White Bird in a Blizzard by Laura Kasischke

When Katrina Connors' mother walks out without a trace, Kat feels nothing towards it. Why would she? Her mother is a lot to handle. Plus she's falling in love, losing the baby weight, and discovering sex. This is all fine until she starts having dreams that become to real to ignore.

This book was so much more than I thought it was going to be. I wasn’t fully prepared for how suspenseful or how beautifully written this novel would be.

Katrina Connors is sixteen when her mother walks out on the family. Leaving no trace to where she went. Oddly Katrina isn’t at all shocked. Her family has always been a little different. Her mother has always wanted more and her father is what most people would consider a push over. As time passes Kat and her father start putting back the pieces of their lives and moving on, while this occurs Kat starts having vivid dreams which start to make her question what exactly happened to her mother. Katrina is such a interesting character with amazing and poetic depth. She makes for a character worth reading. Her interactions with the side characters make for such an interesting dynamic for this book, and sets it aside from a lot of other books in it's genre. I loved that every character is built up so slowly and steadily so that by the time you get to the end of the book the characters you thought you knew so well turn out to be nothing like what your mind created. White Bird will have you questioning everyone and everything.

White Bird in a Blizzard best asset is that it starts off as a coming of age story and then eventually transitions into a mystery thriller. It has a read out and feel so much like Gone Girl that it made getting wrapped up in the plot just as easy as it did for the characters.  I would usually comment on the fact that Laura’s writing does get very detailed on every aspect, and usually I would think this is too much but with this novel it just works. The metaphors and turn of phrases she uses fit perfect into every situation, helping paint the most vivid pictures. Laura has it so that she is dropping hints left and right about what is actually going on, but still leaves you questioning every detail. Though it does take about 70% of the book to really pick up it is more than worth it for the ending you just won’t see coming. This book leaves you hanging until the very last moment with an ending that will forever have me wanting more.

9/10 Stars 
-Angela 

Shortly after reading this I was able to watch the movie, and it was absolutely amazing! So beautifully filmed and the acting is stunning. 100% a must see. 10/10 rating.

Confess by Colleen Hoover

"I'll love you forever. Even when I can’t.”

"OMG"... THIS BOOK!

THE NOTEBOOK, UGLY LOVE, TFIOS, AND HOPELESS HAD A SECRET LOVE CHILD! AND THAT LOVE CHILD IS CONFESS.

If you know anything about me then you know Colleen Hoover is my favorite author. If you don't know anything about me than that is pretty much all you need to know. She is the only author who has never let me down. Confess didn't let me down. I think Leah and I can both agree, the main thing we heard about this book was that it would induce tears within the first chapter.. And I had my doubts. Ten pages in. I REPEAT TEN PAGES IN, I WAS A COMPLETE MESS. 

Confess follows the intertwining stories of Auburn and Owen. Both characters come from very separate yet equal backgrounds. Both facing more in the 20-something-years they've been alive than most will their entire lives. When Confess starts out right into Auburn's story you're more than likely, within the first few chapters, going to be thinking the same thing I was, "Ha I got this whole thing figured out". Please don't think that. If you've ever read a Hoover book then you know you'd be a fool to think that (yes I just called myself a fool, because God was I).

Auburn is desperate for a second job when fate shines its light on her and she get offered one by Owen. When stopping in front of a studio covered in anonymous people's confession she never thought things would turn out the way they do. Both Auburn and Owen are perfectly written characters. Always revealing the perfect amount of themselves at the perfect time, always giving banter at the right moments, and always pulling out all the romantic stops at the right time.

"I'm scared I'll never feel this again with anyone else," I whisper

He squeezes my hands. I'm scared you will."

I can't (sadly) say much more about them, because I know once I got started talking about them I wouldn't be able to stop!Then I would spill out all the wonderful things that make this book up! That being said I will tell you the spoil free things I loved about this book. There are four things that stole my heart and won me over. First, of course, the Art. When you think about pictures being included into a book you automatically think it'll be cheesy. It's not, it's a wonderful addition and takes this book to a level others wont reach. Second, the real readers confession that are sprinkled throughout this book and also fit so well with the art theme. Third, is the romance. It's Georgia peach sweet. And Four, well you'll have to wait a minute for that one... Promise I'll get to it in a second.

