Gabriella M Reads

The Deal by Elle Kennedy 5 Stars This was my first full on new adult novel and I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did to be honest. On page one we find out that Hannah had previously been raped and I was surprised. The rape is brought up a few times throughout the book, but it's never described (thankfully). Hannah has since moved on and has developed a crush on someone who seems to not even know she exists. Garrett is not doing well in one of his courses and is seeking help from one of the few people who seems to be doing well. Now Garrett is not Hannah's crush, but he thinks he can help her get noticed. Thus, the deal. Both of our main characters have experienced some sort of trauma and we get small glimpses into how it has changed them. When it comes to these traumas, I really like how Ms. Kennedy made it so outsiders normally wouldn't suspect these things had happened. This is typically how life is, people hide things and we don't know everyone...

Eye Candy by R.L. Stine 4 Stars When I found out that the television show was based off of a book, I was intrigued. Then the show got cancelled after a fantastic first season and I decided I must have the book. I knew there were going to be some differences given the year of publication, but wow, they were different. I'm not complaining though. I found them both interesting. Even without the missing sister, online hackers, hot detective, and horrible "taunting" this book held up. From the very beginning I was in the mindset of "I'm going to figure this out." I totally thought I knew who it was and was COMPLETELY thrown for a loop. I love when a book can shock me. Looking back I was wondering how on Earth I had missed it because in my opinion there are a few small hints. I don't want to say too much because I think I found most of the fun in not knowing anything and trying to figure it out. To give a brief summary Lindy is a gorgeous girl in her ea...

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 5 Stars Anna and the French Kiss was the Better Read Than Dead book club's pick for May and I devoured it. Seriously, I read the whole book (minus chapter one) in just one day. I couldn't allow myself to put it down. Anna was a tad whiny, but once I realized that if my parents just sent me to boarding school I'd whine a little at first I got over it. After a while I actually found myself jealous that these characters were able to live in such a gorgeous city. I mean this group of friends seemed so tight knit and fascinating. Look at me, babbling like always. Moving on to Étienne St. Clair, he got on my nerves in a good way. I usually found myself frustrated by his choices, but seeing as how this novel is a contemporary, I had high hopes for the ending. Throughout the book Anna and Étienne, also known simply as "St. Clair" by pretty much everyone, go through quite the series of near misses and we really have hope...

The 100: Day 21 by Kass Morgan 5 Stars I don't want to say too much about Day 21 seeing as it is a sequel and I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I often hear people saying that the show is way better and the books aren't worth the time. While the show is more action packed so far, the books are different and good in their own way. If you can separate the two in your mind, then you can enjoy them both. In Day 21 the 100 make some new discoveries that can change things for everyone. There are adventures, there are some mildly steamy scenes, and some serious eye opening. I hope more people decide to pick it up because, I feel it is worth the read. Have you read any of the books in this series? Xoxo, Gabriella

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard 4 Stars For starters I picked up this book because I was absolutely gutted when the television adaptation got cancelled. Little did I know that they would be different from page 1. The Lying Game is about a set of twin sisters who were separated at birth. Sutton went to a privileged family in Tucson, Arizona while Emma bounced around foster homes for most of her life. This is not a spoiler, but the book Sutton is dead. I find it interesting that her spirit "follows" Emma as she tries to navigate all this new territory. Not only that, but she doesn't remember much about her life at all. I don't remember ever reading anything else like that. Throughout the novel I became suspicious of almost everyone and it was able to keep me guessing like any good mystery novel should. I loved it so much I immediately purchased books two and three in the series. I believe there are only six books and I intend to read every single one of them. I ne...

                                  Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes 5 Stars I read Liars, Inc. along with my goodreads book club, Better Read Than Dead, and it was easily one of my most anticipated releases of 2015. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. Paula Stokes weaves together a great mystery with twists you may not see coming. You might find yourself saying, "What?!" several times throughout. I personally had a ton of fun trying to figure out who killed Preston. I even thought I had it figured out in the middle of the book only to be wrong and change my theory. The characters are not some happy go lucky teenagers and they shouldn't be. Their lives are complicated, messy, and real. I really appreciated that about them. The main character Max is labeled a suspect and he freaks out like any normal person would. Even though he's a "Liar" he's not all cool and collected as the odds are stackin...

A Work In Progress: A Memoir by Connor Franta 5 Stars I will admit that I bought this book because I love Connor Franta. If you did not already know, he is a well known YouTuber. Don't hold that against him, he's great at what he does. The second he touched on what his book was going to be like on his channel, I went home and preordered it. I loved that I'd be able to get inside his head a little. I've heard things along the lines of "Who writes a memoir at 22?" and "He hasn't even lived!" However, I feel this was the perfect time for him to do so. Every page gave me insight into Connor as a person and also made me see things differently. He touches on topics like loneliness, friendship, dating, self image, and acceptance. I may be biased, but I felt he discussed these things with such grace and realness. A book that is able to make me reflect and reevaluate my life doesn't come around often. Mostly because I read fiction, but those ca...