Christina Lauren | Author Appreciation

Okay, so I'm not going to lie to you guys, I didn't have/make time to read a book this week.  It just went by too fast and all of a sudden it's Tuesday.  I thought about writing a review about a book I've already read, but then I thought that that would be cheating and if I start doing that I might continue to do that and I would never reach my GoodReads Reading Challenge (I'm trying to read 50 books in 2015).  So I have decided to write an Author Appreciation post instead.  Today I appreciate Christina Lauren.

The Bio from their website:

Yes, there are two of us! Lauren (on the left) and Christina (on the right).

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced ten New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 28 languages.

So basically these two women met over the internet, wrote a Twilight fanfic-turned-novel together, and now continue to write fantastic novels together.  They have two series between all ten adult books; The Beautiful Series and the Wild Seasons.  However, in their last novel, Beautiful Secret, the two series crossed courses.  

Once you read a few of their novels you do notice a pattern in their writing: Boy and girl meet, boy and girl have sex numerous times, boy and girl finally admit they love each other, boy and girl get into a fight, boy and girl break up, boy and girl make up, boy and girl live happily ever after.  However, at the same time each story is very different.  I actually love that they are able to take a similar storyline and create multiple different stories.  It reminds us that no two people go through the same situation.

I also love that all of the characters are friends.  It makes it fun when you're reading a novel about Sara and Max and you wonder what's going on with Will and Hanna since you left off in their novel.  And yes, you get a little bit of information from Sara and Max's point of view, but you also know there is stuff they don't know and can't share.  It's also interesting because if there is someone single in the novel you wonder when that person is going to get a novel and what that story is going to be.

I shared these books with a friend from school and we would be up texting each other about them really late at night.  Talking about our favorite characters, our favorite cute scenes, and our favorite funny scenes.  Christina Lauren has a very impressive gift of being able to have these romantic novels that contain a lot of sex, but still has moments where the characters are just normal people, joking around with friends or being supper cute with their partners without having sex (Sometimes that overlaps, though)

They also have a Young Adult novel Sublime that is published and The House which comes out in October.  Sublime is unlike any other book I've read.  It is a romantic novel, but in a way that it can be for young adults.

Even their website is fun.  It contains extra writings and sneak peeks.  A bunch of little things to hold you over when you're going through withdrawals and not so patiently waiting for the next book to be published.  I do wish there was a "Coming Soon" section, but I'll take what I can get!

And they're on Wattpad!  These girls do it all!  They have one story on the website and it's not super long, but it is super good.

Christina Lauren is such a talented author (it's confusing because it's two people, but because they have one pen-name it's singular pronouns and stuff) that can make every story make you wish it was your story.  I can read a Christina Lauren book in a day, no matter what size.  They just captivate me and I have to keep reading.  Then, when I finish, I wish I wasn't.

Thank you Christina Lauren and keep doing what you do!

Smile!  I'll talk to you soon!xxx

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Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard | Book Review

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

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Reading Group Rating: High Schoolers

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary:Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood?those with red and those with silver. Mare and her family are lowly Reds, destined to serve the Silver elite whose supernatural abilities make them nearly gods. Mare steals what she can to help her family survive, but when her best friend is conscripted into the army she gambles everything to win his freedom. A twist of fate leads her to the royal palace itself, where, in front of the king and all his nobles, she discovers a power of her own?an ability she didn't know she had. Except . . . her blood is Red.

To hide this impossibility, the king forces her into the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks her new position to aid the Scarlet Guard-the leaders of a Red rebellion. Her actions put into motion a deadly and violent dance, pitting prince against prince-and Mare against her own heart.

Cover: An upside-down crown with red blood dripping from it.  The Red Blood symbolizes Mare and the rest of the people with red blood.  An upside-down crown symbolizes no power.  This cover shows how the reds tried to take away all of the power from the silvers. 

My Review: This novel was very good.  The storyline was very interesting.  I liked the idea of it, someone having to try to be someone else and go against everything she believes.  However, she was pretending to be a silver raised as a red, but when she was in the palace she kept trying to act like a silver.  If a silver was raised as a red, she would act like a red.  I think she tried to hard to be a silver.  Then again, I think it would be easy for someone to try too hard if they were in Mare's position.  It makes sense that she would act the way she did, it was just frustrating for me to read it.  
This book was a little slow for me.  I didn't read it in two days like I have with other books of this size.  It took me a little while to get into, but it was very good.
The only thing I didn't really like about this book was that I wanted her to end up with Cal!  So badly!!!  And I guess there's still hope because there are going to be more books in the series, but I want them to be together.
I feel like this could be a very interesting Book Club book.  You could have great discussions about how even though this novel takes place in the future, there are many moments for it seems that history is repeating itself.  There are arena's where people fight to the death, like ancient Rome.  There is separation by blood color.  Separation is very common throughout history: The Jewish population and the Germans, White people and African-Americans during the Civil War era, and so on.  This book is definitely worth the read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes distopian novels.

