31 March 2014

March Wrap Up/April TBR

March Wrap Up

March was an alright reading month for me. I read about the same amount of books as last month - 15 books (1 DNF) and 2 novellas - and I also hit a reading slump again this month. I don't know why I keep getting into slumps, but I'm going to try to avoid one in April and get back into the swing of reading next this month.

Books Read
Panic by Lauren Oliver [Review]
Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens [Review]
Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen [Review]
The Fifty Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare by M. G. Buehrlen [Review to come]
Dangerous by Shannon Hale [DNF]
The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith [Review]
The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa [Review to come]
White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout [Review to come]
House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple [Review to come]
Half Bad by Sally Green [Review to come]
The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski [Review to come]
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole [Review to come]
Stung by Bethany Wiggins [Review to come]
Unite Me by Tahereh Mafi [Review to come]
Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski [Review to come]
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter [Review to come]

Still Reading: The Shock of The Fall by Nathan Filer and Rags & Bones.

Yet again, I had two favourites this one. One is an outstanding debut that I completely fell in love with, and is now possibly my favourite fantasy novel ever. The other is a book by an author that I absolutely love and it definitely my favourite of hers yet. Those two  books are Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen and White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout.


April TBR

So, for April, I'm not setting myself a massive TBR list to see if that'll help me get out of my slump. I've got 4 e-books that I own that I really want to read this month; 4 buddy reads with Brittany that I'm super excited for; a book off of my TBR shelf that I need to read this month and 8 review books that I'm super excited for (some of these overlap). 

What were your favourite books of March and what are you most looking forward to reading this month?

LUX: CONSEQUENCES (Opal & Origin) COVER REVEAL

Lux: Consequences (Opal & Origin) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Lux #3 & #4
Publisher: Entagled: Teen
Publication Date: June 3rd 2014
Buy: Amazon US; Amazon UK; B&N; Book Depository



Opal

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing alien hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Origin

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back. After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on? And will they even be together?

I still kind of prefer the older covers, but to be honest, the new ones actually don't bother me (which doesn't happen often)! I think I'm probably lured in by the bonus content and the first chapter of Opposition! But who cares? I know I'll be buying the new covers.


Obsidian: There's an alien next door. And with his looming height and eerie green eyes, he's hot...until he opens his mouth. He's infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, he lights me up with a big fat bulls-eye. Turns out he has a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal his abilities and the only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to him until my alien mojo fades. If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Onyx: Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro alien connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems. I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Twitter; Facebook; Website

#1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

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The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith
Series: No
Publisher: Headline
Publication Date: April 15th 2014
Source: Netgalley [Headline]



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

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

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

Jennifer E. Smith is probably my go-to author when I need something cute and adorable. Every time I read one of her books, I completely fall in love with them and lost myself in them. The Geography of You and Me has definitely been my favourite of hers so far. I adored both The Statistical Probability and This is What Happy Looks Like, but The Geography of You and Me just had something about it that made me love it even more. 

Owen and Lucy live in the same apartment complex - Owen lives in the basement and Lucy lives on the 24th floor. The first meet (properly) when the power goes out and they are trapped in a lift together.

Owen and Lucy had such a natural relationship right from the first meeting. The fact that they met in such a strange way and completely hit it off had me hooked from the start. Owen and Lucy go out and explore during the power cut and eventually find themselves on the roof of the apartment building. They spend the night talking, getting to know each other, and eventually fall asleep. When Lucy wakes up in the morning, her parents have been in contact and Lucy flies to London to be with them.


"So," the boy said, tipping his head back against the wall. "Come here often?"
She laughed. "I've logged some times in this particular elevator, yes."

The power cut leads to major changes in both Lucy and Owen's lives. Owen and his father have to move out of the basement and his father has to find a new job. Lucy's dad has been offered a job in Edinburgh and plans to move the whole family there. Owen and Lucy communicate through postcards. It was such a unique and interesting way for them to communicate. Owen would send Lucy postcards from wherever he and his dad ended up and Lucy would send postcards to Owen from wherever she and her parents went on holiday. Of course, the postcards start to die out eventually because Owen and Lucy both had things to deal with in their own lives.

