Book Review: But Then I Came Back

About the book

Title: But Then I Came Back

Author: Estelle Laure

Series: This Raging Light #2
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction

Expected Publication: April 4th, 2017

Read: January 2017

My Copy

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Edition: Kindle

Purchase Location: NetGalley
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Eden Jones, a 17-year-old girl, feels lost after surviving a near fatal accident. Unable to connect with her family and friends, Eden forms an unlikely relationship with Joe, a boy who comes to the hospital to visit Jasmine, a friend who may soon be gone forever. Eden is the only person who can get through to Jasmine, but is she brave enough to face a world that’s bigger and more magical than she ever would have allowed?

My Review

When I saw that my request to read But Then I Came Back got accepted, I squealed around the house from joy until my brother came to see if I was alright. This was my first major request I did on NetGalley back in January and you can’t imagine how happy I was to get a copy of this book. It took me a couple of weeks though to start reading it because I had a lot of respect of the sequel. I had enjoyed the first book so much, I was scared that the second wouldn’t live up to my expectations.

My fear was proven unnecessary because the sequel was even better! I loved it so much, it made me question my feelings towards This Raging Light. It was quite a new concept to me to read a sequel in a series where the point of view changes entirely because the protagonist is somebody new. And although I think it’s a pity that Lucille (protagonist from This Raging Light) fades into the background, I appreciated reading from Eden’s POV so much. Her voice was so honest and totally different from Lucille’s.

Eden is in my opinion more ‘adulter’. She questions everything. She questions life, death, the meaning of coming back from The Inbetween. Lucille was way more stressed about surviving in her own way. Having to work and pay for everything herself because her parents abandoned her, having to look after her younger sister. Her “boy troubles” with Digby… Eden just has different flow in her life.

I can’t imagine how it must be for someone to come back to life from a coma (and I really pray that neither I, nor any of my family or friends, ever have to make that experience). Reading about Eden’s story gave me so many feelings I don’t even know where to start to describe those. It wasn’t easy for her to adapt to life again, but I really like the way how she did it and seeing her going down that path and fighting her problems so bravely.

One thing I really love about her is how immediately Eden accepts her “situations” without thinking it through. When she thought she was dead, the first thing she did was think Oh cool, I’m a ghost. I can haunt people now and scare them. Or when she thought that she might have psychic powers her first reaction wasn’t to question it but to try to make a painting fly off the wall. When she thinks she might not be alive, but only dreaming, she immediately tries to will herself to fly. It’s that carelessness - if you can call it that - that I like about her.

I didn’t expect to like But Then I Came Back so much. It didn’t let me go and I read it in like two/three sittings. In my opinion you don’t have to read This Raging Light to be able to pick up the sequel, which is way I really recommend you to get yourself a copy of this great book!

Other books in the series

This Raging Light #1 (My Review)

I'd like to know

Have you picked up the This Raging Light? Do you think you might add But Then I Came Back to your TBR list?

Book Review: Millie Vanilla's Cupcake Café - Spring Beginnings

About the novella

Title: Millie Vanilla's Cupcake Café, Spring Beginnings

Author: Georgia Hill

Series: Millie Vanilla's Cupcake Café #1
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Expected Publication: February 3rd, 2017

Read: January 2017

My Copy

Publisher: HarperImpulse

Edition: Paperback

Purchase Location: NetGalley
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

A new charming three part series for fans of sweet romance! Is this the start of something wonderful? Millie’s working all hours to make her seaside café a success, so when a rival multi-national café chain opens its latest branch just around the corner, stealing away her customers, it means WAR! Millie’s remaining loyal customers step up – and a new arrival in town, the gorgeous, enigmatic Jed Henville, is also keen on helping Millie solve her business crisis. But it’s only after Jed sweeps her off her feet that Millie suddenly realises how little she knows about him…

My Review

In January I decided to read more books out of my usual comfort zone (like Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Graphic Novels and Young Adult lit). When I stumbled upon Millie Vanilla’s Cupcake Café I was intrigued right away. I got hooked on the story after two pages and couldn’t put down the book until I finished it in one sitting. That hasn’t happened to me in a long time. Often I need a break to do something else, but not with this lovely story.

It’s a sweet, light read and one that you should definitely read accompanied by some biscuits or cake, because I can promise you you’ll crave them. Novellas like these make me miss all the lovely cafés I’ve visited in the UK and I really wished I could go to Millie’s Café right about now.

