Tropical Girl Reads

Book Review–Bruised by Sarah Skilton

Hey all! Mondays are book review time, so today I will be doing a book review on YA novel, bruised by Sarah Skilton

When Imogen, a sixteen-year-old black belt in Tae Kwon Do, freezes during a holdup at a local diner, the gunman is shot and killed by the police, and she blames herself for his death. Before the shooting, she believed that her black belt made her stronger than everyone else―more responsible, more capable. But now that her sense of self has been challenged, she must rebuild her life, a process that includes redefining her relationship with her family and navigating first love with the boy who was at the diner with her during the shoot-out. With action, romance, and a complex heroine, Bruised introduces a vibrant new voice to the young adult world―full of dark humor and hard truths.

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; Reprint edition (April 15, 2014)
Language: English
Genre: YA Fiction

Sarah Skilton is a book blogger with Barnes & Noble as well as the author of two critically acclaimed young adult novels, BRUISED and HIGH & DRY.

CLUB DECEPTION (Grand Central, July 2017), a murder mystery involving an underground magic club, is her first novel for adults.

OK, So I am going to start with the ones I liked about the book.

The book was simple to read and understandable
Deals with the real life issues how to deal a traumatic event and also a real life issue on how teenagers (most teenagers) behave.
Gives a thorough insight about the Korean sport Taekwondo

Now let’s start with the things that I didn’t like in the book.

The book was a little boring at first though it gets interesting little by little.
Maybe it’s just me but I did not like the main character much Imogen. I know she is just a teenager and is dealing with issues related to the traumatic event but still, I didn’t really like her much.

However, this book is perfect for people who like to read teen novels since it does give a lesson to all the teenagers out there.

Overall I rate this book as three stars

Favorite Genre- Part 1

Hello all!!! So let’s get away from book reviews and talk about genre for a while…

So what is actually a genre?

Genre is a noun, depicting a style or category in arts, music and literature. So in books, there are many different types of genre as we all know–thriller, romance, historical fiction, YA, literary fiction…

So today, I am going to be talking about my favorite genre, why I like that particular genre and my favorite books of that genre

So my favorite genre is….thriller/mystery!

Why do I like that type of genre???

So here are the reasons

Solving a puzzle–when reading a thriller books is like you are solving a puzzle on your own. Like who did that? Why? All these questions are coming into your head with various characters in the books looking like suspects of that crime. So that’s why I like it.
The mystery behind the character–a good thriller usually make the protagonist naive or weak with a questionable and regrettable past that seems to haunt them. So as a reader, we want to know more about the protagonist’s past.
The thrill–when reader a thriller book, you feel a sudden thriller, keeping yourself on the edge with each unexpected twists and turns in each chapter. I like that feel of the thrill
Real world–most thrillers are realistic–the stories are based on real-life situations. I like books that are realisitc.
Female protagonists–truth to be told, a protagonist female is more interesting to read than a male one.

So here are some of my favorite psychological thriller books which I also recommend to you all, if you haven’t read it yet. (some of these books I will do a review)

The Girl on the Train – Paula Hawkins

Image result for the girl on the train book

A very interesting book, with twists and turns. I haven’t watched the movie but would recommend this book to anyone who hasn’t read it.

2. The Woman in Cabin 10 – Ruth Ware

Though the first few chapters were a bit boring, it got more interesting towards the end. I really enjoyed reading this book.

3. I Let You Go- Clare Mackintosh

This is a good book, mingled with a tragic accident and domestic abuse, I enjoyed reading it (will be doing a review on this book)

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo–Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)

One of the best thrillers I have read, and I simply couldn’t put this book down. If you haven’t read the book yet, you should read it.

5. Gone Girl– Gillian Flynn

Another one of the best thriller books I have read, with unexpected twists and turns.

So what are your favorite books in this genre?

Paper Towns–Book Review Paper Towns by John Green

Hey all! Today I will be doing a book review on YA fiction book, Paper Towns by John Green.

