Top ten 2016 debut novels I'm looking forward to!

This meme is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish :)

Bookishly Ever After by Isabel Banderia / Revenge of the Wild by Michelle Modesto  / Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie  / Dreamology by Lucy Keating / The Crowns Game by Evelyn Skye / Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn / The Love that Split the World by Emily Henry / The Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker / Enter Title Here by Rachel Kanakia / The Way I Used To Be by Amber Smith 

Ahhh, these all sound so good! Not only that, but they all already have fantastic ratings on Goodreads, which I've linked above so you can read the summaries.  

What debut novels are you looking forward to? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Happy Monday!

Hi guys! I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving. December is right around the corner, which means I NEED TO START SHOPPING FOR MY FAMILY. Ugh. I don't understand how people enjoy buying gifts for people. I'm literally the worst person at it. I never know what to get them, even if it is my own damn mother. I also can barely afford it. So there's that, too.
But besides that, Christmas is my favorite holiday and I can't wait to get our tree and decorate it :)

Read Last Week
Winter by Marissa Meyer
Dead Ringer Jessie Rosen

Currently Reading
Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman

To-Read
GOOD QUESTION *scrambles to put together a TBR for December*

Happy readings :)

Dead Ringer by Jessie Rosen

Dead Ringer by Jessie Rosen
Publisher: Full Fathom Five Digital
Publication Date: November 11th, 2015
Pages: 352
Song I Played While Reading: I Walk The Line by Halsey
Rating: 4 stars

From the moment Laura Rivers steps foot into Englewood High, she notices the stares—and they aren’t the typical once-overs every pretty new girl endures. The students seem confused and…spooked. Whispers echoing through the halls confirm that something is seriously off. “That new girl looks just like her,” they say.
It turns out Laura has a doppelgänger, and it isn't just anyone—it's Sarah Castro-Tanner, the girl who killed herself by jumping into the Navasink River one year ago.
Laura is determined not to let the gossip ruin her chances of making a fresh start. Thanks to her charming personality and California tan, she catches the eye of Englewood’s undisputed golden boy, Charlie Sanders, and it’s only a matter of time before they make their relationship official.

But something is making Charlie and his friends paranoid—and Laura soon discovers it has to do with Sarah Castro-Tanner.
What really happened to Sarah? Why is Charlie unraveling? And how does Laura Rivers fit into it all?
After all, she’s the dead ringer for a dead girl.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publishing company for providing me this copy in exchange for an honest review! 

This was such an unexpected gem, I absolutely LOVE when this happens. You pick up a book expecting to like it, but not fully convinced you will, and it turns out to be a fantastic read. 
Dead Ringer was surprisingly dark and gritty, though you may not think it will be in the beginning. It took me a while to get used to the writing, which at times felt a little forced, and I noticed that the dialogue sometimes came off as old fashioned. The author didn't quite nail the teenage mind and the way we speak. 
But even with that, the plot line completely overshadowed those small things. I didn't think that would be possible, since writing can obviously make or break a book, but I was so hooked into this mystery that I pushed through, which I'm SO glad I did. Rosen really took you for a ride in this story, layering on the intrigue and shocking twists until my head was spinning. You may think you know what this story will be about, but you really don't. It's unexpectedly insightful and human, delving deep into the circumstances around suicide and what pushes people to the brink. 
Even though I guessed some of the plot twists, it didn't ruin the novel for me, and instead almost enhanced my experience, since I had an inkling on what was gonna happen and had my own excited expectations. I was totally hooked, and I cannot wait for the second novel! 

Winter by Marissa Meyer

Winter by Marisa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: November 10th, 2015
Pages: 823
Song I Played While Reading: New Americana by Halsey
Rating: 5 stars

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend, the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and he's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long. 

This cover is, hands down, the most gorgeous cover I've ever seen. EVER. I wasn't overly thrilled with the other ones in this series, but WOW did the team behind this do a fantastic job. It's definitely my favorite of the year.
Since this is the final book in The Lunar Chronicles, I'm dredging up all the feels here and gonna be spoiling a lot. So leave if you haven't read it, and just know that it's absolutely incredible and such a satisfying conclusion to this series.

Spoiler-y section!

WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?! For being 800 + pages, Winter sure as hell felt too short. I managed to snag the last special edition from Target that has the fan drawings in the back and front cover pages, and they're SO pretty! The pages are also super thin, like the Bible, so it makes the book look waaaaay smaller than it is. My mom guessed that it was 350 pages and I laughed in her face.
Our newest edition to the team, Princess Winter, was, as expected, coo coo for coco puffs. I was a little worried that I wouldn't like her, since my first impression of her in Cress wasn't that great. I thought she was too naive and fragile to be able to handle all the stress Cinder and Co. were gonna be bringing to the table, but by the end I was impressed. She brought her own strength to the game, which, as we all know, really helped in rallying the outer sectors and the wolf soldiers. Her and Jacin we're SO FREAKIN ADORABLE, and I loved seeing his playful side come out around her. My favorite moment between them was when she kept shoving his shoulder and saying they were gonna help Cress.
The rest of the crew were flawless. I didn't think it would be possible, but the sweet moments between these friends, and between the OTP's, were just too much for me. My heart kept exploding with all the love. My poor, sweet Wolf. I wanted to strangle those doctors for changing him. HOW DARE YOU HURT MY CHILD?? I knew Scarlet wouldn't have an issue with it.
Cress and Thorne and Cinder and Kai were both PERFECT and I have nothing else to add, except for that Thorne's wit in this story was A++++++++. I loved the moment him and Kai had while he was taking him back to the palace from the Rampion. Total brotp moment. *squishes them to my chest*
The pacing and the plot was outstanding. Like I said before, this is a monster of a book, yet it almost felt a little too short. I wanted more! Meyer really outdid herself, blowing my expectations to smithereens. She weaved the fairy tales beautifully, and it all came full circle. The ending was bittersweet and heartwarming, and getting to know what their futures were, especially for Kai and Cinder, made me so giddy. I wasn't very surprised when she wanted to make Luna republic. And when Kai asked her if she would ever consider being an empress *SWOONS*
Overall, this extraordinary book was everything I dreamed it would be. A boatload of action, adventures, a psycho queen, kick-ass characters, heart-stopping romance, witty dialogue, and an engaging plot makes this my top favorite of the year, possibly of my life. Kudos to you, Marissa Meyer!
*hunkers down to eagerly await her next novel*

