Monday, January 18, 2016

In My Mailbox- January 18, 2016


In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox last week: 

THURSDAY
The Peach Keeper- Sarah Addison Allen--PaperbackSwap












FRIDAY
Reign of Shadows- Sophie Jordan--Review for an Around the World ARC Tour












The Kill Order (The Maze Runne #0.5)- James Dashner--PaperbackSwap












SATURDAY
Burn (Four Sisters #2)- Elissa Sussman--received from friend












What You Always Wanted (If Only #8)- Kristin Rae--received from friend












Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)-Tahereh Mafi--received from friend












Light (Gone #6)- Michael Grant--received from friend

The Sunday Salon- January 17, 2016

The Sunday Salon

I finished and reviewed the following books in the past 2 weeks:



































I am currently reading Light (Gone #6) by Michael Grant and up next is Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder (if I don't get a tour book).

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Book Review- Relativity

I finished reading Relativity by Cristin Bishara last night for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

There are so many moments Ruby Wright wishes she could change. The moment her dad uprooted her from California to live in backwoods Ohio with their new stepfamily. The moment she moved away without telling her best friend George she loved him. The moment a car accident ended her mother's life.

But no one can rewrite time. At least, that's what physics-obsessed Ruby believes.

Then she stumbles upon a lightning-powered tree—a doorway to a series of parallel universes. How many possible worlds will Ruby have to explore to find the one with the perfect combination of people, relationships, and experiences? And is she willing to risk everything she has to get back what she has lost?

With a deft blend of science and heart, Cristin Bishara's thought-provoking debut novel explored the laws of time and space...and the even more mysterious nature of love and loss.


The premise of this story was definitely interesting.  Or at least the part about being able to go into a tree, turning a wheel, and coming out in a parallel universe.  I loved reading about the differences in each universe (well, most of them--the native american one was weird).  I liked reading how  just one little difference could change so much.

But the whole scientific part of the story just lost me.  String theory and all that just doesn't really interest me that much.  As for Ruby, I liked her and didn't like her.  I liked that she was different, mostly.  But once again, some of the science parts bored me.

I felt like the book kind of wrapped up too quickly.  It was pretty short so I think that more could have been added towards the end.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Book Review- Reign of Shadows

I finished reading Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan on Thursday for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

With lush writing and a star–crossed romance, Reign of Shadows is Sophie Jordan at her best.


This story has the makings of a great fairy tale.  And it had me hooked.  There was romance, and evil king, crazy characters (night dwellers), and even a tower!

I really liked Luna.  She has a unique characteristic that I didn't see coming at first.  And it made her seem so strong.  I feel like her birth has something to do with the eclipse and why they're in the dark, but I can't put my finger on it yet.  And I liked Fowler too--classic tough guy turned softie.  

There was lots of actions in this one.  And just enough romance.  I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen.  It ends on a cliff hanger.  And quite a weird one, at that.  It'll be interesting to see where the next book goes!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Reign of Shadows will be released on February 9, 2016.

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Fear

I finished Fear (Gone # 5) by Michael Grant last week.

From Goodreads:

It's been one year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

Despite the hunger and the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new world they've built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear.

Within the FAYZ, life breaks down while the Darkness takes over, literally—turning the dome-world of the FAYZ entirely black. In darkness, the worst fears of all emerge, and the cruelest of intentions are carried out. But even in their darkest moments, the inhabitants of the FAYZ maintain a will to survive and a desire to take care of the others in their ravaged band that endures, no matter what the cost.

Fear, Michael Grant's fifth book in the bestselling dystopian Gone series, will thrill readers . . . even as it terrifies them.


So thankfully we get more of an idea of what's going on with the FAYZ.  We discover that the rest of the world still is there.  I was glad to finally understand a little more.

This installment wasn't as gross or disturbing.  I mean, it was still crazy to think about, especially with the dome turning black.  But I didn't find myself grossed out like I had been.

 Diana and the baby was interesting.  As was the turn Petey's character took.  Really kinda weird.  I'm still trying to figure out that one.

I'm glad the next book is the last one in the series.  I'm ready for it to wrap up.  And I'm interested to see just how Michael Grant goes about that.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend.

