My Thoughts: Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn

Like father,
like son

Intelligent, popular, handsome, and wealthy, sixteen-year-old Nick Andreas is pretty much perfect — on the outside, at least. What no one knows — not even his best friend — is the terror that Nick faces every time he is alone with his father. Then he and Caitlin fall in love, and Nick thinks his problems are over. Caitlin is the one person who he can confide in. But when things start to spiral out of control, Nick must face the fact that he's gotten more from his father than green eyes and money.


Breathing Underwater was one intense read. Not as intense as Sarah Dessen's Dreamland. but whoa. It amazes me that this book was written by Alex Flinn the same woman who wrote Beastly. Breathing Underwater was about a boy who beat his girlfriend and the consequences of his actions.

What I really liked about this story was that it was written from Nick's point of view, and that it was after his abusive behaviour. Him and his girlfriend had broken up and were living separate lives. I liked that we got to see Nick realize just how terrible his actions were, and how destructive his behaviour was. I felt for Nick (he had a crap life, his dad was a jerk), and he felt like he couldn't talk about what he was struggling with anyone, not even his best friend. This was really sad. I really loved how we saw the story of what was 'Nick and Caitlin' unfold in Nick's journal, this was a part of the book that I really liked, it was during his journaling that Nick realized what happened.  His group counselling sessions I found were realistic to what a group counselling would look like. I found that Flinn wrote wonderfully, I didn't get bored and roll my eyes. I found the story captivating and hopeful.

The Characters were well written as well. I found that I disliked Nick a lot when I needed to, but I was also able to respect him and his growth as the story went on. I really liked Mario the group counselling leader, I think that there needs to be more of him in the real world, he was a great character. 

I've read a few reviews on goodreads, one in particular that said that this type of book is not something they wanted their kids to read, because she didn't feel like this was how high school really was, that sex, alcohol, peer pressure weren't part of every high school, perhaps some but not all. I beg to differ; majorly. This book was exaclty what high school is like, at least for me and most people I talk to. High school was hard, and all those issues were very real.

 I very much appreciate that Alex Flinn wrote a book like this, so that both abusers and their victims know that they are not alone and that there are people out there who are desperate to help them. Hiding the bad stuff does not make it go away, it just makes it harder to talk about when it needs to be talked about.

Happy Reading Everyone!

**I am giving away a copy of Choker

by Elizabeth Woods, check it out here.**

Why so Serious?-The Mortal Instruments Edition

To prepare for the upcoming release of City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare, I have decided to share my favourite quotes/dialogues that made me chuckle from the first three books in The Mortal Instruments. This is a series of posts I have titled 'Why So Serious?-TMI Edition'. I thought it would be nice to remember why we love this series so much and start getting even more excited for City of Fallen Angels.

So here goes...

From City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

1) "Just because you call an electric eel a rubber duck doesn't make it a rubber duck, does it? And God help the poor bastard who decides they want to take a bath with the duckie." -Jace

2) "It's the mortal cup Jace, not the mortal toilet bowl." -Isabelle

3) "That's why when major badasses greet each other in movies, they don't say anything, they just nod. The nod means, 'I' am a badass, and I recognize that you, too, are a badass,' but they don't say anything because they're Wolverine and Magneto and it would mess up their vibe to explain." -Simon

4) "You know," Clary said, "most psychologists agree that hostility is really just sublimated sexual attraction." -Clary

5) "Hodge sent me to wake you up. Actually he offered to wake you himself, but since it's 5 a.m., I figured you'd be less cranky if you had something nice to look at.'" -Jace

6)  '"Have you fallen in love with the wrong person yet?'
Jace said, "Unfortunately, Lady of the Haven, my one true love remains myself."
..."At least," she said, "you don't have to worry about rejection, Jace Wayland."
"Not necessarily. I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting."'

