Monday, February 29, 2016

February Wrap-Up!

A review of the monthly activities on the blog incl. book reviews, memes, 
reading challenge additions, book hauls

Hey Bookies!


This is my second Wrap Up post! 

Books Read:


The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins
Behold the Bones by Natalie C. Parker

Books Reviewed:

The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins
Behold the Bones by Natalie C. Parker
Nil by Lynn Watson

New Books:



Born Wicked by Jessica Spotwood
The Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten
Over You by Emma McLaughlin & Nichola Kraus
Between The Lines by Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer
Kiss of Deception and The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

. . . To name a few

For full details check out my In My Mailbox posts for February
 In My Mailbox #18
 In My Mailbox #19

Book In Progress:

N/A

February TBR:

Into The Dim by Janet Taylor
Guile by Constance Cooper

If you have any suggestions on improving my Wrap Ups for the future posts, comment below.


Happy Reading!

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Spread the Word Sunday #5


Spread the Word Sunday is a meme hosted by The Tattered Page to announce some sort of book related news or cause.

As you may have notice, I attended ALA for the first time, this year. I attended ALA Midwinter in Chicago. And had the time of my life. Now, I will be attending ALA Annual in Orlando!


For those who do not know what the American Library Association convention is, I provided some info below:

"With more than 450 exhibiting organizations, multiple pavilions and stages featuring the hottest authors, and numerous related fun events, the exhibit floor is an integral part of your learning, professional development, and networking. The Exhibit Hall offers you the opportunity to explore and discuss with expert vendors the breadth and depth of new and favorite library products, services, books, online services, tools, and technologies."

Exhibit Hours
June 24th: Friday Opening Reception on the Exhibit Floor5:30pm - 7:00pm
June 25th: Saturday9:00am - 5:00pm
June 26th: Sunday9:00am - 5:00pm
June 27th: Monday Exhibits Closing Events - Wrap Up / Rev Up Celebration     9:00am - 2:00pm

As I mentioned in my post, ALA Midwinter in Chicago RecapALA Midwinter was quite similar to BookExpo America. More like a lowkey version of BookExpo America. And it was amazing!

If you're a fellow book blogger or someone who loves books and will be attending, look me up!

*For more info, check out the official website for the ALA Annual 2016 Meeting & Exhibit*

Happy Reading!

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Wishlist Wednesday #71


*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*



Eyes of the Woods by Eden Fierce

Publisher
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release DateAugust 31, 2014
Pages: 250

The Story:

Eris Helgren knew her life was about to end. A daughter of the Priory—a generations-old family who protected their territories from nightwalkers—Eris was strong and independent. But on her birthday, her father would announce her betrothal. A year later, she would be forced to marry. What Eris didn't know was that the very monsters she hunted were watching her, and that being tamed wasn't what would kill her after all. In a land where the woods were forbidden and the laws meant life, Eris will have to make a decision that could bring peace between enemies, or war among friends.

-via Amazon




Meet the Author

Eden Fierce was born on August 25, 1999 and lives in Enid, Oklahoma with her parents and two siblings. Eyes of the Woods is her debut novel, although it’s only one of nine novels she has completed. Eden enjoys writing, reading, and high school cheer and volleyball.



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

Happy Reading!


Monday, February 22, 2016

In My Mailbox #19



*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 nineteenth time hosting In My Mailbox and I am so excited to share with you what I received in my mailbox recently.


No book-sale books this go but I did scrounge through Amazon! I also won two on Twitter. Kiss of Deception and The Heart of Betrayal! Thank you @SJBouquet :) Take a look below:





*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!
Friday, February 19, 2016

Feature Friday ARC Review : The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins









*Feature Friday ARC Review is a meme hosted by The Tattered Page to feature YA books that have not yet been released by reviewing them.*

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

Publisher
HarperTeen 

Release DateMarch 8, 2016
Pages: 432
Source: ARC

The Story:

Wendy Higgins, the author of the New York Times bestselling Sweet Evil series, reimagines a classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale with The Great Hunt, a dramatic, romance-filled fantasy with rugged hunters, romantic tension, and a princess willing to risk all to save her kingdom.
When a monstrous beast attacks in Eurona, desperate measures must be taken. The king sends a proclamation to the best and bravest hunters: whoever kills the creature will win the hand of his daughter Princess Aerity as a reward. The princess recognizes her duty but cannot bear the idea of marrying a stranger—she was meant to marry for love—until a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention. And while there’s no denying the fiery chemistry between them, Princess Aerity feels that Paxton’s mysteriousness is foreboding, maybe even dangerous.
Paxton is not the marrying type. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He is determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast—but the princess continues to surprise him, and the secrets he’s buried begin to surface against his wishes.
via Amazon

Rating





Reading Tune Outlander - Main Theme Song by Bear McCreary

Tag Line:

Kill the beast. Win the girl.

