Friday, February 28, 2014

Feature and Follow Friday! 2.28.14


Feature and Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The purpose is to meet new people and gain more followers in the book blogging community. If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers. But you have to know, the point of this hop is to follow other blogs also. I follow you, you follow me. 

The general rules are: 
- Follow the Feature and Follow Hosts (Parajunkee and Alison Can Read)
- Follow the Featured Bloggers
- Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts. 
-Grab the button up there and place it in a post. This post is for people to say hi and that they are now following you in your comments. 
-Follow, Follow, Follow as many as you can. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Don't just follow, comment and say hi in the post! Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say 'hi'
-If someone comments and says they are following you, please follow back! 

This weeks question: Change the plot. If you could, what book would you change the ending or a plot thread? 

I can't really think of any book that I want to change the ending. Sometimes I get upset or thrown off about an ending, like in Gone Girl, but at the same time, that's what makes the book so good and interesting! The first book that popped into my mind, though, was My Sister's Keeper. I wish the ending were different, but for those of you who haven't read it, I won't spoil the ending (: But again, endings, whether we like them or not, are often what make the books so good! So, to wrap up, there aren't really any books I would want to change the ending too! 

What about you? What books would you like to change if you could?


Thursday, February 27, 2014

*Book Spotlight* Across Great Divides by Monique Roy

Displaying AGD_Cover_small.jpg

Across Great Divides 
by Monique Roy

Synopsis 

Across Great Divides is a timeless story of the upheavals of war, the power of family, and the resiliency of human spirit. When Hitler comes to power in 1933, one Jewish family refused to be destroyed and defied the Nazis only to come up against another struggle - confronting apartheid in South Africa. 

Sixteen-year-old Eva and her twin sister, Inge, witness their lives in Berlin change before their eyes. Their best friend, Trudy, betrays them when she becomes a member of the Hitler Youth. A valuable family heirloom, a beautiful emerald and diamond necklace, is confiscated by the Nazis as they continue to harass Jewish families and businesses. The family is conflicted whether they should leave home. But after the devastation of Kristallnacht in 1938, they flee Germany with the help of the underground resistance after hiding many diamonds. They seek refuge in Antwerp, but war follows them as Belgium is occupied by the Germans. 

After they escape Europe - hiking over the Pyrenees Mountains while eluding German patrols and Spanish informers - they spend agonizing days on a ship bound for Rio de Janeiro that is targeted by a German U-boat. As Rio's diamond business is corrupt, they decide to go to South Africa, another diamond market. 

In Cape Town, Eva encounters an impoverished colored woman, Zoe, who is in need of work. The family hires Zoe as their maid and shields her and her daughter, Zola, from the dangers they face in the slums of District Six and from the horrors of apartheid, which are all too reminiscent of Nazi Germany. 

But, when Max gets into trouble with the South African police over his participation in an anti-apartheid march, will he be subject to imprisonment? 

In a thrilling conclusion, the family comes to terms with the evils of society, both in their memories and current situation in South Africa. 

About the Author

Monique loves writing that twitches her smiling muscles or transports her to another time or place. Her passion for writing began as a young girl while penning stories in a journal. Now she looks forward to deepening her passion by creating many unique stories that do nothing less than intrigue her readers. 

Monique holds a degree in journalism from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and is the author of a middle-grade book Once Upon a Time in Venice. Monique loves to travel, play tennis, pursue her passion for writing, and read historical fiction. In 2008, she was chosen by the American Jewish Committee's ACCESS program to travel to Berlin, Germany, on the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, to explore German and Israeli relations along with 20 other Jewish professionals from across the U.S. 

Monique was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and her grandparents were European Jews who fled their home as Hitler rose to power. It's their story that inspired her to write Across Great Divides, her newest novel.

Learn more at www.monique-roy.com 

Purchase on Amazon

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

WWW Wednesdays! 2.26.14

WWW_Wednesdays4

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should be Reading. To participate, simply answer the three following questions:

- What are you currently reading?
- What did you recently finish reading?
- What do you think you'll read next?

Currently Reading 


I love reading about Tudor history in these books! I'm not much into non-fiction, so I love that these books are based on history, but are works of fiction! (: So far, this book is good! I'm about 1/4 of the way through and it's definitely keeping my attention! 

Recently Finished 

    

Got them off my TBR pile! Makes me feel accomplished for some reason (: 

Memoirs of a Geisha review

Heaven's Price review

Chasing Justice review

What's Next? 

