Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17399160-snow-like-ashes
Snow Like Ashes
(Snow Like Ashes #1)
by Sara Raasch
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: October 14th 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 422
ISBN: 9780062286925
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Edelweiss \ Own

Add to Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own. (Goodreads)
When I was trying to decide on the last book I wanted to read for 2014, I knew I wanted to read something really great. So with high hopes I picked up Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. I’d heard so many great things about the book, so I was hoping it would be just what I was looking for. And I boy was it!! Snow Like Ashes has earned as spot as one of my favorite reads of 2014!

The main character in the story, Meira, was very well written.  I’ve seen some people compare her to a young Xena: Warrior Princess, and that’s pretty much how I imagined her as well. She was strong and determined; willing to do what she needed to do for her people. She wants nothing more than to see her Kingdom once again restored to power, and freedom for her fellow Winterians’. Through all the things that she went through in the story, she stayed strong and proved herself to be a really great character, and a fierce warrior.  The secondary characters were well written as well. I especially loved Sir, Mather & Theron.

There is a bit of romance in the book, but it’s not overpowering in a way that it takes away from the storyline. It felt like there was meant to be a love triangle as well, but it really didn’t feel that way to me the more I read the book. It felt like one half of the triangle were two people who were really comfortable with each other because they’d never really known anyone else. And the other half of the triangle is a new relationship that I am really going to enjoy watching grow in the future. Hopefully.

Another thing that had me completely hooked when reading this book was the action. There was never really a dull moment in this book, and all the suspense and surprising plot twists kept me turning the pages well into the night. And let me tell you, there are some super surprising twists in this story, including a few that had me pumping my fist into the air in joy! Also, the world-building was super creative; I could easily imagine in my mind all of the kingdoms as they were described in the book. My favorite kingdom would have definitely been Winter! How wonderful this place sounds.

Overall; If you’ve read a hundred reviews already that said Snow Like Ashes was awesome, then mine is just another to add to the list. This book definitely closed out my year with a bang, and I’m so glad to have read this as my last read of 2014. If you haven’t read the book yet, or added it to your to-read list, I implore you to do so. You definitely won’t be disappointed!


My Instagram journey with Snow Like Ashes...

http://instagram.com/p/w2EkNsjMQe/instagram.com/p/xSLqegjMTc/http://instagram.com/p/xKpz02DMbY/

Waiting on Wednesday #180 - The Heir by Kiera Cass

http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j461/thereaderbee/BookCovers2/22918050.jpg
The Heir
(The Selection #4)
by Kiera Cass
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: May 5th 2015
Publisher: Harper Teen
ISBN: 9780062349859

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23019291-the-heir

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

Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story. But as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she always thought. (Goodreads)

The only book I've read in this series so far is The Selection,
and I really enjoyed the book.
I still need to finish the rest of the books in this series though.
However, my daughter has read All the books,
and she is SO in love with them.
So we are both waiting to add this to our collection!
**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**


Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Goals/Resolutions For 2015

December 30th: 
Top Ten Goals/Resolutions For 2015 -- bookish, blogging or otherwise!


1. Read More. -- I am a busy person. My kids keep me on the go, and takes away from my reading schedule. I really need to find a way to sneak in more reading time. It would be really nice to actually get caught up on my reading for a change. :)

2. Read more books I already own. -- I read a LOT of review books. While I absolutely love this, I never take the time to read the books I already own. It feels like I am never going to get caught up, and it's really overwhelming at times. So I'm going to be a lot choosier on the books I review this year.

3. Finish the Harry Potter series. -- This is something that I've been meaning to do for a while now, but just haven't gotten around to doing it. I may just start over from the beginning! AND I need to watch the movies too! This goal is a priority this year.

4. Listen to more audiobooks. -- I fell back in love with audiobooks this year, as I started listening to them while I walked the track. This would be a great way for me to catch up on books I want to read.

5. Read 100 books again. -- I surprised myself by reaching my reading goal of 100 books this year, and I reached the goal early as well! I hope I can pull this off again.


1. Keep losing weight. -- Usually my goal on New Years is to Lose Weight. However, this year my goal is to KEEP losing weight, cause I'm doing a pretty awesome job at the moment. Go me!

2. More ME time. -- As I mentioned above, my kids keep me super busy. (All moms know how this is.) I am rarely ever able to take time just for myself. This is somethign I need to remedy this year.

3. Update social media more often. -- I'll admit, you can pretty much find me on Twitter or Instagram, but my other forms of social media get neglected. I must make time to update more often.

4. Blog more. -- I've gotten better lately about blogging, but I really want to find new stuff to do for it as well. Something fun and different. I'm still brainstorming, but I'm hoping to figure out something awesome.

5. Watch more movies. -- I am not much of a movie or tv person. I just don't have time to watch movies or get invested in new shows. I made a goal in 2014 to watch 100 movies, and I only made it to 55. Like books, there are SO many movies out there that I haven't watched yet that I really want to watch. I'm going to attempt my goal of 100 movies again, so we will see how it goes this year! (I did get into a few new tv shows this year though!)


Those are my goals & resolutions for 2015!

What's on your list???

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas 2015, Bookworms!!


Merry Christmas, Bookworms!

I hope your day is filled with family and love,
and lots and lots of books and reading time!

Happy Reading!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Review: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23384157-dash-lily-s-book-of-dares
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
by Rachel Cohn   (Website | Twitter | Facebook)
& David Levithan (Website | Twitter | Facebook)

Publication Date: October 11th 2011
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Pages: 260
ISBN: 978-0375859557
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Own

Add to Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

16-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on her favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. Dash, in a bad mood during the holidays, happens to be the first guy to pick up the notebook and rise to its challenges.

What follows is a whirlwind romance as Dash and Lily trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across New York City. But can their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions, or will their scavenger hunt end in a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Co-written by Rachel Cohn (GINGERBREAD) and David Levithan, co-author of WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON with John Green (THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), DASH & LILY'S BOOK OF DARES is a love story that will have readers scouring bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own. (Goodreads)
I can finally mark Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares off my ‘to-read’ list, and onto my ‘I finally read this book’ list! I enjoyed this book so much more than I expected to. It was sweet and some parts had me rolling with laughter.

I loved the main characters in the novel. While Dash and Lily are different in some ways, they are so much alike in others, and this made them a really great couple. I found them both to be extremely relatable in so many ways, and I really felt a connection to them both.

I also really enjoyed the setting and Christmas theme for the book. I’m glad I waited until Christmas time to read the book, because it really made it that much more special. There really aren’t too many Christmas themed young adult books in the world yet, but I’m glad to finally have one to add to my collection.

This is the first book I’ve read by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, but I’m definitely excited to read more by them in the future, both working together, and apart. If their other books are similar, I know I will really enjoy them.

Overall; this book was a really fun Christmas book, but it was also just an all-around sweet, fun read. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I highly recommend that you do so!

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Until Midnight by Melissa Landers * Free Ebook & Giveaway! *


UNTIL MIDNIGHT is here…and it’s FREE!

Happy Holidays, everyone! I’m Melissa Landers, author of the Alienated series, and I have a present for you—a brand new e-short from Disney Hyperion!

UNTIL MIDNIGHT takes place onboard an intergalactic transport, soon after ALIENATED ends and before the sequel INVADED begins. The story details Aelyx and Cara’s last day together before he returns to Earth to mend the alliance and she continues to his home planet. It’s sweet and romantic, and as a bonus, it includes a four-chapter preview of the sequel, which releases February 3rd.

Oh, and did I mention the best part? IT’S FREE!

