Friday, October 4, 2013

Stacking the Shelves #25

Hosted by Tynga's Reviews!

I had two pretty awesome weeks in books! Also, this week has been pretty exciting all around; my mom came back from Chicago, my best friend had her birthday, and, this is the best part, I got sick again! (Please note Emily's use of sarcasm.)


Bought

I also snuck The 5th Wave into the picture... I couldn't resist! I just finished the book, and boy was it amazing! I hope to have a review up soon, if I can ever find the words to do it justice.

The other books I got at Powells with the credit I got from selling used books. So far, all I have read is Through The Zombie Glass and Wildefire. Steelheart is up next!

For Review
 Pawn by Aimee Carter
Crash Into You by Katie McGarry
(Thank you Harlequin Teen!)
American Girl on Saturn (received for tour!)

The Faerie War (Thank you Rachel Morgan!)

How was your week in books?
-Emily

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Happy Birthday Sadie! (+ Giveaway)

Hi everyone!

Well, today, October 2nd, is one of my best friend's birthdays! I wanted to surprise Sadie, also known as my best friend, with a post! Also, I can rant about how she is one year older then me now *sigh* Well, at least for PE tests she will have to run more laps than me.

So, congratulations Sadie! Have a wonderful birthday, and I hope you receive awesome presents! Also, enjoy those incredible chocolate chip cookie "muffins" you were making... they are delicious. You are amazing, and I cherish the day we met on the balance beam in Kindergarten. I am so glad to be your friend!

Also, there is a card and gift coming your way soon, I hope you like them!

And, now a giveaway! (US only. Sorry!)

The winner will receive a copy of Minders, The Red Pryamid, or BZRK. These are books that all have a main character named Sadie! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have an amazing birthday Sadie! You are amazing! And good luck on the giveaway everyone!
-Emily

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #25

This week I am waiting on...

Ignited by Tahereh Mafi

Publication Date: February 4th, 2014
Genre: YA Dystopian
Amazon/Barnes and Noble
The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

In Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi created a captivating and original story that combined the best of dystopian and paranormal and was praised by Publishers Weekly as "a gripping read from an author who's not afraid to take risks." The sequel, Unravel Me, blew readers away with heart-racing twists and turns, and New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia said it was "dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense." Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and climactic end.

I hope Ignite Me turns out to be a gripping conclusion! This series and I have a love/hate relationship, and I am so excited for this third book! Also, what team are you on if you have read Shatter Me or Unravel Me?

Are there any books you're waiting on?
-Emily

Monday, September 30, 2013

Cover Reveal: Defector


Defector by Suzanne Winnacker

(Variants #2)
Published by: Razorbill
Publication date: June 26, 2014
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult
Synopsis not currently available.

Synopsis for book 1 – Impostor:
Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late?

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself

----About the Author----

Susanne Winnacker studied law before she became a full-time writer. She lives with her husband, a dog and three bunnies in Germany. She loves coffee (in every shape and form), traveling and animals.
When she isn't writing, you can usually find her in the kitchen, experimenting with new vegan dishes. 

Her YA thriller IMPOSTOR will be published on May 28, 2013. It has been optioned for TV by Warner Brothers!

Book One



Ooh, I love the cover!
What do you think?
-Emily



Sunday, September 29, 2013

Review and Giveaway: American Girl on Saturn


Check out the rest of the tour schedule!


Publication Date: August 29th, 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary
The summer after graduation is supposed to be that first real taste of freedom - but not for eighteen-year-old Chloe Branson. Just as that breeze of freedom is making its way into her galaxy, her secret-service-agent dad drops a meteor-sized bomb of bad news on her and her sisters. An attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around Saturn, during their USA tour, and the guys have to go into hiding ASAP. The only problem? In the midst of the crisis and media frenzy, their dad volunteered to hide the guys...in their house.

Six-year-old Emery is as ecstatic as any self-proclaimed Saturnite would be, but Chloe and her seventeen-year-old sister Aralie watch their summer plans crash and burn like a falling star. The SAS guys aren't happy with the situation, either. Bad boy Jules picks fights with Aralie about everything from his Twitter followers to his laundry, and heart-throb Benji can't escape Emery's fangirlisms for more than three minutes.

But after the super-cute Milo kisses Chloe during a game of hide-and-seek, she finally understands what Emery means when she talks about SAS being "out of this world." If this is what Saturn feels like, Chloe doesn't want to come back to Earth.

----Review----

I loved this book so much, I... just... gah! American Girl on Saturn exceeded my expectations by, like, a universe. I literally would not be separated from my e-reader while reading. And under the rare circumstance I had to set this gem of a book down I was not a happy camper, to say the least!

American Girl on Saturn's strongest aspect is the characters. There are quite a few, yet I felt like I get to know each of their unique personalities. This is quite a feat! I recently finished a novel with a lot of characters, and they got all mixed up in my head thanks to their lack of personality and originality. Thankfully, this book was the opposite!! First, we have the three sisters. Chloe Branson is our main character and I enjoyed her point of view. Her personality was very relatable! 

Next we have Aralie, the middle sister. She was awesome! Not only did she have a lot of spunk, she also made me laugh several time! I smiled through her arguments with Jules and the boys. And how can we forget the adorable Emery? She is the ultimate fan girl of Spaceships Around Saturn, (and, shh don't tell anyone, but she might also like Harry Styles. Just don't tell Benji!) Emery is the ultimate annoying but cute-as-a-button little sister.

And, now, we have the member of the band! I loved Jules, Milo, Benji, Tate and Noah! I actualy loved how the whole band was portrayed. They, like a lot of famous teens, are constantly on Twitter and a few (*cough*Jules*cough*) have some oversized egos. Don't worry these egos are taken care of by the sisters, particularly Aralie. Also, each boy had their quirks. Noah doesn't talk, at all, until he has finished his glass of strawberry milk each morning! Also, they all have different personality traits. Milo is sweet, Noah is pretty humorous, and Jules is the "bad boy" etc.

Sometimes contemporary books get a bit boring to me after 50 or so pages. This was not the case for American Girl on Saturn. As I said before, the book was so addicting I didn't want to put my book down. Also, I have already re-read the book once, and I rarely books twice on my e-reader, it's a weird pet peeve. So, the fact that I re-read this book, on my e-reader, and in the span of three weeks is high praise!

Overall, this an awesome book! I would recommend this to lots of people, especially fans of bands! (I know I am going to tell my cousin about this book, as she is a big fan of One Direction. Maybe I should buy her a copy for Christmas?) Anyone in need of a cute and engaging read should look into American Girl on Saturn. And the ending is so sweet and satisfying... *sigh* I have just skimmed it while readying myself for this review and I still love it.

4.5/5 Stars

----Giveaway----
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for reading!
-Emily

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Feature and Follow Friday #24


Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

Q: Reading Nook Tour: Give us a tour of your favorite reading spots.

What? I have so many though... Okay, I'll pick the top two!






Reading Nook Number One:

Reading Nook Number Two:

Yep, those are my reading nooks! On my bed and on the ground by my bookcases are the two places you will find me curled up with a book!

Where do you read?
-Emily

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Review and Giveaway: Six Months Later


Check out the rest of the tour schedule!


Publication Date: October 1st, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Suspense
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Amazon/Barnes and Noble
Chloe didn't think about it much when she nodded off in study hall on that sleepy summer day. But when she wakes up, snow is on the ground and she can't remember the last six months of her life. Before, she'd been a mediocre student. Now, she's on track for valedictorian and being recruited by Ivy League schools. Before, she never had a chance with super jock Blake. Now he's her boyfriend. Before, she and Maggie were inseparable. Now her best friend won't speak to her.

What happened to her? 
And why can't she remember? 



----Review----

Six Months Later was quite an amazing read! Natalie D. Richards has created a wonderful plot, well developed characters, and a story that will leave you breathless. I cannot recommend Sic Months Later highly enough to fans of mysteries, thrillers, and contemporaries. 

I think the beginning is set up amazingly. The first chapter sucked me in, and then once I got to the second chapter... well let's just say I was a goner. There is a reason I read this book in one sitting. I bet most you will read it like I did, with your eyes glued to the page and the tendency to ignore the things happening around you.

The characters were very enjoyable. Chloe was, well, kind of a wreck most of the novel, but who could blame her? She forgot six months of her life! Despite that, I liked her very, very much. She was smart, realistic, and an overall memorable character. Adam was another one of my favorite characters! I wasn't too sure about him at first. However, I grew to really like him as we are introduced to him properly. I won't say more for fear of spoilers, but I promise all of you will love him!!!

I can't not mention Maggie. She was so sweet, and I really felt for her. Maggie is Chloe's former best friend. They were very close, but when Chloe wakes up it seems they are not friends any more, and it seems to be all Chloe's fault. You can see how broken stuttering yet strong Maggie is, and I was rooting for the friendship to be rebuilt the entire time.

Now, let's mention the plot. Well, long explanation short, it was pure genius. Just... no words. This has been the best mystery/suspense I have read in a while, maybe since I read Rebecca a few months ago! I was kept guessing, which is an enormous treat for me! Even in some of my favorite thrillers, I figure out the twist, no matter how masterful, before the characters. However this was not the case in Six Moths Later!

Overall, this is a shining diamond! Six Months Later exceeded my already high expectation, and the I was so happy I had the chance to read this book. The novel has such a killer plot and awesome characters! If this book sounds up your alley, go pick the story up!

4.5/5 Stars

The Author:
Natalie D. Richards won her first writing competition in the second grade with her short story about Barbara Frances Bizzlefishes (who wouldn't dare do the dishes.)  She later misplaced her writing dreams in a maze of cubicles and general office drudgery. Natalie never forgot about Barbara or those dishes, and eventually she found her way back to storytelling, following the genre of her heart, teen fiction.  When she's not writing or shopping her manuscripts, you can probably find her wading through the towers of dog-eared paperbacks that have taken over her bedroom. Natalie lives in Ohio with her amazing husband and their three children, who inspire her every day to stick with her dreams.

----Dream Cast----
I have never done a dream cast before! This is so exciting! For some of these actors though, you would need to dye their hair, add contacts, etc.

Chloe: Emma Stone
Maggie: Evanna Lynch
Adam: Sam Klaflin (or Jake Abel?)
Blake: William Mosely

----Giveaway!----
The Question: If you woke up and realized you missed the entire six months, what would be the first thing you hoped you did during that time?


(1) Autographed book of Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards
(1) Starbucks Gift Card
Some promo goodies

US/CAN ONLY
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck! Thanks for reading!
-Emily