Stacking the Shelves #13 + Pictures from Tahereh Mafi's Book Signing Event in Manila with Ransom Riggs

Stacking the Shelves is a new meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews, which is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! - See more at: http://leighandherlibrary.blogspot.com/2013/02/stacking-shelves-12.html#sthash.AQsQI7Ms.dpuf

Stacking the Shelves is a new meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in a physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or from the library, review books and of course ebooks!

Got a bunch of books today and one of them is from my good friend Jona! Thank you. Had so much fun with you today!

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce -Thank you Jona!

The Way We Fall (Fallen World #1) by Megan Crewe

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine #1) by Ransom Riggs

Warm Bodies (Warm Bodies #1) by Isaac Marion

And I got to meet both Tahereh Mafi and Ransom Riggs today. Also got to talk to them, take pictures, exchange hugs and got my books signed!

The official banner!



Tahereh Mafi and Ransom Riggs with the host of the event.

Ransom Riggs, Tahereh Mafi and I. *fangirling moment*

Ransom, Tahereh and my friend, Jona!

My signed copies of Shatter Me and Unravel Me. Both are awesome books!

And my signed copy of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

What did you guys get this week?

BOOK REVIEW: Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

I started reading Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler yesterday and finished it a few minutes ago. And I have to admit that I truly enjoyed reading this. Probably more than Twenty Boy Summer since that one had sad undertones beneath its awesome exterior. Anyway, the novel's main protagonist is called Hudson and the entire novel is told in her POV.

I do have to admit something here, the cover is what sealed the deal for me to get this book. Yes, I am a sucker for cute covers. Anyway, I really liked Hudson for some reason. I felt really bad for though since she gave up and is constantly giving up a lot of things because she wanted to make sure everyone around her was happy. No one even bothered to ask her what she wanted and when she suddenly decided to go after what she wants almost everyone around her decides that she's just being selfish. Anyway, I just felt bad for her. I didn't really like her mom that much since I felt like she kept on dictating what she should and should not do and didn't even bother to ask her daughter what she wanted. And don't get me started on her best friend, Dani, who was just so jealous of her and suddenly decided to drop dead on their so called friendship. Other than that I really  liked the novel and Hudson.

Moving on to the two boys in her life, Will and Josh. My head spun around these two. I really liked them both and I think both of them were kinda' good for Hudson even if one of them had a hidden agenda but other than that I think Will and Josh helped her grow. I especially liked her interactions with Josh. Obviously, I'm on Josh's side at this point. I don't know. There's just something about him and Hudson that just pulled  me in. They made me feel  giddy with their subtle flirting or whatever it is that you'd want to call it.

Overall, I am so glad that I had this book reserved at Fullybooked. It was definitely worth reading. I enjoyed every bit of it even if I didn't really connect with some of the characters. And that's probably because I disliked them quite a bit. I really liked Hudson's little brother, Bug. He was just so adorable and he's very smart too for his  age. Kara, Hudson's ex-best friend confused me at the beginning but I really started to warm up to her towards the end. She meant well it's just that Hudson never really gave her a chance. I think that's the problem with Hudson though. she refuses to let other people explain. I think she prefers hiding rather than facing the truth head on. Anyway, the writing style is awesome, no dull moments whatsoever and cutesy cupcake references at the beginning of each chapter just made my mouth water. I'd probably try making some of those right now. Honestly, I judged this book by its cover and I'm so glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this. It's a fun, quirky and light read that I wouldn't mind reading again and again.

Rating: 5/5 stars

COVER REVEAL: WAIT FOR YOU BY JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT

What do early readers have to say about WAIT FOR YOU?

“J. Lynn creates a wonderful cast of characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and cry. Cam stole my heart.” – Cora Carmack, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of LOSING IT

“For the love of all that is Cameron without a shirt on! Wait for You will have you laughing out loud, fanning yourself and anxiously waiting to know what will happen next.” – Molly McAdams, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of FROM ASHES and TAKING CHANCES

“I don't think I have ever read a NA Contemporary novel with as much depth as this one. It really moved me and by the end I was just speechless over how inspirational and uplifting it was as well as being sexy and cute and funny and emotional.” - K Books

“Wait For You is uniquely different from anything else J. Lynn's written but it might possibly be her best work yet.” – Jenuine Cupcakes

“For all of you in love with Aiden and Daemon, PREPARE YOURSELVES! Your heart will have to expand a little more for Cam.” Total Bookaholic

“For the love of all things CAM, this book deserves more than 5 stars.” – Mundie Moms

“I cannot even begin to explain how much I adored this perfectly crafted contemporary.” – Shortie Says

Excited? Ready to see the cover for WAIT FOR YOU? 

