Thursday, January 31, 2019

February Bookstagram Challenge!! #AlltheBooksFeb19

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtJD9k7nE7r/

Are you looking for a fun Book Challenge to participate in for February??
If so, head over to Instagram and join Lori (loriimagination) and I 
for our February Book Challenge, #AlltheBooksFeb19!!

Why should you join along?

1. It's a lot of fun!

2. You get to see awesome book photos ALL DAY LONG!!

3. It's great way to discover new books, and meet new people!

4. Did I mention that you get to see photos of books all day?
(It's seriously the best!)

Sound like fun? It is! Head over to Instagram and check it out!!

#AlltheBooksFebruary19

My January 2019 Wrap Up & Book Haul!


Happy Last day of January, Bookworms!!

Can you believe January is over already??
It seems like it just started yesterday!

Did you get a lot of reading done this month??
I did not get as much as I had hoped done,
but I did add a lot of new books to my collection,
so there's that! :)

Here's my January Wrap Up & Book Haul:



King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman
The Young Elites by Marie Lu
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
China Rich Girlfriend & Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan
Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Only a Breathe Apart by Katie McGarry
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff
Slayer by Kiersten White
Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus
LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff
The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Undying by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
The Wicked King by Holly Black


Haul from Publishers:

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang
Ayesha At Last by Azma Jalaluddin
(Courtesy of Berkley Romance)

As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner
The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick
(Courtesy Berkley Publishing)

Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett
(Courtesy Simon & Schuster)

Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss by Kasie West
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
(Courtesy Harper Collins)

Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard
(Courtesy of TorTeen & Big Honcho Media)

Enchantee by Gita Trelease
(Courtesy of Flatiron Books)

(Books Read in January)
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black *
99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss by Kasie West
Slayer by Kiersten White
Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus
Talon by Julie Kagawa
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen *

*Not Pictured*
An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

* = Re-Reads

So, it was a pretty great month for new books,
but not such a great month for reading books.
:p

Here's hoping that I have a better month in February!!

How was your month??


Wednesday, January 30, 2019

My Thoughts: Four Three Two One by Courtney Stevens

Four Three Two One
by Courtney Stevens
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: November 13th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9780062398543
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy

Add to Goodreads

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

In this contemporary YA novel, a girl reunites with the three other survivors of a bus bombing that killed nineteen people, and together they face the secrets, struggles, and emotional warfare that each has been enduring.

Golden “Go” Jennings wasn’t supposed to be on Bus 21 the day it blew up in New York City. Neither was her boyfriend, Chandler. But they were. And so was Rudy, a cute stranger whom Go shared a connection with the night before. And Caroline, a girl whose silence ended up costing nineteen people their lives.

Though it’s been a year since the bombing, Go isn’t any closer to getting over what happened. Since Chan shuts down every time Go brings that day up, she decides to reach out to Rudy. Just like that, the two fall right back into their easy, deep connection. Facing the past head-on with Rudy has opened up a small window of healing Go never thought was possible. So she makes an impulsive decision: Round up the rest of the survivors and head to New York City. There they will board an art installation made of the charred remnants of Bus 21.

But things are never easy when it comes to rehashing the past. Uniting the four stirs up conflicting feelings of anger and forgiveness and shows them that, although they all survived, they may still need saving. (Goodreads)


I was super curious to read Four Three Two One by Courtney C. Stevens, not only because the story sounded really interesting, but also because I have wanted to read something by Courtney for the longest, and this sounded like a great place to start! This book was definitely an interest read.

I want to start this by saying that the storyline for this book was definitely intriguing. It’s about a group of kids that survived a bus bombing that killed 19 people. Not only do we get the story about the tragic, horrific event, but we also get the story that happened before, and after as well. Reading this story as it alternated back and forth around the bombing were hard to read at times, but were also inspiring in how these kids learned to cope afterward.

The characters in this book were all so interesting. They have all been through so much, and seeing how each one coped with what happened was both heartbreaking and inspiring. I don’t think I could have handled it anywhere close to how these kids did. But I loved watching the relationships between them grow as they meet again after the bombing, and how they learned to cope together with what happened.

Overall; Four Three Two One is the very first book that I have read so far by Courtney C. Stevens, but it definitely will not be my last! I am super curious now to dive into some of her other books, and I do believe The Lies About The Truth will be the next book I read by her, hopefully soon!


