Weekly Rewind 4.29.17

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

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. This post is linked to Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga's Reviews and the Sunday Post over at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

My Life and Blog

Life: I'm heading home this weekend since I didn't go last one. This week was pretty crazy. For the past couple of weeks my landlord has been renovating my apartment (townhouse) to put it on the market. On Monday there were workers here until 11 AT NIGHT putting in hardwood floors. It was insanity. It has just been a constant parade of strange men in my house working on various things and I am so ready for that to be done. I'm just ready for this year to be done, period. I'm so in the home stretch, though, and going home this weekend should help. 

Blog and reading: A WoW this week. I'm still reading It, but I had to start a couple of other books because at around 850 pages in, I'm starting to get super burned out on it (but I'm also way too far in to quit). I starting rereading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and picked A Gathering of Shadows and Ramona Blue back up. 

New Books: A handful of new books this week. Most of them are adult, which I've been seeking out more lately. I'm trying to have a more well-rounded reading life. So without further ado, I hope you're all having fabulous weekends! 

For Review

   

Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan

This is a book about two sisters. I'm not really sure what the whole synopsis is about. I love this author's work. Have you ever read anything by her? She wrote Commencement and Maine, and just writes these awesome, fully-realized women. I'm very excited for this one. 

The Duke of Bannerman Prep by Katie Nelson

A modern retelling of The Great Gatsby set at a prep school?! So all over this.

Party Girls Die in Pearls by Plum Sykes

This looks like a fun murder mystery set at Oxford University. 

It's Not Like It's a Secret by Misa Sugiura

This seems like it is could be sweet romance between two girls. 

What I snagged from the library

  

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Everyone is raving about this one. I'm excited. 

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

I want to read this...but I might also just watch the series. Has anybody read this one? Is it a must-read. 

Movie:
A Monster Calls

I've taught this book to my classes for the past couple of years (I teach middle school English). I love it so much. I'm very excited to see how they did with this adaptation. 

Well that's it for me this week. Feel free to leave a link to whatever weekend post you do (Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post, 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 (190) The Gatekeepers

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 Gatekeepers

Author: Jen Lancaster 
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: October 10, 2017

Goodreads:

Anyone passing through North Shore, IL, would think this was the most picture-perfect place ever, with all the lakefront mansions and manicured hedges and iron gates. No one talks about the fact that the brilliant, talented kids in this town have a terrible history of throwing themselves in front of commuter trains, and that there's rampant opioid abuse that often leads to heroin usage.

Meet Simone, the bohemian transfer student from London, who is thrust into the strange new reality of the American high school; Mallory, the hyper-competitive queen bee; and Stephen, the first generation genius who struggles with crippling self-doubt. Each one is shocked when lovable football player Braden takes his own life and the tragedy becomes a suicide cluster. With so many students facing their own demons, can they find a way to save each other—as well as themselves?

Inspired by the true events that happened in the author’s home town.

Why I'm Excited: I quite enjoy Jen Lancaster's nonfiction/memiors. She is incredibly funny (even if I don't know I'd really want to be friends with her, per se). I haven't read any of her fiction yet, though. I'm excited to see what she does with YA, and while I'm wary of suicide stories, I do believe that she'll do the subject matter justice since it the background of the story is personal to her. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes open for this one. 

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

Weekly Rewind 4.22.17

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

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. This post is linked to Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga's Reviews and the Sunday Post over at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

My Life and Blog

Life: The first week back from break is always soooo hard. I'm so tired right now that I almost didn't do this post. I'm staying in VA this weekend and plan to spend the vast majority of the weekend job searching and applying for the handful of PA jobs that have popped up. Again, keep those fingers crossed for me!

Blog and reading: A WoW this week. I'm still reading It by Stephen King (and will be for the next couple of weeks, I'm sure). I'm somewhere around 800 pages into it. The copy I have is 1450. Still interesting, but I'm ready to be done with it. 

New books: I have some pretties I'm very excited about this week. So without further ado, I hope you're all having fabulous weekends! 

For Review

   

  

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

I've enjoyed all of the books by this author that I've read (which is probably about half of them). This sounds fun...but, ok, if your best friend bought you a lottery ticket and it won, wouldn't you give her half of the money (or at least, like, a quarter of it)? If the answer to that is no, then you are a shitty bf. Just saying. 

Dreamfall by Amy Plum

A group of kids in a facility for a sleep study end up trapped in a shared dream. I was so excited for this book. I started reading it a couple of months ago and wasn't as impressed as I was hoping, so I set it aside until closer to its release. I only got about a couple of chapters in, though, so totally plan on giving this more of a shot. It reminds me of that old movie Dreamscape, which terrified me when I was little. 

Textrovert by Lindsey Summers

Two teens accidently trade phones and because of reasons have to give each their messages (and can I assume fall in love as it happens?). This reminds me of Sophie Kinsella's I've Got Your Number.

The Black Witch by Laurie Forest

I don't even bother with blogger/reader controversies. I didn't even realize there was an issue with this book until I saw the extremely low rating. I wasn't rushing to pick this up because it is over 600 pages and I'm reading a tome right now (It), but witches are one of my buzzwords (and I like to form my own opinions). 

Say No to the Bro by Kat Heigeson

The whole auctioning off girls to be prom dates is one of the most cringe-worthy ideas ever, but I enjoyed this author's Gena/Finn so I'm going to give it a try.

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate

This is set at a boarding school for the performing arts. Sold. 

What I snagged from the library

 

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

So excited! I have zero excuses for not seeing this in the theater. 

Well that's it for me this week. Feel free to leave a link to whatever weekend post you do (Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post, 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 (189) Love From the Funny Farm

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.

Love From the Funny Farm

Author: Jenny Fran Davis
Publisher: St. Martin's
Release Date: October 3, 2017

Goodreads:

Flora Goldwasser has fallen in love. She won't admit it to anyone, but something about Elijah Huck has pulled her under. When he tells her about the hippie Quaker school he attended in the Hudson Valley called Quare Academy, where he'll be teaching next year, Flora gives up her tony upper east side prep school for a life on a farm, hoping to woo him. A fish out of water, Flora stands out like a sore thumb in her vintage suits among the tattered tunics and ripped jeans of the rest of the student body. When Elijah doesn't show up, Flora must make the most of the situation and will ultimately learn more about herself than she ever thought possible.

Told in a series of letters, emails, journal entries and various ephemera, Flora's dramatic first year is laid out for all to see, embarrassing moments and all.

Why I'm Excited: I was immediately drawn to this colorful cover. It's a bit busy, but I love that shade of blue and that girl's coat is adorable. This sounds really fun, too. While I love a good snooty prep school story, I love the sound of this Quaker school. Also, epistolary stories are my favorite. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes out for this one. 

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

Weekly Rewind 4.15.17

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

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. This post is linked to Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga's Reviews and the Sunday Post over at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

My Life and Blog

Life: My spring break week has been glorious. I've spent a ton of time just hanging out with my honey. We saw the movie Get Out a few days ago (so good), went to our neighbor's for a cookout, and have made a ton of good food. I've done some reading, watched some hockey playoffs, and got caught up on Girls except for last week's and the series finale which airs on Sunday. It's crazy how quick this week has gone. What's keeping me going is knowing that I only have 9 more weeks when I go back to VA on Sunday and then I'll be home for the summer (and, hopefully, for good). A few PA job postings have started to crop up, so please send me the best vibes that you can to help me get a job here in PA. My husband has been a tropper, but three years of long-distance marriage has been a bit rough for both of us.

Blog and reading: A WoW this week (yes, even with a week off, I continued to be the worst book blogger in the history of the book blogging world-lol). I've spent all of my reading energy on continuing It by Stephen King. I know that if I set it aside, or try to read anything concurrently, that I'll loose stem and never pick it back up. I'm about 40% of the way through it at a little over 600 pages. I don't know I didn't wait until summer to pick this stupid book up. I have SO many April and May arcs getting ignored due to this enterprise. 

New books: A small handful to share today. So without further ado, I hope you are all having fabulous weekends! Happy Easter, if you celebrate. 

For Review

  

Lucky Girl by Amanda Maciel

I absolutely loved (although loved isn't the right word--was impressed by, maybe) this author's novel Tease. It's about a girl who is on trial after a girl she bullied commits suicide. Lucky Girl's synopsis says it is about beauty, self-worth, and sexual assault, so it obviously isn't pulling any punches. I'm excited to read this...but also feel like I need to be in the right mood for it. 

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares

Half siblings who've never met share a beach house that neither of their families want to relinquish. 

The Wonder of Us by Kim Culbertson

Two friends who've lived countries apart for the past year try to reconnect by traveling around Europe together. This sounds cute, and I automatically wanted it after seeing this colorful cover. 

What I snagged from the library

 

Nevertheless by Alec Baldwin

I've always quite liked Alec Baldwin and am looking forward to this one. 

Movie:
Dr. Strange

I love Marvel, but am feeling just a tad burnt out. This is due back in just a couple of days, and between traveling and finishing getting all of my grades in, I don't know if that is going to happen. Has anybody seen this? Is it a must-see? I'm sure I'll put myself back on the list for it, but might make the time if I should...

Well that's it for me this week. Feel free to leave a link to whatever weekend post you do (Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post, 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 (188)

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.

Speak Easy, Speak Love

Author: McKelle George
Publisher: Greenwillow
Release Date: September 19, 2017

Goodreads:

Six teenagers’ lives intertwine during one thrilling summer full of romantic misunderstandings and dangerous deals in this sparkling retelling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.

After she gets kicked out of boarding school, seventeen-year-old Beatrice goes to her uncle’s estate on Long Island. But Hey Nonny Nonny is more than just a rundown old mansion. Beatrice’s cousin, Hero, runs a struggling speakeasy out of the basement—one that might not survive the summer. Along with Prince, a poor young man determined to prove his worth; his brother John, a dark and dangerous agent of the local mob; Benedick, a handsome trust-fund kid trying to become a writer; and Maggie, a beautiful and talented singer; Beatrice and Hero throw all their efforts into planning a massive party to save the speakeasy. Despite all their worries, the summer is beautiful, love is in the air, and Beatrice and Benedick are caught up in a romantic battle of wits that their friends might be quietly orchestrating in the background.

Hilariously clever and utterly charming, McKelle George’s debut novel is full of intrigue and 1920s charm. For fans of Jenny Han, Stephanie Perkins, and Anna Godbersen.

Why I'm Excited: Words that make me excited for this book: Shakespeare, 1920s, speakeasy, mob. I love the 20s AND I love Shakespeare. So sold. I'll definitely be keeping my eyes open for this one. 

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

Weekly Rewind 4.8.17

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

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. This post is linked to Stacking the Shelves over at Tynga's Reviews and the Sunday Post over at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

My Life and Blog

Life: I've made it! A whole week off for spring break starts today. I cannot wait to just be home with my honey and kitties. I really don't have anything else to say. Yay, breaks!

Blog and reading: A WoW this week. After watching the spooky-ass trailer for It, I decided to pick the book up. The only Stephen King book I've ever read was Gerald's Game and that was literally over 20 years ago. I'm about 250 pages into the behemoth, and am enjoying it. I know that if I start something else, or try to read anything alongside it, that I will put it aside, so it is my main focus right now. 

New books: Just a handful of new pretties to share this week, but I am truly excited for each and every one of them. So without further ado, I hope you're all having fabulous weekends!

For Review

    

Fireworks by Katie Cotugno

A book set in the 90s about the boy/girl band craze. So excited for this one. 

Grendel's Guide to Love and War by A.E. Kaplan

This is being billed as Perks of Being a Wallflower meets Revenge of the Nerds...which sounds like a dream combination. 

Missing  by Kelley Armstrong

I love a good mystery, and this one is getting pretty good early buzz.

What I bought

 

It by Stephen King

I had this for weeks from the library and just wasn't getting to it. I finally picked it up after seeing the new trailer (so excited), and got about 200 pages into it only to find it out was due back, like, the next day and that I couldn't renew. So I bought it for my kindle. The book was so heavy, anyway. Have you read this? I was scared of the size (the kindle edition is over 1400 pages!), but it is keeping my interest so far.

What I snagged from the library

 

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Because I'm reading the tome that is It, I doubt that I will get to this before it is due back, but I am intrigued by the premise of this one.

Movie:

Inferno

I kind of love Tom Hanks a lot, so I enjoy these movies more than most people do, I think. I'm quite looking forward to this and love anything that delves into Dante's work.