Feature & Follow Friday #22

 

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by two different hosts, Parajunkee and Alison Can Read! This meme is here for bloggers to gain new blogger friends and followers.

 

This weeks topic:

 

Do you read more than 1 book at a time, and if so, how, like a certain amount of pages per book before moving on to the next one in the queue?

 

Yes, I do. I usually have two books I read at a time, mostly one physical and one ebook. Sometimes I got bored with some book and start another and then I read the one first whom keeps my attention and finish the other later. I don't have any methocal way reading multiple books. Usually I just keep reading the one that makes me turn the page and the others sit there until I'm finished. So yeah. At this moment, I'm reading four books: one that I've almost finished because I can't put it down, one is a re-read and I'm savouring it, and two others are a little bit on hold because I'm stuck with the other and the other is so emotional I can't read it every day.

 

And here's the books I'm currently reading: Earth Star by Janet Edwards, Escape From Hell! by Hal Duncan, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, and Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt.

 

 

The Coffee Shop Book Tag

I love coffee and I love books so this is perfect tag for me. Originally created by Gio Navas on booktube (here's her tag video).

 

Iced Coffee - Your favorite horror novel.

Darn. I don't read horror. I don't like to be scared and lose my sleep, so yeah. I guess Lord of the Flies by William Golding is closest to horror novel I've read. It's dystopian more but it really scared me because it was gruesome and I had hard time reading it (not because it was bad but because the subject was kind of hard).

Hot Panino - The most frustrating sexual tension between two characters.
This one is hard because honestly, I don't know. I mean, YA doesn't really have sexual tension, NA covers it pretty quickly, same with adult novels. So it's either non-existent or right there in books I've read. Although, Katy and Daemon from the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout have quite frustrating sexual tension (mostly it's frustrating because Katy can't make up her mind and she plays hot and cold so yeah).

Arnold Palmer - Your favorite collaboration.

Now that I think about it, I haven't read many collaborations. I'm going with Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. It was funny and made me laugh but there was also some serious matters, and I just really like the story.

 

(But what the hell is Arnold Palmer? I've never heard about coffee called that.)

Fizzy Juice - A book with a cool premise that fell kind of flat.

I have to say Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. The premise was so cool and I even liked some things (Warner, Kenji, the world-building) but I guess I expected more from Juliette. I expected some badassery, okay. And all I got was whining. And blah romance with Adam. So yeah, it felt kind of flat.

 

I'm still giving chance this series. Mostly because of Warner and Kenji. (And I hope Juliette will stop whining.)

Frappucino - A book you do not understand the hype about.

The Hunger Games trilogy by Susanne Collins. Okay, I kind of get it. It's great dystopian world and there's some serious aspect it deals with and it's awesome. I just don't get the hype Katniss gets. Or Katniss/Peeta ship gets. So yeah.

 

(Can we get a book from Finnick or Haymitch point of view? That would have been great. And maybe then I'd get the hype.)

Vanilla Latte - A sweet book that makes you smile.

Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. This will be released on April and let me just say, it's perfect. I have review coming on sometime in March! This just, it's so perfect, and I smiled so much my cheeks hurt.
 

 

Banana Nut Muffin - A nutty character that makes you laugh.
Simon from Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. Simon is hilarious and I had so much fun reading from his point of view.

Peppermint Mocha - A bittersweet ending to a book or series.
Definitely Made of Stars by Kelley York had a bittersweet ending. I wanted to cry so much but I was kind of happy, and just so full of feelings. So yeah, it was my kind of bittersweet.

Chocolate covered nuts - A plot twist that got you.
The final plot twist in I Am the Weapon by Allen Zadoff. I can't say much about it because I don't want to spoil anyome. I sure didn't expect that end result, quite the opposite. But I was so glad Zadoff made it, for various reasons I can't say (because it would spoil you!)

