July Wrap-Up

Hi guys! Can you believe that today is the last day of July? Because  I can't. I really can't. At all. Summer is flying by so fast and it's freaking me out just a tiny bit. Anyway, here's what happened this past month!

Haul
- This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (purchased)
- Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven (ARC I selected as a B-Fest/First in Line prize)
- A World Without You by Beth Revis (purchased)
- Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (purchased as a blind date book)

Read - about half the books I read last month were pretty mediocre, so I am so happy that I enjoyed all of the books I finished this month!
- The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace
- Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
- Everland by Wendy Spinale
- Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven

Reviewed
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (5 stars)
- A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (4/4.5 stars)
- Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith (4.5 stars)
- Everland by Wendy Spinale (5 stars)

Other Things I Posted
- TBR discussion
- real world representation in YA
- A World Without You Event Recap

Exciting Happenings on the Blog
- Claudia joined Literary Legionnaire! Check out the coblogger announcement and her introduction here
- New blog header! I came up with the idea and worked on a super rough sketch, and then Claudia transformed my idea into a beautiful new header design *heart eyes*
- I reached 100 Bloglovin' followers! Even though I try not to focus on the numbers, I am so thankful to you all for helping me reach this wonderful milestone!

Around the Blogosphere
- Jess @ Princessica of Books discussed the struggle between quality vs. quantity when it comes to reading
- Alex @ Fiery Reads discussed rating books based on their technicalities versus the enjoyment factor
- Claudia @ PenMarkings pondered whether YA characters should be seen as role models
- Claudia @ PenMarkings also explained why she wants more love interests in books
- Aentee @ Read At Midnight is hosting the Indigo League #ReadThemAllThon reading challenge

Event Recap: NYC Launch for A World Without You by Beth Revis

Hey guys! So last weekend, my friend Izzy and I went to the NYC launch at Books of Wonder for Beth Revis' new book, A World Without You. The event was in the late afternoon (4:00-6:00 pm), but since it was a Sunday, we went into the city early, getting in around 12:30.

Once we got into the city, we ate at a delicious Japanese restaurant, wherein I had ramen for the first time (I've had tons of other noodle soups before, but never ramen, for some odd reason). Anyway, after that, we headed straight to Books of Wonder to pick up our books before the signing so we'd be able to get early numbers in line for the signing. Since it was only 2ish, I thought we were going to be early in line, but we got numbers 23 and 24.

Izzy at The Strand

After that, we walked around Union Square, got some soft serve ice cream from a Mister Softee truck (which was delicious), and headed over to The Strand, a local bookstore that sells both new and used books, often for reduced prices. We perused for about
an hour and a half before heading back to Books of Wonder.

Once we returned to Books of Wonder, we found seats and waited for the event to begin. (Side note: the wait wasn't too bad since there was a Pokéstop right across the street that we were able to collect from numerous times before the event started.)

Also, I remembered Gaby (who works at Books of Wonder) tweeted about setting up a Blind Date with a Book shelf in Books of Wonder, so I scouted that out and ended up buying a book. It was really fun, and I'll probably talk about that experience another time :)

And finally, to the event. Beth Revis was joined by Lindsay Ribar, author of Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies (among other books). I actually haven't read either of the authors' books, but I have been dying to read A World Without You, so I knew I had to come to the event. Anyway, per usual, the event started out with a Q&A session.

The main difference for this Q&A was that the authors asked each other questions for a good portion of the time, which I thought was really great. Beth and Lindsay worked really well together and asked each other some great questions about setting and inspiration. One problem I had, however, was that some of the questions addressed specific things in the book that I didn't truly understand since I hadn't read it yet (it was non-spoilery, but still).

photo credit: Izzy

Anyway, after a while, the authors opened up the questions to the audience, and they were asked about how they deal with distractions. Lindsay told us that she dealt with them poorly, and typically waited until the distractions began to bore her (distractions including Candy Crush), while Beth said that she invested in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones. When asked about writer's block, both agreed that it was best to keep writing, even if it means backtracking to the dark alley where things went wrong and try to fix it.

After the Q&A was over, they started clearing out the chairs for the signing, and announced that the numbers actually started at 22. Meaning that I was actually supposed to be second in line. And I was not prepared at all, especially when 22 wasn't there and I had to go up first.