Smile!  I'll talk to you soon!xxx

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How I Decorated My Graduation Cap | DIY

I am a High School Graduate!!!  It's still a very crazy concept for me!  However I'm going to backstop and show you how, like many others, I decorated my graduation cap for the big day.

I started by searching Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr for inspiration.

This is the one I ended up choosing.  It's themed as the Marauder's Map from Harry Potter. 

 Next I found some things from online that I wanted to use as footprints and castles (I decided I wanted it to look like I was walking from one "castle" aka school to another.  Like High School to College.)

I used this to trace because I liked the font.

I used this as a way to trace footprints and the banner to write my name in.  When you print it out the foot prints don't move, obviously.

I used this castle for my college because I thought it was a little fancier.

And I used this castle for my high school.

After I had everything prepared it was time to decorate!

I started with a piece of paper that was a yellowy color.  It looked like aged paper.

I found the center by drawing a line diagonally from one corner to another.  Then I did the same with the other two corners.  Where they cross over each other is the center.

I needed the center to cut out a circle for the little bump that's in the middle of the cap.

Next I took some gem stone tape and put it around the edge of the paper.  It didn't completely fit which was kind of annoying.

To redraw the writing and castles and banners and footprints I taped the paper they were all printed out on to a window in my room.  Then I put the yellowed paper over it and the sun shone through so I could use it as a stencil.  I traced it in pencil and went over it in Sharpies.

And this is the finished project!  My name is the one walking from castle to castle.  The name on the bottom is of a boy in my grade who passed away in October from cancer.  We all wrote his names on our caps and wore green ribbons as a tribute to him.

Smile!  I'll talk to you soon!xxx

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Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling | Book Review

Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling

Reading Group Rating: Anyone & Everyone

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: When J.K. Rowling was invited to deliver the commencement address at Harvard University, she chose to speak to the graduating class about two topics very close to her heart: the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination.  Having the courage to fail, she said, is so vital to a good life as any conventional measure of success; imagining ourselves into the place of another-particularly someone less fortunate than ourselves-is a uniquely human quality to be nurtured at all costs.

The stories Rowling shared and the provocative questions she asked of those young graduates have since inspired countless others to consider what it means to live a "good life."  Now in print for the first time, her words serve as both a comfort and a call to arms for anyone-of any age- who finds themselves at a turning point.  In daring to take a risk, and perhaps fail, and by harnessing the power of our imaginations, we can all begin to live less cautiously and, in doing so, become more open to the opportunities life has to offer.

"As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters."

-SENECA

Sales for Very Good Lives will benefit Lumos, a charity origination founded by J.K. Rowling that works to transfer the lives of disadvantaged children, and university-wide financial aid at Harvard University.  

Cover: The cover is simple, yet still a little cartoony.  There are cartoon drawing throughout the entire book so I think having drawn words on the cover really ties it together.

My Review: I read this book in fifteen minutes and I felt a gained enough knowledge to last me a lifetime.  It's amazing to me that words can do that, that words can open up so many things to the people who are willing to read them.  Now, obviously J.K. Rowling has a way with words and the ability to make them sound magical, however I could completely relate to her advice.  Failure and imagination and incredibly important aspects to lee with you at all times.  Failure reminds you that you're human and that you're not invisible.  But imagination can give you a reason to believe you are.  You can be invincible if you remember that it's okay to fail as long as you can rebuild from it.  Live your life without the fear of failure because you are going to fail, and you will all live very good lives. 

To me, this book, along with books like The Last Lecture and Oh! The Places You'll Go are coffee table books or books you would give as a graduation present.

Smile! I'll talk to you soon!xxx

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Beautiful Sacrifice by Jamie McGuire | Book Review

Beautiful Sacrifice by Jamie McGuire

Reading Group Rating: Slightly Mature, it's under New Adult.  However, this is the third novel in this Maddox Brother's Series and the 6th book of the beautiful books so you've probably already read those and now what to expect here.

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Falyn Fairchild can walk away from anything. Already leaving behind her car, her education, and even her parents, the daughter of the next governor of Colorado is back in her hometown, broke and waiting tables for the Bucksaw Café. After every shift, Falyn adds to her shoebox of cash, hoping to one day save enough to buy her a plane ticket to the only place she can find forgiveness: Eakins, Illinois. 

The moment Taylor Maddox is seated in Falyn’s section at the Bucksaw, she knows he’s trouble. Taylor is charming, breaks promises, and gorgeous even when covered in filth—making him everything Falyn believes a hotshot firefighter to be. Falyn isn’t interested in becoming another statistic, and for a Maddox boy, a disinterested girl is the ultimate challenge. 

