Monday, February 29, 2016

February Wrap Up!


So this months reading got WAY off track! If you saw my February TBR then you'll know I didn't stick to it... At all... And it's all Cassandra Clares fault! 

My local bookstore announced that she was going to be doing a signing in town (!!!!) in March and I immediatly through my TBR out the window and set out to finish The Immortal Instruments series before the event! 

So hopefully I'll be able to make up a little bit of my February TBR in March but to be honest I don't even feel bad about it! 

First my 5 Star reads! 


1. The Vincent Boys 
I did give this 5 stars because it was a super fast, cute read but to be honest it was more like 3.5 or 4.

2. The Red Queen
This was a re-read. I wanted to refresh my memory before I read Glass Sword but then I got sidetracked and didn't have time to pick up Glass Sword... 


3. The Shadow Queen 
Probably one of my favorite reads of the month! Such an amazing book! 

4. I was in the middle of reading this at the end of January and I finished the last 3 novellas in this bind up. The Assassin and the Desert was my favorite and of course the last one (I can't remember the title) killed me. Made me want to cancel all my plans and just sit and finish the series! 


5. Me Before You 
This book was awful and beautiful and gut wrenching and I loved it! I cannot wait to see the movie.

6-9 

I have read nothing but these books for the past... two weeks? Maybe week and a half? 

I had already read City of Ashes and City of Glass but I couldn't remember a thing so I skipped over City of Bones (which I pretty much know by heart) and reread 2 and 3 then jumped right into 4. I'm almost done with 5, I have about 50 pages left and then I'll tackle the beast that is City of Heavenly Fire. Hopefully finishing by the time I meet Cassandra Clare! These obviously are all 5 stars and I loved reading them! 





I don't have any 4,2 or 1 stars reads this month so the last book I have for this wrap up is a 3 star. 

Oh Shadow and Bone, how I wanted to like you...


I actually listened to this one this month, and it took me all month to get through it!
When I like an audio book I listen to it constantly, in the car, while working out, even in the shower. This one started out great and I went through about two hours in one night but then it just got so slow and so boring. It took me the rest of the month to finish it and I'm still not sure if I want to try and finish the series... 

------------------------------

And that's it! Even though I didn't get through my original TBR I'm still pretty thrilled with my reading this month. 

We'll see how March goes! 

Until next time, 
Ginger 

Sunday, February 28, 2016

My February Favorites!



If you caught my January Favorites post then you know the drift, if not, this is just a quick post where I talk about my favorite things from the previous month! 

So here are some of my favorite things I've used, discovered and loved this month! 

Beauty: 

I only have one beauty favorite this month and it's a nail polish!  



Essie's "School Boy Blazer" 

This is a super dark navy blue and it's beautiful! I love dark colors on my nails and this is so pretty! 


Next up: TV Shows! 

Jimm- I mean... Chicago Fire! 



I have loved Chicago Fire since the first episode and I adore all the characters but... Jimmy... Jimmy is my favorite and I love every scene he's in! 

Next is Survivor! 


I've watched (almost) every episode of Survivor and I LOVE it! This season is especially fun because BMC from Big Brother 16 is a contestant and he always brings a little extra to the table! 

Lastly Fuller House!


I binge watched this with my little sister and it was so much fun! I'm a HUGE fan of Kimmie Gibler, Max and of course I'm on #TeamMatt! Poor Steve... You weren't nearly as annoying when I was five...  

Movies: 

Ant-Man! 


I don't know why I waited so long to watch this movie or why I was so shocked when I ended up liking it! I'll admit it had it's share of slow parts but it was worth it and I'm glad I made time to watch it. 

Music: 

Who else saw this coming, raise your hand! 


I've been dying to get this album since they released the first single and it was SO worth the wait! 

I've been listening to it non-stop since it came out. 

My favorite tracks are Opinion Overload, Farewell and P.S I Hate You! 

So. Good! 

On to books!

These two are VERY different books but they were my two favorites from this month and I LOVED reading them and getting sucked into their stories! 





And that's all for my February Favorites! 

Hope you liked it and feel free to leave your favorites for the month in the comment section so I can check them out! 

Until next time, 
Ginger

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Intergalactic Book Tag!


Hey guys! I have another book tag today for you! 

This one is the "Intergalactic Book Tag"! 

I'm pretty sure Kat on Booktube started this one to promote the release of 'Starflight' by Melissa Landers and I thought it was fun so I tagged myself! 

