Weekly Reading Update (WRU, #10)

This week I'm currently still reading The Dream Thieves since my week has been busier than I anticipated. I plan to finish this and possibly either Conversion by Katherine Howe or The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson before they are due back to my library. 

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)

Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Pages: Currently reading on page 186 of 439
Acquired: Library
Published: 2013


Goodreads Blurb:
If you could steal things from dreams, what would you take?

Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps from others. Some he keeps from himself.

One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams.

And sometimes he's not the only one who wants those things.

Ronan is one of the raven boys—a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan's secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface—changing everything in its wake.

***** 

Tell me what you're currently reading or what you've read this week!

Rebel Belle (Rebel Belle, #1)

 

Author:Rachel Hawkins
Series: Rebel Belle, #1
Pages: 345
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Acquired:Library
Rating: ★★★★

*****

Goodreads Summary:

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Harper Jane Price is the perfect student, friend, and girlfriend. Her life is great right up until she finds out that she is destined to protect the one guy in the world that she hates most, David Stark.

Harper is the picture perfect girl, she gets straight As, is involved in nearly every organization known to Pine Grove, and has the hottest- most sought out guy on her arm. Life should be great, but that was until she got thrust into the world of a centuries old prophecy that deems her sole protector of the one guy she likes least on the planet.

I found Harper to be smart, determined, and extremely stubborn! It was great watching her character understand her responsibility and to make the difficult choice of protecting her nemesis and never having a normal life again.... orrrrr trying to put it all behind her and attempt to act like nothing ever happened to assume her normal life again. I really loved that she reacted to the situation as a normal person would react. I feel that sometimes in books like these you get characters that are all TOO willing and calm to assume certain responsibilities, and Harper was definitely not one of those characters!

I liked that this book surprised me a little, I didn't expect to get the action- packed and interesting storyline that I got! From the cover I was expecting something lighter with maybe a bit of magic or a secret spy/assassin type of book, but what I got was definitely more intriguing and it worked because I really enjoyed the back story and overall setup of this book!

Liked Most: David and Harper's snarkyness and their witty and sarcastic comments to each other
Liked Least: I wasn't a huge fan of the ending actually, I liked the whole set up, but I thought the execution of some of the scenes lacked the punch it could've had. I wanted it to either blow me away with the events of the climax or to be left in more of an interesting cliffhanger, sadly I felt I got neither :( Nonetheless, I was content with what I got.

This was really enjoyable, it was medium-paced throughout... but slower in some parts of the book. Read this in 2 sittings.

I will say that in the beginning I saw a couple of things coming, but near the end, a couple of events surprised me so it was an okay balance in that aspect. The plot was interesting with the historical bits (fiction) thrown in about the Paladins and its connection to the story and the characters. I'm a sucker for good back story, and well thought out "historical" aspects (whether true or fiction)!

Ending: I was content with it. Could it have been better?... yes....but I was satisfied with how it ended. I do plan to continue on with this series/trilogy. :)
Cover: 7/10... I love now that I've read the book, I understand the cover better!
Rating: 4/5.... Overall I really enjoyed this book's plot and characters, it was a really good book!
Recommend: I would recommend to those who like fantasy books not so heavy on the fantasy with elements of magic, prophecies, and light romance

I hope to continue on with Miss Mayhem as I found this to be a very enjoyable read! I also want to try out Rachel Hawkin's Hex Hall series to see her take on witches.

If you have read this book, let me know your thoughts below!!

*****

"Waiting On" Wednesday (WoW, #45)

 "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

This week's selection is:

The Leveller

Author(s): Julia Durango

Series:The Leveller, #1
Publisher: HarperCollins
Expected Publication: June 23, 2015

Pre-Order Now!: Book Depository

 Goodreads Blurb:

Nixy Bauer is a self-made Leveller. Her job? Dragging kids out of virtual reality and back to their parents in the real world. It’s normally easy cash, but Nixy’s latest mission is fraught with real danger, intrigue, and romance.

