Review of "Top Ten Clues You're Clueless"

Top Ten Clues You're Clueless 

By Liz Czuaks 

Stars: 5 

Source: OTSPSecret Sister Gift 

Chloe is constantly making lists, lists of the weirdest things she's ever seen, lists of things you've never want to hear your mother say, lists of things someone could do with 10,000 dollars. 

The last thing Chloe expected when she went into work on Christmas Eve was to be accused of stealing and held against her will in the break room along with the other under aged employees. But that's exactly what happens. 

Having read mysteries her whole life Chloe starts her own investigations into the disappearance of the money and recruits her fellow associates to help. 

Top Ten Clues You're Clueless is a fun, fast paced, read that will have you flipping the pages faster than you can read them. 

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Top 5 reasons I adored this book: 

1. Chloe. She was hilarious, I loved her inner dialog and of course her lists. 

2. The lists. I don't know about you but I am constantly making up lists, to-do lists, not to-do lists, lists of books I want to read, movies I want to watch, places I want to visit. I'm all about the lists! 

3. The mystery element. I had NO idea this was a mystery. I vaugly remember putting it on my wish list because I liked the cover and the story sounded interesting but the synopsis didn't mention anything about the missing money so that was an added bonus. 

4. The other characters. I'm not going to lie. The second all of them were locked up in the break room I started picturing them as characters from The Breakfast Club, it had that John Hughes touch to it. If they hadn't been forced to stay then they never would have learned so much about each other. 

5. The setting. I worked retail for 2 years and while I hated some aspects of it I still miss it sometimes. Hanging out with my friends in the break room, meeting new people everyday. So I instantly loved the setting, even though nearly the entire book was set inside one store it was ever changing and surprising. 

Top 5 words to describe this book: 

1. Adorable. 

2. Quirky. 

3. Lovable. 

4. Refreshing. 

5. Fun. 

I cannot wait to read more from Liz (who also writes under a pen name, Ellie Cahill). 

Until next time, 

Ginger 

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday 

Waiting on Wednesday 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:

Taken from Barnes and Noble: 

Lori Blaine is not your average seventeen-year-old high school student—she's cool and iconoclastic in her dreadlocks and natty thrift shop garb. With an IQ that’s off the charts, she is the ersatz leader of the eclectic Goth group of Valesburg Central High School. But Lori Blaine has two problems—lack of sleep, and The Door.

For months Lori’s dreams have been perpetually haunted by a strange ominous door. The door is always there on the periphery. Beckoning to her. Daring her to see what might be waiting for her on the other side.

At the urging of an overzealous school psychologist, Lori decides to face her fears, and propels herself through the dream door...and immediately plunges into a shattered, looking glass world.

Welcome to the In-Between—the terrifying, surreal, topsy-turvy territory behind peoples’ dreams. Here, Lori unwittingly becomes a conduit between nightmares and reality—and not just her own.

As the universe begins to unravel and the entire space-time continuum crumbles, Lori is thrust into a new role: savoir, where she quickly learns her powers are beyond anything anyone could have imagined. 

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The first thing that caught my eye when trying to find my WOW for the week was that amazing cover! It's insanely gorgeous and I'm hoping the story is just as beautiful. 

The synopsis reminds me of a mix between the Wake trilogy (McMann) and Alice in Wonderland. So obviously I must have it! 

What are you guys looking forward to getting your hands on? 

Until next time, 

Ginger 

*Edited to add*

The release date for this book *was* April 14th 2015 but when I was double checking my post I realized both BN and Amazon already have this book for sale (even though the original release date is still posted) so I'm unsure what happened but I wanted to let you know it's available now is you're interested. 

Top Ten 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 Ten Characters I'd Like To Check In With" 

This week was alot harder than I thought it would be, I came up with 3 or 4 characters off of the top of my head but it took some time to choose the rest.

Anyway these are ten of my favorite characters that I'd like to drop in on and catch up with (in no particular order). 

1. Any of the midnighters. 

2. Matt 

3. Harry

4. Ron

5. Hermione 

6. Caitlin 

7. Alice 

8. Janie 

9. Lena (she was always my favorite) 

10. Kaylee 

Sorry it's short and not very descriptive but I think it kind of speaks for itself (and I'm exhausted and just want to go to bed) so that's it! 

Until next time, 

Ginger 

Review of "Frostfire"

Frostfire

By Amanda Hocking 

Stars: 3 

Source: Purchased 

Bryn Aven is a tracker, her job is to venture outside the walls of the Kanin kingdom, infiltrate the lives of the young trolls who they left to be raised by humans and bring them (and their fortunes) back home. 

While on a routine mission Bryn comes face to face with the man who tried- and failed- to kill her and her father several years ago. 

Konstantin hasn't been seen in years and although Bryn has the opportunity to kill him and rid herself of the guilt she's been carrying around she lets him live. 

It doesn't take long for Bryn to regret her decision though because it seems like seeing Konstantin near her changeling wasn't a coincidence. 

Suddenling all the changelings are in danger and Bryn must set aside her hate for Konstantin and her unknown feelings for her boss, Ridley and figure out a way to protect her people. 

Amazon - Barnes and Noble  - Book Depository

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I was SO excited when Amanda Hocking announced she was writing another book set in the same world as her Trylle series, I marked the release date on my calender and was thrilled when I went out the weekend before it was suppose to go on sale and found it at my local book store. 

Then of course life got in the way and other books came out and I waited almost 4 months to read it... 

And when I finally did I was so disappointed... 

I felt like it just dragged. The story started off really slow and never really picked up. 

I wasn't a huge fan of the characters and even the underlining mystery of Konstantin wasn't enough to keep my attention. 

I read 3 other books while trying to finish this and I kept putting it down and hoping that when I picked it back up again it would be better but that never happened. 

There was a little 'Easter Egg' (is that what they are calling it?) for fans of the Trylle series, you get to see where a certain character ended up and how their life turned out but even that didn't thrill me like it should have. 

The only thing I did enjoy throughout the book were the moments between Bryn and Ridley but they were so few and far between that it didn't make up for the lack of action or suspense. 

Before I read this I was ecstatic about the fact that all three books in this series are being released within the year but now I'm thinking I won't even be picking them up...

I still HIGHLY recommend Hocking's Trylle series but this one just missed the mark for me. 

Until next time, 

Ginger 

ARC Review of "Liars, Inc."

Liars, Inc. 

By Paula Stokes 

Stars: 4 

Source: Edelweiss 

Release Date: March 24th 2015 

Liars, Inc. started off as an innocent way for Max and his friends to make money. They didn't see any harm in forging permission slips or coming up with fake alibi's for overprotective parents. 

So when Max's best friend, Preston, asks him to cover for him over the weekend Max doesn't hesitate. 

However when Monday morning rolls around and the cops are wondering where Preston ran off to Max begins to regret his decision.

Suddenly Preston is a missing person and Max is the main suspect in his disappearance. When all the evidence and clues start to point towards Max he starts doubting who to trust. After all, aren't we all liars? 

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When I picked up this book I was not in the mood for a mystery, let alone the thrilling ride that "Liars, Inc." takes you on, but it took less than one chapter for me to change my mind and dive into the craziness that is this book. 

I put aside all the other books I was reading and blew through this faster than you can say "liar, liar pants on fire". 

I loved Max's voice and his character as a whole, he felt genuine and authentic and I could relate to him easily. 

Parvati was a kick ass character who knew how to cover tracks and lay low and I LOVED that she wasn't the cliche, anti street smart, dumb blonde. Parvati hears a noise in the basement? She's out of there! None of that slowly walking down the dark stairs whispering 'Whose there?'. 

Preston was insanely dynamic and lovable and I wish that we had just a little more time with him before his... Unfortunate demise... 

The plot was so airtight and the story was so fast paced that it left me breathless and unaware of the passing hours. 

It reminds me of a line in a song, "I've never told a lie, and that makes me a liar." 

I'm not going to lie (ignore that awful attempt at a pun) I was skeptical of a book based wholly on the fact that no one can be trusted and everyone has secrets. 

I felt like I was going to be pointing fingers the entire time and checking over my shoulder (or Max's shoulder as the case may be) waiting for something bad to happen. 

I didn't see myself being able to sit back and simple enjoy the book. 

But the way that Paula tells the story had me believing everyone, trusting everyone and before I knew what was happening the ending snuck up on me and left me with my jaw on the floor re-reading the same sentence over and over again. 

In short if you're looking for a realistic, thrilling mystery or if you're a fan of Alfred Hitchcock or Mary Higgins Clark this book is for you! 

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.

Review of "Vanishing Girls"

Vanishing Girls 

By Lauren Oliver 

Stars: 5!

Source: Purchased 

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before. Before the fight, before the accident, before Dara was left broken and angry and unable to forgive Nick for driving that night, for causing the accident. 

Now they avoid one another, they barley talk let alone share secrets like they used to. 

So when Dara goes missing Nick thinks she's just trying to get attention, play games, that is until she realizes that her disappearance might just be linked to the disappearance of another girl, this one nine years old. 

"Vanishing Girls" draws you in and hangs on to you with all it's might. It's the perfect blend of darkness and light. Of hope and utter despair. 

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The day I picked this up was the day that Lauren Oliver happened to be doing a signing at my local bookstore. I swung by and picked it up around 11am thinking I would read a least a few chapters, just enough to acquaint myself with the story and the characters so I wouldn't be completely lost during the Q&A portion of the signing.

I finished it 3 hours later. 

I can't even describe how much I LOVED this book. 

The characters are developed, the plot is spectacular and the setting is breathtaking, the story as a whole is amazing but even if you break it up into different pieces it's still worthwhile.

I loved how the story centered around sisters. Both so different yet so alike.

Weaving in Madeline Snow's disappearance really kept the story going and added a note of desperation to the storyline. 

I adored the setting of the ammusment park and it's array of unusual and original characters. 

I can honestly say that this is my all time favorite Lauren Oliver book, it's dark and twisted and intense to the point of cause the reading extreme pain and disbelief. 

The moment I finished it I wanted to start it over again from the beginning. 

If you're looking for a thrilling story that will keep you up late at night thinking about it then look no further because "Vanishing Girls" is that book! 

Until next time, 

Ginger 

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday 

Waiting on Wednesday 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:

Taken from Barnes and Noble: 

Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins. Ella has spent her high school years living in popular Maddy's shadows, but she has never been envious of Maddy. In fact, she's chosen the quiet, safe confines of her sketchbook over the constant battle for attention that has defined Maddy's world.

When--after a heated argument--Maddy and Ella get into a tragic accident that leaves her sister dead, Ella wakes up in the hospital surrounded by loved ones who believe she is Maddy. Feeling responsible for Maddy's death and everyone's grief, Ella makes a split-second decision to pretend to be Maddy. Soon, Ella realizes that Maddy's life was full of secrets. Caught in a web of lies, Ella is faced with two options--confess her deception or live her sister's life.

Release date is April 28th 2015 

I CANNOT wait to read this one! The synopsis sounds amazing and immediatly hooked me! I'm dying to get my hands on this book!

Until next time,

Ginger