Stacking the Shelves (21)

Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

New Books:

 

 

Left Drowning by Jessica Park

Beta by Rachel Cohn

 

For Review:

   

 

Blood Vine by Amber Belldene

Blood Entangled by Amber Belldene

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

 

New Kindle Books:

   

 

   

 

Frigid by J. Lynn

Slide by Jill Hathaway

In the Stillness by Andrea Randall

Shine Not Burn by Elle Casey

The Visions of Ransom Lake by Marcia Lynn McClure

Pivot Point by Kasie West

 

Quickie Review: Anguish

I find that I'm not always able to give a full-blown, in-depth review of all the books I read. But that doesn't mean they aren't worthy of a proper review or shout-out. It just means my time is limited. So I will be doing the occasional QUICKIE REVIEW, providing my thoughts in a few short but sweet sentences on some of my reads, because I still want to honor these books in some way. I hope you find these helpful.

 



Anguish by Lila Felix
June 11, 2013
230 pages
Genre: New Adult
Source: Personal purchase

 

Book Blurb:

Anguish was the status quo, until she walked in. 

Breaker James Collins is confined in a prison of his own making. Scarred doesn’t begin to define his hell since finding out his girlfriend had cheated, stolen, and lied two years ago. It led to a single event—one that would blacken his days and his nights from then on. Since then, he hasn’t left his house, crippled by fear of people and any social interaction. 

Ashland talks too much and has the voice of a meth-laden prairie dog, or so she’s always been told. She’s been called annoying and irritating all of her life and gave up on having friends for a long time. College has given her a new lease on a social life and she’s embraced who she is. But now she’s waiting for the one guy who can take her breath away and put up with her antics.  

A simple note pinned to a corkboard will lead Ash right to Breaker’s solitary world and she will learn that just because a guy doesn’t fit her ideal, doesn’t mean she won’t fall head over feet in love.

My Review:

I really enjoyed this story. It was nice for once to read about a boy with an anxiety disorder and not just the girl. Breaker was a very endearing character, and his journey felt very real. My neighbor growing up was agoraphobic (still is) so I know these disorders exist. Ash was his sunshine, and I loved that while she has also endured difficult things in her past, those things have made her stronger. The interactions between Breaker and Ash were well-paced, with such tenderness and honesty, appealing to my romantic side as well as my empathetic side as my heart broke over Breaker's struggles. I loved watching their relationship develop and how good they were together, yet also how they needed to be strong without each other as well. It was also refreshing that this was a New Adult book that had romantic moments, but did not rely on heavy sexual scenes to get the love between the characters across. This was my first Lila Felix book, and I look forward to reading more.

4 STARS

Book Links:

AMAZON   *   GOODREADS
 

Feature & Follow (15): Reading Spot

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by both Alison Can Read and Parakunkee’s View. This is a great way to gain blog followers for book bloggers, follow other blogs, and get to know each other. Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we get to answer. You can find more info about this meme here.

Q: Book Vacay: Where is the best destination reading spot for you? (Where do you like to go to read other then your home?)

 

I'll be honest. I can read just about anywhere. With three loud, active, fun-loving sons, I don't exactly get a lot of quiet time at home, and vacations tend to be family-oriented, so I have learned to adapt. I can read in the bathroom or the kitchen; I can read while my husband is driving or listen to an audiobook with the kids; I can read in a grocery store aisle or while my in-laws watch a western on TV. But what is really the best is a quiet place, somewhere outdoors with a comfy seat and cool drink or at a café on a big cozy chair with a cup of hot tea, without the usual distractions.

 

Top Ten (15): Authors Who Deserve More Recognition

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

For more information and a list of past and future topics, go here.

 
Top Ten Authors Who Deserve More Recognition
(authors listed in alphabetical order)
 
Jus Accardo
This is a great supernatural series.
    
 
Fisher Amelie
I absolutely adore her books.
   
 
Jay Crownover
I loved these sexy books with great characters.
 
 
Tarryn Fisher
This series seriously messed with my mind and I loved it.
 
 
Cambria Hebert
She's a great writer and I'm finding more of her books to read.
 
 
Wendy Higgins
This is one of the best series I've read.
 
 
Elizabeth Kirke
These little gems have great characters and storylines.
 
 
Craig Lancaster
Two of my favorite reads this year!
 
 
Nina Lane
This is an amazing, unique series following a married couple.
 
 
Penny Reid 
This was such a treat to read. Sweet story with great laughs.

 

Stacking the Shelves (20)

 
Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

New Books:

   

 

 

 

Out of Breath by Rebecca Donovan (my review)

The Game Changer by J. Sterling

Falling Into Us by Jacinda Wilder

Tremble by Jus Accardo

SYLO by D.J. MacHale (signed)

Electronic ARCS:
   

     

Black Heart by RL Mathewson (my review)
LICK by Kylie Scott (loved - review coming)
Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover (my review)
Charmed by Cambria Hebert (loved - review coming)
Runaway Groom by Sally Clements (my review)
Jet by Jay Crownover (my review)

Audiobooks:
 

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (my review)
Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
(listening to now - so good!)
 

