This Book Needs a Title (Review)

Book: This Book Needs a Title
Author: Theodore Ficklestein
Series:  N/A
Publisher: Authorhouse
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 226
Source: Received for review from the author

My Rating:

 

 

2.5

 

I liked this book, I really did. I just wasn't in love with it. As someone who loves poetry I think I was expecting something different. Quite a few of the poems were quite funny and relatable. Others were good but I just didn't feel a connection with them.

 

The author does a wonderful job of making the poems funny but adding a moral or something that people should learn into each one. I really liked this aspect and it really added to the meaning and feelings of the poems and what they were all about.

 

There were some spelling and grammar mistakes but these were minor and didn't make the poems hard to understand or detract from the overall book.

 

This book may be good for those who are intimidated by poetry but want to read it. This book is really easy to read and doesn't take very long. For the most part each poem is pretty short and no more than a single page, a few take up 2-3 pages but are still quite easy to understand and follow. If you want to give poetry a try, I think this may be a good book to start with. It's funny and also offers meaning and morals behind the hilarious words.

 

The question is, will I be checking out works by this author in the future? I think I will. Although I wasn't totally crazy about this collection of poems, I think there was a lot of potential and I am looking forward to seeing how his poems grow and evolve in the future.

 

This copy was received from the author for review purposes and did not effect my opinions in any way. The opinions expressed in this review were mine alone.

Cover Reveal: Landlocked by Tiffany Daune

Landlocked by Tiffany Daune
Series: Surface, #2
Publication date: Summer 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal

Goodreads

Synopsis:

As if staying focused in trigonometry wasn't hard enough....Eerie visions are plaguing Theia's mind, driving her insane.  Someone or something is reaching out to her, dragging her into a dark underwater world. And, to add to her metal delirium, she has no control over her newly awakened Siren senses. She thinks she can hear her cat's thoughts, she wants to pummel Sarah Collins, and she's trying to keep it together so she doesn't lose her scholarship. She needs someone who understands—someone bound to the ocean water she craves—she needs Luc.  But contacting him is risky, and returning to the water a death sentence. She must find a way to harness her Siren senses even though the waves are calling to her. Denying her intended destiny may be the only way to stay alive.

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

 

Tiffany Daune doesn't get why people want to grow up or why anyone would ever stop eating candy. Her purse is filled with books, lip gloss and a few pieces of Lego bricks. She writes best with a dish of chocolate chips on hand and finds licorice makes a better straw than plastic.

She lives on an island and believes mermaids may be raiding her candy stash, though she hasn't caught them, yet.

Surface is her first novel and pairs well with gummy sharks.

 

Waiting on Wednesday #13

Title: To Be Perfectly Honest: A Novel Based on an Untrue Story
Author: Sonya Sones
Series: N/A
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Expected Publication: August 27, 2013

Description:

Her friends
have a joke about her:
How can you tell if Colette is lying?

Her mouth is open.

Fifteen-year-old Colette is addicted to lying. Her shrink says this is because she’s got a very bad case of Daughter-of-a-famous-movie-star Disorder—so she lies to escape out from under her mother’s massive shadow. But Colette doesn’t see it that way. She says she lies because it’s the most fun she can have with her clothes on. Not that she’s had that much fun with her clothes off. At least not yet, anyway…

When her mother drags her away from Hollywood to spend the entire summer on location in a boring little town in the middle of nowhere, Colette is less than thrilled. But then she meets a sexy biker named Connor. He’s older, gorgeous, funny, and totally into her. So what if she lies to him about her age, and about who her mother is? I mean, she has to keep her mother’s identity a secret from him. If he finds out who she really is, he’ll forget all about Colette, and start panting and drooling and asking her for her mother’s autograph. Just like everyone always does.

