Armchair BEA #5: Topic of Choice and YA

Design by Amber of Shelf Notes

Armchair BEA 

I can't believe today is the last day for Armchair BEA. It has been a lot of fun for me to write these posts. And you can't imagine how much you all have made me smile when I come back to see so many comments.

Thank you all for visiting my blog during Armchair BEA. And I know if I am still unable to go to BEA in 2015, I will definitely watch and participate in Armchair BEA again!

Topic of Choice

Today is the day to talk about something that you feel we have missed or that you want to spend a little extra time chatting about. Ideas include, but are not limited to: a genre that does not fit into those featured earlier this week; logistics, such as blogging resources, procedures, or advice; or something completely fun with book to movie adaptations or favorite blogging games, features, memes, events, and/or activities. It’s your freebie day to choose what you like!

For my topic of choice I want to go back to talking about features. And before I didn't share the few ideas that I have thought of, but I think now I am going to list them and what I would do. 

I would like any feedback. If you already know a blog doing this, please let me know. I did some Google searches, but I can't search every blog on the internet. 

Also, I am wondering if there is any interest in participation from fellow bloggers. 

Idea 1: "Blogger Collaborative Storytelling"

I know that like myself there are several bloggers (and bookish people) that I follow that enjoy writing stories/books. And I was thinking how much fun it could be for us to write a story together.

Each story would start with a given prompt. 

Then I would have open signups and anyone could participate. 

Once sign-ups are closed, I would post a list for the order (and a sense of when that blogger would post their part of the story). 

Each week the next blogger on the list would post their section of the story continuing on what has previously been written.

(Does this make sense?)

For example: 

This story's prompt is: One dark and stormy night, Mitchell was rushing home to his family when suddenly...

1. Blogger 1

2. Blogger 2

3. Blogger 3

Blogger 1 would then continue the story for a couple paragraphs (I'd say 1 or 2). Then they would email it to me and I would post it on that feature's day.

Blogger 2 would then have several days to then complete their section of the story to be emailed to me by the day before the feature's post date.

Then it would go to Blogger 3 and so on.

Then when we come to the end of the list, either the last person can finish the story or we could start a new list and continue it.

Does this idea make sense? Would anyone be interested in it?

Idea #2: "Undress the Book"

This feature would focus on looking at the book cover under the dust jacket. There are so many beautiful hardback covers that are under the dust jacket. One of the first things I do when I get a new hardcover book is to undress it and look at the book. 

And I thought it would be cool to spotlight these covers and the lettering on the spines. 

The feature would have pictures of the undressed book. And I would share why I like that certain undressed book. 

I also thought it would be cool to have other bloggers guest post and share some of their favorite undressed books.

Thanks for reading my ideas. I hope they made sense. 

Middle Grade/Young Adult

Our final genre of discussion is one that we know is a popular one these days: books for the younger crowd, from middle grade to young adult. If you do not normally talk about this genre on your site, maybe you want to feature books that you remember impacting you during this stage in your life. If this is where you tend to gravitate, maybe you want to list your favorites, make recommendations based on genres, or feature some titles that you are excited to read coming later this year.

I am a pretty avid YA reader. (Most of the books that I read are YA).

YA Dystopians:

1. The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
2. Under the Never Sky Trilogy by Veronica Rossi
3. Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu
4. Blood Red Road Trilogy by Moira Young
5. Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld
6. Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth
7. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
8. Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie
9. Delirium Trilogy by Lauren Oliver
10. The Giver by Lois Lowry

YA Science Fiction and Fantasy:

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
2. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
3. Daughter of Smoke & Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor
4. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
5. Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch (Release Date: October 2014)
6. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
7. NIL by Lynne Matson
8. Unremembered by Jessica Brody

YA Contemporary:

1. The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes
2. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
3. Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens
4. The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu (Release Date June 3, 2014)
5. Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

YA Retellings:

1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Cinderella Retelling)
2. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Litter Red Riding Hood Retelling)
3. Cress by Marissa Meyer  (Rapunzel Retelling)
4. The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd (The Island of Dr. Moreau Retelling)
5. The Trouble With Flirting by Claire LaZebnik (Mansfield Park Retelling)

The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu

Title: The Truth About Alice

Author: Jennifer Mathieu

Length: 208 pages

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary

Release Date: June 3, 2014

Source: e-galley (I was pre-approved by NetGalley for this book. Thank you Macmillian and NetGalley!)

Read: March 2014

Everyone has a lot to say about Alice Franklin, and it’s stopped mattering whether it’s true. The rumors started at a party when Alice supposedly had sex with two guys in one night. When school starts everyone almost forgets about Alice until one of those guys, super-popular Brandon, dies in a car wreck that was allegedly all Alice’s fault. Now the only friend she has is a boy who may be the only other person who knows the truth, but is too afraid to admit it. Told from the perspectives of popular girl Elaine, football star Josh, former outcast Kelsie, and shy genius Kurt, we see how everyone has a motive to bring – and keep – Alice down. 

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million

**I received an e-galley from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review**

Armchair BEA #4: Giveaways

Design by Amber of Shelf Notes

Armchair BEA 

Wow, it is already day 4 of Armchair BEA. Time is flying by! I have been having a lot of fun participating in this. I hope everyone else is enjoying it as much as I have been!


Giveaways

One of the favorite days of past years is our day of giveaways! You host the giveaway on your own site and link it up here for all our participants to come and visit. Don’t forget to give Armchair BEA a little love when advertising, but you can choose your own guidelines and deadlines.

I have decided for the Armchair BEA giveaway I am going to give away 1 hardback copy of Cinder by Marissa Meyer.
I LOVE this book, this series. And I hope that the person that wins this will love it as much as I do.

The giveaway will be open for one week.
Open to US only (I'm so sorry, but I can't afford international shipping costs)

Winner will be contacted through email. Please respond within 48 hours or I will pick another winner.

Best of luck to everyone! Thank you for entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, you are welcome to check out the other giveaway that I currently have open on my blog:
1 Kindle e-book copy of New Adult Romance book Getting By (A Knight's Tale I) by Claudia Y. Burgoa

Thursday Thoughts #5: Book Hype

Thursday Thoughts is a weekly discussion meme hosted by Ashley on her blog Ok, Let's Read.

Join in on the discussion and check out Ashley's blog for the discussion topics and dates.

This weeks topic:

May 29: Book Hype - If a book is over-hyped does it make you want to read it more, less, or does it not effect you whatsoever? Do you think book-hype helps or hurts new releases? Do you think book-hype can sometimes skew or taint people's opinions on a book? What was the most recent over-hyped up book you can recall?

Armchair BEA #3: Expanding Blogging Horizons

Design by Amber of Shelf Notes

Armchair BEA 

I am a bit late posting my Armchair BEA post today, my daughter had her award ceremony at school this morning. I can't believe she is almost done with 1st grade. I am one proud Mom. 

Expanding Blogging Horizons

What do you think about when you think about going beyond blogging or expanding your horizons? Is it a redesign of your blog? Have you branched out into freelance writing or even published a novel of your very own? Or, have you moved into a different venue like podcasts or vlogging? This is the day to tell us about how you have expanded on blogging in your own unique way.

I have been blogging for less than a year, but I do have some thoughts on wanting to expand my blogging horizons.

I want to have a few more posts about movies, TV shows, and games. I mostly focus on books. (Which I love).

I also really want to come up with a Feature for my blog that is original. I have had a few ideas but I haven't expanded on them for fear that someone else is already doing it. I don't want to step on any toes. And I definitely don't want to make anyone mad. So I have held off on those ideas (even though there are a couple that I really love). 

I have also have been thinking about vlogging. But I keep thinking there are so many vlogs about books already so I am trying to think of a cool thing to do to make mine different.

But unfortunately I haven't been able to come up with any ideas. I feel like I am creatively blocked. The only thing that passed my mind was making finger puppets for books, but that is VERY time consuming. And I don't think I have the time between my family, reading, reviewing, blogging, and everything else. 

Getting By (A Knight's Tale I) by Claudia Y. Burgoa

Title: Getting By (A Knight's Tale I)

Author: Claudia Y. Burgoa

Length: 235 pages

Publisher: Literally Alpaca Illustrations, LLC

Classification: New Adult, Romance

Release Date: February 18, 2014

Source: e-book (Provided by the author and publicist. Thank you!)

Read: May 2014

When Emma Anderson arrived at San Francisco International Airport, she regretted accepting the distinction of being the maid of honor to Gaby’s—her childhood friend—wedding. It had been years since the last time she set foot in Menlo Park, where her parents had been killed. The rug where she had been shoving her feelings since that day looked bumpier than a camel’s hump. Who could blame her; if she hadn’t been selfish they’d still be around. Ever since that fateful day, Emma has been perfecting the knack of Getting By.

