Book Review: Don’t Look Back

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Release date: April 15, 2014

Page/Format: 369, Hardcover

Purchase from Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Book Depository | Waterstone’s

SYNOPSIS

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it’s one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took “mean girl” to a whole new level, and it’s clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She’s getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she’s falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn’t just buried deep inside of Sam’s memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

NO SPOILERS AHEAD.

Found walking barefoot and covered in dirt and blood along the road, Samantha has no memory of anything. She soon discovers that she’s been missing for 4 days and there was another girl, Cassie, who was with her that is still missing. Samantha has to try and gain her memory back to help Cassie. Not only that, but this Samantha is different than the old Sam. She’s nicer and gaining back old friends. She learns that not everything was as it appeared.

I love, like really love, this cover. It was what first attracted me to read the book. You can’t see the ballerina dancers face and her reflection in the cracked mirror is different. It’s simple and creepy at the same time. It has a lot of different meanings that tie up nicely with the book.

This novel was simply amazing! You’re lead into the life of this girl who has a past as a complete bitch, but that’s not how you see her in the book. You worry for her, hope for her, and root for her. Samantha was the mean girl, now she’s the girl with no memory. She’s desperate to find out what happened to her and Cassie. While she’s working through trying to regain her memories, she rebuilds her relationships with her twin brother, Scott; her old best friend, Carson; and her brother’s girlfriend, Julie. Sam has all kinds of different flash backs that make her confused and frightened.

Samantha is a wonderful character. She pretty much gets a second chance to be a better person in this book without knowing it at first. She learns a lot through the book. She understands that before she went missing, she was a terrible person, and she does not want to return to how she was. She comes back like her old self, nice and caring, and that is how she wants to be. As the book comes along, she ends her toxic relationships and starts over with her old friends. She finds wonderful love and really wants to help find out what happened.

Carson is my favorite character (of course). Scott, Julie, and Carson all know how Samantha was before she went missing, but they’re all willing to get her the chance to have a relationship with them all again. You can see how Scott acts like a protective brother to her, how Sam restarts a friendship with Julie, and how Carson helps Sam out. They all have strong, believable relationships with each other.

Jennifer L. Armentrout has a wonderful writing style, it pulled me in and made me really root or boo any character she wants. I loved how there was some things I figured out and others that left me shocked and speechless. Samantha’s story was exciting and frightening. The mystery, family dynamic, and love story were something to recommend to any of my friends.

Don’t Look Back is a thrilling contemporary read for any reader, young adult or not. It will have anyone staying up late at night trying to unravel the mystery of what happened to Samantha and Cassie. This completely wonderful read gets a big 5/5 from me.

Book Review: Unbreakable (The Legion, #1)

Author: Kami Garcia

Publisher: Little, Brown Books For Young Readers

Release date: October 1, 2013

Page/Format: 305, Hardcover

Purchase from Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Book Depository | Waterstone’s

SYNOPSIS

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels.

GO FREE GHOST HUNTERS, THERE IS NO SPOILERS

Kennedy comes home one night to find her mother dead in bed. A month later, she’s getting ready to move out to a boarding school instead of her aunt’s (Kennedy’s choice). Kennedy doesn’t expect that wanting to spend one more night in her childhood home could lead her to discovering ghosts and finding a pair of hot twins. The twins turn out to be descendants of an ancient group that hunts down ghosts trying to contain a demon. They believe Kennedy is one of them, one of the 5. She then has to go off with these boys, and the two others, if she wants to stay safe and maybe save the world from a demon and his ghostly soldiers.

I really like this cover. It matches the second in the series in that they both have giant U’s on the cover, which also go with the titles. You can also see a girl, maybe the main character, in the background and vaguely some symbols which tie into the book very well.

Kennedy has just lost her mother and she’s being thrown into this world of ghosts and poltergeists, salt and homemade weapons. She has a lot of self doubt about whether she really is the last member of this ancient group and that’s what makes her character so believable. She has doubts, she can be courageous, and she wants to be there for her new friends. She does a lot of growing in this first installment and that makes me eager to see what happens in the next.

