My Thoughts: She's the Worst by Lauren Spieller

She's the Worst
by Lauren Spieller
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Publication Date: September 3rd 2019
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781534436589
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Netgalley Review Copy

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Sisters April and Jenn haven’t been close in years. Jenn’s too busy with school, the family antique shop, and her boyfriend, and April would rather play soccer and hang out with the boy next door.

But when April notices her older sister is sad about staying home for college, she decides to do something about it. The girls set off to revive a pact they made as kids: spend an epic day exploring the greatest hits of their childhood and all that Los Angeles has to offer.

Then April learns that Jenn has been keeping a secret that could rip their family—and their feuding parents—apart. With only one day to set things right, the sisters must decide if their relationship is worth saving, or if the truth will tear them apart for good. (Goodreads)

The first thing that drew me to She’s the Worst by Lauren Spieller was the adorable cover. Not only is it super cute, but it’s also pink, and I absolutely can’t resist the color pink. The storyline for the book sounded super cute, so I was really excited to check it out.

To sum it up, She’s the Worst is the story about two sisters who used to be really close, but have drifted apart over the years. When April thinks her sister, Jenn, is depressed about not getting to go away for college, she plans a fun day in an attempt to cheer her up. But Jenn has a pretty massive secret that could be pretty destructive to her family, and the secret is about to come out.

The story is told from alternating viewpoints between the two sisters, and I always like this because we can get both sides of the story, so to speak. The relationship between the two sisters felt very realistic, as I’m sure a lot of sisters have this kind of relationship. The constant bickering and arguing between the two felt real, but it started to get on my nerves as the book went along. BUT, these two were saints compared to their parents, who were definitely the worst part of the book.

(Also, my favorite character is definitely the boy next door!)

I thought the storyline for this book sounded really interesting, and I was definitely curious to check it out. I do enjoy adventure stories, and getting to read about places I have never been. I will probably never made it out to California, but it was fun getting to visit through these girls. The setting was definitely the best part of the book.

Overall; She’s the Worst was a quick read, and I very much enjoyed taking the journey with the girls as the story went along. Though the girls arguing and bickering did get on my nerves, I still enjoyed the storyline. But don't let this stop you from reading the book! I hope you check it out, and enjoy it!

10 Books I'm Planning to Read This Fall

Fall has finally arrived, (even though it does NOT even feel like it here in the south), and with it comes a LOT of books I am hoping to read! There are just some books that feel like they need to be read in the fall, and here are just a few that feel that way for me!!

The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern
(I have a new tradition of reading this book every fall! This will be my third year!)

The Diviners by Libba Bray
(I have been trying to read this book for the LONGEST, and it seriously sounds like the perfect fall, (October), read!

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

(Ok, the cover for this book just feels fall-ish to me.)

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

(This is yet another book that I've been trying to read since it was released. Look at that cover!)

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

(I am so excited to have this on my fall tbr! It sounds really good!)

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

(This is yet another book that I've wanted to read for the past few falls, and I'm determined to get to it this fall!)

•   •   •

And because I wanted to add a few upcoming releases:

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

(I've read a few chapters of this already, and it's So, so good!)

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater

(I am super curious about this one.)

Supernova by Marissa Meyer

(I am SO CURIOUS to see how this series is going to end!)

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

(I'm already a fourth of the way through this one, and I'm really enjoying it!)

•   •   •

So, those are a few books that I am hoping to read this fall!!

And I can't wait to read them all. :)

Are there any books that YOU are hoping to read this fall??

My Thoughts: Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey

Fix Her Up
by Tessa Bailey
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Publication Date: June 11th 2019
Publisher: Avon Books
Pages: 400
ISBN: 9780062872838
Genre: Adult Fiction | Romance | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy

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A brand new romantic comedy from New York Times bestseller Tessa Bailey!

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World... whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there's Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her... (Goodreads)

I was super excited to start reading Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey, not only because I had heard good things about the book, but also because I’m trying to add more contemporary, (especially rom-coms), to my reading list, and this book seemed to fit the bill. Having finally read the book I have to say: HOW have I not discovered Tessa Bailey before now?? I. am. HOOKED!

Fix Her Up is the first book in the brand new Hot & Hammered series, and while I’m not sure how many books will be in the series just yet, I do know that I will be reading every single book the moment they release. (So far there is a book 2, Love Her or Lose Her, which is due to release in January.)

I am a HUGE fan of contemporary novels, and I do not get to read them as often as I’d like. I’m always on the lookout for new ones to add to my reading list, and if I could find more books like Fix Her Up, I would definitely read them more often.

I enjoyed so many things about this book. I love that it was a rom-com, and the storyline is addictive, funny, and super steamy. This book made me laugh and smile SO many times, and it’s been too long since a book has done that. It was just so much fun to read, and I loved it!

I also really liked the characters in the story, and I love that the story is told through alternate viewpoints from the two main characters, Georgie and Travis. I loved Georgie right away, with her sense of humor and spunk, it was hard not to like her. I did, however, take a little while warming up to Travis. But, in the end, he won over Georgie, and me as well. And these are not the only great characters in the story, there are a lot of interesting secondary characters as well, and I am looking forward to seeing more of them as the series goes along!

Overall; If you can’t tell by this super gushy review, I really, really enjoyed Fix Her Up! It was a quick, fun read. I wish I had read the book sooner, but I am thrilled that I finally did so, and have discovered the awesomeness that is Tessa Bailey. I will definitely be checking out more of her books, including the next book in this series, Love Her or Lose Her, out in January!

My Thoughts: The Huntress by Kate Quinn

The Huntress
by Kate Quinn
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Publication Date: February 26th 2019
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Pages: 530
ISBN: 9780062740373
Genre: Adult Fiction | Historical Fiction | WWII
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy / Own

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From the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel, The Alice Network, comes another fascinating historical novel about a battle-haunted English journalist and a Russian female bomber pilot who join forces to track the Huntress, a Nazi war criminal gone to ground in America.

In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted…

Bold, reckless Nina Markova grows up on the icy edge of Soviet Russia, dreaming of flight and fearing nothing. When the tide of war sweeps over her homeland, she gambles everything to join the infamous Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on Hitler’s eastern front. But when she is downed behind enemy lines and thrown across the path of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, Nina must use all her wits to survive.

British war correspondent Ian Graham has witnessed the horrors of war from Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials. He abandons journalism after the war to become a Nazi hunter, yet one target eludes him: the Huntress. Fierce, disciplined Ian must join forces with brazen, cocksure Nina, the only witness to escape the Huntress alive. But a shared secret could derail their mission, unless Ian and Nina force themselves to confront it.

Seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride grows up in post WWII Boston, determined despite family opposition to become a photographer. At first delighted when her long-widowed father brings home a fiancée, Jordan grows increasingly disquieted by the soft-spoken German widow who seems to be hiding something. Armed only with her camera and her wits, Jordan delves into her new stepmother’s past and slowly realizes there are mysteries buried deep in her family. But Jordan’s search for the truth may threaten all she holds dear. (Goodreads)

I was super excited to pick up The Huntress by Kate Quinn, as I have had her book The Alice Network on my TBR since I first discovered it, and I was determined to finally read something by her. The Huntress sounded super intriguing, so I decided to go with it first. Now that I have read one of Kate’s books, I am HOOKED!

The Huntress is a fictional novel, but it’s based on real events that happened during WWII. Some of the things in the story actually happened, (a few names and events, etc), and the character of the actual huntress was loosely based off two real people as well. I especially enjoyed learning about the female Russian fighter pilots, called the Night Witches, and of course I had to do as much reading up on them as I possibly could while reading the book. It was absolutely fascinating!

The story is told from three different narrator's viewpoints, and I found each of the characters to be super interesting in their own ways. I do think Nina’s story was my favorite, because, WOW, what a life she had. Her stories of being a pilot had me hooked as I turned the pages, and she quickly became a favorite character in the book.

I can’t compare this book to many other historical fiction books set during the time period, because I haven’t read that many, yet, but reading this book definitely makes me want to read more like it. I’m fascinated, (and often times horrified), at the things that happened during the war. I feel like there is SO much information out there that I don’t know about, and these books are definitely enlightening.

Overall; I did not know what to expect when I started reading The Huntress, but I definitely found this book to be fascinating, and it makes me want to read more, especially more from Kate Quinn! I have a copy of The Alice Network sitting on my shelf, and I am very much looking forward to starting it soon. I will also be keeping my eye out for more books by Kate in the future!

Waiting on Wednesday: War Girls & Gravemaidens

War Girls
by Tochi Onyebuchi
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Publication Date: October 15th 2019
Publisher: Razorbill
ISBN: 9780451481672

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Two sisters are torn apart by war and must fight their way back to each other in a futuristic, Black Panther–inspired Nigeria.

The year is 2172. Climate change and nuclear disasters have rendered much of earth unlivable. Only the lucky ones have escaped to space colonies in the sky.

In a war-torn Nigeria, battles are fought using flying, deadly mechs and soldiers are outfitted with bionic limbs and artificial organs meant to protect them from the harsh, radiation-heavy climate. Across the nation, as the years-long civil war wages on, survival becomes the only way of life.

Two sisters, Onyii and Ify, dream of more. Their lives have been marked by violence and political unrest. Still, they dream of peace, of hope, of a future together.

And they're willing to fight an entire war to get there.

Acclaimed author Tochi Onyebuchi has written an immersive, action-packed, deeply personal novel perfect for fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Marie Lu, and Paolo Bacigalupi. (Goodreads)

Does this book sound really interesting, or what??
I have already put a hold in at the library, and I'm super excited to check it out!

Gravemaidens
by Kelly Coon
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Publication Date: October 29th 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 9780525647829

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The start of a fierce fantasy duology about three maidens who are chosen for their land's greatest honor...and one girl determined to save her sister from the grave.

In the walled city-state of Alu, Kammani wants nothing more than to become the accomplished healer her father used to be before her family was cast out of their privileged life in shame.

When Alu's ruler falls deathly ill, Kammani’s beautiful little sister, Nanaea, is chosen as one of three sacred maidens to join him in the afterlife. It’s an honor. A tradition. And Nanaea believes it is her chance to live an even grander life than the one that was stolen from her.

But Kammani sees the selection for what it really is—a death sentence.

Desperate to save her sister, Kammani schemes her way into the palace to heal the ruler. There she discovers more danger lurking in the sand-stone corridors than she could have ever imagined and that her own life—and heart—are at stake. But Kammani will stop at nothing to dig up the palace’s buried secrets even if it means sacrificing everything…including herself. (Goodreads)

This is yet another book that sounds SO good!
I have this one on hold at the library as well, and I can't wait for them both to come in!

**"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: Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy

Dear Sweet Pea
by Julie Murphy
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Publication Date: October 1st 2019
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 288
ISBN: 9780062473073
Genre: Middle Grade | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy

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The first middle grade novel from Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’ (now a popular Netflix film), is a funny, heartwarming story perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead, Ali Benjamin, and Holly Goldberg Sloan.

Patricia “Sweet Pea” DiMarco wasn’t sure what to expect when her parents announced they were getting a divorce. She never could have imagined that they would have the “brilliant” idea of living in nearly identical houses on the same street. In the one house between them lives their eccentric neighbor Miss Flora Mae, the famed local advice columnist behind “Miss Flora Mae I?”

Dividing her time between two homes is not easy. And it doesn’t help that at school, Sweet Pea is now sitting right next to her ex–best friend, Kiera, a daily reminder of the friendship that once was. Things might be unbearable if Sweet Pea didn’t have Oscar—her new best friend—and her fifteen-pound cat, Cheese.

Then one day Flora leaves for a trip and asks Sweet Pea to forward her the letters for the column. And Sweet Pea happens to recognize the handwriting on one of the envelopes.

What she decides to do with that letter sets off a chain of events that will forever change the lives of Sweet Pea DiMarco, her family, and many of the readers of “Miss Flora Mae I?” (Goodreads)

Julie Murphy has quickly become one of those authors whose books I will pick up without even reading the summary, because I know it will be a good read no matter what the book is about. I have read and enjoyed all of Julie’s books so far, so of course I added Dear Sweet Pea to my to-read list as soon as I discovered it!

Dear Sweet Pea is the very first middle grade book that Julie has out so far, and while I don’t read that genre very often, it didn’t stop me in the least from wanting to check out this book. I was curious and the book was so good, and I have no regrets about reading it!

One of the things that I liked the most about this book were the characters. The book is full of well written characters that you will grow to love over the course of the book. The main character, Sweet Pea, is 13 years old and in 7th grade, and while I am SO far from that her age now, I still managed to relate to some of the things she went through in the story. I love it when that happens, and I know so many are going to be able to relate to her as well. Sweet Pea also has so pretty great parents, and a really awesome best friend who I adored as well.

The storyline for this book is a lot of fun, but also touches on things younger teenagers will be able to relate to. The book has a very positive feel to it, which I loved. And this book is definitely not just for the younger crowd, I think any age can read the story and appreciate it. I know I did!

Overall; Julie Murphy definitely has another great book on her hands with Dear Sweet Pea! The book has a great story and awesome characters, and I’m really glad that I read the book. Now I must wait for Julie’s next book to release, and I will definitely have that on my TBR as well!

My October '19 TBR!

Happy First Day of October, Bookworms!!

Did you know that October is one of my most favorite months in the year?? I love EVERYTHING about this month! The return of fall and cooler weather, hoodies and bonfires, and, of course, HALLOWEEN!! It's seriously the best time of the year.

I have a pretty full TBR this month, full of creepy reads and murder mysteries, and also a few new and new-to-me books, and a few books I'm trying to catch up on. I'm hoping it's a good reading month, because I have a LOT of reading to do!!

And since I've been slacking on the blog lately, I'm also planning to participate in Blogtober this month! It will hopefully be a great way to catch up on blog posts, and will also hopefully get me back in the habit of reading again. I already have a month full of posts planned out, and I'm super excited to get started! (Here's hoping I can keep up!)

Now, without further ado, here is my October TBR!!

Books I'm Reading:

The Diviners by Libba Bray
The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling *
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling *
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
The Shining by Stephen King
A Study of Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas
Dark Witch by Nora Roberts
A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer
Archenemies by Marissa Meyer *
The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepard
The Near Witch by V.E. Schwab

•   •   •

I also have a few ebooks and audiobooks to read as well,
and I'm super excited to tackle them as well!

That's what I'm (hopefully) reading this October!

What's on your TBR this month??

October Bookstagram Challenge! #AlltheBooksOct19

It's almost October, Bookworms!!

Which means it's time for a new BOOK CHALLENGE for October!!

Lori (loriimagination) and I are hosting a spooky October Book Challenge over on Instagram, #AlltheBooksOct19, and we would absolutely love for you to join us!


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!!

#AlltheBooksOctober19

September '19 Wrap Up & Book Haul!

Happy Monday, Bookworms!!

It's officially the last day of September! Did you have a great month?? I hope you did!

September was a weird month for me. I didn't read as many books as I had hoped, but I did read some really awesome books. I also didn't touch my blog at all this month, which was not good. (Ooops)  And that is something that I definitely want to work on in October.

September was definitely a great month for new books, and I did add more than I expected to my bookshelves! I'm thrilled to have them all, and I'm really looking forward to reading the ones I haven't read yet.

Here's My September Wrap Up!!

The Tyrant's Tomb by Rick Riordan
 The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare
Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake
Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell
Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab
The Lady Rogue by Erin Bennett
Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young
American Royals by Katharine McGee

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling *
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling *
The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare *
Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
Five Dark Fates by Kendare Blake
Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab
The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett
Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco
Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

* = rereads

*not pictured*
Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory
Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson
Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne
Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson & Ellen Hagan
She's the Worst by Lauren Spieller


•   •   •   •   •

So many awesome books!

Now I'm ready for October!!

How was your month??

My Thoughts: The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins

The Great Pursuit
(Eurona Duology #2)
by Wendy Higgins
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Publication Date: March 7th 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 496
ISBN: 9780062381361
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy | Library Book

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Lochlanach has traded the great beast for something far more terrible, a Lashed enemy veiled in beauty, deception, and a vengeance passed down through generations: Rozaria Rocato. And she’s offering the hunter Paxton Seabolt power and acceptance he could never receive in his homeland. Pax must decide how far he’s willing to go under her tutelage, knowing she is the opponent of Princess Aerity Lochson.

In a land where traditionalists dread change, the Lochlan throne must contend with mysterious foes and traitors, while attempting to keep revolt at bay. As dire circumstances strike the royal family, matters of the castle are left in Aerity’s hands. It's time to put aside her fears and grasp the reign, taking actions that have the potential to save or destroy her people.

One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continue. In this sequel to The Great Hunt from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, political intrigue and romance intensify in another thrilling fantasy. Princess Aerity embraces a quest for identity and passion before making the ultimate sacrifice for her kingdom. (Goodreads)

The Great Pursuit is the second book in the Eurona duology by Wendy Higgins, and is also a series that I was determined to read this year. I actually read The Great Hunt back when it was first released in 2016, but somehow forgot to follow up with The Great Pursuit when it came out in 2019. I am thrilled to have finally finished this series!

Last month I re-read The Great Hunt to refresh the story in my brain before starting this, and I’m glad I did, because not only was there a lot to the story that I had forgotten, but it also reminded me about everything I enjoyed when I read the book the first time. This book not only has an interesting storyline, but also has a great group of characters as well!

The Great Pursuit picks up right where The Great Hunt leaves off, and the adventure starts the moment you open the book. (I don’t want to give too much away and spoil anything in the story, so please excuse the vagueness in this review. Ha!) I very much enjoyed reading the story from the two main characters, Paxton and Aerity, viewpoints, and I really loved them both. The story is very fast paced, and full of action and adventure, and a few twists and turns as well! It all wraps up very nicely at the end, and made for a very enjoyable read.

Overall, if you’re looking for a quick fantasy series to check out, you should definitely look into the Eurona duology! The story was interesting, and with only 2 books in the series, it makes for a really quick read. I am now looking forward to reading more books by Wendy, and I’m thinking that I need to start her Sweet series soon! (The books have been sitting on my shelf for too long!)