15 YA Books to Buy or Gift for Christmas!

Hey Guys so Christmas is coming very soon and a lot of people are clueless as to what to buy for their book loving friends so I decided to write a post to help you people out!

Even people who do have a clue can check out my picks and comment on the same!

So In no particular order, I list out some of my favorites.

YA Contemporary

1.To All The Boys I've Loved Before:

Follows a girl who is finally confessing her feelings to every boy she has ever loved through letters that she never thought would be delivered.The book deals with first love brilliantly and focuses on family as well. Read my review.

2.Sea of Tranquility:

One word. Heartbreaking.This one deals with some tough issues but life is tough.

3.The Duff:

This one is all high school and body shaming but the main protagonist is so witty that it's not as dreary as one would think.

Honorable Mentions

 Where You Are

This one is a bit of a gamble to buy on it's own as it is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone.I would have recommended the first book in the series but it isn't as good as the sequels. Even the third book is pretty good.Good thing is that ecopies of this series (especially on Kindle) are very cheap. So you can gift or buy the entire bundle just be warned that you might not enjoy the first book as much.

 From What I Remember

A hilarious book that follows a jock and a nerd...getting married while drunk.This is a book version of a romantic comedy film. So if you or your friend loves rom-com do try this book.

 Getting Over Garrett Delaney

A book that focuses on finding oneself after letting go of that first crush or obsession. Incredibly cute and fun book. See my review

YA Retellings

4.Scarlet: 

A retelling of the Robin Hood legend with a twist. See my review

5. Cress

This is the THIRD book in the series.I'm recommending this because so far it's been the best. The first book Cinder is good but the second and third are much better. You can gift the series and I'm sure the person would appreciate it. Full disclosure: I haven't read the last book in the series yet so can't comment on the ending yet.

Honorable Mention

Destined: A retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth. As it is published by an indie author, the kindle edition is pretty cheap. See my review.

YA Fantasy

6. Six of Crows:

Absolutely brilliant and action packed. The world building is gradual but the characters are well structured and engrossing. One of the best books I've read in 2015. Perfect for fantasy,mystery and heist book lovers.

7.Crown of Midnight

This is the second book in the series.Again, I'm recommending this one and not the first as it is a million times better than the first book in the series.Lots of people loved the first book as well so it is safe to gift the first two books for Christmas (or even the entire series so far).I've only read the first two books so can't comment on the rest.

8. Graceling

Graceling follows a badass female who is so good at beating people up that you want to be just like her.The world and the abilities that we are introduced to are brilliant as is the slow build up of romance. No insta-love here!

Honorable Mention

 Defy

Strong female character disguised as a male,lots of fighting and magic.

YA Paranormal

9. Cracked

A hilarious book that has a very interesting protagonist. The characters make this paranormal romance stand out. See my review

10. Unspoken (YA Gothic)

This book isn't necessarily under the paranormal genre but it's really hilarious. See my review.

Honorable Mention

Moon Spell:

Recommended for people 16 and above. A great book again written by an indie author who has now gone mainstream (She wrote On Dublin Street). See my review.

YA Science Fiction

11. All Our Yesterdays

What does this book deal with, you ask? It deals with time travel and love and paradoxes .Now I, for one, am fascinated by time travel but almost every novel I've read about time travel so far has been disappointing. The best thing about this novel is the fact that it becomes VERY clear that time travel is central to the plot but the focus of this novel is not time travel.See my full review

12. These Broken Stars

Switching between past and present. This book is told brilliantly.The story revolves around two characters who get sucked in some mysterious place in space and how they survive or try to. The love story is also built up very well.

OTHER GENRES

13.The Naturals

This could be defined as a YA paranormal but it's more of a YA crime mystery thriller which is why I've tagged it under other. Really great novel that follows a secret group of teens who are helping the police solve crimes.See my review.

14. Every Day

This is technically contemporary but it has a touch of paranormal to it. One of the best and most touching books I've read.See my review.

15.Steelheart
Technically this should come under fantasy but it's more of a superhero vs normal people book and I AM OBSESSED with it.It's a brilliant novel especially for people who are really into superheroes and action.

Honorable Mention

Defiance (YA Dystopian)

I haven't found any dystopian as good as The Hunger  Games so that's why this is a honorable mention.See my review

So that's about it from my side. I'm currently fangirling over Six of Crows because I just finished reading it but all these books are worth a read! 

ANY SUGGESTIONS FROM YOUR END?

Review: To All The Boys I've Loved Before

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1)

by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

LINKS: Goodreads

Source: Library

Younger readers are advised that there is some promiscuous content and birds and bees talk in the book.

