Top Ten Tuesday (21)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

This week's theme is: 

Top Ten Characters I'd Like to Switch Places With for 24 Hours

1. Kami from Unspoken by Sara Rees Brennan -
She's one awesome chick! I love her drive and determination. Plus, I've always harbored secret dreams of becoming a reporter.

2. Cinder from Cinder by Marissa Meyer -

She's got a tough life, but she's a tough girl. I think it would be so interesting to see through her eyes for a while.

3. Sophie from Howl's Moving Castle by Dianne Wynne Jones -
One of my favorite books/movies and I really loved Sophie and her blooming relationship with Howl. I'm so in love with Howl. It's not even funny. He need to be real and in my life.

4. Rose from The Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead -

Just during the angst/lurve scenes between her and Dimitri. Because he makes me swoon. He's soooo attractive in my head. Rose is so lucky to have a man like Dimitri in her life. It made me super made when she made idiot decisions. I would be her and fix those issues.

5. Ananna from The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke -
I think that the world Ananna is a part of is one of the most interesting that I've read. I'd love to see it with my own eyes. And the fact that she's a pirate? How cool! I would snuggle with Naji. Forever.

6. Tris from the Divergent series by Veronica Roth -

I want to be a badass. Excuse my French. Tris is awesome. The way she trains and takes care of herself and those around her? I wish I could do that. Plus Four? It's great to have a single love interest that adores her and cares about her more than anyone else in the world.

7. Anna from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins -
Her story? Sa-woon! I've never been out of the United States. So to go to a great school in Paris and partake in a different culture? WANT. And Etienne? Well, he's just a bonus.

8. Georgia Mason from the Newsflesh series by Mira Grant -

Just for 24 hours, right? I'd like to see what happens after the series ends. Georgia is one of the coolest chicks I've ever read about. Zombies are my favorite science-fiction concept. And Shaun makes me giggle. I want a chance to live her life. Just for a day... Unless I like it more than that.

9. Anya from the Unfinished Hero Series by Kristen Ashley -
Because I want to kick Knight in the goodies and then get a restraining order. I HATE HIM SO MUCH. What a horrible love interest.

10. Kate from the Goddess Test series by Aimée Carter -

I love this series. A lot of people don't, but I think it's so interesting. Kate can be really annoying, but Ms. Carter's creation is so interesting. I'd love to meet the gods and goddesses. There are so many things in this series that I want to experience! And again, I want Henry.

Can you tell I'm a romance junkie? 

Who do you want to be for 24 hours?

Teaser Tuesday: The Darkest Day (Immortal Heat #1) by Britt Bury

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

--------------------------

"There was a reason Kelvin hadn't been to the Harlington in several years. He'd be lucky to walk two feet into any establishment there without raising unwelcome attention, especially with a human in tow."
Chapter 16, 49%
The Darkest Day (Immortal Heat #1) by Britt Bury

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Stacking the Shelves (13)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share the books and goodies that they've received over the week.

Edwin Didn't Get Anything To Put On His Shelves This Week


Emily's Stack for the Shelves:

From Netgalley:

After: Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia Anthology

Release Date: October 9, 2012

Andy Squared by Jennifer Lavioe

Release Date: September 18, 2012

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) by Jamie McGuire

Release Date: May 26, 2012

(I KNOW. I KNOW. I just have to read it. I'm so curious... It's bad.)

The Darkest Day (Immortal Heat #1) by Britt Bury

Release Date: July 3, 2012

The Demon Catchers of Milan by Kat Beyer

Release Date: August 28, 2012

Diverse Energies Anthology

Release Date: October 15, 2012

Never Seduce a Scot (The Montgomerys and the Armstrongs #1) by Maya Banks

Release Date: September 25, 2012

A Season for Sin by Vicky Dreiling

Release Date: September 4, 2012

The Theory of Attraction by Delphine Dryden

Release Date: July 9, 2012

Gifted:

A twitter friend of mine sent me some Terry's Dark Chocolate Oranges.

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW AWESOME MY LIFE IS NOW.

Look at it. Beautiful specimen right there. Thank you, GG! <3

Ignore the random links that have shifted to the left. I'm too lazy to change them.

Also - check out our INT giveaway!

