What's Next!

I am so excited to be participating in a new meme every Thursday hosted  by Iceybooks, this meme is designed to help us bloggers get some help from our reader's on what to read next, so every week I will post 3 books that I am trying to decide between and you guys can vote on which one you think that I should read next. Cast your vote through the poll at the bottom of this post.

Happy Reading!
Kristin

 My 3 choices for this week are:

 The Waking Dark By : Robin Wassermann
Goodreads Summary:

They called it the killing day. Twelve people dead, all in the space of a few hours. Five murderers: neighbors, relatives, friends. All of them so normal. All of them seemingly harmless. All of them now dead by their own hand . . . except one. And that one has no answers to offer the shattered town. She doesn't even know why she killed—or whether she'll do it again.

Something is waking in the sleepy town of Oleander's, Kansas—something dark and hungry that lives in the flat earth and the open sky, in the vengeful hearts of upstanding citizens. As the town begins its descent into blood and madness, five survivors of the killing day are the only ones who can stop Oleander from destroying itself. Jule, the outsider at war with the world; West, the golden boy at war with himself; Daniel, desperate for a different life; Cass, who's not sure she deserves a life at all; and Ellie, who believes in sacrifice, fate, and in evil. Ellie, who always goes too far. They have nothing in common. They have nothing left to lose. And they have no way out. Which means they have no choice but to stand and fight, to face the darkness in their town—and in themselves.

Waterfell (The Aquarathi #1) By: Amalie Howard

Goodreads Summary:

 THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE QUEEN

Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright—the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon—until her father's betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa's upcoming birthday—the day she comes of age.

Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa's mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?

The Iron Traitor (The Iron Fey: Call Of The Forgotten #2) By: Julie Kagawa
Goodreads Summary:

 In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Review: Not A Drop To Drink By: Mindy McGinnis

Title: Not a Drop To Drink

Author: Mindy McGinnis

Published: September 24th, 2013

Buy The Book: Amazon/Barnes and Noble

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: E- galley from publisher

Goodreads Summary:

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water. 

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

My Thoughts:

I was really looking forward to reading this debut, I really love dystopian and this one kind of freaked me out, in a good way. As far as dystopian reads the reason this one freaked me out the most was because it seemed like a really real future that could actually happen to us. There wasn't any fantasy aspects to this read, what you see in the summary is what you get. McGinnis created a gritty and real read that reminded me a bit of Blood Red Road By Moira Young.

All Lynn has ever known her whole life is to defend their pond, she has known how to shoot a rifle for as long as she can remember and  she has never been far from where she lives, they can't leave their home because they have to be there to defend their pond from invaders. Their lives are all about surviving, gathering wood stocking up on food for winter. Her mother is hard woman but has taught Lynn  everything she knows. But, when tragedy strikes Lynn finds out that everything her mother taught her may not be everything she needs to survive.

Lynn's character was a little naive  but t, with the way the world was it was hard for her not to be. Her mother taught her that all men were evil and they just wanted to hurt her and that the m most important thing was for her to protect their water source. As the story progresses Lynn's character really grows and she learns so much. Writing this review is hard because this is one of those books that if I give anything away you won't enjoy the story as much so I can't say too much about it. 

Not A Drop To Drink  was a haunting dystopian that at times reminded of something that could likely happen in the future and Mindy McGinnis didn't use anything other than real life to write this story which for me sets this book above the others in this genre. 

Want some more thoughts about Not A Drop To Drink, Check out the links below!

 Books With Bite

Blood,Sweat, and Books

Jenna Does Books 

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Anyone But You (Twisted Lit #3) By: Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

Authors Kim Askew and Amy Helmes are excited to offer a sneak peak at the third book in their “Twisted Lit” series of Shakespeare-inspired YA novels. This time around, they’ve put their unique spin on Romeo & Juliet. Published by Merit Press, Anyone But You will be released in January, and is currently available for pre-order at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Powell’s.

 

Anyone But You: A Modern-Day Spin on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet

by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

(Book #3 in the Twisted Lit series)

Summary:

Two Italian restaurants, both alike in dignity, in Chicago’s Little Italy where we lay our scene... After her family’s struggling eatery, Cap’s, falls prey to another of the Monte clan’s vicious and destructive pranks, sixteen-year-old Gigi Caputo finds herself courting danger during a clandestine encounter with Roman Monte, the very boy whose relatives have brought her family such grief. When the daughter and son of these two warring factions fall for each other, their quest to mend this bitter family feud turns out to be a recipe for disaster. Their story is irrevocably linked to the summer of 1933, when two twelve-year-olds, Benny and Nick, hop the turnstile at the Chicago World’s Fair. While enjoying some of the fair’s legendary amusements, Nick has a “love at first sight” encounter with Stella, a young girl who unintentionally causes a lasting rift between the two boyhood pals. Deftly winding its way through past and present day, this modern take on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet has much to do with hate — but more with love.

http://twistedlitbooks.com/

 Giveaway:

In honor of their cover reveal Amy Helmes and Kim Askew are giving away an autographed copy of one of their first two twisted lit novels: Exposure and Tempestuous. 

 Summary:

Recently banished, unfairly, by the school’s popular crowd, former “it girl,” Miranda Prospero, finds herself in a brave new world: holding dominion amongst a rag-tag crew of geeks and misfits where she works at the Hot-Dog Kabob in the food court of her local mall. When the worst winter storm of the season causes mall workers and last-minute shoppers to be snowed-in for the night, Miranda seizes the opportunity to get revenge against the catty clique behind her social exile. With help from her delightfully dweeby coworker, Ariel, and a sullen loner named Caleb who works at the mall’s nearby gaming and magic shop, Miranda uses charm and trickery to set things to right during this spirited take on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

 Summary:

 Double, double, toil and trouble. Sometimes, the quest for high school royalty can be deadly! In this emotionally-charged twist on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a self-conscious shutterbug named Skye Kingston navigates a treacherous school year in Alaska fraught with unspoken secrets and tragic twists of fate. Along the way she encounters three strangely prophetic BFFs; one social-climbing, sociopathic cheerleader; and a heart-stopping hottie named Craig McKenzie: the man who would be Prom King. Can Skye save the boy she loves — and herself — before they get caught in the crosshairs?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What's Next!

I am so excited to be participating in a new meme every Thursday hosted  by Iceybooks, this meme is designed to help us bloggers get some help from our reader's on what to read next, so every week I will post 3 books that I am trying to decide between and you guys can vote on which one you think that I should read next. Cast your vote through the poll at the bottom of this post.

Happy Reading!
Kristin

 My 3 choices for this week are:

Dead Girls Don't Lie By: Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Goodreads Summary:

  Rachel died at two a.m . . . Three hours after Skyler kissed me for the first time. Forty-five minutes after she sent me her last text.
Jaycee and Rachel were best friends. But that was before. . .before that terrible night at the old house. Before Rachel shut Jaycee out. Before Jaycee chose Skyler over Rachel. Then Rachel is found dead. The police blame a growing gang problem in their small town, but Jaycee is sure it has to do with that night at the old house. Rachel’s text is the first clue—starting Jaycee on a search that leads to a shocking secret. Rachel’s death was no random crime, and Jaycee must figure out who to trust before she can expose the truth.
In the follow-up to her powerful debut, Jennifer Shaw Wolf keeps readers on their toes in another dark, romantic story of murder and secrets.



Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer By: Katie Alender

Goodreads Summary:

 Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She’ll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family’s French roots.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won’t believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is suddenly in danger . . .

Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of revenge, betrayal, intrigue — and one killer queen

How To Love By : Katie Cotugno
Goodreads Summary:

 Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

In this breathtaking debut, Katie Cotugno weaves together the story of one couple falling in love—twice

Waiting On Wednesday!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, that highlights upcoming book releases that everyone is waiting on.

This weeks selection is:

Title: The Winner's Curse
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Published: March 4th, 2014
Goodreads Summary:

In the tradition of Kristin Cashore and Cassandra Clare comes this brilliant, unputdownable, star-crossed romance about the curse of winning.

Seventeen-year-old Kestrel is an aristocratic citizen of Valoria, a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers. Here, a girl like Kestrel has two choices: join the military or get married. Despite her skills in military strategy, Kestrel’s real passion is music.Which is why she feels compelled to buy Arin, a slave with a talent for singing, at auction. It’s not long before she finds herself falling in love with Arin, and he seems to feel the same for her. But Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for Arin is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a new world, The Winner’s Curse is a story of wicked rumors, dirty secrets, and games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

My Thoughts:

I haven't read Marie's book The Shadow Society although I still have an arc of it but, I absolutely love, love, love this cover sooo much. I like the way the font sits on the cover and I can't help but love the girl in the pretty dress. I am definitely wanting to read this one!!

Review: Fangirl By: Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: September 10th, 2013
Source: E-galley from publisher
Buy The Book: Amazon/Barnes and Noble
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! 2013 favorite!
Goodreads Summary:

From the author the New York Times bestseller Eleanor & Park

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love. 

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

My Thoughts:

So right now I am listening to the Eleanor and Park audio book and really enjoying it and when I saw the summary for Fangirl I was so excited, being a blogger and a book lover in general we can all relate to being Fan girls or boys and I personally have read a lot of fan fiction over the years. I haven't read fan fiction in a while but, after reading this book I wanted to start again because it reminded me of how awesome it is! I have to say that Rainbow did an absolutely amazing job with this one, it was a great contemporary read  and really adorable which may not sound like a good thing but, after reading this book it just made me feel good and it stayed in my mind for days after reading it. It was one of those books that once I finished I wanted to read it all over again. 

Cather or Cath and Wren are twins and have been inseparable since birth. But , when they both go off to  college Wren throws a wrench in their plans saying that she doesn't want to be roommates with Cath at college and she wants to meet new people. This catches Cath completely off guard, she  and Wren have always been close and she feels like she is slipping away from her. One thing her and Wren have always shared was the love for Simon Snow, a book series that reminded me a lot of the popularity of Harry Potter. Her and Wren have wrote Simon Snow fan fiction together  for years and Cath is a very popular fan fiction writer and with the last book of the series coming out, Cath wants to write her  own last book to Simon Snows story. Cath  is forced to look at herself and her life and she begins to find out who she is without her sister, on her own.

 Cath's character was adorable and completely endearing. She was awkward and shy, but you couldn't help but fall in love with her. She wasn't ready to embrace the whole college experience and not having her sister to help her along stopped her from going out and making new friends, even from eating in the dining hall. As much as I didn't like that Wren just abandoned her sister during this new experience it was honestly good for Cath I think it helped her find out who she was without being a twin, her roommate Reagan who was a sophomore took Cath under wing and also inadvertently introducing her to her love interest Levi.

I loved the romance it was sweet and completely believable. Cath didn't even realize that Levi was flirting with her for the first third of the book. Cath and Levi both brought a smile to my face. Their romance was just adorable and I wanted to read about the tow of them forever. 

Fangirl was the perfect read for me as a book lover and blogger I think it made me fall in love with it anymore. Anyone who has a connection to books and writing  will not be able to not  love this one. Rainbow Rowell did an amazing job and is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary authors. 

Want some more thoughts on Fangirl? Check out the links below!

Book Harbinger
The Midnight Garden
Lipstick and Literature