Monday, June 29, 2015

Weekly Round-Up 6/21 - 6/27

Life This Week:
It's been an insanely busy week. I was sooo happy to see the weekend arrive! We've been spending a lot of time with the kitties. This week was all about acclimating them to the house, their litter box, and their food and water. We've had a few hiccups, but overall, they are doing pretty well!

Books Read and Reviewed:

Top Ten Tuesday:

Beyond the Books:

What I am Currently Reading:

What I Will Be Reading Next:

Randomness:

Friday, June 26, 2015

Withering Tights (The Misadventures of Tallulah Casey #1) by Louise Rennison




Book Summery (Via Goodreads):Wow. This is it. This is me growing up. On my own, going to Performing Arts College. This is good-bye, Tallulah, you long, gangly thing, and helloooooo, Lullah, star of stage.
Tallulah Casey is ready to find her inner artist. And some new mates. And maybe a boy or two or three. She's bound for a performing arts program in the wilds of the Yorkshire Dales—eerily similar to the windswept moors of Wuthering Heights.
Acting? Tights? Moors? Check, check, check.
Louise Rennison returns with her trademark wit, a hilarious new cast, and a heroine who is poised to discover plenty of opportunities for (mis)adventure!

Book Review:
I've been meaning to pick this series up for a while. It just looks fun! I was not disappointed! Withering Tights was full of adventure, snark, humor, and a touch of romance! Although, it did seem a little juvenile at some points (this would be a great read for middle-schoolers!), I found myself laughing aloud quite a bit while read this. Overall, Withering Tights is a perfect summer read. I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series in the near future!

Cover Art Commentary:
I have always adored these covers! I love the bright color and of course, the tights! Super cute!

Rating:

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Monday, June 22, 2015

Weekly Round-Up 6/14 - 6/20


Life This Week:
They arrived!!! We knew we wanted kitties when we moved into the house. My friend Cara had a feral cat that had a litter of 2 kitties, so we agreed to take them. She delivered them today and they are ADORABLE! Take a look:

Books Read and Reviewed:

Top Ten Tuesday:

Beyond the Books:

What I am Currently Reading:

What I Will Be Reading Next:

Randomness:

Friday, June 19, 2015

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler




Book Summery (Via Goodreads): The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.
Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.
Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.
When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . .

Book Review:
I had high hopes for this book. I really did. Sarah Ockler is one of my favorite authors, hands down. The Book of Broken Hearts is one of my all time favorite books. So I was really excited to get a review copy of her new book The Summer of Chasing Mermaids. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it as much as I had anticipated. Here's the breakdown:
The PROs:

  • I love that the main character is a woman of color with a rich background story. LOVE IT!
  • The way Elyse interacts with other characters despite losing her voice.
  • Elyse's ability to move past her tragic past.
  • Sebastian, the love interest's little brother. Adorable!
  • How supportive the secondary characters were. They seemed like genuinely nice people.
The CONs:
  • Typical YA love story. It could have used some spicing up.
  • Typical main love interest...a bad boy that just isn't understood.
  • The pacing. It took me quite a while to get through the story.
  • In the beginning the story seemed a little confusing. There was a lot of back and forth between places and timelines. Perhaps because this was an uncorrected proof?
  • The ending. It left the whole story arc unfinished...I was a little let down.
Obviously, as you can see, despite some issues, there were several things about this novel that I enjoyed. I don't think this contemporary YA is for everyone, though I can see that it appeals to some.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for this copy.
Published June 2nd 2015
This is my honest review.

Cover Art Commentary:
I love this cover! I love the beach-y feel! The setting is essential to the story.

Rating:

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Beyond the Books: Weird Habits

This Weeks Topic: Weird Habits
Hosted by Kissin' Blue Karen

Grocery Shopping: I never get the first item on the shelf. I will usually take the one behind it.
*Image found here

Kleenex: I hoard kleenex like a 90 year old woman, Last week there was only 1 box left in the house. Things got hairy.
*Image found here

Voicemail: I am horrible at checking my voicemail. There are messages on my phone that are a week old that I still haven't checked.
*Image found here

Reading: I read every. night. before bed. I've done it so long it's become routine. If I'm unable to read, I have a hard time falling asleep.
*Image found here

What are some of your weird habits?

Tuesday, June 16, 2015