Monday, March 28, 2016

Musing Mondays & Bookmark Monday

Musing Mondays 
Created & Hosted by Books And A Beat
Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
I’m currently reading…
Up next I think I’ll read…
I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
I can’t wait to get a copy of…
I wish I could read ___, but…

I blogged about ____ this past week…
This week's question: 
Make a plea for your favorite book.

My Answer:

I'm currently reading Boys that Bite it's been on my kindle for far to long but so far it's cute. I should be able to finish it today at least that's the plan. I have lots of yummy coffee and tons of free time today. I'm not sure what's next. 

 Make a plea for your favorite book is tough because I don't really have a favorite I love so many but I think my favorite 2015 action fantasy release would be The Great Zoo of China. I love the idea of a dragon version of Jurassic Park which is one of my favorite books/movies. I actually own the kindle and the hardcover and my hubs is planning on reading it. It's one of those books I know I will be reading over and over for years to come because it's only been a year and I'm already itching. 


Bookmark Monday
Created and hosted by Guiltless Reading

 I love this idea and I'm a picture taking nut so I thought this would be a fun way to share them. 

 Currently I'm reading on my kindle but I do have a bookmark tucked in my next physical book that I plan to read. 

 This is my picture from my Instagram feel free to follow me @ReadingDiaries

What are you reading this week?
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It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?
Welcome to It's Monday! is a weekly event hosted by Book Date to share with others what you've read the past week and are planning to read the next.

It was a busy week and not a lot of reading sadly. Hopefully this week will be better.

Currently at 75 of 250 which has me 17 ahead of goal. 

Last week
Novels
Firstlife by Gena Showalter - Review 
The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel - Review

Manga 
None

Currently Reading
Boys that Bite by Mari Mancusi - Goodreads

Up Next 
Not sure

Rest of the week 
A few more based on my mood.
Beast Charming by Jenniffer Wardell - Goodreads
Wonderfully Wicked by C.J. Burright - Goodreads

What are you planning on reading this week? 
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Sunday, March 27, 2016

Book Review: Firstlife


Title - Firstlife
Author - Gena Showalter
Series - Everlife #1
Genre - Dystopian Young Adult
Published - February 23rd 2016
Publisher - Harlequin Teen
Add to Goodreads
Buy at Amazon

ONE CHOICE.
TWO REALMS.
NO SECOND CHANCE.

Tenley “Ten” Lockwood is an average seventeen-year-old girl…who has spent the past thirteen months locked inside the Prynne Asylum. The reason? Not her obsession with numbers, but her refusal to let her parents choose where she’ll live—after she dies.

There is an eternal truth most of the world has come to accept: Firstlife is merely a dress rehearsal, and real life begins after death.

In the Everlife, two realms are in power: Troika and Myriad, longtime enemies and deadly rivals. Both will do anything to recruit Ten, including sending their top Laborers to lure her to their side. Soon, Ten finds herself on the run, caught in a wild tug-of-war between the two realms who will do anything to win the right to her soul. Who can she trust? And what if the realm she’s drawn to isn’t home to the boy she’s falling for? She just has to stay alive long enough to make a decision… 
Review
Tenley has been forced to choose where she will live after her first life comes to an end. Forced to choose one of two realms the one her parents are aligned to or the one her grandparents are aligned to.
Tenley has spent the last 13 months locked in a facility that tortures her pushing her to make the right choice and choose the one her parents are aligned with. Tenley has seen her friends disappear, lost a boyfriend and been bullied by the other patients.

When two guys show up at the facility each one is determined to win her over rivals from the very beginning. When an escape attempt actually ends up with Tenley and Sloan on the outside it might just give her the chance to figure out where she really belongs. Choosing which one will be where she spends her eternity doesn’t just affect herself but it could change the balance of the realms.

I like Tenley even though she is forced to choose her future which will change her life forever at such a young age. Her life has been rough right from the start she’s been forced to deal with torture and tragedy and death before even leaving the facility. I wasn’t sure about the guys both Archer and Killian are unique and each one has something to offer her but deep down I knew who my favorite was. I admit I was shocked to see how her relationship with Sloan played out after everything they dealt with.

I’ve been anxiously waiting to read Firstlife since it arrived in the mail and talked the girls easily into read it for bookclub. I found the concept unique an interesting play on what happens after you die and start your new life in one of two factions. It was an emotional read right from the start Tenley has a tragic past that only makes her stronger in resisting what’s really going on. I found her to be a likeable character even though she’s kind of in the middle of a love triangle between two unique guys. I’m not a huge fan of love triangles but I found this one works well together it’s filled with twists that kept me guessing till the very end. I’ve loved the author’s writing style it’s beautifully written creating a unique captivating story. I actually found Firstlife intriguing an action packed adventure that was hard to put down. I had to know what would happen next and I can’t wait for the next one. 

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The Sunday Post

The Sunday Post
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The Sunday post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer~ It's a chance to share new ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 

 Happy Easter!!!!
I hope everyone has a special amazing holiday!!!

This week
Spring Break for one and the other had school and next week it's reversed. I did a lot of tv binge watching while the husband is out of town. I didn't get as much reading done as I would have liked but this week will be better. 

Posts this past week you may have missed at TRD

 Guest post from the amazing Kristy Woodson Harvey- Here
Cover Reveal - Prince of Fire - Here
Blitz - Maneater - Here
#DustOffYourBookShelf - Blood Will Tell - Here
Blitz: Billionaire in Disguise - Here
Cover Reveal - Endangered - Here
Blitz - Night Shift - Here
\Blitz - Call Forth the Wave - Here
Blitz: An Eclipsing Autumn - Here
Blitz - The Quick Silver Legacy - Here
Blitz - Murder Madness Such Sweet Sadness - Here
Blitz - In the Hope of Memories - Here
Reviews
Firstlife by Gena Showalter - Review 
The Book of Ivy by Amy Engel - Review

New books
Physical books 
The Girl Who Never Was by Skylar Dorset 
The Boy with the Hidden Name by Skylar Dorset 




Plus a whole bunch of kindle freebies. I just can't help myself. 

Crafty projects & Baking
Not much crafty this week either.
I did binge watch a bunch of tv this week and I'll be current on everything before the month is over. 

 I hosted bookclub last night which was great. I made a lemon cheesecake which has quickly become my favorite. 

Around the blogosphere
Book Blitz + Giveaway All That Jazz @ The Book Adventures of Annelise Lestrange my bookish twin. 

This coming week @ TRD
I've got some fun posts and reviews.

I'm still an instagram addict you should check it out lots of fun!!!!
Find me (Here) I just over 7K followers. 

I hope everyone has a great week. 
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Saturday, March 26, 2016

Stacking The Shelves

Stacking The Shelves
Stacking The Shelves March 26th 2016
Stacking the Shelves is a meme by Tynga Reviews that let's bloggers share their new books and swag, whether they are physical or virtual. I'll include books I've been sent, emailed, purchased, won and for reviews. 

A little ebook binge this week. 

What did you get this week?
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Friday, March 25, 2016

Guest Post: Kristy Woodson Harvey

Today I have to share with you all a guest post from the author of the new book Lies and Other Acts of Love coming out next month! She shares with us about her favorite book which I hate to admit I've never read. 

Without further ado

Kristy Woodson Harvey's favorite book

I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I was in the third grade, a voracious reader and one that liked a challenge. A challenge, in my ten-year-old eyes, meant the longest book I could get my hands on. I had parents who understood the power of reading, the transformative properties, the importance of it in education—both the classroom kind and the real-life kind. As a result, new books were treated as a necessity, like a food or clothing, even though they were also always one of my favorite presents.
My parents and I were at Barnes & Noble a few miles away from my grandparent’s beach condo, and, since we were there for a long weekend, I knew I was going to need a long book. I scanned the “literature and fiction” section and, finally, landed on what looked like the thickest book. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith.