But what Colette doesn’t know is that Connor is keeping a secret of his own…

 

Why I'm Waiting:

The biggest this is the description, a girl who constantly lies because she doesn't want to live under her mother's shadow, sounds pretty interesting. Plus throw in an older biker guy with secrets of his own and it's bound to grab my attention. Plus the novel is written in verse and I absolutely love novels in verse!

 

What are you guys waiting on this week? Leave me a link below and I'll check it out!

 

Cover Reveal: Hold Tight

 

Title: Hold Tight (Embrace, #2)
Author: Cherie Colyer
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Expected release date: August 20, 2013
Sixteen-year-old Madison Riley and her friends discover they aren’t the only supernatural beings in Gloucester, Massachusetts. These new creatures are more dangerous than ever, and this time Madison risks losing more than just her friends.
 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the new cover for Embrace, book #1, to match Hold Tight.

 

Title: Embrace (Embrace, #1)
Released: December 2012  
Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It's responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve. Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he's a guy harboring a secret, but she's willing to risk the unknown to be with him. Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren't there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can't find the answers, Madison seeks her own. Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover. Dangerous, intoxicating, and darkly romantic, Embrace is a thriller that will leave you spellbound.
   

About the Author:

 

Cherie Colyer writes young adult and middle grade novels. She loves finding new stories that keep her up late reading. While her favorite genre is realistic paranormal/fantasy, if the book is beautifully written with characters that come alive she’s all over it. Facebook | Twitter ; @CherieColyer  

Blue Bloods (Review)

Book: Blue Bloods
Author: Melissa De La Cruz
Series:  Blue Bloods, #1
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Format: Paperback
Pages:  302
Source: Borrow from my sister.

Blurb:

Schuyler Van Alen has never fit in at Duchesne,her prestigious New York City private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes to the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates. But when she turns fifteen, Schuyler's life changes dramatically. The death of a popular schoolmate haunts her in unexpected ways. And strangest of all, Jack Force, the most popular boy in school, is showing a sudden interest in her.

Once an outcast, Schuyler is thrust into Manhattan's most exclusive social circle. Its members are the powerful, the wealthy, and - as Schuyler soon discovers - the unhuman. They are Blue Bloods, an ancient group of vampires, and for centuries they've been invincible. Now something is preying on this elite group, and Schuyler wants to find out the truth. But is she the most vulnerable of them all?

My Rating:

I really enjoyed this story. The beginning was a little slow for me because I wasn't really a huge fan of all the fashion talk, but once Schuyler found out she was a vampire the story really picked up. I was a huge fan of the vampires in this story. They seemed different from other vampires and I really liked the twist the author put in the story.

 

Throughout the story I was constantly trying to figure out who was killing off the young vampires and I must say I never guessed until it was revealed. I really liked who it ended up being because it made the story even more interesting.

 

I loved Schuyler. She was smart and different and she didn't try to conform to what everyone else was doing. I really liked that about her. She was a highly interesting character and I loved how when she was told not worry about what was killing off the vampires she jumped headlong into the mystery just to try and figure it out. Oliver was my favorite. He was such a great friend and he cared deeply for Schuyler. I kind of kept hoping that Schuyler would end up with Oliver but at the same time I don't think it would be a good idea.

 

If you're like me and you love vampire stories I definitely recommend checking this one out. The take on vampires is pretty different and the story is engaging and full of suspense. I will definitely be continuing with this series and I cannot wait to see what happens to Schuyler and her friends next.

 

 

Cover Reveal: Love, Tink

Love, Tink: The Complete Set by Elle Strauss
Publication date: July 10th, 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy

Goodreads

Synopsis:

Originally published as six separate novella episodes, Love, Tink the complete series is all six stories together in one volume.

Tink is hopelessly smitten with Peter, the leader of the Lost Boys who'd mysteriously arrived at Neverland two years ago. Unfortunately, Peter is tired of the adventure and especially tired of dodging Captain Hook who is after his head. He just wants to go back to New York City and live his life as a normal fifteen year old

Tink is the only one who can help Peter return, but it breaks her heart to do it. She just wants to make him happy, so she does the unthinkable and betrays the fairy king. Now her heart is filled with remorse. Should she go after Peter? Should she follow him to his New York?

