With A Book has MOVED

Wow it's been awhile since I've posted here. Sorry about that, I've been slowly moving With A Book over to tumblr. This was a much larger project then I thought it was going to be, but I'm really happy with the results.

Not only does it have a new, clean, and pretty layout (at least in my opinion) but it now has an official domain name!

www.withabookreviews.com

Make sure you go and follow us on tumblr, or add us to your RSS Feed!

To everyone following me here throughout the years, thank you so much! It means the world to me and I hope you follow me with this move. I love tumblr as a blogging platform because I can share the amazing things that other bloggers post very easily.

As much as I loved blogger throughout the years, I'm so excited about this move and hope you are too!

Danielle

Book Decor

Hey everyone! I have been out of the blog world for a little while, but I am back! One of the main reasons I haven’t been reviewing and blogging lately is school. I am a sophomore music student at a university in Pennsylvania, and like many students, one of my greatest struggles is my dorm room. Decorating it and keeping a small space organized is actually much more time consuming then I anticipated before going to school. And to top it all off, I like to take a lot of books with me because, if you guys haven’t figured this out yet, I like to read.  So I have come up some ways, to keep all your books nice and organized at school, and also some ways that your books can inspire your dorm room décor.

Storage

Bed and chair caddies are great for keeping your late night read right where you want it before bed. Also I have really been fond of using lots of crates, fiiling them with my books and hiding them under my bed. This way everything is organized, it doesn’t take up the space of a shelf and I can just tuck them away when I’m not using them.

Décor

So I am really big on quotes. I love putting them up all around my room, and see if any of my friends pick them out when they come over.

It says read on it. Enough said.

I consider comic books to be books too. Sorry I my nerd is showing.

Okay that’s all I have for this week. Happy decorating!

--Marissa

Exciting News for With A Book

Today I have some insanely exciting news about With A Book! Well it might not be as exciting for all of you but it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for the 5+ years that I have been running With A Book.

I FINALLY purchased a domain name! It’s band new, shinny, and perfect!
www.withabookreviews.com
^go ahead and visit it. (It’s just my tumblr site, but it’s MY BRAND NEW domain name)



That’s my other announcement. I am slowly going to be moving completely over to tumblr. Blogger has been great these past few years (not really actually, I had way to many problems) but I have a love for tumblr that I had to leave for. Plus some stats for my blog also factored in to the move, but that’s all boring information.

My site might be a bit messy for awhile as I make the move but I was too excited not to tell all of you about it. I’ll let you know when it’s completely up and ready for all of you to fawn over but until then I’m going to keep starring at my beautiful new domain name.

--Danielle

Review: Talon by Julie Kagawa

Title: Talon
By: Julie Kagawa
Source: ARC from publisher
Release Date: October 28th, 2014

Summary: In Julie Kagawa's groundbreaking modern fantasy series, dragons walk among us in human form.

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey—and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him—and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

Review:

I grabbed this book at BookCon back in May. It was at the top of my list of books to find while I was there. When I read the overview (provided above) online, I felt an intense need to own this book. I was even more enthralled when I finally picked it up, because the cover is, in my opinion, very eye-catching with its bright red background.

But this book isn’t only nice to look at. I’ve always wanted to read a book about dragons, and here it is. I’m sure many of you have readEragon, and while I haven’t gotten around to finishing that one, I was more than happy enough to have Talon.

Ember Hill. What can I say about this wonderfully rebellious girl? She constantly questions authority and basically does whatever she wants. And I love her for it. She’s independent and makes her own decisions and while sometimes it might harm other people, she is truly a survivor. I can’t wait to see what she does in the series’ next installment, because this girl is a badass with a capital B. Even when she’s making horrible choices, I still love her.

Then there’s Garrett. Stone cold, perfect soldier, kind and caring Garrett. I never knew what to expect from him, but in the end, I was satisfied. That’s all I’m going to tell you! 

I definitely laughed out loud a few times while reading this book. I think that was my favorite thing about it. It was just so… human. For a story about dragons, anyway ;)

Thanks for reading!

-Alyssa

The Struggles of Recreational Reading in College

I'm sure many of you reading this blog are in college or have went to college at some point in your life. Maybe you're a middle school or high school student preparing for college; this post might be helpful for you too. 

Currently I'm in my second year at a state University. I've loved everything about college so far. There's always something to do, people to meet or new places to go. It's great to be apart of a large university with so many options. You even get to pick the classes that seem interesting to you. There are just so many upsides to college. 

Yet, the free time that I would use to read in high school or on breaks disappears. I never seem to be picking up new novels because my time goes to studying or hanging out with friends. Not only that, if you need a quite place to read most likely you have to travel to the library. Most college dorms are very loud and energetic. 

If you like to read then maybe you are an English Major like me. I'm sure you know how much reading you are required to do for those classes. My freshman year wasn't too bad. I only took one English class a semester yet now they're piling up. When you're reading a couple novels or plays at a time for different classes it's hard to start another book. Right now I'm in the middle of a novel, reading a play a week for class, and multiple short stories a week for my other class (not to mention that I just joined a book club on campus). Any free time I have I would much rather watch Netflix then start another book. 

But, I still love to read and when I finally make myself start a new book I get lost in the world. When a book captures your attention and allows you to get attached to the characters is wonderful feeling. Reading is something I'll always love and will always find time for. 

Review: The Darkest Minds

Darkest Minds
By: Alexandra Bracken 

Summary:
When Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday, something about her has changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I felt each moment of panic right along with the characters in the story. I also felt the elation and the sadness and every other emotion there was to feel. Every step of the journey they took, I took right alongside them.

Ruby is, in my opinion, a very likable character. Watching her progression as an individual was enjoyable and I was pleased with the way she toughened up and accepted her travelling companions as friends. There was a number of times when you believe you're supposed to trust one group, but then realize the intentions of that group might not be what they seem.
        

Liam is one of my favorite characters, and if anyone has read this book, PLEASE let me discuss him with you!!!! He's an easy leader and is charismatic without even trying. It would be so simple to befriend him in real life. Just saying :)
         

There is a quote in this book that ties the title to the story and I enjoy it so much. Again, if you've read it, let me know! I don't want to give it away because it does so much to the story, at least for me.
         

I would definitely recommend this book to others. I would do it in a heartbeat. It may not be my favorite book, but it definitely touched me in a way I did not expect.

-Alyssa

This may actually suck and I apologize LOL

July and August Book Haul

Here is my Book Haul for July and August incase you were curious what books I added to my collection.



I forgot to include my review books:
Salt and Storm by Kendall Kulper
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas


--Danielle

The Future of Blogging

Hey guys, I've been gone for a couple of weeks. Mostly due to vacations that I didn't have internet for. I tried to keep up with posting during that time but sometimes it just doesn't work.

During those two weeks I was posting on my tumblr that is a companion to this blog. I personally love tumblr. It's easy to post, you can reblog other peoples review, and it's easy to interact with other readers.

This is why I'm debating a complete move to tumblr. This would be easier for me during the school year to keep up with only one blog instead of two. In the past year tumblr has been more active, responsive and just all around more fun to blog on.

Now I'm just wondering if any of you have thoughts on the move. Would you still follow me over there or do you like the atmosphere of this blog better? I really want to know what you think.

www.with-a-book.tumblr.com

--Danielle

The Month Where Danielle Reads 24 Books: A July Wrap Up

Yes you read that title right. This month I read 24. I'm still shocked by that number, seriously shocked. That's more books than some people read in a year and I'm pretty sure that's the most I ever read in one month.

Why did I read so many books? I swear I didn't just sit and read ALL month. I went out with friends, work 20 to 30 hour weeks, and even went to a major league baseball game. What was different was the fact that I didn't watch much TV this month. Instead of re-watching a movie or a TV show I picked up a book.

What books did I read this month? Here's the list. I'll put links to the reviews with them and if I haven't reviewed them yet, it will be up sometime this week or next.

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas - Review (First book in this series was just okay for me)
2.Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas - Review (This one made me fall in love with the series)
3. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas - Review to Come (I'll also have a book discussion up when it comes out!)
4. Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead - No review but here are Alyssa's Speculations on what will happen in Silver Shadows.
5. Virgin by Radhika Shanghani - Review (this one will make you literally lol)
6. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall - Review (This is one of my favorites from the month)
7. Breathe Annie Breath by Miranda Keeneally- No review YET, but I absolutely LOVED this one.
8. The Jewel by Amy Ewing - Review to Come
9. Champion (The Legend Trilogy #3) by Marie Lu - Review to Come
10. The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst - Review
11. The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Su and Kate Rorick - Review (must read if you like Pride and Prejudice or watched the Youtube Series)
12. Storm Siren by Mary Weber - review to come

That's only 12 books, where are the other 12? I might be cheating a little on whether I read 24 books this month. The other 12 are mangas, but I think they still count.

This month I read the whole Sailor Moon Manga series. All twelve books...


When I was younger I watched the TV series and with the new one coming out I thought I would finally pick up and read these mangas. I wrote a little about what I think of manga's in general and the sailor moon ones here.

Another reason I read so many books this month is because I went on vacation to the beach. I don't know about you but my favorite thing to do on the beach is read. I went through many books on that list above in the week sitting on the beach.


That's it for what I read in July! I'm currently half way through Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead! Let's see if how many books I can read this month!

--Danielle

Review: Paper Towns by John Green

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

Review: A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Title: 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!

Ten Authors I Own The Most Books From

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?

Review: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst

Title: The Marriage Bargain
Author: Jennifer Probst
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: February 14^th, 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.

Review: The Things You Kiss Goodbye

Title: 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.

 

 

Review: Virgin by Radhika Sanghani

Title: Virgin
Author: Radhika Sanghani
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 5^th, 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.

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

Speculation/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. 

Giveaway of Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

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

Sneak Peak Review: The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Lies 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

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. 

Review: The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet

*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 

Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Throne 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. 

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.


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.


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.


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.

Review: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Bone 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.

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

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). 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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

Top Ten Blogging Confessions

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....

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. 

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.