Wednesday, February 28, 2018

February 2018 Wrap Up & Book Haul!


Happy Wednesday, Bookworms! And Happy Last Day of February as well!!

Can you believe the month went by so quickly?? It was a pretty great month for books, but I'm totally reading to move on to March and the new books it holds for me as well!

Here are what I books I read and added to my collection this month!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (New Hardback Edition)
The Traitor Prince by C.J. Redwine
Hamilton and Peggy: A Revolutionary Friendship by L.M. Elliott
Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia
Say You'll Remember Me by Katie McGarry
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
Still Me by Jojo Moyes
Sightwitch by Susan Dennard

I've also been buying Harry Potter books little by little over the past few months,
and I now have a whole second set of the series!
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli *
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling *
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton *
Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard *
The Crown's Game by Evelyn Sky
Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Say You'll Remember Me by Katie McGarry
Beautiful Broken Hearts by Kami Garcia
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi *
The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine

* = Re-reads

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan
My Unexpected Forever by Heidi Mclaughlin
Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston
What Happened by Hillary Clinton

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If you can tell, February was a great month for books!
I adore all the new books that I added to my collection this month,
and all of the funky vintage cameras that I started collecting as well!

I managed to read 20 books this month as well,
which is pretty awesome, and I hope I keep that mojo going for next month!

That's about all of me this month!!
How many books did you read and add to your collection this month??

Waiting on Wednesday #307 - Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren & I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36206591-love-and-other-words
Love and Other Words
by Christina Lauren
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: April 10th 2018
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 9781471173721

Add to Goodreads

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

Love, loss, friendship, and the betrayals of the past all collide in this first women’s fiction novel from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Autoboyography, Dating You / Hating You).

The story of the heart can never be unwritten.

Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother...only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love. (Goodreads)

My first WOW pick week is Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren! I've actually had a review copy of this book for a while now, and I absolutely can't wait to get started on it. All the books I've read by these ladies I've enjoyed, and I'm hoping that I will this one as well!

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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36470842-i-have-lost-my-way
I Have Lost My Way
by Gayle Forman
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: April 1st 2018
Publisher: Penguin Random House
ISBN: 9781471173721

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

A powerful story of empathy and friendship from the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of If I Stay.

Around the time that Freya loses her voice while recording her debut album, Harun is making plans to run away from everyone he has ever loved, and Nathaniel is arriving in New York City with a backpack, a desperate plan, and nothing left to lose. When a fateful accident draws these three strangers together, their secrets start to unravel as they begin to understand that the way out of their own loss might just lie in help­ing the others out of theirs.

An emotionally cathartic story of losing love, finding love, and dis­covering the person you are meant to be, I Have Lost My Way is best­selling author Gayle Forman at her finest. (Goodreads)

My second WOW pick this week is the new Gayle Forman. Why, you may ask, am I waiting on this book? Well, it's Gayle Forman, and she has yet to disappoint. I'm super excited to read this one as well!

That's all for me this week!
Now it's your turn...

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


Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Could Re-read Forever

February 27: Books I Could Re-read Forever

Happy Tuesday, Bookworms!! I'm super excited about today's Top Ten Tuesday post, as I could totally go on and on about all the books I could re-read and why. I can't believe I used to not be a re-reader, but I started re-reading book series I wanted to finish last year, and completely fell in love!

Listed below are just a few books I could totally re-read forever! All of them I've either already re-read this year, or plan to re-read again soon!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17372039-harry-potter-and-the-sorcerer-s-stone https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36371679-pride-and-prejudice

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling - I have read this book four separate times now, (and the whole series 3 times), and it's definitely a book (series) that I could re-read forever! The year before last (I think), I decided that I would do a yearly re-read of this series every year, and that was seriously one of the best decisions I've ever made. :)

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - I also decided to re-read this this book every year, as it is one of my most favorite reads ever, and I could re-read this book forever and ever and EVER!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15749186-to-all-the-boys-i-ve-loved-before https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19547856-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda

3. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - I re-read the first two books in this series last year, to prep myself for reading Always and Forever, Lara Jean, and I absolutely loved re-reading it. I may have to do a yearly re-read of this series as well!

4. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli - Oh! I read this book for the second time just last month, and why have I not read this book more?!! I loved it so much, I could definitely re-reading it over and over again!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22055262-a-darker-shade-of-magic https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16429619-the-kiss-of-deception

5. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab - I've only read this book once, but I'm definitely thinking I am going to re-read it again soon, especially since I need to re-read the series!

6. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson - I absolutely love this series, but, believe it or not, I haven't re-read it yet! I definitely plan to this year, especially with the spin-off series coming out later this year. I can't wait to re-read it!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9361589-the-night-circus https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27883214-caraval

7. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - I read this book for the first time last year, but it's definitely a book that I can re-read over and over again! The story was so magical and engrossing, and I completely need to dive into it again asap!

8. Caraval by Stephanie Garber - I'm planning my re-read of Caraval soon, and I'm so excited to read it again! I'm absolutely fascinated with stories set at the carnival and circus, and unfortunately I do not have enough books like that in my collection, so I'm just going to re-read this and The Night Circus over and over again!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15507958-me-before-you https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9969571-ready-player-one

9. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - I started my re-read of this series in January of this year, to refresh my brain before Still Me was released, and I enjoyed re-reading it so much! (And to think I almost decided against re-reading it. I'm so glad I did it anyways!)

10. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - I read this book for the first time last month, and LOVED the story! I will definitely be re-reading it again ASAP!




Monday, February 26, 2018

My Thoughts: Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35181314-heart-of-iron
Heart of Iron
by Ashley Poston
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: February 27th 2018
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 480
ISBN: 9780062652850
Genre: Young Adult | Science Fiction
Source: Edelweiss

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Available for Purchase:
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Seventeen-year-old Ana is a scoundrel by nurture and an outlaw by nature. Found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android called D09, Ana was saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family. But D09—one of the last remaining illegal Metals—has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him.

Ana’s desperate effort to save D09 leads her on a quest to steal the coordinates to a lost ship that could offer all the answers. But at the last moment, a spoiled Ironblood boy beats Ana to her prize. He has his own reasons for taking the coordinates, and he doesn’t care what he’ll sacrifice to keep them.

When everything goes wrong, she and the Ironblood end up as fugitives on the run. Now their entire kingdom is after them—and the coordinates—and not everyone wants them captured alive.

What they find in a lost corner of the universe will change all their lives—and unearth dangerous secrets. But when a darkness from Ana’s past returns, she must face an impossible choice: does she protect a kingdom that wants her dead or save the Metal boy she loves? (Goodreads)


I have to admit, the first thing that drew me to Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston was that completely gorgeous cover. (I can't resist a pretty cover!) BUt it wasn't just the cover that drew me to the book, the story sounded really awesome as well, and I couldn't wait to check it out.

Let me get this started by saying that the storyline for the book was really interesting, even if it was a little predictable. I figured out which direction the story was going to go earlier on in the book, but it was still entertaining. The ending did take a different turn than I was expecting, so that was nice as well. I love the whole space pirates/royal kingdom theme that the story had going on. I can seriously never have too many pirate books on my TBR, regardless of if they're out on the sea, or even in space. I really enjoyed those parts of the book the most!

There are a lot of interesting characters in the book, and the story is narrated to us by four of those characters. You'd think this would get confusing after a while, but it didn't, and I really enjoyed reading the story from the different viewpoints. I always feel like you get so much more information when a story is done this way, and I love it. As I mentioned, all the characters were interesting, and it's hard to choose a favorite among them.

Overall, Heart of Iron was a really interesting read, and I'm pretty curious to see where the story will go next. I'm assuming that this is the first book in what will be a series, especially after that pretty massive cliffhanger ending, but I have yet to find any information confirming this. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for information on the next book.

Sunday, February 25, 2018

My Week in Review • Week 8



Happy Sunday, and Welcome to my weekly Week in Review post!

Here I share all the things I've been up to during the past week.
Check back every Sunday for new updates!

Now, here's what I've been up to this week!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26156203-the-crown-s-game https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30256103-the-wish-granter

This week was not the best reading week for me, and I'm really not sure why. *shrug* I did manage to read two new-to-me books, the first being The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye. I listened to the audio for this book, which is narrated by Steve West, who I LOOOOOVE, and I'm really looking forward to reading The Crown's Fate now.

The second new-to-me book I read this week was The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine. I've been meaning to read this book for FOREVER, but now that the third book in the series has been released, I figured I'd better get started on this one. It was an interesting Rumpelstiltskin retelling, and I'm hoping to have my thoughts for the book up on the blog this week!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29739361-traitor-to-the-throne

I also officially finished my re-read of Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton, and I'm SOOOO excited to get started on Hero of the Fall this coming week! I'm so curious to know what is going to happen next in this series. :)

I did not watch any movies this week, unfortunately, but I did watch a few episodes of Timeless! I love this show, and I'm determined to get caught up before season 2 premieres!



https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfl6P3TloeZ/

March is right around the corner, which means it's almost time for #AlltheBooksMarch,
the March Book Challenge hosted by Lori (@loriimagination) and I! It's going to be a lot of fun, so if you're thinking about joining us, you totally should!!


This past week has been so weird. I feel like I didn't accomplish much, but I have no idea what I did all week. *cackle* Don't you hate it when that happens??

If you follow me on Twitter, you'll know that this weekend I officially broke up with a book I've been struggling through. (Whaaaaat? I never do that!) Right? I absolutely hate DNFing a book, but the more I try to struggle through to finish them, the more I wonder WHY I am wasting time on something I don't like, when there are so many other things I could be doing. So, I'm breaking up with my book. I feel TERRIBLE about it, but hopefully these things get easier with time. Right?? RIGHT?! :)

Ok, that's about all for me this week! How was your week??

Friday, February 23, 2018

My Thoughts: Say You'll Remember Me by Katie McGarry

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35133826-say-you-ll-remember-me
Say You'll Remember Me
by Katie McGarry
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: January 30th 2018
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 452
ISBN: 9780373212378
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Own

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

When Drix was convicted of a crime--one he didn't commit--he thought his life was over. But opportunity came with the new Second Chance Program, the governor's newest pet project to get delinquents off the streets, rehabilitated and back into society. Drix knows this is his chance to get his life back on track, even if it means being paraded in front of reporters for a while.

Elle knows she lives a life of privilege. As the governor's daughter, she can open doors with her name alone. But the expectations and pressure to be someone she isn't may be too much to handle. She wants to follow her own path, whatever that means.

When Drix and Elle meet, their connection is immediate, but so are their problems. Drix is not the type of boy Elle's parents have in mind for her, and Elle is not the kind of girl who can understand Drix's messy life.

But sometimes love can breach all barriers.

Fighting against a society that can't imagine them together, Drix and Elle must push themselves--Drix to confront the truth of the robbery, and Elle to assert her independence--and each other to finally get what they deserve. (Goodreads)



I have to admit, it has been way too long since I've read a new book by Katie McGarry, (even though I currently have THREE of her books sitting unread on my shelf), but I just couldn’t resist reading her newest book, Say You'll Remember Me, the moment it landed in my mailbox. I've read Katie’s Pushing the Limits series a few years back, as well as the first book in the Thunder Road series, all of which I loved, so I knew this one would be great as well. And it was!!

Can I start off by saying that I’m a sucker for a good contemporary novel? It’s my favorite genre, and one of the reasons why I’m such a big fan of Katie’s books. Don’t get me wrong, I love almost all genres of books, but there’s just something about a good contemporary that always gets me, especially when it’s a love story. (I love those stories the most!) I expected this book to have the typical bad-boy-turned-good storyline, but there was really so much more to it than that. I appreciate how relatable it was, and a lot of things in the story, unfortunately, are actually happening in the real world right now. It was very realistic.

Another thing I really like about the story was the characters. Elle was a bit of a pushover in the beginning of the story, but I enjoyed watching her character grow into a much more confident person over the course of the book. It was, however, Drix that completely stole the story. Convicted for a crime that he didn’t commit, serving time and having that on his record, and having no one believe him… that was heartbreaking. And worse is, this actually happens. I don’t want to give too much of the story away, so read if for yourself to learn Drix and Elle’s story. It’s really sweet, and impactful as well.

Overall; I really enjoyed reading Say You'll Remember Me, and I'm so glad to have finally read something new by Katie. Now I need to finish the Thunder Road series soon, which, of course, will start with a re-read of Nowhere But Here, and I may just have to re-read the Pushing the Limits series as well, just because I love that series so much. *wink* If you're a fan of contemporary novels, or just of Katie's novels in general, do check out Say You'll Remember Me! I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did.

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Waiting on Wednesday #306 - A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir and Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30809786-a-reaper-at-the-gates
A Reaper at the Gates
(An Ember in the Ashes #3)
by Sabaa Tahir
Website | Twitter | Facebook

Publication Date: June 12th 2018
Publisher: Razorbill
ISBN: 9780448494500

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

Beyond the Empire and within it, the threat of war looms ever larger.

The Blood Shrike, Helene Aquilla, is assailed on all sides. Emperor Marcus, haunted by his past, grows increasingly unstable, while the Commandant capitalizes on his madness to bolster her own power. As Helene searches for a way to hold back the approaching darkness, her sister’s life and the lives of all those in the Empire hang in the balance.

Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. But while hunting for a way to bring him down, Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would aid her, and is drawn into a battle she never thought she’d have to fight.

And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. But in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that will stop at nothing to ensure Elias’s devotion—even at the cost of his humanity. (Goodreads)

Admittedly, I am a little behind on this series. I read the first book and really enjoyed it, but haven't yet read the second book, even though I own it as well. I'm hoping to re-read the first book soon so that I can finally read the second book, and then read this one as well!

I also have to admit that I'm seriously bummed about the cover changes mid-series. As I mentioned, I have copies of the first two books, and they are the old covers. Bummer!

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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32505753-ash-princess
Ash Princess
(Ash Princess Trilogy #1)
by Laura Sebastian
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: April 24th 2018
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9781524767068

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

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Queen of Flame and Fury, was murdered before her eyes. Ten years later, Theo has learned to survive under the relentless abuse of the Kaiser and his court as the ridiculed “Ash Princess.” Pretending to be empty-headed and naive when she's not enduring brutal whippings, she pushes down all other thoughts but one: Keep the Kaiser happy and he will keep you safe.

When the Kaiser forces her to execute her last hope of rescue, Theo can't keep her feelings and memories pushed down any longer. She vows revenge, throwing herself into a plot to seduce and murder the Kaiser's warrior son with the help of a group of magically gifted and volatile rebels. But Theo doesn't expect to develop feelings for the Prinz. Or for her rebel allies to challenge her friendship with the one person who's been kind to her throughout the last hopeless decade: her heart's sister, Cress.

Cornered into impossible choices and unable to trust even those who are on her side, Theo will have to decide how far she's willing to go to save her people and how much of herself she's willing to sacrifice to become queen. (Goodreads)

Does my second pick for this week sound really awesome, or what? (Plus that book cover is pretty stunning as well!) I am super curious about this one, and I can't wait to check it out ASAP!!

Those are my picks for the week, now it's your turn!!
**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**


Monday, February 19, 2018

My Thoughts: Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (Audiobook)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29236299-gemina
Gemina
(The Illuminae Files #2)
by Amie Kaufman
(Website | Twitter | Facebook)
& Jay Kristoff
(Website | Twitter | Facebook)

Publication Date: October 18th 2016
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages:663
ISBN: 9780553499155
Genre: Young Adult | Sci-Fi
Source: Own

Add to Goodreads

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

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope. (Goodreads)


I have been trying to work Gemina onto my reading list ever since it was first released, and now that I have officially read the book, I'm kicking myself for not having read it sooner! Illuminae was such a good book, and I really enjoyed it SO much, and I have no idea why I put off reading this book. (Yes I do, so many books, so little time...) But, I finally read the book and it was awesome, just like I knew it would be!

Before I started reading Gemina, I decided to re-read the first book, Illuminae, so that the story would be fresh in my mind. I've just recently started doing this with book series that I haven't yet finished, and with book series that have new books coming out for them, and it's seriously one of the best decisions I've ever made. I had forgotten so much of the story, (which happens when you read as many books as I do), and the refresher was just what I needed. Not only did I start to remember all the things that I had forgotten, but the re-read also made me super stoked to read Gemina as well, and I couldn't wait to dive into the book.

I opted to listen to the audiobook both for my re-read of Illuminae, as well as for Gemina, and this is yet another one of the best decisions I've ever made. I've listened to a LOT of audiobooks lately, and I can honestly say that none I've listened to compare to those for Illuminae and Gemina. Not only do you get a FULL CAST of narrators for this series, all of who are pretty amazing as they read the story to you, but you ALSO get pretty awesome sound effects as well, which work perfectly with this series! (I remember one particular sound effect of a bomb going off just as I had stuck my head in the fridge, and it nearly scared the living daylights out of me. You had to be there, it was really awesome.) If you have the opportunity to check out this series in audio format, I highly recommend you do so! I will definitely be checking out the Obsidio, the third book, in audio as well.

Ok, I feel like I'm getting a little ramble-y with this review, so let me get back to the point. The storyline for Gemina follows much along the same timeline and storyline as Illuminae, just with a completely different cast of characters, though all of which were just as awesome as the characters in book one. Two of the main characters, Hanna and Nik, were both really interesting, but it was Ella that really stole the show. They all have quite the adventure in this book, and while the storyline felt so similar to that in the Illuminae, it also felt completely different as well, (if that makes any sense at all). I really enjoyed the book, and I can't wait to get my hands on Obsidio as soon as it's released!!

Overall; if you've made it this far, then you've probably figured out that I really enjoyed Gemina! It's an awesome story with great characters, and if you haven't yet checked out the series, then I highly recommend you add it to your TBR. And if you can get it in audiobook format, then yes, do check it out as soon as you possibly can. It's a great series, and I can't wait to get my hands on Obsidio in March!!