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

I write fun, lower YA fiction (time-travel and fantasy). I’m fond of Lindt’s sea salt dark chocolate and hiking in good weather. I’m married with four children and divide my time between British Columbia, Canada, and Germany. I also write upper YA (historical and science fiction) as Lee Strauss.

Cover Reveal: Heist

Heist by Laura Pauling
Genre: YA Psychological Thriller

No release date yet (will be in 2013)

Goodreads

Synopsis:

Can one decision change the past?
Jack Brodie has a sixth sense that someone has been watching him. Following him.

One night he travels back in time to one of the world’s largest art thefts, known as the Gardner Heist. Why that one moment in time? And what does it mean for Jack?

When he returns, his world is different. His best friend is rougher, meaner. His dad hasn’t been around in years. And then there’s Jetta. The girl who took over his heart the moment she stepped into his life. No one is safe.

Each time Jack goes back to the heist to fix his mistakes, he returns to face the fallout. Disaster strikes in the present until Jack must make a choice. His family and his own happiness. Or the girl he loves. Except, he learns that his sixth sense was right.

Someone has been watching him and wants him dead.

 

AUTHOR BIO:

 Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

Laura Pauling writes young adult fiction. She lives the cover of suburban mom/author perfectly, from the minivan to the home-baked snickerdoodles, while hiding her secret missions and covert operations. But shh. Don't tell anyone!

Her YA Circle of Spies Series includes A SPY LIKE ME and HEART OF AN ASSASSIN. Book three, TWIST OF FATE will be released in the fall of 2013.

HEIST, a young adult, psychological thriller, will be released the summer of 2013.

 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Review)

Book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
Series:  N/A
Publisher: MTV Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 213
Source: Purchased

Blurb:

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 year 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 sidelines 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 Rating:

I really liked this book, honestly but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. I've heard amazing things about this novel and I guess it just didn't live up to the high expectations I went into it with. I liked the way that the story was told in letter written by Charlie and that I really got to see the way he thought and saw things.

 

I was definitely surprised by how naïve Charlie was. He didn't know things that other kids his age were aware of until his friends told him about them. Another thing was how Charlie seemed to cry about everything. Charlie was a sensitive kid, I get that but it seemed a little extreme that no matter if someone was nasty with him or did something really sweet, his first reaction was to cry.

 

Even with all of his faults I really liked Charlie. He was a smart kid and only wanted some friends. He was a sweet kid who was always there to listen but like Sam had an issue with him not taking action so did I. I was just hoping that for once he would do something that made him happy instead of trying to make everyone else happy before him. I loved Sam. She was one of my favorite characters. She was fun and knew how to have a good time. The same went for Patrick. If I had known kids like them in high school they would have definitely been the one's I hung out with.

 

The whole revelation towards the end of the story about his aunt was surprising. I honestly didn't see it coming and it really explained a lot about Charlie and why he acted and did things the way he did.

 

I would definitely recommend this to anyone to at least read once in their life. It's a great story about finding friends while finding yourself along the way. In the end, I just wish that I had loved this as much as I thought I was going to.

 

 

Book Blitz: Visited + Giveaway

Visited by Janine Caldwell

Publication date: May 25th 2013

Genre: YA coming-of-age fantasy

 Add Visited on Goodreads

 

 

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Joanna Murphy has lost faith in her life. Vying for her mom’s attention, she’s resentful of her stepdad’s intrusion to their family. Her best friend, Tommy, has no clue she’s in love with him as he dates girl after girl without noticing how it tortures her. The final kicker, though, is God’s sick joke to make her freakishly tall when everyone knows boys prefer petite girls.

Then in a bizarre accident Joanna meets James, a breathtaking teen who appears to her after an unusual falling star sighting. Suddenly, her dream for an alien encounter becomes all too real. But when she finds her life has been made unrecognizable, she’s forced into an explosive study of the original design for her life that just may have her regretting every wish she ever made.

