A Giveaway to Say Thank You!

Being vegetarian, Thanksgiving isn't always my favorite time of year, but I do love getting to be with family, friends, and saying thanks for everything that's happened that year. This year, I want to let all of YOU know how thankful I am for you!

Things I'm Thankful For:

All The Books (I have over 600, I *might* have a problem)

The Feels

#WeNeedDiverseBooks

Wonderful authors like Wendy Higgins, Sara Raasch, Jennifer L. Armentrout, A.G. Howard, and SO many more!

The Interwebs

Awesome YA movie adaptions like Mockingjay, The Fault in Our Stars, and Divergent

Not living in a dystopian society

And as I've already mentioned, YOU! Another hug for good measure.

So what are you thankful for this year? Let me know in the comments!

Giveaway:

Any ONE of these books (US)
A TON of swag (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Books on my Winter TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

1. Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole - I think this book has come up on every TBR post I do.

2. Ensnared by A.G. Howard - Also this one. See a pattern?

3. Fairest by Marissa Meyer - I was sad that Winter got postponed, but I'm excited to learn about the Evil Queen's backstory!

4. A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd - Frankenstein retelling? Yes please! Also, the final book in a trilogy that I LOVE!

5. All That Burns by Ryan Graudin - Just give it to me now!

6. Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier - I really enjoyed her first series that was published in english, and I'm excited to read this one too. If only I could read German...

7. The Return by Jennifer L. Armentrout - This may be New Adult, which I don't read, but I want it!

8. First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen - Another genre that I don't read much of, but I've been waiting for this book for years!

9. The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski - After The Winner's Curse? I'll take this sooner rather than  later!

10. Frostfire by Amanda Hocking - A new book series, and the cover alone has dragged me in!

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Red Queen

Author: Victoria Aveyard

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release: February 10, 2015

Series: Red Queen

Pages: 383 (ARC)

Review: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

Debut novelist Victoria Aveyard's sweeping tale of seventeen-year-old Mare, a common girl whose once-latent magical power draws her into the dangerous intrigue of the king's palace. Will her power save her or condemn her?

Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood--those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard--a growing Red rebellion--even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

You Can Find it At:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository

Goodreads

Review:

If you haven't noticed, I've been neglecting the blog a little bit. While there were many factors (one being my extreme laziness) I also have been in a MAJOR reading slump! But I have returned to the world, this time with a wonderful book in tow!

First Impressions:

If you haven't heard of this book, you must be living under a rock. It is definitely one of the most hyped books that come out this winter, and BOY does it deserve it! I had a chance to get this ARC a week or so ago, and I pounced on it. I've been going through a major reading slump, and decided to go with my instincts and read this. I am so glad that I did. It filled a hole in my heart, I'm pretty sure. A hole left by books such as Throne of Glass and The Darkest Minds. Right off the bat, I knew this was the book for me. If the cover isn't enough, I don't know what I'll do about you. Also, the title, unlike some books, makes sense fairly quickly into the story.

Characters

On of the first major points of wisdom in this book is "Anyone can betray you" which has never been more true. While I generally suspected the betrayers ahead of time, Victoria does an AMAZING job of making me doubt myself. One of the best things was that the main character wasn't necessarily perfect. She was willing to do things to keep her family alive, and wanted to help her people, but she was scared. So scared, that instead of sometimes standing up and shouting "What's wrong with you people?", she waits, feeling guilty all the way. It's nice to know that a character can feel guilt. This novel is definitely character driven. While some books rely on outside sources, this is all within. Ever bad thing that happens, a character did it, even if others don't know that. At certain times, I even managed to sympathize with characters that I hated, which I almost never do. There were characters, who I wanted dead, I hated them so much, but when certain stuff happened, it made even me feel their pain.

Writing

The writing was spot on. I am prone to skim reading, but Red Queen has made me want to break that habit. Multiple times, I found myself missing part of a paragraph and going back to read it. Every word is important. Generally, you have to tell a story in as few words as possible, and this book achieved it with shining glory. I savored each word and wouldn't have it any other way.

