Library Book Haul!

Yep. Another update on the blog. And it's a video!!! Hope you like!

Book Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Woohoo another review! I hope you like it!

I really really wanted to love this book but I didn't! I couldn't get over the musical aspect :(

Book Review: Across The Universe by Beth Revis

(From Goodreads)

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.


Characters: I really liked the characters in this book. I actually liked the the main character, Amy, which surprised me a bit. I was thinking she might be one of those annoying protagonists but she wasn't. I thought Harley was cool and unique. I know everyone in the ship looked the same (brown hair, brown eyes, olive skin) but I imagined Harley having blonde hair shocking green or blue eyes. His difference in personality made me think he looked different all together. I loved how Elder was sneaky and crept about Eldest all the time. The one thing I didn't like was the romance between Amy and Elder. It felt very rushed. I didn't feel the connection between them that much. They weren't together that much but they still start falling in love. They kissed once and  that resulted in Amy running away because of some emotional reasons.  This was not a simmering love story. Nobody said it was, but I was expecting way more in the love department. But Elder did say some very swoon worthy things!


Plot: It was a very solid plot. Nothing amazing about it but it was very well put together. I could kinda piece together some things and I didn't thing the ending was that great. It was just okay. I do wish they touched on how Amy was still conscious while frozen (like how sometimes patients are still aware of things while under anesthesia). Maybe something could have been wrong with her but we will never know. 


Writing Style: This book is told from two points of views. (That is a pretty big thing and I wish they had talked about Elder in the synopsis.) I always like getting the two points of views in books and this book did it very well.


Other Quirks: I thought the twistedness (yeah, not a word) of the world in the ship was very interesting to read. Hitler was portrayed as a great leader because he canceled all differences. Abraham Lincoln did not write the Emancipation Proclamation. He sent all the slaves back where they came from because he wanted oneness. 


Verdict: 4/5! I wanted a bit more love but besides that, it was very very good! Can't wait for the sequel!

Secret #1

Since my blog name is SecretsofaBookie, I thought I should do some secrets about myself! Some may be book related and some may be just random. Just whatever comes to mind!

Secret #1
I don't like writing. It's not that I'm bad at writing because I actually pretty good at it. But I don't have a passion for writing like I have a passion for reading. I don't like prompts or assigned writing even if the prompt is kinda interesting. Maybe it's because most of the time I have to write it is mandatory. Ehh *Kanye Shrug*. Maybe it's a phase... But shhh! Don't tell anybody! It's just our secret! (She says while posting this for the whole internet to see. Or maybe she doesn't care because nobody reads her blog)

P.S.
As you may or may not know from reading some of my firsts post, I am VERY sarcastic. That being said, I'm kidding with the whole "nobody reads my blog!" thing. I mean, barely anybody reads this blog but I don't mind. I just started at the beginning of this year. I didn't expect to blow up within 5 months!

Book Review: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Finally, a book review!

(From Goodreads)
This remarkable novel holds a fantastic puzzle at its heart.

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it's safe to go, and they know who to avoid. Like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a kid on the street for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda's mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then a mysterious note arrives, scrawled on a tiny slip of paper. The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows things no one should know. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she's too late.

Characters: I could really relate to the main character, Miranda. She seemed so real and I loved reading her thoughts. She was a lot older than her years! I really liked her mom and her mom's boyfriend Richard. He was very kind and lovable! I wanted them to hurry up and get married! Every character in this book felt real and not overdone. 

Plot: Some people thought the plot was predictable but it wasn't to me. Maybe it's because I have never read A Wrinkle in Time, which is what this book is kinda paying homage to. I was very surprised when I found out who had been writing notes to Miranda and how the person knew all of these things about her. All in all, I think it was a very well constructed plot! 

Writing Style: I have to admit I was a bit confused with the writing at the beginning of the story. It was written in the present, then past, then present again. And it is also written like she is writing a letter to someone so it can get a little confusing. I usually don't like when books have a bunch of flashbacks but in this book it is done perfectly. The transitions between past and present were seamless and it never once pulled me away from the actual story (well, you know, except in the first 20 pages). Kudos to Rebecca Stead!

