The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

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The Choice is one of the, if not THE most amazing book I’ve ever read. I am so in love with it, it’s not even funny!

At first I was like “there is no way that this tiny book is going to be a good read, it’s probably one of Nicholas Sparks crappy books.” I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing! Anything Nicholas writes is GOLD!

Honestly, Travis is the most amazing fictional man in the world. Better than Noah (from the Notebook), better than Brendan (from Sam’s Letters to Jennifer), better than any guy you can think of! Even better than Edward Cullen! (GASP!) Yeah I said it! And I mean it. Travis is amazing. That’s the blueprint for the man I want to someday marry.

The first part of the book had me laughing out loud most of the time. It was so fun to read. I seriously had a smile the entire time I was reading the first part of the book. Travis and his sister cracked me up. And the whirlwind romance between Travis and his neighbor kept me glued the entire time.

The second part of the book had me at the edge of my seat. I mean, literally, at the edge of my seat. With Nicholas Sparks you never know if you are going to get a happy or a sad ending so I was dying to get to the end of the book. I’ve never wanted to know what happens to anyone so much in my life.

I loved everyone in this book. With the exception for Gabby’s parents, but they really didn’t play a role so they’re just “misc info.” I think this is the second time in the history of books I’ve read, that I don’t have to hate any characters. I love that!

I cried, and I would have cried a lot more if I didn’t have to go out and get things done. I give this book a 20 out of 10. That’s how much I love it. It’s so short too; there is not reason to not read it.

-Mimi

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The Choice is another reason why I think Nicholas Sparks is one of the best authors of my generation. This book is another amazing one! It is pretty short yet you fall in love which these characters again and again.

Sparks does a great job with having you keep guessing what is going to happen in the end of the book, and the end was a perfect one I thought.

The book is about Travis and Gabby, who are neighbors, and end up falling in love but something HUGE happens to bring them apart.

Travis is possibly one of the most perfect male characters I have ever read about (other than Edward of course.) He is smart, good looking, sweet, and loves Gabby with all his heart. But like the name of the book, Travis is faced with a huge choice that would change their lives forever. I won’t tell you what the choice was, but I will say that I don’t know If I would have been able to do the same thing!

So if you have a few days to kill, pick up the book and give it a read! If you end up reading it, let us know what you thought!

-Christina

Special Post

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The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen

I read this book about 6 years ago, but it was so awesome that I still remember the story well. I was lucky enough to get this book on the clearance rack and just picked it up and as soon as I started reading, I was hooked.

When a nun is found dead, and her baby found at the bottom of a lake, detectives go on the most interesting search for the killer. You will NEVER guess who did it. It was truly shocking!

It was by far the most thrilling book I've ever read.

These types of books aren't usually my cup of tea, but I'm telling you, it was awesome. I would totally read another book by Tess again.

-Mimi

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Mimi had already read The Sinner and she said it was really good, so I decided to give it a try. I am sure glad I did!! I was on the edge of my seat the WHOLE time and I found myself playing detective trying to figure out what was going to happen next. This book reminds me of Law and Order SVU, which is why I think I enjoyed it so much.

All the twists and turns kept me thinking, and even up to the end I was in shock.

Mimi get's mad at me for always doing spoilers so I won't tell you what happens...if you figure out who the killer is...you DESERVE to be a detective or something because that crap was CRAZZZYYY.

My favorite Character was detective Rizzoli. She was such a hard ass and was such a strong character..she basically reminded me of Mimi. Throughout the book she was struggling not to fall in love- for fear of being hurt. I think she is like so many of us who are afraid to open up and let love in. I will tell you that her story has a great ending..which made me extremely happy.

The other main character, Maura was struggling with the same thing. Her ex husband wanted her back but she was scared to give him another chance. Her ending was... different...but I thought it fitting for how the story went.

The last thing I will say is that there is a priest in this story..that was described as extremely handsome..and very nice and sweet. I just wish the author, Tess Gerritsen would have made more of a love connection between him and Maura because they basically were extremely attracted to each other. And let's face it..any story with a hot ass priest can only get better when there is a sex scene with him involved. (Don't even act like you don't agree!!)

Something like that! LMAO!!