My Thoughts:

I didn't have very high expectations of this book especially after I found out it was written by Jenny Han.Her The Summer I Turned Pretty series is not one of my favorites. I loved the premise of the book so I picked it up even though Jenny Han has disappointed me before.

I loved this book! It's young adult contemporary romance at its best and I love how it gives insight into Korean culture as well. I had a very strong desire to eat Korean food after reading this book because of the beautiful way in which it was described.

Lara Jean is such a relateable character. Her relationship with her family especially her sisters was beautiful. It's been a long time since I've seen a healthy representation of family life in young adult.This, in my opinion is one of the major plus points of this book. Parents and family exist for once in Young Adult and it's beautifully implemented.

The characters are well defined and are realistic as is the story. The drama is not melodramatic and the book left me wanting more. The idea of letter writing and how it's formatted in the book  really adds authenticity to the book.

The ending might not satisfy some people but I loved it. In my opinion this book doesn't need a sequel but I think it already has one. I'm too scared to spoil the perfection that is this book by reading a continuation that quite a few people on Goodreads have stated is unnecessary. Well, if my library procures it I might read it but I'm very satisfied with just reading this book as it was great.

It's a great contemporary romance young adult after a really long time which got me out of my reading slump so I can't recommend it enough. The only reason it is not a full 5 stars is because I didn't like some of the male characters but that is just my opinion.

Overall, Where's my Korean food at?

My Rating:

4.5/5

Beautiful

Comment with your thoughts and suggestions on what Korean dish I should try.

Movie Review- Maze Runner 2: The Scorch Trials

Transported to a remote fortified outpost, Thomas and his fellow teenage Gladers find themselves in trouble after uncovering a diabolical plot from the mysterious and powerful organization WCKD. With help from a new ally, the Gladers stage a daring escape into the Scorch, a desolate landscape filled with dangerous obstacles and crawling with the virus-infected Cranks. The Gladers only hope may be to find the Right Hand, a group of resistance fighters who can help them battle WCKD.

My Thoughts:

I must confess, I haven't read this series. The movies are based on the James Dashner series and I did try to read the first book but had to stop midway partly due to time constraints and partly because of the slow narrative. The first movie was decent but like the book a little slow. Here I'm going to talk about the second movie.

So right off the bat, this movie starts off with a bang. Loved how it started off and unlike the first movie it continues to be action packed and that is the movie's saving grace. The first movie had a lot of dialogues but nothing much happened. This movie is the opposite. It barely has any dialogues so of course there isn't much character development but lots and lots of action.

Thomas played by Dylan O' Brien shines in this movie. He carries this movie because all the other characters are mostly decoration. Unlike the first there is some fine acting talent in this movie.Ki Hong Lee (a.k.a Asian guy/Minho) is a character I really liked as well and would love to have seen more of in this movie.Adrian Gillen (guy from Game of Thrones) and Giancarlo Esposito (guy from Breaking Bad) are fine additions to the cast. There just needed to be more of them and less of the girl who plays Brenda and the one that plays Teresa.

I do not particularly like the females that are part of this narrative.They seem almost unimportant. I am not sure if this is a problem even in the source material but it is a problem in the film. There is a forced love triangle (*sigh*) and a forced betrayal (which wasn't even that surprising).The weakest link of this entire series is the narrative and how it is structured.

The entire gang of characters keep roaming around from one place to another and you're not really sure what their aim is because it keeps changing. The movie starts off with something and even though it ends well it leaves you slightly disappointed. Is this the direction they are going to go in? I'm not sure how I feel about it.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie. It was much better than the first.I was never bored. I would be interested to watch the next movie (if there is one) but I'm not dying to.

My Rating:

Toss up between 3 and 3.5 stars 

On it's own it's a 3 star movie but in comparison to

 the previous movie in the franchise it is a 3.5 stars

Guest Review+ GIVEAWAY: The Girl In The Spider's Web

This book is for ADULTS. Which is why this post will be published at my website Writer and Tales as well.Don't forget to check out my website!

I'm participating in the Hachette India blog tour for the Millennium series newest installment.

The Girl in the Spider's Web (Millennium Trilogy #4)

by David Lagercrantz

The girl with the dragon tattoo is back: Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist return in a continuation of Stieg Larsson's Millennium series.


Written by Swedish novelist and journalist David Lagercrantz, this much anticipated continuation to one of the best-loved crime series of the last decade will be published in Sweden as Det som inte dödar oss (What Doesn't Kill You).