Nixy Bauer is used to her classmates being very, very unhappy to see her. After all, she’s a bounty hunter in a virtual reality gaming world. Kids in the MEEP, as they call it, play entirely with their minds, while their bodies languish in a sleeplike state on the couch. Irritated parents, looking to wrench their kids back to reality, hire Nixy to jump into the game and retrieve them.

But when the game’s billionaire developer loses track of his own son in the MEEP, Nixy is in for the biggest challenge of her bounty-hunting career. Wyn Salvador isn’t some lazy kid looking to escape his homework: Wyn does not want to be found. And he’s left behind a suicide note. Nixy takes the job but quickly discovers that Wyn’s not hiding—he’s being held inside the game against his will. But who is holding him captive, and why?

Nixy and Wyn attempt to fight their way out of a mind game unlike any they’ve encountered, and the battle brings them closer than either could have imagined. But when the whole world is virtual, how can Nixy possibly know if her feelings are real?

Gamers and action fans of all types will dive straight into the MEEP, thanks to Julia Durango’s cinematic storytelling. A touch of romance adds some heart to Nixy’s vivid, multidimensional journey through Wyn’s tricked-out virtual city, and constant twists keep readers flying through to the breathtaking end.

What books are you "Waiting On" this week? "

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT, #31)

 Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's post is:

Top 10 Book on My TBR for Summer 2015

In no particular order...

These are some of the books that I have had on my TBR for a LONG time and it's about time to hopefully get to them this summer! :) Goodreads Blurbs below if you want to know more about these books!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer, #1 and #2) - Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer believes life can't get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed.
There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

***************************************

The DUFF  - Kody Keplinger

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

***************************************

 

Red Rising (Red Rising Trilogy, #1) - Pierce Brown

The Earth is dying. Darrow is a Red, a miner in the interior of Mars. His mission is to extract enough precious elements to one day tame the surface of the planet and allow humans to live on it. The Reds are humanity's last hope.

Or so it appears, until the day Darrow discovers it's all a lie. That Mars has been habitable - and inhabited - for generations, by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. A class of people who look down on Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought.

Until the day that Darrow, with the help of a mysterious group of rebels, disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside. But the command school is a battlefield - and Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda.

 *************************************** 

The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1) -Samantha Shannon

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people's minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

 *************************************** 

Hopeless  (Hopeless, #1) - Colleen Hoover

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

 *************************************** 

Splintered  (Splintered, #1) - A. G. Howard

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence.

Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

 *************************************** 

Seraphina (Seraphina, #1) - Rachel Hartman

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die, #1) -Danielle Paige

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado - taking you with it - you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little bluebirds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still a yellow brick road - but even that's crumbling.

What happened? Dorothy.

They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm - and I'm the other girl from Kansas.

I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.

I've been trained to fight.

And I have a mission.

 *************************************** 

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) -George R.R. Martin

Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

As Warden of the north, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must … and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty.

The old gods have no power in the south, Stark’s family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne.

 *************************************** 

Harry Potter (Harry Potter, #2, #3, #4) - JK Rowling

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What Are Your Picks?

Weekly Reading Update (WRU, #9)

This week I managed to read two books and start one more.

  The Ring and the Crown (The Ring and the Crown, #1)

Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Pages: 372
Acquired: Library
Published: 2014
Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads Blurb:
Princess Marie-Victoria, heir to the Lily Throne, and Aelwyn Myrddn, bastard daughter of the Mage of England, grew up together. But who will rule, and who will serve?

Quiet and gentle, Marie has never lived up to the ambitions of her mother, Queen Eleanor the Second, Supreme Ruler of the Franco-British Empire. With the help of her Head Merlin, Emrys, Eleanor has maintained her stranglehold on the world's only source of magic. She rules the most powerful empire the world has ever seen.

But even with the aid of Emrys' magic, Eleanor's extended lifespan is nearing its end. The princess must marry and produce an heir or the Empire will be vulnerable to its greatest enemy, Prussia. The two kingdoms must unite to end the war, and the only solution is a match between Marie and Prince Leopold VII, heir to the Prussian throne. But Marie has always loved Gill, her childhood friend and soldier of the Queen's Guard.

Together, Marie and Aelwyn, a powerful magician in her own right, come up with a plan. Aelwyn will take on Marie's face, allowing the princess to escape with Gill and live the quiet life she's always wanted. And Aelwyn will get what she's always dreamed of--the chance to rule. But the court intrigue and hunger for power in Lenoran England run deeper than anyone could imagine. In the end, there is only rule that matters in Eleanor's court: trust no one.

__________________________________________________________

  Can You Keep A Secret?

Author: Sophie Kinsella
Pages: 357
Acquired: Library
Published: 2004
Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Blurb:
Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets: Secrets from her boyfriend: I've always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken. Secrets from her mother: I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur. Secrets she wouldn't share with anyone in the world: I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is. Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger.…Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company's elusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her...

__________________________________________________________

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)

Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Pages: Currently reading on page 37 of 439
Acquired: Library
Published: 2013


Goodreads Blurb:
If you could steal things from dreams, what would you take?

Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps from others. Some he keeps from himself.

One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams.

And sometimes he's not the only one who wants those things.

Ronan is one of the raven boys—a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan's secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface—changing everything in its wake.

***** 

Tell me what you're currently reading or what you've read this week!

Starcrossed (Starcrossed, #1)

 

Author: Josephine Angelini
Series: Starcrossed, #1
Pages: 487
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2015, Fairytale Retelling Challenge 2015
Genre: Paranormal, Retelling
Acquired: Bought
Rating: ★★★★

*****

Goodreads Summary:

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Starcrossed tells the story of a sixteen year old Helen Hamiliton who finds out she is destined to reenact an age old Greek tragedy. Can Helen break the curse before she loses those she loves most or will the destiny of the Fates be too strong to overcome?

I found Helen to be an okay character throughout this book. She was annoying at some (most) points. I wanted more from her, more determination and less "I can't do this" attitude. I definitely liked the overall plot and dare I say it.... literally every other character 10x more than I liked Helen. Ehhh... she was really a piece of work!

Speaking of other characters, I loved Lucas and his family! <3 His personality and protectiveness over those that he loves made him even more amazing for me! Also Creon and his connection to everybody was interesting as well as Daphne and her story definitely made the plot more intriquing towards the middle/end of the novel. Their stories gave the story that extra jolt of action and mystery to add interest that kept me entertained!

I really liked the retelling aspect of this story, but with a twist. I liked that even though I knew the most basic points of the retelling, the book wasn't predictable for me, which is great!

Liked Most: the magical powers the characters had from the Gods
Liked Least: Helen's personality/ let's just say her whiny attitude wasn't my favorite
Favorite Scene(s): Learning more about Lucas and his family's history, they were all so interestingly connected and different. Loved how despite their differences they all meshed well together and complemented each other.

Problems?:.... in some parts the story suffered from info dumping also the overall pacing of the story was slower than I was expecting.

Ending: was OK, it ended in a good place for the next book to pick up and continue. I obviously still have questions and confusion, but that's expected and should be answered in the next books.
Cover: 6/10... I love that it fits the storyline and its mood well
Rating: 4/5.... Overall I really enjoyed this book's plot and characters, it was a really good book!
Recommend: I would recommend to those who like retellings and mythology, paranormal romance, and magic/powers!

I hope to continue on with this trilogy and someday know how everything wraps up and ultimately ends!

If you have read this book, let me know your thoughts below!!

*****

"Waiting On" Wednesday (WoW, #44)

 "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

This week's selection is:

Every Last Word

Author(s): Tamara Ireland Stone

Series: none
Publisher: Disney- Hyperion
Expected Publication: June 16, 2015

Pre-Order Now!: Book Depository

 Goodreads Blurb:

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

What books are you "Waiting On" this week? "

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT, #30)

 Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's post is:

Top 10 Most Anticipated For the Rest of 2015

In no particular order...

Here are some releases that come out in the next half of the year that I cannot wait for! (July 2015- November 2015) :) Goodreads Blurbs below if you want to know more about these books!

Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) - Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Expected publication: October 20th 2015 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded. 

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

***************************************

 

Dreamstrider  - Lindsay Smith

Expected publication: October 6th 2015 by Roaring Brook Press

A high-concept, fantastical espionage novel set in a world where dreams are the ultimate form of political intelligence.

Livia is a dreamstrider. She can inhabit a subject's body while they are sleeping and, for a short time, move around in their skin. She uses her talent to work as a spy for the Barstadt Empire. But her partner, Brandt, has lately become distant, and when Marez comes to join their team from a neighborhing kingdom, he offers Livia the option of a life she had never dared to imagine. Livia knows of no other dreamstriders who have survived the pull of Nightmare. So only she understands the stakes when a plot against the Empire emerges that threatens to consume both the dreaming world and the waking one with misery and rage.

A richly conceived world full of political intrigue and fantastical dream sequences, at its heart Dreamstrider is about a girl who is struggling to live up to the potential before her.

***************************************

 

Hunter (Hunter, #1) - Mercedes Lackey

Expected publication: September 1st 2015 by Disney-Hyperion

Centuries ago, the barriers between our world and the Otherworld were slashed open allowing hideous fantastical monsters to wreak havoc; destroying entire cities in their wake. Now, people must live in enclosed communities, behind walls that keep them safe from the evil creatures constantly trying to break in. Only the corps of teen Hunters with lightning reflexes and magical abilities can protect the populace from the daily attacks.

Joyeaux Charmand is a mountain girl from a close knit village who comes to the big city to join the Hunters. Joy thinks she is only there to perform her civic duty and protect the capitol Cits, or civilians, but as cameras follow her every move, she soon learns that the more successful she is in her hunts, the more famous she becomes.

With millions of fans watching her on reality TV, Joy begins to realize that Apex is not all it seems. She is forced to question everything she grew up believing about the legendary Hunters and the very world she lives in. Soon she finds that her fame may be part of a deep conspiracy that threatens to upend the protective structure built to keep dark magic out. The monsters are getting in and it is up to Joy to find out why.

 *************************************** 

 

A Thousand Nights - E. K. Johnston

Expected publication: October 6th 2015 by Disney Hyperion

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time.But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air.

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.

 *************************************** 

 

Con Academy  - Joe Schreiber

Expected publication: August 4th 2015 by HMH Books for Young Readers 

 

 

 

It's his senior year and Will Shea has conned his way into one of the country's most elite prep schools. But he soon runs into Andrea, a fellow con-artist. With the school not big enough for the both of them, they make a bet that whoever can con Brandt Rush, the richest, most privileged student in the school out of $50K, gets to stay at the school. Will starts setting up his con (an online poker scam) with his uncle who's one of the best grifters in the business, but also with the unwanted help of his father.. The plot thickens as Will starts falling for fellow student Gatsby, and some of Will's lies start to catch up with him. In this twisty tale of scams, secrets, lies and deception, it hard to figure out who's conning who!

 *************************************** 

 

 

 

The Body Institute - Carol Riggs

Expected publication: September 1st 2015 by Entangled: Teen

Meet Morgan Dey, one of the top teen Reducers at The Body Institute.

Thanks to cutting-edge technology, Morgan can temporarily take over another girl’s body, get her in shape, and then return to her own body—leaving her client slimmer, more toned, and feeling great. Only there are a few catches…

For one, Morgan won’t remember what happens in her “Loaner” body. Once she’s done, she won’t recall walks with her new friend Matt, conversations with the super-cute Reducer she’s been text-flirting with, or the uneasy feeling she has that the director of The Body Institute is hiding something. Still, it’s all worth it in the name of science. Until the glitches start…

Suddenly, residual memories from her Loaner are cropping up in Morgan’s mind. She’s feeling less like herself and more like someone else. And when protests from an anti–Body Institute organization threaten her safety, she’ll have to decide if being a Reducer is worth the cost of her body and soul…

Are we our minds...or our bodies?

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Court of Fives (Court of Fives, #1) - Kate Elliott

Expected publication: August 18th 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

In this imaginative escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott begins a new trilogy with her debut young adult novel, weaving an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.

Jessamy's life is a balance between acting like an upper class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But at night she can be whomever she wants when she sneaks out to train for The Fives, an intricate, multi-level athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom's best competitors. Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an unlikely friendship between a girl of mixed race and a Patron boy causes heads to turn. When a scheming lord tears Jes's family apart, she'll have to test Kal's loyalty and risk the vengeance of a powerful clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.

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Legacy of Kings (Blood of Gods and Royals, #1) -Eleanor Herman

Expected publication: August 25th 2015 by Harlequin Teen

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedonia’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world but finds himself drawn to newcomer Katerina, who must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But Kat’s first love, Jacob, will go to unthinkable lengths to win her, even if it means competing for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince. And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet fiancée, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the salacious and fascinating details of real history, New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known: Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

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Stand-Off (Winger, #2) - Andrew Smith

Expected publication: September 8th 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stand-Off will focus on Ryan Dean's senior year, in which he becomes captain of the rugby team.

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Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4) - Marissa Meyer

Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Feiwel and Friends

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

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What Are Your Picks?

Tag: Reading Habits

So recently I searched Book Tags on YouTube and my interest immediately sparked as I love to watch them. With that being said, I figured I would start doing a couple a month on here for funzies. This one is an old one, also if you would like to see the creator and her video the link is here.

Let's get started!

1. Do you have a certain place at home for reading?
 - I mainly read in my bed or in a comfy couch or chair.

2. Bookmark or random piece of paper?
 - Random piece of paper, I always end up losing my bookmarks or they'll get damaged and I toss them. I really like using paper clips or post-it notes and the occasional receipt or corner of notebook paper.

3. Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/ a certain amount of pages?
 - I usually find that I give myself book checkpoints! I'll either read a certain amount of pages or read to a chapter nearest to 1/4 or 1/3 or the book. (I hope that made sense!) If I can't do that I'll try to find a stopping point at the end of a scene at least.

4. Do you eat or drink while reading?
 - COFFEE, and more COFFEE :) ooooh and chocolate too, yes chocolate!

5. Multitasking: Music or TV while reading?
 - I prefer to read with the TV on low in the background in my room, just so that it isn't completely silent. Otherwise when I used to read in school, I could stand to have my headphones in with my music on low too.

6. One book at a time or several at once?
 - Several at once.... but I'm trying to commit myself to one at a time, so I can make sure my stories don't run together. (especially if I'm reading books with similar themes at the same time)

7. Reading at home or everywhere?
 - I really only read at home now, or in my dorm room while I'm at college.

8. Reading out loud or silently in your head?
 -Both. If I'm alone I'll occasionally read out loud for a little while. Otherwise I'm reading in my head the majority of the time, especially if I want to read faster or if the book gets really good!

9. Do you read ahead or even skip pages?
 -Unfortunately... guilty of both! It's really a bad habit that I need to get out of doing! If I get too anxious or excited to see what's going to happen to a certain character or in a certain scene, I'll look a couple pages ahead to see if I see their name or see what happens next. Also if the story is excruciatingly slow, then I'll only read the dialogue and skim the rest until its bearable.

10. Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?
 - With hardcovers you can't tell after one read and after you put the dust jacket back on, so I'm not so concerned with those. But regular paperback books, out of habit and the way I hold my book when I read, I usually don't have too many broken spines. With mass market paperbacks, a broken spine is inevitable.

11. Do you write in your books?
 -I've never felt comfortable writing in books so I don't do it. Even with my school textbooks, usually highlighting is good enough for me.

12. Who do you tag?
 -I tag anyone who wants to do this tag! I know this is an older one but it's really quick and simple, so if you haven't done it feel free to do it and let me know you  posted so I can check your answers out! 

Happy Readings!

Weekly Reading Update (WRU, #8)

Haven't done one of these in a while! Thinking about bringing these posts back if I can continue to read on a consistent basis especially since I'm out of college for the next couple of months for summer break.

  The Ring and the Crown

Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Pages: Currently reading on page 293 of 372
Acquired: Library
Published: 2014



Goodreads Blurb:
Princess Marie-Victoria, heir to the Lily Throne, and Aelwyn Myrddn, bastard daughter of the Mage of England, grew up together. But who will rule, and who will serve?

Quiet and gentle, Marie has never lived up to the ambitions of her mother, Queen Eleanor the Second, Supreme Ruler of the Franco-British Empire. With the help of her Head Merlin, Emrys, Eleanor has maintained her stranglehold on the world's only source of magic. She rules the most powerful empire the world has ever seen.

But even with the aid of Emrys' magic, Eleanor's extended lifespan is nearing its end. The princess must marry and produce an heir or the Empire will be vulnerable to its greatest enemy, Prussia. The two kingdoms must unite to end the war, and the only solution is a match between Marie and Prince Leopold VII, heir to the Prussian throne. But Marie has always loved Gill, her childhood friend and soldier of the Queen's Guard.

Together, Marie and Aelwyn, a powerful magician in her own right, come up with a plan. Aelwyn will take on Marie's face, allowing the princess to escape with Gill and live the quiet life she's always wanted. And Aelwyn will get what she's always dreamed of--the chance to rule. But the court intrigue and hunger for power in Lenoran England run deeper than anyone could imagine. In the end, there is only rule that matters in Eleanor's court: trust no one.

***** 

Tell me what you're currently reading or what you've read this week!

Since You've Been Gone

 

Author: Mary Jennifer Payne
Series: none
Pages: 224
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2015
Genre: Contemporary
Acquired: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★

*****

Goodreads Summary:

Is it possible to outrun your past? Fifteen-year-old Edie Fraser and her mother, Sydney, have been trying to do just that for five years. Now, things have gone from bad to worse. Not only has Edie had to move to another new school she's in a different country.
Sydney promises her that that this is their chance at a fresh start, and Edie does her best to adjust to life in London, England, despite being targeted by the school bully. But when Sydney goes out to work the night shift and doesn't come home, Edie is terrified that the past has finally caught up with them.
Alone in a strange country, Edie is afraid to call the police for fear that she'll be sent back to her abusive father. Determined to find her mother, but with no idea where to start, she must now face the most difficult decision of her life."

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Since You've Been Gone follows sixteen year old Edie Fraser as she struggles with her ever- changing life of constantly moving from city to city and school to school. Edie hasn't lived in a stable, permanent home since she was ten. That's when it happened, and she and her mother quickly packed and fled their home to never look back again. But as soon as things start to look brighter, he finds them.... he always finds them.

Starting off with Edie's character, I really liked her personality and determination. I also liked how real of a person she seemed to be... as in I didn't feel like I was reading about a made up character, this story has the very real possibility of happening in the real world .... and how as a reader I could connect to her story better because of this.

 I thought this book was good at portraying real life examples and events such as abuse, racism, bullying, and also sickness. Reading about these events whether they directly affected the main character, Edie, or not definitely makes connecting to the story easier as most people have gone through at least one or more of the same situations these characters have experienced.

Problems?... I felt some parts in the book were rushed through or either could have been explained more. Knowing more about Edie's past could have helped me to better understand why the main storyline in the book even happened. I just felt that I had a lot of questions about Edie's mother and father that could have been explained better.

Liked Most: the relatable events and mystery of the book as a whole
Liked Least: the pacing, rushed through some parts then dragged in others

For me, personally, the plot was predictable. I could accurately predict the ending and most of the other events in the book, so that was disappointing seeing as the mystery element in the book wasn't very strong. Overall the plot was okay.

Ending: Mehhh, the ending tapered off and stopped all at once. The main climax of the book was rushed and glazed over. I spent most of the book waiting for the climax to blow me away and leave me feeling like the book was worth it, sadly I didn't get that feeling. Actually the climax wasn't much of a climax, the mystery aspect of the book was summed up in what felt like half a page.

Rating: 3/5... it was an OK read for me
Recommend: I would recommend this to those who like reading about realistic serious issues like abuse, bullying, etc.

RECIEVED FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

If you have read this book, let me know your thoughts below!!

*****

"Waiting On" Wednesday (WoW, #43)

 "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

This week's selection is:

The Stars Never Rise

Author(s): Rachel Vincent

Series: (Untitled for Now)
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Expected Publication: June 9, 2015

Pre-Order Now!: Book Depository

 Goodreads Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

What books are you "Waiting On" this week?