Book Haul + Weekly Recap!

WOOT! IT HAS BEEN AN AWESOME WEEK! UPS has finally stopped hoarding my beautiful ARCs and I have so many to show you!!!


Publisher

Giveaway

Borrowed

SWAG













Signed



















First of all, sorry y'all for the sideways/blurry photos! I took these on my smartphone. And YES. I know! EPIC haul right? I'm reading Death and the Girl Next Door at the moment, and it's SO GOOD. So, in order from left to right then bottom left to right, those books are Echo; Splintered; Lovely, Dark, and Deep; Ironskin; and Death and the Girl Next Door! I'm SO happy I got Splintered! It's like.. MAD that I got it! I'm so excited and I'll go BONKERS READING THIS! I bet my teacup and my Cheshire Cat! Lovely, Dark, and Deep wasn't one I requested, but it definitely sounds good! I can't wait to read that one as well! Ironskin? Sounds like a Faery version of Jane Eyre mixed with Beauty and the Beast, no? Woot! And Death and the Girl Next Door...WOW is all I can say!
EEP! YES! I won an ARC of Time Between Us and YOU GUYS! This is one of those books I've been absolutely dying for! I. Love. Twitter. Giveaways. Like, SERIOUSLY.
I borrowed this from my friend! Sounds 13 Reasons Why-ish right? Any of y'all rad it? Like it? Hate it?
I GOT SOME AWESOME SWAG! The Origin bookmark (and a magnet and bookplate I forgot to take pics of) I got from the Origin Olympics, ALL that Time Between Us swag from that giveaway I won, and a KEY NECKLACE that came with Splintered! It's SO prettyful! SERIOUSLY. And that blobby colorful square is a CD that holds the playlist for Time Between Us! EEP!
Why YES MY COPY OF TIME BETWEEN US IS SIGNED. HAPPY NIKKI.

RECAP
Review: The Innocents by Lili Peloquin
Waitng on Wednesday
Review: Tiger's Destiny by Colleen Houck
Send Me aSign by Tiffany Schmidt

Send Me a Sign by Tiffany Schmidt

Goodreads Blurb

Mia is always looking for signs. A sign that she should get serious with her soccer-captain boyfriend. A sign that she’ll get the grades to make it into an Ivy-league school. One sign she didn’t expect to look for was: “Will I survive cancer?” It’s a question her friends would never understand, prompting Mia to keep her illness a secret. The only one who knows is her lifelong best friend, Gyver, who is poised to be so much more. Mia is determined to survive, but when you have so much going your way, there is so much more to lose. From debut author Tiffany Schmidt comes a heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting story of one girl’s search for signs of life in the face of death.

I’ve read so many heartbreaking stories this year, you guys know that, but Send Me a Sign…heartbreaking is a total understatement. A mind-blowing story made of heartbreaks, and breakups, hope and understanding.

The amazing thing about this debut us that, if you hadn’t read the story, skipping to the tear-jerking parts, you would be completely dry-eyed. Using her writing talents, Tiffany Schmidt deftly creates characters that you learn to care about, tight, unbreakable bonds that you feel, not read, and a subtle romance that’s all too endearing.

“I make my own luck.”

The romance was definitely one of my favorite parts. There was Ryan, Mia’s perfect, popular, sort-of boyfriend who’s sweeter than he seems, and then there’s Gyver, her best-friend-nest door who’s been there through thick and thin. But he’s strictly a friend. Right?

The romance was so sweet, both interests caring and protective. While it wasn’t a live triangle, per say, it was definitely more than Ryan’s old reputation that made Mia hesitate in dating him. I honestly had no idea who Mia would end up with in the end, but the guy I rooted for in the beginning…let’s just say he totally lost my vote. Then gained it. Then lost it.

“I wouldn’t know until I went inside.”

The characters. Oh. My. Goodness gracious. I completely fell in love with them. They each had their own distinct personalities, their own flaws, and I loved them for it.

Mia seems like a shallow girl at first, I admit, but when you got to actually know her, she was sweet and kind and a bit insecure. She refused to tell her closest friends, and look read at how that turned out. I loved how her character (and her friends’ characters) really did fit “their season”. Mia was sunny but she got her own summer showers once in a while, and she was always there to cheer her friends up.

Out of all of Mia’s friends, I really didn’t like Lauren. She was that girl who told secrets behind a person’s back, the one who was always asking for reassurances, and made me feel as if she was just fishing for compliments daily, even when Mia had cancer. No. Just no.

“I didn’t want to know anymore.”

What I didn’t like was that Mia was so secluded. I mean, I get why she wanted to keep her cancer a secret, but instead of weaving all these lies (knowing her friends were bound to find out), she could’ve just told them and saved herself from a lot of suffering. I also wonder: if Hil, Ally, and Lauren were such good friends, why hadn’t they noticed that Mia was never as active and that all these sudden things were happening? It made no sense, they didn’t question it. There were just a few holes in the thinking, but all in all, it was an amazing read that all contemp lovers should read!