I think this is the first time I have liked all the supporting characters, equally. I love how the twins, Jared and Lukas, are completely different. They spend a lot of time blaming Jared, but there’s also a lot of moments where they’re a solid unit, fighting together like brothers. Priest is this awesome kid who has lost a lot in life, but he’s always the optimist and bringing the group together. Alara is like a lot of rich girls, she wants to push against the boundaries her parents have set for her and thrive in her own way. They’re all very unique characters and have strong personalities that set them apart from each other. This right here is how you write characters and supporting characters!

This book really pulled me in, I stayed up until 2 am reading it because it is that good. Kami is an amazing writer, she develops these well written characters and thorough plot lines. I really enjoyed how much thought and research was put into the novel. I also really enjoyed the little reviews from the Ghost Hunter guys and that Kennedy is my youngest sister’s name.

Unbreakable is a page turning paranormal read with awesome characters and creepy haunted places. I would highly recommend this to any reader or nonreader. If you read and loved Beautiful Creatures, you will definitely love this new series by the coauthor. 5/5 big ones from me.

Book Review: Anomaly (Schrodinger’s Consortium, #1)

Author: Tonya Kuper

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Release date: November 25, 2014

Page/Format: 400, Paperback

Purchase from Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Book Depository | Waterstone’s

SYNOPSIS

Reality is only an illusion.
Except for those who can control it…

Worst. Birthday. Ever.

My first boyfriend dumped me—happy birthday, Josie!—my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening…

Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.

When hottily-hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead…

BE WARNED READERS, THERE BE SMALL SPOILERS AHEAD

On Josie’s 17th birthday she doesn’t think anything could make it worse, her father is missing, her boyfriend just broke up with her, and her older brother is still dead. Then Reid shows up and everything changes. Josie discovers that she has these strange powers that make her an Anomaly and Reid is there to help her learn how to use them.

Cover, cover, cover. I really dislike this cover. I mean the girl on the front is very pretty, but it just looks odd to me. I’m not really a fan of just a person being on the cover and nothing else. There are a lot of covers with people on them that I like, but they usually have a background or something and this has nothing. I just don’t like it.

The book opens on Josie’s birthday as her power are just starting to emerge. Reid shows up the same day and pretty quickly he has everything explained to her. She is an Anomaly, like him, who can pretty much create things with their minds or erase them. Her parents also know about these powers and they’re part of a resistance trying to protect the human race. Soon it is explained that Reid has to give her a crash course in everything so she can hand a secret serum over to the vice president, who is like them.

While I thought the characters overall were fine, I didn’t really connect with them as well as I do other characters. I also figured out early on the secret about Reid. Josie’s mom’s character was one that bothered me because she just acted very strangely and I couldn’t connect with her at all. There were other characters that, not going to spoil, surprised me very much and gave the book a nice change of pace.

While I liked the story overall, I had some problems with parts of it. I felt that Reid explained everything to Josie too early on. It bothered me that they didn’t establish a relationship before spilling the beans. I also did not like how the mother didn’t try to hide anything like I feel a real parent would, she’s just like “yep, I’ve been lying to you, here’s all the truth.” It just felt very disjointed for the first half of the book. There was also a lot of pop culture references, but maybe a little bit too much. About half way through, I started to enjoy the book more.

Anomaly is an action packed sci-fi young adult read filled with hot boys, cool powers, and a little bit of mystery. While I felt there could have been some small changes, I really did enjoy the book and I eagerly await the second. 3/5.

Book Review: The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy, #3)

Author: Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Viking Adult

Release date: July 15, 2014

Page/Format: 561, Advance Readers Copy

Purchase from Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Book Depository | Waterstone’s

SYNOPSIS

After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches–with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD

I received an ARC of this book at ALA ’14.

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness is the last in the All Souls Trilogy and picks up where the last book left off. Diana and Matthew are back in the present and Diana is pregnant with twins. The gang is all back together again, minus Emily, who died while Diana and Matthew were in the past. This conclusion continues with Diana and Matthew looking for Ashmore 782 and it’s missing pages; their forbidden relationship; going against the Congregation; finding Matthew’s son Benjamin; the pregnancy and birth of the twins; and more.