Both authors were extremely nice, funny, and entertaining to listen to, but once I got up there to meet them, I had no idea what to say or do. I just smiled awkwardly and thanked them for coming to NYC,  got my book signed, then took a photo and left. All in all, despite my awkwardness, it was a super fun event!

Indigo League #ReadThemAllThon Sign Up and TBR

Hey guys! So the lovely Aentee @ Read at Midnight not only created a Pokémon Go Book Tag, but she's also the mastermind behind the Indigo League #ReadThemAllThon reading challenge! The goal of the challenge is to read books based on the eight gyms of the Indigo League in the Kanto Region of the Pokémon universe. The challenge runs from August 14 until September 4, so it doesn't start for quite a while, but I am SO EXCITED. If you're interested in joining or finding out more info, you should definitely check out Aentee's sign up/FAQ post here.

          source

Along with the badges we can collect, there's also the option of choosing ONE Pokémon that starts with 10 CP and based on the number of pages read, badges earned, etc., their CP will increase. For example, +1 CP for every 10 pages read and +20CP for every badge earned, and once they reach a certain CP, they will be able to evolve. There are a lot more details and ways you can earn points as well, but you'll have to read Aentee's post for more details.

The Pokémon I've chosen is Oddish. Oddish has three stages of evolution, and he's also really cute (just saying). I also really want a Vileplume (Oddish's final evolution).

Now for my TBR, shall we? (Credit to Aentee for the fabulous graphics.)

The First Gym

For this challenge, I'm going to attempt to read The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. I've been wanting to read it for a while, so I'm really hoping to read it by the end of this summer. Plus, if I succeed, I'll get a TON of CP points for my Oddish.

1258 pages, potential +125CP

The Second Gym

For this one, I'll go with Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. Her other novel, Between Shades of Gray, was an incredible book that made me cry, and I'm guessing this one will have a similar effect on me.

400 pages, potential +40CP

The Third Gym

For this challenge, I'm planning to read Truthwitch by Susan Dennard. I started reading this one a while ago since I loved Susan's other books, but the hype was so overwhelming that I had to put it down. And I never picked it back up, but I've wanted to. So now's the perfect opportunity!

415 pages, potential +41CP

The Fourth Gym

I'm going to go with Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst for this gym! I've been meaning to pick it up for a while now after winning it in a giveaway, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

389 pages, potential +38CP

The Fifth Gym

For this one, I think I'm going to have to go with A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. Everyone has been obsessed with this book since it came out, and I've heard it's even better than A Court of Thorns and Roses. I'm really interested to see what all the hype is about in regard to Feysand... since everyone seems to be in love with them.

640 pages, potential +64CP

The Sixth Gym

For this gym, I'm going to go with This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab. I'm so excited to read this book, and I think it's a perfect fit for this challenge.

427 pages, potential +42CP

The Seventh Gym

For this challenge, I'm hoping to read Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby. This book has been sitting on my shelf FOREVER, and I think it's time to finally give it a read.

304 pages, potential +30CP

The Eighth (and Final) Gym

For this one, I'll go with Prodigy by Marie Lu. I may end up switching this to a reread of Legend since I haven't read it in a while and the details of the trilogy are a bit blurry, but we'll see.

371 pages, potential +37CP

Waiting on Wednesday (54)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: August 30, 2016

About Girl in Pieces (via Goodreads):

For fans of Girl, Interrupted, Thirteen Reasons Why, and All the Bright Places comes Kathleen Glasgow’s debut novel about a girl who has lost everything—almost even herself.

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The thick glass of a mason jar cuts deep, and the pain washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.

Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

A deeply moving portrait of a teenage girl on the verge of losing herself and the journey she must take to survive in her own skin, Kathleen Glasgow’s debut is heartbreakingly real and unflinchingly honest. It’s a story you won’t be able to look away from.

Everland (Review) ~ I Loved This Book to the Second Star and Back

Everland by Wendy Spinale
Series: Everland #1
Genre: Young Adult/Retelling/Steampunk
Page Length: 312 pages
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Scholastic Press

About Everland (via Goodreads):

London has been destroyed in a blitz of bombs and disease. The only ones who have survived are children, among them Gwen Darling and her siblings, Joanna and Mikey. They spend their nights scavenging and their days avoiding the ruthless Marauders -- the German army led by Captain Hanz Otto Oswald Kretschmer.

