Thursday, March 31, 2016

March 2016 Wrap Up & Book Haul


March Book Haul

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry
The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski
Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige
The Rose & The Dagger by Renée Ahdieh
Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

*New Paperbacks to my Collection*
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Siege and Storm by by Leigh Bardugo
Ruin and Rising by by Leigh Bardugo
Legend by Marie Lu
Prodigy by by Marie Lu
Champion by Marie Lu


March Wrap Up

The Leaving Season by Cat Jordan
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
Wicked Sexy Liar by Christina Lauren
Wink Poppy Midnight by April
The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins
Seven Black Diamonds by Melissa Marr
The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas


So, March has been kind of an insane month for me.
I have SO much going on at the moment, and my reading/blogging time
has been lacking in the worst possible way.
I've barely been able to keep up.

April and May are both going to be busy months as well,
not only with all the things I have going on in real life,
but I have SO many review books to get through as well.

Here's hoping that I can actually keep up!!

Bring it on, April!! I think I'm ready. :)




Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #238 - Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28448239-bright-smoke-cold-fire
Bright Smoke, Cold Fire
by Rosamund Hodge
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: September 27th 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
ISBN:9780062369413
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28448239-bright-smoke-cold-fire

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

When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city’s most powerful—and warring—families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan—and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong—killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy . . . and perhaps turn against his own clan.

Mahyanai Runajo just wants to protect her city—but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.

Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. . . (Goodreads)

First, the cover for this book is GORGEOUS!!
I seriously love everything about it.
Second, the story sounds really, really awesome as well.
I'm SO excited to read it come September!!
**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**


Saturday, March 26, 2016

Blog Tour: The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25639296-the-darkest-corners
The Darkest Corners
by Kara Thomas
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: April 19th 2016
Publisher: Delacorte
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780553521467
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery
Source: For Review

Add to Goodreads

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

The Darkest Corners is a psychological thriller about the lies little girls tell, and the deadly truths those lies become.
    There are ghosts around every corner in Fayette, Pennsylvania. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened there that last summer. Memories of things so dark will burn themselves into your mind if you let them.
    Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the faces of her demons—and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.
    Tessa and Callie have never talked about what they saw that night. After the trial, Callie drifted and Tessa moved, and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.
    But ever since she left, Tessa has had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette—to Wyatt Stokes, sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the one other person who may be hiding the truth.
    Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer—and this time, it won’t be so easy to run away. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...

When I was first approached to read The Darkest Corners, I was definitely intrigued. I always love a good mystery, and I especially love them when they keep me guessing. I was hoping this one would do just that, because the story sounded awesome, and it did!

When Tessa was nine years old, her and her best friend, Callie, testified to help put a serial killer in jail. But did they really see what happened that night? When another body turns up, killed in the same way as the previous ones, the girls start to question if the right person is behind bars or not, or if there is killer is still at large.

Both Tessa and Callie have been through things that no child should ever have to go through. Having not seen each other for almost 10 years, their relationship was very strained when they first meet again, but before long they were working together to try to figure out what really happened. I really admired their determination throughout the story, even though they put themselves into some pretty dangerous situations more than a few times. Despite all they went through, these girls were very strong young ladies.

The storyline for this book is very mysterious and secretive. The first half of the book was a bit slow paced, as it was a lot of information gathering, but the second half was full of mystery and secrets and SO MUCH who-done-it guessing on my part. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out mystery novels pretty early on, and while I guessed right on one thing, there were SO many things that I completely missed, or were slipped in where I didn't expect them at all. I love that it keep me guessing throughout, and to be quite honest, it made me a little paranoid as well! I will totally be double checking my doors and windows tonight.

Overall; I really enjoyed The Darkest Corners, so much more than I expected to. Once I really got into the story, I absolutely could not put it down, and I love that it kept me guessing the whole time. Definitely check this out if you're into mystery reads! I'm definitely looking forward to reading more by this Kara Thomas in the future.

Happy Reading!!