Book Review: Confessions of an Angry Girl (Confessions #1) by Louise Rozett

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin
304 Pages

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some CONFESSIONS to make... #1: I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

#2: I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who "might" be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

#3: High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry-get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.) (Sorry. That was rude.)

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

Goodreads.Twitter.Website.Facebook

FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads.Amazon.Barnes & Noble

Reivew:

Confessions of an Angry Girl had my attention as soon as I saw the cover. The blurb? Only made me want to get my hands on it sooner. When I saw the publisher had posted the book on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read it! Let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

I was hooked on this book from the very beginning. I started it and told myself I would be going to bed after five chapters. I continued to say that until I finished the book. I honestly could not put the book down. Confessions of an Angry Girl was everything I look for in a young-adult novel: angst, romance, drama, friendship and high school horror stories. While some of the situations in this story seemed unrealistic for the age group in my opinion, it may just be because I come a from small town and everyone is generally nice to people. My high school experience, while totally awful, was nothing like Rose's. (THANK JOHN TRAVOLTA.)

The writing was brilliant. I could feel my face getting red every time Rose was mad or embarrassed. Rose's tears and teenage angst curled my stomach. The author, Louise Rozett, is brilliant. Seriously. The writing was realistic and really made me feel. I could read Ms. Rozett's writing all day. ALL. DAY. Loved the voice of this novel. I could really relate to Rose. I had a lot of anger issues in high school. She kept me entertained with this story and really made me fall in love with the characters - or hate them depending on who we are talking about. Her friends kinda suck, but I feel bad for Robert. It's nice that Tracy comes around in the end. There is some major hate going on between me and Regina. Isn't the psycho always named Regina?! (For example: Mean Girls) In this case, Regina needs to be locked up! She's a horrible, nasty girl!

A little awkward reading about her at the gynecologist, but educational none the less. It goes into major detail about things that occur during a pap test and exam. They discuss going on the pill and what that means for young women and sex with their partners. Girls should know what to expect when it comes to being safe during sex and the negative side effects that come with having sex too early. Nowadays you can't be too careful. This book is great from coming of age young women.

I LOVED Jamie, Rose's love interest. He's wonderful. He's rough around the edges. Jamie had a rough life and Rose is good for him. She really cares for him beyond infatuation. And though he doesn't believe he's good enough for her, he really wants to be with her, too. The end leaves us at a point where we just want to know what's going to happen between the two next. So I seriously need the next book. As. Soon. As. Possible.

I'M SO UNBELIEVABLY EXCITED FOR BOOK TWO: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend. Is it 2013 yet? I can't wait to see where the author takes us. It's fascinating to me that the author plans to do a book for each year of Rose's high school career. I really enjoyed this even if it wasn't aimed at my age group. This was definitely for teenage girls, who are beginning high school or don't know how to be themselves during the transition, but I adored everything about this novel!

I received and e-copy of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley for my honest opinion and review.

Follow Friday (24)

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View andAlison Can Read.

Q. Summer Reading. What was your favorite book that you were required to read when you were in school?

A. I was just thinking about this the other day! In high school, I really loved read Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, which for my AP Language and Composition class. In college, I really enjoyed reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. That was the only book I liked that we read in my Introduction to British Literature class. Frankenstein is still one of my favorite books.

What books did you enjoy reading for school?

Title, Cover and Blurb Reveal

Ed and I are happy to be a part of the cover and blurb reveal for 

Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt's new adult novel

Lengths

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Nineteen-year-old Whit Conrad leaves her conservative Pennsylvania home for sunny California, looking for independence, a fresh start, and a place to stash her grief. She promptly finds a job at a tattoo parlor, a craptastic first apartment, and one friend—Ryan—who is a little less friend, a little more benefits.

Deo Beckett is a soulful surfer with a passion for tattoos and beautiful women. On the eve of his twenty-second birthday, he finds himself living with his grandfather, recently unemployed, and seriously adrift. He doesn’t know much about what he wants out of life, but he does know his current situation isn't cutting it.

When Deo meets Whit, she’s all sexy makeup and fierce, smart-ass fun. It doesn’t take him long to see past her tough shell. And when he gets a good look at what's under all the superficial stuff that usually gets his attention, it leaves Deo wondering if there might be more to life than living fast and free.

