Top Ten Tuesdays: Words/Topics that Will Make me Buy/Pick up a Book!

                                 Top Ten Tuesdays were started by The Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Tuesdays are where you name your top ten things on the subject that week. This week I only have 5. This my first one, Inspired by  Nancy at Tumbling Books. So let's see how this goes! This week is top ten words/topics that will make me want to pick up a book. 

1. Teen Pregnancy

I don't know what it is about this topic, but it always interests me. I recently got a book called The Best and Hardest Thing by Pat Brisson. I have a review Here. I didn't know anything about the book, but it had a pregnant teenager on the front, so I bought it!

Click here for review

2.  Holocaust

I am just so interested in this topic too!

3. Non-Fiction Crime

I like to read about Non-Fiction books about crimes like murder, rape, or abuse. I'm weird. 

Click here for review

4. Soccer

Soccer is my favorite sport, and it is the only sport I play. I haven't come across many soccer books, so when I do, I get so excited!

5.  Racism

The reason why this interest me is because I'm African America, and I like learning about how Black  people were  treated in the past!

Well those are my top 5 words/topics! It seems like I like pretty depressing topics, lol! Hope you enjoyed!

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Book Review: L.A. Candy By Lauren Conrad

Title: L.A. Candy (#1)
Author: Lauren Conrad
Date Published: June 16th, 2009
Pages: 324











Goodreads Synopsis: 
Los Angeles is all about the sweet life:

hot clubs, cute guys, designer...everything. Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.
When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!
Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara-free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres-and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.
In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

Initial Thoughts:

I didn't have very high expectations for this book. I don't have much faith in authors who aren't really authors, but decide to write a book. It sounded like a terrible chick-lit book, and that is not my thing. I honestly can't tell you what made me pick up this book, but i did. 

After Thoughts:

I must say that i was shocked by how much i liked this book! It was not at all how i expected it to be. Don't get me wrong, it was kind of chick-lit, but not as much as i thought it would be. It actually had a good plot, and I just wanted to keep reading to see what happens next. Now let's talk about the characters. There were some character that i liked, some that i hated, and some that were just OK. I really liked Scarlet, one of the main characters. She was not afraid to do what she wanted, and say what she thought, which i loved. i also loved Diego. He did not have a big part in the story, but i still loved him. The other main character was Jane. She was just OK to me. She was not the smartest thing, and she made some stupid decisions. Most of the other characters i didn't really like. They were always doing things behind other peoples backs, and were just plain old mean. I guess that's what people in Hollywood are like. Other than some of the characters, i really liked the plot, setting, and overall the whole book. I am going to finish the trilogy soon. I rated this book 4/5 stars. 

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Book Review: Are u 4 Real? By Sara Kadefors

Title: Are u 4 real?
Author: Sara Kadefors
Date published: May 14th, 2009
Pages: 320












Goodreads Synopsis:
Kyla is exactly the kind of girl Alex could never talk to in real life. She's a gorgeous, outspoken L.A. girl who parties to forget about her absent father and depressed mother. He's a shy ballet dancer from outside San Francisco who's never been kissed. Luckily, when these sixteen-year-olds meet for the first time it's not in real life - it's in a chat room, where they can share their feelings of isolation and frustration away from the conformity-obsessed high school scene. Alex and Kyla quickly forge a friendship that's far from virtual - maybe they're even falling in love. But what happens when the soul mate you've never met moves from online to in person? 

Sara Kadefors's wildly romantic, award-winning Swedish bestseller perfectly captures the universal angst of being a teenager, and the perhaps even more universal struggle to negotiate identity in a multi-platform world.

Initial Thoughts:
I really didn't have any feelings towards this book before i read it. i have not heard much about it, so i didn't really have any expectations.

