Thursday, July 31, 2014

Review: Paper Towns by John Green

6442769
Paper Towns
By: John Green
Source: Purchased

Review:
Continuing with my theme this summer, of road trip, realistic fiction novels, this week I am reviewing Paper Towns by John Green. This book is about one night of mischief of two childhood friends, Q and Margo, weeks before their high schools graduation. But the aftermath from this trip is something no one expects. Margo, who was always the “it girl” that no one really knew, becomes even more of a mystery, and Q is the only one determined enough to figure it out.

I have been hearing really good things about this book, and since I have been on a John Green kick lately as it is, I was excited to pick it up. The book had a weird pace for me when I read it. The beginning went really fast. There is a really dark tone to the start of the book, which eventually does lighten up. But in the mean time I found myself questioning everything, anticipating that something big would happen. The middle was slow, as the characters put together clues piece by piece. The monotony of connecting the dots , eventually snowballs into the fast pace of the ending.

My favorite part about this book was the characters. You had complete opposites in the two main characters. Q was really developed, and you really feel like you are in his head. Even when he goes a little crazy, and does some things that everyone else in the book considers to be slightly insane, you don’t question him. You are so far in his thoughts, and you go along with him for his whole journey, you completely understand his motivations. Margo on the other hand is a mystery. We know very little about her, and what we do know comes from the mouths of other people, in a very Regina George kind of way. That is really what drives the whole book. The mystery of Margo makes you want to figure it out, and you don’t blame Q for trying.

Even though I thought the plot was similar to John Green’s Looking for Alaska, you know the mysterious girl, and the boys that go to crazy lengths to win her heart, I really enjoyed it. It was definitely a good summer read, and the end is really satisfying.

“ The town was paper, but the memories were not”

Until next time!

--Marissa

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Review: A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall


20801166Title: A Little Something Different
Author: Sandy Hall          
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Release Date: August 26, 2014
Source: ARC from BEA

Summary: The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together. Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out.  But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes in their relationship.

Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together....

Review:  Everyone is always looking for something new and something different. This title does not lie, this book is 100 percent “A Little Something Different”, except it isn’t just a “little”. I have never read anything like Sandy Hall’s debut novel. It took me by surprised and I loved every second of it.

A Little Something Different takes place over 14 different perspectives surrounding Gabe and Lea. When I first heard about that I thought this book would be distant and hard to connect to, but it wasn’t. It was really easy to care about Gabe and Lea and want them to be together. I was still able to get completely immersed into the novel. The different perspectives just made it new and different. My favorite one has to be the Bench, you’ll just have to read it to see what I mean by that.

There’s also a secret surrounding the novel and the main character Gabe. Something seems to be off about him at first and the author hints at his past. While reading I was dying to figure out what it was. It adds an air of mystery and kept me addicted and reading.
If you are looking for a book that is something new and different I highly recommend, “A Little Something Different”. It’s a perfect beach read as the summer comes to a close or something to brighten up your winter. It is also filled with lines that reference Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Means Girls and possibly Gilmore Girls. Basically, go and preorder this one. Right now!

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Ten Authors I Own The Most Books From

toptentuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, make sure you go an check it out! It’s a ton of fun.
 
1. Cassandra Clare
Basically I own every book by her besides the beginning of the City of Bones series because I borrowed them from my library. While I would like to see a new YA series from her that doesn't revolve around shadowhunters I'm going to keep reading her books because I love the characters and wit too much.
 
2. Cate Tiernan
This is the author of the Sweep series. It's about witches and wiccan and I was addicted to them back in middle school (okay I still am). The series has 15 books and I have read them all. I also own her other series Balefire and The Immortal Beloved. I just keep picking up all her books when I see them.
 
3. Rachel Caine
This is another author I own a ton of because of just one series. I own at least 10 books in the Morganville Vampire series. I started this one years ago yet keep going back for rereads.
 
4. Rachel Hawthorne
I'm pretty sure I own or have read every single YA contemporary romance that she has wrote. She is an instant buy author when I see a book from her that I haven't read.
 
