The Program by Suzanne Young Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: Bought
First book in The Program series
In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.
Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.
Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.


Review
I was so excited to read this book! It was really amazing. The storyline was crazy unique and the characters were fabulous.


Sloane and James only have each other. They fight the depression as hard as they can. If they don't The Program will come for them. They know if The Program gets to then, they will never be the same after.


Sloane and James honestly made this book. They were so amazing they didn't even seem real. They both had amazing personalities. The love they had for each other was incredible. Their relationship was so well done. They also had an incredible fight in them. They weren't going to give up on each other for anything.


This story was completely unlike anything I've ever read. It took a very serious and real topic and turned it into this page turning world. I loved it! I could not stop reading. I loved all the memory aspects. I loved all the twists and turns. I am dying to continue this story! It left me dying for more. I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel.

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:



Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Expected release date: October 28th, 2014
from Harlequin Teen


Every touch has its price
Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

I just read White Hot Kiss and oh my gargoyles (get it?), I loved it. But that ending...

I need this book. Like bad. Why are JLA books so hard to wait for??

*makes grabby hands* *forever cries about Roth* *but still likes Zayne*

That's what I'm waiting on this week. What are you?

Top Ten Tuesday (63)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists

This weeks topic is Top Ten Book Cover Trends I Like/Dislike. I had to think about it, but there's a trend lately that whenever I see it I want to read the book without even caring what it's about. That trend is covers with just typography or illustrations. Something about how simple it is gets my attention. I don't know why. I just like it.

I'm pretty sure Rainbow Rowell's books started this obsession of mine. That chic gets the best covers. All of these books are new contemporary releases. It's a very popular trend lately and I hope it stays. Seriously I could stare at all these books forever. *sigh of longing*

That's my list this week. It's different than how I usually do it and there's a little more than ten, but oh well. What about y'all? Do you love this trend? Hate it? Any other covers I should know about? Let me know in the comments!

#scandal by Sarah Ockler Blog Tour

Today I'm very excited to be hosting a stop on Book Nerd Tour's #scandal blog tour. I read Sarah Ockler's The Book of Broken Hearts last year and adored it. So of course I immediately jumped on the chance to read #scandal. I loved this book and can't wait to tell you why and give you an opportunity to win it.

                                               About the book:



Lucy’s learned some important lessons from tabloid darling Jayla Heart’s all-too-public blunders: Avoid the spotlight, don’t feed the Internet trolls, and keep your secrets secret. The policy has served Lucy well all through high school, so when her best friend Ellie gets sick before prom and begs her to step in as Cole’s date, she accepts with a smile, silencing about ten different reservations. Like the one where she’d rather stay home shredding online zombies. And the one where she hates playing dress-up. And especially the one where she’s been secretly in love with Cole since the dawn of time.

When Cole surprises her at the after party with a kiss under the stars, it’s everything Lucy has ever dreamed of… and the biggest BFF deal-breaker ever. Despite Cole’s lingering sweetness, Lucy knows they’ll have to ’fess up to Ellie. But before they get the chance, Lucy’s own Facebook profile mysteriously explodes with compromising pics of her and Cole, along with tons of other students’ party indiscretions. Tagged. Liked. And furiously viral.

By Monday morning, Lucy’s been branded a slut, a backstabber, and a narc, mired in a tabloid-worthy scandal just weeks before graduation.

Lucy’s been battling undead masses online long enough to know there’s only one way to survive a disaster of this magnitude: Stand up and fight. Game plan? Uncover and expose the Facebook hacker, win back her best friend’s trust, and graduate with a clean slate.

There’s just one snag—Cole. Turns out Lucy’s not the only one who’s been harboring unrequited love…

You can purchase #scandal at the following Retailers:

        

                                           

                                              About the author:



Sarah Ockler is the bestselling author of several books for teens: The Book of Broken Hearts, Bittersweet, Twenty Boy Summer, Fixing Delilah, and the upcoming #scandal. Her books have received numerous accolades, including ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults, Girls’ Life Top 100 Must Reads, Indie Next List, Amazon Top Movers and Shakers, and nominations for YALSA Teens’ Top Ten and NPR’s Top 100 Teen Books.

