Book review: The Lost Saint (A Dark Divine Novel book # 2)

Title: The Lost Saint (Book #2,  A Dark Divine Novel)

Author: Bree Despain
Series: A Dark Divine

Page count: 404 pages

Rating: 5 stars

Book sysnopsis:

A family destroyed. A love threatened. An enemy returns.

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace's relationship with Daniel is put in danger - in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her - not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Bree Despain delivers sizzling romance and thrilling action in the heart-pounding sequel to the The Dark Divine.

Book review:
Honestly, the main reason I bought this book is because of the cover, especially I love blue. I have no idea what the story is about. But then when I read the first pages, it immediately caught one of my interests: werewolves. It also includes vampires but the protagonist is a werewolf and I love the way she tried to control and use her abilities for good.

"I know what evil existed in the world, and I couldn't just sit anymore. I guess that's why in all those comic books, the superheroes have to create an alter ego -- the person who pretends to be ordinary so they can still be with the ones they love." -Grace Divine

There are so many twists in the story especially when it comes to Grace's lost brother, Jude. Grace and Daniel seems to have so much chemistry together but of course, like in any other relationships, they also experience problems and turmoil in life. In this book, Grace met a new man, gorgeous and a hottie, named Talbot who adds excitement to the story. I also love the witty personality of April! She's an ideal friend because she is very supportive and I just love how she loved to make costumes for Grace as a 'superhero' thingy.

"I felt like a different person, and part of me longed for Daniel's arms, strong and true, to wrap me in his warm embrace. I wanted to hear him tell me that it was okay for me to be different now. That he still loved me no matter what." -Grace Divine

This book talks about romance, friendship, and family which makes it a must-read for YA readers out there. I wish I could find The Dark Divine book in any bookstore here and I can't wait to read the next book entitled The Savage Grace.

"But if you can hold on to that love, and if you can hold on to that faith, then you are stronger than any monster out there. No outside power, no force, no evil can make you turn into the wolf as long as you hold on to that love." -Daniel

Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower 

Author: Stephen Chbosky

Page Count: 231 pages

Rating: 5 stars :))

Book synopsis:
Standing on the fringes of life... offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

My review:
This is probably one of the best books I've ever read. The words and sentences used are simple, yet it produced a very much captivating story of a normal teenage boy who faces the challenges of growing up around a bunch of people he doesn't really know. Any teen can relate to his life, as well as get clues, tips, and pieces of advice on how to reflect on life, love and friendship. Well, if you're not a teen anymore and you read this, you'll be able to go back in your growing up days and remember those crazy things you have done. Hands up for this book! Must read! Yay!

Book review: She said YES: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall

Title: She said YES: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall

Author: Misty Bernall

Page count: 163

Rating: 4.5 stars

Book synopsis:

She Said Yes is a story of growing up in the '90s, of peer pressure, adolescent turmoil, and the tough choices parents make. It is the story of a mother's loss - of dreams and hopes dashed by the cruel reality of death at an early age. But it is also a story of redemption more enduring than the tragedy that cut a young life short.

When 17-year-old Cassie Bernall walked into the library of her suburban high school around 11:00 on the morning of April 20, 1999, she had little more on her mind than her latest assignment for English class: another act of Macbeth. How could she know that by the end of the hour, two classmates would storm the school, guns blazing, and kill as many people as they could, including her? 

As the wounded were carried from the bloody scene, several stories of bravery emerged, but one spread faster and farther than the rest. Confronted by her killers, Cassie was asked, "Do you believe in God?" She answered, "Yes."

Praises for the book:

"One of the most gripping stories to come out of the shooting at Columbine High School" is told in the acclaimed national bestseller that illuminates the most remarkable aspect of 17-year-old Cassie Bernall's tragic death: her life.

"She Said Yes" is an "intense and fascinating memoir" *(Publishers Weekly)* of an ordinary teenager growing up in suburban Colorado, and faced -- as all teenagers are -- with difficult choices and pressures. It is only now, when the world knows Cassie Bernall as one of the Columbine High students killed by two rampaging schoolmates, that the choices she made offer a profound relevance for us all. Once a rage-filled young woman who walked a path similar to that of her killers, Cassie found a way out of her personal snares and, through her faith and a family's love, chose to embrace life with courage and conviction.

Told with unflinching honesty by her mother, Misty Bernall, Cassie's story is "a profoundly human story that should be read by every parent and every teenager" *(New York Post)*.

Book review:

So this is the book that I'm telling you from my recent book review of the book Hey Nostradamus of Douglas Coupland got its inspiration. This story of Cassie is fascinating and it changed my life. I have witnessed teens doing drugs, smoking, drinking, then suddenly change their lives once they came to knew God spiritually. This book tells about the grief of a mother who lost her only daughter and how her family was able to move on. There are pictures of Cassie with her family and friends sited in the book, proving that once, there lived a girl named Cassie and she held onto her faith by saying YES until she died.

Book review: Hey Nostradamus!

Title: Hey Nostradamus

Author: Douglas Coupland

Page count: 244 + 15 (Ideas, interviews, features...)

Rating: 5 stars

Book synopsis:
The novel follows the stories of victims of a fictional school shooting in North Vancouver in 1988. Coupland has expressed his concern that the killers of the Columbine received more focus than the victims; this is his story about the victims of tragedy. The novel is told in four parts, each with a different narrator and focus.

Book review:
The book talks about how the four stories were connected, and Cheryl's doodle on her notes "God is nowhere, God is now here". It talks about love, pain, family, miracles, and God. My favorite story was that of Cheryl's, because I think it has the most interesting parts. She and Jason were secretly married, she's pregnant, and active in her religious group "Youth Alive!". Jason killed one of the killers, trying to save Cheryl but its too late. Then he's accused and found guilty in the incident. Many believed he's a hero, but his father (Reg) didn't so her mother breaks down and angrily attacked Reg. Because of this family issue, he was then introduced to a darker side of the world. He ran away from home. Later on Reg realized his fault and tried wrote letters for Jason to come home to him, and posted them on trees hoping that one day, Jason would be able to read one of them.

I really recommend reading this book, and it is listed in the 101 books you should read before you die. The book is filled with twists and excitements that it kept me up the whole night to finish reading it. It made me feel the events that happened, as well as the trauma felt by the characters because of the high school massacre. At the back pages of the book, there were some facts and interviews about the author and the book as well. I learned that this was inspired by the book  She said YES" which is about Cassie Bernall, written by her own mother Misty Bernall. It is the true story of Cassie, who's one of the victims in the Columbine high school massacre.

I found the book and I'll post a review about it later this month.