Book Blogger Hop Week of the 29th-Oct 5th

Book Blogger Hop

This weekly hop is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer, featuring a question about books each week. The purpose is to bring bookish bloggers together, basically. To participate, write a post about the question for that week and add your link.

This weeks question is: Have you ever slept with a favorite, beloved book under your pillow, or cradled in your arms? (submitted by Maria @ A Night’s Dream of Books)

I honestly have never done this. The closest I have come to this is putting my iPad under my pillow if I get too tired to put it on my night stand (that is right next to my bed lol). Now that I have a newborn though, I see reading in bed being few and far between until she starts sleeping in her own room.

Have you ever slept with a book? Which one?

The Fall Time, Cozy Time Book Tag

Hey guys, it’s been awhile since I have done a book tag! I saw this over at Thrice Read, and lets be honest they do the best tags and I love reading them and doing them myself!

 

Crunching Leaves: The world is full of color – Choose a book that has reds/oranges/yellows on the cover

Cozy Sweater: It’s finally cold enough to wear warm cozy clothing – What book gives you the warm fuzzies?

Fall Storm: The wind is howling and the rain is pounding – Choose your favorite book or genre that you like to read on a stormy day.

Cool Crisp Air: What’s the coolest character you’d want to trade places with?

I wouldn’t mind being a really cool assassin!

Hot Apple Cider: What under hyped book do you want to see become the next biggest, hottest thing?

Coat, Scarves, and Mittens: The weather has turned cold and it’s time to cover up – What’s the most embarrassing book cover you own that you like to keep hidden in public?

I’m not a huge fan of people on covers of books.

Pumpkin Spice: What’s your favorite fall time comforts food/foods?

Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie….sweet potato anything really =)

 

What’s your favorite underrated books?

Once and for All Book Review

Once and for All by Sarah Dessen

Published: June 6th 2017 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads Summary:

As bubbly as champagne and delectable as wedding cake, Once and for All, Sarah Dessen’s thirteenth novel, is set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine.

Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that’s why she’s cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm’s length. But Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged, now that he’s met the one girl he really wants.

Sarah Dessen’s many, many fans will adore her latest, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story that has everything—humor, romance, and an ending both happy and imperfect, just like life itself. 

First off, I just want to say that I love Sarah Dessen and all of her books! When I first heard about this book coming out last year, I circled the date in my calendar and counted down the days. Well, okay, almost but I did circle the date so that I could remember to pick up a copy!

Isn’t that the way everything begins? A night, a love, a once and for all.

As much as I love Dessen’s books, I couldn’t help but think about her other books as I read this one and how similar they are. It’s almost like a formula: you have the cynical main character who doesn’t believe in love, then there is the happy go lucky boy who is determined to make the cynical girl live a little, and then there is typically only one parent in the picture. Now not all of her books follows these guidelines, but most do. Even though I know the formula after reading almost all of her books, I still couldn’t help but be sucked in after page one! This one even made me tear up several times (okay there is a point in every one of her novels that makes me tear up, but this one made me tear at least twice more than usual)!

Once and for All is told from Louna’s point of view in the present and then we get flashback chapters of her and Ethan spread throughout. We get a sense pretty early on that Louna is I wouldn’t really say jaded, but turned off on love and that whatever happened had to have been pretty bad (basically she comes with a lot of baggage). As we learn her story and what happened almost a year earlier, it becomes clear and you can’t help but feel for her. When Ambrose comes into the picture, I couldn’t help but wonder how Dessen was going to weave him into Louna’s story.

In contrast to Louna, Ambrose is very social and outgoing. He has a dating philosophy of no commitment and only enjoying the firsts of any relationship. When he starts to work for Louna’s mom, they make a bet basically to date using each others philosophy. They continue working at her mom’s wedding planning business and partaking of the bet. It becomes obvious early on that they both like each other, but doesn’t want to admit it to each other until one of them finally does. After that happens, the book kind of slows down for me until near the very end when we get our happy ending.

Other than Louna and Ambrose, we really get to know the secondary characters as well. Normally, I don’t really care for them or I forget about them as soon as the book is over, but this time Dessen made me remember them! I hope in her future books, she does the same thing.

Ambrose would again reach out a hand, asking me to dance. And this time, I’d say yes.

Overall, this was a very quick read because I didn’t want to put the book down! I loved going back to Lakeview and seeing how Dessen was able to weave in some of her past characters into this one. As much as I enjoyed it, I wouldn’t put it as my favorite (that will probably be This Lullaby or The Truth About Forever tbh). If you love contemporary novels and haven’t picked up a Sarah Dessen book, definitely do! She is probably one of my favorite (she used to be my only until recently when I discovered Kasie West) ya contemporary authors.

 

Waiting on Wednesday (9/27/2017)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by  Jill from Breaking The Spine that shows the upcoming books that many of us are anticipating! This week, I’m waiting for…

---

Title:  Origin (Robert Langdon #5)

Author: Dan Brown

Expected Publication:  October 3rd 2017

Publisher:  Doubleday Books

Goodreads Summary:

Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon’s first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.

As the event begins, Langdon and several hundred guests find themselves captivated by an utterly original presentation, which Langdon realizes will be far more controversial than he ever imagined. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Reeling and facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape Bilbao. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch to stage the provocative event. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.

Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace itself . . . and who will stop at nothing to silence Edmond Kirsch. On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery . . . and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.

I love this series! I first discovered it actually when the movie first came out many many years ago, and I quickly went and got a copy of Angels & Demons to compare how the movie followed the book. I don’t remember what I thought all those years ago, but I am still a fan of the book series and the movie series so it couldn’t have been that bad! I actually just finished watching Inferno earlier this week, and I am geared up and ready to go to read the 5th installment next week!

Who else is a Dan Brown fan? What are you waiting for this week?

Book Blogger Hop Week of the 22nd-28th

Book Blogger Hop

This weekly hop is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer, featuring a question about books each week. The purpose is to bring bookish bloggers together, basically. To participate, write a post about the question for that week and add your link.

This weeks question is: In regards of Banned Books Week (www.bannedbooksweek.org/), what are your favourite books that has been banned or challenged? (submitted by Kristin @ Lukten av Trykksverte)

Below I compiled the list of books that I have read and the ones in bold are books that I want to read. Going through this list, I was very surprised to see which books ended up frequently challenged and some books I was surprised to see that they considered young adult.

In honor of banned book week, I plan on rereading Sarah Dessen’s Just Listen. I really love this book and the author, and I believe everyone should at least pick up one of her books! 😉

This list was taken from Frequently Challenged Young Adult Books (ala.org):

• Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak
• Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
• Anonymous. Go Ask Alice
• Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why
• Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale
• Brashares, Ann. Forever in Blue, the Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood
• Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game
• Cast, P.C., and Kristin Cast. House of Night series (I have actually read the first couple of books in this series, and really need to finish it!)
• Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games Trilogy
• Cooney, Caroline. The Face on the Milk Carton
• Dessen, Sarah. Just Listen
• Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby
• Golding, William. Lord of the Flies
• Gould, Steven. Jumper
• Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars
• Green, John. Paper Towns
• Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God
• Hurwin, Davida. Time for Dancing
• Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World
• Klause, Annette Curtis. Blood and Chocolate
• Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird
• London, Jack. The Call of the Wild
• Mead, Richelle. Vampire Academy series
• Meyer, Stephenie. Twilight series
• Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye
• Myracle, Lauren. ttyl; ttfn; l8r g8r series
• Peck, Robert Newton. A Day No Pigs Would Die
• Pelzer, Dave. A Child Called It
• Plum-Ucci, Carol. The Body of Christopher Creed
• Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet (No Fear Shakespeare)
• Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
• Sones, Sonya. What My Mother Doesn’t Know
• Speare, Elizabeth George. The Witch of Blackbird Pond
• Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath
• Twain, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens]. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Twain, Mark [Samuel L. Clemens]. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• von Ziegesar, Cecily. Gossip Girl series
• Walker, Alice. The Color Purple

Have you read any of these books? What is your favorite banned or challenged book?

Goodreads Monday (9/25/2017)

Goodreads Monday is a meme hosted by Lauren @Page Turner,  and the idea is to post a book that’s on your TBR pile and show it off. This is a great way to show off books I have not yet managed to read!

