Title: Carry On

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date: October 6th 2015

Pages: Hardcover, 522 pages

Summary (via Goodreads):

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters.

Don't Ever Change
by M. Beth Bloom
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: July 7th 2015
Rate: 3/5 stars

Synopsis:

Eva has always wanted to write a modern classic—one that actually appeals to her generation. The only problem is that she has realized she can't "write what she knows" because she hasn't yet begun to live. So before heading off to college, Eva is determined to get a life worth writing about.

Soon Eva's life encounters a few unexpected plot twists. She becomes a counselor at a nearby summer camp—a job she is completely unqualified for. She starts growing apart from her best friends before they've even left for school. And most surprising of all, she begins to fall for the last guy she would have ever imagined. But no matter the roadblocks, or writer's blocks, it is all up to Eva to figure out how she wants this chapter in her story to end.

Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell,Don't Ever Change is a witty, snarky, and thought-provoking coming-of-age young adult novel about a teen who sets out to write better fiction and, ultimately, discovers the truth about herself.

Summary (via Goodreads)

Junior high is where things really start to happen. Cliques form and break apart. Couples are made and destroyed. And a reputation is solidified that you won’t ever be able to escape. Everything you do and say, and everyone you spend your time with, matters.

Katie Mills knows that. She gets it. That’s why she tried so hard to get in with the cool girls at school. And why she was so devastated when those efforts found her detained for shoplifting and laughed out of cheer squad tryouts.

But Katie has more to worry about than just fitting in. Her parents are divorced and always fighting. Her sister never has time for her. And her friends all seem to be drifting apart. Even worse? The boy she has a crush on is dating the mean girl at school.

Everything is a mess, and Katie doesn’t feel like she has control over any of it. Certainly not over her weight, which has always topped out at slightly pudgier than normal—at least, according to her mother.

So when she happens to catch one of the popular girls throwing up in the bathroom one day, it sparks an idea. A match that quickly engulfs her life in flames.

Is there any going back once she gets started down this path?

And would she even want to if she could?

Title: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
Author: Becky Albertalli
Publishing Date: April 7th 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Format: ARC
Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met

Honestly, I love the title of this book, and I had high expectations.  But, the title was misleading since the stories weren't really about love and profanity. The short stories tackled teenage life and growing up. I also thought I could relate to it, but I didn't. I don't know if it's just me or it's really not that relatable.

 Most of the stories were beautifully written, but it felt like there were many aspects lacking. It's as if those stories were made up and not based on real experiences. Also, I wished that the authors' bio were already included in the uncorrected copy, so I could understand the stories more. Lastly, I found the divisions of the book off. The stories were divided into four sections- "Love and Profanity", "Love and Physics", "Love and Madness" and "Love and Apologies" Although, I felt that only the first few stories correspond to its section.

This book could have been better if the editing was tight, and it chose the right stories in the book.
There was like one story that could be removed, and there were some that are just anti-climactic and pointless.

I gave this book 2 stars because I felt that it has potential, but because of the not-so-great stories and the placement of the stories that failed to excited the readers, the entire book seemed to fall flat

If you love personal essays then this book is for you!

Have you read Love and Profanity? What did you think? Leave a comment!

THIS BOOK IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.

I LOVED the plot, the characters and basically everything! I have no regrets reading this book. I never expected that a book with a theme of suicide and depression could be this good and could be this full of hope. But My Heart and Other Black Holes completely denied my expectations. Aysel and Roman were really dedicated to help each other die, but truly one spark can change everything. 

Aysel's voice in this book is vivid yet messy at the same time. It's very easy for a reader to relate to her and situations in her life. Same goes with Roman, Aysel's suicide partner.

Among all of the things that I liked about this book, what really stood out to me was the message that the author wanted us to have. Suicide is not the answer to depression. Sometimes we are put into situations just like Aysel and Roman, and we feel like those could ruin our lives forever. We shouldn't keep on blaming ourselves for the wrong things we may have done. Instead, we should start forgiving ourselves and learn from those. If ever we are put into these situations, or depression triggers us, the best way is to talk to someone, and maybe find inspiration from them. 

I am hands down impressed with Jasmine Warga, and I can't wait to read more of her works in the future!

Quotes:

Have you read My Heart and Other Black Holes? What do you think? Leave a comment!