Thursday, August 4, 2016

July Book Haul + Wrap-Up

HAPPY AUGUST!! Summer is almost over, my favorite season is coming up --football, I mean FALL :) and then the holidays! I'm getting a little too ahead of myself and time is almost too literally flying by but this is my favorite time of the year. 

July was a very busy month. As I mentioned in my last post, we just moved into a new place and July was full of buying new things to fill up our home and doing major cleaning and throwing out and countless errand runs and even more paperwork all while taking care of children and working our jobs. Here is a small list that I was able to compile for last month:

1. I was able to get more reading done than I thought I would. That's always a good thing, right? I read a total of SIX books and I was pleasantly happy with them all.





1. Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally
2. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
3. Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally
4. Revenge, Ice-Cream and Other Things Best Served Cold by Katie Finn
5. I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
6. The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas

I didn't have time to write reviews on any of them, but I will. I will also be writing a post of my favorite read and least favorite of the month soon, so look out for that. But to quickly summarize my experience, overall I flew through these books. I will also go on record to say I prefer Morgan Matson over Katie Finn. I'm on the final book in the series and it is getting on my nerves. Hearts, Fingers and Other Things To Cross was a DNF for me for July. I will try to finish it this month but it just seems to immature for me. In general, the concept of revenge is such a childish act that I don't ever take those writings or stories seriously. I also started The Unexpected Everything and I'm enjoying just not as much as maybe other book bloggers. I do want to see where it goes, though so that's on my TBR for August. For some reason, I went on a Miranda Kenneally binge. I've said it before, but she's the author to one of my all-time favorite books Catching Jordan and I've only read one other book of hers so I decided to give them a read. they did not disappoint. They are very cute, and funny and exactly what I needed to help me through last month. 



2. I made a quick book store run. I didn't have time to browse thoroughly so I grabbed a small amount of books that I have already read but didn't have a physical copy of the book and I'm slowly collecting the Nancy Drew series again. I used to own a bunch of books waaaaaay back in the day but they got lost through all the moving around we did growing up so every time I see them in the store, I pick one or two or three up and add them to my collection. 


3. We had an amazing 4th of July. We've made it a tradition when we moved to orange county to go to the local high school to watch their fireworks show. This year was even better than the last! My kids had a blast playing in their jumpers -- they had all kinds of jumpers for every age. We ate from their delicious food trucks and enjoyed the live music. Their fireworks is number 1 in the OC for a reason!

4. I watched Bad Moms with a fellow bad ass mom ;) a good friend of mine that I've known for almost ten years now, took a break from our families to watch a movie I've been anticipating since early this year. It was HILARIOUS! Kristen Bell is one of my favorite actresses (her and her husband, Dax Shepard, are the ultimate marriage goals) and I've been following her since her Veronica Mars days. Mila Kunis was great, too. All of the ladies rocked it! It was maybe the female version of The Hangover. It's up there with Bridesmaids as my favorite movies. We had dinner afterwards and hung out for a few hours just catching up. I had a blast. Definitely made us realize we need more nights out like we used to!

5. The bf and I started a new show. We are now hooked on the TV show Shameless. It's been on for seven seasons! We're only a few episodes in but we love it. It's different, witty dark humored, and disturbing at times, but it's awesome. 

July was busy and August will be about the same. Plus, football Sunday starts this weekend so Sundays will officially be booked until February 2017. We're loving our new home, even though there are still a million things to do! Per usual, I don't have a TBR set for this month. I want to finish a couple books that I started but I think August I'm going to focus on my blog and update reviews and freshen it up a little. I really want to start a booktube channel but am having trouble with it. Any help will be appreciated! Thanks for sticking around and as always, HAPPY READING! :)

Friday, July 1, 2016

Life update + bookish thoughts


Hello EVERYONE! Can you believe we are now halfway through the year?! Where does the time go? Well, A LOT has been going on with me since my last post... in April?! Gah!! I hate to admit but not much reading has gotten done. Not because I don't want to-- I've actually been craving to read because I miss it so, but I really don't have time to read. Here are a few things that have been going on with me:

1. Since my last post, I got a new job :) still not in the field that I studied for (but that is still in the works!) but I'm good at it and genuinely enjoy it, and my new job is near the beach so the weather is always beautiful and my co-workers are pretty awesome. I've been here for over two months now and there is ALWAYS something to do, so I don't have as much downtime to catch up on reading or blogging.