After Thoughts:

I expected this book to be a sappy love story with the perfect ending. now don't get me wrong, it was kind of a love story, but it was so much more then that. It had love, heartbreak, betrayal, and so much more. One thing that i usually don't like about love stories is that they are very predictable. This was not very predictable. One moment your so happy for the characters, and the next your angry and confused. I loved it. I loved all the character. i think they all were a vital part of the story. My favorite was Alex (Sasha) though. He seemed like such a sweet guy!I also found out this was made into a movie but the movie is only in some other language. Darn! Overall, i really liked it and i totally recommend it. I give it  4/5 stars. 

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#Fridayreads (April 19th)

If you guys did not read my last post, then you won't know that i decided that i wanted to do posts when i upload videos to my YouTube channel. This is my fridayreads, and it was started on twitter, and brought over to YouTube by Bunny Cates. well i was making this video, i saw that Amazon was selling the book i was talking about for only $2.50! If you would like to buy it Click Here.

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Tag: Love it or Hate it

I decided that i wanted to do more than just book reviews on here. Whenever i upload a video on my YouTube channel (Click Here) I will make a blog post about it. This way i can have more posts on my blog, and i want my blog friends to be able to watch my YouTube videos. This first one is the love it or hate it tag. There are 13 questions, and they all have to do with books/characters that you loved or hated. Comment on this blog telling me what you think about adding my YouTube videos, thanks!

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Book Review: Looking for Alaska By John Green

Title: Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
Date Published: December 28th, 2006
Pages: 221












Goodreads synopsis: 
Before. 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. Then 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.

After. Nothing is ever the same.

Initial Thoughts:

I've had this book on my shelf since Christmas, and never really thought to pick it up. I didn't know what book to read next, so i did "end mennie minee moe" with all of by books (lol) and this was the last one left! I didn't know anything about this book, and it was my first john green book, so i was excited. I did have high expectations since it was John Green.

After Thoughts:

After reading the first 50 pages, i didn't know what to think. I didn't really like or dislike the book, so i just kept on reading. I was waiting for the book to amaze me since it was john Green! The book did get a little better as i kept reading, but nothing spectacular. One thing i did like was the mystery about the Before and After, like before what!?
 Characters: I had a love hate relationship with almost all of the characters. "Pudge" frustrated me! He was such a good led before he went to Culver creek, and then turned into a "bad boy." I hate when that happens. Can't he be a good guy and still make the story good? Alaska also annoyed me so much! She was so moody and i didn't understand why she had so many friends when she was so moody and mean at times. 
The ending: It was an OK ending, but nothing special. I was expecting more. Overall, i liked the book, but didn't love it. I guess i was expecting more. I rate it 3/5 stars! 

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Book Review: Beautiful Creatures By Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Title: Beautiful Creatures
Authors: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Date Published: December 1st, 2009
Pages: 563












Goodreads Synopsis: 
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Initial Thoughts: 
The Main reason i picked up this book was because all of the hype on Book-tube. I was a bit intimidated by the size, but i wanted to see what all the hype was about, so i read it. 

After Thoughts:

After i read about 150 pages, i didn't really like the book. It was really slow, and i didn't understand what all the hype was about. I put the book down for a few weeks, and kind of forgot about it. Then one day, i decided i just need to read it, because maybe it gets better. And i was right! Right where i picked the book up again, it started to get really good! I started to connect with some of the characters, and get drawn into the story. I loved all the characters, but especially Ethan and Link. They seemed like really great guys, and i love how they stuck with Lena and each other throughout the whole book. Now let's talk about the ending. I must say that I'm happy and sad with the ending. It didn't really leave me hanging, which is good, but it didn't real make me want to pick up the 2nd book either. Overall, I really liked the story. I will eventually pick up the second book, but not right away. I rate this 4/5 stars. Even though the ending was slow, it picked up and got really good. I totally recommend it!

