Review: This Ordinary Life by Jennifer Walkup

This Ordinary Life
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Date Read: November 2015

Publication Date: October 26, 2015
Paperback, 352 pages


Summary From Goodreads:
Sometimes Hope is the Most Extraordinary Gift of All.

High-school radio host Jasmine Torres's life is full of family dysfunction, but if she can score the internship of her dreams with a New York City radio station, she knows she can turn things around.

That is, until her brother Danny’s latest seizure forces her to miss the interview, and she’s back to the endless loop of missing school for his doctor appointments, picking up the pieces of her mother’s booze-soaked life, and stressing about Danny’s future.

Then she meets Wes. He’s the perfect combination of smart, cute, and funny. He also happens to have epilepsy like her brother. Wes is living a normal life despite his medical issues, which gives Jasmine hope for Danny. But memories of her cheating ex-boyfriend keep her from going on a real date with Wes, no matter how many times he asks her.

Jasmine can’t control everything. Not who wins the internship, not her mother’s addiction, not her brother’s health--not even where her heart will lead her. She wishes she could just have an ordinary life, but maybe what she already has is pretty extraordinary after all.

My Review: 

This was such an awesome book. First off, look at that gorgeous cover! {Have I mentioned before that I'm a bit of a book snob?} Right, well I love Jazz. She's such a strong character, and she doesn't let anything get her down. She definitely has a lot of responsibilities, and there are a lot of curve balls that get thrown her way {like having to be both mom and dad to her little brother Danny, because dad walked out on them forever ago, and mom is almost always drunk} but she doesn't let any of them stop her from doing what she loves.

Wes. Oh my word, Wes. He's this super sweet, ever so optimistic guy, and I just... Ahhhh. Yeah. Not to mention the fact that he's also super funny and flirty, but he's also very sincere. He was so persistent when it came to trying to win over Jasmine. And he was confident, but not in an annoying, cocky way. I think every girl needs a Wes in their life.

I felt a sort of kinship with Jazz. Not because I have an alcoholic mother, {my mother is actually quite amazing} or a brother who has seizures... But I do have a baby sister who is diabetic. And even though the responsibility of taking care of her is not one that I have to shoulder, I still worry. I know first hand what could go wrong, and that's pretty scary. So, yeah, I felt a connection with Jazz on that level.

I was so glad when Jasmine finally stood up for herself and confronted her mother, and things started to look up for her

 I really wish this book had been longer, that I'd been able to get more closure with some of the characters. The ending seemed kind of abrupt, and that's the only reason that stopped me from giving this book a 5 star rating. I still loved it though... It's one of the best books I've read this year.


 

Top Ten Tuesday: 2016 Debuts

Top Ten Tuesday is an awesome weekly event hosted over at The Broke And The Bookish and this week their topic is Top Ten 2016 Debuts Novels We Are Looking Forward To. So, without further ado, {and not in any particular order} here is my list! You can click on the cover and it will take you to Goodreads so you can read the summary.

So what are the 2016 debuts you're looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Tuesday: Things I'm Thankful For

Top Ten Tuesday is an awesome weekly event hosted over at The Broke And The Bookish and this week their topic is Top Ten Things I'm Thankful For

 

 

 

 

1. My Family. I love my family, even if they do sometimes drive me a little crazy. They've always got my back and they're there for me no matter what.

 2. Friends That Have Turned Into Family.  My family is actually very small. It's just me, my parents, and my two younger sisters. All my other family {cousins, aunts, uncles, grandfather, etc.} is scattered throughout the states, and I don't get to see them. I do, however, have wonderful friends who are a lot like family to me, and they fill in those blank spaces.

3.  Books! I am very thankful for books, and the exiting adventures they provide. And all the different people you get to meet. I am thankful for all the heartbreak and the happiness that I feel when I am reading. {Okay, Okay, I'll stop now}

4, My Job Well, jobs, technically. I've been working at the library in town for a little over a year, and I've been working at the University bookstore for just over 4 years, I love them both so much

5. My Coworkers and Managers.  I really do have the two best jobs. I get along great with everyone I work with, and I have wonderful managers. I've learned so much from everyone I work with, they're all amazing people.

6. My Pets. I have two dogs and two cats, and they all provide endless entertainment... not to mention that the one cat is my baby, and he loves to cuddle {and sprawl out over my book when I am trying to read, but hey, he's cute so he can get away with it.

7. My Church Kids. this last year, I was able to teach the 10 year olds in their Sunday School class, and I've absolutely loved it. I think I've learned as much from them as they have from me.

8. Sunny Day Rain. Okay, okay, just hear me out. I love it when the sun is shining outside, and it starts to rain... Not torrential downpour rain, but drizzle rain. I think that it is so pretty when it does that.

9. YOU! Yes, you. I'm extremely thankful for anyone who takes the time to read my Blog. Y'all are awesome, and don't you forget it.

Review: The Amazing {Audio} Book Is Not On Fire

My Rating: 5 Stars

Date Listened To: November 2015
Listening Length: 4 hours and 25 minutes


Summary From Goodreads:

If you found The Amazing Book is Not on Fire at least mildly interesting, or even if you didn't read it at all, then you will LOVE our audiobook! Not only do you get us sensually narrating the whole thing in your ears, but there are over three hours of exclusive behind-the-scenes commentary on the book, and irrelevant Dan and Phil banter straight from our mouths to your ears! Who doesn't want that? Okay, that came out kind of weird, but trust us you'll like it. I guess we have to rephrase the blurb..?

In this AUDIObook is a world. An AUDIOworld created by two awkward guys who share their lives on the internet! We are Dan and Phil and we invite you on a journey inside our minds THROUGH YOUR EARS! From reading the stories of our actual births, to verbally exploring Phil's teenage diary and pontificating about all the reasons why Dan's a fail. Learn how to draw the perfect cat whiskers, get aural advice on how to make YouTube videos and How Will This Quiz Work discover which of our dining chairs represents you emotionally. With everything from what we text each other, to the time we met One Direction and what really happened in Vegas... This is The Amazing AUDIO Book Is Not On Fire!

This is The Amazing Book Is Not On Fire!


My Review:

Right, so, I know I already reviewed the actual book... But I listened to it as well, so, yeah...

I know you're probably asking yourself "why would she listen to the book if she's already read it?? That's just crazy!" Yeah, well, you're probably right. But I listened to the trailer for their audio book, and holy guacamole, I was hooked. Wait, what? You haven't heard the trailer?? Well, I can fix that for you.... There, I've added the video below... Make sure you have headphones and you keep your eyes closed. I'll wait right here for you *Cue Waiting Music*





 

SEE? wasn't that asdffghjkl amazing?! Anyways, that's what convinced me that I needed this audio book straightaway, and I regret nothing.

I am usually not a big fan of audio books because I can read much faster than the person narrating, or I just don't like the way it sounds.. In fact, I think {besides this one} I've only listened to one audio book all the way through. But this one was great because it was Dan and Phil doing the narrating, and it felt like I was "watching" one of their videos. I could imagine all the gestures they were making, while they were talking. It was actually pretty fantastic.

Even though all the content was basically the same, I really enjoyed all the sound effects and music as well as all the extra bantering that went on while they were narrating. It wan fun to hear their reactions while the other person was talking.. and all the different voices and accents they used.

Have you read/listened to this book yet? If yes, what did you think of it? If your answer is no, then I really think you need to! Either way, let me know down in the comments.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Quotes

Top Ten Tuesday is an awesome weekly event hosted over at The Broke And The Bookish and this week their topic is "Favorite Bookish Quotes". I actually love this, because I am a collector of quotes. I keep a little journal and when I am reading and find a good quote I like to write it down.





1. "I don't lie. Ever. I don't need to, because I don't care if I hurt anyone's feelings. The truth is the truth, forever unchanging, and it's better than a lie any day of the week."
 This first quote comes from Frosty from the book A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter, and let me tell you now I loooooove this quote.

2.You're not from around here, are you? Can't be. Why would we name it I-YOU-POO-Y? Really? Say the letters. I-U-P-U-I.” 
This one's from Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer. I like this one because leave it to an out-of-towner to mess up the name IUPUI {I-You-Poo-Y... *Snorts* that's hilarious}

3. “Saying good-bye is basically an invitation not to see a person again. It's making it okay for that to be the last conversation you have. So if you don't say it--if you leave the conversation open--it means you'll have to see them again." 
Roger Sullivan said this in the book Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson... I kind of took this quote to heart. Even before this book came out, I never really said Good-Bye to people, it was always see you later. And then after I read it, I started leaving the word Good-Bye out of my vocabulary more and more. Yes, there are some times that I still say good-bye, but it is very rarely.

4. “You see, cuckoos are parasites. They lay their eggs in other birds' nests. When the egg hatches, the baby cuckoo pushes the other baby birds out of the nest. The poor parent birds work themselves to death trying to find enough food to feed the enormous cuckoo child who has murdered their babies and taken their places."

"Enormous?" said Jace. "Did you just call me fat?"
"It was an analogy."
"I am not fat.” 

This one was from City of Ashes... Jace is always so entertaining.


5. Home isn't a place. Home is the people who love you the most.
 This one came from the book All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and I just so happen to agree with this one whole-heartedly.

6. Honesty's easy. It's trust that's hard.
I don't really remember which book this quote came from

7.  "It's not the face, but the expressions on it. It's not the voice, but what you say. It's not how you look in that body, but the things you do with it. You are beautiful."
Ian O'Shea *Swoon*

8. I want to be the friend you fall hopelessly in love with.
This one was from Warner in Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi. He's my fave.

9.Words will live as long as people can remember them.
Another one from Warner... I told you he was my fave. 

10. “Life's messy," he agreed. "But sometimes amazing things can happen, even when it seems like it's all falling apart.”  
This one came from How {Not} To Fall In Love by Lisa Brown Roberts 

So what are your favorite bookish quotes? Let me know in the comments below!
 

 
 
 

Review: The Amazing Book Is Not On Fire

My Rating: 5 alpaca-licious Stars
Date Read: October 2015



Publication Date:  October 13, 2015
Hardcover, 224 Pages



Summary from Goodreads:

Hello reader,

In this book is a world. A world created by two awkward guys who share their lives on the internet!

We are Dan and Phil and we invite you on a journey inside our minds! From the stories of our actual births, to exploring Phil's teenage diary and all the reasons why Dan's a fail.

Learn how to draw the perfect cat whiskers, get advice on what to do in an awkward situation and discover which of our dining chairs represents you emotionally. With everything from what we text each other, to the time we met One Direction and what really happened in Vegas...



My Review:




This is not a serious book. Then again, I wasn't expecting it to be serious. What I was expecting was a fun, hilarious book that would have me smiling that the huge dork that I am, and laughing out loud in a room full of people and having them look a me like I'm crazy... And that's exactly what I got. It was adorable, and fun, and exactly what you would expect from Dan and Phil. This book was totally and completely Ace.


I'm not much of a Youtube watcher... but once upon a time ago, I stumbled across Dan's How To Speak Internet colab video that he did with Jack and Finn. It was hilarious and I couldn't stop laughing, and I absolutely loved it... So what did I do after that? Well, I am not ashamed to admit that I binge watched all of the videos that he had done thus far {he had been youtubing for 3 years by that point, so there were quite a few} and then of course, if you're waching Danisnotonfire videos, you're inevitably going to meet Phil. So, to make a long and nonsensical story short... I went from not being a big Youtube watcher to watching these two almost religiously. What I like so much about Dan and Phil is that on one hand, you have guys who do things like this:

But then you turn around and:

Right, so onto the review. I thought this book was super fun. All the pages were in color, and you get to see a little more into the lives of Dan and Phil. There's a whole bunch of random awesomeness . I thoroughly enjoyed reading about what happened in Vegas {who knew playing in the casino could be so dangerous?} and how they got to interview 1D when they weren't going to be able to {that took major guts, btw [also, I thought about saying balls, but I didn't want to make it awkward]} And I liked the addition of "Going Deep With Dan And Phil"... that was entertaining. I also liked that in the narration, not only were they talking to you, they were interacting and bantering with each other as well... It almost made it seem like you were watching one of their videos.


Have you seen any of Dan and Phil's videos? If not, then you're definitely missing out! You can check out Phil's Channel Here, or Dan's Here oooorrrrrrr, you could go watch the Phil Is Not On Fire Videos, because really that's the best of both worlds. Then you definitely need to go check out this book. Well? What are you waiting for? Go!

 

Review: Aimee And The Heartthrob {Backstage Pass #1} by Ophelia London

My Rating: 5 Stars
Date Read: October 2015



Publication Date:  April 14, 2015
Paperback, 223 Pages



Summary from Goodreads:

He never noticed her before, but now she's all he can see...

Miles Carlisle is every teen girl's fantasy. His rugged good looks and exotic British accent have helped catapult his boy band, Seconds to Juliet, to super-stardom. But after two disastrous and very public breakups, Miles isn't interested in dating just any girl; he wants The One. And the only girl he's interested in is not only his best friend's little sister - and off-limits - but won't even give him the time of day...

As a kid, Aimee Bingham had a huge thing for Miles...until he made fun of her for always tagging along. Now that she's outgrown both him and her pigtails, the prospect of spending two weeks on tour with the childhood crush who broke her heart isn't exactly enticing. Except now Miles seems interested. Very interested. And no matter how hard Aimee tries to resist him, her crush is definitely making a comeback. But everyone knows that falling for a heartthrob is a backstage pass to heartbreak...


My Review:

I've been in sort of a reading slump lately, and that's just been really sad for me. So one day, during my dinner break at work, I picked up my phone and started reading this book that I had downloaded forever ago and then promptly for got about... And I loved it. Not that it really surprised me. This book falls right in with What I Love, with the Boy Band and what not.

There aren't a lot of stories out there about Boy Bands {at least, I don't think so... I could be wrong} and I thought it was cool that this one didn't glaze over anything and try to make it seem like everything was peachy all the time {because really, how believable would that be?} and I also liked the relationship that the boys had. They fought and got on each others nerves, but they still loved each other like brothers.

Miles. Oh swoon. I think that it's the British accent that makes him seem so fantastic. And Aimee was adorable too... Although sometimes it was hard to remember that she was 16 because of the way she talked sometimes. I mean, I totes know that it's lowkey cool to talk like that now.... But it really makes the person sound way young.

Though this book was a little predictable at times, it was a fun, cute, quick read, and I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for something that's not overly serious and heavy.

Type 1 Diabetes And Me

Today is November 1st, which kicks off National Diabetes Awareness Month, and this is something that is very near and dear to me. Why? Well, because I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 6. So I'd like to take some time to talk to you all about what it is, and answer some questions that I hear all the time, and some of the things that I deal with.

Soooo... What is it?

Type 1 Diabetes {or Juvenile Diabetes}is an autoimmune disease that causes your pancreas to stop creating insulin, something that your body needs in order to get energy from food that you eat.

Well, maybe you should have eaten better, or gotten more exercise or {insert other reason here}

My diabetes was not caused by anything I did or did not do, or what I did or did not eat. No one knows what exactly causes Type 1 Diabetes, it's this great big mystery. Type 2 on the other hand... well, that's another story.

Hey, maybe if you eat better and exercise more you can cure your diabetes/Hey! I just heard that if you drink 24 ounces of carbonated pickle juice it will cure you're diabetes {or some other similarly hilarious nonsense}
Ummm.... no. Just, no. There is nothing neither I nor anyone else can do to cure Type 1 Diabetes. The insulin that I take helps to keep my blood sugar in line but it is not a cure either. I'd love for their to be a cure in my lifetime, but since it doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon... I'm in this for the long haul y'all.

Whoa whoa whoa. you can't eat that candy/cake/food... You're diabetic!
Actually, yes I can in fact eat that. This is one of the things that I hear over and over and over again. But that's okay, because I know that people are just concerned for my well being. But I can eat anything and that any non-diabetic can. It would be absolutely terrible for me if  I couldn't eat certain foods--especially something sweet--because I have the world's biggest sweet tooth.

Does it run in families?

They say no it does not, but I beg to differ. My baby sister was diagnosed when she was only three, and I know several other families who have two or more children with Diabetes.

OMG, I HATE needles, I don't know how you do that! 
Because I have no choice... Okay, even before I was diagnosed I never had a fear of needles... But that's a good thing, because I'd be in big trouble.



Living with Type 1 Diabetes can be ridiculously frustrating at times. You have to keep your blood sugar levels in their "Good" range, which is laughable sometimes because there are days where it's just not going to happen, no matter how hard you try. You could eat the same thing at the same time every single day, and you probably are not going to ever see the same numbers twice. There are many different reasons as to why this happens.. It could have to do with a change in the weather. It could be because you're happy, mad, sad, stressed... Heck, it could even have to do with what time you went to bed last night! It's a crazy roller coaster {and not the fun kind either}


Having Type 1 Diabetes is a constant worry that something is inevitably going to go wrong...Like having my insulin pump malfunction and I'll be without the proper supplies to take care of it. Even though I checked, double checked, and triple checked before I left home, and my blood sugar is going to spike sky high... which means I am going to have to deal with the very unpleasant symptoms. A massive headache, nausea, being extremely thirsty {and no matter how much water you drink, it's not enough} and having to pee... a lot.

Or you go to the opposite end of the spectrum... Dun dun duuuuun, low blood sugars. Those are probably my least favorite. Symptoms can vary from person to person, but for me, I get really shaky, and extremely irritable {things that don't usually bother me, make me so angry.} I can't concentrate on anything, and some of the things I do every day are nearly impossible for me. {like...2+2=? Ummm, is the answer fish?} And then I have to eat something to bring my sugar back up out of the danger zone, but everything tastes like saw dust. yuck. But if I don't do something about it, I could have a really bad reaction {like pass out} and have to go to the hospital. I haven't had anything like that happen to me since I was pretty little, but my baby sister ended up in the hospital for that a few years ago. She woke up around 6 in the morning and was completely confused and had no idea who she was. No matter what we asked her, the answer was cat, and she thought her name was Roo. We checked her blood sugar at home and it was normal so we took her to the hospital and spent a couple of hours there. What they think happened was that her blood sugar dropped too low and she had a seizure... Oh gosh, that was one of the most terrifying moments in my entire life.

It's hard dealing with everything sometimes, but I do it, and I don't go around feeling sorry for myself about it either. Well, okay, I've had moments when I wonder why my life is so complicated and why can't I just be a normal person who doesn't have to worry about checking their blood sugar 8 times a day...

But I get over that pretty quickly, because my life is actually pretty ace. And I know that I could have it much much much worse than I do. I refuse to let Diabetes run my life and define who I am... and I most definitely do not let it slow me down or stop me from doing the things that I love. I have family and friends who love me. I have two part time jobs that I absolutely love. I get to work with the younger girls at my church on Wednesday nights, and I am a self proclaimed book nerd who is also a geek with a hint of dork {and I ROCK that, thank you very much}I love my life, and I wouldn't change one single thing about it. I never went through that crazy teenage rebellion, where I refused to check my blood sugar, or give myself insulin because I was embarrassed about it or worried what my friends thought of it. Because seriously, if they can't handle it, then I really don't need them around me at all. Their loss, not mine.

I do sometimes feel like I grew up a lot faster than most kids out of necessity, but I don't think that was a bad thing. I always had a lot more freedom than most of my friends {like not ever having a curfew} because my parents knew that I could handle myself, and they could trust that I wasn't going to be doing anything stupid. I was also a lot better at math {not that it meant that I liked math, because we are not friends...}

My advice to you {whether you're a newly diagnosed Type 1, or you have a child with Type 1} find someone who is in the same boat. Trust me, as a diabetic it helps so much to have someone to talk to, who actually gets what you're saying and knows what you're going through. They understand what it feels like to have you're blood sugar sit at 24 and refuse to come back up. Yes, sure, you can try to explain the feeling to a non diabetic, but it's just not the same. And if you're the parent of a diabetic {which I am not, but I've seen what my mom goes through} it's nice to talk to another parent who can relate to what is going on, and can give you advice about different things.

If you want more information on Type 1 Diabetes click here to be redirected to the JDRF website

Review: Undaunted by Ronnie Douglas

Undaunted
My Rating: 5 Stars
Date Read: October 2015

Publication Date: September 15, 2015
Paperback, 352 pages


Summary From Goodreads:
Being fearless has never looked so good . . .

Aubrey Evans needs to get her life back on track after her father is indicted for embezzlement. All she has to do to hightail it out of small-town Tennessee is save up money for college tuition and steer clear of hard-muscled boys on motorcycles. Yet there's no ignoring someone like Zion. A knight in black leather, Zion looks like every bad idea she's been told to avoid, but she can't resist him. Whenever she's in trouble, he's there. Appealing as his rough exterior may be, it's the protective, principled man beneath who tempts her like crazy.

Zion knows Aubrey doesn't intend to stick around. She claims to want only friendship, but he senses there's a naughty girl hiding on the inside—one whose intense desires match his own. For now, he'll be patient and play by her rules. But he knows it's just a matter of time before he weakens her resolve.

As they join forces to figure out who's behind a local crime spree, it's clear that the danger goes deeper than Aubrey guessed. And when she needs someone tall, dark, and undaunted to keep her safe, Zion intends to be there—now and always.  

My Review: 
I Generally try to stay away from books labeled as NA because, well, let's face it... They tend to be just as raunchy as some of the adult romances out there and I am just not at all into that kind of thing. But I picked this book up anyway, and found out that I actually liked it. 

What first drew me to this book was the gorgeous cover, and then as I was reading the the summary for it, I was just like, okay, I HAVE to read this book no matter what. And then I find out that Ronnie Douglas and Melissa Marr are the same person, and it just completely made sense all of a sudden. {I looooooove Melissa Marr's books}

I've never read any books about bikers, so I thought this was a pretty neat idea. I liked Aubrey for the most part, but sometimes I got irritated with her one track mind. I was just like: HEY! Stop for a second and be thankful for what you still have instead of thinking about what you lost.

I liked the bikers, and how they are these big tough guys, but they'll look out for the people who are important to them. I definitely can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

Review: A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter

My Rating: 5 Stars
Date Read: October 2015

Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Hardcover, 448 Pages



Summary From Goodreads:

The battle rages on. 

Ali Bell and Cole Holland's crew of zombie slayers thought they'd won the war against Anima Industries, the evil company responsible for capturing and experimenting on zombies in an effort to discover the secret to immortality. In the last epic clash, the slayers lost many of their crew and closest friends. But Frosty, the ice man himself, has not recovered from one casualty in particular—the love of his life, Kat Parker. 

On the path to self-annihilation, Frosty receives a message from beyond—Kat's spirit returns, insisting he partner with rogue slayer Camilla Marks. Frosty will do anything for Kat. Except that. Camilla is the one who betrayed them all, leading to Kat's death. 

But when Anima rises from the grave to become a force the slayers may not have the strength to overcome, Frosty, Camilla and all the slayers will have to work together to survive. And one broken slayer will learn that sometimes, the line between hate and attraction is blurred…and the road to redemption isn't through revenge, but in letting go of the past and grabbing hold of the future.


My Review:

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

I was totally and completely broken hearted when I read The Queen of Zombie Hearts. The ending, while ultimately a happy one, had me crying big, fat, ugly tears at the unfairness of the whole situation. My heart hurt for Frosty and I was hoping that he would get a story of his own so that he could get a chance at Happily Ever After. So when I heard that Gena was going to write another book, you can imagine how elated I was.

With that being said, it did end up taking me a bit to actually get into the book. I guess even though I wanted Frosty's story, I wasn't quite ready to have someone other than Ali narrate it. I spent three books seeing things through her perspective, so it took a bit of time to adjust to the change.

I  stuck with it though, and I am glad that I did. True to the other White Rabbit books, there was a lot of kick butt action, and, yes, romance. We get to learn a whole bunch of stuff about Frosty {like his real name!} I always liked Frosty, because he was always so freaking hilarious, but in this book, he's hurting. He's more than hurting, he's broken. He's lost the girl that he's loved forever, and he blames himself. It was awesome getting to see him get closure and heal and move on with his life.

I loved Milla. I mean, I had mixed feelings at first, but once she was introduced and you get to see her perspective on things, I couldn't help but admire her. She always took things in stride, and was pretty good at not letting people know just how much things hurt her. Calm, cool and collected, that one is. And I think that's what I like most about Gena's female characters in this series. They're always so confident, and they're not afraid to say what they're thinking.

This book just goes to show that your friends will sometimes do things that are bad, because they think it's what's best for you, and that you can't always assume the worst about a person, especially if you don't know their background.

I loved the ending. All the little extra details about all the hunters, and where they are in life "Now". It was like the story was all wrapped up with a neat little bow, and that's pretty fantastic...

One of my {many} favorite Quotes from this book:  "I don't lie. Ever. I don't need to, because I don't care if I hurt anyone's feelings. The truth is the truth, forever unchanging, and it's better than a lie any day of the week." -Frosty

Swoon-Worthy {Fictional} Guys From A-Z {N}

My Swoony Pick for the letter "N" is...

Noah Shaw

From The Mara Dyer Series

By Michelle Hodkin 

Why? 

He's got an accent...Oh lordy, I do so love a boy with an accent.

Despite his reputation, and his endless innuendos, he's actually extremely sweet and caring.

And patient

And oh so very charming

He loves animals

Ugh, he's just so amazing...

Quotes

"The people we care about are always worth more to us than the people we don't. NO matter what anyone pretends."

“If I were to live a thousand years, I would belong to you for all of them. If we were to live a thousand lives, I would want to make you mine in each one.”

“You want me as much as I want you. And all I want is you."

My tongue warred with my mind. "Today," I whispered.
Noah stood slowly, his body skimming mine as he rose. "Today. Tonight. Tomorrow. Forever.”

“You're the girl who called me an asshole the first time we spoke. The girl who tried to pay for lunch even after you learned I have more money than God. You're the girl who risked her ass to save a dying dog, who makes my chest ache whether you're wearing green silk or ripped jeans. You're the girl that I--" Noah stopped, then took a step closer to me. "You are my girl.”

"You can't hurt me the way you think you can. But even if you could? I would rather die with the taste of you on my tongue than live and never touch you again. I'm in love with you, Mara. I love you. No matter what you do.”

“I knew Noah worshiped Charlie Parker and that his toothbrush was green. That he wouldn't bother to button his shirts correctly but always made his bed. That when he slept he curled into himself and that his eyes were the color of the clouds before it rained, and I knew he had no problem eating meat but would subtly leave the room if animals started to kill one another on the Discovery Channel. I knew one hundred little things about Noah Shaw but when he kissed me I couldn't remember my own name.” 

“This was the boy I loved. A little bit messy. A little bit ruined. A beautiful disaster. Just like me."

 

Review: Until Friday Night by Abbi Glines

My Rating: 5 Stars
Date Read: September 2015



Publication Date:  August 25, 2015
Hardback, 336 Pages



Summary from Goodreads:

To everyone who knows him, West Ashby has always been that guy: the cocky, popular, way-too-handsome-for-his-own-good football god who led Lawton High to the state championships. But while West may be Big Man on Campus on the outside, on the inside he’s battling the grief that comes with watching his father slowly die of cancer.

Two years ago, Maggie Carleton’s life fell apart when her father murdered her mother. And after she told the police what happened, she stopped speaking and hasn’t spoken since. Even the move to Lawton, Alabama, couldn’t draw Maggie back out. So she stayed quiet, keeping her sorrow and her fractured heart hidden away.

As West’s pain becomes too much to handle, he knows he needs to talk to someone about his father—so in the dark shadows of a post-game party, he opens up to the one girl who he knows won’t tell anyone else.

West expected that talking about his dad would bring some relief, or at least a flood of emotions he couldn’t control. But he never expected the quiet new girl to reply, to reveal a pain even deeper than his own—or for them to form a connection so strong that he couldn’t ever let her go…



My Review:

I loved this book. Seriously. I was having a massive case of Reader's Block, but once I started this book, I could not put it down.  I thought that the whole idea was interesting. I mean, if I were in Maggie's position, I probably would have done the same thing. Sometimes, being silent really does help you to cope. Sometime. Not always. And I do agree that at some point, you actually do have to talk about whatever it is that you're avoiding. Otherwise, you'll never completely heal

I really liked Maggie's character. She was so strong and steady for the most part, and I really enjoyed getting to see her grow up and learn that it's okay to talk to someone when you are hurting, and to not let people push her around.

I had a love/hate relationship with West. On one hand he's this really cute guy, who means well, and has a lot of... crap that he's trying to deal with. On the other hand, he hooks up with random girls for no reason just because he can, and he's like, super possessive of Maggie, even before they start dating... And then when they do, you better watch out. Don't talk to Maggie if you're a guy or you'll have heck to pay. That was just really kind of annoying. But Maggie was pretty good about setting him straight.

I haven't read any of the other books by Abbi Glines, but I might give them a shot after reading this one. I definitely can't wait to read the next book in this series.

Swoon-Worthy {Fictional} Guys From A-Z {M}

My Swoony Pick for the letter "M" is...

Michael Glass

From Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine

WHY?

 

He plays the guitar. *SWOON*

 

He's always super flirty with Claire but his heart belongs to Eve, and no one can change his mind.

 

He is very kind and patient with everyone, but he can also turn into this fierce protector if his friends are being threatened.

 

He is very charming, and polite {for the most part} he usually has no trouble putting people at ease.

 

 

Some of my Favorite Michael Quotes:

 

“Michael!” Oliver’s voice came faint through the front door. “Something you should see, my boy! Look out your windows!”
“Trap,” Shane said instantly, and reached out to grab Michael’s arm as he walked by. “Don’t, man.”
“What’s he going to do? Make faces at me?”  

