Waiting on Wednesday (118) The Killer in Me

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. Click the link to see the original post plus a whole slew of links to other blogs. After you read this one, of course.

The Killer in Me

Authors: Margot Harrison
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: July , 2016

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Hasn't he lived long enough? Why not? I could take him like a thief in the night.

This is how the Thief thinks. He serves death, the vacuum, the unknown. He’s always waiting. Always there.

Seventeen-year-old Nina Barrows knows all about the Thief. She’s intimately familiar with his hunting methods: how he stalks and kills at random, how he disposes of his victims’ bodies in an abandoned mine in the deepest, most desolate part of a desert.

Now, for the first time, Nina has the chance to do something about the serial killer that no one else knows exists. With the help of her former best friend, Warren, she tracks the Thief two thousand miles, to his home turf—the deserts of New Mexico.

But the man she meets there seems nothing like the brutal sociopath with whom she’s had a disturbing connection her whole life. To anyone else, Dylan Shadwell is exactly what he appears to be: a young veteran committed to his girlfriend and her young daughter. As Nina spends more time with him, she begins to doubt the truth she once held as certain: Dylan Shadwell is the Thief. She even starts to wonder . . . what if there is no Thief?

From debut author Margot Harrison comes a brilliantly twisted psychological thriller that asks which is more terrifying: the possibility that your nightmares are real
. . . or the possibility that they begin and end with you?

Why I'm excited:
My ears perk up the minute I hear psychological thriller, and this one sounds beyond intriguing. I love a did he or didn't he story-line, and the deserts of New Mexico is an appropriately scary setting, imo. I will definitely be looking out for this one.
 

What are you waiting for on this Wednesday? Link me up!

Hey lovely GFC and new followers, please follow me by Bloglovin. (I like to follow back, so please let me know if you're a new follower--and leave a link!) Thank you!!!

Read More

Weekly Rewind 9.26.15

Weekly Rewind
The new books on my shelves and my week in a nutshell.


Since I started this blog I've participated in Stacking the Shelves, which is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and I'm going to continue linking to that meme. Throughout my student teaching semester I was using my weekend post as a way to let people know what's going on in my life, so I've decided to rename my weekend post because this feature is more personal than just what books I've received. The Weekly Rewind will be about what's going on with me and my blog, as well as about the books I've added to my shelves.

My Life and Blog

Life: I'm drafting this on Thursday night again as I'm driving to PA tomorrow. My mother-in-law is in town, so my husband can't come down even though I was just there last weekend. I'm fine, though, I'm pretty caught up with everything at work, so I'll have very little grading or planning I'll need to do. In fact, all of my classes have an assembly tomorrow, so I just have to take roll and walk them to the auditorium (and watch them during the assembly, of course), but I should be able to get what little grading I do need to do while they are listening to the presentation. I'm ready for an easy day tomorrow after this week. For the most part, I have some great students, but I definitely have a couple of students that drain my energy and patience. It's just the way it is, I know. I'm in such a good school district, that having a couple of students who just won't shut up is about as good as it gets--and I know it.

My husband is thinking of bringing his mom down next weekend (she does his books, so will probably be there for a couple of weeks), which would be awesome because I'd like to do some of the touristy things that I haven't done yet. I've found some restaurants and shops in my new city (of course), but still haven't really explored like I would like to.

Blog and reading: This week I posted a TTT for my fall TBR list. I also posted a WoW for a book that sounds like a cross between Fangirl and Roomies. I'm currently reading Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling, Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, A Madness so Discreet by Mindy McGinnis, The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy by Alexandra Braken, and Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich (yes, I'm reading five books, that's par for the course).

New books: I have a slew of pretty titles to share with you this weekend. So without further ado, I hope you are all having fabulous weekends!

For Review

   

   

A Madness so Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

I've been so excited for this book for ages. I'm surprised I held off for as long as I did to start it. A historical novel of a girl thrown into an asylum for getting pregnant.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

A look at the rest of society in a world where superheroes exist. This sounds awesome.

Future Perfect by Jen Larsen

A girl's grandmother promises to pay for her college education (at Harvard, no less), if she loses some weight.

Ghostly edited by Audrey Niffenegger

A huge collection of stories by some amazing authors. This is one I'll probably have to buy a finished copy of, for my library and for my students' library.

We'll Never be Apart by Emiko JeanA

After a girl's boyfriend dies in a fire set by her sister, a girl swears to enact revenge. This sounds awesome.

An Inheritance of Ashes by Lisa Bobet

Per GR: "The strange war down south—with its rumors of gods and monsters—is over. And while sixteen-year-old Hallie and her sister wait to see who will return from the distant battlefield, they struggle to maintain their family farm." Sounds intriguing.
It's a Wonderful Death by Sarah Schmitt

A girl is accidently taken by a grim reaper and then gets involved in a feud between an archangel and Death. Sounds interesting, but it will have to be very well written to work, imo.

What I snagged from the library

   

A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farmboy by Alexandra Braken The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to be a Jedi? by Adam Diowitz Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side by Tom Angleberger

I love Star Wars and am SO excited for these!!

Well that's it for me this week. Feel free to leave a link to whatever weekend post you do (Stacking the Shelves, In My Mailbox, etc). I love to see what books people have recently snagged and especially enjoy hearing about my fellow bloggers' weeks. I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!

Read More

Waiting on Wednesday (117) Gena/Finn

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. Click the link to see the original post plus a whole slew of links to other blogs. After you read this one, of course.

Gena/Finn

Authors: Hannah Moskowitz and Kat Kelgeson
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Release Date: February 23, 2016

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The story follows the unlikely friendship of two young women forged via fan fiction and message boards, and is told entirely in texts, chats, and blog posts.

Gena and Finn (short for Stephanie) have little in common. Book-smart Gena is preparing to leave her posh boarding school for college; down-to-earth Finn is a twenty-something struggling to make ends meet in the big city. Gena’s romantic life is a series of reluctant one-night-stands; Finn is making a go of it with long-term boyfriend Charlie. But they share a passion for Up Below, a buddy cop TV show with a cult fan following. Gena is a darling of the fangirl scene, keeping a popular blog and writing fan fiction. Finn’s online life is a secret, even from Charlie. The pair spark an unlikely online friendship that deepens quickly (so quickly it scares them both), and as their individual “real” lives begin to fall apart, they increasingly seek shelter online, and with each other.

Why I'm excited:
While this definitely has some echoes of Fangirl, what this really reminds me of is the older chick lit novels in the "Boy Series" by Meg Cabot (The Boy Next Door, and et. al) that are told entirely in emails. I love this format for novels. It makes the story read so quickly. The synopsis also kind of reminds me of Roomies, which was another novel written by two authors about to girls becoming friends long-distance. Overall, this just sounds cute and fun, and I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for it.

What are you waiting for on this Wednesday? Link me up!

Hey lovely GFC and new followers, please follow me by Bloglovin. (I like to follow back, so please let me know if you're a new follower--and leave a link!) Thank you!!!

Read More

TTT: Fall TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme/original feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Click the link to go to their site to see the original list for today plus links to a whole slew of other blogs. After you read mine, of course.

Today's topic: Fall TBR

Season TBRs are my favorite TTT. It's about one of the only times I post one. The best I could narrow this down to was 12 (and that was a struggle). This fall is FULL of books I can't wait to sink my teeth into.

    

    

   

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I pre-ordered this from Amazon when it was, like, 55% off (or something like that) and cannot wait for it to come in. Not much longer. September is flying by!

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

I have this, but haven't read it yet...even though it comes out today. I'm so behind on my pile. I'm so excited for this one, too. Just look at that gorgeous cover! And it's about the Gold Rush which is an era of American history that I find fascinating.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

I just finished a reread of Fangirl a couple of weeks ago, so I'm primed to read this one.

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Even though I can read this on the computer, I stopped after the first couple of chapters when it became obvious that I should wait until I had hard copy in my hands. So I've preordered it and am now waiting patiently.

Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

This is probably my favorite cover of the year. I love it so much. It, um, sounds really interesting, too, a historical novel about a girl trapped in an insane asylum.

Radiance by Catherynne Valente

I've read the synopsis for this book a few times. I don't have a clue what it is about, but it sure sounds intriguing...

Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

I cannot wait for this book about the superhero Black Widow when she was a teen.

Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown

A girl acts as a messenger for the MI5 during WWI. Sounds fun!

Da Vinci's Tiger L.M. Elliott

Can I say that I absolutely love Da Vinci without sounding like a tool? No? Well, I do, and this sounds amazing. (What happened to the amazing cover with the girl looking through the tiger, though? This cover is snoozeville!!)

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

This may be my most anticipated book of the year. I'm so intrigued by WWII history, and this book about an alternative history where the Axis Powers won just looks so amazing. I may actually read this one next...

Young Widows Club by Alexandra Coutts

A 17 year-old runs off to marry her boyfriend only to have him pass away, leaving her a widow. This sounds fairly original.

The Trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morrill

How charming is this cover? About a girl who finds a contest on a boat to keep her school band going.

A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farmboy by Alexandra Braken

I'm sure it will not come as a shock that I am a Star Wars nerd. I'm so excited for the three book coming out that fleshes out and retell the original trilogy.

Well that's all for me. What books are topping your fall TBR lists? Link me up!

Hey lovely readers: I love meeting new bloggers. If you decide to follow, my preference is through Bloglovin'. If you are a new follower, please let me know and leave a link so that I can follow back. Thanks! 

Read More

Weekly Rewind 9.19.15

Weekly Rewind
The new books on my shelves and my week in a nutshell.


Since I started this blog I've participated in Stacking the Shelves, which is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and I'm going to continue linking to that meme. Throughout my student teaching semester I was using my weekend post as a way to let people know what's going on in my life, so I've decided to rename my weekend post because this feature is more personal than just what books I've received. The Weekly Rewind will be about what's going on with me and my blog, as well as about the books I've added to my shelves.

My Life and Blog

Life: I'm typing this up on Thursday night because I'm heading back to PA tomorrow after school, and the past couple of times have taught me that I'm never really in the mood to type up a post after sitting in the car for 4 hours...after teaching all day...at the end of the week. Lol. I'm so excited to go home this weekend as I haven't seen my husband for 3 weeks with him being out of town. I'm taking my kitties back home tomorrow. It's kind of a bummer because I've loved having them around. It's so nice to come home to something that loves you, you know. I might actually bring my tortie girl back with me...We'll see.

That's really all I have to report this week. School is going well. I'm enjoying my new school, and love my classes.

Blog and reading: I was actually a pretty efficient blogger this week. I posted a review for the movie Age of Adaline. I also posted a TTT for freebie week (I did favorite teachers in pop culture), and a WoW that reminds me of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly, a book I loved.

I'm currently reading Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling, Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas after finally finishing Throne of Glass this last weekend, and I've switched to the audio of The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith--which has been an awesome decision as I really want to know what happened, but was struggling to read the book. The narration is great.

New books: I have a few pretty titles to share with you this week. So without further ado, I hope you are all having fabulous weekends!

 For review

 

Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, and Deborah Biancotti

A dude with a superpower that isn't all it's cracked up to be has to turn to his old friends--who call themselves the zeroes--who all have similar powers. It certainly sounds interesting. I never got into the Uglies series, but I've heard great things. I'm not familiar with the other authors.

Menagerie by Rachel Vincent

An "ordinary" woman visits a traveling carnival only to get captured by the show when a sharp-clawed creature is discovered under her skin. This sounds majorly weird, but it's been on my radar for awhile now, and I'm excited to read it.

The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood

I went through a MAJOR Margaret Atwood phase after I graduated from college and basically read her whole collection. There are still a few I haven't read (she's pretty prolific and has had a very long career), but I'm still excited whenever she comes out with something new. I really prefer her contemporary work more than her sci-fi/dystopian work, but this sounds so interesting, and very Stepford Wives.

Never Never by Brianna Shrum

I'll be honest: I like the idea of retelling more than I like reading them. There have been some stand-outs, of course, but I often give up on them half way through (if that). I am excited for this Peter Pan retelling that is more like an origin story for Hook--which may be awesome (even though I just read a negative review for it, like, yesterday).

Madly by Amy Alward

When the princess takes a love potion meant for her crush and falls for herself (lol), a girl from an alchemist family tries to find the cure. This sounds hilarious.

The Shrunken Head by Lauren Oliver

This MG novel about orphans with abilities who live in a museum sounds adorable. I LOVE that cover, too.

What I snagged from the library

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

I'm about a quarter of the way through it and am absolutely loving it. Mindy Kaling is hilarious and this book is just more fun and intimate than her last book (which was also awesome).

Tonight The Streets are Ours by Leila Sales

A girl decides to go to New York after a blogger blogs about getting dumped by his girlfriend. A crazy night follows. This sounds pretty charming.

Movie:

Cinderella

How many Cinderella stories can this world possibly need? I plan on watching this, but I'm not over-the-moon excited for it or anything. 


Well that's it for me this week. Feel free to leave a link to whatever weekend post you do (Stacking the Shelves, In My Mailbox, etc). I love to see what books people have recently snagged and especially enjoy hearing about my fellow bloggers' weeks. I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!

Read More

Waiting on Wednesday (116) The Cresswell Plot

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. Click the link to see the original post plus a whole slew of links to other blogs. After you read this one, of course.

The Cresswell Plot

Author: Eliza Wass
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: June 7, 2016

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The woods were insane in the dark, terrifying and magical at the same time. But best of all were the stars, which trumpeted their light into the misty dark.

Castella Cresswell and her five siblings—Hannan, Casper, Mortimer, Delvive, and Jerusalem—know what it’s like to be different. For years, their world has been confined to their ramshackle family home deep in the woods of upstate New York. They abide by the strict rule of God, whose messages come directly from their father.

Slowly, Castley and her siblings start to test the boundaries of the laws that bind them. But, at school, they’re still the freaks they’ve always been to the outside world. Marked by their plain clothing. Unexplained bruising. Utter isolation from their classmates. That is, until Castley is forced to partner with the totally irritating, totally normal George Gray, who offers her a glimpse of a life filled with freedom and choice.

Castley’s world rapidly expands beyond the woods she knows so well and the beliefs she once thought were the only truths. There is a future waiting for her if she can escape her father’s grasp, but Castley refuses to leave her siblings behind. Just as she begins to form a plan, her father makes a chilling announcement: the Cresswells will soon return to their home in heaven. With time running out on all of their lives, Castley must expose the depth of her father’s lies. The forest has buried the truth in darkness for far too long. Castley might be their last hope for salvation.

Why I'm excited:
Wow. This sounds intriguing. It kind of reminds me of this year's The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly which I LOVED. The extreme of religion is always interesting to me. I'm all for people believing whatever they choose to believe, but it's sad for me to think of children growing up in super restricted households. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes open for this book. It sounds amazing.

What are you waiting for on this Wednesday? Link me up!

Hey lovely GFC and new followers, please follow me by Bloglovin. (I like to follow back, so please let me know if you're a new follower--and leave a link!) Thank you!!!

Read More

TTT Freebie: Favorite Teachers

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme/original feature hosted byThe Broke and the Bookish. Click the link to go to their site to see the original list for today plus links to a whole slew of other blogs. After you read mine, of course.

Today's topic is: Favorite Teachers

As I start my second year as an English teacher, I've been thinking about some of my favorite teachers in pop culture (movies, books, TV shows). I was working on this post on its own, so when I saw this weeks TTT was a freebie, it was like the stars had aligned...

 

Mr. Kinney in Golden by Jessi Kirby

Mr. Kinney is an English teacher that starts every year by having his seniors write a journal based on the Mary Oliver quote:  "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" He then keeps the journals for ten years and then mails them out to their owner. I love this idea...and I love that this book positively portrays an English teacher. Teachers in YA are rarely positive characters, which makes me sad.

  

Bill Anderson in The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I love how Mr. Anderson is there, but doesn't push. I also love that he is happy to give his own copies of books to Charlie to read because he's obviously ahead of his classmates...and loves to read.

 

Ms. Norbury in Mean Girls

Tina Fey can pretty much do no wrong in my book. She is brilliant here as a teacher who cares, but is also just kind of dry and fed-up with teenage shit. LOVE her.

Mr. Katimski from My So-Called Life

"No one should...hate who they are." Mr. Katimski that reaches out to poor Ricky. I could watch this show over and over and it would still never get old. I HAVE watched this show over and over and it truly never gets old.

 

John Keating in Dead Poets Society

I'm not going to lie: I STILL dream of teaching at a private school with ivy walls because of this movie. Oh Captain, My Captain.



 

Mr. Hall in Clueless

Like Ms. Norbury, Mr. Hall cares about his students, but he just doesn't understand their...cluelessness (I'm sorry, I had to).

 

Katherine Ann Watson in Mona Lisa Smiles

A feminist before her time, Professor Watson just wants her female students at an all-girls college to realize that they don't HAVE to just be housewives. I don't love this movie, but I do love her character.

 

Professor X in The X Men

Brilliant, compassionate, and telepathic. Oh to be able to speak into my students' heads. Lol.

Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter

Professor McGonagall is the WOMAN! There is really nothing else to say about it.

 

Professor Dumbledore in Harry Potter

No favorite teacher list could possibly be complete without Professor Dumbledore. My love for him really knows no bounds. Brilliant, real, funny, brave, I don't have enough adjectives. Although this makes me giggle EVERY time I see it:

Imagine how awesome we would all be if we would have had teachers like this. I try to remind myself of this daily. It's so hard when the students won't stop talking and don't do their homework and ask me what they are supposed to be doing mere seconds after I just explained it...for the UMPTENTH time, but I can't forget why I'm there. I strive to be the teacher that will impact their lives in a positive way. I'll never be Professor Dumbledore...but I can sure try to be their Dumbledore.

Well that's it for me. What did you do with your freebie week? Link me up!

Hey lovely readers: I love meeting new bloggers. If you decide to follow, my preference is through Bloglovin'. If you are a new follower, please let me know and leave a link so that I can follow back. Thanks! 






Read More