First, like always, the cover, which I am in love with. I don’t usually dislike covers, but I really like this one because it has no people on the cover and has many images that tie into the novel. It matches the other covers in the series and the single cover doesn’t make it feel like there is too much going on.

While I did like this book in the end, I did not like it as much as the other two novels. My big problem was how much of the story was focused on Diana’s pregnancy. I felt like it wasn’t that important to take up that much of the novel. Once the twins were born, I felt like the characters went back to their badassness.

I was pleased that The Book of Life followed the first two in that it changed locations more than once. This is important in a story like this where witches, demons, and vampires live everywhere, not just a single town. One can also see how different the characters are depending on their location and upbringing.

All the fight scenes and the looking/finding of the book of life were done very well. There was no glossing over during the fights and there were casualties on the good side too, so they didn’t seem like they were invincible. It wasn’t easy for Diana to search for the book and the missing pages, it spanned a large portion of the book and many geographical locations.

Diana and Matthew remain the main characters in this novel like they did the first too. I liked Diana’s hair change when she travels through time, but again, until the end half of I didn’t like her as much. Matthew was much of the same as he was in the other books, so no change in my opinion on liking him.

GALLOWGLASS (and Jack) IS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER AND NO ONE CAN CHANGE MY MIND! He really is. I like that his this big guy who cares a ton for his family and is willing to step to the sidelines if it makes the people he cares about happy. His role wasn’t as big in this book as it was in the second, but I loved his parts. I wish he had found someone though.

I was ecstatic when Jack came into the story. I felt he was a vital part to Diana and Matthew’s family together. He really was their first child, even though he wasn’t born to them or made a vampire by them. His life was nothing before them and he spent years looking for them. Bringing him back also gave a deeper look into blood rage.

Every other character (except Emily and adding Pheobe) was back and it was nice getting to see them all come together and work to be a family. Everyone had their small part in bringing the family together and working through everything else that was thrown their way.

While I had a slow go through the first half of the book, it did pick up after Diana has the twins. The one thing that really disappointed me was that there was not more information about the actual book of life, which is where the book gets it’s title. So, the question is, are we going to get more information on the book of life or was that it?

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness is a decent ending to the thrilling All Souls Trilogy. It has everything between witches, vampires, demons, humans, physical fights and verbal arguments, studies into DNA, and tales of the past. This conclusion gets a 4/5 from me and I’ll be looking out for more from Harkness.

Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015

Hello everyone!

December was a pretty busy month for me, I work retail (Barnes and Noble!). It seemed like the holiday season brought the best, and worst, out in people. But I had a lovely holiday, even if I didn’t get to celebrate Saint Nicholas Day this year.

December was also a great month for friends. I have a hard time making friends, but I feel like this past month brought me really close to a lot of my coworkers and I’ve been getting out of the house more often. I see this as an improvement to my hermit habits. d:

Like last month, my hello/goodbye post is where I welcome the new month (January!) and new year, while talk about everything I loved in the last month (December) and some of my favorite 2014 memories. I will also be posting about books coming out this month that I’m excited about. (:

My Top 20 Books of 2014

2014 was a great year for reading. I was lucky enough to receive a bunch of ARCs (many I still have no read) and there was a ton of releases or new finds that I absolutely adored. So instead of writing about all 20 books, you can click on the covers (in, mostly, alphabetical order) and read up about them yourself on goodreads.

Favorite Music

I didn’t really get to listen to too much new music in December because there were so many stations playing Christmas music. While I am one of many people who celebrate Christmas, I’m not a big fan of Christmas music or movies. Sorry, but that’s just my opinion. I did discover a band (band?) called Sir Sly that I am really digging. Haven’t heard of them, check out the video:

Favorite Show

I’m not sure how it is in other countries, but here is the US most shows go on break at the end of November/beginning of December, and return anywhere between January and March. With that, you’d think I’d find nothing but reruns to watch. TNT solved this problem. A cute, cheesy new show, based on the TV movies of the same name, started and I adore it. What is it? The Librarians!

