Trivia Tuesday (16)

Reminder:

We are going to do a giveaway connected with this feature!! This is how it's going to work. Please be sure to read all of the below rules!

• The first person to guess ALL 3 answers correctly will be entered to win a surprise book off of their wishlist
• Their will be 2 giveaways a year, one at the end of June and one at the end of December
• This will be INT (as long as The Book Depository ships to you)
• Everyone is welcome to play each week, no matter if you've won the week before.  However, since this is the case, the winner will no longer be able to generate a question for the next week, but they will receive a shout out on Social Media
• The entries are simple, the first person to guess all three answers correctly will get their name in the drawing TWICE.  The 2nd person to guess all three answers correctly will get their name in the drawing ONCE.  This will happen each week.
• At the end of June and then again at the end of December, Erica and I will add up all the entries and draw randomly.  The winner will then need to provide us a link to their wishlist (on Goodreads, Amazon, etc) along with their address and we will surprise them with one book from their list.
• If you have any questions please let us know!

Last Week's Winners Were...
Eileen will be getting two entries in the wishlist giveaway!
Lara will be getting one entry in the wishlist giveaway!

Here are the answers to last week's questions

Question One (First Line): I'm sitting next to the fire alarm, and my best friend is going down in flames. [YA, Mystery] Six Months Later by Natalie Richards

Question Two (Series Ender): Okay, this is a new one. I'm just going to name the last book in the series and I want you guys to tell me what's the first book. The last book is... A Tale of Two Pretties. [YA] The Clique, by Lisi Harrison

Question Three (Who am I?): I live in a world where love is forbidden, and all I want is to follow that rule. My mom was one who broken it and from the way people describe her I don't want to follow her footsteps. But, I am, I followed straight in her footsteps and am falling in love. [YA, Dystopian]  Lena, Delirium by Lauren Oliver

This Week's Questions

Question One (Quote): This is a new one!  I'm just going to quote a part in a book, not necessarily something someone said, and you tell me what book.  He didn't save me though.  He allowed me the freedom to save myself, which is the very best type of rescue. [YA, Dystopian]

Question Two (Summary Snippet): Okay, this is another new one!  I'm going to post a snippet of a summary and you have to tell me the book. Three went in. Three came out. None even a shadow of who they once were. [YA, Horror]

Question Three (What Book Am I?): Guess what? Another new one!  I'm going to give you some hints about a specific book and you have to guess what book I am. I am the ever coveted 4th book in a very well known, and loved series.  I haven't been released yet, but I am already the Queen. [YA, Fantasy]

Good luck!

ARC Book Review | None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A groundbreaking story about a teenage girl who discovers she was born intersex . . . and what happens when her secret is revealed to the entire school. Incredibly compelling and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or something in between.

What if everything you knew about yourself changed in an instant?

When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She's a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she's madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she's decided that she's ready to take things to the next level with him.

But Kristin's first time isn't the perfect moment she's planned--something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy "parts."

Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin's entire identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self?

Review

Stacking the Shelves (70)

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

Christy's Haul

This week wasn't such a great week for me personal wise because of some things at school, but it was a good book week so that cheered me up some.

Won

The Winner's Curse | The Winner's Crime

Purchased

Mockingjay | Confess | This Girl | Hopeless* | Losing Hope* | Boy Nobody

*I've already read these on Kindle, but I wanted physical copies for my CoHo collection

For Review

I Am Her Revenge - Thanks to Razorbill for the review copy! 

Kindle Books

Lost and Found | Finders Keepers* | Unraveling You* | The Body Electric | The Law of Moses

*Both of these were FREE

What did you get this week?

ARC Review | Some Kind of Magic by Adrian Fogelin

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publication: April 1, 2015
Publisher: Peachetree Publishers
Pages: 192
My Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

It's the summer before high school starts for Cass, Jemmie, Ben, and Justin, the neighborhood kids readers met in Crossing Jordan. Ben worries the break will be routine, until his little brother Cody finds a hat left by their missing uncle. The hat leads them to a lost house in the woods. They don't suspect the house with a tragic past might nudge them toward the future.

My Review

Something to Note: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Characters: The boys (Ben and Justin): The guys in the group were my favorite, but that really isn't saying much. They seemed really whiny and I just wasn't interested in with what they were saying or doing throughout the book. Ben was just an older brother, who I get wanted his time with his friends, but he just complained way too much and it was irritating. Justin was okay, I liked how he was his own person (at times), but he was too worried about Jemmie.

The girls (Jemmie and Cass): These girls, my oh my, where do I begin? I get that they are just 8th graders, but they were so whiny. All Cass wanted was love, and Jemmie was just a side character that fell flat. I think so much could have came from Jemmie, but I think Cass over-shadowed her with her complaints and need for Ben.

Cody (yes, he has his own spot, aside from 'the boys'): Cody was my saving grace in this book. Everything he did was so adorable and I enjoyed reading each part from him. He was so intrigued with learning new things and I felt like he added so much to this book (which was much needed). He wanted nothing but to find his uncle and I found every idea that he through the gangs way was better than any other person he had. He was rational (yes, more rational then his older brother and friends), but he was so funny and I just wanted to give him a big hug. Thank you Cody for allowing me to finish this book.

My Thoughts: This book had so much potential. I really liked the plot and the whole idea, but it fell flat on it's face. The characters were lack luster and I just did not get into it very much. Everything was wrapped up so quickly which was so bad because I wanted something more to come out of it. But, on pointless parts there was so much time spent. The descriptions and additional time spent on some areas could have been spent at so many different areas.

I don't really have much to say about this book because I was so disappointed. From above you can see that I only really cared about Cody, and he is the reason I didn't DNF this book. I could go on and on about what I didn't like, but I don't see any use. It was just too slow and didn't really go anywhere for me. 

One Line Wrap Up: An adventurous book that didn't really take you on an adventure.

INKED | Lauren from Bookmark Lit

 

Please welcome today's INKED guest, Lauren from Bookmark Lit!

 

 

Name: Lauren from Bookmark Lit

Website: http://www.bookmarklit.net

Tell us a little about yourself: Hello! I started up Bookmark Lit back in July because I wanted to connect with other readers and share my thoughts on the different books I read. I mostly read YA, especially contemporaries, but am trying to get back into some fantasy and paranormal. I love books about time travel and parallel universes! Other than reading, I'm obsessed with the Carolina Panthers and football. My friends don't try to make plans with me on Sundays/Mondays/Thursdays during football season.

Our Favorite Books So Far This Year

Christy and I are going to show you guys our favorite books we have read so far this year. I know I have had many favorites so far and would love to share some with you guys. Christy has already given me recs for this year, so I know her list will be amazing :) I hope you guys enjoy our list and I hope you guys let us know which books you've read and loved so far.

Erica's Favorites

 

 

 

Christy's Favorites

So far this year, I have read 31 books so trying to narrow my list down was so freaking hard, a little difficult. 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you read any of these? Are you looking forward to any of the books we listed?

 

Trivia Tuesday (15)

Reminder:

We are going to do a giveaway connected with this feature!! This is how it's going to work. Please be sure to read all of the below rules!

• The first person to guess ALL 3 answers correctly will be entered to win a surprise book off of their wishlist
• Their will be 2 giveaways a year, one at the end of June and one at the end of December
• This will be INT (as long as The Book Depository ships to you)
• Everyone is welcome to play each week, no matter if you've won the week before.  However, since this is the case, the winner will no longer be able to generate a question for the next week, but they will receive a shout out on Social Media
• The entries are simple, the first person to guess all three answers correctly will get their name in the drawing TWICE.  The 2nd person to guess all three answers correctly will get their name in the drawing ONCE.  This will happen each week.
• At the end of June and then again at the end of December, Erica and I will add up all the entries and draw randomly.  The winner will then need to provide us a link to their wishlist (on Goodreads, Amazon, etc) along with their address and we will surprise them with one book from their list.
• If you have any questions please let us know!

Last Week's Winners Were...
Emma A. will be getting two entries in the wishlist giveaway!
Genesis  will be getting one entry in the wishlist giveaway!

Here are the answers to last week's questions

Question One (First Line): When the white noise went off, we were in the Garden, pulling weeds. [YA, Dystopian] The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Question Two (Who Said It?): “I want to be someone strong and brave enough to make hard choices. But I want to be fair and loving enough to make the right ones.” [YA, Dystopian] Ivy, The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel

Question Three (Who Am I?): I can be dark, broody and it's hard for other people to know what I'm thinking.  This all comes from a dark past that I'm still not over.  I hold people at a distance because of what I've been through, never allowing myself to get close to the opposite sex. [NA, Contemporary] Miles Archer from Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

This Week's Questions

Question One (First Line): I'm sitting next to the fire alarm, and my best friend is going down in flames. [YA, Mystery]

Question Two (Series Ender): Okay, this is a new one. I'm just going to name the last book in the series and I want you guys to tell me what's the first book. The last book is... A Tale of Two Pretties. [YA]

Question Three (Who am I?): I live in a world where love is forbidden, and all I want is to follow that rule. My mom was one who broken it and from the way people describe her I don't want to follow her footsteps. But, I am, I followed straight in her footsteps and am falling in love. [YA, Dystopian]

ARC Book Review | The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

Format: e-ARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: March 31, 2015
My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Following her pitch-perfect debut Open Road Summer, Emery Lord pens another gorgeous story of best friends, new love, & second chances.

Brimming with heartfelt relationships and authentic high-school dynamics The Start of Me and You proves that it’s never too late for second chances.

It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live?

Review

Something to Note: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Why Did I Want To Read The Start of Me and You: I wanted to read The Start of Me and You because I read and loved Lord's debut, Open Road Summer last year and I couldn't wait to read more of her books.

The Characters: While I really liked most of the characters, I did have a hard time connecting with Paige, the main character.  I get that she has been through a lot with her first boyfriend dying, but she often seemed clueless, especially when it came to Ryan and Max.  If I had been one of her friends, I would have knocked her upside the head and told her to get a clue.  When she finally opens her eyes, I think I actually screamed "Finally!" but of course, other things happened after that, which just added to my frustration because I felt like it was something that could have been resolved if there was a little communication going on.

However, in the end I was really rooting for Paige and I wanted her to be happy, I just wish she would have opened her eyes a little sooner, but I guess we all go at our on pace, and hers was just a little slower than I was hoping for.

Moving on, I actually LOVED Max, he was the sweet nerd that everyone overlooks, but he grabbed my attention from the moment we met.  I also really liked Paige's friends, Tessa, Morgan and Kayleigh, and Ryan wasn't so bad once we got to know him.

My Overall Thoughts: I know it may seem like I didn't enjoy this book at all from my comments on the MC, but that isn't the case at all.  Sure, I would have enjoyed it more if I felt more of a connection with her, but in the end this was a really cute story and I'm glad I read it.

I loved the fact that Paige had such amazing friends, they were the type that were there for each other no matter what, and no questions asked.  They dropped everything if the other was in need of a friend, and I loved that so much. I also loved the fact that there were parents present, and they were good ones at that.
  

One Line Wrap Up: A cute story about friendships, overcoming your fears, and learning to move on in the face of tragedy.

I Would Recommend For Fans Of: Open Road Summer, Golden, and Nantucket Blue

Sunday Silliness (8) Bookish Scramble

For today, I thought I would do a little Bookish Scramble.

Here's how it works, I'm going to scramble words of either book titles, authors or characters and all you have to do is unscramble them, sounds fun, right? :)

Here we go!

1. scsfone
2. thoseuho wlfreo
3. lcdo unbr fo gcaim
4. gbkerani het ursel
5. eth nsi tserea urtdaghe
5. ctorviai wbahcs



Think you got them right?  Highlight below to see the answers!


1. Confess
2. Hothouse Flower
3. Cold Burn of Magic
4. Breaking the Rules
5. The Sin Eater's Daughter
6. Victoria Schwab
 

 

 

Stacking the Shelves (69)

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

Christy's Haul

I got a few books this week that I'm really excited about! 

Bought:

Before You* | After Us | Touch of Frost **| The Ruby Circle

*I borrowed Before You from the library and LOVED it so I needed a copy for my shelves!

**I LOVE Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series (look for a series review soon!), and I recently read and FELL IN LOVE with her newest book, Cold Burn of Magic (Releasing in April) so I decided to try out her YA series.

Kindle Books 

Ricochet | Untouched*

*FREE!! and this is also the author of Dangerous Girls and Dangerous Boys!

For Review

Hold Me Like A Breath

 Erica's Haul

 So many books for this week: I'm super excited!

Bought:

Dorothy Must Die Stories | Some Boys | Damsel Distressed | Rebel Belle *

*book surprise for Christy :)

Library:

The Last Time We Say Goodbye | The Look of Love | Single, Carefree, Mellow: Stories

For Review:

I want to say a big thank you to all of the wonderful authors who sent me these books.

Exposure | The Fugazi of Room 39 | Dear Carolina | Dreams May Come

ARC Tour:

The Secrets We Keep - a big thank you to Trisha for hosting this ARC Tour (so amazing).

What did you get?