Meant to Be: A Review

Let me start this review off by saying I'm sorry. I've been meaning to review this novel for ages now. If you're a friend of mine on goodreads, you might have taken to notice that I've read this during the month of February. I know, I know. Believe me. I tried real hard to review this novel since then, but somehow, I couldn't get myself to do it. This is either because of my constant procrastination or just because I found it difficult to review. Either way, here I am, officially, actually reviewing it.

Before that though, another apology. Because I read this two months ago and I literally had to spend some time reading a lot of things about this novel on the net to remind myself somehow because, well, I have forgotten the littlest details on this one already. So again, yep, I'm sorry.

What do you think is under the title?

• Our protagonists believes in this thing--meant to be's--and well, the story runs around her alleged misadventures of proving it right.

Summarize the story in your own words:

• Julia Lichtenstein is your typical straight-A student. She never gets away without a pen sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare. And she believes that her MTB (meant to be) just might be her childhoos crush in the name of Mark Bixford. Now they're off to London for an educational field trip. Good news: London is a historical place and Julia wanted so much to explore and learn about the city. Bad news: She's buddy with the famous class-joker Jason for the whole trip. Now off to a historical place, she's about to break several (not) rules that she's never thought she'd ever be bound to break, get to Shakespeare's birthplace, go through a chase in London to look for this mysterious guys who's been sending her messages, prove a lot of her beliefs wrong and find the most unexpected surprise of all: love.

In general: (didn't like it, okay, liked it, loved it)

• It was okay...

Why?

• I remember purchasing this novel as a reward for myself because I purchased this novel right after the week we all had exhausted ourselves under the scorching hot rays of the sun and also because it was the Sunday before Valentine's day--I figured maybe I could use a contemporary romance novel to keep me company throughout the day.
• This novel was so damn cute. I mean, it wasn't like puppy cute or baby cute for that matter, but cute nonetheless.
• The beginning bored me somehow. I thought Julia was being too much of a know-it-all at that part, but she progresses. I started to relate to her--not being a smartypants, but a bibliophile and as a geeky person. 
• Julia's character was ridiculous. Although sometimes she gets to me sometimes, it gets annoying. In general, though, it was good to have someone like her as a protagonist. She was funny, witty and very teenager-y in her own way.
• The plot and concept was, well, typical. There weren't humongous plot twists to surprise the crap out of you. I mean there are some twists, of course, but they weren't made to make you create a bigger scenario in your brain where everything gets messed up. The twists you'll find in the novel are made to make you feel human feelings. And the concept, it's all teenage love and good crap, really.
• Honestly, Meant to Be is like a Wattpad story. Like Anna and the French Kiss (aah a review!). If we talk about it's main topic and over-all. But just as how much I criticize Wattpad stories for being--no offense--not quite quality, I didn't mean the first sentence as a bad thing. It's a good thing, actually. Meant to Be is like those rare stories you find in Wattpad that are written so beautifully and nicely that you can just dive into the story without actually minding the fact that they're... simpler than those of the things you're used to.
• This novel was funny. Hilariously and ridiculously funny. I read this for a week in class and sometimes, I just have to fight this strong urge to laugh just so my classmates won't think I've gone off my rocker.
• Over-all, Meant to Be is a novel made to make you laugh, relax and appreciate London even though you haven't actually gone there. This novel was funny, plain but real good and adorable.

Favorite scene:

• My favorite scene would be when Julia and Jason went to this skating place and he serenaded her with her favorite The Beatles song.

Least favorite scene:

•     That would be when Mark showed up in the story. Seriously, what a dick.

One quote you liked:

“Why does everyone think a girl who prefers books to people must be in want of a life?”

Make a three to five song playlist for the novel

• Guts - All Time Low
• All About You - Birdy
• Heart Out - The 1975

Rate it by stars/rubber ducks:

three ducks!

Would you recommend it?

•     If you're up for a short, sweet read, then you might appreciate this.

Last words:

• I swear, I really find it hard to review this novel. But I tried my best! And here you go. If you have violent reactions, you can flood my e-mail and comments section with those--I'll take no offense.
• I changed my blog's template! What do you guys think of it?

'Til next time!

:-)