You're The One That I Want

You're The One That I Want

by Giovanna Fletcher

Publisher: Penguin 

Publication Date: 22nd May 2014

Received from: NetGalley

Summary

Maddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob - the man she's about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben - best man and the best friend any two people ever had.And that's the problem.
Because if it wasn't Rob waiting for her at the altar, there's a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself, but if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? And would he be right?
Best friends since childhood, Maddy, Ben and Rob thought their bond was unbreakable. But love changes everything. Maddy has a choice to make but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it...

Review

Lets begin shall we?

By now you lovely people know how much I love Mrs F's debut novel Billy and Me, so it's not really going to be much of a surprise that I had high expectations going into You're The One That I Want. First off I'll admit I'm not a massive fan of the love triangle. It's an over used plot line that can be monotonous and cliché. However, that being said, Giovanna has managed to produce a sweet, interesting and at times heart wrenching story that is just as good as her debut.

You're The One That I Want is told through two different character point of views. Firstly there's Maddy. The redheaded, photo-snapping centre of out little love triangle. You follow her story as she starts a new school and befriends our two book boys (Robert & Ben), as she falls in love, as her feelings are constantly challenged and as she ultimately finds the man she'll spend the rest of her life with. For Maddy it's a story all about love and the constant battle going on in her heart.

Secondly there's Ben. Oh, this poor sap. Ben is another point of the triangle (the third and final point being Robert) and he's one of the sweetest and unluckiest - when it comes to love - character's I've read in a long time. His part of the story shows how he deals with being in love with his best friends girl. How he tries to fix his heart when everything he knows is called into question. He has a fragile strength making him a refreshing change from most book boys. Even if he does make a couple of REALLY stupid choices along the way.

It really is a sweet story, a bit of a slow starter, but once it got going I couldn't but it down. I usually like there to be something more the a story that just the relationship, and with this there really wasn't much else going on. That being said, it was in no way boring, there were plenty of bumps in the road when it came to these three.

The story felt honest and raw. It didn't idolise any particular character or sugar coat they're personalities, and yet I think that it made them all the more endearing. I wanted to shake Ben at times and slap Robert at others. I wanted Maddy to see what was in front of her and I wanted her to chose differently. But I think the fact that I wanted all of these things is a testament to the writing, because it made me care about these three people. And maybe it's just me, but I think that's the most important part of a story.

Also can I just point out that when you read this - which of course you will - this is how you write an Epilogue! I'm not going to tell you anything about it because that would just be cruel and, you know, spoilers, but I wanted to get in on recored that THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE!

Overall I loved this book. You're The One That I Want was in no way a disappointment to my unrealistically high expectations. For the whole last quarter of the book my stomach was in knots. It will leave you with a smile on your face and an ache in your heart. It's the perfect summer read and I whole heartedly recommend it.

PS. The Doctor liked this one too!

**I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley to read & review. This is a 100% honest review.**

If you haven't done so already check out my review for Giovanna's debut Billy and Me by clicking on the cover bellow! 

Fangirl

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary (From Back Cover)

Cath and Wren are identical twins and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not easy for Cath. She would rather bury herself in the fanfiction she writes where there's romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life. 

Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realising that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible...

Review

I think that pretty much sums up how I'm feeling right now! Holey Moley that was a good book - yes I said Holey Moley! In fact I think it was one of my favourite contemporary reads ever. Fangirling for Fangirl, seems to be the common tag line for this book, although I think I'm fangirling for Levi! Yes that's what's happening... I'm fangirling for Levi. I'm also going to stop saying fangirling now as it's starting to sound really weird.

The story is about Cather, and it's a true coming of age story, where she has to figure out who she is and how she fits into college life, away from all the comforts of home. And she has to do all this without her other half, her twin, Wren. She has to find a place where she can be happy, but with so many tangled ties to her past can she really move forward into the adult world alone?

"Underneath this veneer of slightly crazy and mildly socially retarded, I'm a complete disaster."

I adore Cather! Full stop, end of story. She has her moments where you kind of want to shake her into doing something, but at the same time you always understand where she's coming from. Why she makes the decisions she does. I'm not a huge lover of fanfic but throughout this story you start - if you didn't already - to develop an admiration for these writers. I also found the way in which Rowell uses Cath's Simon and Baz tales to emphasise the struggles that parallel in the twins lives a really nice touch. Especially the idea that the end of a story doesn't actually mean the end. There's never an end if you keep believing in something, or maybe, someone.

I think that one of the biggest story plots of this book is the twins mother - or lack of one as the case may be. They both deal with the whole 'mum' situation in different ways which pulls them apart, leading them down two very different paths. I found that even when they weren't specifically referring to her, the fact that she abandoned Cath and Wren seemed to seep into every inch of this book. I couldn't say what I would do in that situation, but I think I would be team Cather.

SWOON ALERT! Levi... he's our obvious fictional crush, he has a couple of layers to him but in the end he is what he is. Which in my opinion? Makes a refreshing change from all the male leads where you spend half the book figuring out if they're a decent human being or not. And apart from a dodgy middle section, I really like the way he treats Cath! But to be fair was that really his fault?

Character to look out for... I think it has to be Reagan! She's blunt and honest and real and I love her. Simple as.

Overall this is a really interesting read. It had my attention from the first chapter. It's real and gritty at times, not shying away from reality or sugar coating it. But at the same time it doesn't ever take it too far, it's still a sweet and enjoyable story that will have you pestering all you friends to read it just so you can talk about it! Or maybe that's just me... Either way, if you haven't read this then you need to! It's the perfect YA Contemporary Romance.

So, before you lovely people rush out to buy a copy of Fangirl I wanted to leave you with one of my favourite quotes of the book, and a little something that I think this story deserves!

"To really be a nerd, she's decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one."

& 

These are a few notes I made while reading Fangirl. All comments were made on my GoodReads page.

My Fangirl Dream Cast

Jane Levy as Cather & Bradley James as Levi

Sever

Sever by Lauren DeStefano

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary (From Back Cover)
Time is running out for Rhine.
Having escaped from Vaughn's mansion, Rhine finds respite in the dilapidated home of her husband's uncle, an eccentric inventor who hates Vaughn almost as much as Rhine does.
Rhine's determination to be reunited with her twin brother, Rowan, increases as each day brings terrifying revelations to light about his involvement in an underground resistance. She realises she must find him before he destroys the one thing they have left: hope.
In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano's The Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future - and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

Review
I only finished reading this a couple of hours ago and I'm still wiping away the tears! This is my favourite of The Chemical Gardens books and I'm going to try and give a non-biased review, but in all honesty, I think I'm going to struggle.

The story itself picks up a couple of days after Fever left off, with Rhine in hospital and Linden by her side. It has quite a slow start in comparison to the other two books with a lot of trying to convince Linden his father's a complete sociopath but once uncle Reed is introduced the whole thing picks up pretty fast. All your unanswered questions from the previous two books are answered and there are more than a couple of surprises on the way. Along with some familiar faces we thought - maybe even hoped - we had seen the last of.

In the past I've been in two minds about Rhine and it's all come down to the fact I have a soft spot for the men in these books. Both Linden and Gabrielle have this naivety to them that makes you want to jump into the page and protect them from all the evil things this world has in store for them. And more often than not Rhine's the reason - even if unintentionally - they're hurting. But in this book you're able to look past that, to really get behind some of the decisions she makes. Because no matter what, you can see her heart is in the right place.

There is one new face in this instalment that you need to look out for and that is Reed - Linden's uncle. Rhine goes to live with him pretty early on in the book so I don't feel bad telling you about him. He's an eccentric first generation recluse who's grumpy mannerisms had me smiling when other events in the book made my heart ache. Although, I was a little worried when he started showing Cecily how to shoot a gun!

Speaking of Cecily, throughout these books she turned from a child playing wife to something I never expected her to be when I opened the first book. She's gone through just as much as Rhine, and learned a lot of lessons the hard way, making her into a strong and independent woman that I hope you all come to love as much as I have.

I don't feel like I can say much more because I don't want to give the story away! There were so many surprises in this book that make you see previous events in a whole new light. There's also moments that will make you cry, moments that you won't see coming. One in particular, that if I had know was coming I would have shoved the book in the freezer faster than the speed of light!

If there was any part that I felt disappointed with it may have been the ending. It wasn't bad, it just felt a little rushed. I would have like another 50 pages or so, to unravel the final events of the books a bit more. But that might just be because I really don't want this series to end. It's well written and will captivate you mind while steeling your heart. If you haven't read this series then I don't know what you're waiting for!

If you haven't done so check out my reviews on the previous books in The Chemical Garden's Trilogy.

Wither     .     Fever

Official Book Trailer...

Billy and Me

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher

Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary (From Back Cover)

Sophie May has a secret. 

One that she's successfully kept for years. It's meant that she's had to give up her dreams of going to university and travelling the world to stay in her little village, living with her mum and working in the local teashop.

But then she meets the gorgeous Billy - and actor with ambitions to make it to the top. And when they fall in love, Sophie is whisked away from the comfort of her life into Billy's glamorous - but ruthless - world. 

