Recommend A…(16)

Sep 3

Recommend A... meme

…Blog With Similar Reading Tastes as Mine

Recommend A… is a SUPER meme hosted by Shanyn from Chick Loves Lit that lets us get a little random, and a little off the radar. I LOVE IT.

One of the things that I’ve loved about blogging almost from the instant I started my blog is the feeling of not being alone in the things I like. I can think of only a VERY small, not-quite-handful of people in my real life who read the same books I do, and like the same things I like. The people I have the most in common with sometimes are YOU all, and these three bloggers are some of people I often find myself fangirling with over lots of things. But trust me: there’s so many more, and that’s the best feeling EVER.

Good Books and Good Wine

Guys, April and I seem to always be shouting out some of the same books at the same time. Honestly, it’s a little bit cray. But if she recommends it, and I haven’t read it already, I pretty much know that I’m going to love it. Especially if it’s a fantasy or a middle grade book. I’ve bought/borrowed quite a few books on April’s recommendation and, wouldn’t you know it. I loved them.

Books Take You Places

Alyssa and I just recently had some major Twitter fangirling over TIGER LILY, which I still have not been able to collect my thoughts on enough to write my review. She wasn’t a huge fan of one of my favorite series ever, Outlander, but that’s ok. Every time I check out her blog, which is awesome, I find myself nodding my head or actually talking out loud to her through my computer screen, telling her how much I am TOTALLY on the same page.

Lisa Is Busy Nerding

HEY GIRL! Lisa is my go-to blogger for all of my nerdiness. Legend of Korra, fantasy novels, and just general geekery. But the big one is DEFINITELY Game of Thrones. Now that she’s all caught up, we can nerd about it LOTS. And trust me: If you can’t find something to nerd over when it comes to GoT, you must not have liked it very much, because there’s SO MUCH TO DISCUSS.

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In My Mailbox (43)

Sep 2

September 2, 2012

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. It’s awesome. Every week, we all get a chance to tell everyone what new books we’ve gotten so that we can tell you guys and we can all drool and squee together! Huzzah for squees!

Yay! My birthday mailbox!! Yes, yes, today is my birthday. When you get to be my age, that loses a little bit of its luster, I have to say. But that doesn’t mean a girl doesn’t still get excited when she gets super-awesome stuff for her birthday, and for me, books have always qualified as “super-awesome.” That being said, just a few things this week, but I’m JAZZED about all of them. 

NETGALLEY

Book cover for Shadowlands by Kate Brian

Amazon | Goodreads

Shadowlands by Kate Brian (January 8, 2013 from Hyperion Books for Children). This cover…there is just something REALLY awesome about it. Hopefully it contains a book as awesome as its summary sounds: The story of a girl who goes into the witness protection program when a serial killer who tried to off her but failed escapes and is on the loose.

BOUGHT/FOR BLOG TOUR/GIFTED FROM AWESOME PEOPLE

Defiance: Defiance #1 by C.J. Redwine. (Amazon | Goodreads) Fantasy/dystopian about a society where women have legit no power whatsoever, and a young girl must go find her father, accompanied by her “protector”: a young man whom she has confessed some FEELINGS to in the past. I’m really looking forward to reading this one.
The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini (September 25, 2012 from Balzer + Bray). (Amazon | Goodreads) Friends, I’m really excited to be a part of the blog tour for this book. It sounds like a huge nerdgasm. See, this kid who loves to play RPGs finds himself actually SUCKED INTO ONE, and he has to be the hero and save the princess. It’s also a book about not letting your life pass you by while you sit on your ass by yourself, but I’m digging the gaming angle something FIERCE. My date for this tour–complete with a Ned Vizzini guest post AND a giveaway–is October 3.
Stormdancer: The Lotus War #1 by Jay Kristoff (September 18, 2012 from Thomas Dunne Books). (Amazon | Goodreads) EPIC thank you to April from Good Book and Good Wine for sending this ARC my way. I’m incredibly eager to read this Japanese-based steampunk about a young girl and an impossible quest in a dangerous and, quite frankly, gnarly-sounding world. THANK YOU, APRIL!!
I’m so excited for the books I got this week! Hope you guys love what you got in your mailboxes, too!
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Tripping Over September

Sep 1

Five Books I’m Looking Forward to in September

Ahh, September. The end of summer. The beginning of fall. Also, the month I was birthed. Lots of things going on! Not the least of which are the release of these five books, which I am particularly excited about.

