Thursday, May 21, 2015

[Favorite] Movies in May and June



I've decided to list what movies I plan to see at the movie theater in May and June:


Avengers: Age of Ultron
Out May 1



Pitch Perfect 2
Out May 15


Jurassic World
Out June 12

I'm so excited for these movies!  Any movies you're dying to see?

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The Heir by Kiera Cass

The Heir by Kiera Cass
The Selection #4
Published by HarperTeen on May 5, 2015

Summary: "Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought." --From Goodreads


I can't complain about this addition to the Selection series (even though I think it should have been its own separate series with three books, but that's just my opinion).  Eadlyn is a Princess, and has yet to be in love.  I honestly think she's afraid of getting hurt, so she keeps everyone (except her family) away from her.

Now, with provinces on the verge of rebellion (everyone is very unhappy) Eadlyn must go through a selection to distract everyone.  Only, she didn't expect to start liking some of the boys...

I have some favorites from the selection.  They all are different, and it will be interesting to see who Eadlyn ends up choosing.  And by the way??  The ending sucks!  HUGE cliffhanger.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my local library.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

TTT: Ten Books I've Recently Added To My To-Be-Read List


Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's theme is a freebie so I chose the top ten books I've recently added to my TBR.
 Here we go!


The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale

The 100 by Kass Morgan

Not After Everything by Michelle Levy 


Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich


Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neill


Isle of the Lost by Melissa De La Cruz

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman


Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Off the Page by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer


What have you added to your to-read list lately?  Leave a list or link in the comments!

Monday, May 18, 2015

99 Days by Katie Cotugno

99 Days by Katie Cotugno
Published by Balzer + Bray on April 21, 2015

Summary: "Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that’s how I know everyone still remembers everything—how I destroyed my relationship with Patrick the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me." -- From Goodreads


There were so many messy feels in this book.  I loved it for that fact alone.  Molly is caught between two guys, and they just happen to be brothers.  Molly and Patrick are first loves.  Then Molly gets scouted to run track for a boarding school across the U.S.  That does Patrick and Molly's relationship no good, and she ends up sleeping with Gabe.  

Honestly, cheating is a huge part of this story, but it's not the entire story.  Yes, Molly does cheat, but ultimately most women are treated differently when it's found out that they cheat.  Even Gabe claims to be in the same position Molly is, much more "slut shaming" happens to Molly.

I loved this book for what it was.  The book told me that some relationships are messy.  It is important when to know that a relationship is completely broken, so you can start new.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library.

Friday, May 15, 2015

The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan


The Red Pyramid
The Throne of Fire
The Serpent's Shadow

Synopsis for The Red Pyramid: "Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. 

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. 

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs." -- From Goodreads


Obviously this series is not as well known as Riordan's Percy Jackson series.  I think that is too bad because Carter and Sadie are entertaining.  I like how they interact with the Egyptian gods, using a lot of humor and humility at times.  Carter and Sadie have had to sacrifice a lot of things to save the world in each book.  

This is a good series to read while waiting for Riordan's next series to come out.  I know I'm excited for The Sword of Summer out October 6, 2015!

Disclosure: I borrowed all of these audiobooks from my local library.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Paper Towns

Paper Towns by John Green
In theaters July 24


Who is the real Margo Roth Spiegelman?

"Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew... " -- From Goodreads


Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver

The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) on April 28, 2015

Summary: "Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins. Ella has spent her high school years living in popular Maddy's shadows, but she has never been envious of Maddy. In fact, she's chosen the quiet, safe confines of her sketchbook over the constant battle for attention that has defined Maddy's world.

When—after a heated argument—Maddy and Ella get into a tragic accident that leaves her sister dead, Ella wakes up in the hospital surrounded by loved ones who believe she is Maddy. Feeling responsible for Maddy's death and everyone's grief, Ella makes a split-second decision to pretend to be Maddy. Soon, Ella realizes that Maddy's life was full of secrets. Caught in a web of lies, Ella is faced with two options—confess her deception or live her sister's life." -- From Goodreads


I can't even begin to describe this book.  It was totally predictable.   Maddy's secrets turned out to be fairly easy to guess.  Ella was very dense, almost like she wanted to only see her sister in the best light.

I wish the author would have gone into more detail about Maddy's best friend.  She was a very shallow character and could have benefited from more of a back story.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

TTT: Ten Authors I Want to Meet


Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's theme is the top ten eleven authors I most want to meet.  
 Here we go!


