Review + Giveaway: Stupid Love by Cindy Miles

Stupid Love
(Stupid in Love #3)
Author: Cindy Miles
Expected Release Date:September 10, 2015
Publisher: The Knight Agency
Source: The Knight Agency
Review by: Nahomi

MEMORY

Casualties.

That’s how I refer to the guys who’ve had the bad fortune to fall for me. They only see long legs that they wish were wrapped around them, a cat-like smile, and the reckless abandon to take on any wild dare. It’s all a game to me. Show me a bridge, and I’ll leap over the side. Give me a car, and I’ll race it. Give me a heart, and I’ll break it. I always win. I even showed Death who was boss a long time ago.

Or so I thought.

Now, time is running out, and I’m losing fast…and big. I met someone. Jace Beaumont. He’s smart, and good, and I dream about spending days exploring the summit of his perfect lips. But, I’m a grenade. I know I should leave him be. I can’t.

JACE

Study, class, work, repeat. That’s all I have time for. At twenty-five years old, I have a bit more mileage on me than the average college freshman. But, that’s what happens when you spend your youth drinking, partying, and bagging girls like it’s a full-time job. Now, I have goals. There’s just one kink in my plans. Her name is Memory. She’s every guy’s dream girl. She’s intoxicating. She’s trouble. I want to stay away. I can’t.

4 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher but it does not influence this review in any way.*

I have a lot of mixed feeling about Stupid Love. I enjoyed reading the story, but there are certain character mannerisms that just really annoyed me. It's been a while since I read a story that deals with the issues in Stupid Love. And Cindy Miles does a wonderful job of capturing the emotional turmoil in this situation.

I love the formatting of the story. The dual points of views, also how parts of it read like a diary, created a feeling of intimacy with Memory, that was essential in understanding her. The pacing is spot on there was always something happening in the story that kept me on my toes, and several plot twists that I wasn't expecting. I loved getting to know the characters in this story.

Memory Thibodeaux is a force to be reckoned with. She is a strong character that goes after what she wants and thrives on adventure and defying death. I loved how honest Memory is in certain aspect of her life. I really admire her strength and determination. She certainly isn't afraid to go after Jace.

Jace is a typical southern gentleman who is reluctant to get involved with anyone because he has a lot going on at the moment. He's definitely a little prickly in the beginning but as the story progresses there are several times he made me swoon.

Memory has a great set of friends, but they have so many nicknames for her and for each other that it was a little difficult to keep everyone straight. Between that, the constant repetition of Memory's entire name and her mannerisms I was thoroughly annoyed. It was such a turn off for me that it was difficult to get into the story in the beginning for me.

Other than that I found this story to be very uplifting and inspirational. I am sad that this is the last book of the series. I will miss coming back to this world, and checking in on some of my favorite characters.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quotes (#122)

Link

Morning Lovelies,

I hope you've all enjoyed your weekend. Labor Day is today in the States and that just mean more time to read for us bookworms.

“Book collecting is an obsession, an occupation, a disease, an addiction, a fascination, an absurdity, a fate. It is not a hobby. Those who do it must do it.” - Jeanette Winterson

“I wanted the whole world or nothing.” - Charles Bukowski, Post Office

“Either you deal with what is the reality, or you can be sure that the reality is going to deal with you.” - Alex Haley

“I do not understand how anyone can live without some small place of enchantment to turn to.” - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

“If you have two friends in your lifetime, you're lucky. If you have one good friend, you're more than lucky.” - S.E. Hinton

“Talk between women friends is always therapy...” - Jayne Anne Phillips

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.” - Charles M. Schulz

I hope you all have a great week!

Favorite Friday (#45) - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Have a favorite book? Series? One that you've just read or are currently reading? Favorite Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Books and Swoons where we spotlight some of our Favorite Reads. Everyone is welcome to join. Just enter your information on the linky or leave us a comment!

This week pick is: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

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 over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it…or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

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

Sarah J. Maas has basically become a queen in my eyes and she is an auto buy author. Her vivid story telling abilities has made her into one of my favorite authors.

About the author:

Sarah J. Maas is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling Throne of Glass series–Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir of Fire, and the series’ prequel, The Assassin’s Blade–as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses. She wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in twenty-three languages. Queen of Shadows, the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, will release worldwide on September 1st, 2015.
A New York native, Sarah currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and dog. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hamilton College in 2008 with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in Religious Studies.

Author's links: Website / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / Facebook / Tumblr / Blog /
World of Sarah J. Maas

I hope you can join us in sharing and talking about some of your favorite reads. Book talk always make me happy. 