Too bad Whit has a past she doesn't plan on sharing—no matter how hot Deo is. She might want him, but she knows better than to let her guard down.

Deo falls for Whit, and falls hard. But everything about her, down to that mysterious tattoo and the way she thrashes in her sleep, tells him that the girl he loves is hiding something. And the more he pushes for answers, the more Whit pulls away.

Having your guard up is one thing, but are the lengths Whit goes to to protect her secret worth throwing away the second chance she has at happiness with Deo?

FIND STEPH CAMPBELL:

Goodreads.Twitter.Website.Facebook

FIND LIZ REINHARDT:

Goodreads.Twitter.Website.Facebook

It sounds really interesting and the cover is absolutely gorgeous! Can't wait to get a copy! 

Lengths sounds like it will be a great book.

What do you think of it?

Book Review: Shine, Shine, Shine by Lydia Netzer

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: July 17, 2012

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

320 Pages

A debut unlike any other, Shine, Shine, Shine is a shocking, searing, breathless love story, a gripping portrait of modern family, and a stunning exploration of love, death and what it means to be human

Sunny Mann has masterminded a life for herself and her family in a quiet Virginia town. Her house and her friends are picture-perfect. Even her genius husband, Maxon, has been trained to pass for normal. But when a fender bender on an average day sends her coiffed blonde wig sailing out the window, her secret is exposed. Not only is she bald, Sunny is nothing like the Stepford wife she’s trying to be. As her facade begins to unravel, we discover the singular world of Sunny, an everywoman searching for the perfect life, and Maxon, an astronaut on his way to colonize the moon.

Theirs is a wondrous, strange relationship formed of dark secrets, decades-old murders and the urgent desire for connection. As children, the bald, temperamental Sunny and the neglected savant Maxon found an unlikely friendship no one else could understand. She taught him to feel—helped him translate his intelligence for numbers into a language of emotion. He saw her spirit where others saw only a freak. As they grew into adults, their profound understanding blossomed into love and marriage.

But with motherhood comes a craving for normalcy that begins to strangle Sunny’s marriage and family. As Sunny and Maxon are on the brink of destruction, at each other’s throats with blame and fear of how they’ve lost their way, Maxon departs for the moon, where he’s charged with programming the robots that will build the fledgling colony. Just as the car accident jars Sunny out of her wig and into an awareness of what she really needs, an accident involving Maxon’s rocket threatens everything they’ve built, revealing the things they’ve kept hidden. And nothing will ever be the same.

WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATERIAL UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18. 

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

Goodreads.Twitter.Website.Facebook

FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads.Amazon.Barnes & Noble

Review:

Shine, Shine, Shine is the strangest book that I've ever read. Not in a bad way, not at all, but I don't think I'll ever be able to rate it. It's so out of the norm that I can't rate it by the standards of my usual usual rating system.

To be honest, the cover is what drew me into this book. It's gorgeous, a bit immature for the plot and writing style, but gorgeous nonetheless. I saw it on Netgalley and didn't read about the book or even check the genre, I just saw the cover and immediately requested the book. I'll learn my lesson about judging books by their covers one day, but in this case, my instinct was spot-on.

Shine, Shine, Shine was not what I was expecting. I couldn't decide if, by the summary, it would be about aliens or it would be contemporary. Even though Maxon, one of the main characters, acted like an alien and Sunny, the other main character, looked like an alien, this was definitely a contemporary novel.

I loved Maxon. He is awkward and definitely not social creature, but he loves Sunny with all of his heart. That fact grows clearer as the book progresses. Even though he's not with her in person, as he is in space, Sunny and their children are what he thinks of most. I had trouble reading from Sunny's perspective sometimes. She isn't the easiest character to like. She's self-centered, sometimes cruel, emotionally stunted, but her intentions were honest and relatable. So while I didn't always like her, I rooted for her and Maxon to get the happily-ever-after that they deserved.

The secondary characters were interesting. There weren't many that played a big role in the story, but the ones that were closest to Sunny - her mother and two best friends, helped her learn lessons about being who you are and not who you think you should be. I was surprised to gain a lesson myself from this story, but I did. This is a great book for people who need help being themselves. I think the main thing to take from this book is that everyone has crazy within them so no one should be afraid to be themselves because those who care about them will continue to do so even if they are odd.

