Waiting on Wednesday: The Unexpected Everything

This meme is hosted by Breaking the Spine :)

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: May 3rd, 2016
Pages: 500 (HOLY CRAP)
Link to Goodreads

Andie had it all planned out. 
When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.

Important internship? Check.

Amazing friends? Check.

Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks)

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.
Because here’s the thing - if everything's planned out, you can never find the unexpected. 
And where’s the fun in that?

Morgan Matson can do no wrong. I shouldn't say that, since I've only read Since You've Been Gone, but I do have Second Chance Summer and Amy and Roger's Epic Detour on my TBR, plus I've heard fantastic things about those two novels. So, SHE CAN DO NO WRONG. This sounds amazing, and I'm always a sucker for novels about a politicians child because I find that stuff endlessly fascinating. If anyone is looking for a good YA contemporary involving politics and all that wacky stuff, The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne is incredible!

What are you eagerly anticipating? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Ten of my most recent 5 star reads! (TTT)

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

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
This is my most recent read, and I rated it 5 glorious stars for being AMAZING. From the characters to it's storyline, Tell Me Three Things absolutely destroyed me in the best way possible. I was lucky enough to win a copy on Goodreads (my first time winning on there!) and now I want to throw it at every person I see. This comes out on April 5th!

A History of Glitter and Blood by Hannah Moskowitz

This is one of those eccentric books that you either love or hate, and when I saw this in the book store, and read the summary, I had the weirdest feeling that I would love it. I tend to love strange stories, so I finally read it and, SPOILER, I loved this with my entire being and could write pages and pages on why I do. But I manage to hold back in my review since I want you all to be as surprised by it's contents as I was. I only spill one thing, but I think it'll help you understand the book more. It definitely confused the hell out of me at first, so I'm saving you the trouble.  

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

This is a bind up of short stories based in The Lunar Chronicles world, and, since I absolutely adored those books, MY HEART EXPLODED WHILE READING THIS. I'm confused on why some people are giving this such low ratings on Goodreads and saying "this doesn't add anything"? I almost feel like thats betraying the characters because why should it need to add anything? Shouldn't reading about them doing mundane things be enough? I could read this fluff all day. Hell, Cinder or Scarlett could be going to the damn bathroom and I would be enthralled. WHO DOESNT WANT FLUFFY MOMENTS WITH THEIR FAVORITE CHARACTERS? Much confusion. 

The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

For the first half of this book, I was seriously considering putting it down. It all just seemed horridly familiar: orphaned princess wants to take back her rightful place on the throne and disguises herself as someone else to spy on the family that took her crown. And then something magical happened and I literally died. Just boom: there went my heart and my brain. I can't even remember what scene it was, I just remember falling into the story and being absolutely enamored by everything. It turned into something completely different and new and exciting AND I JUST LOVED IT SO MUCH. It went from 0 to 100 real quick. 

(Did I seriously just say that about a book, oh my god.)

The Mirror King by Jodi Meadows

Epic Reads sent me an ARC of this, which is what pushed me to read The Orphan Queen in the first place. Not only did Meadows accomplish writing a fantasy duology, which I honestly can't fathom doing because even successfully writing a trilogy is difficult, but she killed it. Literally and figuratively. She also wrote probably my favorite scene in a book ever. Okay no, that's a lie, everything Chaolaena in Crown of Midnight is my favorite scene ever, but this comes in second! It's so sudden and shocking and horrifically funny that I still giggle just thinking about it. Meadows wrote a scene that every authors imagines doing but can't justify. SHE'S A GENIUS. This also comes out on April 5th!

Winter by Marissa Meyer

This was such an epic conclusion to The Lunar Chronicles, it was the easiest 5 stars of my life. Everything was wrapped up perfectly and my god, I was drowning in the OTP feels. Specifically Wolf and Scarlett. They were such an undramatic couple that I could have wept. YES TO COUPLES THAT HAVE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND DONT FIGHT OVER STUPID, UNIMPORTANT SHIT

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

So much sass. So much love. So much creepy-yet-odly-beautiul machinery. SO MUCH OF EVERYTHING THAT IS GREAT AND WONDERFUL AND STUNNING. *throws confetti in the air*

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

I love how CoHo manages to incorporate so much heartbreak without the reader being aware of it. There's always something more to her work that isn't written in the summary, and it's both exciting and scary trying to think of what it could be. Hopeless ripped my heart to absolute shreds and I barely managed to make it through alive. Bless CoHo for writing these realistic stories, BLESS.

Those are my most recent 5 star reads! I definitely had less than I thought I did. It seems I don't just throw around my 5 star honor badge to just any book. What books have you bestowed this honor upon? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Happy Monday!

Hi guys! It's officially spring here in NorCal, since my allergies are whooping my ass and I've almost thrown my back out multiple times by sneezing so hard. It's terrible. And speaking of terrible, school started again today. But we're reading Water for Elephants in my English class, so it won't be absolutely unbearable. I read it years ago, yet lost the copy in whatever black hole that had erupted while my books were being shipped from Chicago to my house. That damn black hole took my prized copy of The Sky Is Everywhere.

Read Last Week

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Born to Endless Night by Cassandra Clare

Currently Reading

Angels Twice Descending by Cassandra Clare

To-read

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Water For Elephants

Happy readings! :)

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum (ARC review)

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: April 5th, 2016
Pages: 336
Song I Played While Reading: Misery by Gwen Stefani
Rating: 5 beautiful and heartbreaking stars

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that's what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she's thinking about heading back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?
It's been barely two years sine her mother's death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and pretentious teenage son.
In a leap of faith- or an act of complete desperation- Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her inline and closest ally. Jessie can't help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved? 

