Bimsebamse's Book Reviews

Top Ten Tuesday #12

2014-07-29T08:08:00.000-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you have to make your own Top Ten list. This week the "question" is:

Ten Authors I Own The Most Books From*

1: P.C. Cast, counted 12 books.

2: Lene Kaaberbol, counted 10 books

3: Sarah Dessen, counted 9 books
Simone Elkeles, counted 9 books
Cassandra Clare, counted 9 books

6: Alyson Noël, counted 7 books
J. K. Rowling, counted 7 books

Stephenie Meyer, counted 7 books

9: Kelley Armstrong, counted 6 books

10: Lauren Kate, counted 5 books

*Not counting duplicates

Top Ten Tuesday #11

2014-06-03T20:31:00.002-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you have to make your own Top Ten list. This week the "question" is:

Ten Books That Will Be In My Beach Bag This Summer

To me, Summer is the time to catch up on series that I've fallen behind on throughout the year, and also to discover new series that I can then fall behind on next year. It is also the time to just read a good and light book. I plan on reading a lot this Summer, hence why my list is actually full this time.

1. On the Fence by Kasie West || 2. Looking for Alaska by John Green

3. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling 4. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by D. Levithan & R. Cohn.

5. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell || 6. Take Me On by Katie McGarry

7. The Selection by Kiera Cass || 8. The Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu

9. Warped by Maurissa Guibord || 10. Article 5 Trilogy by Kristen Simmons

New Books #8

2014-05-25T21:33:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted anything in more than a month, and I apologize, but honestly I just haven't felt like writing anything. Exams and life took over May for me, so I didn't update at all this month, but I'm back (for good? I don't know, hopefully).

To start off my return, I have some beautiful books to show you. I have more coming, so I probably should have waited for them to come, but I felt like updating today, so that's what I'm doing! :-)

Geektastic by Holly Black,

Cecil Castellucci, M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Cynthia Leitich Smith,Greg Leitich Smith , David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Tracy Lynn, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfeld, Lisa Yee, Sara Zarr, Hope Larson, Bryan Lee O'Malley
Looking for Alaska by John Green

Who Done it? by Jon Scieszka, Libba Bray, Gayle Forman, John Green, Maureen Johnson, David Levithan, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Lauren Myracle , Lemony Snicket, Rebecca Stead, Lev Grossman, Ned Vizzini, Sara Shepard,Todd Strasser, Jennifer E. Smith, Jordan Sonnenblick, Robin Wasserman, Michelle Zink, Susane Colasanti, Sarah Beth Durst, Lindsey Kelk, Barry Lyga, Lauren Oliver, Natalie Standiford, Melissa Walker, Kiersten White, Jen Calonita, Adele Griffin , J.R. Angelella, Kate Angelella Jennifer Belle, Liz Braswell, Steve Brezenoff, Elise Broach, Peter Brown,Patrick Carman, Elizabeth Craft, Melissa de la Cruz, Julia DeVillers, Paige Pooler, Larry Doyle, Dave Eggers, Daniel Ehrenhaft, Elizabeth Eulberg, Helen Fitzgerald, Aimee Friedman, Margaux Froley, Claudia Gabel, Michelle Gagnon, Adam Gidwitz , Anna Godbersen

Amplified by Tara Kelly

Ten Things We Did (and probably shouldn't have) by Sarah Mlynowski

Warped by Maurissa Guibord

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Quick: Read or Don't #4

2014-04-15T18:31:00.000-04:00

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
468 pages ~ Published on May 8th 2012
by Simon & Schuster's Childrens
Goodreads | Amazon
This book was super sad, and I cried a whole lot while reading it. I did really enjoy it, though. I recommend this book.

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik
295 pages ~ Published on August 2nd 2011 by HarperTeen

Goodreads | Amazon

I fell in love with this book immediately. LaZebnik's writing is just so fun and light, and although it has the typical "chick-lit" plot, I still really liked it! Definitely recommended!

GIVEAWAY: Best Series Blog Hop

2014-03-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am participating in Best Series Blog Hop, which is hosted over at Cuddlebuggery. The point is to introduce new bloggers to each other, and also give readers a chance to win some cool books. If you click on the picture above you will be able to see a list of all the other bloggers participating, and you can enter their giveaways too!

This is my FIRST GIVEAWAY, so I really hope that this will work out! I will be giving away two paperback books. If this works out, I might start doing more giveaways soon, so fingers crossed.

There will be one winner, and the prizes are:

Pivot Point by Kasie West
A paperback copy. If you have read any of my previous posts, you might already know that I love love love this book, and since it's got a sequel, it is considered a series, so I get to include this in my giveaway, which I'm really happy about. You can read my review HERE if you want.

Goodreads' synopsis: "Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without."

The Shamer's Daughter by Lene Kaaberbol
A paperback copy in English. I mentioned this in a previous Top Ten Tuesday. This book is written by a Danish author (who also wrote the Witch series, if anybody knows what that is?), and it was the book that got me into reading, and I love it so much, so I figured this was a great time to introduce you guys to some great Danish YA literature.

Goodreads' synopsis: "Dina has unwillingly inherited her mother's gift: the ability to elicit shamed confessions simply by looking into someone's eyes. To Dina, however, these powers are not a gift but a curse. Surrounded by fear and hostility, she longs for simple friendship.
But when her mother is called to Dunark Castle to uncover the truth about a bloody triple murder, Dina must come to terms with her power--or let her mother fall prey to the vicious and revolting dragons of Dunark."

The Giveaway:

Rules and information:

To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below.
All entrants must be 13 years of age or have parental permission
This giveaway is open internationally.
The winner will be announced in this post in the rafflecopter form.
The winner will be notified by email and will have 72 hours to reply or new winner will be chosen.
Please enter your email address in the Rafflecopter and NOT in the comments section.
I reserve the right to disqualify any entry as I see fit.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the other blogs participating!

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

2014-03-22T16:16:00.001-04:00

Title: All Our Yesterdays (All Our Yesterdays #1)

Author: Cristin Terrill
360 pages, September 3rd 2013, Disney Hyperion

Goodreads' synopsis: "What would you change?

Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend, James, since they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it... at least, not as the girl she once was. Em and Marina are in a race against time that only one of them can win."

I just love time travel books, every single one of them has a different idea or theory of how it works, and it's just SO fascinating to me. In this book Cristin Terrill actually considers paradoxes, which I haven't seen all that much of, and I really liked her idea.
Also, this is one of those rare books where I changed my opinion of what guy in the love triangle, the girl should be with, which I wasn't too happy about in the beginning, because I hated that the people turned out to be someone different from what I originally thought, but you know, now it's fine.

This book also had great character development, even people you just heard about or 'met' real quick felt like real people, which always helps me get into the book more. The story is told by alternating protagonists, Em and Marina.
It's not the usual teen book, and I was surprised many times throughout the book. It had a lot of excitement, even in some of the first chapters. It was a page turner and I found that it was really hard to put it down.

Hyperion | Cristin Terrill

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cristin Terrill is a young adult author and aspiring grown-up. She grew up semi-nomadic and graduated from Vassar College with a degree in drama. After getting her masters in Shakespeare Studies from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon, she lived in London, Austin, Boston, and Washington, DC while working as a theatrical stage manager. Now she writes and leads creative writing workshops for DC-area kids and teens. All Our Yesterdays is her first novel.

Wishlist Wednesday #7

2014-03-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Pen to Paper. It's all about showing that one book that you cannot wait to get your hands on.

Goodreads' synopsis: "When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

From popular young adult author Jessica Brody comes a compelling and suspenseful new sci-fi series, set in a world where science knows no boundaries, memories are manipulated, and true love can never be forgotten."

