Waiting on Wednesday (131) Smash & Grab

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.

Smash & Grab

Author: Amy Christine Parker
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: July 19, 2016

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Ocean’s Eleven meets the star-crossed lovers of West Side Story. Grab some popcorn and get ready for an adrenaline-filled heist!

LEXI is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or BASE jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.

CHRISTIAN is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom. In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. . . .

Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other.

Told in alternating points of view, this caper is full of romance and fast-paced fun. Hand to fans of Perfect Chemistry, The Conspiracy of Us, and Heist Society.

Why I'm excited:

I love "caper" books so much. Even when they are so far-fetched, I just cannot get enough. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes open for this one.

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

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TTT: Most Anticipated Early 2016

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.

The top ten books I'm most anticipating in the first half of 2016

There are a lot of books I'm excited for that come out in 2016 that I already have, so I'm going to concentrate on the books I don't have--that I truly am anticipating (not just trying to find the time to read).

   
   
   

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Thankfully one of my most anticipated books of 2016 comes out in a week. I ordered this from the library the second it showed up in the system. I can't wait.
Truthwitch by Susan Denkard
Ditto this one.
Riders by Veronica Rossi
I love that this is about the four horsemen of the apocalypse. I seriously hope this is as awesome as it sounds.
The Forbidden Orchid by Sharon Biggs Waller
I don't read a whole lot of historical fiction, but I've heard awesome things about this author, and I'm shallowly drawn to this cover.
Love, Lies, and Spies by Cindy Astey

Oh, this cover, I love it so much. I don't even care what this is about. I love that Swoon Reads are PBs. I'll definitely be buying this one just to have it on my shelf.

A Tyranny of Petticoats by various authors

I love anthologies. I also love stories about badass girls. So, you know, win, win.

Summer Days and Summer Nights by various authors

Speaking of anthologies...

Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Bandeira

This is about a girl who overhauls her personality by modeling herself after her favorite book heroines! 

The Way to Game the Walk of Shame by Jenn P Nguyen

This sounds very Ten Things I Hate About You to me. Which, of course, makes me want it immediately.

The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Fixer was really fun. I find this author's writing immensely readable--even if I don't necessarily love everything she writes, but I really am looking forward to this one.

After the Woods by Kim Savage

This looks scary and important...and I seriously love this cover.

Down With the Shine by Kate Karyus Quinn

This is about magical moonshine!

That's it for me. What early 2016 books are you most anticipating? Link me up!

Hey lovely readers. I love meeting and connecting with new bloggers. If you decide to follow, my preferred method is Bloglovin'. Let me know if you are a new follower as I follow back. Thank you!

Weekly Rewind 12.26.15

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've been home for the last week and time is just flying by. It is so easy (too easy) to slip into a vacation schedule of staying up way too late and laying around like a worthless sloth all day. We've done a few things: We saw Star Wars (loved it), we had dinner with our Italian neighbors and their many, many kids and grandkids like we always do on Christmas Eve when we are in PA (instead of FL or WY), and I've made one shopping trip to Half Price Books (I didn't find any books, but I did pick up a handful of magazines for fifty cents each). Christmas--today--has been pretty uneventful. We opened our presents this morning and I cooked breakfast. We had Chinese for dinner since neither of us felt like cooking, and it wasn't until about 5 minutes ago that I realized today was Friday and I hadn't typed up a weekend post yet. One more week at home before getting back to the grind. I have some plans with friends next week, but I imagine it will be more of the same for the most part: reading, watching TV, hanging out with my husband and cats. Basically what a holiday break should be. I did get some gift cards for Christmas, including two for Barnes and Noble, so I will definitely be doing some shopping as early as tomorrow.

Blog and reading: I posted both a TTT and a WoW this week. I finished reading Eligible late last night and loved it. I'm so drawn to Curtis Sittenfeld's style of writing (Prep is one of my all-time favorite novels). She did an awesome job of making a Pride and Prejudice retelling that was at once familiar and fresh. I definitely plan on writing up a review some time this coming week. I was hoping this break was going to make me want to write more for the blog, but that really hasn't been the case. I've been sooooo lazy, but it has been awesome so I'm not going to be hard on myself for it. I haven't decided what I'm going to read next. I read the first chapter of about 5 different books this afternoon, but nothing really caught my attention. I'm sure I'll settle on something tonight or tomorrow. Eligible was over 500 pages and while I really did enjoy it, I always have a hard time getting into a new book after spending that much time with something.

New Books: I've a decent haul to share with you today. So without further ado, I hope you all had a merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you personally celebrate) and that your weekends are full of fabulousness.

For Review

  
  

The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

A girl who is supposed to inherit the magic of the queen when she dies doesn't, so she flees. It sounds interesting, but I have to admit that I'm incredibly wary of starting too many series in 2016. Has anybody read this one yet?

Thief of Lies by Brenda Drake

I'm not exactly sure what this is about, but I know that the characters are able to jump in and out of famous libraries around the world which sounds amazing.

Worlds of Ink and Shadow by Lena Coakley

This is a novel about the Bronte sisters. I've read one not-so-great review about this one, by a trusted reviewer, but I do plan to still give it a try.
Navel Gazing: True Tales About Bodies, Mostly Mine by Michael Ian Black
I absolutely love Michael Ian Black. I think he is hilarious, and sincerely wish more people knew about him. I'm excited to read this one...but I hope my library purchases the audio.
The Past by Tessa Hadly
This adult novel follows siblings who are spending time at the summer house they may need to sell. This is a premise that has been done, but one that I'm drawn to regardless. I love this cover, too.
Once Upon a Kiss by Robin Palmer
This follows a 16 year-old in 1986 who after a choking incident wakes up in the year 2016 where she is now the most popular girl in school. It sounds very 13 Going on 30 without the age change, but very fun.

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!

Waiting on Wednesday (130)

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 Season

Author: Jonah Lisa Dyer
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Release Date: July 12, 2016

Synopsis from Goodreads:

She can score a goal, do sixty box jumps in a row, bench press a hundred and fifty pounds…but can she learn to curtsey?

Megan McKnight is a soccer star with Olympic dreams, but she’s not a girly girl. So when her Southern belle mother secretly enters in the 2016 Dallas debutante season, she’s furious—and has no idea what she’s in for. When Megan’s attitude gets her on probation with the mother hen of the debs, she’s got a month to prove she can ballroom dance, display impeccable manners, and curtsey like a proper Texas lady or she’ll get the boot and disgrace her family. The perk of being a debutante, of course, is going to parties, and it’s at one of these lavish affairs where Megan gets swept off her feet by the debonair and down-to-earth Hank Waterhouse. If only she didn’t have to contend with a backstabbing blonde and her handsome but surly billionaire boyfriend, Megan thinks, being a deb might not be so bad after all. But that’s before she humiliates herself in front of a room full of ten-year-olds, becomes embroiled in a media-frenzy scandal, and gets punched in the face by another girl.

The season has officially begun…but the drama is just getting started.

Why I'm excited:

Even though the idea of a debutante season is both foreign and baffling to me, I think this sounds adorable and fun. I love a frothy drama--especially in the summer--so I'm definitely all over this.

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!!!

TTT: All I Want for Christmas (is books)

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.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Would Love to See Under the Christmas Tree

(even though most of them don't come out until next year...)

    

  
  

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

I LOVE this illustrated edition of the first Harry Potter. It is so gorgeous (but a bit out of my price range for now).

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

I've been dying to get my hands on this one. Just a couple more weeks.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

This comes out in PB in Feb. I've read the first quarter of the book, or so, but ended up putting it aside (for time reasons more than anything else). I really do want to finish it, and plan to buy this edition.

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

This comes out in just a couple of weeks, as well. I'm almost always drawn to books about witches, and I've heard this is awesome.