First question is: 

1. Space: Name a book that is out of this world - that takes place in a world different from our own: 


Original right? I know a ton of people chose this as their answer for this question but I couldn't help it. It's literally out of this world and the story kicks major ass. 

2. Black hole: name a book that sucked you in: 


I picked up this book and didn't move until I finished it! It scared the hell out of me but I loved it! 

3. Lightspeed: Name a book you are anticipating so much that you wish you could travel at lightspeed to get it: 


Need I say more? How long have Potterheads been waiting and hoping and praying for an 8th book? I'll tell you! Too long J.K Rowling! Too bloody long! 

4. Nebula: Name a book with a beautiful cover: 


This is such a simplistic, beautiful cover and I just love it! 

5. Multiverse: Name a companion or spin off series that you love: 


This one was so easy because "Clockwork Princess" is one of my all time favorite books! The Infernal Devices trilogy is beautiful and heartbreaking and just... Perfection! 

6. Gravity: Name your favorite romantic pairing that seems to have a gravitational pull to each other: 


Anna and Kaidan are the first couple that come to mind! I loved their 'gravitational pull' and it definitely sucked me in! 

7. The Big Bang: Name the book that got you started on reading: 


Yup, I remember never being able to find young adult books in my library- hell I remember not even knowing what to call 'young adult' but still looking for it! And Twilight not only got me hooked on YA but it really helped YA branch out and reach tons of new readers. 

8. Asteroid: Name a short story or novella that you love: 

  
I'm usually not a fan of novellas but I read this last month and its not only one of my favorite novellas its probably one of my favorite books period! 

9. Galaxy: Name a book with multiple points of view:


If I remember right this book has 5 different POV. It was a little difficult to keep the characters straight but I remember liking the story (even if the cliff hanger ending killed me!). 

10. Spaceship: Name a book title that would make a great name for a spaceship: 


I feel like it would have the same effect as "Mufasa". No one would dare cross 'Calamity'! 


And we're done! Hope you liked it! 

Let me know your answers in the comments! 

Until next time,
Ginger





Friday, February 26, 2016

Stacking The Shelves (41)



"We are all book lovers and the need to share our enthusiasm is sometimes overwhelming. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in the physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! 

If you're anything like me, you are probably hoarding books and even though you are excited about your latest book arrival, it might be a while before you get to review it and Stacking The Shelves is a good way to express your undying enthusiasm for those titles."

This week I was sent three books for review and (surprisingly enough) I didn't buy any to add to my overstuffed shelves!!! 

First up! 

Wandering Wild 


This cover it just gorgeous!!! This is about a girl who is a 'wanderer', she never stays in one place and she makes a living off of scamming people. It's how her camp works and it's the only life she has ever known or wanted. This is until she meets and boy and starts thinking if 'wandering' is really what she wants to do for the rest of her life.

Yes please! 

Release date is May 3rd... Please someone stop me from requesting books that come out in May! I have enough May releases to last me months!

Ugh. 

Next! 

My Kind Of Crazy


Cute boy with bad luck almost burns down a girls house while spelling out 'Prom?' in sparklers...  

I'm already loving this book and I haven't even picked it up yet! 

Release date is April 5th 

Lastly! 

Holding Smoke


All I know about this book is that it's a murder mystery with a pink haired love interest! Honestly I only requested this book because I know the authors previous series (Nearly Gone) has great reviews and I love a good YA mystery!

This one comes out... May freaking 3rd! 

Can we just make May national "Do Nothing But Read Month"? Please? The amount of YA books that are coming out in May is INSANE!!! I will never have time to read them all and it's giving me stress people! 

... 

Anyway... 

Those are the books I've added to my TBR for the year! 

Let me know if you've heard of them! 

Until next time, 
Ginger 



Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Waiting On WEdNesDaY




Waiting on WEdNesDaY (see what I did there?) is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Here is my selection for the week:



Kill the beast. Win the girl.

A strange beast stirs fear in the kingdom of Lochlanach, terrorizing towns with its brutality and hunger. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.

Princess Aerity understands her duty to the kingdom though it pains her to imagine marrying a stranger. It would be foolish to set her sights on any particular man in the great hunt, but when a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention, there’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.

Paxton is not keen on marriage. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast and protecting his family—yet Princess Aerity continues to challenge his notions with her unpredictability and charm. But as past secrets collide with present desires, dire choices threaten everything Paxton holds dear.

