Waiting on Wednesday: Can't Let Go by Gena Showalter

 "Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Can’t Let Go

Gena Showalter

(The Original Heartbreakers #5)

Publication Date: October 31, 2017

MMP, 416 pages, Harlequin Books

Genres: Adult, Romance, Contemporary

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter is back with a sizzling Original Heartbreakers tale about an icy war vet and the only woman capable of melting him...

With trust issues a mile long, Ryanne Wade has sworn off men. Then Jude Laurent walks into her bar, and all bets are off. The former army ranger has suffered unimaginably, first being maimed in battle then losing his wife and daughters to a drunk driver. Making the brooding widower smile is priority one. Resisting him? Impossible.

For Jude, Ryanne is off-limits. And yet the beautiful bartender who serves alcohol to potential motorists tempts him like no other. When a rival bar threatens her livelihood—and her life—he can't turn away. She triggers something in him he thought long buried, and he's determined to protect her, whatever the cost.

As their already scorching attraction continues to heat, the damaged soldier knows he must let go of his past to hold on to his future…or risk losing the second chance he desperately needs.

My Thoughts

I’m addicted to Gena Showalter’s books. It doesn’t matter if I love them, hate them, or even just like them, I have to collect her books. Thankfully, though, this one is part of a series that I really enjoy. While I still have to buy and read book four, which I believe just came out this week, I’m excited to get my hands on this one, especially because this is my favorite cover in the series so far.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Major Authors That I Have Yet To Read

As almost all of us are loathe to admit, we cannot read every single book by every single author. I know it’s a painful concept, but, sadly, it happens. Basically, that just means we’ve got to work a little bit harder to get to our next great read.

To show how behind I am in my reading, I’ve decided to share a list of authors I haven’t read yet. Maybe, just maybe, doing this will give me the kick in the butt I need to finally read their stuff.

Also, a majority of these will be fantasy authors. I’m on a fantasy kick right now.

**

Brandon Sanderson

This one shames me on such a deep level. I’ve become so obsessed with fantasy since Game of Thrones came out, but I have yet to read one of the most popular fantasy writers of this age. #Shame

Another #Shame because I actually own his Mistborn trilogy. I just haven’t read it yet. (My TBR pile is more like a TBR mountain.)

Sabaa Tahir

Okay, so this admission of guilt doesn’t hurt me quite as much as the Brandon Sanderson one. Why? Because Sabaa only has one series out. I’m kind of waiting until all four of the books in her An Ember in the Ashses series are published before I start gobbling this fantasy series up.

Oh, I also own the first two books in this series, but the covers were redesigned. I like the new design, but I’m waiting until all of the books are out to purchase them, simply so they match.

J.R.R. Tolkien

So this is the most shameful, epic-ness of shameful. I haven’t read any of the LOTR books. Not even The Hobbit. I want to be like one of those non-reader people who just shrug and say, “I’ve watched the movies.” But that is no excuse. I’m a monster. I should be locked away for not reading such a pivotal series.

Oh, and once again, I own all the books. #MoreShame

Stephen King

I’m not as ashamed for not having read Stephen’s books. His genre of writing just isn’t really my thing. I actually might have read one book of his loooooong ago, but it wasn’t one of the more popular ones. I do want to read his Under the Dome book, though, just so I can watch the TV show.

Neil Gaiman

Like with Stephen, I’ve read only one book by Neil. It was Stardust, and it was soooo long ago. I was in high school. It was back when the movie came out. The reason he’s on this list, though, is because of the new American Gods and Norse Mythology books. The TV show for American Gods looks really good.

***

Well, there you have it. So many mega important authors, and I haven’t read their books yet. Or, at least, I haven’t read their biggest books yet. What authors do you still need to read? Let me know in the comments.

Review: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Upside of Unrequited

Becky Albertalli

Publication Date: April 11, 2017

Hardcover, 336 pages, Balzer + Bray

Genres: YA, Contemporary

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

My Review

Molly, like most teenage girls, feels like there’s something wrong or different about her. She hasn’t had a boyfriend or even been kissed by a guy, but maybe that’s about to change. Molly and her sister Cassie make some new friends, and somehow, Molly’s old and new friends think her and Will would make a great couple. Commence friends trying to set her up with Will.

Okay, so maybe that plot sounds a little cliché, and for a good chunk of the book, it was. It was basically the storyline of every romantic comedy ever with just a few twists and turns thrown in. Molly’s voice made the short, contemporary read refreshing and humorous, though. She’s also got a sweet Pinterest vibe going on.

One thing that was great about this book was how diverse the characters were. It was a nice change of pace from the typical YA contemporary. However, the diverse cast didn’t really help me with the plotline any. I just couldn’t really understand what this book was truly about and what its main message was. The message may have been about accepting yourself, but with how the storyline ended, I simply don’t see how that message holds up. Molly didn’t evolve as much from the start to the finish of the book as I would have hoped.

It’s a fun read, but I think that’s almost all there is to this book. I was expecting another Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, but I didn’t really get that same vibe for this one.

All in all, if you’re looking for a fluffy, diverse, contemporary read, The Upside of Unrequited is probably a good choice for you.

*Note: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Stacking the Shelves: The Game of Thrones Withdrawal Edition

 "Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It allows book buyers to share their accumulation of books with the online book-loving community.

It was my birthday on Tuesday, so besides just taking a small blogging break, I also decided to treat myself to some books. My roomies and I went to the Union Square B&N to browse their four-story store.

I’ve been clamoring for some adult fantasy lately, simply so I can ease some of my withdrawals after Game of Thrones is on its hiatus. My original intention was to just get one book with a $25 gift card I had; however, my friends left me in the store too long, so I picked up a second book. Yikes.

Malice by John Gwynne

The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan

Hopefully, these two books will settle my stages of grief.

The magazines that are pictured were given to me by my roommate. She knows I’m a Defenders and Game of Thrones junkie; thus, the magazines are now mine.

What books have you bought/received lately?

Dean Winchester Friday

Dean Winchester (or sometimes Jensen Ackles) Fridays make me a very happy fangirl. You'll see why when you look at the pic.

The cast of Supernatural, aka Misha Collins, Jared Padalecki, and Jensen Ackles, played games at SDCC 2017. I think this one was a guessing game about the other cast members. They’re all concentrating really hard.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Traitor Prince by C.J. Redwine

 "Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

The Traitor Prince

C.J. Redwine

(Ravenspire #3)

Publication Date: February 13, 2018

Hardcover, 416 pages, Balzer + Bray

Genres: YA, Fantasy, Retelling

B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads

Javan Najafai, crown prince of Akram, has spent the last ten years at an elite boarding school, far away from his kingdom. But his eagerly awaited return home is cut short when a mysterious imposter takes his place—and no one believes Javan is the true prince.

After barely escaping the imposter’s assassins, Javan is thrown into Maqbara, the kingdom’s most dangerous prison. The only way to gain an audience with the king — and reveal Javan’s identity — is to fight in Maqbara’s yearly tournament. But winning is much harder than acing competitions at school, and soon Javan finds himself beset not just by the terrifying creatures in the arena, but also a band of prisoners allied against him, and even the warden herself.

The only person who can help him is Sajda, who has been enslaved by Maqbara’s warden since she was a child, and whose guarded demeanor and powerful right hook keep the prisoners in check. Working with Sajda might be the only way Javan can escape alive — but she has dangerous secrets.

Together, Javan and Sajda have to outwit the vicious warden, outfight the deadly creatures, and outlast the murderous prisoners intent on killing Javan. If they fail, they’ll be trapped in Maqbara for good—and the secret Sajda’s been hiding will bury them both.

My Thoughts

I still haven’t read the second book about Rumpelstiltskin, but I’m anticipating this one. I didn’t love The Shadow Queen as much as I loved Redwine’s Defiance; however, I still enjoyed it enough to want this pretty thing on my shelves, along with its predecessor. I’m not sure what fairytale this book is retelling though? Anyone know?

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Television Thoughts: The Defenders Review

I binge-watched the first—and only—season of The Defenders on Netflix, and when I say binge-watched, I mean binge-watched. I woke up at 4 a.m. the morning it released, and I watched all eight episodes right in a row. Yikes. Needless to say, I love me some Marvel.

Here’s one of The Defenders’ trailers, just in case you don’t know what I’m talking about. (#Shame) Also, my review is really for people who have watched at least one of the four shows, either Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, or Luke Cage.

Okay, so the first thing I want to talk about is how glad I am that we finally got a season with all the Defenders. While I enjoy them all separately for different reasons, them together is a lot more fun. It also leads to a more fast-paced story compared to Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage.

