Review: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

November 9
Author: Colleen Hoover
Release Date: November 10th 2015
Publisher: Atria Books
Source: Library
Review by: Nahomi

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist. 

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

I’ve been meaning to read November 9 for a while now because I was a little afraid to read a Colleen Hoover novel. My BFF Dai told me that Colleen is an “emotional terrorist” because her books are heartbreaking. And let me tell you she was right; November 9 hurt so good.

I absolutely love every part of this story!! Fallon and Ben are great characters. I love their depth and their sarcastic witty dialogue. Fallon is strong. Although she lacks self-confidence in the beginning, she doesn’t shy away from doing things that terrify her. With the help of Ben, Fallon grows confident and as the story progresses she finds herself. Now, Ben is has to be one of my favorite male characters ever! He definitely has a way with words. His character though is what gets me. The way he treats Fallon melts me to pieces.

This story is addicting. As soon as I started reading I was hooked and spent most of the night reading so I could find out what happened next. The premise of the book is interesting and kept my attention. There were several instances where you think things are settled and then the floor gets dropped from under you. Colleen destroyed my heart then put it back together in the span of this novel. November 9 is a must read.

Waiting on Wednesday (#150)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

The Epidemic (The Program #0.6) by Suzanne Young

Expected Release Date: April 19, 2016

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

In a world before The Program

Quinlan McKee has spent her life acting as other people. She was a closer, a person hired to play the role of the recently deceased in order to give their families closure. Through this process, Quinn learned to read people and situations, even losing a bit of herself to do so. But she couldn't have guessed how her last case would bring down her entire world.

The only person Quinn trusts is Deacon, her best friend and the love of her life. Except Deacon's been keeping secrets of his own, so Quinn must set out alone to find Arthur Pritchard, the doctor who's been trying to control her life. The journey brings Quinn to Arthur's daughter, Virginia, who tells Quinn the truth about Pritchard&amp's motives. The former closer will start to see that she is the first step in fighting an epidemic.

But Quinlan doesn't want to be a cure. And with all the lies surrounding her, she realizes she has no one left to rely on but herself, even if she doesn't know who that is anymore.

I NEED this book. I've been a fan of this series since the first book and knowing everything I do about the books, I just know that Suzanne is going to break my heart to pieces. Is it April 19 yet?

What are you "Waiting on?"

Review: When We Collided by Emery Lord

When We Collided
Author: Emery Lord
Release Date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children
Source: ALA AC 2015
Review by: Jenn

Meet Vivi and Jonah: A girl and a boy whose love has the power save or destroy them.

Vivi and Jonah couldn't be more different. Vivi craves anything joyful or beautiful that life can offer. Jonah has been burdened by responsibility for his family ever since his father died. As summer begins, Jonah resigns himself to another season of getting by. Then Vivi arrives, and suddenly life seems brighter and better. Jonah is the perfect project for Vivi, and things finally feel right for Jonah. Their love is the answer to everything. But soon Vivi's zest for life falters, as her adventurousness becomes true danger-seeking. Jonah tries to keep her safe, but there's something important Vivi hasn't told him.

2.5 stars out of 5 stars

I'm not sure how I feel about this book and in turn how to review it. I read When We Collided almost three months ago and I've been struggling to put into words how I feel about it. I thought it was good and I enjoyed it but I couldn't click and love it.

As my first Emery Lord book, I really enjoyed her writing style. Her descriptions and way with words really made the book stand out. I can vividly picture these characters in my head, especially Vivi with all her energy and quest for living life. However, my problem comes in the form of Vivi.

Three months later and I'm still on the fence about how I feel about Vivi. Knowing that the book deals with mental illness, I started reading prepared for characters that are a bit different from me. I have a psychology degree and worked in a psychiatric and psychotherapy office for almost ten years so I've seen patients and read about the kinds of stuff that happens in this book. I even figured out the diagnoses of the character before hitting the halfway mark because I'm so aware of it. But even going in prepared, Vivi's character was just too much for me. Wait, let me explain before what I say gets taken out of context and proportion. Vivi was too much for me prior to her decent to her episode and prior to realizing her diagnosis, what with her exuberant self and just the way she is. I wanted to hide from her because my shy self would never be able to keep up with her loud and vivacious self. Also, there were scenes that really turned me off of her character. The way she treated her mom and Jonah really bothered me and those scenes had nothing to do with her illness but more with her being selfish and inconsiderate.

What I did like from When We Collided was the way Lord wrote about mental illness. It such a delicate subject and I feel like she did a great job in portraying the denial and anger that comes from Vivi's diagnosis. And while I don't have the disorder, the episode Vivi's experiences felt real, honest, scary and dangerous.

I also enjoyed Jonah's story. The poor boy is dealing with a lot in the home front and Vivi helps him in getting out of the house and out of his head. His character is a lot quieter and Vivi gives his life a splash of color that was missing. However, because Vivi is such a bigger than life character, his story sometimes got pushed back to give way to her and her needs, even if the book is in dual point of views.

