Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

”I can choose either to be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It’s all a question of how I view my life.”  - Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

I am totally in love with Paulo Coelho’s books. He takes simple subjects to write a book and once you are done reading you know you have different prospective towards the same simple subject. philosophical and inspiring thoughts with simple yet interesting story line is his specialty.  I have read 6 books from this author till now including this book. All are wonderful master pieces, I should say for some books I might have rated less, but it depends how you like the subject in the book.

”Eleven minutes” is a story of young Brazilian girl Maria, who is heartbroken over first innocent crush. And then she believes that she will never get her true love and decides that love is a terrible thing which will make you suffer. In Rio on her first real vacation she meets this man who gives her chance to go to Geneva for work. But this work which will make her rich is prostitution. She has 2 choices, one to go back to her village and live as if nothing happened and marry this gentle man who said he will wait for her to come back, even though she is not in love with him. And the second choice is to live the life here make money by giving sexual pleasure and go back to village after making enough money to buy a farm and be happy with her parents.  Yes, she chose the second one, it may seem easy but it is not. Maria meets this 2 different people while she is in Geneva, who wants to show her 2 different ways of pleasure.  One is pleasure by pain and sex and another one is pleasure of sacred sex, but the choice is Maria’s weather to search pleasure in pain or pleasure in finding the inner light.

This is quite different topic. I would not prefer this book for young adults. Even though it is lacking lot of inspiring things I kinda liked this book. But some philosophies are good to read but not to follow. As they say everyone has their own way to explore their life and take chances, this is a different way of knowing the ups and downs of life and finding the love. My rating 3 out of 5.

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

“I know how you like to be asked and not told. But I’m not asking you to marry me…I’m telling you to marry me, Lake.. because I can’t live without you.” - Colleen Hoover ( Point of retreat)

Point of retreat picks up exactly from where the Slammed ended. Slammed took me to a different world of slam and love. I definitely wanted to read this second book to get more high with slams. This is tender love story of Will and Lake. Now that Lake’s mother is dead, Lake is responsible for her brother the same way Will is responsible for his brother. They all are one family now. But when someone from Will’s past emerges and tries to get back with Will, Lake can’t take it. She doubts their love and relation. Will Lake understand that their love is true, not built on sympathy because they both are in same situation? Can Will get away this ghost from the past who is always trying to flirt with him?

This is a good book, but not good as the first one. I wanted to give 4 but I ended up giving 3. If you are expecting something similar to Slammed then forget it. Even the slams used in this book are not as good as the one in first book. OK now I am comparing too much. Light romance with lot of emotions= Point of retreat.  There is another book in this series- This Girl, god! these series nowadays

 

The Struggle ( The Vampire Diaries # 2) by L.J Smith

This second book in ”Vampire Diaries” picks up exactly form where the first book ended. Stephen is missing, Elena is in search of him. Elena confronts Damon by her choosing. Damon is everywhere in this book, he is with her classmates, friends, and even with her family members in her house. This book is more focused on Elena’s missing dairy because entire story is revolving around that. This book is really a fast read, because  there is nothing to drag about. It is simple and direct.

Elena is lot more stronger here and her character is better than the first book. But I wonder why she is confused so much even though she likes Stephen, there is something in her which is attracted to Damon. ( I personally agree that in TV series Damon is hotter than Stephen ) Whatever, it is  an interesting read. My rating: 3 out of 5.

The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause

This is vampire and human love story. Where Zoey falls for Simon, who is 300 years older than her. This was published in 1990. I liked the book from the beginning, this is what real vampires are if there are! Because here Simon can’t cross the running water, can’t stand the crucifix, can’t enter without invited to anybody’s house and he can’t walk in the sunlight free.

Zoey is a normal teenager who is going through lot more than a normal teenager do. Her mom is dying at the hospital, her dad is so much into his work and hospital that he doesn’t get time to talk to her or he is avoiding her. Her best friend is moving to some where far, even she doesn’t want to talk about Zoey’s problems. Totally she is on her own. She meets this handsome guy called Simon one night at the park and falls for him with out knowing who he is but when she comes to knows she is gone far away to come back. Simon wants to take revenge on his brother who put him to this black hole and who is slaughtering women at night. Will Simon succeed in this? What will happen to Zoey and Simon?

It is kind of sad ending but it was somehow perfect ending. I have read this author’s ”Blood and Chocolate” novel. But ”The Silver Kiss” is her debut novel.   My rating: 3 out of 5.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

I seriously don’t know why people write series! When the first book is awesome and you love it why you want a second book to spoil it completely and make you hate it? I totally liked the first book ”Hush Hush”  in  ”Hush Hush series” even though the name never made sense to me!

 Nora, age 16 is in love with Patch who was a fallen angel, but saved her life and is now her guardian angel. She is in love with him, likes to be with him, kiss him but Patch can’t feel anything physically. she tries to save him from the vengeance of the archangels because apparently it is illegal among angels for him to love a human so she breaks up with him and then suffers dreadfully. But Patch doesn’t seem like he is suffering because he is now going out with Nora’s enemy Marcie. Nora tries to go out with Scott, who is a bad boy and secretive, with whom her mom tries to link Nora. But she suffers even more seeing Patch and Marcie wherever she goes with Scott. But Scott is not human being! It’s like Nora can’t get a descent human being to date! Now that her love is gone, life is miserable there is more mystery to know about her birth and weird dreams she keeps getting about it. Everything comes to an end when she comes to know who is trying to kill her.

