Monday, November 30, 2015

November Wrap Up & Book Haul



*Books Read in November*

Come Back to Me by Mila Gray
Infinite in Between by Carolyn Mackler
November 9 by Colleen Hoover
Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick
Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young


*November Book Haul*

Winter by Marissa Meyer
Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray
When We Collided by Emery Lord
Burning by Danielle Rollins
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
Confess by Colleen Hoover
November 9 by Colleen Hoover
Unforgiven by Lauren Kate
These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly


Hey guys!!
Can you believe this year is almost over??
I can't!! It has totally flown by.
I read 7 really awesome books in November, and had a pretty great book haul as well.
I can't wait to get started on my December reads,
and hopefully Santa will bring me lots of new ones to add to my shelves!!

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!!


Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite holidays, not only for the yummy food,
but also because I get to spend some much needed time with my little family.
I've really enjoyed spending time with them this week and taking a much needed break from life.

:)

I hope all my US friends have a great Thanksgiving!!
Regular scheduled posts will be back on Monday!!

 
 
** Photo found on Pinterest 

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #222 - The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378527-the-raven-king
The Raven King
(The Raven Cycle #4)
by Maggie Stiefvater
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: April 26th 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 9780545424981

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378527-the-raven-king

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

The fourth and final installment in the spellbinding series from the irrepressible, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.

All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

In a starred review for Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Kirkus Reviews declared: "Expect this truly one-of-a-kind series to come to a thundering close." (Goodreads)

Ahhhh, the fourth and FINAL book in the Raven Cycle series has a cover!!
And it's GORGEOUS!!
I'm both excited and completely anxious about this book coming out.
I'm excited to see how the series is going to end, 
but I'm also anxious because really DON'T WANT THIS SERIES TO END!!
Sigh, Bookworm Problems. :)
**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**


Monday, November 16, 2015

Giveaway: Falling Kingdoms Series by Morgan Rhodes!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17342701-frozen-tides

Good morning, Bookworms!!

In anticipation of Frozen Tides, book #4 in the Falling Kingdom series by Morgan Rhodes, releasing on December 15th, the fabulous folks at Penguin Teen are giving away signed copies of the first 3 books in the series!! Keep reading for more information, and don't forget to enter to win!!


_____________________________________________________

About the Book

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17342701-frozen-tides
Frozen Tides
(Falling Kingdoms #4)
by Morgan Rhodes
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: December 15th 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9781595147073
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy

Add to Goodreads

Falling Kingdoms Website | Series Facebook Page

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | PenguinTeen | The Book Depository

Rebels, royals, and monsters wage war over the Mytican throne in the shocking fourth book of the Falling Kingdoms series, from New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes.

CLEO: Reeling after a bloody showdown in Limeros ending with Amara’s abduction of the water crystal, and a vacancy in the Mytican throne, Princess Cleo must cast aside her feelings and look toward her kingdom with the eyes of a Queen.

MAGNUS: With the kingdom in chaos, Princess Lucia still missing and quite possibly in danger, and a shocking realization about Cleo, the steely prince is once again torn between love and duty, leaving him wondering whether he’s strong enough to rule his people.

LUCIA: The young sorcercess has had her vengeance after the cruel death of her first and only love. Heartbroken and unable to trust anyone, she allies with the awoken Fire god, who also seeks revenge.

JONAS: After escaping death by the skin of his teeth, the defeated rebel—along with a mysterious stranger–leader reunites with Princess Cleo, only to find himself a mere pawn in a dangerous hunt for the elusive Kindred.

KING GAIUS: Abandoned by Melenia and betrayed by his own children, Gaius flees Mytica and sails to Kraeshia, where he attempts to ally with the famously brutal emperor across the Silver Sea. (Goodreads)

Books in this series:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12954620-falling-kingdoms https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16000044-rebel-spring

Falling Kingdoms  |  Rebel Spring  |  Gathering Darkness

_____________________________________________________

 Which fictional kingdom, region,
or world would you conquer??