The story had the right pace and you get to know the characters pretty well. It’s written in such a good way and of course there had to be a cliffhanger in the end. I really need to get my hands on the sequel!

This makes for a fantastic read between all of your highly-concentrated fantasy and sci-fi reads and the romance is pretty perfect for a February feeling (with Valentine’s Day coming up and all). I suggest you pick up a copy as soon as it’s published (which will be tomorrow, by the way).

I'd like to know

Do you think you'd pick up this novella? What are your thoughts on romantic contemporaries in general? Do you like to read books out of your comfort zone from now and then?

Book Review: This Raging Light

About the novel

Title: This Raging Light

Author: Estelle Laure

Series: This Raging Light #1
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Published: January 14th 201

Read: January 2017

My Copy

Publisher: Orchard Books

Edition: Paperback

Purchase Location: Gift from my Mom

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Lucille Bennett is pushed into adulthood after her mom decides to “take a break”…from parenting, from responsibility, from Lucille and her little sister, Wren. Left to cover for her absentee parents, Lucille thinks, “Wren and Lucille. Lucille and Wren. I will do whatever I have to. No one will pull us apart.” Now is not the time for level-headed Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she’s about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend’s brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure’s soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.

My Review

On the night of January 4th, 2017 at 2 o’clock in the morning, a young woman dressed in her pajamas lying in bed all by herself, cried. Tears fell down her cheek and that was when she knew. She knew she had to put down the book and finally go to sleep to make it to the next day and continue reading then.

That’s how I know I’m reading a heartwarming story (or maybe I really was just too tired to think straight anymore and even the smallest of things could have made me cry - I’m not denying anything).

I was surprised to see that many of my Goodreads friends rated this book below average and that they really disliked it. Meanwhile, I think this was such a great read. Hmmm. Anyway, the story, though somewhat depressing, was written in a very light style - which I adore! I love it, when young adult literature pick up important issues, yet still make them easy to read about. Young readers should read about important issues in the world in my opinion and what better way to do that than with a strong yet vulnerable protagonist?

I totally recommend this book as a “get-away-read”. If you want a break from all your superheroes and love triangles and other drama pick up This Raging Light and give it a shot! Also reading about Lucille and Wren’s problems make your problem probably seem more solvable and you might gain more motivation and strength through Lucille's own strength.

Spoiler Alert! Proceed with caution.

I can’t imagine being put in Lucille’s shoes and I hope that few people have to endure what happened to her and her sister. I definitely would never have pulled through as well as them. What I love about the story is that you don’t know who her friendly helper is. I always had this little hope that it was actually their mom, taking care of them in the shadows. But I think finding out that it was in fact their neighbours made the situation even better. And less forgivable for their mother.

A mother who just leaves her kids - a situation not understandable to me and one I’d probably never forgive. I don’t know what I would have expected from Lucille if her mother had reappeared, but I do hope to understand what happened to her in the sequel (which I’m very impatiently waiting for!). I’m also hoping to see what becomes of their dad, if he makes it back to his family and can take that heavy weight of her shoulders.

Most of all, though, I need to know how things turn out for Eden! Eden and Lucille’s friendship is so heartwarmingly beautiful. The fact that Eden missed out on a lot of Ballet classes (which she clearly lives for) to watch Wren just shows how deep their friendship goes. And of course, I want to know how things continue with Digby. I’m not quite sure yet how I stand on that end because I believe there’s nothing worse you can do in a relationship than cheat, so… Yeah, I can’t wait for the sequel!

I'd like to know

Have you read This Raging Light or are you planning to? What do you think of the plot? Have a chat with me in the comments! :)

Mini Book Reviews: Kindred Spirits, The Kill Order, The Last Star

Hey there! Today I decided it was time to sum up all the books I've read in the past few months, but haven't reviewed yet. Because some of them have been read quite a while ago and I don't have the best of memories, or I just don't want to talk too much about them because I didn't enjoy them quite as much as I'd have liked to, I'm starting a new kind of Book Review post. It's going to be a Mini Book Review series, where basically I just review a few books at a time in shorter versions.

Today I'm going to review the following three books: Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell, The Kill Order by James Dashner and The Last Star by Rick Yancey. The first two are quite recent reads and The Last Star I read rather further back in 2016. As always, if you click on the cover you'll get to the goodreads page.