My heart is absolutely bursting with joy right now. Tell Me Three Things is an astonishing novel about love, loss, and navigating your way through high school. But it's not your typical contemporary. At least it wasn't for me, because I swear Jessie is me in a parallel universe. Not telling you three things we share would be just ridiculous, right? So let's do this.

1. We both moved from Chicago to California because of a life-changing incident.
2. She had a close relationship with her mom, as do I.
3. We both love to read.

If she was short and blonde, I would seriously be freaked out that someone was snooping into my life. I completely understood her. Everything she thought and said resembled something that I've thought or said before. She was an old soul; she's seen the darker side of life and knows. I wish I could elaborate on that one word, but that's really all I can say. I think you'll understand if you've gone through something, or even just know that life isn't all fun and games. It can be an awful place. So when you read about someone who is like that, you know they see life the way you do. Jessie was like that for me. She wasn't superficial like some of her horrific classmates (I'll definitely get on that topic later), and watched people. That's something I do a lot, and it really gives you a sense of awareness. It pulls you out of your head, out of whatever conversation you're having with your friends or family, and depending on the topic, it can make you realize how pointless it is. I've always been able to step back and really see things, and think to myself "Why am I wasting my breath on this topic?" or "Why are we even talking about this person? It's... childish." It's often isolating, but I would much rather have this burden on my shoulders, of being older than I appear, than of not having it.
This leads to my next subject, which is of where Jessie moved too: the Valley. Now, I've never lived in the Valley, so maybe I'm judging the people there a little too harshly, or feeling this certain judgement because of what I've seen of LA people, and one person that actually lives in the Valley. My friend, who goes to UCLA (if you ever read this, Natalie, just know that half the book community knows about you because I bring you and yourLA life up way too often and I'm sorry about that) is in a sorority, and as I've mentioned before, it's not my thing. I've always inherently judged it. It's literally second nature for me to back away from anything involving a sorority, or to even scoff at it, which is horrible and so not what I'm like, but SORORITIES GET TO ME. I think it reminds me vaguely of a cult, with the whole greek name and the hand signs everyone does in pictures and the overall vibe I get from it. I'm going to stop myself from typing any more, because I could spew pages and pages of stuff about it and I'm getting way off topic here.
SO. Jessie. The Valley. The people there. Ah! Wait, it just hit me why I was talking about sororities, hello ADD, how ya doin. I associate sororities with girls like Gem (the evil bully in this story), a.k.a. blonde, tan, ridiculously skinny, rich, superficial, bitchy, and materialistic. I also associate LA woman with girls like Gem, which is ridiculous and critical of me, but dammit if I can't help but think that way. So, as you can imagine, going to a school in the Valley would be terrifying for me, and I give major props to Jessie. Everyone is so caught up on the latest fashion trends and who's hooking up with who and how they look that it makes me sad. Why does that stuff matter as much as it does? It shouldn't! It was interesting to see the Valley from someone else's POV, no matter how similar it was to mine.
God, that life lesson always slips in there whenever I talk about LA people and ends up taking way too much space. But I can't bare to delete it.
Now let's talk about my second favorite character: SN. WHY DO I NOT HAVE MY OWN SOMEBODY/NOBODY?? WHY IS LIFE SO CRUEL?? SN was a beautiful character and I knew the whole time who he was, but it took absolutely nothing away from the big reveal. In fact, the big reveal was even more amazing and swoon-worthy than I could have imagined. I got so overwhelmed with love that I burst into tears and ugly cried for a good minute because life, I repeat, is unfair. I always chide myself on not giving a guy a chance just because the texting is awkward, but then I read a conversation like Jessie and SN's and realize that I was right to dump the idiot. With that kind of chemistry and flow, I won't even have to double think talking to the guy. I should write that down to tell my mom the next time she hounds me on not giving the guy "a chance to really know him." Sorry mom, but if we can't have witty/ heartfelt conversations through cellular devices, than I sure as hell can't do it to his face.
I loved the supporting characters, like Theo, Scarlet, Ethan, Jessie's Dad, Rachel, and Di. They were all so adorable and vital to the story. The writing dug deep into my heart and made me cry so many times that I actually said, out loud, "Okay, tHIS IS RIDICULOUS!" while hysterically laughing because I was both in pain but glad for it. The death of Jessie's mother hit hard, not because of any personal experience (*runs around the house aggressively smacking anything that's made of wood*) but because that's one of my biggest fears. I can't, and don't, want to ever imagine my mom dying, yet it happened so may times that, naturally, I cried. A LOT. And now I want to go hug my mom.
This was the easiest 5 stars I've given to a book in 2016, and it's also quite possibly my favorite contemporary ever. Sorry Jandy Nelson, but have you read this book? Joe batting and grinning at me like a total hooplehead can't compare to SN/ my hunch. I CANT BELIEVE I JUST SAID THAT.

Quotes
"I am as lost and confused and alone as I have ever been. No, high school will never be a time I look back fondly on. My mom once told me that the world is divided into two kinds of people: the ones who love their high school years and the ones who spend the next decade recovering from them. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, she said.
But something did kill her, and I'm not stronger. So go figure; maybe there's a third kind of person: the one's who never recover from high school at all."

"Thanks," I say. "Sorry about your dad."
"Thanks, I guess. By the way, can you please start eating the food in the kitchen? Gloria keeps bugging me about you. She said all that the ramen is going to make you guapo."
"The ramen is going to make me handsome?"
"Gordo. Gorda. Whatever. It's going to turn you into a big fat fatty fat fatty. All right, my community service is done for the day."
"Wow, still an asshole." I say, but this time I let my smile seep into my voice.

