It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Britney #15

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Book Journey in which you talk about books you have recently finished, books you are currently reading, and books you plan on reading next.


Recently Finished:


          Fates                      Asylum                 Fire & Flood
                                 
                                        The Jewel

Currently Reading:


     Trial By Fire


Up Next:


Catch a Falling Star         Uninvited

Britney's Review of Fire & Flood

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Publication Date: February 25, 2014

Summary: Time is slipping away...

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her bother is dying-and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives the mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's not guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race. 

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Victoria Scott's breathtaking novel grabs readers by the throat and

doesn't let go. 

My Rating: ALL THE STARS. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. 

My Review:

So, basically I loved this book more than I have loved a book in a long time. Just everything about it was wonderful and amazing. Tella's brother is really sick and the doctors can't figure out what is wrong with him, and the family moves to Montana. Nine months into living there Tella receives this device that tells her about the Brimstone Bleed in which she can win a Cure for her brother. The whole Cure thing to me was just great. It wasn't like these people were competing for money, they are fighting to save somebody they love. Fighting for somebody you love I think is more dangerous than fighting for money. Tella has seen her brother get worse, and knows he won't make it much longer so she has to win the Brimstone Bleed for him. 

I think Tella made a smart decision and leaving her family and going to compete. To be honest, I think I would have done the same thing to save somebody in my family. Or at least I'd hope I was brave enough to. 

Then there were the Pandora's which are the cutest things EVER. I want one. Actually I want Madox, because he is the greatest Pandora and I love him. 

I loved all the characters in this book. Well, with the exception of Titus. Ew. 

Before reading this book I heard there was a boy kind of like Warner from Shatter Me, and I squealed because Warner is my life. I wasn't disappointed in Guy at all, although I don't like to compare him to Warner. Sure, Guy wasn't super nice in the beginning to Tella and he definitely has his secrets, but I truly believe he has his reasons for everything. AND HE IS THE GREATEST OKAY? OKAY.

The twins, Ransom and Levi LET ME LOVE YOU. They were fabulous, and hilarious but UGH MY POOR BABIES. 

Harper I didn't like at first because I thought she was just going to be a mean girl, but she proved me wrong. I loved her, and just everything. And her plot twist! Didn't see that coming at all. 

Caroline and Dink are precious. I was confused about some things about them for quite some time UNTIL THINGS GOT REVEALED AND THEN I WAS LIKE EXCUSE ME WHAT JUST HAPPENED. Although I've still got a question about that all. 

Then Jaxon and Olivia. Okay, Jaxon is like everything wonderful. The first time he spoke I fell in love with him. The way he cares for Olivia and looks after her is so sweet. Olivia herself is hilarious, and I'm so glad she's in the book. 

I think it's great how these people are all there for a Cure to save somebody they love but they can work together and have formed these great relationships with one another. It melts my heart. 

I feel like I have just ranted so much and raved about all the characters BUT I JUST LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH AND HAVE SO MANY FEELS. 

Britney's Review of This is What Happy Looks Like

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Publication Date: April 2, 2013

Summary: If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds. 

Then Graham founds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs. 

My Rating: 4.75/5 Stars

My Review: 

I had no expectations or anything going into this book. All I knew is that it was about a famous guy sending an ordinary girl an email on accident and I was hoping it was cute. This book did not disappoint me at all! Ellie received an email about somebody talking about his pet pig, and after she responded they struck up a friendship through email. Ellie mentions the city she lives in, and when the original location for the movie Graham is in falls through, he has them move it to Ellie's hometown in Maine. 

It isn't all happy and rainbows and sunshine after that though because Ellie didn't know Graham was famous, and Graham doesn't know a big secret about Ellie's family. Things are not easy between these two, but if they want to stay together then they will have to work for it. 

I enjoyed all the characters so much in this book. Graham was so cute, and I ended up loving him so much. Ellie was not annoying at all, and was just pretty awesome. I would have liked to see more Quinn and Devon though. The reason I gave it a crazy rating of 4.75 was because of how it all ended! I just wanted more, and have some more of my questions answered. 

Inspire by Cora Carmack Cover Reveal!

We are thrilled to bring you the cover for Cora Carmack's INSPIRE! INSPIRE is a New Adult Paranormal Romance novel and is due to be released on December 15, 2014!





The cover was designed by VLC Productions.


INSPIRE on Goodreads


About INSPIRE:

Kalliope lives with one purpose.

To inspire.

As an immortal muse, she doesn't have any other choice. It's part of how she was made. Musicians, artists, actors-they use her to advance their art, and she uses them to survive. She moves from one artist to the next, never staying long enough to get attached. But all she wants is a different life-a normal one. She's spent thousands of years living lie after lie, and now she's ready for something real.

Sweet, sexy and steady, Wilder Bell feels more real than anything else in her long existence. And most importantly...he's not an artist. He doesn't want her for her ability. But she can't turn off the way she influences people, not even to save a man she might love. Because in small doses, she can help make something beautiful, but her ability has just as much capacity to destroy as it does to create. The longer she stays, the more obsessed Wilder will become. It's happened before, and it never turns out well for the mortal.

Her presence may inspire genius.

But it breeds madness, too.




About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys pacing her charactesr in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Links:
Website
Twitter
Facebook
Author Goodreads

Waiting On Wednesday - Britney #11

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick is:

The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson

Publication Date: February 10, 2015

Summary: The thrilling third installment to the Edgar-nominated, bestselling series. 

At the end of Maureen Johnson's New York Times bestselling novel, The Madness Underneath, Rory, Callum and Boo are reeling from the sudden and tragic death of their friend and squad leader, Stephen. The Shadow Cabinet picks up where readers left off, and now Rory is convinced there must be a way to bring Stephen back. Meanwhile, new dangers arise: Rory's classmate Charlotte is missing, and Jane and her nefarious organization are clearly planning something big-with Rory as their most valuable asset. Time is running out as the ghost squad struggles to protect London and Rory fights to bring Stephen back.

Why I'm Waiting:

The second book left on that darn cliffhanger! I needed this book the second that I finished the other one. It's too far away!

Release Day Launch for Stay With Me & Giveaway

We are so pleased to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout's STAY WITH ME! STAY WITH ME is a New Adult contemporary romance being published by an imprint of HarperCollins, and is a party of Jennifer's With You Saga!




STAY WITH ME TRAILER:

EXCERPT:

As I lay there, trying to swallow a loud, obnoxious yawn, I remembered something he'd said when we first met, about life being too short. I imagined he had firsthand experience with shortened lives while he was serving. That mentality came from experience. I got that now. Could even understand it, but there was something I didn't understand.
"Why?" I asked.
There was a beat. "Why what?"
Jax sounded tired, and I should shut up or point out that I was not tired and could sleep, so he could leave. But I didn't. "Why are you here? You don't know me and..." I trailed off, because there really wasn't anything left to say.
A minute went by, and he hadn't answered my quesiton, and then I think another minute ticked on, and I was okay with him not answering because maybe he didn't even know. Or maybe he was just bored and that was why he was here.
But then he moved.
Jax pressed against my back, and then the next breath I took got stuck in my throat. My eyes shot open. The sheet and blanket were between us, but they felt like nothing.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Getting comfortable." He dropped an arm over my waist, and my entire body jerked against his. "It's time to sleep I think."
"But-"
"You can't sleep when you talk," he remarked.
"You don't need to be all up on me," I pointed out.
His answering chuckle stirred the hair along the back of my neck. "Honey, I'm not all up on you."
I freaking begged to differ on that point. I started to wiggle away, but the arm around my waist tightened, holding me in place.
"You're not going anywhere," he announced casually, as if he wasn't holding me prisoner in the bed.
Okay. The whole prisoner thing might be melodramatic, but he wasn't letting me up. Not when he was all kinds of comfy behind me.
Oh my God, this was spooning. Total spooning. I was spooning with an honorary member of the Hot Guy Brigade. Did I wake up in a parallel universe?
"Sleep," he demanded, as if the one word carried that much power. "Go to sleep, Calla." This time his voice was softer, quieter.
"Yeah, it doesn't work that way, Jax. You have a nice voice, but it doesn't hold the power to make me sleep on your command."
He chuckled.
I rolled my eyes, but the most ridiculous thing ever was the fact that after a couple of minutes, my eyes stayed shut. I...I actually settled against him. With his front pressed to my back, his long legs cradling mine, and his arm snug around my waist, I actually did feel safe. More than that, I felt something else-something I hadn't felt in years.
I felt cared for...cherished.
Which was the epitome of dumb, because I barely knew him, but feeling that, recognizing what the warm, buzzing feeling was, I fell right asleep.