  

Book Review: Me Before You

About the novel

Title: Me Before You

Series: Me Before You #1

Author: Jojo Moyes

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Drama

Published: January 5th 2012

Read: August 2016

My Copy

Publisher: Michael Joseph (UK)

Cover: Paperback

Purchase Location: Hugendubel, Germany

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick. What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane. Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that. What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

Book Review: Attachments

About the novel

Title: Attachments

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, (Young) Adult

Published: March 27th 2012

Read: March 2016

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ 

My Copy

Publisher: Plume

Cover: Paperback

Purchase Location: Kinokunyia, Singapore

Goodreads Summary

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives. Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke. When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories. By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself. What would he say . . . ?

Book Review: Everything, Everything

Title: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Series: -
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Teen
Published: September 3rd 2015
Read: March 2016
Rating: 4 ★

My Copy

Publisher: Corgi Childrens
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: Kinokunyia, Singapore

Goodreads Summary: Madeline Whittier is allergic to the outside world. So allergic, in fact, that she has never left the house in all of her seventeen years. But when Olly moves in next door, and wants to talk to Maddie, tiny holes start to appear in the protective bubble her mother has built around her. Olly writes his IM address on a piece of paper, shows it at her window, and suddenly, a door opens. But does Maddie dare to step outside her comfort zone? Everything, Everything is about the thrill and heartbreak that happens when we break out of our shell to do crazy, sometimes death-defying things for love.

---

My Review

This is the first book that I've read that I really really enjoyed the beginning and then was completely disappointed in the character's choices moving on. I loved the build up in this book and enjoyed the small chapters with all the different titles and the e-mail conversations and the cute drawings which gave the book a nice edge. 

The plot was well thought-through. From the beginning you get swept up in the protagonist's bubble and you can feel sympathy for her situation. Now after reading the blurb I actually thought that this character was a lot like me. "Allergic" in the sense of "real dislike" of the outside-world and not actually ill. The first half of the book is really sweet and if it weren't for work I would have read this book in one sitting. However, when I got to the middle part I was so perplexed that I didn't really continue reading for hours, but slowly got to the end after a week. 

Because of the importance of the content the following part of the review might contain spoilers! Continue on own account.

I understand that love can make you reckless and you want to do silly things and stuff, but hopefully I'll never become suicidal for another person. I can't really comprehend that Maddy left her house to go on a vacation with Olly, who's such a sweet guy (!!), and risk her own death. I mean it all went well, but she didn't know that. She actually left the house thinking she'd never return. Couldn't she imagine a future where she would get to life and where she would get to integrate Olly into her home? On the other side I can fathom that you would want to actually live and not just be stuck in a bubble your entire life. Especially when you've never had any real friends or a first love.

The major plot twist of this story wasn't actually that surprising. I keep track of my thoughts whilst reading in a notebook and quite early on I played with the thought that the mother could have invented her illness in order to not lose her as she did her husband and son (again me and my consiparcy theories). In a way I can actually sympathize with this and I feel really sorry for her. She just wanted to keep her baby safe and I hope that I'll never know what she must have felt during that time. 

Another thing that really bothered me was Maddy's reaction to finally finding out that she wasn't sick. Somehow she must be able to see why her mother did this and that she was sick and needed help. But she just kept being angry at her and didn't let it go and in the end even moved out of state. I could never do that to my mother even if she kept me hidden from the world for 18 years (because she somewhat had good intentions). Sure I'd be mad for a while, but after a few days/weeks I would beginn to forgive her. As far as I can see Maddy didn't and we don't know if she ever would.

Often I get very mad at book characters because they're too forgiving and not holding a grudge at all against people who betrayed them in some way. But in this case I'm mad at Maddy for being too much unforgiving and holds a grudge until the end of the book. I think I'll never be satisfied with any option the author delivers because I'll always want the opposite to happen.

Book Review: I'll Give You The Sun

Title: I'll Give You The Sun
Author: Jandy Nelson
Series: -
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Glbt
Published: April 2nd 2015
Read: February 2016
Rating: 4.5 ★

My Copy

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: Kinokunyia, Singapore

Goodreads Summary: From the author of The Sky Is Every­where, a radiant novel that will leave you laughing and crying - all at once. For fans of John Green, Gayle Forman and Lauren Oliver. Jude and her twin Noah were incredibly close - until a tragedy drove them apart, and now they are barely speaking. Then Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy as well as a captivating new mentor, both of whom may just need her as much as she needs them. What the twins don't realize is that each of them has only half the story and if they can just find their way back to one another, they have a chance to remake their world.

