The Young Elites (86%) was a very different read than I was expecting (in a good way). It follows the story of Adelina Amouteru, a girl infected by the blood fever and granted powers no one could ever imagine.
       I love the idea of people being cast aside for their gifts instead of them being brought to attention. It really kills the cliche of characters having powers that books normally follow.
       I also really enjoy that this book was set in medieval times. Marie Lu does a great job in Legend creating a world in the future, and does it again by creating a world in the past in The Young Elites. The world-building is definitely there, but it doesn't take away from the plot of the book. Some books, especially in the fantasy genre, can take the world building out of context of the story, instead of incorporating it into the plot of the novel.
       My favorite aspect of the book is as the reader, Marie Lu really lets us get into Adelina's mindset and see what she's thinking and feeling. Props to Lu for writing the narration of the story so well. It really wouldn't be the same novel if the narration wasn't what it is.

       As you've probably noticed, this review is a little different than normal. I've decided to host a giveaway! This is not a sponsored event, though. If you've been following my posts lately, you'll know that I went on vacation to the west coast, and I got this book in Portland. Turns out, I had already purchased it a while back. So, I've decided to give away one copy. (It's in brand-new condition. I wouldn't give away a used book.)
       So, just enter your email in the box below, and a winner will be randomly selected. I will announce the winner in my blog post next Wednesday!

       The BookTubeAThon (BTAT) is a week long reading marathon hosted by Ariel Bissett. There are challenges across all platforms of social media, including YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.

1. Read a book with yellow on the cover.
2. Read a book only after sunset.
3. Read a book you discovered through booktube.
4. Read a book by one of your favourite authors.
5. Read a book that is older than you.
6. Read and watch a book-to-movie adaptation.
7. Read seven books.

1. Read a book with yellow on the cover. Carry On
2. Read a book only after sunset. Half Bad
3. Read a book you discovered through booktube. Carry On
4. Read a book by one of your favourite authors. Carry On
5. Read a book that is older than you. The BFG
6. Read and watch a book-to-movie adaptation. The BFG
7. Read seven books. TBD

1. Read a book with yellow on the cover. Carry On
2. Read a book only after sunset. N/A
3. Read a book you discovered through booktube. Carry On
4. Read a book by one of your favourite authors. Carry On
5. Read a book that is older than you. The BFG
6. Read and watch a book-to-movie adaptation. The BFG
7. Read seven books. N/A

       I ended up finishing Carry On and The BFG, while I got halfway through The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love. 

       On Saturday, Ariel Bissett hosted a liveshow sprint on the BookTubeAThon YouTube channel, where she did a Q&A, and every ten minutes issued a challenge for everybody to participate in. Here was the challenge:

       When I tune back into the liveshow, I was super excited to find this:

       Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books--but we are real.
       Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.
       But they know.
       They caught Number One in Malaysia.
       Number Two in England.
       And Number Three in Kenya.
       They killed them all.
       I am Number Four.
       I am next.

       I Am Number Four (78%) was a book I had on my TBR shelf for a long time. I had heard mixed things about it, and didn't have any reason to pick it up. Recently, I was in the mood for something other than the summer-y contemporary books I have been reading, so I thought I would give this book a go. I have to say, I am glad I picked it up, but I'm still not sure about continuing on with the series.
       At the beginning of the book, the story really grabs hold of you with the vague recount of Number Three as he is hunted down in Kenya. It is a very gripping way to start off the book, and I really liked that Lore didn't just start it off with only Number Four. The story then moves on to meet Number Four and his guardian, Henri. They move around the country to avoid being hunted down like One through Three. They end up moving to Paradise, Ohio, which is a small, secluded town in the middle of nowhere. Number Four takes up the name of John Smith, and I Am Number Four follows his adventures through his sophomore year in high school.
       I really relate to John because he was enduring his sophomore year, and I am about to enter my sophomore year. I also enjoyed how we discovered John's Lorien history along with him. Lore did a great job using John to explain his background.
       Now, there are a few reasons that make me question whether or not I would like to read the rest of the series. The biggest one is the way John could be a little inconsistent at times. Something would happen in his life, and he would be really sad about it. The sulking would occur for about half a page, he would get furious for the rest of the page, and then go back to sulking again. I didn't quite understand if Lore was trying to prove a point, but it felt very unnecessary. 

       The movie version of I Am Number Four (68%) was on the okay side of things rather than the really good side. I had a true appreciation for it, since it followed the book pretty well. There were a few minor differences that didn't end up being too big of a deal, and there were a couple of pretty major differences that I thought really mattered, but ultimately they weren't a huge change.
       One of the big things that really bothered me was the fact that they cast Four so much older than he was supposed to be. (He was very cute, I'll give him that.) It really threw me off for the whole feeling of the story. Four is supposed to be young and naive, and grow little by little throughout the story. In the movie it's like, "Here's a boy who looks like he's in his twenties playing a sophomore in high school who acts like a senior in college." I Am Number Four is supposed to be a coming of age story, and the movie didn't highlight that at all.
       I also didn't like the fact that there was hardly any backstory. There is a cheesy voice-over in the beginning from Four, but I didn't feel like it was too informative. At the very end of the movie, Four says (in a voice-over) that his planet is Lorien, but Earth is his home, and I had a moment of, "Did they ever mention the planet name before?..."
       Overall, I had an appreciation for this movie since I read the book, but it wasn't anything special.

       Every year, my parents and I go on a vacation during summer vacation. This year, the plan was to fly out to Seattle, drive down through Portland, and fly back from San Francisco. We spent a few days in each city, and while we were there, I wanted to visit some indie bookstores downtown. So, here are all of the bookshops I went to, along with the books I got there.

       Before you go right to the photo gallery, I would like to thank @abookwormscorner and @slmsbooks.jpg on Instagram for creating this challenge, and for helping me to improve my photography skills. You ladies have provided photo inspiration and an awesome challenge to participate in.

@abookwormscorner's blog link: ​https://bookwormbookblogblog.wordpress.com/

       Charlie is a freshman.
       And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.
       Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix 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. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. 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.

       The Perks of Being a Wallflower (86%) has been a book that I have been wanting to read for a long time. I have to admit, the wait was totally worth it. I really enjoyed Charlie's story and his adventure through high school. It was really relatable considering I just finished my freshman year of high school, and reading about Charlie's freshman year was a little nostalgic for me.
       One of the reasons I enjoyed this novel was Stephen Chbosky's writing style. The book is set up in letter format, and documents different events throughout Charlie's freshman year in high school. Charlie's introverted personality doesn't lend him to meeting many friends, but he does meet his two soon-to-be best friends at a football game, which brings him out of his shell. It was interesting to view high school from the point of view of an introverted person, because I am a very involved and outgoing person.
​       I am glad I picked this book up, and am very excited to read more of Chbosky's work.

       On the movie side of things, I really loved the resemblance from the book to the movie. Although, to be fair, having it directed and written by Chbosky helped immensely. This movie really did bring the book to life.
       The actors also did a wonderful job portraying their characters. Logan Lerman is quirky, innocent, and is a perfect fit for the role of Charlie. Emma Watson slips into the role of Sam better than I thought she would. The way she plays Sam is a little more vulnerable than I anticipated while reading the book, but she pulled it off wonderfully. Ezra Miller is not at all what I envisioned Patrick looking like, but was exactly what I imagined him acting like. He did a wonderful job with playing Patrick, and his chemistry with Emma Watson really caps off the whole deal.
       I adored Perks as both a movie and a book, and definitely recommend it if you haven't experienced it.