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. 

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. 

5 Enid Blyton Books (And Quotes!) That Will Take You Back To Your Childhood

I was 10 years old when I first came across my sister's novel 'The Naughtiest Girl is a Monitor'. Being an avid reader of random short stories from quite a young age, I decided to give this thick book (from the pov of little me) a try. And boy, was that one of the most wonderful decision of my life. I was hooked! 

It has almost been a decade now, and to this day, Enid Blyton remains my go to author whenever I'm in distress. I cannot imagine my childhood (and teen years) without the charming characters of her brilliant books captivating my heart and mind. 

So without further ado, here are some of the best books (series) by Enid Blyton which made me fall in love with novels in the first place —

1) The Naughtiest Girl Series

What else can I say about my very first love? The Naughtiest Girl is a book series about Elizabeth Allen, a spoiled girl who's sent away to a boarding school, Whyteleafe due to her misbehavior and antics. Therefore, as an angry young girl, she decides to continue her antics as the Naughtiest Girl in the school. But soon realises that her ideas would bear no fruit. This series about boarding schools and students trying to turn over a new leaf and become a better person was a big inspiration to me in my childhood and I'm sure you'll love it too. 

2) The Famous Five

Oh, how I loved to go on so many adventures with the famous five! The Famous Five follow the adventures of four kids — Julian, Dick, Anne and George (Georgina) along with their dog, Timmy. These five meet during their school holidays which often leads up to them getting caught up in some adventure or the other, whether it is catching dangerous criminals or finding out secret tunnels and treasures. The sense of responsibility and maturity inculcated in the characters inspires the reader to strive for the same. 

3) St. Clare's Series/ Malory Towers Series

I'm absolutely in love with these two series by Enid Blyton. They are almost based on the same storyline of girls boarding school, however, don't mistake this similarity to be boring! These series are a great treat to read, especially in times of worry or distress, they never fail to provide me comfort and happiness in the friendships and values of the characters. I learnt so much from these books and honestly, I still long for a midnight feast of my own. The beautiful values of friendships, bravery, kindness and personality building that I learnt from these books will stay with me forever. 

4) The Faraway Tree Series/ Wishing Chair Series

These fantastical series by Enid Blyton takes us out of the world (quite literally!) In the Faraway Tree Series, there's an enchanted forest which consists of a gigantic magical tree with huge braches going on into the clouds. Three kids, Joe, Frannie and Beth, discover this forest and go to a number of magical places on the top of the tree. In a similar manner, Mollie and Peter, two kids, discover a magical wishing chair which takes them on a variety of different adventures along with their pixie friend, Chinky. These series widened my imagination so much and made me fall in love with adventures. The happiness these books gave me while reading was beyond measure and I can't wait for you all to try them! 

5) The Amelia Jane Series

The Amelia Jane Series is based on the exciting adventures of a rag doll from the toy cupboard and how it annoys and gets into competition with the other toys of the house. It gives a feel of the Toy Story movie and I really enjoyed reading about Amelia's antics and her realisations in the books. 

Enid Blyton was an amazing writer and despite the various criticism towards her writings, she will always remain a part of my childhood. She made sure to include so many moral values and characteristics of personality building in young children and her characters made me to be a sincere and honest person. I recommend her books for all age types, for the young ones to learn from it, and the old ones, to take you back to your childhood and live in the fantastic world of Enid Blyton. 

xoxo, Pop Notch. 

12 Quotes from The Fault in Our Stars That Will Make You Fall in Love with The Book Once Again

It's been 8 years since our ever favourite, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green came out but we're still not over it yet. Augustus Waters still owns our hearts and Hazel Grace is forever in our our mind and memories. I miss them a lot and I'm sure you all do too. So let's take a walk down the memory lane and bask in the beauty of their words once more —

1)“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”

2) “My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.”

3) “Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”

4) “I'm in love with you," he said quietly.

"Augustus," I said.

"I am," he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.”

5) “Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.”

6) “What a slut time is. She screws everybody.”

7) “The marks humans leave are too often scars.”

8) “Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.”

9) “The world is not a wish-granting factory.”

10) “Books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal.”

11) “Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you.”

12) “Maybe 'okay' will be our 'always”

Aah. I'm not crying, you're crying. :') 

xoxo, Pop Notch.