Book Haul + Weekly Recap

HELLO. I BOUGHT BOOKS. Also, I'm 80% chance quitting my blog in Oct.

Won
Unremembered by Jessica Brody

Bought
Poison by Bridget Zinn
Senshi by Cole Gibsen
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington
Sever by Lauren DeStefano

Publisher
Rules by Stacey Kade

Won a YA Book Exchange giveaway, which meant Krista chose a book randomly from my wishlist! Unremembered definitely sounds intriguing and I can't wait to start! (Even if I have no memory of putting it on my wishlist lol!)
Read 3 of those! Senshi and Poison were ones I already read (and reviewed) actually, but I'd read an eARC of Senshi and I wanted a hardback of Poison just because. Finished Clockwork Princess whuch, by the way, had me in TEARS. Oh my GOD. I CRIED SO MUCH. MY HEART. ACK.Excited to read Emblaze and Sever! Speaking of Sever I have a bookplate to stick in it soon...
Read. Loved. ADORABLE. Not really sci-fi-ish (so many hyphens), but good! Review to come...May?


Weekly Recap
Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Waiting on Wednesday
Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston
Money Run by Jack Heath

Money Run by Jack Heath

Goodreads Blurb

Take two child geniuses (thieves in their spare time), one obsessed assassin, and the richest man in the world to create a compelling, completely unpredictable young adult thriller. Fifteen-year-olds Ashley and Benjamin have concocted a daring master plan: to steal billionaire Hammond Buckland's most precious belonging, hidden in the depths of his conspicuous corporate building. But Hammond Buckland has a most elaborate plan of his own - and none of them have counted on Peachey, the hit man with a determination to finish the job - at any cost!The beginning of a dazzling new series from Jack Heath, author of The Lab and Remote Control.

This was definitely an interesting read for me, considering I've never really read suspense or real thrillers. Psychological thrillers, sure. But the closest thing I've gotten was either Burnin Blue or Gallagher Girls--and those two were nowhere near as complex as this.

There were a lot of amusing things with this--plans within plans within plans. Hints disguised as casual conversation, and actions predicted half a year ago. Reading from Ash's POV was fun and reading about all her ingenious plans was definitely eye opening. She was so devilishly smart and could pretty much get herself out of every tight spot thrown at her. She was an incredible quick thinker and I have to hand it to Heath--he certainly knew what he was writing about! The plans were so amazingly complex and they made sure to inspect things from every angle to make sure that they wouldn't be going to jail anytime soon.

Except...
The stupidest mistake they could ever make and something I didn't understand. They went into this mission to find $200 million, but they had no clue what form it was in. For all they knew it could've been a giant statue, piles of cash, or really ANYTHING.  Who would do that? If you can buy enough, anything could be worth $200 million. I found it completely idiotic that they were risking pretty much anything for this--and having no idea exactly what they were stealing.

Another problem I had--there were so many switching POVs, we never really got to fully meet the characters. We know that Ash and Benjamin are best friends, super close, and literally trust each other with their lives. We know they're both insanely intelligent, but beyond that, we don't really learn anything about them. And the same goes for pretty much all the characters. I guess it's just the result of switching third person POVs. But most of the characters we did see, no matter how briefly, annoyed me.

The plot was so amazing though! It's truly surprising how much Heath managed to fit into less than a day and still have it not seem rushed. There were so many twists that were seriously, SERIOUSLY, unpredictable, but saying that would be spoiling too much! I guess you'd have to find out yourself!

This was a light read that I fully enjoyed that! Assassins, heists, and a whole complicated bunch of plans create a fun book that ends up having a little moral lesson at the end. I may not have loved it, but it was definitely pretty hard to put down! *Read it in one sitting*

Also. Love Buckland. His character was definitely my favorite of the book.

Pages: 256
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Series: Ashley Arthur #1
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: April 1, 2013
Rating: 3.5 exactly

The Rules For Disappearing by Ashley Elston

Goodreads Blurb

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.
Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.
But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters — survival.

This was simply amazing! I knew it sounded interesting, but I honestly wasn't sure whether I'd love it or hate it, or have no feelings at all. But I'm  SO glad to say that The Rules of Disappearing had me captivated from start to finish!

I think this is a blend of a Thriller and a Romance. It was adorable, but there was a definite edge to the plot that made you aware that this was also a Thriller in it's own way, but it wasn't quite as Oh-my-gosh what's going to happen? thrilling. It was just it's own style which I loved!

I'm just putting this in now, but we discover the real reason their in the Witness Protection Program a little less than halfway through the book and the rest is...well, you'll have to figure it out!
I loved the pacing in The Rules for Disappearing; it fit the book perfectly and I never got bored and never wanted to put it down! And I didn't. It's a one sit-one read book! But while it was never slow, the action significantly picks up in the second half and that's where the pages turn faster and faster until the end, where helllooooo cliffhanger!

The romance in this was, like I said, completely adorable! I was in love with Ethan from the start and I was cheering them on since page one! Every time Meg would push him away, I wanted to push them closer together--they just fit each other like little pieces of a puzzle, excuse the cliche, and together, they were just wonderful!

Ethan was a mix of sweet golden boy with just a little bad boy and just the type of character I loved as a love interest. He was so nice to Mary and so concerned for Meg and incredibly, incredibly clever. Surprised me for sure! Here's a slight SPOILER: He figures everything out on his own, which is more than I can say for some characters, so there was that!

Meg was a character that's easy to like and easy to connect with. She's hungry for answers and she loves her family, despite all their dysfunctions--she just doesn't always realize it. She tries to do what's best for others and she strives to be indifferent--something that we know firsthand isn't easy. Falling in love, getting comfrotable, making friends--all against her Rules for Disappearing. But then, she can't really help herself!

The Rules for Disappearing is it's own unique book that fans of Chick Lit and Mystery will enjoy, also giving off a type of fantasy vibe without the actual fantasy! If you're looking for an edgy, but light read, this is definitely the one I'd recommend!

Pages: 320
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Contemporary
Series: Rules for Disappearing #1
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Rating: 5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday

Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

No one crosses the wall of light . . . except for one girl who doesn’t remember who she is, where she came from, or how she survived. A harrowing, powerful debut thriller about finding yourself and protecting your future—no matter how short and uncertain it may be. 

The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams is the Dark. And between the Light and the Dark is the Grey, a narrow, barren no-man’s-land. That’s where the rescue team finds Marina, a lone teenage girl with no memory of the horrors she faced or the family she lost. Marina is the only person who has ever survived an encounter with the Fade. She’s the first hope humanity has had in generations, but she could also be the catalyst for their final destruction. Because the Fade will stop at nothing to get her back. Marina knows it. Tobin, who’s determined to take his revenge on the Fade, knows it. Anne-Marie, who just wishes it were all over, knows it.

When one of the Fade infiltrates the Arclight and Marina recognizes it, she will begin to unlock secrets she didn’t even know she had. Who will Marina become? Who can she never be again?


Oooh, doesn't this sound good? AND SO ORIGINAL! Arclight, The Fade, the Dark...SQUEE. IT sounds super cool and we all know how I just ADORE those amnesia stories right? I hope this one's done right! :D  Plus, the name Anne-Marie...heehee. *waves to Annabelle*

Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Goodreads Blurb

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.
In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.
Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes.

Okay, so after my review of Beautiful Disaster, I'm not quite sure why I was so desperate to read this, or why I requested. I guess it was the "addictive" part! And yet, what I happened to like reading in Beautiful Disaster seemed to be completely gone in Walking Disaster.

So, I don't want to be mean, but Walking Disaster was so cheesy and so cliché. I cringed so much and had to roll my eyes. In the prologue, Travis is a little boy and his mom's dying. And her final words to her son? "Fight for what you love." and then he's told "she will always be with you, even if you can't see her." I guess that could be sweet, but it's just so overused and it was basically that. There was no originality, honestly, in this book (in the prologue and in general.)

Walking Disaster was, for me, more of a highlight of why Beautiful Disaster was so awkward for me. I always felt like Travis was a bit crazy, and seeing the story from his point of view pretty much confirmed it. He was such a horrible person and their relationship was definitely more dysfunctional in this version than the other. Travis had so many anger issues and it was so frustrating. I mean, I'd like my boyfriend to get a little jealous, but punching a guy who was just talking? I can see why Abby got angry at him. But Travis saw absolutely nothing wrong with his actions, which made me want to slam my face into my table a few times. I hate to be so snarky, but...

Anyways. Something I seemed to forget about Beautiful Disaster was how indecisive Abby was. She'd argue with him, yell at him, and then do a few dirty things with him. Awkward. I really couldn't get used to that at all and it was a bit disturbing. Meep.

So I'm really not a fan of this series, but if you are I guess you'd enjoy it. It was...huh. I have no words to describe it in it's fullness. Well, I really wouldn't recommend the series, though you may like it if you're into the whole break up thing. Similar books? I can only think Crash by Nicole Williams!  

Pages: 448
Genre: Contemporary/New Adult
Series: Beautiful #2
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Rating: 1.5--->1 star

Showcase Sunday + Weekly Recap

HELLLOOOOOO. The computer sort of works, though it does shut down randomly from time to time! I didn't really get any good pictures either, and most of my haul are eBooks!

Edelweiss/NetGalley
Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton
Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead
Reboot by Amy Tintera
September Girls by Bennett Madison
Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Publisher
Death, Doom, and Detention by Darynda Jones

Bought
Pretty Girl-13

OHMYGOD. I LOVED SOME QUIET PLACE SO MUCH. Plus, my review of it is possibly the longest I've ever written. Walking Disaster was a disaster (I'm not quite sure why I requested it) and Gameboard of the Gods was a bit disappointing. I can NOT wait to start on September Girls or Reboot though!
Read. Loved. ADORE THIS SERIES
OMG I GOT IT I GOT IT I GOT IT! I'm DYING to read Pretty Girl-13! It sounds so wonderfully creepy and it's gotten starred reviews! Not to mention, the font on the cover is the same as the word Freak in my banner lol.

Weekly Recap
Taken by Erin Bowman
Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar
Waiting on Wednesday
Slated by Teri Terry
Poison by Bridget Zinn