Ok.. I am done.. if you like books that keep you thinking and trying to figure out what will happen next.. you WILL LOVE IT!

-Christina

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

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I read Memoirs of a Geisha when I was in High School and I loved it then as much as I do now.

It is a great book because it is set in a different country, Japan, in a total different time period. So not only do you get to learn about other cultures while reading, you get an amazing story at the same time.

Sayuri, the main character, grew up very poor and was sold at a very young age. She grows up in a geisha house while her sister is sold to a brothel and is forced to be a prostitute.

One thing you learn from this book is what being a Geisha is all about. They are not prostitutes, (weeeeelll eh they are paid to have sex but I would NOT put them on the same level as prostitutes) but more like companions that are paid to go to events and to perform dances. (Not like a stripper dance, a traditional Japanese dance.

There are a few parts of the book that really made me upset.

*SPOILER SPOILER*

like how shitty Hatsumomo is to Sayuri. She is basically a selfish hating bitch and is threatened by Sayuri’s beauty and brains.

Another part that really pissed me off is how Sayuri is forced to sell her virginity and the highest bidder gets to have her. That must be so scary for her and confusing at the same time.

And that is where things start to get juicy. (no pun intended) A love triangle begins to form and Sayuri is in love with the one man she cannot have. Luckily, in the end, all turns out ok! :)

*SPOILER OVER*

The book is actually loosely about a former Geisha, Mineko Iwasaki, and since the book has been published, she has written an autobiography called “Geisha, a Life.” Supposedly this book shows a very different picture of geishas so I plan to read it soon!

I would recommend this book to any girl in high school or older. I give it a 10/10 because it is one of my favorite books of all time. The movie is amazing as well and they do a great job keeping to the book!

-Christina

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This is the first time I read a book after watching the movie. The worst part is that I watched the movie a day before I started reading it too. Bad idea!

The book was awesome. I love learning about other cultures and I like that I know what a Geisha is. A Geisha is thought to be a prostitute. That is not true. A real Geisha is an artist, she is taught from a young age to dance, play instruments, sing and how to move gracefully. Although her virginity is sold, it is not her choice, not even being a Geisha is a choice. They have a danna, which is the one and only person they are allowed to sleep with. The danna helps out the okiya where the Geisha lives and might give her gifts, but I do not believe this makes her a prostitute. If you believe that, by all means, you are very entitled to your opinion. But stop being ethnocentric for a second and see that not all cultures are like yours, nor is your culture the all-righteous one.

The book had a lot more than the book. Especially the end, something happens in the story that was not even hinted in the movie. You will dislike a lot of characters and be grossed out by others. The only characters you will like are Chiyo a.k.a Sayuri and Mameha, but even she will make you mad at times.

It is a beautiful story about a girl who refused to just let destiny and culture tell her what she can and can't have. Chiyo was a fighter her whole life. She's an admirable character.

It’s by far one of my favorite movies, but I think I ruined it for myself by watching the movie first because I really wasn’t hooked on the book. Maybe I’ll read it again later after the details of both the book and the movie are fuzzy. I really wished I would have read the book earlier.

I still recommend the book to everyone. It’s really a great story.

-Mimi

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Quotes of the Week

What are we but our stories? - Sam's Letters to Jennifer

If you're going to look back at something and laugh about it, you might as well laugh about it now. - Sam's Letters to Jennifer

He who does nothing is the one who does nothing. - The Choice

If conversation is the lyrics, laughing is the music. - The Choice

A mind troubled by doubt cannot focus on the course to victory. - Memoirs of a Geisha

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

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Firefly Lane is one of my all-time favorite books. It’s not a love story at all, it’s about friends, which was really great because a romantic relationship, although one of the most important in our lives, isn’t the only one.

The story starts out when Tully and Kate were just little girls, then it goes into the college years and then their forties. So you get to watch them grow as women, mother, career woman and so forth.

There are two characters that I really hate. One is Tully the other is Marah.

I understand that Tully had it tough growing up, but she was such a bad influence. And as good as Kate’s family was to her, the least she could do was be the best person in the world to Kate. I found Tully to be a self-centered, selfish bitch and I think Kate should have kicked her ass!

As for Marah, I just hate her! I won’t spoil it and tell you who she is, but I will tell you that her role should teach us all a lesson. We need to appreciate the people in our lives, and every single day we have with them is a blessing.

There is no doubt in my mind that Kate found love. At times you may doubt her husband’s love for her, but I know that he loved her very much.

I honestly LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. I have never cried as much as I did with this book. NEVER! I’ll admit, I can name a load of other books that made me cry like a wounded child, but this one really had me for a LONG TIME! If I wouldn’t have used my shirt, I think I could have gone through an entire box of tissues. NO LIE!

I would strongly recommend this book! It’s one of my top five favorite books of all time. I made Christina read it. I know she really didn’t want to, but she called me after she finished and told me she absolutely loved it. Seriously, It’s great! A MUST READ!

-Mimi

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When I first saw firefly lane I felt like I would never finish it. It is a pretty big book, and I thought for sure this book could not be as great as Mimi said it was. Like usual, she was right. What an AMAZING BOOK! First of all, I cried more than I usually do. These characters are so real you feel like they really exist.

The story is about two best friends, Tully and Kate and their lives growing up and into adulthood. It may sound like any other ordinary book, but I promise you that it’s not.

Like in real life, the characters go through so many ups and downs and you hurt when they hurt, laugh when they laugh, and cry when they cry.

There are a few characters you will love to hate. I hated Tully many times because of her selfishness but once you get to know her, you understand why she is the way she is. I also loved her many time as well. She had such a drive and such determination to get to where she wanted to be in life, she could do anything she set her mind too. I really enjoyed reading about a strong woman for once because I find so many authors make women weak. Her crazy ass was so obsessed with making it on TV that she reported LIVE during a robbery and she was even shot during it. But for her, the show must always go on!

And of course I can’t forget to mention the marriage of one of the characters. ( I won’t tell you who of course!) But she is so lucky for finding such a great and honest man. You will all fall in love with him by the end of the book.

I promise you will LOVE this book, especially if you have a best friend. It will remind you how lucky you are to have someone in your life that you can always go to when things get rough.

If you have read it, tell me what you thought!

-Christina

The Last Song Movie Review

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Very rarely do I like movies about books I read. Especially my favorite books, but this movie was amazing. It was way better than I expected! And Miley did a great job.

I honestly didn't think I was going to cry at all because I had cried enough reading the book and I thought no scene could surpass that, but there was a scene with Ronnie and her dad that just got the water works going. She made me feel Ronnie's pain all over again. I really like when an actor or actress can really make you feel what they are feeling.

There were a few things that they took out of the movie that I believe were important in the book, but it wasn't too bad. The end and the purpose of the story stayed intact and that's all the matters in the end.

I also have to say how much I LOVED Jonah. He was my favorite character in the book, and his character in the movie didn't disappoint! He was sooo funny and so cute! I love him! I was cracking up when he took breakfast out to Will and Ronnie. Hilarious! One of my favorite parts in the movie.

I loved Will too. Aside from the fact that Liam Hemsworth is a total HOTTTTTIE, Will was so nice, and so funny. I think my favorite part of the entire movie was when they were singing to Maroon 5 in the car. It was soooo funny!

I would totally recommend this movie to all my fellow ladies. Guys might be "too cool" to want to watch it. I saw it with my mom and my younger sister and they both loved it. So you see, there is not age range. I give it an 9 overall. Don't miss out! Go watch it!

-Mimi

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The last song was an amazing book, and it was also a great movie. Although some of the events happened differently between the two, it was still genuine and very enjoyable. I dragged my parents go with me, and they both liked it! My mom was even crying..and shuush..don't tell anyone but my dad did also!

It is hard not to fall for Will, played by Liam Hemsworth

just look at him! Seriously! Wow!

I also read a lot of reviews where people were saying Miley Cyrus did a bad job, I on the other hand think she did great. Her crying felt real, although some parts felt a little fake, for the most part I was impressed.

The person who impressed me the most was Jonah, Ronnies little brother. He was so funny in the movie and was so great at crying! If you see that movie and don't cry when you see him cry, well than you must be a heartless bitch! :)

Usually Mimi and I get mad when we watch movies that are also books, but I am here to report that I give it two thumbs up!