Synopsis

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn't need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

WAIT FOR YOU is available now!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the adult romance Gamble Brothers’ series, the young adult Lux Series and award winning Covenant Series. She pretty much writes everything—contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. All of her books have one thing in common no matter the name or genre: kissing… and stuff. When she’s not busy writing, which is never, she’s usually hanging out with dog Loki, watching reruns of The Walking Dead, or procrastinating on the Internet. You can find out more about Jennifer by visiting the following websites:

Twitter

Facebook

Website

Waiting on Wednesday #12

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It features each blogger’s most anticipated books.

My pick of the week would be  How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS:

First she lost her heart. Then she lost her mind. And now she’s on a road trip to win back her ex. This debut novel’s packed with drama and romance!Rosie’s always been impulsive. She didn’t intend to set her cheating ex-boyfriend’s car on fire. And she never thought her attempts to make amends could be considered stalking. So when she’s served with a temporary restraining order on the first day of summer vacation, she’s heartbroken—and furious.

To put distance between Rosie and her ex, Rosie’s parents send her on a cross-country road trip with responsible, reliable neighbor Matty and his two friends. Forget freedom of the road, Rosie wants to hitchhike home and win back her ex. But her determination starts to dwindle with each passing mile. Because Rosie’s spark of anger? It may have just ignited a romance with someone new…

Expected Date of Publication: May 7th 2013 by Simon Pulse

WHY I CAN’T WAIT:  

For some reason, stories about ex's appeal to me. And this seems to be interesting. I haven't really read any of the authors books but I'm willing to try. :)

BOOK REVIEW: Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

I finished reading Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler a few hours ago. This is meant to be part of my usual contemporary reads after reading a bunch of dystopians or paranormals. I usually shift to contemporary so as not to get tired of reading the same genre again and again. Anyway, I've heard great things about this novel and so I had it and Bittersweet reserved for me at FullyBooked.

I won't go into the summary of the story since I might just end up spoiling the entire novel but I just have to mention that it's about three friends. A boy called Matt, his sister, Frankie and Anna, their next door neighbor. Anyway, Matt and Anna sort of had a relationship but just when he was about to tell Frankie about it he dies. Anyway, I really liked Anna. For some reason, I liked the fact that she tried her very best to be strong for everyone especially Frankie. She's definitely a friend worth keeping. Her loyalty towards Matt and Frankie was definitely something that I admired. I really liked her for being an awesome friend even if Frankie did something cruel. Anyway, she's possibly one of those strong characters throughout the novel. And frankly, I just wanted to be there for her since no one seemed to even bother to ask her whether she's okay or not. Everyone just assumed that she was and she never complained or anything.

Then there's Frankie. To be totally honest, I found Frankie to be very superficial. I know for a fact that she was just trying to cope with her loss but she just seemed superficial to me. I really wanted to strangle her when she did what she did to Anna. Personally, I think Anna deserved someone better than her but alas, Anna is such an awesome person and I guess friendship really does prevail most of the time.

I really enjoyed reading this.  I thought I was going to get tired of it at some point but I never did. I really liked most of the characters. Matt and Frankie's parents, Red and Jayne, were probably two of my favorite characters in the novel. I really liked how perceptive Jayne was. Somehow, she always knew when something was up. And as for the Twenty Boy Summer title, it's titled as such because of the dare between Anna and Frankie. There were two constant boys throughout the novel though, Sam and Jake. I really liked Sam. I think he's an awesome listener and is probably the only person who even bothered to ask whether Anna is okay or not. Anyway, I think I devoured this novel. I thought it was going to be one of those sappy teen love novels but apparently it is something more. It made me cry. It made  me laugh. And for some reason it made me think that life is too short for us to let every opportunity pass us by. It was about letting go, moving forward and friendship. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this to everyone.

RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

BOOK REVIEW: Sever (The Chemical Garden Trilogy #3) by Lauren DeStefano

I've been waiting for Sever for an entire year now and I'm so glad I finally got myself a copy. To be honest, I didn't like Fever as much as I liked Wither. But not enough for me to not read the last book so as soon as I found a copy I got it for myself. Anyway, the story picks up a few weeks after the second novel. I really enjoyed reading this one. I think I experienced Middle Book Syndrome in Fever and that's probably the reason why I didn't enjoy it as much.

I have to admit that this is now my favorite in the series. I think this is the an awesome conclusion to Rhine's journey throughout the series. I think she did a lot of growing up as the story progressed. I really liked her more. I love the fact that for some reason her affection for both Linden and Gabriel did not waver. I still liked Linden for her more though. The mysteries surrounding everyone were somehow answered. Though I still don't get the connection of the heterochromia to the cure but whatever. If you don't look at it in a medical student, nurse or geneticist's POV then I guess it won't even mean that much. Anyway, I can't say much about Rhine or everyone else for that matter without spoiling anything but I can assure you that I loved Rhine. A lot. I loved the tender moments between her, Linden and everyone else for that matter.

My love for Linden knows no bounds. Honestly, I really prefer him over Gabriel. I just love his innocence but I think I loved him more when he finally stood up to his father. He was emotionally  broken and yet he tried to be strong for his wives. Anyway, my heart just broke when he... Not saying anything because it will definitely spoil the book. I think it was one of the most heartbreaking events in the entire novel.

And lastly, the appearance of Rhine's twin, Rowan. For some reason, I still don't know what to say about him. I'm kinda' in the middle between like and dislike towards him. I was expecting someone who wasn't easily manipulated but for some reason Vaughn just had him. 

Overall, I think this is an awesome conclusion to the entire series. I think everyone got the ending that they deserved as far as I'm concerned. This isn't exactly one of those action packed series with a kick ass heroine but I did enjoy it. It's  more on the drama and sci-fi side though. I loved the tender moments between the characters especially  Linden and his wives, Rhine and Cecily. I love how protective he's become and that he's finally learned how to step up to his father. I also liked Reed, Vaughn's eccentric brother, who helped everyone until the very end. Anyway, for me this deserves a 5/5 star rating since it was just an awesome conclusion to the entire series.

BOOK REVIEW: Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

I finally got around to posting my review on Unravel Me. I finished reading this a few days ago but was just too lazy to actually post something. Plus, I needed the story to sink in. It was truly awesome. Everything that happened, the revelations it was truly a work of art. Anyway, again the novel is told in Juliette's POV and picks up a few weeks after the events from the first book.

I have to be honest here. Juliette kinda' annoyed me in this installment. I wanted to strangle her the entire time. I missed the old Juliette. She was mopey, selfish, childish and just full of negativity that I just wanted to smack her  for  some reason. It's either she contemplated on how miserable her entire life is or cry. I seriously wanted her to grow up and she doesn't even bother to think of the consequences of her actions. Honestly, the only thing she's ever thought of was me, myself and I. I think her pessimism kinda' got old as the story progressed and I just wanted her to grow up and think that the world does not revolve around her. And the fact that she couldn't make up her mind with regards to who she really wants. She craves physical attention and I understand that but I think she could have handled things differently.

Moving on to Adam, well, Adam is still Adam and I think he's still pretty cool. He was just a bit mopey for some reason but will get to why he is the way he is at some point. Or not. Might end up spoiling the story so I'll think about it. But anyway, I still like Adam since he seems more level-headed than Juliette even if he was a bit mopey. And the revelations and everything. He handled it pretty well considering how big those revelations were.

Lastly, there's Warner. After reading Destroy Me which is told in Warner's POV I think I came to love or at least understand Warner a bit more. I think he's just a lonely boy who is misunderstood and needs to be loved. For some reason, I sorta fell for Warner in this one. I think he seemed  more human and a human who values life for some reason. He was still mean though so yeah, still on Adam's side at this point.

Don't get me wrong. Despite the fact that I've said  some negative things regarding our heroine I still think this book is awesome. I think Juliette is the only person that kinda' pissed me off for  some reason. I liked all of the characters especially Kenji. He had a bigger role in this installment and I think he's the only one who actually told Juliette to suck it up because the world doesn't revolve around you. I really loved him for some reason. Overall, the writing is as awesome as ever. The surprises and revelations just kept on coming. I was hooked. I didn't want to put it down. It was action packed and fast paced. I didn't even realize that I was already done with it in a few hours. And that cliffhanger at the end. I need the third book now. I just hope Juliette does grow up by the time the third book comes out.

RATING: 4/5 stars 

PS: The only reason I'm giving it 4/5 stars is because of Juliette.