Unremembered by Jessica Brody
Released March 5th 2013 by Farrar, Straus, & Giroux (BYR)

This sounds incredibly interesting!

Are you as excited about this one as I am?
If not do you have another book that you just cannot wait for?

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

2014-03-17T18:04:00.000-04:00

Title: Love Letters to the Dead

Author: Ava Dellaira
323 pages, April 1st 2014, Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Goodreads' synopsis: "It begins as an assignment for English class: Write a letter to a dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain because her sister, May, loved him. And he died young, just like May did. Soon, Laurel has a notebook full of letters to people like Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Amelia Earhart, Heath Ledger, and more; though she never gives a single one of them to her teacher. She writes about starting high school, navigating new friendships, falling in love for the first time, learning to live with her splintering family. And, finally, about the abuse she suffered while May was supposed to be looking out for her. Only then, once Laurel has written down the truth about what happened to herself, can she truly begin to accept what happened to May. And only when Laurel has begun to see her sister as the person she was; lovely and amazing and deeply flawed; can she begin to discover her own path."

I enjoyed this book a whole lot. I didn't really know what to expect, and at first when I started reading it I was a little sceptical about the idea of the whole book written in letters. But it worked really well. Dellaira surprised me, because I didn't think it was going to be possible to get into the story. Another thing that surprised me; the protagonist, Laurel, is a freshman. This is the first time I've read a book written from a less-than-sixteen-years-old point of view and genuinely liked it. Laurel is a freshman, and usually that would have annoyed me, because they are usually written as very naive and irritating, but Laurel is very mature for her age, which is probably because of all she has been through, and I really liked Laurel as a protagonist. She was a bit messed up, which all just helped make the book intense. So did Laurel and Sky's relationship. Everything was just so serious and sometimes I really needed to take a break and breathe for a while, but I also had to keep reading, which resulted in a very speechless me at the end.
I liked the characters, Laurel's friends, but in the beginning I was rooting against them, because they all seemed like bad company for her, smoking, drinking, skipping school, and these girls barely just turned fifteen, but although they did all of that they turned out being good for Laurel, which made me like them.
This was a quick and great read, and I definitely recommend it.

More information and places to buy this book:

Farrar, Straus, and Giroux | Ava Dellaira

Thank you to FSG for providing me with an eARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

New Books #7

2014-03-16T17:52:00.001-04:00

Reclaimed by Sarah Guillory

Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano

The Unbound by Victoria Schwab (My Review)

The Unbound by Victoria Schwab

2014-03-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

>> THIS MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM PREVIOUS BOOK, GO READ MY REVIEW OF "THE ARCHIVED" INSTEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT ALREADY. <<

Title: The Unbound (The Archived #2)
Author: Victoria Schwab
368 pages, January 28th 2014, Hyperion

Goodreads' synopsis: "Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books. Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Last summer, Mackenzie Bishop, a Keeper tasked with stopping violent Histories from escaping the Archive, almost lost her life to one. Now, as she starts her junior year at Hyde School, she's struggling to get her life back. But moving on isn't easy -- not when her dreams are haunted by what happened. She knows the past is past, knows it cannot hurt her, but it feels so real, and when her nightmares begin to creep into her waking hours, she starts to wonder if she's really safe.

Meanwhile, people are vanishing without a trace, and the only thing they seem to have in common is Mackenzie. She's sure the Archive knows more than they are letting on, but before she can prove it, she becomes the prime suspect. And unless Mac can track down the real culprit, she'll lose everything, not only her role as Keeper, but her memories, and even her life. Can Mackenzie untangle the mystery before she herself unravels?

With stunning prose and a captivating mixture of action, romance, and horror, The Unbound delves into a richly imagined world where no choice is easy and love and loss feel like two sides of the same coin."

Simply amazing.

Everything that The Archived had, The Unbound has too and more! Every single character was just as great as in the first one (even the evil ones ;-)). Mac also started school in this book, so we get to meet at least four new characters who all have something great! One thing I just love about Victorias' writing is her character development, I feel like every single character is a real person.
And then, of course, Wes. In my opinion Wes was even better in this book. The way he cares about Mac makes me super happy. Also, he wasn't in The Archived a whole lot, since we focused on Owen instead, but this one has lots more of Wesley, which makes me really happy.
There's this thing about sequels being worse than the first one, but the sequels I've read so far this year have been just as great as the first, if not better! It took me longer than it should have to read this book, because I wanted it to last as long as possible, I didn't want it to end! And I can't even begin to explain how much I want there to be a third. Although this ending definitely is a great ending, I still wouldn't mind a little bit more.

Hyperion | Victoria Schwab

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I am the product of a British mother, a Beverly Hills father, and a southern upbringing. Because of this, I have been known to say “tom-ah-toes”, “like”, and “y’all”. I also suffer from a wicked case of wanderlust, made worse by the fact that wandering is a good way to stir up stories. When I’m not haunting Paris streets or trudging up English hillsides, I’m usually tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up monsters.

My first YA novel, THE NEAR WITCH, a dark original fairy tale, debuted with Disney*Hyperion in August 2011, and is now out in paperback.

My next YA novel, THE ARCHIVED, is the first book in a new supernatural series about a world where the dead are shelved like books, and it hits stores January 2013, also with Disney*Hyperion.

My first adult novel, VICIOUS, about two brilliant and highly disturbed pre-med students who set out to generate their own superpowers and end up mortal enemies, is out in hardcover from Tor September 2013.

I have more books coming out in 2014, but I’ll get to those later.

These days, when someone asks me what I do when I’m NOT writing, I just kind of laugh nervously. But in truth, on the odd occasion I’m not typing away, I’m probably baking cookies, or watching BBC shows, or wandering. (See how we came full circle, there?)

Wishlist Wednesday #6

2014-03-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Pen to Paper. It's all about showing that one book that you cannot wait to get your hands on.

Goodreads' synopsis: "Tessa doesn't believe in magic. Or Fate. But there's something weird about the dusty unicorn tapestry she discovers in a box of old books. She finds the creature woven within it compelling and frightening. After the tapestry comes into her possession, Tessa experiences dreams of the past and scenes from a brutal hunt that she herself participated in. When she accidentally pulls a thread from the tapestry, Tessa releases a terrible centuries old secret. She also meets William de Chaucy, an irresistible 16th-century nobleman. His fate is as inextricably tied to the tapestry as Tessa's own. Together, they must correct the wrongs of the past. But then the Fates step in, making a tangled mess of Tessa's life. Now everyone she loves will be destroyed unless Tessa does their bidding and defeats a cruel and crafty ancient enemy."

Warped by Maurissa Guibord
January 11h 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

I was looking around on Goodreads for good Time Travel books, and found this. It's been on my wishlist since it came out, but I didn't realize it was a time travel book till just now, so.

Are you as excited about this one as I am?
If not do you have another book that you just cannot wait for?

Top Ten Tuesday #10

2014-03-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you have to make your own Top Ten list. This week the "question" is:

Top Ten All Time Favorite Books in X Genre

Top ~~Ten~~ Nine All Time Favorite Books in Young Adult Time Travel

1 Pivot Point & Split Second by Kasie West

3 Hourglass by Myra McEntire

4 Tempest & Vortex by Julie Cross

6 Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

7 Timeless by Alexandra Monir | 8 Through to You by Emily Hainsworth

9 The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

What are your All Time Favorite Books in Young Adult Time Travel?

New Books #6

2014-03-09T10:39:00.003-04:00

The Shadowhunter's Codex by Cassandra Clare & Joshua Lewis

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

The Boy in The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Perfect Lies by Kiersten White

Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons

Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

Prophecy by Ellen Oh

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Legend by Marie Lu

Prodigy by Marie Lu

Champion by Marie Lu

Life Before Legend by Marie Lu

The Archived by Victoria Schwab

2014-03-08T22:35:00.000-05:00

Title: The Archived (The Archived #1)

Author: Victoria Schwab
321 pages, January 22nd 2013, Hyperion

Goodreads' synopsis: "Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption."

No words can explain how great this book is

But I will try nonetheless. First of all, let's talk about the concept, I mean storing "the dead on shelves like books", where does that idea come from? After I read that I was already interested in the book. At first it took a little from me to truly understand the whole world, after having read a bunch contemporary books I needed to get used to not reading about the 'normal' world. About 30 pages in, I already know that I'm going to love this book, and I did.
Mackenzie was a fun character, she had just enough sass and personality to be lovable. We didn't hear of her parents a whole lot, but then again, when do you ever hear about the parents a lot in young-adult books, right?
Wesley. Wesley deserves his own paragraph. He was just great from the second Mackenzie saw him in the hallway. I loved how happy he always seemed, and he was just the sweetest and most charming, and how I wish he was real ... I cannot wait to read more about beautiful Wes in the sequel, The Unbound.

So I guess there were words about how I felt about the book, but I really couldn't begin to tell you just how great and amazing it is, so really, I think you should just go get it and read, like, right now!

More information and places to buy this book:

Victoria Schwab

Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

2014-03-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Title: Heartbeat

Author: Elizabeth Scott
244 pages, January 28th 2014, Harlequin Teen

Goodreads' synopsis: "Life. Death. And...Love?

Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with.

But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.

Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma-the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia-New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge.

Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?"

This book was a really quick and short read. It was only 244 pages, and it had super short chapters, so I was able to read this in just one day, no problem. Sometimes, though, I would think that the short chapters were too short. Usually, a chapter ends with something happening that makes you want to keep reading, but this one didn't. It was a new chapter every other page (not even exaggerating), and I would have no problem putting the book down.
The book is about Emma, who is trying to deal with her mom passing away. She is very angry, and you can even tell that she is very angry, which could get a little too much sometimes.
I really liked the character development. There wasn't one person in this book that I wasn't sure could be a real person. Caleb was such a great guy. I really liked him. I wasn't a huge fan of Emma, but I also didn't dislike her, she was kind of just one of those main characters that you don't love.

At first I wasn't fully sold on what the book was about, but the more I read the better it got, so.

Harlequin Teen | Elizabeth Scott

Wishlist Wednesday #5

2014-03-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Pen to Paper. It's all about showing that one book that you cannot wait to get your hands on.

Goodreads' synopsis: "From the author of My Life Next Door comes a swoony summertime romance full of expectation and regret, humor and hard questions.

Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

A magnetic, push-me-pull-me romance with depth, this is for fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Deb Caletti."

What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick
April 15th 2014 by Dial Books for Young Readers

I loved loved loved Fitzpatrick's first book, and I cannot cannot waaaaaiiiiiit for this one!

Are you as excited about this one as I am?
If not do you have another book that you just cannot wait for?

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

2014-03-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

Title: The Book of Broken Hearts

Author: Sarah Ockler
352 pages, May 21st 2013, Simon Pulse

Goodreads' synopsis: "Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.

Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?

Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?

Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking."

Sort of vague

At first I wasn't really sure what to think about it, I thought it was moving too fast without anything really happening. Jude is helping her dad fixing his old motorcycle, because she is convinced it is going to help him remember things again. Emilio comes in as the mechanic in the first chapter, and go to work immediately. The love story between Emilio and Jude is going on the entire time, but it isn't till 2/3 into the book that stuff actually starts happening, up until then we don't really know Emilio, and we don't get any time to really fall in love with him.
One thing I was really disappointed about was how many characters are mentioned in the book, but that's pretty much it, they're mentioned, we don't really get to know them. Emilio's mother got about five pages maybe. Emilio's friend, Samuel, got a little bit more, maybe ten pages. Jude's sisters and her mother were also mentioned the whole time, she kept talking about them, but still I felt like they were complete strangers. The whole book was more about Jude, her dad, and Emilio, which is fine. The only problem with it was that it wasn't really written as a book with three strong main characters.
Other than that I enjoyed the book. I liked the story about Jude trying to "fix" her dad by fixing the bike. And I though Jude and Emilio was cute together.

