Showcase Sunday #87

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.

So this week has been a pretty good week for me bookwise. I've managed to resist the urge to buy a single book - and I'm pretty proud of myself. Compared to last year, I'm actually managing to limit the amount of books I buy. But, this week I did get two books that I'm extremely excited about - one which I just HAD to read as soon as I got it (even if it's not out until May next year!).

Netgalley

The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski

Thanks to Bloomsbury

Won

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas

I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this from Bloomsbury Kids UK on twitter and I may have screamed in work when I found out I'd won. I've already read it and it's fantastic! And I'm already -re-reading because I just need to. Massive thanks to Bloomsbury Kids UK!

What books did you get this week?

DEBUTATHON 2014

The wonderful Amber over at Books of Amber is hosting her second Debutathon! I took part in the first one and had so much fun that I knew I definitely had to sign up for this one! So the Debutathon runs from December 8th at 12AM to December 14th at 11.59PM.

THE RULES
• The debuts have to be released in 2014
• The debuts can be Middle Grade, Young Adult, or Adult
• You may read an author’s debut in one of those categories, even if they've published other books in other categories before.

Amber will also have some giveaways, author interviews and fun challenges to take part in throughout the Debutathon! I definitely recommend signing up, and if you want to, click here!

Waiting on Wednesday #98

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:

Reborn by Jennifer Rush

Series: Altered #3

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Publication Date: January 6th 2015

An action-packed, romantic, and suspenseful third book in the Altered series.

The Branch is in shambles, but Anna, Sam, Cas, and Nick can't rest easy. Remnants of the organization lurk unseen and the flashbacks to their old lives are only getting stronger--especially Nick's.

Following scattered memories and clues from his Branch file, Nick sets off alone in search of answers and in search of the girl who haunts his dreams. But the sleepy town where she lives in full of secrets and Nick soon learns that uncovering their shared past may have deadly consequences.

It's Nick's book! GIVE IT TO ME. In Erased we found out a lot more about Nick, but I'm dying to know about his past and I'm dying to get into his head! January better hurry up, I need Nick's book.

What are you waiting on this week?

Cold Feet at Christmas by Debbie Johnson

Cold Feet at Christmas by Debbie Johnson
Series: No
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: November 6th 2014
Source: Netgalley [Publisher]

Running out on your wedding shouldn’t be this much fun!

A remote Scottish castle on a snowy Christmas Eve. A handsome husband-to-be. A dress to die for. It should have been the happiest day of Leah Harvey’s life – but the fairytale wedding turns sour when she finds her fiancé halfway up the bridesmaid’s skirt just hours before the ceremony!

Fleeing the scene in a blizzard, Leah ends up stranded at the nearest cottage, where she collapses into the arms of its inhabitant – a man so handsome she thinks she must have died and gone to heaven!

And when Rob Cavelli suddenly finds himself with an armful of soaking wet, freezing cold, and absolutely gorgeous bride on the run, he’s more than happy to welcome her into his snowbound cottage this Christmas…

Cold Feet at Christmas was my first Christmas read of 2014, and it was exactly what I needed. I've been really getting into the Christmas spirit lately with all the Christmas adverts, the decorations in town, the German Market and also because I've started buying Christmas presents! So I was desperately in the mood for a Christmas read, and this one sounded perfect for my mood. 

Cold Feet at Christmas follows Leah and Rob who meet on Christmas Eve after Leah runs out on her wedding (after catching her husband to be cheating) and stumbles across the remote cabin that Rob stays in every Christmas. The instant they meet there's chemistry. Leah is trying ti ignore it because she literally just ran away from her wedding, and Rob is flat out refusing to admit there's anything there. They both give into the chemistry, but when Rob offers Leah a new start, he puts a halt to their shenanigans and insists they just be friends. They're both struggling with their feelings for each other, but first they both need to work out their issues. 

Debbie Johnson had me laughing from the word go. Although Cold Feet at Christmas has got a few deeper and slightly more serious storylines, most of it is light-hearted and hilarious - which makes it the perfect Christmas read. Leah was just hilarious! Her inner-thoughts had me chuckling and she was just such a likeable character. She found her husband-to-be and her bridesmaid having sex and she just seemed fine with it! She was definitely a trooper. Rob was a complete mystery for most of the book. He kept his past closed off and could be a real ass sometimes, but I still really liked his character.

The one thing I wasn't actually expecting about this book was the steaminess. And oh my god were there a lot of steamy moments. Like I said, Leah and Rob's chemistry was apparent straight away and they obviously gave into it. Stuck in a cabin with a sexy guy on Christmas, I would have done the same thing. Rob and Leah were so passionate and so perfect together, but they kept sabotaging their relationship due to issues in their pasts that they hadn't accepted. 

The ending was perfect and made me smile. Cold Feet at Christmas is definitely a book I'd recommend for anyone looking for a slightly steamier romance and a perfect Christmas book - because this one ticks both boxes! Overall, I really enjoyed it.

Showcase Sunday #86

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! Apologies for the lack of Showcase Sunday last week. I slept in and by the time I remembered it was about 5pm and I couldn't be bothered by then. So this week I have two weeks worth of books to show you :)

Bought

• physical

Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

I decided to buy the full new paperback set of the Harry Potter books because Bloomsbury UK had it on offer for only £35 (it should have been £60)! So I just couldn't resist having the pretty box set.

Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin #3) by Robin LaFevers

The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

Netgalley

The Shape of My Heart (2B Trilogy #3) by Ann Aguirre

Half Lies (Half Bad #0.5) by Sally Green

Thanks to Penguin & Harlequin!

Edelweiss

The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine

Thing We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby

Emancipated by M. G. Reyes

The Cost of All Things by Maggie Lehrman

Heat of the Moment (A Moment of Truth #1) by Lauren Barnholdt

Illusionarium by Heather Dixon

Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

Thanks to HarperTeen, Greenwillow Books, Balzer + Bray and Katherine Tegen Books!

Library

A Winter Flame by Milly Johnson

The Christmas Party by Carole Matthews

Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews

With Love at Christmas by Carole Matthews

A Gift to Remember by Melissa Hill

Gifted

Hush Hush (Hush Hush #1) by Becca Fitzpatrick

The wonderful Brittany over at This is the Story of My (Reading) Life met Becca Fitzpatrick and sent me a signed copy of Hush Hush! Isn't she just the best?

What books did you get this week?

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Series: Anna and the French Kiss #3
Publisher: Usborne
Publication Date: August 14th 2014
Source: Bought

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

Isla and the Happily Ever After was one of my most anticipated releases of this year. I absolutely adore Stephanie Perkins books and I couldn't wait to get my hands on Isla!

Honestly, I think Isla is probably my favourite of the series. It follows Isla and Josh (who were both in Anna) during their senior year in France. Isla has been in love with Josh for years, and is convinced he doesn't know who she is. They meet while Isla is high on painkillers in Manhatten, and their relationship grows from there. 

Isla is just so adorable. She's awkward, insecure and extremely relatable. I've felt exactly how Isla felt in this book and that made her so real to me. The fact that I could relate to her just made her even more awesome. Even though there were times when I wanted to knock some sense into her, I still loved her.

I've been dying to get to know Josh more since we met him in Anna. Josh is a complex character. He's an introvert and keeps to himself. But he starts to come out of his shell when he starts hanging around with Isla. He's funny, sweet and I loved seeing him come out of his shell. 

Isla and Josh were such an adorable and awkward couple. Stephanie captured the beginning of a new romance/relationship perfectly and they made my heart hurt with their adorableness. I just wanted to cuddle them both. 

But they both had their problems. Isla's insecurities played a major part in their problems. She's unsure of herself and her future, and she feels like she not good enough for Josh. She's constantly comparing herself to his ex and it causes all sorts of problems. Even though Josh starts to come out of his shell, he's still an introvert and likes his time alone. So he tends to lock himself away and shut everything out. He's also got a habit of not allowing himself to be happy.

The ending of the book made me sob happy tears. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I cried at the end of Anna and Lola, so it was probably a given that the end of Isla would make me sob. It made my heart explode with joy and I finished reading Isla with a huge grin on my face.

Other than Isla & Josh, I loved that we got to revisit Anna, Etienne, Lola and Cricket. Honestly, I was waiting for the moment when they would all appear and it was perfect! Also, there was a moment with Anna & Etienne that had me squealing with joy! So perfect.

Overall, Isla and the Happily Ever After was a fantastic end to an amazing series. I've loved every single second of it and it's going to be one I'll re-read over and over again because it makes me so happy. I honestly can't recommend this series enough, it's amazing.

Creed by Trisha Leaver

Creed by Trisha Leaver & Lindsay Currie
Series: No
Publisher: Flux
Publication Date: November 1st 2014
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

Three went in. Three came out. None even a shadow of who they once were.

When their car breaks down, Dee, her boyfriend Luke, and his brother Mike walk through a winter storm to take refuge in a nearby town called Purity Springs. When they arrive, the emergency sirens are blaring and the small farming town seems abandoned. With no other shelter, they spend the night in an empty house.

But they soon discover that not everything in Purity Springs is as it seems. When the town's inhabitants suddenly appear the next morning, Dee, Luke, and Mike find themselves at the mercy of the charismatic leader, Elijah Hawkins, who plans to make Dee his new wife. Elijah's son, Joseph, offers to help them escape... but the price of his help may be more than Dee and her friends can bear.

I was really excited to read Creed because it sounded like it was going to be a really creepy thriller. It started off good, but gradually started to go downhill for me. Everything started to feel way too rushed towards the end and it was also slightly too gory for me. 

Creed follows our three main characters Dee, Luke & Mike who have all lied to their parents/guardians about where they'll be for the next three days so that Dee could surprise her boyfriend Luke for his birthday. Their car breaks down so they decide to walk and try to find some help. They come across a deserted town with an emergency siren blaring, decide to go to an abandoned gas station, a grave yard and finally break into someones house. All the while not coming across a single person. Dee has a bad feeling about the place, and she's right to. Creed had all the usual signs of a bad horror movie, and I love a bad horror movie as much as the next person so I honestly thought I was going to enjoy it.

To be fair, I did enjoy the beginning. It did have a creepy and eerie feel to it when they were wandering about an abandoned Purity Springs. I had goosebumps when I was reading that bit because I was convincing myself someone was going to jump out on them and kidnap/try to kill them. So I did feel the creep factor. But as soon as Joseph showed up and dragged Dee back to save his sister, everything got a bit gruesome and honestly, slightly boring. I lost interest in the characters and really didn't care what happened to them anymore. I kept reading though because I couldn't believe that no one had ever heard about what happens in this town before and I wanted to know whether anyone ever would. Elijah Hawkins was a super creep and made my stomach churn. I was hoping that someone would end up killing him because he totally deserved it, if not worse. 

So, like I said, everything towards the end felt extremely rushed to me. Also, this is where most of the unnecessary gore starts to appear and where I started to skim. I was extremely disappointed by the end of the book because I'd really been hoping for a scary and creepy read, but for me, that wasn't Creed. 

Overall, for me, there wasn't really anything stand out about Creed. The characters didn't stand out, the plot was predictable and I found myself getting bored. There are loads of people out there who enjoyed Creed, but it just wasn't for me.