"SN: yeah, fine, I guess. not having the best year.

Me: Know how that goes.

SN: do you? hope you really don't, but suspect you do. you have sad eyes.

Me: I do? And when have you seen my eyes?

SN: I havent. not really. and I mean more your brow. you have a sad brow.

Me: I have no idea what to do with that information. Botox?

SN: and the Chicago girl goes LA. but nope."

"So listen. Sorry about yesterday," Ethan says.
"Why? You didn't do anything," I say, and follow his lead and start eating. He's right: the food is delicious. Cheeseburgers, though the cheese is neither yellow nor processed and probably has a French name I can't pronounce and the burger resembles a burger only in form. Kobe beef, according to the tiny flag stuck in it's center, as if this designation is one small step for man, one giant leap forward for mankind."

"God, I want to touch him, but I wouldn't even know where to begin. What if he doesn't want me to? What if he just needs to occasionally have coffee with a person who didn't know him before? Maybe that's all I am.
I can understand that. The idea of leaving Chicago- of not being surrounded every day by the people who had always known me, who expected me to keep on being the same Jessie they had always known- once seemed like the answer, until it turned out it wasn't."

Waiting on Wednesday: The Fate of the Tearling

This meme is hosted by Breaking the Spine :)

The Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: November 29th, 2016

Pages: 416

Link to Goodreads

In less than a year, Kelsea Glynn has transformed from a gawky teenager into a powerful monarch. As she has come into her own as the Queen of the Tearling, the headstrong, visionary leader has also transformed her realm. In her quest to end corruption and restore justice, she has made many enemies—including the evil Red Queen, her fiercest rival, who has set her armies against the Tear. 

To protect her people from a devastating invasion, Kelsea did the unthinkable—she gave herself and her magical sapphires to her enemy—and named the Mace, the trusted head of her personal guards, Regent in her place. But the Mace will not rest until he and his men rescue their sovereign, imprisoned in Mortmesne. 

Now, as the suspenseful endgame begins, the fate of Queen Kelsea—and the Tearling itself—will finally be revealed.

I've loved this trilogy, and am eagerly anticipating this final installment! The thought of saying goodbye to these amazing characters makes me sad, but I can't wait to see what they do. 

What book are you eagerly anticipating? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Top ten books I really love but haven't talked about in a while!

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

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Even with her momentous second novel, I'll Give You The Sun, Jandy Nelson's first novel is pretty well kept secret. I don't see many people talking about this and it physically hurts me because The Sky is Everywhere is amazing. Possibly even better than IGYTS! 

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

If you want to actually feel your heart ripped from your chest and torn to shreds, read this book. I was hysterically crying for hours after I finished this, which was way back when it was released in 2009. Little 13-year-old me was NOT prepared for this tragic story, and I swear I've never been the same since. 

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

My OG fantasy love, I haven't talked about this gorgeous book in ages! This is the book, or series, that I always go back if I feel like rereading something light and fun. Rose will always hold a special place in my heart, since she was first heroine I had read about who didn't apologize for who she was. 

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Alright, if there was a way for someone to actually read the first two books in this trilogy without actually reading it, just so they could read this amazing conclusion, I WOULD TELL EVERYONE TO DO IT. Shatter Me and Unravel Me is definitely difficult to get through, with Juliette's passive nature and the ridiculous insta-love. But Ignite Me is literally so far out of the range of the first two books, with Juliette realizing things about herself and actually thinking things through, that I wish someone would write two giant summaries of the first two books. THIS BOOK IS THAT GOOD. Ignite Me is worth all the pain of Shatter Me and Unravel Me. pLEEEEEEASE PUSH THROUGH IT BECAUSE IGNITE ME GAVE ME LIFE.

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Multiple pov's!!! Strong female lead who becomes queen!!! She wins people over with her mind, not her body or looks!!! Intriguing storyline where it's set in the future but they've regressed!!! IT'S SO GREAT, PLEASE READ THIS.

I stuck with only five, since these are some of my favorite books that I really haven't talked about in months. 

What books do you love but haven't talked about for a while? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Happy Monday!

Hey guys! So, basically my life has come down to two things: Hamilton and staring regretfully at my TBR pile because I DONT READ ANYMORE. I've fallen into a reading slump, the kind where I know if I just pick up a book, I'll probably get out of it. But since the thought of reading isn't very appealing, and honestly, all I can think of is Hamilton, I'm in a self-created book slump. SIGH.

Read Last Week

The Shadowhunters Codex by Cassandra Clare and Joshua Lewis

Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy 5-8

Currently Reading

Pearl by Deidre Riordan Hall

Born To Endless Night by Cassandra Clare 

To-Read (HOPEFULLY)

Angels Twice Defending by Cassandra Clare

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Happy readings! :)

This or that booktag!

Hi guys! I've been reading really slowly lately, so, instead of neglecting my blog like I've done in the past, I decided to do a tag! I first found this on Geraldine's blog, Corralling Books, who is a total sweetheart and you should definitely go give her follow :)

So without further ado, here's the this or that book tag! 

Reading on the couch or in bed?
Definitely the couch! I like to sit in the corner seat so I have the armrest to rest my hand and book on. I can't do that on my bed. It always bothers my mom, since she likes to take the corner seat to watch her tv shows and I always end up beating her to it hehe.

Male or female main character?

Female! Obviously I can relate more to them, though I'm waiting for that one female character to ACTUALLY HAVE HER PERIOD. Or even a pimple! I do enjoy reading from a guy sometimes, especially the nerdy ones who are awkward around girls and think the funniest shit.

Sweet or salty snacks?

Definitely sweet. Chocolate covered raisins somehow appear at my side whenever I'm reading, which is both pleasing and annoying.

Trilogies or quartets?

Quartets! It's so difficult to wrap up a trilogy completely, and since I'm so picky on endings I say "write more!!!" Unless you're Tahereh Mafi.  Than you can keep writing beautiful trilogies with amazing endings. 

First person point of view or third?

You know... I really don't have a preference! Both are totally fine with me. 

Reading at night or in the morning?

Morning's all the way! I'm so not a night reader, since I get tired around 8:30  and am passed out by 9:30 (total grandma right here),  so mornings and afternoons are my reading time. 

Libraries or bookstores?

Both! Bookstores are for new releases or physical copies, and the library is for that one book where you want to read, but could care less if you own a copy or not. And then if I do love the book, then I go to the bookstore and get a copy. I just started using my library again and bless it's beautiful soul. FREE BOOKS!

Character driven or plot driven storylines?

Always and forever character driven plots.  The characters are the soul of the story. Obviously a good plot is ideal, but if you've got an amazing plot line but dull characters, it won't hold your interest. Characters make you laugh and cry and scream and throw things and jump for joy. 

I tag anyone that wants to do this! Happy readings :)

Waiting on Wednesday: Crooked Kingdoms

This meme is hosted by Breaking the Spine :)

Crooked Kingdoms by Leigh Bardugo 

Publisher: Orion Children's Books 

Publication Date: September 22nd, 2016

Pages: Currently unknown

Link to Goodreads

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world. 

Is this REEEEALLLYYYY so surprising, because I absolutely adored Six of Crows. How Bardugo created this amazing crew and the heist is completely unfathomable to me, and I can only even imagine how epic this rescue mission/war is going to be. I'm hoping a certain royal member gets involved, I don't know, maybe... the King of Ravka? Maybe?? PLEASE???

What book are you eagerly anticipating? Link your post down in the comments :)

Get Up Offa That Slump: writing a glorious hate letter!

The topic for this post is something I not-so-secretly love doing: talking shit about that character. You know, the one that has pushed all your buttons, made you want to throw the book at the wall, and basically turned you into a screaming, murderous machine? Because that's exactly what happened to me. You can either write a letter or a review, but can't use any names or things that could elude to what series/character you're talking about. 

So, without further ado, here's my glorious hate letter! (Warning: you can bet your booty there will be swears, so don't read this if you're faint of heart.)

   Dear Undeserving Bitch,

   You didn't deserve the happy ending you got. I may have cried during it, but that has nothing to do with my feelings for you. It was more towards the people around you, and how much they suffered during your stupid "I'm my own person, I MUST MAKE MY OWN CHOICES" tirade that took up wayyyyyy too much time. I bet the only reason people even showed up was because of your hubby, because he actually has a heart and is kind and forgiving and so sweet, yet also stupid because HE MARRIED YOU. He was way too good for you. You're undeserving of his damn heart, even to this day.

   You're a ruthless and idiotic hypocrite. A hypocridiot, which I just found on Urban Dictionary to be someone who is both an idiot and a hypocrite. So. That's you. Obviously. And I'm not saying that in the sense like, "Wow, I don't like her, so I'm going to call her an idiot." Oh no no my sweet darling, I'm calling you an idiot in the sense that you'RE ACTUALLY AN IDIOT. The amount of times I questioned your intelligence was ridiculous. I understand wholeheartedly how a character can make mistakes, everyone does! Hell, I do all the time. But the shit you did? Grow the fuck up, you brat. The world doesn't revolve around your prissy ass. Thank God someone called you out on it and made you look like the complete fool you really are. 

   Now, let's get back to your independence. I liked you in the first book because you weren't trying to impress anybody. You didn't fit the mold of all the other girls. Good for you! I can applaud you for that. But, when you promise something, giving your man hope for this bright and sparkling future, you don't ever go back on that, especially when something occurs that is completely out of his control! Stop and fucking think, you ignorant twat. If you say you love him so much, why did you immediately question him? AND THEN BREAK HIS HEART FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME? Sorry not sorry, your ass would've been out on the streets if I was him. BYE FELICIA. I'm all for being a strong and independent woman, and wanting to have time to make a very important choice, but you hit a new level of indecisiveness. Not only that, but you also hurt everyone around you with your indecisiveness. You lead both of your guys on, which is NOT how you make a choice. 

   Let's not forget how hypocritical you are! This was quite possibly the best part of the book. Not only do you not think about anyone but yourself, with your little problems and "ugh, who do I choose???????", but you go out and cheat on your main man without a second thought. How you managed to not only get ONE, but TWO guys to fall for you is completely beyond me. The world is a fucked up place, I tell you. I can't really go into detail on this sort of hypocrisy, but just know it was unforgivable. You basically died to me because of it. How anyone can yell and scream at their man for doing it, then GO AND DO IT YOURSELF AS IF IT'S TOTALLY FINE, and be shocked when your man calls you out on it? PLEASE, BITCH. YOU'RE LUCKY I WASNT IN THIS STORY BECAUSE I WOUDL'VE CUT YOU BY NOW. 

   Okay, I'm running out of steam here. All I feel like doing now is just naming all the things I think you are. So: judgmental, indecisive, emotional to a fault, confusing, impulsive, ignorant, thoughtless, self-centered, imprudent, immature, and finally, HYPOCRITICAL. I also think you're underserving of everything you got. I might have mentioned that before, but just in case I didn't!!! 

   Sincerely,

   The Girl Who Is Currently Cackling At Your Current Predicament Because KARMA IS A BITCH, BITCH.

