Waiting on Wednesday #44

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Jocelyn's Waiting On: 

Whatever. : Suzanne Cudd Goslee 
Publication Date: August 2nd, 2016

Synopsis: 

Hilarity ensues when a slacker teen boy discovers he's gay, in this unforgettably funny YA debut.

Mike Tate is a normal dude. He and his friends have a crappy band (an excuse to drink cheap beer and rock out to the Lemonheads) and hang out in parking lots doing stupid board tricks. But when Mike's girlfriend Lisa, who knows him better than he does, breaks up with him, he realizes he's about to have a major epiphany that will blow his mind. And worse--he gets elected to homecoming court.

It's like the apocalypse came, only instead of nuclear bombs and zombies, Mike gets school participation, gay thoughts, and mother-effin' cheerleaders.

This book sounds like so much fun. I've never read anything but Suzanne Cudd Goslee, but I'm always excited to give new authors a try and I'm most definitely always up for a funny contemporary. 

Cassie's Waiting On: 

The Vanishing Throne (The Falconer #2) by Elizabeth May

Publication Date: June 7, 2016

Synopsis:

Aileana Kameron, the Falconer, disappeared through the portal that she was trying to close forever. Now she wakes up in the fae world, trapped and tortured by the evil Lonnrach. With the help of an unexpected ally, Aileana re-enters the human world, only to find everything irrevocably changed. Edinburgh has been destroyed, and the few human survivors are living in an uneasy truce with the fae, while both worlds are in danger of disappearing altogether. Aileana holds the key to saving both worlds, but in order to do so she must awaken her latent Falconer powers. And the price of doing that might be her life. 

I have been waiting for this novel for 3 years now (yes, the wait has been unbearable!) but it is worth every second because I know Elizabeth May will deliver another amazing adventure and sweep me off my feet once again.  I absolutely loved the first book in this series, and if you are into fantasy, you need to read this series!

Book Blitz: Let Me (O'Brien Family Novel)

Let Me
Cecy Robson
(An O’Brien Family Novel)
Publication date: April 19th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Once he was broken beyond repair. Now this MMA contender is fighting to be a better man—for her. RT Book Reviews proclaims that the O’Brien Family series from award-winning author Cecy Robson “has the hottest brothers ever!” And in Let Me, it is Finn’s turn to discover how love can heal the deepest wounds.
A mixed martial arts star on the rise, Finn O’Brien dismantles his opponents with brutal precision. And yet beneath his fierce persona, Finn is raw from a trauma he’s buried for years . . . until the day his deep-rooted rage erupts and lands him in court-mandated therapy. Finn’s not one to bare his soul, but if talking it out means meeting beautiful women like Sol Marieles, he’ll give it a shot.
Sol is working toward her master’s degree in psychology, and already she feels like she’s in over her head. With an important internship on the line and a scary family situation demanding her attention, the last thing Sol needs is Finn around to distract her. The man is ripped and seriously sexy yet it’s his troubled side that warns her to keep her distance. But their attraction is intense, and he clearly has the heat to see how far and fast their passion takes them.
Alone, Finn and Sol have been fighting to find happiness in their lives. Together, there’s no stopping them as they face their greatest challenges—not in the ring, but in their hearts.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

 

Author Bio:
Cecy Robson is a new adult and contemporary author of the Shattered Past series, the O’Brien Family novels and upcoming Carolina Beach novels, as well as the award-winning author of the Weird Girls urban fantasy romance series. A 2016 double nominated RITA®finalist for Once Pure and Once Kissed, Cecy is a recovering Jersey girl living in the South who enjoys carbs way too much, and exercise way too little. Gifted and cursed with an overactive imagination, you can typically find her on her laptop silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Review:

At first I was a little worried before I started reading this book as I had not read the first book in the O'Brien Family series. However, I saw that it was a standalone, and as I began reading, I had no problems whatsoever! This was a very easy read, and easy to get into. I loved Finn and Sol, but I loved the underlying message of the story...everyone has a past, and we all have things from our past that have made us into the person we are today. But the most important thing is to move forward and never let those things define us, as we are in charge of our destiny and lives. 

