Showing posts with label ♥. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ♥. Show all posts

Friday, 8 August 2014

Review: Dangerous Boys (OH.MY.GOD)






Dangerous Boys
Author:
Publication Date: August 14th 2014        
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~

 Three teens venture into the abandoned Monroe estate one night; hours later, only two emerge from the burning wreckage. Chloe drags one Reznick brother to safety, unconscious and bleeding; the other is left to burn, dead in the fire. But which brother survives? And is his death a tragic accident? Desperate self-defense? Or murder?
Chloe is the only one with the answers. As the fire rages, and police and parents demand the truth, she struggles to piece together the story of how they got there-a story of jealousy, twisted passion, and the darkness that lurks behind even the most beautiful of faces




Dangerous Girls was on my radar last year, and although it had all these amazing reviews I didn't think it was for me. When I saw Dangerous Boys and thought why not? Why not indeed, because oh damn. I just- NO WORDS. So this will probably be a rambling review because it's one of those that are hard to talk about without spoiling, but is so freaking mind blowing that I just want to spoil it. But, I won't. Because you seriously need to read it for yourself and get all the feelings because it is amazing and twisted with a heavy dose of psychology and is it bad to say how much I freaking love how twisted it was? It has some serious shit going on, and something like this you shouldn't really love but I did, because it was fascinating and  see? Rambling.

Sunday, 3 August 2014

Stacking the Shelves (#55) & Recap

STSmallStacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

So, how was everybody's week? The beginning of the week was good for me, and went downhill from there, so it's been a pretty crappy week. Mainly Friday, where the highlight was Starbucks. I had to go up the Hospital. my appointment was at 11, had to leave at 9 (since I don't drive) so had to get up at 7 on 3 hour sleep. Got up there, wasn't called until 11:15, which isn't so bad, you say...Yeah, so would I, if it wasn't just to wait in another waiting room. Didn't get called then until 12:15. And was out of there at 12:20 with nothing done for the reason why I was up there, which has happened TWICE now. So yeah, I was pissed. Know what's therapeutic though? Writing ranty reviews.

I was supposed to be doing a physical stack this week but I'm so tired, and new Harper titles were added to EW, so I'm going with that.

For Review
Edelweiss

 
 








(Thanks to HarperTeen, Katherine Tegen Books, Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss )
 


 
                                                        

                                                                 What did you get this week? :)
 



    Recap

Friday, 1 August 2014

Review: The Moment Collector




The Moment Collector
Author:
Publication Date: August 7th 2014
Publisher: Orchard Books
 ~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~
 
 A haunting mystery, romance in the vein of The Lovely Bones by New York Times bestselling author.

"The yard of this house is a graveyard of moments and everything left behind is a clue. And I am here to dig."

There's a ghost haunting 208 Water Street. She doesn't know who she was, or why she's still here. She does know that she is drawn to Maggie, the new girl in town, and her friends - beautiful, carefree Pauline and Liam, the boy who loves her.

But the ghost isn't all that's lurking in Gill Creek... Someone is killing young girls all across the county. Can the ghost keep these three friends safe? Or does she have another purpose?



You know those moments when a book completely stuns you?  Makes you angry, and makes you cry simultaneously. The type that you didn't know it got under your skin until this moment when something bad really happens and it's like you're right there in that book, with that character? Hey, The Moment Collector.

Monday, 14 July 2014

Review: The Winners Curse





 The Winners Curse
Author: 



 

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction.

Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart

 

Warning: This review may contain ramblings that might not quite make sense.

Oh, The Winners Curse, I love you, I love you, I love you. You were delightfully cruel.  And brilliant. And amazing. Did I mention cruel? Exceptionally cruel.

Monday, 7 July 2014

Review: The Half Life of Molly Pierce




 
The Half Life of Molly Pierce
Author:   

Publication Date:  July 8th 2014    
Publisher: Harper Teen
~A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review~
You take it for granted. Waking up. Going to school, talking to your friends. Watching a show on television or reading a book or going out to lunch.

You take for granted going to sleep at night, getting up the next day, and remembering everything that happened to you before you closed your eyes.

You live and you remember.

Me, I live and I forget.

But now—now I am remembering.


For all of her seventeen years, Molly feels like she’s missed bits and pieces of her life. Now, she’s figuring out why. Now, she’s remembering her own secrets. And in doing so, Molly uncovers the separate life she seems to have led…and the love that she can’t let go.

The Half Life of Molly Pierce is a suspenseful, evocative psychological mystery about uncovering the secrets of our pasts, facing the unknowns of our futures, and accepting our whole selves.
 
 
It took me a while to write this, after finishing the novel I waited because I wanted it to sink in properly, I didn't even write notes and I still don't know what to say about it. It's always like that, those books that mean something. I felt like this after reading We Were Liars and I have the same feeling now with The Half Life of Molly Pierce, it's so different and out there and I want to keep it to myself while simultaneously wanting everybody to read it.

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Waiting on Wednesday (#45)

 "Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.






 


 



 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The City of Lights sets the stage for romance, drama and intrigue in the latest Confessions novel from the world's bestselling mystery writer!

After investigating multiple homicides and her family's decades-old skeletons in the closet, Tandy Angel is finally reunited with her lost love in Paris. But as he grows increasingly distant, Tandy is confronted with disturbing questions about him, as well as what really happened to her long-dead sister. With no way to tell anymore who in her life she can trust, how will Tandy ever get to the bottom of the countless secrets her parents kept from her? James Patterson leads this brilliant teenage detective through Paris on a trail of lies years in the making, with shocking revelations around every corner.

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




 


 

 
Because I just love the series, okay? Don't look at me like that.
 

What're you waiting on?

Monday, 19 May 2014

Review: Love Letters to the Dead



Love Letters to the Dead
Author:

Publication Date:  May 1st 2014
~A copy was provided by HotKeyBooks in exchange for an honest review~








 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
It begins as an assignment for English class: write a letter to a dead person - any dead person. Laurel chooses Kurt Cobain - he died young, and so did Laurel's sister May - so maybe he'll understand a bit of what Laurel is going through. Soon Laurel is writing letters to lots of dead people - Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, River Phoenix, Amelia Earhart... it's like she can't stop. And she'd certainly never dream of handing them in to her teacher. She writes about what it's like going to a new high school, meeting new friends, falling in love for the first time - and how her family has shattered since May died.

But much as Laurel might find writing the letters cathartic, she can't keep real life out forever. The ghosts of her past won't be contained between the lines of a page, and she will have to come to terms with growing up, the agony of losing a beloved sister, and the realisation that only you can shape your destiny. A lyrical, haunting and stunning debut from the protégé of Stephen Chbosky (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER).

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





Love Letters to the Dead is as personal as it gets and for me I had a hard time detaching myself from it because in all retro respect, Laurel could've been me. Or you. Or everyone else. A lot of shit happens in this world, and by the synopsis, you don't even get half of it. And that was the shocking thing because while I was reading it, I picked up a few little hints here and there but I still wasn't expecting it.

Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Waiting on Wednesday (#44)

 "Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.






 


 





 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
All-access doesn't mean no problems.

The three Diamond sisters survived the summer in style after coming to live with their long-lost billionaire father. But making a place for themselves at their exclusive new Las Vegas private school is throwing them any number of gold-plated curves. Savannah's YouTube stardom turns into a Sweet Sixteen reality show extravaganza with complimentary enemies on the side. Dangerous flirtations don't keep Peyton from a gamble that will risk far more than she planned to bet. And when Courtney and the sisters' archenemy, Madison, uncover two explosive secrets, it will rock even this town of glittering illusion and turn their lives upside down all over again.

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


 
You know the thing I loved about The Secret Diamond Sisters? Reading about Vegas. And how happy am I that there's blue on the cover this time. Favourite colour.
 

What're you waiting on?

Sunday, 11 May 2014

Stacking the Shelves (#43) & Recap

STSmallStacking 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:



 

 

 

 
(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

    Wednesday, 7 May 2014

    Waiting on Wednesday (#43)

     "Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.





     





     
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Katie never thought she'd be the girl with the popular boyfriend. She also never thought he would cheat on her-but the proof is in the photo that people at their boarding school can't stop talking about. Mark swears he doesn't remember anything. But Rose, the girl in the photo, is missing, and Mark is in big trouble. Because it looks like Rose isn't just gone…she's dead.

    Maybe Mark was stupid, but that doesn't mean he's a killer.

    Katie needs to find out what really happened, and her digging turns up more than she bargained for, not just about Mark but about someone she loves like a sister: Tessa, her best friend. At Whitney Prep, it's easy to keep secrets…especially the cold-blooded kind.

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


    I don't know if it's because of the cover or the font but it's looking pretty Pretty Little Liars-esque. So you know, that translates to MINE.


    What're you waiting on?

    Tuesday, 6 May 2014

    Review: Don't Even Think About It



    Don't Even Think About It
    Author:

    Publication Date: May 1st 2014    
     

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    This is the story of how we became freaks. It's how a group of I's became a we.

    When Class 10B got their flu shots, they expected some side effects. Maybe a sore arm. Maybe a headache. They definitely didn't expect to get telepathy. But suddenly they could hear what everyone was thinking. Their friends. Their teachers. Their parents. Now they all know that Tess has a crush on her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper. Some of them will thrive. Some of them will break. None of them will ever be the same.

    A smart and funny story about friendship, first love and surviving high school from the bestselling author of Ten Things We Shouldn't Have Done.

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




    I would be the first person to complain about the way it was written. I have mixed feelings about first person and second person, and always comes down to each and every book whether I like it or not and if it works for me. The way Don't Even Think About It was completely new to me. It's kind of third person mixed with first, completing a collective "we". I thought I would hate it, but I didn't. I did get a confused a little in the beginning for the first few chapters until I got into it and then I got hooked and it just really flowed well.  I don't think it will work for everyone, but it worked for me.

    Monday, 5 May 2014

    Review: Deep Blue & Giveaway

    Deep Blue
    Author: 

    Publication Date:  May 1st 2014       
     

     

     

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

    Waterfire Saga is an epic new series set in the depths of the ocean where six mermaids seek to save their world.
     
    Written by Carnegie Medal winning author of A Gathering Light, Jennifer Donnelly.

    When Serafina, a mermaid of the Mediterranean Sea, awakens on the morning of her betrothal, her biggest worry should be about reuniting with handsome Prince Mahdi, her childhood crush. Instead she finds herself haunted by strange dreams foretelling the return of an ancient evil, and dealing with the deaths of her parents as assassins storm the betrothal ceremony, plunging the city into chaos.

    Led only by her shadowy dreams and pursued by the invading army, Serafina and her best friend Neela embark on a quest to avenge her parents' death and prevent a war between the mer nations. In the process they discover a plot that threatens their - and our - world's very existence.

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

     




    So, Mermaids don't float my boat. You know, I wasn't really all that into The Little Mermaid, and Ariel in Once Upon a Time annoys the hell out of me. So yeah, I can't say I like or read about them much. That being said, Deep Blue just had something that completely captivated me.

    Friday, 25 April 2014

    Review: Prisoner of Night and Fog

    Prisoner of Night and Fog
    Author: 

    Publication Date: April 22nd 2014      



    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In 1930s Munich, danger lurks behind dark corners, and secrets are buried deep within the city. But Gretchen Müller, who grew up in the National Socialist Party under the wing of her "uncle" Dolf, has been shielded from that side of society ever since her father traded his life for Dolf's, and Gretchen is his favorite, his pet.

    Uncle Dolf is none other than Adolf Hitler.

    And Gretchen follows his every command.

    Until she meets a fearless and handsome young Jewish reporter named Daniel Cohen. Gretchen should despise Daniel, yet she can't stop herself from listening to his story: that her father, the adored Nazi martyr, was actually murdered by an unknown comrade. She also can't help the fierce attraction brewing between them, despite everything she's been taught to believe about Jews.

    As Gretchen investigates the very people she's always considered friends, she must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she choose the safety of her former life as a Nazi darling, or will she dare to dig up the truth—even if it could get her and Daniel killed?

    From debut author Anne Blankman comes this harrowing and evocative story about an ordinary girl faced with the extraordinary decision to give up everything she's ever believed . . . and to trust her own heart instead.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
    Prisoner of Night and Fog is a hard one to review, not because it's confusing or annoyed me but because it is simply remarkable. And I'm pretty speechless. There's no doubt that it's well researched, and I'm not going to pretend that I know much about Germany or that time than probably most of us. So it was an eye-opener and such an breath-taking way to learn.

    Monday, 14 April 2014

    Review: The Eighth Day

    The Eighth Day
    Author:

    Publication Date: April 22nd 2014
    ~A copy was provided by Harper Collins and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review~



    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In this riveting fantasy adventure, thirteen-year-old Jax Aubrey discovers a secret eighth day with roots tracing back to Arthurian legend. Fans of Percy Jackson will devour this first book in a new series that combines exciting magic and pulse-pounding suspense.

    When Jax wakes up to a world without any people in it, he assumes it's the zombie apocalypse. But when he runs into his eighteen-year-old guardian, Riley Pendare, he learns that he's really in the eighth day—an extra day sandwiched between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people—like Jax and Riley—are Transitioners, able to live in all eight days, while others, including Evangeline, the elusive teenage girl who's been hiding in the house next door, exist only on this special day.

    And there's a reason Evangeline's hiding. She is a descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin, and there is a group of people who wish to use her in order to destroy the normal seven-day world and all who live in it. Torn between protecting his new friend and saving the entire human race from complete destruction, Jax is faced with an impossible choice. Even with an eighth day, time is running out.

    Stay tuned for The Inquisitor's Mark, the spellbinding second novel in the Eighth Day series.

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




    If a week ago you'd tell me I'd actually enjoy a middle grade, I would've laughed in your face. To put it nicely. I haven't read a MG since the beginning of Harry Potter and I was in middle grade, so that hardly counts.  
    Maybe it was the subject and my little obsession with the legend of Arthur and Merlin, because seriously, no swearing, no romance, which only leaves you with the characters and plot for a distraction or to carry on. Which, can be a very bad thing, but thankfully The Eighth Day pulled it off amazingly well, and it wasn't even a distraction because it was simply fascinating.

    Sunday, 13 April 2014

    Stacking the Shelves (#39) & Recap

    STSmallStacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

    So, how was everybody's week? I've had an actual-mostly-great week. So, this physical haul is over the past three weeks. (Well, I had 4-5 the first two weeks and the rest came this week.) AND DOROTHY MUST DIE IS HERE (finally Amazon.) I also finally resorted ALL THE BOOKS on my shelves...and floor. Now I can see my carpet again.
     
     

    Wednesday, 9 April 2014

    Waiting on Wednesday (#39) #LGBTApril

     "Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.









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

    A love letter to the craft and romance of film and fate in front of—and behind—the camera from the award-winning author of Hold Still.

    A wunderkind young set designer, Emi has already started to find her way in the competitive Hollywood film world.

    Emi is a film buff and a true romantic, but her real-life relationships are a mess. She has desperately gone back to the same girl too many times to mention. But then a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend leads Emi to Ava. Ava is unlike anyone Emi has ever met. She has a tumultuous, not-so-glamorous past, and lives an unconventional life. She’s enigmatic…. She’s beautiful. And she is about to expand Emi’s understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     
     
     Laura Plus Books

    LGBT Month is hosted by Cayce at Fighting Dreamer and Laura at Laura Plus Books. It runs throughout April and it’s here to celebrate LGBT readers, LGBT authors and of course LGBT books!


    So, what are you waiting on? :)


    Monday, 7 April 2014

    Review: Don't Look Back

    Don't Look Back
    Author: 
    Jennifer L. Armentrout
    Publication Date: April 10, 2014      
     
     
     

    What cover do you prefer?

     


     
     

    ----- 
    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?
     
    ----

     I actually really love both covers, they give the creepy atmosphere it deserves and they both fit the story perfectly.
     
     
    ----
     
     
     
    


    Two disappear. Only one comes back.
    Don't Look Back was one of my most anticipated of 2014 for multiple reasons, psychological thrillers are my type of book. I just love everything about them and of course, Don't Look Back delivered, and let's be honest,  Jennifer L Armentrout never disappoints.
     

    Friday, 4 April 2014

    Review: The Geography of You and Me

    The Geography of You and Me
    Author:

    Publication Date:  April 15th 2014  

     
     

     

     
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    For fans of John Green, Stephanie Perkins and Sarah Ockler, THE GEOGRAPHY OF YOU AND ME is a story for anyone who's ever longed to meet someone special, for anyone who's searched for home and found it where they least expected it.

    Owen lives in the basement. Lucy lives on the 24th floor. But when the power goes out in the midst of a New York heatwave, they find themselves together for the first time: stuck in a lift between the 10th and 11th floors. As they await help, they start talking...

    The brief time they spend together leaves a mark. And as their lives take them to Edinburgh and San Francisco, to Prague and to Portland they can't shake the memory of the time they shared. Postcards cross the globe when they themselves can't, as Owen and Lucy experience the joy - and pain - of first love.

    And as they make their separate journeys in search of home, they discover that sometimes it is a person rather than a place that anchors you most in the world.

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


    In The Geography of You and Me,  for the first time ever Jennifer E Smith has made me dislike her characters. Or I should say, some of the choices they make.  It's also a different style than I was expecting, maybe more like the previous This is What Happy Looks Like,  which it wasn't, and it was so much better for it
    The Geography of You and Me is different in a way that, in This is What Happy Looks Like, we had the emails between Ellie and Graham, whereas in here Lucy and Owen aren't so commutative, it's a more read between the lines kind of thing, which made it refreshing and a little more angsty than ever before, and not a repeat.

    Wednesday, 2 April 2014

    Waiting on Wednesday (#38) #LGBTApril

     "Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases.





     





    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Amara is never alone. Not when she's protecting the cursed princess she unwillingly serves. Not when they're fleeing across dunes and islands and seas to stay alive. Not when she's punished, ordered around, or neglected.

    She can't be alone, because a boy from another world experiences all that alongside her, looking through her eyes.

    Nolan longs for a life uninterrupted. Every time he blinks, he's yanked from his Arizona town into Amara's mind, a world away, which makes even simple things like hobbies and homework impossible. He's spent years as a powerless observer of Amara's life. Amara has no idea . . . until he learns to control her, and they communicate for the first time. Amara is terrified. Then, she's furious.

    All Amara and Nolan want is to be free of each other. But Nolan's breakthrough has dangerous consequences. Now, they'll have to work together to survive--and discover the truth about their connection.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     
     
     Laura Plus Books

    LGBT Month is hosted by Cayce at Fighting Dreamer and Laura at Laura Plus Books. It runs throughout April and it’s here to celebrate LGBT readers, LGBT authors and of course LGBT books!

    In support of #LGBTApril, all my picks this month will be LGBT related. Otherbound just happens to be one I'm waiting on anyway.

    So, what are you waiting on? :)

    Tuesday, 1 April 2014

    #LGBTApril, Review: A Kiss in the Dark



    Laura Plus Books

    LGBT Month is hosted by Cayce at Fighting Dreamer and Laura at Laura Plus Books. It runs throughout April and it’s here to celebrate LGBT readers, LGBT authors and of course LGBT books!





    Publication Date:  April 3rd 2014      

     


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


    When Alex meets Kate the attraction is instant.

    Alex is funny, good-looking, and a little shy – everything that Kate wants in a boyfriend.

    Alex can’t help falling for Kate, who is pretty, charming and maybe just a little naive…

    But one of them is hiding a secret, and as their love blossoms, it threatens to ruin not just their relationship, but their lives.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------
     
     
     
    -Spoiler Warning-  I did write this at first with no spoilers, and it had little impact on what I really wanted to say. So, it was impossible to write about this in a way that wouldn't spoil anything, though I'm not spoiling everything and besides, you get to know the truth within the first couple of chapters. I also wanted this to be more of a discussion review than an actual one because it's a serious issue.
    This one was a hard one to get through, not because of the subject but because of the reality of it. It's relative, and that's what's fucking scary, because it shouldn't be. You know? It shouldn't be such a big ordeal, and I both hate and pity Alex for what she pretended to be because she wasn't secure in herself, and you know why that is?