Quotes
""This must be weird for you," Thorne said, dragging his fingers across the radar screen. "Your cyborg girlfriend being a wanted outlaw and your fiancee's niece and all that."
Kai grimaced, which made his cheek start smarting again. "Honestly, I try and not think about the details." He shifted his face toward the Rampion as it receded fast from the viewing window. "Does she really call herself my girlfriend?"
"Oh, I wouldn't know. We haven't spent an evening gossiping and painting each other's toenails since the kidnapping."

"Scarlet drummed her fingers. "What's your point?"
"My point is that I am going to figure this out, like I always do. First, we're going to find a way to get into Artemisia. We're going to find Cress and rescue Cinder and Wolf. We're going to overthrow Leveana, and by the stars above, we are going to make Cinder a queen so she can pay us a lot of money from her royal coffers and we can all retire very rich and very alive, got it?"
Winter started to clap. "Brilliant speech. Such gumption and bravado.
"And yet strangely lacking in any sort of actual strategy," said Scarlet.
"Oh good, I'm glad you noticed that too," said Iko. " I was worried that my processor might be glitching." She felt for the back of her head."

"They mulled over this for a moment, picking at the food.
Thorne glanced back at the pantry. "Did you see any rice in there? Maybe we could fill Cinder's head with it."
Everyone stared at him.
"You know, to... absorb the moisture, or something. Isn't that a thing?"
"We're not pouring rice in my head."

"Cinder adjusted her ponytail. "Of course, any Lunar who's paying attention will be able to tell you're an Earthen and she's a shell. So be careful."
Thorne scoffed. "Careful is my middle name. Right after Suave and Daring."
"Do you even know what you're saying half the time?" asked Cinder.

"Cinder's jaw flexed. "That's where the feast was the other night? With the balcony over the lake?"
Kinney had started to nod when the second guard reeled his head back and spat. Literally spat all over this gorgeous tile floor.
"Oh!" Ikon cried. "You heathen!"
"When she catches you," the guard snarled, "my queen will eat your heart with salt and pepper."
"Well," said Cinder, unconcerned, "my heart is half synthetic, so it'll probably give her indigestion.""

Unpopular opinion book tag!

I've seen this floating around the internet for awhile, and finally decided to join in when Alexandra from Twirling Pages posted it! 

A popular book/ series you didn't like

I've got a couple good ones. The Secret History by Donna Tart, simply because we learned too much mundane information about the main character and it was really boring. I stopped 150 pages in. With Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell, I literally COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS SO GREAT ABOUT IT. It was so... dull! Both the characters were awkward and didn't have any chemistry. Finally, The Young Elites by Marie Lu, which I've gone back and fourth on. I stopped about half way, and had planned on picking it back up at some point, but as I thought about it, I really had no interest in the story and what happened. I'm tempted to just spoil myself so I can finally learn what happens at the end that has everyone freaking out!

A book series everyone hates but you love

Fallen by Lauren Kate! I literally see so much shit over these books and I think "How????" But everyone obviously has their own likes and dislikes, and I for one loved this series. I did read it a long time ago, so maybe I wouldn't like it as much today as I did back then. 

A love triangle where the main character ends up with the person you didn't want them to end up with

This is going to be spoiler-y for The Grisha Trilogy, so LOOK AWAY IF YOU HAVENT READ IT! I literally do not understand what Alina saw in Mal. I don't. It's unfathomable. Compared to The Darkling and Nikolai, what was so great about him? He refused to accept her abilities and constantly wanted her to be something she wasn't. And he was such a poop head! He was so boring and annoying, always ruining the mood with his blunt opinions and unnecessary commentary. At least The Darkling could make you want to rip your clothes off around him and Nikolai could make you laugh your ass off. Whatever, I'll take both of them, thank you very much. Alina can have her annoying Mal.

A popular book genre you rarely reach for

This is a difficult one to answer. If I had to pick one, it would be historical fiction, even though I love that genre. I just unintentionally rarely read books that are set in that genre, since I usually go for paranormal/fantasy and contemporary. 

A popular character you didn't like

Helene from An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir! She was so annoying and emotional and grumpy, I always wanted Elias to just kick her to the damn curb. And she didn't seem as badass as the book made her out to be. I feel like half the time, she was knocked unconscious in a fight or held back by someone.