---

This week I have chosen:

Title: The Forbidden Game (Books #1-3)

Author: L.J. Smith

Published: June 8th 2010 by Simon Pulse (first published December 1st 1997)

Goodreads Summary:

When Jenny buys a game for her boyfriend, Tom, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to the guy behind the counter. There is something mysteriously alluring about Julian’s pale eyes and bleached-blond hair. And when he places the Game into her hands, she knows their connection is something deeper.

But as Jenny and her six friends begin to play the Game at Tom’s birthday celebration, a night of friends and fun quickly turns into a night of terror and obsessive love. Because the Game isn’t just a game – it’s the seven friends’ new reality, where Julian reigns as the Prince of the Shadows.

One by one the friends must confront their phobias to win the Game. To lose the Game is to lose their lives. And that is only the beginning…

I read this book a couple of years ago (okay more than that probably almost 10 now) and I remember it being really good! I love L.J. Smith (before The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle tv shows came out) and really loved her work. I just bought this book from Book Outlet and hopefully reread it in the near future (possibly in October for all things spooky).

Side note: Can you believe that next week is already October? Where has the year gone?!

What is on your TBR shelf this week?

Leia Princess of Alderaan Review

One of my good blogger friends wrote a review of Leia Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray! As a fan of Gray, I definitely suggest you check it out when you have a chance!

Books and Smizmars

        No I am not talking about The Princess Diarist (that will be read and reviewed before the end of the year, don’t worry). I am talking about Leia Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray. I had picked up the book because it was interesting to get a princess Leia story set before the events of A New Hope and because I enjoyed listening to Bloodline also by Claudia Gray.

        The book follows Leia as she goes through trials to earn her status as royalty to the Alderaan royal family and her early adventures as she enters the world of the rebellion against the empire.

Spoilers from this point onward, I’m not a jedi so I can’t mind trick them out of you. Also there will be fanboy tendencies and observations and other nonsense.

        Leia is destined to become ruler of Alderaan, a planet of peace and charity. To earn the…

View original post 649 more words

Waiting on Wednesday (9/20/2017)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by  Jill from Breaking The Spine that shows the upcoming books that many of us are anticipating! This week, I’m waiting for…

---

Title:  The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Expected Publication:  September 26th 2017

Publisher:  Macmillan/Imprint

Goodreads Summary:

Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.

Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid’s voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy’s bidding but only for a terrible price.

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.

Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.

This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.

A short story collection set in the Grishaverse? Yes, please! I can’t wait for this book to come out next week! Bardugo is one of my instant buys, and if you order from Barnes and Noble you can get a signed copy 😉

What are you waiting for this week?

Goodreads Monday (9/18/2017)

Goodreads Monday is a meme hosted by Lauren @Page Turner,  and the idea is to post a book that’s on your TBR pile and show it off. This is a great way to show off books I have not yet managed to read!

---

This week I have chosen:

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Author: Holly Black

Published: September 3rd 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Goodreads Summary:

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

I discovered this book on another blog earlier this week, and I just had to put it on my TBR shelf. It sounds like the type of book I would enjoy and I can’t wait to get my hands on it and start reading it, especially with October coming up just around the corner! Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

What is on your TBR shelf this week?

Book Blogger Hop Week of the 15th-21st

Book Blogger Hop

 

This weekly hop is hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer, featuring a question about books each week. The purpose is to bring bookish bloggers together, basically. To participate, write a post about the question for that week and add your link.

The question this week is: Have you ever bought a more expensive edition of a book, when a cheaper edition was available, just because you preferred the cover of the more expensive one?

I saw this on another blog that I follow, and thought that it was a great idea!

In answer to the prompt, I would have to say yes and no. For me, my main thing is keeping my book series the same. So if I start a series in one format then all of them have to be in the same one! It bothers me a lot if I have a mix of hard cover and paperback  series on my shelves!

I typically like to buy paperback books just because they are cheaper, but I will go out of my way to by the original cover if they made it into a movie. I personally can’t stand books with movie covers.

What about you? Do you buy the more expensive editions, if there is a cheaper version out there?