KJ's Book Reviews

  If He Had Been With Me Written by Laura Nowlin Originally published in 2013 About 391 pages Rate: 9/10 My summary of If He Had Been With Me (no spoilers) Phineas and Autumn have been best friends ever since they were born, but it wasn't by accident. Both of their mothers have been friends for a long time and planned to have them at the same time. Being next door neighbors and because their mother's are best friends already, it wasn't an option for them to be anything less than best friends too.  As they get older, they get picked on more and more for their 'odd' friendship by their peers. Eventually, they branch out into completely different social groups, even though some old habits stay the same at home, they grow apart. Maybe things would have been different, if he had been with Autumn that day instead of driving in the rain with her . My thoughts on If He Had Been With Me Though this was a very long book, it was pretty fast paced enough to binge read within t...

  Turtles All The Way Down Written by John Green Originally published in 2017 About 286 pages Rate 10/10 How I came about getting this book I don't normally add this section into my blogs, but I wanted to do it this time for no reason other than the fact that I had a hard time picking this book up and I wanted to share why. I bought this book a while ago, probably around the time that it was originally published, but it stayed in my To Be Read bookshelf all this time. Until a little under two years ago, I fell in love with a boy across the continent. I decided to give him the copy of Turtles All The Way Down that had been sitting on my book shelf all this time so he could read it because he gave me a book of his. I was going to read Turtles All The Way Down with him once I was done with the book he gave me. I thought about how we could facetime and read it out loud to each other. But we never did. In fact, I never read it at all until now. I'm not even sure if he still has my c...

  Hopeless Written by Colleen Hoover Originally published in 2012 About 406 pages Rate 9/10 My summary of Hopeless (No spoilers) After being adopted when she was six years old, Sky has been homeschooled ever since, her mother Karen is super anti-technology, but that doesn't stop her from having friends. The girl next door named Six always makes sure that her boyfriends have a best friend to set Sky up with. Sky doesn't mind having the boys sneak in to her room at night because she doesn't really feel anything towards them, but she knows that after they are done making out with her she gets to hang out with Six and eat ice cream and watch movies. Now that it's senior year of high school Sky wants to go public school and get to know what it's really like to be a teenager with her best friend Six. Even though Six has decided to be a foreign exchange student and won't be going to the same school as Sky, Sky still goes. Sixes reputation has followed Sky and she has ...

  The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom Written by Don Miguel Ruiz Originally published in 1997 About 138 pages Rate: 8/10 My summary of The Four Agreements We have been taught how to live ever since we were young, if we do something bad, we reap the consequences, same if we do something good. We are domesticated creatures trapped in our own hell because we value others opinions more than we value our consciousness. However, if we choose to accept four new ways of living, we can create heaven on earth. We have to be impeccable with our word, don't take anything personally, don't make assumptions, and always do your best. Once we accept that new way of life, we have to get rid of the negative agreements we have been taught to practice.  My thoughts on The Four Agreements This was an easy read, but it was pretty profound. The things being said within the book seemed like common sense, but a lot of people don't realize how easy changing your life around ca...

  The Authenticity Project Written by Clare Pooley Originally published in 2020 About 352 pages Rate: 10/10 My summary of The Authenticity Project Julian has been alone for the past few decades after his wife passed way, before her death he was a famous artist, but the weight of her absences was too much for him to bare, he became a hermit. One day he decides to create a book made for getting to know the people around you, he leaves the book at Monica's Café. Before Monica has the chance to get the book back to Julian, she reads what's inside and decides to intervene with Julian's life by offering him a job at her café as a art teacher once a week. Monica writes down her story, in her late thirties she feels she's running out of time to create a family. Once she's done spilling her guts out on paper, she leaves the book at a bar after stubbing into a rude drunk. How soon will the chain reaction stop? Will Julian accept the position and feel a little less lonely? Wil...

  Looking For Alaska Written by John Green Originally  published in 2005 About 221 pages Rate: 9/10 My summary of Looking For Alaska Miles doesn't really like his high school experience at public school so he decides he wants to attend the same boarding school as his father did in search of something greater. At just sixteen years of age he switches his whole life around once he meets his new friends. Miles has as I like to call the college experience . He starts smoking, drinking, sneaking around, and partying with friends.  His roommate named Chip introduces him to a girl named Alaska as well as a couple of other friends. Alaska likes to act super edgy and their friends occasionally  get annoyed by her drama. Everyone at the school loves a good prank and so Miles friends constantly have to prank or get pranked. It's a story made for teens, but with new adult elements. My thoughts on Looking For Alaska It seems like John Green really loves the nerdy boy + mysterious...

  Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Written by Gail Honeyman Originally publish in 2017 About 325 pages Rate: 8/10 My summary of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Eleanor is a very private person and is comfortable with where she is in life. She's worked at the same place for the past couple of years and she lives alone in her apartment. She doesn't talk to many people until one day her computer it's working properly, she meets the new IT guy named Raymond and she's thoroughly repulsed by his lack of hygiene. On the way out of work, Raymond and her help a old man who has fallen in the road. They continue visiting him in the hospital until he's fully recovered. Eleanor knows her mother would disapprove of Raymond, and so she makes a point to find a better match. She discovers an upcoming musical artist and is quick to fall in love with him. Only thing is, he doesn't know she exists. My thoughts on Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine The beginning of this book...