Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi







****"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
The Night We Said Yes
The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi
Expected publication: June 16th 2015 by Harper Teen
A fun, romantic read, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Susane Colasanti!
Before Matt, Ella had a plan. Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend. Graduate from high school without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Florida, where she’s lived her entire life. 
But Matt—the cute, shy, bespectacled bass player who just moved to town—was never part of that plan.
And neither was attending a party that was crashed by the cops just minutes after they arrived. Or spending an entire night saying “yes” to every crazy, fun thing they could think of.
Then Matt abruptly left town, and he broke not only Ella’s heart but those of their best friends, too. So when he shows up a year later with a plan of his own—to relive the night that brought them together—Ella isn’t sure whether Matt’s worth a second chance. Or if re-creating the past can help them create a different future. 
In alternating then and now chapters, debut author Lauren Gibaldi crafts a charming, romantic story of first loves, lifelong friendships, uncovered secrets, and, ultimately, finding out how to be brave. 

That cover is what drew me in. Add in that amazing synopsis and it's a done deal. We all know contemporary is one of my absolute favorites!

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments! And, a very Happy New Year to all of you!
Jasmine

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday (74)


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 Goals/Resolutions for 2015. Gotta love those new year topics :)
  1. Get caught up on series. There's some big series out there that I've wanted to read forever but still haven't. 
  2. Get into contact with publishers. We've been saying we wanted to do this for awhile. We even have a lot of contact information but we haven't used it. 
  3. Continue growing. This little blog isn't so little anymore. It's an amazing feeling knowing your blog is growing.
  4. Explore New Adult. I've honestly been a little scared to try out New Adult. But Jennifer Armentrout has made it worth the try! 
  5. Attend the Romantic Times Convention. This one is in Dallas this year but it's very expensive to go. 
  6. Get caught up on reviews. You guys have no idea how behind I am on reviews. The books I'm reviewing currently are books I read at least a year ago. 
  7. Make it to more book events. I'm literally the worst about going to events and we have so many in Texas. 
I was so close to 10 :(. Well I hope you guys have a fabulous New Year. Let me know in the comments what your resolutions are!  

Jasmine

Monday, December 29, 2014

Burning by Elana K. Arnold Review

Burning
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Delacrote
Source: Conference
Stand Alone
Ben: Having just graduated from high school, Ben is set to leave Gypsum, Nevada. It's good timing since the gypsum mine that is the lifeblood of the area is closing, shutting the whole town down with it. Ben is lucky: he's headed to San Diego, where he's got a track scholarship at the University of California. But his best friends, Pete and Hog Boy, don't have college to look forward to, so to make them happy, Ben goes with them to check out the hot chick parked on the side of Highway 447.  
Lala: She and her Gypsy family earn money by telling fortunes. Some customers choose Tarot cards; others have their palms read. The thousands of people attending the nearby Burning Man festival spend lots of cash--especially as Lala gives uncanny readings. But lately Lala's been questioning whether there might be more to life than her upcoming arranged marriage. And the day she reads Ben's cards is the day that everything changes for her. . . and for him.


Review
I've never read something quite like this. I found this story to be very unique. Even though it isn't something I typically read, I really enjoyed it. 

This tells the story of Ben and LaLa. Ben is about to go away to college. LaLa is from a gypsy family. She is an amazing fortune teller. The day LaLa reads Ben's cards is the day everything changes. 

I was really glad we got to read from Ben and LaLa's perspective. They both had very unique personalities. I loved how important family was. I loved how sweet their relationship was. I loved the effect they had on each other. They both grew and changed because of the other person. I do think LaLa was a little more developed than Ben. She was very complex whereas Ben was the typical teenage boy. She kinda had an older soul that you don't see often. I really enjoyed getting to know her. 

This has a very complex storyline. It was a little hard to keep up with. I loved all the unique aspects. I know like nothing about gypsies and we got to learn a lot about them. This story is honestly a story about growth. It isn't focused totally on Ben and LaLa's relationship. It had some deep meaning behind it that I loved. If you're looking for a cute story with some real life aspects, this one is for you. 

