“Letting go isn’t about forgetting. It’s balancing moving forward with life, and looking back from time to time, remembering the people in it.”– 4.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: denim jackets, book ends, memorials, bookstores, short films, bullying, roses, University letters, grief, good friendships, future plans, tragic accidents and unexpected phone calls.

Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.

Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.

And Sam picks up the phone.

In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.

This was such a nice and pleasant surprise! I knew this book was popular, but I admit I didn’t have a lot of expectations when I picked this up. The good thing is that I ended up liking this way more than I thought I would!

In this book we follow this girl named Julie. She found her soulmate Sam when she was in high school and she had her life with him planned out to the detail. They were very happy together and they loved each other very much, but a tragic accident takes Sam’s life and now Julie is struggling and dealing with grief. Sam always told her if she called he would answer, and that’s what she did… the crazy thing is Sam answers! And there’s where I’m going to leave it. Also, don’t worry, this is not a spoiler – it is also mentioned in the synopsis!

But I didn’t know about that. I went into this book blindly and I didn’t know it was part fantasy – well, magical realism, to be exact. I was expecting this to be just a sad YA romance, but these phone calls were such an amazing and special element added to the story.

Needless to say, I loved this book. Grief is a huge part of this story, and the author did an amazing job with these characters and their feelings. Julie was an okay character in the sense that she wasn’t super likable, but I also felt really bad for her because of how badly she was suffering. Still, I liked seeing her grow and starting to overcome her grief. Her calls with Sam warmed my heart and made me wish everyone navigating through grief had the same opportunity.

While I was reading this book, I remember having a lot of moments when I thought “how in the world is this story going to end?”. Part of me was curious, but a bigger part of me just wanted a happy ending. And when I finally reached the last pages, I was happy. I thought the ending was done beautifully and I was satisfied with the resolution of the story. And in case you’re wondering: yes, I cried like a baby!

Apparently this is a debut novel, but it really doesn’t feel like it. It’s very well written and engaging, but most importantly, it was unique and unforgettable! I completely understand why this book is popular, and I admit this is a story that is probably going to follow me for a very long time.

I highly recommend this one, especially if you want a good book to cry to. Keep the tissues close because you’re going to need it.

“This was always beyond friendship for me.” – 2.75/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: family disputes, playgrounds, car dealerships, college classes, concerts, shared apartments and rich kids.

I started flirting with a guy while waiting for my car to be serviced. Now granted, he wasn’t just any guy. Tall. Dark. Hot. Mysterious. Can you blame me for wanting to talk to him? He’s in town visiting his parents. So am I. He goes to the same college as I do. Such a coincidence. Almost as if our meeting is destined…

But I shouldn’t believe in that sort of thing. I am single as a Pringle and always ready to mingle. Until I keep running into Mr. Tall, Dark and Mysterious everywhere I go. Tony Sorrento. Turns out he’s on the football team. I mean, I’m not one to chase after a sexy jock but, okay. I’m down. And did I mention he’s only a freshman?

Our fathers are business rivals, and they forbid us from dating. We need to keep this on the low. Can we remain friendly? Sure. Maybe turn our friendship into friends with benefits? Most definitely. Here’s the thing though. I didn’t plan on catching feelings for him so quickly. Seems like he’s falling pretty hard for me too.

Defying our fathers’ wishes is only asking for trouble, but is being with Tony worth the risk?

I have some conflicted feelings about this book. I don’t think it’s a horrible book by any means, but something felt off. Well, a few things, actually.
This romance book starts when Tony (a freshman in college) meets the beautiful and very flirty Hayden in a high end car dealership. After talking for a few minutes they discover they are both rich, have daddy issues and attend the same college. All nice and dandy, until they bump into each other in a fancy party and find out their parents are enemies. And so a forbidden love begins!
I have to be real with you: I couldn’t care less about these characters. I wasn’t invested in the romance, probably because I wasn’t invested in the characters and their (lack of) chemistry. I think I still liked Hayden better than Tony, just because she was written like a unique main female character, and Tony was kind of boring and unmemorable. They didn’t fit well as a couple and their banter was nothing special. The only thing they had in common was the fact that they both came from rich families… and that’s it.
One thing I found weird was how the rivalry between both families was… glossed over? I thought this was going to be part of the main drama of the plot, but it was completely ignored and I was left confused. We don’t see Hayden and Tony fight against their families to be together and there was no resolution between families in any way, shape or form. What was even the point of this issue in the first place then?
The writing also felt a little weird because it was simultaneously boring, but fast-paced. The plot was so dull and full of rich people’s problems (not even the interesting kind of problems). Their encounters were boring and there was no spark between them. Everything happened so fast, and yet, nothing interesting happened.
I’m a little disappointed. I don’t like to leave book series unfinished, and that’s the only reason why I’m even considering reading the other 3 books left in the “College Years” series. I’ve heard great things about Monica Murphy, so I’m hoping the other books are a little more entertaining with better romances.