Reading this book was a mistake. But can’t help it when you start reading series. Hope to read the 3rd book but not soon. My rating: 2 out of 5.

Chosen by P C Cast

Every single vampire book comes in series. It is like you read the first one, you have to read every single book in the series to know what happens to the characters. I kind of hate reading series ( Hunger Games and Harry potter doesn’t come under this category )

I am not a big fan of ”House of night” series but as I started reading it I thought to finish it. Chosen is the third book in the series. First book was good but later after reading the second book I felt there is nothing horror in it. It seems very childish to me to read about vampire school and Zoey and her friend’s stupidity. I am not that impressed with the story line either. This book starts of with Zoey’s birthday and how much she hates Christmas themed birthday presents. Zoey is confused in this book because she has 3 boy friends. One Human, one on the way to become vampire and other one is a full grown vampire. Now that she knows what happened to her best friend Stevie Rae, after she died. She wants to help her find a way back to humanity. But problems starts when a vampire body is found on school ground. Is it another trick of Neferet’s or really people of faith are killing vampires?

My rating: 2 out of 5. I don’t know what 9 more books in the series contain.

The Awakening ( The Vampire Diaries # 1) by L.J Smith

From a long time I wanted to read this series. Whenever I wanted to watch the TV series I kept saying let me finish the book first. Now that I have read the first book may be I can start watching the series.

Elena, the queen bee of her high school, is confused when the new boy, Stefan shows no interest in her. He is so secretive about his past and he keeps to himself. Elena takes him as challenge and tries to do all possible tricks to win his attention. But there is someone watching her always, and there is attacker who killed a old man and attacked her classmate near the cemetery. Stefan can’t belong anywhere because he is not human, he thinks he is behind these attacks but he can’t remember anything. But Stefan can’t avoid Elena just because she brings back the memories of Kathrine whom he loved in past. He can’t avoid loving her and the feeling is mutual. Now that they both know that Elena wants to know his dark secrets. There is someone who can  manipulate everything and every mind around just to take revenge on Stefan. Who is that? What Elena will do if she comes to know that Stefan is a vampire?

It is a young adult vampire novel. Fantasies are only suitable for teens. I recommend this to people who are interested in vampire romance but not to those who want to read some serious vampire action. My rating: 3 out of 5. It is a good time pass read.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Very dark, chilling tale of those who can walk even after death, Zombies- who never stops. I really like reading about zombies after reading Walking Dead Comics and watching the series on TV. ”The Forest of Hands and Teeth” is a heart breaking and horrifying tale.

Mary, the main character, lives in a village there civilization has been set back by hundreds of years, because of   “The Return.” The village is surrounded by a fence which holds back the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Within the forest are Unconsecrated or simply you cal them zombies. Villagers live their life as zombies moan and push the fence everyday. But Mary has dreams of ocean from the day she saw a old photograph as a child. But no one believes in such thing anymore because no one knows what is there behind the forest of zombies. In between this she falls in love with a man whom she can’t have according to sisterhood. Sisterhood rules over the village as they help people to survive from zombies. But Mary finds out that there is some dark secret sisterhood is keeping from villagers. Before she could do anything about it the village is under attack from zombies. Mary and her friends run away through forest when everyone turns into zombies. Now Mary  has got her chance to explore what lies behind the forest and find a way to ocean.

I loved this book ♥ I am definitely going to read the remaining books in ”The Forest of Hands and Teeth” series. Highly recommended for people who loves to sink their teeth in zombie novels

Predestined by Abbi Glines

Predestined is second book in Existence series. Ever since I read the first book, I was in love with the characters. Very interesting plot about death falling in love with normal girl holds the same effect in this book too.

Dank the death is completely fallen for Pagen. But for Pagen Moore life is more complicated, Leif Montgomery is missing but no one remembers him. But Pagen is worried because he is coming in her dreams uninvited, but these are not real dreams, but part of her memory from childhood which she has forgotten completely. Leif Montgomery is back to take Pagen’s soul as restitution with the help of his dad who is Voodoo lord. Now Dank has to fight against powerful Voodoo lord to get his love back.

Never read a novel which explains so much about  Voodoo. It is an interesting  read but first book was better than this one. My rating is: 3 out of 5.

Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

”Endless Summer ” by Jennifer Echols is for young adults. But I don’t recommend this to teenagers. I don’t think flirting with lot  of guys is going to set a good example, but if you just read it with out taking it seriously then it is a good time pass book. It is the first book in ”The Boy Next Door” series.

Lori is the girl next door to a family of three boys, Cameron, Sean, and Adam. She’s been in love with Sean since she can remember and will do anything to get with him. Anything, that she is even ready to flirt with Adam to make him jealous and get him.  Unfortunately, Adam has been in love with Lori since he was four or something. Also Adam had a girlfriend that he kept just to get Lori jealous, now that Sean is with Adam’s girl friend things are little twisted. Adam has ADHD which he had from childhood. Meanwhile Lori falls in love with Adam and everything is back to normal but due to Adam’s anger issues everything gets spoiled. Now Adam is flirting with his ex-girlfriend   for whom Sean has feelings for, to make Lori jealous. What will happen at the end of this little love-jealous game?

At some point I felt that this book is never going to end. In the middle of the book I was confused about who was flirting with whom. Two irresistible boys,one unforgettable summer that’s what the book says. So get ready to read endless flirting. My ratings are 2 out of 5. I wanted to give 1 but I liked the humor that’s why gave 2.