I don't know why I answer this question... because every time I think I'll read something next, I change my mind. I really depends on my mood when I'm done with the book I'm on now! I might want something light and not too dramatic, or I might want to read the next one in this series. Don't know! So I'm finally boycotting this question (: I guess you'll find out what I'm reading next when I find out! 

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

[Review] Chasing Justice by Danielle Stewart

Chasing Justice by Danielle Stewart 
Series: Piper Anderson, #1
Publisher: Create Space Independent Publishing
Publishing Date: Sept 27, 2013
248 Pages
Format: Kindle ebook
Buy Links: Amazon  |  B&N






Synopsis 

Piper Anderson has been given a fresh start in the picturesque town of Edenville, North Carolina. But her plans of settling into a normal life are derailed when she witnesses a prominent judge in her community committing a violent assault. Running from her own past and fueled by a passion to make the jduge answer for his crimes, Piper is forced to decide if she'll play by the rules or achieve justice in her own way.

Complicating things further, Piper finds herself fighting a powerful attraction to rookie cop, Bobby Wright. Although she's increasingly enamored with Bobby, his staunch belief in the justice system is in stark contrast to her own. She many not share his opinions about the effectiveness of the law, but she certainly can't deny how safe she feels when she's in his arms or how every kiss leaves her desperate for more.

For Piper, the idea of finally living an ordinary life with a man to love is tempting. However, fate keeps placing the judge, quite literally, in her path. Will she decide the only way to win is to be as wicked as the judge, but with righteous intentions? And more importantly, will Bobby choose to let her go, or follow her as she crosses the line and takes justice into her own hands?

My Review

I started reading this book a while ago on my Kindle because it was a free download on Amazon. I wasn't sure what it would be like, but it sounded pretty interesting. I have to say, it turned out much better than I was expecting! If you like romantic suspense novels, this is definitely one to pick up!

Piper Anderson has a troubled past, but we don't learn what that is right away. It takes her a long time to open up to Bobby and tell her story. But once she does... wow... I can't imagine going through that! No wonder she is kind of reserved and has a hard time believing in the justice system!

On the other hand, I feel like Bobby is your typical rookie cop, wanting to change the world one speeding ticket at a time. He learned from his mentor and has a great belief in the justice system; a belief very different from Piper's. But he isn't necessarily wrong to have that belief, and still strives for doing the right thing.

I think the second half of the book definitely picked up the pace and made me not want to stop reading. And the end just leaves you hanging! What happens?! I definitely want to read the next book in the series to find out :)


Sequels 


Tell Me Something Tuesday 2.25.14


Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Heidi @ Rainy Day Ramblings. Each week a new question is presented. Check out Heidi's blog for all the details :)


This weeks question:

So you want to be a blogger edition: What advice do you wish you could go back and give yourself when you were starting your blog? 



1. Blogging is time consuming! I never realized how much of a time commitment blogging actually is until I started. I feel like I'm always on my blog trying to do something new or great more review posts.

2. Don't request every ARC available! When I first started my blog a year ago, I would just request books all the time because it was so new and exciting. Then I started to have a stack of ARCs just waiting to be read and reviewed... and the pile kept growing. I wasn't able to keep up with when they needed to be done. Then I would join book tours and always sign up for reviews, but it became such a burden to get them all done, and I wasn't reading the books that I purchased and really wanted to read. So I slowly stopped requesting so many ARCs, and stopped signing up for review tours. I will still participate in promo book tours, and have requested a few ARCs, but I definitely don't request as many as I originally did. 

3. Stay organized! It's so easy to let things pile up and forget about something you were supposed to do. I started keeping track of tours and ARC reviews that I was participating in on a Google calendar. It definitely keeps me on track of when things need to be posted, but I can still work on my organization of my blog. 

4. Remember why you started to blog! I first started my blog because I love books. But sometimes we get so wrapped up in ARCs, growing our blog, and trying to make it better than everyone else's, that we kind of lose track of why we started our blog in the first place. Sure, I'd love tons of traffic and followers, but that's not why I'm blogging. I'm doing it so I have a place to connect with other readers and talk about books! 

Monday, February 24, 2014

[Review] Heaven's Price by Sandra Brown

Heaven's Price by Sandra Brown 
Publisher: Bantam Books
Publishing Date: 1983
217 Pages
Format: paperback, purchased

Synopsis 

Blair Simpson embraced a life most people merely dreamed about. Devoting her nights as well as her days to dancing - in the chorus line of Broadway musicals and in occasional TV commercials - she had never considered another career. Now an injury has sent her to a small town for six long months of recuperation. All around her are couples who are raising families and building dreams together. And there she meets a man who forces her to come to terms with a part of herself she has long denied.

