Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Best Books of 2014 - Top 14

Hello everyone!

It is that time of year again, where I look back at all the books I've read this year, and share my favourites. Being that this is 2014, I think I will do my top 14 favourite books!

Because there is just no way to pick a number one favourite, these books are in no particular order.


Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

This was such a thrilling book. I went into it not too sure if I would like it, it didn't really seem like something I would like, but I was pleasantly surprised! I loved this book and the rest of the trilogy as well!


















Allegiant by Veronica Roth

There is a lot of controversy and hate for this book and subsequently author because of the ending of this book. Without spoiling anything,  I will say this, no one is safe. Regardless, I really enjoyed the book and actually enjoyed how it ended.

















Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

I am surprised by how much I liked this book! I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, I am usually not the biggest fan of fantasy and that sort of thing, but I can honestly say that this was a really great book. If you are new to fantasy or you just don't love it that much, I would definitely recommend this book!
















Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

I loved it! This book was so amazing! It gets stuck in your head and when your not reading it, you are thinking about it. I was totally not expecting what happened in this book. I didn't read much into it and I am sad that I didn't read it sooner!  I was expecting a typical love story where boy meets girl and they fall in love and live happily ever after. This was so not that. If was a love story but there was so much more dimension and depth than your typical love story!












Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This book was amazing!! I don't like alien books and paranormal is not my genre but I loved this book!! I could not stop reading and I flew through it! It was so much more than just an alien novel, there was an intense romance and funny moments, ugh it was just perfection! I also loved the rest of the series!
















Slammed by Colleen Hoover

This book was just so amazing! It was thrilling, sad, romantic and full of grief.  I loved this book so much and read it start to finish in about 3 hours! It is definitely one of those books you cannot put down!


















Its Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

I know this can be a very personal topic for some people and it is definitely a heavy one, but mental health, specifically suicide has always interested me. I really enjoyed this semi-autobiographical story and it will always be a favourite.


















Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

This was another book I can't believe I waited to read! I really enjoyed it. Juliette was smart and Warner was just so awesome. I was a little spoiled, so the idea of a love triangle didn't really gel with my reading but overall I enjoyed this and the rest of the series.


















The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Really good!! I wasn't sure what to expect, but what I got was so much better! Thrilling and entertaining, with a very subtle love triangle, I loved this book!



















Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

This was really really really great! It was another one that I could not put down! It kept me reading the whole time plus, gorgeous cover! Highly recommend to anyone and if you are on the fence, definitely go for it!

















Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

Despite the mixed reviews of this book, I loved every page, every sentence, every word! If you are at all on the fence, please get it! There is humour, and sorrow and just an all around adventure! It is ridiculously well written and the characters are just so well developed. I remember reading it and feeling like after reading a bunch of terrible books, "finally, a book that is so well written I don't feel like I have to decipher what the author is trying to say."













Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Wow! This was a really good book! I wasn't expecting it to be this good. It has been a long time since I sat down and physically couldn't remove myself from the book. It was that good. I loved the storyline and A.S. King's writing style! Ahh it's one of those books that I had on my shelf forever and never got to reading. I am really quite upset that I didn't get to it sooner!















We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

I can't even put a review into words. The story itself is so mysterious and the writing style is just beautiful. I don't want to say too much about this book because I think it is better to not know much about it going in but it was phenomenal. I read it in one sitting, it was gripping and thrilling, you never knew what was going to happen. If you haven't read this, pick it up!














Legend by Marie Lu

I loved Legend! It was really good. I loved the twists and how you didn't really know who to trust. I felt like Day and June were really well developed characters and their emotions felt real. I loved how I was immersed so much in the story that when a tragedy happened, I felt their sorrow and grief.
















There you have it! What were your top books of the year?


Monday, December 29, 2014

Monday Reviews - Hit by Lorie Ann Grover

Hello everyone!

I am back with another Monday Reviews! This week, I am reviewing Hit by Lorie Ann Grover. I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange of an honest review.

Before I get to the review, a quick synopsis.

After receiving a full-ride scholarship to Mills College for Girls, it appears Sarah's future is all laid out before her that is until she walks into a poetry class led by Mr. Haddings, a student teacher from the nearby University of Washington. Suddenly, life on the UW campus seems very appealing, and Sarah finds herself using her poetry journal to subtly declare her feelings for Haddings. Convinced Mr. Haddings is flirting back, she sets off for school in the rain with a poem in her back pocket one that will declare her feelings once and for all.

Mr. Haddings has noticed Sarah's attention; the fallout from any perceived relationship with a student is too great a risk, and he has decided to end all speculation that morning.

But everything changes when Mr. Haddings feels a thud on his front bumper when he glances away from the road, and finds Sarah in the street with blood pooling beneath her.




I have to be honest here. I didn't like this book. In fact, I didn't finish this book. I tried, really I did but the characters were just so beyond annoying, I couldn't force myself to suffer through anymore.

I got roughly 90 pages in, which is almost half the book, and decided against continuing. 

The old teacher-student non-relationship-relationship is just that; old. I've read this book before. And frankly, I just couldn't read it again.

I gave this book a 2/5 stars on Goodreads, but even that is too high.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Monday Reviews - Golden by Jessi Kirby

Hello everyone!

I am back with another Monday Reviews and this week, I am sharing a book that I absolutely loved! Here is my review for Golden by Jessi Kirby.


Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.

Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference. 








Wow! My first reaction when I finished this book was just wow! It has been so long since I read a really great coming of age story that this one left me speechless. It was so good. There were a few main topics that were easily related to and made the story so much better!

Parker is trying to be the good girl, valediction who gets good grades, gets into Stanford and becomes a doctor. Thats her mother's dream for her. Then, when Parker gets swept up in the towns mystery from a decade ago, she embarks on a road trip with her best friend and crush.

I loved this story for many reasons! I loved the subtle romance, the real life problems faced, and of course, who doesn't love a good road trip story, even if it is only a short one!

Overall, I highly recommend this story and definitely give it 5/5 stars on Goodreads!


Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Goodreads Reading Challenge - To Set or Not to Set!

Hello everyone!

Ah! We are coming to the end of another year, and thus the end of another Goodreads Reading Challenge.

Now, I only got Goodreads around the middle of January of this year, so this is my first year setting a goal for the challenge and all that jazz.



I recently read an article from Book Riot about why one Book Rioter isn't setting a goal for 2015. I highly recommend you check it out. You can do so here!

I read this article and it got me thinking about my own reading goals and the Goodreads challenge. In case you are unfamiliar, basically Goodreads has this option where you set a certain number of books you want to read throughout the year.

At the beginning of my Goodreads experience, I set my goal. A nice reasonable 50 books. That's a little more than a book a week. Totally doable right?

Well, for me, it was a little too doable. I didn't want to be done my challenge in May (which was around when I finished 50 books!) so I bumped it up.

75 books
100 books
110 books
150 books

and now, my current goal 175 books!

That is so beyond insane. And really, its not that bad, I really don't care if I complete my challenge or not, but I every time I look at my challenge, I see that little "5 books behind schedule" and I feel guilty.

I feel like I need to spend every second reading. I feel like I should not blog, or go outside, or breathe without reading a book first!

Its actually really upsetting because I love the idea of having the challenge and for it to calculate how many books I've read this year, but at the same time, it is so STRESSFUL!

So, I guess the ultimate question, will I set a goal for next year?

Probably! Ha!

What are your thoughts? Will you be setting a goal for next year?


Monday, December 15, 2014

Cover Reveal - Volition by Lily Paradis!

Hello everyone!

Some of you may remember a few months back I was sent an e-ARC for review of Lily Paradis' first book, Ignite which I loved! You can read my full blog post review here. Anyways when I heard the Lily was writing another book, I knew that a) I wanted to read it and b) I wanted to help be a part of the reveal/promotion.

Now, I am very excited to share with you that the time has come to share this an absolutely gorgeous cover of Lily Paradis' new book, Volition. (release date is February 9, 2015)

Release Date: Feb 9, 2015 -- Cover Design: Sarah Hansen of Okay Creations

Here is the teaser from the back:


You know that feeling in the pit of your stomach that stays with you, then tears youapart slowly at first, and all at once shreds every fiber of your being? 
It’s because you’re contradicting the universe. 
Everything lines up so perfectly that you couldn’t have imagined it to work out anybetter, but then you have to go and do everything humanly possible to ruin it becauseyou can’t stand to have it go right? 
That’s what I did. 
I did it because there’s a darkness that surrounds me, and I think I want it there.My name is Tate McKenna, and my soul is blacker than my heart.


Ah! Doesn't that sound amazing! I was fortunate enough to also get to read a beta copy of this book from the very early editing stages and I know that it is an amazing book!


Here are some awesome links to click through to ensure you are up to date with this book and future releases from Lily!

Lily's Blog: www.lilyparadis.com
Tumblr: http://ersatz-paradise.tumblr.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LilyParadis
Instagram: http://instagram.com/lily_paradis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilyParadis

Preorder a Kindle copy from Amazon here: AMAZON PREORDER
OR
Preorder a signed paperback copy of Ignite, Volition (or BOTH!) from Lily here: STORE

I will leave you with an excerpt from the book that I just love!
I look up into the sky to see all of the drops falling on the ground before they makecontact. I realize the drops have more in common with me than I think. We’re all justfalling until we’re not falling, and we don’t really have a choice where we land.

Don't forget to preorder this book and add it to your Goodreads! 
Volition

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Most Anticipated Books of Winter

Hello everyone!

I am back again with my most anticipated books for December 2014 to the end of March 2015! I have a fairly lengthly list here, so lets just get into it!


Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Release Date: January 11, 2015

Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen. Complete strangers since this morning.
He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget.















The Mime Order (The Bone Season #2) by Samantha Shannon 

Release Date: January 27, 2015

I'm not going to give a synopsis because it is a second book in a series and I don't want to spoil anything. Basically, its really great fantasy.















Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Release Date: January 27, 2015

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 












Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff

Release Date: January 27, 2015

Here's what Sam knows: There was a party. There was a fight. The next morning, his best friend, Hayden, was dead. And all he left Sam was a playlist of songs, and a suicide note: For Sam—listen and you'll understand.

Part mystery, part love story, and part coming-of-age tale in the vein of Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Tim Tharp’s The Spectacular NowPlaylist for the Dead is an honest and gut-wrenching first novel about loss, rage, what it feels like to outgrow a friendship that's always defined you—and the struggle to redefine yourself. But above all, it's about finding hope when hope seems like the hardest thing to find.








Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Release Date: February 10, 2015

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?






When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez

Release Date: February 10, 2015

13 Reasons Why meets the poetry of Emily Dickinson in this gripping debut novel perfect for fans of Sara Zarr or Jennifer Brown.

A Goth girl with an attitude problem, Elizabeth Davis must learn to control her anger before it destroys her. Emily Delgado appears to be a smart, sweet girl, with a normal life, but as depression clutches at her, she struggles to feel normal. Both girls are in Ms. Diaz’s English class, where they connect to the words of Emily Dickinson. Both are hovering on the edge of an emotional precipice. One of them will attempt suicide. And with Dickinson’s poetry as their guide, both girls must conquer their personal demons to ever be happy.






The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Curse #2) by Marie Rutoski

Release Date: March 3, 2015

Again, I don't want to spoil anything about this series, because it is a sequel, but definitely check out the first one!















Confess by Colleen Hoover

Release Date: March 10, 2015

Honestly, do I need to give a synopsis? Its Colleen Hoover, its going to be good!

















The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne

Release Date: March 17, 2015

Kate Quinn’s mom died last year, leaving Kate parentless and reeling. So when the unexpected shows up in her living room, Kate must confront another reality she never thought possible—or thought of at all. Kate does have a father. He’s a powerful politician. And he’s running for U.S. President. Suddenly, Kate’s moving in with a family she never knew she had, joining a campaign in support of a man she hardly knows, and falling for a rebellious boy who may not have the purest motives. This is Kate’s new life. But who is Kate? When what she truly believes flies in the face of the campaign’s talking points, she must decide. Does she turn to the family she barely knows, the boy she knows but doesn’t necessarily trust, or face a third, even scarier option?





Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark

Release Date: March 24, 2015

Abram and Juliette know each other. They’ve lived down the street from each other their whole lives. But they don’t really know each other—at least, not until Juliette’s mom and Abram’s dad have a torrid affair that culminates in a deadly car crash. Sharing the same subdivision is uncomfortable, to say the least. They don’t speak.

Fast-forward to the neighborhood pharmacy, a few months later. Abram decides to say hello. Then he decides to invite her to Taco Bell. To her surprise as well as his, she agrees. And the real love story begins.








That's all folks! What books are you most looking forward to in the winter?

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Day 12 - Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell!



Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 11 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 12 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Day 11 - Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard!



Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 10 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 11 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Day 10 - The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, The Distance Between Us by Kasie West!




Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 9 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 10 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, December 8, 2014

Day 9 - Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd!



Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 8 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 9 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Day 8 - Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Born of Illusion by Teri Brown!




Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 7 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 8 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Day 7 - Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy!




Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 6 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 7 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, December 5, 2014

Day 6 - Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake!



Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 5 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 6 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Day 5 - Reboot by Amy Tintera

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Reboot by Amy Tintera!




Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 4 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 5 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Day 4 - Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis!



Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 3 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 4 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Day 3 - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo!



Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 2 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 3 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, December 1, 2014

Day 2 - Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Cinder by Marissa Meyer!



Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, December 1 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 2 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Day 1 - Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Hello everyone!

I am so excited to announce today's giveaway, Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King!



Just a reminder, to enter, you must follow me on Instagram, (@ryleyreads) and you can only enter once. You have from today, November 30 at 12:00am (MST) to tomorrow December 1 at 12:00am (MST) to enter. 

This giveaway is only open to residents of Canada and The United States of America.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, November 29, 2014
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