2. We moved! Fortunately, we are in a bigger place that better fits our big family. And also our extended family! This was a long time coming because there are now seven of us and we need SPACE, and now that we have it, we all love it but our kids aren't climbing all over us as much which is what we wanted but now we miss it. They're too busy exploring the place and enjoying their rooms. 

3. There's been lots of family time! :) we've taken them to drive-in movies (Captain America: Civil War and Finding Dory), special trips to random places, we've attempted to explore our surroundings so we've forced ourselves to get "lost" so as to find new adventures, we celebrated Mother's Day and Father's Day and Memorial Day by the bf experimenting with BBQ recipes. It's been pretty awesome these last few months just hanging out with my family. My kids are getting older and getting antsy being at home, so we take them out to let out some steam. And though they do have their moments, we've loved watching them learn and grow. 

4. Very. Little. Reading. I've tried to pick up a book, and I did manage to read two books since April, but because there is so much going on, reading has been pushed down to the bottom of my to-do list. I did make a trip to the bookstore once and bought a good amount of books, and aside from a few Kindle deals here and there, I haven't been excited to pick up a book and read. Life gets in the way sometimes, and the order of important things in my life has changed drastically since being a mom and continues to change on a daily basis. 

It's a small list in print, but in reality, it's much more chaotic and eventful. Life is amazing right now, and the rough patches has only made the big moments that much sweeter. We're very happy with where we are, and now that the best of sports is officially over (I mean really, who watches baseball for fun?) we plan to enjoy the rest of summer making more memories with our kids all while unpacking and fixing up our new home. 

Now on to bookish related talk... I read Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally in TWO sittings, and although it's not my favorite by her (Catching Jordan takes the trophy), I enjoyed it and I give it 3.75 stars. Like I mentioned earlier, I've been craving to read a book and I figured a nice YA, fun, quick read would do the trick, and it did. I picked up I'll Meet You There  by Heather Demetrios and I'm rally liking it so far. I didn't even read the synopsis. I just picked it up because I remember when it first came out, it was a much anticipated and raved about book so I decided to give it a try. I also read a nice steamy read in Addicted to You by Kristie and Becca Ritchie and LOVED it but I keep forgetting about it, you know what I mean? Has that happened to you, where you loved the first book in a series and want to read the next book but for some reason keep forgetting about it? Anyway, I will be picking up the second book soon. Summer used to be about contemporaries and light reads, but as I've gotten older, it's now more steamy, borderline eroticas that feel more summer-like to me. Am I the only one? 

I would post pictures of the book haul from a couple months ago, but ALL my books are packed. Let me tell you, those were not fun to pack! And I'm sure the bf would tell you they were even LESS fun to haul around from our old place to the new place. I highly doubt he'll ever let me live that down. I have plans on where to set up my books, but I will save that for last. Our focus is to get the girls' room ready first so they can start sleeping in there and get out of my room! Ok ok, they're begging for it, I'm the one lagging because I don't want them to leave me. But my new library will be so pretty, I can see it now...

Happy Fourth of July weekend, fellow readers. Be safe and have fun! And as always, happy reading :)


Saturday, April 2, 2016

New Monthly Features

While I was writing yesterday's March Wrap-Up post, I accidentally came up with a new monthly feature I want to introduce into my blog. I'm not sure if other book bloggers do it or if there is a name for it, but I call it "Read It or Leave It". It's pretty self-explanatory but it's basically just stating my favorite book for the month and my least favorite book of the month. If I haven't put a review for said book, I will post the review along with an explanation as to why I liked it or why I didn't like it. And even if I don't like it, I will leave a recommendation for those that may be interested in it, because even if it wasn't my cup of tea, it could be someone else's next favorite book. As they say "one man's trash is another man's treasure", this couldn't be more true for book lovers.

Another minor feature I want to add to my monthly recaps, or wrap-ups, is list a few things I did for that month and maybe list (if I have plans already made) of what will be happening in the following month. After reviewing my wrap-up, I noticed I wrote a huge paragraph recapping the month of March when I just could've simply made a numerical list to make the post look cleaner overall. 

