Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Wishlist Wednesday #41



*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*


Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk

Publisher
Delacorte Press
Release Date: January 5, 2016
Pages: 256

The Story:

A modern cupid story set in present-day Wisconsin combining the fantastical elements of Greek mythology with the contemporary drama of MTV's Teen Mom.People don’t understand love. If they did, they’d get why dance prodigy Karma Clark just can’t say goodbye to her boyfriend, Danny. No matter what he says or does or how he hurts her, she can’t stay angry with him . . . and can’t stop loving him. But there’s a reason why Karma is helpless to break things off: she’s been shot with a love arrow. 
Aaryn, son of Cupid, was supposed to shoot both Karma and Danny but found out too late that the other arrow in his pack was useless. And with that, Karma’s life changed forever. One pregnancy confirmed. One ballet scholarship lost. And dream after dream tossed to the wind.

A clueless Karma doesn’t know that her toxic relationship is Aaryn’s fault . . . but he’s going to get a chance to make things right. He’s here to convince Danny to man up and be there for Karma. But what if this god from Mount Olympus finds himself falling in love with a beautiful dancer from Wisconsin who can never love him in return?
 
This fast-paced debut novel explores the internal & external conflicts of a girl who finds herself inexplicably drawn to a boy who seemingly doesn't reciprocate her  feelings, touching on the issues of love, sex and responsibility, with a heroine struggling to control her destiny--perfect for fans of Katie McGarry's novels and MTV’s 16 and Pregnant.


-via Amazon




Meet the Author

MELISSA GORZELANCZYK is a young adult author who believes love is everything. A dreamer for life, Melissa has been writing books since she was nine years old when she penned her first story about a beloved black horse. She is a member of the SCBWI and The Sweet Sixteens. She lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin with her husband and two teenage children.



Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Review : Joyride by Anna Banks


*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

PublisherFeiwel & Friends

Release Date: June 2, 2015
Pages: 288
Source: ARC

The Story:

Who says opposites don't attract?

It's been several years since Carly Vega's parents were deported. Carly lives with her older brother, studies hard, and works the graveyard shift at a convenience store to earn enough to bring her parents back from Mexico. 

Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He used to date popular blondes and have fun pranking with his older sister. But now all that's changed, and Arden needs a new accomplice. Especially one his father, the town sheriff, will disapprove. 

All Carly wants, at first, is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to not do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they've been living according to the wishes of others. Carly and Arden's journey toward their true hearts -- and one another -- is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh. Just like real life.
via Amazon
RatingTHREE Gold Stars!!!


My Review

Opening Line:

Mr. Shackleford shuffles in the front door of the Breeze Mart, jingling the bells to a velvet string on the handle.

Plot:

Where to start? Joyride was a decent ride. There were some cool parts. The best aspect about the story was the presence of the characters. They were so realistic and vivacious - they came off the page. I also appreciated the strong Latina lead. As an Afro-Latina is nice to read, not only interracial couples, but one with such a strong Latina taking command of the story.

As for what I didn't like, it is hard to pinpoint. It is hard for me to say what exactly stopped Joyride from receiving a higher rating than 3-stars. Unfortunately, I suppose because the story just didn't have the "je ne sais quoi" that makes me fall in love with the story.

The premise of Joyride was catchy enough. Interracial couple, illegal immigration, evil sheriff dad, Yada Yada. The pacing was decent. It did not keep me on the tips of my toes but it did not bore me to sleep either.

Character Breakdown:

Carly Vega - Carly's character was a badass. She was a feisty, caring, teenage girl who wasn't afraid to stand up for those she cares about even if the consequences were high.


Sheriff Dwayne Moss - The Sheriff was well-written as a villain. His character tug at my insides - I despised him. When I read a story, I think 

Here is one of my favorite quotes from Joyride:

Carly: "He just holds me. Holds me, and kisses me like I'm the thing he's been craving since life began" (page 169). 

Cletus: "'Spending every waking minute with her. And when you're not, you're at my house keeping busy, until you can spend your next waking minutes with her" (page 182).

Meet the Author:



Anna Banks is a young adult author whose primary goal is to entertain smart, funny gals like herself. You can expect her works to be centered around a love story, freckled with humor, and seasoned with sarcasm. 

Anna grew up in a small town called Niceville (yes, really) in the Florida Panhandle. She now lives with her husband and daughter close to her hometown. The youngest of seven children, she was spoiled beyond comprehension growing up. Before she started writing, Anna worked as a banker and a waitress. She loves old movies, fried chicken, and Simon Cowell, but loathes exercise, licorice, and haters.