Book cover for The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

Amazon | Goodreads

Honestly, ever since THE SCORPIO RACES became one of my legit favorite books of ever, I’ve been dying to read Maggie Stiefvater’s next book–the first in a new series–THE RAVEN BOYS. Bazillion bonus points because it sounds like some kind of pseudo-Arthurian legend retelling and I CAN’T EVEN DEAL. I love King Arthur legends. (September 18 2012 from Scholastic.)

book cover for Hidden by Sophie Jordan

Hidden (Firelight #3) by Sophie Jordan

Amazon | Goodreads

So this series was my first introduction to dragons. Or, at least, dragon-like creatures. The last we saw of Jacinda and Will and and Cassian, SHIZZ was hitting the fan in the escalating violence between the draki and the hunters: drama, kidnapping, confused emotions, etc. I can’t wait to see how things wind up.  (September 11, 2012 from Harper Teen.)

Book cover for Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Amazon | Goodreads

Umm, teenage murder mystery? TEN sounds seriously spine-tingly good. And I don’t read nearly enough thrillers and mysteries, friends. I used to read TONS, but I feel like this is one kind of genre–a straight-up, non-paranormal mystery–that gets short-shrifted in YA, sadly. So I’m looking forward to this one. (September 18, 2012 from Balzer + Bray.)

Book cover for Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin

Because It Is My Blood (Birthright #2) by Gabrielle Zevin

Amazon | Goodreads

Dystopian chocolate mafiya? Dude, I couldn’t be more in. The first book in this series–ALL THESE THINGS I’VE DONE–was really good. Not perfect, but solidly good, and absolutely engaging enough to keep me invested in the story of Anya Balanchine, daughter of a mob boss in not-too-distant future America. Guys, the Goodreads summary for the second book in this series quotes Michael effing Corleone. The mob angle in this series is so legit. (Although, why is Anya so pale on this cover?) (September 18, 2012 from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.)

Book cover for Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Stormdancer (The Lotus War #1) by Jay Kristoff

Amazon | Goodreads

Japanese-based steampunk fantasy about a young girl who must go on a quest to find a mythic creature long believed to be extinct, only to find herself lost and alone and facing danger at every turn. Honestly. And seriously, this girl, Yukiko, must be badass. I die every time I look at that RAGINGLY AWESOME sleeve tattoo. (September 18, 2012 from Thomas Dunne Books.)

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Book Review | Pushing the Limits | Katie McGarry

Aug 31

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | Pushing the Limits | Katie McGarryPushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limits #1
Published by Harlequin Teen on July 31, 2012
Genres: Contemporary YA, Relationships, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 392
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher via NetGalley
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
four-stars

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: 2012 Reading Challenge, Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Top Ten Tuesday (42)

Aug 28

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Bookish Confessions

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely folks over at The Broke and the Bookish post a top ten list topic so that book lovers like you and me can pour over our shelves and make our own lists. You can check out all the other Top Ten Tuesday‘s on their site!

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Recommend A…(15)

Aug 27

Recommend A... meme

…Book With a Character Who Plays a Sport

Recommend A… is a SUPER meme hosted by Shanyn from Chick Loves Lit that lets us get a little random, and a little off the radar. I LOVE IT.

Friends, I LOVE a good book with sporty things going on. I especially love it when the sport is something random that I don’t encounter often in the books I read. This pretty much eliminates running of any kind, competitive or otherwise. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of great books that highlight some off-the-beaten-path athletes. To the list!

Book cover for the survival kit by Donna FreitasThe Survival Kit by Donna Freitas. THE SURVIVAL KIT is a really thoughtful book about a young girl who is coping with the recent death from cancer of her mother. You all should read about Rose and her grieving. It’s sad but not dark. Of course, part of Rose’s story is about the guy who takes care of her family’s lawn. His name is Will, and he plays hockey, and he is delicious and sweet and a little edgy. Also, HOCKEY. I love hockey. And hockey players.

Book cover for Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey LeavittSean Griswold’s Head by Lindsay Leavitt. AHH, this book! SEAN GRISWOLD’S HEAD will surprise you when you read it. Because it sounds like it’s going to be about a cute little romance, but it’s really about so much more. Payton, the main character, is dealing with a pretty upsetting thing in her family life, and Sean Griswold turns out to be just the thing she needs to help her deal. Plus, see that bike there on the bottom corner of the cover? That’s the sport, friends. BIKING. I mean…how many times have you read about BICYCLING in a YA book? Sean and Payton bike together, although it’s Sean who introduces her to it.

