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Reading In The Rain

They are not just books

Archives for May 2015

June TBR List!

 Tomorrow is the first day of June. In 5 days I’ll be in Brazil. In 6 days will be officially the first day of Summer. WOAHHHH!!!! It practically June already! And since it is the Summer my TBR list for the next two months will be realllllly yyyy long. I am expecting to read AT LEAST 20 books this Summer. That is my goal. Another goal would be to read books from authors that are going to YallFest, since I want to have those books signed. Which one of you are going to YallFest this year. I might be going!!! *does happy dance* SO without further ado here is my June TBR List.

1. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead  (Vampire Academy #3)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        It’s springtime at St. Vladimir’s Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn’t been feeling quite right. She’s having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all… might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose’s forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line – and choose between the two people she loves most.

2. Charmed by Michelle Krys (The Witch Hunter #2)

Indie has spent the last few weeks frantically searching for Paige. She’s tried every spell imaginable, but witchcraft has gotten her nowhere, and she’s going crazy with guilt. Despite what her warlock boyfriend, Bishop, tells her, Indie knows it’s her fault her best friend was kidnapped by the Priory. And with the Priory destroyed, finding Paige feels more hopeless than ever-especially when Indie discovers that Paige isn’t even on Earth. She’s trapped in Los Demonios, an alternate dimension of Los Angeles filled with evil paranormals. No one who has gone there has ever come out.

Fueled by terror and loyalty, Indie is desperate to find a way into the underworld prison. She’ll worry about getting out later. But facing the dark world’s most dangerous witches and warlocks on her own means keeping her plan hush-hush-and forging alliances with some sketchy people, including a seriously sexy sorcerer.

Sometimes a witch must keep secrets from the people she cares about most. And sometimes she isn’t the only one with secrets…

3. The Evil We Love by Cassandra Clare and Robin Wasserman (Tales of Shadowhunter Academy #5)

The story of Valentine’s Circle at the Shadowhunter Academy.

4. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

    Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes that the dead leave behind in the world… and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find the dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer… and becoming his prey herself.

5. White Cat by Holly Black

Cassel comes from a shady, magical family of con artists and grifters. He doesn’t fit in at home or at school, so he’s used to feeling like an outsider. He’s also used to feeling guilty; he killed his best friend, Lila, years ago.

But when Cassel begins to have strange dreams about a white cat, and people around him are losing their memories, he starts to wonder what really happened to Lila. In his search for answers, he discovers a wicked plot for power that seems certain to succeed. But Cassel has other ideas and a plan to con the conmen.

6. Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

7. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

A sumptuous and epically told love story inspired by A Thousand and One Nights
Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi’s wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

 

Hexed by Michelle Krys

Hexed

Author: Michelle Krys

Genre: Paranormal

Pages: 384

Publisher: Delacorte Press

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

Rate: 8.5/10.0

Indigo….you’re awesome. WICKED! For me thats only the word that can describe this book 😉 Haha see what I did there. Of course you did. So this book was…..I loved it. It was fantastic. It has been such a long time since I’ve read a witch book, but I am so glad that I found it. The last really great witch book that I read with Residue Laury Falter and since you all know that I loved that book, I am officially saying that I think (I think) that I like this book better than Residue (even though Residue what fantastic) It was funny, wicked, and witty. And one of the great things about this story was the characters. they were just so complex and all had their own very unique personalities that makes you love every single one (except the cheerleader and Indie’s boyfriend.)

Lets start with Indigo. I loved her. She had so much characters development throughout the entire book and  loved every single thing she faced. She started out as the perky cheerleaders who wouldn’t be in danger for her life. and by the end of the book she turned out to be such a funny girly badass. Girly badass. She was also so smart. If you read the book and you saw what happened at the end with that plan. You know that plan. Yeah that one. The one that was ALL Indie’s idea. SO SMART! I did not see that coming. I’m so proud *wipes tear* she’s grown up so fast.

Then there is Bishop. Bishop. Bishop. You have been added to the fictional boyfriend list. First I have to admit he was a bit. Just a tiny bit. To self-centered for me, but he grew on me. He turned out so sweet and witty and just plain awesomeness. Plus him and Indie together. I SHIP THEM SOOOOO HARD!!! I was a bit annoyed with them during the course of the middle of the book because of what happened while they were training but then they fixed everything and everything turned out to be okay and everything I read turned out to be fantastic and it was just a very happy meal.

Now for the rest of the characters. The cheerleader and the boyfriend. Just stop okay. I don’t like them. AT ALL. Annoying since the first page. The mother was just the sweetest thing ever, I really wish we got see more of her in the book. I loved Aunt Penny. She was amazing. But as I continued to read the book I started to dislike her even more. I was a bit mixed with her, and I don’t know how I’m going to feel about her in the second book.