 

 

Author Bio:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

 

Janine Caldwell was born in Concord, CA and raised in the small San Francisco Bay Area town of Clayton. Four days after her high school graduation, Janine attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and graduated with a degree in English.

Janine now lives in Anthem, AZ with her husband and two sons. As a lifelong literature fanatic, she knew it was only a matter of time before she would become obsessed with writing her own work. With relatives like the Brothers Grimm and Anita Loos (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes), she figured fantasy writing had to be in her DNA.

Books published by Janine include Visited, a YA coming-of-age fantasy, Rematch and Double Fault—the first two books of The Vortex Series. The final book in this YA fantasy romance, Deuce, will be released fall 2013.

 

 

Excerpt:

I gape up at him, the fear beginning to course through my veins. “Who are you?”

 

“A friend.” He answers in an even enough tone, but at the same time, his face begins to glow the color of amber, making him look warm and unusually vibrant. I’ve never known any being able to radiate such a glow. Any being from Earth, that is.

 

“A friend?” I manage to whisper back before swallowing a gulp. “Are-are you human?” I’m half kidding, but after years of watching realistic science fiction movies and reading a library of fantasy novels, I think I mean the question more than I want to admit. However, he doesn’t answer me. He averts his eyes, blinking rapidly like he’s unsure of the situation.

Again, I’m at a loss of what to think. I thought I asked a pretty straightforward question and he can’t even answer that. By his omission, I have to assume he’s trying to tell me he isn’t human!

 

Is this really happening? And, more importantly, if he’s not human, then what is he?

My brain pores through a dozen images at once, my chest heaving from the excitement. I flash to movies, T.V. shows, graphic novels, and to my own imagination as I consider what life form James could be. While I try to convince myself I’m jumping to conclusions, that of course this is all a misunderstanding or perhaps an elaborate hoax, something else itches in the back of my mind. That something whispers: Haven’t you always considered the existence of other worlds? Discussed the possibility a hundred times with Tommy?

The answer to both questions is an emphatic yes. I decide right then, despite all reason, I know what James is.

 

“I think I know what you are,” I remark feebly.

 

He turns to me with a spark of expectation in his eyes, still glowing, still warm.

“You came to Earth with that star last night, didn’t you?”

 

Blood rushes to his cheeks, giving him an even brighter supernatural glow, and then I know I have my answer.

 

“That’s it, isn’t it?” I sit upright, gripping the sheet into my fists. “You’re from another planet. That’s how you have the power to heal.”

 

He pales for a second, but amazingly, he doesn’t deny it. He flickers his lashes upward like he’s searching the ceiling for his reply. After a moment, he shakes his head of soft curls that brush his neck before redirecting his intense expression back on me. He licks his lips and smiles pensively, but I feel the same need as before to shy away; whether it’s from shock or from a loss of focus I don’t know, but holding his gaze is next to impossible.

 

My mind is all aflutter trying to come to grips with what I’m being confronted to believe.

 

“Incredible. I was right all along,” I murmur, commenting to myself. “Aliens do exist.”

 

Giveaway:

• This prize is being awarded by the author.
• Do not cheat. Entries will be verified so please don't say you did something you didn't do.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beyond: A Ghost Story (ARC Review)

Book: Beyond: A Ghost Story
Author: Graham McNamee
Series:  N/A
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Format: ARC
Pages:  226
Source: Purchased from Random Buzzers using Buzz Bucks.

Blurb:

Jane is not your typical teen. She and her best friend Lexi call themselves the Creep Sisters. Only Lexi knows why Jane is different from anyone else: Her own shadow seems to pull her into near-fatal accidents. Jane is determined to find out why these terrifying things happen, and to overcome her shadow enemy. Her sleuthing with Lexi connects her own horrors to the secret history of a serial killer.