As my first Emery Lord book, I'm a little disappointed I didn't love it because I've heard nothing but wonderful things about her and her books. Like I mentioned before, I really wanted to love it but I just couldn't click with the book. I'm still going to go back and read Lord's previous books because her writing is beautiful and I need to find a book I love from her.

Quotes (#150)

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Welp. Back to work for me, Swooners. I am resigned to my fate but it sure was nice having the week off from work. A definite perk of working at a school. During my break, I did a lot of Netflix binging and I also finished rereading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. So today's quotes will be all about the awesomeness that is ACOTAR.

“What is that bruise?” Lucien demanded.
I pointed with my fork to Tamlin. “Ask him. He did it.”
Lucien looked from Tamlin to me and then back again. “Why does Feyre have a bruise on her neck from you?” he asked with no small amount of amusement.
“I bit her,” Tamlin said, not pausing as he cut his steak” ― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

“Don't feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy.” ― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

“I love you,’ he whispered, and kissed my brow. ‘Thorns and all.” ― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

“He brought his lips to my ear. "I would have been gentle with you, though." I shuddered as I closed my eyes. Every inch of my body went taut as his words echoed through me. "I would have had you moaning my name throughout it all. And I would have taken a very, very long time, Feyre.” ― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

Rhysand stared at me for long enough that I faced him.
"Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don't feel anything at all.” ― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

“There are those who seek me a lifetime but never we meet,
And those I kiss but who trample me beneath ungrateful feet.

At times I seem to favor the clever and the fair,
But I bless all those who are brave enough to dare.

By large, my ministrations are soft-handed and sweet,
But scorned, I become a difficult beast to defeat.

For though each of my strikes lands a powerful blow,
When I kill, I do it slow... ” ― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

“As I lifted the ash dagger, something inside me fractured so completely that there would be no hope of ever repairing it.” ― Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

Have a great Monday!

Stacking the Shelves (#30)

Stacking the Shelves, which is hosted by Team Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This mean you can include books you buy in a physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course, ebooks.

In the month of March, these are the books we've added to our shelves.

For review:

LADY RENEGADES by Rachel Hawkins

DARKNESS by Karen Robards

CROSSING THE LINE by Meghan Rogers

Bought/Borrowed:

SUCCUBUS BLUES by Richelle Mead

SUCCUBUS ON TOP by Richelle Mead

UNDER THE NEVER SKY by Veronica Rossi

OBSIDIAN by Jennifer L. Armentrout

ONYX by Jennifer L. Armentrout

THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT by Veronica Rossi

MATERNITY LEAVE by Julie Halpern

NOVEMBER 9 by Colleen Hoover

THE ALCHEMIST by Paolo Coelho

What did you add to your shelves?

On Our Nightstand (#6)

On Our Nightstand is where we show the state of disarray our nightstand look holding all the books we are currently reading.

One night, I was halfway through a book when I knew I was going to finish it right then and there. So, before snuggling in for the night, I went ahead and grabbed my next TBR book and put it on my nightstand just so I didn't have to get up and get it. I looked at my nightstand, which is just stack of pretty boxes, and had an idea. After talking about this with Nahomi, we're going to be sharing, occasionally, how the towering books on our nightstands look with our readers.

This week, my nightstand looks like this:

My nightstand is holding my current read and my iPad. I'm currently reading, for the second time,  A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas and on my iPad I'm reading Succubus on Top by Richelle Mead.

On Nahomi's nightstand, she has Wicked Sexy Liar by Christina Lauren. Most of her reading these days are done on her phone.

What books do you have on your nightstand?

Mini Review: Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Gier

Sapphire Blue (The Ruby Red #2)
Author: Kerstin Gier
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Source: Library
Review by: Nahomi

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

It was great getting back into this world again! Sapphire Blue picks up right where Ruby Red leaves off. Sapphire Blue is literally the middle section of the trilogy there isn’t a solid beginning, middle or ending. Gwynn learns a lot of information about what is going on but there are still a lot of unanswered questions.

There are a lot of wonderful character additions this time around. Xemurius is hilarious, his comment are sarcastic and made me laugh. I also felt like someone was actually on Gwynn’s side; although it still not clear who she can trust. Gideon’s brother is also an interesting addition to the story.

Gwynn’s relationship with Gideon is hot for a millisecond then cold like a blizzard for the rest of the time. Her relationships with the other characters are all suspect. I still don’t like Charlotte any better. The mysteries continue and keeping track of the different meetings in the past certainly kept me entertained. I’m dying to get my hands on Emerald Green to see how this story ends!

Waiting On Wednesday (#149)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Morning swooners!

This week pre-publication "can't wait to read" selection is:

Walk The Edge (Thunder Road #2) by Katie McGarry

Expected Release Date: March 29, 2016

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

One moment of recklessness will change their worlds.

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life.

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules.

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

I can't believe Walk The Edge is almost here!! March 29th can't come fast enough; I'm ready to jump back into the Thunder Road world again!