Waiting on Wednesday: Courting Darkness and Lady Smoke

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37569347-courting-darkness
Courting Darkness
(Courting Darkness Duology #1)
by Robin LaFevers
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: February 5th 2019
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780544991194

Add to Goodreads

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

Death wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning…

Sybella has always been the darkest of Death’s daughters, trained at the convent of Saint Mortain to serve as his justice. But she has a new mission now. In a desperate bid to keep her two youngest sisters safe from the family that nearly destroyed them all, she agrees to accompany the duchess to France, where they quickly find themselves surrounded by enemies. Their one ray of hope is Sybella’s fellow novitiates, disguised and hidden deep in the French court years ago by the convent—provided Sybella can find them.

Genevieve has been undercover for so many years, she struggles to remember who she is or what she’s supposed to be fighting for. Her only solace is a hidden prisoner who appears all but forgotten by his guards. When tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to take matters into her own hands—even if it means ignoring the long awaited orders from the convent.

As Sybella and Gen’s paths draw ever closer, the fate of everything they hold sacred rests on a knife’s edge. Will they find each other in time, or will their worlds collide, destroying everything they care about? (Goodreads)

Sooooo, does this book sound pretty amazing, or what??
I have never read a book by Robin LeFevers before,
(even though I have a LOT of them on my TBR), 
but this sounds like a great place to start. I can't wait to read this!


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40702154-lady-smoke
Lady Smoke
(Ash Princess #2)
by Laura Sebastian
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: February 5th 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 9781524767105

Add to Goodreads

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

The sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller that was "made for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir" ( Bustle ), Lady Smoke is an epic new fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.

The Kaiser murdered Theodosia's mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo's country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess--a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn't realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.

Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage--Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser's rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.

To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.

Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.

"A darkly enchanting page-turner you won't be able to put down." --Bustle on Ash Princess, Book 1 in the Ash Princess series. (Goodreads)

Confession: I have not yet read Ash Princess,
(despite having a copy sitting on my bookshelf for the longest),
but I am really looking forward to reading BOTH it and Lady Smoke together!!


Those are my WOW picks for this week, what are yours??

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


Tuesday, January 29, 2019

My Thoughts: 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36300625-99-percent-mine
99 Percent Mine
by Sally Thorne
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: January 29th 2019
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Pages: 368
ISBN: 9780062439611
Genre: Adult Fiction | Romance
Source: Review Copy from Edelweiss \ Own

Add to Goodreads

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

Crush: a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach…

Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Darcy’s twin brother Jamie saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy’s best efforts, Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty—ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.

When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.

Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for grey and chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that's inspiring her to pick up her camera again. Soon sparks are flying—and it’s not the faulty wiring. It turns out one percent of Tom’s heart might not be enough for Darcy anymore. This time around, she’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers. (Goodreads)


99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne was one of my most anticipated reads for this January, and I am SO thrilled to have read the book! I was a little late to the party for reading Sally’s previous book, The Hating Game, but I read it last December, and absolutely LOVED it, so I couldn’t wait to read this new book as well. 99 Percent Mine was SO good you guys!!

I am all about reading super cute books at the moment, and everything about this book was SO super cute. The characters were adorable, and the storyline was addictive and easy to follow, which made this the absolute perfect book that I needed in my life right now.

The main character, Darcy, was so interesting. I wish there had been a bit more information the book about her travels over the years, as I was super curious about all the things she had seen and places she had been. It’s so interesting! I definitely related to her a few times throughout the story as well. Tom, the love interest in the story, was definitely the perfect man, even though he totally hated to be called that. The relationship between the two was super cute, and I enjoyed watching the romance build up and blossom between them as the story went along. The chemistry between the two was absolutely perfect.

And as I mentioned above, the storyline for this book was so cute. I love the storyline when the characters knew each other before, but had drifted apart, and are suddenly reunited. It definitely makes for an addictive read, and whenever I had a moment to sit down to read, I flew through the pages. I basically loved everything about it. (I also want to add that Sally is SO great at building tension. Seriously, so great!)

Overall; Sally Thorne has another hit on her hands with 99 Percent Mine! I really enjoyed everything about this story, and if you loved The Hating Game, I think you will like it as well. And, if you haven’t yet checked out either of these books, and you’re a fan of cute romances, I do recommend both 99 Percent Mine AND The Hating Game! I hope you love them both just as much as I did.

Top Ten Tuesday: The Ten Most Recent Additions to My To-Read List

January 29: The Ten Most Recent Additions to My To-Read List

I am super excited for today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt, as I LOVE thinking about the books on my TBR! However, since I have a hard time keeping up with the books I add to my TBR, today I'm featuring books that I added to my TBR that I also pre-ordered!