Kara is the author of THE DARKEST CORNERS, coming from Penguin Random House/Delacorte Press in Spring 2016. She also wrote the Prep School Confidential series (St. Martin’s Press) and the pilot The Revengers for the CW under the pen name Kara Taylor. She’s represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media. You can find her on TwitterInstagram, or on the couch with her rescue cat, Felix.


Official Website : TheDarkestCornersBook.com


Don't forget to check out the rest of the stops on this blog tour!!

Blog Tour

3/14 Fresh Fiction 3/27 The Eater of Books! 4/9 Reading Nook Reviews
3/15 Jessabella Reads  3/28 Reading Teen 4/10 Downright Dystopian
3/16 Book Addict Confessions 3/29 Chapter by Chapter 4/11 Such A Novel Idea
3/17 Hollywood News Source 3/30 Winter Haven Books 4/12 Across the Words
3/18 Undeniably (Book) Nerdy 3/31 Once Upon A Twilight 4/13 Reviews From a Bookworm
3/19 Curling Up with a Good Book 4/1 Intellectual Recreation 4/14 Itching For Books
3/20 Out of Time 4/2 The Hiding Spot 4/15 Waste Paper Prose
3/21 Supernatural Snark 4/3 Carina Books 4/16 The Irish Banana
3/22 Live to Read, review 4/4 Cover Contessa  4/17 The Book Rat
3/23 Dark Faerie Tales  4/5 Me Read A Lot 4/18 YA Reads
3/24 Ex Libris 4/6 The Writer Diaries 4/19 No BS Book Review
3/25 Reading with Cupcakes 4/7 Whimsically Yours 4/20 Serenity’s Lovely Reads
3/26 The Reader Bee 4/8 Hook of a Book 4/21 Pandora’s Books





Thursday, March 17, 2016

Review: The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22428707-the-great-hunt
The Great Hunt
(Eurona Duology #1)
by Wendy Higgins
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: March 8th 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 416
ISBN: 9780062381330
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Retelling
Source: Edelweiss

Add to Goodreads

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

“Aerity…” Her father paused as if the words he was forming pained him. “I must ask you to sacrifice the promise of love for the sake of our kingdom.”

She could only stare back, frozen.


When a strange beast terrorizes the kingdom of Lochlanach, fear stirs revolt. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity knows her duty to the kingdom but cannot bear the idea of marrying a stranger…until a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention. There’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not the marrying type. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast—but the princess continues to surprise him, and the perilous secrets he’s buried begin to surface.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, and a princess willing to risk all to save her kingdom. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...

The Great Hunt is the very first book that I've ever read by the talented Wendy Higgins. I have been wanting to read something by her for forever, and I actually have her Sweet trilogy sitting on my shelf, just waiting for me to start it. Now that I've read The Great Hunt and know how awesome her writing is, I'm really looking forward to reading more by her soon!

There are so many characters that I love in this story. Aerity, princess of Lochlanach, was a wonderful princess. She was very much head-strong and determined, and willing to sacrifice her own happiness for her kingdom. Paxton was also very strong-willed, and was willing to do whatever he needed to do to keep his family safe and provided for. Aerity and Paxton didn't exactly get off to a great start, but once they did, they were a really great team. I loved both of these characters, and for so many different reasons.

There were also a lot of secondary characters in the novel that I loved as well, like Aerity's cousin, Wyneth, and her sister, Vixie, and Paxton's brother, Tiern. They were all so well written! And with as many characters as you will love, the story also comes a few that you will grow to hate. Read the book so you can meet these characters, I dare you to.

The storyline for the book was very creative. The idea that magic was illegal and that there were strange beasts terrorizing the kingdom definitely kept me entertained. This story was inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale “The Singing Bone,” which I have not read, but having read this retelling, I definitely want to check out in the future, as well as some of their other tales. I'm definitely curious!

Overall; The Great Hunt was a very entertaining read! I enjoyed the characters and the storyline so much, and I'm anxiously awaiting the second book in this duology, which is currently unnamed, but due to release in 2017. I also can't wait to get started on Wendy's Sweet trilogy as well, and I hope it's great!!