Unsure if the virus has spread past England's borders but desperate to leave, Captain Hook hunts for a cure, which he thinks can be found in one of the survivors. He and his Marauders stalk the streets snatching children for experimentation. None ever return. Until the day they grab Joanna. As Gwen sets out to save her, she meets a daredevil boy named Pete. Pete offers the assistance of his gang of Lost Boys and the fierce sharpshooter Bella, who have all been living in a city hidden underground. But in a place where help has a steep price and every promise is bound by blood, it will cost Gwen. And are she, Pete, the Lost Boys, and Bella enough to outsmart Captain Hook?

I am a sucker for retellings, and lately, I've been dying to read a good Peter Pan retelling. So when my friend Brittany recommended Everland to me, I knew I had to read this book. And my gosh, this book did not disappoint. Wendy Spinale delivered not only a captivating retelling of the classic tale, but also created such a brilliant and unique world, characters, and story. I absolutely love what Spinale did with the story, especially the wonderful steampunk flair.

The characters were so well done. Whether it was a main character, villain, or secondary character, each one was so developed and unique, and contributed something special to the story.

Although I quickly grew to hate Hook, Spinale was able to somehow make me sympathize with him at the same time. While I don't appreciate him trying to destroy the beloved cast of characters (especially for the sake of world domination), I could sort of understand him. At least a little bit, anyway. He had a tragic past, and he became a monster because of it. I don't blame him, even though I hated him with a burning passion for what he put everyone through.



Now for the heroes of the story. I loved Gwen as a protagonist because she was so realistic. Although she always had bravery within her, she wasn't jumping the gun or making rash decisions. Okay, to be fair, she did occasionally have bursts of emotions and irrational thoughts, but she is only human. So often, I feel like heroes and heroines automatically become these legends that everyone looks up to and trusts whole-heartedly. And that wasn't the case with Gwen.

It was frustrating when Bella acted a bit like this in the

beginning, but I still loved her as a character nonetheless.

She developed too much over the course of the novel for me

not to forgive her for her early bouts of brattiness.

Where do I even start with Bella? It took some time to warm up to her, but as soon as I did, I could see why all the Lost Boys loved her so much. She was fierce, spunky, courageous, clever, and caring. And sometimes vulnerable. But she didn't let her vulnerability or insecurities stop her. She was fueled by those things, and even though she did make some stupid decisions because of it, I respected her so much.

I adored all the Lost Boys, every single one. They were all so precious and it was heartwarming how they helped each other and were loyal through thick and thin. And their leader, Pete *fans self* I loved him so much. He could definitely be stubborn at times, but he had such a pure heart and fighting spirit. He was a ray of sunshine and hope in everyone's lives, and it was inspiring to see how much he cared for all the Lost Boys and Girls.


I don't want to talk about the plot all that much because it would give too much away, but let me just mention that the last half of the book tore me apart. I tried to pull myself together, but by the last quarter, I could no longer handle what the characters were going through. I just loved them too much, and it pained me so much to see them suffering and/or in grave danger.

On the bright side, the ending was definitely a satisfying conclusion to Everland! Although to be honest, the ending also makes me afraid to read the rest of the books because the characters may not bode as well in the final finale.

All in all, I absolutely fell in love with Wendy Spinale's Everland, and I am both frightened and excited to see what's in store for the Gwen, Pete, and the rest of the Lost Boys and Girls in the future.

My Rating: 5 stars

Pokémon Go Book Tag

The Pokémon Go Book Tag was created by the lovely Aentee @ Read at Midnight, and she tagged me to do it, and let me tell you, I AM SO EXCITED. I have been a fan of Pokémon for quite a while now, and my love for the game resurged since Pokémon Go came out this past month.

(Graphics created by Aentee)

Honestly, I don't know what book started my love of reading. I've just been a fan of books for my whole life thus far. However, I do recall enjoying certain series when I was younger, like the Sisters Grimm, the Warrior Cats, and the Percy Jackson books (although I'm still hoping to catch up on all the Rick Riordan books at some point in my lifetime).

I think I'm going to go with a manga with this one, and say Sailor Moon. If I'm being honest, I haven't  finished the series yet (only halfway done), but I know the general storyline and love what I've read so far.

Okay, so for this one I chose a series that I started, but I honestly can't see myself finishing. Everyone seems to love the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard, but I just don't understand the hype at all.

So I have extremely mixed feelings about Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (rated it 3.5/5 stars), but at the same time I can't help but love it despite all its flaws. So I'm obviously not going to go into my problems with it right now, but I shipped Simon and Baz so hard and loved them to death. But to go back to the tropes part, the Carry On world is basically Harry Potter except a lot less expansive and (dare I say) nowhere near as creative.

Any Brandon Sanderson book could fit this criterium. I have especially been meaning to read The Way of Kings and I did read a few chapters, but it's the type of book you need a lot of time to read, not just because of size, but also because of how vast and intricate the world is.

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner, for sure! I was so engrossed in the world that I stayed up late reading and sobbing and feeling all the feels.

My top 5 OTPs (out of many many ships) at the moment are probably Adelina/Magiano (I'm sorry, Enzo, I still love you!) from The Rose Society, Maya/Amar from The Star-Touched Queen, Shazi/Khalid from The Wrath and the Dawn, Clare/Aidan from Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, and Charlotte/Jamie from A Study in Charlotte!

For this one, I'd definitely have to say A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro! The stakes were constantly rising, and I was always on the edge of my seat, worrying about what sticky situation the characters would end up in next.

To be honest, I haven't really read any spin-off series, but I guess I'll say Percy Jackson because I loved the original series and enjoyed The Lost Hero. I still need to catch up on a lot of the books, but I have faith that Rick Riordan is continuing to deliver with the spin-off series as well as he did with the original Percy Jackson books.

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith, for sure! I thought some of her other books were absolutely adorable and lovable and fun, but I was not expecting her newest one to be so fantastic. I felt all the feels I wasn't expecting to feel, and everything was so well done despite the fact that a great majority of the book took place in a single night.

100% Leigh Bardugo books. Despite the fact that people talk about her books all the time, I still can't wait to read the Grisha trilogy and the Six of Crows duology. As much as I hate overhyped books (especially when they disappoint), I don't think Leigh Bardugo's series will.

Okay, so this book hasn't even come out yet, but I wish I had the UK edition of Nevernight by Jay Kristoff with those glorious red-stained pages. It's just too beautiful not to want. Honestly, the book sounds so amazing on its own, but I am in love with the UK cover and stained pages *heart eyes*

So many! Especially Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller, Timekeeper by Tara Sim, Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones, Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow, Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill, Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves, A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess, Caraval by Stephanie Garber, and The Reader by Traci Chee!

As of last year, my only auto-buy authors were Marie Lu, Jennifer Niven, and Susan Dennard, but this year I've read many books by some brilliant authors, so the list has expanded to include David Arnold, Jeff Zentner, Roshani Chokshi, and Laini Taylor.

Back in 2012, I read The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg. So I'm not sure if I'd love the book as much now as I did then, but let's just say when I read it four and a half years ago, I was obsessed. It's been four years now, and I've heard nothing about any new Jess Rothenberg books, and it makes me very sad. Especially because there's been this book on her Goodreads author page called "Baby" with legitimately zero information other than a title sitting there for the past four years. Not that the title is all that interesting or anything, but I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED and if she's ever going to write another book!

Thank you again for tagging me, Aentee! I'd like to tag Em @ Piplup's Shadowy Bookshelf and Cyra @ Rattle the Pages!

Waiting on Wednesday (53)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

You Before Anyone Else by Julie Cross and Mark Perini
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: August 2, 2016

About You Before Anyone Else (via Goodreads):

Model Finley needs someone to help her shed her "good girl" persona, so she'll try Eddie on for size.

New York City model Finley is fed up with hearing the same feedback at castings: she needs to take some serious action to wipe the "good girl" stamp from her resume if she wants to launch to stardom.

Enter Eddie Wells. He's shallow, predictable…and just as lost as Finley feels. Deep down, Finley is drawn to Eddie's bravado, his intensity. Except Eddie is hiding something. A big something. And when it surfaces, both loving and leaving Finley will become so much harder.