Saturday, December 26, 2015

Stacking The Shelves: Christmas Book Haul

Stacking the Shelves
Stacking The Shelves is a weekly feature, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, where we get to share what books we have recently acquired! 

Yesterday I spent my first Christmas in our new house. What is more peaceful then Christmas on the ocean? My parents gifted me 4 books. Then my boyfriend and I had a bookish Christmas and got each other books. That made 6 new books in total that I cannot wait to get to reading soon! 


What books did you find under the tree this year?
Tell me in the comments below! 

Review: This Is Where It Ends

This Is Where It Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Pages: 292
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: January 5th 2016

Synopsis via Goodreads: 
10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 
This is going to be a hard review for me to write. It seems that half of the people who read this book found it absolutely amazing and the other half found it fell flat. Sadly, I leaned more towards the later category. I was incredibly excited for this book. I love a good tough topic book and the fact that it takes place over only 54 minutes made it sound even more intense.

This book is less the than 300 pages so initially I expected it to be a fast read. I just could not get my head into it though. I ended up reading a majority of the book in smaller portions and then sat down and made myself finish the book before I could get up again. Since the book only takes place over 54 minutes you would think it would move very fast but I found it rather slow reading.

The book is told from multiple peoples perspectives. I usually love multiple POV books and I thought this would be an interest take on a school shooting since you would see if from all angles. My only problem was that each characters sections were very short. Many of them did not last more than a couple pages. I found this hard to be able to fully learn about the characters and to connect to them.

My biggest problem with the book was the shooter, Tyler. It was not necessarily his character but the fact that you never get to understand him. This book is about a school shooting and yet you do not get to learn much about the shooter. A majority of the book focuses on the other people in Tyler's life and not actually him. When it comes to an event like a mass shooting I think it is very important to understand, why? We are not given this in the book. Yes, it is obvious that there is a revenge motive in the book but what led to it? Tyler is a terrifying person. He took time and planned this whole entire event and ends up killing over 30 people. That does not just happen. I wish we had been able to see into his mind. 

This book is definitely intense, emotional, and makes you think. I just think the lack of character background left me not invested in the book and ended up making the reading experience not as good as it could have been for me. 




Saturday, December 19, 2015

Stacking the Shelves: Book Outlet Black Friday Sale 2015

Stacking the Shelves
Stacking the Shelves is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews.
 It is all about sharing what books you have added to your book collection recently! 

Many of you probably already know and participated in it but for those of you who haven't, Book Outlet had a massive black Friday sale where everything was 30% off. Of course I could not pass up that deal. I ended up buying 10 books + shipping for 28 dollars! Scroll down to see what books I picked up during this crazy sale!





Did you buy anything during the Book Outlet Sale?
Have you read any of the books above?
Tell me in the comments below! 


Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday: The Mystery of Hollow Places






Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, where you get to showcases upcoming releases you are eagerly anticipating! 

This week I am waiting on...

The Mystery of Hollow Places
Author: Rebecca Podos
Genre: Young Adult Mystery/Contemporary
Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Synopsis via Goodreads: 
All Imogene Scott knows of her mother is the bedtime story her father told her as a child. It's the story of how her parents met: he, a forensic pathologist, she, a mysterious woman who came to identify a body. A woman who left Imogene and her father when she was a baby, a woman who was always possessed by a powerful loneliness, a woman who many referred to as troubled waters.

When Imogene is seventeen, her father, now a famous author of medical mysteries, strikes out in the middle of the night and doesn't come back. Neither Imogene's stepmother nor the police know where he could've gone, but Imogene is convinced he's looking for her mother. She decides to put to use the skills she's gleaned from a lifetime of her father's books to track down a woman she's never known, in order to find him and, perhaps, the answer to the question she's carried with her for her entire life. 

Rebecca Podos' debut is a powerful, affecting story of the pieces of ourselves that remain mysteries even to us - the desperate search through empty spaces for something to hold on to.

COMING JANUARY 26th 2016

When I first read this synopsis I added it to the top of my 2016 TBR list. This sounds like an emotional mystery with a contemporary feel to it. I love mystery's that blend into the lines of contemporary. 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?
Tell me in the comments below! 


Review:This Raging Light

This Raging Light
Author: Estelle Laure
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary 
Pages: 288
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: December 22nd 2015

Synopsis via Goodreads: 
 Can the best thing happen at the worst time?  Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-yearold Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she’s about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend’s brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure’s soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 
Review: 

I was immediately drawn to this book from the moment I saw the cover. The colors are gorgeous! Then when I read the synopsis I knew I wanted to read the book. I had never read a book like this before and I knew it was guaranteed to pull at my heart strings. When I found out they were doing an ARC giveaway at BEA I was determined to get my hands on a copy. 

I can honestly say this book met my expectations in every way. I read This Raging Light in one day. I was so captivated by it and when I finished I could not stop thinking about the book for days. Every part of the book from the plot to the characters captured my heart from the first 
page. 

The characters were phenomenal. They were quirky and funny but strong and emotional at the same time. The protagonist, Lucille, is a stand out character. She is a witty, brave, hardworking girl, trying to keep it together to create a happy life for her little sister. I couldn't help but feel for her from the first page Another great thing about her character was how relatable she was.She is dealing with an extreme situation but her thoughts and emotions were very universal. The relationships depicted were what completed the perfectness of this book for me. The growing romance between Lucille and her best friends brother Digby was sweet and engaging.The relationship that made the book for me though was Lucille and her little sister Wren. 

This is a super fast read too. The book itself is not very long and the poetic sense of Laure's writing will having you flipping through the pages. In only 288 pages Laure somehow makes you feel so many emotions. This book had me smiling, giggling, crying, and it made my heart ache. It also left me hoping though and I think that is one of the best things an author can make their reader feel.

If you are looking for a stand out contemporary that will make you feel all the emotions I highly recommend reading this book. I have never read anything like This Raging Light and I will not be forgetting it anytime soon.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday: This Is Where It Ends

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, where we get to showcase upcoming book releases we are eagerly anticipating!

This week I am waiting on...
This Is Where It Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp 
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Synopsis via Goodreads: 
10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.

The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03

The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05

Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.


COMING JANUARY 5th 2016

I love intense, heart wrenching and emotional reads. When I read the synopsis for This Is Where It Ends I knew I had to read it. Also, look at the cover! It is just fantastic. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book at BEA and was able to attend the authors signing. Marieke was super friendly and energetic. Being the clumsy person that I am her book went flying out of my hand across the aisle onto the ground. Of course, I just had to go and fling the authors book on the ground right in front of her. I was mortified. I am very excited to pick this one up in the next couple weeks and review it before it hits shelves. 

What are you waiting on this week?
Tell me in the comments below! 

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Review: Until We Meet Again

Until We Meet Again
Author: Renee Collins
Pages: 336
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary/Time Travel
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: November 3rd 2015

Synopsis via Goodreads: 
They exist in two different centuries, but their love defies time

Cassandra craves drama and adventure, so the last thing she wants is to spend her summer marooned with her mother and stepfather in a snooty Massachusetts shore town. But when a dreamy stranger shows up on their private beach claiming it's his own—and that the year is 1925—she is swept into a mystery a hundred years in the making.

As she searches for answers in the present, Cassandra discovers a truth that puts their growing love—and Lawrence's life—into jeopardy. Desperate to save him, Cassandra must find a way to change history…or risk losing Lawrence forever.


I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: 
Until We Meet Again is a mysterious and intriguing book about two teenagers living 90 years apart trying to change the past to save each other and their love.

This book did not turn out to be how I thought it would be. When I read the synopsis I was expecting this epic love story. I honestly did not see this book as extremely romantic. Yes, there is a romance in it but it almost seems pushed into the background. You also do not get to see many romantic scenes between the two love interests, Cassandra and Lawrence. There are not many kiss scenes and the ones that do exist are not that swoon worthy. There was also no deep and love professing scenes. There was an absence of a falling in love period too, which is one of my favorite parts of a romance. I think Collins let the other plot line block out the romance, sadly.

