Stacking the Shelves: The "Ooo! Book Outlet Had Another Sale" Edition

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

Book Outlet had a sale. That’s all I have to say for myself and my breaking of my book-buying ban. Please don’t judge me.

A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

Ruins by Dan Wells

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Half Bad by Sally Green

The Offering by Kimberly Derting

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 picture.

Oh Dean. You’re priceless.

Favorite Recent Cover Reveal

There have been a plethora of cover reveals lately. And, while normally I’d share them on my blog, there’s just too many for that. So I decided to show you one of my favorites.

Ice Like Fire

Sara Raasch

(Snow Like Ashes #2)

Publication Date: October 13, 2015

Hardcover, 432 pages, Balzer + Bray

Genres: YA, Fantasy

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

My Thoughts

I haven’t read the first book, so I’m trying to avoid the spoilery blurb, but what do you think about the cover reveal? Does it match up with the themes of the book?

I personally enjoy the covers are similar, I just don’t like the very plan text. I feel like Snow Like Ashes spiced up the cover a little with black and white words. I wish they could have done something similar with this one.

What are your thoughts on Ice Like Fire or any of the other cover reveals out there?

Waiting on Wednesday: Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout

"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...

Scorched

Jennifer L. Armentrout

(Frigid #2)

Publication Date: June 16, 2015

Paperback, 320 pages, Spencer Hill Press

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

Sometimes life leaves a mark.

Most days, Andrea doesn't know whether she wants to kiss Tanner or punch him in the gut. He is seriously hot, with legit bedroom eyes and that firefighter body of his, but he's a major player, and he never cuts her any slack.

But when her life spirals out of control, he's there for her. The only problem is, no one else can save her... only she can save herself.

My Thoughts

Jennifer. L. Armentrout. Need I say more?

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Random Questionnaire Time

I couldn’t think of a post for today so I looked up random questionnaires. I found this one at Mr. Darcy Cheated: Reinventing Elizabeth.

What movie deserves a sequel?

The Kiera Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice. I love that movie.

What one toy would you like to throw repeatedly at a brick wall?

Guitar Hero. I just can’t do it.

What is one thing a woman should never do?

This is a very dumb question. It should ask, “What is one thing a PERSON should never do?” And a PERSON shouldn’t read in the shower. It ruins the book.

What is your favorite kind of cereal?

Honey Nut Cheerios and Frosted Flakes

What is one thing you always wanted as a kid, but never got?

Hmm… This is hard. I was always a huge Barbie fan and there was this one Barbie that I remember getting that I LOVED. I wanted the other two that were like her, but I just never got them.

Great. Now I want to go out and buy them.

If you were in a witness protection program, what would be your alias?

Emmaline Jansen, cashier at Wal-Mart. Totally just made that up off the top of my head.

What is the nicest thing someone else has done for you?

My parents took me to Jefferson City, MO one time just to buy a book (we didn’t order online back then and the nearest Barnes & Noble is two hours away). Unfortunately, the book was sold out. While I was being all miserable and pouty, my sister distracted me and a worker at B&N got a damaged copy from the back of the store. My mom led me to believe that she was buying a cookbook or something. We walked out of the store and she handed me the bag with the book in it. I was happy.

If you could bring someone famous back from the grave, who would you choose?

Ugh. I kind of hate these kinds of questions. Maybe C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien? Just because I’d like to read more of their stuff…

Where do you not mind waiting?

Bookstore.

If you could lock up one person in a mental institution, who would it be?

A girl who got on my nerves last week when I was volunteering. She made me miserable and I want revenge.

What is your favorite potato chip flavor?

Barbeque Lays

What is one thing you refuse to share?

I don’t lend out books. Does that count?

What makes you really sleepy?

This probably sounds weird, but whenever I’m thinking about a book I would like to write (it’s never going to actually happen, but I always get ideas), I like to lay down in my bed, close my eyes, and just think. I end up falling asleep.

What one thing annoys you most at a restaurant?

I’m sure there’s more than this, but one time, I had a waiter who couldn’t tell the difference between my Coke and one of my family member’s soda, so he put his nose really close to it and sniffed it. Gross.

If you could dis-invent one thing, what would it be?

The iPhone. Because people who have them make people who don’t have them very angry.

What is the greatest pain you have ever suffered?

Physical pain? Well, I got my wisdom teeth out a few weeks ago. That was not only painful, but gross.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Okay, technically I didn’t meet them, but I went to a Supernatural convention and saw Jared Padelecki and Jensen Ackles. But I have met Jerry Reed (I was like 4 and he signed a stuffed hush puppy dog for me), Kimberly Derting, Kierra Cass, Danielle Paige, and Kelley Armstrong.

If fat, calories, cholesterol, etc were not an issue, what two foods would you feast on?

Potatoes and chocolate.

What is your favorite movie line or scene?

Any scene/line in The Princess Bride.

What language would you like to master?

Spanish. Because it’s popular.

If you were directing a movie, who would you cast as your leading man and woman?

Depends. If they need to be older than thirty, Jensen Ackles and Natalie Portman. If they’re supposed to be younger, Claire Holt or Emma Watson and Matt Lanter.

Aside from lettuce, what are your two favorite salad ingredients?

I like cheese and chicken in my salad, but if we’re going for veggies, onions.

If you had to dispose of a dead body, how would you do it?

Well, I’d have probably done the deed somewhere close to home, so more than likely, no one would ever find out that I did it. (It’s a small town). Then I’d just bury them somewhere on my property.

This is a horribly morbid discussion.

Polaris by Mindee Arnett Review

Polaris

Mindee Arnett

(Avalon #2)

Publication Date: January 20, 2015

Hardcover, 432 pages, Balzer + Bray

Genres: YA, Sci-Fi

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of mercenaries are pulled into one last high-stakes mission in this breathtaking sequel to Mindee Arnett’s fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi thriller Avalon. 

Jeth Seagrave and his crew are on the run. The ITA, still holding Jeth’s mother in a remote research lab, is now intent on acquiring the metatech secrets Jeth’s sister Cora carries inside her DNA, and Jeth is desperate to find the resources he needs to rescue his mother and start a new life outside the Confederation. But the ITA is just as desperate, and Jeth soon finds himself pursued by a mysterious figure hell-bent on capturing him and his crew—dead or alive.

With nowhere to run and only one play left, Jeth enters into a bargain with the last person he ever thought he’d see again: Daxton Price, the galaxy’s newest and most fearsome crime lord. Dax promises to help Jeth, but his help will only come at a price—a price that could mean sacrificing everything Jeth has fought for until now.

The conclusion to the story Mindee Arnett began in her acclaimed novel Avalon, Polaris is a dangerous journey into the spaces between power and corruption, life and death, the parts of ourselves we leave behind, and the parts we struggle to hold on to.

My Review

It’s over. I finished this duology in less than a month and now I can never have the same experience reading a book in this particular sci-fi world ever again. Such a depressing thought.

So I think you can already tell that I really enjoyed this book. There was so much to love in it. I loved how fast-paced it is, how complicated the relationships are, and even how I never knew what the heck was going to happen. There are only a few things that I didn’t particularly like, but we’ll get to those later… 

Back to the fast-paced and surprising plot. I love how in both Avalon and Polaris, you are immediately thrown into the action. There’s no time for tea in these books; these characters are constantly on the go. And they also go places and do things that I never expect. There was only one time that I could kind of predict what was going to happen, and that was at the very end, and I’d only predicted it about twenty or so pages beforehand. I generally always have a sense of how the book’s going to play out, but thankfully, I found something that was able to surprise me.

Since I wrote my review for Avalon, less than a three weeks ago, the characters didn’t change much in my opinion. Jeth is still fantastic, except for the part where I’m not sure what it is exactly he does—besides make decisions and boss people around (I don’t wonder this about his character in general, but just what he contributes to the ship. I guess he’s kind of like Captain Kirk, who doesn’t have a lot of tech savvy or random space knowledge, he just gives commands.) The other characters improved from the first book, but not by a lot. I enjoyed them more in this one, especially Jeth’s sisters and Sierra. However, Shady, Celeste, and some of the other crew members were kind of just tossed to the side, so I couldn’t really find any character growth, or even just get to know them a little more.

The plot of the book was fantastic for the first 85%! I enjoyed it so very much! (I don’t know how many more times I’m going to use the word “enjoy” in this review, but it’ll probably be a few more.) Dax and his newly villainous ways made the first half of the book very interesting. And the introduction of a certain character surprised me, despite knowing that she was going to have to show up in the book eventually. What I didn’t like so much was how towards the end, things just kind of fell into place. Granted, it wasn’t easy for the characters to accomplish their goal, but I just thought it didn’t take nearly as long as I expected it to, especially considering how the first half of the book is basically just the crew getting everything set up and ready to go. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this part and how long it was—even though it seemed to go by so very quickly because of the fast-pacing—I just think the ending could have been spread out a little more. 

So, if you’re looking for a sci-fi read, start with Avalon. Then, if you have a major book-hangover because of Avalon’s ending like I did, pick up Polaris. And for that hangover, I don’t know what to tell you, because it’s over now… Maybe try to watch some Star Trek.

*Note: I borrowed this book from my library.

Which Team Are You? : The Buffy Edition

I basically just post a book series every week and have people vote on what team they are. I know the YA Sisterhood does the YA Crush Tournament, but I just want to find out how much you guys like one love interest over another, in one series.

Last week's poll was over Team Jonas or Team Magnus from Morgan Rhodes Falling Kingdom  series. Team Magnus won! 