Black Coffee - A book that made your soul feel just as black; a book that made you cry.
There's so many that I've hard time deciding. I'm going with Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. I cried so often during that book and not because it was sad (it wasn't) but every freaking emotion there is. I cried of joy, hurt, angry, love, sadness... Everything. The story is awesome. It's incredible.

 

 

Espresso - An intense book that kept you on your toes, or, awake.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner. I mean, how could it not? I just had to read it and pray Thomas, Newt and Minho would make it. It was so good.

Lemon Square - A sour scene that made you cringe from second hand embarrassment.
Whole Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins. I really should stay away from angel books just because I want to avoid this kind of 'only good and innocent girls are worth saving and your time' shit. And all those embarrassing moments. Like really? Yes, you're innocent and virgin and reader gets it but do you need to be so damn obvious, too? I try not to rant but I just didn't like this book at all.

(I want to read good angel books because I like the aspect of it but please, can we leave the religious stuff out of it? Is there any good angel books?)

Americano - Your favorite classic.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. It has everything I hold dear: intriguing setting, well developed and multilayered characters, plot twists, romance (that's pretty much doomed), revenge, and basically everything there is in this book. It never gets old, no matter how many times I've read it.

New Flavor - An awesome book you have yet to discuss on booktube/blog.
Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. Okay, I kind of cheated because I mentioned the book before in this tag but technically I haven't discussed about it because my review is not up yet. It's just so incredible! I loved the characters, storyline, and everything! I will buy physical copy of this as soon as it's available because I need to hold and hug it and place it on my favourite book shelf.

I don't tag anyone but I encourage everyone do it who wants to. (And leave a link behind, I'd love to read your picks! I just love tags.)

Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Of Poseidon (The Syrena Legacy, #1)

by Anna Banks

Published by Square Fish

Paperback (purchased)

YA, paranormal, romance

 

The day Emma meets Galen on the beach is the day her life changes forever. Galen is the prince of the Syrena sent to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. When Emma runs into him—literally, ouch!—their connection is immediate and powerful. Could this be the girl? After several encounters, Galen is convinced Emma is the one. But how can he convince her of her gift? And how can he make his feelings for her disappear? She's the key to his kingdom, she can't be the key to his heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If there's merfolk, I'm probably going to love it. Of Poseidon, oh boy, did I love it! It had so many elements that I enjoy, and most of all, I clicked with the characters right away. Emma was sassy, stubborn, funny and so damn fine. Galen was sassy, stubborn and funny, too, but he also was adorable, smart and yeah, Syrena Royal (he's a prince I can swoon for). There where so many secondary characters who I couldn't help but either love or respect. Galen's sister Rayna might have been rude and outspoken but I admired her passion and strong shelf worth, and Galen's brother Grom I just felt for so much and I need to know more about his character! Rachel and Emma's mother were quite intriguing and headstrong, and I hope the sequels have more stored for them. I basically loved everyone, okay? Especially Emma and Galen, and I ship them so much. Usually I have problems with leading females in YA books but Emma was fine character and she didn't whine about things which was so fresh and nice.

 

Besides awesome characters Of Poseidon had wonderful world-building. The whole Syrena mythology, laws and even the scientific aspect (like how Syrena's body differs from humans on DNA level, I loved how it was explained how they live longer than humans). It's awesome! The writing was fast-paced and I devoured the whole story in one day which is unusual for me. Of Poseidon is one of those books you can't put down until it's over, and then you yearn for more (I do, I need the sequel!)

 

The only downside is the fact that I guessed the big plot twist at the beginning. However, I still had emotional rollercoaster with the characters. Especially when Galen and Emma took their time forever. Although it was nice and fresh from all the fast romances, because they had the attraction but actions and big feelings didn't came with snap of fingers and it was so good.

 

I'm not the most eloquent even though I finished reading Of Poseidon a couple of days ago. I still feel it all and yearn for the sequel, because I need to learn more about Syrena and what happens with Emma and Galen.

 

Definitely and highly recommend. Go read this awesome book!

 

5 of 5 stars.