Overall the book was fantastic and I am so excited for the rest of the series. There is so many people I would recommend this book too especially all of you. just read it! Take a chance on it. It was amazing for me maybe it will be amazing for you too 🙂

“And I just know that this memory will be forever burned into my brain, because this kind of magic – the kind that can’t be conjured with a spell, where everything is just right, and all your problems vanish for three perfect minutes – doesn’t happen everyday.”
― Michelle Krys, Hexed

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Short Story Contest!

Hey guys, Hilly here!

So for my part in the collaboration for the 100th post, I created a competition for all you writers out there. All you readers who follow up with our blog daily probably have had some thought of writing a book or a short story, and becoming well-known authors. Well, here is your chance!

Everybody has the opportunity to create a short story with a maximum of ten pages (single spaced) and a minimum of two pages (single spaced.) This story can be in any genre – fantasy, historical fiction, biography, sic-fi, romance, absolutely anything as long as it is adult or young adult. The due date to send this short story by email to both Gabi, Eli and I at  hillybooks@gmail.com,
mohrerg@gmail.com and  is July 4th, 2015. After reading all of your stories, we will be choosing the final winner.

The winner of this short story competition will have their short story published on this blog, with our recommendation and review. They will also receive a $20 Amazon gift card! The follow-upper will also have their story posted with a recommendation and review, but will not receive the gift card.

Each entry to this contest must an attached file of the story. The email must include: the author’s name, the name of the short story, the genre of the short story and if it is YA or A, and the date it was completed. The two finalists will eventually have to send a synopsis. If you are one of the two finalists (winner and follow-upper) you will be notified by email. The results will be released on August 1st.

Thank you! I hope you all send a short story for us to read and enjoy! Be creative!

Hilly Yehoshua

 

The Infinite Sea

The Infinite Sea

Author: Rick Yancey

Genre: Young adult, Science fiction

Pages: 320

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.

Rate: 9.0/10.0

I liked this book a lot! I found it moving at a great pace, not too fast for the reader to enjoy the story and get to know the characters; but not too slow that you need to put the book down and get annoyed because the next part never comes. I like how each section of the book was narrated by a different character. It added suspense and character to the novel as well as different perspectives on what was happening. The book was overall very interesting.The atmosphere and mood of the book was great, exciting with suspense, yet reassuring because it helped you understand the plot. The characters are just great, each representing a real life person with distinct personalities.

I enjoyed this book much more than the first one. Book one, The Fifth wave was a much slower book, and to me it did not progress fast enough. The plot began to develop only mid  way the story. The ending of the first book was my favorite part of the book, although it ended in  a painful cliffhanger, to me it was the climax of all drama and action in the series. The war only began to escalate in the second book, and the characters only began to understand what was occurring in their world. In this novel, the situation worsens, and the characters are all put in grave danger, many facing their greatest fears. Each character  begins to question their identity and situation, pondering whether they can trust their peers.

Rick Yancey’s characters are all so different, representing the reality of the world, that everyone is unique and has their own personality. For this reason, I loved the fact that the book is narrated by different characters. This not only allowed me and other readers to understand each characters story but to get an idea of the entire situation in the novel as a whole.

I have to admit that the characters are so well developed and they seem to be real life people! Ringer is my favorite character, she is just the bad-ass that everyone hopes to be, the hero that never falters. She has an intense yet reserved personality. Her real name, Marika reflects her true identity; learning what she endured as a child, only to become a stronger person makes me admire her even more. Ringer makes herself seem so tough, when inside she is falling apart. She doesn’t stay strong for herself but for the sake of others, which I think shows she is a real hero. It may seem she is as tough as stone, but like any human she has a soft spot for Razor and the entire team. I totally ship Ringer and Razor. When they met it was evident that there was a spark. Together they are the power couple, they make a great team and they care for and understand each other. Ringer finally opened up to someone, Razor, showing her trust for him. Although I love them together, I do think that there is something between Ringer and Ben. Cassie and Ben!!! I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first one because this one progressed much faster and the characters were more developed.

Cassie, on first impression a sweet young girl with strawberry blonde curls and freckles; on second impression a deadly weapon and heroin that would do absolutely anything for those she loves. Cassie displays a dry humor and is so determined to do what is right. I adore her relationship with her little brother, Sammy (Nugget). They are so close, and she is his primary caretaker. Ben and Cassie to me are the OTP of the series. Ben and Cassie have a history together, going to the same school, Cassie always dreamed of this boy that is just eye-candy. Reuniting with him at Camp Haven, they realize they have much in common, and that they make a great team. One thing that I love about their relationship is that they both care so much for Sammy (Cassie’s younger brother) and they are willing to risk their lives for his sake. His close friendship with Sammy and his stolen kisses with her show that they are the perfect couple.

Honestly, Evan Walker was never an appealing character to me, although many people find him and Cassie the power couple, I do not agree. Evan to me is a bit creepy, he’s alert and observing, but quiet. Like Cassie, he’s very meticulous and cares for other people (Cassie). It is evident that he is in love with Cassie, and that she has feelings for him, but I find their relationship awkward and held-back :/.

Now in this book there is a lot of action and drama, as well as love triangles. I recommend it to everyone, I really loved this book and I can not wait any longer for the next one (The Last Star) which comes out on May 17th 2016.

“That’s the cost. That’s the price. Get ready, because when you crush the humanity out of humans, you’re left with humans with no humanity. In other words, you get what you pay for, motherfucker”
― Rick Yancey, The Infinite Sea

“I didn’t just foster the delusions. I lived them. Even after the world crashed, I clung to them. But after he died, I told myself no more. No more brave fronts or false hopes or pretending everything’s okay when nothing is. I thought I was being tough by pretending, calling it being optimistic, brave, keeping my head up or whatever bullshit seemed to fit the moment. That’s not tough. That’s the very definition of soft.”
― Rick Yancey, The Infinite Sea

“Onto his stomach. Then knees. Then hands. His elbows quivered, his wrists threatened to buckle under his own weight. Self-centered, stubborn, sentimental, childish, vain. I am humanity. Cynical, naive, kind, cruel, soft as down, hard as tungsten steel.
I am humanity
He crawled.
I am humanity.
He fell.
I am humanity.
He got up.”
― Rick Yancey, The Infinite Sea

“´Because love is irrational,´ I tell Vosh. ´It doesn´t follow rules. Not even its own rules. Love is the one thing in the universe that´s unpredictable.´”
― Rick Yancey, The Infinite Sea

“You say you know how we think? Then you know what I´m going to do. I´ll rip your face off with a pair of tweezers. I´ll tear your heart out with a sewing needle. I´ll bleed you out with seven billion tiny cuts, one for each one of us.”
― Rick Yancey, The Infinite Sea

“We regarded each other across an expanse wider than the universe, within a space thinner than a razor’s edge.”
― Rick Yancey

The Keys of Watchmen by Kathleen C. Perrin

The Keys of Watchmen

Author: Kathleen C. Perrin

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages:  394

Publisher: Langon House

Katelyn Michaels plans on hating every moment of her visit to Mont Saint Michel with her father’s new French wife. Once there, she is confused when she experiences sensations of déjà vu as she and her younger brother explore the medieval village and abbey. She is even more disturbed when she is confronted by two unusual young men, one who insists she has a sacred mission, and the other who will stop at nothing, even murder, to prevent her from fulfilling her destiny.

When the oddly-dressed but alluring Nicolas slips Katelyn a strange medallion, she is whisked back through time where her Watchmen hosts tell her she is the only hope to save Mont Saint Michel. Even worse, she learns that those trying to destroy the mount are led by a fallen angel intent on learning the mount’s closely-guarded secret.

Katelyn is torn by feelings of anger at being taken back in time, inadequacy at finding a modern solution for a medieval problem, and responsibility for the mount’s starving inhabitants. She is also perturbed by her surprising attraction to the ill-tempered Nicolas. Will she stay to learn why she was chosen by the Archangel Michael and find a way to save his mount?

Rate: 8.0/10.0

I loved this book! Usually I am not a real big fan of historical fiction but this book…woah. I will have to admit it did start of kinda slow but it did turn around and now I just need to share it with the world. Awesomness on top of awesomeness. The characters, the story, the characters, the world, and oh did I mention the characters!

I had so much fun with all these characters, i was just over the moon. I LOVED EVERY SINGLE CHARACTERS! This is a first. No character annoys me. Yes you heard right there isn’t one character that I dislike. Katelyn is just kick-ass. She is amazing and the perfect definition of heroin. She is just 21st century, unique, and she wants to protect everyone that she loves which I think is a very key factor in being a good character. Nicolas. Oh Nicolas. You were just a bag of sweet tarts with spicy sauce on it. THE SASS! Nicolas is practically a second less glittery Magnus. Oh my love. Plus him and Katelyn together….a kickass OTP.

Now in this book there is a lot of french phrases and with just this one book, I’m pretty sure I learned a whole bunch of french. When I finished the book, I practically finished a French class. Just wanted to point that out. So as you know I don’t read that much historical fiction that isn’t 1800’s this was WAYYYYY back before the 1800 and I have to say I really did enjoy it. With this book I am 99% sure that one of my next reads will be a historical fiction novel.

I would recommend this book t =o SO many people I lost count. Thank you so much CBB Book Promotion for letting me join this blog tour. I really loved this book and I can not wait any longer for the next one 🙂

GIVEAWAY

 

The author will be giving away $25 Amazon Gift Card (INT) to the winner of the below Rafflecopter.  The giveaway ends June 3rd.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Safe by Dawn Husted

Safe

Author: Dawn Husted

Genre: Dystopian

Pages: 272

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Post-apocalypse; Penelope Evans is eighteen, living in the Colony along with her family and other survivors. She finishes a day in the laboratory when her identification card begins flashing. This flash starts an upheaval of events leading further from her normality and towards the epic truth.

James Garak is attending the Academy where he works on achieving a higher rank. Nobody ever expects Penelope and James’ relationship to last long. A year later, they’re still together.

But when they are forced to run, Penelope’s world turns upside down as she discovers the truth that changes her life forever.

With lives at stake and guards on their trail, will they make it to safety? Will the dishonest lies behind the island’s bureaucracy shatter her existence or give her the drive to find a sister she never knew existed?

Rate: 7.5/10.0

I would’ve absolutely loved this book if it was a prequel to what actually happened. It was an iffy read to me. I liked the story and the characters (well one) and it was all just “okay” Right now since I have read sooooooo many dystopias it is really hard to find a new unique one. BUTT this story was very interesting me.

One thing is that there was no love triangle, even though I REALLY wanted one. James and Penny just wasn’t fitting for me. DO you think there is going to be a love triangle in the second book? I really really hope so. Penny herself was a pretty cool girl. She is very strong and very leader like character. James on the other hand was “eh” for me. One of the reasons that I wanted a love triangle. He was very stubborn,too stubborn for my taste. Very oover protective and untrustful with people. Just stop man you’re not in charge, we clearly know the Penny is the one that should be in charge. So I will have to see what happens in the next book. *waits patiently*

Lucan was awesome. Thats it. He was just plain awesomeness. The whole story itself was pretty action packed. From the beginning all the way to the end. The onyl complain about the story is that in the beginning it did start of kinda slow. I had to stop every couple chapters because it wa just too slow for me. But by the middle of it I was really getting inot the book, it was starting to become really interesting to me. The ending of the book was probably my favorite part. It was full of action and adventure, and just mouth dropping. AMAZING!

All in all it was a really good book, soem aspects of it I was a little “eh” about, but other than those the story itself was very interesting to read about. I would recommend this book to sooooooooo many people. Mostly dystopian lovers, but there a few of my friends that I think would be perfectly suited to read this book. I can’t wait to see what else Dawn has in store for us.

 
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The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

The Longest Ride

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Genre: Romance

Pages: 568

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Ira Levinson is in trouble. At ninety-one years old, in poor health and alone in the world, he finds himself stranded on an isolated embankment after a car crash. Suffering multiple injuries, he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image materializes and comes into focus beside him: his beloved wife Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by recounting the stories of their lifetime together – how they met, the precious paintings they collected together, the dark days of WWII and its effect on them and their families. Ira knows that Ruth can’t possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories, reliving the sorrows and everyday joys that defined their marriage.

A few miles away, at a local bull-riding event, a Wake Forest College senior’s life is about to change. Recovering from a recent break-up, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke, who bears little resemblance to the privileged frat boys she has encountered at school. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes of survival and success, ruin and reward — even life and death – loom large in everyday life. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imagining a future far removed from her plans — a future that Luke has the power to rewrite . . . if the secret he’s keeping doesn’t destroy it first.

Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples who have little in common, and who are separated by years and experience. Yet their lives will converge with unexpected poignancy, reminding us all that even the most difficult decisions can yield extraordinary journeys: beyond despair, beyond death, to the farthest reaches of the human heart.

Rate: 10.0/10.0

The love stories in The Longest Ride were filled with romance and mystery. The characters and the way the story was retold is amazing! The characters are narrated so well that it is as if I know them personally. 

I loved this book. I was totally engrossed in it. It is thrilling, romantic, passionate and most of all, different from anything I have ever read before. It is amazing, the characters well explained and formed. The book is very interesting and well written.

This book was phenomenal! I read it prior to the film, and although it is my first Nicholas Sparks novel, I was amazed at the suspense that he created from a romance novel! Sparks is so talented and accomplished. He creates real-life characters from a book, or how they feel to me. The collection of characters showed the different personalities and ways of life of people who lead distinct lives. Let me begin with Ira; he is a sweet old man (91) who loved his wife more than anything that ever walked this earth. His life is retold by him when he is semi-concious after a car accident that occurred in the winter of North Carolina. Ruth is his loving wife who has been dead for nine years. She is beautiful,strong and a feminist that has a love for art. She appears by Ira’s side when he is injured and is in between life and death. She strongly encourages that he has a life to continue living. 

I see Ira and Ruth as a loving old couple of over 50 years who enjoy being with each other. Although they are both rich, they are so humble. Their relationship is so strong! All of the bumps and turns will not dent their strong bond. Daniel was a minor character that was extremely important in the development of their story. This couple did not have children, Ira was barren after an accident during the Holocaust. Ruth is a school teacher who loves her young student Daniel, mistreated by his family. She wants to adopt Daniel; after this idea does not succeed, Ruth and Ira’s relationship is damaged for a while. Thankfully, they mend their love and relationship, realizing that being together is better than being apart. 

Sophia and Luke’s love story was steady, sweet, and slow; a classic college love story with a twist. Sophia is a young college lady who is majoring in art history. She attends a bull ridding show with her friend after her friend convinces her to go to get her mind off of a painful break up. Luke is a professional bull rider who experiences a large head injury a year before this event. He and Sophia meet when he defends her from her drunk ex-boyfriend. They soon begin to date, and it becomes a serious love story. I was compelled to read on because I wanted to know what Luke was hiding from Sophia (the fact that if he continued to ride he would die because of his injury.) The added stress from Luke trying to maintain the farm also add drawbacks in the relationship. The obstacles in their relationship also added mystery and reality to the love story. 

This book contains two different love stories, that of Luke and Sophie and that of Ira and Ruth. These stories are separated by experience and age. In the beginning I wanted to skip some of Ira’s parts in the book, but as the book progressed I understood the meaning behind his and Ruth’s story. I enjoyed both of these parallel love stories which eventually merged to form one large one. What I loved most about both of these stories is that they have a sense of realism in them. They are not fantasy couples but those who are represented in real life relationships today. I liked the ending, although Ira dies, he dies in peace and is able to be reunited with Ruth, the love of his life. Sophia and Luke stay together and the stories merge when Sophia attends an art collection (Ira’s) and receives the entire collection in the end. This story is so magical and emotional, honestly one of my favorite books of all times. I recommend it to anyone who like romance novels.  

“If we’d never met, I think I would have known my life wasn’t complete. And I would have wandered the world in search of you, even if I didn’t know who I was looking for.”
― Nicholas Sparks, The Longest Ride

“After all, if there is a heaven, we will find each other again, for there is no heaven without you.”
― Nicholas Sparks, The Longest Ride

“Trust people, until they give you a reason not to. And then never turn your back”
― Nicholas Sparks, The Longest Ride

“I know I’m not going to be able to change the world, but I think it’s important to try to make a difference”
― Nicholas Sparks, The Longest Ride

“I wish I had the talent to paint the way I feel about you, for my words always feel inadequate. I imagine using red for your passion and pale blue for your kindness; forest green to reflect the depth of your empathy and bright yellow for your unflagging optimism. And still I wonder: can even an artist’s palette capture the full range of what you mean to me?”
― Nicholas Sparks, The Longest Ride

“You should not complain, it’s not attractive.”
― Nicholas Sparks, The Longest Ride

“With you, my life felt indeed like a fantastic adventure – despite our ordinary circumstances, your love imbued everything we did with secret riches.”
― Nicholas Sparks, The Longest Ride


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Hello! My name is Hilly :)

Hello everybody!

My name is Hilly, I am a big reader and I am very excited to have the opportunity to join this blog! I enjoy reading many different types of books, including YA and Adult books. I read a variety of genres of books including dystopian, fantasy, adventure, mystery, horror, historical and more.

Some of my favorite series are The Mara Dyer Trilogy, The Kite Runner, Shatter Me, Divergent, Harry Potter, Night, The Mortal Instruments and The Longest Ride.

I will review books from all genres, and if you have a specific book that you want me to write a review on, you can comment or send me an email at hillybooks@gmail.com. I will not only give updates on upcoming trilogies and books, but I will also give fandom comments as well as book to movie adaptations.

Other than reading, I enjoy crafts, spending time with my friends and family, playing soccer and traveling.

Enjoy the Blog! 🙂

 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 416

Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Timesbestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Rate: 10.0/10.0

BOW DOWN TO SARAH J. MAAS!!!! This book was just incredible on top of incredible. The characters, the story, the retelling, the way it makes me scream, the way it makes me confused, the way it makes me think. Just perfection. I applaud you Sarah.

SO many things that I love. So few words to describe it. Starting with the characters. Feyre was just……….kickass with a side of rainbow skittles. She protected her loved ones, she does the man’s job, she likes comfortable clothing. AWESOMENESS. SO this book was a Beauty and the Best retelling and you know I’m all up on that Beauty and the Beast. Belle is my second favorite Disney Princess and the only way that I could imagine Feyre was Belle with darker hair. Feyre has been added to my favorite heroines’ list. She has been through painful times and I mean painful. But she doesn’t look back at her past, she keeps on goig and she will still be keep on going. Now she can be quite moody at times. Not talking to anybody, having a bad mood practically the whole first half of the book, but that’s probably what I care most about her. She just doesn’t give.

Now we have the beast in the story. Tamlin. By their first encounter I was like “OTP”. The only thing that I just couldn’t. Was the way I imagined him. How do you imagine him? I see him well very “firelike” and then with a mask over his face. A wolf mask specifically. I know that he is magical and all so why can’t he turn into a wolf but he can turn others. But whatever he can also be VERY moody at times. So he’s basically a guy version of Feyre just you OTP them and not see them as siblings. Now Tam’s BFF. You know the one that wear the eyepatch. Lucien. He is awesome. I love him, he was probably my favorite character in the entire book. He was just so funny, witty, and at serious times he just makes you laugh.

The amount of times that I fangirled during this book is embarrassing. I was in bed, and I was reading my book. Then came this one part that I HAD to scream. HAD. My parents were probably asleep so what do I do? Scream into my pillow, scream internally, rant on a piece of paper. EVERYTHING I could possibly do to now actually scream. It was a very intense scene.  Now after all that do you really think I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone in the world. Yeah READ THE DARN BOOK. It was amazing, and wonderful and just perfection. SO why not read it? better yet read all of Sarah J. Maas books. She write the best fantasy books EVER. Her Throne of Glass series is just s magical *caugh caugh* #TEAM DELORIAN #TEAM DELORIAN I AM A DELORIAN FANGIRL/SHIPPER. IT WILL HAPPEN PEOPLE. TRUST MY INSTINCTS! * caugh *caugh

-‘Tamlin straightened a bit and said, “You look…better than before.”

Was that a compliment? I could have sworn Lucien gave Tamlin an encouraging nod.

“And your hair is…clean.”

Perhaps it was my raging hunger making me hallucinate the piss-poor attempt at flattery.’ – ACOTAR

 

-Tamlin blinked. “You like – art? You like to paint?” – ACOTAR

 

-I couldn’t come up with any words when we arrived – and knew that even if I had been able to paint it, nothing would have done it justice. It wasn’t simply that it was the most beautiful place I’d ever been to, or that it filled me with both longing and mirth, but it just seemed…right. As if colours and lights and patterns of the world had come together to form one perfect place – one true kind of beauty.’ -ACOTAR


Amazon   Goodreads

Swept Away by Michelle Dalton + GIVEAWAY

Swept Away

Author: Michelle Dalton

Genre: Contemporary

Pages: 304

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Beachfront love blossoms in this refreshing summer romance, in the tradition of “Sixteenth Summer “and” Seventeenth Summer.”

Mandy Sullivan isn’t exactly looking forward to the summer months as tourists invade her seaside hometown on the coast of Maine. Her best friend, Cynthia, has abandoned her for camp and her older brother just announced he’ll be staying at college taking classes for the summer, leaving Mandy with nothing to do and no one to hang out with. Hoping to keep herself busy, Mandy takes a volunteer job at the Rocky Pointe Lighthouse. On her very first day, Oliver Farmingham asks for a private tour. A new–and incredibly cute–face in Rocky Pointe, Oliver seems more interested in Mandy than the lighthouse and its history.

Without her best friend at her side, Mandy is scrambling to act the right way and say the right things when Oliver is around. Cynthia–not Mandy–has always been the confident, flirtatious girl that everyone wanted to be around. As Mandy and Oliver spend more time together exploring the coast, biking through the woods, and attending the local summer festivals, their budding friendship becomes much more. But with Mandy’s insecurities creeping to the surface, can she open her heart to someone who will only be in town for three months?

Rate: 8.5/10.0

It was a very good light read for me. I was really into the Paranormal/Fantasy genre this month and it was a good refresher to read a contemporary. Right off the bat this book reminded me of Since You Been Gone and I LOVED Since You Been Gone. Anyways this contemporary really was a cutesy love story to me. And I’m all about that cutesy love story. So we have Mandy and Oliver.

I am very happy on Mandy’s characters. She is so outrageous and you can relate to her. Just like Since You Been Gone her best friend leaves for the summer so she turns to this new guy Oliver who was just visiting the town that she lives in. There is also another character that I liked and that was Oliver’s grandfather Freaky. Freaky is freaky. But a good freaky. He will probably have to be my second favorite character right after Mandy

Mandy was relatable to me. SHe liked to stay indoors, sleep late, and she has an amazing best friend. Once her best friend leaves for the summer, Many actually has a couple of friends that she can hang out with other than her best friend. even though she usually only hangs out with her best friends, she still has other t support her. Then she needs to work in the lighthouse and you already know something big is going to happen while she’s working and that little something is Mr. Oliver. He’s a sweetie, he reminds me of Jem Carstairs. Unlike Jem he is not worthy for me to be added to my fictional boyfriend list. He is a really creative person, and he can get too excited at times. Which I thought was the perfect combination for Mandy.

Now they are working on this project together and all I’m thinking is “I wish my city would do something like this.” The whole story itself was an adventure. It was definitely worth the read, and if you’re into light romance reads then I definitely recommend this to all of y’all.

 

“Don’t use the mom speech on me” – Swept Away

“Is this what its like to fall in love?”- Swept Away

“D’oh!”- Swept Away

” Go RIGHT! RIGHT! RIGHT!”- SWEPT AWAY

Goodreads   Amazon

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Shadowhunters TV Update #3 We Have Our Clary and Sizzy!!!

WE HAVE MORE CHARACTERS!

BEFORE I GET INTO THE WHOLE UPDATE SHPEAL HERE IS WHAT WE WERE WAITING FOR ALL THOSE #WHOISCLARY AND NOW WE FINALLY HAVE OUR CLARY!

*DRUMROLL PLEASE*

KAT MACNAMERA!!!!!

THE REALLY GOOD FUTURE CLARY WHO WAS ON THE FOSTERS AND THE SCORCH TRIALS!

     

YAYYYY

I feel like she will be the perfect Clary that we were all hoping we get. Can not wait until the TV show to see how she portrays our favorite redhead

BUTTTTTT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE OUR BELOVED CLARY WE ALSO HAVE OUR SIZZY!

ALBERTO ROSENDE AS OUR SIMON

He just needs the glasses and we’re all set 🙂 I have a good feeling that he will do a great job in acting as our favorite nerd Simon Lewis 🙂

AND EMERAUDE TOUBIA AS IZZY!

PERFECTION. Definition of Izzy and Emeraude definitely has that factor. Welcome to the TMI Family 🙂

NOW ALL WE NEED IS OUR MALEC TO COMPLETE THE CREW!!

I think that these actors will do a excellent job in portraying our favorite characters in our beloved TMI fandom. More updates to come!

 

Top 10 Favorite Quotes

One of my favorite parts of reviewing books is putting that little section on the bottom of each page telling some of my favorite quotes. Here is my top 10 most favorite quotes of ALL TIME! I also if you didn’t know have a little page called BookQuotables where I put some of these favorite quotes (which I will be updating soon) 🙂

  1. “So many books, so little time.”
    ― Frank Zappa

  2. “Oh holy alien babies everywhere!”
    ― Jennifer L. Armentrout, Onyx
  3. “The truth is what I make it. I could set this world on fire and call it rain.”
    ― Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen
  4. “One must always be careful of books,” said Tessa, “and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”
    ― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel

  5. “I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.”    ― Marilyn Monroe

  6. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
    ― Thomas A. Edison
  7. “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”
    ― Mark Twain

  8. “Maybe I should think of nothing at all? But that was passion impossible. As soon as I tried to thinking of anything, millions of ideas flooded my brain.”                                                                                 ― Kerstin Gier, Ruby Red

  9. “We all know interspecies romance is weird.” ― Tim Burton

  10. “She feels in italics and thinks in CAPITALS.”  ― Henry James

Summer by Summer by Heather Burch

Summer by Summer

Author: Heather Burch

Genre: Contemporary

Pages: 288

Publisher: Blink

*received this book from BookSneeze in exchange for a honest review*

When Summer took a job as a nanny for a couple vacationing in Belize, she imagined it would be a fresh start before starting college in the fall. And while she adores her charge, Josh, she can’t say the same for her employers’ oldest son, Bray. He’s cocky, inconsiderate, and makes her feel she’s a chore he has to put up with. In short, he’s everything she dislikes in a guy.

Bray had a plan for the summer: party, hang out with friends, and forget all the responsibilities waiting for him back home. But every time he’s forced to be around Summer, her dour, serious mood sets him off. Not to mention she has a habit of picking up on what he already knows is wrong with him.

Then the two find themselves on a dive trip gone wrong, stranded on a remote island. As they focus on survival, their differences melt away, and they find being together may be what both needed all along.

Rate: 5.0/10.0

The word that comes to mind when I think about this book is cliche. I was really close to DFN’ing this book. The story wasn’t intriguing, the characters were bland, and the whole concept itself was cliche. BUT there is a reason why I gave it a 5 instead of a 4. This book did make me smile at times, very little, but it still made me smile. The beginning of the book was when I was actually enjoying it, but as the book progressed it slowly became uninteresting to me. One of the MAIN MAIN MAIN problems with this book was the alternating POV’s. I’m not a big fan of either of the characters so having to hear from both of their POV’s was kinda annoying on my part. I think if the book stuck to one POV I would’ve liked the book a whole lot better.

Summer was a very bland character to me. She wasn’t exciting, she wasn’t that relatable to me, and she acted like an adult. Which means she is basically the opposite of me 🙂 She took her job WAY to seriously. Ven the parents of the kid she was babysitting said that she should lay it off a bit, you know have some fun. But no. What’s fun? Thats why I didn’t really have fun while reading from her POV. If she let go for a bit then maybe just maybe I would actually enjoy her characters.

Bray was a typical player with a cocky side to me. He didn’t have anything unique going for him to he was also pretty bland to me. Most Wattpad stories have a interesting bad boy/player with a side that nobody sees. Bray is the exact opposite. Sure he has the player thing down, but he just isn’t interesting enough to read about. The relationship between Bray and Summer was probably the only thing that I actually enjoyed out of this book. I could see the progression, and how at first they didn’t even want to be in the same room together and by the end of it well you know.

Overall I would give this book a solid 3 stars. Nothing special, nothing bad. It was cliche for sure but it wasn’t a terrible book. It was ordinary. Something that you shouldn’t take your time to read. I wouldn’t really recommend this book to anyone really. I feel like its to dull, even for beginner readers. 

Goodreads      

 

 

 

 

May TBR List

Its May. 

Where did April go?!?

Funny thing I have actually read DOUBLE the amount of books that I had for my April TBR so that means EVEN MORE BOOKS TO READ THIS MONTH TO BEAT MY RECORD!

1. Broken Skies

Thirty years ago, civilization collapsed. Few survived.20764638
Ten years ago, the aliens arrived…and stayed.
One year ago, I killed two men and went a little crazy.
Today, the aliens took my brother and I will do anything to get him back.

In seventeen-year-old Jax Mitchell’s world, humans are nearly extinct and alien settlers have arrived.

Until recently, the E’rikon have remained segregated in their city and ignored the few humans who have tried to engage them… but now they have taken Jax’s brother. To rescue him, she forms an uneasy alliance with a teenage E’rikon left stranded in the woods. She agrees to guide him to the city if he sneaks her past the human-proof barrier. Too bad it’s not that simple.

Jax, who cannot stand to be touched, finds that she’s drawn to the alien boy with bright green hair and jewel-like scales on his back. And he’s equally affected by her, the courageous redhead with haunted eyes. But she doesn’t know the alien’s true motives and he has no idea that she is much more than she seems.

With the aliens and the humans at odds, the connection forming between the two teens has consequences. What started off as a rescue mission sets a chain of events in motion which threatens not only the remaining humans and the growing alien society, but Earth itself.

2.  Fangirls Guide to the GalaxyFangirl_final_72dpi

Fanfic, cosplay, cons, books, memes, podcasts, vlogs, OTPs and RPGs and MMOs and more—it’s never been a better time to be a girl geek. The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy is the ultimate handbook for ladies living the nerdy life, a fun and feminist take on the often male-dominated world of geekdom. With delightful illustrations and an unabashed love for all the in(ternet)s and outs of geek culture, this book is packed with tips, playthroughs, and cheat codes for everything from starting an online fan community to planning a convention visit to supporting fellow female geeks in the wild.

3. The Heir

23019291Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she’d put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess’s life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can’t escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn’t expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn’s heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she’s always thought.

 

4.  P.S. I Still Love You

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.22840858
She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

 

5. Gravity 

In the future, only one rule will matter:12844575

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

CHALLENGE BOOK!

The Sin Eater’s Daughter

I am the perfect weapon.24853140
I kill with a single touch.

Twylla is blessed. The Gods have chosen her to marry a prince, and rule the kingdom. But the favour of the Gods has it’s price. A deadly poison infuses her skin. Those who anger the queen must die under Twylla’s fatal touch.

Only Lief, an outspoken new guard, can see past Twylla’s chilling role to the girls she truly is.

Yet in a court as dangerous and the queen’s, some truths should not be told…