“At the hospital, it was the first time I realized I might not beat this. I might die.”

 

Pages: 384

Series: Stand alone

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publisher: Walker Children Books

Release Date: October 2

Rating: 7 stars

Tiger's Destiny by Collen Houck

Goodreads Blurb

With three of the goddess Durga's quests behind them, only one prophecy now stands in the way of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan breaking the tiger's curse. But the trio's greatest challenge awaits them: A life-endangering pursuit in search of Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal.  It's a race against time--and the evil sorcerer Lokesh--in this eagerly anticipated fourth volume in the bestselling Tiger's Curse series, which pits good against evil, tests the bonds of love and loyalty, and finally reveals the tigers' true destinies once and for all.

Let me start this off with the question that’s been  bugging me since I finished: How. Is. There. A. Fifth. Book?!  I mean, the ending of Tiger’s Destiny pretty much wrapped things up…but I guess we’ll see, right? I’m totally curious. Anyways.

Kelsey annoyed me. I mean, she was not the best MC in the other books, but in Tiger’s Destiny…who cries over killing a tree? And I mean sobbing. And her indecision between Ren and Kishan irritated me as well. I mean, I get that she’s afraid of being with Ren (read it and find out why.), but really? I felt so bad for Kishan throughout the entire book. Even though Kelsey was serious with Kishan, it felt more like she was stringing him along rather than treating him like a boyfriend…I guess the ending didn’t shock me as much as I thought. But…those were only a few moments. She wasn’t as bad most of the time.

Anamika (you’ll find out who that is later!) was another character who just irritated me. She was nothing like you’d expect and, quite frankly, she seemed…bitter. Not like the _____ we know. And that…well that just made it harder to believe that what happened, happened.

The twist was, in all honesty, too sudden. There were very few hints in the last three books that it would happen. And when I reread a few sections of the other books, things didn’t add up. I can’t list examples since it would be a dead giveaway but…the ways that certain characters acted didn’t fit. They really didn’t. But it made me cry (you guys know I’m an emotional reader, but I am so not the only one.) and it was…heartbreaking. I really hate the 5 sacrifices.

Plot wise…it was amazing. Each book has its own element, right? Tiger’s Destiny deals with the remaining two, fire and space/time, which makes Destiny possibly the one book with the most twists and the most surprising details. I guess you could really split Tiger’s Destiny into two separate books, but it wouldn’t be nearly as exciting. I love the way things happened in quick succession, although I admit, sometimes it happened too quickly.

The romance. Oh my God. (Not sure if that’s a good OMG or a bad one.) the romance is a smexy one, but God! I hated Kelsey’s indecision. Like I said, it seemed she was stringing Kishan along, and also Ren. She was technically with Kishan, but didn’t feel much for him. She loved Ren, but wouldn’t be with him. She was naïve, thinking she was protecting them both, when she was basically killing them inside. It was horrible and I still have no idea how Colleen Houck could’ve dragged out the romance, although I admit, it did add some tension to the story.

This fourth installment wrapped things up nicely, so I am a anxious to see how Tiger’s Dream will turn out, and what the story line will be. Almost as amazing as the last three in this epic saga, Tiger’s Destiny clearly showcases Colleen Houck’s classic writing style that has stunned hundreds of fans. If you haven’t started the Tiger’s Saga yet? Start it soon.

Pages: 464

Series: Tiger's Saga #4

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Publisher: Splinter

Release Date: September 4

Rating: 3.5 --->4 stars

"Please don't die," I whispered."

Waiting on Wednesday

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

16-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare. Literally. Dusty is a magical being who feeds on human dreams.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder. The setting is Arkwell.

And then it comes true.

Now the Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

I've been absolutely DYING for this since I discovered it (2 months before the cover release) and doesn't it just grab you in? I mean, it definitely sounds original with her being a nightmare and this guy who just happens to dream of a murder--that comes true. WOW. Can I say WANT?

The Innocents by Lili Peloquin

Goodreads Blurb

Nothing ever came between sisters Alice and Charlie.
Friends didn't.
Boys couldn't.
Their family falling apart never would.
Until they got to Serenity Point.

(this will be a long review due to two main characters and two love interests etc.)

My Summary

Alice and Charlie’s mom just married Richard Flood the Third, an insanely rich man who’s wife died of cancer and who’s daughter, Camilla, died merely months after. They almost immediately move to Serenity Point, a beach area filled with rich people, all with their own sinister secrets surrounding Camilla and her demise. But even more creepy, Alice happens to look exactly like Camilla and there’s no way she can let those secrets stay hidden. Not when her sister is pulling away and these secrets seem to affect her family personally. But maybe the people at Serenity Point aren’t the only ones with secrets.

Writing

The writing? There was just something I can’t pinpoint that made me completely love the writing. It was just…gorgeous. I mean, I could read one word and be completely sucked in immediately. I could barely put it down!