This book is told in alternating POVs, Finn and Sol's. I loved being able to read from both characters' perspectives because I thought this made the book much more powerful and intense. You felt so much more because you could understand the characters and understand their past. For a majority of the book, Finn's secret is kept just that, secret. However, there are clues from the beginning, and so you can pretty much figure out what happened to him when he was younger before it is actually revealed. Finn and Sol were both very strong characters in their own ways, but together I thought they truly balanced each other out. They provided something for each other that no one else could, an understanding and love that they both desperately needed. 

While I really did enjoy the story, I did feel that there were times when drama was added just for the sake of drama. There was a lot of back and forth between Sol and Finn, and I felt it was very unnecessary. I know that some people will like this element of the story, but to me I thought it was a bit much. With everything else that was going on in the story, I felt that the added drama wasn't needed, and ended up making me like the book just a little less. And because of the added drama, the book felt a little long in some scenes. However, this was my only true complaint with this book!

I am definitely interested in checking out the rest of this series, because I honestly am so intrigued and in love with the O'Brien Family! I would recommend checking this out if you like high drama books with a good, steamy romance.  Make sure to enter the Giveaway below!

Happy reading :)

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~Cassie

Book Review: Ready Player One

About The Book:

  Title: Ready Player One 

  Author: Ernest Cline 
  Pub. Date: August 16th, 2011 
  Publisher: Random House 
  Pages: 374 

  Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy 

  Rate: 5/5 stars

Synopsis :

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the  OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

Review:

“Going outside is highly overrated.”

This book is popular everywhere. It's on the 'best-selling paperback' table at basically any bookstore I go into, whether that be an indie bookstore, BAM, Barnes and Noble, whatever! I have been telling my parents about this book for a pretty long time and this past December I found it under my Christmas tree. While it took me a few months to pick up due to classes and things, once I did, I couldn't stop. Literally I read it so fast and I think I was telling my dad just about every single 80's reference that I knew he would like in the book while simultaneously telling him that even though he doesn't really read books, he should read this one!!

Ready Player One is definitely a science fiction book but it has somewhat of a dystopian backbone. Wade's life is pretty nonexistent and also shitty anywhere but in the OASIS. He's poor and lives in his aunt's trailer with her abusive boyfriend and numerous other people that he doesn't even know. However, even in the OASIS he is often dependent on others for travel and such because some things cost money that he just doesn't have. But he keeps trying to solve the huge "egg hunt" designed by James Halliday, the creator of the OASIS which will ultimately lead someone to his multibillion dollar fortune.

After Wade finds the first clue he starts to meet more people in the OASIS, Art3mis, a girl who almost beat him to finding the first clue. Daito and Shoto, who followed shortly behind them. And a corporation who wants to monetize the OASIS. Who can he trust? Can he trust anyone, even his best friend Aech? Can he stay at the head of the race?

Wade is an unforgettable main character that anyone will like. I'm talking anyone, ok? If you don't like his character I'm totally judging you. IM SORRY! His sarcasm literally made me burst out in laughter multiple times. I wish I could share some of his lines with you but a lot of the most sarcastic lines contain major spoilers and I don't want to be spoiling any of you for this delicious book! My favorite secondary character was Aech, I thought that he was really complex and I really liked the tension that surrounded their friendship with the race to win at risk.

“Being human totally sucks most of the time. 

Videogames are the only thing that make life bearable.”

I saw that Tye Sheridan has been cast as Wade Watts for the movie adaptation. While I pictured Wade a tad differently when reading the book, I am extremely pleased with this news. I loved Tye in Mud, and I fell even more in love with his acting when I saw him in the previews for X-Men Apocalypse as Cyclops. Regardless of the movie adaptation, I feel like the book encompasses what fantasy and sci-fi readers love most. We love geeking out over things, which is exactly what this book allows us to do. I feel like no matter how old you are - Ready Player One will allow you 374 pages of just unsolicited geek out time that will prove to be quite cathartic. I highly recommend this book to any gamer, film fan, fantasy/science fiction lover, or just all around 80's fan.

- Jocelyn

Book Review: Asa (Marked Men #6)

About the Book:
Title: Asa (Marked Men #6)
Author: Jay Crownover
Pub. Date: April 21, 2015
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 416
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary 
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

Starting over in Denver with a whole new circle of friends and family, Asa Cross struggles with being the man he knows everyone wants him to be and the man he knows he really is. A leopard doesn’t it change its spots and Asa has always been a predator. He doesn’t want to hurt those who love and rely on him, especially one luscious arresting cop who suddenly seems to be interested in him for far more than his penchant for breaking the law. But letting go of old habits is hard, and it’s easy to hit bottom when it’s the place you know best.

