5 BOOK SERIES YOU MUST READ BEFORE YOU TURN 20

Teenage is a magical time of discovery and love. As we enter the enchanting age of 13, our world changes. We become more aware of our likes and dislikes and as the years go by, we discover more about our own selves. But not just self-growth, teenage introduces us to a whole new world of romance and love and a will to fight for what is right. And these feelings are usually ignited in us by the perennial world of books. I read some of the most amazing books during my teenage years and they still take me back to those beautiful feelings of joy I experienced while reading them. Also, HOW ARE BOOK CRUSHES SO PERFECT? 

Here are 4 Book Series You Should Definitely Read Before you turn 20 — 

1) Harry Potter Series

Well, do I need to explain myself? Harry Potter is one of the most amazing book series written in the magical universe. It includes almost all themes required to keep a reader hooked to a novel. A perfect mixture of magic, fantasy, friendship, filial love and fighting for the right cause, this series consists a number of awesome characters that one can't help but yearn to be a part of this magical world of Harry Potter. 

2) Blood for Blood Series

The Blood for Blood Series by Catherine Doyle is my MOST FAVORITE SERIES OF ALL TIMES. I can't even describe how beautifully it is written. I really believe that Catherine is undoubtedly one of the finest writers of the present times after reading this triology. This series consists of three books — Vendetta, Inferno and Mafiosa. Based in a Mafia World, these books never fail to shock and make the reader fall in love with the characters. Each character is so well written and dynamic that you cannot help falling in love with them. A wonderful series and a must read for anyone wanting to invest their time in a great book with an amazing story and such shocking twists you'll never see coming. P.S.— I stan LUCA. ❤

3) Divergent Series

The Divergent Series is a brilliant story written by Veronica Roth about a dystopian future in which the world is divided into five factions. Following what it means to be divergent and dealing with its consequences while standing for the right in the midst of a raging war is what makes the series so engaging. Though the rash decisions of Tris, one of the main characters, does tend to get on the nerves of the reader, the level headed Tobias "Four" Eaton, another main character, leaves us wanting more. In the movie series, Tobias is played by the ever-amazing Theo James and ohh, do I need to say more? 

4) The Selection Series

This is one of the book series I was glad to be judging by the cover. I've always been intrigued by Princessy stuff and the cover just attracted me more. However, the story is what kept me hooked. The prince of Illéa, Maxon Schreave, announces that he is following his father's footsteps by holding the Selection, a competition for the prince's hand in marriage and the crown. And thus begins the competition. Based in a futuristic caste based world, this series was a very enjoyable read. The Selection Series by Kiera Cass consists of five books namely, The Selection, The The Elite, The One, The Heir and The Crown. 

Here is another book by Kiera Cass, The Siren, whose beautiful quotes will haunt you for times to come — https://thepopnotch.blogspot.com/2020/06/18-quotes-from-siren-by-kiera-cass.html

5) The Lone City Series

The Jewel Series by Amy Ewing is a crazy but amazing mix of The Selection meets The Handmaid's Tale. A story where young girls are sold as surrogates to the elite families, it takes the readers into a dystopian world where magic is both a curse and a blessing. The Royal world meeting the hunger for power and the fight for what is right, this series will keep you hooked and take you on to many sleepless nights with the characters and their search for the truth and their safety. 

These were five of the most amazing novels I read in my teenage and I definitely recommend all my readers to give them a shot. It'll be worth it I promise! Soon you'll find yourself yearning with a desire to be a part of their world and would learn a huge lot about what it means to be free. 

Until next time, 

xoxo, Pop Notch. 

16 Amazing Quotes from Me Before You That Will Make You Miss Will Traynor & Louisa Clark All Over Again

Loving can hurt, loving can hurt sometimes. 

But it is the only thing that I know. 

As I watch Will and Louisa dance away, I'm taken back to the emotions that I experienced the first time I read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. 

It was magical and beautiful with a wonderfully written romance any person could ask for. And of course, the casting of Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke brought this book to life perfectly. I felt each and every emotion as Will and Louisa went on this journey on the big screen and I was mesmerized by their amazing acting and mind blowing chemistry. And yes, I don't like to talk about it's ending because I don't wanna get hurt once again. 

So let's just live in the beautiful moments in which Will Traynor and Louisa Clark were together and our hearts were still full of happiness. 