*releases a huge breathe* DAMN, THAT FELT GOOD. 10 points to anyone that can figure out who this is about! And then another 10 points if you feel the same way, because us haters gotta stick together.  

Ten books on my spring TBR (TTT)

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

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare / Slammed by Colleen Hoover / A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab / Mosquitoland by David Arnold / Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin / Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover / These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas / Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson / The Crowns Game by Evelyn Skye / Uprooted by Naomi Novik

  Ahhh, I can't wait to read all of these GORGEOUS books! What're you reading this spring? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Happy Monday!

Hi guys! My speech was pushed back since my teacher got sick, so now I'm doing it today. I actually think the extra time helped to calm me, because now it doesn't bother me as much. My coworker gave me some helpful advice too: "Just stand up at the podium, look at everyone, and think to yourself "Peasants. I am your queen!"" So, I may be reducing my classmates to peasants, if I get nervous enough. We'll see!

Read Last Week
A HISTORY OF GLITTER AND BLOOD by Hannah Moskowitz
TALES FROM THE SHADOWHUNTERS ACADEMY #1-4

Currently Reading
THE SHADOWHUNTERS CODEX by Cassandra Clare and Joshua Lewis

To-Read
(Hopefully) the rest of the TALES FROM THE SHADOWHUNTERS ACADEMY
Pearl by Deirdre Riordan Hall

Happy readings :)

A HISTORY OF GLITTER AND BLOOD by Hannah Moskowitz

A HISTORY OF GLITTER AND BLOOD  by Hannah Moskowitz
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: August 18th, 2015
Pages: 274
Song I Played While Reading: Scars by Tove Lo
Rating: 5 stars

This is not a love story.
This is not a work of fiction. Not some fairy tale full of romance and heartbreak. Not some storybook where lessons are learned and everything turns out rosy.
This is history. It is real. (As real as I could tell it.) There are cold facts and hard truths. There is bloodshed and sickness and glitter that scrapes your skin, cuts your lips, and gets all over everything. There is jealous and lust and rage and boredom. These things are truth. And truth is hard to come by these days
So, once there was revolution. There were things we couldn't predict. Choices we'd have to make. There was a city so beautiful we loved it too hard. And, once upon a time, there were four fairies in the city who hadn't yet been maimed. 

Whoever decided to write that disgustingly underrated summary on Goodreads should be fired. The summary that you just read is from the dust jacket. What the summary on GR does is generalize this entire story. It makes people think, "Hmm, that sounds like something I've read before.", when in reality, I guarantee you've never read anything quite like this.
It took me a while to realize that this was an actual history book, written by one of the characters. It was his take on the events that occurred, since fairy's in this world are known to be flighty and never write anything down for other generations to read about. But what threw me off was that he was writing frin the POV of Beckan, the only girl in this group of friends. So for the first 120 pages, I thought this was some quirky third person narrative, with the intention of making it seem like it was the authors rough draft, because there were instances where the story would stop and there would be notes to the authors self to draw a map or moments when they said "Once upon a time, there was an author who couldn't write a fucking book." I thought it was interesting and different, so I went along with it. But once I read a particular note that talked about a certain scene that just happened, and "the author" wanting to go back to that scene and relive it, it hit me like a fucking train; straight up drop-the-book-and-gasp-so-suddenly-and-deeply-that-I-choked kind of thing, and then I yelled "NO WAY!" and flipped back through the pages, realizing that I was an idiot and seeing things much more clearly.
Even the damn book underneath the dust jacket is an exact replica of the book the guy, Scrap, is writing furiously in during all of his scenes. He's obsessed with writing a history book, since no other faerie has, and it's genius. It made A HISTORY OF GLITTER AND BLOOD that much more special, almost as if I was holding the last vestiges of this known event in time, even if this is obviously a work of fiction. It was raw and beautiful and surprising and full of so much incredible depth that I would have to stop and take a deep breath. I don't want to say much more, since this is the kind of story that should be able to throw every one of it's surprises at you with jaw-dropping precision, straight to your heart. It's like a treasure book. You need to experience everything all on your own. I was even hesitant to bring up the whole thing with Scrap being the actual "author", but I think it'll give future readers a better grip on what's going on, instead of muddling through it like I did. It clears up a lot of things quickly, so having that knowledge will help you to focus more on the story and it's people and how amazing this is.
Phew, that was the longest non-review I've ever written! Please, please pick this one up and give it a chance. Don't judge it by it's ratings on Goodreads. This is definitely a hit or miss for people, but I can guarantee that everyone who enjoys it will be so thankful they gave it a chance.

Quotes
"I'm fine. It's warm out."
"You're always hot."
You're always cold. It's her default response to both her fairy boys, nowadays.
But the truth is, Josha isn't. There is nothing cold and will never be anything cold about Josha. The entire world can try to trap him and soak him and freeze him solid, and he will stand in the kitchen burning like a lantern."

"Dont laugh." He doesn't, but there isn't anything complimentary about his seriousness; his heart just isn't in it.
She says, "Now you say, I can't believe it's you."
"That doesn't make sense."
"You're so surprised to see her that you say things that don't make sense."
"We're planning it out in advance, Beckan. We have time to figure out something that makes sense."

“I don't think those who die are any better than those who stay alive. They just look better. They can't mess anything up anymore.” 

(Picture from Goodreads)

Bookish confessions!

So, over at A Perfection Called Books, Rachel did a post on her blogging and bookish mistakes. It got me thinking of all of my mistakes and quirks, and I decided "what the hay?" CONFESSION TIME!