Other Editions:

---

My Review

To start of the month of March I thought it would be great to start of with my February Favourite. This book was absolutely amazing! "I don't think I have any emotions in me anymore right now because I poured them all into this book. I'll have to tank up tomorrow again." That was my first thought after finishing this book. 

Book Review: P.S. I Still Love You

Title: P.S. I Still Love You
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All The Boys I've Loved Before #2
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit
Published: May 26th, 2015
Read: January 2016
Rating: ★★★★


My Copy

Publisher: Scholastic
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: Waterstones, London

Goodreads Summary: Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter. She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever. When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once? In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Timesbestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

Prequel

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (review)

Book Review: Girl Online

Title: Girl Online
Author: Zoe Sugg
Series: Girl Online #1
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit, Teen
Published: August 7th, 2014
Read: January 2016
Rating: ★★★


My Copy

Publisher: Scholastic
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: Waterstones

Goodreads Summary: I had no idea GirlOnline would take off the way it has - I can't believe I now have 5432 followers, thanks so much! - and the thought of opening up to you all about this is terrifying, but here goes... Penny has a secret. Under the alias GirlOnline, she blogs about school dramas, boys, her mad, whirlwind family - and the panic attacks she's suffered from lately. When things go from bad to worse, her family whisks her away to New York, where she meets the gorgeous, guitar-strumming Noah. Suddenly Penny is falling in love - and capturing every moment of it on her blog. But Noah has a secret too. One that threatens to ruin Penny's cover - and her closest friendship - forever.

Sequel

Girl Online on Tour

Book Review: Love Letters to the Dead

Title: Love Letters to the Dead

Author: Ava Dellaira

Series: -

Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Teen

Published: April 1st, 2014

Read: January 2016

Rating: ★★★★ 

My Copy

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Cover: Paperback

Purchase Location: Waterstones, London

Goodreads Summary: It begins as an assignment for English class: write a letter to a dead person - any dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain - he died young, and so did Laurel's sister May - so maybe he'll understand a bit of what Laurel is going through. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people - Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, River Phoenix, Amelia Earhart... it's like she can't stop. And she'd certainly never dream of handing them in to her teacher. She writes about what it's like going to a new high school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time - and how her family has shattered since May died. But much as Laurel might find writing the letters cathartic, she can't keep real life out forever. The ghosts of her past won't be contained between the lines of a page, and she will have to come to terms with growing up, the agony of losing a beloved sister, and the realisation that only you can shape your destiny. 

Book Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Title: To All The Boys I've Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All The Boys I've Loved Before #1
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit
Published: August 7th, 2014
Read: January 2016
Rating: ★★★★★ 


My Copy

Publisher: Scholastic
Cover: Paperback
Purchase Location: Waterstones, London

Goodreads Summary: Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. One for every boy she's ever loved. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love lifegoes from imaginary to out of control...

Sequel

Book Review: Looking for Alaska

Published December 28, 2006 ★★★★★ 

Goodreads Summary: Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

Looking for Alaska by John Green is a young adult fiction novel. As with every John Green book it just blew my mind. His specific and very detailed narration always pull me full in which results in me reading the book for hours and hours until I've finished it. As always after reading a book of John's I had a lot to think about after the ending and couldn't move on to a new book right away. John's skills to make a reader completely dissolve into his world is still astounding because that's a skill not a lot of authors master. 

Book Review: Fangirl

Published September 10, 2013
★★★★★

Goodreads Summary: Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She's horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life. Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible ...

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is a Young-Adult Fiction book that left me at first with only one thought: I have a new crush. Levi. I think he's the cutest character ever. Everytime I read a new Rainbow Rowell book I fall for a new character. Her worlds are fascinating. It's like I can never ever get enough and I really don't want to escape her fictional worlds. Fangirl is my favourite yet because I can really relate to Cath. It's refreshing to read a book that involves Fanfiction that much and to read about how important in one's life it can be. I think what I really like about Cath is that she isn't the adventure-seeking kind of girl as her sister, but she's down to earth, doesn't really like people and just wants to keep to herself in her own world.