Shayantani's Thoughts:

Lisbeth Salander is back, and with a new creator!

Steig Larsson’s death had many fans including me grieving the great loss it was. Not only was he a fabulous writer, with his sharp journalistic authoritative tone of writing and his crisp plot, but there was also the added loss of not encountering Lisbeth again. Salander is probably one of the most iconic literary heroines of our time. Her sharp tongue, photographic memory, hacking skills, piercings and tattoos along with her uncompromisingly vengeful nature is very much a part of the public imagination. Probably this is why she rises from the grave, much like she did towards the end of “The Girl Who Played with Fire” and this time with a new creator,crime journalistDavid Lagercrantz.

It was with great anticipation mingled with trepidation that I looked forward to the publication of this book. Any book which is a part of a series already leads to comparison with former novels. Lagercrantz’s job is made doubly hard as he carries forward the legacy of Larsson and has to recreate a character like Lisbeth, but he rises to the challenge. Multiple narratives intertwine to tell a complicated plot which manages to successfully bring together all the complex elements it introduces while delving into character development as well. Hacking the NSA, the Russian mafia, the possibility of artificial intelligence capable of replacing humans are just some of the elements it incorporates.

The novel introduces two prominent new characters - Franz Balder, a genius scientist working with complicated Artificial Intelligence technology and his son August, an autistic child who possesses savant skills. There is also Gabriela Grane, genius analyst, member of the Sapo, working in an overwhelmingly male dominated work environment and Ed Needham, the irate NSA official who has a beef with Lisbeth.

Among the old characters we meet Bloomkvist and it is interesting to watch him compete and struggle to maintain his superstar status in the twitter age. His “mary sue” like traits which I previously had a problem with in the earlier novels are significantly toned down. Girls no longer throw themselves at him which is a welcome relief. We also get renew our acquaintance with Erica Berger, inspector Bublanski (bubble as Lisbeth calls him) and the by now familiar landscape of Sweden.

For me the most interesting element in the story was the interactions between Lisbeth and August. Lisbeth’s character is most endearing when she is in her uncompromising fight against personal wrongs mode. But in August, there is a protective touch as well as a self-identification with this genius autistic boy who has been through childhood trauma. Perhaps it is the closest Lisbeth ever comes to finding somebody like herself. More aspects of her history are also revealed which add to her character depth. She is undoubtedly one of the most badass women in literature and continues to kick misogynist butts.

Lagercrantz’s work lacks some of the gritty complexities of Larsson but he does a brilliant job at taking the story forward. It also leaves certain issues unresolved which makes me hopeful for a sequel. With the cult status that Lisbeth has attained, I hope she is around for a long time and outlasts the author again.

Thanks so much Shayantani for taking the time to review this book for me. Shayantani's reviews are brilliant.Which is why it's awesome that she agreed to do a guest review.

You can check out her Goodreads profile here.

GIVEAWAY

 The giveaway guidelines are a part of the Rafflecopter widget .Giveaway is INDIA only and the fact that there are 7 winners of the giveaway and each will win a copy of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo , The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest , The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl in the Spider's Web and one book from the titles listed below:

1.       Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

2.       Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

3.       Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

4.       Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

5.       The Folded Earth by Anuradha Roy

6.       An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy

7.       Rescue by Nicolas Sparks

8.       Under the Dome by Stephen King

9.       Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell

10.   The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

11.   The Elephant Catchers: Key Lessons for Breakthrough Growth by Subroto Bagchi

12.   In Spite of the Gods by Edward Luce

13.   Living History by Hillary Clinton

14.   To The Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

15.   Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

16.   Theodore Boone,Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

17.   One Day by David Nicholls

18.   The Devotion Of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

19.   Between The Lines by Jodi Picoult, Samantha van Leer and Yvonne Gilbert

20.   The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R.Carey

A total of five books for each winner.

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Some Updates

Hello, my lovely readers!

I know I've been extremely inactive as of late but that is going to change. The reason behind my recent inactivity on my blog is I have barely read any books that can be classified as young adult for a long time. Also I've been seeing more movies and TV series than reading books because of my hectic course schedule.

I've realized that I want to talk about numerous topics and my blog name restricts me. I never really liked my blog name too much. It was a big name and at that time I just picked something at random. So without further ado let me introduce my new website....

Writer And Tales

The URL for this website is : http://writerandtales.me

Follow

I will review adult novels, anime, tv series or any other thing that catches my fancy on this website.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN I WILL SHUT DOWN THIS BLOG.This blog is here and it's here to stay. The focus of my website will just be more diverse than this blog. I would love it if you'd check out my website and follow it.