- When I first started blogging, I had no idea what an ARC was.
- I could give two shits if my book gets a little beat up, and think that people who freak out over the smallest tear or it falling to the floor really need to chill out.
- My initial reviews on this blog are HORRENDOUS and I apologize to anyone that's read them. I'm tempted sometimes to rewrite them, but that would take too long. And my Queen of Shadows review is an absolute hot mess, simply because my fangirl ripped itself from my heart and stomped all over the keyboard. I don't think I even make any points, I just... blab. Everywhere. *cringes*
- I'm actually pretty proud of how I write reviews now! Especially my most recent one, Glass Sword. It was a good mix of professional and fangirl.
- I want to punch anyone that says that people who color coordinate their shelves are not "readers". Maybe you should get your head out of your ass and tell me what the actual definition of a "reader" is, and then tell me how that relates to what your shelves look like. Hmm? HMM?
- I didn't tell any of my friends from Chicago that I had a blog, or an Instagram, for the longest time. I honestly was a little nervous too, since they weren't super big into me reading, and I was worried that they would make fun of me for it. But they've been surprisingly supportive of it, and always comment on how amazing my Instagram pictures are.
- I despise open endings, and think it's an easy way out for an author to wrap up their story without pissing people off on who the girl picks or what the character decides to do. It's ridiculous, I know, but that's the dark thought that sneaks into my head whenever I read one.
- I'm ridiculously protective of Chaol from the Throne of Glass series and STRUGGLE NOT TO BITE SOMEONES HEAD OFF WHEN THEY TALK SHIT ABOUT HIM. OR SAY ROWAN WAS ABUSIVE IN HEIR OF FIRE.
- Not only will Chaolaena be written on my gravestone, but so will Alarkling and Nikolina. I'm not sure if that's the correct ship name for the latter, but you can bet your ass Malina will definitely not be on there.
- Nikolai Lantsov is quite possibly the greatest character to ever exist
- I'm horrifically hopeless at web designing and coding. You'll notice that if you click on the Facebook link to the right, it leads to my Tumblr. And my twitter apparently doesn't exist. But I'm too broke to pay the $15 to have that fixed.
- Whenever someone emails me asking to review their book or do a guest post, and I have no interest, I'll ignore the email and act like it doesn't exist. I hate rejecting people and feel extremely awkward about it. I'm terrible at adulting.
- I've been pronouncing bibliophile wrong my entire life. Instead of bib-lio-file, I've been saying bib-lio-feel. OOPS.

And there you have it! I'll probably make a part 2 in the future, because I know I've left some things out. What're your bookish confessions or mistakes? What ship will you have written on your gravestone?

Waiting on Wednesday: Enter Title Here

This meme is hosted by Breaking the Spine :)

Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Publication Date: August 2nd, 2016

Pages: 352

Link to Goodreads

I’m your protagonist—Reshma Kapoor—and if you have the free time to read this book, then you’re probably nothing like me.

Reshma is a college counselor’s dream. She’s the top-ranked senior at her ultra-competitive Silicon Valley high school, with a spotless academic record and a long roster of extracurriculars. But there are plenty of perfect students in the country, and if Reshma wants to get into Stanford, and into med school after that, she needs the hook to beat them all.
What's a habitual over-achiever to do? Land herself a literary agent, of course. Which is exactly what Reshma does after agent Linda Montrose spots an article she wrote for Huffington Post. Linda wants to represent Reshma, and, with her new agent's help scoring a book deal, Reshma knows she’ll finally have the key to Stanford.
But she’s convinced no one would want to read a novel about a study machine like her. To make herself a more relatable protagonist, she must start doing all the regular American girl stuff she normally ignores. For starters, she has to make a friend, then get a boyfriend. And she's already planned the perfect ending: after struggling for three hundred pages with her own perfectionism, Reshma will learn that meaningful relationships can be more important than success—a character arc librarians and critics alike will enjoy.
Of course, even with a mastermind like Reshma in charge, things can’t always go as planned. And when the valedictorian spot begins to slip from her grasp, she’ll have to decide just how far she’ll go for that satisfying ending. (Note: It’s pretty far.)

Why am I waiting for this?

This sounds HILARIOUS, and I seriously can't wait to see what kinds of awkward situations Reshma gets herself into!

What book are you eagerly anticipating? 

Top ten characters everyone loves but I just don't get!

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

1. Katniss Everdeen from THE HUNGER GAMES

It's like Collins doesn't know how to write characters that smile. Or even want to smile! I can't tell you how many times I struggled trying to connect to this depressing character. I get that she went through a lot (don't most characters?) but DAMN. LIGHTEN UP A LITTLE. THE FUCK. I can't stand characters that are moody and bitter and shit all over everyone just because they've been shit on by the world. 

2. Tris Prior from DIVERGENT

Nope. Nada. I read THE HUNGER GAMES a while back, so my feelings on her are a little muffled, though the movies have rekindled some of my memories. But ALLEGIANT was pretty recent, and man; I couldn't understand any reasoning behind what Tris did. On any of her actions. Even from the beginning, in DIVERGENT, I knew she would be one of those aloof characters that I try to puzzle out and not understand.

3. America Singer from THE SELECTION

Oh, this bitch. The is one character that I outright dislike. Katniss and Tris were confusing, but subtle enough were it didn't bother me. But America Singer is everything I'm not and everything I strive not to be like, and how I survived reading three full books from her POV is utterly beyond me. She's hypocritical, rude, childish, indecisive, selfish, confusing, and LEADS POOR MAXON ON FOR THREE FUCKING BOOKS. That's not a spoiler, so don't harass me. She's also irrational, way too emotional, and breaks very important promises. She refuses to listen to reason, instead forming her own opinions and judging everyone based on that. I could go on and on about this horrible character, and will happily leave a link to Christine's (aka Polandbananasbooks from youtube) book talk on The Elite, the second installment in this trilogy here. She drags America through the dirt and it's AWESOME. Sorry to any America lovers out there!