She also spews sarcastic, romantic fiction under pen name Anna Scarlett.



***Check out Anna Banks' website for more information about her and the JoyrideHERE

Happy Reading!



Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Wishlist Wednesday #40


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*


Descent by Tara Fuller

Publisher
Entangled Teen
Release Date: June 3, 2015
Pages: 268

The Story:

He'll destroy everything and everyone to save her...including himself. Easton doesn't believe in love. He believes in death. Darkness. Sin. As a reaper for Hell, it's all he's known for more than four hundred years. So when he gets slapped with the job of training the boss's daughter, an angel that knows nothing but joy, he knows he's in for a world of trouble. Though he's made it clear he wants nothing to do with her outside of work, Gwen will do whatever it takes to get close to the dark and wounded reaper - even taint her angelic image and become a reaper herself. But in all her planning, she forgot to factor in one thing - how far the demons Easton doomed to Hell will go for revenge. When the dangers of Hell threaten Gwen, Easton will destroy everything and everyone to save her. But as the darkness closes in, will he be able to save himself?

-via Amazon









Meet the Author

Music enthusiast, chocolate connoisseur, and Mystery Science Theater Addict. I also write YA Books. Author of the Kissed by Death series and Perigee Moon.








Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!


Sunday, July 12, 2015

In My Mailbox #6


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren which allows bloggers to share what books they bought/received each week.

Hey Bookies! This week will be the sixth time hosting In My Mailbox and I am so excited to share with you what I received in my mailbox recently.

Having said that, a couple of weeks ago I participated in #BooksForTrade for the first time! And the reaping was phenomenal! I had a some extra books from BEA 2015 I could part with and ended up with some other great reads in return. I was lucky enough to win a couple of books on Twitter - thank you Katie over at Polished Page for A Court of Thorn and Roses and Jenna and Crystal over at Bookiemoji for Black Dove, White RavenAlso, thank you to whomever sent me the Judy Blume set - with Fat Girl Walking! You're the real MVP! And, last but not least, thanks to my APO Big, Andrea, for Murder Most Austen. Take a look below:




#BooksForTrade:



Won:



Gifted:



*If you're interested in the other books that are on my radar you can check out my Amazon Wishlist: Books I Dream About!

Happy Reading!


Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Wishlist Wednesday #39


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*


Winterspell by Claire Legrand

PublisherSimon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 30, 2014
Pages: 464

The Story:

Darkly romantic and entirely enchanting, this reimagining of The Nutcracker from Claire Legrand brims with magic, love, and intrigue. New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer (Cinder) says “this is not your grandmother’s Nutcracker tale.”

After her mother is brutally murdered, seventeen-year-old Clara Stole is determined to find out what happened to her. Her father, a powerful man with little integrity, is a notorious New York City gang lord in the syndicate-turned-empire called Concordia. And he isn’t much help.

But there is something even darker than Concordia’s corruption brewing under the surface of the city, something full of vengeance and magic, like the stories Clara’s godfather used to tell her when she was a little girl. Then her father is abducted and her little sister’s life is threatened, and Clara accidentally frees Nicholas from a statue that has been his prison for years. Nicholas is the rightful prince of Cane, a wintry kingdom that exists beyond the city Clara has known her whole life.

When Nicholas and Clara journey together to Cane to retrieve her father, Clara encounters Anise, the queen of the faeries, who has ousted the royal family in favor of her own totalitarian, anti-human regime. Clara finds that this new world is not as foreign as she feared, but time is running out for her family, and there is only so much magic can do...


-via Amazon

Meet the Author

Claire Legrand used to be a musician until she realized she couldn't stop thinking about the stories in her head. Now a writer, Ms. Legrand can often be found typing with purpose at her keyboard, losing herself in the stacks at her local library, or embarking upon spontaneous adventures to lands unknown. Her first novel is THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, a New York Public Library Best Book for Children in 2012. Her second novel, THE YEAR OF SHADOWS, is out now, also from Simon & Schuster, with her third novel, WINTERSPELL, to follow in fall 2014. She is one of the four authors behind THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, an anthology of dark middle grade fiction due out May 27, 2014 from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins. Claire lives in New Jersey with a dragon and two cats. Visit her at claire-legrand.com and at enterthecabinet.com.


Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!