STAY WITH ME Synopsis:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You and Be with Me comes a daring tale that pushes boundaries...

At 21, Calla hadn't done a lot of things. She's never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement part. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona-secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.

But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she'd left behind and clean up her mom's mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother's bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.

Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla's business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal...and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she's got to deal with the pain of the past-and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn't give them her mom.

Jennifer L. Armentrout/ J.Lynn's Bio:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer 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. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her

Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

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

Buy Links:

Amazon**Barnes and Noble**iTunes**Kobo**Google Play

Author Links:

Wesbite**Facebook**Twitter**J. Lynn's Goodreads**Jennifer L. Armentrout's Goodreads**Novel Goodreads

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday - Britney #9

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

This week's topic is Top Ten Books On My Fall-To-Be-Read list.




       Pushing The Limits                        The Iron Trial

The Retribution of Mara Dyer          The Blood of Olympus

           All Broke Down                          Stone Cold Touch

             Stay With Me                                   Blackbird

         These Broken Stars                      Maybe Someday

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Britney #14

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Book Journey in which you talk about books you have recently finished, books you are currently reading, and books you plan on reading next.

Recently Finished:

       Party Games                 This Is What Happy

                                                    Looks Like

Currently Reading:

           Fates

Up Next:

           Asylum                            The Jewel

Britney's Review Of Party Games

We received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Party Games by R.L. Stine

Publication Date: September 30, 2014

Summary: Her friends warn her not to go to Brendan Fear's birthday party at his family's estate on mysterious Fear Island. But Rachel Martin has a crush on Brendan and is excited to be invited. Brendan has a lot of party games planned. But one game no one planned intrudes on his party-the game of murder. As the guests start dying one by one, Rachel realizes to her horror that she and the other teenagers are trapped on the tiny island with someone who may want to kill them all. How to escape this deadly game? Rachel doesn't know whom she can trust. She should have realized that nothing is as it seems...on Fear Island.

R.L. Stine makes his triumphant return to Shadyside, a town of nightmares, shadows, and genuine terror, and to the bestselling series that began his career writing horror for the juvenile market, in the new Fear Street book Party Games.

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars.

My Review: I'm somebody who absolutely loves horror and being scared, so I love horror movies, and horror books. Growing up R.L. Stine was my favorite horror writer and I devoured his books. When I saw that there was this new book coming out relating to Fear Street I was so excited. Reading Party Games I have to say that I wasn't blown away, but I think this may be because it is written for younger people. It was not the most well written book ever, and I wasn't that scared from reading it but I did enjoy it. 

Nothing spooky happened until a little ways into the book, and then it was nonstop action from there. So, it definitely takes a little while to get into and then all the crazy things start and Rachel realizes maybe she should have listened to her friends and not have gone to the party. 

I was torn between giving it 3 or 3.5 stars and finally decided on 3.5 stars because of the twist about the whole thing. It was honestly something I didn't guess and didn't see coming at all. This twist actually made me gasp and I had to re-read it a few times to really let it sink in. 

If you enjoy R.L. Stine and his books then I would encourage you to definitely check this book out.  

Britney's Review of Shadow and Bone

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Publication Date: June 5, 2012

Summary: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life-a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha...and the secrets of her heart. 

My rating: 5/5 Stars!

My Review:

Wow, I loved this book. The whole world was something new and interesting for me to read about. Leigh Bardugo did an amazing job of setting up the world, and made this whole complicated system of the Grisha and everything so simple to understand. For me there was no part of the book were I was bored, it just kept going and going and I couldn't stop reading. 

I really loved seeing Alina go from this little girl who was just a simple mapmaker, to this powerful girl who may be able to save her country. I honestly didn't see the sort of twist coming either. I was just reading and like wow this books is wonderful and then BAM everything got flipped upside down for me, but I LOVED IT. 

I know nearly everybody hates Mal, and loves the Darkling but I felt the opposite! I went into the book like, oh gosh I'm going to fall in love with this evil Darkling. But I didn't, I just wasn't able to get past the things he did, and Mal just had a special place in my heart. He was Alina's best friend, and she had loved him for so long. I wanted them to finally be together and be happy, so yes I have to say I'm Team Mal. 

Waiting on Wednesday - Britney #10

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This Week's pick is:

Captivated by You by Sylvia Day

Publication Date: November 18, 2014

Summary: Now the #1 international bestselling author returns. The new Crossfire novel by Sylvia Day. 

Gideon calls me his angel, but he's the miracle in my life. My gorgeous, wounded warrior, so determined to slay my demons while refusing to face his own. 

The vows we'd exchanged should have bound us tighter than blood and flesh. Instead they opened old wounds, exposed pain and insecurities, and lured bitter enemies out of the shadows. I felt him slipping from my grasp, my greatest fears becoming my reality, my love tested in ways I wasn't sure I was strong enough to bear. 

At the brightest time in our lives, the darkness of his past encroached and threatened everything we'd worked so hard for. We faced a terrible choice: the familiar safety of the lives we'd had before each other or the fight for a future that suddenly seemed an impossible and hopeless dream...

Why I'm Waiting:

I just finished the first three books in this series and liked them so much more than I expected. I did only think there was three books in the series until I got to the 3rd and realized that there were more coming out. There are so many things that the third book threw at me that I need to know and I'm praying are all answered in the 4th!

Top Ten Tuesday - Britney #8

 Top Authors I've Only Read One Book From But NEED to Read More

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. 
This week's topic is Top Authors I've Only Read One Book From But NEED to Read More. 

Oh gosh, I really have to think about what authors I've only read one book from. 


1. Kasie West! I have only read The Distance Between Us, but I need to read her other books now. She is just amazing, and just yes!

2. Huntely Fitzpatrick. I have read My Life Next Door and was blown away by how amazing it was. I've had What I Thought Was True sitting on my shelf since it came out but have not gotten around to reading it yet. 

3. Jennifer E. Smith. I thought The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was super adorable and cute and I couldn't help but love it. I got This is What Happy Looks Like From the Library so I will be reading that very soon!

4. Rainbow Rowell. I've only finished reading Attachments by her. At the moment I am reading Fangirl so soon she can be crossed off this list!

5. Mary E. Pearson. The Kiss of Deception is one of my all time favorite books! The writing was just wonderful, the romance was great, and the mystery ohmygosh. I love her. 

6. Anne Blankman. I read Prisoner of Night and Fog and wow. That book gave me some major feels. The whole thing was so incredible. 

7. Gayle Forman. I read If I Stay because the movie was coming out and looked amazing. The book was one of the greatest books ever, it was so heartfelt and sad. I think I almost cried, or I did actually cry in this book because I just felt so attached. I have to read ALL her other books now. 

8. Danielle Vega. The Merciless was honestly unlike any other book I have ever read. And the ending, man that ending really killed me. Give me more from her please. 

9. Amy Harmon. Making Faces is like my favorite book ever. It was so emotional for me to read, and I would recommend it to everybody. The way Amy wrote was so wonderful, and I would be so happy to read more things by her. 

10. Julie Kagawa. I've only read The Immortal Rules, but I have so many of her books on my TBR. In fact I think I have all of her books on my TBR. I cannot wait to get to them all!

WICKED Cover Reveal!

Holy cow, y'all! We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for Jennifer L. Armentrout's WICKED! WICKED is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout's Wicked Trilogy. It is being released on December 8th, 2014. So make sure you pre-order it today!





WICKED Pre-order:
Amazon


WICKED Synopsis:
Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn't your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren't the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun...and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she'd sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He's six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that's surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants...she needs more than her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she's not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There's something he's not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She's no longer sure what is more dangerous to her-the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and soul.




About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer 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. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

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

Her Links:

Website**Facebook**Twitter**Novel Goodreads**Author Goodreads

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Britney #13

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is hosted by Book Journey in which you talk about books you have recently finished, books you are currently reading, and books you plan on reading next.



Since I was unable to post last week, my recently finished will include the books I have finished in the past two weeks.

Recently Finished:

       Siege and Storm                Ruin and Rising                  Bared to You

     Reflected in You           Entwined with You                  Fangirl
                                 
                                        The Liberator

Currently Reading:

          

The Girl of Fire and Thorns     Party Games

Up Next:


The Crown of Embers

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Jess #6

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Book Journey in which you talk about books you've recently finished, books you are currently reading and books you plan on reading next.

Recently Finished:

Currently Reading:


Up Next: