February Reading Wrap-Up

February Reading Wrap-Up

After January's HUGE reading accomplishment of 31 books, in February I set a smaller goal of reading between 10 and 15 books. And I am happy to say that I did it :-)

Of the 17 books and 1 novella that I read this month, I managed to read 6 out of the 8 books on my February TBR list. 
I also read another 2 books on my Winter TBR list.

 

 

Favorite New-To-Me Book(s) I Read In January:

 

The Last Time We Say Goodbye is one of the best realistic fiction books I have ever read, and ALLY CARTER!!! I love her books, each one is amazing, and All Fall Down does not disappoint!

 

 

 

Complete List of New-To-Me Books I Read This Month:

Breakdown of books read this month:

6 YA Fantasy/Paranormal
8 YA Contemporary (Mystery/Realistic Fiction.)
3 Adult Books.

List of Re-Reads I Read This Month:

Unfortunately I did not get around to doing any re-reads this month...Too many great new books!

 

Novellas Read:

 

Currently Reading:

I'll Meet You There (Book Review)

I'll Meet You There
Heather Demetrios
Published February 3rd 2015 by Henry Holt and Co.

If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.

Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper



Review:

I love realistic fiction. I take any chance I can get to read more and more of it. I'll Meet You There sounded like something that I would love, and I was really excited starting it.
It didn't disappoint. But it also didn't amaze me.

Skylar is a good main character, I can understand why she made a lot of the decisions she did (although I feel like there were some things missing from her background that weren't explained, but nothing that bugged me). She seemed realistic.
I feel like I heard more from Skylar's point of view than Josh's (maybe it is just me?), I wish I had heard more from Josh's point of view (again, I felt like there is a whole backstory that was missing from Josh's life). Great characters, I enjoyed reading about them.

The plot was good, not awesome, but good. It is a 400 page book, but it doesn't feel like it. I'll Meet You There is pretty fast paced, and keeps you turning the pages until the very end (I read this book in one sitting).

This wasn't necessarily a favorite of mine, and it didn't stand out too much for me, but I did really enjoy reading it. I found the characters and plot interesting, and I'll Meet You There is something that I would pick up again if I was in the mood. And if there is ever a novella written with a little more of Skylar an Josh's backstory, I will read it without hesitation! (Oh, and a last thought? That cover is amazing, I love it!)

Waiting on Wednesday - The Winners Crime

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is-

 

The Winners Crime (The Winners Curse #2)

Expected publication: March 3rd 2015 by Farrar Straus Giroux

 

 Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.

The engagement of Lady Kestrel to Valoria’s crown prince means one celebration after another. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement…if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself? For—unknown to Arin—Kestrel is becoming a skilled practitioner of deceit: an anonymous spy passing information to Herran, and close to uncovering a shocking secret.

As Arin enlists dangerous allies in the struggle to keep his country’s freedom, he can’t fight the suspicion that Kestrel knows more than she shows. In the end, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth. And when that happens, Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

 

 

 

Have you read The Winners Curse? Are you looking forward to The Winners Crime? Leave me a link to your Waiting on Wednesday in the comments below!

Top Ten Favorite Heroines from Books

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 Top Ten Favorite Heroines From Books

For different reasons, these are my favorite heroines from books I have read about.

 

 1. Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice.

 

2. Cammie from the Gallagher Girls series.

 

 

3.  Kat from The Heist Society series.

 

 

4. Celaena from The Throne of Glass series.

 

 

5/6/7. Cinder/Scarlet/Cress from The Lunar Chronicles.

 

8. Charlie from On the Fence.

 

9. Echo from Pushing the Limits/Breaking the Rules.

 

10. Rachel from Crash Into You

 

 

 

 

 

 

Falling Kingdoms (Book Review)

Falling Kingdoms

Morgan Rhodes

Published December 11th 2012 by Razorbill

 

In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realise that the heart can be more lethal than the sword....

Review:
I was recommended this book by a friend and fellow book blogger....And I admit. I was reluctant about this one. High fantasy always scares me, it has to have a good balance between world building and characters to make me fall in love with it.
Falling Kingdoms also made me hesitant because of the many characters there are in this book. SO many to keep track of.

Cleo/Magnus/Jonas/Lucia. All of the characters brought a different feel to the story. I felt like Cleo showed the most potential for the sequel in terms of development (she is the one I am most looking forward to read about), but I am also excited to see where the other characters go. I felt like Falling Kingdoms gave a good introduction to the characters. And I believe that later books in the series will make me love the characters even more.
Overall the characters in this book were not my favorite characters I have ever read, but they were pretty good characters.

The plot was great, I liked everything that was going on with the story. And again, I feel like this books plot was a good introduction to what will happen in later books.
I was pleasantly surprised with Falling Kingdoms and I liked it more than I thought I would. I feel like this book is a great introduction to what will be a great series.

Waiting On Wednesday - Vanishing Girls

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is-

 

Vanishing Girls

Expected publication: March 3rd 2015 by HarperCollins

 

 

 

 

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged. When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you read any of Lauren Oliver's books? Did you like them? Are you looking forward to this one?

Kalahari (ARC Review)

Vitro
Jessica Khoury
Expected publication: February 24th 2015 by Razorbill

When an educational safari goes wrong, five teens find themselves stranded in the Kalahari Desert without a guide. It’s up to Sarah, the daughter of zoologists, to keep them alive and lead them to safety, calling on survival know-how from years of growing up in remote and exotic locales. Battling dehydration, starvation and the pangs of first love, she does her best to hold it together, even as their circumstances grow increasingly desperate.

But soon a terrifying encounter makes Sarah question everything she’s ever known about the natural world. A silver lion, as though made of mercury, makes a vicious, unprovoked attack on the group. After a narrow escape, they uncover the chilling truth behind the lion’s silver sheen: a highly contagious and deadly virus that threatens to ravage the entire area—and eliminate life as they know it.

Review:

I don't like Science Fiction, it's really not my thing. However, when I got my hands on Jessica Khoury's Vitro, I surprisingly really enjoyed it!
When I heard about Kalahari, I was super excited to read it.

Kalahari brings everything that I have come to expect in Jessica's books. Danger, excitement, an awesome unique main character, great secondary characters.....Literally everything.
Kalahari is easily one of the most original books I have ever read. Nothing even comes close to the ideas in Kalahari.

The main character, Sarah, to say the least is awesome. I loved reading about her.
The secondary characters are all unique and interesting to read about, their different backgrounds are explained and I came to connect with them almost as much as Sarah.

But the main thing that shines in Jessica Khoury's writing is her descriptive ability. I could FEEL myself in Africa. Even if the characters were flat, and the plot was dull, the beauty in the describing of Africa alone would make this book worth a read.

If you liked Jessica Khoury's earlier books, then you definitely should read this one. And even if you have not, the awesome thing about these books is that they don't have to be read in order! Read them in any order you want, whether you want to explore the jungle (Origin), an island (Vitro), or Africa. These books are the cheapest ticket there you will get.


***I received this book through the First Reads program for review, I was in no way compensated for this review***

Top Ten Things I Like/Dislike When It Comes To Romances In Books

 

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Top Ten Things I Like/Dislike When It Comes To Romances In Books

 

The Dislikes:

 

1. Cheating. Of any kind. I don't care if one of the parties involved is a jerk....Not good and a complete turn off of any book I read.

 

2. Love triangles. Especially in contemporary fiction, love triangles just aren't realistic.

 

3. Insta-love. "Hey I just met you, and this is crazy,".......Yes it is crazy.

 

 

Those are my top three dislikes in romance.

 

Now for my likes......

 

1. Best friend romances (or just friends) (done well of course).....

Some of my favorites:

 

2. Love outside of the clichés.....

Confusing topic to explain, but this is one of my favorites.

 

 

 

Fairest (Book Review)

Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles 0.5)

Hardcover, 222 pages

Published January 27th 2015 by Feiwel & Friends

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.




Review:
I LOVE The Lunar Chronicles series. Cinder was good, Scarlet was great, Cress was amazing. I had high hopes for Fairest.
And then I found out it is only 222 pages. Sad times.

Fairest is Levana's backstory, how she became who she is. Levana is pretty much my favorite villain ever, so finding out who she really is was fascinating. Not to mention that you also get lots of other characters backgrounds along with Levanas.
I loved reading about Levana, I now understand her character much better.

The plot was fast moving, and interesting. Fairest was a nice taste for what Winter is going to be, since Fairest was completely based on Luna.
If anything I really wish that this book had been longer. The mere 222 pages just didn't seem to fulfill my need for more Marissa Meyer's writing. But I guess that it is enough to hold me over until Winter.
You definitely need to read this one before reading Winter, as a matter of fact, I would suggest reading this one and then re-reading the series. (Although if you are new to the series I would probably read Cinder first.)

Waiting On Wednesday - Lies I Told

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is-

Lies I Told

Expected publication: April 7th 2015 by HarperTeen  

What if, after spending a lifetime deceiving everyone around you, you discovered the biggest lies were the ones you've told yourself?

Grace Fontaine has everything: beauty, money, confidence, and the perfect family.

But it’s all a lie.

Grace has been adopted into a family of thieves who con affluent people out of money, jewelry, art, and anything else of value. Grace has never had any difficulty pulling off a job, but when things start to go wrong on the Fontaines' biggest heist yet, Grace finds herself breaking more and more of the rules designed to keep her from getting caught...including the most important one of all: never fall for your mark.

February To-Read List

I posted a Winter TBR list a while ago for Top Ten Tuesday, but because it was a while ago, I decided to come up with a to-read list for February that I will (hopefully) keep to.

Having completed my crazy goal for January of reading 31 books, my new (more doable) goal for February is 15 books.

Below are a few that I will be trying to fit in.

 

 

 

 

I have only recently started reading (and loving) Gayle Forman's books, and I really want to read I Was Here soon!

 

Ally Carter is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I didn't get around to reading All Fall Down in January, so it will definitely be one of my must reads in February.

 

I really liked Natalie D Richards Six Months Later, and this on sounds really good!

 

The Conspiracy of Us has been compared to Ally Carter's Heist Society. Hopefully it will live up to my anticipation!

 

I actually never finished Cynthia Hand's Unearthly series, but I did like her writing style, and since Contemporary is my favorite genre, I will definitely be reading this one!

 

I read the first three books in this series, and meant to read 4 and 5 before the last one is released, but didn't get around to it in January.

 

I have really enjoyed the past books in this series, and I am looking forward to reading Captive Maiden!

 

This one is a 2014 Release that I missed, it sounds really good and I have heard great things about it!

 

Have you read any of these? Did you love them? What is on your TBR list for February?