The end… I didn't like the end. I am a very cliche ending person. I love to know what happens to the characters. That means I'm not a fan of open-ended endings. There isn't anything wrong with them, but I need to know that the characters I've come to care about get their happily-ever-afters. So while the way the book leaves off left me wanting, I think it fits the novel better than the ending I wished for.

Shine, Shine, Shine was captivating. The writing was absolutely phenomenal. I am not ashamed to say I was brought to tears more than once by the prose and plot that the author weaves. I put this book down once and that was to sleep. Besides sleeping, I couldn't put the book down long enough to do something else. All of the elements of this book made it perfect. I think many adults will enjoy this. I think that this is a book that people will love or hate. It's not the easiest book to connect with, but if you give it a chance, I think many adults will like it.

I received and e-copy of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley for my honest opinion and review.

Book Review: Chase in Shadow (Johnnies #1) by Amy Lane

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: February 24, 2012
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
320 Pages

Chase Summers: Golden boy. Beautiful girlfriend, good friends, and a promising future. 

Nobody knows the real Chase.

Chase Summers has a razor blade to his wrist and the smell of his lover’s goodbye clinging to his skin. He has a door in his heart so frightening he’d rather die than open it, and the lies he’s used to block it shut are thinning with every forbidden touch. Chase has spent his entire life unraveling, and his decision to set his sexuality free in secret has only torn his mind apart faster. 

Chase has one chance for true love and salvation. He may have met Tommy Halloran in the world of gay-for-pay—where the number of lovers doesn’t matter as long as the come-shot’s good—but if he wants the healing that Tommy’s love has to offer, he’ll need the courage to leave the shadows for the sunlight. That may be too much to ask from a man who’s spent his entire life hiding his true self. Chase knows all too well that the only things thriving in a heart’s darkness are the bitter personal demons that love to watch us bleed.

WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATERIAL UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18. 

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

Goodreads.Twitter.Website.Facebook

FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads.Amazon.Barnes & Noble

Review:

I'm starting to think that Amy Lane's writing is just not for me. This is the fourth novel that I've read by Ms. Lane and I'm still not blown away. I enjoyed her Talker series, but Chase in Shadow and It's Not Shakespeare fell flat for me. 

I've heard a lot of wonderful things about Ms. Lane's writing and I can see where the praise is coming from, but the plot distracts me from enjoying the book. My friends, well, those who enjoy M/M romance, read her books all the time and love her work. Sadly, I cannot join their ranks.

This book, Chase in Shadow, was overdone, in my opinion. Too many things happened. It was enough for me that the main character couldn't come out of the closet because of a traumatic past and that he joined Johnnies, but everything else on top of that just bored me. It bored me because it got ridiculously unrealistic. There were too many obstacles for this all to be possible. Plus the end? Really? That's supposed to work?

I didn't like the characters. Tommy/Tango was sweet, but he frustrated the hell out of me. Most of the time, I wanted to slam my head into a wall when he let Chase/Chance step all over him. I couldn't stand Chase/Chance. I get where the character is coming from, but ugh, come on. Weak characters are really getting on my last nerve. Can anyone be strong, independent and be proud of who they are? It's been so long since I read a character with those attributes. I liked most of Chase/Chance's co-workers, though. They added depth, release and friendship that I think Chase/Chance and Tommy/Tango definitely needed in the story. 

The writing was difficult to get through. The story is told in 3rd person point-of-view, but it's all about Chase/Chance. I didn't mind that, but the flashbacks that are in 3rd person omniscient added little to the story. I would've preferred it stay in a constant tense and the same point-of-view. I got bored and annoyed very quickly. I ended up skipping a lot of the book, but I got the gist of it.

Enter sad sigh here. I think I'm breaking up with Amy Lane. No offense to her. Really - it's me, not her. Her books just don't do it for me. I would like to give her Promises series a try, but I make no promises. A little pun there to leave you with.

I received and e-copy of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley for my honest opinion and review.

Desperately Wanting Wednesday (6)

Desperately Wanting Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Rachel at Parajunkee's View. Unlike "Waiting On Wednesday" the meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, you can talk about books that you want that have already been released, but you haven't had a chance to read.

This week's theme is:
Books That Are Sitting On My Shelf But I Can't Get To Yet

Our Released Pick:

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:
Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
Release Date: June 18, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
454 Pages

Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives--and the way they understand each other so completely--has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.

I have been dying to read this since I heard of it. I was lucky enough to get a copy of it from a friend. This needs to bump up on my list! So many books to read, so little time!

Our To-Be-Released Pick:

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Sneak (Swipe #2) by Evan Angler

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

288 Pages

In a future United States under the power of a charismatic leader, everyone gets the Mark at age thirteen. The Mark lets citizen shop, go to school, and even get medical care-but without it, you are on your own. Few refuse to get the Mark. Those who do . . . disappear.

Logan Langly went in to get his Mark, but he backed out at the last minute. Now he’s on the run from government agents who will stop at nothing to capture him. But Logan is on a mission to find and save his sister, Lily, who disappeared five years ago on her thirteenth birthday, the day she was supposed to receive her Mark.

Logan and his friends, a group of dissenters called the Dust, discover a vast network of the Unmarked, who help them travel safely to the capital city where Lily is imprisoned. Along the way, the Dust receives some startling information from the Markless community, opening their eyes to the message of Christianity and warning that humanity is now entering the End of Days.

When the Dust finally arrives in the capital, it seems that all their careful planning is useless against a government that will do anything to bend its citizens to its will. Can the gentle words Logan has found in a tattered, banned Bible really stand against the most powerful military the world has ever known? Can Logan even sacrifice his own freedom, choosing to act through faith alone?

I adored the first book in this series. Sneak was on Netgalley and with how much I loved book one, Swipe, I knew I had to take advantage and grab a copy of this one, too! I can't wait to read it. This story is so interesting and I can't wait to see where the author takes us next.

Teaser Tuesday: Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

---------------------

"Chaos descended on Kami's headquarters. Ash gave Jared an appalled stare and shut the door with a slam. Holly jumped, her apple rolling off the computer and onto the floor."
Chapter 10, ARC Page 88
Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan

I'm seriously loving this book. It's phenomenal.

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Top Ten Tuesday (20)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

This week's theme is:

Top Ten Most Vivid Worlds/Settings in Books

1. Panem -
I could probably paint the world of The Hunger Games with my eyes closed. Suzanne Collins is brilliant at creating a setting that you grow to know so well that it becomes believable.
2. Ravka -
I'm reading Shadow and Bone right now and the world that Leigh Bardugo creates leaves me breathless. The way she writes makes me feel like I'm seeing EVERYTHING through Alina's eyes.
3. The Magical World of Harry Potter -
Anyone who doesn't include this is lying. I grew up in that world and even before seeing it on the big screen, I'd dream of it every night.
4. The Shima Isles -
I've said this a thousand times, but Jay Kristoff's words are utterly amazing. I was left speechless by the way that the world that he creates seems to leap from the page. (It helps that you see some of it from the cover of Stormdancer.)
5. Middle Earth
I just reread The Hobbit. First, I could read that book a thousand times and never tire of it. Second, J.R.R. Tolkien is a genius. Middle Earth was always a world I wanted to visit. I imagined myself fighting orcs and drinking with the hobbits and hugging Gandalf forever. I can't wait to get another glimpse from the movie!
6. New Beijing -
Cinder is definitely one of my all-time favorite books. Marissa Meyer just has a way with words. The dystopian setting she creates in this novel has me captivated. I only wish I could really see it closer.
7. Narnia -
If I don't put this on the list, it will bug me for the rest of my life. While I wasn't a huge fan of the books or the movies, I definitely remember growing up picturing the wardrobe and the land that lay beyond it!
8. Howl's Castle -
Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite movie at the moment. Actually... It's tied with Tangled. (I know, let me pull out my Legos.) BUT before it was a movie, it was a book. I read the book after and was thoroughly impressed by how easy it was to fall into the setting the Dianna Wynne Jones wrote.
P.S. I luv Howl and Sophie! Howl & Sophie 4eva!
Ignore my notebook fangirling.
9. Prague -
Daughter of Smoke and Bone... Le sigh. Laini Taylor's picture should be next to the definition of vivid. The details in her novels are unlike any I've ever read. Plus the ideas and storylines are so freaking original and creepy. She's wonderful.
10 - Joy d'Arena/Orovalle
Rae Carson makes me sad. Sad because she writes a beautiful, awe-inspiring world that doesn't exist. So when I want to live there I can't. Boo. But really, The Girl of Fire and Thorns? Go read it. It's beautiful. Book two should be in my hands now.

What are your favorite settings or book worlds?

Don't forget about our INT giveaway! 

Find it HERE for a chance to win one of four prizes!

Book Review: So Into You (The Jane Austen Academy Series #2) by Cecilia Gray

The blurb as seen on Goodreads:

Release Date: July 21, 2012
Publisher: Self-Published through The Alpha Division, LLP

Modern retelling/based on Sense & Sensibility.

The last thing that the girls at the elite Jane Austen Academy need is guys. But over the summer the school has been sold, and like it or not, the guys are coming. And they're about to turn the Academy—and the lives of its students—totally upside down…

Meet sweet and sensible Ellie who hasn’t met a problem her mom’s yoga mantras can’t fix. But when her parents threaten to pull her from the Academy just as her flirtation with the cutest boy in school heats up, will Ellie be able to keep her cool?

VISIT THE AUTHOR:

Goodreads.Twitter.Website.Facebook

FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads.Amazon.Barnes & Noble

Review:

I've read a few Jane Austen retellings, but I have to say, Cecilia Gray's The Jane Austen Academy series is my favorite, by far. Cecilia expertly weaves a story of love, heart-break, strength and determination in every piece she writes. As you read, it is obvious that she gives her whole self to the story. It's so lovely to read! 

So Into You is the second book in Cecilia's The Jane Austen Academy series. While book one, Fall For You was a modernized version of Pride & Prejudice, this book was a retelling of Sense & Sensibility. The way that Cecilia incorporates Jane Austen's characters into one series is so intriguing and the fact that the characters are all friends is such a unique and crazy awesome idea! Cecilia is basically a genius.

This book stars Ellie Dvorak, a sweet, fun girl, who loves her friends, her school and although they drive her insane, her parents. In the story, Ellie struggles with the heartache of love and loss. She learns to accept that life doesn't always take you on the path you want to be on, so if she wants something, she can't sit by and let it pass. Her love interest, Edward, is adorkable, sweet and though he doesn't do well in showing it, he really cares for Ellie. Sa-woon. So Into You gives us a fun young-adult story that has you smiling, laughing, sighing, swooning and wanting to hug Ellie so hard.

I have no complaints about this book. None. The plot is realistic. The characters feel like real people. The situations that occur within the novel actually happen. This book was a great modern day young-adult Jane Austen retelling. So Into You is a self-published novel, but you wouldn't be able to tell just by reading it. The writing style and plot are better than some books that I've read that have been published by top companies. It's fun to read, it's modern and keeps your attention until the very end. Plus, So Into You, much like Cecilia's other books, is pretty short, so it's also a fast read! This is definitely a good summer read for when you are laying on the beach or sitting by the pool. No matter what you are doing, really, So Into You is the book for you. (You like that rhyme?)

I was lucky enough to be the second person in the universe to get a copy of So Into You, the first person being Cecilia herself. Cecilia and I have become friends since I started stalking her. (Only on the interwebz, I swear.) She knows that I love to read, is surprised that I have loved EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. of her books and she also knows about my big, fat obsession with One Direction. So she sent me a finished copy of So Into You Thursday night. Obviously, I immediately downloaded it and dug right in. I'm so glad she finds me amusing enough to share with because this book was so awesome. I don't know what else to say. I just love her writing and her characters and the plots and everything. My only wish is that she'd write faster because I can't wait to read the next story!

P.S. Here is a picture of the covers and titles for the entire Jane Austen Academy Series!

Stacking the Shelves (12)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share the books and goodies that they've received over the week.

Edwin Didn't Get Anything To Put On His Shelves This Week

Emily's Stack for the Shelves:

From Netgalley:

Two and Twenty Dark Tales by Various Authors

Release Date: October 16, 2012

The Enchanted Truth by Kym Petrie

Release Date: September 18, 2012

Gifted/Won:

Swag Pack from Suzanne Lazear

Bookplates and a bookmark from Bethany Griffin

What did you get for you book shelves this week?