I'm totally not a fan of violence, or much social interaction for that matter, so I can't see myself conquering a kingdom, region, or world of any kind. I would, however, love to live peacefully in a world where there were no wars, no pollution, food for everyone, and a never ending supply of books.
:)

_____________________________________________________

*Giveaway*

Giveaway ends 11/27/15
US ONLY
3 winners will each receive the first 3 books

Go forth!! Enter!! WIN!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #221 - This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23299512-this-savage-song
This Savage Song
(Monsters of Verity #1)
by Victoria Schwab
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: June 7th 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
ISBN: 9780062380876

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23299512-this-savage-song

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

The city of Verity has been overrun with monsters, born from the worst of human evil. In North Verity, the Corsai and the Malchai run free. Under the rule of Callum Harker, the monsters kill any human who has not paid for protection. In the South, Henry Flynn hunts the monsters who cross the border into his territory, aided by the most dangerous and darkest monsters of them all—the Sunai, dark creatures who use music to steal their victim’s souls.

As one of only three Sunai in existence, August Flynn has always wanted to play a bigger role in the war between the north and the south. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate Harker, daughter of the leader of North Verity, August jumps on it.
When Kate discovers August’s secret, the pair find themselves running for their lives and battling monsters from both sides of the wall. As the city dissolves into chaos, it’s up to them to foster a peace between monsters and humans.

A unique, fast-paced adventure that looks at the monsters we face every day—including the monster within. (Goodreads)

Confession: I've not read anything by Victoria Schwab, YET.
I know, crazy, right???
I've had some of her books on my TBR for quite a while now,
and I'm dying to finally read something by her.
This Savage Song sounds GREAT, and I can't wait to check it out!!
**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**


Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Review: Dangerous Lies by Becca Fitzpatrick

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24885781-dangerous-lies
Dangerous Lies
by Becca Fitzpatrick
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: November 10th 2015
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9781481424912
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery/Thriller
Source: Edelweiss

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

A teen is forced to make a fresh start after witnessing a violent crime—but love and danger find her anyway in this novel from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga.

Stella Gordon is not her real name. Thunder Basin, Nebraska, is not her real home. This is not her real life.

After witnessing a lethal crime, Stella Gordon is sent to the middle of nowhere for her own safety before she testifies against the man she saw kill her mother’s drug dealer.

But Stella was about to start her senior year with the boyfriend she loves. How can she be pulled away from the only life she knows and expected to start a new one in Nebraska? Stella chafes at her protection and is rude to everyone she meets. She’s not planning on staying long, so why be friendly? Then she meets Chet Falconer and it becomes harder to keep her guard up, even as her guilt about having to lie to him grows.

As Stella starts to feel safer, the real threat to her life increases—because her enemies are actually closer than she thinks… (Goodreads)
I was super curious about Dangerous Lies the moment it passed my radar. I have been a fan of Becca Fitzpatrick's books since I first started reading young adult books. Her Hush Hush series is one of the first YA series I read way back when, and I'm always interested in reading something new by the authors initially made me fall in love with the genre.

After witnessing the murder of her mother's drug dealer, Stella Gordon is forced into the Witness Protection Program to ensure her safety, in exchange for her testimony. Being thrown into a small town, given a new name, and starting her life completely over is not how Stella had planned to spend her senior year of high school, and she has no plans to stay in Thunder Basin, Nebraska any longer than she absolutely has to. Then she meets Chet, a local boy who's hard to resist, and everything changes.

To be honest, Stella wasn't the easiest character to like in the beginning of the book. Given her situation and all that she had been through, it was understandable, but it drove me crazy that she was willing to risk her life and safety for what she left behind. Luckily, she did change throughout the story, and she definitely grew on me over time. There were some secondary characters in the book that I really enjoyed, two being Carmina, Stella's guardian, and Chet, the local boy who also had a troubling past, but was also pretty swoon-worthy.  And with the good characters come the bad, and there were more than enough bad people in the book that you're really going to dislike.

The storyline for the book was very mysterious and thrilling. I read the bulk of the book in just a day, and I was pretty engrossed in the story as it went along; the pages just seemed to fly by. I was kind of worried that I wouldn't like the book when I first started reading it, as I had some issues with Fitzpatrick's previous book, Black Ice, but I did enjoy the story, and now I want to read more from her ASAP!