Once Falyn learns where Taylor calls home, everything changes. In the end, Maddox persistence is met with Falyn’s talent for leaving, and for the first time, Taylor may be the one to get burned.

Cover: This cover certainly matches all of McGuire's other covers because it has the feather theme going through it.  However this one is different because it's burning.  I think the flames have something to do with the fact that the book talks about the sacrifices people make in the book, especially Falyn.  However I think it could also be because Taylor fights wildfires so that's just part of who he is.  It will be interesting to see what Tyler's book cover is as he and Taylor are twins and work together.

My Review: I loved this novel.  I loved getting to know another brother and seeing how he messes up with the girl.  I loved the plot twists and how so much of this book is dependent on fate.  I love that!  And how everything works out in the end.  I'm such a sucker for those types of books because I believe that their is some truth to it.  Where you end up is where you're supposed to be.  I also loved that even though Olive's biological father is never mentioned in great detail, he is in the book.  He comes into the restaurant with his family and as he leaves he says to Falyn that he's sorry for everything.

The only thing that I wish McGuire elaborated on was the fact that at the beginning of the novel Falyn uses her cell phone to listen to music as she cleans, but then she says later that she doesn't have one.  Does she have a physical phone but only uses it for music?  My guess is that that part was written and then somewhat forgotten about as McGuire continued so she didn't think to explain it.  

My favorite thing of all of the Beautiful Books is how they intersect.  There was a comment in Thomas' book about how excited Taylor was when Falyn got to the hotel on St. Thomas, but as a reader you weren't 100% sure why he was so excited.  I just assumed he was excited to see her.  I would of never guessed he was afraid she wasn't coming.  And there is so much romantic irony when it comes to what the brother's know about each other versus what the reader knows.  The only brother who hasn't broken his promise to stay out of a dangerous line of work is Trenton.  However, none of them know that yet.  It's also interesting that it's Trent because he was the one who lived with his dad the longest and seemed to have the closest relationship.   There are secrets within all of the books.  Who would have thought Olive would be such an important character?  

My dream for these books is that all of them (Beautiful Disaster, walking Disaster, Beautiful wedding, Beautiful Oblivion, Beautiful Redemption, Beautiful Sacrifice and the rest to come if they apply) are turned into movies and filmed simultaneously.  That would be awesome wouldn't it?  Because they all overlap so it would be dumb to film one at a time.  Just film them all at once and release them one at a time!  How do we make that happen?

Smile!  I'll talk to you soon!xxx

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Beautiful Secret | Book Review

Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren

Reading Group Rating: M for Mature

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5

Given Summary: When Ruby Miller’s boss announces he’s sending her on an extended business trip to New York City, she’s shocked. As one of the best and brightest young engineers in London, she knows she’s professionally up to the task. The part that’s throwing her is where she’ll be spending a month up close and personal working alongside—and staying in a hotel with—Niall Stella, her firm’s top urban planning executive and The Hottest Man Alive. Despite her ongoing crush, Ruby is certain Niall barely knows she’s alive…until their flirty overnight flight makes him sit up and take notice.

Not one for letting loose and breaking rules, recently divorced Niall would describe himself as hopeless when it comes to women. But even he knows outgoing California-girl Ruby is a breath of fresh air. Once she makes it her mission to help the sexy Brit loosen his tie, there’s no turning back. Thousands of miles from London, it’s easy for the lovers to play pretend. But when the trip is over, will the relationship they’ve built up fall down?

Cover: This cover is actually different from the other novels in The Beautiful Series.  Usually the whole cover is black and white and only the title is in color.  This cover looks more like the novellas in the series and The Wild Seasons covers.  Other than that though it's a typical Christina Lauren cover with a body and no face.  I actually like the French cover of this novel a little bit better because the british flag is on his suit and not over his mouth. 

My Review:  Christina Lauren are back with a new novel to add to their brag worthy collection.  And this one is the first novel to bring together both The Beautiful Series and The Wild Seasons.  It also introduces London as a more major character than she was in Dirty Rowdy Thing so it will be interesting to see who her character becomes!  (P.S. There is a London and Luke (if his name sounds familiar it's because he is Mia's ex) book on it's way, but first Lola and Oliver!!!  I'm so excited!)  In a way this novel was just like Christina Lauren's others:  Boy and girl hook up, boy and girl say they love each other, boy and girl get in fight, boy and girl break up, boy and girl get back together.  However, like always, the authors are able to put a spin on Ruby and Niall's story and it's fabulous!  Ruby is so funny and Niall is so serious, together they make quite the pair.  They had so many funny moments together.  However, my favorite part of the entire novel is at the end when Ruby goes to Niall's apartment.  She has a huge speech to say that she wants to get back together, but she ends up saying "I just really really love you."  I DIED!!  It was the cutest thing ever!  This story was fantastic and I think it was the perfect way to intertwine the two series and introduce London as a future character.

Have any of you read this novel?  What did you think?

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