“I love her face when she smiles. But it could be that her smile is a lie that she uses to hide her clenched teeth. I don’t understand why she cried. I can’t even say, “You’ll be all right.” But I will always be by your side. After all, I am your cat.” – 4/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: stray cats, meals, bonds, paintings, friendships, territories and loving owners.

For fans of Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs and Murata Sayaka’s Earthlings, this Japanese bestseller from renowned anime director Makoto Shinkai features four inspirational and heartwarming vignettes following women and their cats in their quests for love and connection.

Lying alone on the edge of the sidewalk in an abandoned cardboard box, a nameless narrator contemplates the indifferent world around him. With his mother long gone, his only company is the sound of the nearby train. Just as he fears that the end is near, a young woman peers down at him, this fateful encounter changing their lives forever

So begins the first story in She and Her Cat, a collection of four interrelated, stream-of-conscious short stories in which four women and their feline companions explore the frailty of life, the pain of isolation, and the limits of communication.

With clever narration alternating between the cats and their owners, She and Her Cat offers a unique and sly commentary on human foibles and our desire for connection. A whimsical short story anthology unlike any other, it effortlessly demonstrates that even in our darkest, most lonesome moments, we are still united to this wonderous world—often in ways we could never have expected.

What a wholesome book! This was such a cute and beautiful story – but I’m probably biased because I love cats and stories about cats.

In this book, we follow the story of four cats and their owners. The book is divided into four parts, focusing on each cat and respective owner. The cool thing is that all of the stories are connected and they know and interact with each other!

What I really liked about this book is how the animals could “talk”. You can read their thoughts and their conversations with each other, but the humans in the story don’t understand them, they only hear them meow or bark. I thought this was a really cool thing about the story and it helped bring the animals’ perspectives to life!

I found this to be a very typical Japanese book in the sense that there’s a lot of depth to it. To be more specific, there are plenty of reflections on life, death, friendship, happiness and loneliness.

It’s a short book full of magical, wholesome (and even sad) moments. I would recommend this one!

“The forest did not scare her; rather, she wanted to be like it: ageless and impervious, cruel and beautiful. Death could not touch it.” – 3.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: dead goats, maps, caring siblings, shovels, last names, threats, graves, old magic, adventures, curses and bone houses.

Seventeen-year-old Aderyn (“Ryn”) only cares about two things: her family, and her family’s graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don’t always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as “bone houses,” and legend says that they’re the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.

This was a very typical YA fantasy stand alone with a strong heroine, and I’m not mad about it because that was exactly what I felt like reading! 

If I had to describe what “The Bone Houses” is about, I would say it’s mostly a book about family and death. You may think this would be a creepy book since the main character is a gravedigger and there are a lot of dead bodies just walking around, but it wasn’t. It was a fun read and full of magic and adventure!

I personally liked all the characters in this and I found them all lovable, but I especially loved the main characters Ryn and Ellis! I loved their dialogues and humor, but I also felt their grief and their pain. Also, there’s a slow burn (and subtle) romance between them, and you know me… I’m a sucker for romance. Ryn’s siblings were also a great addition to the story, and I loved how they were always there for their sister.

I thought it was entertaining and different, but it’s not a super memorable book. The message is beautiful though! Not the best book ever, but definitely not bad.

“When you watch ‘The Office’ you are watching a group of people who are having fun and becoming good friends. We formed a deep bond with our castmates and crew during those nine years, and I think we passed that feeling on to our audience.” – 4.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: auditions, gossip, hair & makeup trailers, red carpets, improv, special guests, amazing catering, on-set accidents and behind the scenes stories.

An intimate, behind-the-scenes, richly illustrated celebration of beloved The Office co-stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey’s friendship, and an insiders’ view of Pam Beesly, Angela Martin, and the unforgettable cast of the hit series’ iconic characters. Featuring many never-before-seen photos.