Riders by Veronica Rossi

This is about the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, which I seriously hopes is as awesome as it sounds.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

I adore this UK cover and would love to own this edition.
A Tyranny of Petticoats by various authors
I love anthologies, so of course I'm dying for this one about badass girls!
The Forbidden Orchid by Susan Biggs Waller
This historical novel sounds amazing. I have (but haven't read) this author's first book...I need to get on that.
S. by J.J. Abrahms
I really need to own this gorgeous book that is full of little trinkets you can pull out. This came out a couple of years back, but I still need to read it.
Starflight by Melissa Landers
"Space opera" books are hit or miss for me, but this one sounds great and has some positive early buzz.

That's it for me. What books would you like to find under the tree this Christmas? Link me up!

Hey lovely readers. I love meeting and connecting with new bloggers. If you decide to follow, my preferred method is Bloglovin'. Let me know if you are a new follower as I follow back. Thank you!

Weekly Rewind 12.19.15

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: Typing this up on Thursday night...the night before the last day of school before break. I'm so tired I'm barely functioning. I'm so excited for break. I'm leaving straight from school and will be home for a full two weeks. I cannot wait to just be home with my honey and cats. In my bed. Hanging out with my friends. So ready. I just need to get through tomorrow...with seventy 11 year-olds the day before they get a two week break from school. I can do it. I can (but maybe wish me luck anyway).

Blog and reading: Just a WoW again this week. I've simply been too tired at night to work on my blog. I blog-hopped last weekend for the weekend posts, and it was so fun. It had been awhile since I really took a couple of hours to really visit other blogs. Hopefully, I'll spend some time over break getting some posts written up. I do have a couple of reviews in draft, so I'll definitely be posting at minimum my review for Wink, Poppy, Midnight. Right now I'm listening to Vicious from V.E. Schwab which is one of my all-time favorites. It is SO hard for me to not continue reading it when I get home, but I'm holding off so that it gets me through the four-hour drive I'm facing tomorrow. It's been a couple of years since I've read the book and I'm loving the narration. If you haven't read this one, you should remedy that immediately. I started Eligible last night, but only read the first couple of chapters before needing to go to sleep. I'm also about halfway through Tiny Pretty Things, but needed to set it aside for a couple of days. I'll probably pick it back up after break. I've been debating what is going to come with me on break. My plan right now is just to take Six of Crows and my Kindle. I know I have a package waiting for me (not to mention the hundreds of books on my shelves that I didn't bring down to VA). I'm super overdue for a trip to Half Price Books, too, so it would be silly to bring a pile of books with me.

New Books: I've a handful of lovelies to share with you this week. So without further ado, I hope you are all having fabulous weekends!

For Review

  

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld

While I'm pretty over P&P retellings, I adore Curtis Sittenfeld's writing (Prep is one of my all-time favorite books. I reread it almost every year and it never gets old). So if anybody can do the original story justice--while bringing something new--I do think it is her. I've only read the first couple of chapters, but I'm enjoying it so far.

The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright

I'm an anglophile (you probably gathered that by my blog design), so of course I had to snag this one!

Identity Crisis by Melissa Schorr

This beware-of-social-media book sounds like it was somewhat influenced by the Megan Meier case. It sounds kind of young, but at only 240 pages, I'm assuming it will be a quick one (and I'm kind of trying to read younger YA so I can recommend books to my honor students).

What I snagged from the library

  

Book:

Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore

This sounds adorable. I love the character's obsession with movies (that you probably know I share).

Audio:

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

I LOVE this book so much. It is one of my all-time favorites. The audio is pretty awesome, too, I was thrilled when I saw my VA library had a copy of the audio (my PA library did not...and neither did the FL one last year).

Movie:
Dope

I've read some rave reviews for this quirky film, so I'm pretty excited to watch it.

Happy Star Wars Weekend! Are you seeing it this weekend? Waiting until the crowds die down, or do you wish everybody would just stop talking about it already? (I'm seeing it next week.)

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!

Waiting on Wednesday (129) Dead Girls Society

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.

Dead Girls Society

Author: Michelle Krys
Publisher: Delacorte
Release Date: November 2016

Synopsis from Goodreads:

You are cordially invited to participate in a game of thrills and dares. Tell no one, and come alone. If you dare.

Hope is sick of everyone treating her like she’s breakable. Sure, she has cystic fibrosis (basically really bad lungs), but she’s tired of being babied by her mom and her overprotective best friend, Ethan, not to mention worrying about paying for her expensive medication and how she’s going to afford college. And she’s bored with life in her run-down New Orleans suburb.

When an invitation arrives from a mysterious group that calls itself the Society, Hope jumps at the chance for some excitement. This could be her ticket out. All she has to do is complete a few dares and she might win some real money.

But the Society isn’t all it seems . . . and soon Hope finds that playing the game isn’t a choice—it’s a requirement.

Why I'm excited:

I don't need to know anything beyond the words: Secret society. There are very few subjects that give me pause the way that one does. And even though this cover is a blatant rip-off of my all time favorite The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, I do like it. I'll will definitely be keeping my eyes open for this one because I wants it immediately.

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!!!

Weekly Rewind 12.12.15

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: Just one more week until Christmas break. One. More. Week. You can feel it in the air, too, the kids are getting so restless...I'm getting so restless. They'll be working on a research project for the majority of next week, though, so I'll mostly just be letting them go to work on it. I'm staying in VA again this weekend...and my husband is staying in PA. I was hoping he was going to make it down, but he isn't. I'll be home for two weeks starting next Friday, though, so it isn't too bad. I'm so beat that I'm debating between taking a nap after I type this up, or just going to bed super early. Either way, I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend of reading, sleeping, and watching TV (and grading a huge pile of the tests that they took today).

Blog and reading: Just a WoW this week. My desire to blog has been pretty low lately. I'm hoping to get some more posts up (and some more scheduled) during the break. My husband is pretty obsessed with his newest PS4 game, so I know I'll have plenty of time to entertain myself over those 2 weeks (and I am going to bust my ass to get all my grading done before Friday so I won't even have to THINK about school over break). This week I finished both Killer Instinct and All In (the second and third books of The Naturals series). I liked the second book more than the third, but enjoyed both. I finished listening to Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein during my journey home from school today. I enjoyed it, as well, although I really only know her from Portlandia and the book is about her time in Sleater-Kinney. I've been reading This is Where it Ends off and on. School shooting books are, for obvious reasons, hard for me to read. I also plan to start All Fall Down this weekend so that I can jump into the second book before it releases. There is also a very good chance that I will start The Unexpected Everything this weekend. I don't think I can wait. I plan to listen to Vicious by V.E. Schwab next which is one of my all-time favorite novels. I was thrilled when I saw my library had it on CD. I can't wait to listen to the audio version!

New Books: Just a couple of review books today, plus a handful of library books. I kind of like these smaller hauls, to be honest, I'm trying not to let my review book overwhelm me, but sometimes I do feel a bit over my head. I just don't have the time or energy to read more than a book or two a week, but tend to add several new books every week. Blah, blah. You've all heard this before. I tend to ramble when I'm tired. Also, I seriously apologize if you've left a comment the past couple of weeks and I didn't get back to you. I've been so busy with school these past couple of weeks and was sick last weekend to boot. I promise I'll be by your blogs this weekend! So, anyhoo, I hope you all have fabulous weekends!

For Review

   

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
Was there squealing involved when I got this? Why, yes, yes there was.
This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

I'm about 1/3 of the way through this, and while it is well-written, I am struggling to get through the tough material.

See How They Run by Ally Carter

I have, but haven't read, the first book in this series. I plan to start it this weekend. I love the author's Heist Society books, but have never gotten into the Gallagher Girls series.

What I snagged from the library

   

Books:

All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I finished this today during my lunch break. While this was my least favorite of the series so far, I enjoyed it enough to continue the series when the next book comes out next year.

Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

I've had this a couple of time, but just haven't gotten to it yet. Maybe I'll get to it this weekend, as well. I LOVE books that focus on the world of ballet, so it is definitely right up my alley.

The Notorious Pagan Jones  by Nina Berry

This is also one I've had before, but one I do truly want to read...so hopefully this time I'll get to it.

Movie:

Trainwreck

Yaaaasssss! So excited! Amy Schumer is my favorite. I saw her live a few years ago and have been so happy to see her star continue to rise since then. She's hilarious.

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!