Nora Roberts: The Bride Quartet

Maureen Johnson: 13 Little Blue Envelopes

Jenny Han: The Summer I Turned Pretty



Sarah J. Maas: Throne of Glass

Jessi Kirby: Things We Know By Heart

Rick Riordan: All things Percy Jackson



Marissa Meyer: The Lunar Chronicles

Ally Carter: Gallagher Girls

Rachel Hawkins: Hex Hall & Rebel Belle


  

Stephanie Perkins: Anna and the French Kiss

J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter

What authors do you want to meet?  Leave a list or link in the comments!

Friday, May 8, 2015

Eden West by Pete Hautman

Eden West by Pete Hautman
Published by Candlewick Press on April 14, 2015

Summary: "Twelve square miles of paradise, surrounded by an eight-foot-high chain-link fence: this is Nodd, the land of the Grace. It is all Jacob knows. Beyond the fence lies the World, a wicked, terrible place, doomed to destruction. Only the Grace will be spared.

But something is rotten in paradise. A wolf invades Nodd, slaughtering the Grace's sheep. A new boy arrives from outside, and his scorn and disdain threaten to tarnish Jacob's contentment. Then, while patrolling the borders of Nodd, Jacob meets Lynna, a girl who tempts him to sample forbidden Worldly pleasures.

Jacob’s faith, his devotion, and his grip on reality are tested as his feelings for Lynna blossom into something greater and the End Days grow ever closer."  --From Goodreads


This book is really well done.  I like how it talks about the cult aspects of things, but also doesn't condemn them either.  People make choices (like Jacob's parents) and then others have to live with them.  This also goes in reverse as well, because Jacob makes a choice at the end of the book that everyone will have to live with.  

While the author doesn't come out and explicitly say it, there does seem to be some allegations of abuse within the cult.  I like how Hautman deals with the investigation by the outside world.

Overall, if you like realistic fiction that has to do with some religion or cults, you'll like this book.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my local library.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Cowboy Eye Candy

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks


Two love stories, separated by years and experience, converge and change the lives of everyone involved.


Here are some shirtless pictures of Scott Eastwood: 


 You're welcome.


Wednesday, May 6, 2015

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne
Published by Dial on March 17, 2015

Summary: "Kate Quinn’s mom died last year, leaving Kate parentless and reeling. So when the unexpected shows up in her living room, Kate must confront another reality she never thought possible—or thought of at all. Kate does have a father. He’s a powerful politician. And he’s running for U.S. President. Suddenly, Kate’s moving in with a family she never knew she had, joining a campaign in support of a man she hardly knows, and falling for a rebellious boy who may not have the purest motives. This is Kate’s new life. But who is Kate? When what she truly believes flies in the face of the campaign’s talking points, she must decide. Does she turn to the family she barely knows, the boy she knows but doesn’t necessarily trust, or face a third, even scarier option?" --From Goodreads



I really appreciated how messy the relationships in this book were.  Kate's mother dies, and awhile after going to live with her aunt and uncle, finds out that her father is running for POTUS.  Which is a big deal.  She goes to live with her new family for the summer, helping her father out on his campaign.

Kate's relationship with her father is messy.  He didn't know she existed until a piece by The New York Times was published.  Supposedly he has this perfect family, and Kate does fit well into that mold.  The Wrong Side of Right also plays heavily into the theme of the book.  How do you know if something is right or wrong?  This is especially important when we think about our parents.  How do we know if they are wrong or right?

Andy was also a great male lead.  I loved that he was part of the plot, but did not become the entire plot.  There were other things going on that made this novel more than a romance novel.  If you're looking for a novel that would be a great contemporary novel, look no further!

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my local library.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

TTT: Ten Books I Will Probably Never Read


Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's theme is the top ten books I will probably never read.
 Here we go!


The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The introduction to Bilbo Baggins.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The classic teenage experience.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The classic story of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster.
  

Legend by Marie Lu
Another dystopian novel.

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein
A woman pilot gets shot down during WWII and gets sent to a concentration camp.

The Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Mostly fantasy, a little dystopian.


A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
Felicity is charged with bringing back the magic to a town with a spell.

Conversion by Katherine Howe
A modern take on the Salem Witch Trials.



Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Woodson tells of her childhood in verse.  And it won a bunch of awards.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
A sort of love story.  Will be a movie!

Are there any books that you probably won't read on your TBR?  
How long do they sit there before you let them go?  Leave a list or link in the comments!