The elements of the show that I enjoyed the most mainly revolve around Daredevil. I love me some Matt Murdock. Daredevil’s like the Batman of the Defenders without the money and fancy gadgets. He’s racked with guilt and so sullen that it’s almost annoying, but you still love him anyway. I loved his scenes, and I wish there were 20 more of them.

As for the other three, Jessica was her sassy, charming self, Luke was the rational one, and Danny was… Danny. While I’m not a huge fan of what the showrunners did with Iron Fist, I didn’t hate the character or his show.

That being said, some of Danny’s scenes were painful to watch, mainly because of his immaturity. That aspect of his personality made one large part of the overall conflict in The Defenders a little too predictable. HOWEVER, only that major part of the story was predictable. Stuff like how the Defenders got together wasn’t. I knew very little beyond what I’d seen in the trailers.

Speaking of trailers, I was worried about the villains in the show because of Sigourney Weaver. She just didn’t have that “evil” quality I expect from a Marvel bad guy. Yet, each villain was interesting, if not 100% unique. And Elektra. Well, I love Elektra. She’s bada$$, even though her full potential wasn’t highlighted very well. She surprised me. Oh, and that ending. Ugh. I need to know what happened!

I will say that some of the aspects of the show that I was looking forward to didn’t really pan out, though. I wanted more humor than I got. While Jessica was sassy and slightly funny, nothing about the show really made me chuckle. I also thought the plotline went by ridiculously fast. Most of the story took place in less than 72 hours… I think. I would have liked more team and character development through a longer period of time, but I can see why the writers decided to go for a faster pace. It’s a direct contrast to the way the individual Defender shows operate. It’s also more Avengers-esque.

All in all, if you haven’t watched the other, individual Defender shows, definitely don’t start out just watching The Defenders. I’d highly suggest watching both seasons of Daredevil and, even though it’s not the greatest, Iron Fist as well. Those two are the ones you’ll need to watch to understand the villains and overall plot of The Defenders.

Stacking the Shelves: The Brought With Me Edition

 

 "Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It allows book buyers to share their accumulation of books with the online book-loving community.

Okay, so these books aren’t technically new. I haven’t bought or borrowed anything this week, so I thought I’d share the books I brought with me from Missouri. I didn’t take a whole lot.

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada

Mistborn and Firefight by Brandon Sanderson

Luck, Love & Lemon Pie by Amy E. Reichert

Avenged by Amy Tintera

Starflight by Melissa Landers

Talon by Julie Kagawa

Golden Son by Pierce Brown

As you can see, some of them are naked. That’s because I didn’t want the jackets to get damaged during the move. Although, I have no idea what I’ll do if I end up living in New York long-term and end up needing to move all of my books here. It’ll be awkward trying to pack random book-less dustjackets…

What books have you bought/received lately?

Dean Winchester Friday

Dean Winchester (or sometimes Jensen Ackles) Fridays make me a very happy fangirl. You'll see why when you look at the pic.

I want a giant Dean Funko. I have no idea where I’d put it or what I would do with it, though. Maybe I’d hang clothes off of its arms? Maybe I should just stick with my mini Dean Funko… 

Note: No DWF pics are mine. Click on the pic to be taken to where I found this week's.

Waiting on Wednesday: Fireblood by Emmy Blake

 "Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, what's really got my pages in a twist is...

Fireblood

Emmy Blake

(Frostblood Saga #2)

Publication Date: September 12, 2017

Hardcover, 416 pages, Little Brown Books

Genres: YA, Fantasy

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

In this action-packed sequel to Frostblood, the future of Ruby's world and a court ruled by the love of her life depends on the uncovered secrets of her past..

Against all odds, Ruby has defeated the villainous Frost King and melted his throne of ice. But the bloodthirsty Minax that was trapped inside is now haunting her kingdom and everyone she loves. The answers to its demise may lie to the south in Sudesia, the land of the Firebloods, and a country that holds the secrets to Ruby's powers and past....

Despite warnings from her beloved Arcus, Ruby accompanies a roguish Fireblood named Kai to Sudesia, where she must master her control of fire in a series of trials to gain the trust of the suspicious Fireblood queen. Only then can she hope to access the knowledge that could defeat the rampaging Minax--which grows closer every moment. But as sparks fly in her moments alone with Kai, how can Ruby decide whom to trust? The fate of both kingdoms is now in her hands.

My Thoughts

I read Frostblood earlier this year, and I enjoyed it. It wasn’t my favorite YA fantasy book, but it was an entertaining read. It was a bit like Game of Thrones fire and ice meets Avatar: The Last Airbender and Red Queen. I hope book two will keep that same vibe.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Top 3 Covers of 2018 So Far

Can you believe it’s almost 2018?! The year is more than halfway over! Yikes.

Because 2018 is almost here, and because some of the year’s covers have been revealed, I thought I’d share my top three covers of 2018 so far.

Everless

Sara Holland

(Untitled #1)

Publication Date: January 2, 2018

Hardcover, 336 pages, HarperTeen

Genres: YA, Fantasy

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

In the land of Sempera, time is extracted from blood and used as payment. Jules Ember and her father were once servants at Everless, the wealthy Gerling family’s estate, but were cast out after of a fateful accident a decade ago. Now, Jules’s father is reaching his last hour, and she will do anything to save him. Desperate to earn time, she arrives at the palace as it prepares for a royal wedding, ready to begin her search into childhood secrets that she once believed to be no more than myths. As she uncovers lost truths, Jules spirals deeper into a past she hardly recognizes, and faces an ancient and dangerous foe who threatens her future and the future of time itself.

My Thoughts

Everless might be my favorite cover of 2018 (so far), and what’s sad is that I don’t even know a lot about it. I actually had no idea this book was a thing until Epic Reads did their cover release post a couple months back.

I just love the hourglass image on this cover, though. Mixed with the orange and silver colors, it’s amazing. I love the inside of the hourglass that much, but I don’t dislike it, either. I’m neutral on that front.

***

The Defiant

Lesley Livingston

(The Valiant #2)

Publication Date: February 13, 2018

Hardcover, 336 pages, Razorbill

Genres: YA, Historical Fiction

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

The darling of the Roman Empire is in for the fight of her life.

Be brave, gladiatrix… And be wary. Once you win Caesar’s love, you’ll earn his enemies’ hate.

Fallon was warned.

Now she is about to pay the price for winning the love of the Roman people as Caesar’s victorious gladiatrix.

In this highly anticipated sequel to THE VALIANT, Fallon and her warrior sisters find themselves thrust into a vicious conflict with a rival gladiator academy, one that will threaten not only Fallon’s heart – and her love for Roman soldier Cai – but the very heart of the ancient Roman Empire.

When dark treachery and vicious power struggles threaten her hard-won freedom, the only thing that might help the girl known as Victrix save herself and her sisters is a tribe of long-forgotten mythic Amazon warriors.

The only trouble is, they might just kill her themselves first.

My Thoughts

I haven’t read The Valiant yet, nor have I read any other books by Lesley Livingston, but this one looks good. Someone on Twitter said that this cover was giving them Wonder Woman vibes. I can see that. It definitely reminds me of the Amazons.

I think my favorite part of this cover is just how bada$$ it looks. Plus, purple is my favorite color. ;)

***

Shadow Call

AdriAnne Strickland and Michael Miller

(Kaitan Chronicles #2)

Publication Date: April 17, 2018

Hardcover, 432 pages, Delacorte Press

Genres: YA, Sci-Fi

B&N | Book Depository | Amazon | Goodreads

His throne. Her rebellion. Their war.

Qole is the youngest starship captain in living memory on her homeworld of Alaxak and has spent her life hunting a dangerous energy source called Shadow. Alaxans distrust and evade the galaxy’s royalty as a rule, but Qole is now harboring the exiled Prince Nevarian Dracorte, along with some very conflicting feelings about it—and him.

Nev’s feelings are just as complicated, but not towards her. When it comes to Qole, he knows one thing: he’d do anything to stay with her. But when Alaxak is attacked and Nev finds himself framed for murder, he realizes the only way to help Qole and her people is to fight for the throne that should be his. To become the royal she might hate.

As for Qole, she would never have imagined herself as the leader of a rebellion. Despite that, she soon realizes that hiding from her power is no longer an option. It’s time to answer the call, even if it kills her.

My Thoughts

Again, I haven’t read the first book in this series, but the cover speaks to me. I’ve been in weird sci-fi/fantasy phase this year, and this cover really reminds me of The Expanse and Dark Matter television shows.

I love the colors mixed with the inside of the ship and outer space. I think it’s a beautiful view. I need to pick up book one before I can get my hands on this bad boy, though. *sigh*

***

Well, there you have it. Those are my Top 3 Covers of 2018 So Far. Maybe these will move down the list as more covers get revealed, but for now, these are the winners.

What are some of your favorite covers of 2018?