This does not mean I didn't like the book. The way the book went I actually did enjoy. In my opinion a majority of this book would be categorized as a mystery. Cass and Lawrence find out that something terrible is meant to happen to Lawrence that might even end his life. They spend a majority of time doing research in both time periods to try and figure out what happens in order to prevent it. The mystery is why I kept reading because I found it interesting and I was curious to know what was going on. The truth revealed was a great twist and was my favorite part of the book.

I did find the book to be slow. I found myself only reading a little bit at a time and it took my a while to finish the whole thing. The pacing was a little slow and it did not seem like a lot happened until the end. The end was my favorite part. It picked up in intrigue and most importantly pace. I also appreciated how she ended the story. I found it much more realistic and honest.

Overall I liked Until We Meet Again. I did not dislike it but I did not love it. I think the lack of romance from what I was expecting and the slow reading made it hard for me to fully invest myself in this book.



Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday: See How They Run

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature, hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, where we get to showcases upcoming book releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

This week I am waiting on...
See How They Run (Embassy Row, #2)
Author: Ally Carter
Series: Embassy Row #2
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary/Mystery 
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Synopsis via Goodreads: 

Inside every secret, there's a world of trouble. Get ready for the second book in this new series of global proportions--from master of intrigue, New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter. 

Grace's past has come back to hunt her . . . and if she doesn't stop it, Grace isn't the only one who will 
get hurt. Because on Embassy Row, the countries of the world stand like dominoes, and one wrong move can make them all fall down. 

The twists get twistier and the turns get even more shocking in the second thrilling installment of Embassy Row.


COMING DECEMBER 22nd 2015

I love every single book Ally Carter writes. Gallagher girls was the first book I ever fell in love with when I  was younger. Ally Carter's series never disappoint they only get more thrilling. 


What are you waiting on this week?

Tell me in the comments below! 

Review: My Secret To Tell

My Secret to Tell
Author: Natalie D. Richards
Pages: 320
Genre: Young Adult Mystery
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: October 6th 2015

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for and honest review.

Synopsis (via Goodreads):
There was blood on his hands. Where was the guilt in his eyes?


Emmie's had a crush on her best friend's brother forever. Deacon is the town bad boy who's always in trouble, but she sees his soft side when he volunteers with her at the local animal shelter. She doesn't think he's dangerous…until he shows up in her bedroom with blood on his hands.
Deacon's father has been violently assaulted and Deacon is suspect number one. Emmie's smart enough to know how this looks, but she also knows Deacon's biggest secret—he's paralyzed by the sight of blood. She's sure he didn't do this. Or did he? Because even Deacon's own sister thinks he's guilty…




REVIEW:
I have been a big fan of Natalie D. Richards ever since I read her debut Six Months Later last year and then went straight onto to read her second book Gone Too Far. I think Natalie D. Richards is one of the better mystery writers in young adult today and her latest book My Secret To Tell just proved this point even more.

One thing I love about Natalie D. Richards books is that she chooses storylines that have not been overdone. A lot of the time in young adult mystery people use the same plot lines again and again and it gets old. But Richards spices things up. The mystery Richards has laid out for us in My Secret To Tell is original, complex, and high stakes. She also has a knack for throwing you curve balls you did not see coming. This has happened to me in her previous and books and this curbeball ending was by far the biggest surprise for me. I honestly had no idea who was behind the scheme until they said it themselves. Richards is very good at putting your suspicions on someone else until the very end. Another thing I enjoy is that the characters are trying to solve the crime too. I think it is more fun that way because you get to figure everything out with the characters.  