Monday, January 4, 2016

In My Mailbox- January 4, 2016


In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox during the last 5 weeks (still falling behind!):

The Unwanteds- Lisa McMann--PaperbackSwap












Something Deadly This Way Comes (Madison Avery #3)- Kim Harrison--traded with a friend











The Bite Before Christmas (Argeneau #15.5 Night Huntress #6.5)- Lynsay Sands, Jeaniene Frost--PaperbackSwap












The Word Game- Steena Holmes--from publisher for review

Sunday, January 3, 2016

The Sunday Salon- January 3, 2015


The Sunday Salon

Yeah, so apparently I haven't done one of these in almost 4 months..oops!

I finished and reviewed the following books in the past 17 weeks:
Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson












The Legacy of Us by Kristin Contino













House Trained by Jackie Bouchard













Shallow Graves by Kali Wallace 













Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young













The Queen (The Selection Stories #0.4) by Kiera Cass  












The Favorite (The Selection #2.6) by Kiera Cass












The Heir (The Selection #4) by Kiera Cass













In Real Life by Jessica Love













Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney













Gone by Michael Grant













The Shadow Queen by C. J.  Redwine













Hunger (Gone #2) by Michael Grant












Lies (Gone #3) by Michael Grant 












Plague (Gone #4) by Michael Grant












I am currently reading Fear (Gone #5) by Michael Grant and up next will either be a tour book or Light (Gone #6).

Book Review- Plague

I just finished reading Plague (Gone #4) by Michael Grant.

From Goodreads:

It's been eight months since all the adults disappeared. GONE.

They've survived hunger. They've survived lies. But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.

But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free. The Darkness has found its way into the mind of its Nemesis at last and is controlling it through a haze of delirium and confusion. A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate. Sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach. And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they'll escape - or even survive - life in the FAYZ. With so much turmoil surrounding them, what desperate choices will they make when it comes to saving themselves and those they love?

Plague, Michael Grant's fourth book in the bestselling Gone series, will satisfy dystopian fans of all ages.


Ok so this one was really gross.  The wording of the illness that spreads.  And then the giant bugs growing inside people.  I found my stomach often churning and would have to stop reading for a minute or so.  So I didn't enjoy this one as much.  It was too intense--too scary (I've never been a fan of horror unless you count R.L. Stine as a kid).

The ending of this one shows that what I was thinking might happen was wrong.  And its foreshadowing that I might have been very wrong.  I have two more books left to read in this series, but really, I'm about done with it.  I'm kinda ready for it to be over.  

And with all that said, I still can't put the books down.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend.


Friday, January 1, 2016

Book Review-- Lies

I just finished reading Lies (Gone #3) by Michael Grant.

From Goodreads:

It's been seven months since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

It happens in one night. A girl who died now walks among the living; Zil and the Human Crew set fire to Perdido Beach; and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most: Drake. But Drake is dead. Sam and Caine defeated him along with the Darkness—or so they thought.

As Perdido Beach burns, battles rage: Astrid against the Town Council; the Human Crew versus the mutants; and Sam against Drake, who is back from the dead and ready to finish where he and Sam left off. And all the while deadly rumors are raging like the fire itself, spread by the prophetess Orsay and her companion, Nerezza. They say that death is a way to escape the FAYZ. Conditions are worse than ever and kids are desperate to get out. But are they desperate enough to believe that death will set them free?


Still so, so weird.  And creepy.  But I was hoping I'd understand it a little more by now.  Instead I find myself more confused.  The world that Michael Grant has created just gets more and more disturbing. What really happens when you poof out?  I thought I knew until the end when we get a glimpse of what might be.

The characters kind of annoyed me this time around.  I have to keep reminding myself that they're just kids and acting like kids.  And the religion part of this one I could have done without.  

But I'm still hanging out and dying to know what's going to come of all of it!

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher for a review. 

2015 Year in Review-- Stats and Favorite Books

I read 57 books, 6 less than last year.  I read 18,483 pages.

I didn't read any 5 rating books.  But I read 4 4.5 rating books.

Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally












The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens












Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson












The Heir (The Selection #4) by Kiera Cass