Royal Hastings is quickly learning what the bottom looks like after a tragic situation at work threatens not only her career but her partner’s life. As a woman who has only ever had a few real friends she’s trying to muddle through her confusion and devastation all alone. Except she can’t stop thinking about the sexy southern bartender she locked up. Crushing on Asa is the last thing she needs but his allure is too strong to resist. His long criminal record can only hurt her already shaky career and chasing after a guy who has no respect for the law or himself can only end in heartbreak.

A longtime criminal and a cop together just seems so wrong . . . but for Asa and Royal, being wrong together is the only right choice to make.

Review:

“He might have been a criminal in the past, but now I was the one that wanted to steal something from him and keep it for my own … he was going to put up a fight once he realized I was after his heart. After all, it was my job to capture the bad guy … only this one I wasn’t planning on letting go of.”

I put this book off as long as possible (even though I was dying to read it) because I didn't want this series to actually be over. I didn't want to say goodbye, even though there's the Saints of Denver series, which is a spin-off of the Marked Men. But alas, I finally gave in and read Asa's story, and I'll admit, it made me tear up a bit when I was finished reading. While Asa's story was my favorite out of the entirety of the series, it still was an amazing read and a fantastic way to end this series. However, the biggest thing I want to mention is Jay's writing. I have always thought Jay was an amazing writer, but you can see a remarkable progression to her writing throughout this entire series, and this book is the epitome of perfect writing. Jay truly blew me away with this novel, and I can't thank her enough for a better ending that Asa's story. The series felt complete after reading this novel, and I'm glad Asa's story was saved for last. 

“I never claimed to be an angel and even the devil could only play with fire for so long before he gave in to unholy temptation and danced in the flames.”

I was very intrigued by Asa's story, and was interested to see where Jay would take the plot in regards to his character. The thing I liked the most about his character was that he has fully accepted his past, and he still isn't fully "redeemed" when he and Royal got together. Asa has a lot of demons that he has to deal with, and by the end, he began to realize that those demons can remain in the past, and don't have to define his future. Royal, along with the other characters that have become his family, helped him realize this throughout the story, and it felt like a very natural progression. Even though this book is the end of Asa's story, it is only the beginning for his character and his character's future. And that future is looking might bright!

“Every time I can't seem to figure out where I'm going lately I always end up where you are.” 

Royal was the perfect balance to Asa's dark nature. She grew a lot over the course of the novel, and I think that the majority of that was due to both her job (and the circumstances surrounding her job during the story) along with her relationship with Asa. Asa helped her realize things about herself that she didn't know before, and it allowed her to grow into a stronger person. Throughout the story, Royal has such a caring, compassionate spirit and nature, and that helps Asa realize things about himself as well. As I said, together Royal and Asa balanced each other out, and helped each other in ways that neither could have imagined at the beginning of their relationship. They have a very steamy relationship, and I loved every second of it!

The epilogue was perfect, and while I never wanted it to end, I was incredibly happy with how this series ended! This is a must read for all fans of this series, and I can't wait to check out the Saints of Denver series. While it is sad to say goodbye, the Marked Men series is one I will return to repeatedly (heck, I already have haha), and will always have a special place in my heart!

“We were marked and had been marked in unforgettable and forever ways. We were all better men for it. Marked men. None of us would have it any other way.”

Happy reading :)

~Cassie

Waiting on Wednesday #43

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Jocelyn's Waiting On: 

Summer Days & Summer Nights : Stephanie Perkins 
Publication Date: June 14th, 2016

Synopsis: 

Maybe it's the long, lazy days, or maybe it's the heat making everyone a little bit crazy. Whatever the reason, summer is the perfect time for love to bloom. Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories, written by twelve bestselling young adult writers and edited by the international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins, will have you dreaming of sunset strolls by the lake. So set out your beach chair and grab your sunglasses. You have twelve reasons this summer to soak up the sun and fall in love.

Featuring stories by Leigh Bardugo, Francesca Lia Block, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Brandy Colbert, Tim Federle, Lev Grossman, Nina LaCour, Stephanie Perkins, Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, and Jennifer E. Smith.

JUST LOOK AT THIS LINE UP OF AUTHORS. JUST LOOK AT IT! Need I say anything more? I haven't read anything by V. Roth since *sniffles* Allegiant. And I will always read anything by Leigh Bardugo and Libba Bray. Even though summer isn't my faaaavorite season, I think these authors can make it a little better. 

Cassie's Waiting On: 

Please Don't Tell by Laura Tims
Publication Date: May 24, 2016

Synopsis:

Joy killed Adam Gordon—at least, that’s what she thinks. The night of the party is hazy at best. But she knows what Adam did to her twin sister, Grace, and she knows he had to pay for it.

What Joy doesn’t expect is that someone else saw what happened. And one night a note is shoved through her open window, threatening Joy that all will be revealed. Now the anonymous blackmailer starts using Joy to expose the secrets of their placid hometown. And as the demands escalate, Joy must somehow uncover the blackmailer’s identity before Joy is forced to make a terrible choice.

This sounds like an interesting mystery/thriller.  While I'm not always the biggest fan of this genre (it sometimes comes off a bit boring and predictable to me), I'm hoping that this one will be unpredictable and leaving me guessing until the end!

Book Review: Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1)

About the Book:
Title: Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) 
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pub. Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 668
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:

It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

Review:

This book deserves ALL THE STARS!  If you haven't read this book yet, you need to read it now! Anyone who knows me knows that my love for TID knows no bounds. I adore TMI, but nothing can beat TID. However, this one come extremely close (and by extremely close I mean that this is basically on the same level). I never thought I would say that, but this book was truly amazing, and showcased just how far Cassandra Clare has come as an author. From the very first page you can clearly see the sophistication and refinement in her writing. Honestly, if this book does anything, I hope it shows everyone that although Cassie continues to write in the Shadowhunter world, her books are each unique and different. Yes, for fans of her previous series', we are obviously in the same world, and so there will be some similar moments, but where this book truly shines is just how different it is from either of her previous series'. There is a darkness and sadness in this book that we don't necessarily see with other books. It's intense and serious, but more importantly, it's extremely real. Plus Cassie Clare gets major bonus points for having the recurring theme of a certain work by Edgar Allan Poe this book. 

This book follows Emma, who has been apart of the Shadowhunter world since birth, which allows us a unique perspective that we didn't get from either Clary or Tessa. Emma was a fantastic female lead, and exactly what every book should have. She was sarcastic, sassy, and a badass. She wasn't afraid to take on a challenge or go up against what seems like insurmountable odds. Julian is seriously my new boyfriend, and I can't get enough of him. All I can say is that you will love him right away. Every single character is extremely unique and will make you love them in their own individual way. Obviously they are different from the TMI/TID cast, however I thought they were a bit more sensible in their decisions. I feel this is largely because this group have been born and bred to be Shadowhunters, and we are able to understand and see this perspective better. I will say that it was a bit of an odd (but enjoyable) experience knowing these characters before even starting this book. Yes, I've read books where the author does a spin off novel featuring characters I already knew, but for some reason this was a completely different experience for me. And I LOVED it! 

“There was beauty in the idea of freedom, but it was an illusion. 
Every human heart was chained by love.” 

The one tiny complaint I have is that I did feel this book was slow in the beginning. However, this is only for about maybe 150 pages or so (and come on...out of close to 700 pages I don't think that's really anything to fret over). I am attributing this to the fact that we needed to be introduced to these characters and their world in LA. There needed to be a small amount of set up before the action could really begin. The humor in this book was on point, but as I said, this was a more serious book, and so the humor wasn't as present as it was in TMI/TID. I also did appreciate that Cassie Clare addressed mental illness/mental disabilities in the Shadowhunter community. I think she captured how our society feels about mental illness/disabilities, and so hopefully this book shows how we need to be more accepting and understanding. 

“You'll fix me, because we're parabatai. We're forever.” 

I honestly have no clue how I'm going to survive until the next novel comes out in this series. Honestly, there are so many theories I have right now it's absolutely crazy! I don't even know who to ship because I literally am shipping everyone!! 

