it.

This was my first book by Emery Lord, but it certainly won't be my last.

4 Stars
Goodreads

ILLUMINAE - Review

Book Review:
Title: ILLUMINAE
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Rock the boat (Oneworld publishing)

“The universe owes you nothing, Kady. It has already given you everything, after all. It was here long before you, and it will go on long after you. The only way it will remember you is to do something worth remembrance.”

The year is 2575 and two mega-corporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice covered speck. With enemy fire raining down on them Ezra and Kady have to make their escape on the evacuating fleet. But their troubles are just beginning. A deadly plague has broken out on one of the space ships and it is mutating with terrifying results. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth its clear only one person can help her. Ezra. And the only problem with that is they split up before all this trouble started and she isn’t supposed to be talking to him.

I want to first off praise this book and the authors for creating what is probably the most uniquely written book I have EVER read. Many would say that reading a book is an experience and I agree. However, this book encompasses the true meaning of an experience. It was visually pleasing, the story was awesome and the formatting was original. Instant messaging. Surveillance cameras. Interviews. Documents. These are some of the ways in which we are told the story, and let me tell you, it was brilliant.

Although, since it is such a uniquely written book I must admit it did take some time to really get into the story and adjust to the layout. But that was inevitable. You can't jump into a book so differently written and become immersed straightaway, it takes time to wrap your head around it all. Or maybe that's just me.

I think it was about a third of the way through where I found myself completely hooked. I grew to love all the characters, especially their interactions with one another. They were witty and relatable to any teenager (the characters, not the situation.) Even in the most tense of times I found myself laughing out loud (mostly because of Ezra. I loved Ezra!) But then at the same time, there were many parts where my emotions were at a high and I felt my heart breaking. And those twists placed throughout the story? Did not see them coming at all! Let's just say that my emotions were messed with once or twice (more like a dozen times.)

I'm actually finding it quite difficult to put into words how cool this book truly was. All I can really say is, if you haven't read this book yet, I highly suggest you do. There's a reason why this book is so hyped. I'm not the biggest fan of sci-fi books, but this book is an exception. So whether you are a sci-fi fan or not, this book will capture you in some way or another. The second book in the series Gemina is set to release in October of 2016, which I am now highly anticipating, and is going to follow some of the old characters as well as some new ones.

Overall, a truly all encompassing unique experience.

4 Stars
Goodreads

Favourite Book Quotes

*These aren't necessarily inspirational quotes, but they are quotes that give me all the feels.

“Meeting your soul mate is like walking into a house you've been in before - you will recognise the furniture, the pictures on the wall, the books on the shelves, the contents of drawers: You could find your way around in the dark if you had to.” 

 

“Question everything. Your love, your religion, your passion. If you don't have questions, you'll never find answers.”

“They were infinite. They were the beginning and the ending; they were eternity. The king standing before them gaped as the shield of flame died out to reveal Aelin and Dorian, hand in hand, glowing like newborn gods as their magic entwined.”

“You were the sun, and I was crashing into you.”

  

“Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there's no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.”

“Books are easily destroyed. But words will live as long as people can remember them.”

“While I'm gone," Gansey said, pausing, "dream me the world. Something new for every night.”

“Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after. Such moments are tests of courage, of strength.”

“Sometimes in life, we need a few bad days in order to keep the good ones in perspective.”

“We accept the love we think we deserve.”

So, there are some of my favourite quotes from some of my favourite books. Obviously I have favourite quotes beyond these 10, so maybe some time in the future I will do a part 2. 

What are some of your favourite book quotes? Leave them in the comments below!

Blue Lily, Lily Blue - Review

Book Review:
Title: Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic

"Blue was perfectly aware that it was possible to have a friendship that wasn't all-encompassing, that wasn't blinding, deafening, maddening, quickening. It was just that now that she'd had this kind, she didn't want the other.”

 Read my review for the The Raven Boys (1st in series) HERE and my review for The Dream Thieves (2nd in series) HERE

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs. The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost. Friends can betray. Mothers can disappear. Visions can mislead. Certainties can unravel.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue has definitely topped the series for me (though that could change after The Raven King.) It was a great fast-paced read which I was pleasantly surprised to find, as if you have read my reviews for the previous books I stated that I found the story to drag in some places. But not in this book! I literally flew through this book and even read about half of the book in one sitting. Then unfortunately real life caught up to me and I had to wait until the next day to finish it.

But anyways, back to the point, I loved this book! It had everything I wanted and more. We got more Noah. We got more swoon-worthy Bue & Gansey scenes. And something I didn't think I wanted but now crave more of, Ronan & Adam. At the end of the second book we get a little hint that Ronan may have feelings for Adam, so whenever those two were together in this book I found myself becoming more and more invested in their relationship. I'm not ashamed to say, I SHIP IT!

Also although this book is the shortest of the series, it's definitely the most action packed. There was never a dull moment, every new chapter held a new adventure whether it was with the core Raven gang or the ladies of 300 fox way or even Greenmantle and the Gray man. Every perspective was fun and enjoyable to read. Though I must admit, there were some parts that really hit me emotionally, so much so I think I may have shed a tear or two. But it was definitely worth the tears and it's preparing me for the sob fest that I know is going to come in the finale (please don't let Gansey die! I'm too emotionally invested.)

My favourite part of the story was pretty much the last 100 or so pages. Everything was building up, major plot points were revealed and my anxiety levels were through the roof. I didn't know if I was going to make it.

I think the book ended perfectly, it leaves you with some questions answered but mostly just anticipation for the finale, The Raven King, to wrap everything up. (Once again, please don't let Gansey die!)

4.5 Stars
Goodreads