Waiting on Wednesday #55: Something in Between by Melissa de la Cruz August 24, 2016

“Waiting on Wednesday” is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine. It showcases upcoming releases we’re anticipating!

My pick of the week is:

Something in Between

By: Melissa de la Cruz

Coming: 4 October 2016

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Summary:

When your country doesn’t want you there, how do you know where you belong?

Jasmine de los Santos has been pushed by her Filipino immigrant parents to over-achieve, be the best she can be, work as hard as she can at school and reach for the American Dream. She’s thrilled to be named a finalist for the National Scholarship Award and prepares to go to Washington, D. C. to receive it. But when she brings home the paperwork, she learns that she and all her family are in the country illegally.

As Jasmine’s world shatters around her, she rebels, trying to make sense of herself – who is she? Is she American? Illegal? Something in between? Jasmine decides to accept the award anyway and goes to D.C., where she meets Royce Blakely, the handsome son of a Republican congressman. As she fights for her very identity, will Jasmine find help in unexpected places, and will she ever figure out where she belongs?

Why I’m excited:

I make no secret of my lack of love for contemporary works, but I adore Melissa de la Cruz’s books. (For the most part, I have read two that I wasn’t crazy over) In today’s political climate, I think this book will be a great read. I’m excited to see how she handles a delicate and controversial subject. I got the sampler at Barnes and Noble and can’t wait to give it a try!

Why I need you to be excited:

It’s in your face in the news almost every day, it was only a matter of time before it slipped into literature as well.

Top Ten Tuesday #101: Ten Books That Have Been On Your Shelf (Or TBR) From Before You Started Blogging That You STILL Haven’t Read Yet August 23, 2016

Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:

Ten Books That Have Been On Your Shelf (Or TBR) From Before You Started Blogging That You STILL Haven’t Read Yet

1. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

2. The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

 

3. Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

4. Eragon by Christopher Paolini

5. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

6. The Book of Dreams by OR Melling

7. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

8. Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

9. Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

10. The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

Top Ten Tuesday #100: Top Ten Books With X Setting (Settings I Want to Visit) August 16, 2016

Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:

Top Ten Books With X Setting (Settings I Want to Visit)

1.Russia – Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

2. Edinburgh – The Falconer by Elizabeth May

3. Ireland – Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

4. London – Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

5. Paris – Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

6. Prague – Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

7. Romania – And I Darken by Kiersten White

8. Middle East – The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

9. San Diego – Waterfell by Amalie Howard

10. China – Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Top Ten Tuesday #99: Top Ten Tuesday REWIND – Villains/Criminals/Other Nasties August 9, 2016

Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:

Top Ten Tuesday REWIND – Villains/Criminals/Other Nasties

Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas 

Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Bellatrix Lestrange from Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Loki, God of Mischief from Thor

Black Knife from The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

Khalid from The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Arin from The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

The Darkling from Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Sturmhond from Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

 

Top Ten Tuesday #98: Ten Books You’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed You A Fully Loaded Gift Card August 2, 2016

Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:

Ten Books You’d Buy Right This Second If Someone Handed You A Fully Loaded Gift Card

1. Three Sisters, Three Queens by Philippa Gregory

 

2. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

3. Lament by Maggie Stiefvater

4. Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater

5. Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

6. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

7. A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard

8. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

9. Kiss Me Deadly by Trisha Telep

10. Slasher Girls & Monster Boys by April Genevieve Tucholke

 

What would you buy? I need all of these except Three Sisters, Three Queens by Philippa Gregory for YALLFest in November! haha.

Top Ten Tuesday #96: Top Ten Books Set Outside the US July 19, 2016

Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:

Top Ten Books Set Outside the US

I decided to go with actual locations other than fantastical realms for this week.

1. Die for Me by Amy Plum. Oh, Paris. I love you.

2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. This book only strengthened by desire to visit Prague!

3. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. Historical (fantasy) England, but England nonetheless!

4. Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz. Various locations around Europe, South America, and even Tartarus.

5. The Falconer trilogy by Elizabeth May. Victorian Scotland!

6. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. England and Scotland (with visitors from other nations too)

7. Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer. Ireland, England, Russia, and some other locations too!

8. Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Scotland and France!

9. His Fair Assassin trilogy by Robin LaFevers. Duchy of Brittany and France.

10. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. Beijing, France, Africa, the Moon.

 

Where have books taken you?

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday #94: Top Ten Books I Enjoyed That Have Under 2000 Ratings On Goodreads July 5, 2016

Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:

Top Ten Top Ten Books I Enjoyed That Have Under 2000 Ratings On Goodreads

This isn’t a pure list as I skipped books from the same series.

1. The Prophecy by Erin Rhew (all the books in this trilogy are under a dollar on Amazon!) My reviews for The Prophecy, The Outlanders, and The Fulfillment.

2. Waterfell by Amalie Howard (This duology is a great quick beachy read!) My reviews for Waterfell and Oceanborn.

3. Napoleon & Josephine The Sword and The Hummingbird by Gerald & Loretta Hausman. I read this back in high school and fell in love with it!

4. Burning Kingdoms by Lauren DeStefano. The other series I started with book one, but it has over 2k views. Books two and three don’t. This series is fantastic!

5. Rite of Conquest by Judith Tarr. I stumbled across this at our used bookstore in high school. I absolutely loved it! I should do a reread soon!

6. In Defense of the Queen by Michelle Diener. While this is the third book, it can easily be read as a standalone. My review of In Defense of the Queen.

7. The Hidden Prince by Jodi Meadows. Plus the other Black Knife novellas! I would suggest reading The Orphan Queen first though. SPOILERS and all that. (;

8. Artemis Fowl The Arctic Incident: The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer. My love for Artemis Fowl goes deep and I finally read the graphic novels last summer.

9. Wolf Pact by Melissa de la Cruz. Companion to the Blue Bloods series. My review for Blue Bloods

10. A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris. I adore Rachel and her books. The My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century series is so cute and a quick read. My reviews for My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century, A Tale of Two Centuries, and My Not So Super Sweet Life.

 

What are some of your under 2k rating reads?

Waiting on Wednesday #47: This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab June 29, 2016

“Waiting on Wednesday” is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine. It showcases upcoming releases we’re anticipating!

My pick of the week is:

This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1)

By: Victoria Schwab

Coming: 5 July 2016

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Summary:
There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

Why I’m excited:

Victoria Schwab has secured her place on my automatic preorder/buy list, so it’s not surprising to find This Savage Song on my Waiting on Wednesday list. I’ve been intrigued by this book since Victoria started tweeting about her mysterious monster book. I’m always a glutton for a good fantasy, and it definitely sounds like This Savage Song will not disappoint!

Why I need you to be excited:

Victoria Schwab has proven time and again that she is a fantastic wordsmith. I’m super excited at the dawning of a new series by her and I think you should be too! I think this will be a very interesting book considering the world we live in where tragedies seem to be becoming a daily occurrence and it really feels like there are monsters all around us.

Top Ten Tuesday #93: Freebie (Summer TBR) June 28, 2016

Each week, the girls over at The Broke and the Bookish think up a fun theme for the week and participating bloggers around the net join in. The theme for this week is:

Top Ten Books on My Summer TBR

Here’s what I’ve selected on previous TBR lists: Winter 2013 6/10 Fall 2013 3/10 Spring TBR 2014 6/11  Summer 2014 3/10 Fall 2014 2/10 Winter 2014 6/10 Spring 2015 5/10 Summer 2015 6/10 Fall 2015 6/10

This week is actually a freebie, but I decided I would share my Summer TBR since I haven’t shared one since back in the fall. Here’s hoping for a 10/10!

1. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

2. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

3. The Last Star by Rick Yancey

4. Lois Lane Fallout by Gwenda Bond

5. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

6. And I Darken by Kiersten White

7. This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

8. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling, Jack Thorne, & John Tiffany

9. DC SuperHero Girls: Finals Crisis by Shea Fontana

10. Aftermath by Chuck Wendig

What are you planning on reading this summer?

Waiting on Wednesday #46: And I Darken by Kiersten White June 22, 2016

“Waiting on Wednesday” is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine. It showcases upcoming releases we’re anticipating!

My pick of the week is:

And I Darken (The Conqueror’s Saga

By: Kiersten White

Coming: 28 June 2016

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Summary:

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL.

And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

Why I’m excited:

Ha. Really? It’s historical. Gender bending Dracula? Yes, please! Also, it’s fantasy. GIVE IT TO ME NOW! I got so ridiculously excited when this book was announced. I don’t care if the vampire legend is pulled in or not. That will be an added bonus, but just the strict history of this is fascinating enough. I think it will be so incredible to take such a terrifying figure and transform him into an unsuspecting female role. Females can’t be vicious, right? Ha. WRONG. I would much rather get into a fight with a guy than a girl!

Why I need you to be excited:

Dracula. Enough said. I mean, really? Who doesn’t like the tale of Dracula? No? Well, skip this one then. You’ll regret it though. This. Is. Gonna. Be. AWESOME!