What are you "Waiting on?"

Mini Review: Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Sizzling Sixteen
(Stephanie Plum #16)
Author: Janet Evanovich
Release Date: June 22, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn

IT’S DANGEROUS TO OWE MONEY TO A MOBSTER…

Stephanie Plum’s no-good cousin and boss, Vinnie, has been kidnapped over gambling debts – and if there’s no Vinnie, that means she’s out of a job. But until the bonds office closes, she’s got bounty hunting to do.

Can they find Vinnie in time? Will the bonds office be able to raise enough money to cover Vinnie’s debt? And exactly how much fried chicken does a guard-gator named Mr. Jingles eat?

3.5 stars out of 5 stars

It had been years since I'd last read a Stephanie Plum novel. So it was a treat catching up with Stephanie and the gang. Stephanie is still hilariously going after people as a bounty hunter and getting herself in situations that doesn't make any sense. This time, her antics are helped by Lula and Connie in their attempt in finding Vinnie

Like always, Janet Evanovich has me chuckling at the shenanigans she puts Stephanie in and wondering what else can go wrong before she finally puts a case to rest. I'm a little sad I didn't get more Joe Morelli and/or Ranger book time, especially Ranger. Whenever those two come in contact with Stephanie, the tension, both sexual and non-sexual is always off the charts.

Off to book seventeen!

Favorites quotes from Sizzling Sixteen:

“Ranger sent us to check on you," Hal said. "We just got here, and we heard shots."
"Some moron ate my jelly doughnut," Lula said. "So I shot him.” - Janet Evanovich, Sizzling Sixteen

“Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli.
"No. Were discussing."
"Are you sure?"
"Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords on my neck standing out? Am I waving my arms around?"
"No."
"The were not fighting.” - Janet Evanovich, Sizzling Sixteen

“What time is it?" Lula asked. "I might need a doughnut. Is it doughnut time?"
"I'm thinking about eating healthier," I said. "More vegetables and fewer doughnuts."
"What's that about?"
"I don't know. It just came over me."
"It's a bad idea. What do I look like, Mr. Green Jeans? How would it sound if I said it's vegetable time? People would think I was a nut. Nobody gets a craving for a vegetable. And I'm the one on the diet. What am I gonna do with one carrot or one asparagus? They are not mood enhancers, if you see what I'm saying."
"I see what you're saying, but there aren't any doughnuts between here and Ernie's house."
"I guess I could wait. And maybe you're right about the healthy eating. I'm gonna get a carrot cake doughnut.”- Janet Evanovich, Sizzling Sixteen

Quotes (#149)

Morning lovelies!

I'm officially on spring break!!

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I have this week off so I'm super happy about having the time to chill and get caught up with housework and blog stuff. Also, my husband and I are hopefully making the trip Harry Potter World in Universal Orlando this week! It'll be our first time and I'm super excited about it. I'm also going to take the time to read read read! Speaking of reading, last week I finished reading Richelle Mead's Succubus Blues so today's quotes will be all about it. Let's get to it.

“Very often the things we most desire come only after much patience and struggle.” ― Richelle Mead, Succubus Blues

“We all have moments of weakness. It’s how we recover from them that really counts.” ― Richelle Mead, Succubus Blues

“Love is rarely flawless,” Carter pointed out. “Humans delude themselves by thinking it has to be. It is the imperfection that makes love perfect.” ― Richelle Mead, Succubus Blues

“Look, don’t get me wrong. I worship the ground this guy walks on. I’m excited to meet him tonight. I’m dying to meet him tonight. If he wanted to carry me off and make me his love slave, I’d do it, so long as I got advance copies of his books.”― Richelle Mead, Succubus Blues

“Lucky Charms?” I asked.
“Magically delicious,” he explained. “Requisite for any sort of building project.”
I shook my head, still amazed at how he had managed to weasel his way over here. “This isn’t a date.”
He cut me a scandalized look. "Obviously. I’d bring Count Chocula for that.” ― Richelle Mead, Succubus Blues
“I hope I redeemed myself with the whole dancing-sex comparison.”
“I suppose there were a couple of notable similarities,” I observed, holding a straight face.
“A couple? What about attention to detail, heavy exertion, lots of sweat, and single-minded determinedness to get the job done and done well?”
“Mostly I was thinking you just don’t talk during sex.” Mean perhaps, but I couldn’t resist.
“Well, my mouth has better things to do.”
I swallowed, my own mouth dry. “Are we still talking about dancing?” ― Richelle Mead, Succubus Blues

“Because...Beacause it's so good, and there's only one chance to read a book for the first time, and I want it to last. That experience. I'd finish it in a day otherwise, and that'd be like...like eating a carton of ice cream in one sitting. Too much richness over too quickly. This way, I can draw it out. Make the book last longer. Savor it. I have to since they don't come out that often.” ― Richelle Mead, Succubus Blues

Like always, Richelle Mead has me laughing out loud with her books. That's it for me. Have a great week!