Weekly Rewind 1.31.15

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: This week was insane. I honestly don't know what the deal is with the kids at my school. They are all just so restless and are misbehaving. I think part of it just has to do with it being January--Christmas is over, but they still have so long until the end of the year, and even spring break is several weeks out. 

On the plus side, I get to go down to Orlando for the weekend and hang out with my sister. I was back home for her birthday in December and she won't be in FL next weekend which is my birthday weekend, so the two of us decided to do a joint celebration this weekend. I think we may be going to Universal Studios which is my favorite place in the world. Even if we don't, it will just be nice to hang out with her and her family. I definitely need a break after this week, and I don't get to go home for another couple of weeks.

I didn't get very much done blog-wise this week. I still need to write a review for Big Little Lies, but I've just been sooooooo tired after I'm done with all my work this week. It's 7:30 (PM) as I type this and I'm totally ready for bed. As such, I didn't get as much reading done as I would have liked, either. I've actually been doing a little bit of rereading...because I don't enough new books to read. Lol.

New books: I got some new books. i'm going to share them. And then I'm going to go to sleep. I hope you are all having awesome weekends! 

For Review

    

   

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

I'll admit that I'm pretty weary of this. I've glanced at a couple of reviews from trusted friends, and they have all been pretty...meh. Star-ratings for this on GR is all over the place. Oh, well. Hopefully I'll be one of the people who love it.

One of the Guys by Lisa Aldin

A girl who is "just one of the guys" starts an all-girls school and decides to start a business of setting up the girls from school with her buddies from home. From the synopsis, she falls for one of her friends which makes this sound pretty predictable, but cute. 

Monstrous by MarcyKate Connolly

I don't really know what this is about honestly. That cover is just so charming.

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

A girl obsessed with planning her own death makes a suicide pact with a boy she meets on a website.

The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand

Holy crap I've snagged a lot of books about suicide lately. I'll probably hold off on this one. 

I Remember You by Cathleen Davitt Bell

This sounds like a time-traveling romance which could be fun. 

Promposal by Rhonda Helms

How did this become a thing? Hopefully this will be cute. 

How to Win at High School by Owen Matthews

Per GR: Using Scarface as his guide to life, Adam Higgs is going from zero to high school hero. 

What I snagged from the library

 

Audio:

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm listening to this one on my commute. I really liked The Raven Boys, and have read it twice, but I don't really understand this series. This is a bit hard to listen to, actually, because if my mind wanders for even a minute I get completely lost. 

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 (85) Never Never

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.

Never Never 

Authors: Brianna R. Shrum
Publisher: Spencer Hill
Release Date: September 22, 2015

Link to Goodreads:

James Hook is a child who only wants to grow up.

When he meets Peter Pan, a boy who loves to pretend and is intent on never becoming a man, James decides he could try being a child—at least briefly. James joins Peter Pan on a holiday to Neverland, a place of adventure created by children’s dreams, but Neverland is not for the faint of heart. Soon James finds himself longing for home, determined that he is destined to be a man. But Peter refuses to take him back, leaving James trapped in a world just beyond the one he loves. A world where children are to never grow up.

But grow up he does. 

And thus begins the epic adventure of a Lost Boy and a Pirate.

This story isn’t about Peter Pan; it’s about the boy whose life he stole. It’s about a man in a world that hates men. It’s about the feared Captain James Hook and his passionate quest to kill the Pan, an impossible feat in a magical land where everyone loves Peter Pan.

Except one.

Why I'm Excited:

You know what this world needs? Another Peter Pan re-telling. Lol. I'm getting a bit wary of re-tellings and re-imagining, I'll be honest, but that cover! Yes, I'm shallow, but it's so pretty. This actually sounds pretty good, so I'm hoping it will be 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

Weekly Rewind 1.24.15

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: Four day weeks always seem longer. Why is that? This week was pretty good. We are at the tail-end of A Wrinkle in Time, and I think most of my students are starting to get pretty into it. The book does get a lot more interesting once they are on Camazotz with the--um, spoilers for a 60 year old book--kids who all bounce the balls in rhythm and the reveal of IT as a giant, disembodied brain. It's a fun book. I'm a little less enthusiastic about reading the same chapter by my 5th period (I am still human, after all), but luckily the periods rotate so it isn't always the same class that is getting me last--and I'm not always getting them last...ALL of my classes are more hyper after lunch. 

I'm about 3 weeks out from my next trip home. I added two days to the President's Day weekend so I'll be home for five nights. After that, I'll have a month before spring break. At least I'm on the downward swing. La di da. You've all heard this before. 

