Showcase Sunday #65

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

Hello everyone! So this week has been kind of a busy week for me. I was getting over a really bad cold at the start of the week and just lay in bed watching TV/Movies. And I was working quite a bit this week too. I also ended up breaking my glasses (which thankfully I managed to get fixed) and I finally got the tattoo I've been wanting for 3 years. So, this week has actually been a pretty good week. But I'm really looking forward to next week since I'm not working too much and also because I'm seeing McBusted next week!

Bookwise, I ended up buying quite a few books this week. I bought a few from Amazon beccause I was in a contemporary mood and I'd pre-ordered one of the kindle books I got. I also got quite a few review books this week from Netgalley, Edelweiss and publishers. Also, Brittany was wonderful enough to send me a copy of a book that I was dying to get my hands on because Amazon & TBD didn't seem to have it available here.

Bought

• physical

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

You Are Here by Jennifer E. Smith

Wanderlove by Kristin Hubbard

Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks #1) by Miranda Kenneally

• e-book

Elemental (Elemental #0.5) by Brigid Kemmerer

Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Netgalley

The Girl Who Never Was by Skylar Dorset

Dream Boy by Madelyn Rosenberg and Mary Crockett

Midnight Thief (Midnight Thief #1) by Livia Blackburne

Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire & Disney Hyperion!

Edelweiss

All Lined Up (All Lined Up #1) by Cora Carmack

For the blog tour - thanks to William Morrow!

Review

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1) by Deborah Harkness

Prisoner of Night and Fog (Prisoner of Night and Fog #1) by Anne Blankman

The Oversight (Oversight Trilogy #1) by Charlie Fletcher

Thanks to Headline, Bookbridgr & Gemma @ Little, Brown Book Group!

Gifted

Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die #1) by Danielle Paige

Thank you so much Brittany! :D

What books did you get this week?

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
Series: No
Publisher: Orchard Books
Publication Date: May 1st 2014
Source: Netgalley [Orchard Books]

We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.

Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same. So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening.

Don't Even Think About It follows a group of teenagers who go for a flu shot in school and end up developing telepathic powers. Ever since I heard about this one I knew I had to get it, so when I saw that I was auto-approved for it on Netgalley I was super excited! Honestly? I actually really enjoyed Don't Even Think About It. I found it pretty hilarious and loved seeing how each of the teens reacted to their power.

So there were a hell of a lot of characters in Don't Even Think About It. A full homeroom class ended up with telepathic powers. Luckily not all of them were main characters. Mackenzie, Copper, Tess, Oliva and Pi were my favourites. But I actually really liked all of the characters in the book - especially when they were all having mind conversations because it was generally hilarious. 

So, because this is a teenage book set in high school, there was a lot of drama. All of the kids were wondering whether they should tell someone about their powers or whether it was going to alter them in some way. They were all scared but were embracing their power - even if they did hate it sometimes. Mackenzie had cheated on Cooper and everyone - except from Cooper - knew. Tess is in love with her best friend, but he likes someone else and has never noticed her that way. Oliva has never had a boyfriend and finally manages to get one and uses her powers to make everything great. Cooper's family is in trouble and he didn't know until he developed his powers. So yeah, there was actually a lot going on in this book and I adored discovering each of the characters and finding out more about their lives.

Pi didn't surprise me at all with the way she acted at the end. I knew she was going to try something like that because she wanted to be the best, but it backfired on her and I was glad because she's kind of a bitch. I really loved the way it ended for most of the characters - Tess finally has someone who appreciates her and there may be something between another two characters that I think would be great together.

Overall, Don't Even Think About It was a light and hilarious read. It was definitely what I was looking for when I picked it up and I really, really enjoyed it. 

Waiting on Wednesday #74

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:

Hexed by Michelle Krys
Series: Hexed #1
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: June 10th 2014

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

Witches! I may have started jumping around when I came across this one because I loooooove Witches, and this one sounds so freaking awesome! Honestly, every time I read the synopsis for Hexed I get even more excited. I can't wait to get my hands on this one!

What are you waiting on this week?

House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple

House of Ivy & Sorrow by Natalie Whipple
Series: No
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: April 15th 2014
Source: Edelweiss (Publisher)

Josephine Hemlock has spent the last 10 years hiding from the Curse that killed her mother. But when a mysterious man arrives at her ivy-covered, magic-fortified home, it’s clear her mother’s killer has finally come to destroy the rest of the Hemlock bloodline. Before Jo can even think about fighting back, she must figure out who she’s fighting in the first place.