A popular author you can't seem to get into

Ehhhhhhhhhh this is another one that I really don't have an answer too! There's never been an author who's work I've tried to read multiple times that I still didn't enjoy.

Popular trope you're tired of seeing

I'm an easy reader, cause there's nothing I'm tired of reading in books. Love triangles? I'm a sucker for a dick fight. You're The Choosen One? Cool! I'm jealous! Plain protagonist who suddenly becomes beautiful because she's got magical abilities? *furiously raises hand and wags it in the air* I'LL TAKE THAT TROPE PLEASE. If I HAD to pick something though, I do get a little annoyed at the idea that a boy and a girl can't be just friends. 

Popular series you have no interest in reading

Under the Never Sky trilogy by Veronica Rossi. I have no idea what its about, which is fine by me since I don't plan on ever reading it. It's nothing against the author or her story, it's just a trilogy that's long passed it's due date. There was a time for me to read it, and I didn't.

I tag YOU, the lovely person reading this blog post.

Happy readings :) 

Top Ten Characters I Would Invite To Thanksgiving Dinner

This meme is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish :)

This was a thanksgiving freebie! So bear with me here as I try and keep this thanksgiving dinner relatively small.

1. Aelin Ashryver Galathynius and Rowan Whitethorn (+ Aeidon, there's no way he wouldn't just tag along)

I'M SWOONING. THE BANTER. AND THE SHARED LOOKS. *collapses to the floor*

2. Chaol Westfall and Dorain Havillard 

If you don't consider this a brotp... what's wrong with you?

3. Lysandra 

I love Lysandra with a fiery passion and god damn it SJM, if ANYTHING HAPPENS TO HER I WILL DESTROY YOU.

4. Rose Hathaway and Dimitri Belikov

I would sell my soul to see these two meet Aelin and Rowan. I bet Belikov could give Rowan a run for his money on his poker face. 

5. Nikolai Lantsov

He would be noticeably missing for some part of the dinner, as would I, because we would be uh, talking. In my room. On my bed. Possibly without clothes. *coughs nonchalantly* 

6. Juliette Ferrars and Warner (+ Kenji, another obvious tag-along)

Juliette would have a arm wrestling contest with Rowan and would most likely break the table. Luckily, I told them to do it somewhere else, so all the food was safe. Priorities, people. Kenji and Aedion would get along flawlessly with their witty banter and not-so-subtle eyeing of all ladies in the room. 

7. The Raven Boys + Blue

The amount of questions Gansey would put everyone through wouldn't end until the wee hours of the morning. Thanksgiving dinner just turned into Thanksgiving breakfast. I'm SO not complaining. Ronan would dream up a clone of Rowan just to piss him off, since Aelin would be ferociously flirting with him and completely ignoring the real Rowan. 

8. Kady and Daemon Black

Lux powers vs. the fae. WHO WOULD WIN? 

9. The Darkling.

This is gonna make the whole dinner a little awkward, cause ya know... Nikolai, BUT it's gonna be so worth it. MY PRECIOUS, LITTL DARKLING, COME TO MAMA *smooshes him to my chest and whispers "Just because Alina won't have you doesn't mean I won't..."*

10. The whole clan from The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices 

#sorrynotsorry THIS DINNER IS GONNA BE HUGE

OH MY GOD THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN. And I may or may not have cried while conjuring it all up in my head because FEELINGS *flails around*. I also kept this strictly paranormal/fantasy, since I'm sure most of my contemporary friends would be extremely uncomfortable and nervous. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go day dream some more about of this ridiculously beautiful Thanksgiving dinner. 

What was your Thanskgiving freebie? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Happy Monday!

Hi guys! I CANT BELIEVE THANKSGIVING IS IN THREE DAYS, TIME STOP MOVING SO DAMN FAST. Literally, it's crazy how fast everything is going.
Nothing exciting is going on right now in my life, so I dont have much to say here, except for that I hope you all have a wonderful Thankgiving that's filled with food, family, and MORE FOOD. I know I plan on stuffing my face until I implode, so I need to mentally prepare myself for it.

Read Last Week
Scarlet and Cress by Marissa Meyer

To-Read
Winter by Marissa Meyer
Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Happy readings! :)

Cress by Marisa Meyer

Cress by Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Square Fish
Publication Date: February 4th, 2014
Pages: 550
Song I Played While Reading: New Americana by Halsey
Rating: 4.5 stars

Cress, having risked everything to warn Cinder of Queen Leveana's evil plan, has a slight problem. She's been imprisoned on a satellite since childhood and has only ever had her netscreens as company. Al that screen time has made Cress and excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 
When a daring rescue of Cress involving Cinder, Captain Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has. 

UGH MARISSA MEYER WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY FEELINGS??
This book was epic. I can't even form a coherent thought as to why. I just want to throw the book at whoever doesn't understand and say "READ IT. THEN YOU'LL GET IT." It's that kind of book.
But I'm gonna try and discuss it like a rational bookworm I am (ha. ha. HA, YEAH RIGHT)
Cinder kicked ass in this book and I'm so damn proud of her. She was my least favorite of all of out characters, simply because she bored me. Not enough where I disliked her, but just enough where I thought "Meh. Everyone else is outshining you, DO SOMETHING COOL." And oh boy did she do something cool. Hell, she did something fantastically awesome! For the people who've read Cress, by the end of this book she's unstoppable. I loved it. Nothing could stand in her way. SCREW YOU, SYBIL, YOU DESERVED ALL YOU GOT.
Scarlet and Wolf, my sweet babies. Not only did I get separation anxiety when everyone was suddenly thrown all over the universe, but my poor Wolf. My heart broke for him and his alpha female. I gasped so loudly when it happened, and I cursed the world and cursed Meyer and cursed Cinder. Scarlet is still my fiery queen, and I cannot wait to see how her and Winter play out in the next book.
Thorne and Cress can be described in two simple words: outrageously adorable. I mean, it's almost ridiculous how cute Cress is and how sweet Thorne is to her. Literally RIDICULOUS. It's the polar opposite of Wolf and Scarlet and Cinder and Kai, and I think that's why these relationships are so consuming. You get so many different aspects to a relationship with these three couples, and I love how Meyer plays them out. Poor Iko, I hope she finds someone!
Meyer's writing in this was flawless. I loved seeing the writing progress because it's incredible how far she's come in two books. Her action scenes were top notch this time, and they were my favorite parts of the book! The only reason why I docked half a star was because I got a little bored at some parts, especially during Thorne and Cress's stay with the caravan and in Kufra. But overall, this was fanfuckingtastic and I plan on jumping into Winter the second I finish this review. The crew is almost complete and I can't wait to see what shenanigans they get themselves into on Luna!

Quotes
"She crossed her arms. "He might"
He raised an eyebrow at her, and she sulked in her chair.
"Fine," Cinder said. "What do you suggest? You clearly know all about this political revolution stuff, so please enlighten me, O wrinkled one."
Dr. Erlend grabbed his hat off a small writing desk and pulled it onto his head. "You can begin by learning some manners, or no one will ever believe you could be royalty."
"Right. I'm sure that poor etiquette is the number one reason for most failed revolutions.
"Are you quite finished?"
"Not hardly.""

""Really? You don't hate me for... shooting you?"
His lips twitched and he glanced down. Taking her cyborg hand into both of his, he lifted it between them, eyeing the metal fingers. "I don't remember that medical diagram saying anything about a gun. My security team probably would have found that to be useful information."
"I like to maintain an air of mystery."
"I've noticed."

Book haul!

The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara 

Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purdy

Compulsion by Martina Boone

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

Lailah by Nikki Kelly 

Stray by Elissa Sussman 

Happy readings :)

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Square Fish
Publication Date: February 13th, 2013
Pages: 452
Song I Played While Reading: New Americana by Halsey
Rating: 4.5 stars

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison- even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's mosts wanted fugitive.
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighters who may have information about her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another hen they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner. 

I'm kicking myself for not picking up this series sooner. LITERALLY SMACKING MYSELF BECAUSE THIS WAS SO GOOD. SO. DAMN. GOOD.
"Aint nobody fuckin with my clique," was on repeat in my head as I finished this. Besides Throne of Glass, I've never felt so strongly towards a group of people. AINT NOBODY FRESHER THAN MY MOTHERFUCKIN CLIQUE.
I worship Scarlet and Wolf. I absolutely, wholeheartedly, 100% can't even with this fantastic ship. Not only because of Scarlet, who is a fiery queen and deserves her own damn crown, but Wolf.
Oh my god. 
He was so mysterious and emotionally tortured, and if y'all don't know, that's my thing. Sure, sometimes I like 'em pure and good sometimes (cue my crying over Chaol), but nothing gets my heart aflutter like a dark-haired, green-eyed, scruffy bad boy. DARK HAIR AND LIGHT EYES ARE MY KRYPTONITE *clutches chest and falls over* I didn't think Wolf could get any better, but once we found out his true identity, I was done. DONE.
*whispers* his alpha female... 
We meet Thorne in here, and in the beginning, I wasn't impressed at all, which is shocking because he's my type. I like 'em either dark and brooding or witty and handsome, and from what I got from other people's reactions, Thorne was my guy. He was good-natured, funny, extremely handsome, and a total flirt. But he seemed like such a phony in the beginning. Maybe it was the way Meyer had initially written him, but he felt forced. He grew on me, thankfully, and he had some witty one-liners that had me chuckle. But for the most part, he was a bit of a disappointment, hence the half-star docked.
We also pick up with Cinder, and I felt the exact same way as I did in the first book; a overall enjoyment of her character, but nothing more. She was totally overshadowed by Scarlet in here for me, which is maybe why I felt her character was so dull for most of this book. For being such an important character to this story, I almost wanted to nudge her out of the picture.
You can definitely tell Meyer's writing is getting better, though it still lacked in some scenes, especially in the action department. It sometimes felt a little rushed and not written-out enough, as if we were missing small pieces from it. But I gave her giant kudos for the way the story is developing because it's totally NOT what I expected. The stakes are so much higher and scarier, and I seriously cannot wait to meet Cress.

Quotes
""I knew they would kill me when they found out, but…" He struggled for words, releasing a sharp breath. "I think I realized that I would rather die because I betrayed them, than live because I betrayed you."

"A relieved grin filled up Thorne’s face. "We’re having another moment, aren’t we?"
"If by a moment, you mean me not wanting to strangle you for the first time since we met, then I guess we are."

Top Ten Quotes I Loved From Books In the Past Year

This meme is hosted by the lovely ladies at The Broke and the Bookish :)

(These are in no particular order, just by when I found them.)

"She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me in tight, and I swear I feel my soul brush against hers. I expand beyond the boundaries of Dylan's body, out until I am the waves crashing on the beach, the sun shining in her hair, that wind that sweeps over our skin. I am everything and nothing and exist only because this girl presses her heart to mine."

Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay

"He presses the triggers. And like roses in his hands, death blooms."

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

"Someday we will be more than words in the dark."

Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

"My words are unerring tools of destruction, and I've come unequipped with the ability to disarm them." 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

"Words, I think, are such unpredictable creatures.
No gun, no sword, no army or king will ever be more powerful than a sentence. Swords may cut and kill, but words will stab and stay, burying themselves in our bones to become corpses we carry into the future, all the time digging and failing to rip their skeletons from our flesh."

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

"One of the things I love about books is being able to define and condense certain portions of a character's life into chapters. It's intriguing, because you can't do this with real life. You can't just end a chapter, then skip the things you don't want to live through, only to open it up to a chapter that better suits your mood. Life can't be divided into chapters... only minutes. The events of your life are all crammed together one minute right after the other without any time lapses or blank pages or chapter breaks because no matter what happens life just keeps going and moving forward and words keep flowing and truths keep spewing whether you like it or not and life never lets you pause and just catch your fucking breath.
I need one of those chapter breaks. I just want to catch my breath, but I have no idea how."

                    Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

"She'd laughed, and if he could have bottled the sound and gotten drunk on it every night, he would have. It terrified him.” 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

"She wore a dress Ronan thought looked like a lampshade. Whatever sort of lamp it belonged on, Gansey clearly wished he had one.
Ronan wasn't a fan of lamps."

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

"She was fire, and light, and ash, and embers. She was Aelin Fireheart, and she bowed for no one and nothing, save the crown that was hers by blood and survival and triumph."

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

"You'll never be able to find yourself if you're lost in someone else."

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

What're some of your favorite quotes? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Happy Monday!

Hello interwebbers! Along with what I plan on reading this week, I'm going to tell you guys what I've been listening to lately. I have a 30 day free trial with Spotify, which if anyone isn't aware, is similar to Pandora, but you're able to create your own playlists and play them even when you don't have wifi. You just have to make sure you download the playlist, which can take up a lot of space on your phone. It definitely has it's pros and cons (think oooh so many songs but URGH SO MANY PICTURES I HAVE TO DELETE) but as of right now, I'm really enjoying it. I've had Disclosure's two albums on repeat and I'm IN LOVE. Disclosure is an EDM (electric dance musci) DJ, consisting of two brothers. You may be thinking of EDM as that loud, repetitive shit, which it definitely is, but Disclosure's vibe is way more chill. It's a nice in-between. My favorites are F For You, Help Me Loose My Mind, Molecules, and Confess To Me. Go check them out!

Read Last Week
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Currently Reading
Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino

To Read
Never Never by Colleen Hoover
Scarlet by Marisa Meyer

Happy readings! :)

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

November 9 by Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: November 10th, 2015
Pages: 307
Song I Played While Reading: Cecilia and the Satellite by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
Rating: 4 stars

Fallon mets Ben, as aspiring novelist, the day of her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon's last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationship and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist. 

Oh, Benton James Kessler. Where art thou Benton James Kessler, BECAUSE I WANT YOU. NOW.
Colleen Hoover manages to surprise me with every one of her damn novels. Every. Single. One. You don't think she can write something as fantastic as her last one, yet she does. It's scary. How she manages to portray every emotion perfectly... I DONT UNDERSTAND.
This book is her most light-hearted one yet (if you can even call any of her books light-hearted) because Ben and Fallon were a riot together. They had an insane connection, and I can't even tell you the amount of times I had to put down the book so my heart would stop racing. Not only were they hilarious, but they were so swoon-worthy. Them together brought me nothing but pure happiness, and I was so happy to see that this book revolved only around November 9th. Sure, we see a little part of their lives as we progress, but this centers mostly on this one day over six years. Everything was perfect, from the pacing, to the plot line, and to the characters (especially TWO CERTAIN CHARACTERS THAT SHOWED UP AT BENS HOUSE AND GAVE ME A LEGIT HEART ATTACK, I CANT BELIEVE COHO DID THAT TO US).
But then, once we hit our fifth November 9th, I started getting bored with the story and a little annoyed at the repetition. I almost skipped through Ben's entire story simply because I was itching to see them get together. It was in no way a bad ending, so I only docked a star. Certain parts bothered me, while others didn't.
The one thing I love so incredibly much about CoHo's books is the depth. Her stories are fantastic, but we get so much more than what we read in the summary. There's usually at least one or two major issues that Hoover tackles beautifully, and this book was no different. I love the variety and how they each add such a breath of fresh air to the story.
Overall, fantastic, fantastic story, but the ending was just a little too repetitive for me. If I had to rate this on my CoHo scale, it would be third. So Hopeless, Maybe Someday, November 9, and Ugly Love. Never Never is up next and I can't wait to start it!

Quotes
"I turn around and face my closet again so he doesn't see the flushed look on my face.
He laughs quietly. "You were just thinking dirty thoughts."
"Was not," I quip.
"Fallon, we've been dating for two hours now. I can read you like a book, and right now I do believe that book is full of erotica."

"You'll never be able to find yourself if you're lost in someone else."

""Sigh."
"Did you just say sigh? Out loud? Instead of actually sighing?
"Eye roll.” 

""Fucking beautiful," I whisper.
She smiles and then ducks her head. “I feel stupid.”
"I barely know you, so I’m not about to argue with you over your level of intelligence, because you could very well be as dumb as a rock. But at least you’re pretty."

"You can’t leave yet. I’m not finished falling in love with you."

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn
Publisher: Crown Publishers
Pulication Date: November 3rd, 2015
Pages: 65
Song I Played While Reading: None
Rating: 3 stars

A canny young woman is struggling to survive by perpetrating various levels of mostly harmless fraud. On a rainy April morning, she is reading auras at Spiritual Palms when Susan Burke was in. A keen observer of human behavior, your unnamed narrator immediately diagnoses beautiful, rich Susan as an unhappy woman eager to give her lovely life a drama injection. However, when the "psychic" visits the eerie Victorian home that has been the source of Susan's terror and grief, she realizes she may not have to pretend to believe in ghosts anymore. Miles, Susan's teenage stepson, destine help matter with his disturbing manner and grisly imagination. The three are soon locked in a chilling battle to discover where the evil truly lurks and what, if anything, can be done to escape it.

The Grownup can be described in one word for me: unexpected. I've been going back and fourth on what to rate this, simply because it had a crappy ending for me. I hate open endings, and this had the mother of all open endings. It's so broad that it almost negates the whole story. What was the point of writing this if you aren't even going to finish it? If you're going to throw us for that big of a loop? I'm a huge fan of Gone Girl because of the writing, and this story doesn't disappoint in that department at least. If you hadn't told me who the author was, I still would've guessed her.
Once we got to the middle of the story, I felt myself starting to get hooked. I was creeped out, trying to guess what was going to happen. Knowing Gillian Flynn (and having read Gone Girl) I was prepared for a huge, scary twist that would knock me off my feet. Instead, I was left with a gaping hole. I understand her idea behind the ambiguous end, but it was executed in such a fashion that I felt like the whole book was just one big lie. There's no definite answer for anything.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

More info on this book here
More about Gillian Flynn here 

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: April 28th, 2015
Pages: 446
Song I Played While Reading: Here We Go Again by Hardwell
Rating: 3.8 stars

Laia is a slave.
Elias is a soldier.
Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not boy their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk th execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. 
It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire's impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the empire. They've seen what happens to those who do. 
But when Laia's brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire's greatest military academy.
There, Laia meets Elias, the schools most finest soldier- and secretly, it's most unwilling. Elias want sonly to be free of the tyrant he'd being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realized that their destinies are intertwined- and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

SUCH FEELS. MUCH CONFUSION.
That about sums up how I feel on An Ember in the Ashes. Some parts I loved. Some parts I thought were super boring. Some parts I felt like I was reading from 1 dimensional characters. Other times I thought the were going to jump out of the page. DO YOU SEE MY CONFUSION?
The first 40% of this book, I wasn't too keen on this story. Nothing was jumping out at me and making me want to read more, except for some of the lovely people on instagram who informed me that I should, in fact, keep reading. It got better, bless you, Jesus, and I got hooked. HOOKED, I TELL YOU. Until the plot twist occurred and I thought to myself "That was it?" The ending, which is set up to reel you in for the next book (which I can't believe Tahir wasn't fully committed to writing, DAMN GIRL, TALK ABOUT A CLIFFHANGER), was so... anti-climatic? I literally don't even know. I'm split down the middle here. One part of me thinks it was awesome and dramatic and heart-wrenching and good gravy, Helene, you're killing me here, while the other half of me kind of pouted in annoyance.
This review is already annoying me cause I have an urge to just split it in half, name one side "My likes" and the other half "My dislikes" and call it a day since I'm so torn up.
I liked Laia, but wasn't overly impressed with her. I'm all for a middle-ground kind of narrator (nothing special, isn't overly heroic or overly evil, confused, blahblah) but there wasn't that one spark that made me connect to her. Sometimes she confused me because, damn, the girl didn't even cry. Like, at all. Or did she? See, I don't even remember. BUT, I had to give her kudos for sticking with the Commandant because DAMN THAT BITCH WAS CRAY AND I FEARED FOR LAIA'S LIFE.
(Also, the entire time I was reading AEITA I was calling her "Commandment". FAIL.)
Elias was a little higher on my "likes" list, since I enjoyed reading about his internal struggles and seeing his relationships with the people around him at Blackcliff. Plus, the boy was a hunk. But I still didn't feel a huge amount of love for him.
Helene was a character that I had a major like/hate relationship with. One minute I hated her guts (has she NEVER heard of girl code?), and the other minute I grudgingly could admit that she, yes, could be thoughtful and nice. But most of the time I was annoyed with her, more so than I was with the Commandant. Her blind loyalty and snobbiness infuriated me, especially over the female slaves. This was a part of the book that I couldn't comprehend. Everyone acted as if mutual consent over sex didn't exist. They threw around rape as if they were saying "having sex". It made me really uncomfortable and disgusted. I wish I could go back and tick off all the times someone says "Did he rape you?" or "I'm gonna rape you", but it would take too much effort. But know it's A LOT. And Helene's refusal to protect Laia against Marcus, when he always says he's gonna rape her and she gets furious over it, was incomprehensible. Just because she's a slave doesn't mean she deserves to be raped and killed. HELENE, THE LADIES HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER.
I really, really liked the plot and the way Tahir weaved everything together. She kept me guessing, and I have to hand it to her on that Third Trial; my god damn soul was crushed. That's the only time I cried in this book, and it was an ugly cry.
I hope Tahir talks more about the world because I'm super interested in it, especially on the politics and the diversity between the characters. Were the scholars originally middle eastern? I read somewhere that Tahir used inspiration from Kashmir. And then were the Martials where all the blondes came in? I'm always hesitant to bring up diversity in books since I feel like I don't know the correct way of wording it, but it was such a huge aspect that I couldn't help but try.
I'm VERY excited for A Torch in the Night, though I'm seriously questioning Tahir's mental state. How the hell is she supposed to wrap everything up in just one book? There's so much! Nonetheless, I have faith. I can't wait for Laia and Elias's next adventure!