Remember, fellow bookworms, I'm still fairly new to this bookblogging business, so what you may find to be a common sense thing, I am just starting to figure out. I am open to suggestions, comments, advice, etc. on ways to improve my blog or make bookblogging easier, so please, let me know. And I would love to check out other book bloggers' blogs (??) so if you have one, leave your link and I will definitely follow! I will introduce these features next month since I basically did it for March's wrap-up and I don't want to repeat myself. But anyway, Happy Saturday, have a beautiful weekend, and as always happy reading! :)

Friday, April 1, 2016

March Wrap-Up + Plans For April



I could have sworn I read more than four books in March, but the month just flew by so I guess I didn't. Still, it was yet another great month for the books! :) the bf got loads of birthday presents this time around. Nothing too extravagant, he's a pretty simple guy. He was happy with the many video games, movies and clothes he got. I went to San Diego early March for what was my first time and I fell in love! I went with some of the ladies from NFLFemale (a sports site where I write about my beloved Philadelphia Eagles). We're definitely going back again-- whether it be a family trip or a football game, I don't care, but we're going! We also took our kids to Santa Monica for their first time and they had a blast! For Easter, we joined in on an egg hunt which was fun and odd at the same time. Later n the month, the bf and I had a rare date night so we watched Batman vs Superman, which I wasn't too impressed with, but those few hours of alone time was pretty awesome. And another exciting thing we just started doing is rearranging our apartment. Spring Cleaning Round 2, we call it, but this time much more thorough. As in walls getting painted, furniture being thrown out and bought, that kind of thing. We just got started and we still have a ways to go, but we did the kids' room first and it came out AMAZING so I'm excited about this new project. Change is always good :)

In terms of reading, I thought I did pretty good. It wasn't a lot of books, but for the most part, I enjoyed each book I read. Nora & Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor became one of my favorite reads so far this year and Start with the Backbeat by Garine B. Isassi was my least favorite for the month (all my reviews have been posted, so make sure you check those out for more of my thoughts).

I received a lot of books that I requested from NetGalley, which I'm really excited about, and I'll be reading the rest of them this month. I purchased quite a few books this month, too, and I hope to get through some of them in April.

Kindle:

Book stores:


April, I predict, is going to be full of surprises. There are two book events happening this month and I plan on going to both. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is next weekend and the 2nd annual Yall West is at the end of the month. I went last year and got lots of my books signed by some pretty awesome authors. I can't wait to go again! I don't have a set TBR, but like I mentioned earlier, I still have a handful of books to read from NetGalley and I want to get to How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran for the "Our Shared Shelf" book of the month, a book club hosted by the gorgeous Emma Watson on Goodreads. I want to cut down my spending on books for this month because the NFL schedule will be released sometime this month and we want to save up to attend hopefully two games this year. So unfortunately, books will move towards the bottom of my list for a while. Luckily, I do have PLENTY of books to read and to get me through any urge I feel to buy books. 

2016 has been very good to me so far, let's hope it continues. Happy April, enjoy the April fool pranks and as always, happy reading! :) 









Saturday, March 26, 2016

Review: Nora & Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor



"What if Peter Pan was a homeless kid just trying to survive, and Wendy flew away for a really good reason?"

Seventeen-year-old Kettle has had his share of adversity. As an orphaned Japanese American struggling to make a life in the aftermath of an event in history not often referred to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and the removal of children from orphanages for having "one drop of Japanese blood in them" things are finally looking up. He has his hideout in an abandoned subway tunnel, a job, and his gang of Lost Boys.

Desperate to run away, the world outside her oppressive brownstone calls to naive, eighteen-year-old Nora the privileged daughter of a controlling and violent civil rights lawyer who is building a compensation case for the interned Japanese Americans. But she is trapped, enduring abuse to protect her younger sister Frankie and wishing on the stars every night for things to change.

For months, they've lived side by side, their paths crossing yet never meeting. But when Nora is nearly killed and her sister taken away, their worlds collide as Kettle, grief stricken at the loss of a friend, angrily pulls Nora from her window.

In her honeyed eyes, Kettle sees sadness and suffering. In his, Nora sees the chance to take to the window and fly away.