What are one of your favorite reads?

Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway: Bounce by Noelle August

Bounce
(Boomerang #3)
Author: Noelle August
Release Date: August 25, 2015, 2015
Publisher: William Morrow Paperback
Source: Blog Tour / Edelweiss
Review by: Jenn

This final chapter in the fun and steamy New Adult trilogy by Noelle August (authors Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger) features two aspiring musicians who must choose between their careers…and their sizzling attraction for each other.

Playing the occasional club gig just isn’t cutting it for twenty-two-year-old cellist Skyler Canby, who’s trying to support herself and her mother back home in Kentucky. Persuaded by her best friend Beth to accompany her on an audition for the first feature film launched by Blackwood Entertainment, she figures why not? Beth’s a shoe-in for the lead, but maybe Skyler’s newly dyed pink hair will help her stand out enough to score a small speaking part.

Never in her wildest dreams does Skyler imagine she’ll land the lead role or that she’ll have her shoes knocked off her feet by the kiss her audition partner, Grey Blackwood, plants on her—a kiss that feels very real and not at all “acted. ”

After throwing a party that causes thousands of dollars of damage to his older brother’s home, reckless musician Grey Blackwood gets roped into working off his debt on the set of his CEO brother’s newest project. Grey spends his days fetching coffee and doing odd jobs around the studio, but he lives for nights when he performs with his band. He knows if he can stay focused, success as a singer is just around the corner. But that’s tough with a distracting pink-haired girl occupying his every waking thought.

Skyler and Grey have every reason to resist each other. But, like a song neither of them can get out of their minds, they have no choice but to go where the music takes them.

3.5 stars out of 5 stars

*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher but it does not influence this review in any way.*

Bounce was a fairly quick read for me. The moment I started reading, I just had to know what would happen next. I truly enjoy how Noelle August paints such a vivid picture at  how conflicting it is for these characters as they navigate the waters of being a new adult. Grey's raw and rough personality and Skyler's inner conflict in trying to do what she wants and dealing with her mother's expectations are perfect examples of what it is all about in being a new adult. What New Adult is all about.

I love the friendship that Grey and Sky provided for each other. Once they stopped trying to avoid each other, they strike up a beautiful friendship that then turns into something more. I also loved getting a glimpse of the other characters we've read about in the previous books. More specifically, I loved that I got more of Adam because he's my absolute favorite of the group. In Bounce, my favorite character is Garrett Allen, the main male lead in the movie Skyler is the lead. He is hilarious and I loved every scene he was in. He made everything a lot more enjoyable.

I'm sad to see this series come to the end but I hope it not the end for this writing duo. I would love to see more books from Lorin and Veronica, aka Noelle August. They know how to write New Adult.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author: 

Question: What do you get when friends pen a story with heart, plenty of laughs, and toe-curling kissing scenes? Answer: Noelle August, the pseudonym for renowned editor and award-winning writer Lorin Oberweger and New York Times bestselling YA author Veronica Rossi, the masterminds behind the Boomerang series.

Author Links: Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Website

Waiting on Wednesday (#124)

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:

Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith

Expected Release Date: September 1, 2015

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

A high-concept, fantastical espionage novel set in a world where dreams are the ultimate form of political intelligence.
Livia is a dreamstrider. She can inhabit a subject’s body while they are sleeping and, for a short time, move around in their skin. She uses her talent to work as a spy for the Barstadt Empire. But her partner, Brandt, has lately become distant, and when Marez comes to join their team from a neighboring kingdom, he offers Livia the option of a life she had never dared to imagine. Livia knows of no other Dreamstriders who have survived the pull of Nightmare. So only she understands the stakes when a plot against the Empire emerges that threatens to consume both the dreaming world and the waking one with misery and rage.
A richly conceived world full of political intrigue and fantastical dream sequences, at its heart Dreamstrider is about a girl who is struggling to live up to the potential before her.

Espionage? Political intelligence? Sign me up! I can't wait to read this new title from Lindsay Smith.

What are you "Waiting on?"

Release Day Blitz - Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows
(Throne of Glass #4)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past . . .

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.

You can read the first five (5)!! chapters here.

About the author:

Sarah J. Maas is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling Throne of Glass series–Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir of Fire, and the series’ prequel, The Assassin’s Blade–as well as the New York Times and USA Today bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses. She wrote the first incarnation of the Throne of Glass series when she was just sixteen, and it has now sold in twenty-three languages. Queen of Shadows, the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, will release worldwide on September 1st, 2015.
A New York native, Sarah currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and dog. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hamilton College in 2008 with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in Religious Studies.