5. Sarah Dessen
I probably should have put her on the top of this list. I own every single books she has every written. Every single one. I adore her work and will continue to read everything she writes. I can't wait for her to publish something new.
 
6. Richelle Mead
Vampire Academy, Bloodlines and I even own the first book in the Age of X series (but have yet to read it). I'm addicted to them.
 
That's it for my most owned authors. The rest of my books are only trilogies or one or two books. What are yours?

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Review: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst


13486122Title: The Marriage Bargain
Author: Jennifer Probst
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: February 14th, 2012
Source: Bought

Summary: A marriage in name only...

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend's older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans…

Review: The Marriage Bargain was a very predictable Chic Lit. There’s not many other ways to describe it. Predictable plot that was centered on the romance and two characters that you know will end up together. Yet I did really enjoyed this novel up till the end.
Sometimes you just need a quick fun romance novel to cheer you up and that’s exactly what The Marriage Bargain will do. If you are looking for a well written chic lit that will keep you entertained for a few hours this is the book for you. It’s not a serious novel that will leave you thinking when you’re done.
The largest problem with The Marriage Bargain was the ending. It was way too quick and made me roll by eyes at the events. I hate books that end like this one does. However, I can’t say anything else or I would give it away.
If you’re looking for a quick beach read that is endlessly cheesy, this might be the book for you.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Review: The Things You Kiss Goodbye

18651924Title: The Things You Kissed Goodbye
Author: Leslie Conner
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: June 26th, 2014
Source: ARC from BEA
Summary: Bettina Vasilis can hardly believe it when basketball star Brady Cullen asks her out, and she just about faints when her strict father actually approves of him.

But when school starts up again, Brady changes. What happened to the sweet boy she fell in love with? Then she meets a smoldering guy in his twenties, and this “cowboy” is everything Brady is not—gentle, caring, and interested in getting to know the real Bettina.

Bettina knows that breaking up with Brady would mean giving up her freedom—and that it would be inappropriate for anything to happen between her and Cowboy. Still, she can’t help that she longs for the scent of his auto shop whenever she’s anywhere else.

When tragedy strikes, Bettina must tell her family the truth—and kiss goodbye the things she thought she knew about herself and the men in her life.

Leslie Connor has written a lyrical, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about family, romance, and the immense power of love.
Review: I have to start this review by saying I did not finish this novel. I could not get all the way through it. This review is going to be why I put this book down.
The main reason for my problems with this book was the main character Bettina. She was just all around annoying. I didn’t like a single thing about her. She had way too many hobbies, and just liked everything. It seemed like the author wanted to give the audience way to many ways to connect to the character that is made it hard too. She would concentrate on art for a little bit and then dancing and then move to business. It was to keep them all straight.
The dialogue was not believable at all. None of the teenage characters actually talked like teenagers. It felt like the author was trying too hard at every point of this book. The main plot point was Bettina’s relationship with her father which actually didn’t seem too bad. He was looking out for her and following his Greek heritage. I didn’t finish the novel so I don’t know if it got worse, but I feel like Bettina was freaking out over nothing. Why does it matter to her if her dad doesn’t tell her about his business? She’s a teenager and shouldn’t be worrying about it.
This was a missed opportunity by the author. Everyone is looking for diverse characters right now, and Bettina came from a Greek background, yet it was impossible to connect to her. I have to say I do not recommend this novel and I hope there’s some better diverse books coming out soon.
 
 


Friday, July 25, 2014

Review: Virgin by Radhika Sanghani


18624367Title: Virgin
Author: Radhika Sanghani
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 5th, 2014
Source: ARC from BEA

Summary: Okay, I admit it…I didn’t do it.

Yet.

This is normal, right?  I mean, just because everyone I know has talked like they’ve already done it doesn’t mean that they’re telling the truth…right?

It’s not like I’m asking for that much. I don’t need the perfect guy. I don’t need candlelight or roses. Honestly, I don’t even need a real bed.

The guys I know complain that girls are always looking for Mr. Right—do I have to wear a sign that says I’m only looking for Mr. Right Now?

Sooooo…anyone out there want sex? Anyone? Hello? Just for fun?

I am not going to die a virgin. One way or another I am going to make this happen.

Hey, what have I got to lose? Besides the obvious.

Review: This is what a New Adult novel should be. It’s funny, meaningful and perfectly describes the mind of a college student, at least the ones I’ve met. The best part? It doesn’t focus on the romance. Virgin focuses more on the friendships that the main character makes. It was something new and different to New Adult.

Judy Blume and Lauren Miracle help preteens and teens navigate the world of puberty. Radhika Sanghani helps the college student navigate other important questions one might have. This novel is not for the younger side of young adult. It is 100% for the older and more mature audiences. Virgin, as you can probably tell by the title, is a raunchy novel. Every reader needs to know that going in. Some parts did make me a little squeamish reading about, yet I expected that.

The only part of this book that I did not like was the ending. It felt rushed and there wasn’t much closure for the characters. I wanted to know a little bit more about that happens to Ellie and her friends. Maybe I just wasn’t ready to leave the world of this novel but I just wanted more.

There was one slight flaw in the book with the characters blog that she starts. I enjoyed reading about the blog in general because I have my own and can really relate to the whole part of the story line. The only thing wrong with it was the fact that Ellie called her blog posts vlogs. (Because they were about her being a virgin). She took the V and put in in blog to come up with vlog. BUT that’s the word for video blogging. It was really confusing at first.

Other than those flaws I really enjoyed Virgin and highly recommend it to any college student.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Speculation/Alyssa's Hopes for Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

8709524Speculation/My hopes for Silver Shadows
SPOILERS for The Fiery Heart
At the end of The Fiery Heart, we see Sydney in Reeducation. She's drugged and naked, and she has everything against her. Her betrayal to the Alchemists is not going to be forgiven any time soon, so we're left wondering if Sydney has any hope.
But of course she does. There are still two more books. Silver Shadows, which comes out on July 29th, is the fifth book in the Bloodlines series, and I for one am beyond excited to read it.
My main hope for this book is that Sydney can somehow save herself in any way. It would really validate her strength and give female readers a true hero to look to. Sydney, although still a fledgling witch, is still very powerful and I'm hoping that her own magic will keep her alive and sane in Reeducation.
Of course, Adrian saving the day would be equally welcome. The center has to hold. It HAS to. Sydney and Adrian are one of my favorite fictional couples and if they don't make it through this together, devastation will ensue.
(GIF is from the Australian Bloodlines trailers)
I also hope Jackie has something to do with the rescue. As Sydney's mentor, she's played a huge role in Syndey's life recently and although she tries to keep her distance sometimes, it would be nice to see her helping in some way. The worry Jackie showed for Sydney at the end of The Fiery Heart is touching and for the two to reunite in the next book would assist Sydney in holding onto her sanity.
The last thing I really hope happens in Silver Shadows is that Zoe stops being so brainwashed and traitorous. If she sees how Sydney is being treated in Reeducation, she might understand that her sister did not truly do anything wrong, and maybe even that their mother has been the better parent all along. But there's still one more book after that, so we'll see!
Silver Shadows comes out July 29th! 
-Alyssa 
Here is a Gif of Adrian and Sydney dancing just because I love them so much. This is also Danielle adding this on to Alyssa's post, being a non-professional editor. 

Friday, July 18, 2014

Giveaway of Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Giveaway for an ARC (Advance Readers Copy) of Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick!!!! This book doesn’t come out until October 7th, so you are really getting a sneak peak!I reached 200 tumblr followers the other day so this giveaway is for you guys. You are all incredible. I thought I would giveaway my extra ARC of Black Ice. Thank you so much for following me and my random reading adventures. 
Here are the rules: 
1. Must be following With A Book. (I will check).2. Your ask box must be open so I can contact you if you win. 3. Do not spam your followers with this giveaway but you can reblog as much as you want. 4. You can reblog or just like this post to enter. Or both. :)5. Ends July 26th! 