Set in 1953, Nora & Kettle explores the collision of two teenagers facing extraordinary hardship. Their meeting is inevitable, devastating, and ultimately healing. Their stories, "a collection of events, are each on their own harmless. But together, one after the other, they change the world."


RATING: 5 stars

**I apologize before hand for not being able to give it a proper review. I honestly couldn't find the right words to express how I really felt about this book. It is not only one of my favorite reads of the year, but of all time. And I've read some pretty damn good books. I sincerely hope you all give this book a read, only then will you really understand what I mean. As I let this book sync in some more, I'll write a much more descriptive review. So please keep checking in for that.**

I'm a huge fan of US History. It's one of my favorite subjects in school and favorite genres to read, historical fiction and non-fiction, and so when I came across this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it.

This book is most definitely not for the faint of heart. It was hard to read, not because it was horribly written or it was difficult to understand (at least not int he traditional sense-- more on that later) but because our main character, Nora, who I consider one of the bravest, strongest and smartest heroines I'v ever read about, endures some traumatic experiences under her father. Kettle easily became one of my favorite characters to read about. His courage and his loyalty to those around him shows just how caring human beings can be even during times of duress.

The era of WWII is my favorite in US History. I find it so fascinating even though it probably is one of the worst times in our country's history. And unfortunately, we don't too often hear about the Japanese internment camps nor the aftermath. Another reason to read this book, it gives another perspective for those who are curious.

My heart ached, it broke and it tore to pieces throughout the entire book. I can't go into detail or give it a proper review without giving away any spoilers. I definitely recommend this book, but be warned that this is NOT for the light-hearted.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Review: Start with the BackBeat: A Music Novel by Garine B. Isassi

It is the spring of 1989 in New York City when Jill Dodge, a post-punk rocker from Texas, finally gets her big promotion at Mega Big Records. She is thrust into a race to find a gritty, urban rapper before the Gangsta trend passes their label by. As Jill and her mostly middle-class coworkers search for the next big rap star, they fluctuate between alliances and rivalries, tripping over the stereotypes of race, class, and musical genre. They work to promote their current roster of acts as well as the new rap artist they sign to a contract. It turns out, he may not be what they expected. Full of original lyrics and wit, "Start With the Backbeat" is a compelling examination of the nuances of class, race, and culture in America which are sometimes ridiculously serious."

Rating: 3.75



For the most part, I enjoyed this book a lot. I liked the musical aspect of it. I appreciated the references to poop culture and I also loved that it took place in the 80s when rap was morphing into what I was familiar with in the 90s- gangsta rap. The moral of the story wasn't hard to figure out but the story was a little too zany for me. There were times where I didn't know where it was going or details I didn't think were necessary, hat could have been left out.

Overall, I fount this story relatable and I think this is a genre that I can see myself reading more from. This is my first "musical novel" and I think it's genius to incorporate music into a book (although I know Colleen Hoover was the first that I can't think where I read it). I recommend his book if you're in a mood to get inspired to write a song or even if you want to experience something new and if you want to be entertained.





Friday, March 11, 2016

Book Haul: February

I realize this is a couple weeks late but I'll go ahead and post this anyway because I wanted to share the books I hauled last month. Yes, I went a little crazy.


Books I purchased:




I also purchased quite a few eBooks on Amazon for my Kindle (there was an awesome sale):




P.S. I also bought the Friends Pop Funko collection. Aren't they cute?





As always, happy reading! :)




Review: Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally (ARC)



Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor’s always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that’s what is expected of a senator’s daughter. But one impulsive decision—one lie to cover for her boyfriend—and Taylor’s kicked out of private school. Everything she’s worked so hard for is gone, and now she’s starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor’s escape from the pressures of school and family, but it’s hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she’s going through is her older brother’s best friend, Ezra. Taylor’s had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it’s hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?


Publishing date: July 2016

RATING: 3.5 stars

I became a fan of Miranda Kenneally's right after reading Catching Jordan. That book is now one of my all-time favorites and Kenneally became an auto-buy author. I have pretty much all her books (except maybe one, not too sure), but the other one I've only read is Breathe, Annie, Breathe. While I've enjoyed these books of hers, nothing can come close to Catching Jordan. Maybe it's because o my obsession with football, but I finished that book in one sitting. ONE! Ok, ok, enough of Catching Jordan. This book was great, too. I especially love how she incorporates sports into her books (since sports and books are two of my favorite things in the whole world), and this one was no different.