From the #1 bestselling author of Turtles All the Way Down and The Fault in Our Stars

Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery
#1 New York Times Bestseller
USA Today Bestseller
Publishers Weekly Bestseller
Now a major motion picture

When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night—dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows her. Margo’s always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she’s always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they’re for Q.

Printz Medalist John Green returns with the trademark brilliant wit and heart-stopping emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

Paperback: 305 pages

Publisher: Speak; Reprint edition (September 22, 2009)

Language: English

Genre–Young Adult fiction, mystery

John Green is the award-winning, #1 bestselling author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with David Levithan), and The Fault in Our Stars. His many accolades include the Printz Medal, a Printz Honor, and the Edgar Award. John has twice been a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and was selected by TIME magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. With his brother, Hank, John is one half of the Vlogbrothers (youtube.com/vlogbrothers) and co-created the online educational series CrashCourse (youtube.com/crashcourse). You can join the millions who follow him on Twitter @johngreen and Instagram @johngreenwritesbooks or visit him online at johngreenbooks.com.

John lives with his family in Indianapolis, Indiana.

All right, so here are the things I liked

The book is somewhat a mystery sort of book–Quentin or Q and Margo goes on a revenge spree around the Orlando and the next morning, Margo goes missing, although Margo has left some clues behind for Q to find.
It is funny and there are parts in the book in which made the reader laugh,

Things I didn’t like

Ending of the book seems to be a bit rushed.
There were unnecessary parts in the books that is irrelevant in the book.

Overall I rate this book as…

Coronavirus Epidemic

The whole world is right now going through an epidemic–COVID-19 which has affected nearly every country. Right now, here in Sri Lanka, there are over 50 people diagnosed with COVID -19. Today, the government has officially declared curfew, for two days, starting today. So that means, we will be stuck indoors, virtually, even afraid of going out into the world.

So as a bookworm, your plan would be to read as many books as possible. Yeah, literally, that’s my plan. But technically, I have stopped ordering books online. Usually, I would order books through online from either BetterWorld Books or Book Depository, but now I decided I will give a hand on reading e-books, since it’s a lot safer.

Here are some tips you should do when you are outside

According to the doctors, keep a social distance of at least 1.5 meters.
Wash hands regularly.
Use sanitizing agents.
Do not sneeze or cough into your skin or hand
use a mask whenever you go outside

So far, this virus has consumed many lives and a vaccine is developing. In Sri Lanka, no deaths have reported, yet.

Happily Ever After–Book Review Off The Page, Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Hello! It’s romance genre review time! Today I will be doing a review on Off the Page, written by mother-daughter duo, Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Delilah and Oliver shouldn’t be together. But they are together. And just as they’re getting used to the possibility that happily ever after may really, truly be theirs, the universe sends them a message they can’t ignore: they won’t be allowed to rewrite their story.

Delilah and Oliver must decide how much they’re willing to risk for love and what it takes to have a happy ending in a world where the greatest adventures happen off the page.

“Off the Page is just so sweet and magical. In high school, I would have given ANYTHING to crawl inside one of my favorite books to escape the real world. I wish!”—SARAH DESSEN, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Saint Anything

Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Ember; Reprint edition (April 19, 2016)
Language: English
Genre:- YA, Teen Fiction

Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-five novels, including Small Great Things, Leaving Time, The Storyteller, and My Sister’s Keeper.

I am a fan of Jodi Picoult’s books– I have read several of her books including The Pact, Nineteen Minutes and The Storyteller. While most of her books are based on real life situations with touching moments, Off the Page is completely different. Off the Page is written by the mother-daughter duo, Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer and is a sequel to to their first book together, Between the Lines, though it is also considered as the stand alone book.

So in a nutshell, this book is about a girl, named Delilah, who falls in love with a British prince named Oliver in the fairy tale book she was reading. The story starts with Oliver swapping places with a teenage boy named Edgar who is the son of the author who wrote the infamous fairy tale book. He enters into the real life so he can be with the girl he loves–Delilah.