Quotes
"The field of battle is my temple. The sword point is my priest. The dance of death is my prayer. The killing blow is my release." 

""This life is not always what we think it will be," Cain says. "You are an ember in the ashes, Elias Veturius. You will spark and burn, ravage and destroy. You cannot change it. You cannot stop it."

"Suddenly, everyone is talking.
"Mirra and I set fire to an Empire garrison-"
"She could cut right to your soul with her eyes, the Lioness-"
"Saw her fend off a dozen axes once- not a bit of fear in her-"
I have stories of my own. She wanted to leave us. She wanted to abandon her children for the Resistance, but Father wouldn't let her. When they fought, Lis took me and Darin into the forest and sang so we wouldn't hear them. That's my first memory- Lis singing me a song while the Lioness raged a few yards away." 

"When Hand-to-Hand Centurion screams at me for poor technique, I barely hear him, instead considering what will happen to Hel and me. Is our friendship ruined? If I don't love her back, will she hate me? How am I supposed to get her on my side for the Trials if I can't give her what she wants? So many bleeding, stupid questions. Do girls think like this all the time? No wonder they're so confusing."

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Publication Date: October 20th, 2015
Pages: 600
Song I Played While Reading: Survivors by Hardwell & Dannic (pretty fitting name, eh?)
Rating: 5 stars

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she'd have to do today. This afternoon, her planet was invaded. 
The year is 2575, and two rival mega-corporations are at war over a planet thats little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, exes Kady and Ezra-who are barely even talking to each other- are forced to fight their way onto the evacuating fleet with an enemy warship in hot pursuit. 
But the warship is the least of their problems. A deadly virus has broken out and ismutating, with terrifying results. The fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what the fuck is going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfirend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh
Myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
GOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!
This book was
F
A
N
T
A
S
T
I
C
It was achingly beautiful, and heart-stopping, and witty, and romantic, and so incredibly sad. It's all of those, and more. And shockingly, this isn't like any normal book. This is told through military documents, emails, IM's, medical reports, interviews, pictures, and more. Yet this book is one of the most emotionally-charged novels I've read this year. I didn't think it was possible, yet it happened. These two authors are fucking geniuses.
Good lord, I don't even know where to start! The characters were incredible in this story. I cared about literally every single one of them, and my heart constantly took a beating because of it. Kady is my kind of girl: short, sassy, and a god damn genius. I WISH I was as smart as her. She's also so, so brave and kicked so much ass, I cried sometimes just because of her will to live. Ezra was SO adorable and these two together were an absolute riot. They balanced each other so well, with her working the computers and hacking into things while he was all physical power and ship savvy. I shipped them SO hard. Kezra? Ezrady? I SHIP 'EM.
There's nothing I love more than epistolary formatting in a book. And yes, I googled that shit because I knew there was a name for it because something so visually stunning couldn't NOT have one. Not only did it help me fly through this 600 page book, but it helped me visualize everything and made me feel as if I was smack-dab in the middle of the story. Those pages were Ezra and the pilots were attacking the Lincoln? I was flying alongside them, voices pouring into my ears and explosions lighting up my panels. It was almost jarring, since I would get so engrossed that when I would stop I'd have to blink a couple times and realize, damn, I'm on Earth. My head, even now, still feels like it's floating in space.
I loved the multiple storylines and how, even though this centered mostly around Kady, we got to see a lot of other people's experiences as well. It broadens the story, making it feel that much more real.
The ending was MIND-BLOWING. My heart was pounding and I had no idea what was going to happen. KAIDAN 4 LIFE. And then the realization on who was behind one of the mega corporations... oh my god. My jaw dropped. And then I wanted to cry because, god dammit, HOW CAN I BE AS COOL AND BADASS AS KADY IS?
I recommend this to everyone. Even if you aren't the biggest fan of sci-fi, just try it. There's something in this for everyone, and it's so much more than what it seems. It's a trilogy (thank you, Jesus) and what Kaufman and Kristoff are planning on doing is mind-bending. I bow down to these two. THEY'RE MY NEW KING AND QUEEN OF STORYTELLERS

Quotes
""I am frequently underestimated. I think it's because I'm short."

"I know this is all of my design- to leave her without hope. She would have never stayed otherwise. But some part of me wants her to rail against this end. To curse and kick, and scream at it. Wretched as it is, this is the only life she has. How can she go so quietly in this long good night?"

"The afflicted follow, wolves with lolling tongues and gunmetal claws.
One stops to hold out his arms and twirl in the fire extinguishers spray. One is shot through the kneecaps by a female comrade in their race for the door- I presume she thought ladies should precede before gentlemen.
Madness in many colors."

""Do you see?"
She says nothing. Simply stares.
"The universe owes you nothing, Kady. It has already given you everything, after all. It was here long before you, and it will go on long after you. The only way it will remember you is if you do something worthy of remembrance."

"He presses the triggers. And like roses in his hands, death blooms."

Happy Monday!

Hi guys! I hope your November has been fantastic so far. Mine has been filled with work, work, work and some more work. But I don't mind. More money= BOOKS!

Read Last Week 
Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch
The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

Currently Reading
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

To-Read
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Happy readings :)

P.S. NOVEMBER 9TH AND WINTER COME OUT TOMROROW, EEEP!!!!

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Publisher: Balzar + Bray 

Publication Date: October 13th, 2015

Pages: 478

Song I Played While Reading: Light Years Away by Tiesto

Rating: 5 stars

It's been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring's king, Angra, disappeared- thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their lines for payment, they unearth something power and possibly dangerous: Primoria's lost chasm of magic. Theron is hopeful and excited- with this much magic, the world can finally stand agains threats like Angra. But Meira knows that the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm's secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe- even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Jannuari- leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell's growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter's security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception is woven tighter, Theron fights for magic, Meira fights for freedom- and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter but for the world. 

Holy crap, you guys. This book. This fucking book blew me away. I had obvious high hopes, since I loved Snow Like Ashes. But it blew those expectations out of the water and left me gasping for air.

I've read a lot of "middle-child syndrome" being thrown around with this book. I understand why some people could've been bored with Ice Like Fire, since a huge chunk of this book is Meira adjusting to being queen and trying to figure out who that is. What does it take to be a queen? She's constantly at war with herself, trying to find a middle ground between Meira and Queen Meria. 

I'm all for inner conflict and character arc. Nothing brings tears to my eyes faster than that. Raasch flawlessly wove Meira's inner turmoil with the world building (since we travel around Primoria), the onslaught of new characters, the questions of "What the hecky poo is this chasm of magic and how do we handle it?", the worry of the debt Winter has to Cordell and trying to find support from other kingdoms, AND, of course, the love interests. Sounds like a lot, right? That sounds like something that would crush my shoulders and my soul, but Raasch managed to make it work. KUDOS!

Now, I'm not sure exactly what causes this, but in Snow Like Ashes I had issues adjusting to the story for the first 50 pages. Nothing was clicking and I didn't really care about the characters. Once I hit page 50, it as smooth sailing. Strangely enough, I had the same problem in this story too, so I'm assuming it's her writing? I'm not 100% sure, but I was actually internally panicking because I had forgotten all the side characters (it took me FOREVER to remember William and Sir were the same person), and everything felt a little jumbled. BUT, like I said, once I hit page 50, BOOM. I was in. 

The kingdoms Meira and Theron visit were absolutely glorious. I find the whole idea of a seasoned kingdom to be SO. FREAKIN. COOL. Summer did not disappoint, and I love how everything was in orange and red tones. Their culture, though dabbling in things that I definitely did not approve of, was still enchanting and I wish with all of my being that I could visit such a fun place like that. It's a constant party. Who wouldn't want to visit?!

Yakim and Ventralli were gorgeous too, but a little more subdued since they were Rhythm kingdoms. I found it super fascinating to read about the different cultures in these places! 

Now, for the first 250ish pages, I shipped Meira with neither of our love interests. Mather was being a little whiny poo head, and I didn't trust Theron. Their goals were too different, so I couldn't see it working out between them, anyways. I was little iffy with these two in SLA as well. This a rarity, for me to ship my girl with no one. Props to you, Raasch. But then Mather found his purpose in Winter and it wasn't long until I officially announced my ship: MATHERIA. The ending had me screaming for many, many, MANY reasons, and that was definitely one of them. The other reasons are able to be summed up in two words: PLOT TWISTS. And a bunch of crying emojis. 

Raasch has this ability to me care SO DAMN MUCH for Winter. Maybe because of how broken they were, or how beaten they were in those camps, or their ability to still stand up and proudly call themselves Winterians. Or maybe it's because I picture them as fuzzy snow bunnies. NEVERTHELESS, I care about these beautiful humans so deeply, and thats why I love this story so much and connect with Meira and ship her with Mather. I'm so incredibly proud of our mc and love the direction this story went at the ending (like, right at the ending. not the other stuff. *CRIES*). I absolutely cannot wait to see Meira kick ass and defeat the Decay once and for all. LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN.

Quotes

"I'll play along, you arrogant little pig. I'll pretend to be an obedient little queen until I can crush you."

"A seasons purpose? All I told him was that I wanted to see Yakim's libraries. I frown at the back of his head. sorting through the meaning of his words, and roll my eyes when it hits me.

He doesn't think I'm interested in the books for study and use. Which I believe is a lofty Yakimian way of calling me stupid.

"Oh, quite," I return. " I just love looking at books. Sometimes I can even make out a word or two."

""Horrible things have happened to us, are still happening to us, will happen every day for the rest of our lives, probably. What defines us is not our ability to never let them break us--what defines us is not letting them own us. We are the Thaw, and we will not be defeated by memories or evil men."