Favorite Movie

I didn’t really go to the movies much this month, until the very end. It’s really hard to choose between the two I did go see. The conclusion to The Hobbit or the hilarious Into the Woods. So instead of choosing, I’ll post trailers for both! Check them out if you haven’t seen them yet. (:

The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

This movies had me laughing (because of my friends) and crying (because of the movie). It was beautifully done and a great opening for younger generations to get into The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Into the Woods

This movie is based on a play and it is hilarious! It’s definitely not what you expect from a fairy tale retelling, but has a wonderful score and a great cast!

January Must Read Releases

These are the books coming out in January that I have on my goodreads to-read list and am most excited about. I’ll put them in order of release date. If you click on any of the covers, it will take you to the goodreads page so you can read the summary and maybe add it to your list as well. (:

New Year, New Habits?

I know a lot of people who make New Year’s Resolutions, I’m not one of them. But I have decided to try and either do new things or do things better. Like with this blog. When I first started it, I was really on top of it with posting reviews. Then I came home from Europe and started a new job and posting reviews went on the back burner. So this year, I want to take time out and start posting reviews like I did in the beginning.

The other new thing I’ve decided is to start keeping a journal or idea book. I’m hoping this will help me with my writing and remembering. I’ll keep you all in the loop about it.

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That is all for this round of hello/goodbye. So, did you all have a wonderful December and 2014? Did you celebrate anything, Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Saint Nicholas Day/Anything/Nothing? How was it? Do you have any New Year’s Resolutions? See any good movies or read any good books? Drop it in the comments, I’d love to hear from you.

5 To Be Read Books!

Hello everyone! It’s time for my Mid-month Top 5’s. My mid-month top 5’s are like a fun book related post that I will post around the middle of the month. They can include
anything from my top 5 OTPs to my top 5 book boyfriends/girlfriends or even 5 “if you have read this, check this out.”

For this month, I wasn’t really sure what to do my top 5’s on. I started a TBR Jar last week because I had 131 books in my room that I haven’t read yet. That’s not even counting the ebooks I need to read. I wrote a list with all the books, numbered them, and threw the numbers in a jar. So for this month, I decided to pick my nest 5 books and go with that. So this month it’s my next 5 To Be Read Books and why I am excited for them.

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1. Book 1oh6 – The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

I read the first two books in the series. While I felt the second one lacked what made me love the first one so much, I knew that I would have to read this and finish the series out. I am interested to see how the love story plays out between these two young people who live in completely different parts of the world. Smith has written about love at first sight, impossible love, and now, long distance love.

2. Book forty5 – A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Good lordy. I picked this book up months ago when I saw it at Costco. I feel terrible that I haven’t read it yet because I have heard such great things about it. Plus, the summary of it sounds amazing. You can’t go wrong with witches.

3. Book sixty6 – Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren

A friend bought me this book and I’ve been dying to read it, but it’s so hard to pick what to read when there is so much to read. I’m super glad that this book was one of my picks. Jay Crownover’s Marked Men got me started on NA/adult romance, and I know that this book is going to have it’s hooks in me just like Jay’s books did.

4. Book ninety3 – Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot

I can’t remember exactly how I found out about this book, but it’s contemporary, which is exactly what I’ve been into right now. I can’t remember what this book is supposed to be about and I don’t want to look it up, I’d like to be surprised. I do know that when I saw the book sitting on the shelves at work, I knew I needed to have it. So I did what any impulsive book buyer does and I bought it.

5. Book ninety1 – Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Ah, I am so excited for this book. I bought a signed copy while I was in Europe and had it shipped to my mom at home. I haven’t read it yet because I’m sad that the series is over, but I think I’m ready to dive into this and see the love story between Isla and Josh. Which I know will be just as heartwarming as Anna and Étienne, and Lola and Cricket.