Overall, it was a fun read. It was funny, I felt for the main character, Taylor, or "Tee", but I thought she complained a little too much. Not that I blame her, in a situation where your family is in the limelight, I'm sure it isn't always unicorns and rainbows so I felt for her, I just thought she needed to be a little stronger in her home life like she was at school when it came to confronting her arch nemesis, Nicole. I can understand where she came from, after dissecting and analyzing the book, I realized I could relate to her more than I originally thought.

I flew through this book, which is always a good sign, Kenneally's writing is so addicting and witty and her characters are always personable and likable, that's an automatic three stars. I gave it 3.5 because though I enjoyed it very much, and it's a book I definitely recommend if you're in the mood for a light, fun read, it's not one I see myself reading again. At least not anytime in the near future. Still, Kenneally is an author who's books I always look forward to.

Oh, and PS. These covers are ALWAYS awesome!


Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Review: Undecided by Julianna Keyes

Nora Kincaid has one goal for her second year of college: be invisible. Last year’s all-party-no-study strategy resulted in three failed classes and two criminal charges, and if she messes up again she’ll lose her scholarship. But there’s one problem with her plan for invisibility, and his name is Crosbie Lucas: infamous party king, general hellraiser…and her new roommate’s best friend.

Crosbie’s reckless reputation and well-known sexcapades aren’t part of Nora’s studious new strategy, but as she’s quickly learning, her new plan is also really boring. When Crosbie’s unexpected gestures of friendship pull her head out of her books long enough to see past his cocky veneer, she’s surprised to find a flawed and funny guy beneath it all. The muscles don’t hurt, either.

But as Nora starts to fall for Crosbie, the weight of one of last year’s bad decisions grows even heavier. Because three failing grades and two misdemeanors are nothing compared to the one big secret she’s hiding…

Publishing date: April 2016
Rating: 5 stars


Before I begin my review, I just want to go on record to say I don't think the title of the book fits the story at all. And on the same token, the cover isn't that great either. I love the cover if it related more to the story, but after finishing (and loving) the book, it definitely wasn't what I thought it was going to be about based on the cover/title alone.

I wasn't in the mood for anything in particular when I requested this book for review. I read the synopsis, and though it didn't sound too interesting, I was intrigued enough and I am very happy to say that this book blew me away!

I was expecting a typical New Adult story, and yes, while it was predictable, I think the story itself made up for that. Nora and Crosbie are very relatable characters, and I haven't felt a connection with characters in a book in such a long time, that it was refreshing to fall in love with these two. Even the co-characters. Marcela and Kellan were funny side characters! I felt like I was a part of their journey. Another thing I enjoyed was that it eliminated the unnecessary drama and there was no love triangle (like the cover led me to believe). It was just a fun read, a sexy read, and most definitely a favorite read of mine for 2016. Julianna Keyes has gained a new fan and follower, and I'll be picking up any and all of her books and I hope she continues writing New Adult. her writing is so detailed but so fast-paced and easy to follow, it took a lot of willpower to put this book down at all. This got a complete five out of five stars from me. I highly recommend this book if you're into funny, sweet, college romances.


Thursday, March 3, 2016

Review: F*ck Love by Tarryn Fisher


Helena Conway has fallen in love.
Unwillingly. Unwittingly.
But not unprovoked.
Kit Isley is everything she’s not—unstructured, untethered,
and not even a little bit careful.
It could all be so beautiful … if he wasn’t dating her best friend.
Helena must defy her heart, do the right thing, and think of others.
Until she doesn’t.

RATING: 3.75 stars

By the time I was done with this book, I was both frustrated and enamored with it. Fisher's writing style is so addicting and intoxicating that I couldn't put this book down. I finished it pretty quickly even though the story line itself was very bland. Helena Conway was not a favorite character of mine. She was so stubborn but whiny and it irritated me that she didn't know what she wanted. I felt like she took the concept of love way too seriously most of the time and I couldn't handle it, but the way Tarryn Fisher writes, I was so captivated by it that I couldn't make myself stop reading. It became one of my favorites because of the writing, but I seriously hope this is a standalone. Even though I do think I would continue if it were a series, if only because of Tarryn Fisher. I enjoyed her and Colleen Hoover's Never Never series, and she easily became an instant-buy author. I hope her following book has more depth to it.

Wrap-Up #4 | February

WOW! What a crazy but fun month February was. Not only did I celebrate my 27th birthday, but my son turned two years old, me and the bf celebrated our six year anniversary and his football team won the Super Bowl! Okay, so that's more his thing, but I think what made the win even more special was that it was on our anniversary :) it was an amazing month, February was. And because of all the running around and celebrating, I didn't find too much time to read. In my defense, one of the books I read was such a drag to read that I didn't want to finish it (though I did anyway) and it put me in somewhat of a reading slump.

         

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han ****
F*ck Love by Tarryn Fisher ***1/2
City Love by Susane Colasanti **1/2


I also started reading The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton, but didn't quite finish it, I still added it to my wrap-up though because I was almost done with it, guess I'll have to add it to March's Wrap-Up, too.

In terms of reading, it was pretty bad, but in my personal life, February was very successful ;) I have tons of books lined up to read this month, I'll be happy getting to at least five of them. It's my boyfriend's birthday month so I plan on spoiling him the way he waited on me all last month. Anyway, happy reading, fellow readers! :)



Friday, February 26, 2016

To Read eBooks Or Not To Read eBooks?

I've been a reader since I can remember. A book has always been glued to my hands. There was a drought I went through where I was always out and living life than reading, but since having my my babies, I've returned to my long lost love for reading. Also, I've managed to instill the love of reading into my kids, so that's a huge bonus.


Any reader will tell you there's nothing like the feel of a physical book. The thickness of it, the smoothness of the cover or the smell of the pages. There's no comparison. That's why to me, this age-old debate of "what's better" between eBooks or physical copies is pointless. Personally, it's a matter of convenience, and to some, it can also be a financial matter. I'm a parent and in raising a family, a lot of sacrifices have to be made. I don't have the luxury of reading whenever I want to. No, instead, I fit in reading when I get a chance, which is more often than not, during the night while my kids are sleeping. Which is why I believe the Kindle is my saving grace. Instead of turning on the light and disturbing my kids' sleep, I can use my Kindle PaperWhite with a back light to read. I don't have to cut my reading time to only during the day, which is nearly impossible on most days.

Don't get me wrong, I still purchase physical books. I go to my local bookstores and will splurge on a few books every once in a while when I have some extra cash to spend. I may need new shoes, but instead, I head to Barnes & Noble for their clearance section or with my coupon and get some books. Cash for lunch? Nah. Let me purchase a book from Amazon instead. Sure, I need a jacket because it's been cold lately, but I live in California, "real" cold weather doesn't exist here so let me get a book with that cash instead. My point being, books are my top priority. Of course, my kids' needs above anything else, but books are a close second! As much as I love to support my favorite authors and even new, up and coming authors, I'm often strapped for cash and head to my local used book store. They're as low $1 so I can get a little crazy in there. I've come across a few hidden gems, too, so it's not too bad.

I don't care for either hardcover or paperback. I love both. I even have a few copies of the same book just because the cover is so gorgeous. I can't do that anymore, though. And because eBooks are so much more cheaper (Amazon is THE best), lately I've been purchasing more eBooks than before. My Kindle has been my best friend this entire year. I think I've only read ONE physical book so far. I've owned multiple tablets/eReaders, but I prefer my Kindle because the brightness of the tablet hurts my eyes after a short while, and the e-ink on the eReader is great. I carry around my Kindle everywhere with me in my purse. It's so much more lighter!

This debate has got to stop. Books are here to stay, and unless my worst nightmare of George Orwell's Fahrenheit 451 comes true, we shouldn't worry about a book's existence because I truly believe it's here to stay for a long time to come.

HAPPY READING, ALL! :)

Review: City love By Susane Colasanti


Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna are living together in New York City the summer before their freshman year of college begins. With no parents, no rules, and an entire city to explore, these three girls are on the verge of the best summer of their lives.

Sadie is a native New Yorker. She is hopeful, romantic, and an eternal optimist who is ready to find her soul mate. Then she meets her dream boy: cute, funny, and quirky in all the right ways. The chemistry between them is unreal. Could he be the one?

Darcy is a free spirit from SoCal with rebellious tendencies and unlimited financial resources. Moving to New York City is just another adventure for her. Darcy wants this summer to be all about boy adventures—nothing serious. But how much fun is too much?

Rosanna leaves Chicago for NYC so she can put her past behind her and reinvent herself. The only thing standing in her way is the grand total of seventy-three cents she has saved. Then she meets a guy who wants to show her the glamorous side of New York—a side that she would never get to experience on her own. If Rosanna doesn't resist, she may find herself in city love.

Told from alternating points of view, City Love captures the moments in each girl's life when everything is thrilling, amazing, and terrifying all at once . . . in a way it will never be again.

RATING: 2.75 stars

Let's just say that this book is the reason I don't read romance books, or love stories. They're cheesy, so unrealistic and too predictable. There's no originality. First of all, I want to go on record to say I'm in a happily, loving and committed relationship, and have been for the past six years. I have nothing against love. If anything, I love love. I love being in love. With that said, I just think love stories are so... blah. I can do cheesy, I'm OK with cute, fluffy reads (and movies), but sometimes, maybe it's  the author's writing, but sometimes the romance can fall short of sweet, and then it becomes boring and over-the-top corny. It took me so long to read this book that I actually regret finishing it. I contemplated DNFing this book but wanted to give this author a chance, but it was so hard to focus and so hard to get into the story when the plot line was all over the place! In no way am I bashing the author, I will be giving her other books a try, I think this is more of my personal problem towards romance stories. It's hard to sweep me off my feet and make my heart skip a beat or get me to be this mushy person (I swear, I'm a great gf, hahahaha) but this was a difficult read. I couldn't relate to any of the characters, and the story ended just as two characters were in the middle of a conflict and I'm not sure whether that was an intentional cliffhanger, not that it matters since the story line was so wacky, immature and so bland to start with. If you're looking for a romance with an early teenaged mentality, this is the book for you. Otherwise, don't bother.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Wrap-up #3 | January + Mini Reviews

Hello everyone! January is pretty much done with, at least for me it is in terms of reading. This new year is off to a great start! I basically lived in bookstores this month tallying up 28 books for January. That's quite a bit considering it's not even my birthday yet! Haha :) I read some amazing books and then I read some that I wasn't really impressed with. 


(Some of the ratings may have changed after I had more time to think and analyze each book)

Joyride by Anna Banks ***
This was a sweet book. I just didn't relate to it like I thought I would, being that the main character, Carlotta, is latina, but there wasn't enough character development or background story for me to relate to her. Arden was an awesome co-main character whose dad is a big d-bag but he made up for his dad's disgusting personality.

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven *****
What a beautifully written book! I couldn't put this book down, it was that good. These were typical teenagers trying to find their place in the world. My heart hurt so much for Theodore, it took me back to my high school days and made think if I knew anyone like him, and while I knew of some, luckily it didn't hit home. Violet was easily relateable, your usual goody-two shoes on the outside, but a confused, lonely girl on the inside. Their friendship was so awesome and I envied it, even to the end. They were the perfect balance to one another. This became my first five star rated book of 2016.

My Kind Of Crazy by Robin Reul *****
This was easily one of the funniest, most heart-warming books I have read so far. I absolutely adored Hank Kirby and his dry, sarcastic sense of humor. While this book reminded me of Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park, this book definitely held its own in the end. These two misfits get together randomly and engage in a fun friendship,both trying to hide from their family life by depending on each other. My Kind Of Crazy doesn't come out until April 2016 but make sure you look out for this one!

Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout ****
I was in the mood for a good mystery/suspense read after having read a few fluffy, cute books. I've read the first book in Armentrout's New Adult series like White Hot Kiss and Wait For you, both of which I really liked, but this was my first young adult read of hers. While it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat (I was able to predict whodunnit early on), it did its job of keeping me hooked and I finished it fairly quickly. I definitely want to get into her Lux series.

I Will Save You by Matt De La Pena ***
It was hard to come up with a rating for this one. Initially, I didn't really enjoy the book as much as I wanted to, but after letting it sink in, I realized this book was a mind twister. It made me think, it made me question a lot of things and I couldn't get it out of my head for the longest time. I gave it a three because though it was beautifully written, almost poetic to me, I had a hard time following the story. In the end I decided I want to give this a re-read to give it more fair rating.

Never Never Part Three by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher ****
I quickly fell in love with Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher's Never Never short series when it first came out. It's funny and suspenseful. I won't spoil it for any one but I will I don't think it ended on the best of notes, but I'm satisfied with it. I wish they would continue but I understand they have probably more important pressing matters. 

How To Love by Katie Cotugno ***
I was in the mood for a cute, fun, quick read and this one hit the bill perfectly. It took me a while to finish it because I wasn't enjoying it too much at first but ended it pretty quickly. 

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West ***
I read West's other young adult books Mind Games and loved it! I still have yet to read the sequel, Pivot Point but this one was cute. It was a little annoying but I enjoyed it in the end.


Welp, there you have it folks, just some of my thoughts on this month's books. Didn't really have time to write up a well thought-out reviews, but hopefully February will be better, it is my birthday month after all! :) I will have somewhat of a TBR list for next month so look out for that. I also will be participating in a Reading Challenge for February. Have a great weekend and happy reading!!




Friday, January 15, 2016

Update New Year Read-A-Thon

Hello, everyone! So, it's just over a week after the New Year Read-A-Thon challenge and suffice it to say, I failed. With a big, fat F. I try, I really did, I just got distracted by everything else going on around me that I just gave up and vegged on other books instead.

I started reading Marie Lu's The Yong Elites as part of my resolution to read outside of my comfort zone. I was actually enjoying the book, but when it comes to fantasy, I think, it's the kind of book you have to focus on and pay special attention to. I don't have that kind of time on my hands too often so I put it down and will save it for when I have down time.

This brings me to another point. I don't usually like making TBRs because I almost always fail at them. I'm a fast reader but I'm a mood reader, too. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a cute, easy read, other times I want to read about murders and blood. I never know. And it's usually never in-between with me.

But anyways, I've read four pretty awesome books so far and I'm a few chapters into a book I won at a festival last holiday season. It's pretty interesting so far and I can't wait to get into it some more. I hope your new year is off to  great (reading) start! Happy reading :)

Review: My Kind Of Crazy by Robin Reul (ARC)




This easily became one of my favorite books so far this year. I won this ARC late last year and was excited when I finally received it in December. I wanted to get it read closer to the release date, but I needed something to read so I picked it up not really knowing what to expect.

This book is funny, heartwarming, gut-wrenching... it just made you feel all the feels. I was reading this first thing in the morning (even if it was just a page or two), I read this at work, I read this during my lunch break, I mean, I was glued to this book. I loved Hank and how witty he was. I felt for him and his family. Even Peyton quickly became one of my favorite characters. Their friendship was relatable and I loved how they were together. 

I will say, that at first, it was similar to Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park, but as I delved deeper into the book, I forgot all about it and this book just took over. It's original, it's cute and it's something that will stick with me for a long time.

Friday, January 1, 2016

New Year Read-A-Thon

Very quickly, I wanted to share the books for this week's Read-A-Thon.

The challenges are:
1. Read a first book in a series.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

I've had this on my TBR list for quite some time now. I've heard nothing but good things about the series so I wanted to get all the books so I can marathon them and now I finally do.

2. Read a standalone.
My Kind Of Crazy by Robin Reul.

This is an ARC I won. I believe it's a standalone though the author did say there could be a sequel. But as of now, this is the one I'm sticking with.

3. Finish a book you put down.
Actually, Cinder fits into this one as well. I attempted to read this book two times before but for some reason I couldn't get past the first three chapters.

4. Read a book you've had on your TBR for a while.
See #1.

5. Read from an author, series or genre that's new to you.
The Young Elites by Marie Lu

I'm not a fan of fantasy at all, and other than the Harry Potter series, I haven't read any. I've heard great things about Marie Lu's books so I decided I'm going to give this a shot.


What are you guys reading to start off the new year? Hope you all have a beautiful day full of reading, family and food! And maybe football like me :) happy reading, everyone!!