Good Luck! Hey guys I just wanted to let you know that I am having a giveaway on my tumblr page for With A Book. It's for an ARC of Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick. The tumblr page for With A Book is relatively new, but I wanted to have a giveaway for the lovely people who follow me over there.

If you are interested in the giveaway all you have to do is follow With-a-book.tumblr.com and reblog or like (or both) the giveaway post (which I will link here).

Tumblr is still a blog but it's a big difference from With A Book here on blogger. I am really enjoying Tumblr because I can easily share other peoples work. They take some beautiful pictures of books over on tumblr. I seriously recommend checking them out.

Another aspect of tumblr that I particularly enjoy is being able to instantly update my readers about what I'm doing or reading or what I think of a book with out having to think about it.

Basically Tumblr is a perfect combination of a blog like blogger and twitter.

--Danielle

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Sneak Peak Review: The Lies We Tell Ourselves

15828079Lies We Tell Ourselves
By: Robin Talley
Release Date: September 30th, 2014
Source: BookCon


Sneak Peak Review by Marissa:

I am so excited to tell you guys about this book. I am not going to give a full review, more of a preview, because this book doesn’t come until October. But I wanted to give you guys a heads up about this one. I received this book at Book-Con.

In a brief overview, basically this book is set up in Virginia, late 1950’s public school. Like many white Southern schools during this time, many people were vehemently opposed to the impending integration of black and white students. Instead of taking this story from a grandiose, historical perspective, Talley sets the story from the perspective of the students. While they are dealing with all these larger scale issues, they are also dealing with typical high school things. Like friendships, love, peer pressure, which makes this story so relatable to me. The story is centered on two girls, Sarah and Linda, and their friends.

I don’t want to give away a lot, but another thing about the set up about the book that I really liked was the chapters are separated into literally the different lies we tell ourselves. It is a small detail that I really enjoyed.

This isn’t my typical fantasy, or romantic coming of age novel. I usually don’t get into novels that are so close to non-fiction. But I really enjoyed this one, and I think it will be a huge success when it comes out. Keep a look out for it in October! Have a lovely week everyone!


--Marissa

Monday, July 14, 2014

Booktube-A-Thon

This week I will be participating in the Booktube-a-Thon over on Youtube. If you don't know what that is, it's basically a read-a-thon for booktubers (people who review books on Youtube).

It sounds like tons of fun. I have a reading pile of 7 books (one a day) that I want to get through. If you want to follow my adventures for this read-a-thon you can go to my channel at youtube.com/withabook. Since this is a Youtube read-a-thon there is also a challenge to post videos everyday. Which I will be trying to do!

Here's my TBR video of what I plan to read this week. 



Sunday, July 13, 2014

Review: The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet

18775255

*Guess I should tell you that there are spoilers in this if you have never read Pride and Prejudice or seen the movie or the YouTube series. If you have seen/read one of the above it's okay to read this review. If not this is actually a really good remake of Pride and Prejudice if you want to read this story for the first time and are not a fan of classic novels.*

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet
By: Bernie Su and Kate Rorick
Publication Date: June 24th
Received from publisher for an honest review

Summary: Based on the Emmy Award–winning YouTube series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

Twenty‑four‑year‑old grad student Lizzie Bennet is saddled with student loan debt and still living at home along with her two sisters—beautiful Jane and reckless Lydia. When she records her reflections on life for her thesis project and posts them on YouTube, she has no idea The Lizzie Bennet Diaries will soon take on a life of their own, turning the Bennet sisters into internet celebrities seemingly overnight.

When rich and handsome Bing Lee comes to town, along with his stuck‑up friend William Darcy, things really start to get interesting for the Bennets—and for Lizzie’s viewers. But not everything happens on‑screen. Lucky for us, Lizzie has a secret diary.

