My True Love Gave To Me | a-bunch-of-amazing-authors

Long, cold nights are for falling in love...

This is depressingly very late. Christmas is over and I have exams in May. Schooling has slowly and painstakingly taken my sanity. Yes, I know it's not Christmas and that's now a whole year away but I did read this (shockingly for once) in December (I believe). Although I haven't had time to sit and write this until now...thirteen days into January. 

This is a short story collection by various amazing young adult authors edited by the one and only Stephanie Perkins. There is a mixture of authors I'm very familiar with and some that are new to me. The contributing authors consist of: Rainbow Rowell, Holly Black, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Stephanie Perkins (who also edited the book), Matt de la Pena, Kirsten White, Lani Taylor, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, Myra McEntire and last but not least Ally Carter. 

I've decided to review this book by individual short stories (author by author) as I think this would be easiest. I'll then compile and average for this whole book. This makes no sense whatsoever but lets just go with it. 

This might just be the most prettiest book I own (like ever). Hold on let me just pan over my bookshelves and see if there is anything better....yeah no. Lets talk about the cover of this book because are you not seeing how pretty this book is? I specifically got this hardback only because of the cover. There is an original cover with mini people ice skating and I thought that was cute but this is cuter and it has pink sides!

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell:

5/5

So this is the first short story and it's Rainbow Rowell so it's amazing as always. If you want so see some of my reviews on her books I'll link them here: Landline, Attachments and Fangirl. She is one of my favourite authors of all time. Anyways back to her short story in this instalment, I basically really enjoyed it. I expected nothing less and she delivered as always. This is such a wonderful quick read for the holidays. 

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link:
0/5 

Yeah I didn't even finish this or read it. Sorry. Let me know if it's actually any good and maybe I'll give it a go. 

Angels In The Snow by Matt de la Peña:

0/5

I have to give the short stories I didn't read a 0. As harsh as it sounds I do because...well...I didn't read them. Nothing to review. Let me know if this one is good and I will come back and read it. 

Polaris Is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han

2/5

Okay I know that rating is harsh but honestly I don't even remember this story lol. When I went back into the collection to recount the ones I read and the ones I didn't I had to double take on this story. Only because I didn't remember if I even read it! The only reason I actually properly gave this a go as because it's Jenny Han. I read her Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy here, which I also have a review of here. What I do remember of this was that it was really cute. The main is super cute and the romance in this was very ~high school~ flirty; once in a while you do need something like that. Overall, this was good but not memorable. 

It's A Yuletide Miracle. Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins:

5/5 

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! ThiS WAS SO GOOD!!!!!! MY FAVOURITE IN THIS COLLECTION. AHHHH I adored this so much. I expected nothing less from Stephanie Perkins, she's a phenomenal author. This main character Marigold was honestly, so different to any of her other character in Anna and The French Kiss (I have a review here) or in my favourite book by Perkins: Lola and The Boy Next Door (I have a review of that here as well) OR the third instalment Isla and The Happily Ever After (I have a review of that here too, this also happened to be the first review I did in 2015). Everything in this story was perfect. It was nothing redundant you would have heard of in any other book, the situation was so weird and the circumstances even weirder. I loved it! 

Your temporary Santa by David Levithan 

4/5

This was so gay and I loved every bit of it! This story kept me on my toes the whole time. Like, whats gonna happen next? How about now?! It was written extremely well, I have never read anything else by David Levithan but now I want to. I have How They Met by John Green and David Levithan in my 'to be read' pile but haven't gotten time to read it. Let me know whether I should bump it up higher if its any good! 

Krampuslauf by Holly Black:

0/5

I know Holly Black is a great author, I've heard so much about her. But this just made me bored, I think I got 3 pages in and I was like nah. Do let me know if this is actually good and that I suck and should give it another go!

What The Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman

0/5

Yeah I tried to give this one a go too but it just wasn't happening for me. Although, I have read Just One Day by Gayle Forman which I reviewed here. 

Ok so turns out there is maybe 4-5 other short-stories after this one and I didn't read any of those because none interested me. If they are worth the read, do let me know and I'll go back and have a look again. 

Thank you. Also, I posted in time this time! I promised I wouldn't be hiatus for long and I wasn't! Don't worry, I've got another 'proper' review coming in the next week (hopefully). I'm super excited for that one. Have a wonderful day everyone. 

x 

p.s

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THE PSYCHOLOGY CORNER | Conviction | Juan Martinez

✴ ✴ ✴ ✴

Okay. Lets just appreciate the fact that I have come back. I know I have been gone since July of 2016 and that year is over. But in my defence I was applying to university, in addition scumming to the demands of the IB. Also my motivation was like ded. But I am here now thanks TO THIS FAB book!! I'm excited to write this and I hope you all continue to stay and read on because this is so intriguing.