 

My Rating:

 I was not a fan of this book at all. I heard that if Stephen King wrote YA that it would be this book, and honestly it really wouldn't be. I love ghost stories and I was prepared to be creeped out since the description sounded really interesting and creepy but it left me bored.

 

I wasn't surprised with this book at all. None of the twists were surprising at all and it ended up turning into a book that I went through as quick as I could just to get it over with. I didn't like the characters or the ghost aspects or even the killer shadow. I felt that everything could have been more interesting but it just fell flat for me.

 

I did not like Jane, she was boring and annoying. She was constantly getting on my nerves because she got annoyed that her parents were keeping such a close eye on her. I honestly can't blame them she's come close to dying numerous times and every single time the damage looks like it was self inflicted. So I'm sorry if I don't sympathize with your frustration because your parents are afraid that something is going to happen to you. Don't even get me started on her best friend Lexi. She was just as annoying as Jane, if not more. She was supposed to be creepy and odd but I just found her character to be dull and boring. It was like her personality wasn't completely fleshed out and that is something that really bothers me.

 

Overall, this book was a bust for me. I was expecting a quick paced, creepy mystery and what I got instead was a book that bored me to tears and I couldn't wait for it to end. If you like ghost stories but aren't into ones that make it so you can't sleep then maybe this one is for you. I on the other hand like books that have me lying awake, thinking about what may or may not be in the dark.

 

 

 

Cover Reveal: The Sound of Letting Go + Giveaway

Author Links:

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Blog

For sixteen years, Daisy has been good.  A good daughter, helping out with her autistic younger brother uncomplainingly.  A good friend, even when her best friend makes her feel like a third wheel. When her parents announce they’re sending her brother to an institution—without consulting her—Daisy’s furious, and decides the best way to be a good sister is to start being bad.  She quits jazz band and orchestra, slacks in school, and falls for bad-boy Dave.
But one person won’t let Daisy forget who she used to be: Irish exchange student and brilliant musician Cal.  Does she want the bad boy or the prodigy?  Should she side with her parents or protect her brother?  How do you know when to hold on and when—and how—to let go?

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Romantic Suspense Short Fiction Giveaway by Jac Wright: 10 Copies of THE CLOSET (Summerset Tales #1)

This giveaway is being run by the author.
Borrow Free on Kindle Prime or enter to win one of 10 copies of THE CLOSET (Summerset Tales #1) , the first in literary crime short fiction series.

Borrow FREE on Kindle Prime: “The Closet” on Kindle Prime | Follow the link to enter the giveaway: Link for the giveaway

 

Love is a battlefield. Who will come out of it alive?

Harry Duncan Wood runs a hotel in the historic city of Bath with his beautiful young wife. When he falls in love with Mill House, an old greystone farmhouse on the banks of river Avon among the soaring hills of Somerset, and sets about moving his family there, the first appearances of the cracks in the marriage take him by surprise. Is his wife seeing another man? Duncan needs to get to the bottom of the affairs for his own sanity. Sometimes, however, ignorance is bliss and will also keep everybody alive.

Jac Wright is a published poet, a published author, and an electronics engineer who lives in England. The Closet is the first in Wright’s collection of literary short fiction, Summerset Tales, in which Wright explores characters struggling against their passions and social circumstances in the contemporary semi-fictional region of England called Summerset, but with an added element of suspense. The collection is published serially in the tradition of Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers and Thomas Hardy’s Wessex Tales. The first Summerset tale, The Closet, accompanies the first title in the author’s full-length literary suspense series, THE RECKLESS ENGINEER, published by Soul Mate Publishing, New York.

Read More on the Author Website: Jac Wright Books

100 Follower Giveaway (ARC of Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir + ARC of choice)

Recently I hit 100 followers! This is a pretty big deal since I never imagined getting even 20 people who would want to read my rambles. I love every one of you guys and I am so happy that you took the time to follow my blog :D.