So I will start with the ones I like about the book.

I don’t read much YA books but this is a YA/tween book with illustrations in the chapters where the characters are in the fairy tale world. I thought it was cool to see those illustrations in the book.
Though the book was imaginative and unrealistic, I enjoyed reading the book.
The book was funny and witty, particularly about the part where Oliver is trying to get used to live in a real life world.
The book is told in the perspectives of three main characters–Oliver, Delilah and Edgar so the reader could actually see what each of those characters think about each other.
Many of the characters in the book are likable and this brought many memories about high school life.
The book is cheesy.

Now the things I don’t like about the book.

As this is a sequel to Between the Lines, I sometimes got confused as how Oliver and Delilah actually fell in love with each other though this is actually my fault of not reading the first book.
The first few chapters were boring but soon it got interesting.

Overall, for those who enjoy reading YA novels with a good laugh, I recommend this book! Four stars!

Five signs you are a bookworm–Part 1

Hello all!!! So what are the signs that you are a bookworm???? Here are the signs that you are a bookworm

This is my motto for everyday, especially whenever I am going out, particularly to a doctor’s appointment (in Sri Lanka, doctors are never punctual)

2. Rainy days = reading day

I always read a book, whenever it’s raining and thundering here.

3. You will never leave the bookstore without buying a book.

4. You never go to bed without reading a book.

5. All you care about is fictional characters than real life ones

Leave No Trace–Book Review, Leave No Trace by Mindy Meijia

Hello all! I just finished with a thriller/suspense novel, Leave No Trace by Mindy Meijia and I can’t wait to share my insight about the book with you all!

There is a place in Minnesota with hundreds of miles of glacial lakes and untouched forests called the Boundary Waters. Ten years ago a man and his son trekked into this wilderness and never returned.

Search teams found their campsite ravaged by what looked like a bear. They were presumed dead until a decade later…the son appeared. Discovered while ransacking an outfitter store, he was violent and uncommunicative and sent to a psychiatric facility. Maya Stark, the assistant language therapist, is charged with making a connection with their high-profile patient. No matter how she tries, however, he refuses to answer questions about his father or the last ten years of his life.

But Maya, who was abandoned by her own mother, has secrets, too. And as she’s drawn closer to this enigmatic boy who is no longer a boy, she’ll risk everything to reunite him with his father who has disappeared from the known world.

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books (September 4, 2018)
Language: English
Genre: Suspense, Mystery

Mindy Mejia is an internationally acclaimed thriller writer, known for mixing compelling characters with page-turning suspense against the backdrop of the US Midwest. Her books have been chosen for People’s Best New Books Pick and listed in The Wall Street Journal’s Best New Mysteries. She lives and works in the Twin Cities. Learn more about Mindy at http://www.MindyMejia.com.

I have not read her first novel, Everything You Want Me to Be yet but this book, Leave No Trace is her second book. In a nutshell, the story is about a boy named Lucas Blackthorne who disappeared with his father while camping in Boundary Waters which is a remote mountainous place. A decade later, Lucas returns back, instantly becoming famous and due to his violent nature, the police put him into a psychiatric facility. While there, he meets a speech therapist, Maya Stark who is assigned to make him talk so the police could find his father. And Maya too is battling with her own demons.

So let’s begin with the good things

The story is told from the perspective of Maya Stark, who is actually the main protagonist in the story. So it is interesting to read into Maya’s thoughts, how she is battling with her guilt that her mother left because of her, her past that came back again, tormenting her, and her relationship with Lucas and Dr. Mehta and what she actually thinks about them.
I really like the author’s style of writing–using vivid descriptions and phrases and I liked her style of writing.
The story itself is interesting. Lucas Blackthorne with the intention of getting help for his father, who is apparently stuck in the forest. The reader is curious to know why both the father and son escaped into the wilderness and the author has dedicated some chapters to Josiah, Lucas’ father so we can actually find why Josiah escaped into the wilderness with Lucas. This thought, if Josiah had actually killed someone or not is keeping the reader on the edge
I enjoyed reading about the wilderness in Boundary Waters–the author does a good job, creating a mental image to the reader of what the place really is like. I felt as if I am in that part of world too!
The story was intense and interesting as the reader is kept on the edge of the seat to know, what is going to happen to Maya and Lucas (I am not going to spoil you in here)
I also liked reading about Maya’s past life, the time when she was a trouble teenager so we could actually get to know about her past and her character.