When it came to plot, I had a lot of fears. I feared that with so much hype to this book that it would let me down. Then once the first chapter brought me to tears all I could think of was "This book can only go down from here"... All that was laid to rest. The plot starts strong, stays steady, and just when you're winding up on the end of the book and you're thinking "ok that was great and all but what am I missing?"; Colleen hits you right in the face with one of her famous big reveals.... That brings you to my number four love. The ending. I never ever thought the story would end the way it did. Didn't think the story would come together and collide how she had it. The closer it got to the end the more I had to know what the ending was going to be. What the big secret was. I couldn't have been more happy with the ending! With everything perfect laid out, and the expression "somethings are better left unsaid" taking a whole new meaning, Confess will leave you wanting more. It was perfect, amazing, and I don't think I took a single breath the whole last chapter. I constantly wonder if Colleen woke up one random morning and said "you know what I'm going to be a writer" or if she has always planned on becoming one... And I don't care, I thank the literary Gods every time she puts out a piece of work. Not only does she give us something of her own, but the way she constantly finds ways to shed light on others art as well... It's just astounding.

1.. 2.. 3... 10/10 OMG STARS  
-Angela  

(Confess BookDepo)

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Seventeen-year-old Sky realizes life might not be exactly what she thought it was after she meets Dean Holder. A guy whose reputation rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. Sky struggles to keep Dean at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on invading every part of her life. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

It is a wide known fact that Colleen Hoover is my favorite author, and has never let me down. With Hopeless she continued to keep me happy. I feel like I say this every time I write a review for one of Hoover's books but the only way you should really go into one is by knowing the bare minimum. The people who have reviewed her books have constantly done one thing that still amazes me... The have continued to keep her plot twist a secret. You know good and well that if you have a goodreads account that you have gone to read a review (and it wasn't hidden due to spoilers), have read something on it you didn't want to know, then gotten so mad that you saw it that in the long run it ruined the book for you... I have NEVER had this problem with her books. SO AGAIN THANK YOU for keeping up the mystery!!! Just like with other Hoover reads I started Hopeless thinking it was one thing and then it turned out to be another. 

We start the story with our leading lady Sky, who I just loved. She is a home schooled jungle freak who is starting out her first year in public school. Her adoptive mother has kept her pretty sheltered from the outside world. She has no phone, internet, and they don't even have a TV. This leaves her pretty cut off from the outside world. Her main friend and connection to the real world (up until school) is her best friend Six. Sadly once Sky enrolls into school they find out Six study abroad was approved and that she will be missing most of the year. But never fear Dean Holder comes into the picture and helps ease the terribleness that is high school. Since he also has quite the reputation following him, the two hit it off. She also becomes friends with the moron homosexual that is the amazing Breckin. Both Sky and Dean's characters are amazing! Sky is just as strong and stubborn as Dean. Dean is charming and is more than swoon worthy. And as I was saying, Breckin OMG, what an amazing sub character!!!! Every character in this book is spot on. Her mom, her friends, her new man, all perfect.

As far as the plot goes...It's just WOW. The first half of this book is a little more steady, but definitely not boring. The first half is all about the building of Sky's world and her new relationship with Dean and how her life has been living with Karen, the women who adopted her after her mother passed and her father has given up on her. This is all leading up to the "big reveal(s)". Yes, because there are a few. First is the way (don't worry I'm not about to spoil you) the title comes into play. The title of Colleen's books are always so on point, but I think as of right now Hopeless is my favorite title of hers. When it is revealed why it has that name my mind was BLOWN... TWICE! But she doesn't stop there, she has a bunch of tiny (though a little predictable) twist near the end as well... BUT the big reveal that happens between those two... JUST OMG!!! It comes out of nowhere! And when it happens you'll probably have to re-read it, because I know I was like "wait a second did that just happen... no really did they just say what I think they said... no way... omg yes" 

Because Y'all I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!!!!!! SAYING MY MIND WAS BLOWN WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT! Like where on earth did this come from! And just like that everything in the story clicks and your world is crushed! Colleen seriously knocked my socks off! Just crazy... 

So you're probably wondering why I didn't give this a perfect rating... For two simple reasons. Dean does become a "convenient" character. And you will see what his purpose is pretty early on. The second reason is that after that HUGE EARTH SHATTERING reveal happens you will have everything for the most part figured out. All that being said, Hopeless still is a must read! The relationship is so sweet, the plot is just as strong, and that one big twist makes up for any of the tiny other ones that you see coming. I don't think Colleen Hoover can write a bad book. 

9.5/10 Stars 
-Angela 

(Hopeless BookDepo)