Week in Review • Week 19

Hey, Bookworms!!

I've hope you've all had a great week!!
Mine has been a little crazy; filled with end of the year school events,

and, of course, trying to keep up with my May TBR, 

which is successfully kicking my butt.

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

This week I read two review books, including Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy, which was SO very good, as well as The Traitor's Kiss by Erin Beaty, which I'm hoping to have my thoughts for up on the blog this week.



I also read Ruined by Amy Tintera, which has me SUPER excited to read it's sequel, Avenged, which I'm hoping to get in soon. I also finished The Last Olympian for my Percy Jackson ReReadathon, and I'm thrilled that I finished the series, and can hopefully move on to the Heroes of Olympus series soon.

I have not yet read this weeks pick for my Sarah Dessen Readathon, but I'm hoping to work on that today. Fingers crossed!

I did not have a chance to watch anything this week, but... OH! I'm so thrilled that Timeless was renewed, after initially being canceled, so I'm planning to do a binge watch of this series soon!
(I hope!)

As I mentioned above, my TBR this month is totally kicking my butt. Is it possible ahead, yet SO behind at the same time? I'm defintiely doing better than usual, and I'm trying not to stress over it. I am one person, and can only do so much, right?

Summer Break is so close I can almost touch it! I can't wait for the kiddos to be home.
(I say this now, but in two weeks when they are complaining that they are bored, I will totally regret it.) *grin*

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

My Thoughts: Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

Ramona Blue
by Julie Murphy
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Publication Date:
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 432
ISBN: 9780062418357
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | LGBT
Source: Edelweiss

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Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
I was really looking forward to reading Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy, as I had read her two previous books, Side Effects May Vary and Dumplin', and really enjoyed them both. I knew I would end up loving Ramona Blue as well, and I totally did.

This book is full of wonderful characters. The main character, Ramona, is pretty great. She's definitely not had the easiest childhoods, and has lost more than any person should have to, but she makes the most of what little she has. I love how fiercely she loves her family, and is willing to do just about anything for them, including give up her own future to help her sister. Her mom is a flake, but she has a really great dad, who is loving and supportive and works hard to take care of his family. Ramona also has some pretty great friends as well, including Freddie, who reappears back in her life after years of being away.

The storyline for this book has so much to it. Not only is it about life and family, it's also about losing everything you have, and managing to survive. Hurricane Katrina took everything from Ramona and her family, and while life is far from perfect for them, they are getting by together. Of course she wants more from her life, but she will always put her family first. The story is also about discovering things about yourself, even when you thought you already knew exactly who you were. Ramona likes girls, but when her girlfriend breaks her heart, it's Freddie, also fresh from a breakup, who helps her through it. Ramona doesn't know what to think when she starts having feelings for Freddie. She knows that she still likes girls, but could she like Freddie as well?  Ramona also discovers a love for swimming along the way, and how it could possibly be a start to a new future for her, a future she never thought that she'd have. As I said, there is SO much in this book, and I don't feel like I'm doing the book justice at all. Check it out and see for yourself!

Overall; Ramona Blue was a really great read, and I'm so glad that I had it on my TBR this month! Julie Murphy's books just get better and better, and she's definitely on my list of authors to keep my eye on. I'm super excited to check out ALL the new books that she has coming out in the future, (and if you haven't checked, there are a LOT of them!).

Sarah Dessen Readathon: Just Listen

Just Listen
by Sarah Dessen
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Publication Date: first published April 6th 2006
Publisher: Speak
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9780142410974
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Own

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To find the truth, you've got to be willing to hear it.

When she's modeling, Annabel is the picture of perfection.

But her real life is far from perfect.

Fortunately, she's got Owen. He's intense, music-obsessed, and dedicated to always telling the truth.

And most of all, he's determined to make Annabel happy... (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
The next book on my list for my Sarah Dessen Readathon is Just Listen, which happens to be one of my most favorite Sarah Dessen books! I first read Just Listen back in 2015, and unlike some of the other books I've re-read where I couldn't really remember much, I remembered almost everything from Just Listen. Seriously, this book is a favorite of mine for a reason. It has a great storyline, which is both lighthearted and extremely emotional as well, and it some pretty awesome, very memorable characters.