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Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #237 - It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27362503-it-ends-with-us
It Ends With Us
by Colleen Hoover
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: August 2nd 2016
Publisher: Atria Books
ISBN: 9781501110368
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27362503-it-ends-with-us

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

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up. She graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant and has a total soft spot for Lily; and the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head, but Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his no dating rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan, her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all too human characters, “It Ends with Us” is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price. (Goodreads)

I've just recently started reading ALL of the Colleen Hoover books,
and I'm so in love with her stories!!
I added this book to my TBR and pre-ordered it as soon as I heard about it.
It sounds SO good, and I can't wait to read it. :)
**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Spring TBR



March 15: Ten Books On My Spring TBR

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17928147-walk-the-edge https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20443235-the-winner-s-kiss

1. Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry - I love Katie McGarry, and I adore her new Thunder Road series!! I can't wait to continue the series with Walk the Edge, as I'm SO curious to read Razor's story.

2. The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski - As much as I hate to see the Winner's Trilogy end, I'm super curious to see what happens for Kestrel and Arin. They've definitely had an interesting journey during this series!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27272506-the-glittering-court https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25663637-when-we-collided

3. The Glittering Court by Richelle Mead - I'm always excited to read something new by a favorite author, and The Glittering Court sounds like it's going to be super interesting. I can't wait to read it!!

4. When We Collided by Emery Lord - Emery Lord!! I've had an arc of this book in my possession for a while now, and I'm hoping to start it within the next few days, but waiting has been SO HARD!! I love Emery's books, and I just know I'm going to love this newest release. :)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17378527-the-raven-king https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17838528-the-unexpected-everything

5. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater - The Raven Cycle is another series that I really don't want to see come to and end!! But I'm dying to know exactly how it ends for Blue and the boys. I hope they all get a great ending. :)

6. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson - Again, this is another favorite author that I can't wait to read something new by!! I love the books I've read by Morgan so far, and I'm excited to start this new story as well. It sounds like fun, and the cover is awesome!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17927395-a-court-of-mist-and-fury

7. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas- Seriously, who ISN'T waiting to read this book?? That's because we know it's going to be great! I really enjoyed A Court of Thorns and Roses, and I'm super excited to continue the story!

8. Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross by Katie Finn - Gah, I LOVED the first two books in the Broken Hearts & Revenge series, and I'm SO curious to know what's going to happen next. I'm not usually a fan of drama, but this series is full of it, and it's SO addictive!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26721568-the-problem-with-forever https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16131489-the-last-star

9. The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I've just recently become a fan of Armentrout's books, but I really, really enjoyed the books I've read by her so far, and I totally want to read more!! The Problem with Forever sounds great!!

10. The Last Star by Rick Yancey - I absolutely can't wait to see how this series is going to end!! I really enjoyed The 5th Wave and The Infinite Sea, and I'm dying to know how it all comes together for Cassie and crew.

These are just a few of the books I'm most excited to read this Spring!!
There are SOOOOO many awesome new releases coming out,
especially in May, and I totally want to read them ALL!!
2016 has been a great year for books!!

Monday, March 14, 2016

Review & Giveaway: Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23203106-wink-poppy-midnight
Wink Poppy Midnight
by April Genevieve Tucholke
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: March 22nd 2016
Publisher: Dial Books
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780803740488
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Mystery
Source: For Review

Add to Goodreads

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

Every story needs a hero.
Every story needs a villain.
Every story needs a secret.

Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.

What really happened?
Someone knows.
Someone is lying.
(Goodreads)

My Thoughts...

Wink Poppy Midnight is the first book I've read by April Genevieve Tucholke, although I've had her Between series on my to-be-read list for quite a while now. I was excited to finally read something by her, especially when it was recommended for fans of such novels as We Were Liars, The Raven Boys and The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer.

The story is told from three different characters points of view; Wink, Poppy and Midnight.  Each of these characters are interesting, and all for different reasons. Wink is the outcast, the freckled girl with the wild red hair, who lives on a farm with her huge family and who never lets it get to her when people try to bully her. Poppy is the popular girl, the girl who gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants, no matter what she has to do to get it. She's the bully of the story. And Midnight is the sweet boy who finds himself totally drawn to both Wink and Poppy for completely different reasons.

The storyline for the book was quite interesting, and the writing was beautiful, and strange, and even lyrical at times. The story was very much addictive, as well as a very quick read; I flew through the pages. I love that it was super mysterious, and kept me guessing throughout. I had no idea if what I thought to be true was really true. The ending really caught me by surprise, as it was not what I expected at all! I love a book that can keep me guessing.

Overall; Wink Poppy Midnight was my first read by April Genevieve Tucholke, but it definitely won't be my last! Having enjoy this book so much, I'm really looking forward to reading some of her previous work now, and Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is the first on my list to read, hopefully soon!


_______________________________________________


The Giveaway

Hero, Villain, Liar

Let's say you're writing a story of your own.
Who would be your hero? Your villain? Your liar??
Choose a character from your most favorite book, tv show or movie as your choice,
and leave a comment with your picks below!!

My hero would be Princess Lia from The Remnant Chronicles series,
because she's strong and awesome in so many ways.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16429619-the-kiss-of-deception

My villain would be President Snow from The Hunger Games.
Because he's about as evil as they come.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2767052-the-hunger-games

My liar would totally be Evan Walker from The 5th Wave.
Because, well, he's just the cutest little liar ever. ;)

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

Now, enter below to win a copy of Wink Poppy Midnight & more for yourself!
Don't forget to leave a comment with your choices as well.
I'm dying to know who you'd pick!!

Giveaway Details:

US Only
March 1 – March 26
3 winners will receive a finished copy of WINK POPPY MIDNIGHT,
SLASHER GIRLS & MONSTER BOYS,
and a mystery ARC from our Summer 2016 list!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday 236 - Like a River Glorious by Rae Carson

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18054071-like-a-river-glorious
Like a River Glorious
(The Gold Seer Trilogy #2)
by Rae Carson
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: September 27th 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow
ISBN: 9780062242945
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18054071-like-a-river-glorious

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

After a harrowing journey across the country, Leah Westfall and her friends have finally arrived in California and are ready to make their fortunes in the Gold Rush. Lee has a special advantage over the other new arrivals in California—she has the ability to sense gold, a secret known only by her handsome best friend Jefferson and her murdering uncle Hiram.

Lee and her friends have the chance to be the most prosperous settlers in California, but Hiram hasn’t given up trying to control Lee and her power. Sabotage and kidnapping are the least of what he’ll do to make sure Lee is his own. His mine is the deepest and darkest in the territory, and there Lee learns the full extent of her magical gift, the worst of her uncle, and the true strength of her friendships. To save everyone, she vows to destroy her uncle and the empire he is building—even at the cost of her own freedom.

The second epic historical fantasy in the Gold Seer trilogy by Rae Carson, the acclaimed author of The Girl of Fire and Thorns. (Goodreads)

 Ommmmmmmmmmmmmg, is this the most awesome cover, or what?
I absolutely loved Walk on Earth a Stranger,
and I'm dying to know what's going to happen next for Leah and friends.
I can't wait to get back to this story!!
**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

https://www.instagram.com/p/BB8a_V9jMQt/


Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Review: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24934065-rebel-of-the-sands
Rebel of the Sands
(Rebel of the Sands #1)
by Alwyn Hamilton
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: March 8th 2016
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780451477538
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: FirstToRead

Add to Goodreads

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

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...

Rebel of the Sands is one of those books that you think you will want to read, so you add it to your already too long to-be-read list, and think that you may get to it one day, eventually. Then you start seeing reviews and tweets for how awesome the book is, and you just know that you MUST READ IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Don't be the person who wants to wait to read this book. Be the person that MUST read it as soon as possibly can!! I'm so glad I did.

There were seriously so many great characters in this book. There are some that you are going to absolutely love, including the main character, Amani, who is a badass sharpshooter who can nail any target with a pistol, and take care of herself when she needs to. And there's Jin, who single handedly changes Amani's world forever almost as soon as they meet, as well as his crew of friends who are awesome. I could go on and on about all the characters I love in this book, but I'd rather you read it and meet them yourself.

And with the good, comes the bad. There are more than a few characters that you're going to really dislike as the story goes along, and unfortunately, a lot of them are related to poor Amani. What a tough life this girl has had, I found myself relating to her in so many ways throughout the story. I felt so bad for all that she had been through, but I loved watching her grow SO much as a character as the story went along.

I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started reading Rebel of the Sands. The reviews that I read were pretty vague, and that's what I'm going to do with this review. I don't want to spoil anything for you, so I'm going to keep it simple.  What I got from this novel was a completely addictive and entertaining story that had me flying through the pages. Not only were the characters awesome, but the storyline was completely captivating, and I was hooked from the very first page.

Overall; I enjoyed Rebel of the Sands so very much. Not only was the book entertaining and captivating, it was also a really quick read. I do hope that you will check it out yourself and that you enjoy it just as much as I did. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series, and I hope we don't have to wait too long to get it!



Monday, March 7, 2016

Review: The Leaving Season by Cat Jordan

The Leaving Season
by Cat Jordan

Publication Date: March 1st 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780062351371
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: For Review

Add to Goodreads

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

Middie Daniels calls it the Leaving Season—the time of year when everyone graduates high school, packs up their brand-new suitcases, and leaves home for the first time.

It happens every late August, but this year Middie’s boyfriend, Nate, is the one leaving. Nate, who’s so perfect that she can barely believe it. Nate, who makes her better than she is on her own. Nate, who’s promised to come back once he’s finished his gap year volunteering in Central America.

And when he does, it’ll be time for Middie to leave, too. With him.

But when tragedy strikes, Middie’s whole world is set spinning. No one seems to understand just how lost she is…except for Nate’s best friend Lee.

Middie and Lee have never gotten along. She’s always known that she was destined for great things, and Lee acts like he’s never cared about anything a day in his life. But with the ground ripped out from under her, Middie is finding that up is down—and that Lee Ryan might be just what she needs to find her footing once more.

Cat Jordan’s heartbreaking story proves that no matter the season, no matter the obstacles, love can help you find yourself in the most unexpected of places. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...

As soon as I discovered The Leaving Season by Cat Jordan, I knew it would be a book that I would want to read as soon as possible. The storyline sounded interesting, and contemporaries are my most favorite kinds of books. Seriously, I could totally read them all day long. And because of that, I really enjoyed this book.

Meredith, known as Middie by her friends and loved ones, was an interesting main character. She pretty much had her whole life planned out -- finish school, go to college, marry the love of her life -- her future was completely mapped out in her mind, and she set her life goals around that. When tragedy strikes, and Meredith is forced to find a way to move on with her life, she doesn't think that she can. But she slowly starts to open up, and starts to see that there is more to the world than what she had planned. It was interesting to watch her grow and change into a young lady who could have any life she wanted and be whoever she wanted to be.

When Meredith's world changes forever, there is only one person that completely understands what she's going through, and that's Lee. Lee was definitely the most interesting character in the story for me. He reminded me very much of Jess Mariano from the Gilmore Girls, and that's how exactly how I pictured Lee in the story. Just the way he acted and his mannerisms throughout the novel reminded me so much of Jess.  So, yeah, I kind of loved Lee, like, a lot. He really made the story for me.

The storyline for the book was heartbreaking, as well as hopeful. It's a story about loss and letting go, of finding yourself when you don't ever think you can. It's one of those books that's engrossing and thought-provoking, and you'll fly through the pages faster than you intended to. Also, there's lots of romantic tension throughout the story, this alone will keep you hooked. *wink*

Overall; I really enjoyed reading The Leaving Season. I'll definitely be checking out more books by Cat Jordan in the future, and I've added her to my list of authors to keep an eye out for. I totally want to read more!


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Thursday, March 3, 2016

Review: Firstlife by Gena Showalter

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25785357-firstlife
Firstlife
(Everlife #1)
by Gena Showalter
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: February 23rd 2016
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 480
ISBN: 9780373211579
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Netgalley

Add to Goodreads

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

ONE CHOICE.
TWO REALMS.
NO SECOND CHANCE.

Tenley “Ten” Lockwood is an average seventeen-year-old girl…who has spent the past thirteen months locked inside the Prynne Asylum. The reason? Not her obsession with numbers, but her refusal to let her parents choose where she’ll live—after she dies.

There is an eternal truth most of the world has come to accept: Firstlife is merely a dress rehearsal, and real life begins after death.

In the Everlife, two realms are in power: Troika and Myriad, longtime enemies and deadly rivals. Both will do anything to recruit Ten, including sending their top Laborers to lure her to their side. Soon, Ten finds herself on the run, caught in a wild tug-of-war between the two realms who will do anything to win the right to her soul. Who can she trust? And what if the realm she’s drawn to isn’t home to the boy she’s falling for? She just has to stay alive long enough to make a decision… (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...

Afterlife is only the third book I've read so far by the talented Gena Showalter, and to be honest, based on how much I enjoyed the previous books I've read of hers, I was really looking forward to reading something new by her, especially since it was in the young adult genre.

The main character in the story, Tenley Lockwood. When we first meet Ten, she's been locked away in an asylum for months, all because she wouldn't make a choice on where she would spend her afterlife. This asylum was more like a prison, doling out punishments meant to break a person so that they would change their mind and just make a choice already. This was an awful, horrid place, and my heart broke for Ten to see what all she had experienced during her time there.

But that didn't stop her at all from being quite a badass. She was able to take care of herself and defend herself when needed, which, to be honest, was quite often. But she did what she had to do to survive, and you can't fault her for that. The only thing that drove me crazy about Ten was her indecisiveness throughout the story. Every time I would think that she'd made up her mind about something, something would happen and she would change it again. This was pretty frustrating, to say the least, but otherwise, she was a very strong-willed character.

There's a bit of a love triangle in the story as well, one in which I chose a side pretty early on. Unfortunately, I don't believe my ship will sail the way I want it to, as it went the completely opposite direction in the story, but there's always hope for the next book!

The storyline for the book was definitely creative, and felt very unique. I can't say that I've read anything like it before. The idea of having a second life after you die is interesting. There were a few parts in the novel that were a bit confusing at times, but after I went back and reread them, they made a bit more sense. The book ends with a pretty massive cliffhanger, and I'm super curious to know what's going to happen in the next book.

Overall; despite a few issues I had with the book, I still found Firstlife to be an interesting read. I'll definitely be picking up Lifeblood, the second book in the Everlife series, to find out what's going to happen next for Tenley and crew.


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Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #235 - Frost Like Night by Sara Raasch

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28512486-frost-like-night
Frost Like Night
(Snow Like Ashes #3)
by Sara Raasch
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: September 20th 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
ISBN: 9780062286987
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28512486-frost-like-night

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

Angra is alive, his Decay is spreading—and no one is safe.

Meira will do anything to save her world. With Angra trying to break through her mental defenses, she desperately needs to learn to control her own magic—so when the leader of a mysterious Order from Paisly offers to teach her, she jumps at the chance. But the true solution to stopping the Decay lies in a labyrinth deep beneath the Season Kingdoms. To defeat Angra, Meira will have to enter the labyrinth, destroy the very magic she’s learning to control—and make the biggest sacrifice of all.

Mather will do anything to save his queen. He needs to rally the Children of the Thaw, find Meira—and finally tell her how he really feels. But with a plan of attack that leaves no kingdom unscathed and a major betrayal within their ranks, winning the war—and protecting Meira—slips farther and farther out of reach.

Ceridwen will do anything to save her people. Angra had her brother killed, stole her kingdom, and made her a prisoner. But when she’s freed by an unexpected ally who reveals a shocking truth behind Summer’s slave trade, Ceridwen must take action to save her true love and her kingdom, even if it costs her what little she has left.
As Angra unleashes the Decay on the world, Meira, Mather, and Ceridwen must bring the kingdoms of Primoria together…or lose everything. (Goodreads)

Ahhhh!!
I can't wait for this book to be released so I can get back into this world!!
I'm dying to know how this series is going to end for these characters.
I'm So curious!!
Also, this is another gorgeous cover for the series, and I can't wait to add it to my shelf!!
**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

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