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Do you have a TBR Jar? Or do you have books piling up in your room that need to be read? Let me know what you are excited to read or if you’ve read any of the books on my TBR list. (:

A to Z Bookish Survey

Good evening everyone! A friend of mine just recently did this and I thought it looked fun. This was created by Jamie over at The Perpetual Page-Turner and is a survey full of bookish things! How great is that? If you want to play just fill out the form below. Let the fun begin, shall we?

Author you’ve read the most books from:

This goes to Meg Cabot. I own 31 of her books and I’ve read a couple from the library. She shaped most of my high school reading and I’m still completely in love with her books. Is anyone else excited about the adult Princess Diaries and Mediator books that are going to be coming out? (:

Best Sequel Ever:

Ever? I’m not sure yet, I could change my mind about this next week, or even tomorrow, but for tonight? I’ll go with Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Currently Reading:

Currently I am reading The Gathering Dark by Christine Johnson, Fielding Her SECRET by my lovely friend Crystal Perkins, and My True Love Gave to Me an anthology edited by Stephanie Perkins. I read physical books when I’m not at work and e-books on my breaks.

Drink of Choice While Reading:

Usually whatever I want, but I have gotten found of English Breakfast with milk and sugar.

E-reader or Physical Book?

Honestly, I prefer physical books, but I have found e-books really handy when I’m traveling or at work.

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

Gosh, I went out with a lot of losers when I was in high school and that was when I was actually dating. Which wasn’t often. If I had been asked out, I would totally have gone out with Simon from The Mortal Instruments. He has to be one of my all time favorite characters and I can’t wait to read more about him in the Shadowhunter Academy books, first one is out in February. (;

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I was really hesitant about reading this book even though so many people had recommend it to me. I am so glad I picked it up when I did. It made me cry and was so wonderfully written. I had to pick the second one up right after.

Hidden Gem Book:

The Archived by Victoria Schwab. I’m not sure why, but I feel like this series isn’t as well known as I want it to be. It completely sucked me in, making me fall in love with the characters. I often find myself online trying to find out if there will be more, even though I already know the answer. d:

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. Like I said before, her books shaped a lot of my high school years. The books were a great place to hide when things got bad and I really felt like I had a friend in Mia. I also absolutely adore her Mediator series, I’ve reread them at least 5 times.

Just Finished:

The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting. I’m late on the bandwagon for this one, but I fully enjoyed it. Really wish she had ended up with the other guy though(that never happens for me).

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:

Mostly non-fiction, unless it’s true crime, I just find the books soooo boring.

Longest Book You’ve Read:

At 870 pages, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling. Actually 3 Harry Potter books are in the top 10 for longest books I’ve read, a couple L.J. Smith books, and one Cassandra Clare book are also up there.

Major book hangover because of:

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare. I can not explain how hard I cried about this book, not even because it was ending, but because of Simon. It opened all kinds of emotions in me. I was also sad that the series ended, but excited for what is to come.

Number of Bookcases You Own:

Technically I own two, but one is so large it takes up an entire wall in my room. It probably has at least 450 books on it.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

One book? Umm, can I say all the Narnia books? I adore them and often find myself rereading them around Christmas time just because.

Preferred Place To Read:

The couch! I don’t think that needs an explanation. d:

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:

“Once someone’s hurt you, it’s hard to relax around them. Harder to think of them as safe to love. But it doesn’t stop you from wanting them. Sometimes I actually think it makes the wanting worse.”

–White Cat by Holly Black.

I think about this quote a lot. I know it’s sad, but I feel like it describes a lot of my life very well. Which is sad.

Reading Regret:

All the book I read and hated. I wish I could have that time back to fill with books I actually enjoyed.

Series You Started And Need To Finish (all books are out in series):

I really need to (and want to) read Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins. I already have the book, I just haven’t read it yet. I have 130 books in my room that are TBR. D:

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:

Ah, this is a hard one. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, and If I Should Die by Amy Plum. This list will probably change many times (I think Cassie’s will stay on forever!), but for now, these are the books I feel the most about.

Unapologetic Fangirl For:

Maggie Stiefvater! I don’t know what it is about her, but I adore her. She was super nice in person when I met her and from the pictures she post on tumblr, she seems cool and laid back. Plus, after the Raven Boys I think she has a great minds.

