Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend— two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party — three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

What I Liked:

Oh guys. Kasie West does it again. Her contemporary is out of this world, people. This book is so sweet, so enjoyable, and yet, so powerful. Reading the summary, you'd think it's just about Gia and her boyfriend/ex-boyfriend/fill-in boyfriends. But there are other issues at hand, and in classic Kasie West fashion, this book is filled with heartwarming romance, developed characters, friendships, relationships, and a significant issue in today's society - especially among young people.

Gia's boyfriend breaks up with her right outside senior prom, just before they would enter. Bradley is a junior in college, and Gia's friends don't believe he really exists. So when Bradley breaks up with her, she's devastated... but mostly because now she doesn't have a boyfriend to show off. She grabs a random guy who dropped off his sister at prom, and together, they pose as a couple, and then break up at prom. But Gia finds that she misses her fill-in boyfriend, after the prom fiasco. But everyone thinks he's Bradley, and the real Bradley regrets breaking up with her. Gia has a mess that she didn't expect in her perfect, ordered life, and she doesn't know what she wants anymore.

Believe it or not, Gia is the archetype of a Mean Girl, a Plastic. She's the queen bee, head of her pack, student council president, most popular girl in her class - how about school. One of her friends, Jules, is a total Regina George (I'll keep going with the Mean Girls references!), a terrible person, in my opinion. That girl is truly the mean one, but Gia goes along with what Jules does, because Jules will take away the rest of their friends from Gia, and Gia doesn't want that. There can't be two queen bees, that sort of thing.

All that being said, as I was reading this book, I didn't think I would like Gia! She's shallow, conceited, not necessarily cruel, but clueless. She's a lot like a lot of girls I know... glued to her phone, constantly checking how many likes, retweets, comments, etc. her social media posts are getting. She's not malicious, but she isn't nice to everyone. And so when her fill-in boyfriend's sister (who goes to Gia's school) sees them at prom, the sister (Bec) puts her foot down. Gia never acknowledged Bec's existence before, and Gia's friends were mean to Nate (Bec's friend), so Bec doesn't want Gia anywhere near Hayden (the fill-in boyfriend). Understandable!

But Gia undergoes a lot of character development in this book. Being broken up with (instead of doing the breaking up) changed her. Gia FEELS shallow, and her relationships with her friends strains after prom. Gia finds herself hanging more around Bec, who doesn't even like her. Gia's brother comes home from college and doesn't spend time with her. Gia is sad about the whole situation, but she grows up a lot. 

Gia and Hayden see each other much more throughout the book. As it turns out, Hayden has an ex-girlfriend that he wants back. Bec manipulates the situation and has Hayden take Gia to his ex-girlfriend's graduation party. And then Hayden and Gia hang out again and again, including going to a play or going to his house or throwing baseballs at old cars. The more time Gia spends with Hayden, the more she realizes how much she likes him... which is hard for her. Hard for him as well, because he doesn't trust anyone, after his ex-girlfriend and his best friend went behind his back.

I like Hayden a lot. He is sweet, loyal, and a tiny bit protective. He agreed to be Gia's fill-in boyfriend, and played the role beautifully. I think he's a college student, taking classes for acting. I'm not a hundred percent sure on that though. Hayden isn't overly macho or manly, but he is right amount of masculine and sensitive and dreamy. 

The romance is so sweet! I wouldn't say that there is a ton of steam and chemistry sizzling all over the place, but Gia and Hayden certainly hit it off, right from the start. More importantly, they fall for each other slowly but surely. It takes some time for each to trust each other, for various reasons. I mean, they ARE using each other to fill roles to make exes jealous. I like the romance a lot. Kasie West sure knows how to build a romance without nasty things like insta-love, insta-lust, love triangles, etc. NO love triangle, guys! I know it might seem like there should be one, especially given the summary, but I promise you, no love triangle!

