February 2017 Wrap Up & Book Haul

*February Book Haul*

Purchased Books:
King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Starflight/Starfall by Melissa Landers

The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine

Review Books:

Done Dirt Cheap by Sarah Nicole Lemon

The Truth About Happily Ever After by Karole Cozzo

In Some Other Life by Jessica Brody

Wesley James Ruined my Life by Jennifer Honeybourn

Just Friends by Tiffany Pitchcock

The Traitor's Kiss by Erin Beaty

Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley

*February Wrap Up*

The Edge of Everything by Jeff Giles
Wait for Me by Caroline Leech *
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Wonder by R.J. Palacio *
Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan *
Starflight by Melissa Landers
Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage

* ebook/audiobook, not pictured


Ah, February was yet another great month for books!
I added so many great ones to my collection, and I'm hoping to start reading them soon.

I only managed to read 7 books this month, which was definitely not as many as I had hoped.
A few were ebooks and audiobooks, so those aren't pictured.
I did enjoy all of them though, and I'm hoping to have a better month in March!

How was your month?? What books did you add to your collection??

My Thoughts: Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage

Beautiful Broken Girls
by Kim Savage
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Publication Date: February 21st 2017
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780374300593
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Mystery
Source: Review Copy

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Available for Purchase:
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Remember the places you touched me.

The parts of Mira Cillo that Ben touched are etched on his soul.

Palm. Hair. Chest. Cheek. Lips. Throat. Heart.

It was the last one that broke her. After her death, Mira sends Ben on a quest for notes she left in the seven places where they touched—notes that explain why she and her sister, Francesca, drowned themselves in the quarry. How Ben interprets those notes has everything to do with the way he was touched by a bad coach years before. But the truth behind the girls’ suicides is far more complicated, involving a dangerous infatuation, a deadly miracle, and a crushing lie. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
The first thing that drew me to Beautiful Broken Girls was the stunning cover. If you know me at all, you know that I can't resist a gorgeous cover! Then there's also the fact that this was written by Kim Savage, who also wrote After the Woods, which I read last year and really enjoyed. I was super curious to start this to see what adventure she would take us on next.

The storyline for the book reminded me a little of Jay Asher's 13 Reasons Why, mostly in that the storyline revolves around a main character, Ben, who is looking for clues that his girlfriend left for him to explain her death. We read the story not only from Ben's point of view, but through the girl's point of view as well, which was really interesting to have both sides of the story. I always love this, as I feel we get so much more information when an author writes this way.

This book was a really quick read; I read it in just a day's time, which doesn't happen often lately. I was hooked as I turned the pages, and while I had a couple of questions as I closed the last page, I felt that it all wrapped up nicely in the end. I definitely want people to check this book out, so that they can come and discuss it with me!

Overall; the beautiful cover for Beautiful Broken Girls may have drew me in, but it was the mysterious and intriguing story that made me stay. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm now even more curious to check out Kim's next book, In Her Skin, which is due to release early next year!

Week in Review • Week 8

Ahh, finally. A pretty decent week for me!
I managed to read/finish a few books, and watched a few movies, as well
as caught up on my favorite shows.
Not too bad!

Here's what I've been up to...

Last week I was working my way through Wonder by R.J. Palacio and Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan, and I finished both of those early this week. I also listened to the audiobook for Starflight by Melissa Landers, to refresh my brain before I start StarFall, hopefully soon. I also read Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage. So, this is definitely the best reading week I've had in a while!

Did anyone catch the premiere of Big Little Lies?? I was super curious to finally watch it, and I really, really enjoyed it. The book was SO good, and I hope the show stays true to it.

I can't believe it, but Teen 2 and I are actually completely caught up on This is Us and Riverdale. This is a pretty big deal for me, as I am usually NEVER caught up on a series. 😆 This is also a little annoying however, as I HATE having to wait for the next episode. Sigh. We are enjoying these shows so much.

I also managed to sneak in a few movies this week as well! I had meant to watch Valentine's Day on Valentine's Day, but didn't get a chance to, but I still wanted to watch it. It's a cute, corny little movie, but I enjoy it. And I also FINALLY got to see Moana! I didn't get a chance to see it in theaters, but it came out on HD this week, so of course I had to watch. It's SO good, and I love the music as well!