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet takes readers deep inside Lizzie’s world and well beyond the confines of her camera—from the wedding where she first meets William Darcy to the local hangout of Carter’s bar, and much more. Lizzie’s private musings are filled with revealing details about the Bennet household, including her growing suspicions about her parents’ unstable financial situation, her sister’s budding relationship with Bing Lee, the perils of her unexpected fame, and her uncertainty over her future—and whom she wants to share it with.

Featuring plenty of fresh twists to delight fans and new readers alike, The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet expands on the web series phenomenon that captivated a generation and reimagines the Pride and Prejudicestory like never before.

Review: It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube. I have been following them religiously from the beginning. I was devastated when they finished the series. I really wanted to explore the modern Pride and Prejudice characters in this adaption more, and that's what The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet does. 

Going into the novel I thought it would just be the Youtube series retold in writing but it's so much more than that! Reading this you learn more about Lizzie and her sisters. There's so much going on in the background that Lizzie doesn't tell the world in her vlogs. Everything she kept out also made so much sense to keep out. It didn't feel like they were just forcing new content on the story.

Lizzie and Darcy's relationship is also fleshed more out in the novel. The reader can see things like Darcy's letter that was kept out of the YouTube series. It is also easy for the reader to see how much Darcy likes Lizzie in the beginning and how mean Lizzie is to him. I felt so bad for Darcy while reading the Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet. Yet I love them together in the end. 

It took me awhile to get through this book because I watched the videos as I read the novel. I highly recommend doing that. It was a ton of fun. It's a great way to experience the videos if you haven't seen them already. The whole experience of Lizzie Bennet Diaries is something you do not want to miss. If you're a fan of the vlogs make sure you pick up this book. You won't regret it. PLUS THERE'S THE DINNER SCENE AT THE END with Darcy and Mrs. Bennet.

One last thing. In the questions with the authors at the end of the novel, they hint at more videos coming up soon. I really hope that is something that actually happens. 

--Danielle 

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

17167166Throne of Glass
By: Sarah J. Maas
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Copy: Bought


Summary"A line that should never be crossed is about to be breached.It puts this entire castle in jeopardy—and the life of your friend."
From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie...and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

Review: After reading Throne of Glass, I was not expecting Crown of Midnight to blow me away like it did. Throne of Glass was not bad but it didn't keep my attention like Crown of Midnight did. Now that the world has been explained and Celaena has won the competition, the book gets right into the action, and Sarah J. Maas is the queen of action scenes. They are intense to read but I love every second of it.  

It's easy to see how much the main character Celaena changed from the first book to the second. The first book concentrates on how she's the best assassin and can kill anyone while still looking attractive. In Crown of Midnight Celaena doesn't concentrate so much on looks, but what she is doing and why. She turned into the bad-ass main character that everyone is always talking about 
I think I secretly love, love triangles especially this one. While I'm 100 percent Team Chaol, I still like Dorian. The triangle played out really well in this book. Yet the book was more centered on what was going on in the castle. I really thought the four main characters were going to pair off but now I have no idea what is going to happen. 

After reading Throne of Glass I wasn't completely sure if I was going to continue the story but I'm so glad I did. Crown of Midnight completely changed how I look at this series. It had so many twist and turns. I really didn't expect anything that happened (besides the last big reveal). I highly recommend reading the first book now just to get to this one. I can't wait to see what happens to Celaena, Dorian and Chaol next. 

Friday, July 11, 2014

Confessions of a Literary Shopaholic: Harry Potter Themed

In honor of the new Harry Potter short story (you need to read it if you haven't already, it's on Pottermore and its amazing) I thought I would share with you some of my favorite Harry Potter themed merchandise.

Deathly Hallows Charm Bracelet, Brown Wax Cord & Leather Braid, Harry Potter, Gift for Him, Christmas Gift, Friendship, Bridesmaid Gift
This is a bracelet that can be found on etsy HERE. What I really like about this one is how subtle it is. I'm not a big fan of t-shirts, hats, wands and anything that is really obvious. This is cute, trendy and doesn't scream dorky. Of course dorky is okay sometimes but this is something you can wear everyday. Match it with a sundress and cute brown sandals and it makes your outfit cute and shows other Potter fans that you enjoy it too.

I solemnly swear I am up to no good - Harry Potter Inspired - 11 or 15 oz. Coffee Mug - Tickled Teal
Find this one etsy HERE.
Mugs are an addiction. It seems like everyone who drinks tea or coffee has a mug addiction. I really like simple mugs with sayings like this one.

Harry Potter TIME TURNER NECKLACE Hermione Granger 18k Yellow plated
Find this on etsy HERE.
This one, like the bracelet I mentioned before, has so many uses other then showing your love for Harry Potter. Jewelry can transform your outfit. It can dress it up, add some texture, compliment the colors, and just so many other things. I really love book inspired jewelry because its simple and only other readers know what it means. Everyone else just think's its a normal necklace.

What are your favorite Harry Potter things? I would have included the house colored scarfs but it's 90 degrees outside as I'm writing thins and I just can't make myself looks at warm scarves.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

17199504Bone Season
By: Samantha Shannon
Received: at BEA (a finished copy for review)
Summary: EVEN A DREAMER CAN START A REVOLUTION . . .
Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London. Her job is to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing…
 
My first impression of The Bone Season was that it was a slow moving story. I had to force myself to read it for the first few chapters (probably because I kept getting distracted by the world around me) but once I actually starting focusing on it, all I wanted was to find out more. What is Paige? What is this world she lives in?

Unlike some other dystopian novels I've read, Samantha Shannon did a great job of describing the London of her imagination. I enjoyed learning about the characters and dynamics Shannon created. At the end of the book, I couldn't wait for the next book! Actually, I'm still waiting since it hasn't been published yet, but I can't find enough patience in me to properly cope with the longing I feel.

Relationships are spun between characters at unexpected moments, and although romance is definitely not the forefront of this story, it is certainly a welcome addition. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a sucker for romances in any form, so the surprise was a happy one.
17901125
All in all, I really liked the book. I actually recommended it to a friend just a minute before I started typing this review! Anyone who enjoys dystopian/sci fi novels will find The Bone Season to be a good read.
 
The sequel The Mime Order comes out on October 21st!

 That's all I have for this week! Thanks for reading :)
 
--Alyssa

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Cover Reveal: All Broke Down

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cora Carmack's novels. All Lined Up is her most recent and it is amazing. If you haven't read it make sure you do! This is the cover reveal for the next book in the series All Broke Down. This is my favorite Cora Carmack cover yet! Its so pretty. I love the vibrant colors.


In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack’s New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with All Lined Up, a young woman discovers that you can’t only fight for what you believe in . . . sometimes you have to fight for what you love Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one. Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians—you name it, she’s probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He’s in for a different kind of fighting. And though he’s arrogant and infuriating, she can’t help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it’s trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He’s met girls like her before—fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn’t think he’s broken, and he definitely doesn’t need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about, his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.
Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.

Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iTunes


And don’t forget to grab your copy of ALL LINED UP Today!

Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunes

Manga's and Sailormoon

Sailormoon was a show I really enjoyed watching when I was younger. Every once in awhile I'll go and re-watch it. Recently a whole new season started on Hulu. I was interested and watched the first episode. (It's called Sailormoon Crystal if you want to watch it but it's only in Japanese with English subtitles right now). 
sailor moon animated GIF
When I finished the first episode I decided to read the manga's. I read all twelve in just two days. After doing that I thought I would write a post on manga's and what I like and dislike about them. Sailormoon is the only recent one that I read and basically what I'm comparing it to. (I did read some others back in middle school). 

1. Sometimes its hard to figure out what's going on. 
Between the pictures and short dialogue sometimes I find following manga's hard to do. I got lost so many times in those twelve books. I had to go back and try and decode what was happening. That is something you usually don't encounter while reading a book. 
Confused The Jungle Book animated GIF

2. The characters all look the same.
Without color added many of the characters look exactly the same and it's hard to see which one is doing what. With Sailormoon she has a daughter who's hairstyle looks like her own. When they are both the same size (when her daughter is grown up) it's hard to figure out who is who. 
Cartoon Confused animated GIF

3. I find the action scenes boring 
Maybe I just don't like action scenes in mangas because I find myself flipping through them way to fast. I get bored and want to get to the character development and other plot. 
Alice In Wonderland Bored animated GIF

Do any of you like reading manga's? If so could you recommend me any ones that are better than Sailormoon? 

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Top Ten Blogging Confessions

toptentuesday



Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, make sure you go an check it out! It’s a ton of fun.

Today is a hard one but I will try my best to come up with Ten Blogging Confessions....
Blushing Embarrassed animated GIF

1. I am horrible to my books. 
What do I mean by this? Well I dog-ear my pages, write in my books, bend the spines, drop food on them, spill tea or coffee, and I've even dropped them into the bath. Basically I do everything that you shouldn't do to a book. 

2.  I prefer buying books online
This is mostly due to the cheaper prices of books online. I know Amazon and publishers are at war but usually I don't have enough money to buy the book at list price. I try and use different sites like abebooks.com but most of my books are from Amazon.

3. I'm self-conscious about what I read
I can't read a YA book with a couple on the cover in public. I just can't. I don't know how people can read Fifty Shades in public and admit to it. I can't even read a YOUNG ADULT romance novel in public. 

4. or bring them to class
I feel like all the other English majors will judge my YA novels. 

5. I hate/love e-books
I get into stages where I only read on my e-reader or I only read physical copies. I don't know why but once I read one on an e-book or a physical book I can't just switch to the other one for my next book. 

6. I only buy really cheap e-books
I seriously don't think I have ever payed more than 5 dollars for an e-book. For some reason I don't think it's worth it and I'll just buy the physical copy even if it's a little more. 

7. Sometimes I really hate writing reviews
Yet sometimes I love it. But every once in a while I get into a funk and just hate writing a book review. Usually its after I read a ton of bad books. I just get sick of writing bad reviews. 

8. I HATE writing bad reviews of a novel. 
I'm scared the author will see it and cry. I've seriously pictures this happening in my head. I do still write bad reviews. I just don't tag the author in any of my tweets about it etc. I want people to know my opinion I just don't want the author to see it. 

9. I blog in secret...kind of
I don't broadcast around facebook or my personal twitter that I run a book blog. It's weird thinking about people you know reading your blog posts. At least for me. I have a handful of people who know and I don't really tell anyone else. It has gotten better since I left high school but I don't think my roommate really knew what my book blogging consisted of until we lived together for a few months if not longer. 
dog animated GIF

10. I never know what to say when I meet an author. 
"Hi, I love your book" is about all I can get out when I go to an author signing. Yup. That's it. Then at BEA when I go to author signings for debut novels, WHAT DO YOU TALK ABOUT. It's so hard and confusing. I end up talking about something completely unrelated to books. 

Okay it was actually easy coming up with 10 of those. Kind of ashamed that I could have came up with even more. 

Monday, July 7, 2014

Review: Throne of Glass

7896527Throne of Glass
By: Sarah J. Maas
Received: From publisher for an honest review


Summary: After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.


Review: I'm a bit late to jump on the bandwagon for this book but I thought I should get to it before they start optioning it for a movie. It seems most novels with a large fan base are being turned into movies. I also needed an exceptional book to get out of my reading slump, but I'm not sure this was the right book for it. 

While I did enjoy Throne of Glass I did not love it as everyone else seems to. I found way to many flaws in the character development and I couldn't completely get into the story for the first half of the book. Once I did get engrossed into the story I still did not fall completely in love with Throne of Glass. 

My first problem was the main character Celaena. When we first meet her she is concentrating on all the ways it would be so easy for her to kill everyone she meets and how pretty she is while she does it. She was arrogant and I couldn't enjoy reading about her. It wasn't until the first task that I could really get involved into the story .Sarah J Maas can write some great action scenes that capture your attention. Those were the highlight of the story. 

I had a few other problems with other character developments that I won't get into here because I don't want to spoil anyone that hasn't read this book yet. Basically the character traits did not mix with the characters jobs or descriptions and it annoyed me throughout most of the book. 

However, Throne of Glass was a fun novel to read. While it is not a favorite of mine I will continue to read the rest of the series. I have already started the sequel and hope it will be better than the first novel now that the world is set up. I love reading fantasy novels with adventure and magic so I'm hoping this series gets better as it goes on. 




Friday, July 4, 2014

Confessions of a Literary Shopaholic: Abe Books



Today for Confessions of a Literary Shopaholic I thought I would talk about an amazing website I found recently. By recently I mean about eight months ago while at college. That website is abebooks.com.

What is Abe Books? Its an online retailer where indie and used book stores can sell their books. You can buy something from the UK or right in your home state. When you shop on Abe Books you are supporting small bookstores and not Amazon (I'm sure you've heard about the mess with them by now).

Another great part of Abe Books? The prices are always insanely cheap! As an English major I'm always buying dozen of classics for class. If I buy all of them from my University book store the prices would really add up. In one of my introductory classes they told us about Abe Books where all the classic novels you need are much cheaper. This website has saved me a ton of money for my books for class and I know I'll be using it throughout the next three years as a finish school and much longer after that.

Next time you are looking for a new novel to read make sure you check out Abebooks.com

--Danielle 


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

The Young Adult Soundtrack

First there was the Young Adult Novel, then came the never-ending saga of  movie adaptations of these books. Like the books they stem from, the movies have almost become a genre in their own right. But what about the soundtracks? Maybe it is because I am part music nerd/junkie, but I eagerly await the soundtrack of a book adaption, as much, if not more then the movie itself. It is partly because, while reading the books, I make my own playlists, and I want to see how the professional versions compare. I also want to see how popular musicians, and unknown artists alike are inspired by these books, and what songs they can create.

Maybe it helps that the audience for the books/movies/soundtracks is an angsty group of teenagers, who love alternative music as much as they love a book. These adaptations have become a breeding ground for the alternative, Indy rock music scene. Artists like Lykke Li, and M83 have been discovered through the soundtracks they have been featured in. On the flip side, already established artists such as Birdy, Christina Perri, Snow Patrol and various other groups have the power to really shape the way a soundtrack sounds. Birdy for example, had 3 songs on The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack. While personally I think the two are a perfect match, what would have happened if that had been a different artist? How different would the soundtrack be? Would it have gotten the same warm reception? Would it have changed the way we viewed the whole movie? I think that the soundtrack is an underrated factor in the way we view a movie adaptation of a book. If we don’t like the music we hear, while our favorite characters are reciting our favorite piece of dialogue, it is going to affect our outlook on the entire scene if not the entire movie.

One critique I have of the “Young Adult Novel Movie Adaptation Soundtrack” genre, is that all the soundtracks I am hearing as of lately are very similar. Whether this speaks to the books they are based on, and the similarity of Young Adult Novels in general, or just to the people who produce the soundtracks is up to you. But really, there are many songs on one soundtrack that could easily fit in on another. Rarely will you find a country or rap song on a soundtrack. But it is also very possible that this change as the area develops.

Okay, I am going to leave you with a few links to some of my favorite soundtracks. If I didn’t mention your favorite, let me know in the comments. I would love to listen to it. Alyssa will be back next Thursday! Until then.

The Fault in Our Stars
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Great Gatsby
Twilight

--Marissa 

Follow With A Book on Tumblr!

http://www.with-a-book.tumblr.com/

and now on instagram!
@with_a_book