There is so much more to this book than just the romance. Gia's relationships with her friends are significant - Gia and her friend Claire are to be roommates at UCLA (where Bradley, and Gia's brother, attend college). Gia and Jules, on the other hand, don't get along at all. The friendships take hit after hit, and the girls break apart and band together, like a cycle. Gia becomes closer with Bec, who seems less shallow than Gia's current friends. There is also Gia's relationship with her parents (weird relationship), and with her brother. Family and friends are just as important as Gia's relationship with Hayden! 

There is also a universal theme in this book that I think is pretty crucial, especially in today's society. Gia is mocked by someone important to her for her obsessive use of social media. She is very angry and upset and heartbroken by the person's words against her, but she knows that everything was true. This is such a problem today - the social media, the need for attention, and validation. I'm so glad Kasie West incorporated this theme in the book. It was a really big part of the story, so I was happy to see it.

Overall, I am so happy with this book! I don't know if I have a favorite Kasie West book because I've loved all five of her published ones to date!

What I Did Not Like:

I don't think I had too many dislikes... perhaps I wanted a little more physical romance, but I'm starting to see that that isn't really West's style. Which is totally fine, because the stories don't NEED that, but I wouldn't mind a more physical side to the relationships. Anyway, that's it.

Would I Recommend It:

I would absolutely recommend this book. Contemporary fan or no (remember, I'm not the biggest contemporary fan), you should give this one a shot. It's light but not overly fluffy, and there are a lot of significant themes about love, relationships, family, and social media. Totally worth the read. I wonder if there will be companion novels... I could see Bec and Nate getting their own book! Perhaps Spencer too. Spencer would make an interesting antihero. 

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars (no reason in particular, just how I feel). I think Kasie West is an amazing contemporary writer! Her paranormal books were good, but her contemporary novels are out-of-this-world awesome. More, please and thank you!

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Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Book One of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's

Publication Date: May 5, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down! 

What I Liked:

I like this book much more than I like the Throne of Glass books. That series and I have a weird relationship. I thought Throne of Glass was pretty good, I didn't like Crown of Midnight as much as I'd hope, but then I LOVED Heir of Fire... I have much more faith in this series. Perhaps because it's only a trilogy (thank goodness. If I'd known the Throne of Glass series was a six-book series, I might not have started it in 2012). Or perhaps because Maas didn't pull that love triangle shizz in this book.

This book begins with Feyre and her pitiful, poor life with her crippled father and her ungrateful sisters. Feyre is hunting a doe in the forest when a wolf appears. Feyre shoots the wolf and takes the doe. But the wolf was Fae, and Feyre is taken from her home soon after. But the Fae are nothing like legends tell. Tamlin, High Lord of the Spring Court, treats her like a guest, not a prisoner. She isn't a prisoner, but he wants her to stay in his manor. His emissary, Lucien, is callous and rude, but Tamlin is calm and observant. But Feyre finds that the Fae are not as perfect and polished as they should be (according to her human knowledge). A dark evil is threatening Tamlin's power, and Feyre will not be safe. She will have to sacrifice anything - and everything - to stay alive, and save Tamlin and his world before it is too late.

I like Feyre a lot. I'm going to be making a lot of comparisons to the Throne of Glass series, so bear with me. I like Feyre a lot more than I like Celaena. Feyre is a cold nineteen-year-old, who had to start hunting and fending for her family at a young age. For eight years, she's been finding food and ways to make money to keep her family alive. Feyre has no fond childhood memories. She has no reason to laugh, to smile, to trust. When she is taken to the manor, she assesses every way that she can escape, or attack. She's very intelligent, and proves this in many ways, especially towards the end of the book. I like how she thinks.

Tamlin is my favorite character of the book. He has little control over what is happening in the Fae world, despite being a powerful High Lord. He is more than distraught, worried, broken over what is happening, with the evil approaching. He has reasons for keeping Feyre at the manor, but he makes sure she is not prisoner. Tamlin is noble and fierce, and one of the last rebellious High Lords against the evil that is taking over, but don't take him for the golden boy. He is a dangerous, lethal faerie who shows no mercy and has a tightly reined temper.

This book is based on Beauty and the Beast! There are so many great parallels. It starts with Feyre being taken to the manor, but in my opinion, this book gives off less of a Stockholm Syndrome vibe (even as a child, as I was convinced that Beauty and the Beast was a just a story with a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome). Tamlin is referred to as a "beast" every now and then. Feyre does leave the manor and goes home, about three-fifths of the way through the story. There are plenty more. Maas does an excellent job of weaving the timeless tale into this story. Or vice versa.

I LOVE the story. This book is well over four hundred pages (in classic Maas fashion), but it never really feels that long. The Throne of Glass series definitely wears out readers, in my opinion - there are times when you can totally tell that the books of that series are over four hundred pages. This story is enticing and intriguing, and it's difficult to stop reading.

Upper YA audience (or older) is definitely the age range for this book. This one gets steamy, and there is not fade-to-black in some scenes. It's not explicit like adult historical romance novels or something, but Maas does not hold back details that many YA authors do. More power to her, because I like seeing YA get steamy. Young adults are pretty adventurous these days (or so I hear. *side eyes*). Being one, I can say that the mature content is definitely for mature readers... perhaps not your thirteen year-old child. You do you though.

The supporting characters are so well-developed and likable. I worried that Lucien would be a leg in a possible love triangle, but he is a faithful emissary to Tamlin, and a good friend to Feyre. Even Rhysand, who I liked at first, then hated, then hated some more (the paint and dancing, I can't forgive that, no matter what), then came to a truce... he is a very well-rounded character. I can't say I like him. Not yet.

I loooooove the romance. The romance is my favorite part of this book. Forget everything else. Forget the hardship and sacrifice and Psyche-like tasks and the evil tyrant. The romance is stunning and sensual and breathtaking. Tamlin and Feyre fit together so well. It's not love at first sight, or lust at first. Tamlin and Feyre get to know each other slowly, as they run into each other in the manor. It's not long before they desire each other, and then love each other. Love is what will save them.

I hated and loved all of the sacrifices that Feyre had to make for Tamlin. There is so much of it, and I'm not okay with some things that she did for him. But it shows how much she loves him. And how much he loves her - terrible things happened and were done to him, because he refused to give up Feyre. The last 20% of this book is heartbreaking.

The ending itself is good. It's satisfying, and does not end with a cliffhanger. Thank goodness. I bet you a bajillion dollars that Maas will save that cliffhanger for the end of book two, and it will result in Tamlin and Feyre being separated. Typical YA. Please prove me wrong, Maas!

What I Did Not Like:

I mentioned above that I didn't like some things that Rhysand did. Rhysand is kind of an enemy of Tamlin's. He is the lover of a powerful queen, and he has no long-lost love for Tamlin. He does unspeakable things in this book, and I hate him for it. I hate what he does to Feyre. It's so... I can't even put to words. I'm not okay with it, no matter why he did it, to protect people or otherwise. When choices are taken from you... it doesn't matter the reason. It's not okay.

I'm not okay with the oath, either. Read the book and you'll see what I mean. It's handy at times, but I'm not okay with it. 

One thing I hate about fae-related books is the deceit. The tricks. The twisting of words. I hate it all. And all of those things mar this story. This story becomes a swimming pot of messy gloop in seconds, it seems. I personally hate it when there is so much deceit and lies and misguided promises.

Small thing - but the riddle is SO OBVIOUS. And so cliche. I knew the answer to it as soon as I read it. You don't need to know Beauty and the Beast, or be a genius. I was hoping for a more difficult riddle! How did Feyre not know it immediately! I'm so serious, I knew it as soon as I read it.

Would I Recommend It:

Despite some dislikes (which are still bothering me, honestly), I'd recommend this book. Maas is a master storyteller, and this new series is better than the Throne of Glass series (in my opinion, so far). Definitely give this book to mature readers though - it's upper YA for sure.

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I'm still shaking my head at certain things... but overall I'm pleased with this book. I'm excited to see where Maas will take the story, though if I'm honest with myself, I should be terrified. Maas seems to be the type of writer that hates a happy ending. So we shall see!

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Stacking the Shelves (#119)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, in which bloggers share the books and swag they've received in the past week!

So, what did I get in the week of Sunday, March 29th to Saturday, April 4th?

(all links to Goodreads are provided!)

In the mail:

There's actually about six or seven boxes/packages at home... and I won't be going home this weekend (on Easter weekend, no less). But my parents are coming to the school, so they may or may not bring my massive haul. If they do, I'll post pictures on Twitter on Saturday evening or Sunday.

Edited!

A signed ARC of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

Thank you, Mary! I needed this one to complete my duo set :)

A signed paperback copy of Wayward One by Lorelie Brown

Thank you, Lorelie! So nice of her to give away this one :)

An ARC of End of Days by Susan Ee

Thank you, Amazon! I feel a bit bad... I binge-read the first two books a few weeks ago, and now I have the third, whereas most people had to wait years! Oh well O_O

An ARC of Tracked by Jenny Martin

Thank you, Penguin Random!

The Whidbey Island series by Elizabeth George

Thank you, Penguin Random! All three are unfamiliar (unsolicited), but that could be a good series to binge-read!

An ARC of The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

An ARC of The Improbably Theory of Ana & Zak by Brian Katcher

An ARC of Under the Spotlight by Angie Stanton

An ARC of Emancipated by M.G. Reyes

Thank you, Harper! I requested The Fill-In Boyfriend, and the requested are unsolicited. The covers are great!

An ARC of Off the Page by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Thank you, Penguin Random! Such a beautiful package. And there is a cookie!

From NetGalley:

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

I've not read anything by this author, but I'm excited to give this book a try!

From Edelweiss:

All's Fair in Love and Scandal by Caroline Linden

I LOVE THIS AUTHOR! Her Scandalous series is soooo good. I'm on the blog tour for this book, so look out for this book's review in a few weeks!

Sooo... this week was really bad. I got some disappointing news on Sunday, and then even more disappointing news (unrelated to the first set) on Tuesday... it was a snowball effect and my mental health took a nosedive. I'm better now but I wish things were different. This week was just awful. Luckily I had lovely books to occupy my mind ;) How was your week?

Review: The Wondrous and the Wicked by Page Morgan

The Wondrous and the Wicked by Page Morgan

Book Three of the Dispossessed series

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: April 14, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: Review copy sent by the publisher

***SPOILER FREE REVIEW (perhaps spoilers for books 1 and 2, but not this book)***

Summary (from Goodreads):

For fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series comes the exciting conclusion to the trilogy that includes The Beautiful and the Cursed and The Lovely and the Lost. The Waverly sisters must save themselves before all is lost.

Since the Waverlys arrived in Paris, the streets have grown more fearsome by the day. As Ingrid learns to master her lectrux gift, she must watch Axia's power grow strong enough to extend beyond her Underneath hive. By all indications, the fallen angel's Harvest is near-and the timing couldn't be worse.

Targeted by vengeful gargoyles, Gabby has been exiled to London for her own protection. Meanwhile, the gargoyle castes are in disarray, divided between those who want Luc to lead them and those who resent him and his fondness for humans. The Alliance is crumbling from the inside as well, its members turning against one another, and possibly against the Waverlys, too.

Axia has promised that the world will burn. And now, unable to trust the Alliance, separated from Luc, Gabby, and her twin, Grayson, Ingrid is left to face the demon uprising alone.

What I Liked:

Finally. FINALLY, I have this book in my heads. I feel like the wait for this book has been especially slow and painful. I binge-read The Beautiful and the Cursed and The Lovely and the Lost in April 2014, one right after the other. So it's been about a year, which isn't really that bad of a wait, but I needed this book so much. By the way - I don't agree with the comparison in the synopsis (Fallen series by Lauren Kate). This series is nothing like the Fallen series! It's much better, for starters. Anyway.

In this final novel, Ingrid, Gabby, Grayson, Luc, Marco, Vander, Nolan, must make their stand against Axis and her Duster minions. Each one of them have a significant role to play, and if they want to defeat Axis once and for all. Gabby has been banished to London, for her own good, while Ingrid and the others remain in Paris. The Dispossessed are divided between two gargoyles, one of which will claim the position of elder. The Alliance is divided, with traitors and betrayal filling the ranks. The demons have multiplied, Axia's power and hold have increased - the Waverlys are left to their own devices, to stop Axia from destroying the world.

One thing I have to mention - I didn't quite remember a lot of specifics (and even general information) from the first two novels. NOT A PROBLEM. Page Morgan does an excellent job of catching up readers as the story of this book goes - without info-dumping readers. You won't feel lost, and you won't feel like you need to reread everything. Though it wouldn't hurt.

This series is definitely one of my favorite series. Gothic historical fiction with a healthy dose of paranormal elements and beautiful romance... definitely my type of read. I absolutely love how well Morgan creates this world in historic Paris, how well she builds her world in this historic time period, but does not let the time period restrict her story. I didn't find anachronisms in this historical fiction series, though I didn't go hunting for them, probably because the paranormal aspect of this series was in balance with the historical side. As always, the world-building was concrete and well-written. I love this Gothic vision of Paris that Morgan has constructed.

The characters. There are so many of them, and yet, it is a joy to read about all of them. This book is written in third person omniscient, so we never get any one person's first-person perspective. The points-of-view don't necessarily alternate, but scenes are told from Ingrid, Gabby, Grayson, or Luc's perspective (third person). I LOVED this. Like in The Beautiful and the Cursed and The Lovely and the Lost, this use of third person with several perspectives really works. I usually don't like so many narrators, but I couldn't see this story without them.

Ingrid and Gabby continue to prove themselves, to prove how strong and resilient they are, in their own ways. I feel like Ingrid has grown even more bold throughout this book, putting herself in situations deliberately, trying to find answers for herself, instead of letting someone else do it for her. I love this growth in character. Gabby also continues to develop - her backbone and spirit really shows in this book. She doesn't like to be pushed around, and it's definitely an important quality to have, especially in this book. Gabby wears this trait well, and I was glad to see her become more of a matured young lady, versus the immature little sister.

Grayson is a character that I came to like a lot more in this book. I can't remember how I felt about him in previous books, but I really liked him in this book. Same with Marco - he was probably one of my favorite characters. He's so fierce and cold, but he's also gruff and loyal and intelligent. I haven't read his novella, but I think I will. Chelle also makes an appearance in this book - she's the hunter that Grayson falls in love with. Vander, Nolan, Nory, and other male characters are very important to this book as well - though I don't have much to say about them.

My favorite character is still Luc. I loved having the opportunity to read scenes from his point-of-view (remember, in third person). He has lost so much, struggled so much, fought with himself so much... I felt like after every scene I read, I liked him even more. He has a lot of page time in this book, so fret not!

I haven't said much about the story on purpose. I don't want to risk spoiling anything. The grand climax of this series centers around defeating Axia - if the Waverlys, the Dispossessed, the Alliance, etc. can work together and figure out how to do just that. The Dispossessed have their own conflicts - a new elder must be elected, and several bloodthirsty gargoyles have stepped up and have begun amassing castes of gargoyles. The Alliance is not as stable as it used to be - Alliance members begin to choose their own allegiance. And the Waverlys - well, they are fighting for each other, as well as their loved ones, and Paris. 

The romance worried me a lot, especially in The Lovely and the Lost. Nevertheless, the romance is something that is resolved in this book (among many other things), and I think readers will be pleased with the direction that Morgan took. I was, and I'm very picky about romance.

The ending was wonderful! Very explosive, but things wrap up organically. There is one part of the end, at the very last pages, that totally shocked me. In a good way! I didn't expect that at all, and I love Morgan for doing that thing in particular. Everything comes together - Ingrid's abilities, the rest of the Dusters, the Harvest... Overall, I am so in love with this series. I don't think I have a favorite of the three - I love all of them! I gave all three of them four stars - and they are hard-earned four-star-ratings! 

What I Did Not Like:

This one started off very slowly. I think it took me about one hundred pages for me to really get sucked into the story and forget about how many pages I'd read and how many I had left. The beginning of the book didn't seem as interesting or life-threatening or anything, but perhaps it was setting the scene for greater action later in the book. 

There are four characters whose perspectives are given, to tell this story. I liked Luc's the most, then Ingrid's, then Gabby's, then Grayson's. Gabby is in London, removed from all the action. Her scenes, especially in the beginning of the book, were boring. Grayson's story didn't hold my interest very much either. But the story would not be the same without Gabby or Grayon's perspectives.

Would I Recommend It:

Yes. Yes yes yes. If you've only read The Beautiful and the Cursed, keeping reading the series and don't stop until you've finished this book. If you've read book one and The Lovely and the Lost, then you better read this one! This book doesn't disappoint at all, and the ending is a fair one that readers will look upon fondly. Seriously, this series is one of my favorites of all time. Don't miss it!

Rating:

4 stars. Gorgeous covers, wonderful writing, lush setting, beautiful story, heartwarming romance... there are so many amazing parts and pieces to this series, and an excellent conclusion is a jewel in the crown! I'm so glad I decided to read this series, on a whim. I'll definitely be looking out for more of Page Morgan's books in the future!

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

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Swoon Thursday (#114): An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Swoon Thursday is a hot meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at YA Bound!

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir!

I lift myself up on my toes, and his face comes down at the same time. His lips are soft, softer than I could have imagined, but there is a hard desperation behind them, a need. This kiss speaks. It begs. Let me forget, forget, forget.

His cloak falls away from me, and my body is against his. He pulls me to his chest, his hands running down my back, clasping my thigh, drawing me closer, closer. I arc into him, reveling in his strength, his fire, the alchemy between us twisting and burning and melding until it feels like gold.

- ARC, page 371

Book Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

My review | Giveaway

So much love for this book... there better be a sequel! :D

April 2015: Have You Seen This?

Have YOU seen this new feature, by Brittany and Andi? These ladies are helping bloggers find ARCs that they want to add to their collections of books! Go to their blogs for more information.

As always, I'm going to keep this really short and sweet. Here are the ARCs I'm looking for:

- Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers (ARC)

- Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong (ARC)

- The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski (ARC)

- This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (ARC)***

- The Wondrous and the Wicked by Page Morgan (ARC) (JK A TRADE HAS BEEN MADE YAY!!)

- Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi (USA paperback ONLY)

- Erased by Jennifer Rush (USA hardcover ONLY)

- Reborn by Jennifer Rush (USA hardcover ONLY)

***ARC, not bound manuscript from BEA!

I've got plenty of "older" ARCs (and newer ones), as well as other formats of books (hardcover, paperback) that I'm willing to trade. Please note that I can only ship within the USA right now (I'll let you all know if that changes). I'm also only looking for USA editions (no international ones please)!

Contact me, via email or Twitter or something. And thank you! 

Waiting on Wednesday (#118): Deceptive by Emily Lloyd-Jones

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Deceptive by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Book Two of the Illusive series

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: July 14, 2015

Summary (from Goodreads):

You don’t belong with us. These are the words that echo through the minds of all immune Americans—those suffering the so-called adverse effects of an experimental vaccine, including perfect recall, body manipulation, telepathy, precognition, levitation, mind-control, and the ability to change one’s appearance at will.

When immune individuals begin to disappear—in great numbers, but seemingly at random—fear and tension mount, and unrest begins to brew across the country. Through separate channels, super-powered teenagers Ciere, Daniel, and Devon find themselves on the case; super criminals and government agents working side-by-side. It’s an effort that will ultimately define them all—for better or for worse.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Illusive was really good!