Opening Line:

A late summer breeze blew warm over the deep and wide Lanach Creek.


My Review

Plot:

I went into 
The Great Hunt with high expectations. The premise of the story was brilliant. A great kingdom is plagued by a strange beast. In a last ditch effort to save and defeat the beast, a kind king asks his daughter to make a hefty sacrifice. Become the ultimate prize in the great hunt to stop the murderous beast once and for all. 

And to add the cherry on top, is a fairy tale retelling! "The Singing Bone" to be exact. Y'all know I am obsessed with fairy tale retellings. Now, come on, how does this story not scream magical!

The Great Hunt pacing was a little slow for me. Not enough beast action considering the premise of the story. I expected more bloody, hunting of the great, strange beast and more hot hunters joisting and vying for the princess' hand. Even the romantic tension between Paxton and Aerity was lackluster -- so no redemption there. There was more angst than swoon. I didn't squeal in glee. I have a sweet spot for moody loner but Paxton had a huge thorn in his paw or butt. 

Prior to reading The Great Hunt, the only Higgin's book I have read was See Me. And I absolutely loved it! But the writing in The Great Hunt was different. Not bad writing, by all means, but not as enthralling as in See Me.

All in all, The Great Hunt was a decent read, however, I was underwhelmed. Not one of my favorite but still worth your time if you have time to spare. My hopes are the story is redeemed by picking up in the following installment.

Character Breakdown:


The characters were flesh out enough that I never had to squeeze my brain to remember who was who. As for the dynamic between them, it was average, good enough I wasn't bored out of my mind with the character interactions. 

Princess Aerity - Kind and selfless even though she was royalty. While not outwardly fierce, Aerity was a strong and realistic character, I was able to sympathize with Princess Aerity's dilemma.


Paxton Seabolt - Brooding loner with a chip on his shoulder and loyal to
 his family. 

"At one point she felt his nose against her neck, and when she pulled to the side to peer at him, his head jerked up, and he stared straight ahead.
'You . . . smell nice," e said with seeming reluctance. The princess faced ahead again so he wouldn't see her smile.v- page 275

Here is one of my favorite quotes from 
The Great Hunt:

Paxton's mother: "You don't live with the looks," his mother had always told him. "You live with the personality, so try and be pleasant. And choose a girl with a loving heart." - page 92

"His mother and grandmother used to tie his hair back as a lad, but it had been years since anyone had cared for him in that basic way. Now, feeling her small, warm hands fingering through his hair and smoothing it back, brushing against his skin, a chill of gratification and desire rippled through him. His hair felt tight as she knotted the strip at his nape. He let himself enjoy it." - page 216 

Meet the Author:




Wendy Higgins is the USA Today and NYT bestselling author of the Sweet Evil series from HarperTeen, the high fantasy duology The Great Hunt, and her independently published Irish fantasy, See Me. She is a former high school English teacher who now writes full time, and lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her veterinarian husband, daughter, son, and doggie Rue. 

Wendy earned a bachelor's in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a master's in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford University. She is represented by Jill Corcoran of the Jill Corcoran Literary Agency.

***Check out Wendy Higgins' website for more information about her and The Great HuntHERE
Happy Reading!


Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Wishlist Wednesday #70


*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*



We'll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean

Publisher
HMH Books for Young Readers
Release DateOctober 6, 2015
Pages: 288

The Story:

Murder.  
Fire.  
Revenge.  
That’s all seventeen-year-old Alice Monroe thinks about. Committed to a mental ward at Savage Isle, Alice is haunted by memories of the fire that killed her boyfriend, Jason. A blaze her twin sister Cellie set. But when Chase, a mysterious, charismatic patient, agrees to help her seek vengeance, Alice begins to rethink everything. Writing out the story of her troubled past in a journal, she must confront hidden truths. Is the one person she trusts only telling her half the story? Nothing is as it seems in this edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller from the debut author Emiko Jean. 

-via Amazon





Meet the Author

Emiko Jean is the author of WE'LL NEVER BE APART (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015). Before she was a writer, she was a teacher. Emiko is represented by Erin Harris at Folio Literary Management. You may find her at emikojean.com and on twitter @emikojeanbooks.



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

Happy Reading!


Friday, February 12, 2016

Feature Friday ARC Review : Behold the Bones by Natalie C. Parker


*Feature Friday ARC Review is a meme hosted by The Tattered Page to feature YA books that have not yet been released by reviewing them.*

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

Publisher
HarperTeen 
Publication dateFebruary 23, 2016
Pages368
Source: ARC

The Story:

A haunting, chilling, and atmospheric southern swamp tale—perfect for fans of Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver.
In this companion to Beware the Wild, the book New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White called “American myth at its very best,” Natalie C. Parker takes readers on a journey back to an eerie Louisiana swamp town.
Candace “Candy” Pickens has been obsessed with the swamp lore of her tiny Louisiana town for . . . forever. Name any ghostly swamp figure and Candy will recite the entire tale in a way that will curl your toes and send chills up your spine.
That doesn’t mean Candy’s a believer, however. But with swamp haunts appearing in town every day, a suspicious new family in town, and her own mind starting to betray her, Candy must come to terms with the one piece of swamp lore she’s never heard before. It’s a tale that’s more truth than myth, and may hold all the answers . . . and its roots are in Candy’s own family tree.
Rating






My Review

Tag Line:


The most dangerous curse is the one that lies within.


Opening Line:


Grandpa Craven kicked it the day I was born.


Plot:


The premise of 
Behold the Bones was something different than what I tend to read and very intriguing. I could not put the book down! For as long as the Cravens could traced back on their family tree, they have been cursed. When one Craven was born, one must die. The Craven Curse. An unforgettable curse, when Candy had the yearly reminder of her beloved grandfather's death. A curse with a great personal consequences to Candy when she received devastating news about her future, discovers a strange connection to a mystery cherry blossom tree in the swamp and hauntings were being reported all over town as 
the towns folklore came to life as ghosts. To make matters worse . . . Candy could make the ghosts go away. And she was caught on camera. The last thing she wanted was to be the star of a reality ghost TV show. Escape the Craven family curse and the small life in Sticks, Louisiana were the only plans she had on her radar.

Without thinking, I jump to my feet and hold up my hands. "Mad Mary Sweet!" I cry. "Stop!"

But, of course, she doesn't stop. Shrieking, she rushes straight into my hands. She's cold. so cold against my skin, but then she vanishes like fog. - page 131

The setting  of Behold the Bones was real, the story took place in Louisiana -- I felt transported. The characters were alive and had a great dynamic. The pacing was just right for the story. The story did not feel rushed or draggy. I absolutely loved Parker's style of writing! The Southern colloquiums were so authentic and this was the first time I have read a story set in the south. I actually felt as if I were in the south with the characters (Beautiful Creatures was also one had real southern air). 

Heath urges caution, saying "Maybe we shouldn't," but I wave him off. Girls can get away with more rudeness than boys. So long as I remember to use wide eyes if I get stopped, we won't catch much trouble. - page 74.

All in all, I recommend Behold the Bones with great enthusiasm! Parker's first novel, Beware the Wild has been expressed to my Wishlist.

Character Breakdown:

Candace "Candy" Pickens - Her character was definitely my favorite. She was real, fiesta and a "take names" sort of character.


Notable Quote:

"Nice to see you, too, Candy," he answers. You can always tell a decent boy from a dangerous one by the trail of their eyes cut during conversation. Heath's eyes are unwavering, they promise stability and honesty and roses on Valentine's. - page 70


Meet the Author:




Natalie C. Parker grew up in a navy family in which having adventures was as common as reading fairy tales. Though the roots of her family are buried deep in southern Mississippi, she currently lives in Kansas with her partner in a house of monsters. Beware the Wild is her first novel. 



***Check out Natalie C. Parker's website for more information about her and Behold the BonesHERE

Happy Reading!



Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Wishlist Wednesday #69


*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*



Queen of Always by Sherry D. Ficklin

Publisher
Clean Teen Publishing 
Release DateNovember 23, 2015
Pages: 280

The Story:

If her time at court has taught Catherine anything, it's that there is no room for weakness in Imperial Russia. With the Empress' health failing and rumors of a change in the line of succession, her place in the royal line is once more in jeopardy. Tormented by her sadistic husband and his venomous mistress, Catherine must once more walk the fine line between pleasure and politics―between scandal and survival.
When her young son becomes the target of those rebelling against Peter's reign, Catherine will have to rise up to protect herself, her child, and her nation from his unstable and potentially catastrophic rule. This means putting herself at odds with the most dangerous man she's ever known, trusting those who once proved to be her enemies, and turning a nation against its sovereign. In the ultimate battle for the crown, new alliances will be forged, loyalties will be tested, and blood will be shed.
Don't miss this breathtaking conclusion to the Stolen Empire series!
-via Amazon



Meet the Author

Sherry is a full time writer from Colorado and the author of over a dozen novels for teens and young adults including the best selling Stolen Empire series. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she's on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.


Sherry also writes New Adult fiction under the pen name Ranae Glass and is a contributing writer for fangirlish.com. You can find her at her official website, www.sherryficklin.com, or stalk her on her Facebook page www.facebook.com/sherry.ficklin. 



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

Happy Reading!