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Book Review: The best and Hardest Thing by Pat Brisson

Title: The Best and Hardest Thing
Author: Pat Brisson
Date Published: May 13th, 2010
Pages: 240









Goodreads Synopsis:
Fifteen-year-old Molly Biden has always been studious, dependable, some might even say saintly. And she's sick of herself. So when she spots mysterious bad boy Grady Dillon, she devises a plan to make herself over into someone new, someone who will attract Grady's attention. She succeeds but a little too well. When Molly discovers she?s pregnant, she's forced to make the hardest choice of her life. This addictive readable portrayal of Molly's struggle to accept her pregnancy and the fact that her life will never be the same is told entirely in poetry, from sonnets to haiku.

Initial thoughts:
I was shopping on amazon (Bargain books) When I came across this book. I was instantly drawn to it because of the cover. I t made we want to read it so bad! I also love the purple and turquoise colors!

After Thoughts:
When I first received the book, I found out that it was written in poem form. At first I thought it would take away from the book, but after reading it, I realized it actually made the book a lot better. Even though this was a very quick/short read, I felt very connected to the main character, Molly. I always felt her emotions, and really liked her. I would have liked to get to know Gary a little more, but i don't think it really took away from the story.  Some of the poems were amazing, and made me think about things in a different light. I loved this book, and i rated it 5/5 stars!

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Book Review: A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer

Title: A Child Called "It"
Author: Dave Pelzer
Date Published: September 1st, 1995
Pages: 184











Goodreads Synopsis: 
This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."

Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive--dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

Initial Thoughts:

I started reading this book a long time a go, and for some reason i never finished. I bought the book a few days ago, and wanted to jump right in. I have always wanted to read it, and everybody said that it was really good.

After Thoughts:

This book was so good! Right from the beginning, it had me captured! I never wanted to put the book down, and i finished it in 2 days! (Which is fast for me). There were times that i found it difficult to read because of the things his mother made him do... It was terrible! As for the characters, i have mixed feeling about all of them. There were times in the book where you really liked them, and then there were times were you wanted to punch them in the face! This book put a lot of things in perspective for me. One is that I need to be  more grateful for my stuff and my family. I also learned not to judge people by there looks. You have to give them a chance because you never know there full story. I loved this book , and i gave it a 5/5 stars! I can't wait to read the next one!

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Book Review: The Cardturner By Louis Sachar

Title: The Cardturner
Author: Louis Sachar
Date Published: May 11th, 2010
Pages: 336











Goodreads Synopsis:

From Louis Sachar, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Newbery Medal for HOLES, comes the young adult novel THE CARDTURNER, an exploration of the human condition.
 
How are we supposed to be partners? He can’t see the cards and I don’t know the rules!
 
The summer after junior year of high school looks bleak for Alton Richards. His girlfriend has dumped him to hook up with his best friend. He has no money and no job. His parents insist that he drive his great-uncle Lester to his bridge club four times a week and be his cardturner—whatever that means. Alton’s uncle is old, blind, very sick, and very rich.
 
But Alton’s parents aren’t the only ones trying to worm their way into Lester Trapp’s good graces. They’re in competition with his longtime housekeeper, his alluring young nurse, and the crazy Castaneda family, who seem to have a mysterious influence over him.
 
Alton soon finds himself intrigued by his uncle, by the game of bridge, and especially by the pretty and shy Toni Castaneda. As the summer goes on, he struggles to figure out what it all means, and ultimately to figure out the meaning of his own life.
 
Through Alton’s wry observations, Louis Sachar explores the disparity between what you know and what you think you know. With his incomparable flair and inventiveness, he examines the elusive differences between perception and reality—and inspires readers to think and think again.

Initial Thoughts:
I went into the library not planning to pick up this book. I went to the library bookstore, like usual. Then, on a whim, i decided i wanted to check out some books. I wanted to do something different, so i decided to just take the first 3 books on the shelf. This was one of them. I had never heard anything about this book before, so i was excited to read it. 

After Thoughts:

I didn't have high expectations for this book because i didn't know anything about it. If you read the synopsis, than you know that the book is about bridge. Well, not the whole book, but it is centered around the game. Before this book, i didn't even know bridge was a card game, so i learned that right off the bat, lol! As for the story, i didn't really understand where it was going. It was kind of just going round and round with the same plot, just different locations. I also didn't understand the game of bridge, so whenever they talked about it in depth, i just skipped over it. Now on to the positives. I liked the main character, Alton, a lot. I felt the same emotions as him, and he did things that i would have done in certain situations. Now that i think about it, i actually liked most of the characters a lot. The author also makes you laugh a few times, which is always good. One thing i still don't understand after reading the book is what the cover means. Why is he laying on a bench with a book? Overall, it was a good book, and i suggest you read it. i gave it a 3/5 stars!

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Book Review: Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

Title: Bruiser
Author: Neal Shusterman
Date Published: October 1st 2011
Pages: 328







Goodreads Synopsis:
"There’s a reason why Brewster can’t have friends – why he can’t care about too many people. Because when he cares about you, things start to happen. Impossible things that can’t be explained. I know, because they're happening to me."

When Brontë starts dating Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins – the guy voted “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” her twin brother, Tennyson, isn’t surprised. But then strange things begin to occur. Tennyson and Brontë’s scrapes heal unnaturally fast, and cuts disappear before their eyes. What at first seems like their good fortune turns out to be more than they bargained for…much more.

Initial Thoughts:

I picked this book up knowing it was going to be great. I don't know how I knew that, I just did. I hadn't heard many things about this book, but what I had heard said the book was amazing. The little bit of a synopsis totally intrigued me, and I dove right into it!

After thoughts:

OMG, If you have not picked up this book yet, go get it! Right from the beginning I was drawn in. I loved all the characters, especially Tennyson. There were those character you love to love, and the ones you love to hate. This book makes you think about what love really means, and what you would do for the people you care about. I read this book in about 4 days, which for me is pretty fast. I can honestly not think of one thing bad to say about this book! :)

Conclusion:

I can't say enough good this about this books. I never wanted to put it down. I give it 5/5 STARS!

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Book Review: Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Safe Haven
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Date Published: September 14th 2010
Pages: 340






Goodreads synopsis: 
Love hurts. There is nothing as painful as heartbreak. But in order to learn to love again, you must learn to trust again. 

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

Finally going to be doing my first book review, yay! Just to let you guys know, most of the time I won't write my own synopsis because I suck stink at them. I will just use Goodreads synopsis.If you guys want to know all about my review policy, click here and it will take to my review policy page.
Anyways, on with the review!

Initial Thoughts:

I mainly picked this book up because it was becoming a movie, and I always have to read the book before I watch the movie, What about you guys? This is my first Nicholas sparks book, so i didn't know much about his writing style. All I knew was that a lot of people love his books and they always have two people about to kiss on the cover, lol! I was super excited to read this book, and I had some pretty high expectations. 

After Thoughts:

WOW, WOW, WOW, I loved this book! It exceeded my expectations. The book did not really start to take off until about 1/3 of the way through, but the beginning was not boring at all.  It was introducing you to Kate, and getting you used to the setting. She meets her neighbor at the beginning, and I must say that her neighbor was my favorite character! She shared her opinion, even if it wasn't needed. She also meets Alex, who I  didn't really like at first because he was such a chicken, like just go talk to the girl! Later on he starts to man up, so he grew on me. One thing that I  was wondering about throughout the book was how old was alex, he seemed a lot older than Kate, do you guys know? 

One thing that I look for in a really great book ( that I don't usually find) is the unexpected. I usually can guess what will happen, which can ruin the book. Safe Haven was not like those books! It took me by surprise numerous times! I was like "No, No, that did not just happen!"

I also loved how there was more than just romance. I'm not going to lie, I though romance was all that was in Nicholas Sparks books, but boy was I wrong! There was Romance, mysteries, suspense, and more. 

Conclusion: 

Overall I loved this book, and I gave it 5/5 stars! I will definitely be picking up more Nicholas sparks books in the future. I NEED to go see the movie!What did you guys think of the book/Movie?

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I rate this book 5/5!