Simon Pulse | Sarah Ockler

New Releases March 2014

2014-03-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the new releases in March that I can't wait for. A bunch of debut authors are releasing their books this month, and also Lauren Oliver has a new one coming out (weee!).

March 4th | March 4th

March 11th | March 18th

March 18th | March 25th

Split Second by Kasie West

2014-02-26T17:04:00.000-05:00

>> THIS MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM THE PREVIOUS BOOK <<

Title: Split Second (Pivot Point #2)

Author: Kasie West
368 pages, February 11th 2014, HarperTeen

Goodreads' synopsis: "Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything."

Wow. I have been wanting to read this since I finished Pivot Point, which is a while back, and also a long time to develop high expectations, and I cannot even begin to describe how much Kasie West managed to reach my expectations and even go further than that. I was so happy with how she did this. All the characters were equally as great as in Pivot Point, and I even found Laila more likable this time, which was the only thing I was a bit worried about, because I didn't really like her before. I also really really liked Connor, he was great; I cannot believe that West took all of the things that I like to read about and put them in the amazing world that Pivot Point is set in. Just great.
I have yet to read a book by Kasie West that wasn't amazing, and it makes me even more excited for On the Fence that comes out later this year.
I loved loved loved it!

HarperTeen | Kasie West

I reviewed the first book, Pivot Point back in July. Click HERE to see my review.

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

2014-02-23T18:53:00.003-05:00

Title: Hopeless (Hopeless #1)

Author: Colleen Hoover
406 pages, May 7th 2013, Atria Books

Goodreads' synopsis: "Sky, a senior in high school, meets Dean Holder, a guy with a promiscuous reputation that rivals her own. From their very first encounter, he terrifies and captivates her. Something about him sparks memories of her deeply troubled past, a time she’s tried so hard to bury. Though Sky is determined to stay far away from him, his unwavering pursuit and enigmatic smile break down her defenses and the intensity of the bond between them grows. But the mysterious Holder has been keeping secrets of his own, and once they are revealed, Sky is changed forever and her ability to trust may be a casualty of the truth.
Only by courageously facing the stark revelations can Sky and Holder hope to heal their emotional scars and find a way to live and love without boundaries. Hopeless is a novel that will leave you breathless, entranced, and remembering your own first love."

I loved finding out where the title came from

I really loved Hopeless, and I was so into the story that I felt almost everything Sky felt, whenever she got embarrassed (and believe me that was a lot) I would get super embarrassed, when she cried I would cry, and when she got mad I got mad. I don't know if it's because it's written well and is super relatable, or whether it's because I am in a very emotional state (due to personal stuff), so that I easily feel the stuff she feels. Maybe it's a mixture of both.
Sky was funny. She also did a lot of stupid stuff, due to her lack of experience with technology. I really liked Holder, too. I thought he was a great great guy, and he and Sky are super cute together.
The plot was really great. It wasn't like the usual "girl meets boy -> they fall in love -> they get in a fight -> they get back together and live happily ever after", it was a little different, and sometimes it even took me by surprise, which I don't know for sure whether I liked or not, because some of the stuff happened out of nowhere, but I'm willing to oversee it, because it ended up working for the story.
All in all I really liked this, and can definitely recommend it.

More information and places to buy this book:

Atria Books | Colleen Hoover

New Books #5

2014-02-22T11:16:00.001-05:00

The first four books I got are from Amazon

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

Split Second by Kasie West

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

The last four books I got are from Book Outlet

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Ebooks from Netgalley

18 Truths by Jamie Ayres | The Summer I Found You by Jolene Perry | And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

Searching for Beautiful by Nyrae Dawn | Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Wishlist Wednesday #4

2014-02-12T00:00:00.000-05:00

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Pen to Paper. It's all about showing that one book that you cannot wait to get your hands on.

>> THIS MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM THE TWO PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE TRILOGY <<

Goodreads' synopsis: "It had to end sometime, but Mara had no idea it would end like this. Experience the mind-blowing conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer trilogy.
Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story."

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
November 4th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

I read the two previous books right when they came out, and I can't believe it has taken so long for the last one to be published. The release date has been changed a lot; last time I looked it was expected to be released in June, and I just cannot wait any longer! I want this book SO SO bad!
There's no synopsis yet either, I mean, how lame is "It had to end sometime, but Mara had no idea it would end like this.", that is it. :-(

Are you as excited about this one as I am?
If not do you have another book that you just cannot wait for?

Top Ten Tuesday #9

2014-02-11T09:15:00.000-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you have to make your own Top Ten list. This week the "question" is:

Top Ten Books That Will Make You Swoon

Top Ten Books That Will Make You Swoon

When I read this, I immediately start thinking about all these great guys in books, because they are the only reason a book will make me swoon. So instead of just mentioning the book, I will also mention the guys.

Adam Wilde in If I Stay | Trevor in Pivot Point

Will Herondale in Clockwork Angel | Avi in How to Ruin a Summer Vacation

Noah Shaw in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer | Jay Heaton in The Body Finder

Oliver in The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight | Lend in Paranormalcy

Alex Fuentes in Perfect Chemistry | Tucker in Unearthly

What books will make you swoon? And also, what does it take to make you swoon?

Wishlist Wednesday #3

2014-02-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Pen to Paper. It's all about showing that one book that you cannot wait to get your hands on.

>> THIS MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS FROM THE TWO PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE TRILOGY <<

Goodreads' synopsis: "Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

In this final book in her stunning Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close."

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi | Released January 28th 2014 by HarperCollins

I've read both Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night (I reviewed this books, read my review here), and they were both so so so great (!!!), so I am convinced that this will be equally as good! I cannot wait to read what happens, and this book won't be on my wishlist for much longer!

Are you as excited about this one as I am?
If not do you have another book that you just cannot wait for?

Top Ten Tuesday #8

2014-02-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you have to make your own Top Ten list. This week the "question" is:

Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry

Top ~~Ten~~ Books That Will Make You Cry

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: I still haven't read a book that made me cry as much. It wasn't just a little sobbing either, it was a full on ugly one where the nose is running pretty bad. That was not fun.

2. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare: Every time I tried reading the epilogue I would burst out crying and I wouldn't be able to see any of the words. Then I would take a little break and when I was good again, try to read the rest, but end up bawling again. It took me two hours (give or take) to read it.

3. It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han: I think I mentioned this in my review too, but I cried all the way through this one. I stayed up all night to finish it and hurried to start the third. I barely got any sleep that weekend.

4. Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey: This book was super sad in the beginning and in the end. It's funny, because usually if a book is really sad I remember exactly where I was when I read it, and it's like that with this one.

5. Mick Harte Was Here by Barbara Park: I read this in 5th grade (or something like that), and I still remember it as if it was yesterday I read it. It was just such a cute and super sad read. About a year ago I wanted to find out what the name of it was, and I was so happy when after a bunch of looking around I found it, and even found out that it was originally in English.

6. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins: Come on. That was hard.

7. Boundless by Cynthia Hand: The ending was just. It was perfect, but sad, but perfect, and I might have cried a teeny tiny bit.

Another thing that makes me cry is when I can't find more stuff for my Top Ten Tuesdays, and this time I chose to put pictures and I can't even come up with an 8th one, so that Boundless doesn't look all lonely and awkward. That is so saaad - not really, but still really annoying.

What books made you cry?