Author's links: Website / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / Facebook / Tumblr / Blog /
World of Sarah J. Maas

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quotes (#121)

Morning Swooners,
Here we are again... another Monday, another chance for a fresh start. I've been in kind of a reading funk lately, which really sucks. Today, I want to go back to my favorite books and quotes to help me get out of this reading funk.

"I love you. Remember. They cannot take it"
~Lauren Oliver, Delirium
"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."
~Michelle Hodkin, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
"This was the boy I loved. A little bit messy. A little bit ruined. A beautiful disaster. Just like me."
~Michelle Hodkin, The Evolution of Mara Dyer

"I hate mornings. They start so early."
~Janet Evanovich, Plum Spooky
“Do you think I'm pretty?
I think you're beautiful
Beautiful?
You are so beautiful, it hurts sometimes.”
~Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy

“He has no right to threaten my boyfriends. I'm eighteen. An adult. I don't need his help. I can threaten my boyfriends myself.”
~Richelle Mead, Spirit Bound

“You're distracting,' I said truthfully.
'I won't be. I promise,' Noah said. 'I'll get some crayons and draw quitely. Alone. In a corner.”
~Michelle Hodkin, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Have a wonderful week! Make it count!

Mini Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Frostbite
(Vampire Academy #2)
Author: Richelle Mead
Release Date: April 10, 2008
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn

Rose Hathaway's got serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian. (So not cool).

Then a massive Strigoi attack puts St. Vladimir's on high alert, and the Academy crawls with Guardians--including the legendary Janine Hathaway...Rose's formidable, long-absent mother. The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks. This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose--and her heart--are in more danger than she ever could have imagined...

4 stars out of 5 stars

Frostbite is the Vampire Academy follow up and while it not my favorite book so far, I certainly enjoyed it. The story starts off pretty quickly but just as fast as it starts, it begins to slow down. However, after a certain point in the story, it picks up and I couldn't read fast enough. Rose is still charming as ever, Dimitri is still an untouchable God, and Lissa and Christian are sickeningly cute as expected. Even newcomer Adrian left an impression on me.

I wasn't expecting the ending and I found myself shedding some tears and worried about what it would mean for Rose. I can't wait to see what happens next. Onto Shadow Kiss!

Waiting on Wednesday (#123)

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:

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Expected Release Date: September 15, 2015

Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

I am excited about this book! I love the concept, and the synopsis really captured my attention. I can't wait to get my hands on it!

What are you "Waiting on?"

Mini Review: Paradise City by C.J. Duggan

Paradise City
(Paradise #1)
Author: C.J. Duggan
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Hatchette Australia
Source: Hatchette Australia
Review by: Nahomi

There's bound to be trouble in Paradise . . .

When her parents decide a change will be good for her, seventeen-year-old Lexie Atkinson never expected they'd send her all the way to Paradise City. Coming from a predictable life of home schooling on a rural Australian property, she's sure that Paradise will be amazing. But when she's thrust into a public school without a friendly face in sight, and forced to share a room with her insipid, hateful cousin Amanda, Lexie's not so sure.

Hanging out with the self-proclaimed beach bums of the city, sneaking out, late night parties and parking with boys are all things Lexie's never experienced, but all that's about to change. It's new, terrifying . . . and exciting. But when she meets Luke Ballantine, exciting doesn't even come close to describing her new life. Trouble with a capital T, Luke is impulsive, charming and answers to no one. The resident bad-boy leader of the group, he's sexier than any boy Lexie has ever known.

Amidst the stolen moments of knowing looks and heated touches, Lexie can't help but wonder if Luke is going to be good for her . . . or very, very bad?

3 stars out 5 stars

         I love C.J. Duggan's stories but I have mixed feelings about Paradise City. I like the premise of the story and it was a decent read; but I found it difficult to get through because of the main character's voice. Gosh it was just so annoying especially in the beginning! I will say that I get where Lexie is coming from and that as the story progressed her voice got less annoying. Although I still found it really difficult to get through because I couldn't relate to Lexie.

         The story was good. I liked the setting and the supporting characters.  But there weren't any characters that I got attached to. Luke, the love interest was nice but not my cup of tea. There was a lot of drama going on and there were points in the story where I physically had to put the book down because I was so embarrassed for Lexie. Some of the situations she got herself into holy hell... By the end of the story I was cheering for Lexie survive the year and get her happy ending.

          Although I couldn't relate with Lexie and I found her voice annoying; I still want to know what happens to her after the book ended. There is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end, nothing too terrible though. Lets see what C.J. Duggan has in store for Lexie next.