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale, “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, outlawed magic, and a princess willing to risk all to save her people.
 


Release date is March 8th 2016

------------------------------

To be perfectly honest, just reading the synopsis on this book is doesn't sound like my kind of book BUT (!!!!) it's by Wendy Higgins who I've recently discovered and I LOVED reading her Sweet Trilogy! So of course this is on my list!

Let me know what you're waiting for in the comments! 

Until next time, 
Ginger

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Top (Four) 10 Tuesday



Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke And The Bookish where each week there is a new topic for a top ten list. 

This week is Top 10 Books I've Enjoyed Recently That Weren't My Typical Genre/Type 

So I just went through what books I've read so far in 2016 and picked a couple that weren't my typical go to books. 

Right now I've read 28 books since the beginning of the year and I have 4 books that fit this topic. 

1. Me Before You


 Usually I leave the 'ugly cry' books up to Nicholas Sparks but when I saw the preview for the movie adaptation of this book I knew I needed to read it! I went out, bought it and read it all within about 24 hours of seeing the trailer.  

2. The Assassin's Blade 


 I love high fantasy but it's very intimidating! So even though I've already read Throne Of Glass I've been putting off reading the prequel which means I've been putting off all the other books in the series. Silly me these were some of my all time favorite novella's and I feel like it really helped me to get to know Celaena and her reasoning. 

3. Sword and Verse 

This is just a book that I don't normally gravitate towards but it was a very pleasant surprise! 

4. The Shadow Queen 



So if you've been reading my blog for a while you'll know I try very hard to stay away from re-tellings, but I've decided to change that this year and this book helped me do it! I loved everything about it and I can't say enough about how much I LOVED it! 

-------------------

A short post, but Top 4 is better than nothing! 

Happy Tuesday! 

Until next time,
Ginger

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Unpopular Opinion Book Tag

So today I'm doing another book tag! This time it's the "Unpopular Opinion Book Tag"! 

Question #1. A popular book or series that you didn't like:

Boy oh boy did I really hated this book. If I remember right it was Reagan (on Booktube) who just raved about this book. So when Audible had it on sale for under $5.00 I snatched it up. But after listening to the whole damn book I realized just how much  I despised this book. From the writing to the characters to the weird ass story line... Ugh... 

Question #2. A popular book or series that everyone else seems to hate but that you love: 

I've talked to so many people about this book and watched so many reviews on Booktube and the majority of those people didn't like this book. Are ya'll crazy?! I just recently finished a re-read of this and I went into it telling myself to try to see it from their points of view... And let me tell you, I loved it even more the second time around! 

Question #3. A love triangle where the main character ended up with the person you DIDN'T want them to end up with or and OTP you don't like (spoilers ahead for this one!):

Now we all know this book is loosely based off of Kate Middleton and her romance with Prince William so from the beginning I knew my OTP in this book was screwed buuut I liked Bex and Freddie together ten times more than Bex and Nick. I was really hoping there would be a nice twist at the end where she ran off with him... Sorry Nick!

Question #4. A popular book genre that you hardly reach for: 

It isn't so much a specific genre as a setting that I try to stray away from but, if it's set on a boat I try not to read it. I hate reading about boat's, boat settings, endless journeys from on continent to another. It drives me crazy. I get really claustrophobic and this setting just seems to set that off in me. 

Question #5. A popular or beloved character that you don't like: 

Now wait before you freak out! When I first started reading the books I didn't like Peeta, I was very much team Gale and it took me re-reading the books and the movies to realize how much I actually loved Peeta Mellark. Now he's one of my favorite fictional characters! 



Question #6. A popular author you can't seem to get into: 

Andrea Cremer. It's not at all because I don't like her or her writing but it's more like I read the first book in her Nightshade series and I never made the time to read the rest. I hope one day I can find the time to sit down and finish the series but for now it's not a priority. 

Question #7. A popular book troupe you're tired of seeing (lost princess, corrupt ruler, love triangle): 

I don't know if this would really be considered a 'troupe' but I'm so very much over when you're reading a trilogy and the first book ends with your MC getting together with the love interest and then in the second book that love interest is complete absent for whatever reason. I feel like it all started with New Moon and it needs to stop! 

Question #8. A popular series you have no interest in reading: 

Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children

I feel like I need to hide now! This series has so much hype and so much love but to be honest.. I'm too much of a baby to read it. It looks way to spooky for my taste. 

