Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Things Couples in Books Need to "Quit" Doing and Just Kiss


This week's theme is: Ten Bookish Things I Want to Quit Or Have Quit. Since I didn't like the idea of listing books that I quit reading because it felt like an insult, I decided to stick with the "quit" theme and list Ten Things Couples in Books Need to Quit Doing and Just Kiss. And let me clarify, by quit I mean don't quit because I love reading each situation but it just drives me crazy while I'm reading it. Do you ever just want to shake the shoulders of a ship and scream, "STOP BEING IDIOTS AND GET TOGETHER." Me too. And this is the list of ten things I can't stop reading but gives me pain.

1) Too Good For Me
The whole "You're too good for me so I can't date you. I don't want to hurt you." thing angers me so much.
Book example (according to my roommate): The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

2) Operation Jealousy
When the couple fights over the boyfriend or the girlfriend's ex causing a big argument that takes up the entire book. I think couples need to have more faith in each other.
Book example: Dimitri and Rose over Tasha in Vampire Academy seies by Richelle Mead. I think the jealousy game got so big that someone framed someone for murder.

3) I... You Too
STOP BEING A BUTT AND ADMIT I LOVE YOU ALREADY.
Book example: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

4) Break Her Heart to Save Her
When those ancient rules get in the way of a couple. *big sigh of anger*
Book example: Velvet by Temple West

5) Too Independent
I understand the whole "I don't want a boy to own me thing." I support it too. But do you ever ship a couple so much that you pout because the girl is resisting the relationship.
Book example: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

6) Dancing Around Each Other
That feeling you get when none of the characters in a ship will make a move but IT'S SO OBVIOUS.
Book example: A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

7) Number One in His Life
Okay this is the one thing I DO NOT support. When the girlfriend expects to be #1 in the boyfriend's life OVER HIS FAMILY.
Book example: The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

8) The Love Triangle
Aw man. I dislike when there's a love triangle and the MC starts two timing because s/he can't decide on one person.
Book example: Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi.

9) Mistaken for Cheating
MISCOMMUNICATION PROBLEMS. Sometimes couples are really bad at talking to each other. Would save 100+ pages if they just talked it out thoroughly! (Then again I enjoy the drama.)
Book example: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

10) Love Makes You Crazy
Laying down your life for your lover. This makes me sad :(
Book example: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

And there you go! What couple problems in books hurt your heart?


ARC Book Review: Wendy Darling: Stars

Wendy Darling: Stars by Colleen Oakes
Published: October 13th 2015 by SparkPress
Source: NetGalley
Format: eBook
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary:
From the Best-Selling Author of Queen of Hearts comes a dark and mesmerizing twist on the beloved Children's Classic, Peter Pan.

Wendy Darling has a perfectly agreeable life with her parents and brothers in wealthy London, as well as a budding romance with Booth, the neighborhood bookseller’s son. But while their parents are at a ball, the charmingly beautiful Peter Pan comes to the Darling children’s nursery and—dazzled by this flying boy with god-like powers—they follow him out of the window and straight on to morning, to Neverland, a intoxicating island of feral freedom.

As time passes in Neverland, Wendy realizes that this Lost Boy’s paradise of turquoise seas, mermaids, and pirates holds terrible secrets rooted in blood and greed. As Peter’s grasp on her heart tightens, she struggles to remember where she came from—and begins to suspect that this island of dreams, and the boy who desires her—have the potential to transform into an everlasting nightmare.

Review:
I love Peter Pan. When I was a child (not that long ago, I'm 18), I had an embarrassing crush on him which is why I am totally obsessed with the idea of a Peter Pan story told through the eyes of Wendy. I want to fall in love with Peter all over again and see the magical Neverland. Let's just say, I got everything I wanted AND SO MUCH MORE. Wendy Darling: Stars is a dark retelling of Peter Pan that will surprise everyone.
If the stars above saw what I felt for you, they would pour out their wonders...
Peter Pan. Oh Peter. You beautiful, cruel boy. Wendy is drawn to Peter. His wicked smile promises adventure and freedom that she's missing from her life. Peter has a God complex because of the Lost Boys. They praise him for allowing them to stay in his kingdom of endless fun. Slowly Wendy realizes that Neverland isn't as perfect as it seems. It is violent and dark. Twelve year old boys kill pirates for a drink of alcohol. I found myself slowly falling into Peter Pan's trap along with Wendy throughout the book. He is charming and mysterious. I was so caught up in the feels for Peter that I never expected the game he played with everyone's mind. When I reached the dark twist of the book, my jaw dropped because I GOT PLAYED. Peter Pan is a convincing manipulative character. His love is addicting but dangerous and predatory. I was able to see the horrifying reality of Neverland that I was naive to believe in my entire life.
I knew I was bound for something different. Something better. I was meant to rule the stars, not gaze at them from under our poverty.
Details of every scene. I feel like a good portion of the book is descriptions of the setting and every action that happens. Usually I hate books that have too much description because I want to get straight to the story but it's different here. The author fed the readers' childhood desires of going to Neverland. I was able to perfectly imagine what Neverland looked and felt like from the details. It made everything more realistic and filled me with more passion in every scene because I felt like I was Wendy. I felt the luring of the mermaids' songs and felt the heart racing excitement of fighting pirates. I just want to applaud the author because the book is beautifully written and utilizes imagery to the max. If I could describe Wendy Darling in one word it would be: Wanderlust.
Even the light here was different, she marveled— it was as if every particle of light had been brushed with gold, giving a hazy glow to everything it touched.
Tinkerbell. There's no Peter Pan without Tinkerbell. I think everyone can agree that Tink and Peter have an intense relationship. Tinkerbell is one of the darkest parts of the book. She's the last fairy of Neverland and is totally devoted to Peter. You can imagine how she feels when Wendy comes in and disrupts her haven. This obsessive love turns the fairy crazed and violent.
He is the sun and the moon and everything in between.
SO MUCH ENERGY. I have never read a book with as much energy as this one. The energy just kept building with every page turn. My breath was stuck in my throat and I spent the last half of the book constantly dropping my jaw. The ending left me in terror. I also let out a scream at that cliffhanger. I am so excited for to learn more about the character at the end in the next sequel!!
I promise you energy and passion from this book. However, I admit the heart pumping energy doesn't exactly start until 50% into the book. The beginning is basically hyping up the crowd with the magic and beauty in Neverland. I still enjoyed it a lot because I'm all for swooning after Peter Pan and wanted to explore Neverland. But the dark portion of the book that I know most people are looking forward to doesn't start until halfway into the book. IT'S STILL A REALLY GOOD BOOK THOUGH. I know you will love it. It's worth it.

Overall, I love Wendy Darling: Stars and it is a new favorite. I will definitely buy this book when it COMES OUT ON OCTOBER 13, 2015. I recommend this book to everyone. It will cause you emotional pain and also an adrenaline rush. Prepare yourselves because you will be visiting Neverland and all its terrifying yet exciting promises in this book.