I didn’t read the back cover copy, and, even though the front cover had a picture of a little girl on it, I found myself assuming that this book was about a tree. Sounded boring. But it was thick. It would probably hold me for the entire weekend.
I remember sitting in the corner of the balcony, on the ground, overlooking the ocean and the beach as I delved into that novel. You can imagine my surprise, when only a few pages in, Francie Nolan was curled up with her library book, on her Brooklyn balcony, watching the streets below.

I was fascinated by the things she was going through. In my world, we went to the grocery store. Francie stood in line at the bread store for day-old bread and crushed pie, fought with the butcher over the tongue, sold rags and scrap metal to earn pennies to buy candy.
I was a private-school educated, North Carolina raised, only child who had never wanted for anything. Yet, even still, I felt like this poor, barely fed, Brooklyn girl and I were the same. And that was a moment for my little girl self that has transcended time and the pages of a book into the real world. Because it showed me that, no matter what our circumstances, we all feel the same things. We have the same basic desires and many of the same thoughts, insecurities and passions. Through her words and her characters, Betty Smith had taught me that lesson.

You can imagine my thrill the next year, when I had to choose a North Carolina author to write about for my North Carolina project, and I discovered that Betty Smith was, in fact, from North Carolina. I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn again, which was the beginning of a trend.

As a voracious reader, my nightstand is always overflowing with the next titles that I want to get to, and, of course, there’s never enough time. So I rarely re-read books. But, no matter what, I always make sure that I carve out a few days for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
This year was a bit of a shock because I realized that Katie Nolan, the worn-out washwoman who I had pictured as so haggard, was my age now when the book begins. Twenty-nine. And, yet again, I found myself realizing that, though our circumstances were so different, there was so much in Katie that I could relate to, that that inner drive and passion was something that we shared.

And so, again, I walked away looking at the world a little bit differently. Whether I’m ten or thirty or one hundred and ten, that, to me, will always be the mark of a really good book.

Find Kristy 

Bio
Kristy Woodson Harvey is the author of Dear Carolina. She blogs at Design Chic about how creating a beautiful home can be the catalyst for creating a beautiful life and loves connecting with readers at kristywoodonsharvey.com. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's school of journalism and holds a Master's in English from East Carolina University. She is a regular contributor for The Salisbury Post, Domino magazine and Houzz. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and three-year-old son.

I hope you enjoyed getting a chance to discover Kristy's love of A Tree Grows in Brookly as much as I did. I know I'm curious to check it out after such an inspiring story. 

Be sure to check out her new book coming out next month!

Lies and Other Acts of Love 
by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Expected Publication April 5th 2016
Add to (Goodreads)

Synopsis

Dear Carolina was praised as “Southern fiction at its best.”* Now author Kristy Woodson Harvey presents a new novel about what it really means to tell the truth . . .

After sixty years of marriage and five daughters, Lynn “Lovey” White knows that all of us, from time to time, need to use our little white lies. 

Her granddaughter, Annabelle, on the other hand, is as truthful as they come. She always does the right thing—that is, until she dumps her hedge fund manager fiancé and marries a musician she has known for three days. After all, her grandparents, who fell in love at first sight, have shared a lifetime of happiness, even through her grandfather’s declining health.

But when Annabelle’s world starts to collapse around her, she discovers that nothing about her picture-perfect family is as it seems. And Lovey has to decide whether one more lie will make or break the ones she loves . . .


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Cover Reveal: Prince of Fire

Prince of Fire ( The Kingdom Saga #4)
by Megan Linski
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: April 1st 2016

Summary from Goodreads: 
Thief lord. Wanted criminal. College student.



Zayde Amirmoez is in his last year of college at Ashana University, and he couldn’t be more eager to leave. A talented thief, Zayde makes a living by robbing jewelry stores in order to care for his ailing mother, who grows sicker each passing day.

Then the dreams begin. Zayde’s nightmares echo memories of a land from another time, visions of a mysterious princess who lived two thousand years ago. At the insistence of his annoying history professor, Zayde becomes friends with the beautiful freshman who loves to dance…the girl who looks exactly like the princess in his dreams.

As a dangerous new Dean and his spiteful son take the helm at Ashana University, Zayde learns of the legends of Queen Bennua, which are eerily similar to his nightmares. Could Zayde’s dreams be a coincidence? Or is it possible that Bennua and Zahid have returned, to save Sahrahn once more? 

  

Previous Books in the Series (click on images for Goodreads links):
  

About the Author
Megan Linski is the owner of Gryfyn Publishing and has had a passion for writing ever since she completed her first (short) novel at the age of 6. Her specializations are romance, fantasy, and contemporary fiction for people aged 14-24. When not writing she enjoys ice skating, horse riding, theatre, archery, fishing, and being outdoors. She is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, and is an active fighter against common variable immune deficiency disorder. She lives in Michigan.
Author Links:
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Book Blitz: Maneater



Maneater 
Cambria Hebert
(A Love in the ‘80s Novella)
Publication date: March 25th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Watch out, girls. Here she comes.
There’s always that girl. She’s popular, beautiful, and has everything together. The one with the perfectly teased hair, arms full of colorful (but coordinated) bangles, and expertly painted bright-pink lips.
A teacher’s pet. Daddy’s girl.
Everyone loves her.
Because everyone is afraid to challenge her.
Kelly Ross is that girl. She uses her powers of popularity for good… her own good. She doesn’t care who she hurts.
She always gets what she wants.
Including your man.
When she walks down the hallway in her hot-pink heels and ruffled denim miniskirt, all the boys’ heads turn. And all the girls start whispering.
Man-eater.
There hasn’t been a single guy Kelly hasn’t been able to chew up and spit out.
Until now.
Kelly has finally met her match. He’s been there all along, and he’s the exact opposite of everything you’d expect.
**SPECIAL RELEASE PRICE of $0.99!**
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EXCERPT:
Eric
Do people change?
Or do they always stay the same?
That’s more of a philosophy question. I’m more of a science guy.
I like tangible theories that can be measured, questions with answers that have irrefutable proof. I’m not much for matters of the mind with no exact equation, therefore without exact answer.
I’ve heard it said that the more people change, the more they stay the same.
That statement is confusing. Whatever “great” mind came up with the saying probably was a philosophy major and had no knowledge of scientific reasoning.
It’s a false notion.
A mathematical and scientific fact. In an equation, a + b = c. If even just one variable is changed, the entire equation changes, the answer does not remain the same.
If math and science don’t give enough irrefutable proof, the world I live in does. In the universe of high school and growing older, everyone changes. It’s a natural evolution of life.
I see her every day. Even without my glasses, my eyes would still make out her shape.

She’s one of those girls the eyes must look at, just like the lungs must breathe oxygen. Her presence is loud in the hallways of Edward Little High.
Yet her reputation is quiet… at least the real one anyway.

Whispers. I hear them. When you are invisible, or thought to only think about equations and charts, people think you don’t listen. But I hear.
I listen.
It’s how one learns.
The Choice thinks they know everything, but the people who know the most in this school are the ones who are known the least.
I’m practically a shadow, practically a ghost.
“Beat it, losers!” Tad yells from across the hall. My friends and I look up, surprised he’s talking to us.
Okay, maybe I’m not as invisible as I thought.
I glance at Kelly as we scurry off.
Or maybe, I’m only visible when my presence is useful.
I knew Kelly once, a long time ago. Practically in another life. We aren’t friends. She probably doesn’t even remember my name. I remember hers.
I remember the way she used to twist her Oreos in two and hand me the side with the most cream. The way she would grab my hand and pull me off to play before who we were got in the way.
I remember when she was nice.
As I walk to class, my two friends by my sides, I tune out their conversation and wonder. I saw the way Kelly was looking at Tad, her best friend’s boyfriend. It was a sign. Kelly was gearing up to take down another one. It was a pattern. Patterns always repeat themselves.
This time, I wondered if she would go too far.
Kelly was the reason I was spending my time on an internal philosophical debate. Do people change? The theory was no.
I was seeing evidence to the contrary.
The girl I knew all those years ago would never act the way she does now.
But she does.
The whispers follow her around the hall.
People do change.
MET2


Author Bio:
Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house).
Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo.
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.
You can find out more about Cambria and her titles by visiting her website: http://www.cambriahebert.com.

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