Overall; I really enjoyed Dangerous Lies more than I expected to. The mysterious storyline kept me guessing and had me on the edge of my seat at times, and I was really engrossed in the story! I can't wait to read more by Fitzpatrick in the future!
https://www.instagram.com/p/91XG6nDMTn

Top Ten Tuesday: Book To Movie Adaptations

November 10:
Top Ten Book To Movie Adaptations I'm Looking Forward to and/or Still Need To Watch

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15507958-me-before-you https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18007564-the-martian

1. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - This has got to be one of my most anticipated movies of 2016!! I adored the book so much, and I'm especially excited to see Sam Claflin as Will. It's going to be awesome. I'm totally going to bawl my eyes out through the whole thing, but I can't wait!!

2. The Martian by Andy Weir - I picked up this book because the hubby really wanted to see the movie, and I ended up enjoying it so much more than I expected to! I can't wait to see the movie now!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5899779-pride-and-prejudice-and-zombies https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22557272-the-girl-on-the-train

3. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth- I read this book a few years ago, and remember it being much like the original P&P, just with zombies throughout. While zombies are not really my thing, the movie looks pretty bad-ass, and I'm hoping I can actually make it through the whole movie!

4. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - I just started reading this book last week, and while I'm only about halfway through it at the moment, I'm STILL excited for the movie! The book really has a Gone Girl feel to it to me, and I just know the movie is going to be great as well.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101128-the-5th-wave https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17383918-allegiant

5. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey -I'm really excited for The 5th Wave! I listened to the audiobook for it and The Infinite Sea last year, and really enjoyed the story. I'm excited to see how it's going to play out on the big screen!

6. Allegiant by Veronica Roth -Allegiant wasn't my favorite book in the Divergent series, but I have to admit, these movies have been some of the best book-to-movie adaptations, and I'm excited to see more!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6186357-the-maze-runner https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7631105-the-scorch-trials

7. The Maze Runner by James Dashner - This is yet another series where I listened to the audio books and really enjoyed the story! I'm way behind on watching The Maze Runner, but I'm hoping to get to it soon!

8. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner -As mentioned above, I really enjoyed these books. I have GOT to get caught up on the movies ASAP!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7260188-mockingjay https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7260188-mockingjay

9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 by Suzanne Collins - I can't believe that I still haven't watched this movie yet. I loved The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. I need to work this one in before Part 2 is released!!

10. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 by Suzanne Collins - This movie is going to be the end of such a great series! I will make sure I watch this one in the theater, especially since it's going to be the end!!


Other Honorable Mentions:
(aka: I *Still* need to watch these!!)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3.Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stonehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4671.The_Great_Gatsbyhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6931356-the-duff
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3636.The_Giver?from_search=true&search_version=servicehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19063.The_Book_Thief?from_search=true&search_version=service


That's my list of movies *I'm Looking Forward to Watching* AND *Still Need to Watch*!!
Leave your link in the comments so I can check out your post,
and hopefully find new movies to watch!!
Happy Reading, Bookworms!!



Monday, November 9, 2015

Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18007564-the-martian
The Martian
by Andy Weir
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: February 11th 2014
Publisher: Crown
Pages: 369
ISBN: 9780804139021
Genre: Adult Fiction | Sci-Fi
Source: Library

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him? (Goodreads)
To be honest, when I first picked up The Martian by Andy Weir, I didn't really think I would be interested in the book at all. But, the husband wanted to see the movie, and I just can't see a movie without reading the book first, in most cases. So, I picked up The Martian at the library, and a little begrudgingly started the book. However, the more I turned the pages, the more I became completely obsessed with this book!

Mark Watney not only had a brilliant mind, but he was funny as hell too. I loved how he came up with solutions for all the different problems he faced throughout the story, and while some didn't exactly work the way he expected them to, he always found a way to make things work.  Also, he had the absolute best sense of humor; he was just an all around fun guy, and it was impossible not to love him. I was rooting for him the whole time!

I'm not a huge fan of science-fiction books, but I do read some every now and then, and always find them entertaining. Same goes for The Martian. While a lot of the scientific stuff throughout the story went completely over my head, I still managed to keep up with the storyline, and was completely engrossed throughout. Now I'm even more excited to see the movie with the hubby, hopefully before it is out of the theater!