 

Of Poseidon on Goodreads.

Review: White Cat by Holly Black

White Cat (The Curse Workers, #1)

by Holly Black

Published by Indigo

Paperback (purchased)

YA, urban fantasy, mystery

 



Cassel comes from a shady, magical family of con artists and grifters. He doesn't fit in at home or at school, so he's used to feeling like an outsider. He's also used to feeling guilty; he killed his best friend, Lila, years ago.

But when Cassel begins to have strange dreams about a white cat, and people around him are losing their memories, he starts to wonder what really happened to Lila. In his search for answers, he discovers a wicked plot for power that seems certain to succeed. But Cassel has other ideas and a plan to con the conmen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There may be some ranting in this review, so bear me. I'll start with the good parts and the things I liked

 

World-building was amazing. I mean, the curse workers? Absolutely brilliant idea, and I loved how it all worked: the criminal aspect, the criminal families, the different types of magic/talent... It was amazingly brilliant and I fell in love with the idea straight away. The world-building awesomeness was probably the main thing that got me hanging until the very end. Black's writing style was fast paced and it felt effordless, which I liked very much.

 

But then. The characters. Cassel was adorable. Maybe wrong word to descripe him but Cassel was smart, loyal and yeah, conman. His taste in girls might have been questionable but otherwise Cassel was great main character and he made the story worth to read. However, Cassel, his friends Sam and Daneca (who were awesome too, loyal, smart and yeah, adorable), and his Grandfather were only characters I liked. I'm big on characters and if they irritate me, it pretty much ruins the story. Was I even supposed to like or even feel for these characters? Honestly? Lila was bully and got forgiven everything because she was 'victim', Cassel's brothers and mother were abusive and pretty much everyone who got introduced were, well, abusive in one way or another. I get, this was book about criminals and hey, I'm all for that, but most of the characters were abusive towards Cassel and it wasn't even acknowledged during the story. It's like, his mother made them feel whatever she wanted and didn't care about her sons feelings, Cassel's brothers did some horrible things and Lila was practically bully, and Cassel still was their side? I don't get it. I don't even want to get it. Being loyal to those who aren't loyal to you and your feelings, I just don't get it.

 

So yeah. The world-building was brilliant, the writing was good and I loved Cassel even though his taste in girls and loaylty to family were quite questionable. I really wanted to like this story but I couldn't because of the characters and how the abuse wasn't even acknowledged properly. I won't be continuing this trilogy (because can we talk what happened in the end of White Cat? That's not right and nothing good could come from reading the sequel). I will give the two stars for the world-building, Cassel and because there was nothing structually wrong in the book. It could have been amazing if the characters and abuse didn't irk me so much.

 

2 of 5 stars.

 

White Cat on Goodreads.

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight
by Jennifer E. Smith
Published by Hachette Little Brown Company
Paperback (purchased)
YA, contemporary, romance

Four minutes changes everything. Hadley Sullivan, 17, misses her flight at JFK airport, is late to her father's second wedding in London with never-met stepmother. Hadley meets the perfect boy. Oliver is British, sits in her row. A long night on the plane passes in a blink, but the two lose track in arrival chaos. Can fate bring them together again?

The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight takes over only 24 hours but it felt like a lifetime - in a good way. It was adorable, fun and absolutely sweet but there still was difficult subjects it dealt with such like father getting married second time, stepmother and losing someone. It was also wonderful that even though the synopsis suggest it's a love story, there was much more than the main couple. Actually, I think most of the book consisted Hadley's and his fathers relationship, how Hadley felt her father getting married to person she hadn't even met and all the emotions that comes with it.

 

Hadley was good, solid and pretty wonderful main character. She was realistic and easily to identify with. There was some points where I'd liked to see a little more reaction, a little more drama if so to say, but it was respectable how Hadley eventually handled meeting her father and new stepmother. Oliver was utterly lovable. He was smart, adorable, funny and yeah, I swooned. But it was great how he was so much more than that. Hadley and Oliver were a cute couple, so cute that the romance made me smile (and usually that doesn't happen).

 

The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight is quick to read, thoroughly enjoyable story about love and family. It's fast paced but the flashbacks slows the story a little bit and gives valuable insight. Smith captured both the moment and the past, and it was utterly wonderful. Such a good story and I can highly recommend it to everyone who likes YA contemporary romance. It's perfect pick-up read after a reading slump or some heavy story.

 

4 of 5 stars.

 

The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight on Goodreads.

Book Blitz + Author Interview: The Queen’s Gift by T.R. Allardice

 

The Queen’s Gift

by T.R. Allardice
Publication date: December 15th 2014
YA, fantasy

 

Fifteen-year-old, late-bloomer Jean Elliott dreams of becoming a Genie like her mom. When her family relocates to Tokyo, Jean is forced to use sleight-of-hand tricks to fool everyone at school into believing that she’s a normal Preternatural or risk expulsion. When her power finally appears, it comes in the form of the Queen’s Gift–an unspeakable magic that strips power from all Preternaturals and heralds the arrival of the new queen.

After an absence of two hundred years, not everyone wants the monarchy to return and they’re willing to go to great lengths to keep the status quo. When buried secrets rip Jean’s family apart, she has a choice to make: Walk away and hope for the best or embrace the power that’s known to lead to madness in order to save her family.

Jean’s greatest dream has turned into her biggest nightmare and no matter how hard she tries, there’ll be no wishing the Queen’s Gift away.

The Queen's Gift on Goodreads.

 

Purchase your copy!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

 

Author bio

T.R. Allardice writes young adult, new adult, and humorous horror stories. Most of what she writes incorporates several genres. The content won't always be 'safe'. What's the fun in that? She is a member of the Horror Writer's Association, Novelist Inc. and the Author's Guild. She has thirty-one books published under another pen name. To find out more about her upcoming work, go to: www.trallardice.com

 

Website

Facebook

Twitter

 

 

T.R. Allardice Interview

 

1. How did you come up with the idea for The Queen’s Gift?

I actually came up with the idea after a trip to Tokyo, Japan. I felt so out of my depth there, yet utterly fascinated by the culture. I wondered what would happen if you sent a teenager there and she had to deal with school plus the cultural divide. Throw in some magic—or lack thereof, and you have a lot of potential conflict.

2. How many books will be in the series?

Right now, I have two more books planned, but honestly, it depends on what it takes to tell the story. I’d always planned for it to be a trilogy, but I knew there could possibly be four books in the series.

3. Are you working on any other books?

Yes, I’m currently working on two more young adult books that will be the start of two more series. They have boy lead characters and contain an ensemble cast much like The Queen’s Gift. One is set in Scotland and the other is in New York.

4. How do you pick the settings?

I tend to go with places I’ve been to so that I have a real feel for the location. Most of the time, I’m traveling someplace and suddenly a story idea comes to me. That’s what happened when I was in London last year. The story that came to me there is currently stewing in my subconscious. 

5. Who are your favorite Young Adult authors?

There are so many great young adult authors out there. It’s going to be hard to name them all. Off the top of my head (and I know I’ll be forgetting some), my favorites are: Melissa Marr, J.A. Templeton, Holly Black, Tawny Stokes, Neil Gaiman, Rachel Caine, Richelle Mead, Rick Riordan, J.K. Rowling, Maggie Stiefvater, Rachel Vincent, and Jennifer Armentrout.

6. Which Winchester brother would you pick? 

Dean, but I do love Sam’s dimples. LOL!

7. If you could be any character, who would you be?

Probably Superman, but I am tempted by Iron Man and Spiderman. 

8. What do you do when you’re not writing?

I try to spend time with real people, though it doesn’t always work. Characters can be very demanding. ;)

9. If you weren’t a writer, what would you do?

I’d probably go back to school and finish my degree. Not sure what kind of job I could get with a mythology degree though.