Jasmine

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Find Me by Romily Bernard Review

Find Me (Find Me, #1)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Conference
First book in the Find Me series
“Find Me.”
These are the words written on Tessa Waye’s diary. The diary that ends up with Wick Tate. But Tessa’s just been found . . . dead.
Wick has the right computer-hacking skills for the job, but little interest in this perverse game of hide-and-seek. Until her sister Lily is the next target.
Then Griff, trailer-park boy next door and fellow hacker, shows up, intent on helping Wick. Is a happy ending possible with the threat of Wick’s deadbeat dad returning, the detective hunting him sniffing around Wick instead, and a killer taunting her at every step?
Foster child. Daughter of a felon. Loner hacker girl. Wick has a bad attitude and sarcasm to spare.
But she’s going to find this killer no matter what.
Because it just got personal.

Review
I never read books like this.But every time I do I enjoy them. This story was no exception. I gobbled it up. 

This tells the story of Wick. She has some amazing hacker skills. Tessa Waye's diary was left for Wick. Tessa has been found dead and Wick's sister is the next target. 

I loved Wick. She had an amazing sarcastic personality. I loved how complex she was. I loved that she grew throughout the story. She was very determined. She was also very protective and caring. Griff made the best addition to the story. He was fabulous! He too had an amazing snarky personality. But he was also very sweet. He really cared for Wick. I thought they made an adorable couple. Plus together they make a pretty badass hacking team. 

This is a thriller. I never read thriller so I really enjoyed this story. It was incredibly mysterious and suspenseful. I loved how nitty gritty it was.I didn't see any of the twists coming. Once you get into this story, it's impossible to put it down. Things are pretty intense throughout the whole story. Once I finished I immediately wanted more. I thought it was very well done and I really enjoyed it. It also made me want to read more thrillers. It was very well done. I cannot wait to get my hands of the sequel! 

Jasmine


Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough






****"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
The Game of Love and Death
The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough
Expected release date: April 28th, 2015
from Arthur A. Levine Books

Antony and Cleopatra. Helen of Troy and Paris. Romeo and Juliet. And now . . . Henry and Flora.

For centuries Love and Death have chosen their players. They have set the rules, rolled the dice, and kept close, ready to influence, angling for supremacy. And Death has always won. Always.

Could there ever be one time, one place, one pair whose love would truly tip the balance?

Meet Flora Saudade, an African-American girl who dreams of becoming the next Amelia Earhart by day and sings in the smoky jazz clubs of Seattle by night. Meet Henry Bishop, born a few blocks and a million worlds away, a white boy with his future assured — a wealthy adoptive family in the midst of the Great Depression, a college scholarship, and all the opportunities in the world seemingly available to him.

The players have been chosen. The dice have been rolled. But when human beings make moves of their own, what happens next is anyone’s guess.

Achingly romantic and brilliantly imagined, The Game of Love and Death is a love story you will never forget.

GUYS. My favorite kind of love to read about is forbidden love. I don't know why, I'm just strange and like all the angst. Even weirder, I've been wanting to read a forbidden love between different races for a while. Sorry, but not really sorry because it sounds really interesting to me. I also love reading anything to do with mythology. Basically this is just the book I've been craving. As soon as I read the synopsis it became one of my anticipated releases of 2015. We're so close, but not close enough for me.

That's what I'm waiting on for my last WoW of the year. Dang. That means all next years releases are so close. What book are you most excited for?


Marissa

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday (73)


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 I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing This Year. I haven't done one of these in a while, but what books I want for Christmas is a very easy topic for me! Some of these I've already asked for (and already helped my parents order) and others are ones I can only hope Santa will give me.

  • The new Harry Potter boxed set-I've wanted these books since the first cover was released. They are all so incredibly gorgeous. But I already have copies and zero room on my shelves. That's why Jasmine didn't buy me them like she almost did. Some kind of blog partner/best friend she is.
  • The Vampire Academy 3-6-Now this boxed set I did ask for. I don't need any excuse to not binge read these once I have them all. I'll get there soon, I promise.
  • The new Percy Jackson boxed set-Yet again these covers are so lovely. And yet again I have no room. At least in this case my copies are super beat up. So really I should have asked for these. Santa?
  • Attachments and Landline by Rainbow Rowell-I will read anything this woman writes. Anything. So even though I don't normally read adult, I asked for these pretties. I plan on getting to them very soon.
  • This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner-Santa, why did this have to be released on the 23rd? I don't think even you could work that fast, much less UPS.
  • Amy and Rodgers Epic Detour and Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson-I've been dying to read her books for ages and after I read and loved Since You've Been Gone I knew I had to have these. I know I'm going to devour them.
  • The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin-I've been dying for this ever since Evolution's horrible ending. And I couldn't get it when it finally came out. And I asked for it. And I'm excited.
That's my top ten this week. Now I have to send it to Santa. It's very last minute, but he probably won't mind, right? 

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. And you get all the books you ask for!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi Review

Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky, #3)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Collins
Source: Bought
Third and final book in the Under the Never Sky series
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.
Within the confines of a cave they're using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.
Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. 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 earth-shattering Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi raises the stakes to their absolute limit and brings her epic love story to an unforgettable close.

Review
This book sucks you in like no other. Right off the bat it was intense and exciting. It's safe to say this was an amazing end to an even more amazing series. 

This concludes Perry and Aria's story. Their ultimate goal is to protect their people and reach the Still Blue. Sable and Hess are determined to beat them to it. The battle rages on and sacrifices must be made if their going to survive. 

Perry and Aria have the most amazing relationship. Together they can do amazing things but they can still stand alone. Aria has grown so much. I loved seeing her really come into herself. Perry has been amazing. I love how much he cares for his people. Both Aria and Perry had to put aside their feelings for the good of the world. I loved seeing them so self sacrificing. That's what makes them such amazing characters. Roar hurt my heart a little. He was really struggling. I was happy to see so much of him though. I was also happy to see so much of Cinder. Cinder played a huge role in this story. 

This story is so addicting! It sucks you in and doesn't let you go. There was a perfect amount of action I didn't see any of the twists coming. There was a nice good vs bad vibe. The plot had a lot going on at all times. I thought this wrapped up the series well. I enjoyed the closed but still a little open ending. It gave me everything I wanted! 

Jasmine

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: I Was Here by Gayle Forman







****"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
I Was Here
I Was Here by Gayle Forman.
Expected publication: January 27th 2015 by Viking Juvenile
Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore. 
When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question. 
I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.

Everyone knows Gayle Forman is amazing. It hasn't even been that long since I've read one of her books. But I'm still very impatient for this pretty to come out. It sounds absolutely amazing. And, January is right around the corner! 

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


Jasmine

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday (72)


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 week I'm going to do last weeks topic which was Top Ten New to Me Authors I Read in 2014. A lot of these authors I should have read a long time ago. But now I'm huge fans of them! 
  1. Jessica Brody.
  2. Alexandra Bracken.
  3. Jenny Han.
  4. Mary E. Pearson. 
  5. Lindsay Cummings. 
  6. Romily Bernard. 
  7. Rainbow Rowell. 
That's all I could come up with! Let me know what you guys would pick in the comments!  
Jasmine

Friday, December 12, 2014

November Monthly Wrap Up


Hey guys! Here's our wrap ups for the month. Sorry they're a little late. We hope you guys have had an amazing year and we wish you a very Merry Christmas <3 nbsp="">


Marissa's Wrap Up

Jasmine's Wrap Up

JasmineMarissa

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone


****"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:
Every Last Word
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Expected publication date: June 16th, 2015
from Disney-Hyperion

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to the Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

I wanted this since I first heard about it. After I saw the cover I was dying to get my hands on it. I still am. I read this authors other books full of time travel and cuteness and I loved them. This one doesn't seem to have any time travel in it, but hopefully there's poetry and cuteness. Either way I need June to come faster. If only so I can see this cover in person. 

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


Thursday, December 4, 2014

Infinite by Jodi Meadows Review

Infinite (Newsoul, #3)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Source: Bought
Third and final book in the Newsoul series
DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.
FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.
CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.
With gorgeous romance and thrilling action, the final book in the Incarnate trilogy offers a brilliant conclusion to the compelling questions of this fascinating world, where one new girl is the key to the lives of millions.

Review
This story really surprised me. It was a little different than the rest of the series. I loved getting to see a new side of this story. 

This concludes Sam and Ana's story. The Year of Souls starts off with a bang. The Range caldera is going to erupt. Ana and her friends flee the Range in search of answers. Janan must be stopped, if only they knew how.

Ana is an amazing main character. She's become so strong. I loved that she never gave up. She has so much faith in the world. My favorite thing about Sam is how much he believes in Ana. He knows it won't be easy. But he was willing to sacrifice anything for her and the good of the world around them. Sam and Ana were absolutely adorable in every way. Their relationship has grown so much. 

This had a surprising storyline. It was very complex. The world building is very complicated. We got to learn so many new things! All my questions were answered. It hurt my heart a little as all endings do. I loved all the Sylph and the dragon aspects. I loved that I couldn't predict the story. It made everything suspenseful and exciting. I don't think this series could have had a better ending. I was very impressed with it! 

Jasmine

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday: Breaking the Rules by Katie McGarry








****"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:
Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits, #1.5)
Breaking the Rules by Katie McGarry
Expected publication: December 8th 2014 by Harlequin Teen
A summer road trip changes everything in this unforgettable new tale from acclaimed author Katie McGarry
For new high school graduate Echo Emerson, a summer road trip out west with her boyfriend means getting away and forgetting what makes her so... different. It means seeing cool sights while selling her art at galleries along the way. And most of all, it means almost three months alone with Noah Hutchins, the hot, smart, soul-battered guy who’s never judged her. Echo and Noah share everything — except the one thing Echo’s just not ready for.
But when the source of Echo’s constant nightmares comes back into her life, she has to make some tough decisions about what she really wants — even as foster kid Noah’s search for his last remaining relatives forces them both to confront some serious truths about life, love, and themselves.
Now, with one week left before college orientation, jobs and real life, Echo must decide if Noah's more than the bad-boy fling everyone warned her he'd be. And the last leg of an amazing road trip will turn... seriously epic.

We all know I'm obsessed with Katie McGarry. She's flawless. I was so excited when I first found out about this book. Noah and Echo started my love for this author. So why wouldn't I be excited to continue their story? I was hoping this would be out in print but for now I'll settle for the ebook! 

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments <3 div="">
Jasmine

Monday, December 1, 2014

Three Year Blogoversary!


So sometime this month was our blogoversary. I don't remember the exact date. It's been a pretty amazing three years. I can't even believe its actually been that long. As we say every year, we are so thankful to have been able to be apart of the blogging community. We've made some amazing friends, read some amazing books, met some amazing authors, and had a great time doing it. 

We really want to say thank you to you guys for sticking with us. The fact that we're at 250 followers is absolutely amazing. It means a lot to us that you guys have stuck with us. We appreciate every single one of you guys! 

We of course have a giveaway planned for you guys. This is our way of saying thank you! Please be sure to follow the rules! Don't enter the INT giveaway if you aren't INT. Same goes for the US. Also be sure to check out our Clearing the Shelves Giveaway! Below we have a picture of the options, Each winner will pick one book. All of them are signed. Three are hardcover and one is paperback. We've added two new books! Both are ARCS. There are two copies of Asylum available. 

U.S, Giveaway! 
INT Giveaway!

JasmineMarissa

Clearing the Shelves Giveaway!



 This is kinda a tie into our Blogoversary giveaway. We've wanted to do a big clearing the shelves for awhile now but the timing never seemed right. Since the end of the year is so close, this seemed like the perfect time to get rid of some books. 

Here's how things are going to work. We've both picked some books and posted a picture. Most of these are ARCs we've already read or didn't get the chance to read. They may not be in the best condition! Each winner will pick three books from the pictures below. We will have two winners. You can pick for either picture. It's a first come giveaway. So if the first place winner picks one of the books you might have wanted you have to be okay with that. Same for the second place winner. This one is going to be U.S. ONLY. There's an INT giveaway on our Blogoversary post! 





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jasmine

Marissa