Ruin and Rising (The Grishaverse #3) by Leigh Bardugo

Goodreads Summary:

The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

My Thoughts:

See my review for book one here. and my review for book two here.  The end of the trilogy. I’m both happy and sad. Happy that I loved the series and sad that it is over (for now.)

So my love of the Darkling ending in Book 2 with my new love Stormhund, and because the Darkling just gets creepier and creepier, and it’s hard to love him anymore. Nikolai needed to be in this book WAY more. How can you give him to me in Book 2 and not have him all throughout this book. HOW DARE YOU?! My friend told me there will be a Nikolai book next year though, so YAY. But NO a year!?! Damnit man. I didn’t like how they were stuck in the cave for so long it was boring and drawn out. I still hate Mal and after the huge plot twist, I was LIKE YAAAAAAAS stab him Alina. GET HIM! But even that did not work out. Lame.

March Movies

What movies are you excited for this month?

 

Siege and Storm (The Grishaverse #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Goodreads Summary:

Darkness never dies.

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

 My Thoughts:

THIS SERIES! I reviewed the first book earlier. So I was iffy during the first book because of all the Russian style words and names, and I’m not good with stuff I can’t pronounce. BUT OMG IT WAS SO GOOD. So of course I started the second one immediately after, and it was still so fucking good. STURMHOND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Swoon so hard. I LOVE HIM. My friend told me her favorite character was Nickolai, and I was like well I haven’t gotten to him yet, but how are you not mentioning Sturmhond, because he’s the best. So she was all

I like that Alina is getting these darker style powers and really getting into it. I know you aren’t supposed to like that but I still ship Alina and the Darkling….so there’s that. She’s a bad ass. I still don’t like Mal. I feel like he is such a dick. He is jealous and not understanding at all. Just grrrr. Grow the fuck up MAL! I am glad that I have book 3 already because there is no way I am waiting to dig in.

Quotes:

“When people say impossible, they usually mean improbable.”

“What is infinite? The universe and the greed of men.”

“Oh, and the easiest way to make someone furious is to tell her to calm down.”

“Weakness is a guise. Wear it when they need to know you’re human, but never when you feel it.”

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (Guide #1) by Mackenzi Lee

Goodreads Summary:

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

My Thoughts:

Not my style. DNF I checked it from the library and it didn’t hook me right away so I took it back since it was getting close to due date. lots of great reviews. maybe i should try again?

 

Should I give it a second chance?

 

February Movies

 

 

What movies are you looking forward to this month?

Manicpixiedreamgirl by Tom Leveen

Goodreads Summary:

Sometimes the most dramatic scenes in a high school theater club are the ones that happen between the actors and crew off stage.

Seventeen-year-old Tyler Darcy’s dream of being a writer is starting to feel very real now that he’s sold his first short story to a literary journal. He should be celebrating its publication with his two best friends who’ve always had his back, but on this night, a steady stream of texts from his girlfriend Sidney keep intruding. So do the memories of his dream girl, Becky, who’s been on his mind a little too much since the first day of high school. Before the night is over, Ty might just find the nerve to stop all the obsessing and finally take action.

My Thoughts:

I love the title, but I don’t love the cover. So I was okay with this book, but I hated the main character. Tyler starts high school, and falls in love at first sight with a girl, but does not actually meet or talk to her. He basically just stalks her for the entire book, even while he has a girlfriend. She knows he is love with the other girl, but she figures he is never going to hook up with her because he can’t even talk to her so she is probably fine. I am torn between liking the book, and hating Tyler.

What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton

Goodreads Summary

How can you talk about something you can’t remember?

Before the ski trip, sixteen-year-old Cassidy “Sid” Murphy was a cheerleader (at the bottom of the pyramid, but still…), a straight-A student, and a member of a solid trio of best friends. When she ends up on a ski lift next to handsome local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled; but Dax takes everything from Sid—including a lock of her perfect red curls—and she can’t remember any of it.

Back home and unable to relate to her old friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she can just shake the nightmares and those few extra pounds, everything will be perfect… or so she thinks.

Witty and poignant, Colleen Clayton’s stunning debut is a story about moving on after the unthinkable happens.

My Thoughts:

A lot of the bloggers I follow LOVED this book, but I don’t get it. Sid goes on a ski trip with her classmates, and meets a cute older guy on the ski lift. She decides to sneak out, against her friends advice, to meet him at a party. When she gets to the house, she finds out there is no party (the guys gives excuses) but he wants her to come in for a movie. She thinks the guy is cute, and is really excited to have the attention from him. She decides to go in. Once there he drugs her drink and rapes her. She wakes up the next day, and makes it back to the ski lodge, where she doesn’t tell anyone what happened, but gets in trouble for sneaking out and going to a party. She ends up having a lot of emotional problems from the rape, and from keeping it a secret. She starts to develop anorexia as a way to control her life. She ends up meeting Corey, who is labeled as a loser and a stoner, and it turns out he is a really great guy. She learns a lot about him, and through that learns a lot about herself. She eventually is able to come to terms with what happened to her, and the rapist is brought to justice (not because of her, she reads it in a newspaper), and tell her friends and her mom.  This book tackles a lot of the themes I enjoy reading about in realistic fiction like eating disorders and abuse, but it fell flat for me. Meh.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Goodreads Summary:

An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932 illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. Winner of the 2007 BookBrowse Award for Most Popular Book.