Book cover for Forget You by Jennifer EcholsForget You by Jennifer Echols. Ah, Jennifer. It’s been some time since I last mentioned on of your books around these parts, and to be honest, I’m feeling like I need to reread some of your greatest hits. It’s been awhile since I read FORGET YOU–a story about a girl named Zoey who’s dealing with some family drama–and Doug, the guy who saves her from a nasty car accident at the beginning of the book. As with all Echols books, there’s TONS of off-the-charts drama and some pretty hot sexytimes. But we’re talking about sports here. Doug and Zoey are both on the swim team.

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In My Mailbox (42)

Aug 26

August 26, 2012

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. It’s awesome. Every week, we all get a chance to tell everyone what new books we’ve gotten so that we can tell you guys and we can all drool and squee together! Huzzah for squees!

Holla for alternative formats! Got some REALLY great books in electronic and audio format this week, friends. And yes, that means NetGalley. *looks shameful* But it’s a really cute one! 

NETGALLEY

Book cover for Secrets of Shakespeare's Grave by Deron R. Hicks

Amazon | Goodreads

Secrets of Shakespeare’s Grave by Deron R. Hicks (September 4, 2012 from Houghton Mifflin Books for Children). Umm, seriously? How could I resist a book about a young girl with family secrets involving LITERATURE, along with basically a travel-through-time-and-the-world bookish middle grade adventure.

BOUGHT

Book cover for Angefall by Susan Ee
Angelfall: Penryn and the End of Days #1 by Susan Ee. So, ANGELS. I am for sure waaaaaay behind on angel books and while I have enjoyed the ones I’ve read, I’m not sure that I’ll get around to reading a whole ton of them. That being said, this book–ANGELFALL–sounds pretty legit. It’s basically the story of the post-apocalypse world, except the REAL BIBLICAL one, not some man-made disaster like wars or disease. The main character teams up with a fallen angel to rescue a missing family member and the DRAMZ ensues. I can’t believe I’ve missed this one for so long. It sounds fantastic.
Book cover for Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
Shadow of Night: All Souls Trilogy #2 by Deborah Harkness. Guys, I am loving Audible lately.  I used one of my credits to buy the audiobook for the sequel to A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, which was actually pretty great. A little adult paranormal does the body good, friends. I’ve never listened to a book from Penguin Audiobooks before, but the little sample of narrator Jennifer Ikeda sounds awesome. I’m really looking forward to seeing (hearing!) what happens to Matthew and Diana.

I’m so excited for the books I got this week! Hope you guys love what you got in your mailboxes, too!

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Book Review | Small Damages | Beth Kephart

Aug 24
Book Review | Small Damages | Beth KephartSmall Damages by Beth Kephart
Published by Philomel on July 19, 2012
Genres: Contemporary YA, Pregnancy, Young Adult
Pages: 304
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought it
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
four-stars

It’s senior year, and while Kenzie should be looking forward to prom and starting college in the fall, she is mourning the loss of her father. She finds solace in the one person she trusts, her boyfriend, and she soon finds herself pregnant. Kenzie’s boyfriend and mother do not understand her determination to keep the baby. She is sent to southern Spain for the summer, where she will live out her pregnancy as a cook’s assistant on a bull ranch, and her baby will be adopted by a Spanish couple.

Alone and resentful in a foreign country, Kenzie is at first sullen and difficult. She begins to open her eyes and her heart to the beauty that is all around her and inside of her.

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Top Ten Tuesday (41)

Aug 21

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Books I’ve Read in the Lifespan of My Blog

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It’s awesome. Every Tuesday, the lovely folks over at The Broke and the Bookish post a top ten list topic so that book lovers like you and me can pour over our shelves and make our own lists. You can check out all the other Top Ten Tuesday‘s on their site!

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Book Review | Seraphina | Rachel Hartman

Aug 20

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review | Seraphina | Rachel HartmanSeraphina by Rachel Hartman
Series: Seraphina #1
Published by Random House Children's Books on July 10, 2012
Genres: Dragons, Fantasy YA, Young Adult
Pages: 499
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher via NetGalley
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads
five-stars

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty’s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen’s Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

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Filed Under: 2012 Reading Challenge, Reviews, Young Adult Tagged With: , , , ,
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