So for this edition of “Which Team Are You?” I’m going to ask you who your pick of hunky man-flesh is from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 

You can choose from:

1) Angel

or 2) Spike

I’m Team Spike and I always will be! Yes, he’s a douche, but he’s a tortured douche. Plus, he’s gorgeous, and he has a British accent. If you had to choose one, who would it be, and why? If you haven’t watched the show (How is that even possible!?), who do you think sounds more appealing from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer summary below:

In every generation there is a chosen one... she alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the slayer." Buffy Summers knows this tale by heart, and no matter how hard she tries to be just a "normal girl", she can not escape from her destiny... Thankfully, she is not alone in her quest to save the world, as she has the help of her friends, the hilarious (and surprisingly quite effective) evil-fighting team called "The Scooby Gang". Together, Buffy & co. will slay their demons, survive one apocalypse after another, attend high school and college... and above all, understand that growing up can truly be Hell sometimes... literally.

Which Team Are You?

Team Angel

Team Spike

free quiz maker

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 picture.

I can’t remember if I’ve posted this one already. Oh well… It’s still pretty.

Waiting on Wednesday: Forged by Erin Bowman

"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...

Forged

Erin Bowman

(Taken #3)

Publication Date: April 14, 2015

Hardcover, 384 pages, HarperTeen

Genres: YA, Dystopian

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

Gray Weathersby and his group of rebels must make their final stand in the epic conclusion to the Taken trilogy, which New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu called "an action-packed thrill ride from beginning to end."

The Order is building an unstoppable army, with every generation of Forgeries harder to detect and deadlier than the one before. It’s time for Gray and his fellow rebels to end the Order's world of lies. But when the most familiar faces—and even the girl he loves—can’t be trusted, Gray will have to tread carefully if he wants to succeed. Or survive.

My Thoughts

I didn’t fall in love with Taken. And I still haven’t read the second book yet, but once this one comes out I’ll probably just marathon the last two.

What book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

My Not-So-Secret List of Authors I'd Love to Meet

We all not-so-secretly have a list of authors hidden somewhere that we’d love to meet. These are them:

Gena Showalter

Rainbow Rowell

J.K. Rowling

Meg Cabot

Jennifer L. Armentrout

Kresley Cole

Cynthia Hand

Sarah J. Maas

Courtney Allison Moulton

 What authors would you like to meet? Sound off in the comments.

Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes Review

Rebel Spring

Morgan Rhodes

(Falling Kingdoms #2)

Publication Date: December 2013

Hardcover, 401 pages, Razorbill

Genres: YA, Fantasy

Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Goodreads

The road to power...is paved with blood and magic.

Cleo is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people.

Magnus stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia.

Lucia is haunted by the outcome of the breathtaking display of magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms.

Jonas watched at the palace gates a troop of rebels behind him, waiting for him to tell them how he plans to overtake King Gaius.

After a bloody siege, Auranos has been defeated, its young queen orphaned and dethroned. The three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now unwillingly united as one country called Mytica. But the allure of ancient, dangerous magic beckons still, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the whole world over....

At the heart of the fray are four brave young people grappling for that magic and the power it promises. For Cleo, the magic would enable her to reclaim her royal seat. In Jonas's hands, it frees his nation, and in Lucia's, it fulfills the ancient prophecy of her destiny. And if the magic were Magnus's, he would finally prove his worth in the eyes of his cruel and scheming father, King Gaius, who rules Mytica with a punishing hand.

When Gaius begins to build a road into the Forbidden Mountains to physically link all of Mytica, he sparks a long-smoking fire in the hearts of the people that will forever change the face of this land. For Gaius's road is paved with blood, and its construction will have cosmic consequences.

My Review

I have to be honest. I didn’t entirely love the first book in this series. I know, I know. What the heck’s wrong with me? Well, I didn’t really feel like I could connect with any of the characters. The multiple point of views didn’t let me understand them and their personalities. This was especially difficult considering this was the first book. I had no idea who the people were! The only reason I decided to pick the second book up was because of all the hype. However, when I was reading this book, I had the pleasure of actually knowing who the characters were so I enjoyed it lot more. Yay!

Mytica is still in disaster-mode and the characters are still in WTF-mode, but it just felt like this was a whole different book. A more well-developed book. But, while I did like the storyline better, I felt like nothing really happened. I guess this just comes with the fact that there are going to be like five or six books in this series. There’s going to be some books that not a lot happens in.

As for the characters, Jonas and Magnus are my babes! I love them both! I also like Cleo, the new character Lysandra, and even the evilness of the king. But I DO. NOT. LIKE. LUCIA. I can’t really explain why, but I hate her character. I can’t stand reading her chapters. If they weren’t essential to the storyline, I would totally skip them. Maybe I don’t like her because she’s the only magical person in the realm and it just feels like she’s cheating and that she shouldn’t be there? I honestly am not sure.

All in all, this review has pretty much been a plethora of my most random thoughts about this book (I’m writing this pretty late at night.). If you were like me though, and you couldn’t find yourself really loving the first book, pick up Rebel Spring and give it a try. You might like the series better after.

*Note: I purchased a copy of this book for myself.