Now let’s talk about the ones I didn’t like about the book.

I wondered if a therapist helping his/her patient to escape is actually a reality–I mean I know most psychiatric hospital, particularly in isolation ward is of high security so I was wondering if that scene was realistic (SPOILER ALERT)

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, it was a good, suspenseful and interesting. Recommend this book to anyone and I give a four star rating!

Book Review–Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern

Hey all! It’s book review time!!! Today I will be doing a book review on romance genre novel, Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern!

The basis for the motion picture starring Lily Collins and Sam Claflin!

What happens when two people who are meant to be together can’t seem to get it right?

Rosie and Alex are destined for each other, and everyone seems to know it but them. Best friends since childhood, they are separated as teenagers when Alex and his family relocate from Dublin to Boston.

Like two ships always passing in the night, Rosie and Alex stay friends, and though years pass, the two remain firmly attached via emails and letters. Heartbroken, they learn to live without each other. But destiny is a funny thing, and in this novel o f several missed opportunities, Rosie and Alex learn that fate isn’t quite done with them yet.

Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages

Publisher: Hachette Books; Reprint edition (December 28, 2005)

Language: English

Genre:- Contemporary/Romantic Comedy

After completing a degree in Journalism and Media Communications, Cecelia wrote her first novel at 21 years old. Her debut novel, PS I Love You was published in January 2004, and was followed by Where Rainbows End (aka Love, Rosie) in November 2004. Both novels were adapted to films; PS I Love You starred Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, and Love, Rosie starred Lily Collins and Sam Claflin.

Cecelia has published a novel every year since then and to date has published 15 novels; If You Could See Me Now, A Place Called Here, Thanks for the Memories, The Gift, The Book of Tomorrow, The Time of My Life, One Hundred Names, How To Fall in Love, The Year I Met You, The Marble Collector, Flawed, Perfect and Lyrebird.

OK, So I haven’t watched the movie yet Love Rosie which is based on the book. The book talks about the friendship between Rosie and Alex, who had been friends since they were five years old. Due to Alex’s parents’job, Alex and his family move to Boston from Dublin and the story talks about their life and heart breaks.So I will simply summarize in a nutshellThings I like in the book.

Unlike the typical novels, this novel is written on the basis of using letters, chatting on IM, cards and email messages which is totally cool and new. This idea is really nice instead of writing a typical description and narrative.
The story has some comical things in it.
The ending was good, you would expect Rosie and Alex to get back together after twenty years.
Towards the middle and the ending, the story line got better

Things I did not like in the book.

I think the story could have done much better if it was written in two protagonists’views–i.e. Rosie’s and Alex’s view. I would have enjoyed it much more.
I am not much fan of a romantic novel so this novel didn’t appeal to me much.
The beginning was slightly boring

Over all, I would give this book three stars

Drama Time!

Saturdays are non bookish time!!! So I am a huge fan of Korean dramas and I have some favorite Korean dramas which I loved watching and which I recommend to you all! Are any of you all a fan of K dramas like me???

So here’s a list of five favorite personal favorite of mine, K dramas!

My Girl

This is one of my favorite Korean dramas. Actually, this was the first Korean drama I watched and the first drama I fell in love with. Oh, I even had a crush on the actor, Lee Dong Wook for a long time!!! The story is funny and sad at the same time. In a nutshell, it’s about a tour guide who comes across a hotel billionaire who hires her to act as his long lost cousin. Yeah, so you can imagine the drama behind that!