Owen and Lucy's relationship definitely wasn't a straight forward one. They meet, and then they end up thousands of miles away from each other. I think this may be the first long distance relationship book I've ever read and I think Jennifer E. Smith did a fantastic job with it. She showed how in the beginning, you make the effort and are really into it, but as the time goes on you start to slack and lose interest when you've got other things in your own life going on. She shows the ups and downs of a long distance relationship. I adored seeing every single step of Owen and Lucy's journey.


He smiled. "The only problem is, I think we're about fifteen yards off," he said, pointing at the spot where they'd sat the last time, where he'd made a star appear in the unlikeliest of places.
"I'm pretty sure the exact center of the world is just over there."
"I don't know," she said, and he could see that she was smiling, too. "I think this might be it."

Jennifer E. Smith's books always leave me with a massive smile on my face and this one was no exception. The ending was just so freaking adorable and left me grinning like an idiot and swooning like mad. I'm a complete sucker for romance in books (when it's done right) and Jennifer E. Smith hasn't let me down yet. The Geography of You and Me is definitely one of my favourite contemporaries ever now and I honestly can't recommend this book enough. It makes my heart melt and I just want to read it all over again.

30 March 2014

Showcase Sunday #63

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea. This meme allows book bloggers to show off the books they collected over the last week.

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't really been around towards the end of the week. This week was a completely manic week for work (especially towards the end) and I just haven't felt like doing anything other than going to sleep. So I've slacked on reviews, but I'm definitely hoping to get back to doing them next week.

Bookwise, I bought a few kindle books this week. Two of them I bought because I recently finished the first books in the series, and I wanted the second books. And the 3rd one I bought because it's Colleen Hoover's new book. I didn't really need any other incentive.
I also got a few books from Netgalley/Edelweiss that I'm really excited about.

Bought
kindle
Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
Cured (Stung #2) by Bethany Wiggins
Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2) by Kresley Cole

Netgalley
The Dark World (Dark World #1) by Cara Lynn Shultz
What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick (Sneak Peek) 

Edelweiss
Feral by Holly Schindler
The Fires of Calderon (The Balance Keepers #1) by Lindsey Cummings

What books did you get this week?

27 March 2014

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen
Series: The Malediction Trilogy #1
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Publication Date: April 1st 2014
Source: Netgalley [Publisher]



For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

First of all, I just have to say that Stolen Songbird is one of the best (and quite possibly the best) fantasy novel that I've ever read. Ever since I heard about this one last year, I've been looking forward to it. So when I came across it on Netgalley one day I just had to request it and I'd just like to say a massive thank you to Strange Chemistry for accepting my request.

Stolen Songbird is one of the most unique fantasy novels I've ever read, mostly because it's about Trolls. Now, trolls aren't something I've read a lot about (in fact, other than this book, I've only read one other troll series) but this was by far the best. It had all the things I love in fantasy books: magic, mythology and amazing world building. But, hands down, my favourite element of this book was the trolls. The trolls that Danielle L. Jensen created in her book are the complete opposite of the image you get in your head when you think of trolls. They weren't huge, ugly, smelly or stupid, in fact, most of them were pretty beautiful, intelligent and nothing like I was expecting.

Cécile has been captured by the trolls to fulfill a prophecy and break the curse that trapped the trolls. She's to marry and bond with the Troll prince, Tristan. Cécile only has one thing on her mind - finding a way to escape. But while Cécile is waiting for her opportunity, she finds herself falling for Tristan. 

Right from the start I was hooked. Cécile is captured and taken to Trollus within the first few chapters and the rest of the book plays out in Trollus. I really loved that because it meant I got a lot more time to discover Trollus and find out the story behind the city and how the trolls were trapped. 

I absolutely loved Cécile. Right from the word go she came across as a strong and feisty character. She definitely didn't take things lying down and always fought for herself. I knew there was something more going on with Cécile's character after something that happened near the start of the book, so I really enjoyed uncovering that. She's such a determined character. To start with, Cécile is always looking for a way to escape, but as the book went on and Cécile uncovered more and gained friends, she became determined to help the half-bloods and the city of Trollus.

Oh, Tristan. How I wanted to punch you the first time I met you, and then I very quickly wanted to take that back. Tristan may come across as a spoiled, un-appreciative jerkface, but he totally isn't. Tristan has his reasons for acting like this, and it's really to protect people. Tristan grew on me extremely quickly. He's actually a very sweet, caring and determined character. Tristan will do anything to protect his people, but he also has ulterior motives.

Tristan and Cécile's relationship is one of my favourites. They started of hating each other because Cécile had been kidnapped and Tristan didn't want to bond with her. But, gradually, they start to become friends and then allies. Tristan and Cécile are working together to help the half-bloods in Trollus, and their relationship eventually progresses to romance. Oh how this romance caused me severe amounts of PAIN and gave me so many feels.

Discovering the city of Trollus was one of my favourite parts of this book. Every description of the city that Danielle L. Jensen gave us allowed me to completely picture the world in my head. The world building is also some of the best world building I've ever read. I adored hearing the back story of Trollus; How Trollus came to be and what caused the trolls to become trapped underground. Discovering more about Cécile and finding out what Tristan was really up to was the other thing I really loved about this book.

The ending. OH, THE ENDING. Oh, what a horrible and amazing cliffhanger. I'm extremely curious to see what's going to happen next and whether Cécile will keep her promise (she better keep her promise!). Also, maybe we'll get to meet Cécile's mother in the next book? I have questions and a few suspicions about her.

Overall, Stolen Songbird was such a fantastic debut novel. Danielle L. Jensen has such an engaging and beautiful writing style and it completely hooked me. Stolen Songbird is such an amazing fantasy novel. It's full of magic, mythology, resistance, plotting and so many twists that tugged at my heart strings and completely knocked me sideways. I've already got my copy of Stolen Songbird pre-ordered because I have to have a physical copy of this book. It's definitely going to be one that I'll be recommending a lot this year.

26 March 2014

Waiting on Wednesday #72

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event,  hosted by breaking the spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:


Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols
Series: Superlatives #1
Publisher
Publication Date: May 20th 2014


Tia just wants to have fun. She’s worked hard to earn her reputation as the life of the party, and she’s ready for a carefree senior year of hanging out with friends and hooking up with cute boys. And her first order of business? New guy Will. She can’t get enough of his Midwestern accent and laidback swagger.

As the sparks start to fly, Will wants to get serious. Tia’s seen how caring too much has left her sisters heartbroken, and she isn’t interested in commitment. But pushing Will away drives him into the arms of another girl. Tia tells herself it’s no big deal…until the yearbook elections are announced. Getting voted Biggest Flirts with Will is, well, awkward. They may just be friends, but their chemistry is beginning to jeopardize Will’s new relationship—and causing Tia to reconsider her true feelings. What started as a lighthearted fling is about to get very complicated…

I've never read anything by Jennifer Echols, but I'm really looking forward to this one. It sounds like it's going to be such a sweet and adorable contemporary. I'm really looking forward to seeing how being voted 'Biggest Flirts' will change Tia and Will's lives. 


What are you waiting on this week?

24 March 2014

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens
Series: No
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: February 25th 2014
Source: Edelweiss [Publisher]



An edgy, realistic, and utterly captivating novel from an exciting new voice in teen fiction.

Alexi Littrell hasn't told anyone what happened to her over the summer. Ashamed and embarrassed, she hides in her closet and compulsively scratches the back of her neck, trying to make the outside hurt more than the inside does.

When Bodee Lennox, the quiet and awkward boy next door, comes to live with the Littrells, Alexi discovers an unlikely friend in "the Kool-Aid Kid," who has secrets of his own. As they lean on each other for support, Alexi gives him the strength to deal with his past, and Bodee helps her find the courage to finally face the truth.

Before I'd even started Faking Normal, I'd been hearing a lot of great things about it. From the second I read the synopsis, I knew I just had to read this book. It sounded like it was going to be such a powerful and emotional book, and it definitely was.

Alexi has been keeping a secret. Something happened to her over the summer, but she's ashamed to tell anyone. She hides away in her closet and scratches the back of her neck trying to make herself hurt more on the outside than the inside. And then Bodee Lennox comes to live with her family after his mother's murder. Bodee and Alexi start to become friends and help support each other. Alexi helps Bodee deal with his part and Bodee tries to help Alexi find the courage to admit what happened during summer.

Alexi was an interesting character. Something happened to her over the summer and all of her friends and family have noticed a change in her, but none of them have noticed that she's pretending to hold herself together. Right from the start I pretty much guessed what had happened to Alexi. It's not a very easy topic to read about, but Courtney Stevens did an amazing job with it. Alexi kind of suffers from OCD. She locks herself in her closet and constantly scratches the back of her neck. She also tries to count the number of vents on her air vent in the dark without blinking until she's done. She partly blames herself for what happened over summer and that really tugged at my heart. Alexi is just a young, naive girl who was scared and taken advantage of. It really upset me seeing her beat herself up over something that wasn't her fault. She was an intriguing character and I enjoyed learning about her.

Bodee was a strange character, but I really loved him. Bodee keeps to himself after what happened to his mother and has always been an outsider. Kids at school call him 'the Kool-Aid Kid' because he dyes his hair with Kool-Aid sachets. But Bodee is one of the sweetest guys ever. He realises straight away that there's something going on with Alexi and he tries his best to help her admit what happened. Bodee hasn't had the best upbringing due to his father and he's struggling with the murder of his mother. He's just so adorable and sweet. He's always there for Alexi and he starts to come out of his shell throughout the book.

I adored the romance in this book. Bodee and Alexi are friends for most of the book. It takes a while for their friendship to build and then they both start seeing different people, but it was so obvious to me that those two were made for each other. They helped each other through a lot during the book which gave them a special connection and I just thought they were adorable together.

I really enjoyed unravelling what happened to Alexi during the summer. I was pretty sure I knew who it was and I was seriously hating on this character, and then it turned out to be someone completely different. Someone that I loved because they were so sweet, and I was honestly so shocked when the truth came out. Courtney Stevens did an amazing job at throwing me off the trail. There was also the whole 'Captain Lyric' story line. I knew right away who Captain Lyric was, but then Stevens completely threw me off when a different character admitted to it. Stevens threw a lot of twists at me during this book. Alexi's sister pissed me off big time though. She was such a bitch and everything had to be about her. I kind of wanted to punch her throughout most of the book, but she was there for Alexi in the end when she needed her.

Overall, Faking Normal was an emotional read that kept me guessing right until the end. It was full of unique and interesting characters, and a really adorable romance. Faking Normal is a beautifully written debut from Courtney C. Stevens and I really loved it.

23 March 2014

LUX: BEGINNINGS (Obsidian & Onyx) COVER REVEAL

Lux: Beginnings (Obsidian & Onyx) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Lux #1 + 2
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: June 3rd 2014
Pre-order: Amazon US; Amazon UK; B&N; Book Depository



Obsidian 
There's an alien next door. And with his looming height and eerie green eyes, he's hot...until he opens his mouth. He's infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, he lights me up with a big fat bulls-eye. Turns out he has a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal his abilities and the only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to him until my alien mojo fades. If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Onyx
Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro alien connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems. I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

So what do you guys think of the new cover? I actually quite like it. It's a nice change from the same faces that are on nearly every YA book right now. I still do kind of prefer the older covers, but I actually don't mind the new one :) Also, bonus content!


ABOUT JENNIFER
#1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Links: Twitter; Facebook; Website

Showcase Sunday #62

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme hosted by Vicky at Books, Biscuits and Tea. This meme allows book bloggers to show off the books they collected over the last week.

Hello everyone! And happy Sunday! This week has been a pretty busy week for me - even though I thought it wouldn't be. Thankfully I'd scheduled this weeks posts in advance otherwise I doubt I wouldn't have had anything up. The same, however, cannot be said for my booktube videos - I know, I suck. I'm sorry. I'm trying my hardest!
Also, my internet went down for a couple of days (which was awful!). And I've also been having major feels over this weeks Teen Wolf & Pretty Little Liar's episodes. The season finale of Teen Wolf will probably kill me.

It was also my 5 year anniversary with my boyfriend on Friday so we went out to see a movie and go for dinner last night and it was lovely <3

Bookwise, I only bought one book this week (yay!), but I have already read it... I just bought it for Roth. And I also got one book from Netgalley.

Bought
White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Yes. I do already have this on my kindle. But I had to buy a finished copy because of the extra Roth bit at the end.

Netgalley
Camp Payback (Camp Boyfriend #2) by J. K. Rock

What books did you get this week?

22 March 2014

Panic by Lauren Oliver

Panic by Lauren Oliver
Series: No
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: March 4th 2014
Source: Edelweiss [Publisher]



Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

I started Panic back at the start of February, but I got into a slump because of the family stuff I had going on. But when I picked it up again right at the end of February, I was kicking myself for putting it down and not picking it up again for so long! Lauren Oliver became one of my favourite authors after I read the Delirium trilogy so I was obviously really looking forward to this one.

When I first started Panic, I was slightly confused. I had actually been thinking this was a dystopian, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a contemporary. Panic is set in a small town where graduating seniors take part in Panic - a game where you have to be brave and tough and you could end up walking away with a lot of money or not walking away at all. It's told from two different POV's: Heather & Dodge, but Nat and Bishop are also main parts of this book.

Even though Heather wasn't one of my favourite characters, I still really enjoyed getting to hear from her. Heather has a tough family life. Her mother is an alcoholic and a junkie, so Heather is left to take care of her little sister. She enters Panic on a whim after her boyfriend broke up with her, but later on, she realises the real reason behind why she entered. Heather was an interesting character, but she did piss me off sometimes. She was a determined character, but didn't always make the right choices.

Dodge was basically playing for revenge. His sister had played Panic when she was in her senior year and had gotten seriously injured and was left in a wheelchair. Dodge wants revenge for what happened to her. Dodge didn't have the best family life either, in fact, he always seemed to be trying to escape from it. But Dodge was a likeable character and I did find myself rooting for him (but I was hoping he'd give up on the whole revenge thing). 

Nat and Bishop were actually my two favourite characters. Nat comes across as superficial and weak, but as the book progresses, you actually start to see a different side to Nat. She's tough, strong and determined and I really loved her. Bishop was such a sweetheart. He was always looking out for Nat and Heather, and even if he did do the wrong thing sometimes, I still really loved him. He's protective of his friends and would do anything to take care of them.

The storyline of Panic was extremely interesting. I did find it a bit slow sometimes, but it did quickly pick back up every time there was another round of Panic, so it definitely kept me interested. I loved all of the round of Panic and most of the time my heart was pounding because some of the test were terrifying and shocking. I honestly had no idea how this book was going to end. I did kind of guess some of the twist that were in the book, but that didn't ruin the experience for me at all.

Overall, I'd say that Panic is a fantastic contemporary. While it's not as good as her Delirium trilogy, I still really loved Panic. It was full of suspense and had me on the edge of my seat wondering what the next challenge was going to be. It was definitely an interesting read.

21 March 2014

Be With Me by J Lynn

Be With Me by J Lynn
Series: Wait For You #2
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: February 13th 2014
Source: Bought



Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

Jennifer L. Armentrout (a.k.a J Lynn) has very quickly became one of my favourite authors. I adore her Young Adult books, but really, it's her New Adult books that have captured my heart. She really knows how to write her swoon-worthy guys, and Be With Me is no exception to this.

Be With Me follows our characters Teresa Hamilton and Jase Winstead. Now, anyone who's familiar with Wait For You will know that Teresa is Cam's younger sister and Jase is one of his friends. I honestly can't even tell you guys how excited for this book I was. Not only was I going to find out more about Teresa, I was also still going to see Cam and Avery (I just love those two so much)!

Be With Me didn't live up to Wait For You for me, but I still really loved it. Teresa has torn her ACL so is being forced to take a break from dancing for a while and see how everything works out. She's been hung up on Jase ever since he kissed her, and she's going to do whatever she can to convince him they can be together. Jase has a lot of responsibilities in his life and he's also got a huge secret that he doesn't want to tell anyone. He's doesn't have time for a relationship, but he can't get a certain girl out of his head. Jase and Teresa are constantly thrown together and it's only a matter of time before they can't deny their feelings anymore.

I loved finally getting to hear from Teresa. After hearing everything she'd been through from Cam in Wait For You, I was definitely intrigued to see what Teresa thought. Honestly, I just wanted to give this girl a hug throughout most of this book. She was taken advantage of, her confidence was knocked, but she's such a tough character. She still has moments when she blames herself, but she manages to overcome that and realise that it wasn't her fault. I can't imagine how awful it would be to suffer an injury that stops you doing something you love, but I managed to get an insight into it from Teresa. She's such a strong character and manages to stay together even after all the horrific things she goes through in this book. I just loved her characters.

And then we have Jase. Well, Jase is definitely swoon-worthy, but he could be a real ass sometimes. I understood where Jase was coming from most of the time, but he didn't have to be such a jerk about it. Jase has got a lot going on in his personal life and he and his close family are keeping a massive secret, and Jase doesn't want anyone to find out. Jase is scared of what people will think when they found out his secret, so I did understand why he tried to stay away from Tess. Jase is a sweetheart, but he could be a real jerk sometimes.

I adored Jase and Tess together, but they were constantly on the rocks because of Jase. Most of the time I just wanted to give Jase a slap and knock some sense into him. Tess clearly loved him but Jase was so scared of her finding out his secret that he wasn't even willing to give her a chance for most of the book. He really needed some sense knocked into him. But I did really love Tess and Jase together. They definitely had chemistry.

I really loved the storyline of this one. I really enjoyed getting an insight into Teresa's life and getting to see her make some tough decisions. I also enjoyed seeing Jase battle with his secret and his past. And then out of no where came this massive shocking and emotional twist that gave the last 1/3 of the book a completely different feel. It became darker and more intense, and I really loved that. I was shocked and horrified, but I still really enjoyed it.

The ending was sweet and adorable (just like the end of any J Lynn book) and it had me smiling like an idiot. I honestly can't wait for Stay With Me now and the other 3 books in the series (another 3!). September better hurry up.

20 March 2014

Trust in Me by J Lynn

Trust in Me by J Lynn
Series: Wait For You #1.5
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: October 24th 2013
Source: Bought



Cameron Hamilton is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But when Avery Morgansten comes crashing into his life – literally – he finally meets the one person who can resist his soulful baby blues. But Cam’s not ready to give up. He can’t get the feisty and intriguing girl out of his head.

Avery has secrets, secrets that keep her from admitting the feelings Cam knows she has for him. Will persistence (and some delicious homemade cookies) help him break down her barriers and gain her trust? Or will he be shut out of Avery's life, losing his first real shot at the kind of love that lasts forever?

Cameron Hamilton. Cam is my main reason for loving this book so freaking much and I finally get to see everything from his POV! I loved Wait for You, but I have to say I enjoyed Trust in Me slightly more because it was Cam telling the story.

So Trust in Me - like Wait for You - revolves around the story of Cam and Avery. Cameron Hamilton is used to getting everything he wants - including women. But when Avery comes crashing into his life, he finally meets someone who can resist him. But Cam can't stop thinking about her. Avery has secrets. Secrets that are stopping her from getting close to Cam. 

Hearing from Cam's POV made me fall in love with this guy even more. Cam is so charming and adorable. He makes my heart melt. I'd love him to make eggs for me in the morning (but I don't really like eggs, so maybe he can make pancakes?) and to bake me cookies. I liked getting to hear from Cam and seeing him battle with what he did helped me understand him a lot more. He regrets it, but he'd still do absolutely anything to protect his sister.

Seeing Avery from Cam's POV made me love her characters even more. She's just a sweet, innocent girl who was taken advantage of. I love Avery so much because she's so strong. Even though she's haunted by what happened to her, she manages to stay strong and push through and I really admire her strength. 

I love getting to see Cam and Avery again. I enjoyed getting to see Cam constantly asking Avery out again and actually seeing what was going on in his head this time. Basically, I just loved everything about this book. There was absolutely nothing that I didn't enjoy.

Overall, I ended up loving Trust in Me more than Wait for You because of Cam. Cam is just amazing and I'm so glad we got to hear from him. If you haven't started the Wait for You series yet and are a fan of NA books, I'd definitely recommend it.

19 March 2014

Boomerang by Noelle August - COVER REVEAL

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Boomerang by Noelle August
Series: Boomerang #1
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: July 15th 2014



Welcome to BOOMERANG, the hottest start-up in the coolest city: Los Angeles, CA. Why? Because it’s about no-strings, no-fuss relationships for those on the rebound and those who crave connection without all the baggage of long-term promises. While it’s THE dating site for the millennial gen, their offices are even steamier than the hook-ups the website produces.

But that buzz is fading as Boomerang struggles to grow, the solution? Find two brilliant interns and give them a crack at turning this ship back to shore.

Enter MIA GALLIANO and ETHAN VANCE. These young strangers—Mia an aspiring filmmaker, and Ethan at the end of a collegiate sports career—are both bright and motivated. And for very different reasons, although they’re both hungry and way up for the challenge.

But things go wrong from day one. For one thing, Ethan and Mia aren’t strangers. The night before their stint at Boomerang begins, Ethan and Mia meet at a bar and fall into bed together. Or so they think. They’re both hazy on the details. They just know it’s awkward when they share a post hook-up taxi…to the same place.

Will the competition get to them, or do they have a future together?

Why am I really looking forward to this book? Well, Noelle August is actually a pen name for Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger! So, while I have absolutely no idea who Lorin is, I do know who Veronica is and I couldn't be more excited! Boomerang has been pitched as The Hangover meets The Internship, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's going to be amazing and hilarious. I can't wait!

Waiting on Wednesday #71

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event,  hosted by breaking the spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:


Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: The Dark Elements #2
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 28th 2014



Every touch has its price

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

I have 7 months to wait for this book. 7 month until I get more Layla. 7 months until I get more Roth. 7 months until I get more demon-y awesomeness. As you guys can probably tell I'm SUPER excited for this one. White Hot Kiss had a killer of an ending and I just NEED this one so bad. Like, really bad.


What are you waiting on this week?

17 March 2014

This Girl by Colleen Hoover

This Girl by Colleen Hoover
Series: Slammed #3
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Publication Date: June 6th 2013
Source: Bought



There are two sides to every love story. Now hear Will’s.

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from his point of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.

Getting to hear parts of Slammed from Will's POV? Yeah, I may have squealed a lot when I found out what this was.

So, while I didn't enjoy This Girl as much as Slammed and Point of Retreat, I did love getting to hear everything from Will's POV. While there were some scenes that were in Slammed that were just changed to be from Will's POV, there were also some extra scenes - like Will finding out about his parents and some conversations between Will and Gavin - which added a lot and helped me understand Will a lot more.

By the time I'd finished This Girl, I'd fallen for Will even more. Actually getting to hear what happened to him when his parents died was heartbreaking and I really felt for him. I still enjoyed seeing that though because it meant I could finally understand Will fully and see how deep his love for his brother was. Will is still one of the sweetest guys ever and he makes my heart melt.

Lake kind of acted like a 5 year old again in this one. She wanted Will to tell her everything but the flounced off in a huff when she heard something she didn't like. She was starting to get on my nerves a little.

I just adored getting to see my favourite moments in Slammed from Will's POV and getting to see Will and Gavin's conversations because Gavin knew. I also really enjoyed getting to see Will's past and the events that led him to Lake. And also, what Will was thinking when he first met Lake. 

The epilogue was beautiful and had me in tears yet again. I've cried so much while reading this series, but it's been one of the best series I've ever read. If you haven't read the Slammed trilogy yet or any of Colleen Hoover's books, I highly suggest that you change that because her writing and her stories are beautiful.