10. Last question. If you could have lunch with any writer, who would it be?

That’s easy. J.K. Rowling. Hands down. Thank you for having me.



Stacking the Shelves (27)

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

 

Purchased

 

Inked by Eric Smith

 

ARCs / Review Copies

 

I Heart Robot by Suzanne van Rooyen

Possess by Sarah Dalton

I'm super happy to get I Heart Robot and Possess to read and review! I loved van Rooyen's Obscura Burning, and I really liked Mary Hades (Possess is book two in Mary Hades series) so yeah, I'm glad I got them. Also Inked. It sounds so freaking good and I just had to get it.

Quick info to all my lovely followers

You may have already noticed that I haven't posted that frequently, and probably won't in the near future (until the end of March). School's taking a lot (almost all) of my time during the next months as I'm writing a baccalaureate paper, studying for a couple of exams I have left, and retaking three of my matriculation exams. So yeah, I might have set myself a killer schedule (live dangerously and challenge yourself, or how it did go). But my goal is to get into university this year as well as complete my Open University Advanced History studies, so spring is going to be busy.

 

I still read when I have time but I don't have a lot time to write reviews. I will try when I have time to schedule some posts, write reviews and answer your lovely comments, and all that but school goes first. I'm still checking my email, Twitter and Goodreads frequently so feel free to message me!

 

Let's hope I'll master my paper, exams and have some time to blog! :)

 

(And just saying, waiting for universities decisions is killing me. It's been over a week since I send my application and I keep checking my email. I might be a little bit obsessed, hah.)

 

Hugs,

Henna

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Blood, Milk, and Chocolate by Cameron Jace

 

Blood, Milk, and Chocolate (The Grimm Diaries, #3) 

by Cameron Jace
Publication date: January 19th 2015
YA, fantasy, fairytale retelling

 

I have been accused of being malicious and evil.
I, the Snow White Queen, have a story to tell.
The true story and what has really happened. How it all happened. Why the Brothers Grimm altered the truth, letting you think it was a fairy tale. When and how the tale took place. And above all, why I did what I did. Why you haven’t been told the truth for centuries. The truth about me and the truth about the not-so-innocent Snow White.
Here is my side of the story. You will never look at Snow White the same way again.

Goodreads.

 

Purchase your copy!

Amazon

 

Author bio

Wonderlander, Neverlander, Unicorn-chaser, enchanter, musician, survived a coma, & totally awesome. Sometimes I tell stories. Always luv the little monsters. I write young adult paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and science fiction mostly. The Grimm Diaries series is a seven book saga that deals with retellings of fairy tales from a young adult POV - it connects most of the fairy tales together and claims to be the truth about fairy tales.

 

I live in San Fransisco and seriously think circles are way cooler than triangles.

 

Website

Goodreads

Facebook

Twitter

 

Giveaway! (INTL)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Reader Problems Tag

I snatched this from Charnell @ Review from Bookworm. Originally the tag was created by About To Read.

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

Well, lucky me, I don't have 20,000 books on my TBR. However, I do have enough to make it hard to decide what to read next (and let me tell you, I'm complex person when it comes to that!) I'm a mood reader so I will probably go with my mood: I stand by my shelves and pick up what I feel like. Or then I have this new book I'm dying to read so I pick it. However, review copies makes this harder. If it's due, I read it (this apply to RC's I got via NetGalley). It's hard only when a) I don't feel like reading the review copy I have at that moment or b) it's been there for a while and I need to read it before it expires. And I have nasty habit of pushing myself to read the RC even though I'd want to read some other book. I should be more confident or something but I just don't want to disappoint authors and publisher who I promised to review the book (I'm perfectly aware that it's not my job to try and please them [especially since I'm not getting paid] but I'm twisted like that).

I really should learn how to not ramble.

2. You're halfway through a book and you're just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

I'll probably force myself to read it. I know, it's not making anyone happy (especially myself) doing that but what can I do? Usually I don't have any problems with books I've purchased since I'm quite obsessive when I'm researching everything about the book, because I don't want to buy a book I wouldn't enjoy. But review copies, oh boy. I don't get them that lot and when I do, I want to read and review them. But it's hard if I'm not enjoying it. I don't want to quit but I also hate forcing myself to read it (mostly because I probably won't love it if I'm forced to read it, I'll just dislike it more). Luckily that hasn't happened that often, maybe two RC's I've had seriously to consider whether to finish it or not.

3. The end of the year is coming and you're so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

Last year I finished somewhere on October/November so I didn't have that problem. Even now I'm two books ahead the schedule. So yeah. Hypothetical situation, well, then I'd probably just try to read as much as I can (or have time, because being a full time student with shit load to do, I don't have that much time to read. Or sleep).

4. The covers of a series you love do not match. How do you cope?

I probably don't. I try to avoid that by being careful what covers I buy and it's easy to choose when ordering online. Sometimes they change covers and that sucks but luckily I've avoided that mostly. I think only covers I own and don't match is Jennifer L. Armentrout's Lux series - four first books match but they change the fifth's cover (and I'm so pissed off because it's quite ugly and glitters and I don't want to my covers to glitter and yeah, I'm not forgiving that).

5. Everyone and their mothers love a book you really don't like. Who do you bond with over their shared feelings?

Couple of my friends have quite similar taste than I have so I bond with them. Goodreads and twitter are good places, too.

6. You're reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

I don't read in public. Never. I'm not comfortable reading in public and most of the time, I don't even need to. I mean, only places in public I could read is long bus and train drives to home from school, but I get travel sickness so reading is not an option. So yeah. I also dread to cry in public so in hypotherical situation I'd probably try to cover it and not to read more until I'd get home.

7. A sequel of a book you love just came out, but you've forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!?

Happens too often to me. I won't re-read the book so I either try my luck and just start reading the sequel (often I remember about the prior novel as I read the sequel) or then I head over to Wikipedia, Goodreads etc. and try to find summary about what happened earlier.

8. You do not want anyone. ANYONE. borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people no when they ask?

Well, I do tend to borrow my books. But only for a few, trusted friends who knows how obsessed I'm with my books (and they're aware that if the book comes back damaged, they must buy new for me). However, my friends are careful and as I put contact paper on my paperbacks (same kind libraries uses, it's perfect for paperbacks because then the spine won't break no matter what and the cover will always look good!) so my books are safe. Sometimes I do get asked to lend a book for a person a) I don't know that well b) know they treat books badly c) I don't generally trust with my stuff, I just say I don't borrow my books. Sometimes I get stinky-eye or something but I'm pretty good ignoring it. My stuff, my rules and if someone isn't happy about it, then it's their problem.

(I do know I sound like an asshole but it's my books and I'm major asshole when it comes to my book collection.)

9. Reading ADD. You've picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

I try to find some book I'm dying to read and try to get over my reading slump that way. Old, trusted book is another way but luckily I haven't had that bad reading slumps where I couldn't find the right book to get over it.

10. There are so many new books coming out that you're dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

It depends how much money I have to spend at the time. However, I probably wouldn't buy all of them right away (especially if they're only available on hardbacks - then I'll just wait for the paperback come out and then it's cheaper and I can get two to three books for the price of one hardback).

11. After you've bought the new books you can't wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

Honestly, it depends so many things and variates. There's books I was dying to get over a year ago and I haven't still read them. Then there's books like my newest order that came last week and I've read two out of three already. So it's days, weeks or months, depending on my mood, how much time I have to read (school dominates a lot of my time) and how many review copies I have that I need to read.

If you want to do this, go ahead and feel free to consider yourself tagged by me. I'll tag following people (if you don't feel like doing this, just don't):

Saruuh @ Syntax Reviews

Kirsty-Marie @ Studio Reads

Azee @ The Book Ponderer