The more truth Jo uncovers, the deeper she falls into witchcraft darker than she ever imagined. Trapped and running out of time, she begins to wonder if the very Curse that killed her mother is the only way to save everyone she loves.

House of Ivy & Sorrow was a book that I'd been looking forward to for so long - mainly because it's a witch-y book, and I love witches. As soon as I came across a copy on Netgalley I knew I had to download it and I couldn't wait to read it. While it didn't live up to my expectations, I did still enjoy parts of it.

House of Ivy & Sorrow follows our main character Josephine who has spent 10 years hiding from the curse that killer her mother. And then a mysterious man arrives and Jo thinks everything is over for her. But, Jo realises that there's a lot more going on and she must uncover the truth. Jo finds herself surrounded by dark witchcraft and begins to wonder whether the curse is the only way to save the people she loves.

First off, I'm going to say that I did find quite a bit of this book slow-paced and it took me quite a while to get through. Also, there were quite a few times where I found myself extremely confused and wondering what was was going on. .

Jo. What can I say about Jo? There were times when I liked her, and times when I wanted to give her a smack on the head. She was likable enough, but I just didn't form a connection with her. I enjoyed seeing her interactions with her Grandmother and her Father because family and friends are extremely important to Jo. I also really enjoyed seeing Jo remembering her mother and trying to find out more about her.

Jo's grandmother was awesome. She was feisty and protective of Jo, and I really loved how close they were.

I liked Jo's friends, but I did find it odd how quickly Jo's grandmother let them in on all the witchy stuff since it was banned and she'd been saying she was completely against it. But they were good for Jo.

Also, the romance was completely unneeded. Winn was just so boring and the usual, typical guy. There was absolutely nothing that stood out about him and I found myself skipping through the parts with him and Jo. Levi was also completely unneeded and I kind of felt like her was just there to provide a bit of friction between Jo and Winn and possibly to start a love triangle. It just didn't work at all and tbh, I don't remember much about either of them. 

I did enjoy all the witchy stuff though like the potions, the spells and the curse. The spells/potions in House of Ivy & Sorrow required a price and people were yanking out hair, carving out parts of their arms and pulling off fingernails. I was cringing because it was pretty horrible, but I did enjoy it.

I'm trying my hardest to remember what happened in this book, but it honestly didn't leave much of an impression and I completely forgot nearly everything about it as soon as I'd finished. The ending was just... and ending. There wasn't anything great about it. In fact, after all the build up, it was kind of a let down and I was extremely disappointed with it.

Overall, House of Ivy & Sorrow definitely didn't live up to my expectations. It was slow-paced, had unmemorable characters and unneeded romance. I'm super disappointed that I didn't enjoy this one because I was really looking forward to it. 

Showcase Sunday #64

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.

This week has actually been a pretty good week. I've been working quite a bit, but I've also managed to find a lot of time for myself. I did get ill towards the end of the week (and I'm still not feeling 100%), but I've managed to get a lot of reading done and catch up on a few new movies that I borrowed from my library. 

Bookwise, I bought 3 physical books this month and one of the Amazon Kindle Daily Deals. 

I also got a few books from Netgalley - one that I was super excited about and have already read and loved it!

Bought

• physical

Ruins (Partials Sequence #3) by Dan Wells

Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

The 57 Lives of Alex Wayfare (Alex Wayfare #1) by M. G. Buehrln

• kindle

Firelight (Firelight #1) by Sophie Jordan

Netgalley

Storm (Elemental #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington

All Those Broken Angels by Peter Adam Salomon

No One Needs to Know by Amanda Grace

What books did you get this week?

The Fifty-Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare by M. G. Buehrlen

The Fifty-Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare by M. G. Buehrlen
Series: Alex Wayfare #1
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Publication Date: March 4th 2014
Source: Netgalley [Strange Chemistry]

For as long as 17-year-old Alex Wayfare can remember, she has had visions of the past. Visions that make her feel like she’s really on a ship bound for America, living in Jamestown during the Starving Time, or riding the original Ferris wheel at the World’s Fair.

But these brushes with history pull her from her daily life without warning, sometimes leaving her with strange lasting effects and wounds she can’t explain. Trying to excuse away the aftereffects has booked her more time in the principal’s office than in any of her classes and a permanent place at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Alex is desperate to find out what her visions mean and get rid of them.

It isn’t until she meets Porter, a stranger who knows more than should be possible about her, that she learns the truth: Her visions aren’t really visions. Alex is a Descender – capable of traveling back in time by accessing Limbo, the space between Life and Afterlife. Alex is one soul with fifty-six past lives, fifty-six histories.

Fifty-six lifetimes to explore: the prospect is irresistible to Alex, especially when the same mysterious boy with soulful blue eyes keeps showing up in each of them. But the more she descends, the more it becomes apparent that someone doesn’t want Alex to travel again. Ever.

And will stop at nothing to make this life her last.

The Fifty-Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare was a book that I was excited for as soon as I heard about it. So, of course, when I saw a copy was available to request on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to get it. Thankfully, Strange Chemistry approved my request and I was super excited to read it.

The Fifty-Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare follows 17 year old Alex who has hallucinations. These hallucinations pull her in without warning and Alex finds herself strange wounds she can't explain. Alex is desperate to find out why she is having hallucinations and to try and get rid of them. And then she meets Porter. Porter tells Alex that her hallucinations aren't really hallucinations, they're glimpses of her past lives. Alex is a Descender which means she is able to travel back in time by going through Limbo (space between life and death). Alex has had fifty-six past lives that she can travel back to. While Alex is exploring her previous lives, she keeps running into the same mysterious boy with blue eyes. As Alex continues descending, she starts to realise that someone is trying to stop her from descending and also trying to stop her altogether.

All I want to do is say how much I loooooooved this book. Seriously, it's one of the best time-travel books I've read because the whole time-travel aspect really wasn't that complicated. I've read a few time-travel novels that have left me with headaches trying to wrap my head around the time-travel process (Tempest for example - but I still love that book), but I had none of that with Alex Wayfare. It was a very simple and easy method to understand and I was extremely grateful for that. 

Alex is an intriguing character. She's suffered from visions ever since she was a little girl and they limit the amount of things she can do. Her visions can be triggered by anything so Alex avoids new movies, reading, cats and anything that could set off a vision because her whole family (mainly her sister) think she's slightly weird with all of her phobias. Discovering the different Alex's through her descending was brilliant and added a lot of her character. She came back from her visions with new abilities and became even more awesome that she already was. 

There was a little bit of romance in this book, but it definitely worked. First, we had Blue. Oh, Blue was definitely my favourite of the guys. Alex met him for the first time in Chicago 1927 and my heart melted. And then he popped up in a few of her other lives so I'm extremely intrigued by him.
And then we had Jensen. I really liked Jensen too. He's from Alex's current life and he's the popular guy at school. Nearly everyone else in Alex's class calls her 'Wayspaz', but Jensen doesn't. He's a genuinely nice and sweet character and I did really like him.
There were also a few other love interests from Alex's previous lives like Judd and Levi, and I enjoyed discovering about them too.

The storyline was so interesting and never had a single dull moment. Honestly? As soon as I picked this book up I just didn't want to put it down. It pulled me in straight away and I was so desperate to find out about Alex's glimpses of her past life and what was going to happen. Alex descending was definitely my favourite part of the book. I adored seeing her different lives and seeing how different she was in each of them. I really loved learning about Alex's past and finding out who was trying to stop her.

And then the ending happened. It was building up to something that I'd been dying to find out for so long, and then it just ended! I may have screamed in frustration because I'd been so desperate to find out this information, but I wasn't getting to. It's definitely a slight cliffhanger and obviously left me desperate for the next book so I can find out what happened!

Overall, The Fifty Seven Lives of Alex Wayfare is a fantastic debut. It's an enthralling, fast-paced, unputdownable read and I recommend it to everyone.

Waiting on Wednesday #73

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:

Take Me On by Katie McGarry

Series: Pushing the Limits #2

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: May 27th 2014

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

More Katie McGarry!!! I never thought we were going to get another book after Crash Into You, and I was freaking excited to hear there was going to be a 4th book! I'm not sure what I think of West - since Rachel's brothers in Crash Into You pissed me off - but I'm really excited to learn more about him and to get to meet Haley! And obviously I'm just excited to read more Katie McGarry books!

What are you waiting on this week?