Wednesday, July 31, 2013

WoW | These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars (Starbound, #1)
Waiting on Wednesday
Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Date Released/Releasing: December 10, 2013



It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.

Review | Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols


Going Too Far

Series: N/A
Pages: 245
Date Released: March 17, 2009
           
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?
All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.
John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....
     I started this book an hour and a half ago. Literally. No exaggerating at all. I am a huge fan of Jennifer and I loved Such A Rush, which was the first book of hers that I read. Going Too Far was exactly on par with Jennifer's expertise and excellence. I loved, loved, loved Meg. She was a bad girl and not that I've never read about other bad girls, she just stood out. She had reasons for her being a bad girl. She struggled with her panic attacks and she didn't feel that it made her weak. She wasn't doing it to get back at her parents. She did it for herself, to live. I loved all her twists and turns because I didn't find out the clear answer until the middle ending of the book and it was totally not what I expected. I was so surprised! But I loved it.
     I am also a big fan of John, too. Although, I couldn't find anyone who wouldn't be. His Matt Damon body and sleepy brown eyes? No one is immune. I loved him from the start because of how he treated Tiffany at the beginning and shook off Meg's insults. He was deep and his story was also more complex than I originally thought. He was obsessed with the bridge, which I thought was totally loony-toon until I understood the full severity of its importance.
     Going Too Far totally exceed all my expectations and had me giggling all the while at Meg's antics and Johnafter's cop humor. I enjoyed the wild journey from beginning to end and cannot wait to recommend them to my best friend.

Monday, July 29, 2013

BGBR Read-A-Thon Progress

This page will hold my progress as I go through the readathon. 

 Began: 2:50 PM
Ended: 3:50 PM
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Began: 4:30 PM
Ended: 5:30 PM
{Review Written}

Began: 9:07 PM
Ended: 10:22 PM
{Review Written}

{End Day 1}
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Began: 12:15 PM
Ended: 2:05 PM
{Review Written}

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Began: 3:27 AM

{End BGBR Read-A-Thon}
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Well, that's it! I din't reach my goal, but I could have if I didn't have to go somewhere yesterday. I had fun and I enjoyed all of the books and the feeling of accomplishment I got from finishing a book. I am still reading Burn for Burn and it's getting good. Thanks for watching me and silently cheering me on!!!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Bubble Gum Book Reviews Read-A-Thon (July 29th-July 31st)


I"m having my book-a-thon!! I haven't been able to find one that fit my schedule so I decided to go ahead and do my own. It's only three days since I'll be pretty busy after that getting ready for my junior year of high school!!

I'll be completely doing nothing but reading from July 29th to July 31st. I plan to read these books:

I may read more depending on my pace and how many breaks I take. I don't plan to take breaks except to update and write a review after I finish a book. Maybe even when my eyes go crossed from looking at the pages too long. I'll also need to find a page blocker so that I don't be tempted to check my email or go on Tumblr. The time that I will start is unofficial because I may not wake up until 2 in the afternoon.

Anyway...wish me luck!!!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

WoW | Control by Lydia Kang

Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Control (Control, #1)
Waiting on Wednesday
Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Date Released/Releasing: December 26, 2013



An un-putdownable thriller for fans of Uglies

When a crash kills their father and leaves them orphaned, Zel knows she needs to protect her sister, Dyl. But before Zel has a plan, Dyl is taken by strangers using bizarre sensory weapons, and Zel finds herself in a safe house for teens who aren’t like any she’s ever seen before—teens who shouldn't even exist. Using broken-down technology, her new friends’ peculiar gifts, and her own grit, Zel must find a way to get her sister back from the kidnappers who think a powerful secret is encoded in Dyl’s DNA.

A spiraling, intense, romantic story set in 2150—in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms—this is about the human genetic “mistakes” that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.