7) '"Is this the part where you start tearing off strips of your shirt to bind my wounds?"
"If you wanted me to rip my clothes off, you should have just asked."' -Jace

8) '"I am a badass, and I recognize that you, too, are a badass."' Simon

9) "Do you remember back at the hotel when you promised that if we lived, you’d get dressed up in a nurse’s outfit and give me a sponge bath?" asked Jace.
"It was Simon who promised you the sponge bath."
"As soon as I’m back on my feet, handsome," said Simon.
"I knew we should have left you a rat."

10) '"Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt."' -Jace

I know that the majority of these are from Jace but he's pretty funny. I have a thing for sarcasm. Hopefully everyone enjoyed this. City of Ashes next week.

Happy Reading Everyone!

**I'm giving away a copy of Choker
By Elizabeth Woods, Check it out here**

Teaser Tuesday # 10

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:




•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
 
 

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
 
'"We need to talk. All of us About what we're going to do now."

"I was going to watch Project Runway."'

*I am listening to this one on Audiobook late into the night, because I have NO time to read anything.*












** I am giving away a copy of Choker by
Elizabeth Woods. Check it out here.**

BDB Book Club Challenge

So it's not secret that I LOVE the BDB series by JR Ward. I've posted about it enough times, and I am SUPER excited for the upcoming release of Lover Unleashed (22 days!).  So when I stumbled upon this little challenge I was over the moon.

Ashley over at Bookaholic Does Blogging is hosting The BDB Book Club Challenge. The Challenge is to read all nine books starting April 1st and ending Dec 31st. The book club is a monthly hop (there is also a goodreads group). It's going to be freaking awesome! So you should all check it out.  

Happy Reading Everyone!

Miserable March

Hello Friends,

It's March, and well March brings great things like the official first day of spring, and the snow usually starts to melt in March and people are getting outside and getting ready for warmer weather. There are also so many fantastic books coming out in March, Wither by Lauren DeStefano, Lover Unleashed by JR Ward (which I have been so eager to read for a year). I however will not be reading it till then end of April, and this saddens me greatly. For those of you who are university students you know what I mean. This is what the month of March looks like for me.

-March 8th--> Midterm
-March 14th--> Group Presentation
-March 31st--> Term Paper due
-April 4th--> Term Paper Due

This may not seem like a lot,  and usually it isn't, it's just that everything needs to be done within days of one another. SO no time for pleasure reading. This is promptly followed by April's Finals.

Psych Final-April 8th (The day after my birthday, so I get to study on my birthday, no party for me)
Conflict Resolution Final-April 11th
Criminal Justice Final-April 15th
Sociology Final-April 18th.

SO between now and the third week in April I may not be around to much (unless my profs go on strike on Wednesday, then I'll be around). I will try to post Meme's and videos, but I can't promise anything on the review end. I'll be reading, but very sparingly.  I'll be around on twitter so if follow me, and I'll keep you posted.

Thanks guys, and if you haven't already enter my giveaway, right HERE!

Many Books in a Year: February



Hello All,

I'm still counting. If you are new to Many Books in a Year you can find an explination here. basically I'm counting the books I've read. I wanted to know how many I get through.

Last month I read six books one novella and listened to one audio book. Which is a grand total of 17 for this year so far. Which is not to bad.

1-The Iron Witch by Julie Kagawa

2-Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa (Novella)

3- Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (My Thoughts)

4- What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez (My Thoughts)

5- Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn (My Thoughts coming soon)

6-Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender                                                

7-Wither by Lauren DeStefano (My Thoughts)

8-Tell Me a Secret by Holly Cupala (Audio Book)

** I am giving away a Copy of Choker

By Elizabeth Woods. Check it out here.**

Teaser Tuesday #9

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

"I lean in and strain to hear, my body tense and rigid. When the reply comes the voice sounds shaken, disturbed. Then the phone goes dead."

P.199






**I am giving away a copy of Choker
By Elizabeth Woods. Check it out
Here.**