Question #9. The saying goes "The book is always better than the movie" but what movie or tv show did you like better than the book?

This one is really easy for me because I strongly disliked The Maze Runner book when I read it but I really like and enjoy the movies! Its a complete 180 from the books. 

And that's it! Don't hate me too much for my unpopular opinion! 

Until next time, 
Ginger   








Friday, February 19, 2016

Stacking The Shelves (40)



"We are all book lovers and the need to share our enthusiasm is sometimes overwhelming. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in the physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! 

If you're anything like me, you are probably hoarding books and even though you are excited about your latest book arrival, it might be a while before you get to review it and Stacking The Shelves is a good way to express your undying enthusiasm for those titles."

So this week I purchased one book and I was sent three. 

First up are the ARCS I received: 

1. Beware That Girl 



Reading the description for this book it pretty much sounds like Gossip Girl meets Hitchcock so I'm very excited to be able to read this one!  

Release date is May 31st 

2. And I Darken 


Here's the thing, I don't know ANYTHING about this book and I don't want to. Kiersten White is one of my auto-buy authors, I would read her grocery lists so even though I don't know what it's about I know I'm going to love this book! 

Release date is June 28th 

3. Whisper To Me



The way I understood the synopsis is that this book is basically a giant letter written by a girl, to the boy whose heart she just broke. She tells him the entire story of the summer she lost herself and why she pushed him away. It sounds like the PERFECT summer read and, the cover? It's insanely beautiful! 

Now for the book I bought.... 

I was technically on a no-buy week buuut Audible had a deal where Outlander was only 3.99!!!!! Now I already have the e-book (it was on sale a while ago for like two dollars) but I keep putting off reading it because it's a BEAST! So while 30+ hours of listening may seem just as daunting to most, I would much rather listening to it and be able to read other books in their physical form. 

I don't know when I'll start Outlander, I'm currently listening to Shadow and Bone so depending on how it ends I might start Outlander or I might jump right into Siege and Storm. 

And that's it! Let me know in the comments what books you got this week! 

Until next time, 
Ginger 


Thursday, February 18, 2016

ARC Review of "The Shadow Queen"

The Shadow Queen   
By C.J Redwine   

Stars: 5
Source: EW
Release Date: February 16th 2016 



Lorelai Diederich has a plan to get her kingdom back. With the help of her little brother and a loyal friend, she's been training, growing more powerful everyday, getting one step closer everyday to killing the evil queen and reclaiming her rightful throne. 

But when Queen Irina creates the perfect huntsman to track down Lorelai and kill her it throws a wrench in her carefully laid out plans. 

Suddenly she has Kol to worry about. A new King, a Draconi (DRAGON!!!) forced to make a deal to save his people from a gruesome Ogre attack that will surely wipe out his kingdom. 

Lorelai will do anything to get her crown back, Kol will do everything to save his people and Irina, she'll kill anyone who gets in her way. 

-----------------------------------

This was my first C.J Redwine book and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! 

I was just on the edge of falling into a reading slump when I picked up this book. I made it about 6% into it and almost gave up and DNF it. Crazy! I know! But I'm so glad I kept reading. 

This book is pretty much everything you could wish for in a fantasy 're-telling'. 

I myself am not a fan of re-tellings because I always feel like you know where the story is going and there aren't any big surprises or plot twists. 

But I actually have a hard time calling this a re-telling because it is so unique and a story all it's own. 

I mean it has magic, dragons, family drama, revenge, did I mention dragons? 

Also, and I feel so dumb mentioning this, it has a gyrfalcon. Which up until, well today, I thought was a mythical creature... 

Thanks FaceBook for correcting me... 

Awkward. 

Anyway, Lorelai has a special telepathic connection with this (very real) gyrfalcon, Sasha, and honestly, their conversations were my absolute favorite. It added the perfect amount of... Lightness to the book without downplaying the darkness or the danger. 

I also adored Lorelai and Kol's slowing burning romance. It definitely wasn't your typical YA love story, what with him trying to murder her, and that's what I really enjoyed about it. 

It was refreshing to see a strong, powerful, female character who could stand on her own two feet and didn't go all 'damsel in distress' every time the love interest entered the room.

All in all this is one of my favorite books that I've read this year and I'm excited to get my hands on some more of C.J's books and discover some new favorites! 

Until next time, 

Ginger 

In compliance with FTC guidelines I am disclosing that this book was given to me for free to review. 


My review is my honest opinion.