Review: Shadowlands by Kate Brian

Shadowlands by Kate Brian
Expected Publication: January 8, 2013
Format: ARC from publisher
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Rating: 5/5
　
[Goodreads]: Rory Miller had one chance to fight back and she took it. Rory survived… and the serial killer who attacked her escaped. Now that the infamous Steven Nell is on the loose, Rory must enter the witness protection with her father and sister, Darcy, leaving their friends and family without so much as a goodbye.
Starting over in a new town with only each other is unimaginable for Rory and Darcy. They were inseparable as children, but now they can barely stand each other. As the sisters settle in to Juniper Landing, a picturesque vacation island, it seems like their new home may be just the fresh start they need. They fall in with a group of beautiful, carefree teens and spend their days surfing, partying on the beach, and hiking into endless sunsets. But just as they’re starting to feel safe again, one of their new friends goes missing. Is it a coincidence? Or is the nightmare beginning all over again?

My Thoughts

I wasnt sure if I was going to enjoy this I'll admit that. Boy was I wrong! I was sucked in from page one. I LOVE this book!
It's a fast paced book that will have you questioning everything and everyone in it. There was times when I didnt want to stop reading. I had to know what was going to happen next. Is Rory going crazy or is everyone around her? There were times when I didnt know if what I was reading was real or not. I'm all up for an author who can take me on a ride with all kinds of twist and turns. This book had me guessing and thinking until the very end and man was I suprised in the end. I read that this is the first book in a series. I hope so because I cant wait to see what happens next.

WoW [8]

Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) is a weekly event hosted by Jill @

Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s WoW feature is:

 OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu

Expected publication: July 23, 2013

Publisher: Simon Pulse

 [Goodreads] When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he's her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again. But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can't stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic... and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea knows a ton about him. She spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she's obsessed. Bea tells herself she's got it all under control, but this isn't a choice, it's a compulsion. The truth is, she's breaking down... and she might end up breaking her own heart. 

I always up for a good love story. This one seems to have a twist so Im all for seeing how this interesting book turns out.

What's your WoW of the week? Please share.

Top Ten Tuesday: Anticipated Books of 2013

Hosted by thebrokeandthebookish

Top Ten Anticipated Books of 2013:

Those are my picks. Please feel free to share yours!



WoW [7]

Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) is a weekly event hosted by Jill @

Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s WoW feature is:

September Girls by Bennett Madison 
Expected publication: May 21, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen

[Goodreads] When Sam's dad whisks him and his brother off to a remote beach town for the summer, he's all for it-- at first. Sam soon realizes, though, that this place is anything but ordinary. Time seems to slow down around here, and everywhere he looks, there are beautiful blond girls. Girls who seem inexplicably drawn to him.
Then Sam meets DeeDee, one of the Girls, and she's different from the others. Just as he starts to fall for her, she pulls away, leaving him more confused than ever. He knows that if he's going to get her back, he'll have to uncover the secret of this beach and the girls who live here.
I'm a sucker for a great cover and I LOVE this one. I know I shouldnt base my reads on the cover but I admit I sometimes do. However the description does sound good so I'm so gonna check it out.

What's your WoW of the week? Please share.

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors/Books I'm grateful for...

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme from thebrokeandthebookish

Top 5 Authors I'm grateful for:

Suzanne Collins- She brought the amazing Hunger Games into my life! This is what I get for making fun of all the Harry Potter/Twilight fans. Now I totally get your madness.
Judy Blume - She taught me everything I needed to know about being a young girl. To be strong and never be ashamed of being yourself.
John Green - His wonderful books made me fall in love with YA. Thank you.
Nicholas Sparks - Some say his books are sappy but I love them. Who doesnt want a good love story and a good cry?
Toni Morrison - A high school teacher introduced me to her books and Ive never looked back. One of my all time faves.
　

Top 5 Books I'm Grateful for:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - Simply put.... perfection!
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - one of my fave characters of all time...Holden!
Love is a Mixtape by Rob Sheffield - my other passion...music! A story being told through mixtapes about his late wife and their love for one another. Amazing! Not to mention the list of songs are a bonus.
White Oleander by Janet Fitch - The story of how a mother who is awful to her daughter and in jail yet still holds a grip on her is sad yet hopeful.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - OMG! Is it possible to love a book even if you havent finished it yet? Cause I do! This is one of my top ten books of all time. Cute love story of two teens in the 80's. I read it and cant help but smile. This book makes me remember why I LOVE books so much!

Mini Review: Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt

Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt
Expected Publication: January 15, 2013
Format: NetGalley
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Rating: 4/5

Description [from Goodreads]: Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna's new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can't know. Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical.

　My Thoughts

 This books puts up no fronts. It's very straight forward and to the point. I've come to the conclusion that you will either love it or not. 

I loved it! I believe its a very believable and honest look at teens. Even though some people might not want to think so but there are people like Anna out there. I see Anna as a girl who just wants to be loved...plain and simple and even if that means getting it for the wrong reasons and from the wrong people. The deeper question is can we blame her for her choices? How can one find love and acceptance when one was never truly shown love hershelf? 

IMM [7]

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from

The Story Siren

Here's the stuff I got this week...

The following books sent by Merit Press [thank you!!]

　

The Girl In The Wall by Daphne Benedis-Grab 
Expected Publication: December 18, 2012
Merit Press
[Goodreads] Thugs open fire on parents and schoolmates alike, in a plot against Ariel's father that quickly spins out of control. As the entire party is taken hostage, the girls are forced apart. Ariel escapes into the hidden tunnels in the family mansion, where she and Sera played as children. Only Sera, who forges an unlikely alliance with Hudson Winters, knows where her friend could be. As the industrial terrorist plot unravels and the death toll climbs, Ariel and Sera must recall the sisterhood that once sustained them as they try to save themselves and each other on the longest night of their lives.
　
　

　

Louder Than Words by Laurie Plissner  
Expected Publication: December 18, 2012
Merit Press
[Goodreads] Since the snowy night when her family's car slammed into a tree, killing her parents and little sister, Sasha has been unable to speak except through a computer with a robotic voice. Nothing is wrong with her body; that's healed. But, after four years, Sasha's memory, and her spirit, are still broken. Then one day, she's silently cussing out the heavy book she dropped at the library when a gorgeous, dark-haired boy, the kind of boy who considers Sasha a freak or at least invisible, "answers" Sasha's hidden thoughts -- out loud. Yes, Ben can read minds; it's no big deal. He's part of a family with a host of unusual, almost-but-not-quite-supernatural talents.
　
　
Tempestuous [Twisted Lit #1] 
Expected Publication: December 18, 2012
Merit Press
[Goodreads] Recently banished, unfairly, by the school’s popular crowd, former "it girl," Miranda Prospero, finds herself in a brave new world: holding dominion amongst a rag-tag crew of geeks and misfits where she works at the Hot-Dog Kabob in the food court of her local mall. When the worst winter storm of the season causes mall workers and last-minute shoppers to be snowed-in for the night, Miranda seizes the opportunity to get revenge against the catty clique behind her social exile. With help from her delightfully dweeby coworker, Ariel, and a sullen loner named Caleb who works at the mall’s nearby gaming and magic shop, Miranda uses charm and trickery to set things to right during this spirited take on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
　

Free Kindle reads

 



That's my haul...what's yours? Please share.