From her first encounter with her new landlord, Sean Garrett, the powerful sexual attraction between them catches her off guard. For the first time she's unable to lose herself in her dancing, as Sean's passion and tenderness urge her to open her life to him. More than anything, Sean wants to build a future with fiery, raven-haired Blair. But Blair's own passion for dance has ruled her for so long, she many not be able to break its hold - even if it costs her the love she had thought she's never find.

My Review

I started reading Sandra Brown books so long ago - probably before I really should have been (: I think my mom had a bunch around the house, and I just started reading them, and pretty soon devoured so much of what she had written! While this wasn't my favorite book of hers, I still enjoyed it. I picked this one up because I specifically wanted to read a romance. I didn't want anything dystopian, young adult, suspenseful, etc; I just wanted a romance. And that's exactly what I got. Blair is a stubborn dancer who doesn't want to give up her career in dancing. Sean is just as stubborn, but knows what he wants in life, and that includes Blair. They have a whirlwind romance, but like all couples, face challenges during their relationship. It was a short, quick read that I finished in a day. If you've read anything by Sandra Brown, or just want a quick romance, pick it up. Like I said, it's not my favorite of hers, but it was a sweet story.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

[Review] Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden 
Publisher: Vintage Books
Publishing Date: 1997
434 Pages
Format: paperback, purchased
Buy Links: Amazon  |  B&N



Synopsis 

A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant novel presents with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful - and completely unforgettable.

My Review

I'm so glad I finally read this book! Arthur Golden's work is so beautifully written that I couldn't put it down. Chiyo is such an innocent little girl that's dropped into an incredibly different world than she is used to. I felt like I was learning about the world along with her. I loved watching Chiyo become Sayuri and growing up in this world.

This book was clearly well researched and Golden did a great a job. The world of a geisha is intriguing and I loved reading about it. To be honest, I knew nothing about geisha when I picked this book up, but had heard it was good, so wanted to give it a try! I didn't realize that this book was based on an actual geisha in Japan. I thought it was just a fictional story, but i soon learned, that while the story may be fictional, it was based on the life of a real person. I'm interested in reading the biography of the real woman now.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Stacking the Shelves 2.22.14



Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga @ Tynga's Reviews. Its all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether physical or virtual books. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! Tynga posts this meme on Saturdays, but you can post on any day that works best for you! Check out the guidelines by visiting Tynga's blog!

Purchased by my fiance for me (: 



For Review



Won 



Such a great week for books! Can't wait till I have the chance to read these all :) What did you add to your shelves this week? Showcase them through this meme! They can be either physical or print books. 

Friday, February 21, 2014

Feature and Follow Friday! 2.21.14


Feature and Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The purpose is to meet new people and gain more followers in the book blogging community. If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers. But you have to know, the point of this hop is to follow other blogs also. I follow you, you follow me. 

The general rules are: 
- Follow the Feature and Follow Hosts (Parajunkee and Alison Can Read)
- Follow the Featured Bloggers
- Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts. 
-Grab the button up there and place it in a post. This post is for people to say hi and that they are now following you in your comments. 
-Follow, Follow, Follow as many as you can. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Don't just follow, comment and say hi in the post! Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say 'hi'
-If someone comments and says they are following you, please follow back! 

This weeks question: What was the last book that made you cry? 

The Hate List by Jennifer Brown 



Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday 2.18.14


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the The Broke and the Bookish. Every week she posts an idea for a 'Top Ten' list relating to books, and encourages other book bloggers to respond and participate. All the details are listed on her site. 

This week's topic: Top ten things I love about being a reader and book blogger

I love being a blogger because.... 

1. I love meeting new people in the blogger world 

2. I can share my love for books with so many other people!

3. I have found so many new authors and books that I never would have discovered otherwise

4. Having the chance to receive ARCs is amazing! 

5. It gives me the opportunity to write 


I love being a reader because.... 

6. I always have something to do - I almost always carry a book with me, and I don't need to rely on technology to keep me entertained

7. I'm able to explore worlds and lives so different than my own

8. I feel so much more educated and I continue to learn

9. It's a relatively cheap hobby since I buy all my books used

10. I can connect with people in real life by talking about books we've read or want to read (even with people I don't really know!)

Monday, February 17, 2014

It's Monday! 2.17.14




It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey, where we share what we read last week, what we're currently reading, and what is next for us! 

Just Finished



Anna and the French Kiss
Review HERE


Currently Reading


Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

So good so far! Beautifully written; can't believe it's taken me this long to finally pick it up!


Up Next

 AND 

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Stacking the Shelves 2.16.14



Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga @ Tynga's Reviews. Its all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, whether physical or virtual books. This means you can include books you buy in physical stores or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! Tynga posts this meme on Saturdays, but you can post on any day that works best for you! Check out the guidelines by visiting Tynga's blog!

Had a great week of books! Bought a few, received two ARCs, and grabbed a couple at the library! :) 

Purchased


I finally have books 1-9 of the Women's Murder Club by James Patterson. I'll eventually have them all, but since I'm only on the 5th right now, I'm okay waiting for the rest! I've already read Water for Elephants, and really liked it, so since it was only $2.00, it had to get it! 


I love Philippa Gregory's work and love learning about these time periods. As for the French book, I took about 4-5 years of French throughout middle/high school and loved it. But then I stopped and forgot so much. I've decided to try learning again, so I'm starting from the basics (: 

ARCs



From Library 


The first one is for me to explore my faith, or lack of... Supposed to be a pretty good read, so we'll see! And the second is for a book club! Can't wait to start reading it :) 








Saturday, February 15, 2014

[Review] Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Speak
Publishing Date: Dec. 2, 2010
372 Pages
Format: paperback, purchased
Buy Links: Amazon | B&N





Synopsis

Anna can't wait for her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a good job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. So she's not too thrilled when her father unexpectedly ships her off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Claire, the perfect boy. The only problem? He's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her crush back home. Will a year of romantic near-misses end in the French kiss Anna awaits?

My Review

I bought this book because of all the hype that has been going around. I wasn't sure if it was going to be as amazing as everyone else said it was, but I love young adult books, and I love romances, so putting the two together is bound to have a good turnout :) Thankfully, it did! I read the entire book in ONE day! I'll have to admit, when I started it and was about halfway through, I liked it, but I didn't think it was amazing or the best book out there. But then I kept reading and just fell in love.

The characters are fun. Anna doesn't want to be in France, away from her friends, school, and new crush. But she's stuck there, so why not make the most of it. I love that she has a passion for movies. I think it added so much to her characters and wasn't just another girl who lusts after a boy. She has an identity outside of her relationships, and I love that! Etienne is also a great character. He has so many struggles going on in his life, between his controlling father, a mother who lives across the country, and a girlfriend that he isn't sure he wants to be with. These two characters compliment each other so well. And I thought the supporting characters, Rashmi, Mer, and Josh, were great as well. They all add a little something to the story!

I was worried this would be just another teenage love story, that in reality, probably wouldn't last past high school. But it was just different enough that I loved it. Stephanie Perkins is a very talented writer, and I cannot wait to read the next books by her as well!

Friday, February 14, 2014

Feature and Follow Friday! 2.14.14

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!! 


Feature and Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The purpose is to meet new people and gain more followers in the book blogging community. If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers. But you have to know, the point of this hop is to follow other blogs also. I follow you, you follow me. 

The general rules are: 
- Follow the Feature and Follow Hosts (Parajunkee and Alison Can Read)
- Follow the Featured Bloggers
- Put your Blog name and URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts. 
-Grab the button up there and place it in a post. This post is for people to say hi and that they are now following you in your comments. 
-Follow, Follow, Follow as many as you can. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Don't just follow, comment and say hi in the post! Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say 'hi'
-If someone comments and says they are following you, please follow back! 

This weeks question: 

Find a "new to you" blogger and feature their button on your post this week. Tell us why this blogger stands out to you. 

I haven't been following this blogger too much, but with a title of Peace, Love, Books, you can't really go wrong, right?! Plus her button is super cute and definitely fitting for Valentine's Day today! (:





Thursday, February 13, 2014

Cover Me Up! 2.13.14

Pages of Comfort

So, we're always told not to judge a book by its cover, but you know that you still do! It's often the first thing that grabs your attention when in the book store, library, or on a website. If a cover is intriguing or beautiful, you pick it up to find out what it's about. If the cover is boring or unappealing, you pass it up in search for something else. Maybe the title catches your attention too, but for me, it's often the cover. This purpose of this meme is to showcase a book cover that you found interesting. It could be that you absolutely loved it, or maybe you can't stand it. Whatever the cover means to you, post it on here and tell is a little about your thoughts. Do you love it? Hate it? Think it doesn't fit the story? 

