Saturday, July 30, 2016

Shon's July Reading Wrap Up & Book Haul

Hello Bookworms!  Another month has come to an end and that means it's time for my monthly wrap up!  I read two physical book and six ebooks this month.


July Wrap Up

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

My disease is as rare as it is famous. It’s a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, but basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in fifteen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives. New next door neighbors. I look out the window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black t-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. I want to learn everything about him, and I do. I learn that he is funny and fierce. I learn that his eyes are Atlantic Ocean-blue and that his vice is stealing silverware. I learn that when I talk to him, my whole world opens up, and I feel myself starting to change—starting to want things. To want out of my bubble. To want everything, everything the world has to offer.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. 


I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.  See full review here


Broken Prince (The Royals #2) by Erin Watt  

These Royals will ruin you…

From wharf fights and school brawls to crumbling lives inside glittery mansions, one guy tries to save himself.

Reed Royal has it all—looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.

What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely—keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.

Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.

She might be right.

Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.


I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.  Review coming soon. Click here to see our review of Paper Princess (The Royals #1) .


July Book Haul

Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny by Holly Madison


A former girlfriend of Hugh Hefner describes how her years inside the Playboy Mansion went from a fairytale of A-list celebrity parties to an oppressive regime of strict rules, scheduled sex, and a total loss of identity, so much so that she even contemplated suicide.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter #5) by J.K. Rowling


Harry Potter is furious that he is stuck at the Dursleys’ house for the summer, when he suspects that Voldemort is gathering an army, and the wizarding authorities seem unwilling to do anything. Harry’s so-called friends are trying to keep him in the dark. But he knows that Voldemort’s forces can find him wherever he is; he could be attacked at any moment. Harry is finally rescued from Privet Drive by members of the Order of the Phoenix – a secret society first formed years ago to fight Voldemort – and discovers that maybe he is not alone in this battle after all.

These new editions of the classic and internationally bestselling, multi-award-winning series feature instantly pick-up-able new jackets by Jonny Duddle, with huge child appeal, to bring Harry Potter to the next generation of readers. It’s time to PASS THE MAGIC ON …

Broken Prince (The Royals #2) by Erin Watt

 

The Falconer (The Falconer #1) by Elizabeth May

 
One girl's nightmare is this girl's faery tale

She's a stunner.
Edinburgh, 1844. Eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, has everything a girl could dream of: brains, charm, wealth, a title—and drop-dead beauty.

She's a liar.
But Aileana only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. she's leading a double life: She has a rare ability to sense the sìthíchean—the faery race obsessed with slaughtering humans—and, with the aid of a mysterious mentor, has spent the year since her mother died learning how to kill them.

She's a murderer.
Now Aileana is dedicated to slaying the fae before they take innocent lives. With her knack for inventing ingenious tools and weapons—from flying machines to detonators to lightning pistols—ruthless Aileana has one goal: Destroy the faery who destroyed her mother.

She's a Falconer.
The last in a line of female warriors born with a gift for hunting and killing the fae, Aileana is the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity. Suddenly, her quest is a lot more complicated. She still longs to avenge her mother's murder—but she'll have to save the world first.

The first volume of a trilogy from an exciting new voice in young adult fantasy, this electrifying thriller combines romance and action, steampunk technology and Scottish lore in a deliciously addictive read.

The Wicked Will Rise (Dorothy Must Die #2) by Danielle Paige



In this dark, high-octane sequel to the New York Times bestselling Dorothy Must Die, Amy Gumm must do everything in her power to kill Dorothy and free Oz.

To make Oz a free land again, Amy Gumm was given a mission: remove the Tin Woodman’s heart, steal the Scarecrow’s brain, take the Lion’s courage, and then Dorothy must die...

But Dorothy still lives. Now the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked has vanished, and mysterious Princess Ozma might be Amy’s only ally. As Amy learns the truth about her mission, she realizes that she’s only just scratched the surface of Oz’s past—and that Kansas, the home she couldn't wait to leave behind, may also be in danger. In a place where the line between good and evil shifts with just a strong gust of wind, who can Amy trust—and who is really Wicked?

Sapphire Blue (Edelstein-Trilogie #2) by Kerstin Gier

 
Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

 
Fans of Big Fish, Peter Pan, and Roald Dahl will fall in love with Circus Mirandus, which celebrates the power of seeing magic in world.

Do you believe in magic?

Micah Tuttle does.

Even though his awful Great-Aunt Gertrudis doesn’t approve, Micah believes in the stories his dying Grandpa Ephraim tells him of the magical Circus Mirandus: the invisible tiger guarding the gates, the beautiful flying birdwoman, and the magician more powerful than any other—the Man Who Bends Light. Finally, Grandpa Ephraim offers proof. The Circus is real. And the Lightbender owes Ephraim a miracle. With his friend Jenny Mendoza in tow, Micah sets out to find the Circus and the man he believes will save his grandfather.

The only problem is, the Lightbender doesn't want to keep his promise. And now it's up to Micah to get the miracle he came for.

The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen #1) by Roshani Chokshi

 
Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

But Akaran has its own secrets—thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most…including herself.

The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game #1) by Evelyn Skye

 
ika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love... or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear... the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

And I Darken (The Conquerors Saga #1) by Kiersten White

 
No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

Gameboard of the Gods (Age of X #1) by Richelle Mead

 
In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

The Private School Murders (Confessions #2) by James Patterson

 
In the sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Confessions of a Murder Suspect, James Patterson keeps the confessions coming breathlessly as Tandy Angel delves deeper into her own tumultuous history-and proves that she can rise above the sordid Angel legacy.

Wealthy young women are being murdered on Manhattan's exclusive Upper West Side, and the police aren't looking for answers in the right places. Enter Tandy Angel. The first case she cracked was the mystery of her parents' deaths. Now, while she's working to exonerate her brother of his glamorous girlfriend's homicide, she's driven to get involved in the West Side murder spree.

One of the recent victims was a student at Tandy's own elite school. She has a hunch it may be the work of a serial killer, but the NYPD isn't listening to her...and Tandy can't ignore the disturbing fact that she perfectly fits the profile of the killer's targets. Can she untangle the mysteries in time? Or will she be the next victim?

Friday, July 29, 2016

Tina Reviews: Dumplin'

Title/Author: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Published September 15th 2015 by Balzer + Bray
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Page: 375
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Review by: Tina


Synopsis
 
Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her mother) has always been at home in her own skin. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.
Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. 
 
 

 Review

This is such a fast read. It is all heart and feels.

I imagined a Bridget Jones type of book except the setting takes place in high school and among insecure timid teenagers.

Four girls break out of their insecurities and learn to accept and love who they are. I enjoy how they break the perception of their townspeople and their own families. It is a different feel of acceptance I haven't read. A real breath of fresh air.




Wednesday, July 27, 2016

The Bedtime Book Tag


The Bedtime Book Tag! We first discovered this tag on The Broke and the Bookish but it was originally created by youtuber Kellys Bookspill. Let's get started!


1. What book kept you up all night reading?
Tina:  A Mist of Court and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (I gave myself 5 days to finish this 640 pages novel before my flight to BookCon)






Shon: Sugar Daddies by Jade West



Wendy: Paper Princess (The Royals #1) by Erin Watt 



2. What book made you scared to go to sleep?
Tina:  King series by T.M. Frasier (the graphic content made me cower in a corner; I had to cleanse my eyes by reading something fluffy before jumping back into the books.)

 

Wendy: The Mara Dyer Trilogy By Michelle Hodkin 



3. What book almost put you to sleep?

Tina:  The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (ok I got to chapter 5 not bad... but I just can't continue)



Shon: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas 



4. What book has you tossing and turning in anticipation of its release?
Tina:  Paper Princess by Eric Watt (I finished it in one sitting...sooooo goooood)



Shon & Wendy: Broken Prince (The Royals #2) by Erin Watt





5. What book has your dream boyfriend/girlfriend?
Tina:  Dreamology by Lucy Keating (Max is beyond perfect inside the world of dreams)



Shon: The Score (Off-Campus #3) by Elle Kennedy



6. What book world would be your worst nightmare to live in?
Tina:  Angelfall by Susan EE (truly terrifying but the most exhilarating apocalyptic world imaginable)

 

Shon: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

7. What book has a nightmarish cliffhanger?
Tina:  Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor (and then the angels descended on Earth and the apocalypse begin)




Shon: The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy #2) by Marie Rutkoski




8. What book cover reminds you of night time?
Tina:  These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman




Shon: A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston 





9. What book have you actually dreamed about?
Tina:  None
 
Shon: Dirty Stolen Forever (Green County #2) by Nazarea Andrews

10. What book monster would you not want to find under your bed?
Tina:  None
 
Shon: Strigoi from the Vampire Academy series



Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday #31: Top Ten Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do or Learn About After Reading Them



Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Top Ten Things Books Have Made Me Want To Do or Learn About After Reading Them.

 

  1. Baking after reading To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1) by Jenny Han

  2. Hockey after reading The Score (Off-Campus #3) by Elle Kennedy 

  3. Rugby  after reading The Player and the Pixie (Rugby #2) by L.H. Cosway

  4. Archery after reading  The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins  

  5. Anthropophobia after reading  The Girl in 6E (Deanna Madden #1) by A.R. Torre 

  6. Military strategy after reading The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1) by Marie Rutkoski 

  7. Immunodeficiency after reading  Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon 

  8. Cognitive behavioral therapist  after reading  Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes

Friday, July 22, 2016

The Friday 56: July 22. 2016

The Friday 56 is a weekly blog meme hosted by Freda’s Voice


  1. Grab a book, any book. 
  2. Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader. 
  3. Find any sentence, or few, just don't spoil it. 
  4. Post it.


"Your life has changed, but I wouldn't say it's been turned upside down-not yet, he says. And that's what no one seems to realize, Fei. Everyone knows things are bad, but everyone thinks if we must go forward like we always have, it will all be okay."
-Soundless, by Richelle Mead

Soundless

Happy Friday!
Comment down below your Friday 56!

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Our Review: Paper Princess

Title / Author: Paper Princess (The Royals #1) by Erin Watt
Published April 4th 2016 by Everafter Romance
Pages: Paperback, 370 pages
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary
Source: Bought
Rating: 5 Stars


Synopsis
From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone. 

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.


Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees. 


Review
This is the first book we chose to read together. We can't wait to share our thoughts with you.

Shon's Review:  I have to admit the the synopsis for this book caught my attention from strip clubs and truck stops to Southern coast mansion and prep school.

I can see why some people are comparing it to Hana Yori Dango (Boys over Flower/ F4), but I think because of the twins (maybe) I keep think about Ouran High School Host Club.


I think that Jennifer L. Armentrout (#1 New York Times Bestselling Author) summarize this book the best. “This generation’s Cruel Intentions.” For those of you who have not seen Cruel Intentions, look it up.

Any how, I like this book. I just hate the ending. Now I have to wait till the next book come out to see what happen next.

Wendy's Thoughts: Yasss! I'm so pre-ordering the 2nd book. This book literally has it all. A very complicated love story. A typical B*tch. A slut. Hot buff dudes. Parties. Money. Strip clubs. Lawyers. Cars. Drugs. Sex. Did i mention MONEY! oh the drama in this book is just too juicy. 

Tina's Take: This is sooooooo F4!!!!

Same kind of violence. And perhaps a kinkier version of Hana Yori Dango.

I love the family dynamic. They are so good with each other. Watching over one another and keeping each other safe. Love each of the brothers and their strange personalities.

The girl is definitely a trashy version of dirt poor Makino Tsukushi (snicker).

Omg there's an evil stepmother role (amazing!) I knew it!!!!!! I knew she is controlling the boys through drugs or hypnosis. Her carefully scripted lines and actions all pointed to it. Evil!!

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Waiting On Wednesday #6: Broken Prince by Erin Watt

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


Title: Broken Prince (The Royals #2)
Author: Erin Watt
Publisher: Everafter Romance
To Be Release: July 25th
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary
Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository




Synopsis


These Royals will ruin you…
From wharf fights and school brawls to crumbling lives inside glittery mansions, one guy tries to save himself.

Reed Royal has it all—looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.

What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely—keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.

Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.

She might be right.
Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.

What's your "waiting on" pick this week?