Blog: So, I was actually pretty productive this week, blog-wise. I posted a review for the movie What If (a romantic comedy starring Daniel Radcliffe), and posted both a TTT and a WoW. I've been reading fairly steadily although I've been flipping back and forth between several books without finishing any of them. I did, however, finish the audio of Big Little Lies this week and I do plan on getting a review up soon--hopefully next week.

New books: I have several new books to share with you this week. February is a bit out of control. I can't wait for this summer when I'll have some time to actually read...Anyhoo, I hope you are all having spectacular weekends!

Review Books

   

   

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

I've been excited for this one since I first saw that cover. I haven't read any reviews yet, but I have seen several 4 and 5 star ratings on my GR feed. 

Funny Girl by Nick Hornby 

Nick Hornby is one of those authors that I almost always pick up, but that is often hit or miss for me. I liked About a Boy and High Fidelity, but didn't really care for A Long Way Down and Juliet, Naked. This one sounds like a comedy, though, so I'm hoping to enjoy it. 

Scripted by Maya Rock

This one sounds interesting. From what I can gather, the book is about a futuristic reality show where you get "cut" if the public doesn't find your story-line interesting enough.

Single, Carefree, Mellow by Katherine Heiny

A short story collection that is getting some good early buzz.

Beastkeeper by Cat Hellisen

I couldn't resist this fairy tale retelling. That cover!

We Are Pirates by Daniel Handler

I'm honestly not exactly sure what this one is about. Pirates, I suppose. 

The Forgetting by Nicole Maggi

A girl tries to find out the truth about her heart donor. 

Love by the Book by Melissa Pimentel

When I saw this cover, my first thought was that it had been awhile since I'd read a good chick-lit story. I hope this one delivers.

What I snagged from the library

  

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

This psychological thriller has been getting great early buzz. I'm excited to read it. 

Nantucket Red by Leila Howland

I've been putting this off because I kind of felt like I should do a reread of the first book, but I haven't really felt like a reread...so I might just give this a shot with what I do remember. *Shrugs*

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 (84) Hotel Ruby

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.

Hotel Ruby

Authors: Suzanne Young
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: November, 2015

Link to Goodreads:

Stay Tonight. Stay Forever.

When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.

Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions—including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey’s pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful. Nightly fancy affairs in the ballroom are invitation only, and Audrey seems to be the one guest who doesn't have an invite. Instead, she joins the hotel staff on the rooftop, catching whispers about the hotel’s dark past.

The more Audrey learns about the new people she's met, the more her curiosity grows. She’s torn in different directions—the pull of her past with its overwhelming loss, the promise of a future that holds little joy, and an in-between life in a place that is so much more than it seems…

Welcome to the Ruby. 

Why I'm Excited:

Holy crap! This sounds like The Shining for the YA crowd. I actually featured this yesterday in my TTT, but I couldn't resist given this its own platform today. I can't believe this hasn't been done already (has this been done already?) That cover is so pretty, and this sounds amazing. I seriously hope I don't have to wait until November to read 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

Top Ten Tuesday: The top 2015 books I'm looking forward to by month

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: The 2015 books I most want to read by month

For this freebie week, I've decided to look at the books I'm most looking forward to in 2015 month by month. This was harder than I thought it would be as some months--like February and May--are STACKED with books I can't wait to read while the later months are a bit thin as not all titles have been announced yet (and there are missing covers still). Regardless, I truly am looking forward to each and every one of these 12 titles. 

        

   

January

All Fall Down (Embassy Row #1) by Ally Carter

I'm actually reading this one now. If I'm honest it's really not living up to my expectations, but this was the book I was most looking forward to this month.

February

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

This isn't just the book I'm most looking forward to in February, this is the book I'm most looking forward to this year. Gimme, gimme, gimme. 

March

The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

Despite my choices for Feb and March, I really don't read that much fantasy, but this looks amazing. I love the idea of a kick-ass girl taking back her rightful place on the throne. It's very Daenerys from GoT.

April

99 Days by Katie Cotugno

This looks very charming. I actually just started the author's first book last night. I didn't get very far, but I liked what I've read so far. 

May

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Man, it was hard to choose just one for May, but how could I not go with Kasie West. I can't wait to read what I'm sure is going to be another charmer.

June

Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer

Summer camp and time travel. Just yes, yes to all of it.

July

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

The sequel to The Diviners...finally.

August

The Creeping by Alexandra Sirowy

Creepy is right. I'm loving this cover and the story-line of missing girls sounds intriguing. 

September

Stand-Off by Andrew Smith

The secret to Winger which I adored. I seriously hope I don't have to wait until September to get my hands on this. 

October

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I never read the Grisha series, but I know that a lot of people loved it. I was sold as soon as I read the synopsis and saw the word heist. That's definitely one of my drop everything words. (Obviously, this isn't the actual cover.)

November

Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young

This sounds like The Shining for the YA crowd. Sold.

December

Trouble With Destiny by Lauren Morrill

How charming is this cover? The story on a luxury cruise ship sounds so fun. Can you believe we are already talking about books coming out next December!

Well that's it for me. What did you do for 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

What If (Movie Review)

What If

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan

Director: Michael Dowse

Writer: Elan Masti

Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, including references throughout, partial nudity and language

***********************************************************************

My Thoughts:

I knew I wanted to see this movie immediately upon seeing the first trailer, and I know I don't have to sell you, my beloved blogger friends, on the idea of Daniel Radcliffe as the romantic lead in a romantic comedy. He is smart and charming and funny and self-deprecating in this film, which is everything I imagine him to be in real life. I have to admit that I still feel a little funny thinking of Harry Potter as a real (and sexy) man, but as he himself said: the media had no problem making Emma Watson a sex symbol as soon as she hit puberty, so why do we have such a hard time viewing him as anything but the boy who lived? Thankfully, in What If, I didn't see him as Harry Potter in the slightest--he was just Wallace, a man who is just starting to recover from a recent heartbreak when he meets the girl who just might be his soul mate.

What If follows Wallace and Chantry (Kazan), a pair of twenty-somethings who meet cute at a party thrown by his former college roommate (Adam Driver from Girls) who happens to be her cousin. The two, who both admit to being a little social inept, bond over refrigerator poetry and immediately click in that special way that so rarely happens. He walks her home from the party and the two agree to hang out sometime--only to have her sneak in (in that sneaky ways that girls do--in the sneaky way that I once did) that she has a boyfriend, but would still love if they could hang out as friends. 

The two do begin hanging out on a regular basis, but it is obvious that there is a real spark between the two of them. A spark that Chantry does her best to ignore because not only does she have a boyfriend, but she has built a real life with him. The two live together, they have been together for the last five years, and she really does love him. Wallace, for his part, respects the fact that she has a boyfriend and doesn't make a move.

I truly enjoyed What If. It isn't anything new--from just the trailer or synopsis you know how the movie is going to end--but it was still a fun journey. What saves the film from the tired story is Radcliffe and Kazan and the chemistry between them. In addition, their dialogue is witty and their story feels real. You don't doubt for a minute that Chantry is struggling with the guilt she feels for the attraction she has for Wallace while in such a serious relationship. While I don't at all condone infidelity (like, at all, I would never in a million years cheat on my husband and I would be heartbroken if he ever cheated on me), I can't help but feel like sometimes two people are just meant to be together. Sometimes two souls really just do complete each other in a way that is undeniable. How could anybody stand in the way of that?  

Overall, I would definitely recommend What If. I was a bit surprised by the not-so-awesome reviews I remember reading when this was in theaters. Again, Radcliffe and Kazan are both so charming and their chemistry is palatable, and the story, while a bit trite, still feels very real. The secondary characters like the roommate/cousin and Chandry's sister add humor and depth to the film. Now on DVD (and I'm sure it will be streaming before long), What If is the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. 

Read More

Weekly Rewind 1.17.15

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: Not a whole lot to report today. I'm thankful that this is a 3 day weekend as I have a TON of grading I need to do. I had my last observation this week which ended up being very positive. It's nice to know that they are happy with what I am doing in the classroom. I'm four weeks away from my next trip home. My birthday is in three, but I decided it would be better to go over President's Day weekend when I could have an extra day--that way I'll get a five day break instead of a four by taking two days off. 

On the blog front, I wrote my first review in months this week--for the book I Was Here if you were curious. I have to admit that it gave me a great sense of self-satisfaction. I've been reading a lot more lately. I'm still doing that thing where I pick up a book even when I'm halfway through a different one (or four) so that I'm not really finishing anything, lol. However, I have been reading way more lately which is awesome.

New Books: Despite my (not very good) attempt to censor myself, 2015 is already filled with more books than I know I will read, but they all look so good! At least books aren't a bad vice. I am excited for the books I'm sharing today, so without further adieu, I hope you are all having fabulous weekends (especially if you get Monday off)!

For Review

   
  

We Can Work it Out by Elizabeth Eulberg

The sequel to The Lonely Hearts Club, Ms. Eulberg's debut from five years ago. I've been rereading LHC in preparation. It's pretty cute, fluffy and inconsequential, but cute.
I'm Glad I Did by Cynthia Weil 
I'll be honest--I don't know who Cynthia Weil is even though she is apparently in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. Regardless, this novel about a song writer in the 1960s sounds pretty fun.

Geek Girl by Holly Smale
This is finally getting a US release. The series is already up to, like, four books in its home country. I've read a bit of it, it's pretty cute.
Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff
A boy tries to understand his friend's suicide through the play-list he left behind. I JUST read another novel dealing with suicide, so it will probably be awhile before I pick this one up. 
Love, Lucy by April Lindner
A European romance. Looks pretty cute.
A Cold Legacy by Megan Sheperd
So, yeah, this is the third book in a series I haven't read yet. I do this to myself sometimes.

What I snagged from the library

 

Book:

How to Love by Katie Cotugno

This is one of those books that I meant to read, and meant to read, but just never got around to. I'm looking forward to actually getting to this one.

Movie:

What If

I'll watch pretty much anything with Daniel Radcliffe. 

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

I Was Here (Early Book Review)

I Was Here

Author: Gayle Forman

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Release Date: January 27, 2015

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Cody and Meg were inseparable.
Two peas in a pod.
Until . . . they weren’t anymore.

When her best friend Meg drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, who broke Meg’s heart. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

I Was Here is Gayle Forman at her finest, a taut, emotional, and ultimately redemptive story about redefining the meaning of family and finding a way to move forward even in the face of unspeakable loss.

*******************************************************************************

My thoughts:

As those who still really follow me know, I've been fairly inactive when it comes to reading and blogging these past few months. The (most-likely temporary) move to Florida, the consequent (definitely temporary) separation from my beloved husband, and the start of my teaching career have all taken their toll on both my ability and desire to pick up a book at the end of a long day (for real, teaching a hundred 13 year-olds all day is beyond draining--both mentally and physically). That said, I found myself reading this in a single sitting one Sunday morning right before Christmas break, and it was like breathing fresh air again. I literally cannot remember the last book that I read in a single sitting. More importantly, since reading it, I've had a real desire to read that has been missing from my life for the past few months. That isn't to say that this was a perfect, awesome book. It wasn't. But it WAS an intriguing book that kept me in bed until about 2 in the afternoon until I'd read every last word.

I Was Here follows a girl named Cody who is devastated by the suicide of her best friend Meg. The two grew up together, but while Meg was going to college in Seattle, Cody has stayed behind in their small Washington state hometown with the intention of joining her bff in a year. The novel starts after Meg has already died, so we never get the chance to meet her. She stays a bit of a mystery throughout the entire novel as even her own best friend had no idea that she was even thinking about committing suicide, let alone that she would ever actually do it. 

When Meg's parents ask Cody to go to Meg's apartment to grab her belongings, Cody complies. It is there that she meets Meg's roommates and her one-time love interest, a rocker named Ben who is known to be quite the player. Cody is disgusted with herself when she realizes that she is drawn to this guy who possibly broke her best friend's heart, but when she finds some weird encrypted files on Meg's computer, she finds herself becoming entangled with him. It's really after this discovery that the story really picks up and things stop seeming so black and white...which is all I will say about that. 

Again, this wasn't a perfect story. The romance between Cody and Ben is pretty cliche and seems to follow the typical NA trope of an experienced player and the innocent virgin. That said, I wouldn't personally categorize this as NA. The characters are out of high school, but it read more like YA to me. Besides the romance--which is only a small part of this novel--it didn't seem like NA to me, but really, who cares what genre a book gets thrown into? What matters is whether or not it is a good book. What saves this story is the writing and the intrigue about what really did happen with Meg. 

The topic of suicide is a tough one for a lot of people. It's something that hits pretty close to home, so I'm always interested in the way it is handled. Suicide itself is a mystery. It's always so sad when people just don't see any way out of their own darkness. It's hardest for those that the person left behind: their parents, their children, their friends. There is always a feeling of: is there something I could have said or done that would have changed their minds? This book delves at least somewhat into the thought patterns of those who don't see any other options. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It was fast-paced and well-written. I could have done without the romance and wish it wouldn't have been spotlighted quite as much, but mostly I'm just thankful that this book knocked something loose in me that has made me want to pick up a book (even if it is only for a few pages) at the end of day again. 

Would Recommend

Read More