I was thoroughly pleased with the characters. The main character Emmie was a strong and ambitious heroine. You also get to see Emmie evolve throughout the story. Emmie becomes more confident with who she is and learns to stand up for the things and people that she cares about. Emmie's love interest Deacon is the perfect bad boy with a good heart. You also get to learn a lot about his backstory and see him evolve as well, which was important to the story. The only character that got on my nerves was Emmie's mother. The way she wouldn't let Emmie follow her dreams or do basically anything she wanted and the way she acted drove me crazy. I do know that was probably one of her purposes in the book though.

Richards does a fantastic job balancing plot and romance. The romance in this book never took away from the main conflict but it was still satisfying and complete on its own. Emmie and Deacon have great chemistry. The two of them being on the run from the police and Deacon being the forbidden bad boy definitely added to the thrill of their romance.

If you enjoy a mystery with the back drop of a summer town I would definitely suggest picking this book up. I loved the setting of them being on the docks in a small summer town with tourists and attractions like charter boats. I also loved how Richards made the stakes higher by having the characters go on the run and hide from the police. It helped add more suspense and intrigue to the book.

My Secret To Tell did not disappoint, It was full of intrigue, mystery, romance, clues, and danger. If you are a fan of Natalie D. Richards I bet you will love this book and if you have not read her yet I highly recommend all of her books. 


Monday, November 2, 2015

November 2015 TBR

november_2011_by_kriegs-d4e8baw
As you have probably noticed by now I kind of fell off the face of the earth these past 2 months. I moved out of the house I have lived in for the 18 years I've been on this earth and to a gorgeous house on the water in another state this fall and my life became so chaotic in the process. I barely have read at all. But I am determined to get back into reading this month and thought using blogging as motivation would be a great way to get back into reading and writing reviews.

This is the ambitious TBR I have planned for the month of November that hopefully I can complete! 
(I'm so behind on my Goodreads 2015 reading challenge... *cringes*) 

Until We Meet AgainNeedThe Girl with the Wrong NameHello?The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns, #2)Ice Like Fire (Snow Like Ashes, #2)Daughter of Deep SilenceThese Shallow GravesRuthlessI Crawl Through ItEdgewaterHer Dark Curiosity (The Madman's Daughter, #2)Blood and Salt (Blood and Salt, #1)A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1)Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1)


Lets see how many of these books I can get to this month!
Tell me in the comments below if you've read any of these books and tell me what you are reading this month!


Thursday, September 3, 2015

August 2015 Reading Wrap Up

Image result for august
I cannot believe that summer is over. This year has been flying by and I'm still behind on my Goodreads reading goal. Oh No! But fall is my favorite season and I have a feeling my reading is going to definitely be better in these coming months. I am determined to meet that 100 book goal! This month I was able to complete 12 books. Look below to see what books I read and what I thought of them! 

P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #2)
Jenny Han
Simon and Schuster 
Young Adult Contemporary 
Rogue Wave (Waterfire Saga, #2)
(Waterfire Saga #2)
Jennifer Donnelly
Disney Hyperion
Young Adult Fantasy 

The Night We Said Yes
Lauren Gibaldi 
HarperTeen
Young Adult Contemporary

Little Peach
Peggy Kern
Balzer & Bray
Young Adult Contemporary 
Boys Like You
Juliana Stone
Sourcebooks
Young Adult Contemporary 

The Summer After You and Me
Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Sourcebooks
Young Adult Contemporary 
The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly
Stephanie Oakes
Dial Books
Young Adult Contemporary/Mystery
Love Fortunes and Other Disasters
Kimberly Karalius
Swoon Reads
Young Adult Contemporary
The Tenderness of Thieves
Donna Freitas
Philomel Books
Young Adult Mystery
5 to 1
Holly Bodger
Knopf Books
Young Adult Dystopian 

The Game of Love and Death
Martha Brockenbrough 
Arthur A. Levine Books
Young Adult Contemporary 
Dream Things True
Marie Marquardt
St. Martin's Griffin
Young Adult Contemporary 

How did you all do with your reading in the month of August?
What did you read?
Have you read any of the books I did? If so, what did you think of them?
Tell me in the comments below! 

Stay tuned for my September TBR. I have a lot of books planned and will be attending a book festival later this month!