Week of a Fiction Freak + #NYE14Reads

Hey guys! Before we get into my week and my book haul (long overdue!) I wanted to tell you guys about #NYE14Reads!

It's almost 2014 y'all! And that means...

TWITTER PARTY! 

Or something of the like! Authors will be tweeting about other authors' books (linking Goodreads pages and the like) and we encourage you to do the same! Chat with authors, tweet about your most anticipated books, or just squeal about your excitement for 2014! 

It'll go throughout the day from noon to night. Support the 2014 debut authors and HAVE FUN! 

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So a) I made a new banner because the old one was...weird to me. So, yeah. 

WINTER BREAK!! HALLELUJAH. I think my midterms went pretty well (97 on History, 100 in English, 97 in Math, 88 in Art--we had an actual freaking written exam. What?, 95 in Science, and...Gym. Uh.)

It's been a pretty awesome break but this week, all my relaxing goes away and I have to start working on a giant project due the week we get back from break. So ugh. But anyways! 

Library

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Bought

Control by Lydia Kang

Flawed by Kate Avelynn

Losing Lila by Sarah Alderson

Publisher

Ink by Amanda Son

Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

These Broken Stars by Meagen Spooner and Amie Kaufman

Gifted

The Nightmare Dilemma by Mindee Arnett

Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Pivot Point by Kasie West

Giveaway

Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Breakfast Served Anytime by Sarah Combs

The Chance You Won't Return by Annie Cardi

Caminar by Skila Brown

There Will Be Bears by Ryan Gebhart

I got my friend to check these two out for me (I asked her to get some others for me, but she couldn't get them SIGH.) since I lost my library card...ahahahaha...haha...anyways I read Amy and Roger's already and I ADORED IT SO MUCH. I need to get my own copy soon! I loved Matson's other book, Second Chance Summer, so I had high hopes for Amy and Roger's Epic Detour. Now, I'll officially read anything by Morgan Matson.
CONTROL! I'm so excited to read Control by Lydia Kang. I've been aching for a sci-fi lately, so this is perfect! I also stopped by Half Price Books and picked up Flaw, which seems heartbreakingly emotional, and Losing Lila, the sequel to Hunting Lila. I've been eyeing the series for a while and I jumped at the chance to get the sequel since it wasn't available in the US. Now I have to get my hands on a copy of the first book and I'll be good! 
INK! I got Ink from Harlequin Teen's Panel and I already had an ARC copy, but the finished copy is gorgeous! And I read both These Broken Stars and Fire and Flood--loved both! Reviews to come soon! (These Broken Stars though omg. I need a Pandora, btw.)
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO JESSI FOR THE NIGHTMARE DILEMMA! Read and loved and review shall come! Thanks to Eileen for Pivot Point which I've been DYING TO READ lately and THANKS SO MUCH to Inky for The Coldest Girl in Coldtown! 
I won a Candlewick Press Giveaway and WAS SO EXCITED TO READ THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL SORROWS OF AVA LAVENDER. Which, by the way, is as strange and beautiful as the title suggests. I absolutely adored it. 

I also got a rather epic Secret Santa gift from my Merp Squad Secret Santa, Annabelle! She's a pretty awesome gift giver guys:

Bag of Jolly Ranchers (Actually Inky also got me a bag of Jolly Ranchers! I LOVE JOLLY RANCHERS)

Turquoise Maybelline eyeshadow

$20 B&N Gift Card

See's Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle (it was delicious)

Blue/Purple Scarf

CHRISTMAS CANDY! 

Loved this gift! <3 Annabelle is so sweet! 

AND THEN GUESS WHAT ELSE I GOT. WAIT FOR IT. WAIT FOR IT. (It being the terrible photo, but...)

I BOUGHT TEDDDDYYYYY BEARS. I couldn't decide so I got my mom to get one for herself. Then stole it from her. You know. (Hey so they're both the same but with different shades of brown. BUT THE SHADE OF BROWN IS IMPORTANT DUDE.)

My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

Goodreads Blurb

Lucy just had the worst week ever. Seriously, mega bad. And suddenly, it's all too much—she wants out. Out of her house, out of her head, out of her life. She wants to be a whole new Lucy. So she does something the old Lucy would never dream of.
And now her life will never be the same. Now, how will she be able to have a boyfriend? What will she tell her friends? How will she face her family?
Now her life is completely different...every moment is a gift. Because now she might not have many moments left.

I'm a contemporary girl and if there's a book that'll make me cry or laugh, I'm going to read it. So when I heard about My Life After Now...well I was intrigued! The synopsis was a bit vague so I was curious--and when Ashley recommended it, I decided to grab a copy. I just didn't know how much I'd fall in love with the story!