For this giveaway I'm giving away an ARC of Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir (This is the second book in the series, the first is Timeless).

 

 

To make this even better the winner will also get to choose one other ARC from this list.

 

• Beyond by Graham McNamee
• The Bridge by Jane Higgins
• A Bad Day for Voodoo by Jeff Strand
• Tap Out by Eric Devine (There is a lot of cursing in this so I would really rather you be 16+ if you want this one)
• Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (This is the second book in the series. The first is Under the Never Sky)
• Racing California by Janet Nichols Lynch.

 

 

Giveaway!

 This giveaway runs from June 12th at 12 am EST to July 11th at 12 am EST.

Rules:

• You must be 13 years or older.
• Since this is a follower giveaway, you must follow my blog in some way.
• This giveaway is only for US residents (Sorry to Canadian and international followers, I'll have a giveaway for you guys in the future)
• Follow the rules. If you cheat I will know and you will be disqualified. Entries will be verified.
• Once the winner is selected, they will have 48 hours to respond with their address or another winner will be selected.
• Since the prizes are being shipped from me directly I am not able to re-send packages. So if the package is lost I am sorry.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Anatomy of a Single Girl (Review)

Book: Anatomy of a Single Girl
Author: Daria Snadowsky
Series:  Anatomy, #2
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Format: Hardcover
Pages:  227
Source: Received from author for review.

Blurb:

With Judy Blume-like honesty and insight, this sequel to Anatomy of a Boyfriend is about life after first love--romance, sex, friendship, family, and the ups and downs of life as a single girl.

After everything that happened—my first boyfriend, my first time, my first breakup—jumping back into the dating game seemed like the least healthy thing I could do. It’s not that I didn’t want to fall in love again, since that’s about the best feeling ever. But as a busy college premed still raw from heartbreak, which is the worst feeling ever, I figured I’d lie low for a while. Of course, as soon as I stopped looking for someone, an impossibly amazing—and devastatingly cute—guy came along, and I learned that having a new boyfriend is the quickest way to recover from losing your old one.

The moment we got together, all my preconceptions about romance and sex were turned upside down. I discovered physical and emotional firsts I never knew existed. I learned to let go of my past by living in the present. It was thrilling. It was hot. It was just what the doctor ordered.

But I couldn’t avoid my future forever.

In Daria Snadowsky’s daring follow-up to Anatomy of a Boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Dominique explores the relationship between love and lust, and the friendships that see us through.

My Rating:

 

I enjoyed this book just as much as the first one, maybe even a bit more. Dom finally realizes that she doesn't need a guy to feel good about herself and she spends her summer not worrying about her ex or their breakup. She meets a guy named Guy and her reckless and carefree side comes out, but she still manages to be safe when it comes to the sex aspect.

 

This is the book that looks at what happens after all of those firsts that she had in the previous novel. We get to see another side of Dom, where she isn't struggling over trying to make someone happy and saying the right thing. She's just living in the moment and enjoying her life.

 

For the most part I really enjoyed the characters in this book as well. Dom has really matured and she now realizes that she doesn't need a man and can still have fun even while single. Amy, her best friend, is still just as wild and hilarious as well. She's still extremely carefree and some of the best scenes have her in them. I wasn't that big of a fan of Guy. Sure he was attractive and intelligent but at times I thought he was a complete jerk. It seemed like he wasn't willing to put the time in after the summer with Dom so he'd just let her go. I absolutely loved Calvin, he's Dom's friend from Toulane and he's the biggest sweetheart. I admit I was hoping they would end up together but I am kind of glad that they didn't just jump into a relationship.

 

This is a great sequel and I definitely recommend that every girl checks out this series. It's honest and real but it's also funny at the same time. This is a book that I will definitely be re-reading in the future and I will be keeping an eye out for Daria Snadowsky's future works.

 

 This copy was received from the author for review purposes and did not effect my opinions in any way. The opinions expressed in this review were mine alone.



Stacking the Shelves #10

 

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews as a way to share all the books we got during the week!

 

• The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (Purchased)
• Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver (Purchased
• The Magician by Michael Scott (Purchased from Random Buzzers using Buzz Bucks)
• The Sorceress by Michael Scott (Purchased from Random Buzzers using Buzz Bucks)
• Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky (Received from author for review)
• Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky (Received from author for review)
• Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (Purchased from Random Buzzers using Buzz Bucks
• Doll Bones by Holly Black (Purchased)
• House of Secrets by Ned Vizzini (Purchased

What did you guys get this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll be sure to stop by.

 

Anatomy of a Boyfriend (Review)

Book: Anatomy of a Boyfriend
Author: Daria Snadowsky
Series:  Anatomy, #1
Publisher: Ember
Format: Paperback
Pages: 259
Source: Received from author for review.

Blurb:

Before this all happened, the closest I'd ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it's not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body.

Then I met Wes, a track star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn't believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing—and touching—parts of the body I'd only read about in my Gray's Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love.

And then came the fall.

My Rating:

 

I've seen this book around quite a bit but for some reason I always found a reason to put it down. So when I got a review request from the author I jumped on the chance immediately and I am so glad I did. This book was funny, adorable and heartbreaking at the same time.

 

This book isn't just about sex. It's about a bunch of firsts. Like Dominique's first kiss, her first boyfriend, her first love, her first time and even her first heartbreak. Going in I knew there would probably be quite a bit of sex discussed so I prepared myself for that when I accepted the review request. There was quite a bit discussed but it was done in a very tasteful way and it didn't get trashy but managed to work in a way that a lot of books seriously miss.

 



Daria Snadowsky really managed to capture the feelings that surround these firsts. The magical feeling of your first kiss as well as having your first boyfriend. The heartbreak surround your first breakup was what I found to be most relatable, since I went through a rough breakup during high school. The way this book was written really had you feeling Dominique's emotions and experiencing all of these firsts.

 

I liked Dominique at times, while at other points she bothered me. She was smart and focused in the beginning, completely knowing what she wanted to do in life. But when she met Wesley it seemed that all of this went out the window and her focus shifted to him entirely, which does happen with a first love but she went to extremes. She got to the point where she wasn't spending time with her family just so she could spend more time with him. She also became rather clingy where in the beginning she was independent. In the end however, I did enjoy her character since she read like a real girl who was dealing with all of these things. Then there was Wesley. He was the adorable shy guy that had no experience and who was completely sweet. I really liked him until the end. He ended up really hurting Dominique and didn't even have the guts to do it to her face.

 

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I think everybody should give this a shot because it truly is a great book that does talk about a lot of things that girls are dealing with in high school. The things that happened in this book are extremely true to life and are pretty realistic.

 

This copy was received from the author for review purposes and did not effect my opinions in any way. The opinions expressed in this review were mine alone.

Possession Series Scavenger Hunt + Guest Post

Today, I'm one of the stops on the Possession series scavenger hunt! I'm glad to welcome author Elana Johnson to my blog today with a guest post about her series. The third and final book, ABANDON, hit shelves June 4! Take it away, Elana! ----------

Okay, so after I finished Possession, it was decided that the book would become a trilogy. I hadn't planned it, and suddenly I needed to know more than just a couple of cities in a couple of places. I had to know the entire country. I knew that Possession took place in the far future, after some catastrophic event, and that Vi, Jag, and Zenn lived in what used to be the United States.

So the map outline was easy. But cities had been renamed. Lost. Contained. Burned. Bombed. Ruined. The coastlines had receded, though I figured there would still be mountains, valleys, plains, deserts, and rivers. As I wrote Surrender, I expanded the world from east to west. Freedom lies on the east coast, the capital of the Association. Gunner and Raine live there, and the entire book is based on their underground dealings with the Resistance. So it wasn't until ABANDON that I got to explore the entire map of the Association. I created traveling teams, who went out in pairs to visit all the cities and bring details of how to thwart Association efforts, how to record and plant false feeds, how to live freely without anyone knowing. After all, Resisting a brainwashing government is a huge undertaking.

All my cities needed names. I am a huge believer in stealing things from what exists around me, and I'll fully admit that the city of Cedar Hills is a real place, about four minutes from my house. I inserted it into my manuscript and there it stayed! I created regions, and gave them geographic names. Other cities I started naming based on what they do in the city. So Lakehead became the name of the city surround by lakes and charged with purifying water. Harvest became the name of the city sort of in the plains, charged with producing crops. My beloved Cedar Hills houses hundreds of greenhouses, where Citizens are repopulating the earth with trees, flowers, and shrubs. My traveling teams visit these cities in ABANDON, but I needed more. For example, where has Jag been? Between POSSESSION and SURRENDER, he's gone for about 8 months. Where has he been? What's he been doing? More cities were born, and I was able to go from east to west and north to south, expanding the Association to fill the map. And you can see it below--my friend and author herself, Natalie Whipple brought my world to life. Today's scavenger hunt can begin here! Somewhere on this map of the Association is the winning city. I've mentioned here in this post, and you can find references to it in all of today's posts. (See complete blog tour here.)

When you know today's scavenger hunt city, enter it in this form for a chance to win one of six Possession series paperback packages and a $50 Amazon gift card! Continue the scavenger hunt at Book Loving Mom, where Amy has an exclusive excerpt from Raine--and another clue for today's city! As if that weren't enough, there will be a daily winner of Possession series swag! Enter in the Rafflecopter below. a Rafflecopter giveaway If you get lost, you can always go to Elana's blog to find your place. Happy hunting!

Anna Dressed in Blood (Review)

Book: Anna Dressed in Blood
Author: Kendare Blake
Series:  Anna, #1
Publisher: Tor Teen
Format: Paperback
Pages:  316
Source: Won in a giveaway.

Blurb:

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

 

My Rating:

 

This book has one of the creepiest covers ever. I absolutely love it. This story sounds like it would be pretty creepy right? Well it is, in some parts at least but it's also very sweet and romantic as well. This is one of those books that I had to put down at night, solely due to the fact that reading ghost stories at night bothers me. I would however rush to pick it back up in the morning. This is a book that I won't be able to get out of my head for a while.

 

Just the first like of the description "Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story" was enough to draw my attention. I knew going in that this would probably end up being somewhat of a romance and it really did a great job of that by not taking over the entire storyline.

 

The ghost aspect was really refreshing, instead of the main character being afraid of ghosts or just being haunted by one, he actually sought them out to "kill" them. This really made the story interesting and the whole time I was wondering whether or not Cas would really be able to "kill" Anna.

 

The characters really helped make this book for me. Cas was an independent guy who wasn't part of mainstream society. He worked in the dark and kept himself distanced from people mainly because of what he did every night. He's actually a pretty sweet and caring person once Thomas and Carmel managed to get past his anti-social shell. Thomas was an interesting one. He was so shy and withdrawn yet he had this personality that just made me like him. Carmel seemed like such a snob in the beginning but as the story goes on we find out that she's actually much deeper than that. I loved Anna. Her story is so tragic and the things that she does are horrible. Yet there is so much humanity left inside of this girl who had everything taken away, she actually feels regret.

 

The story is emotional as well. There is the one scene where we finally learn Anna's whole story and believe me it's a sad one. I found myself getting upset and angry over the fate that she met and I kept rooting for her as the story progressed. The story had a shocking twist as well, I didn't see a lot of the things coming that happened and for that I was really happy, who wants a predictable ghost story anyway?

 

I absolutely loved Anna Dressed in Blood and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. If you like ghost stories then I definitely recommend checking this one out. Even if you aren't that big of a fan of ghost stories, I still recommend this, there are plenty of other aspects to this story like romance, mystery and suspense.