May 31, 2016

Top Ten Books I Plan to Read on the Beach

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

1. The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler







2. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson








3. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple









4. Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella









5. Smart Girls Get What They Want by Sarah Strohmeyer







6. All I Need by Susane Colasanti









7. The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick








8. Sweet Temptation








9. What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick



10. Entwined by Heather Dixon







May 30, 2016

ARC Review: The Graces by Laure Eve

Author: Laure Eve
Series: The Graces #1
Publisher: Amulet Books
Number of Pages: 352
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Goodreads I Amazon

Synopsis:
"In The Graces, the first rule of witchcraft states that if you want something badly enough, you can get it . . . no matter who has to pay.
Everyone loves the Graces. Fenrin, Thalia, and Summer Grace are captivating, wealthy, and glamorous. They’ve managed to cast a spell over not just their high school but also their entire town—and they’re rumored to have powerful connections all over the world. If you’re not in love with one of them, you want to be them. Especially River: the loner, new girl at school. She’s different from her peers, who both revere and fear the Grace family. She wants to be a Grace more than anything. And what the Graces don’t know is that River’s presence in town is no accident.
This fabulously addictive fantasy combines sophisticated and haunting prose with a gut-punching twist that readers will be dying to discuss. Perfect for fans of We Were Liars as well as nostalgic classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the 1996 movie The Craft, The Graces marks the beginning of a new wave of teen witches."
I was so excited to read this book, but unfortunately it turned out to be a major disappointment. The synopsis sounded really good and the beginning of the book was really promising. I was a little on the edge on the writing style of the book, but I got used to that as the book went on so that wasn't really a problem. Everything else though...

First, the main character, River, was so freaking annoying. I think the author was going for a character with a lot of angst and despair that teens today would be able to relate to, but she kind of missed the mark. River was relatable in that she was really different from everyone in her school, and she found a group of people she was comfortable in and thus held them really close to her. But, some of the choices she made were so overboard that I wanted to climb inside my kindle and punch her in the face. 

Then there's the plot... My God, it got hella weird. The first half of the book was okay, but then it just went way downhill. I feel like everything was really unnatural and thus annoying. Also, I got REALLY confused especially nearing the end. It all came together in the end, but I almost stopped reading the book because it was so aggravating. I think the author tried to keep the reader in suspense but she ended up just making me confused. 


Overall, I think was so close to being a good book, but it missed the mark and I ended up confused and disappointed. I don't think I will continue with this series, and I wouldn't particularly recommend it either.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.


*I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

May 29, 2016

Stacking the Shelves #29


Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! Visit Tynga's Reviews to learn more about this weekly meme.

For Review

          
From the Library

        

Bought

      
What books did you get this week?

May 23, 2016

Review: Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Number of Pages: 426

Synopsis:
"One moment of recklessness will change their worlds.Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life.
Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules.
And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here. "
Katie McGarry is one of my favorite authors, and this book definitely didn't disappoint. I loved the first book, and when I saw this book at the library I had to pick it up straight away. Then, instead of studying for exams, I read this book in one day.

Razor and Breanna's story was so freaking adorable, and I loved it. Their story wasn't as heartfelt as Oz and Emily's but I still really enjoyed it. Razor was almost the complete opposite of Breanna, but they fit really well and were adorable. I read it really quickly, but I didn't feel like anything was too rushed in their relationship either which I feel can be an issue in contemporary books sometimes. 

If you have read any previous Katie McGarry books, then I would recommending this book and series as well. It follows the same pattern of being a contemporary, but the characters have to go through a lot of personal issues. For Razor and Breanna their issues were both linked to their families. Razor particularly was dealing with the death of his mom and the affect it had on him and his dad, and for Breanna it was connecting with everyone else due to her numerous siblings.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book as always. If anyone has previously read any Katie McGarry books and enjoyed them I would definitely recommend continuing on with this series. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

May 18, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #52: And I Darken by Kiersten White

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

Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: Corgi Childrens
Number of Pages: 498
Release Date: July 7th, 2016
Goodreads l Amazon

Synopsis:
"No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwyla likes it that way.
Ever since she and her brother were abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman sultan’s courts, Lada has known that ruthlessness is the key to survival. For the lineage that makes her and her brother special also makes them targets.
Lada hones her skills as a warrior as she nurtures plans to wreak revenge on the empire that holds her captive. Then she and Radu meet the sultan’s son, Mehmed, and everything changes. Now Mehmed unwittingly stands between Lada and Radu as they transform from siblings to rivals, and the ties of love and loyalty that bind them together are stretched to breaking point.
The first of an epic new trilogy starring the ultimate anti-princess who does not have a gentle heart. Lada knows how to wield a sword, and she'll stop at nothing to keep herself and her brother alive."
Kiersten White is one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to read this. The synopsis sounds amazing, but can we take a second to appreciate that cover!!!




May 16, 2016

Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Author: Sarah J Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children
Number of Pages: 404 
Goodreads l Amazon

Synopsis:
"In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. 
The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world."
I have heard load and loads of amazing things about this book, but since I'm not that big of a fan of fantasy I've held back. Man do I hate myself for that decision. I really, REALLY enjoyed this book. It definitely started off slow for me but by the end I was captivated. 

Celaena is a total badass and I love that about her, but at the same time she's not invincible. She goes through things just like us other girls. I have to applause Sarah J Mass for actually having a female girl go through her period. You don't see that in books very often...in fact its pretty rare. This little tiny fact brought Celaena to a whole different level where she was even more human than she originally was in my head. 
“My name is Celaena Sardothien. But it makes no difference if my name's Celaena or Lillian or Bitch, because I'd still beat you, no matter what you call me.” 
Celaena also doesn't just fall into the arms of Prince Dorian of Chaol, she realizes that she is here fighting for her life. She's not here so she can simply fight in this competition, walk away, and then have a romance. No--she has to concentrate on this competition and training after all her time in this concentration camp. 

And speaking of this whole love triangle--it isn't all that present in the novel. It's subtle, because we all know that there are some YA books nowadays that try to force a romance into a novel and it sucks. Not all books need romance! Sarah J Maas made it so the romance blended into the plot line seamlessly. I loved it. Also, TEAM DORIAN. I don't understand y'all Chaol fans. DORIAN IS A PRINCE. DORIAN LOVES TO READ. DORIAN BRINGS HER CANDY. What more could you want?!
Another thing that I loved about this book is the writing. Holy fuck...I truly understand why people love this series so much. This is the first book where I took post-its and marked every line that I loved. I know a lot of people do that but I don't. 
“Still, the image haunted his dreams throughout the night: a lovely girl gazing at the stars, and the stars who gazed back.” 
That is my favorite line in the entire book. It is just so beautiful. 
"What's the point in having a heart if you don't use it to spare others from the harsh judgments of your mind?" 
This is the line that moved me the most. This book is so well-written and the plot is just fantastic. I am not a fan of fantasy. I was hesitant to read this at first and I kept putting it down but when I actually opened myself up to it, I ended up reading the majority of it in one sitting. I can read it but it definitely is not my favorite, so finding one that I really, really enjoy is difficult, but Sarah J Maas has definitely convinced me to pick up and love her books.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars!!