-Christina

Quotes of the Week

Even stone can be worn down with enough rain. - Memoirs of a Geisha

Dreams can be such dangerous things: they smolder on like fire does and sometimes consume us completely. -Memoirs of a Geisha

The saddest people I've ever met in life are the ones who don't care deeply about

anything at all. -Dear John

Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last. - Dear John

The best mirror is an old friend. -Firefly Lane

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

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This book is extremely sad, but is still a great read. The book is about Bruno, a young child during WWII. This boy I should add, is a son of a very powerful Commandant in the Third Reich.

Bruno is so oblivious to the things going on around him, which makes you feel even worse about his situation and the end of the book. (No spoilers here! )

His sister Gretel is a bitch and I hate her throughout the book. For the most part, She is so mean to Bruno and is a horrible older sister.

Another character I hated was Lieutenant Kotler. I wanted to knee him right between his legs. He was a MAJOR a-hole! He killed a dog, was horribly mean to Pavel (the waiter at the house) and basically couldn't have been any worse of a man!

I also wanted to punch Bruno's father as well just for being the dick wad that he was and for agreeing to do what he was told to do!

The story is all about Bruno and his life at his new home, which he calls "out-with." (Really Auschwitz) Later in the book he meets Shmuel, a Jewish boy who is in the concentration camp. Of course Bruno doesn't understand what is going on, and he continues to meet with Shmeuel as much as he can, to talk and be friends with him. (Bruno sits on one side of the fence and Shmuel on the other)

The book is heartbreaking, and so is the movie. I don't want to tell you what happens in the end-but it will surprise you. I say this is a must read for anyone, maybe as young as 8th grade just so you can get a different perspective of what happened during this horrible time in history.

-Christina

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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a book that everyone interested in the holocaust or learning about it in school, should read. It's super short too, so you don't have any excuses not to read it. The book is written from Bruno's perspective, which is a little heartwarming because he's so young and so naive about what is happening around him.

I really like Bruno because he had a good heart. He was kind to the people who worked at his home, and later on in the book, was very kind to Shmuel. He did kind things like take food for Shmuel without him having to ask.

I really disliked Lieutenant Kotler, and although I'm sure Bruno's dad was an evil man, it's very hard to know how bad he was because through Bruno's eyes, he was a good man, and so I don't know if he enjoyed doing what he did or just did it because he had to. Either way. I think he's scum.

The ending is sad. It will make you think, and I hope you get the message out of it. It's very ironic, but then again, life is that way. As much as I hate to say it, Bruno's dad got exactly what he deserved.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone over the age of 12.

-Mimi

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Update!

Hey Everyone!

We have a new weekly post coming up soon. It will be called Book Quotes of the Week, where we will share with you five of our favorite quotes from our favorite books. We hope you will enjoy this section because we have come across some funny quotes, and some beautiful quotes that are very true about life, and we'd like to share them with everyone.

We also want to remind you that we are having a giveaway! All you have to do is e-mail us and tell us what you think about the blog, what we can do better, and a little bit about yourself. We will randomly select a winner and he or she will receive one of the books we have written about.

Come back tomorrow for our post about The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Thank you all for visiting the blog, and we really hope you enjoy it.

Testimony by Anita Shreve

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I can't say I really like this book, but it wasn't so bad. I definitely wanted to punch a lot of characters in the face a few times but I think I'll just punch Christina for making me read it.

The one thing I did like about this book was that it seemed like I was reading about gossip. So as you're figuring out what is going on you get some good shockers.

I didn't like how it was written. It was very monotone, if that makes any sense to you. Each chapter was written by a different person so you get different perspectives, but I hated everyone in this book except 1 person.

I felt bad for Silias at the beginning but then he just grossed me out and I wanted to dropkick him for being such an idiot.

The Girl who caused this mess = dirty hooker, I can't stand her, I wanted to ransack her.

Silias' mom = Dumb

The Principal = Very Dumb

The only person I liked and really really felt bad for was Silias' girlfriend. Poor girl. You'll find out why when you read the book. She was the only pure character in the whole book.