You can download UNTIL MIDNIGHT from the following e-tailers:

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1v06kVd

*If you live outside the USA, no worries. I’ve uploaded the story to Scribd for you. (The only downside is it doesn’t include the bonus preview chapters, due to technical reasons from the publisher.) Link: http://www.scribd.com/AuthorMelissaLanders

To celebrate this new release, I’m offering TWO lucky winners an autographed swag pack complete with a personalized bookplate, mini-poster, bookmarks, and stickers—open internationally! Just fill out the rafflecopter form below.

Best of luck, and happy reading!



BIO: Melissa Landers writes romantic science fiction for teens and the young at heart. To learn more, or just to say hello, visit her at www.melissa-landers.com

 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13138734-this-shattered-world
This Shattered World
(Starbound #2)
by Amie Kaufman    (Website | Twitter | Facebook)
& Meagan Spooner
  (Website | Twitter | Facebook)


Publication Date: December 23rd 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 390
ISBN: 9781423171034
Genre: Young Adult | Sci-Fi
Source: Netgalley

Add to Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war. (Goodreads)
I was super excited to read This Shattered World, especially after having read and loved These Broken Stars last year. I couldn’t wait to see what adventure Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner were going to take us on next, and now having read the book, I definitely was not disappointed.

Our two main characters in the story are Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac, two people that never should have met, as one is a military captain and the other is a Rebellion leader. They have nothing in common, except both living on the terraformed planet, Avon. But once their paths cross, their futures are changed forever.

Jubilee and Flynn were both really great characters, and each for different and similar reasons.  Both were strong and determined and held fast to their beliefs, even when they worried if they were doing the right thing or not. And when they worked together, they make a really great team. One thing that I really loved about the romance between the two was that while it was super intense at times, there was no insta-love between the two. Most of the time the characters were super unsure of each other, but given the situation that they were forced into, a strong bond was formed between the two that wasn’t built on lust, but on learning  to trust. It was a refreshing change to those books where the characters instantly fall in love.

The world-building for the book was really creative, and still really different than that in the previous book. I can’t imagine even living on this planet where this story takes place, and not just because of the almost uninhabitable environment of the planet, but the constant worry about the Fury taking over someone and making them go completely insane. Also there is the storyline for the book, while different, still managed to flow alongside the storyline in the previous book. We even get to see some characters from the previous book, which I absolutely loved that they were included in the novel.

Overall; If you loved These Broken Stars, you’re definitely going to enjoy This Shattered World. This was a really great sequel, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the third book in this Starbound series once it is released. If you haven’t yet checked out this series, I highly recommend that you do so!



Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing This Year

December 23rd: 
Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing This Year

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13049981-boundlesshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17978160-open-road-summerhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16101128-the-5th-wavehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16131484-the-infinite-sea

1. Boundless by Cynthia Hand - I  just recently realized that I didn't have a copy of this to go with my collection! I would love for Santa to bring this!

2. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord - I read this book, and LOVED it, but haven't purchased my own copy yet. Hint, hint, Santa!

3. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey - I've been listening to this on audiobook, and I would really love to add it to my bookshelf!

4. The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey - See above!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16429619-the-kiss-of-deceptionhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20309175-my-true-love-gave-to-mehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9275658-legendhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16069030-the-winner-s-curse

5. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson - This book was so good! I bought a copy for a friend for Christmas, but still haven't added it to my collection! Santaaaaaa!

6. My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins & more - There aren't really that many Christmas novels in YA. While I have a few, I really want to add this to my collection. It has SO many cute stories in it!

7. Legend by Marie Lu - I've heard many great things about this series, but I haven't yet had a chance to read it! Feel free to share, Santa!

8. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski - I adore the cover for this book, and I enjoyed the story as well. I really need to add this to my shelf!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17233800-crash-into-you https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20578940-the-iron-trial

9. Crash Into You by Katie McGarry - While this book is my most favorite in the Pushing the Limits series, I would love to have ALL the books in the series to add to my shelf! Feel free to bring them all, Santa. :)

10. The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black - I didn't know how much I absolutely love this book until I read it, so I didn't pre-order a copy. And for some reason, I still haven't bought it! Share the love, Santa!