Overall; I totally did not expect to like The Martian as much as I did. The reviews don't lie, it really is a good read.  I'm so glad I worked it into my reading schedule, and I've added Andy Weir to my list of authors to keep my eye out for! I'd love to read something by him again in the near future.
https://instagram.com/p/9HKAkPjMSD/

Friday, November 6, 2015

Review: Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24465518-hotel-ruby
Hotel Ruby
by Suzanne Young
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: November 3rd 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 288
ISBN: 9781481423007
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery/Thriller
Source: Edelweiss

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Stay Tonight. Stay Forever.

When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.

Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions—including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey’s pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful. Nightly fancy affairs in the ballroom are invitation only, and Audrey seems to be the one guest who doesn't have an invite. Instead, she joins the hotel staff on the rooftop, catching whispers about the hotel’s dark past.

The more Audrey learns about the new people she's met, the more her curiosity grows. She’s torn in different directions—the pull of her past with its overwhelming loss, the promise of a future that holds little joy, and an in-between life in a place that is so much more than it seems…

Welcome to the Ruby. (Goodreads)
Hotel Ruby is the first book I've read by author Suzanne Young, although I've had a few of her other books on my to-be-read list for a while now. I was super excited to finally read something by her! I'm not going to lie, the first thing that drew me to the book was the absolutely gorgeous cover, and then I read the summary and I was even more intrigued about Hotel Ruby.

After the death of her mother, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are being sent to live with their grandmother for the summer by their grief-stricken father. Along the way, they stop at the Hotel Ruby, a beautiful yet mysterious hotel that's full of beautiful guest and luxurious accommodations. But something about the place just isn't right, and the more Audrey starts to wonder, the more she realizes that things aren't exactly what they seem at Hotel Ruby.

The characters in the story were very interesting, and each for different reasons. You couldn't help but sympathize with Audrey for her loss, of not only her mother, but of the life as she knew it as well. It was her curiosity, as well as her rebelliousness, that really made her stand out in the story. There were a lot of secondary characters in the story as well who were interesting, one in particular being Elias, who was definitely a bit swoon-worthy.

The storyline for the book was very mysterious, and while I guessed some of what was happening pretty early on in the story, there were still a lot of twists and turns throughout that really surprised me. Especially at the end! Also this book was a very quick read. At only 288 pages, I read this in just a few hours time!

Overall, Hotel Ruby was a quick, mysterious read that kept me guessing as I turned the pages. I enjoyed reading the book, and now I'm even more excited to read more by Mrs. Young in the future!
https://instagram.com/p/9of535DMfH/

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #220 - The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27272506-the-glittering-court
The Glittering Court
by Richelle Mead
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: April 12th 2016
Publisher: Razorbill
ISBN: 9781595148414

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27272506-the-glittering-court

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A dazzling new fantasy series set in a mix of Elizabethan and frontier worlds that’s dripping with romance from Richelle Mead, #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy.

Big and sweeping, spanning the refined palaces of Osfrid to the gold dust and untamed forests of Adoria, The Glittering Court tells the story of Adelaide, an Osfridian countess who poses as her servant to escape an arranged marriage and start a new life in Adoria, the New World. But to do that, she must join the Glittering Court.

Both a school and a business venture, the Glittering Court is designed to transform impoverished girls into upper-class ladies capable of arranging powerful and wealthy marriages in the New World. Adelaide naturally excels in her training and even makes a few friends: the fiery former laundress Tamsin and the beautiful Sirminican refugee Mira. She manages to keep her true identity hidden from all but one: the intriguing Cedric Thorn, son of the wealthy proprietor of the Glittering Court.

When Adelaide discovers that Cedric is hiding a dangerous secret of his own, together, they hatch a scheme to make the best of Adelaide’s deception. Complications soon arise—first, as they cross the treacherous seas from Osfrid to Adoria, and later, when Adelaide catches the attention of a powerful governor.

But no complication will prove quite as daunting as the potent attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. An attraction that, if acted on, would scandalize the Glittering Court and make them both outcasts in wild, vastly uncharted lands. . . . (Goodreads)

Um, hello... DID YOU SEE THAT COVER?!?!
It's gorgeous! And the story sounds fantastic as well.
AND, it's Richelle Mead, so you know it will be awesome!!
I am SO super excited for everything about this book.
Hurry April 2016!!!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**