So, Without further ado, here are 16 Quotes from Me Before You by Jojo Moyes that will Make You miss Will and Clark all over again — 

1) "You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible."

2) "Live boldly. Push yourself. Don't settle."

3) "So this is it. You are scored on my heart, Clark. You were from the first day you walked in, with your ridiculous clothes and your bad jokes and your complete inability to ever hide a single thing you felt."

4)  "I thought, briefly, that I would never feel as intensely connected to the world, to another human being, as I did at that moment."

5) "I just...want to be a man who has been to a concert with a girl in a red dress. Just for a few minutes more."

6) "Do you know something, Clark? You are pretty much the only thing that makes me want to get up in the morning."

7) "I told him a story of two people. Two people who shouldn't have met, and who didn't like each other much when they did, but who found they were the only two people in the world who could possibly have understood each other."

8)  "I will never, ever regret the things I've done. Because most days, all you have are places in your memory that you can go to."

9) "You make me into someone I couldn't even imagine."

10) "I hadn't realized that music could unlock things in you, could transport you to somewhere even the composer hadn't predicted. It left an imprint in the air around you, as if you carried its remnants with you when you went."

11) "I know we can do this. I know it’s not how you would have chosen it, but I know I can make you happy. And all I can say in that you make me… you make me into someone I couldn’t even imagine. You make me happy, even when you’re awful, I would rather be with you – even the you that you seem to think is diminished – than with anyone else in the world."

12) "You can't change who people are."

"Then what can I do?"

"You love them."

13) "Don't think of me too often. I don't want you getting sad."

14) "I have become a whole new person because of you."

15) "You're going to feel uncomfortable in your new world for a bit. It always does feel strange to be knocked out of your comfort zone but I hope you feel exhilarated too."

16) "Will you stay?"

"For as long as you want me to."

Okayy. One more heartbreak reading these beautiful quotes. I'll miss you, Will. 

xoxo, Pop Notch. 

10 Ways to Beat the Heat on a Hot Summer Day!

It's summer time and we're all dripping in sweat! Yuck, isn't there any way to cool ourselves off? 

Well, there are plenty! Here are 10 ways to cool yourself off this summer while also enjoying with your friends and family —

1) Drink Lots of Water

Water is the most essential drink of mankind and it's one of the best ways to cool off on a humid summer day. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated and energetic throughout the day as well as to cool off the high temperature during the day. 

2) Make Ice Pops

It's a hit summer day and all you want is to have something icey. Making ice pops is easier than you think! Just take out whatever juices you have in your refrigerator and freeze them in ice makers. They'll be ready in an hour or so and you can eat them with your friends! 

3) Play in your Old Kids Pool

We all have had atleast one plastic kids pool at home when we were young. Why not take it out right now? Take out that pool (or a large tub of water), fill it with lots of cold water and hang out in it with your friends. It'll be so much fun, I promise! 

4) Make Lemonade

My favourite things about summers is that we get to drink lots of sour lemonade. Now is the perfect time to enjoy this yummy drink — make fresh lemonade using the juice of one lemon, a spoonful sugar and a glass of water. Add ice and drink. Make lots of such glasses and share it with your friends and family! 

5) Make Your Own Ice-Cream Sandwich

Bored with simple ice-creams? You can make your own ice cream sandwich to make it interesting. Just soften some ice-cream a little, spread it between two chocolate chip cookies, freeze it for just 20 minutes and you're done! Have fun enjoying that tasty ice cream sandwich! 

6) Have a Car Wash

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy with water. So why not utilize this water along with having some fun? Organise a car wash for your parents and neighbours and have fun with water along the way. You can make some cash as well with this technique! 

7) Have a Water Balloon Fight

What better way to enjoy the summer than to have a water balloon fight with your friends and cousins? Fill up balloons with water and let the game begin! Winner gets free lemonade! 

8) Visit Water Parks/Beaches

Summer holidays are meant for a fun time and water parks and beaches are the most fun places to hangout! Convince your parents and friends to go to a water park or beach nearby and have fun swimming in the cold water, building sand castles and having lots of cool drinks and ice - pops! 

9) Have Fruits

Summer time fruits are my favourite, especially mangoes and watermelons! You can also have lots of fun eating these fruits and refreshing yourself with this yummy treat! Having frozen fruit is also a great idea. 

10) Sit in The Shade with Hats

It's time to take out the hats! Hats are a great relief from the scorching heat of the sun. So put on your hats and sit under a tree with your friends. You can play games, have fun, make contests, or even do a treasure hunt! Just talk about anything and everything with your friends here. 

I'm sure you'll enjoy all these 10 ways to cool off on a hot summer day, just like I did. Have fun with you friends and family and keep beating the heat! 

Until next time, 

xoxo, Pop Notch. 

20 Harry Potter Spells That Every Potterhead Should Know

"Avada Kedavra"
"Expelliarmus"
And just like that, an era came to an end. 

Harry Potter has been and will always be one of my favourite series. The myriad of emotions, magic, friendships, relationships and an amazing world of fantasy, became a beautiful reality in our imagination. 

My most favourite thing about the magical universe of Harry Potter, were of course, the incredible spells. Especially being someone who's always tired, I remember shouting "ACCIO, BOOK" in my room one day, in hopes of the spell working. 

But sadly, we're all muggles. But what we could do, is practise these spells again and again, and continue to live in the dream of being in the magical universe of Harry Potter. 

Here are 20 important spells from Harry Potter that every Potterhead must know — 

And finally, the three unforgivable curses — 

So which ones did you know? Comment down below to let us know! 

18 Quotes from The Siren by Kiera Cass which will Make You Fall in Love with Life Again

I've always been a Kiera Cass fan. Ever since The Selection came out in 2012, I have been obsessed with collecting and reading her books, be it the five books of the series or the short novellas like The Prince and The Queen. I was convinced that Kiera Cass could possibly one of the best authors of the present time (after falling I  love with Maxon thrice), until I read The Siren.

The Siren is a novel about a girl, Kahlen, who takes the decision to become a Siren during a tragedy, and is now bound to serve and feed the Ocean for a hundred years, along with her Siren sisters. However, she always regrets taking this decision in haste. Time goes on, but trouble arises when she falls in love. 
Cliché? Not really. 

Reading The Siren was a spectacular moment of witnessing beauty in art. Full of romance, friendships, pain, regret, longing and love, it is a full package that anyone could ask for. This book will keep you hooked and leave you craving to read just one more moment of Kahlen and Akinli or wondering about the Siren sisters. 

Here are some of my favourite quotes from The Siren by Kiera Cass which will leave you wanting more —

1) It's funny what you hold on to, the things you remember when everything ends.

2) "We're singers. Sirens. Servants to the Ocean," Marilyn explained. "We help Her. We feed Her."

3) I wish I could explain to her how a full life cut short was better than an empty life that dragged on. 

4) We'd played this game hundreds of times over the years as a means of keeping our spirits up. I'd considered being a doctor so I could make amends for all the lives I'd taken. A dancer, so I could practice controlling my body in every capacity. A writer, so I could find a way to use my voice whether I spoke or not. An astronaut, in case I needed to put extra space between the Ocean and me. I had just about exhausted every possibility.

5) "She must have a really wonderful dream often enough to make the bad ones worth it."

6) How magical it was just to be a normal girl.

7) I couldn't stay forever.
But at least I could stay for a day.

8) "Where in the world did you come from, you beautiful, silent girl?"

9) It hurt so much to speak. To sing. To laugh. My voice was death, and I hated it.

10) Books were a safe place, a world apart from my own. No matter what had happened that day, that year, there was always a story in which someone overcame their darkest hour. I wasn't alone.

11) Couples were like sirens, making their own languages and signs, their own worlds.

12) "Don't be silly," I wrapped my arm around her. "There's always room for love. Even if it's small as a crack in a door. That will be enough."

13) "Who cares? If you're happy, then that's all that matters."

14) "We'll figure this out", I promised. "I won't let you sink" and I swore I could hear Akinli's voice saying "Hurry".

15) "How could he see past the beauty I have given you to your true self, especially when you could not speak with him?"

16) "I cannot explain how two souls join. No man or element or God ever could. But you are tied to each other. Because of that - because of your true, consuming, pure love - you will thrive together or you will perish together."

17) "You are tied through your souls. Now what happens to one body happens to the other."

18) "How could two people from such different worlds connect without words?"

So these were some of the most beautiful quotes by Kiera Cass. I hope you enjoyed reading them and would soon read the book too ( or re-read it for the 5th time!). Have fun, happy reading! 

Until next time, 

xoxo, Pop Notch.