As I mentioned above, there's really so much to love about this book, including the characters. I love Annabel, the main character. She's often looked at as 'the girl who has it all', but in reality she's so far from that. And she's been through something that no person should ever have to go through. She has a pretty great family as well, even if they do, like most families, have issues of their own to work through. I especially love the relationship that she has with her sisters. I also love Owen, and his love for music, and his great family as well! I meant it, so many great characters in this story.

The storyline for the book is lighthearted for the most part, but also deals with some really serious issues as well. Along with great characters, this is another trend I see in Sarah's books. And I love that while the book is a fun read, it also deals with the tough stuff. I find myself relating to so much throughout Sarah's stories, and I know other people will as well, and I'm so glad that these books around in our world.

Another thing I really like about Sarah's books from reading them in order is the little Easter eggs that she leaves in each story. It may just be a location, (school, mall, etc) that we know from one of her previous books, or even people that we've met from the previous books! I didn't really notice this the first time I read the books, as I read them out of order, or haven't yet read a particular book to know the characters, but it's so interesting to see. In this book we get to see a few people we met from a previous book, and I loved seeing them again!

Overall; I really, really loved re-reading Just Listen. It's definitely a book that is worth the re-read, and I actually plan to re-read it again soon! It's so good. Next on my list for this readathon is Lock and Key, which I read in 2009, but don't remember much about, so I'm really excited to dive back into it!

Week in Review • Week 18

We made it through the first week of May, Bookworms!!
Whoo hooo!!

It's been a weird week for me, but I did manage to get in a good bit of reading time again this week. I'm very happy that I've managed to put a small dent in my May TBR, and I'm hoping I can keep this momentum up!

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

This week I read two review books, first being Amy Plum's newest horror story, Dreamfall, which was really interesting, and also The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr, which I really enjoyed as well! Click on the book links above to see my thoughts for the books.



I also finished The Battle of the Labyrinth for my Percy Jackson Re-Readathon, as well as Just Listen for my Sarah Dessen Readathon! My thoughts for Just Listen will be up on the blog on Monday!

No TV or Movies this week.
I'm still behind.
Sigh.




So basically all I've done the past few weeks is read. Which is good for my TBR, but not so much for my mental health. haha!
If I can just get through this month, I think I can finally get back to life as normal!
Which means watching lots of movies and catching up on all the tv shows I'm behind on as well.
*grin*
That's all for me this week, so...

My Thoughts: The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr

The One Memory of Flora Banks
by Emily Barr
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Publication Date: May 2nd 2017
Publisher: Penguin Teen
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9781770499850
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Review Copy

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A cross between Memento and Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, this is a unique, breathtaking page-turner about a girl with no short-term memory and her remarkable journey to find the one boy able to penetrate her fractured mind.

Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. She lives under the careful watch of her parents, in a town she is familiar with, among people who are equally familiar with her story. She has not been able to recall any part of her past since she was ten, when the tumor that was removed from her brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend's boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this singular memory pierces Flora's fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake and their shared kiss are responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world, Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step in reclaiming her life.

With little more than the tattoo "be brave" inked into her skin, and written reminders of who she is, how old, where she lives, and why her memory is so limited, Flora sets off on an impossible journey to the land of the midnight sun--Svalbard, Norway. There she is determined to find Drake, and to explore the romantic possibilities and hopeful future that their reunion promises her. But from the moment she arrives in the arctic, nothing is quite as it seems, and Flora must "be brave" if she is ever to learn the truth about herself, and to make it safely home.

Rich with psychological twists, powerful moments of hope, despair, and confusion, and a landscape very much a character unto itself, The One Memory of Flora Banks is an emotionally compelling and immersive read that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit, the depths of the human heart, and the power of the human mind. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
When I first heard of The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr, I was intrigued. The synopsis for the book definitely sounded interesting; I don't think I've read any books like this before, and I was really curious to see what the story was about. It was definitely an interesting read!

Flora Banks is a seventeen year old girl who suffers from short-term memory loss after having a tumor removed from her brain when she was 10. She lacks the ability to make any new memories at all, until one night on the beach, when she's kissed by her best-friends boyfriend, giving her a memory that she actually remembers. This kiss sets the course to change Flora's world forever.

So, I went into this book thinking it may be similar to the movie 50 First Dates, where Drew Berrymore, who also has short term memory loss, wakes up every morning not remembering what happened the previous day. This book is very similar, though Flora has an extremely short-term memory. She can remember things for mere hours, before it's forgotten again. With the help of a notebook and sticky notes, as well as messages written on her arms, she is able to remind herself of things, which definitely helps. But how frustrating this has to be for her! Reading the story from her perspective was interesting. I don't know how she did it, but she did, and it was quite an interesting journey she took throughout the book. I liked that the book kept me guessing, and there's an interesting twist towards the end of the book that I probably should have been coming, but didn't. Also, this was a really quick read for me; I read it in just a few hours time.

Overall; The One Memory of Flora Banks was an interesting read! I don't think I've read many, if any, books like this before, and I was definitely fascinated. I'm really curious to check out more of Emily's books in the future!

My Thoughts: Dreamfall by Amy Plum

Dreamfall
by Amy Plum
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Publication Date: May 2nd 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 288
ISBN: 9780062429872
Genre: Young Adult | Thriller | Horror
Source: Edelweiss

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Cata Cordova suffers from such debilitating insomnia that she agreed to take part in an experimental new procedure. She thought things couldn’t get any worse...but she was terribly wrong.

Soon after the experiment begins, there’s a malfunction with the lab equipment, and Cata and six other teen patients are plunged into a shared dreamworld with no memory of how they got there. Even worse, they come to the chilling realization that they are trapped in a place where their worst nightmares have come to life. Hunted by creatures from their darkest imaginations and tormented by secrets they’d rather keep buried, Cata and the others will be forced to band together to face their biggest fears. And if they can’t find a way to defeat their dreams, they will never wake up. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
I absolutely couldn't wait to get started reading Dreamfall by Amy Plum because, you guys, it's AMY PLUM! It's been a while since I've read a book by Amy, so I was really excited to read something new by her. Dreamfall  was not at all what I expected, but I did find it to be an interesting read!

Dreamfall is full of a lot of interesting characters, and they meet because they all have one thing in common; sleep disorders. When an experimental procedure they are all participating in goes terribly wrong, they are thrust into a shared dreamworld, with absolutely no idea how they got there. Interesting, right? The story is told from a few of the characters different perspectives, and I really liked that in this story, because there were SO many different viewpoints to see the story through.

Coming in at just 288 pages, this book was a really quick read for me. I wasn't sure that it would be, because I did not know until after I started the book that it's a horror story. I, admittedly, am not a big fan of horror, mostly because I'm a big ole chicken, but I'm pretty proud of myself for actually finishing the book. I actually almost put it aside at one point, because... there are a lot of nightmares. And they are probably going to give ME nightmares. (I see lots of cute kitty videos in my future.) Also, the end of the book seriously left me asking, WHAT?! I'm really curious to see what's going to happen next.

Overall; Although I'm a big chicken when it comes to horror stories, I thought Dreamfall was a really interesting read! I'm curious to see where the story will go in the next book, Neverwake, which is due to release in 2018. And again, it was super nice to read something by Amy Plum again!

Top Ten Tuesday: Cover Theme Freebie - Summer Covers

May 2: Cover Theme Freebie: Summer Covers

Hey, Bookworms! It's been a while since I participated in TTT, but I wanted to join in this week! With summer right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to share my most favorite covers that make me think of SUMMER!!

1. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson - Of course I'm going to have this Morgan Matson book as my first pick. Look at that cover. It SCREAMS summer. I love it!

2. Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson - Yep another Morgan Matson book on my list, and, spoiler, it's not my last!


3. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord - Not only does this book cover scream Summer, but it also has it in it's title as well! *wink*

4. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares - I actually own the books with a different cover on them, but I love how this cover makes me think of Summer!


5. That Summer by Sarah Dessen - I love this cover! The couple on the beach. The glasses. I love the Summer feel to it.

6. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han - Again, I love how this cover makes me think of Summer. I think it's the sun in the background. I love it!


7. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson - I told you there would be more Morgan Matson on this list! I love this Summer-y cover! I've not yet read this book, but it's on my summer TBR!

8. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson - Last one by MM, I promise! I've not read this one yet either, but it definitely makes me think of Summer as well.


9. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - I know everyone is used to the new covers for this series, but I LOVE this cover! It totally makes me think of Summer in Paris. Ahhhh.

10. Summer Days and Summer Nights by Stephanie Perkins - And another by Stephanie! I read her Holiday book of stories, but I've not yet read this one. It's definitely on my TBR for this Summer.

There you have it, friends! A list of covers that scream SUMMER!
I'm actually pretty excited for summer, not because of the heat,
but because the kiddos will be out of school. One more month!

Leave a link to your post so I can check out your covers for this week!

Sarah Dessen Readathon: The Truth About Forever

The Truth About Forever
by Sarah Dessen
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Publication Date: first published May 11th 2004
Publisher: Speak
Pages: 374
ISBN: 9780142406250
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Own

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Available for Purchase:
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A long, hot summer...

That's what Macy has to look forward to while her boyfriend, Jason, is away at Brain Camp. Days will be spent at a boring job in the library, evenings will be filled with vocabulary drills for the SATs, and spare time will be passed with her mother, the two of them sharing a silent grief at the traumatic loss of Macy's father.

But sometimes, unexpected things can happen—things such as the catering job at Wish, with its fun-loving, chaotic crew. Or her sister's project of renovating the neglected beach house, awakening long-buried memories. Things such as meeting Wes, a boy with a past, a taste for Truth-telling, and an amazing artistic talent, the kind of boy who could turn any girl's world upside down. As Macy ventures out of her shell, she begins to question her sheltered life.

Is it really always better to be safe than sorry? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
The next book on my list for my Sarah Dessen Readathon is The Truth About Forever!! I read this book for the very first time last year, and it's definitely one of my most favorite books that I've read by Sarah, so far. Even though I read this just last year, I coudn't wait to dive back into the story again. That's how much I love it! I think I love it even more reading it for the second time!

There are SO many characters to love in this story; Macy, the main character, her sister Caroline, Wes and the WHOLE WISH CREW. I loved them all. When you have a group of such likable characters, it really makes the book that much more special, and I think that's why this is one of my faves.

The storyline for the book was fun and lighthearted, but was also about overcoming grief and loss. And even though I've read this book before, I was completely addicted to the storyline once again, and I flew through the pages in just a few hours time. I've been asked a few times lately what book would I recommend to readers that are new to Sarah's books, and I think The Truth About Forever is a great place to start, if you don't want to start from the very beginning. I love this book!

Overall; I can't even begin to tell you how much I love The Truth About Forever. It's definitely one of my favorites, and I highly recommend you checking it out if you haven't already done so. Next on my list is Just Listen, which happens to be another favorite of mine, and I can't wait to dive into it again as well!

My May 2017 TBR & Most Anticipated Releases!!

Helloooooooo, May!!

I can't believe that May is here already!!
This year is really flying by.

April was a pretty awesome book month for me, especially considering how many books I managed to read. I'm really hoping that I can keep up that reading mojo in May, because apparently ALL THE BOOKS come out in May!! Haha!

Here's a look at the books I'm *hoping* to read this month,

including the four books for my Sarah Dessen Readathon!


* My May TBR: *

The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord
The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
No Good Deed by Goldy Moldavsky
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr
The Truth About Happily Ever After by Karole Cozzo
Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts
The Traitor's Kiss by Erin Beaty

e-Arc's to read:

Dreamfall by Amy Plum
Avenged by Amy Tintera
Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy
It Started with Goodbye by Christina June
The Crown's Fate by Evelyn Skye
Romancing the Throne by Nadie Jolie Courtney


Books Pre-Ordered:

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord
Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith
Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh
Seeker by Veronica Rossi


Can you see why I'm COMPLETELY overwhelmed by my TBR??
SO MANY BOOKS!!
haha!

Seriously, May is going to be a GREAT month for books,
and I can't wait to read them all.
:)

Tell me, what's on your MAY TBR??
What are you Most excited to read in May??