Other Quirks: I really loved how the cover tied in with the book. The landmarks matched up with details of the book and that was really cute! I also liked how most of the chapters titles started with Things you... or  Things that... because of the game show $20,000 Pyramid. 

Verdict: 4.5/5! Really good, solid book. The only thing keeping me from giving it a 5/5 is the fact that I am still  bit confused about the time travel aspect. I still have questions about it. I don't want to say more because I don't want to give any spoilers! But if you do know what I am talking about, comment below. I want to have clarification!

Wishie List!

In my attempt to avoid doing a book review, I am going to do a wish list instead! Woohoo! Whatever. It's not like anybody reads this blog anyways...

1. David by Mary Hoffman- This book is about the boy who modeled for Michelangelo's David. I read The Agony and the Ecstasy a year ago for English and it was pretty good (TAatE is a book that chronicles Michelangelo's life). It seems like it would be interesting to read about this. I love how the guy on the cover looks half real and half marble! I really hope this book ends up being good.

 2. Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink- Love the cover! People have said some amazing things about it so I can't wait to read it.

3. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer- I want this book so badly! It looks amazing! I started reading it on my computer because I checked it out from a digital library but I HAD to read it with my own two hands.

4. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs- It looks sooo creepy! I want it NOW!

5. Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson- They sypnosis reminded me a bit of iRobot. Cover looks awesome though.

6. Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer Mcmahon- Sounds very intersting and cool! The girls eyes look so pretty!

That's all for now! Will post soon!

Library Haul!

I really need to make more videos for reviews...I don't just want to do hauls, hauls, hauls!

I Was Gonna But...

So I was about to upload a book review video of Chime by Franny Billingsley but I couldn't do it. I edited it and everything. I just sounded so bored and I didn't want to put you guys through that misery. I said to myself, "Stefanie, is this a video you would like to watch on youtube? Would you enjoy it?" And the answer to that is no. So I am going to wait until I feel like being cheery and joyful.Then, and only then, will I upload a video. Be patient grasshoppers.

I'll leave you with this picture showing the smile I made when I remembered I found Anna and the French Kiss at the library. Oh yes I did. Have a marvelous day!

Christianity in Young Adult Novels?

I was looking at a couple of book review blogs and I noticed that a good amount said that they would not review any books with any religious undertones. By religious I think they mean things along the lines of Jesus, God, the Bible ect.  (I actually really like these bloggers. Just because they don't accept these types of books does not make me not like them. Their reviews are pretty awesome!) But then I began to notice that there are not a lot of popular YA christian books out there. It's not that readers are not open to religion period because there are many books dealing with things like magic and spells and witches. I just feel that there is something about Christianity that people do not like writing. I read a book called The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan a couple years ago (3/5 stars). The main character is a christian. That being said, he did talk about God and Christ just as a book character who was a witch may talk about magic and dark arts. I read some reviews on the book and people felt that the main character would not shut up about church and God. Many think that if you talk about God you are trying to push your religion on them. Can't we just talk about God just to talk about God?

 I don't want this post to be too controversial; I just wanted to point something out. I do read books about magic whatnot but I have just noticed that NONE of the popular teen books have any Christianity. And if Christianity is  mentioned, it is put in a bad light. They have the hypocritical  preacher that only  has heated sermons yelling, "REPENT LEST YOU BE BURNED IN HELL FIRE!", or the judgmental christian kids who bash the gay kid at school. (That so isn't right by the way. I think you should be nice to everyone no matter their orientation. Jesus did not say to hurt those who are gay or lesbian. Just be nice to everyone people!) I just want to see a nice pastor or school kid for once!

I'm sorry if I make people mad about this post. I was just sharing my thoughts. I didn't mean to make anybody mad or push my beliefs! That was SO NOT the point of this! But comment on below for your thoughts :)

First Book Haul/ TBR Video!!!

Here it is and I hope you enjoy!