World-Building

The world building was done in such a way that it leaves a bit to the reader's imagination, at least for now. The reader does not know if it's a dystopian world where abilities and silver blood manifested over time, a magical world with advanced weaponry, or a combination of both. What the reader does know, is that this world has a LOT of history. I really hope that in the next book we get A) a map and B) some background on the world. It was not imperative to this novel, but I'm simply curious! The world has entranced me for sure. I definitely look forward to finding out what happens next to this story and these characters!

Author Bio:

Born and raised in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, a small town known only for its traffic rotary, Victoria grew up painfully normal. The daughter of schoolteachers, she spent most of her time reading books and watching movies, looking for distractions and stories that could take her away. When she was accepted to the University of Southern California, Victoria took her chance and moved cross country. After graduating with a BFA in Writing for Screen & Television, she decided to try her hand at writing a novel. RED QUEEN came out of the terrifying, unemployed year after college.


Currently, Victoria is hard at work editing the second book in the series while pursuing other projects in publishing and screenwriting. She splits her time between Massachusetts, Los Angeles, Target, and Barnes & Noble.

You Can Find Her At:
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Waiting on Wednesday (40)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spines, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen! (Just note, this is an adult novel. She's the only adult book author that I read.) First Frost is the sequel to Garden Spells that I've been waiting for for years! I don't know how long after Garden Spells this takes place, but I don't care! I'm so excited for this book! I features both a teenage protagonist, as well as two adult women. It's cool, cause it's gonna focus on both family and young love. Just give it to me now! I got to meet Sarah last January, and can't wait to meet her again this January!

Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Garden Spells comes a story of the Waverley family, in a novel as sparkling as the first dusting of frost on new-fallen leaves...

It's October in Bascom, North Carolina, and autumn will not go quietly. As temperatures drop and leaves begin to turn, the Waverley women are made restless by the whims of their mischievous apple tree... and all the magic that swirls around it. But this year, first frost has much more in store.

Claire Waverley has started a successful new venture, Waverley’s Candies. Though her handcrafted confections—rose to recall lost love, lavender to promote happiness and lemon verbena to soothe throats and minds—are singularly effective, the business of selling them is costing her the everyday joys of her family, and her belief in her own precious gifts.

Sydney Waverley, too, is losing her balance. With each passing day she longs more for a baby— a namesake for her wonderful Henry. Yet the longer she tries, the more her desire becomes an unquenchable thirst, stealing the pleasure out of the life she already has.

Sydney’s daughter, Bay, has lost her heart to the boy she knows it belongs to…if only he could see it, too. But how can he, when he is so far outside her grasp that he appears to her as little more than a puff of smoke?

When a mysterious stranger shows up and challenges the very heart of their family, each of them must make choices they have never confronted before. And through it all, the Waverley sisters must search for a way to hold their family together through their troublesome season of change, waiting for that extraordinary event that is First Frost.


Lose yourself in Sarah Addison Allen's enchanting world and fall for her charmed characters in this captivating story that proves that a happily-ever-after is never the real ending to a story. It’s where the real story begins.

Release: January 20, 2015

Top Ten Sequels I Can't Wait To Get

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

Oh dear, this is going to kill me, isn't it? I'm going to be doing actual sequels (as in second books) so that I don't completely die.

1. The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski - Is this even a question?

2. Until the Beginning by Amy Plum - I was a little slow getting into Until the End, but I'm looking forward to this!

3. Deadfall by Anna Carey - A book entirely in second person? Count me in! Especially after the cliffhanger of book one!

4. Snow Like Ashes book 2 by Sara Raasch - There's not a title yet, but I want it!

5. Trail of Tears by Josephine Angelini - She is easily one of my favorite authors, as you can see by my profile picture.

6. The Death Code by Lindsay Cummings - The first book really surprised me with how much I loved it, so I'm really excited for this!

7. Unleashed by Sophie Jordan - The first book was amazing and original, so I'm excited for this!

8. All That Burns by Ryan Graudin - The first book was so amazing that needing the second book isn't even a question!

9. First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen - I loved Garden Spells, the only adult book that I've read, and I'm so excited to FINALLY get a sequel!

10. Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins - Paladins alone are rare in YA, but Paladins who also happen to be cheerleaders? They're nowhere to be seen, until now! So yes, I want this book.

There are a million more, but these are some of the top! What sequels are you looking forward to?

Waiting on Wednesday (39)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spines, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Welcome to another edition of Waiting on Any-Other-Day-But Wednesday!

This week, I'm featuring Ensnared by A.G. Howard! I am so excited for this book, and have made ALL of the my friends read this series. Yes, all of them. I cannot wait to find out what happens in Ensnared. Team Morpheus forever!

Synopsis:

After surviving a disastrous battle at prom, Alyssa has embraced her madness and gained perspective. She's determined to rescue her two worlds and the people and netherlings she loves. Even if it means challenging Queen Red to a final battle of wills and wiles . . . and even if the only way to Wonderland, now that the rabbit hole is closed, is through the looking-glass world--a parallel dimension filled with mutated and violent netherling outcasts. In the final installment of the wildly popular Splintered trilogy, Alyssa and her dad journey into the heart of magic and mayhem in search of her mom and to set right all that's gone wrong. Together with Jeb and Morpheus, they must salvage Wonderland from the decay and destruction that has ensnared it. But if they succeed and come out alive, can everyone truly have their happily ever after?

Release: January 6, 2015

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

Rules:
1. Thank the blogger that nominated you, and link back to their site.
2. Post the award’s logo onto your blog
3. Answer the 10 questions you’ve been asked
4. Nominate 10 bloggers
5. Set 10 new questions for your nominees.

Thank you Em @ The YA Book Butterfly for nominating me!

1. If you were deserted on a desert island, what 3 authors would you want with you?

I'd probably want to bring the authors most likely to be able to get me off the island, or at least help me live as long as possible. Carrie Ryan seems to have done well with zombies, so she can probably be helpful. Ally Carter has GOT to have learned a thing or two from writing the GG and Heist Society books. And Amy Plum would be good to have around if the survival stuff in After the End is any hint, also, she speaks French which might come in handy.

2. If you had to go back in time and live in a different time period, which time period would you choose?

I really prefer the present, but if I had to choose, I'd love to see Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt!

3. Last book you had a love/hate relationship with?

Probably Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo. It was really good, up until the end where it A) fell flat and B) had the relationship stuff all wrong.

4. Favorite book that is outside your usual realm of reading?

Definitely The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. I generally dislike non-fiction, but I picked this book up a few years ago and couldn't put it down. In short, it's about a woman named Henrietta Lacks who got cancer in the 1950s and passed away. The end. Right? Turns out, the doctors took her cells, which reproduced abnormally fast, and sold them for research. To the science community, they were known as HeLa. There are now so many of her cells out and about that have been used for research that that could wrap around the world TWO AND A HALF TIMES!

5. Book that you loved that you think should get more attention?

Easily Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins. That book is just made of perfection. Also A Girl Named Digit by Annabel Monaghan.

6. What is your favorite book to movie adaptation?

I have a couple favorites. They are: The Fault in Our Stars, The Book Thief, and Catching Fire!

7. What is your least favorite book cover?

No contest, the cover redesigns for the Lux series. The first ones weren't perfect, but they are SO much better than these!

8. Which author do you own the most books from?

There are actually four authors tied for first with thirteen books. Jennifer L. Armentrout, Rick Riordan, Richelle Mead, and Cassandra Clare!

9. Is there a debut 2015 author's book that you are looking forward to?

Definitely Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I actually just got an ARC of it and am ecstatic to read it!

10. If you read mostly YA, favorite adult book?

My favorite adult book is, no contest, Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. It was the first adult book I read, and I read it multiple years ago. I really enjoyed it, which makes the release of the sequel in January even sweeter!

I Nominate:

Nikki @ Fiction Freak
Nova @ Out of Time
Ivey @ The Hopeless Reader
Stephanie @ Ohana Reads
Meredith @ Pandora's Books
Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books

I give up on thinking of any more. If you haven't done this yet, consider yourself TAGGED!

Now here are the questions!

1. Top book(s) of 2014 so far?

2. Best books with a one-word title?

3. Which book world would you want to live in for a day?

4. Do you prefer reliable or unreliable narrators?

5. Which book are you most looking forward to in 2015?

6. Which dystopian world do you think is the worst?

7. Which food from a book do you want to try the most?

8. What are some of the most beautiful (in your opinion) 2014 covers?

9. Zombies or unicorns?

10. Would you prefer a book set in the distant past or far future?

Top Ten Characters That Need Their OWN Book

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

1. Puck from The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa - I want in this tricksters head!

2. Kat & Frosty from The White Rabbit Chronicles by Gena Showalter - Especially after the end of The Queen of Zombie Hearts, I want to know what they'll do!

3. Nico from The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan - Because he is made of adorable. Also, the son of Hades.

4. Ignifix from Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge - He is the male lead, but I want HIS POV!

5. Tod from the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent - We already have a novella from his POV, but I simply want MORE TODD!

6. Nikolai from Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - I feel like he really got the short end of the straw, and I want to see him be happy.

7. Jules from Die For Me by Amy Plum - Okay, we actually are getting this in the spring-ish, but I just want it now...

8. Morpheus from Splintered by A.G. Howard - Morpheus is mysterious, and I feel like we never get the true story from Alyssa's perspective. I want to know what HE thinks!

9. Roth from White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout - When someone's made of that much awesome, you always want to know more.

10. Kai from Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins - Okay, we're getting this one too, but a year is too long to wait!!!!

What characters do you think need their own book?

Waiting on Wednesday (38)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spines, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Okay, this might as well be called Waiting on Any Other Day But Wednesday, but here it is!

This week, I'm really excited for Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole! I cannot wait to find out what happens to Evie, and I'm excited for some more kick-butt action!

Synopsis:

Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s Arcana Chronicles, a nonstop action tale of rescue, redemption, and a revenge most wicked.

Heartbreaking decisions
Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, The Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love.

Uncertain victory
Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a frozen and perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on The Lovers and the vast army they command. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them once and for all may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together.

Two heroes returned

There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first?

Release: January 6, 2015

Top Ten Books I Have Reread

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

I'm editing this topic. The original was want to reread, but since I reread so much, I decided to make it the ones I've reread the most.

1. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins - Sweet is simply unputdownable. I have read it more times than I can count, and whenever asked what my favorite book is, Sweet Evil is always the first book that pops to mind.

2. All That Glows by Ryan Graudin - All That Glows is another favorite. It's a tad newer, so I haven't reread it as much, but I fell in love with it immediately, and every time I pick it up, I have to read the whole thing.

3. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - I first read Vampire Academy a few years ago, and since then, I have fallen in love. While Sydney in the new series is cool, my love will always remain with Rose.

4. Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter - There's a magical quality about Gena's books. Every time I read them, I fall more and more in love.

5. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry - Pushing the Limits is one of the few contemporaries that I can say with all honesty that I love. It tackles tough subject matter, while still remaining humorous and romantic.

6. White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout - The guy character Roth has a snake tattoo named Bambi that comes alive and eats people. Need I say anything else?

7. Divergent by Veronica Roth - This was pre-Allegiant, no spoilers, but since that book, I haven't been able to look at the series in the same light.

8. Abandon by Meg Cabot - I practically grew up on Meg Cabot (along with Margaret Peterson Haddix and Gale Carson Levine). Once I outgrew her middle grade books, I discovered this series and fell in love!

9. The Distance Between Us by Kasie West - One of the only other contemporaries that I truly enjoyed. This book is fun and romantic and like my favorite paranormals without the supernatural.

10. The Selection by Kiera Cass - A fun book that many people seem to dislike. I really like the main character America, and each time I read it, I see a different side of the story.