WoW Pick of the Week [6]

Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) is a weekly event hosted by Jill @

Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s WoW feature is:

Five Summers by Una LaMarche
Expected publication: May 16, 2013
Publisher: Razorbill

[Goodreads] Four best friends, five summers of camp memories.
The summer we were nine: Emma was branded "Skylar’s friend Emma" by the infamous Adam Loring . . .
The summer we were ten: Maddie realized she was too far into her lies to think about telling the truth . . .
The summer we were eleven: Johanna totally freaked out during her first game of Spin the Bottle . . .
The summer we were twelve: Skylar’s love letters from her boyfriend back home were exciting to all of us—except Skylar . . .
Our last summer together: Emma and Adam almost kissed. Jo found out Maddie’s secret. Skylar did something unthinkable . . . and whether we knew it then or not, five summers of friendship began to fall apart. Three years after the fateful last night of camp, the four of us are coming back to camp for reunion weekend—and for a second chance. Bittersweet, funny, and achingly honest, Five Summers is a story of friendship, love, and growing up that is perfect for fans of Anne Brashares and Judy Blume's Summer Sisters.

I so want to read this simply because it looks like a great summer read. It's a short [288 pgs] summer themed read...what could be better?
What's your WoW of the week? Please share.

Top Ten Tuesday... Books I'd Want on a Deserted Island

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme from thebrokeandthebookish

Top Ten Books I'd Want On A Deserted Island

Im choosing books thats I have but havent read yet...figuring I have nothing but time so why knock out a few reads.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn - On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?


Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann -
Nick and her cousin, Helena, have grown up sharing sultry summer heat, sunbleached boat docks, and midnight gin parties on Martha's Vineyard in a glorious old family estate known as Tiger House. Helena's husband is not the man he seemed to be, and Hughes has returned from the war distant, his inner light curtained over. On the brink of the 1960s, Nick and Helena--with their children, Daisy and Ed--try to recapture that sense of possibility. But when Daisy and Ed discover the victim of a brutal murder, the intrusion of violence causes everything to unravel. The members of the family spin out of their prescribed orbits, secrets come to light, and nothing about their lives will ever be the same.

Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington -
A coming-of-age novel about love and its many variations--the support of a small town looking after its own; love between an absent father and his daughter; the complicated love between an adolescent girl and her mother; and an exploration of new love with the boy-next-door.

  A Grownup Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson -
A powerful saga of three generations of women, plagued by hardships and torn by a devastating secret, yet inextricably joined by the bonds of family.

 Flat Out Love by Jessica Park -
A warm and witty novel of family love and dysfunction, deep heartache and raw vulnerability, with a bit of mystery and one whopping, knock-you-to-your-knees romance.

  The Choice by Robert Whitlow -
Even as a pregnant, unwed teen in 1974, Sandy Lincoln wanted to do the right thing. But when an ancient woman approached her in a convenience store with a mysterious prophecy and a warning, doing the right thing became even more unclear. She made the best choice she could. But now, thirty-four years later, another pregnant, unwed teen has come into her life, and Sandy's long-ago decision has come back to haunt her.

  The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay -
A novel set in the tenements of lower Manhattan in the year 1871. In a time and place where mysterious illnesses ravage those who haven't been cautious, no matter their social station, diseased men yearn for a "virgin cure" - thinking that deflowering a "fresh maid" can heal the incurable and tainted. Through the friendship of Dr. Sadie, a female physician who works to help young women like her, Moth learns to question and observe the world around her.

  Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - The story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.

A Sweethaven Summer by Courtney Walsh -
Campbell Carter has come to Sweethaven in search of answers about her mother's history. Just before losing a battle with cancer, Suzanne Carter sent letters to childhood friends from her hometown of Sweethaven, Michigan. Suzanne's three friends -- Lila, Jane, and Meghan -- haven't spoken in years, yet each has pieces of a scrapbook they made together as girls. Suzanne's letters have lured them all back to the idyllic lakeside town, where they meet Campbell and begin to remember what was so special about their long Sweethaven summers. As the scrapbook reveals secrets from the past, old wounds are mended, lives are changed, and friendships are restored -- just as Suzanne intended.
　
Live Through This by Mindi Scott -
From the outside, Coley Sterling’s life seems pretty normal . . . whatever that means. But Coley has a lot of secrets. She won’t admit—not even to herself—that her almost-perfect life is her own carefully-crafted façade. That for years she’s been burying the shame and guilt over a relationship that crossed the line. Now that Coley has the chance at her first real boyfriend, a decade’s worth of lies are on the verge of unraveling.