Used Book Finds:

    

 

   

 

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Croak by Gina Damico

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade

Kindle Books:
Too many to list. One-Click is an evil invention.

 

Cover Reveal: SEE ME by Wendy Higgins

I absolutely LOVE Wendy Higgin's 'Sweet Trilogy' books - Sweet Evil and Sweet Peril. I cannot get enough of that series and am eagerly anticipating the last book. But in the meantime, Wendy has been busy with another book. And since I love Wendy's writing, I cannot wait to get my hands on this little beauty either.

Introducing SEE ME by Wendy Higgins...

Book Blurb:
While most seventeen-year-old American girls would refuse to let their parents marry them off to a stranger, Robyn Mason dreams of the mysterious McKale in Ireland, wondering how he’ll look and imagining his cute Irish accent. Prearranged bindings are common for magical families like her own, however when she travels to the whimsical Emerald Isle she discovers there’s more to her betrothal and McKale’s clan than she could have imagined.

What starts as an obligatory pairing between Robyn and McKale morphs over time into something they both need. But one giant obstacle stands the way of their budding romance: a seductive and deadly Fae princess accustomed to getting what she wants—and what she wants is McKale as her plaything. Love, desire, and jealousies collide as Robyn’s family and McKale’s clan must work together to outsmart the powerful Faeries and preserve the only hope left for their people.

Genre:  YA Romance and Magical Realism with a dash of Fantasy

Publication Date:  October 1st, 2013

 

Book Info:
Story will be available in ebook from Amazon, B&N, and Kobo for $3.99, and paperback will be for sale through Amazon and Createspace for $10.99.  It will not be available for preorder. This book is being self-published by the author and her agent.

Author Bio: 
Wendy Higgins is the author of Sweet Evil and Sweet Peril from HarperTeen. She lives in the Washington D.C. area with her husband, daughter, son, and puppy Rue.

Audiobook Review: The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey



The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
May 7, 2013
Putnam Juvenile Publishing
480 pages
Genre: Young Adult
(contains some mature language, violence)
Source: Audible personal purchase

Book Blurb:

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

My Review:

First, let me get this off my chest - I LOVED this book. Now, I am not generally an alien fan or sci-fi junkie. I don't follow conspiracy theories on space invaders or dream of space travel and visiting other planets. I'm also not a Doomsday Prepper with a basement full of supplies and ammunition to last my family a year and shoot any looters on sight. I don't dwell on worst case scenarios. But I do love a great book that pulls me into another place and time, even a scary alien invasion world, and won't let me go until I am completely immersed in it. The 5th Wave was that book for me.

From the very start I felt one with these characters. I felt one with their emotions, their story, their fears, their regrets, their confusion, their... everything. I loved the approach of this story. Starting with Cassie's present and past dialogue and perspective, I could completely imagine her circumstances. This wasn't some Independence Day alien invasion with a huge big booming battle. This wasn't Close Encounters of the Third Kind with the friendly mothership and musical aliens. This invasion was so low-key, so underground, so innocuous, that it was initially completely undetected until it was too late. Then it was completely out of control.  And then you are left with the very real fact that you don't know what is real, what is the truth, who to trust... so you must trust no one. And that is the scariest of all. I could feel that fear and the real possibilities in this book. The author did an amazing job making me feel like this was actually plausible. I felt it so much that I had to put it down several times in the beginning because it was, quite simply, creeping me out. But then there were so many twists and turns, questions and theories, concerns and predictions - as well as very compelling characters - that eventually I couldn't put this book down.

Speaking of compelling characters, I also really enjoyed the alternating POVs throughout the book. I will say the downside of listening to this on audiobook was that I couldn't just flip back and refresh myself on who read what before and who was who before without skipping around a bunch. At one point I went to my local bookstore just to look at a copy and check a few names. But once I got it all handled, I thoroughly enjoyed the transitions and perspectives. I think if I read the physical book this might not have been as much of an issue, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the audio. But back to the characters - Cassie, Sammy, Ben, and Evan - I loved them all. There was such honesty amongst them that I found truly compelling. These weren't perfect "heroes" who did all the right things and made all the right choices. They weren't always brave. They didn't always make smart decisions. They were real and true and their imperfections made them perfect. But they didn't give up and I loved their tenacity.

Bottomline: This was a fantastic read for me and I absolutely loved it. I enjoyed the audio-version and the narration was great, using both a male and female narrator for the POV changes, who were really able to pull the emotions out of the story. The story felt real and honest, the plot kept me guessing and fully engaged, the characters were compelling and genuine, and the ending was fantastic, leaving us prepared for another book but not crying about a horrendous cliffhanger (hate those!). Thanks to Rick Yancey for giving this non-sci-fi reader a great sci-fi book to dive into!

5 STARS

Book Links:

AMAZON   *   AUDIBLE   *   GOODREADS