Review: Court

Court
Author: Cat Patrick
Publication Date: October 23rd 2014
~A copy was provided by Rock Star Lit PR in exchange for an honest review~

For more than 400 years, a secret monarchy has survived and thrived within the borders of the US, hiding in plain sight as the state known as Wyoming. But when the king is shot and his seventeen-year-old son, Haakon McHale, is told he will take the throne, becoming the eleventh ruler of the Kingdom of Eurus, the community that's survived for centuries is pushed to the limit. Told through four perspectives, Court transplants us to a world that looks like ours, but isn't. Gwendolyn Rose, daughter of the Duke of Coal, is grudgingly betrothed to Haakon -- and just wants a way out. Alexander Oxendine, son of the Duke of Wind and Haakon's lifelong best friend, already grapples with external struggles when he's assigned to guard Haakon after the king dies. And commoner Mary Doyle finds whispers in the woods that may solve -- or destroy -- everything, depending on your bloodline.

Money. Love. Power. Community. What's your motivation?

I've read every Cat Patrick, which is why I was so excited to read Court, unfortunately, it didn't live up to her others. You could say that's because it's different to what she's done before, and it is, but it's not because of that. It's because there's not much going on. Court, in one word, is boring. I'm sorry to say it, but it is, and I can see why it wasn't picked up by the same publisher. I'm not saying Court is bad per say, but it doesn't seem up to her usual standard, and maybe that's just because it's something completely different or what, I don't know, but I wanted to root for it, but I couldn't.

Stacking the Shelves (#64) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

So, how was everybody's week? Mines been good. So, my books didn't get here, so I WILL be doing my physical stack next week, honest. But, I've had some exciting review copies. :D Anyone in the UK been watching Hollyoaks this week?

 

 

For Review

Stacking the Shelves (#58) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

So, how was everybody's week? Mine was crap, good book and blog wise though!

 

 

For Review

 

 

 

Stacking the Shelves (#56) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

So, how was everybody's week? Mine was okay-ish. I was supposed to be doing a physical stack this week (as I said last week) but I'm ill, and that requires energy. :( So ebook stack it is, again. But hey, I got my first approval from Disney-Hyperion!

 

 

For Review

 

Stacking the Shelves (#51) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

How was everybody's week? Mines been okay. and I got a few ones I've been wanting to read since I found out about them. I just finished The Girl from the Well, and although creepy, a little disappointed, and now I'm reading Feral. I'm choosing some real happy books lately. :/
 

For Review

Netgalley

 

 

 

 

The Cure for Dreaming 

(Thanks to Amulet and Netgalley )

 

For Review

Edelweiss

Illusions of Fate, The Perfectionists

(Thanks to Harper Teen, Harper Collins and Edelweiss)
 

What did you get this week? :)

   



 A recap of posts this week

• Monday I reviewed: Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill
• Teaser Tuesday: The Mission  by Allen Zadoff
• Waiting on Wednesday: Unmarked by Kami Garcia
• Thursday: A Q&A with Louise O'Neill
• Friday I reviewed: Unwept by   Tracy Hickman, Laura Hickman

Stacking the Shelves (#43) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

How was everybody's week? So, I had my third auto-approval last week from Hachette Childrens, and I got my first approval from Tor, which I'm super excited about because it's one I was really hoping I'd get approved for, so yay! :)

 

For Review

Edelweiss:

 

 

 

 

Behind the Scenes  and  Jackaby.

(Thanks to  Spencer Hill Contemporary, Algonquin Books and Edelweiss)

 

For Review

Netgalley:

Unwept, Sweet Unrest and Of Scars and Stardust
(Thanks to Tor books, Flux and Netgalley)



  What did you get this week? :)

   



 A recap of posts this week

• Monday I reviewed: Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly 
• Tuesday I reviewed: Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
• Waiting on Wednesday: Very Bad Things by Susan McBride
• Thursday I reviewed: Mutant City by Steve Feasey
• Friday: DNF Round-Up: April

Stacking the Shelves (#37) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

So, how was everybody's week? I had four surprise packages this week, which I'll leave until next weeks Physical StS, because Harper Collins strikes again (I have no self control), and Once Upon A Time happened. I. Am. Addicted. And it's all Elizabeth's fault.


For Review
Edelweiss:

,Don't Touch, Poisoned Apples,  Feral, Kiss of Broken Glass
 The Dolls (YESSS!) and Rites of Passage
(Thanks to HarperTeen, Greenwillow Books, Balzer & Bray
and Edelweiss)

Review: The Academy: Love Match

The Academy: Love Match
Author:  Monica Seles

Publication Date: February 25th 2014  (February 14h  UK)           

~A copy was provided by Bloomsbury Childrens  via Netgalely in exchange for an honest review~

 

 

What cover do you prefer?

 

 

 

-----

 

The Academy is the sports school everyone is talking about. But for Maya, it seems getting in was the easy part. It’s staying there that’s tough. To succeed it takes more than just talent. You need fame . . .

After a star performance in the semi-finals at a tennis competition, Maya is labelled The Next Big Thing and books a high-profile modelling job. The only problem is her co-star in the campaign is her super-hot ex-boyfriend, Jake Reed – and this is a job that her rival, Nicole, wants! Maya’s only just put the betrayal by Jake and Nicole behind her and now Maya is being drawn back into a circle of jealousy and desire. Luckily, she knows Nicole’s latest secret and gossip is a powerful weapon at The Academy!

If you adore Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars and Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls, you’ll be mad about the sassy new series The Academy.

 

----

 

 Personally, I prefer the first, it looks less...childish.

The Academy: Love Match was not what I was expecting, and in a bad way. I liked the first one okay, though It wasn't my favourite, I did enjoy the drama. So because of that I wanted to see where the second one took us. Love Match being the second in the series I was expecting progression, and that's where it failed.

Stacking the Shelves (#29) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.



Hands up, who sobbed over the TFiOS trailer?
My Netgalley ban ended with a disastrous week. But let's be real, I was never really on one anyway...




        

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The Girl from the Well, (Hahaha, I'm laughing otherwise I'd cry) Oblivion, Poppy, Take Back the Skies, Echo Boy and The Fearless
(Sourcebooks Fire, EgmontUSA, Bloomsbury Childrens, Random House Childrens, and Netgalley)

That's it.  What did you get this week? :)

   



 A recap of posts this week

 

• Monday I reviewed  Anything to Have You by Paige Harbison
• Teaser Tuesday from The Winners Curse by Marie Rutkoski (So good, guys. So. Good.)
• Waiting on Wednesday: The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa and Prince of Shadows by Rachel Caine
• Booking Through Thursday: Multi-Tasking
• Friday I reviewed All That Glows by Ryan Graudin

 

Review: Anything to Have You

Anything to Have You
Author:  Paige Harbison

Publication Date:  January 28th 2014                    

~A copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Nothing should come between best friends, not even boys. ESPECIALLY not boys.

Natalie and Brooke have had each other's backs forever. Natalie is the quiet one, college bound and happy to stay home and watch old movies. Brooke is the movie—the life of every party, the girl everyone wants to be.

Then it happens—one crazy night that Natalie can't remember and Brooke's boyfriend, Aiden, can't forget. Suddenly there's a question mark in Natalie and Brooke's friendship that tests everything they thought they knew about each other and has both girls discovering what true friendship really means

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While I did enjoy Anything to Have You, there was something just...off about it for me, that I don't even know what it was, but I did enjoy it, though if some of the characters had their way, I wouldn't have.

Review: The Drowned Forest

The Drowned Forest
Author:  Kristopher Reisz 

Publication Date:  February 8th 2014                 

~A copy was provided by Flux via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Losing Holly is the hardest thing Jane has ever had to endure ... until Holly comes back.

Best friends Jane and Holly have jumped off the bluff over their Alabama reservoir hundreds of times. But one day, Holly’s jump goes wrong. Her body never comes up, yet something else does—a sad creature of mud, full of confusion and sorrow. It’s Holly, somehow, trapped and mixed up with the river. And if Jane can’t do something to help, Holly will take everybody down with her—even the people they love the most.

Blending Looking for Alaska’s theme of lost friendship with Stephen King’s sense of small-town horror, The Drowned Forest is a Southern gothic tale of grief, redemption, and the mournful yearning of an anguished soul. .

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Right, I am just going to say it and get it out of the way.

I'm not religious.

When requesting The Drowned Forest, from the blurb I had no idea that it was even  A) Religious  and B) Focused on religion.

Stacking the Shelves (#26) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.


It's that time again, yes, the Harper Collins Edition. I only downloaded five this time, I had some self control. Whoo. e.l.f. Cosmetics has made Vampire Academy makeup...I- really? You know I'm going to be stupid enough to buy some.

How was everyone's week?

 For review:
 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Meet Boys, The Geography of You and Me, Side Effects May Vary, The Half Life of Molly Pierce, The Secrets of Lily Graves and The Vanishing Season,

(Thanks to Netgalley, Harperteen, Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss)

 What did you get this week? :)

   



 A recap of posts this week

 

• Monday I reviewed  Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
• Teaser Tuesday from Vengeance by Megan Miranda
• Waiting on Wednesday: The Half Life of Molly Pierce by Katrina Leno
• Thursday I DNF reviewed The Lost Boys by Lilian Carmine
• Friday I reviewed And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

 

Review: And We Stay

And We Stay
Author: Jenny Hubbard

Publication Date:  January 28th 2014    
~A copy was provided by Random House Childrens/Delacorte Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~




--------------------------------------------------------------------------
When high school senior Paul Wagoner walks into his school library with a stolen gun, he threatens his girlfriend Emily Beam, then takes his own life. In the wake of the tragedy, an angry and guilt-ridden Emily is shipped off to boarding school in Amherst, Massachusetts, where she encounters a ghostly presence who shares her name. The spirit of Emily Dickinson and two quirky girls offer helping hands, but it is up to Emily to heal her own damaged self.

This inventive story, told in verse and in prose, paints the aftermath of tragedy as a landscape where there is good behind the bad, hope inside the despair, and springtime under the snow.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'll be the first to admit I don't get all poetry, I can get the feelings behind it, but don't ask me what they actually mean because I have no clue. I'm a lyrics person myself, and though you might say it's basically the same. It's not. Personally, I find poetry too restricting at times, I love reading it, but writing it is not for me.

And We Stay from the description is a little misleading but I really enjoyed it. Well, "enjoyed" isn't the word because it's depressing at points, but really beautiful. Emily Beam's story is not an easy one, it's not a comfortable one either. The last few months of Emily's life has been hell, and you see how it takes its toll on her, she doesn't know how to move away from it.  It's one thing to have your ex-boyfriend come into school and corner you in the library with a gun, but the aftermath isn't what Emily expected, she can't shake it off. But, that's not where Emily Beam's story begins or ends...

Stacking the Shelves (#25) & Recap

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.


Firstly, and most importantly, you guys, the Veronica Mars trailer, that's what I'm talking about.

 I've added 7 books to my shelf since my last StS, (3 I bought, 3 gifts.(including my Secret Santa from the amazing Allie that I finally opened) and a surprise in the mail that's going to have to wait until next week because I'm re-organizing, fun.

But, though there's no pictures yet, I had an awesome Secret Santa gift from Allie over at Little Birdie Books, that included Ghost Flower by Michele Jaffe that I've wanted to read for ages, a dolphin holographic bookmark (because I love dolphins) a Deathly Hallows necklace (which I've been wanting to get for a while, but was always pushed back for more books) which I may have fangirled over :D. So thank you so much Allie!


 For review:
 

 

Paranoia, The Truth Against the World, Royally Lost and I finally caved and picked up Life by Committee and The Last Best Kiss.

(Thanks to Flux, and Netgalley, Harperteen, Katherine Tegen Books and Edelweiss)

 

   



 A recap of posts this week

 

• Monday I reviewed  Red by Alison Cherry
• Tuesday I done the End of Year Book Survey
• Waiting on Wednesday: Steadfast by Claudia Gray
• Thursday I reviewed Splintered by A.G. Howard
• Friday I reviewed Unhinged by A.G. Howard

Since my last StS, I have read:

 
• Anything to Have You by Paige Harbison
• Red by Alison Cherry
• Splintered (Splintered, #1) by A.G. Howard
• Unhinged (Splintered, #2) by A.G. Howard
• And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard