What I've Been Up To #1

Hey, everyone! Today I thought I'd do a quick update post on what I've been doing book related and in regular media!

Book Orders: My book from BooksAMillion came not too long ago, and I started it two days ago. Since I am a member, I get free 3 day shipping! I purchased Blood Magic for 5 dollars in hardcover! Talk about a good deal!

                                    

Book of the Week: I am currently on page 132 of Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton. I'll see how far I'll get today! I'll keep you all posted if I start a new book this week as well! I'm really enjoying it more than I thought I would so far. I better change the subject before I start getting into a review! ;-)

    

Challenges: I'm preparing myself for the August/September reading challenge on Goodreads! For more information on this, I'll be posting a separate post all about it, and the link to the group in which you can find it in! This is the 6th 2 month challenge that the admins of Crazy For Young Adult Books have created, and I'm super excited! 

Read-a-thon: There are currently no read-a-thons that I am participating in at the moment. :-( I'll let you guys know if I discover any upcoming read-a-thons!

TV: I have been watching re-runs of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, a TV show that I loved when I was younger. It brings back so many memories sitting down and watching it again. :-) I haven't read the books, but I'm sure they're even better than the show. Books always are!

Apps: I recently just downloaded the Blogger app, so now I can keep posting on-the-go or when I don't have access to a computer! In fact, I'm using it right now! This will be my first time using it, so hopefully it'll work out. :-) 

Side note: Instagram is always a favorite ;-)

What have all of you been up to lately? Tell me in the comments! I'd love to hear!

Day and Night Tag!

For each letter in the words 'Day and Night' there will be a question starting with the same letter. This tag was created by Readigans on Youtube, so go check out her channel! 

D: Do you read more in the morning or at night?

I mainly read more at night. I honestly don't know why! I never feel the urge to read during the day like I do at night.

A: Are there any books that changed the way you thought about things?

Well, I have a serious and silly one. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys made me understand how lucky I am. Some people are living with no food, no money, and nowhere to stay. Compared to them, I'm living like a queen. The silly one is Between the Lines by Jodie Picoult. It made me to start thinking that maybe the characters within stories are actually alive, and have to keep acting out their story over and over whenever someone opens the book. Silly right?

Y: YA or Not?

Young Adult book, definitely! I don't read New Adult or Adult books, so YA are the only books I read!

A: Are there characters that you honestly believe are real?

No, but there might be someone out there in the world who is exactly like one of the characters in a story.

N: Nobody touches my books or I don't mind loaning my books out?

Before, I didn't mind loaning my books out. Honestly, I did it all the time! However, one time I leant out two of my books to two different friends, and I didn't get back until 2 years later. One of them was in decent condition, but the other was in complete shambles! Looks like I learned my lesson.

D: Do you ever smell your books?

I never used to smell my books until I heard that some people did. I'm thinking to myself, why do they do that? So I smelled one of my books just to see if I could get a better understanding of why they do it! Hahaha! :-)

N: Not everyone loves books...is this a positive or a negative?

Well, everyone in the world is different. Some people love to read, while others don't. To me, a booklover, I think it's a negative thing, but to be honest, not everyone is going to like the same things as you. I just think that the people that don't read are really missing out. 

I: I keep my books in the best condition or maybe not? Which are you?

I try to keep my books in the best condition possible! I'm not saying they all look like I just bought them yesterday, but I try my best. ;-)

G: Gosh! I have to many books! True or False?

There is no such thing as too many books. ;-) 

H: Have you ever spilled or stained your books before with something, and if so how?

Not to my knowledge! I probably have when I was younger, since I wasn't so careful with my books back then.

T: Toned or untoned while reading?...or in other words...Do you read and workout at the same time?

I don't work out so much to the point where I'll do it with a book. Maybe 5 sit ups every 2 or 3 years...LOL! Just kidding! 

If you've done this tag on your blog, link it down below, and I'll check it out!

I tag Shirin over at Straight From The Reader's Mouth!

Cover Changes Part 1

We all have them! There are just some things that truly irk us about books! It could be something about the physical characteristics of a book, or the actual content of the book. Today, I will be sharing with each of you my book pet peeves! 