Ignore Masterchef on the tv in the background of the first photo, I just wanted to get the picture taken and I didn't think of location at all.

Before I go into the review, I don't know if y'all remember that I was starting a new thing on my blog called 'The Psychology Corner' but I mentioned it in my last post. Basically where I take books related to psychology in some way, where I could then discuss the nature of those books in my reviews on this blog with theories, possible studies and more. Don't be alarmed, I will still do my regular book reviews. Its just I wanted to start this since I am going into a Psychology major.

This is a snippet of the goodreads synopsis:

Juan Martinez, the fiery prosecutor who convicted notorious murderess Jodi Arias for the disturbing killing of Travis Alexander, speaks for the first time about the shocking investigation and sensational trial that captivated the nation.

Through two trials, America watched with baited breath as Juan Martinez fought relentlessly to convict Jodi Arias of Murder One for viciously stabbing her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander to death. What emerged was a story wrought with sex, manipulation, and deceit that stunned the public at every turn. Arias, always playing the wronged and innocent woman, changed her story continually as her bizarre behavior surrounding the crime and its aftermath came to light. Unwavering, Arias and her defense team continued to play off the salacious details of the case, until she was finally found guilty and—controversially—sentenced to life behind bar

This was reaLLY GOOD! Especially if you're like me; into crime stuff. No joke, I've watched a bunch of crime documentaries, in particular ones about murderers and sociopaths. I just can't stop. (i'm not crazy) If you are into criminology, psychology; specifically sociocultural psych, this is really interesting and you will be hookED! I had watched clips and interviews about Jodi Arias and the whole trial and tribulations that went with her and her crimes. Additionally, there was a Dr. Phil segment on the trial with Juan - the author - who is formally a (fantastic) prosecutor.

The book itself is a stand alone, recount (memoir ish) thing that recounts the days of the crime, trial and aftermath. The book is in chronological order so the narrative arch is structured by the time period of the evens. For example, the day Mr Martinez got a phone call about Travis's found body and so on.

With anything like this, you have to understand that an innocent man lost his life due to an alleged motive of jealousy. I feel for Travis and his family because if you look into the case or read the book, Travis suffered so much. Honestly, I am still shook from the events that occurred on June the 4th. Clearly Jodi did it, she admits to it whether thats after two lies and a 'self defence' claim, she did this. This is not a trial trying to prove she is guilty but one that she is, not to mention the evidence against her is overwhelming.

Coming from a psychological perspective, I think it's important to addressees Arias's deceit and lies. 

The deceit that Jodi carries with her throughout the trial is so interesting to me. In the book Juan mentions a time where he watched an interview early on in the trial where Jodi was answering that she couldn't possibly see a jury finding her guilty because she didn't commit the crime. She looked so believable! I watched the same interview later on Youtube and I am actually shook how real and sincere she looks. As if everything out of her mouth was genuine truth. Little did everyone know she was indeed the one that killed Travis Alexander. At this time she was spinning the second story that a man and a woman were the ones responsible for his death, not her. That brings me into her changing her story not once or twice but THREE TIMES. In any juries eyes that has to put a line between her truth and lies because what can you believe out of her mouth after that.

There is a lot in the book that we learn about Jodi's childhood and whether she was an ordinary girl. We learn that she has always been 'weird' - meaning that she was out of the norm and unexplainable since childhood. I've exaggerated that just a little but if there is anything you take from this, it's that she was unusual. This brings me into nature vs nurture, in hindsight were her crimes an act of biological disposition or throughout her life. In my opinion it's neither. I don't really think we should blame her genes or her rough upbringing but herself. Jodi is a special kind of evil. People kill for many reasons. I sometimes wonder truly why Jodi allowed it to get his far for her. 

I gave this book four stars. I actually read this last year (in 2016) sometime in December but have only had the time to post this review now. To be honest, I would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't watched almost everything on Youtube about it already. Nonetheless this was still so good! Just nothing that I would be too memorable as this was a trail and after it you just move on. I was so hooked on this crime/trial but like any trial, after time you have to just move on. I am really glad Juan decided to write this and I hope he's currently happy and solving the world.

Don't worry! I won't be gone any longer, I've got another review coming up (I say this all the time but I swear I'm on top of it this time!). oH AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

p.s

follow me on goodreads to find out what I'm reading next!