Review | The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney

12924120Title: The Boy Recession
Author: Flynn Meaney
Series: N/A
Pages: 246
Date Released: August 7, 2012 

Summary: The population of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, is shrinking as families move to cities and towns with greener pastures, and the local high school is hurting: nearly all of the area's most eligible guys have moved or transferred schools. With little competition, the remaining boys find their stocks on the rise, and even the most unlikely candidates have a good chance at making the team and getting the girl. Guitar-strumming slacker HUNTER FAHRENBACH has made an art of blending into the background, but now desperate coaches are recruiting him and popular girls are noticing his scruffy good looks. With a little help, Hunter might even by boyfriend material... Down-to-earth KELLY ROBBINS has a simple wish for her junior year: "one normal, nice boy to crush on." Kelly and Hunter have always been friends, but is there something more to their platonic relationship? And can Kelly overcome the odds? After all, dating is hard enough without a four-to-one ratio.


     The Boy Recession had one of the most unique plots that I’ve ever read before. It was also very relatable, seeing as I also attend a tiny school that never seems to have enough cute boys to go around. I loved Kelly from the beginning because she was very much like me. She was a Libra and acknowledging of her strengths and weaknesses. She only had a few close friends and she was very comfortable in her own skin. Hunter honestly didn’t seem like he was good enough for her. He was a slacker and a stoner with hardly no priorities. As the book goes on, though, he matures and grows into a boy worthy of Kelly. The supporting characters like their friends and their relationships were also very interesting and detailed. The friendships could be very well felt and were very realistic and thankfully didn’t end in a clichéd girl fight because they all wanted the same guy. The Boy Recession was a well-needed change and incredibly refreshing.

The Boy Recession
by:
Flynn Meaney
$3.97

Goodreads

Author Website

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Book News & Bibliophilic Fun (July 16, 2013)





(From left to right)

HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE

Cover Reveals
            Off Course by Sawyer Bennett

Miscellaneous
HarperTeen Impulse: Your Online Source for the latest Novellas and Short Stories for your e-reader!

Get Slide by Jill Hathaway for free HERE!

Review | Faded Denim: Color Me Trapped (True Colors, #9) by Melody Carlson

Title: Faded Denim: Color Me Trapped
Author: Melody Carlson
Series: True Colors, #9
Pages: 224
Date Released: June 15, 2006

Summary: All of Emily's friends seem so perfect: skinny and pretty and fun and flirty. Emily loathes her slightly overweight body, and as her secret bitterness begins to eat away at her soul, she faces the dark prospect of developing an eating disorder.

    
 Faded Denim, as you can tell from the post title, is a part of a series. For future reference, I think the series is more like they relate to similar things, not that they are undeniably connected, if that makes any sense. Now about the book, it was unlike anything I've ever read. From the book cover synopsis, I could already tell that it would probably be about an eating disorder, a topic I've never read much about. It was also very, very, VERY Christian based, also something I am unused to reading. I was a little hesitant after discovering this for various reasons. Starting the story, I already knew what kind of person Emily was. I liked her, some out of pity and some out of understanding. Emily considered herself the "fat girl." That was the root of all her problems and because of it, her self-esteem was incredibly low. She needed others comments to feel good about herself and every characteristic of herself was just ugly, in her opinion. 

     Going to a modeling camp/retreat thingy, Emily is surrounded by skinny models and is let in on their weight-loss secret, Binging and Purging. Emily thinks she has found the holy grail and decides to try this "diet" until she loses ten more pounds, or twenty. As the book continues, Emily starts getting dizzy all the time and tired and she swears that its worth it because God wants her to be beautiful and thin, right? Emily and her friend Leah, are camp counselors at a youth camp and Emily is continually thrown into situations that make her question her decisions. Everybody has their challenges and it doesn't matter what they are, it's how you handle them and how much stronger you come out after them. 
     Emily grew so much in this book and she was so inspiring. She reminded myself of me, with my depression. Although, I am personally and admittedly, not as faithful as Emily was, I do believe that God had a big place in my recovery. Everyone should read this book. It targets everyone, struggling or living in the lap of luxury. Lessons can be learned from every page. 


Faded Denim: Color Me Trapped (TrueColors Series #9)
by:
Melody Carlson
$3.97

Monday, July 15, 2013

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge | Day 3: Blogging BFFs

The 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge is hosted by April over at Good Books And Good Wine.
I don't have any. My online personality is must like my RL personality. I am awkwardly alone. 

Thursday, July 11, 2013

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge | Day 2: Bedtime Reading

The 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge is hosted by April over at Good Books And Good Wine.
I really don't have a bedtime reading ritual. I have been in a slump lately. However, I usually read about 30 minutes before I go to bed. 