SO EXCITED FOR ALL OF THESE!!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41733208-soul-of-the-sword?ac=1&from_search=true https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42201395-sorcery-of-thorns?from_search=true

Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42265183-the-beautiful?from_search=true https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36683928-spin-the-dawn?from_search=true

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36492488-we-hunt-the-flame?from_search=true https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39352771-tunnel-of-bones?from_search=true

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17699853-chain-of-gold?from_search=true https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34213319-four-dead-queens?from_search=true

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42201431-the-unhoneymooners?from_search=true https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41063454-meet-cute?ac=1&from_search=true

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Meet Cute by Helena Hunting


That's just a few of the recent books that I've added that I am really looking forward to!
What about you??


Monday, January 28, 2019

My Thoughts: Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38225791-two-can-keep-a-secret
Two Can Keep a Secret
by Karen M. McManus
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: January 8th 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9781524714727
Genre: Young Adult | Mystery | Thriller
Source: Own

Add to Goodreads

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

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone's declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself. (Goodreads)


Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen McManus was another of my most anticipated reads for January 2019, and I absolutely couldn’t wait to get started on it. I read One of Us is Lying back when it was first released in 2017, and I REALLY loved that story, and I was super curious to see how this new book would compare. I really enjoyed the story!

One of the things I loved most about One of Us is Lying was that the book totally kept me guessing. Like, seriously guessing, and that’s not very easy to do often, it seems. So I was definitely expecting the same from this new book. And while Two Can Keep a Secret also keep me guessing, I also guessed at the plot very early on, (and was right). That’s probably because I am naturally suspicious of EVERYONE. Haha! But that didn’t make me like the story any less. I actually loved the book, but in a different way than I did the her first book, if that makes any sense at all.

That being said, the storyline for the book was very much addictive, and I flew through the pages as quickly as I could to find out what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed the setting for the story as well, especially the small town feel of Echo Rock, and the Halloween/murder themed theme park, though you’d NEVER catch me going there in this lifetime. (And that’s because I am a BIG chicken!) But, it definitely gave the story a good creepy vibe, and I loved that.

There were SO many interesting characters in this book as well, and I enjoyed getting to know them as the story went along. A few of them managed to surprise me quite a bit, and, as I mentioned above, a few kept me guessing as well, which I loved. The story is told in alternating viewpoints, between the two main characters, Ellery and Malcom, and I found both of their stories to be completely fascinating. (Also, I LOVE when we get alternating viewpoints. I feel we get SO much more of the story this way!) And, this book has a lot of great secondary characters as well.

Overall; I really enjoyed reading Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus! I think fans of her first book will really enjoy this second book, and if you’ve not yet checked out either of these books, I highly recommend that you do so! They are so good, and I hope that you’ll enjoy them just as much as I did.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsfesNgHNfG/

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Weekly Wrap Up & Book Haul • Week 4


Happy Sunday, Bookworms!!

Welcome to my weekly Weekly Wrap Up & Book Haul post!

Here I'll be sharing what books I read over the past week,
and what books I bought, borrowed, and received for review as well.

Check back every Sunday for new updates!
This past week was a great week for new books, and I added quite a few awesome new releases to my collection! I haven't read any of these yet, but I am currently reading Circle of Shadows and it is SO good. I can't wait to get started on the rest!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35553692-circle-of-shadows https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863269-only-a-breath-apart https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26839798-undying

Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye
Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry
Undying by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

• • •

I also picked up these two books this week as well!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863498-the-gilded-wolves https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13406425-burn-for-burn

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Burn for Burn by Jenny Han

• • •

And I received all of these books in the mail this week from different publishers. I can't wait to read them all!!

(** Courtesy of Harper Collins Publishers **)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068618-on-the-come-up https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38251237-fame-fate-and-the-first-kiss

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss by Kasie West

• • •

(** Courtesy of Berkley Publishing Group **)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35133917-as-bright-as-heaven https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35839956-the-other-lady-vanishes

As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner
The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick

• • •

And lastly I picked up these two e-ARCs from Netgalley and Edelweiss!!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42379032-the-last-time-i-saw-you https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41887423-how-to-hack-a-heartbreak

The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine
How to Hack a Heartbreak by Kristin Rockaway


• • •    • • •   • • •

I have not finished any books this week. Bummer.


• • •   • • •    • • •

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