Claire: "So we do nothing?"
Michael: "We do the best nothing you've ever seen.” 

 

Michael rose to his feet and padded down the last few steps silently, came up behind Kim, and leaned over her to say, “I vant to drink your blood” in a heavy, fake-Dracula accent. She shrieked, flailed, and a zombie ate her brains on-screen."You sabotaged me!” Kim yelled, dropped the controller, and smacked him hard on the chest. “I can’t believe you just totally sabotaged me!”

"Can’t let him lose,” Michael said, as Shane hit the high score and the victory music sounded. “Gotta live with the dude.”They high-fived."You’re seriously going to take that as a win,” Kim said. “When he totally cheated for you.”Yes,” Shane said. “I seriously am.”  

“You okay?"
"Fine."
"Your heart's beating really fast."
"Gee, thanks. That's very comforting that you can hear it."
He smiled, and it was the old Michael, the one she'd first met before all the vamp stuff.
"Yeah, I know it is. Sorry. Just stay behind me if there's trouble."
"You sound like Shane."
"Well, he did say he'd kill me if I got you hurt. I'm just looking after my own neck."
"Liar.”

 

 

"You're bleeding," he said. "What happened?"
Claire sighed and held up her wrist to show him the bandage. "Man, you would be so embarrassed if I said it was something else." Michael looked blank. "I'm a girl, Michael, it could have been all natural, you know. Tampons?”

 

“I’m a vampire. I have secret powers ,” he said with a full-on fake Transylvanian accent, which he dropped to say, “Actually, your mom let me in.”  

Books to Read Around Halloween {Part 2}

So I did a Top 10 Tuesday post 4 years ago on books that would be good to read around Halloween and I was just thinking about how many other fantastic books that I have read since then that would completely fit that topic. So here are 12 more awesome books to read to get in the Halloweeny spirit.

{If you would like to check out my original post, click right HERE}






1. Shutter by Courtney Alameda

Oh my golly goodness, this is one of my favorite books of the whole year {I first made that declaration back in March, and it still holds true today} It's about a group of kids who track and trap ghosts using the flash from a specially modified camera. It's pretty epic. Not to mention the fact that Micheline's love interest in the book has a sexylicious Australian accent that makes everything better...

2. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Okay, this one isn't on the scary side, but is has uber attractive alien boys in it.















3. Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

Zombies. Or "Differently Biotic" or "Living Impaired" whatever you decide to call them this book is seriously cool. Again, not too much on the scary side, but it has zombies none the less.

4. My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent

I really loved this book. It has Bean Sidhes and the Grim Reaper, and Demon's, and a whole bunch of other supernatural beings. It's definitely worth a read.

5. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

This one definitely had a kind of creepy feel to it.  Vi can sense the presence of people who have been murdered. She can feel their "echoes" and the imprints that attach to whoever the culprit it. She ends up getting herself into some pretty scary predicaments.

6. The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

I don't think that I really even need to elaborate on this one... The name says it all, don't you think?
















7. The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Well if that creeptastic cover doesn't attract you to the book, I don't know what will, other than the fact that this story is about changelings...
















8. Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

More Zombies, although they aren't your average zombies either. But they are more creepy and dangerous than the Differently Biotic.

9. Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Now this one has quite a fantastic spookiness factor. Especially if you read it all alone in the middle of the night when it's rainy/windy... It was suggested to me because I was a fan of Supernatural, and I loved it.


















10. The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Here's another fantastic book. It's like Nancy Drew with a supernatural twist.
















11. White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L Armentrout

Another JLA book? Heck yes. Her books are that awesome. This one has demons and gargoyles in it. So yeah,.. check it out.

12. The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

And yes, another one by Rachel Vincent, too. This book is just as good as all of her Soul Screamer books, but this one has Exorcists in it {and one in particular has gorgeous green eyes...}

Swoon-Worthy {Fictional} Guys From A-Z {L}

My Swoony Pick for the letter "L" is...

Lucas Parker

From The Shadow Falls Series by C.C Hunter

Why?

He is stubborn as... heck, but he's really a big softy. Especially when it comes to Kylie

He's very thoughtful and sweet {like when he got Socks Jr.}

He's also very protective of his friends, and will stand up for whatever is right.

I was having trouble finding some good Lucas quotes to share with you all. But if you guys have any, let me know!

Who are your favorite Swoony guys with "L" names? Let me know that, too!