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Review | Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook (ARC)


Title: Unraveling Isobel
Author: Eileen Cook
Series: N/A
Pages: 320
Date Released: October 30, 2012

Summary: Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the Internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, Gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother. But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn't only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.


    Unraveling Isobel was so exciting that I read it in 3 hours and it was 3 in the morning when I started it!! I saw the sun come up. Isobel was a wonderful female lead character and I loved her from the start. I felt sorry for her for having such a flighty, easily influenced mother. I could also connect with her for being scared that she is doomed to repeat her father's past and become crazy. Even though she is one of the most sane in the book. I think I would have liked to hear more about her gift because the descriptions of it were a bit lacking. I like the way the plot unfolded and the things that were not apparent until the very end. I loved how much detective work was involved too since I love me some Nancy Drew! Her relationship with Nathaniel was very well paced. He was hurting in his own right and I loved how he stood by her and believed in her. Unraveling Isobel was a wonderful stand-alone novel with wonderful characters that I would love to converse with more.    


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Book Haul | Summer 2013 (July 9, 2013)

Last year I when to Book Exchange in Foley, Alabama, I had a huge haul and I am back with another one!!

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge | Day 1: Confessions

The 15 Day Book Blogger Challenge is hosted by April over at Good Books And Good Wine.
1. I will buy books wherever I go, whenever I go somewhere. To my, I don't ever not need more books.
2. My TBR pile sometimes gives me anxiety attacks. 
3. I really want to finish this book list I have for college bound students, but I really hate the classics.
4. I mostly like young adult books, of course, but I can read mostly anything.
5. I love poetry, but have a hard time finding compilations that I like even though I might enjoy all the poems inside. 
6. I like bookstores that have little to no people otherwise I feel uncomfortable.
7. I will hardly ever lend my books to anyone. If I do, it is a sign of how much I trust you.
8. I love bookmarks, but just to look at. I am way too lazy to ever use them.
9. I aspire to read the entire Nancy Drew and Goosebumps series.
10. My dream house will definitely have a hidden library.
11. Books are totally my getaway. I love romance the most and when read the backs of books, I quickly scan for a girl name and then a boy's name. 
12. I don't see why people try to make fun of people who like Twilight as opposed to Hunger Games and Harry Potter. Can't girls save the world and get married?
13. I have a mission to write down sweet parts from books that I like. This mission is not going well.
14. If there is no synopsis on the back of a book I have not heard of, there is 100% percent chance that book will not be bought. 
15. I don't mind if books are worn, by me or others, I feel like it makes us connected. I especially like when I buy used books and it has something inside, like an old movie ticket. 

Monday, July 8, 2013

Book Haul: Summer Vacation (July 2013)

Today, I went to Booksamillion and Beach Books and I got:


Mama Loves Me, I Can Read, Cinderella, and I Can Read, Snow White for my baby cousin. I also got a dog training book for my spoiled Chihuahua, Action. 

Then I got Article 5 for regular price,but was surprised to see The Gathering, and Burn for Burn on the sale shelf! 

Lastly, Booksamillion was having a "Buy  2 , Get 1 Free" sale so I took advantage of the new location and found some good ones. I bought Catching Jordan, Once, and got Second Chance Summer for free. 

Mission Impossible | Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith

Kiss
  What Leah did—only she really shouldn’t have—one hot night at a country club party.

Crush
What Leah has—only she really shouldn’t have—on the guy with the green eyes, the guy who is not her perfect boyfriend, the guy who does not fit in her picture-perfect life, the guy her sisters will only mock and her mother will never approve of. Not in a million years.

Collide
What happens when everything you always thought you wanted—having cool friends, being class valedictorian and homecoming queen—runs smack into everything it turns out you really do want.

Kiss. Crush. Collide.
For Leah and Porter, summer is only the beginning.
Page Stopped: 61
Why Couldn't I Finish: It was going way too fast for me. Anybody who is not a new reader of my blog knows that I cannot stand cheaters! Leah is a cheater and the worst thing about it is that she is a fast cheater. As she goes on through her day, she seems to feel no regret what so ever. I needed more build-up to her affair, I guess it could be called, and more background about the boy, Porter.
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