Besides the kids keeping me busy, and all the stuff mentioned above, it's been a pretty quiet week for me, and that's just the way I like it!*grin* I'm really hoping for another good week next week, as I'm still behind on just about everything, but I'd love the chance to get caught up. :)

That's all for me this week...

My Thoughts: Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan

Rise of Fire
(Reign of Shadows #2)
by Sophie Jordan
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: February 7th 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780062377678
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Edelweiss

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

The richly suspenseful sequel to Sophie Jordan’s romantic fantasy Reign of Shadows.

Luna and Fowler have escaped the kingdom of Relhok, but they haven’t escaped the darkness. When a battle against the dark dwellers mortally injures Fowler, Luna is faced with a choice: put their fate in the hands of mysterious strangers or risk losing Fowler forever.

Desperate to keep the one bright part of her life alive, Luna accepts the help of soldiers from a nearby kingdom. Lagonia’s castle offers reprieve from the dangerous outside world—until the king discovers both Fowler's and Luna’s true ties to Relhok and their influence over the throne.

Now pawns in each kingdom’s political game, Luna and Fowler are more determined than ever to escape and build the life they’ve been dreaming of. But their own pasts have a tight hold on their hearts and their destinies. Luna must embrace the darkness and fire within her before she loses not only Fowler, but the power she was destined to inherit. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
Rise of Fire is the second book in the Reign of Shadows duology by the awesome Sophie Jordan. I read Reign of Shadows last year, and I've been really curious to see what's going to happen next. I love Sophie's books, so I was really looking forward to starting this one.

I was super excited to get back into this story to see what was going to happen next for Luna and Fowler, especially after that cliffhanger ending in Reign of Shadows. I really love these two characters. Luna proves over and over again throughout this series that she can take care of herself, and I love that about her, as well her caring heart. I also love Fowler's fierce need to protect Luna, even when she doesn't seem to need it. They are really a great pair. We don't see many of the secondary characters from the first book in this sequel, but we are introduced to quite a few new ones as the story goes along; a few that you will love, and more than a few that you will come to hate.

The storyline for the book follows the same arc as the first book, but the setting very different. In the first book, Luna and Fowler where in The Outside most of the time, and this time, they were in a castle for most of the book. To be completely honest, I really missed the outside world, though the dwellers, not so much. I didn't know when I started this second book that the series was a duology, so I was quite surprised when things started wrapping up at the end, which was nicely done.

Overall; Rise of Fire was an nice sequel and conclusion for the Reign of Shadows duology! As I mentioned above, I wasn't aware that this series was a duology, so I'm a little bummed that there won't be a third book. I've really enjoyed reading these books, and I hate to see them end!

Waiting on Wednesday #272 - Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

Windfall
by Jennifer E. Smith
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: May 2nd 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 9780399559372


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

Alice doesn’t believe in luck—at least, not the good kind. But she does believe in love, and for some time now, she’s been pining for her best friend, Teddy. On his eighteenth birthday—just when it seems they might be on the brink of something—she buys him a lottery ticket on a lark. To their astonishment, he wins $140 million, and in an instant, everything changes.

At first, it seems like a dream come true, especially since the two of them are no strangers to misfortune. As a kid, Alice won the worst kind of lottery possible when her parents died just over a year apart from each other. And Teddy’s father abandoned his family not long after that, leaving them to grapple with his gambling debts. Through it all, Teddy and Alice have leaned on each other. But now, as they negotiate the ripple effects of Teddy’s newfound wealth, a gulf opens between them. And soon, the money starts to feel like more of a curse than a windfall.

As they try to find their way back to each other, Alice learns more about herself than she ever could have imagined . . . and about the unexpected ways in which luck and love sometimes intersect. (Goodreads)

If you know me at all, you know I'm a HUGE fan of contemporary novels.
I can't help it, they are my faves.
*grin*

Windfall showed up on my doorstep a few weeks ago, and I absolutely can't wait to start it.
Just judging by the summary, it sounds like it's going to be a really great read.
And I've really enjoyed all the books I've read by Jennifer in the past, so I'm sure this one is going to be great as well. :)

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

Week in Review • Week 7

To be honest, Week 7 of 2017 was a bit of a disappointment!
I set out to accomplish so much, and then life stepped in the way.
Isn't that how it always goes??

Here's what I've been up to this week...

I didn't finish ANY books this week, which really sucks, and which really puts me behind on my reading schedule. Sigh. But, I'm currently reading Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan, and I also just started Wonder by R.J. Palacio today for book club, and I'm really excited to read it.



I only watched one movie this week, and it was When Harry Met Sally, which I watched with my book club girls! I hadn't seen it before, and I really enjoyed it!

(Side note -- I've never been much of a movie person until recently, so every month my book club girls pick a movie that I've never seen before and watch it with me, as a way to get me caught up! It's really SO MUCH FUN, and they have picked some really awesome movies so far!

Good news for me, basketball season is officially over!
Which means cheer season is over as well.
Which means I will have free time to read again. YAY!!
Here's hoping I can get back into a reading groove soon,

because I am SO behind. Ahhh!


That's all for me this week, so...

Top Five Reasons Why I'm Excited for Traitor of the Throne! (& Rebel of the Sands Giveaway!!)

Hey Bookworms!!

Today I'm sharing my *Top Five Reasons why I'm SUPER Excited for Traitor of the Throne* by Alwyn Hamilton, and sharing a giveaway so YOU can win your own copy of Rebel of the Sands!

I've just recently finished my reread of Rebel of the Sands, which I started in anticipation of the Traitor of the Throne release in March. I was super excited to have the opportunity to reread Rebel of the Sands, as really wanted to have the story fresh in my mind before I started Traitor of the Throne. This reread, of course, just made me even more excited to start Traitor, and I can't wait to dive into the story!!

Check out my Top Five reasons why I'm excited for
Traitor of the Throne:

1. Amani Al'Hiza.

Amani is the main character in this series, and she alone is reason enough to be excited for Traitor of the Throne. This girl is AMAZING. She's strong and courageous, and proves over and over again throughout Rebel of the Sands that she can take care of herself. I love Amani, and I absolutely can't wait to see what she's up to next in Traitor of the Throne.


2. The Secondary Characters.


I had to put Amani in her own category because she's just so awesome, but I also have to mention the secondary characters that are in the story! There are SO many well written characters in this book, and I can't wait to see what all they're up to, and to meet all the new characters that I'm sure will be in Traitor to the Throne as well!


3. The Story.

I can't seem to get enough of the world that Alywn created in Rebel of the Sands. The descriptions of the setting are perfection, and the story is one that will keep you completely captivated as you turn the pages. It's full of action and suspense, magic and mystical creations, and, most importantly, djinni! I can't wait to completely immerse myself in this world again with Traitor of the Throne!


4. The Cover.

I'm not really a fan of cover changes mid series, and while I still love the old covers a lot, I actually really love the new covers for Rebel and Traitor as well! Amani looks amazing and fierce on these covers, and I definitely love that.



5. That Ending.

If you've read Rebel of the Sands, you'll know that it ends in a way that will leave you pining away for the next book in the series. I am absolutely dying to know what is going to happen next for Amani and her friends in Traitor of the Throne! Not too much longer until we find out!

There  you have it, just a few reasons why I'm excited for Traitor of the Throne.
So tell me, are you excited as well???

If you've not yet read this series, you totally should!
Keep reading to learn more about Rebel of the Sands,
and it's lovely author, Alwyn Hamilton.
And don't forget to enter to win your own copy as well!!

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The Giveaway:

Enter for a chance to win one (1) of ten (10) paperback copies of Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton (ARV: $10.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on February 13, 2017 and 12:00 AM on March 6, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about March 8, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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REBEL OF THE SANDS Summary:

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.

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Author Bio:

Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her childhood bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She grew up in a small town there, which might have compelled her to burst randomly into the opening song from Beauty and the Beast were it not for her total tone-deafness. She instead attempted to read and write her way to new places and developed a weakness for fantasy and cross-dressing heroines. She left France for Cambridge University to study History of Art at King’s College, and then to London where she became indentured to an auction house. She has a bad habit of acquiring more hardcovers than is smart for someone who moves house quite so often. Follow her at @AlwynFJH.

Waiting on Wednesday #271 - A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Wings and Ruin
(A Court of Thorns and Roses #3)
by Sarah J. Maas
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: May 2nd 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
ISBN: 9781408857908


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

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all. (Goodreads)

Ahhh, the cover for this book is SO pretty!
I had to admit, this series definitely has the best covers.
I still need to read A Court of Mist and Fury, which I'm hoping to get to soon,
but I can't wait to add this book to my collection. :)

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

My Thoughts: Wait for Me by Caroline Leech

Wait for Me
by Caroline Leech
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: January 31st 2017
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780062459886
Genre: Young Adult | Historical Fiction
Source: Review Copy

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Available for Purchase:
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The perfect blend of sweet romance and historical flavor, Wait for Me, from debut author Caroline Leech, brings a fresh new voice to a much-loved genre.

It’s 1945, and Lorna Anderson’s life on her father’s farm in Scotland consists of endless chores and rationing, knitting Red Cross scarves, and praying for an Allied victory. So when Paul Vogel, a German prisoner of war, is assigned as the new farmhand, Lorna is appalled. How can she possibly work alongside the enemy when her own brothers are risking their lives for their country?

But as Lorna reluctantly spends time with Paul, she feels herself changing. The more she learns about him—from his time in the war to his life back home in Germany—the more she sees the boy behind the soldier. Soon Lorna is battling her own warring heart. Loving Paul could mean losing her family and the life she’s always known. With tensions rising all around them, Lorna must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice before the end of the war determines their fate. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
One of the goals that I set myself for this year was to read more historical fiction novels. I love the genre, but haven't had the chance to read nearly enough of them, and I really wanted to find more to read this year. When I discovered Wait for Me by Caroline Leech, which is set during WWII, I couldn't wait to check it out. This book, you guys, it was a really great read.

As I mentioned above, the storyline for the book was set during WWII, but the location was set in Scotland, which I found fascinating because all the other books I've read during this time period have been set in London and such. There were some moments throughout the story that had me holding my breath in anticipation, sometimes for good reasons, and sometimes bad. I can't imagine living during that time period, but the author did a great job of describing everything for us.

There were so many characters in this book that I really loved, including the main character, Lorna, who was just an awesome young lady. There's also Paul, who you really just can't help but love for all sorts of different reasons. I could seriously go on and on about some of the characters in the novel, but I'd really rather you read the book and discover them yourself!

Overall; Wait for Me was such a great read. I seriously didn't want the book to end, and I totally plan to reread it again soon. I'm really looking forward to reading more by this author in the future, and I also can't wait to read some more historical fiction books I have picked out soon. Add this book to your TBR, and read it asap!

Week in Review • Week 6

Another insane week in the books! And by insane, I mean INSANE!
Birthday's and holidays and school closings, and SO MUCH GOING ON.
Here's what I've been up to...

This week I finished two books, Wait for Me by Caroline Leech, which was a great historical fiction novel set during WWII, and Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, which I have a fun post coming up for this coming week. This was my second time reading Rebel of the Sands, which I read as a refresher before starting Traitor to the Throne. I'm so glad I reread it, as there were some things I had forgotten!

This week I started my Valentine's Day rom-com fest. (I can't resist a good rom-com!)
This week I watched The Wedding Planner, Clueless, The Proposal and Princess Diaries 2.
These are just a few of my favorite rom-coms, and I can't wait to watch even more.



We also went to see The Space Between Us in the theater, and it was really good.
I'm hoping to get in a few more movies for Vday, but we shall see how this week goes.

As I mentioned above, a lot has been going on here lately. We have 2 birthdays this month,

so those are always fun. Then we have the holidays as well, which can be super fun.
But then we have school closings due to widespread illness in the area, which is not fun.
Seriously, I live in a pretty big city, and I've NEVER heard of our schools closing for illness.
Yes, the smaller counties around us have, but never ours. So things must be pretty bad.
I am keeping the Lysol company in business lately, because I SO do not want to get sick.
Fingers crossed!

That's about all for me this week. How was your week??