2. Boys Over Flowers

I watched the Japanese version, Hana Yori Dango and I watched the Korean version too! So this is one of my favorite dramas as well. Based on the Japanese manga series, the story is about a poor girl, who comes across four super rich boys, who named themselves as F4 and how her life changes when she runs path with them. A must watch to those who haven’t watched this drama yet.

3. You’re Beautiful

Image result for you are beautiful drama

This drama is so cute and funny!! I enjoyed watching this drama and would recommend this drama for those who haven’t watched it yet! So the story is about a girl, who is a nun and who is asked to pretend to be her twin brother (who is undergoing surgery). She then joins a boy band in which her twin brother is a part of and then it’s the drama.

4. Dong Yi

One of my favorite historical Korean dramas. It was aired on a TV here in Sri Lanka but I watched the Korean version anyway. I enjoyed watching this drama and for those you are skeptical about historical dramas, I recommend this drama since it’s actually enjoyable.

5. Sky Castle

I must say, this is one of the best Korean dramas I have watched. First of all, it’s not those typical cheesy romantic vibes you find normally in Korean dramas. This drama is a bit realistic, about pressures of getting into one of the top universities in Korea, the competition and stress the students are facing and the parents who would do anything to give their children the best. I recommend this drama to anyone who haven’t watched.

So I do have so many other favorite Korean dramas on my list but I will post them later! What are your favorite Korean dramas?

The Japanese Lover–Book Review, The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

Hey all, today I will be doing a review on historical/romantic fiction, The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende!

1939: As the world goes to war, Alma Belasco’s Polish parents send her to live in safety with relatives in San Francisco. There she meets Ichimei Fukuda, the son of the family’s Japanese gardener, and between them a tender love blossoms. But following Pearl Harbor, Ichimei and his family are declared enemies by the US government and relocated to internment camps. Although Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again, theirs is a love they are forever forced to hide… Decades later, care worker Irina Bazili meets Alma and her grandson, Seth, at Lark House nursing home. As Irina and Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts and letters sent to Alma, and learn about Ichimei and this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years.

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Atria Books; Reprint edition (July 5, 2016)

Language: English

Genre–Family Saga/Literary/Romance

Isabel Allende born August 2, 1942 is a Chilean writer.^[1]^[2] Allende, whose works sometimes contain aspects of the genre of “magical realism“, is famous for novels such as The House of the Spirits (La casa de los espíritus, 1982) and City of the Beasts (La ciudad de las bestias, 2002), which have been commercially successful. Allende has been called “the world’s most widely read Spanish-language author.”^[3] In 2004, Allende was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters,^[4] and in 2010, she received Chile’s National Literature Prize.^[5] President Barack Obama awarded her the 2014 Presidential Medal of Freedom.^[6]

Allende’s novels are often based upon her personal experience and historical events and pay homage to the lives of women, while weaving together elements of myth and realism. She has lectured and toured many American colleges to teach literature. Fluent in English as a second language, Allende was granted United States citizenship in 1993, having lived in California with her American husband since 1989. (courtesy of Wikipedia)

OK, I like Allende’s style of writing. I enjoyed her writing immensely. The story explores the lives of two women in two different eras–Alma Belasco who moves to live with her aunt in California from Poland who harbored romantic feelings towards her uncle’s gardner’s son Ichimei Fukuda, a Japanese-American boy. The story explores the life during WWII especially the time and fate of Japanese-Americans who were sent to internment camps on the outskirts of the city after the Pearl Harbor bombing. It also describes her special friendship with her cousin, Nathaniel and about her care free life in general though she still loves Ichimei. The second woman is Irina Bazili, a caretaker at the Lark House where now elderly Alma Belasco lives and who is struggling with her past when her stepfather made videos of her and distributed around the world as child pornography. Overall the story describes the struggles as a woman, the romance, struggles of romance and heartbreak and Allende carefully inter wine the lives of the two women. It was enjoyable to read.

Overall the rating is…

Stay tuned for my next blog!