Cade’s wedding in Menlo Park—a city close to San Francisco—might be the perfect place for Jake Knight to shake the memories of his ex, Emma Anderson for good. Single, available women galore for an entire week was the perfect medication, one he intended to take three times a day for an entire week to return to his player days. It was a plan the former spy thought flawless until he came face to face with the maid of honor. Jake’s perfect retreat turns into a flight, fight or hide week of celebrations.

Goodreads | Amazon

**This e-book was provided for me by the author and/or publicist in exchange for a honest review.**

Armchair BEA #2: Author Interaction and More Than Just Words

Design by Amber of Shelf Notes

Armchair BEA 

Author Interaction

Let’s talk interacting with authors IRL (in real life) or online. This is your opportunity to talk about your favorite author readings that you have attended. Or, you can feature your favorite author fan moment (i.e., an author sent you a tweet or commented on your blog). Maybe you even want to share how your interactions have changed since becoming a blogger or share your own tips that you have learned along the way when interacting with authors as a blogger.

I am a newbie, so I haven't had too many author interactions, but all the ones that I have had have been pretty awesome! Like total fangirling moments for me.

The first author I have ever met was Isaac Marion (author of Warm Bodies). Oh. My. Goodness. I was a nervous wreck. I blushed every time he talked to me. I was so flustered that when I got him to sign a book for my (practically) brother & sister-in-law, I spelled her name wrong. It was so embarrassing! (For me!) 

He asked me to spell it like 5 times (I guess I was talking too low) and the last time I spelled it wrong. 

But I got to meet him, (which was and still is one of my favorite memories) and I got my picture taken with him and one of my bestest friends. 

Tip: Maybe write on a sticky note the name that you want written in your book when you get it personalized at a signing. Even if it is yours. Because if you are shy like me...you might even spell your own name wrong when you become a flustered mess.

But of course, I didn't follow this tip when I went and met Anna Banks. I was once again a nervous, shy mess. And I almost spelled my own name wrong. (Again embarrassing!) 

But it was amazing. I got to talk to her for a little bit and get Of Neptune signed. Also got a picture with her. She is funny and so, so, nice! I am SO happy that I got to meet her.

And she is also awesome online. I love her tweets (they can be really funny!)

And she even commented on my blog post for of Of Poseidon Fan Cast.

I was SO EXCITED when I saw that! Like ready to flail and I even texted my friend to share with her. It was a pretty awesome moment. She also shared my fan cast on her Twitter. 

And I was so excited that she gave me a good idea for a character that I couldn't come up with. And I love her pick! 

I also recently met the lovely Lynne Matson (author of NIL). Which was another amazing moment. This time I brought my two girls with me, and Cutie Pie drew a picture of an island for Lynne. Which was fun. She signed my book and gave me some bookmarks and a poster. So nice. She is a very warm, sweet person and I am so glad I was able to meet her! 

I have had a couple author interactions online as well.

Marissa Meyer (author of Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress) is one of my absolute favorite authors! Serisoulsy, I completely fangirl over her. And if when I finally get the chance to meet her in person, I am going to be a shy mess. 

So back last year, Marissa had a challenge for NaNoWriMo. So I decided to participate, knowing that I wouldn't win, but I was so happy for the challenge. It was the first time I ever participated and it was WONDERFUL being so motivated to keep writing. And at the end of November, I emailed her to thank her for the inspiration and she responded. It totally made my day/week/month. In fact, I am still giddy that she emailed me back. 

Also, this past February, I decided to make my Love a Lunar Chronicles valentine. Featuring Iko (well as best as I could draw, which is not very well) and a quote from the book. And I shared it on Twitter tagging Marissa, because I hoped she would see it. And she did, she even retweeted it, which also made my day/week/month!

Also, (seriously if you can't tell...I just adore Marissa!) she has answered a few of my questions. She answered one in an interview by RayKayBooks. Which was very exciting. 

She also answered a question I had during her online Cress launch party live-stream. Which was also incredible. 

I also enjoy conversing online with Sara Raasch (author of Snow Like Ashes out in October!). She is so sweet and friendly. I definitely hope that I get a chance to meet her in real life. 

And I just LOVE watching her Youtube videos! 

I am still kinda shy when it comes to even talking to authors online like Twitter. I don't tag them often because I don't want to be bothersome. But ANYTIME an author follows, favorites, talks to me/replies...I just get very excited and it is a wonderful feeling. 

And I probably would not have had these experiences if I wouldn't have started blogging. There are times that I really wish I would have started blogging earlier, but then I remember I didn't really have much a chance, because even in High School, I wasn't on the internet that much. I still had Dial-up at my house. But I do wish, I would have started a few years ago, instead of just recently. 

Being able to talk to authors and other bloggers has made my life brighter. It makes me happy and excited. And it is nice having people that like the same books as me. :D

So yes, I am a total Fangirl. If I went to a conference like BEA, I would be very overwhelmed. But I do hope that I get the chance to meet more authors and even attend a conference sometime in my future. 

More Than Just Words

There are so many mediums that feature more than just words and enhance a story in a multitude of ways. Examples may include graphic novels and comics, audiobooks, or even multimedia novels. On this day, we will be talking about those books and formats that move beyond just the words and use other ways to experience a story. Which books stand out to you in these different formats?

I love graphic novels and comic books. I haven't really listened to any audiobooks, but I do plan on starting. 

(In fact, in case you don't already know and like audiobooks, this summer, AudioBookSync, will have audiobooks (1 YA & 1 Classic) available for download each week, until August 20. This week's YA is Cruel Beauty and it ends the 28th!)

Back, to the topic. I have enjoyed a few graphic novels like Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley and Dr. Horrible by Zack Whedon. I do want to read some more. 

And I enjoy comic books. I have some Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics. And I like X-men comics. And I have read my daughter's My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic comics. 

Graphic novels and comics stand out to me the most because I enjoy the drawings that are part of them. It is fun watching the picture frames change and tell us more than what is written. 

Top Ten Tuesday #14: Freebie! Ten of My Book Boyfriends

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.

May 27th: Freebie! Ten of My Book Boyfriends 

There are so many well written book boyfriends in YA literature. And this week I want to share some of my favorites.

Armchair BEA #1: Introductions and Literature

Design by Amber of Shelf Notes

This is my first Armchair BEA.

Introduction:

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? Where in the world are you blogging from? 

Hi! *waves* I'm Stephanie. I am in my late 20's and the mom of two beautiful girls: Cutie Pie: 7 years old and Pooh Bear: 3 years old. 

I haven't been blogging very long. I started my blog near the end of last year, but didn't start seriously blogging until about February 2014. I started my blog because one of my favorite hobbies has ALWAYS been reading, and I don't have many people in my life that read the same books as me, so I decided to start a blog as a way to connect with others that read what I love to read.

I am blogging from Florida. (The hot, sunshine...but it rains a lot...state). 

And you can find me at the following: GoodReads, Twitter, Facebook

What was your favorite book read last year? What’s your favorite book so far this year? What a tough question. I have several favorite books from last year and this. 

Last year a couple of my favorite reads include: 

Cinder and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi.

Favorites so far this year (that have been released this year) include: 

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, 

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. 

(Also Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas and Smoke and Bone by Leigh Bardugo)

Spread the love by naming your favorite blogs/bloggers (doesn’t necessarily have to be book blogs/bloggers). 
BooksyDaisy, The Book Addict's Guide, My Thoughts...Literally!, The Broke Book Girls, Oh Magic Hour, The Perpetual Page Turner, and Alexa Loves Books are just a few. There are several book blogs that I love to follow and read.

Share your favorite book or reading related quote. I have several favorite reading quotes, and I will try to keep it to just a few: 

"You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if you only dared."-Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas 

"I just think that some things are meant to be broken. Imperfect. Chaotic. It's the universe's way of providing contrast, you know?"- The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen 

And I have a TON of favorite quotes from Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch that will be out in October. 

What book would you love to see as a movie? I would LOVE to see The Lunar Chronicles books as a movie! And the Throne of Glass books. 

Literature

What do you think of when you think of literature? Classics, contemporary, genre, or something else entirely? We are leaving this one up to you to come up with and share the literature that you want to chat about the most. Feel free to share a list of your favorites, break down your favorite genre, feature your favorite authors, and be creative about all things literature in general.

When I think of literature, I usually think of Classics. But I haven't read that many classics lately, just the ones that were required reading in High School. So instead of sharing classics, I am going to share some of my recent favorite books.

I mostly read Young Adult. And I love a lot of the sub-genres like Dystopian, Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Paranormal. And I have been recently been reading more Contemporary books too.

Here is a list of some series and books that I have just loved:

1. The Lunar Chronicles (Cinder, Scarlet, Cress) by Marissa Meyer

2. Under the Never Sky trilogy by Veronica Rossi

3. Legend trilogy by Marie Lu

4. Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy by Laini Taylor

5. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

6. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

7. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

8. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

9. NIL by Lynne Matson

10. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

11. Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Thanks for stopping by my blog for Armchair BEA. Like all of you I really wish that I was in New York attending BEA. But I love that there is something for us to participate in here at home. :D

Shatter Me Series Fan Cast

Today, I am going to share my Fan Cast for Shatter Me Trilogy (Shatter Me, Unravel Me, and Ignite Me) by Tahereh Mafi.

This is pretty much how I pictured them in my head as I read the series.

Getting By (A Knight's Tale I) by Claudia Y. Burgoa Excerpt and Giveaway

Getting By (A Knight’s Tale I) by Claudia Y. Burgoa is a new-adult contemporary romance novel, published February 18, 2014.

Synopsis:

When Emma Anderson arrived at San Francisco International Airport, she regretted accepting the distinction of being the maid of honor to Gaby’s—her childhood friend—wedding. It had been years since the last time she set foot in Menlo Park, where her parents had been killed. The rug where she had been shoving her feelings since that day looked bumpier than a camel’s hump. Who could blame her; if she hadn’t been selfish they’d still be around. Ever since that fateful day, Emma has been perfecting the knack of Getting By.

Cade’s wedding in Menlo Park—a city close to San Francisco—might be the perfect place for Jake Knight to shake the memories of his ex, Emma Anderson for good. Single, available women galore for an entire week was the perfect medication, one he intended to take three times a day for an entire week to return to his player days. It was a plan the former spy thought flawless until he came face to face with the maid of honor. Jake’s perfect retreat turns into a flight, fight or hide week of celebrations.

You can find the book on GoodReads and Amazon.

This is the first book in the 4 book series.  The second book will be released later this year. 

Claudia lives in Colorado with her family and three dogs. While managing life, she works as a CFO at a small IT Company. She’s a dreamer who enjoys music, laughter and a good story. Claudia writes romance, sci-fi, and fantasy. She has published two novels: Where Life Takes You and Getting By. Claudia is currently working on Standing By, the second book in the Knight series. For 2014, Claudia plans to released three, perhaps four novels.

Follow Claudia:

Website

GoodReads

Facebook

Twitter 

“You sure about being here?” She nodded, answering my question. Then I slipped one of the migraine pills in her hand and opened a bottle of water. I noticed that Mom and Dad had walked over to Gaby, who waited for them on the corner of the street. After gulping her medicine and water, she handed the bottle over to me. “Text me if you need me to pick you up earlier, Pretty Girl.” She nodded again and I kissed her temples. “Liam, can you walk her to the shop, please?”

Mitch couldn’t hold his tongue any longer, and spoke up, saying, “What was that about?” I glared at him. “Mom being too quiet is scary, right? You want to throw her at her own game? Am I next to be extremely nice with Emma, as if she was my girl?” I grinned, he got me. “Pointers for it to work. Try to change your concerned look, stop drooling and perhaps Mom might believe you.” I narrowed my eyes. “Yeah, it was that obvious since we hit the hotel restaurant at eight this morning, Jay. You were too couple-like. Let’s run you through the breakfast highlights.

“You spotted the girl and ran to her whispering in her ear, giving her a stupid smile I’ve never seen you wear before.” I smirked, remembering the fork, and snorted. Ignoring me, he continued, “At breakfast you two were sitting too close for comfort. Not even Mom and Dad were that close. The best part wasn’t the medicine errand you ran for her. No.” No? I put a hand on the back of my neck and continued listening to the play by play that made me look like a moron in love. “The freaky part, where everyone dropped their jaw at the table, was when Emma reached toward your plate and grabbed strips of your bacon.” I shrugged, what was wrong with it? “Not once, but several times. No one is allowed to touch your food, Jake. Ever since we were little, you hated it. Yet, Emma touched your food, and while she was doing it, you were a millimeter from kissing her. You two are too comfortable with each other, and the daunting part, Jake, is that the two of you fit so well that you don’t realize how wrong everything looked for the ones that don’t know about your relationship.”

“Or for the ones that know you two broke up,” Liam added. I didn’t notice when he came back. “The parental units are suspicious, Jake. Come clean and put some space between you and Emma before Mom chooses the wedding location and makes Dad buy the two of you a house next door to theirs.”

“Did you have to deal with the TMI all the time, Li?” Mitch shivered after Liam nodded with a blank stare. “I never checked to see if the girl I slept with used the pill or not. Add to that the hot factor that she carries condoms in her magic bag.”

“It’s different when you’re with a girl for more than one n—” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Can we not talk about my girl?” I gulped after uttering the last two words and began to think about some form of rehabilitation to move on. 

This giveaway is for 1 KINDLE e-book copy of Getting By (A Knight's Tale I) by Claudia Y. Burgoa

The winner's email will be given to the publicist, so they can send you the Kindle copy of the book.

I will also email the winner when the giveaway is over to let them know they won.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday Thoughts #4: Book Buying Bans

Thursday Thoughts is a weekly discussion meme hosted by Ashley on her blog Ok, Let's Read.

Join in on the discussion and check out Ashley's blog for the discussion topics and dates.

This weeks topic:

May 22: Book Buying Bans - Have you ever put yourself on a book buying ban? Do you believe that book buying bans actually can make a difference? At what point do you decide that it's really time to put yourself on a book buying ban?

Dangerous by Shannon Hale

Title: Dangerous

Author: Shannon Hale

Length: 400 pages

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Classification: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Release Date: March 1, 2014

Source: ARC (ARC Tour hosted by On The Same Page)

Read: April 2014

Maisie Danger Brown just wanted to get away from home for a bit, see something new. She never intended to fall in love. And she never imagined stumbling into a frightening plot that kills her friends and just might kill her, too. A plot that is already changing life on Earth as we know it. There's no going back. She is the only thing standing between danger and annihilation. 

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million

*I borrowed an ARC of this book as part of an On The Same Page ARC Tour in exchange for my honest review*

Tune in Tuesday #12: Songs that Remind Me of The Dante Walker Trilogy

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! This feature was originally created by Ginger over at GReads! but you can now find it at Kate’s Tales of Books andBands. If you would like to participate in this weekly feature, make a blog post showcasing a song (or a few!) Then link up with Katelyn's Tune In Tuesday blog post if you want!

Top Ten Tuesday #13: Ten Books With Awesome Friendships

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.

May 20th: Ten Books About Friendship

Here is my list of Ten Books with Awesome Friendships. (In no particular order!)

Mini Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone 
(The Grisha #1)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Length: 416 pages

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co

Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

Release Date: June 5, 2012

Source: e-book 

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million

Thursday Thoughts #3: E-readers

Thursday Thoughts is a weekly discussion meme hosted by Ashley on her blog Ok, Let's Read.

Join in on the discussion and check out Ashley's blog for the discussion topics and dates.

This weeks topic:

May 15: eReaders - Do you own an eReader (or a tablet that you read on)? Do you prefer eReaders or physical books and why? Do you think it is wise to invest in an eReader? If you could only read physical books or an eReader for the rest of your life, which would you choose and why?

Plants vs. Zombies: Origin Free Download

(source)

Until May 28th, Origin: Powered by EA Games has Plants vs. Zombies available for download for FREE!
Check it out here.

I really enjoy playing this game, although I have played it mostly on our Xbox.

If you have never played before, the concept of the game is pretty self-explanatory from the title.

Top Ten Tuesday #12: Five Books I Almost Put Down But Didn't

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.

May 13th: Top Ten Books I Almost Put Down But Didn't

Well...more like my Five Books. 

Tune in Tuesday #11: The One

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! This feature was originally created by Ginger over at GReads! but you can now find it at Kate’s Tales of Books andBands. If you would like to participate in this weekly feature, make a blog post showcasing a song (or a few!) Then link up with Katelyn's Tune In Tuesday blog post if you want!

So as some might already know, The One by Kiera Cass, came out last Tuesday. I pre-ordered mine back in February and it is scheduled to arrive today. So needless to say, I am pretty EXCITED to get it and finally read it. So far I have been able to avoid any spoilers (I am a little surprised) and I can't wait to finally get my hands on my book and read it.

So this week I am going to share a couple of songs that make me think of The One before reading it.

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Length: 416 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins

Classification: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Source: e-book

Read: March 2014

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.” With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her. 

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million

***This is part of a series. There will be spoilers of things that happened in the other book(s) so if you haven't read it and don't want to know things that happened, please stop reading now.***

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day has never been a big huge special day for me. I LOVE my Mom, don't get me wrong, but I don't remember really doing a lot of special things specifically on Mother's Day. I remember making her cards and drawings.

I think we should tell and show our Moms how much we love and care about them as often and as much as we can. (I know there are a lot of people young and older that have already lost their Moms and aren't able to do this, and my heart breaks for you, I simply cannot imagine. I'm sorry for your loss and I hope you have wonderful memories to look back on.)

I don't get to see my Mom often. She lives across country, so we get to actually have a visit about once a year. But I talk to her on the phone a lot. (Probably more than she would really want. I usually tend to call her several times a week.) I love our talks, (which is usually me doing most of the talking). We talk about TV shows mostly, since we watch a lot of the same ones. And I usually call to talk her ear off about what Cutie Pie and Pooh Bear have been up to. (Usually destroying my house or fighting with one another.)

I understand why we do have Mother's Day though. It is important for us to recognize the awesomeness of our Moms. They do so much for us. Stuff that I never even thought about until I became a Mom myself! So even though I think everyday should be Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparent's Day, Sibling's Day or any other people day, having a day specifically marked as a reminder for everything a Mom does is special. Especially with our lives all being so busy and it is easy to take it all for granted.

So HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to ALL the wonderful, awesome, spectacular Moms out there! 

I am a 80's/90's kid, and one of my absolute favorite shows to watch was Full House! And every year around Mother's Day, I think about that one episode where Jesse taught the boys to sing "The Mother's Day Song" and it pops into my head. :D


This Mother's Day:

1. I will probably read some fun books with my girls.

2. We will watch Disney's Brave. I think it has a good Mother/Daughter relationship concept in the movie! Plus, my girls love the movie as well.

3. Eat pizza for dinner. (Yum)

4. And I am going to call and talk to my Mom on the phone.

5. Read some of my books while relaxing in my bed.


Lastly, I want to end this with some of my favorite Mom characters from different books and TV shows.
(There are so many TV shows and books that I like that have deceased mothers in them.)

Books:

1. Lily Potter (Harry Potter)
2. Molly Weasley (Harry Potter)
3. Natalie Prior (Divergent)
4. Magda Singer (The Selection)

TV shows:

1. Lorelai Gilmore (Gilmore Girls) 
2. Amy Matthews (Boy Meets World)
3. Becky Donaldson-Katsopolis (Full House)
4. Kitty Forman (That 70's Show)

Who are your favorite Mom characters from TV shows, books, or movies?

Thursday Thoughts #2: Series vs. Standalones

Thursday Thoughts is a weekly discussion meme hosted by Ashley on her blog Ok, Let's Read.

Join in on the discussion and check out Ashley's blog for the discussion topics and dates.

This weeks topic:

May 8: Series vs. Standalones* - Do you have a preference when it comes to reading series vs. standalones? Will you ever be deterred from reading a book because it is one or the other? What is your opinion on the trilogy trend? Do you ever feel like some series are forced and it's apparent in the writing?

Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Title: Second Star

Author: Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Length: 248 pages

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Retelling

Release Date: May 13, 2014

Source: e-galley (I was pre-approved for this book via NetGalley. Thank you, Netgalley and Macmillian!)

Read: March 2014

A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward Pete's nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete. A radical reinvention of a classic, Second Star is an irresistible summer romance about two young men who have yet to grow up--and the troubled beauty trapped between them. 

GoodReads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Books-a-Million

**I received an e-galley from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review**

Tune in Tuesday #10: They Might Be Giants

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! This feature was originally created by Ginger over at GReads! but you can now find it at Kate’s Tales of Books andBands. If you would like to participate in this weekly feature, make a blog post showcasing a song (or a few!) Then link up with Katelyn's Tune In Tuesday blog post if you want!

Top Ten Tuesday #11: Ten Book Covers I'd Frame as Pieces of Art

Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.

May 6th: Top Ten Book Covers I'd Frame as Pieces of Art

*I "cheated" a bit, since many of my pieces of art, are series of covers. But, since I love the series so much, and it is too hard to pick just one of the covers (and it didn't seem fair to other books to just have a couple series on my art list).

**These are in no particular order.

***There are also books that I have not read yet on the list, but I do plan on reading them, and I LOVE the covers of these books too!

****All of the covers are borrowed from GoodReads and made into frames using PicMonkey.