The most prominent thing about My Life After Now is that it focuses on HIV, something that hasn't really been done before. Sure, we learn about HIV in health, but it never really stuck. Reading about a character, who we're attached to, go through it? That's a different matter and it was brilliant how Verdi wrote about it, giving us not only a heartbreaking story, but also giving us a warning and a lesson.
You can tell how well researched this is and her portrayal of how quickly everything can change was heartbreaking. Suddenly Lucy isn't just worrying about her absent-no-longer mom, or her tool of a boyfriend--now she's wondering how long she'll live, how she can possibly lead a normal life, and how people will ever love her again knowing her secret.

Lucy was such a strong and real character who didn't try to let anyone hurt her, though she did have her moments. She's been hurt again and again, but she rarely lets it get to her. And when she gets HIV, she's determined to keep it a secret from her parents, her friends, and everyone around her. While it wasn't the best decision, you have to admire her for trying to live out a normal life, despite everything that's happened.
All the characters, minor or major, were so well written and they all seemed to build Lucy up, even if they'd wanted to tear her down. It's beautiful how well Jessica Verdi was able to reflect the situation in My Life After Now and I can't deny that I shed a few tears throughout the book.

Romance takes a backseat in this story and instead we focus more on the relationships--before and after HIV. The relationships, like pretty much everything else in the book, are beautifully written, and I couldn't help but love most of the people around her.
Unlike most books, the parents play a big role in this book. Her mom ran away after giving birth to Lucy, leaving her with her dad and, later on, Papa, her other dad. And then right when things are already going downhill, her mom shows up, adding more stress than needed. Her dads were wonderful parents who supported, cared, and loved Lucy to no end and I loved their heartfelt dynamic.
Her relationships with her school friends become strained, though they don't know about HIV yet, and I hurt for Lucy. Then there was Evan, the love interest in this story--I absolutely loved him. He was sweet and cute, and loved Lucy. And, of course for other reasons. But you'll just have to read it for yourself!

Real, beautiful, and hopeful, My Life After Now gives us a story filled with dreams, tears, and a despair that makes you think about how quickly your life can turn around and how you'd respond to such terrifying news. It's a story of how one mistake can break you, but how it could build you up too. My Life After Now is a must read emotional rollercoaster that gives you a story you'll never forget.

Pages: 287

Genre: Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: April 2, 2013

Rating: 7/5 stars

Broken by CJ Lyons

Pages: 336

Genre: Contemporary/Thriller

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: Nov 5, 2013

The only thing fifteen-year-old Scarlet Killian has ever wanted is a chance at a normal life. Diagnosed with a rare and untreatable heart condition, she has never taken the school bus. Or giggled with friends during lunch. Or spied on a crush out of the corner of her eye. So when her parents offer her three days to prove she can survive high school, Scarlet knows her time is now... or never. Scarlet can feel her heart beating out of control with every slammed locker and every sideways glance in the hallway. But this high school is far from normal. And finding out the truth might just kill Scarlet before her heart does.

Short review since it's a DNF (Did Not Finish)

Oh God, when I first heard about this I was so unbelievably excited! I love these kind of stories that always seem to be a tearjerker and a thriller all in one, the ones that have that bit of mystery that just enthralls you. And I was so very curious about her disease.
Yet, this fell flat for me. I'm not sure whether it was because I was in a book slump or what, but this book just disappointed me.

I got about 50% in before I gave up and marked it DNF. Maybe I should've gone a little farther, but I wasn't the biggest fan of what I'd read so far. While the premise and the storyline was decent and probably thrilling, the way it was executed just didn't live up to its potential. Instead of having us gather clue by clue to piece the puzzle together, we were given giant pieces of obvious information that ruined the plot twist at the end. It came out as predictable and note very well written like I was so desperately hoping.

Another thing was the cliche of it. There were so many things that started to get on my nerves. On the first day of school, she happens to meet two sweet guys, make two friends, become a target of the most popular people in school, and gets this private information that no one seems to want to remember. Beginner's luck? Not to mention there was a love triangle--can you even call it that? I felt like our character was so desperate for some high school action she was instantly attracted to the guys who treated her normally. Which I guess I can understand, but not something I really wanted to see in this book since I categorize it as insta-love.

I really couldn't get into this book. The characters were a bit inconsistent for me and I was a bit annoyed by the giant hints sprinkled everywhere like cacti in a cacti farm (don't know why I picked cacti.) That's not to say that Broken didn't have its good points either though!

The premise really was amazing and just because it wasn't for me doesn't necessarily mean it isn't for you! While the plot twist was rather predictable, it does have a unique spin on it that makes you question yourself once in a while too, so maybe you will love it!

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Merry Christmas!

HEY HEY! Hope y'all are having an amazing Christmas today! While I don't have a giveaway (so sorry y'all!) I do have a ton of happy wishes for you! I hope you have the BEST ONE and hey? Maybe a little mistletoe action?

I've been reading too many romances. 

But seriously, have an amazing one! Christmas? THE BEST! Of course like my banner says, HAVE A BOOKISH ONES! Eat cookies, have some hot chocolate, snuggle with family (or a bf) and watch an old movie! :D Like last year all I ask of you is...

DECORATED HOUSES AND TREES. Because those are always fun to look at! Pretty please? Tweet it, Facebook it, whatever. I WANT TO SEE THE LIGHTS. Just not, you know, the good bye Nikki lights. 

Ah Christmas, I do love you. I hope our school has an ice day! 

Oh so story about a Christmas when I was little, because I'm running out of things to say on this post.

ONCE UPON A TIME...

Or not so long ago, maybe when I was 6 or 7, I believed in Santa. So I stayed up ALL NIGHT waiting for Santa. Except I fell asleep (but I didn't know it at the time. I THOUGHT FOR SURE I'D STAYED UP ALL NIGHT) I woke up when I heard a thump and I thought for sure it was Santa's sleigh! So I rushed to the living room and LO AND BEHOLD. There was a present all neatly tied up. 

Later my mom told me that the bump was her bumping into the bed when she came back from leaving my present in the living room. 

END STORY

Funnily, I also once asked Santa for an iPod, a phone, a TV, a laptop, and a dog, just to test if he was real. My mom broke down and told me he wasn't. #CraftybutbrokenheartedNikkialert

But it's okay. We all know he's real. 

HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO.

See? Proof.

LIKE SANTA SAID

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Waiting on Wednesday

Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

Months have passed since Juliet Moreau returned to civilization after escaping her father's island—and the secrets she left behind. Now, back in London once more, she is rebuilding the life she once knew and trying to forget Dr. Moreau’s horrific legacy—though someone, or something, hasn’t forgotten her.
As people close to Juliet fall victim one by one to a murderer who leaves a macabre calling card of three clawlike slashes, Juliet fears one of her father’s creations may have also escaped the island. She is determined to find the killer before Scotland Yard does, though it means awakening sides of herself she had thought long banished, and facing loves from her past she never expected to see again.
As Juliet strives to stop a killer while searching for a serum to cure her own worsening illness, she finds herself once more in the midst of a world of scandal and danger. Her heart torn in two, past bubbling to the surface, life threatened by an obsessive killer—Juliet will be lucky to escape alive.
With inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this is a tantalizing mystery about the hidden natures of those we love and how far we’ll go to save them from themselves.

The ending of Madman's Daughter. THE ENDING. OMG. THAT WAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST SOMEONE SHOOT ME. 
Not to mention, you guys! Jekyll and Hyde! And a murderer. And woah there. "facing loves from her past" ARE WE TALKING ABOUT WHO I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? :D

The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Goodreads Blurb

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner's motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword's point -- he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage's rivals have their own agendas as well.
As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner's sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
An extraordinary adventure filled with danger and action, lies and deadly truths that will have readers clinging to the edge of their seats.

So you guys know, I'm not usually an MG (Middle Grade) person, but I have to say, I think I've changed my mind about that! You'll probably find me raiding the library for some more soon enough! It reminded me what kind of books I LOVED before getting addicted to YA. Better start reading this stuff again!

The False Prince was unbelievably amazing and there's just something about MG that makes you realize how different it is from YA! There's no insta-love worries, there's no romance taking away from the plot, and there are no ridiculous things going on--it's just wonderful writing, amazing plot, action packed adventure, a crown to be fought for, and conspiracies of the best. Or wait. Is that just The False Prince?

Because this book had all of that and so much more!

This was so fun to read! Immediately, we get a sense for just how troublesome Sage is and he's a character you'll immediately like! He's clever,an absolute troublemaker, and he's just an amazing character who makes every boring thing something of interest! Not to say that the other 2 boys were less interesting! Not at all! they're all so completely different that there's no way you can fully hate one. Tobias is educated and smart, but not as strong or willful as Roden, but Roden, in turn, is pretty hard headed and a bit thick. If we're talking stereotypes, Tobias would be the nerd, Roden the jock, and Sage? He's somewhere in between all that. I think his only flaw, really, was that he never knew when to quit or when things were to dangerous. He was strong-willed and COMPLETELY stubborn and I'd love him less if he weren't!

The plot is by far the best thing about The False Prince! It can seem pretty slow at first, but when you get used to the pace, you'll love how the plot just slowly unfurls, throwing twists and turns at  you along the way (I, for one, COULD NOT believe that ending!). It's a captivating read that'll please everyone, no matter what the age or gender!

The False Prince is a book that's hard to dislike and easy to love! Fit for literally everyone and anyone, I'd recommend it to anyone who's getting tired of reading the same old over and over again!

Pages: 342
Genre: Fantasy/Middle Grade
Series: Ascendance Trilogy #1
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Rating: 5 stars