To participate in this meme, please follow the host, Pages of Comfort and link back to this blog. Leave a comment below to let me know that you've participated so I can check out your post. Or simply leave a comment with your thoughts on the cover I've posted.




I know next to nothing about this book, I just saw it on the side of Goodreads. But I really like this cover! 

What do you think? Are you a fan or not? 

*Book Tour* Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich

Displaying Big-Girl-Panties-Stephanie-Evanovich.jpg

Big Girl Panties

By: Stephanie Evanovich

Releasing in Print, Jan 21st, 2014


Synopsis  

In BIG GIRL PANTIES, Evanovich introduces readers to Holly Brennan—a 32-year old grieving widow in need of a change. Having spent too much time mired in sadness and grief-eating, Holly heads out of town to settle her husband’s estate and try to move on. Enter Logan Montgomery—a personal trainer to the country’s most famous professional athletes who also happens to be sitting next to her on the flight home.

Holly’s mortified by the way she’s squeezed into the airplane seat, but as they chat, Logan quickly realizes she has a sharp wit and keen insight—a welcome change from the sexy but superficial women he usually dates. When he impulsively offers to train her at his private gym, Holly surprises even herself and agrees.

Holly discovers she’s a natural athlete, and as her fitness level increases, so does a new found confidence. When Logan finally introduces Holly to his best friends, baseball superstar Chase Walker and his wife Amanda (a feisty curvy woman herself), they instantly see what Logan doesn’t; Holly is knockout. As their smoldering attraction starts to spark in earnest, Holly and Logan will have to decide if their love is for real…or just about looks.

BIG GIRL PANTIES is a fun, sexy, smart, and exceptionally saucy romp—a must-have book for the summer and a debut not to be missed. 

Buy Links:  Amazon  |  B&N 



About the Author 

Displaying 6547908.jpgStephanie Evanovich is a full-fledged Jersey girl from Asbury Park who began writing fiction while waiting for her cues during countless community theater projects. She attended New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts and acted in several improvisational troupes and a few small-budget movies, all in preparation for the greatest job she ever had, raising her two sons. 
Now a full-time writer, she’s an avid sports fan who holds a black belt in tae kwon do. 


Visit Stephanie at: 

Facebook   |    Twitter    |    Website


Rafflecopter Giveaway 
(Five Print Copies of BIG GIRL PANTIES)






Wednesday, February 12, 2014

[Review] The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 
Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.
Publishing Date: 2003
536 Pages
Format: paperback, purchased
Buy Links: Amazon  |   B&N







Synopsis 

A most untraditional love story, this is the celebrated tale of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who involuntarily travels through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate affair endures across a sea of time and captures them in an impossibly romantic trap that tests the strength of fate and basks in the bonds of love.

My Review 

I'm torn on my review of this book, so I'm giving it 3.5 stars. While I really enjoyed reading it, I found some parts to be dragged out, making me want to skip pages and just finish the book. Henry and Clare have a beautiful love story that really stands the test of time. I really loved the beginning parts when Henry would visit Clare as a young girl, and then a little further into the book when Clare has to explain some things to Henry about how they know each other. It was very sweet and romantic. One character I don't really like is Gomez; I just want to smack him upside the head sometimes!

Throughout the middle of the book, I felt like some things could have been left out, and maybe the story a little shorter. However, I still very much enjoyed it. I thought the ending was well done and I liked finding out how their lives play out. Overall, I think it was a great love story and I would recommend others to read it. Now I want to watch the movie again!



Movie Trailer


WWW Wednesday 2.12.14

WWW_Wednesdays4

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should be Reading. To participate, simply answer the three following questions:

- What are you currently reading?
- What did you recently finish reading?
- What do you think you'll read next?

What am I currently reading? 


I feel like I've been reading this book forever, even though it's only been about a week. I've just been so busy lately that I haven't had tons of time to read. I'm a bout 2/3 of the way done, so hopefully I can finish it over the weekend! So far, it's pretty good! 


What did I recently finish reading? 


See my review here


What do I think I'll read next?

I never really know this until I finish the book I'm currently on. I do need to read The Handfasting for a review tour and The Ocean at the End of the Lane for a book club, so those will likely be next. Otherwise, I may choose something short just to get away from really long books.