She’s a champion cupcake eater, coffee drinker, tarot enthusiast, night person, and bookworm. When she’s not writing or reading at home in Colorado,Sarah enjoys hugging trees and road-tripping through the country with her husband, Alex. In addition to her website at sarahockler.com, fans can find her on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook.

Social Media:

   

                                                   My Review:

Secrets don't make friends. Especially best friends. Especially when those secrets lead you to agreeing to fill in for you sick best friend on prom night. With her boyfriend who you've been in love with for years. Who may or may not feel the same about you. Which may cause a secret after party kiss under the stars. One that turns out to be not so secret when someone gets a picture of it, along with other very incriminating photos of the night that are then posted on your Facebook for the whole school-including your best friend-to see. Our main character, Lucy, learns all of this the hard way.


One thing that Sarah Ockler pulls off very well is her characters. Lucy, Cole, Ellie, really everyone were at times relatable, but not always likeable. They're real and flawed and you're able to see them grow throughout their experiences. A character in particular that I liked was Cole. I was a sucker for him from the beginning. Most of that was probably due to how Lucy talked about him. It was so sweet and realistic, and obvious how she felt about him and when he returned those feelings I was a pile of mush. I actually wouldn't have minded more of him. I wouldn't have minded at all. Lucy's sister was another one of my favorites. She was super fun to read about. All of the side characters were. I loved how they all had their own part in the plot.


Something that I think is important to talk about is how relevant this was. The whole "scandal" and how the school reacts to it is very telling of society today. This book talks a lot about the dangers of not using social media for good, and the even more serious issue of slut-shaming. What Lucy goes through over a few pictures is awful and it does happen in real life. That was a part of the book I wasn't expecting, but really enjoyed. On a lighter note, I also loved all the pop culture references.


#scandal had the perfect mix of serious topics and crazy shenanigans. There was Veronica Mars like mystery, Anna and the French Kiss like romance, and a Gossip Girl like high school scene. The best of the best if you ask me and all adding up to a book I never wanted to put down. Even though it didn't remind me of her other book at all, I could still tell it was the same author by how much I loved it. Sarah Ockler has made an instant-buy fan out of me and if you give her a chance, I'm sure it will be the same for you.


                                                    Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks for stopping by, y'all. Be sure to check out all of the other stops on this tour!

Waiting on Wednesday: In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:

'

In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

Expected publication: October 28th 2014 by Disney-Hyperion

Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds. 

They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IANN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.

Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

So I actually haven't read any of the books in this series. I know, I'm a little late! I've always wanted to read this series but I never got around to it. But once this pretty comes out, I promise I'm going to read it! I've heard the most amazing things. 

Let me know what you guys are waiting on in the comments! 

Top Ten Tuesday (62)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists

This weeks topic is Top Ten Books on my Summer TBR. This is a pretty easy topic for me. These are all books I have currently and plan on reading over the summer. Most of them came from TLA :)

1. Trail by Fire by Josephine Angelini.
2. Blackbird by Anna Carey.
3. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han.
4. Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern.
5. Snow like Ashes by Sara Raasch.
6. One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington.
7. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson.
8. The Darkest Minds series by Alexandra Bracken. 
9. The Article 5 series by Kristin Simmons.

That's all I've got for this week! Let me know what you guys would pick in the comments! 

Pieces of Me by Carrigan Richards Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Self Published
Source: Author
Stand Alone
*This was gifted to me by author for review*
One second. 
Seventeen-year-old Corinne has everything. Her life. Family. Friends. Boyfriend. But in that one second, she loses it all. Now she’s left with harrowing nightmares. Hallucinations. And panic attacks that seem to come out of nowhere. She tries everything to take the pain away, but there’s only one option she sees as a true way out.
When Corinne is sent to live in a psychiatric institution, she doesn’t want to talk. It’s pointless. They can’t help her. But slowly Corinne opens up and wants to remember what it’s like to be happy so she begins reliving her past life to her doctor. She knows she can’t live in the past, but she sees no future and is faced with the hardest decision of her life.

Review
I was really excited to read this story. It didn't sound like something I've read before. I really enjoyed it. I thought it was very well done. 

This tells the story of Corinne. She had everything. She gets into a terrible accident and loses it all. Now she's being sent to a psychiatric institution for help. As she relives her accident and her life, she tries to piece herself back together. 

I really enjoyed Corinne. I found her easy to relate too. I loved seeing the effort she put in. She had a lot going on but she never stopped trying. Yes, she pushed the people she loved away. But, at the time it was needed. I was proud of her. James really made the book! He was an amazing addition to the story. I loved his sweet personality. I loved getting to see the good and the bad of Corinne's relationship. I also loved that we never stopped seeing the characters grow and change.

I rally enjoyed this storyline. It was very heartfelt and moving. I loved not knowing what was coming next. This story really isn't like anything I've ever read before. It was very serious. Once I got into it, I couldn't stop reading. This just had so many aspects to it that I loved. Overall I enjoyed this story so much! I'm so glad I got the chance to read it. 

Top Ten Tuesday (61)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists

The topic this week is Top Ten Books I've Read So Far This Year. I always have a hard time narrowing down on any kind of favorites list, but when I looked back a few gems stood out. (These are in order of when I read them)

• Champion by Marie Lu-This is honestly one of the best ends to a trilogy I've read in a while. Even though it was also one of the most heartbreaking. It just worked for the story so well.
• Kate McGarry anything-Y'all. This ladies characters stick with me like nothing else. Even though I read Dare You To and Crash Into You in the beginning of the year and only just read Take Me On, the characters from the first two are just as fresh in my mind as the ones I just read about. Katie McGarry is a contemporary queen. Okay, I'm done. I promise.  
• Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano-I've learned to expect nothing less than perfection from Lauren DeStefano. I read this pretty in a day and freaking loved it. So original and cute and beautifully written and gah.
• Cress by Marissa Meyer-I'm sure you're tired of hearing about this series by now. But there's a reason no one can stop talking about it. Every book just gets better and better. I'm sure Winter will be on my Top Ten list next year, too.
• Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy-No, I'm not biased because Julie is my fave, why are you asking. Even though I'm sure you've seen pretty mixed reviews for this one, I can't do anything but gush about it. I'm notorious for taking ages to read an ebook, but this one took me a few hours. Just read it. Please?
• The Selection Series-Yeah so this series probably won't be a literary classic and definitely has it's flaws. But there was so much drama and craziness and I haven't read anything so addicting in a while. Perfect guilty pleasure that I'm not ashamed to say I loved.
• City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare-Because if a Cassie Clare book comes out I can't not put it on a favorites list. And also because I still get sad when I look at all of them together on my shelf. Hmph.

Okay so that was kind of more than ten, but I promise I really tried to narrow it down. I've read some pretty amazing books this year. Have you? Let me know in the comments!

May Monthly Wrap Up

We hope you guys had an amazing month! Here's our reading plans for June. Let us know what you guys have planned in the comments :)

Jasmine's wrap up

Marissa's wrap up

The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings Joint Review

Reading Level: Young Adult 
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Conference
First book in The Murder Complex series
An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.
Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.
The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?
Action packed, blood-soaked, and chilling, this is a dark and compelling debut novel by Lindsay Cummings.

Review

I've been impatiently waiting to read this story. I was pretty excited for it! I will say that I tried really hard not to let the hype get to me. I really wanted to go into this story with an open mind. I ended up really enjoying it!

This tells the story of Meadow. She's trained all her life to be able to survive anything. Zephyr doesn't fully understand his role in society. Neither does Meadow but she's determined to figure out why he's so important.

These characters really stole my heart. Meadow is a total badass as is Zephyr. I loved that they both had complicated back stories. They are both unbelievably strong. They would stop at nothing to get the answers they wanted. I loved that they both stood out individually but made an amazing team together as well. I will say the romance was a little off. It came on very fast and unexplained. But, it grew on me. I ended up enjoying the relationship between Meadow and Zephyr. I loved that they didn't hold the other person above themselves. They didn't need each other but were happy to have the other person. 

This story leaves nothing to the imagination. It's very gritty and gruesome. It's incredibly action packed and suspenseful. I was addicted! I couldn't stop reading to save my life. The storyline was very well done. It was unique and held my attention easy. Was the story perfect? No, but I was impressed with it. I think it was a great start to a series. I will be impatiently awaiting more :)







So once upon a time at a TLA conference we me this lady with cool hair, Divergent pins, and a book coming out from Harper in 2014. Two years later at another conference, I finally got my hands on it. That lady was Lindsay Cummings and her book was definitely worth the wait. 

It's no secret that dystopian has been quite the trend lately and I'll admit I'm a little over the almost but not quite the same world with different characters. Despite that, this one a nice change from any I've read in a while. The world was seriously messed up and in more than a controlling government kind of way. I know this is the most cliche thing you can say about a dystopian, but it actually reminded me of The Hunger Games. The world was just as dark, if not more, and the characters had to do crazy things to adapt to that. 

So let's talk about the characters. Meadow, one of the main characters, was endlessly loyal and kick butt. Even too much at times, but like I said the characters were a product of their environment. That wasn't more true for anyone but the other main character, Zephyr. He was an orphan, a literal ward of the state, and had to do whatever he was told to-even more so than he thought. Because he was also struggling with blacking out and murdering people. Somehow, I still sympathized with him. In a total "don't touch my baby" kind of way, not gonna lie. I don't want to give anything away about their relationship, but I will say that they had a very, uh, interesting dynamic and I loved reading about it. 

This book was almost impossible to put down, action packed, and full of plot twists and emotion. I can't stress enough that you pick it up. If you want a dystopian, but one that dark and violent, this is it. Author friendship aside, I'm really excited to get my hands on anything else Lindsay writes. Preferably a sequel. And soon! 

Waiting on Wednesday: Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

****"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill at the Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.****

My pick this week is:

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Expected publication: August 5th 2014 by Entangled: Teen

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

This series is very near and dear to my heart. I've been a fan of it for so long! I have no idea how it's all gonna wrap up. But, I'm so excited to find out!

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday (60)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists

This weeks topic is Top Ten Books In My Summer Beach Bag. These are just a couple of the books I'm dying to get my hands on!

1. On the Fence by Kasie West.
2. What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick. 
3. Take Me On by Katie McGarry.
4. Panic by Lauren Oliver.
5. Endless and Empower by Jessica Shirvington.
6. The Warrior by Victoria Scott. 
7. Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo.
8. Of Neptune by Anna Banks.
9. Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins.

I know, I'm terribly behind on buying books. I've been meaning to get all these pretties for so long. Hopefully I can get my hands on them very soon! Let me know what you guys would pick in the comments!

Vengeance by Megan Miranda Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Source: Gift
Second book in the Fracture series
Nobody really believes in a curse. Until you know the people who disappear. Too much coincidence, you look for reason. Too much death, you grasp for something to blame. Carson pulled Delaney out and he died on the side of the road with her mouth pressed to his. Her air in his body. Troy. She told the cops it was suicide. Didn't matter. The lake released her and grabbed another. But when Decker's father dies in a pool of spilled water on their kitchen floor, all Decker can feel is a slow burning rage. Because he knows that Delaney knew that his dad was going to die. She knew and backed out of his house and never said a word. Falcon Lake still has a hold on them both, and Decker can't forgive Delaney until he knows why.

Review
I didn't know Fracture wasn't a stand alone. I was very excited when I found out there would be a sequel! I didn't LOVE this but I thought it was a great companion.

This is told from Decker's point of view. He knows something isn't right with Falcoln Lake. When his dad dies, Decker blames Delaney for not telling him it was going to happen. He wont forgive her until he understands why.

Decker honestly pissed me off. I wanted to slap him pretty much throughout the whole book. I think that was the point though. I understand why he was acting the way he was, but that doesn't mean I liked it. I hated seeing him so lost and alone. I really enjoyed getting to know him better! It was nice to see Delaney again too.

I have some mixed feelings about this story. I liked the plot but it was a little confusing. I found myself enjoying the second half way more than the first. It took me forever to get into the story. I had pretty much no idea what was going on throughout the whole book. Once I kinda understood what was going on, I ended up loving the story. I loved how dark and mysterious it was! Overall this was a nice read. I was happy to be back in the world. I'm glad I got to read it!