4. Princess Lia from THE KISS OF DECEPTION

I've never read from a narrator that's so wrapped up in a romance. For the first half of this book, I kid you not, the only thing Lia did was think of these two guys and who she liked more and ooh is he gonna kiss me? It was aggravating and nonessential to the storyline. I don't care which two dimensional guy falls for you, Lia.  She outgrew that mindset (a little), but her overall character was just super dull. She thought she was all that and I was side-eyeing her like, "No.... you aren't."

5. Kestrel from THE WINNERS CURSE

Kestrel is another dull character for me, along with, honestly, the whole storyline. I seem to be the only person that feels this way. But even though I could admire Kestrel and her ridiculously smart and sophisticated mind, some of her actions just made me shake my head. She didn't evoke any feelings in me, and at the end of THE WINNERS CRIME I just shrugged and said, "sucks to be you, girl.", and went along with my day. 

6. Ruby from THE DARKEST MINDS

I will NEVER understand girls that unnecessarily fight with their love interest. NEVER. Whenever I read about a character that talks about pushing away the people they love, even if they don't want too, I just have to stop and brace myself. I DONT UNDERSTAND. WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN? DO YOU NOT HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR MIND?  IF YOU DONT WANT TO PUSH AWAY THE GUY YOU LIKE, THEN DONT??? WHY IS THAT SO HARD?  I'm not sure if Ruby has ever said that one specific line, but she definitely fought with Liam for reasons that are still to this day unclear to me. 

7. Alina from SHADOW AND BONE

So, this is primarily due because of the end of RUIN AND RISING. If you've read it, you understand. WRONG.

FUCKING.

GUY.

*bashes head against a desk*

But besides that irrational decision, overall I liked her! I just had to mention it because it's the biggest mystery to me and I'll never understand it. 

 What character did you not like but everyone else seems too? Or what character did you like but no one else does? Link your post down in the comments! :)

Happy Monday!

I'm not looking forward to this week AT ALL. I have a speech on Wednesday for my informative essay and I'm trying not to throw up. I hate public speaking. So maybe I should just say I'm not looking forward to class on Wednesday. WISH ME LUCK AND LET'S ALL PRAY I DONT TURN REALLY RED OR STUTTER!

Read Last Week
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Currently Reading
- In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
- I've started listening to the Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy because I heard that there are some scenes in Lady Midnight that only make sense if you read it, which is a little annoying since LM comes out so soon, but also nice since I've been wanting a good audiobook to listen too while driving to school.

To-read
- All the novellas in the Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy! I should be able to get through most of them this week
- A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab (if I finish Larson's book)

Happy readings! :)

GLASS SWORD by Victoria Aveyard

GLASS SWORD by Victoria Aveyard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: February 9th, 2016
Pages: 444
Song I Played While Reading: What Kind of Man by Florence + The Machine
Rating: 4 stars

If there's one thing Mare Barrow knows, it's that she's different. 
Mare Barrows blood is red- the color of common folk- but her Silver ability, the power to control lighting, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.
The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince- the friend- who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: She is not the only one of her kind.
Pursued by Maven, not a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.
But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. 

Oh my lawwwwd was this delicious. Absolutely delicious. The second installment in this quartet (NOT a trilogy, as I originally thought!), was bloody, electrifying, and action-packed. Mare struggles with her inner demons while trying to fight back against the corrupted crown, hunting down these newbloods that are possibly the answer to defeating Maven. It was all very MOCKINGJAY-esque to me, which was both a good and a bad thing. I struggled with connecting to Mare, with her guilt and responsibility, and her inability to let herself lean on anyone. That was exactly how Katniss was, and I was worried that it would take away from the story, which it did a little. But it wasn't so much that I couldn't appreciate Mare and all that she was doing and feeling, which I could understand to a certain extent.
You know how some characters say something along the lines of, "I find myself pushing everyone that I love away, even when I don't want too,"? That's the thing that always kills it for me. Tris, Katniss, and Ruby were all like that, and now Mare is turning into that. I just don't understand. If you don't want to push someone away, then don't! Why is that so difficult? You're allowed to lean on someone, it's okay. Yes, there's the possibility that they could be taken from you and obviously that would be heartbreaking, but it's worth the risk if it helps you keep your sanity. Mare alienates herself, causing even more emotional turmoil and pent up frustration, when she could have simply let herself be and trust someone with her emotions and what she's struggling with. Chances are, someone feels the same way.

"I fear being alone more than anything else. So why do I do this? Why do I push away the people I love? What is so very wrong with me?
I don't know.
And I don't know how to make it stop."

