Stacking the Shelves [37]

I am joining in on Stacking The Shelves, a weekly meme hosted over at Tynga's Reviews. It is an easy way to share what books you picked up that week, and to see what other people have picked up to read themselves.

How to Participate?

• Create your own Stacking The Shelves post. You can use my official graphic or your own, but please link back to Tynga’s Reviews so more people can join the fun!
• You can set your post any way you want, simple book list, covers, pictures, vlog, sky is the limit!
• I am posting Stacking The Shelves on Saturdays, but feel free to post yours any day that fits you.
• Visit Tynga’s Reviews on Saturday and add your link so others can visit you!
  
  
  

THIS WEEK:

I was very good about my book buying this week, so I am very proud of myself! The only books that I added to my shelves this week are the books that I pre-ordered at the very beginning of the month. All three of the books released on the 27th, and they showed up to my house yesterday (I love how fast Amazon shipping can be). It was nice to have books I was excited about pre-ordered, and I plan to continue this throughout the rest of the year.

Fairest by Marissa Meyer

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

 Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff

A teenage boy tries to understand his best friend's suicide by listening to the playlist of songs he left behind in this smart, voice-driven debut novel.

Here's what Sam knows: There was a party. There was a fight. The next morning, his best friend, Hayden, was dead. And all he left Sam was a playlist of songs, and a suicide note: For Sam—listen and you'll understand.

As he listens to song after song, Sam tries to face up to what happened the night Hayden killed himself. But it's only by taking out his earbuds and opening his eyes to the people around him that he will finally be able to piece together his best friend’s story. And maybe have a chance to change his own.

Part mystery, part love story, and part coming-of-age tale in the vein of Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Tim Tharp’s The Spectacular Now, Playlist for the Dead is an honest and gut-wrenching first novel about loss, rage, what it feels like to outgrow a friendship that's always defined you—and the struggle to redefine yourself. But above all, it's about finding hope when hope seems like the hardest thing to find.

 Love, Lucy by April Lindner

While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse are over, too.

In this coming-of-age romance, April Lindner perfectly captures the highs and lows of a summer love that might just be meant to last beyond the season.

What books did you add to your shelves this week?

Blog Tour: Defenseless by Elisa Dane (@ElisaDane)

Defenseless (Diamond Girls #3)

by Elisa Dane 

Release Date: 01/17/15

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

High school senior, Claire Reilly’s world revolves around All-Star cheerleading. The Diamond Girls, are gearing up for a major competition, which, if they win will allow them to compete at Worlds for the first time. But the unimaginable happens, and both Claire and her team are rocked by a devastating loss. Determined to get to Worlds any way she can, Claire finds help from the last person she imagined would give it—up and coming UFC fighter and notorious bad boy, Ryker Vaughn.

Fouled out of the octagon by a dirty opponent and a vicious kick to the head, Ryker loses control when he learns he may never fight again. Angry over the loss of his mother, an unsupportive family, and the world in general, he gives up, gives in, and unleashes his rage—destroying part of his cousin’s cheer gym in the process. Things go from bad to worse when Ryker is given an ultimatum: help the Diamond Girls compete for a bid to Worlds, or go to jail.

Overwhelmed with anger, sadness, and grief, the unlikely pair learn that what you see is not always what you get, and that the most difficult losses sometimes open the door to a frightening, yet amazing new future.

Add to Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon

Links for Ex-Factor:

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Links for Unbreakable:

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Review: I was so excited when I received the email about the blog tour for this book. I had the opportunity to read and review the first two books in the series last year, and I absolutely loved them. In fact, I gave them both a rating of 5-stars. I do wish that I could remember them a bit better at this point, but it has been awhile, so I guess that just means I need to go back and read them again! Still, I was thrilled to see that the third book in the series had been released (I'm pretty sure that this is the last one, though I could certainly read more!), and I had no doubt that it was going to be great just like the other two.

I really enjoy Dane's writing, and the way that she handles difficult topics and situations. Since it is a book for teens, she seems to understand how important it is not to preach at her readers about the importance of not doing certain things that could lead to severe consequences. Instead, things happen to the characters that cause deep emotions for the reader. At least it did for me, and I am assuming most people would feel very similar things. I think that this is one of those books that everyone could get something out of, but certainly young adults.

I really liked Claire as a character, she was relate able, and it was certainly easy to feel for her as she went through some difficult things. Just like with the first books, I really like the concept of the cheerleading squad and reading about the relationships between the girls. I do think that this would be even better if I could remember the other books more clearly, another reason why I do want to go back and re-read. Still, she was certainly a character that I enjoyed reading about. 