Honorable mention:

The Hunger Games [series] by Suzanne Collins - ok I've read these but I love them so much I could read them over and over!

IMM [6]

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from

The Story Siren

Here's the stuff I got this week...

The following from Netgalley

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
Expected publication: March 26, 2013
St. Martin's Griffin

[Goodreads] A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen-year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey's younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and the girls are found by their father, a stranger, and taken to re-enter the "normal" life of school, clothes and boys. Now, Carey must come to terms with the truth of why their mother spirited them away ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won't let her go ... a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn't spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

　Sent by Sourcebooks for review

What a Mother Knows
Expected publication: May 1, 2013
Sourcebooks
[Goodreads] An unsettling, emotional and suspenseful novel of the unshakable bonds of motherhood, in which Michelle Mason not only loses her memory after a deadly car crash, but can't find her 16-year-old daughter, the one person who may know what happened that day. But the deeper Michelle digs, the more she questions the innocence of everyone, even herself. A dramatic portrayal of the fragile skin of memory, What a Mother Knows is about finding the truth that can set love free.

Free Kindle reads

Changing My Wardrobe by Deb Hanrahan

Published: May 26, 2011

Philyra Publishing

[Goodreads] Could you improve your social standing by simply changing your wardrobe? Would new shoes make you more popular? Would a new top get you the guy? Would cleaning out your closet make the mean girls go away? Lindsey certainly hopes so. Changing My Wardrobe is a tragic high school drama about starting over, fitting in, and discovering the truth about what really matters. It's a story about friendship, first love, and soul-crushing loss. It's a story about a person's choices, good and bad, and the unexpected and far-reaching consequences of those choices.
　

Finding Mia by Rachel K. Burke

Published: January 8, 2012

[Goodreads] Intelligent and fiercely independent, sixteen-year-old Mia Marchette has never had a childhood. After her father’s disappearance when she was six, she has alone borne the burden of her mother’s bipolar disorder.
When her mother is institutionalized after a failed suicide attempt, Mia is abruptly forced to live with the estranged father she has not known for ten years. She is shocked to discover that he has created a new, picture-perfect life for himself, and is now living with a stepmother and a half-sister Mia never knew she had. Together, Mia and her new family must face the bitterness, mistakes, and long-hidden secrets that threaten to destroy their precarious happiness.

　

Match Me [Me #1] by Liz Appeal
Published: August 26, 2012

[Goodreads] Bonnie Nichols wasn't the kind of girl to crash a wedding. Or throw things. But somehow, she ends up doing both...at her ex-boyfriend's wedding. Convinced that she will be single forever, an unanticipated complication causes Bonnie to take stock of her life and the people around her. Was she really ever in love with Chase Somers? Or was loving him simply the easy thing to do?

That's my haul...what's yours? Please share.

Follow Friday [1]

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by

parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

This week's question is:

Do you mind books with similar ideas to other books? Similar concepts, backgrounds, retellings or pulled-to-publish fanfic?

No. As long as they bring something fresh. Maybe a new twist to it then it's ok. It's all about creativity and bringing something new to the table.  

What about you? Link me to your FF posts in the comment section. Please let me know if you're a new follower so I can return the favor.



WoW Pick of the Week [5]

Waiting on Wednesday (WoW) is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s WoW feature...

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn
Expected publication: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Harper Teen

[Goodreads] A reckless wish taken from the darkest desires of the heart…
A bloody razor engraved with the names of the girls who turned to dust…
An endless cycle that feeds of loneliness and craves destruction…
Together, these pieces form a twisted puzzle that Annaliese Rose Gordon has to solve. Trapped in a body that isn’t hers—with no memory of how she got there—she must unlock the secrets of her past in order to escape the horrors of her future.
Everyone knows I love a good cover and this is no expectation. The description has me very curious to see what this is all about. Can't wait to get my hands on this book.