I'm completely new to WordPress and self hosting and learning my way as I go so I might have features on that if anybody is interested,soon.

Airtel 4G Question: What will you do with Unbelievable Speed?

So Airtel asked a very interesting question as a campaign for their 4G launch in India:

What will you do with these unbelievable speeds under your hood?

Generally I do not participate in such campaigns but this is a question that I actually feel like writing about.In this day and age internet connectivity is taken as a given. I for one feel lost and completely disconnected when I am not connected to the internet. Unfortunately we cannot have access to high speed Wi-Fi everytime. We have to make do with the data services that our mobiles offer. I for one, use 2G very frequently. My family uses 3G because they need a faster internet connection due to work. One of my friends doesn't have Wi-Fi connectivity at home so she relies only on 3G. She barely watches videos as it is common knowledge that videos take a long time to load especially if you're using data. Now, Airtel is promising India's fastest 4G connection.If what their ads say is true, you can download a movie via this connection in 3 minutes. I am cautiously optimistic. If this is true my WiFi deprived friend will be ecstatic.

Airtel promises speeds that almost seem to rival WiFi connections.If this is true my WiFi deprived friend will probably be one of the first people on the #GetAirtel4G bandwagon.(Apparently as they're just launching the product they're basically willing to hand it over to you for free and even deliver it to your house). 

As a person who does not own a portable laptop or iPad, unbelievable internet speeds on my phone would be the dream!What would I do with unbelievable Internet speeds at ALL times under my hood?I'd probably squeal for joy and be like a hyperactive kid on sugar for the first two/three weeks.I'd download movies,songs and stalk people on Facebook shamelessly and after the novelty wore off,I would use this same unbelievable speed to download an unbelievable amount of books. Bibliophiles are after all simple creatures. We crave the simple pleasures of life.

Apart from books, I'd use the unbelievable speed to stream and not download videos. There will finally be enough space on my phone for important things like BOOKS. My anime and TV serial obsession would be appeased and inflamed through unlimited internet access at a high speed. I might actually start sending videos on Whattapp. Hell,I'd have a fast connection so anything is possible! 

Maybe if I had unlimited high speed internet at all times, I'd finally master the art of mobile internet and update this blog via my phone more regularly. Using the Goodreads app with mobile data is already a chore but if I had an unlimited speed connection, Ah Goodreads you'd see so much more of me.

Basically, I'd become a useless member of society and my readers would love me a lot more if I had unlimited internet access. (Just Kidding!) But at-least, I'd have unlimited access to books with a snap of my fingers.

For more details on Airtel 4G go here:  http://www.airtel.in/4g/

Disclaimer: I am posting this as a part of the campaign.I am not an Airtel subscriber. I have not tried Airtel 4G. 

Airtel 4G campaign prompt: If you crave speed, Airtel 4G is for you. Gone will be the days of overnight movie downloads & low res video streams. What will you do with these unbelievable speeds under your hood?

What would you do with unbelievable internet speeds?

Review: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

This book is not classified as YA. It is an adult novel.

Sharp Objects

by Gillian Flynn 

WICKED above her hipbone, GIRL across her heart

Words are like a road map to reporter Camille Preaker’s troubled past. Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, Camille’s first assignment from the second-rate daily paper where she works brings her reluctantly back to her hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls.

NASTY on her kneecap, BABYDOLL on her leg 

Since she left town eight years ago, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed again in her family’s Victorian mansion, Camille is haunted by the childhood tragedy she has spent her whole life trying to cut from her memory.

HARMFUL on her wrist, WHORE on her ankle 

As Camille works to uncover the truth about these violent crimes, she finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Clues keep leading to dead ends, forcing Camille to unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past to get at the story. Dogged by her own demons, Camille will have to confront what happened to her years before if she wants to survive this homecoming.

With its taut, crafted writing, Sharp Objects is addictive, haunting, and unforgettable.

In short: Interesting read. A bit more predictable than Gone Girl for me. I would be in shock otherwise. An interesting thriller that keeps you interested till the end.Not as good as Gone Girl.

My Thoughts :
Gillian Flynn writes real characters. These characters are unlikeable and flawed. These characters make your skin crawl and you never love any of them. You might have a favourite depending on your taste.

Sharp Objects is disturbing not because it is a bad book but because it's characters are just so real and need therapy. I read this book after Gone Girl so I will be comparing it to that book. You have been suitably warned.

So far I have come to realize that I enjoy Gillian's books because of their plot. The more unpredictable the plot is the better. I never especially like any of her characters but that is after all not her aim.

Sharp Objects starts off well. The murder mystery pulls you in.If you love your family,the characters of this book will make you want to hug your loved ones in gratitude.The book explores family life. Especially the relationship between a mother and her daughters.It also explores the various other familial relationships and shows the dark side of domestic life (like Gone Girl but different as it explores domestic familial and not married life)

The climax of the murder mystery and the big reveal was disappointing. There was no major twist(in my opinion). I managed to predict almost everything but that might be because I was very good at picking up all of the various clues put forward by the author.

I just didn't enjoy this book as much as Gone Girl. The only character we get a real insight into is the protagonist.The pacing was not that good but the author manages to keep you hooked till the end.

Overall, Try reading Gone Girl first. If you really like twisted realistic stories try this one.It's got interesting flawed characters and a decent mystery.

My Rating: 

Toss up between 2.5 and 3 

Trivia+Giveaway: Atlantis in Peril

Atlantis Trivia

1. According to predictions, there will be a room unearthed (if it has not been already) that will hold the record of Atlantis’ existence called the Hall of Records. Where is it supposed to be?

The right paw of the sphinx of Egypt

Edgar Cayce, a historian studied the tale of the lost city of Atlantis in detail for a long time. He wrote a book compiling all his findings. In that book, he mentions rising of the lost city once again like ‘the sun rises from the sea’. Also, according to his book, the entry to hall of records of the Atlantis city can be found under the right paw of the sphinx of Egypt which was later placed there only to protect the city from unmanned entry. His book says the entry will be possible only when the required time has been fulfilled. (Provided by funtrivia.com)

2.    According to popular legend, what is the most likely cause of the destruction of Atlantis?

Earthquake

Many theories have been put forward to explain how Atlantis was destroyed. These range from volcanic eruptions or tsunamis, to a meteor strike and even nuclear war. But the most common theory is that Atlantis was destroyed by a devastating earthquake.  (marineinsight.com)

3. Who told the original myth of Atlantis?

Plato

Greek Philosopher Plato told the story of Atlantis in two stories Timaeus and Critias which were written about 355 B.C. (Channel.nationalgeographic.com)

4.      Of the many different kinds of people who legends say inhabited Atlantis, which people came from the greatest distance?

Extraterrestrials

The original inhabitants of the lost city of Atlantis are believed to be of extraterrestrial origin. They are believed to have been much taller and fair skinned than today’s average human being. (marineinsight.com)

5. Who is said to have built Atlantis?

Poseidon

Poseidon, god of the sea, is said to have originally built the city. He then had 5 pairs of twins who reigned in Atlantis. (marineinsight.com)

GIVEAWAY

Win a copy of both Atlantis Rising and Atlantis in Peril. 

US and Canada ONLY

About Book #1

In a magical land called Ellegandia, a young boy named Promi scrapes by, stealing pies, cakes and sweets to survive. But little does he know that his country is a pawn in an ages-old war between good and evil, battled both in the spirit realm and in the human world. Harboring secrets of his own, Promi teams up with a courageous girl named Atlanta and the two vow to save their land—and each other—no matter the cost. But their vow has greater repercussions than they ever could imagine—in fact, it may just bring about the creation of Atlantis, an island cut off from the rest of the world, where magic reigns supreme.

About Book #2

A Dream of Destiny, Greeks Bearing Gifts,

 and Narkazan’s Revenge

 All Lead to ATLANTIS IN PERIL

Chapter Excerpt from the Second Book in the Atlantis Saga by T.A. Barron

Available Online Now

Ambition, greed, revenge, sacrifice and love—all figure in T.A. Barron’s ATLANTIS IN PERIL ($17.99, May), the sequel to Atlantis Rising and second book in the Atlantis trilogy. With his trademark action, adventure and suspense, T.A. Barron explores the world of Atlantis and how its residents’ actions sow the seeds of its destruction. A chapter excerpt of the upcoming book is available online: www.tabarron.com.

When Promi and Atlanta transformed their native land into the magical island of Atlantis, little did they know an advanced civilization would arise only a few years later threatening their homeland once again. As Promi struggles with his feelings for Atlanta, Narkazan discovers the weakness between the spirit realm and the mortal world and plots his revenge. Will the desire for power win over the power of love to conquer and save all? Readers will toggle between the spirit and mortal world as Promi races to save residents and loved ones in both realms.

Booklist summarizes ATLANTIS IN PERIL well stating: “Story lines related to love and family relationships, environmental responsibility and destruction, and good overcoming evil are all in play as readers reach a sinister cliff-hanger of an ending.”

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