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

Nothing. D:

Worst Bookish Habit:

Picking reading over people and other things I probably should be doing. I also use reading as a way to procrastinate school. Haha.

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini (who I absolutely adore!).

Your latest book purchase:

Oh gods, this is going to be long.

1. Clarity by Kim Harrington
2. The Circle by Sara B. Elfgren and Mats Strandberg (original book not in English)
3. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
4. The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
5. Vengeance by Megan Miranda
6. Made for You by Melissa Marr
7. Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot
8. Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
9. Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
10. Ruined by Paula Morris
11. Anomaly by Tonya Kuper (really nice lady!)
12. Amber House by Kelly Moore, Larkin Reed, and Tucker Reed
13. The Gathering Dark by Christine Johnson
14. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
15. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

The two Clare books are a friend’s Christmas gifts, but the rest are all mine. I obviously went a little crazy with my employee discount and the Thriftbooks savings this month.

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):
what just happened?

My True Love Gave To Me edited by Stephanie Perkins. It’s a super cute read and I want to keep reading them. Hey, bad habits die hard.

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Did you fill out this wonderful bookish survey too? Leave me a link below so I can see your bookish thoughts!

Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic (Preview)

Author: V. E. Schwab

Publisher: Tor Books

Format: 150, ebook preview

SYNOPSIS

From V.E. Schwab, the critically acclaimed author of Vicious, comes a new universe of daring adventure, thrilling power, and parallel Londons, beginning with A Darker Shade of Magic.

Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes—as such, he can choose where he lands.

There’s Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there’s Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne—a place where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was Black London…but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see—a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations, who first robs him, then saves him from a dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—and that is proving trickier than they hoped.

WEARY TRAVELLER, THERE NO SPOILERS AHEAD

An e-ARC preview was provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

A Darker Shade of Magic opens with Kell and his wonderful many sided coat. He is a magic user, a traveller, and has been to more than one London. Not only is he a magic user, but a very rare kind; one of two.

Firstly, like always, the cover. I LOVE this cover. I love how it depicts a red map (for Kell, from Red London) and a black map (for the dead Black London). As this was only a preview, I’m not really sure how Black London is going to tie all the way into the book, but I do find the premise of it very interesting.

Most of the preview is told from Kell, and party from Lila’s point of view. It the small part that I was given to read, I fell completely in love with Kell. He’s very interesting, not just because he has magical powers, but because he can travel and has a coat with many sides. Honestly, I think his coat is my favorite thing, but maybe that’ll change when I get to read the whole book. Lila’s different. She’s a thief, who dresses like a man, and wants to be a pirate, what more is there to not like?

My thoughts on the preview? First, I was a little confused. I don’t know if I was forgetting what I was reading or just not understanding, but I was confused. As I got about 10% in, everything that I wasn’t understanding, started to make sense. Basically, I was confused about the coat. The actual story was one of those stories that grabs you and doesn’t let you go, it’s that good. I loved getting to read the beginning of Kell’s and Lila’s stories. I’m currently more interested in Kell, but I’m excited to see more of Lila when the book is out.

The book is a vastly interesting read about magic users and parallel Londons. There is a little bit in the preview (and probably the book) for any type of reader. I will definitely be grabbing this book off the shelf when it’s out and recommending it to all my book loving friends. This preview gets a big 5/5 from me.

Goodbye November, Hello December

Hello everyone,

November was a month of ups and downs for me. Seems like more downs, but now it is December, the last month of the year. Winter is here (well not really where I live, but in other parts of the states d:).