An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons.

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.

Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.

My Thoughts:

This book is amazing.  I love circus books I guess!   This book is told from the point of view of Jacob set in modern time when he is in a nursing home and is either ninety or ninety three (he doesn’t remember) and also set in the 30s when Jacob worked for a circus. In modern times Jacob is a really terribly depressing, but also surprising funny character.  The circus comes to town, just down the street from the nursing home, and it reminds Jacob of when he used to work at the circus during the Great Depression.  The story is told beautifully. I love how it alternates between the past and the present, and how the story really unfolds.  It was quite the page turner for me.  I haven’t seen the movie, period films and romance films are not my usual forte, also I used to be deathly terrified of clowns (IDK why I am not anymore) but after reading this, I definitely want to check it out.

Beauty’s Kingdom (Sleeping Beauty #4) by A.N. Roquelaure (pseudonym), Anne Rice

Goodreads summary:

Before E. L. James and Sylvia Day, there was Anne Rice: Discover Beauty’s Kingdom, the fourth novel in the bestselling Sleeping Beauty series

Mega-bestselling author Anne Rice, writing as A. N. Roquelaure, returns to the mysterious kingdom of Queen Eleanor in this new chapter of her Sleeping Beauty series. When the great queen is reported dead, Beauty and Laurent return to the kingdom they left twenty years before. Beauty agrees to take the throne, but she insists that all erotic servitude be voluntary. Countless eager princes, princesses, lords, ladies, and commoners journey to Beauty’s realm, where she and her husband usher in a new era of desire, longing, and ecstasy. Provocative and stirring, Rice’s imaginative retelling of the Sleeping Beauty myth will be adored by her longtime fans and new readers of erotica just discovering the novels.

This book is intended for mature audiences.

 

My Thoughts:

 

I was absolutely in love with the original trilogy. I have read book 1 probably 10 times. It is my absolute favorite erotic novel. The entire trilogy is pure gold. I was so fucking excited when I heard about this book. This one though….well it was just meh. I wanted to love it so much, but it just wasn’t amazing like the other books. Honestly it’s a huge disappointment because the other books were THAT good. In this book Beauty and Laurent are retired to the countryside from running their own kingdom, when they find out their old masters the Queen and Crown Prince have perished in a boating accident and left the pleasure kingdom to them.  They return and take over control of the kingdom, and make several changes to pleasure slavery.  Should have been amazing. Wasn’t.

 

 

Breathless Series by Maya Banks

This erotic trilogy was pretty good.  It is about three friends in New York who are super wealthy because they own a chain of hotels.  They have been best friends for years, and all of them have a BDSM lifestyle in common.  Gabe, Jace, and Ash are very involved in each other’s lives.  Jace and Ash actually share women almost always.  The first book is about Gabe and his relationship with Jace’s little sister, Mia.  I loved this book, so I bought the following two books.  Fever is about Jace and his relationship with Bethany, which puts a wrench in his friendship with Ash because they normally share women, and Jace does not want to share Bethany.  The final book was the worst of the series and it is about Ash and his relationship with Josie.  Each book follows the same basic plot line. The main guy falls for a girl that he should not and it affects his entire life and his friendships with the other two guys.  Overall It was a pretty good series. The first book was the best by far, and if I was ever to re-read any of them, that would be the only one I would read again.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Goodreads Summary:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

My Thoughts:

This book was so cute. I loved it. When this book came out I feel like every book blogger I follow was recommending it, and it sounded interesting, but it took me FOREVER to read it. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG? It was so good. Worth ALL of the hype. Simon is adorable. The romance aspect of the book was so cute. Simon and this online person, Blue, are too much. Blue is someone who goes to Simon’s school, but he doesn’t know who it is. The entire book you are guessing who Blue really is, which is fun. I love reading the emails back and forth, because I am super nosy, and because they were just so stinking cute. Simon has a really great friend group, except for Leah. I think she was a bitch. Overall this was a great coming of age story.

June Movies

Wonder Woman

The Mummy

It Comes at Night

Transformers: The Last Knight

47 Meters Down

THE BAD BATCH

Despicable Me 3

 

PS: What movies are you wanting to see this month?

March Movies

Here are the movies I am excited for in March:

 

Logan

WILSON

Kong: Skull Island

The Wall

Beauty and the Beast

FREE FIRE

THE BELKO EXPERIMENT

All Nighter

Power Rangers

PS: What about you? What movies are you into this month?

Dream Loot Crate: Disnerd Edition

 

Loot Crate is looking out for fans who are interested in coming up with a Dream Crate for their subscription box. According to Loot Crate “we offer up a unique monthly subscription box of awesome for every fandom, enthusiast group and style.” I love me some subscription boxes.  I have had my eye on Loot Crate for some time, but haven’t pulled the trigger and purchased a subscription yet. Here are some of the items that would be in my Dream Crate, Disnerd style.

I would like it to include all of the Alice in Wonderland Tsum Tsums, awesome Disney Villain bookmark magnets from WonderDame Bookmarks, a Tinkerbell Pop Tee, an entire collection of Disney villain Mystery Minis, and all of the new Beauty and the Beast Funko Pops.

Ok so it is a lot more than the regular Loot Crate, but a girl can dream right?

PS: What would you want in your Dream Crate?

PPS: I did not get anything for this post.  I wish I had gotten a free crate or subscription, but I just did this for fun, because they asked me.

February Movies

Movies I want to see this month:

 

The Space Between Us

Fifty Shades Darker

PS: What movies are you excited for this month? Anything not on my radar I should check out?

 

 

 

December Movies

As you know, I love going to the movie theaters! It is one of the main things my husband and I do when we go out.  Here are the movies I want to see this month:

Lock & Mori (Lock & Mori #1) by Heather W. Petty

Goodreads:

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students—one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty—meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more…

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule—they must share every clue with each other—Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

My Thoughts:

My #otspsecretsister bought me this book as one of my gifts.  I read it right away, but it has taken me FOREVER to review.  I read it on the plane to and from my vacation to Cancun.  I love Sherlock Holmes, I watch all of the shows and movies of late, and recently read Warlock Holmes.

Lock and Mori is a really interesting book.  It is about Sherlock and Moriarty as modern day high school students. Moriarty is James Moriarty, a girl!!, who goes by Mori.  She meets Sherlock, who she dubs Lock.  He challenges her to solve a string of murders with him, the only rule is they have to share all of their information with each other.  Sherlock is exactly how you would imagine high school Sherlock to be, observant and odd. It’s so cute how he starts falling for Mori! Swoon! It’s not hard to solve the case and figure out who the killer is from an early point in the book. Despite this, the book is very interesting, and it’s cool to see how everything tied together.  I’m excited to read the next book in the series. I love how this book is told from Mori’s POV. It tells all about her home life, with a drunk and abusive police officer father (her mom died.) The entire book is dark with the growing relationship between Lock and Mori being the only bright spot in an otherwise very dark tale.  Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and normally I loathe Mycroft in all of the portrayals I have seen him in, but I found him to be delightful in this book! Watson was also in the book, but only briefly, so I expect to see them both in future installments. I am concerned for the couple because they are mortal enemies in the other Sherlock Holmes renditions I have seen. I don’t want to see Sherlock get crushed by Mori, but I do anticipate that to happen eventually.

Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid

Goodreads Summary:

Never date your best friend.

Always be original.

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.

Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they’d never, ever do in high school.

Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never dye your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he’s broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It’s either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember.

Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they’ve actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love.

My Thoughts:

This book is about Dave and Julia, two average high school kids who vow to never have a cliche high school moment and come up with a list of Nevers, things to never do. Julia decides they should do everything on the Nevers list, and Dave goes along with it because he is in love with her, and because she is his best friend.  I was a bit frustrated with the relationship Dave and Julia have.  You know Dave is in love with her for forever, and she is oblivious.  It is just a bit annoying because she is the one who decided they should do the Nevers list, which does include never date your best friend. Hello! Obviously that is going to be an issue. She acts totally out of it until he ends up getting a girlfriend, and then, she is all, Oh wait I love him too! GRRRRRRRR. I didn’t like her AT ALL.  Julia lives with her two dads and has a weird relationship with her mom, who she longs to be with and impress, but is kind of too wild and free to be bogged down with a daughter, so you can really see why Julia is the way she is.  It did not make me like her any more though. I didn’t like how they ended up treating each other, and just

 
(SOURCE)

FRUSTRATION. They frustrated me soooooo badly. PS I did really like Gretchen though! She was sweet and Dave totally should be with someone like her, even though he handles the entire Julia situation completely wrong.  High school boys, am I right?

 

 

The author sent me this book for free, because I won a contest on Twitter. This is an honest review. See my review of Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid here.

 

TBT Review: Lash by Tara Fox Hall

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Scarred from a childhood spent in perpetual indigence after being forced from their home in the Everglades, weresnake Trystan Valeras and his family make their way to the Case Hotel. When his wealthy gangster father arrives the summer he turns sixteen, Trystan’s dream of a better life, along with the lovely aristocrat Mara, is suddenly within his grasp. Instead of paradise, a series of devastating events unfold, leading Trystan to become the instrument of his dying father’s revenge. His violent reprisal instigates a backlash of murder and death, forcing Trystan to flee with the remains of his family to the sultry city of New Orleans where he sells himself into the service of the Vampire Lord Abraham. Becoming the assassin Lash to hide his identity, Trystan finds a measure of peace, even as his skill with killing heightens, bringing to him not only new allies, but also new adversaries.

My Thoughts:

 

TBT Review: Promise Me by Tara Fox Hall

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

When young widow Sarelle McGarran finds the vampire Danial Racklan unconscious and hurt in her woods, intuitive concern quickly becomes passionate love. Together Danial and Sar work to overcome their own past heartbreaks, their vastly different lifestyles, and Danial’s relentless enemies. Yet Danial needs more; an Oath of forever. But can Sar give Danial his greatest desire?

My Thoughts:

 

TBT Review: Morning Star (Equinox #1) by Desiree Finkbeiner

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

When a mysterious stranger interrupts Brianna’s mundane routine, her eyes are opened to the dark underbelly of reality… immortal rogues, ancient conspiracies, prophetic revelations, savage tribes, mammoth dragonflies…

She’s thrust into a race for her life when Kalen, a warrior from Ethos, discovers that she is harboring a secret… a secret that he’d give his life to protect.