Please share your WoW pick of the week.

Book to Movie [1] / Review:Christmas with Holly by Lisa Kleypas

　

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Published: October 26, 2012

Publication: St. Martin Press

Format: Copy provided by publisher
Rating: 4/5

[Goodreads] ONE LITTLE GIRL NEEDS A FAMILY
One rain-slicked night, six-year-old Holly lost the only parent she knew, her beloved mother Victoria. And since that night, she has never again spoken a word.

ONE SINGLE MAN NEEDS A WIFE
The last thing Mark Nolan needs is a six-year-old girl in his life. But he soon realizes that he will do everything he can to make her life whole again. His sister’s will gives him the instructions: There’s no other choice but you. Just start by loving her. The rest will follow.

SOMETIMES, IT TAKES A LITTLE MAGIC…
Maggie Collins doesn’t dare believe in love again, after losing her husband of one year. But she does believe in the magic of imagination. As the owner of a toy shop, she lives what she loves. And when she meets Holly Nolan, she sees a little girl in desperate need of a little magic.

…TO MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE
Three lonely people. Three lives at the crossroads. Three people who are about to discover that Christmas is the time of year when anything is possible, and when wishes have a way of finding the path home.

　

My Thoughts

Christmas with Holly spans months from Holly's mothers death up until Christmas. This is a story of tragedy, family and the belief that love can help heal all things. Mark Nolan is given custody of his niece Holly after his sisters death. Holly shocked with the reality of losing her mom shuts down and refuses to talk. However one day while visiting a local toy story the owner Maggie finally gets Holly to open up. While forming a bond with Holly, Maggie becomes close to her and her uncle. Although both Maggie and Mark are dealing with their own issues they can't help to be drawn to each other. Will they let go of their past and the walls they've built up to allow all the possibilities that life and maybe love has in store for them? Time will tell.

I truly enjoyed this read. It's sweet and it's back drop is my favorite time of year...Christmas! How can you not love that? I love how Christmas is a magical time of year where I believe anything can happen. Maybe I'm just a big kid but I still believe in all the Christmas magic and miracles.

Christmas with Holly is the first of the Friday Harbor series involving the Nolan brothers. I can't wait to read all that's yet to come.

I've recently learned that Christmas with Holly is being made into a holiday tv movie. Yay! Look out for it this holiday season.

IMM [5]

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi from

The Story Siren

Here's the stuff I got this week...

The following ARCs from the publishers...

The Mothers by Jennifer Gilmore                                       
April 9, 2013
Scribner

Jesse and Ramon are a happy, loving couple but after years trying to get pregnant they turn to adoption, relieved to think that once they navigate the bureaucratic path to parenthood they will finally be able to bring a child into their family. But nothing prepared them for the labyrinthine process—for the many training sessions and approvals, for the ocean of advice, for the birthmothers who would contact them but not choose them, for the women who would call claiming that they had chosen Jesse and Ramon but weren’t really pregnant. All the while, husband and wife grapple with notions of race, class, culture, and changing family dynamics as they navigate the difficult, absurd, and often heart-breaking terrain of domestic open adoption.



　

The Carriage House by Louisa Hall

March 5, 2013

Scribner

After suffering a stroke, patriarch William Adair wakes up in his hospital bed and realizes that his family has changed: they are less extraordinary than he had remembered. For more than thirty years, his faith in life was grounded on two indisputable principles: his three daughters’ exceptional beauty and talents and the historical resonance of a carriage house built by his grandfather. Now, both have begun to collapse.To help him recover, William’s daughters take on the battle for the carriage house that once stood as a symbol of their place in the world. Overcoming misunderstandings, betrayals, and wrong turns deep in the past, each of the Adairs ultimately finds a new place of forgiveness and love.

The following I FINALLY bought...

I'm trying to catch up on some books I've been meaning to read. So I couldn't pass up the Daily deal on Amazon...$1.99
That's my haul...what's yours? Please share.