However, my OTP (in this series at least) is JEMMA! Seriously, the tension is going to kill me, and after that ending...I have absolutely no idea what to think. Cassandra Clare explores the Shadowhunter world so much more, and we get an even deeper understanding of the world we have loved for so long. I will say that while it is definitely not necessary to read TMI, TID, The Bane Chronicles, or Shadowhunter Academy, you will appreciate this novel so much more if you do read all of them. There are so many feels, you'll go into overload, and it makes you love the book that much more. I can't wait to see where Cassie Clare is going to take this series. 

Happy reading :)

~Cassie

ARC Review: When We Collided

About The Book:

  Title: When We Collided

  Author: Emery Lord 
  Pub. Date: April 5th, 2016 
  Publisher: Bloomsbury USA 
  Pages: 352

  Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance 

  Rate: 3.5/5 stars

Synopsis :

Meet Vivi and Jonah: A girl and a boy whose love has the power save or destroy them.

Vivi and Jonah couldn't be more different. Vivi craves anything joyful or beautiful that life can offer. Jonah has been burdened by responsibility for his family ever since his father died. As summer begins, Jonah resigns himself to another season of getting by. Then Vivi arrives, and suddenly life seems brighter and better. Jonah is the perfect project for Vivi, and things finally feel right for Jonah. Their love is the answer to everything. But soon Vivi's zest for life falters, as her adventurousness becomes true danger-seeking. Jonah tries to keep her safe, but there's something important Vivi hasn't told him.

Review:

When We Collided was one of my most anticipated books of 2016! I have to thank Nicole from Paperback Princess for sending it to me as a part of a super adorable Christmas package she sent me this past year. So after finishing When We Collided, I had to let my thoughts about it settle for a few days. I wasn't entirely sure what I felt when it ended. On one hand, there are things about it that I was completely taken with. But on the other, there were small things I wasn't sure about which was why I had to let my thoughts kind of come together about the book days after I finished. 

"Let me wake up in a different life or not at all" 

The first thing I want to say in this review is that Vivi has a mental illness in this book. One of my favorite things about this book was seeing the changes in her as a result of not taking her medications. I'm sorry if you think I'm spoiling this for you - but this happens in the first chapter so I honestly don't think that I am. Vivi's personality is so vibrant, and she is super new-agey. Jonah is adorable and perfect. He was kind of forced into responsibility very young and he cares about his siblings more than anything else in the entire world. Which by the way, he has a HUGE family - it was a huge plus for me when reading this story. There wasn't anything I didn't like about him and I realize that is the point of his character. His life was already so full of hurt and he was taking care of his entire family all day long, but he still found time to fit Vivi into it and love her as well. 

While I like both of the characters, I don't like them as a couple. I understand that Vivi is kind of a breath of fresh of air of Jonah, and I feel like he wants something new in his life - but she controls him in a way that I just don't like! Maybe because I caught the feelings for him and I don't think she treated him right? I don't think the controlling nature of her was a result of her mental illness, but the other aspect of why I didn't like them together definitely was. Half of the time she just didn't care about his problems! It just broke my heart because he cared about her all day long on top of caring about his countless other problems at home. For some reason, I feel like Jonah would really be good with a girl like Scarlet from The Lunar Chronicles. As for Vivi, she seems like she could be happy with anyone ... 

The main thing I didn't like in this book was the pacing/repetitiveness. I didn't really notice that it was moving so slow for the majority of the book because I was enjoying the writing the so much, so it didn't bother me right away. However, after I started noticing that the days kind of started just repeating each other more or less - I started getting a little impatient. 

"Even the constellations can see us now: we are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. 

We have messy, throbbing hearts and we are stronger than anyone could ever know." 

So really, I was definitely impressed with When We Collided! I 100% recommend it for those lovers of contemporary literature! Personally, I love darker contemporaries and despite the beautiful, bright cover - I do believe this runs a bit on the darker side. I did really enjoy the ending, I thought it was pretty realistic for a YA novel, and definitely made me tear up. I ended up giving When We Collided 3.5 stars because while I did like it and it absolutely had it's adorable points, I didn't love it. I'd love to read more of Emery Lord's books and I think I'd like to give Open Road Summer a try! Have you read it? What were your thoughts? 

- Jocelyn