*shakes fists at the sky* I DONT UNDERSTAND!
But even with that, Mare manages to shakily keep it together with Cal most of the time, and their chemistry is unfuckingbelievable. It's the strongest relationship I've ever read about, and I would internally scream whenever they would even look at each other. They share such a bloody, raw past, connected by this one person, and it's pure insanity. Seriously, I think them making out would've been too much for me. I would've burst into flames because IT'S TOO HOT. But also so incredibly sad because Cal and Mare need each other. No one else understands what they went through, and even knowing Mare kind of stabbed Cal in the back and he said some nasty shit to her, it made their relationship that much more powerful. They did their worst to each other, and yet they still find comfort in being near each other. I'm seriously getting goosebumps just thinking about.
AND YET... a part of my heart still belongs to Maven.
Don't give me that look! You're probably thinking, "What the hell Mariah, Maven is sadistic and cruel and childish and blah blah blah", Yeah, I know. SORRY NOT SORRY, BECAUSE I LIKE MY MEN A LITTLE EVIL. And c'mon, it's so obvious that his mother is pulling the strings and he still cares for Mare. There's something going on there. I don't care what anyone says, I will stand behind Maven just like I did with Warner. We have two whole books! You never know what can happen, especially with Victoria Aveyard writing it. She's the queen at plot twists.
Her writing is also insanely beautiful. It's progressed so much from RED QUEEN, and I'm already sweating just thinking about trying to narrow down my quotes for this review to just four. Or maybe five. Or maybe all of them. GLASS SWORD, though at times filled with funny, light-hearted scenes, was overall so heartbreakingly sad and raw and alluring that you can't help but be sucked in. You want to feel all the pain, simply because it's captivating. I couldn't flip through the pages fast enough, or sticky-note the passages that took my breath away without needing to keep reading.
The plot line was steady, with equal amounts action and resting scenes, which was a relief because I almost had a heart attack during every fight scene. Kilorn, Shade, and Farley were fantastic, lending a dynamic view to every argument, and adding some kick-assery to ever page.
But, since I was so wonderfully spoiled for the ending (yes, I'm looking at you, girl I follow on Instagram who posted a fucking video of the last page) I knew what was going to happen. So that obviously took away some shock, plus I thought it happened way too quickly. Things were going just fine, and then BOOM shit hits the fan and it ends. And the epilogue was short and didn't give much insight to what was going to happen in the next installment, or even what was going on at that moment in general. It was a little confusing. But I understand why Aveyard did it, in the long-haul (hint: it's to torture us readers).
Okay, this review is ridiculously long, but I have one more thing I want to say. I'm not sure if every copy had this, or it's just the ones from Target (since they always seem to have special edition's with deleted scenes or something like that), but did anyone else read the alternate chapters? And can anyone else explain to me WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON? I understand that some scenes can have small changes, and that the publishing company wanted to give the readers a small glimpse into a different version of the ending of RED QUEEN and the beginning of this book, but to change the entire storyline?? It's fucked me up, and I'm hoping Aveyard responds to my tweet because I have sooo many questions.
Okay, phew! I'm done, I swear. I highly suggest reading this if you enjoyed Red Queen (obviously), and hope this is the push anyone needs if they weren't too thrilled with it but want to know what happens with Mare and her Scarlett Guard *shoves you savagely into a bookstore and forces you to buy GLASS SWORD*.

Quotes
"There are smuggled shipments coming in from all over. Piedmont, the Lakelands, other places, too. And haven't you seen any soldiers down here? Their uniforms?"
He shakes is head. "No. Not since that red-eyed bastard marched me in yesterday."
"They call him the Colonel, and he's Farley's father."
"I'd feel sorry for her, but my family's indefinitely worse."

"I nudged Cal, directing him away from the brutal vision of us. He goes willingly, following Shade and Crane through the swirling crowd. I resist the urge to hold on to him, to try and take a bit of weight off his shoulders. No matter how much I want to feel him, I cannot. I must keep my eyes ahead, and away from the fire of a fallen prince. I must freeze my heart to the one person who insists on setting it ablaze."

"I am not remarkable looking. Brown hair, brown eyes, brown skin. Bruised, bone weary, small, and hungry. Red blood and a red temper. I should not frighten anyone, but the banshee is certainly afraid of me. He knows what power hums beneath my bruises. He knows the lightening girl."

"By now, I should know better than to lie. But a lie is what they need to carry on, and if my deceit saves even one of them, it is worth the cost of my soul."

"If I could speak, I would tel Cal that I'm sorry, that I love him, that I need him. But the wind and the drop steal my breath away. I have no more words. His touch is achingly familiar, one hand at my neck, imploring me to look at him. Like me, he can't speak. But I hear his apology all the same, and he understands mine. We see nothing but each other. Not the lights of the Corium on the horizon, the sound rising up to meet us, or the fate we're about to find. There is nothing but his eyes. Even in darkness, they glow."

Mini reviews: FINDING AUDREY and STARS ABOVE

FINDING AUDREY by Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: Delacorte Books
Publication Date: June 9th, 2015
Pages: 286
Rating: 4.5 stars

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.






CUTENESS OVERLOAD. I REPEAT: CUTENESS. OVERLOAD. That's literally all I could think when I finished listening to the audiobook of this (which is fantastic, by the way). This is the perfect, fluffy book you need if you want to read about anxiety, but don't want something that's too heavy. It's realistic, too! Don't think that they barely touch upon her anxiety and focus solely on the romance. Her family is crazy and loud, her mom is borderline psychotic, Linus is the sweetest, her brothers are hilarious, and Audrey herself was just so much fun. She was witty, thoughtful, and strong, and I was rooting for her the whole time.

STARS ABOVE by Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: February 2nd, 2016

Song I Played While Reading: New Americana by Halsey

Pages: 369

Rating: 5 stars

 

 

The enchantment continues....
The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?
With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

YaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSS *starts uncontrollably sobbing*

That was basically my reaction the entire time I was reading this. The tears were real. Every author of a series should do this. It's genius. It's exactly what the readers want, it's more money for the publishing company and authors, and honestly, what author doesn't want to revisit the world they've created? IT'S GENIUS, I TELL YOU. I loved every single story almost equally. The wedding story,  however, knocked it out of the park. It also knocked my heart straight up into my throat and almost made me choke. If you liked, loved, or savagely devoured The Lunar Chronicles, then you need get your hands on this pronto. YOU NEED IT.

 

(Pictures and summaries from Goodreads)