November was warm, so warm it felt summer if I lived in a colder place. My family didn’t really have Thanksgiving this year because people were sick or didn’t come down this year. I hope that ya’ll had a better November than me and if you’re in the states, a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Like last month, my hello/goodbye post is where I welcome the new month (December!) and talk about everything I loved in the last month (November). I will also be posting about books coming out this month that I’m excited about. (:

Favorite Book

In November I read a total of 12 books! Those 12 brought me back on track for my goal and now I’m 4 books ahead of schedule. 2 of the books I read are advance copies, I’ll be posting the reviews closer to the release dates. What book came out on top for November? Rowdy by Jay Crownover! I don’t know if you are like me and obsessed with the Marked Men, but you maybe should pick them up if you haven’t already. Rowdy was no disappointment to the series. I love how Rowdy’s girl, Salem, was a new character to the Marked Men, but had a long history with Rowdy. She also helped extend his family with his half-sister. It was a wonderful read and I’m excited to read Asa and whatever else Jay decides to write. (:

Favorite Music

My favorite song for November is actually I song I heard on the radio a couple months ago. I had forgotten that it was on my iPod until last month, where it was often put on repeat. I like the sound of the song and really need to check out more of their work.

Favorite Movie

I, surprisingly, only went to the movies once during November. There was only one movie I wanted to watch. I didn’t have anyone to go with, so I grabbed my brother and off we went to see Big Hero 6. The movie was amazing and adorable and made me cry at least 3 times. I would see it over and over again if I could. (:

Hint for if you haven’t seen it, this is a Marvel movie so there is a clip at the end of the credits.

December Must Read Releases

These are the books coming out in December that I have on my goodreads to-read list and am most excited about. I’ll put them in order of release date. If you click on any of the covers, it will take you to the goodreads page so you can read the summary and maybe add it to your list as well. (:

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That’s all for this hello/goodbye. What were some of your favorite things during the month of November? Did you have a good Thanksgiving? Do anything interesting? Any books you’re excited for? Drop it in the comments section. I’d love to hear from you all. (:

4 Books That Have The Characters Looking Over Their Shoulders

Hello everyone! It’s time for my Mid-month Top 5’s. My mid-month top 5’s are like a fun book related post that I will post around the middle of the month (a little late this month). They can include anything from my top 5 OTPs to my top 5 book boyfriends/girlfriends or even 5 “if you have read this, check this out.”

Instead of top 5, I just did 4 books in general. I’ve realized while going through my goodreads list that while I love creepy books, I actually haven’t read that many. I also didn’t want to do any that involved ghosts, but books where the threat is another living person. So here are my 5 Books That Have The Characters Looking Over Their Shoulders (not in any particular order). Click on the books to take you to their goodreads page.

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1. The Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin

I’m hoping many of you, like me, have picked up this amazing series that recently just ended. The series is creepy in all kinds of ways. There are cool and deadly powers, delusions, people dying, stalkers, and just about everything that can get someone to question their sanity. I could go on all night about how dark this trilogy was and how much I adored it, but I think you all should take my word and go pick it up if you haven’t.

2. Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann

To me, Lisa McMann is the author I go looking for when I want something slightly dark. Her Wake trilogy isn’t too creepy, but has dark parts that definitely make up for it. This standalone is creepy in a very different way. Set in another tiny town, this story is about people who go missing and the girl who goes looking for answers. Most of the book is spent in suspense because the reader doesn’t know what’s going on or who or what is taking the missing people. I feel like it’s not a very well known book, so here is me saying you should go pick it up! (:

3. Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Ten is a modern retelling of my favorite Agatha Christie book, And Then There Were None. I had to read the Christie book in my senior year of high school and have been obsessed with (most of) Christie’s books since. This is one of those whodunit books where you never know what’s going to happen next or who the bad guy is.

4. Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz

I have been a huge fan of Stolarz since I read the Blue is for Nightmares when I was in high school. When I found out there was going to be a new series, I jumped on it. The series deals with psychometry, or being able to tell or see things through touch, but each novel has it’s own spice with it. This first installment has a creep factor because it deals with a stalker. There is creepy phone calls and notes all up in this book. It’s a great start to the series.

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*Edit. I took one of the books off my list because I refuse to support an author who stalks someone for a bad review. I wish I had caught it before I posted my list, but unfortunately I did not. So I’m leaving my list at 4 this month.

That’s it for November’s mid-month top 5. Who are some of your favorite creepy books? What do you think makes a book creepy? Drop it in my comments, I’d love to hear from you. (: