Stacking the Shelves (24)

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that showcases books that we have got in the past week.

 

Here's what I got:

 

 

Waiting To Catch Fire

 

The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman

 

Contaminated by Em Garner

 

What did you get this week?

 

 

CBA Discussions | Things I Suck At

 

Today I want to talk about things I suck at.  



 

1.     Book Buying Ban - I am horrible about sticking to a book buying ban, but it's really not my fault.  I have 'supposedly' been on a ban since my daughter was born in April formula is expensive.  And I have really tried my best not to buy any books.  But Amazon has to go and discount books that I really want to read or the next book in a series comes out and I HAVE to get it, or a debut that I'm really looking forward to comes out.  See, not my fault ;)  

  

2.       Scheduling Posts - I write most of my reviews/posts while I’m at work and save them on a flash drive.  Then about once a week I will sit down and transfer my reviews/posts over to Blogger.  When I transfer them, I also finish them (add Goodreads & Amazon links, add summary, etc.) so most of my reviews are finished and just sitting in my draft posts just waiting to be published.  In my mind I know that it would be easier to schedule them when I transfer them over, but for some reason I hit save & close instead of schedule & publish.  Maybe someday I will do things the easy way.

  

3.       Book Organization - Before I moved into my new house last year, my bookshelves were very organized.  I had all of the series together and if I had multiple books by the same author then all of those books were grouped together.  But since I’ve been in my new house, I have been slacking quite a bit a little on this. Just the other day I let my 6 year old put some books back on the shelf for me *hides in shame* and yesterday when I went to pick out what book I was going to read next, I noticed that my series are mixed up and the authors with multiple books/series aren’t together. 
 

 

  

4.       Reading Sequels - I have a very big problem when it comes to picking up the second book in a series.  I can absolutely LOVE the first book and talk about how much I want the next one.  But then a year goes by and I forget how much I loved the first and I put off getting the next book.  Here are a few series that in which I loved the first book but have yet to read the second: Mara Dyer, Hourglass, Darkness Before Dawn, Shatter Me. 

 

5.     Finishing Series – I guess you were probably expecting this one based on number 4, huh? On the off chance that I do remember how much I loved the first book in a series and I pick up the second.  Chances are that it will take me a while before I will get the last book in a series.  I don’t know if it’s because I don’t want to say goodbye or if I’m just cray cray, but that just seems to be how it works out for me. Here are a few in which I have read every one except the last book in the series: Unearthly, Revenants, Skinned, Crush.



 

 

Talk To Me

 

Do you have any problems with these as well?  

 

 

                                                                 

Book Review | The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: July 2, 2013

Pages: 312

Goodreads | Amazon

 

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

 

I read Pivot Point a few weeks ago and I loved it (My Review) so I went to Goodreads and looked up the author and when I seen that she had a Contemporary book out I immediately went to Amazon and bought it and I am so glad that I did, The Distance Between Us is AUH-MAZ-ZING!  Congratulations Kasie, you are now one of my favorite authors.

Caymen Meyers is a seventeen year old girl who spends most of her time working in her mother’s porcelain doll shop in a town full of mostly rich people.  Caymen has a strong distrust of said rich people that stems from her mother.  But once Caymen meets Xander Spence, she slowly starts to question if all rich people are as bad as her mother makes them out to be.

Caymen is the definition of sarcasm…seriously; I bet if you looked up sarcasm in the dictionary you would find a picture of Caymen beside it.  And while I’m not sure how other people will take her, I loved her.  I loved her dry sense of humor, her loyalty to her mom and the fact that she is willing to put off what she wants in order to help out her mom’s struggling doll shop. I really adored Xander.  Xander is such an incredible character; he’s sweet, charming, he really understands Caymen and he even likes her sarcastic attitude.

I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well.  I loved seeing the interactions between Caymen and her best friend Skye.  And against all odds I even started liking Skye’s boyfriend Toad Henry. 

Even though The Distance Between Us has a ton of sigh-worthy romance, that’s not all it about.  This is a great contemporary about two young people not only finding love but also finding out who they are and what they want to do with their lives.  I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author. 

 

Favorite Quote

“Mrs. Spence picks up a roll of toilet paper from the counter and scrunches her nose.
“Ask Caymen about that,” Xander says.
Great, now I have to explain to his mother about my vandalism? “Your son called me with a toilet paper emergency. I rushed right over.”
She looks confused so Xander says, “She’s kidding, Mom."

 

 

Waiting on Wednesday (22)

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows us to showcases what upcoming releases we are anticipating

 

My Pick is:

 

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

 

Expected Publication: November 26, 2013

 

 

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a good girl with a reckless streak, a street-smart guy with nothing to lose, and a romance forged in the fast lane

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

 

What book are you looking forward to?

 



Top Ten Tuesday (15) Most Memorable Secondary Characters

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

 

I can think of a bunch of secondary characters that I fell in love with! I will try to keep my list at ten though :)

 

Nix  - The Immortals After Dark Series by Kresley Cole

 

Cookie - The Charley Davidison Series by Darynda Jones

 

Adrian - Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead

 

Howie - I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

 

Laila - Pivot Point by Kasie West

 

Della - Shadow Falls Series by C. C. Hunter

 

Conner - Addicted To You by Krista & Becca Ritchie

 

Sabine - Soul Screamer Series by Rachel Vincent

 

America - Beautiful Series by Jamie McGuire

 

Vlad - Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost

 

 

Who are some of your most memorable secondary characters?

 

 

 



Book Review | The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle

Format: e-ARC

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publication Date: August 27, 2013

Pages: 336

Goodreads | Amazon

 

For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now... not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are?

Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be.

And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them...

Sexy, romantic, and oh-so-true to life, this is an unforgettable look at first love from one of young adult fiction’s greatest writers.

This is my first DNF review on the blog and I’m kind of disappointed as I don’t like to DNF books, especially review books, but I will always be completely honest in my reviews.  So since I didn’t finish the book and I don’t feel that I got far enough into the story to give a complete review, I will keep this short and just explain why this book wasn’t for me.  But before I begin, please keep in mind that this review reflects only MY opinion of The Infinite Moment of Us and just because I didn’t enjoy this book that doesn’t mean someone else won’t. 

When I saw the cover and read the summary for The Infinite Moment of Us I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.  I had never read anything by Lauren Myracle before, but I was sure that I was going to fall in love with this book.  Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

 After I read the first few pages, I had a feeling that this book wasn’t going to be for me.  Usually, after a few chapters I feel some sort of connection with at least one character, but in this book I didn’t feel anything at all.  And connection to the characters is a big deal for me, because if I don’t feel anything for at least one character, then nine times out of ten I will not enjoy the book.

 Another thing that bothered me was the third person narration, which is weird because normally this doesn’t bother me.  I also found myself skimming paragraphs, I don’t know if this is because I didn’t have that connection or if it was due to the narration, but for whatever reason, I just could not get into the story.

Early Book Review | Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Format: e-ARC

Source: Netgalley

Pages: 352

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Publication Date: September 24, 2013

( Goodreads / Amazon )

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

 

Where the Stars Still Shine was one of my most anticipated reads of 2013 and I'm happy to report that it was even better than I was expecting.  Trish Doller's writing is absolutely amazing and I can honestly say that I will read anything and everything she ever writes.

 

Seventeen year old Callie doesn't know what it's like to stay in one place for long.  Callie's mom, Veronica, kidnapped her when she was younger so they have spent most of Callie's life on the run.  When Callie and her mom get pulled over while on their way to yet another town, the police arrest Veronica and send Callie back to the dad that she doesn't remember.  

 

Callie doesn't immediately settle into her new life in Florida with her dad, instead it takes some time for her to get used to staying in one place and it takes even longer for her to get used to the fact that she has family and friends who care about her. 

 

Callie was very easy to like, she's been through so much in her short life but it doesn't leave her hard like it would most people.  I absolutely loved Alex, he's so charming and caring and he is exactly what Callie needs.  Kat is also another character that I instantly liked, she is a great friend who was always there for Callie whenever she needed her. 

 

Overall, Where the Stars Still Shine is a wonderful and heartbreaking story that will have you thinking about it long after it's over. 

 

 

 



Name It! (2) Most Anticipated Not Yet Released Books

This weeks topic is Most Anticipated Not Yet Released Books. 

 

If you would like to participate link back to me in your post and leave your link in the comments so I can check it out!

 

 

C hampion by Marie Lu

H orde by Ann Aguirre

R eborn by C.C. Hunter

I sla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

S plit Second by Kasie West

T o All Of The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

The Y oung Elites by Marie Lu

 

 

What are your most anticipated not yet released books?

 



Early Book Review | Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Series: Wild Cards #1

Format: e-ARC

Source: Netgalley

Publication Date: September 24, 2013 

Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
 

Pages: 288

( Goodreads / Amazon  )

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

I absolutely loved Simone’s Perfect Chemistry trilogy but I wasn’t too crazy about her Leaving Paradise series so I was a little nervous about whether or not I would like the first book in her new Wild Cards series.  After finishing this book, I’m delighted to say that Wild Cards is one of my favorites so far this year and is now my favorite book by Simone Elkeles.

Derek’s dad is in the Navy, so when Derek gets expelled from Regents Preparatory Academy in California he is forced to Chicago to live with his stepmom, Brandi and her estranged family that she hasn’t seen in seven years. 

Ashtyn is used to being the tough girl that can hang with the guys; she has been the only girl on her high school football team since she was a freshman so she’s used to not letting anyone push her around.  She’s also Brandi’s sister.

Even though Derek has the ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude, he’s actually very caring and compassionate.  Ashtyn projects the tough girl image but she’s really vulnerable and she’s desperately wants her fathers attention.  I loved Derek and Ashtyn’s bantering and I loved watching their relationship and feelings for each other grow.

At the beginning of Wild Cards I thought Brandi was just another dim-witted gold digger who wouldn’t care about her stepson at all, but I was wrong.  While she can be a little dense at times she’s still an incredibly kindhearted person who just wants the best for her family.  While at first I didn’t think I would like Derek’s grandmother, she is incredibly humorous and she really grows on you.

Wild Cards is a wonderful first book in a new series.  It’s an entertaining and engaging read that has just enough humor and romance in it to keep you entirely immersed in the story and you won’t want it to end I may have kept pushing the turn button on my Kindle hopeful for more.  Wild Cards is one book that you don not want to miss.

 

 

 

Stacking the Shelves (23)

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that allows us to showcase what books we received the previous week

 

I got quite a bit this week because I ordered some as a birthday present for myself and they came this week :)

 

Bought/Traded/Gifted

 

 

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke (Bought)

 

The Program by Suzanne Young (Bought)

Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally (Traded, Thanks Brandi!)

 

In the After by Demitria Lunetta (Bought)

 

If I Should Die by Amy Plum (Traded, Thanks Becca!)

 

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn (Birthday gift from the hubs)

 

The Murmurings by Carly Anne West (ARCycling)

 

For Review

 

 

15 Minutes by Jill Cooper (Blog Tour)

 

 

Dead Girls Don't Lie by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

 

Six Months Later by Natalie Richards

 

 

What books did you get this week?