The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight (a review)

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith

Synopsis: Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.  


Review: Wow! I absolutely loved loved loved this book!! I read reviews about this book a few months ago, and although I was intrigued, I was worried that it would just be another cute story with no real substance. For a story spanning only 24 hours, it really had depth. I related to Hadley and her feelings on so many situations that were brought up in this short story. Oliver was swoon worthy and I fell for him the second he appeared in the story. This is definitely a sweet well thought out story that does not disappoint!


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A great TED talk

I often watch or listen to talks on TED. Sometimes I'll take my iPad with me to bed and listen to a few talks before I sleep. I have listened to some amazing and inspiring talks over the last few years. I saw this talk last week and loved it. She is a great speaker and I truly love the motivational message it conveys.




From TED: When game designer Jane McGonigal found herself bedridden and suicidal following a severe concussion, she had a fascinating idea for how to get better. She dove into the scientific research and created the healing game, SuperBetter. In this moving talk, McGonigal explains how a game can boost resilience -- and promises to add 7.5 minutes to your life.

The Selection (a review)

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Synopsis: For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. 

Review: When I first saw this book, I told myself that I would never pick it up. Neither the cover nor the synopsis caught my attention. I then saw some great reviews about this book on both Goodreads and YouTube and decided to give this book another shot. I am definitely happy I did. The best way to describe this book is that it is The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor, although there seems to be more elements of the latter present. I compare it to The Hunger Games for a few reasons. The main character, America, reminds me a lot of Katniss. Her younger sister also reminds me of the relationship Katniss and her younger sister had. Like in The Hunger Games, where people live in districts, in this book people live according to caste. Their jobs and homes are all based on which caste they fall into (1 being royalty and 8 being poorest). America is also thrown into a competition where only one will be winner at the end. This is where the similarities to The Hunger Games ends. 

The story is centered around the competition between thirty-five girls to win the heart of Prince Maxon. Unlike The Bachelor, America goes into this competition knowing that she does not want to win the Prince's heart. She agrees to compete because it will mean helping her family out back home. America is fiesty, speaks her own mind and is the most original out of all the contestants. She enters the competition with a broken heart, having just been dumped by her boyfriend back home and wants nothing to do with romance. But she does begin to develop a friendship with the prince. You find yourself rooting for her to fall in love with the prince as their friendship begins to grow. And then the book ends abruptly. I did not expect it to end so suddenly with so many unanswered questions. I loved this story and hate the fact that I have to wait until next year to find out what happens.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Rollabind: Starting to organize for new school year

Those who know me know that I love to journal and I always keep an agenda in my purse. I also always use sticky notes and stick them around my apartment when I want to remember things. Even though I have an iPhone and I love it, I still love to keep paper notes. Last year I came across the Rollabind site and was instantly intrigued by their personalized notebook materials. I looked into it and found that there are so many things you can do with this system. You can keep receipts together neatly, create a unique journal, keep business cards together..etc. My favourite is the fact that you can create a really nice teacher day book with it. Even though the site sells the paper and covers to create these pieces, all you really need are the special hole punch and the rings to hold the paper together. You can create your own covers and use all your own papers. Here are a couple of videos:

Etsy: Things I'd love to have

These are my top 7 favourite finds on Etsy this week.

Headphone wall decal from VerdiGrisDye's shop.

Blooming Flowers metal wall art from zenartstudio's shop.

Silver book charm from TheSCOOPatBOOPS' shop.

New York skyline necklace from snashjewlery's shop.

Elegant blouse from marcellamoda's shop.

Personalized flip flops from FlipSideFlipFlops' shop.

Star and moon ring from LittleGreenRoom's shop.

Etsy: Things I bought this week

It's no secret that I have a little Etsy obsession. I can spend hours and hours browsing and I always find things I would love to have. This week I made my first Etsy purchases. I can't wait to get them.

 

Lucky 7 Necklace from junghwa's shop.

When I was younger I had a Lucky 7 necklace and always have loved the meaning of the rings (each ring represents something different: life, love, longevity, friendship, health, wealth and happiness). I have been searching for one for a while and finally stumbled across this one on Etsy.

Fibonacci Ring with Black Rutilated Quartz from holmescraft's shop

I have been loving these silver wire wrapped rings for a while. I then read the meaning of rutilated quartz stones and was sold. This shop has dozens of beautiful wire wrapped rings, necklaces and earrings. 

To read more about the healing properties of rutilated quartz, click here.

Crossbody Townie Bag from lovemoo's shop

I have been having problems with my left shoulder for a while, which means I can't carry bags on that shoulder. So I have been on a search for some nice crossbody bags and fell in love with this one. She is making me a custom design with fabrics that I've picked out. So excited to receive this!

What I am reading this week

I am happy to say that I have been keeping up with my summer reading list. Perhaps this is because I have been picking smaller lists. My next books to be read this month are:

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Synopsis: For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. 

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Synopsis: In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed. Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom….

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis: Some race to win. Others race to survive.

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.
Some riders live.
Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn't given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition - the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
As she did in her bestselling Shiver trilogy, author Maggie Stiefvater takes us to the breaking point, where both love and life meet their greatest obstacles, and only the strong of heart can survive. The Scorpio Races is an unforgettable reading experience.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith

Synopsis: Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.  

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Synopsis: Survival. Of the fittest.

The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream Pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea, crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of  the  program - or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan - or learn to run wild?  And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?  

Revived (a review)

Revived by Cat Patrick

Synopsis: As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.
A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency's true goals, she realizes she's at the center of something much larger -- and more sinister -- than she ever imagined.

Review: I went into this book thinking that it was a dystopian. Maybe I have been reading too many dystopian books and now expect most of the YA books I read to be dystopian.

I would describe this book as a contemporary with a sci-fi twist. I really enjoyed it. It was very quick paced and hard to put down. It makes you wonder what life would be like if there really was a drug that could bring people back from the dead. You get to know and love Daisy and feel everything she goes to through the novel. From confusion, to loss, to love, to betrayal, Daisy comes to an understanding of this Revive program and the implications it has. Although this book is not a heavy read, it has layers and is deeper than the synopsis makes it out to be.

Patrick has a lovely way of writing that truly allows you to experience everything the characters are going through in this novel. A definite must read!


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Perception (a review)

Perception by Kim Harrington

Synopsis: When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?
Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.
Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.
But then someone starts playing with her head... and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?
One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared. Clare needs to see her way to the truth—before it's much too late.

Review: I loved this book! I was worried that this book would suffer from the sequel syndrome meaning that it would not come close to the first in the series. But I actually think I enjoyed this one more than Clarity. This book allowed for a lot more character development. Like in most YA novels there was a love triangle but I am very very happy with it was resolved. I don't know if there will be other books in this series. I really hope she continues. I would love to spend some more time with these characters. Part of me feels as though there may not be anymore books to come in this series because many of the loose ends that we were left with in the first book are tied up in this one. One can only wish. This is a must read!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

More Frequent Book Posts

It's finally summer holidays for me. Part of me feels like this school year was super long and another part of me feels as though I only started teaching yesterday. I will miss my students so much (especially those graduating), but am definitely looking forward to two months of down time. Since I am off for these next two months, I thought that I would focus more on posts about books. This means that I won't be sticking to my regular themed posts. I am so behind on my book challenge (I am 11 books behind). So I am taking these two months to do some major reading catch up.
Today I finished my first read of July:

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Synopsis: Don't close your eyes. Except when the truth is too dark to bear.
Clarity
"Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like
stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a
certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift.
And a curse.
When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to
help solve the case -- but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk.
Then Clare's brother -- who has supernatural gifts of his own -- becomes
the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with
Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture
into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer.
But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Review: I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Last year I read a book The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May and June, which is about three sisters who each have special psychic powers. I really really had a hard time finishing that book even though it was a pretty short read. So when I read the synopsis of Clarity, I was immediately reminded of that book. I was worried that I would not enjoy it, that it would take me forever to read and that I would have once again wasted my money on a book I did not enjoy.
I was hooked from the first page and had a hard time putting it down. This book is quick paced and fun to read. It lacks some depth in terms of character development but it is definitely an enjoyable and quick summer read. I thought I had the murderer figured out early on but there was a twist that I did not expect. I love when I am proven wrong in these mystery type books.
I am starting the second book in the series Perception and am really looking forward to seeing what happens next in the lives of Clare (Clarity), her family and friends.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis: When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in
school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden
visions from the past.
Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head... and heart. Messages
and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could
they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or
from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her
back?
One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery,
and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town
has suddenly disappeared. Clare needs to see her way to the
truth—before it's much too late.

Next on my list to be read this week:

Revived by Cat Patrick

Synopsis:
As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.
A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can
bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has
been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary
risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a
new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy
begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she
discovers the agency's true goals, she realizes she's at the center of
something much larger -- and more sinister -- than she ever imagined.


Look for reviews of Perception and Revived later this week!

 

**all synopsis from Amazon.com