Overall, I give this book a 4 out of 10. Read it only if you have nothing else to do or read.

-Mimi

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I give Testimony an 8/10. I really enjoyed the book because it was set at a private high school (like one I attended) and it included a sex scandal. Everyone loves one of those!! To make it even more juicy, the scandal was caught on TAPE!

The book is written from many different characters perspectives, which was awesome because you get in the mind of more than one person.

SMALL SPOILER ALERT!!

The end is sooo sad how one of the characters, commits suicide. Although it is heartbreaking, teen suicide is happening more and more which is why I think it is important that she had the character do so.

SPOILER OVER!

Not only is there a sex tape out there, but two other characters have an affair which make everything even more complicated.

If you like a good book about love, loss, and mystery—you will really enjoy this book!

Even though there are mild sex scenes, I think anyone in high school or older would enjoy it!

I hope they make this into a movie! It would probably be a hit!

Did you read this book? What did you think?

-Christina

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

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If you want to exercise your brain this is the book for you! You will constantly be trying to figure out what the hell is going on, and it will drive you to the point of insanity. Like it did to Christina. I'm thinking of dropping her off at Shutter Island next week, as a matter of fact.

I don't want to say too much about it because anything I say will possibly ruin the book for you, if you haven't read it yet. I will however, say that I had many theories while I was reading this book. I won't tell you if I was right or wrong in any of my theories, but I will tell you that it takes a smart cookie to figure it out (toot toot) and it is worth reading and finding out for yourself. Don't cheat. The ride this book takes you on, is very interesting.

Some advice I can give you for reading Shutter Island is to read slow. You might have to re-read some paragraphs, but take your time. It will get a little confusing. Also, don't tell people you are reading it because those who have read it or see the movie always say things that will make you wonder and will make you try to come up with the craziest ending you can think of. Forget everything anyone says and just read. Take it in one chapter at a time.

I can't say I loved this book, because these kind of stories are just not my cup of tea, but it was a good book. I can honestly say I liked it. I would definitely recommend it. I can't wait to see the movie. I heard they did a good job.

-Mimi

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I read Shutter Island in under 24 hours. Once I was done, all I wanted to do was THROW THE FUCKING BOOK AT MIMI FOR MAKING US READ IT!

I have to admit, Dennis Lehane, the author, does a great job with the writing. I basically sat in bed and couldn't put the book down because I kept trying to figure out what would happen next.

The book definitely gave me major creeps tho! I was so scared for the characters as they walked around an island full of crazy people, and I had to turn all the lights on in my apartment because of it. Ok, so basically I am a big baby but seriously, my mind made this book so much scarier than it probably was for Mimi.

~~~~~~~~SPOILER ALERT~~~~~~~~~~

The reason why I want to shred this book and make Mimi eat it is because of the ending. I wanted Teddy to be the hero, I wanted him to get off the island alive! But turns out he is the crazy one and the experiment is on him. Figures!

So as the book continues and you now know that Teddy is really Andrew and he killed his wife, you are still hoping he makes it out ok. But OF COURSE he doesn't. The last line of the book shows that the experiment has failed and he will have to undergo a lobotomy. Soooo basically you read the whole freaking book for NOTHING!

I have not seen the movie, and I don't think I will. I am already pissed I wasted my night on the book, and I am sure if I see the movie I will have nightmares.

The only thing I liked about the book was the subject: mental illness and institutions. It brings up some things that we should think about. Is it right to drug these patients and alter their mind? Would or is the government doing experiments on people and we don't even know about it? Are all people in those institutions really "crazy" or are they just perceived like that because one person said they were? I want to know what you guys think about that! And in the meantime, I will be dropping Mimi off at the closest mental institution so we can find out first hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~END OF SPOILERS~~~~~~~~~~~~

So thats all folks. I have nothing more to say about this crapola book. As I write this I am still pissed. This is exactly why I like love stories! They don't make me scared and the endings are usually how I want them to be.

MIMI I HATE YOU FOR MAKING ME READ THIS! NEXT TIME I SEE YOU, I AM GOING TO BITCH SLAP YOU WITH THE BOOK!

-Christina
ps:Did any of you guys read it and hate it as much as I did? Let us know!

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