1. Cover Changes! This is one of my biggest pet peeves in the whole wide world. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't mind if new covers are released after the series have been completed. However, if they change the cover to something completely different, right in the middle of a series....UGH! Wouldn't you think it'd be so much trouble to have to come up with a whole new cover design instead of keeping the original?

Sometimes, I like the new covers better than the original. For example, Stephanie Perkins' novels. 

These are the new covers: 

Gorgeous right? It took a minute for me to get used to for a while, but once it did, they began to grow on me. 

These are the original covers: 

~~

  Usually, I absolutely hate when publishers change the covers of books right in the middle of a series or companion novels. To be honest, I love the new covers! I think they should have printed Isla and the Happily Ever After the same way as the original covers, for the people who already own them in the old covers. The new covers are so pretty, and looks perfect next to each other. Even the spines look nice. I never liked covers with real people of them. I mean, sometimes it's fine, but not when they have them do awkward poses or are in weird set ups. I just find them to be so cheesy sometimes. 

I'll definitely be one of those ordering the new covers. :-D Gorgeous!

BUT

When they completely ruin the way the series looks, I'm extremely angry.

Take the Across the Universe trilogy. 

 
Beautiful! The third book must look equally pretty as well, right? WRONG.

Look at what they've done:

I'm not saying this cover is ugly. It's actually really nice, but the point is, is that it is completely different from the rest of the books! If you want to turn books into a trilogy, you have to make them go together, like a trilogy! You can do this with the covers all you want, as long as you finish the original! I might consider buying the United Kingdom edition of Shades of Earth since it has the same sort of galaxy theme. Why do publishers do these type of things to us? I just don't understand. 

What do you think of cover changes? Let's discuss down below!

The Selection by Kiera Cass Book Review

Title: The Selection

Author: Kiera Cass

Bought: BooksAMillion

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰     5 stars

Genre: YA Fiction

Format: Paperback

Page Number: 327 pages

Synopsis provided by Goodreads:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review:

 Quickie Review: Ever since I bought this book at Books-a-million, I couldn't wait to start it. I've heard nothing but good things about this book, so I had extremely high expectations. I was definitely not let down. This book was AMAZING! You know that feeling you get when your so close to finishing a book, and you can't wait to feel that accomplishment of completing once again, another book? (Maybe it's just me) With this book, I didn't want it to end. I wanted the story to go on and on and on. I found myself falling in love with each of the characters which I don't usually do. I completely fell in love with the world, and I applaud Kiera Cass for writing such a phenomenal book. If you're hesitant about reading this book because of all the hype, or whatever reason you may be putting it off, you need to stop whatever you're doing right now and pick it up. The characters are amazing, and you will find yourself getting so attached to each and every one of them. 

In depth:

The Caste System

The book starts off with America sneaking off in the middle of the night to meet her boyfriend, Aspen. Here's the problem, in this world, everyone is grouped in a certain caste number.

1- The people in caste One are royalty. This includes the King, Queen, the Prince, and their family. They are the wealthiest and with the most power. Prince Maxon is in this caste. (Not a dictatorship)

2- The people in caste Two are celebrities, actors and actresses, models, members of the military, etc. One of the girls who is chosen for the Selection, Celeste is from Caste Two and she is a model.

3- The people in caste Three are teachers, writers, inventors, etc. All girls who are chosen for the Selection are automatically moved up from whatever caste number they belong to, to a Three unless you are a two. Our main character, America, is bumped up from a Five to a Three once she is chosen. 

4- The people in caste Four are vendors, farmers, shop owners, and merchants. One of the girls in the Selection, Marlee, who has become quite close with America, is a caste Four.

5- The people in caste Five are artists, singers, musicians, stage actors, etc. Before the Selection America was a Five along with the rest of her family.

6- The people in caste Six are servants, maids, and secretaries. Aspen is a Six.

7-  The people in the caste Seven are manual laborers.

8- According to The Selection Wiki, 8 - "Untouchables"; in the deleted scene from Ch. 8 it is noted that Eights are "People who had been abandoned or orphaned with no way to prove their caste. And then people who fell into heavy drug use, the mentally and physically handicapped, they were all unemployable and left in the streets to beg."

Aspen

This is where Aspen comes into the picture. So, how is this a problem for Aspen and America? Well, Aspen is a caste Six, while America is  a caste Five. Women don't usually marry men who are in a caste below them. A man from a lower caste may propose  but it isn't likely they'll get a yes. Because of this, America has the keep her secret relationship between her and Aspen a secret, so she won't disappoint her parents. At the beginning of the story, I loved Aspen so much! I knew that wouldn't change. He was always there for America ,and they were just perfect together. America refuses to join the Selection no matter what, and she makes that very clear. Being chosen for the Selection comes with it's benefits. First, your family will receive a check for every week that you are still in the competition. This is why Aspen wants America to enter so badly, he thinks that if she has a chance to live better, she should take it, even though she isn't interested in Prince Maxon at all. To seal the deal, her parents say that whatever money she earns while working, she can keep half of it for herself-- if she enters. 

Eventually, America enters the competition, and her family are left waiting to see if she is chosen. With her being the main character, obviously she gets picked. This isn't a spoiler, everyone! It happens within the first 5 chapters.

The Writing

Kiera Cass's writing really brought the story to life. I felt as if I were there in castle in the competition. I didn't want the story to be over. It was JUST THAT GOOD. She can definitely write! She will have you turning page after page just to find out what happens next. 

Rebel Attacks

Don't think this book is just a la-la-loopsy story will girls in long dresses, living in a castle like princesses trying to win over the Prince's heart. It's not like that at all. Kiera Cass also throws in really serious problems in the book considering the attacks on the castle by rebels. This is the only reason why majority of families are worried for their daughters. It is known that there are rebel attacks on the castle very often, and that puts lots of people in danger. 

Are you sold yet? This book was just great. You won't be disappointed! I know I wasn't.

 I am Team Maxon all the way! Let me know your thoughts on the book down below. I'd love to discuss!

That Summer by Sarah Dessen Book Review

Title: That Summer

Author: Sarah Dessen

Bought: BooksAMillion

Rating: ✰✰  2 stars

Genre: YA Contemporary 

Format: Paperback

Page Number: 224 pages

Synopsis provided by Goodreads:

For fifteen-year-old Haven, life is changing too quickly. She's nearly six feet tall, her father is getting remarried, and her sister—the always perfect Ashley—is planning a wedding of her own. Haven wishes things could just go back to the way they were. Then an old boyfriend of Ashley's reenters the picture, and through him, Haven sees the past for what it really was, and comes to grips with the future.

Review:

Quickie Review: I have been dying to read a Sarah Dessen book. Everywhere I turned, there was someone raving about a Sarah Dessen book, so eventually I picked it up. Books-a-million was having a Buy 2 Get 1 Free sale this summer, and I thought it would be the perfect time to start reading it. With this being my first Sarah Dessen novel, I was excited...a little too excited. I went into this book thinking it would be a bit like The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, and I loved that book. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed in this book. Haven complained a lot, the book rarely had anything to do with the plot, and the main character seemed more like it was about her sister's wedding! Where did all of this come from? Nothing happens to the main character, but to the people around the main character. Usually when this happens, it affects the main character in some way... not in this book. 

Our main character here is 15 year old Haven, who complained a lot about her height, and her slender body. I can really relate to her since I'm really tall and skinny myself, so that was a plus. However, that was only time I could connect to the character. The book rarely has anything to do with what the synopsis claims. The whole book revolves around her sister Ashley's wedding, and her past boyfriends. Nothing really happens to the main character, but more to the people around her. Her best friend comes back from camp bringing new habits with her. She's turned into a huge boy-obsessed-smoker-who-hides-things-from-her-parents. I found myself wanting to high five her in the face multiple times. It was hard to feel for Haven and her parents' divorce because she didn't really show much emotion towards it like Hadley in The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. 

Sumner

If your reading this book hoping for a fun summer romance book about change and figuring out who you are, then you'll be in for the disappointment of your life. When Ashley's  ex-boyfriend (the only boyfriend of Ashley's that Haven actually liked) returns, all Haven can think about is that summer when everything in her life was perfect. She could tolerate her sister, her parents were happily married, and Ashley's boyfriend was a good friend to her...and that's all we know about this amazing summer. We get a clip of it at the beginning of the book, but not enough. Haven hopes that Sumner could help bring her life together to the time when everything was good. She remembers all the amazing memories they had, and she's left wondering why her sister broke up with him in the first place. Sumner seems like the fun guy that everyone wants to hang around. He makes work seem fun, and her has about a billion jobs (literally). At the end of the story, your whole opinion changes about Sumner, and the type of person he really is. It was really short and quick, and the ending had no meaning. There was nothing that lingered, like usual after you read a good book. You just feel like,"Glad I got that one over with."

The Divorce

In the story, Haven has to deal with the fact that her father, a sportscaster, has divorced her mom for the weather forecaster. Her father is highly popular in her town, so wherever she goes, you'll hear about him. The worst part is that she sees her father everyday on TV sitting right next to the women he left their family for. She still spends time with her dad every once in a while, but they're not as close as the used to be. We don't actually feel for her since we don't  see her feelings towards the divorce. However, once she hears that her father and his new fiancee (or wife, I honestly don't remember) are having  a baby, we actually get  a reaction out of her. 

The Only Thing I Liked

The one thing I liked in the story was how Haven ended up becoming comfortable in her own skin at the end of the story. She stopped wishing she was something she used to be, and I liked that. I also liked how she stopped letting herself be pushed around and yelled at all the time. Yes, it was Ashley's wedding and it can be stressful planning a wedding, but she didn't have to treat people the way she did. Haven finally put Ashley in her place and I loved that. It's sad that I had to wait all the way until the ending of the book for that to happen, but at least it did. 

The Ending  (Warning, there is a spoiler ahead. It might seem big to some, but honestly, the way it was told, it made the whole ending a let down. I'll let you know when the spoiler begins.)

The ending was a big let-down. With a book like this, there is no gasp worthy event or anything I could say that would make you feel like you were spoiled, but if there had to be one, I guess this would be it. Spoiler Ahead~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...but if there had to be one, I guess this would be it. When we finally figure out while Ashely broke up with Sumner, and although it was shocking, I didn't like the way we were told. Ashley finds Haven in the woods while it's raining and tells her the true reason she broke up with Sumner was because he cheated, as if it were obvious. All in one blow. Then we move on to the wedding, as if nothing happened, and we never see Sumner again after that. There was honestly no point to the story, and the synopsis will have you fooled.The book is mainly about chaotic planning for Ashley's wedding, and what happens to everyone around Haven, not Haven herself. All in all, I didn't like the ending at all. I'll feel so bad for giving this one stars simply because I don't do that often, and I think the book had a little bit of potential (I guess). 

This is a bad first impression with a Sarah Dessen novel, but I still want to give Just Listen a chance, because it really seems interesting. Hopefully Just Listen won't be a let-down as well. :-/

Breaking the Spines Tag!

Most of these tags I will be pulling from some of my favorite YouTube videos! I'm obsessed with tags, so I thought I'd start sharing my opinion with all of you on my blog! Let's get started!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Do you break the spines? Or do you prefer to keep your books looking new?

I definitely prefer to keep my books looking new! I've never seen or heard of someone who just goes and breaks the spines on their books just for fun! I try my very best to make sure that my books look as if I just got them yesterday, when I've really had them for years. Over time, I know that can't help it if the spine breaks, but I'm not going to do it purposely. 

2. For those who don't like broken spines, have you ever accidentally broken one?

Sadly, yes. Once for school, I had to read Among the Hidden by Margaret Haddix. The book must've been very cheaply made (if there is such a thing) because I only picked up the book once before the spine cracked! Fortunately, I wasn't the only one in the classroom,who's spine had broken in the book!

3. If you are buying a used book, and the spine is broken, how do you feel about it? 

I've never bought a used book before, so I can't fully answer this question, but if I were, I probably wouldn't buy the book. If it was the last copy on the planet, probably. I just LOVE brand new books (or used books that look brand new)! :-D

4. Do you agree or disagree with the opinion some people have on broken spines meaning that a book is well loved?

This is an extremely hard question! I can imagine someone reading a book over and over again just because they love it, and the spine will eventually break, they just can't help it. However, I can also imagine someone not caring about their books, and bending and twisting it as they please. Mostly, I think that the book was well loved (unless it was cheaply made)

5. Because the spines on hardback books can't visibly break, do you prefer buying hardback books over paperback books? 

I've been going crazy with this lately! Whenever I'm buying a book online, I immediately want the hardback copy, since they're usually cheaper Books-a-million (and I have a membership!) Hardbacks always look nice on my shelf, and I love how they last longer, since they're more sturdier. However, whenever I go to the actual store to buy a book, everything changes. If I see a book that I wanted, but it's in paperback, I'll pick it up in a heartbeat, even though it's not hardback. I prefer hardbacks, but I also love paperbacks! Don't try to give me an e-book, though. NEVER will I ever buy an e-book!

Let me know what all of you guys think done below!! :-D I'm looking forward to see how you feel about Broken Spines!

Straight From the Reader's Mouth!

Meet Shirin, a new blogger like myself! She runs a blog over at straightfromthereadersmouth.blogspot.com :-) If you haven't gone to her blog yet, what are you waiting for?? She posts book reviews, and other bookish related things as well! I promise you, if you check out her blog, you won't be disappointed! Also, while you're at it, follow her as well! :-) You can definitley count on her to keep you up to date with all of the upcoming books and book to movie adaptations! I love her enthusiasm, and her reviews!

To learn more about her, click the link down below!

:-)
http://www.straightfromthereadersmouth.blogspot.com/2013/07/knowing-reviewer.html

Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea!

Okay guys, if you haven't already guessed, I CAN'T wait for this book to come out! Lucky me, it comes out on August 15, right after my birthday! You can definitely count on me to be uploading a review on this book once I get it! I know, I know. Usually when your extremely excited about a new book, it doesn't meet your expectations. HOWEVER, a girl can dream, right????

I also have a handy-dandy count down to the date for you guys, which is exciting! I'll add it on one of the sides of my blog, so whenever you guys come to check, it'll be right here for you! For those of you that don't know, I'll post the synopsis right below the countdown, so go check it out!!

Synopsis:
You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.

Now, if that doesn't suck you in, I don't know what will! 

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight Book Review

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Bought: Scholastic Book Fair

Rating: ✰✰✰✰ 4 1/2 stars

Genre: YA Contemporary 

Format: Hardcover

Page Number: 236

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

            I have a tongue twister for you, try to say that whole title 5 times in a row! Haha! Let's get started with the review!

This was my first Young Adult contemporary book, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed the story, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a light and fun read. A lot of people that have read this book say that they weren't a big fan of the 'insta-love' in the story, but I didn't see it that way at all. For a book that takes place in a 24 hour time period, I don't think there's room for a friendship to start to turn into something more over time. 

There was also a big part of the story that wasn't mentioned in the description of the book at all, and that was the fact that her dad was getting remarried. This was a major part of the story because it contains flashbacks of how Hadley and her mother dealt with the divorce and his remarriage. The whole reason why Hadley was even at the airport heading to London was for her father's wedding, which wasn't mentioned in the description either. If you've ever had to cope with your parents' divorce, I think this would be a really good book for you to relate to. Family is also a major aspect of the story. 

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight really shows  what it's like to go through divorce, having to meet your new stepmother, and missing a flight! Hadley misses her flight by 4 minutes, causing her to have to re-schedule, causing her to meet Oliver. It's funny how if she hadn't had so many delays that morning, she wouldn't have met Oliver. It's the usual story in which girl meets guy at airport, they end up sitting next to each other on the plane, and falling in love. They're up all night on the plane talking about their lives, and before they know it, it's over, and they lose eachother after the arrival. The rest of the book is about whether or not  they'll find each other, and if Hadley can make it to her father's wedding on time. The only thing I didn't like about this book was the fact that there were soo many flash backs. I think the author was trying to show us more about Hadley's life, and everything leading up to meeting Oliver, but I just didn't like that. All in all, I give this book a 4.5 out 5 stars. Go read it! 

June Wrap Up

Hey everyone! Last month, in June, I read a total of 6 books, which may not seem like  a lot to you guys, but it's a lot to me! It's the most I've ever read in a month. Due to the fact that I've read 6 books last month, I'm motivated to read even more in July!

The books I've read in June:
Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts ~4 stars
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith ~5 stars
Altered by Jennifer Rush~  5 stars
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin ~4.5 stars
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl ~5 stars
Shelter by Harlan Coben This book deserves more than~ 5 stars!

Look forward to seeing my reviews on these books as well!