Their relationship throws Sophie right into the spotlight after years of shying away from attention. Can she handle the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy? And most of all, is she ready for her secret heartbreak to be discovered and shared with the nation?

Review

I'm going to start off by saying sorry, because this is going to be nothing but a gush-fest. I love this book, it's not strictly YA but every girl at one point or another imagined what it would be like to fall in love with a hansom movie star. Not to mention having him fall in love with you. It's chick-lit at it's best and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a love story. 

The story's pretty much been covered on the back cover, Sophie May falls in love with Billy. Billy falls in love with Sophie May. Their whirlwind romance takes Sophie from her little village and drops her into the middle of Billy's celebrity bubble, and she's faced with the - sometimes harsh - realities that come with dating a movie star. 

The concept of a movie star falling in love with you may not happen to everyone, although the fight within Sophie is something I think most people will relate to. Her secret - which I wont give away - is something that's plagued her life and stripped her confidence, giving her nasty anxiety issues and a quite life she may not have always wanted. But when she moves to London to be with Billy she has to find a way to stay true to herself amongst all the chaos in his life. She doesn't want London to change who she is as a person. She doesn't want to get lost in Billy's life and not have one of her own.  

Now I'm no expert on dating an actor, although I like how Fletcher doesn't keep to the rose-tinted ideals we have of falling in love with someone famous. It's hard, not just because Billy's flipped Sophie's world upside down but also because the insecurities you have in a relationship are heightened. For example I have way too many friends who are constantly worried about their other half cheating, but what happens when those lines are blurred? It's Billy's job to kiss someone else, to act like he loves someone else, and even if you know it's not real it's going to drag on a relationship. Especially if your not used to it and if that someone else just happens to be the love of your life's ex! 

Billy. Can you buy him on amazon? Because I'd really like one of my own please! At times he's a bit of a idiot, but what boys aren't (at times)? But in all honesty I don't care, Fletcher's written my perfect man! That's all I have to say on my fictional crush really.

Overall it's a great book, well worth the read. It's not YA but I think any young adult reader will love this book as much as any classic YA's because the love story is so current and sweet. A great book to take on holiday with you, or just snuggle up in bed and read. 5 out of 5. Pretty impressive for a debt.

Giovanna Fletcher talks Billy and Me...

Allegiant

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary (From Back Cover)
What if your whole world was a lie?
The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is read. Perhaps beyond the fence she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties and painful memories.
But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love.

Review
I don't know about you but I have a habit of reading ahead. Specifically, I almost always read the last page first. Now sometimes it makes me want to read more and most the time I want to slap myself for being an idiot, for example books not to do this include: Noughts and Crosses, The Madness Underneath, Gone Girl and most importantly Allegiant! DON'T shoot yourself in the foot, this is an epic book and reading ahead will just spoil Roth's dramatic, and quite frankly, heart breaking conclusion to - in my humble opinion - one of the best YA series around right now.

Okay now for the story, we left Tris in Insurgent after she managed to betray Four (again) and reveal the secrets that have kept her society together. Now the Factionless are in charge, but instead of giving the people of the city a choice in who they want to be they've ended up taking away the only choice they had. In this instalment we see Tris, along with Four, Caleb, Christina, Cara, Uriah, Peter and Tori all leave the city in hopes of finding what's beyond they're crumbling society. However, not everyone makes it. Outside the city they discover more than they ever thought they would, more than they wanted to, and have to come to turns with what life within the city walls actually mean. They have to decide what's worth fighting for and who's worth saving.

Unlike the past two books, this is told not just for Tris' perspective but also Four's. Personally I think I would have preferred it to have just been Tris (that's why it got marked down slightly), although I can see why the second point of view was important. It gives you a greater understanding of all the events unfolding within the book.

Being the last book in a series it's almost mandatory that the author kills off a couple of our favourites. Roth has had no problem with killing characters in the past. Divergent saw us loose both of Tris' parents and Will (some others too, but they're the important ones). Then in Insurgent we lost quite a few of our love-to-hate baddies like Eric and Jeanine, but it's the people we loose in Allegiant that are the most devastating. But unlike with *Spoiler Alert for Mockingjay THG* when Finnick dies, you're not left wandering why did that HAVE to happen? Every death fits within the story and makes it stronger, even if it does have you blubbering like a baby.

I feel like I've said it 100 times but I really do love these books and I'm sorry these reviews have turned into a bit of a gush-fest but once you read them I'm sure you'll understand. Allegiant in the perfect ending to a series I'll probably be re-reading for a long time. There are no unanswered questions by the time you've read the final page.

Enjoy the last Divergent book my lovelies and try not to cry too much.





Official Book Trailer for Divergent series, if you want to watch the movie trailer check out my Divergent review.