March 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.

I'm going to keep this really short and sweet (mostly because I'm super busy but I wanted this post to go up). Here are the ARCs I'm looking for:

- Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers (ARC)

- Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong (ARC)

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

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

*NOT the bound manuscript, but the ARC with the cover!

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 ARC editions (no international ones please)!

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

Book Blitz and Giveaway: The Infinite by Lori M. Lee

Welcome to the book blitz for The Infinite by Lori M. Lee! I hope you all enjoy the post - and happy release day, Lori!

About The Infinite:

The Infinite by Lori M. Lee

Book Two of the Gates of Thread and Stone series

Publisher: Skyscape

Publication Date: March 10, 2015

Official Summary:

The walls of Ninurta keep its citizens safe.

Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever.

To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels. With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city.

In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About Gates of Thread and Stone:

Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee

Book One of the Gates of Thread and Stone series

Publisher: Skyscape

Publication Date: August 5, 2014

Summary (from Goodreads):

In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

Lori is an avid writer, reader, artist, and lover of unicorns. She should probably spend less time on the internet (but she won't). She has a borderline obsessive fascination with unicorns, is fond of talking in capslock, and loves to write about magic, manipulation, and family. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, kids, and a friendly pitbull.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr

The Excerpt:

We ambled along the fence, peering inside at the abandoned farming equipment lying haphazard in the dirt. Behind the farmhouse, I could make out what had once been distinct rows of crops. Now, they were shriveled and half-hidden beneath the untamed weeds.

I exchanged an uneasy look with Mason as we circled the buildings. Yara had gone alarmingly pale.

The front door to the farmhouse hung crookedly from a single hinge, as if it had been ripped open. The beams were splintered around the windows, and long scratches scored the wood and earth beneath the door.

Claw marks.

“We should move on,” Yara said, her voice thin with fear.

The Giveaway:

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Review: Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys) by Amy Spalding

Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys) by Amy Spalding

Publisher: Poppy

Publication Date: April 7, 2015

Rating: 1 star

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist meets Easy A in this hilariously realistic story of sneaking out, making out, and playing in a band.

After catching their bandmates in a compromising position, sixteen-year-old Los Angelenos Riley and Reid become painfully aware of the romance missing from their own lives. And so a pact is formed: they'll both try to make something happen with their respective crushes and document the experiences in a shared notebook.

While Reid struggles with the moral dilemma of adopting a dog to win over someone's heart, Riley tries to make progress with Ted Callahan, who she's been obsessed with forever-His floppy hair! His undeniable intelligence! But suddenly cute guys are popping up everywhere. How did she never notice them before?! With their love lives going from 0 to 60 in the blink of an eye, Riley and Reid realize the results of their pact may be more than they bargained for.

What I Liked:

I think this book was much too trivial for me. It's unfortunate, how I now think that sixteen years old is too young for this mess. I'm almost twenty, but this girl seems to be so much more promiscuous than me. I know we're supposed to be all "you go girl" and "do your thing" and "Miss Independent" about a girl's romantic/personal choices, but I HATE that culture. I hate today's dating culture. But let me touch on that later.

Reid and Riley made a pact to document their reinvented personal lives in a book (The Passenger Manifest). Riley starts to notice guys, like Garrick, her lab partner, and Milo, a guy she meets at a record store... and Ted Callahan, a guy she's always had a crush on. Suddenly, she's hanging out with all three of them. She's kissing all of them. Her romantic life is a "wonderful" mess (wonderful to her). Meanwhile, Reid is falling in love with one girl, only to find out that she has a boyfriend, and then with another girl, but freaks out because he really likes her and thinks she likes him too. Basically, Riley's getting a ton of action, and Reid's getting none (he's neurotic), and things spiral out of control.

I liked the beginning of this book, when it seemed like Riley was attracting the attention of several guys, and she was reveling in the feeling of being wanted. When she started hanging out with all three of them, and kissing all of them, I was kind of done at that point.

What I Did Not Like:

We're about to get really personal, guys. Tuck in.

I HATE THIS HOOK-UP CULTURE. I hate seeing it portrayed in books, because in books, it's usually portrayed as something that is okay or acceptable. This book is no different. It is totally okay for Riley to kiss three different guys at the same time. It is totally okay because she wasn't exclusive with anyone, and therefore, she can act however she wants. No commitment, no loyalty. The three guys don't know about each other, until the end of the book (I don't know if that would have made a huge deal while it was happening).

This hook-up culture is NOT okay. It happens in high school (as we can see in this book), and it DEFINITELY happens in college (I see it all the time). I hate it. I think it's trashy and low-down (sorry if you participate in this culture). I think a girl (OR GUY) should respect others AND her/himself enough to be with one person at a time. Break things off with the other person and then move on. Don't string people along. It's nasty and rude and inconsiderate. Forget independence. Forget exclusivity. You should be clear and upfront with what you want. It makes things so much less confusing.

Literally half of the problems in this book wouldn't have happened if people COMMUNICATED. But then, Riley thought it was okay to be with three people at once, so I don't know. There were a lot of problems with this book. It so bothers me that she saw NOTHING wrong with her actions. It bothers me that people today see nothing wrong with this hook-up culture.

Like I said above - I get it, we're supposed to respect a girl's decisions when it comes to hooking up and having sex and kissing people because YAY FEMINISM. Right? If guys can do it girls can do it, kind of thing? I HATE THIS. I hate promiscuity. Call it whatever you want, make whatever excuses you want - I don't think it's okay at all to be seeing (and being intimate) with more than one person at a time, exclusive or not, taken or not. It's just not okay with me. Forgive me if my morals are at higher standards than yours. And before anyone jumps down my throat - no, I'm not saying I'm better than anyone, or perfect. But I have the decency to practice monogamy at all times.

I hated Riley, and not just because of her promiscuous actions. She has no control over what she says. I have no idea if anyone in real life is THAT BAD. Literally, she says EVERY SINGLE THING that she thinks. I don't think that's physically possible.

I also hate how the author uses all caps when she's trying to show that Riley is yelling or being extremely serious. It seems so unnecessary and out of place.

Gosh, this book seems so inconsequential. Everything that happens is so juvenile. I should have known, when I saw the title, that this book would be about a girl experimenting and hanging out (kissing, messing around) with different guys (plural), hopefully settling on one. This is like The Bachelorette, except that the guys have no idea that the others exist (until the end), and it isn't all staged (come on, those shows are totally staged).

I'm glad Riley chose who she did, but I feel bad for him. Riley isn't a girl I'd want to date. 

Another thing - I generally don't really like books about music. With music as the focus, and the protagonists are playing in a band. I'm just not a fan of this, and this book was no different. I play the piano, I love music... but not band/rock/pop/etc. type. These books don't appeal to me.

Anyway. Gosh, I didn't like this book. What a waste of my time. I can't imagine what Riley would do in college - probably sleep with whole fraternities at a time, "finding herself" and "experiencing romance". ROMANCE. Really, you mean lust and one-night stands.

Would I Recommend It:

Nope. Pass it straight and move on. This isn't a fluffy, heartwarming contemporary novel that will make you fall in love with the hero and heroine. It's a silly, awkward, trivial contemporary that almost seems Middle-Grade-ish, if not for the, um, interesting content that occurs. The heroine is brainless, the romance is so ridiculous, the story itself is silly. And not in a good way.

Rating:

1 star. I'm not sorry I read this one, but I'm sorry that I thought I would like it. If that makes sense? I would never read it again, or recommend it, or buy it or borrow it. I can't support books like this with such immature and irresponsible themes. Would I want my (future) children reading this? Absolutely not. Would I want my mother reading this? DEFINITELY not. She would hate to see such a book influencing her daughter. Horrible book, horrible themes.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Promo and Giveaway: Keep YA Weird!

Hey y'all! As you all may (or may not) know, Penguin Teen is running a promotion called "Keep YA Weird"! The campaign is all about sharing your love of all things weird and different in YA literature! 

There will be a Twitter chat on March 17th at 7:00pm EST (convert to your time zone HERE). Please join Penguin Teen and these authors!

Andrew Smith (The Alex Crow)

Jon Skovron (Man Made Boy)

April Genevieve Tucholke (Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea)

Kat Rosenfield (Inland, Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone)

Brenna Yovanoff (Paper Valentine)

So, mark your calendars for March 17th, 7:00pm EST! Please use the hashtag #KeepYAWeird when tweeting. And while you're here, enter the nifty giveaway that Penguin Teen has put together!

The Giveaway:

(ETA: I'm not 100% certain, but I believe this is USA only. Sorry, international lovelies!)

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Review: Forged by Erin Bowman

Forged by Erin Bowman

Book Three of the Taken series

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: April 14, 2015

Rating: 3 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Gray Weathersby and his group of rebels must make their final stand in the epic conclusion to the Taken trilogy, which New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu called "an action-packed thrill ride from beginning to end."

The Order is building an unstoppable army, with every generation of Forgeries harder to detect and deadlier than the one before. It’s time for Gray and his fellow rebels to end the Order's world of lies. But when the most familiar faces—and even the girl he loves—can’t be trusted, Gray will have to tread carefully if he wants to succeed. Or survive.

What I Liked:

I think, of the three novels, this one was my favorite. Taken and Frozen received the same rating as this book, but of the three-star trilogy, Forged is my favorite. While it excelled in some areas (in comparison to its predecessors), it failed in other areas (where the other two might have failed as well). Overall, I'm glad that I stuck it out and finished this series, but it definitely isn't a favorite series of all time. 

Gray, Blaine, Bree, and the group of rebels must plan their every move carefully in order to take down Frank and the Order. But Forgeries are everywhere, and it's getting more difficult to tell who is true and who is Forged. This conclusion novel is rife with betrayals, torture, and heartbreak.

One thing that really worked for me in this book was the resolution of the love triangle. I stuck with this series because I liked the idea of it, and I wanted to know how it would end. I wasn't burning with curiosity, but I like finishing what I start. In this book, from the start, it is clear that Gray wants Bree and only Bree. He constantly says that he loves Emma like he loves his friends, like Sammy or Clipper. Gray spends the whole book trying to convey to Bree that his deepest regret is vacillating over whether he loves her and wants to be with her.

So, I'm glad that love triangle was cleared up. The romance was meh; on the one hand, I hated Bree's tough-girl act, in terms of the romance. On the other hand, I see her point - she wants to protect herself from being turned down or jilted by Gray again. Understandable. 

Just so we're clear - I don't like Bree, never have.

There is a lot of action in this book, just as there is a lot of "dead" time. I definitely did a lot of skimming, in terms of the "dead" time, but I was really invested in the action, chunks at a time. There was this one point in the book, around page 160, when my heart stopped. And broke. And that was when I knew that, no matter how this book would end, this book would be my favorite of the series. Bowman did something extremely shocking and heartbreaking, and in the first half of the book! I totally would have expected something like that in the very end of the book. Props to her (though I'm SO SAD about that event). 

I have to be honest - I couldn't remember much of the specifics of Taken and Frozen. Which is very telling of how invested I was in this series, I know. But I think this novel functioned well as a conclusion novel. The pacing was pretty consistent with the first two books (i.e. slow), and the novel addresses the big picture problem in little steps that lead to the big climax. The finish is a bit cliche, in my opinion, but whatever. It could have ended worse.

What I Did Not Like:

I still don't like Bree. She's too prickly and dense and standoffish and annoying and rude and brash and idiotic and did I mention annoying? I know what the author was going for - a fiery, brave, independent girl who doesn't need a guy by her side. Mostly, I found her irritating. The tough girl act got old real fast, and I just wanted to punch her. Talk about mixed signals. Talk about stupid decisions. Talk about double standards. I did not like this girl. She acts like she knows it all and everyone must listen to her when she has a FEELING, but God forbid anyone tell her she's wrong or try to do something other than what she said.

Bottom line: if Bree were a male, we'd cry A**HOLE/JERK/BASTARD in two seconds. I don't like these traits in a male, and I don't like them in a female. I don't like anyone like that.

Another problem that was consistent in all three books - the snooze factor. There are so many points in this book were I was bored, and then there were a few chunks when OMG THINGS ARE HAPPENING and then things calm down to the suspicion/wondering/musing parts of the book and I was back to being bored. Like, can we ponder what we should do next while on the move to the next safe house or something? Multitask? Maybe?

I mentioned that I thought the ending was cliche - well, yeah. It wraps up pretty much how you might expect a cookie-cutter ending to wrap up. With the exception of that one surprising event on page 160-something (which is like, earlier than one half of the book), this book's ending has no big surprises. In my opinion. Maybe I saw it all coming. Maybe you all will see it coming. Maybe it's all just not that surprising. 

Would I Recommend It:

Well, if you've read Taken and Frozen, I'm of the opinion that you might as well read the third book. But it IS a pretty satisfying conclusion novel, and you won't be utterly heartbroken or flabbergasted. Especially if you don't have the problems that I had. This series definitely isn't the worse series I've read - in fact, it's an okay one, in my opinion. It's not a favorite, but I wouldn't necessarily NOT recommend it, if that makes sense.

Rating:

3 stars. It was good, but not the best thing ever. I'm glad I read this series, and I'll definitely be looking out for Bowman's books in the future. I'll be catching Vengeance Road in September for sure. I think this author is a great writer and has plenty of potential, but perhaps this series wasn't a "wow" series for me.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Stacking the Shelves (#115)

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 1st to Saturday, March 7th?

(all links to Goodreads are provided!)

In the mail:

To be revealed next week! I'm not going home this weekend.

From NetGalley:

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Because Pili told me to.

World After by Susan Ee

Ditto the above!

Slow week in books, fast week in school! We had two snow days (FINALLY. Johns Hopkins is so stingy with the snow days!), but I still have three exams in the coming week... and then spring break! One more week, one more week, one more week...

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes

Welcome to the Nerd Blast for Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes! I'm a bit late on posting this, but, better late the never! Check out this book, and enter to win great prizes!

Liars, Inc. review | Liars, Inc. website

About Liars, Inc.

Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes

Publisher: HarperTeen

Publication Date: March 24, 2015

Summary (from Goodreads):

For fans of Gone Girl, I Hunt Killers, and TV's How to Get Away with Murder.

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? In a story that Kirkus Reviews called "Captivating to the very end," Paula Stokes starts with one single white lie and weaves a twisted tale that will have readers guessing until the explosive final chapters.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

Paula Stokes writes stories about flawed characters with good hearts who sometimes make bad decisions. She’s the author of several YA novels, most recently Liars, Inc. and The Art of Lainey. Her writing has been translated into nine foreign languages. Paula loves kayaking, hiking, reading, and seeking out new adventures in faraway lands She also loves interacting with readers. Find her online at authorpaulastokes.com or on twitter as @pstokesbooks.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The Giveaway:

--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
2 Signed Copies of Liars, INC. by Paula Stokes.
2 Mini Swag Packs. Includes (2 Signed Bookmarks, 1 Magnet, 1 Signed Bookplate).

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