The very beginning of the book definitely through us into the story and gave some difficult situations that caused a lot of emotion, at least in me. We know how bad texting while driving has become these days, and so I was glad that an author wrote this into their book. I don't think that it gets talked about nearly as much as it could in YA. Still, Claire has to deal with a lot of guilt due to this situation in the book, and I did feel awful for her because of it. Dane did a wonderful job of writing it, though. Like I said earlier, nothing about it seemed preachy at all, but it certainly serves to prove a lesson.

Ryker, the guy in the book, was great as well. Despite not being a very nice guy at the beginning, I had no doubt that he was going to transform into a character I would love (this is contemporary, after all, and I certainly like to think I know my contemporary...). The poor guy was dealing with quite a bit himself, and I do think that the fact that he had to work along with the cheerleaders to help them get to World was a great addition to the story. Sure, he had some serious issues that he had to work through, but it was wonderful to see him grow as a character. I was certainly right, too; I loved him by the time the book was over.

Over all, I would say that this book was just as great as the other two in the serious. Again, Dane has a beautiful writing style that I really enjoy, and it causes me to fly right through her books without wanting to put them down. I do hope that maybe some time in the future we might get some more Diamond Girl stories, but for now I am quite thrilled with what Dane has given us. I think that these are books any contemporary lover would enjoy, so go pick them up!

Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

About the Author
I'm a lover of books (YA & Adult romance), chocolate, reality television, and am a proud mother to three All Star cheerleaders. Woot!

I write Contemporary YA romance with cheerleaders. Yep. I write what I know, and it's my hope that my stories will not only take you on a romantic journey that will warm your heart, but that you'll find a new respect and interest in the sport of Cheerleading you may not have had before.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

Book Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Favorite Booktubers: Part One (@sashaalsberg, @bethjune327, @bookables1, @jamie_leigh18, @peruseproject)

As I sat down at the end of 2014 and tried to decide my blog schedule for 2015, I also began making a list of some topics that I want to talk about on the blog this year as well. I have not done nearly as many discussion type posts as I would like to, so I do plan to change that this year. One of the first topics I wrote down was to talk about Booktube (YouTube videos that talk about books). I started watching Booktube channels a few months ago, and have definitely found some favorites. There are some Booktubers whose videos I will watch no matter what they talk about, so I am excited to share some of those people with you today. Check them out, especially if you haven't really looked into Booktube much before. I think that you will find them very entertaining!

1. Sasha @ abookutopia 

Sasha is so fun to watch, and she does a different array of videos, which I think is great! She has done some things with the team from Epic Reads, films some fun book hauls and tags, and even has a video (the one above) telling her viewers all about how to got to be an extra in the Divergent film!

2. Beth @ bethjune327



I just love Beth's sense of humor and personality, and I feel like we have a lot in common just from watching her videos. I really, really loved watching all of her Vlogmas videos in December, but I watch every single video that she posts. She has incredible book collection as well, one that I am definitely very jealous of!

3.  Heather @ Bookables



Heather is another one that I have been watching for months now as I find her to be incredibly relate able. She talks about things other than books (like her beautiful new baby), and I find that I enjoy that a lot as well. We have pretty similar taste in books, which is why I really love watching what she has to say about books.

4. Jamie (and Jeff) @ Ermahgerd Berks



I just LOVE to watch Jamie and Jeff do their videos. They have pretty different taste in books, so it can be very fun to watch them do wrap ups and hauls together. They also complete a lot of tags and challenges together, which always leads to a lot of humor. Jamie also has a beauty channel you can check out if you're into that as well.

5. Regan @ PeruseProject



Regan is from Texas just like me, and that is only one of the reasons why I love her channel. I don't read a lot of adult books, but she talks about some great ones that I'm definitely interested in trying out now. She also shares some of her clothing hauls and other discussions occasionally as well, and I do enjoy those, too.

There we have it, part one of my favorite booktubers! I have several more to share with you, so be on the lookout for those next week some time! :]

25 Books/Series to Read While I'm 25

As I turned 25 yesterday, I started to think about if there were some books that I have been putting off reading for a long time, that I know that I really need to read while I'm in my 20s because it's the perfect time to do so. That had me using Google to search lists of books to read while you're in your 20s. While I took some suggestions off of the different lists, I also threw in some books that I feel are fitting. Ultimately, I wanted to make sure that this was still a list of books I really wanted to read, since I am pushing myself to make sure that I read all of these books before I turn 26. I think that it will be a fun challenge for myself, and I'm really looking forward to reading some of these books. Some are re-reads, and some are classics that I should have read a long time ago. Nonetheless, I think 25 is the perfect year to read them! 

1.Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

Why? This one is definitely a re-read for me, but it's a long time coming. I read the first book again last year, but had planned to get through much more than that. I love the HP books, and it is definitely my favorite series. It seems like the perfect time to finish my re-reads.

2. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Why? This is another re-read for me, and it's also a long time coming as it has been years since I first read this series. You know, when the hype was high and everyone was reading them. Now that the hype has died down, and I've seen all of the movies, I'm interested in going back and reading these again.

3. Sarah Dessen's Books

Why? Yup, all of them. I am a HUGE Sarah Dessen fan, and have always picked up her books right away (so excited for her new release this year!!). Despite loving them so much, it's been a long time since I've read any of them, so I've decided to change that. Not only do I want to re-read them all, but I want to re-purchase all of them in the new paperback covers as well.

4. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

Why? This book was on several of the lists that I found on Google. Since I already have it sitting on my shelves, it seems like the perfect time to pick it up. I have heard good things about it, too.

5. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Why? This is another one that was on almost all of the lists that I looked at, so that had me pretty much assuming that I need to read it. I am also a big fan of memoirs lately, so I am definitely interested in giving this a read very soon.

6. Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

Why? I think that I probably should have read this book a long time ago, so it's about time that I finally pick this one up. I hear that it's supposed to be really funny, and then I suppose I should watch the movie afterwards because I've never seen that either.

7. Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close

Why? This is another book that showed up on almost all of the lists, and I have been told by several people that I do need to read this book in my 20s. It might not completely relate to me, but I do think I would still really enjoy the story.

8. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

Why? This is another one that a lot of people have read that I have not. It's all about getting your dream career, which is something that I still daydream about as well. This is another one that I can watch the movie for once I read it because I haven't seen it yet either.

9. Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen

Why? Because I really want to read it...

10. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Why? I have heard great things about this book and author. I want to start getting into some adult books, and this seems like a great starting point.

11. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Why? I have two copies of this book now, from the same friend. I think that is a pretty big sign that I finally need to read this classic!

12. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Why? This is another classic that I cannot believe that I have not read yet. They even talk about it on Friends, which I'm obsessed with...I know, shame on me.

13. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Why? This has been one of my favorite movies since I was young, so I think that it's probably about time I read the book it was based off of.

14. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

Why? I have heard so many great things about this one. As I'm trying to pick up adult books, it seems like a pretty good choice.

15. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Why? This is another one that I have been meaning to read for a long time, but everyone tells me it's pretty depressing, so I put it off. It's another one where I can watch the movie afterwards though, which is especially great because Andrew Garfield is in it.

16. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Why? I am already passed by college years, which means that it's about time that I actually read this one. I have not read anything by Rainbow Rowell either, so it's about time that I change that.

17. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Why? This is another one that I should have read a long time ago. It showed up on all of the lists that I found, so I think that's a pretty big sign I need to read it now.

18. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

Why? I have heard great things about this adult novel as well, and it won the Goodreads aware in 2013. I think that is more than enough reason, especially since it showed up on a couple of the lists that I found.

19. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Why? This is another one that I just really want to read, and tons of my friends say that it's amazing. Then I can watch this movie as well.

20. He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccillo

Why? I LOVE this movie. It is so, so funny. I had no idea that the book was actually nonfiction, and while I'm not sure it will be completely relevant to me, I still really do want to read this. I'm sure it's going to be pretty amusing.

21. Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin

Why? This is another movie that I absolutely love. It's one of those that I could just watch over and over again. I have also had this book on my shelf for a couple of years, so it's about time that I finally pick it up and read it.

22. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Why? I have been meaning to read this one for awhile. A friend got it for me probably a year ago, and I still haven't read it. I did pick it up at the beginning of the school year, but things were hectic and I didn't get too far in. I've heard amazing things though, so I do want to read it soon.

23. Anything by Nicholas Sparks

Why? Yup, another popular author that I have not read yet. I have seen plenty of his movies (he sure likes to kill characters off at the end, doesn't he?), but I haven't read any of the books. This is the year that I'm going to change that, though!

24. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Why? Like I said earlier, I really do enjoy reading memoirs. This one won a Goodreads award in 2012, so that definitely says a lot as well. I know this one is a movie now, and I have heard that it's a wonderful story. I'm just very interested in it.

25. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Why? Yup, you guessed it, another memoir. I can't help it, I just really enjoy it. This one seems to be a lot of short stories, so that will be a bit of a change for me. This one has been on my radar for quite some time, so I'm excited about actually reading it.