  Receptionist Pam Beesly and accountant Angela Martin had very little in common when they toiled together at Scranton’s Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. But, in reality, the two bonded in their very first days on set and, over the nine seasons of the series’ run, built a friendship that transcended the show and continues to this day. Sharing everything from what it was like in the early days as the show struggled to gain traction, to walking their first red carpet—plus exclusive stories on the making of milestone episodes and how their lives changed when they became moms—The Office BFFs is full of the same warm and friendly tone Jenna and Angela have brought to their Office Ladies podcast.

This book was way better than I thought! I admit I picked this randomly without giving it much thought, but it turned out to be an amazing and fun reading experience. I was having so much fun that I ended up listening to the audiobook in a single day!

Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsley starred on the tv show “The Office” as Pam and Angela, and they became very close friends in real life (not in the tv show… not even close). They wrote this book together, and here they share their experiences on set and how they developed their close friendship.

I’m a big fan of “The Office” tv show for a number of different reasons. I love the dry humor, the comedic timing, the talented cast, the improv moments, Jim & Pam (or should I say Jam)… and the list goes on! So when I found this book existed, I quickly added it to my (endless and bottomless) TBR list. Now that I read it, I can tell you that I love it!

There are so many things I found out through this book that I would have never thought in a million years! But what I think what surprised me the most was to find out that the writers and producers had a very close relationship with the actors, and all of them participated and contributed with creative ideas, storylines and even personal experiences. This blew me away! It’s not very common to see that in other tv shows. There was a lot of room for the cast to improv and to make suggestions.

I never listened to their podcast “The Office Ladies”, but I might give it a try someday. According to other reviewers, a lot of what they shared in the book was already shared in the podcast.

I also really liked the guest appearances throughout the book! Rainn Wilson and Creed’s appearances were the best, in my humble opinion! I wish Steve apeared in a different way, but I was still happy to hear him with his small participation.

Needless to say this book is every fan’s dream! If you’re a fan of the show, this is a must read. I’m sure you will have a lot of fun reading it.

“We can’t play God.
We can’t do this to kids.
You’re evil, I’m evil.
Everyone will die.
No matter what.
Let nature win.” – 3/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: emails, secret files, old memories, trials and confidential conversations.

The Maze Runner Files is a 50+ page collection of classified records and concealed information from the world of the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series. Lost emails between WICKED employees, memos meant to be destroyed after reading, and a selection of the Gladers suppressed memories make up this e-original short. These documents offer a unique glimpse of the world of The Maze Runner and are a must for any fan of The Maze Runner.

I don’t know exactly what I was expecting from this small novella, but I was sure it wouldn’t add too much to the story. And I was right. But what I didn’t expect was to find so many parts that were already published in previous books. And by that I mean the exact same paragraphs. 

There’s still some original content here, but I would say it’s about 50/50 of original and recycled material. Regarding the original content: I personally liked reading about Frypan’s memories and Minho’s phase 3 of the trials. For me, those were the best chapters I took from the novella.

I wanted to pick it up because I love this series, but in the end it’s not a very relevant novella for two reasons: it adds nothing to the story and has a lot of content already used before.

It is an okay read, but you can definitely skip this one.

“Tommy will understand…” – 4/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: strong friendships, memories coming back, bullets, bowling alleys, trucks, journals, notes, the flare, pain and a lot of cranks.

Newt has been to hell and back with his friends.

The Glade. The Maze. The Scorch. The inner halls of WICKED. But now he has a burden that can’t be shared with Thomas and the others—the Flare. And Newt can’t bear the thought of his friends watching him descend into madness as he succumbs to the virus.

Leaving only a note, Newt departs the Berg before the Gladers return from their mission into Denver, Colorado. From there, he experiences the gritty nightmare of life on the streets, running from the infected and those hunting them, until he ends up in the Crank Palace, the last dumping ground of those without hope. Although Newt thought he was running away from his friends to save them from himself, along the way he meets a young mother named Keisha and her son, Dante, who end up saving Newt in a way he could never have imagined.

Taking place during the latter events of The Death Cure, Crank Palace tells the story of Newt like never before, from inside his own mind, as he searches for meaning in a life gone horribly wrong. He will try to fulfill a newfound destiny before his path leads to its inevitable conclusion—and one last meeting with his best friend.

I recently reread the ENTIRE “Maze Runner” series – prequels and all -, and for what, you may ask? Well, to read this one with a fresh memory, of course!
Honestly… this was better than I thought it would be! Newt is one of my favorite characters, so there was no way in hell I wouldn’t read this.
This novella shows Newt’s POV while he wasn’t present during most of the plot of the third book of the trilogy “The Death Cure”. This book fills the gaps and shows what was happening with Newt! He meets a woman named Keisha and her son Dante, and he spends most of his last days with them, with the goal of trying to reunite them with their family. I loved the new characters that were introduced and how they protected Newt – and even made him laugh some times. I usually don’t love James Dashner’s female characters, but I loved Keisha!
This novella was very heartbreaking and I (almost) cried multiple times while reading it. It was painful to see Newt suffering so much and going in and out of consciousness. Now that I’m thinking about it, that’s probably why I like this series so much. I just feel so connected to these characters like I know them in real life – so I feel their pain and I root for them.
Even though it was a very sad read, I’m glad Newt got to remember some things about his past and also got to know about Sonya. Not only that, but Newt wasn’t alone most of the time. He found good people that cared about him. Those are a few positive things that readers are able to take from this book.
The ending was surprising to say the least. The last appearance in the end was not expected, and the things said were also very surprising. It made me think if James Dashner is thinking about writing a new sequel! And let me tell you friends: if there was another book in “The Maze Runner” series to continue the “Newt’s journal” situation by Thomas getting to read it, I would probably pick it up.
With that said, I know this book also serves as a prequel for a new series based on “The Maze Runner” series, named “The Maze Cutter”. I honestly have no desire to pick up this new series because I just know I will be disappointed. So no, I won’t be going down that rabbit hole. I’ll just keep going back to “The Maze Runner” from time to time when I miss the characters.
Now, the real questions you may have:
Was this novella necessary? Probably not.
Is it worth reading? Yes! Just prepare the tissues when you pick it up.

“You don’t take away my freedom without asking first.” – 3.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: This book contains: telepathy, secret files, tests, monitors, betrayals, secrets, a purge, cranks, experiences and subjects.

Once there was a world’s end.

The forests burned, the lakes and rivers dried up, and the oceans swelled.

Then came a plague, and fever spread across the globe. Families died, violence reigned, and man killed man.

Next came WICKED, who were looking for an answer. And then they found the perfect boy.

The boy’s name was Thomas, and Thomas built a maze.

Now there are secrets.

There are lies.

And there are loyalties history could never have foreseen.

This is the story of that boy, Thomas, and how he built a maze that only he could tear down.

All will be revealed.

Was this book necessary? I’m having a hard time answering this. On one side, I think it was cool that it showed what we discovered late in the trilogy – more specifically how Thomas and Teresa helped create the maze, how they developed their telepathy, etc. – and also how the chancellor ascended to power… but at the same time, some parts felt a little too unbelievable.

There’s one small detail about this book that bothers me. What are the odds that the exact same group of friends formed before and after their memories were wiped? Because in this prequel, we see that Alby, Newt and Minho were already friends with Thomas and Teresa before the trials started… just like in the maze. And not only that, but Chuck already had a deep relationship with Thomas by being his “younger sibling” before the memories were wiped. I just think this was a little far fetched and too perfect/convenient. I can see how some people may gravitate towards specific people but c’mon… about 50 kids were going to be sent to the maze and they formed the exact same group of 5 or 6 people?

I was also hoping that there would be a more specific explanation on why putting kids in a maze would be helpful in finding a cure to the flare. Sure, apparently they were trying to build a blueprint according to their behavior, but what would they do with that information? But yeah, don’t listen to me – I’m probably overthinking and this is just a science fiction series.

One thing that made me happy was to revisit these characters. I just love this group of characters so much. Even though it didn’t make sense that they had the exact friend group, I was truly happy they were part of the spotlight again – especially because their personalities shine through with or without their memories being wiped. Also, Newt has a sister! That was so cool, I was not expecting to see that she was also important to the story!

As usual, I need to say this as well: I really liked the audiobook narrator (I think he’s the same person narrating the other audiobooks), and I truly think he’s perfect to narrate this series!

I honestly don’t think this book was super relevant or added something important to the main story – well, maybe just the chancellor thing. I would still consider rereading the original trilogy, but I wouldn’t waste my time reading the prequels again.

Edit: Jokes on me – I did reread the prequels. And again: not worth it.