I've read almost all of the books listed above,
but for some reason or another, I haven't added them to my collection yet.
Santa, feel free to bring my ANY of these books!
Haha!

What books would you like Santa to bring you this year??

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!



Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday #178 - Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23009402-saint-anything
Saint Anything
by Sarah Dessen
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: May 5th 2015
Publisher:
Viking Juvenile
ISBN:
9780451474704

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23009402-saint-anything

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

Peyton, Sydney's charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion's share of their parents' attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton's increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans. (Goodreads)

Yay!! Another Sarah Dessen novel!
I can't wait to have this in my life. I loooooove Sarah Dessen!
I already have this pre-ordered, and May 2015 is not going to get here soon enough.
YAY!!
**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**


Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

December 16th: 
Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16429619-the-kiss-of-deceptionhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17234658-a-thousand-pieces-of-youhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17978160-open-road-summerhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20578940-the-iron-trial

1. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson - I loved SO much about this book. The characters, the mystery, the setting... It was such a great read, and definitely in my top ten list of best books in 2014!

2. A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray - I totally didn't know what to expect when I started this book. I was originally drawn in by the gorgeous cover, but in the end it was the story that totally blew me away. It was so great!

3. Open Road Summer by Emory Lord - I am a huge fan of YA contemporaries, so I knew I was really going to enjoy Open Road Summer. Expect.. I ended up loving the book instead! This was such an excellent read!

4. The Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare - I'm not a super huge fan of middle grade books, so I didn't know what to expect from this book. However, I ended up really loving it, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18296030-don-t-look-backhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20613491-trial-by-firehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18053047-maybe-one-dayhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18189606-since-you-ve-been-gone

5. Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout - My first experience with Jennifer Armentrout was a great one! I really loved everything about this book. The characters, the mystery, everything. It all blended together for such an incredible read, and I can't wait to read more from this author.

6. Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini - I will read just about anything by Josephine Angelini, including her shopping list! Trial by Fire was such a unique read, I absolutely loved the storyline, and I'm dying to get my hands on the next book in the series!

7. Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor - Melissa Kantor was another new-to-me author, and Maybe One Day is one of those rare books that is going to stick with me for years to come. I adored this book so much, it's one of the few that had me bawling big ugly tears, and I loved every minute of it.

8. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson - This is the first book I've read by Matson as well, and I ended up completely loving it. This is one of those books that a friend sent me, and I knew there was a lot of hype around it, but I didn't know why. After I read the book, and loved it, I can see why everyone else did as well.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17883441-the-forever-songhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after

9. The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa - Omg, this is a series that I just didn't want to end. I was hoping that the final book would be a really great ending, and it totally was!

10. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins - Yet another series that I didn't want to end! I anxiously waited and waited for this book to be released, and once I finally got my hands on it, it didn't disappoint at all. I loved it!


2014 was such a great year for YA books!
It was super hard to even come up with this list, 
I loved so many of them!

That's my Top Ten Fave Books of 2014!!
What's on your list??


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!


Monday, December 15, 2014

Merry Christmas Giveaway 2014!!

Merry Christmas, everyone!
2014 has been such a great year for books!
I've read over 100 amazing books,
and what better way to celebrate Christmas
than to share one of my 2014 favorites with YOU!







ONE lucky winner will get to choose ONE book from my favorites listed above.
There are lots of chances to enter, so please don't be shy!
I can't wait to share one of my faves with you.

Good luck!


The Rules:
ONE winner can chose ONE book listed above.
US and International Shipping
(Please make sure TheBookDepository.com ships to your area before entering!)
Winner be contacted on 12/24, and will have 48 hours to respond.
Must be 13 years or older to join.

By entering in this giveaway, you are agreeing to the terms above.


a Rafflecopter giveaway