And yes, The Innocents is written in the 3^rd person POV, and maybe sometimes it seemed that it should be in the 1^st, but this way The Innocents could switch between Alice and Charlie’s POV without any confusion and much more ease. It may seem weird at times that in the beginning one chapter was all Alice, another all Charlie, and that after it would switch between one then the other in a paragraphs, but they switched at exactly the right time if that makes sense. But mainly, Alice was our narrator and I found it so much more enjoyable!

The Sisters

Which leads us to characters. Alice was definitely my favorite sister. She’s a bookworm (Which basically everyone reading this can connect to), quiet, shy, but she watches. She’s the one who notices the little things, the one who can usually catch on before anyone else, and it was just amazing that we went through 80% of the book from her perspective. Because she caught the details when Charlie blew them off as paranoia. Alice is the older, more wiser sister you could say. She knows when enough is enough and she won’t bend to ANYBODY’S will. Completely the opposite of her sister.

Charlie.  Oh Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. Most of these characters I loved to hate, but especially her. She was just so…agh. I don’t whether it was because I liked Alice more, but Charlie just annoyed me so much especially when abandoning her sister for a guy (who I’ll talk about later) or told Alice that she was just being a downer. Please. But when you read from her point of view…you just can’t blame her (no matter how much disdain you’re nursing). She’s the wild, unpredictable one. She always fits in.She’s never had much trouble in guys, until Jude. More on that below. I definitely think both of these sisters are two characters all readers can relate to. If not one, then the other!

The Love Interests

Since we started with Alice, let’s start with her love interest. Tommy. Yes, the name sounds a bit awkward lol. But Tommy is such a sweet guy, with such a nice personality. Like incredibly incredibly sweet. He fit Alice perfectly, quiet and understanding. But of course, the Innocents is all about secrets. And he has secrets of his own. Ones that could maybe, and quite probably, change everything.

Jude. Can. I. Kill him? Pretty please? Okay, I totally wanted to murder Jude. He was such a tool. He played with Charlie, drawing her away from Alice, and not even really caring about her. And Charlie knew that. But she was just so desperate for him. I don’t even know why! He was cute. His personality isn’t exactly a gem. Jude was, quite frankly, a son of a bleep. He’s the other character I loved to hate. He strung Charlie along, but the worst part is…well, you’ll have to read and find out.

Plot/Plot Twists

They weren’t so much as twists as things that were already there. Secrets that become unveiled, reasons and intents become clearer, and all of them are slowly leading up to the big giant, juicy plot twist that’s just waiting to be read. While some people think that there was only the one twist, there were so many more subtle ones that would’ve been hard to catch if you weren’t looking for them.

All of these…ohmygoodness, there were so many hints lying around. I would collect them but I wouldn’t connect the dots and was so shocked! You guys…be sure you aren’t in a squeal-free zone like the library when you finish the last hundred pages or so. Also, ghosts. Yes. Ghosts.

The Bad

With a few grammar errors, my complete lack of understanding as to why Jude was such a catch, those were pretty much my only complaints on the novel. While it was uber amazing, it didn’t affect me quite as much emotionally as I’d hoped. But still. Amazing.

Overall

The Innocents is a stunning debut with gorgeous writing and even more gorgeous content. This debut is definitely a favorite and takes a whole new meaning to “dangerous secrets”. With main characters the readers can relate to, the Innocents will both shock you and make you giddy for more. Filled with secrets, lies, and…unrequited love? The Innocents is one to grab for those who are looking for something new in the contemporary section. One that will make you grit your teeth and squeal at the same time, this is not a book to be taken lightly! After all, when everyone has a secret, who can you really trust?

Pages: 288

Series: Innocents #1

Genre: Contemporary/Romance

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: October 16

Rating: 4.5--->5 stars

 

Book Haul + Weekly Recap

OKAY, it's been a pretty slow week and the reson is...UPS IS HOARDING MY PACKAGES. I'm missing 4 packages that were shipped via UPS that should've arrived DAYS ago. UGh. And they were awesome books too! But I did get one book (and I totes forgot to take a picture of it) and it's indie! Possibly the only one I'll be reading and reviewing, since I'm swamped with books anyways. But I couldn't resist! It sounds AMAZING and the author even signed it!

Given


NetGalley
    

If you go on goodreads and read the blurb...OMG IT SOUNDS SO AWESOME DOESNT IT? :D Also, SIGNED! Eep!
YESYESYES. PRINCESS OF THE SILVER WOODS! I absolutely LOVED the other two, Princess of the Midnight Ball and Princess of Glass, so getting this was awesome! But it is an eBook so it's going to take a LONG time before you see my review! Same goes for The Raven Boys. I'm pretty sure this one released though. Weird

Weekly Recap
52 Days of 52 Reasons to Love jessica Brody and her Book (AND GIVEAWAY!)
Mini Freak Out: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Review: Crewel by Gennifer Albin
Review: Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter