Tag: Book Club

Hype or Like Friday – Trick or Treat!

This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The October BOTM is The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss.

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RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Trick or Treat!.. If you could dress up for Halloween as any fictional character, which ones would you choose?

I’m going to go ahead and pick two. One is basically one of my all-time favorite badass female characters and the other is from one of my favorite movies (that also happens to be a book that I haven’t read yet. OOPS!). Also, they’re total opposites. Haha!

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Victra au Julii from Red Rising Trilogy

Victra is just the freaking coolest. She’s snarky, independent, and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. If I could name any fictional character that’s most like me personality-wise, I’d probably pick her. We just get each other. Don’t get me wrong, I love Mustang, but a part of me will always ship Victra and Darrow. DON’T JUDGE!

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Truly Scrumptious “Doll on a Music Box” from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

I wish I could tell you how many times I’ve seen this movie. I know the words to all of the songs, everything. I feel it’s a forgotten classic and I wish more people loved it as much as I do! I do plan to do this entire setup at some point for Halloween. That includes building the box, the mirror, all of it. Also, I recommend looking up this whole scene on Youtube. It’s soooo good! I listen to this song basically every day at work (I wish I was joking).

What’s a fictional character that you would want to dress up as for Halloween? Have you already gone as any bookish characters before? Do you like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!

 

Hype or Like Friday – Things That Go Bump in the Night

This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The October BOTM is The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss.

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RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Things That Go Bump in the Night… What are some of your favorite fictional creatures and books that feature them?

Dragons

As I was going through my books, I realized that dragons are not utilized enough in novels. Come on fantasy authors, give us some more of these awesome creatures. They’re so badass!

Goblins

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Another really cool creature that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Goblins can be so fun and creepy! I kind of picture them as snarky little tricksters that like to be pranks on humans. They’re also fantasy creatures that you can use lightheartedly or really dark, depending on the story you wish to tell. I actually haven’t read Wintersong yet, so I’m not quite sure how they’re portrayed in it. Fingers crossed for dark!

Fae

Like goblins, Fae can be both good or bad. Luckily, these fantastical beings are quite popular in fiction and have definitely been having a moment the past few years. But I don’t ever think that I will get enough of reading about them, whether they’re portrayed as the heroes or the villains.

Vampires

And the number one creature that comes to mind… the famous vampire! I will always be a sucker for the undead immortals. Just like there’s always something sexy about the bad boy, vampires  give the same vibe. Maybe because they typically are the bad boy?! Either way, I will always enjoy a well written fantasy that portrays them. Also, if vampires are one of your guilty pleasures too, I highly recommend A Discovery of Witches. It’s the first book in an adult fantasy trilogy.

What are some of your favorite fantasy creatures? Which books would you recommend that feature some of my favorites? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!

#Underrated Book Club

Hi everyone! For those of you who don’t follow myself or Britt @ Geronimo Reads on Twitter (but you totally should because we’re so cool!), I wanted to take the time to announce that we have started a new monthly book club, #Underrated Book Club!

This book club will focus on hidden gems, underrated, indie, or books that might have just fallen below everyone’s radar. As a book blogger, we easily fall into the hyped books that everyone is talking about. However, there are tons of great books that maybe don’t receive that kind of publicity or recognition. That’s why Britt and I decided to start this book club.

Each month, our members will vote on a poll to decide which underrated book we are going to read. The book club will run from the 15th-15th, with a Twitter chat, #URBookChat, and discussion about the book on the 16th. We decided it’d be nice to give our members two separate monthly TBRs to choose from, as we all know how insane TBRs can be! There may even be giveaways included after the discussion… YAY!

If you would like to join us, you can follow us on Twitter or we are also currently setting up a Goodreads group that you can join HERE. We hope you will all join us on this fun adventure!

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The February-March BOTM is Starflight (Starflight, #1) by Melissa Landers. The sequel was just released this month, so we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to pick up this fun read! The ebook is currently available for only $1.99 so it’s the perfect time to grab a copy!

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She’s so desperate to reach the realm that she’s willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he’s been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe…

Are you joining us at Underrated Book Club? Have you read Starflight? What did you think of it?

Hype or Like Friday – December 23rd, 2016

Woohoo, it’s Hype or Like Friday again! This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The December BOTM is A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1) by Claudia Gray.

RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Best Reads of 2016 – Tell us your top favorite books that you’ve read this year!

Best Reads of 2016

  • The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid – The book was definitely a fun read. If you’re looking for a fun, stabby read a la Red Rising, then this book is the one for you! Full Review
  • Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman – I seriously just really love this book. The main character is one of the most badass heroines that I’ve ever read about. She’s one cool chick. Full Review
  • Morning Star (Red Rising, #3) by Pierce Brown – I can already tell you right now, that any book this man writes will be favorite. It’s just a given. Now I only have to wait until September for Iron Gold to be released! Full Review
  • Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine – I’m become kind of obsessed with this series, honestly. I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait until the finale is released in July. That’s just too long from now! Full Review
  • A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, #2) by V.E. Schwab – The first book was alright, but I loved this sequel. Lila Bard wasn’t annoying me anymore and I really loved how the scale increased sooo much with this one. I am so excited for the finale to come out! Full Review
  • Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff – While I did love Gemina, this one was just sooooo freaking good that there was no way they could top it. It’s just impossible. Full Review
  • A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1) by Claudia Gray – I am soooo glad that we chose this book for the Hype or Like Friday BOTM. I love a good science fiction and this one was the perfect blend of sci-fi and romance. I highly recommend it if you haven’t picked it up yet! Full review will come next Friday!

What were some of your favorite reads of 2016? Have you read any of mine? What did you think of them? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!

Hype or Like Friday – December 16th, 2016

Woohoo, it’s Hype or Like Friday again! This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The December BOTM is A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1) by Claudia Gray.

RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Worst Reads of 2016 – A little different than top over-hyped. What books did you read this year that you absolutely couldn’t stand?

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Ascension by Christopher DeSousa

Y’all, I made it through almost 100 pages in this book and literally had no idea what was going on. I mean thank you, NetGalley, for sending me a free ARC… but who the hell decided this book was fit to be publishing?!

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The Siren by Kiera Cass

So I read The Selection series, or at least the first two, and found it to be pretty juvenile. And there was some extra plotline about rebels that I guess was thrown in there to cause tension and action, and it was just BLAH and literally didn’t end up doing anything. I figured I’d never read another book by Cass. But then I heard Cass was coming out with a new standalone, and I thought, I’ll give her one more try. While, The Siren had a tad more depth to it, I’ve just realized that Cass is not the writer for me. I think I originally gave this book 4 stars, but looking back on it, it probably is really closer to 2 or 3.

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Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas

NOW HEAR ME OUT! Y’all know I’ve really gotten into this series, but that first book.. but if we were just going off of my impressions of the first book, well that would be a different story. For me, this series is almost completely different in terms of plotline, characterization, scale, everything than it was in Throne of Glass. I really didn’t find Celaena to be all that interesting or “badass” in this first book, and I found the plot to be fairly slow in some places. However, I knew how beloved this series was and chose to continue with it. Thank goodness I did, too! Because this first book wasn’t enough to convince me it was worth it.

What were the worst books that you read this year? What did you think of the ones on my list? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!

Hype or Like Friday – December 9th, 2016

Woohoo, it’s Hype or Like Friday again! This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The December BOTM is A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1) by Claudia Gray.

RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Top Over-Hyped Books – What books were you so hyped up for that completely let you down?

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Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns, #1) by Kendare Blake

This one boiled down to me just hating all of the characters except one. And the way it was described, I thought it would be a super dark and violent story, but no, it wasn’t. Not even a little bit. I will continue with the series but I was still really let down by this one. Full review is HERE.

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The Midnight Star (The Young Elites, #3) by Marie Lu

I was anxiously waiting for this concluding book to this trilogy…. only to be so freaking disappointed that I almost chunked it right into the garbage. Marie Lu, I may never read another one of your books again if you consider this to be a brilliant conclusion to a wonderful trilogy. IT’S NOT!!!! Full review is HERE.

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The Winner’s Kiss (The Winner’s Trilogy, #3) by Marie Rutkoski

2016 was the year of disappointing series conclusions. Let’s just leave it at that. Full review can be found HERE.

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Yellow Brick War (Dorothy Must Die, #3) by Danielle Paige

This book was weird and so disjointed from the previous two books. It also focused on the new Big Bad, which made me realize that I guess Paige wants to make more money and turn this into a series. I think the next book is coming out in January and I keep going back and forth on whether or not I want to continue with it… Probably not. My full review can be found HERE.

What are some of your most disappointing hyped books this year? Have you read any from my list? Do you agree with my choices? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!

Hype or Like Friday – December 2nd, 2016

Woohoo, it’s Hype or Like Friday again! This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The December BOTM is A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1) by Claudia Gray.

RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Pleasant Surprise – What books did you read in 2016 that you weren’t expecting much from but ending up completely loving?

2016 Pleasant Surprises

  • The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles, #2) by Mary E. Pearson – I was really surprised that I enjoyed this book so much, as the first one, The Kiss of Deception, kicked off my insanely long reading and blog slump this summer. Luckily, the sequel was sooo much better! Full review can be found HERE.
  • Half Bad (Half Bad Trilogy, #1) by Sally Green – I wasn’t really sure if I was going to enjoy this series, so I decided to grab a copy from the library rather than buy it. It turned out to be so good! It was a very unique spin on the subject of witches, with a bit of dark twist that I thoroughly enjoyed. I didn’t write a review for the first book in the series, but you can read my reviews for book 2 HERE and book 3 HERE.
  • Don’t Tell, Don’t Tell, Don’t Tell by Liane Shaw – I adored this book. I’m so glad that I found and requested it from NetGalley because I would have never heard of it otherwise. READ THIS BOOK. Seriously, I want all of y’all to read it! If you’re looking for a book full of diversity – this one fits the bill. My full review can be read HERE.
  • My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows – I was just looking for a little lighthearted read when I picked this book up. I’d heard that it was fun, but I was not expecting it to be soooo much fun. The story was kooky, silly, and just downright cute. If you’re looking for a little pick-me-up this holiday season, then Edward, Jane, and Dudley are just the ticket! Full review HERE.
  • Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy, #1) by Rae Carson – When I first grabbed this book from the library, I was just expecting it to be a nice little historical fiction (I kind of love them). But seriously, I ended up loving this book. It started off a tad slow but grew into a really fun read. And the sequel was even more exciting! Y’all just need to read it and love it with me. Review can be read HERE.
  • Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom – I don’t read a whole lot of contemporary, as I’m sure my followers have come to notice. But luckily, this book came in one of my Uppercase boxes and I’m so glad that it did. If you like a sarcastic, sometimes unlikeable protagonist with major snark – then you will love our blind (literally) leader, Parker. It’s also a really quick read if you’re looking for an easy book during a read-a-thon or challenge. Full review HERE.
  • Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1) by Ryan Graudin – This is a more recent read, or actually buddy read, that completely took me by surprise. I didn’t really know much about this book beforehand but I actually had it pegged more as a fantasy type alternate history. Okay, I actually might have thought that Yael was a werewolf… Don’t judge! But needless to say, this book turned out to be something completely different and I found myself thoroughly enjoying it, and not the boring novel that I was expecting. My full review for it can be found HERE.
  • Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1) by Rachel Caine – You know, I don’t know I was surprised that by how good this series is. I mean, it’s a book about books – how could I not love it? Well I don’t really have an answer for that. I just know that this book far exceeded my expectations, and maybe that’s because it’s not a very popular book. But it should be. Full review is HERE.
  • Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz – When Britt recommended this book, I thought it would be alright. But this book was such a beautiful book. I loved it and the characters were so lovely. Another contemporary to add to my growing list! I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed every bit of it. You can read my full review HERE.
  • Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas – Alright, alright.. I really kind of expected this book to be wayyyy overhyped and nothing special. But I’ll be damned if I haven’t become super attached to this series and the characters that fill it. It’s become my guilty pleasure and I’ve loved every second of it. So yes, I have become Throne of Glass Trash and I ain’t ashamed! You can read my reviews of this series HERE, HERE, and Queen of Shadows review should be up in the next few days.

All in all, I think it’s been a good year for surprisingly good reads.

What books were pleasant surprises for you this year? Did you read any of the ones on my list? What did you think of them? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!

WWW Wednesday – November 9th, 2016

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Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three Ws are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

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The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid

A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.

Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sisters. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.

When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia—a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.

As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life—and the empire.

I’m almost halfway through this book. I was expecting to be almost done but I got sidetracked by the absolutely shocking clusterfuck that occurred last night. I do expect to read an insane amount tonight as this book is turning out to be living up to all of the hype. I’m usually letdown by overly hyped books, so I’m really excited this book didn’t fall prey to statistics! It’s brutal, intense, mature, and dark. It’s also filled with one of the most fun characters ever – crazy ass, Tyrus. Seriously, he is totally stealing the show with his personality. Also, I think his supposed insanity is actually all a ruse, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself with that thought process!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • Like A River Glorious (The Gold Seer Trilogy, #2) by Rae Carson – review coming this week!
  • How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather – full review HERE
  • Paper and Fire (The Great Library, #2) by Rachel Caine – review will be posted later today

I enjoyed all 3 of these! I’ve actually had a fairly good reading experience since that awful run-in with The Midnight Star, which you can read about HERE.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf, #1) by Ryan Graudin – I’ll be buddy reading this book with the lovely Britt @ Geronimo Reads. Apparently we’ve both had this book for a super long time and keep pushing it back on the TBR, so we decided to finally make ourselves read it!
  • Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns, #1) by Kendare Blake – This is the November BOTM for Hype or Like Friday. I decided to read it fairly early in the month as the Tome Topple Readathon begins on the 18th, and this book doesn’t qualify for it as it is below the +500 page minimum requirement. You can learn more about this readathon at Sam’s booktube channel, Thoughts on Tomes.

What does you WWW Wednesday look like? What are you currently reading? Have you read any of the books on my list? What are your thoughts on them?  Have you been having good book luck lately? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday in the comments!

Spotlight Sunday – October 30th, 2016

Spotlight Sunday is a weekly meme created by Balie @ Nerd in New York & Closet Readers for their Goodreads book club, Nerdy Reads. Each Sunday share a book that you think is underrated and needs to be read ASAP – put it in the spotlight! *wink-wink, nudge-nudge*

Rules:

  1. Make sure to link back to the original creators in your post.
  2. Share your post on the Goodreads page so that others can read your post.

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Dove by M.H. Salter

Japhy would sacrifice his freedom for people he will never meet. Ray would sacrifice all those unknown people just to protect him.

In 1970, when Japhy receives his draft notice for the Vietnam War, he and girlfriend, Ray, become Dharma Bums. They pack their lives into a duffel bag, and hitch their way to the Canadian border – a safety zone that, once a draft dodger enters, he can never leave. Ever. Not to see family. Not to help injured friends. Not even to attend a loved-one’s funeral.

On the road, Japhy and Ray are joined by flower children, Leaf and Lauren, and all four decide to find a hippie commune in Toronto where they will be free of their demons, and safe with their secrets. Or will they?

Amidst a colorful whirl of psychedelics, love-ins, original music, and political protests, Japhy and his friends discover everything has a price, freedom is not free, and true peace comes at a cost whether you are fighting for it in a war or simply within the depths of your own soul.

How far would you go for freedom?

Dove is the first book in The Freedom Series and was shortlisted for the Impress Prize For New Writers.

So I was able to snag an ARC of this book through Netgalley and Daytime Moon Publishing back at the start of the year, and boy, I am so glad I did. The premise really intrigued me as I haven’t read many books (or any actually) set during the Vietnam War. Which is weird actually because I love the late 60’s-70’s era. There’s a reason why Dazed and Confused is one of my all-time favorite movies, but I digress! Anyways, this book was definitely an adventure into experiencing the real hippie culture of that time. Japhy and Ray’s story will make you laugh, cry, cringe, and probably make you think, YIKES, at least once or twice (it did for me at least). I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning a bit more about that time period, especially the counter-culture that its known for. Seriously, go fall in love with this book like I did! You can read my full review of it HERE.

This book is an adult general fiction novel. There is sex, drug use, violence, and language aplenty throughout, so please do be aware of this if you are considering picking this book up. Just leaving this disclaimer for y’all so you aren’t surprised that it’s not a young adult book after buying it, and then blaming me for it haha!

Have you read this book? Are there any books that you would recommend that are based during the Vietnam War?  What book would you choose for Spotlight Sunday? Leave a link to your post in the comments!

Hype or Like Friday – September 30th, 2016

Woohoo, it’s Hype or Like Friday again! This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

September’s BOTM is Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and the topic of the month is Back To School!

RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Review of the BOTM – Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

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Okay, here’s the thing – I just started this book last night. Soooooo, yeah, I can’t really give you a full review at this time.

I had hoped to at least be much farther into this novel than I am, but Smashing Series September went a lot slower than originally planned. But the good news is that I did finish The Winner’s Kiss Trilogy, The Remnant Chronicles Trilogy, and the Dorothy Must Die series. Bad news is that I didn’t even get to Throne of Glass series or Half Bad Trilogy, but there’s always October!!! Anyways, back to the subject of this post…

I did read Fangirl. That’s been my only taste of Rowell’s books up until this point. And while I enjoyed it, I had no desire whatsoever to read anything else by her. I’m just not a fan of contemporaries – y’all should know this by now! Luckily, this book is a fantasy so I’m hoping to at least find it entertaining. I know plenty of bloggers rave about it (hence it being the Hype or Like Friday BOTM), but I’m usually a contrarian so this should be interesting.

Have you read Carry On? Are you a huge Rainbow Rowell fan? What are your thoughts on this novel? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!