There’s just one little problem… they are tempted by a forbidden romance, which threatens to compromise a divinely appointed mission. They are faced with a choice… love eternal, or the end of the world…

My Thoughts:

Things I Just Had To Know About Lauren from Shooting Stars Mag

Today we are lucky to have Lauren of Shooting Star Mag and Let’s Get Beyond Tolerance!
• Give us the history of you. (family life, where you’re from, etc.)

My name is Lauren and I’m from Kentucky, though I’ve never been on a horse in my life and I don’t really have a southern accent. I’m the youngest of three kids. I have a brother (who is married and has a girl, a boy, and another girl on the way) and a sister who is seriously one of my best friends. My mom is one of my other best friends. We’re all very close.

• When did you start blogging? Was this your first blog?

I started blogging in 2007 and yes, ShootingStarsMag was my first blog. The Mag stands for Magazine, because the original idea was to have “issues” but the person I started the blog with, Keaton, and I decided setting it up like a regular blog would ultimately be easier. We focused a lot on music at first, but I started finding book blogs, and Keaton and I had met in an online book club, so we slowly started adding in books. Now, the blog is about 75% books and 25% other lifestyle and entertainment, because I like a little mix of everything.

• What made you start blogging?

I was in an online book club and that’s where I met Keaton. We decided to start the blog together. She’s actually the one who set up the blog on Blogger and made the official email, as she knew more than me at the time. She no longer blogs with me, but the beginning of ShootingStarsMag was a lot of fun and we had a lot of help from other book club members who did reviews and interviews with us.

• How did you come up with your blog name?

I actually came up with the name. I liked the idea of Shooting Stars because we wanted to focus on artists (and eventually authors) who weren’t completely main stream. We wanted to help spread the word and get them new fans, and I hope I’m still doing that.

• How long were you running your blog before you started getting many followers?

I have no clue to be honest. We started the blog in 2007 and we never had a ton of followers. I feel like that has grown more in the past few years. I started to use social media more and figure out more ways to help spread the word and get noticed. It’s definitely helped. I like having people reading the blog and leaving their thoughts.

• Walk me through the process that you went through to get your blog to where it is today.

It was definitely a long process, though it didn’t take that long for us to start adding books to what we were already writing about. Over the years, the people who have helped have definitely changed. Now it’s me and my co-blogger Alicia, who I met through a fellow book blogger years ago. I’m still growing though! I love books and reading, but I’ve always wanted to feature other topics, so I hope to continue to do that.

• How many books do you read in a month?

I’m not sure, to be honest. It honestly changes month to month, but I suppose on average, it’s about 10 books a month. I’m not a terribly slow reader, but I’m not as fast as I wish I could be!

• What book did you read most recently that you loved, and would recommend to everyone?

It depends on what type of books you like! If you don’t mind m/m romance, then definitely Patchwork Paradise by Indra Vaughn. Such a beautiful novel. If you really like graphic novels, I’d suggest the Saga series as I’ve recently finished the last collection that is out.

• What are the top questions you get asked by your readers?

I’m not sure I really get asked that many questions! I know some people seem to think my name is Mag because of my blog title, but Mag is short for magazine. I don’t mind this though, because it’s kind of like being given a nickname!

• If a new blogger came up to you today, and you only had a few minutes to talk, what would be your best blogging tip?

My blogging tip would be to look at as many blogs as you can and figure out what you do and do not like, and then make the blog you’d most want to read.

• Have you ever liked the movie more than the book? Be honest!

Photo Credit

I tend to see more movies based on books without having actually read the novel, than having read the book beforehand. I don’t know if I’d say I like the movie better than the book, but I do love the film A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks (and it’s a movie where I DID read the book beforehand).

• Are there any popular books you know you would never read (i.e. 50 shades of grey, tell us which one)?

Definitely not 50 Shades of Grey! Hah There are probably a lot of series out that are popular that I know I won’t ever read, but the one I can think of right now is The Mortal Instruments. Just not interested.

• Any new blog features you are working on?

I’ve been recently trying to do Bridge the Gap more. This is where I focus on books that were published by authors NOT from the United States. Other blogs can do this too, if they like. If you’re not from the U.S., then of course U.S. novels would be your Bridge the Gap books, but any other country too.

• What are 5 items you never leave home without?

Money/card, gym lanyard so I can get in, lip gloss, usually my Kindle, and facial wipes (usually for after the gym).

• Anything else you would like to add?

I also blog at Let’s Get Beyond Tolerance (www.letsgetbeyondtolerance.blogspot.com) which focuses on LGBT+ news and entertainment (which does include book reviews!).

Stalk Lauren:

Blog
Other Blog
Twitter
Instagram

 

Thank you so so much for being here Lauren!

PS: Is there anything you would like to know about Lauren?

Penguin Random House Book Buzz

A few days ago I visited my local library and went to the Penguin Random House Book Buzz hosted by Robert Haddock.. It was really informative.  I didn’t know that the two publisher merged a couple of years ago and formed the largest publishing company!! Robert said they should have made the name Random Penguins to be more fun! Who doesn’t love random penguins?

(Photo Credit)

TBT Review: Riser (The Riser Saga #1) by Becca C. Smith

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Black swirling holes churning madly in the center of every corpse. This is how eighteen-year-old Chelsan Derée sees the deceased. Her ability to connect to the black spinning holes allows her to control every dead thing within a four-mile radius.

But that’s the least of her problems. It’s 2320 and Chelsan Derée has to survive another year of high school, which for her is pure and utter torture, mainly due to the fact that her schoolmate Jill Forester’s favorite activity is making Chelsan’s life a living hell. If that isn’t enough, Chelsan’s impossible crush on Ryan Vaughn makes her brain do somersaults on a regular basis, especially since she is positive he doesn’t know she exists. And being eighteen Chelsan has to deal with the pressure of whether or not she should take a little pill called Age-pro, which cures aging, making the world eighteen forever and highly over-populated.

When Chelsan’s mother, Janet, is brutally killed, along with everyone else in her trailer park, Chelsan finds out that she was the intended target.

Chelsan must use her power to raise and control the dead to save herself, protect her friends and take down the man responsible for murdering her mother.

My Thoughts:

 

TBT Review: Pack of Lies (Red Ridge Pack #1) by Sara Dailey and Staci Weber

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

The last thing Allison Wright ever expected when she moved to Red Ridge, New Mexico was to come muzzle to muzzle with the wolf of her dreams.

Seventeen-year-old Allison Wright is convinced she’s losing her mind. Uncontrollable mood swings, hot flashes, and the urge to punch anyone who gets in her way are suddenly becoming everyday occurrences. Before her erratic behavior gets out of hand, Allison’s mother finally comes clean about her dark secret. Mom is a werewolf, and soon Allison and her brother Aiden will suffer the same fate. When Allison reaches her breaking point, the family leaves their life in Texas to move to Red Ridge, New Mexico where they rejoin the pack that Allison’s mother left behind almost 20 years ago.

Unfortunately, not everyone in Red Ridge is thrilled about Allison’s arrival, especially when she attracts the attention of the very handsome, very taken, soon-to-be alpha, Cade Walker. Little does Allison know, her mere presence is causing a rift in a once unified pack. Not only has Cade been forbidden from being with Allison by his father, the pack’s alpha, Cade’s girlfriend, Kendall Stuart, will stop at nothing to get Allison out of the picture. Well on her way to becoming the next alpha’s mate, Kendall expects to rule the pack by Cade’s side even if it means teaming up with a rogue werewolf with an agenda of his own. Determined to get rid of Allison permanently, when Kendall and the rogue join forces, all hell breaks loose and no one in the pack is safe, especially not Cade and his true mate.

My Thoughts:

 

I haven’t felt like reviewing books lately.. part 2

So I haven’t felt like reviewing any of the books I have read lately. I am not even sure I can remember enough details of any of them to review them.  Some of them are from way back in January.  Instead of reviewing each book, I am going to list them here and let you know whether I think it is worth taking a glance at. Part 1 here.

T10T – 10 Books For Every Realistic Fiction Lover Should Read

This week’s prompt is 10 books every ______ should read.  So I chose 10 Books For Every Realistic Fiction Lover Should Read

TBT Review: Saving Sunni (The Keyhole #2) by Kasi Alexander and Reggie Alexander

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Jessie Chambers—“Sunni” to the local BDSM community—needs to grow up. Her master, Sir Rune, has told her to get a job. Her sister slave, Sage, is struggling through college, serious as ever. Sunni goes to the local goth/kink store, The Fringe Element, and is immediately embraced by its quirky owner as the newest member of her “little family.”

But almost immediately things start to get complicated. Sunni’s ex shows up, claiming he’s found God and that God wants them to get back together. A video of Sunni and Sir Rune doing a scene at the club winds up on television and all kinds of trouble ensues. Sunni must figure out a way to restore her relationships, keep her master from getting deported, take over running the store, and stop everybody else from trying to “save Sunni.”

Six sentences from “Saving sunni,” the sequel to “Becoming sage.”

“Sir dipped the huge blade closer and closer, occasionally catching a piece of the plastic wrap with the tip in a movement that seemed much too fast to be safe. The plastic made a very satisfying ripping sound, but only a tiny piece actually came loose—not enough for me to even feel. He was very theatrical, and I knew it was making a good show. I pretended to be terrified, screaming occasionally, although not too much for fear of accidentally setting off my panic. He swung the knife up and down the length of my body, occasionally holding it against my throat and tracing a white-hot line, making some of the women in the audience gasp. It was hard for me not to smile when he ran the blade across my skin; that was actually the safest part of the play, and I knew he was doing it mostly to calm me down.”

My Thoughts:

 

I haven’t felt like reviewing books lately..

So I haven’t felt like reviewing any of the books I have been reading lately.  In fact, I have been dreading it so much that I have around 10 books that I have read and not reviewed!! I am not even sure I can remember enough details of any of them to review them.  Some of them are from way back in January.  Instead of reviewing each book, I am going to list them here and let you know whether or not I think it is worth taking a glance at.

This is an anthology of short zombie stories, including stories by Max Brooks (World War Z, Zombie Survival Guide) and Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead).  I loved every story in this book.  Some much more than others, but basically they were all winners.  I am going to keep a list of the names of the authors so I can check out their other works.  This was a great book to break up my reading slump after reading a bunch of books that I DNF.

This is a book I DNF.  It is about Ryan who records a tape of himself talking about his mom’s death, and all kinds of things like a diary, back in 1993, and about Ameliah who finds the tape in her grandmother’s home 20 years later.  I thought the premise sounded really good, but I could not get into the story at all.

I got this book for free from the author.  I did not like it and DNF.  I was excited to read a book about a Marvel super hero that I wasn’t very familiar with.  The Hulk is not one of my faves, and tbh I didn’t even know his cousin was the She-Hulk (aka Shulky.)  This tells the story of Jennifer Walters who is lawyer by day, and crime fighting She-Hulk by night.  I really couldn’t get into the story at all, even though I was really interested in the book. It just wasn’t for me.

This book was seriously good! I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it because the premise sounds a little weird.  It is 1996 and Emma gets an AOL cd so she can connect her new computer to the internet (remember those? I used to get them from the store for free and glue them to the wall shiny side out, and I had an entire wall done like that) from her neighbor and former best friend Josh. When she connects, she gets on the internet, and her Facebook page comes up. Which is super weird because Facebook has not been invented yet. First Emma thinks it is some kind of elaborate prank, but soon realizes she is looking at the future.  She and Josh continue to check their Facebook pages and make changes to their lives that affect their future.  The book was really well written, and the characters were relate-able.  It was interesting to see how ridiculous they thought Facebook is, I mean why would anyone let everyone know everything they are doing all the time, and who has 300 friends.  Worth checking out.

I received this book for review from the publisher for free.  This book was just okay.  I’m not the biggest sci-fi fan.  A lot of the stories were hard to get interested in for me.  My favorites were Paying Old Debts by Gerri Leen and The Shadowless by Rati Mehrotra.  Not worth buying for just two good stories.

This is a cute picture book for kids.  Carole P. Roman sent this to me for review.  I love her books for kids. The Captain No Beard books are super cute with lots of lessons for kids.

I got this book for free in exchange for a review.  I think the pictures are cute, but I don’t think the book is worth purchasing.  The book is so limited with the kiddos just learning to say the word water.

I love these books by Carole P. Roman. I did get this for free in exchange for a review.  I reviewed some of the other books in this series here. I love how the books teach you about the culture and language of other countries.  It follows the same format of the other books, starting with a map of Italy, then talks about the capital Rome, and the history, then what name you might have if you were Italian. The book then talks about how to say a bunch of words in Italian, and they are written out phonetically so that you can pronounce them, and it talks about the food you might eat.

I was so excited to read this book, because I love dystopian novels, and it has a lot of big name authors like Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, and Orson Scott Card.  BUT I didn’t love it.  I had a very hard time getting interested in the stories. I guess I love YA dystopian and stories about zombies and that’s it.

I reviewed another book in this series here. I liked the first book better than this book, but this one was good also.  It is worth a read if you like fairy tale retellings!

PS: What are you reading? What do you do when you don’t feel like reviewing books? Are there any books I DNF that you think I should try again?

 

 

 

 

TBT Review: Dreamwalker (Persephone’s League of Immortals #1) by Andrea Heltsley

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Noel Kennedy lost her boyfriend, her job, and her dignity all in one week and then gained an entirely new life. Hunted by a mysterious league of immortals, Noel must rediscover her forgotten past while uncovering the truth behind the two men who battle for her heart, both in dreams and in reality.

Entranced, she slowly unravels a world she was meant to stay out of, one filled with creatures she once thought to be myth and dangers that threaten her very soul. Now Noel begins the fight for her life and must choose between two men who call to her heart. Can she escape a life of servitude or immortality for a chance at love?

My Thoughts:

 

TBT Review: Beauty’s Enchanted Beasts (Spells of Seduction #1) by Jessica Frost

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

[Siren Menage Everlasting: Erotic Historical Fantasy/Paranormal Menage a Trois Romance, M/F/M, werewolves] Elizabeth Stuart thought she couldn’t hate the Duke of Norfolk any more than she did. After he wins her in a bet and she’s forced to live in his castle, she learns she was wrong. Penniless and distraught, she moves in, vowing to make him pay. Richard Albert has loved Elizabeth for so long. When her father asks his help in protecting Elizabeth from the evil sorceress Pondora, he agrees wholeheartedly, not knowing Elizabeth’s father lied about why she’ll be staying with him. Now she thinks he’s evil incarnate. George Albert’s not happy his brother brought Lady Elizabeth there. Considering the danger that lurks in Castle Norfolk’s dungeon, she’s no safer with them. But after seeing how much Richard loves her and realizing she’s the woman of George’s sexual dreams, whom he so desires, he changes his mind and plans on making every one of his erotic dreams come true. Soon these three get caught in a web of deceit, sex, and love. Little do they know Pondora has figured a way past the castle’s enchantment and intends on executing her deadly curse. A Siren Erotic Romance

My Thoughts:

 

TBT Review: Fifty Shades Trilogy

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Daunted by the singular sexual tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house.

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven, and demanding Fifty Shades.

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront her anger and envy of the women who came before her and make the most important decision of her life.

Erotic, sparkling and suspenseful, Fifty Shades Darker is the irresistibly addictive second part of the Fifty Shades trilogy.

My Thoughts:

 

TBT Review: Succubus Lost (Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency #2) by Tiffany Allee

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Someone is kidnapping and incinerating otherworlders beyond recognition, and detective Marisol Whitman, a succubus, races to find the murderer before he claims another victim. But her pursuit is derailed when her responsible younger sister vanishes. Marisol suspects foul play and enlists support from an unlikely source: an agent from the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, Valerio Costa.

When the trail pointing to everyone from vampires to witches dries up, Agent Costa admits to knowing more than he’s shared. Marisol’s sister’s kidnapper harnesses more magic than she can imagine—and they’re running out of time. To find her sister before her powers are drained and twisted beyond recognition, Marisol must connect the dots between cases and put her trust in Costa, a salamander who may burn her before she can solve either case.

My Thoughts:

 

TBT Review: Banshee Charmer (Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency #1) by Tiffany Allee

I had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the blog hosting company, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

A paranormal category romance novella from Entangled’s Covet imprint…

She’s not immune to his charms…

Paranormal detective Kiera “Mac” McLoughlin has a serial killer on her hands. Two women are dead-naked, and no obvious cause of death. Aidan Byrne, an investigator with the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, confirms her suspicions. He’s hot, enigmatic, and just so damned charming. Almost charming enough to distract Mac…until her female partner becomes the killer’s next victim.

Now Mac’s off the case and sneaking behind her department’s back to pursue the investigation with Aidan-and desperately trying to fight her attraction to him. Each lead is starting to form the same conclusion: incubi, who have been extinct for at least century. But Aidan has a few secrets he’s hiding. And as Mac struggles to keep her libido in check, she wonders if she’s falling for Aidan…or falling for a killer.

My Thoughts:

TBT Review: My Boyfriend Merlin (My Merlin Trilogy #1) by Priya Ardis

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  I will be posting these reviews under a new blog post called Throw Back Thursday Reviews, until I have posted them all on this blog. 🙂 See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

He was a little older than he was letting on. By a few eons…

In this modern Arthurian, 17 year-old Boston high schooler Arriane, aka Ryan, DuLac just found out the guy she’s been crushing on, hot biker Matt, is a little older than he was letting on. In fact, he is really Merlin—the Merlin, King Arthur’s Merlin, the greatest wizard who ever lived. Frozen in a cave for over fifteen hundred years, he’s woken for a purpose. But Ryan’s not impressed. Tired of being a relationship loser, she’d rather kick his legendary behind.

Sure, the world has been crazy ever since the sword and the stone fell out of the sky like a meteor. But despite gruesome gargoyles, a deadly new world of magic, and the guy driving her crazy, Ryan knows that family is everything. Will Merlin sacrifice hers to save the world? Will she be able to stop him?

 

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay’s dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

 

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Charlie is a freshman.

And while he’s not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can’t stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: The Nine Lives of Chloe King (Nine Lives of Chloe King #1-3) by Celia Thomson

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

DYING CAN REALLY CHANGE A GIRL’S LIFE.

Chloe King is a normal girl. She goes to class (most of the time), fights with her mom, and crushes on a boy… or two. But around her sixteenth birthday, Chloe finds that perhaps she isn’t so normal after all. There’s the heightened night vision, the super fast reflexes – oh, and the claws.

As she discovers who she is – and where she comes from – it is clear she is not alone. And someone is out to get her.

Chloe has nine lives. But will nine be enough?

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles #3) by Cinda Williams Chima

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

The covenant that was meant to keep the wizard wars at bay has been stolen, and the sanctuary of Trinity must prepare for attack. Seph monitors the Weirwalls, while Jack and Ellen train their army of ghosts to face an onslaught of wizards. Even Anaweir Will and Fitch are setting traps around the town’s perimeter. To Jason Haley, it feels as though everyone but him has a role to play. Then he finds a powerful talisman – a huge opal called the Dragonheart – buried in a cave. When its power washes over him, he knows he’s destined for a greater purpose than anyone ever imagined.

Madison Moss can hears the seductive call of the Dragonheart also, but she has other things on her mind. Maddie’s been leaking dark magic ever since absorbing the blow that was meant to kill her boyfriend, Seph. If anyone finds out, she’ll be banished from the sanctuary – and Seph – forever. Meanwhile, Trinity’s enemies mean to win the war with the help of the Dragonheart, and they know that Madison Moss is the only one who can get it for them.

Moral compasses spin out of control as a final battle storms through a town that was meant to be a refuge. With so much to lose, what will Jason and Maddie be willing to fight for – and what will they sacrifice? It’s everyone for himself in this thrilling conclusion to the Heir trilogy.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: The Wizard Heir (The Heir Chronicles #2) by Cinda Williams Chima

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Seph McCauley has spent the past three years getting kicked out of one exclusive private school after another. And it’s not his attitude that’s the problem: it’s the trail of magical accidents – lately, disasters – that follow in his wake. Seph is a wizard, orphaned and untrained, and his powers are escalating out of control.

After causing a tragic fire at an after-hours party, Seph is sent to the Havens, a secluded boys’ school on the coast of Maine. Gregory Leicester, the headmaster, promises to train Seph in magic and initiate him into his mysterious order of wizards. But Seph’s enthusiasm dampens when he learns that training comes at a steep cost, and that Leicester plans to use his students’ powers to serve his own mysterious agenda.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles #1) by Cinda Williams Chima

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

An epic battle between good and evil…

Before he knew about the Roses, 16-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high schoolers. Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great – until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts.

Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: he is Weirlind, part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. At their helm sits the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game – a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death. The winning house rules the Weir.

As if his bizarre heritage isn’t enough, Jack finds out that he’s not just another member of Weirlind – he’s one of the last of the warriors – at a time when both houses are scouting for a player.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: Curse Workers by Holly Black

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Cassel comes from a shady, magical family of con artists and grifters. He doesn’t fit in at home or at school, so he’s used to feeling like an outsider. He’s also used to feeling guilty; he killed his best friend, Lila, years ago.

But when Cassel begins to have strange dreams about a white cat, and people around him are losing their memories, he starts to wonder what really happened to Lila. In his search for answers, he discovers a wicked plot for power that seems certain to succeed. But Cassel has other ideas and a plan to con the conmen.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: Let’s Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost.

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named Leila. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most.

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila’s own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth—sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you’re looking for is to get lost along the way.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother’s rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms – a struggle that could very well mean her death.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: Hate List by Jennifer Brown

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: For Real by Alison Cherry

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

No parents. No limits. No clue what they’re in for.

Shy, cautious Claire has always been in her confident older sister’s shadow. While Miranda’s life is jam-packed with exciting people and whirlwind adventures, Claire gets her thrills vicariously by watching people live large on reality TV.

When Miranda discovers her boyfriend, Samir, cheating on her just before her college graduation, it’s Claire who comes up with the perfect plan. They’ll outshine Miranda’s fame-obsessed ex while having an amazing summer by competing on Around the World, a race around the globe for a million bucks. Revenge + sisterly bonding = awesome.

But the show has a twist, and Claire is stunned to find herself in the middle of a reality-show romance that may or may not be just for the cameras. This summer could end up being the highlight of her life… or an epic fail forever captured on film. In a world where drama is currency and manipulation is standard, how can you tell what’s for real?

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: Faking Faith by Josie Bloss

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Dylan Mahoney is living one big unholy lie.

Thanks to a humiliating and painfully public sexting incident, Dylan has become the social pariah at her suburban Chicago high school. She’s ignored by everyone–when she’s not being taunted–and estranged from her two best friends. So when Dylan discovers the blogs of homeschooled fundamentalist Christian girls, she’s immediately drawn into their fascinating world of hope chests, chaperoned courtships, and wifely submission.

Blogging as Faith, her devout and wholesome alter ego, Dylan befriends Abigail, the online group’s queen bee. After staying with Abigail and her family for a few days, Dylan begins to grow closer to Abigail (and her intriguingly complicated older brother). Soon, Dylan is forced to choose: keep living a lie . . . or come clean and face the consequences.

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: Cupcake (Cyd Charisse #3) by Rachel Cohn

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

When Cyd Charisse moves from San Francisco to start a new life in New York City, she leaves behind her family — and her true love, Shrimp.She wants to find a cool job, the city’s best caffeination and most perfect cupcake, and a hot new love. But the reality of CC’s new life hits some unexpected obstacles, including a broken leg that renders her immobile; the joy and aggravation of sharing an apartment with a roommate who’s also an older brother; and a tasty selection of guys — none of whom measure up to Shrimp.

Then, just when CC starts to get her new life on track, her old love returns. Shrimp has given up on his plans to live and surf in New Zealand and arrives in NYC with nothing to do other than to be with CC. And this time CC is determined that she and Shrimp will not repeat their old mistakes.

This third book about reformed hellion Cyd Charisse is just as unforgettable as “Gingerbread” and “Shrimp.”

My Thoughts:

Throwback Review: Shrimp (Cyd Charisse #2) by Rachel Cohn

I previously had a different book blog, and I had a bunch of problems with the hosting company I used for the blog, and all of my content was deleted.  I managed to salvage some of my reviews from back then by compiling what  I wrote on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles review sections.  See some that I have already posted here.

Goodreads Summary:

Sassy Cyd Charisse returns in Shrimp, the “compelling…and light-hearted” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) sequel to the sharp and funny novel Gingerbread.

If Cyd Charisse knows one thing, it’s that Shrimp is her true love. Shrimp, the hottest pint-size surfer-artist in San Francisco. That boy (as her mother called him), who was the primary cause of Cyd being grounded to Alcatraz, formerly known as her room. The boy who dumped Cyd before she left home to spend the summer in New York City.

Now it’s the start of senior year. Cyd has changed, but maybe Shrimp has changed too—and maybe Cyd and Shrimp will need to get to know each other all over again to figure out if it’s for real. Can Cyd get back together with Shrimp and keep the peace with her mom? And can she get a life outside of her all-encompassing boy radar?

This sequel to Gingerbread has all the sharp humor and searing attitude of the original, which ELLEgirl praised as “not just Another Teen Novel” and Teen People called “unforgettable.” In Shrimp, Cyd might be a little older and a little wiser, but she’s still the same irrepressible free spirit determined to find her own way in the world, on her own terms.

My Thoughts: