Monday, August 31, 2015

Mini Book Thoughts (1)

This new feature is something that I saw Shannon (from It Starts at Midnight) and Holly (from The Fox's Hideaway) mention on Twitter and it was the perfect feature because it's a list of all the books I've read but haven't gotten the chance to review (even though I really did plan on reviewing them), books that a lot of bloggers have already reviewed, and/or books I didn't have many thoughts on. I plan on making this a monthly feature (either at the end or beginning of the month) but this one includes books all the way from the beginning of the year so there's quite a lot.
**I don't take credit for this feature**

The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord
Release Date: March 31st, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Rating: 4.5-5 STARS
The Start of Me and You
THOUGHTS:
I love Emery Lord and Open Road Summer! And this book was no exception! It was such a "me" contemporary book with great characters, a fun plot, and swoooons. I would definitely recommend this to all contemp readers/lovers!

(YOU WANT TO MEET MAX WATSON TRUST ME)
The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey 


Release Date: April 28th, 2015
Publisher: Delcorte Press
Rating: 3.5-4 STARS 
The Girl at Midnight (The Girl at Midnight, #1)
THOUGHTS: 
I for some reason thought this book was fantasy (no idea why because the summary obviously indicates it was paranormal). Anyways I really liked this one! Such a creative world with a compelling storyline. Echo was a fun character and easy to like. Caius was a strong yet cute/sweet guy that's perfect for Echo! Loved all the other secondary characters and how they added charm their own charm to the book :)  Recommended to paranormal & fantasy fans.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Release Date: April 28th, 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
Rating: 3 STARS
An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)
THOUGHTS:
There was soooooo much hype for this book. And I totally see why people liked/loved it. But to be honest I was very close to DNF-ing this book *hides* The pace was just too slow and boring for me but I kept reading and the ending really made up for the rest of the book. Super excited for book 2 (and hopefully faster pacing!) Recommended to fantasy fans. 


The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace

Release Date: March 3rd, 2015
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Rating: 2.5-3 STARS 
The Storyspinner (The Keepers' Chronicles, #1)
THOUGHTS:
This was another book I had high expectations for. Unfortunately, I felt pretty meh about it. :/ I didn't feel a big connection to both the characters and the plot. The ending also seemed a bit rushed to me. Definite potential but alas not for me. Recommended to fantasy fans who are interested by the summary. 
                           
Behind the Scenes by Dahlia Adler
Release Date: June 24th, 2014
Publisher: Spencer Hill
Rating: 4 STARS 
Behind the Scenes (Daylight Falls, #1)
THOUGHTS:
1st. Dahlia Adler is a person you want to follow on Twitter if you haven't already.
2. Love the friendship aspect.
3. I had mixed feelings on Ally and Liam's relationship but the way the ending was dealt with=awesomeness
4. Recommended to all you YA & NA contemp readers :)

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
Release Date: May 5th, 2015
Publisher: Balzer and Bray
Rating: 3 STARS
Crimson Bound
THOUGHTS:
To be honest I read this a while ago and I don't remember much of the actual storyline but I do remember that I loved the world and the storytelling! I wasn't the biggest fan of the romance/character relationships. But plot was pretty decent and intriguing. Recommended to fantasy readers 

Joyride by Anna Banks
Release Date: June 2nd, 2015
Publisher: Fiewel and Friends
Rating: 3.5-4 STARS 
Joyride
THOUGHTS:
A cute and short read, Joyride portrayed immigration in an honest form. Carly and Arden were both characters that were easy to like. Both their families were frustrating but I liked the complexity. Not sure if this would be for all contemp readers but definitely pick it up if it seems interesting.

Shutter by Courtney Alameda
Release Date: February 3rd, 2015
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Rating: 4 STARS 
Shutter
THOUGHTS: 
I don't think I would say this is horror to be honest, more paranormal in my opinion. I really liked it! If you miss the paranormal (especially ghosts), Shutter is the book to go to. I love the crew of characters and the family tension we see between Micheline and her father. 

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker
Release Date: June 2nd, 2015
Publisher: Little, Brown Books For Young Readers
Rating: 2.5-3 STARS 
The Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter, #1)
THOUGHTS:
Unfortunately, The Witch Hunter was a let down :/ I guess I liked it/thought it was okay. Didn't especially love the plot. I didn't connect to the characters that easily. Props for the world though! I definitely could see elements of both fantasy and alternative history.


The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West
Release Date: May 5th, 2015
Publisher: Harper Teen
Rating: 4 STARS 
The Fill-In Boyfriend
THOUGHTS:
Confession: This wasn't my favorite book Kasie West book BUT I did really really like it. It was hard to get used to the main character (at the beginning at least. Gia's totally cool a bit after though) but at the same it was a good representation of teens in this generation. I just love how we get introduced to the main guy (who's name shall remain a secret). Read it if you want to find out ;D Definitely recommended to Kasie West fans and contep readers! 

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Release Date: May 12th, 2015
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Rating: 4 STARS
The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn, #1)
THOUGHTS:
I feel like this is the 1st Arabian nights retelling I've read (might not be but I don't remember reading any other ones before). Renee Ahdieh did a fantastic job creating a captivating story and setting. Love seeing the diversity and the different culture. I will admit that I wasn't the biggest fan of the alternating POVs and I felt this book lacked a bit plot wise but at the same time totally set up for an awesome one for book 2. 

Last Year’s Mistake by Gina Ciocca
Release Date: June 9th, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: 3.5-4  STARS 
Last Year's Mistake
THOUGHTS:
I really loved this story idea. I am a sucker for Then/Now stories esp. couples/friends who don't see each other within the Then and Now. I had pretty high expectations but it did fall a bit short. Definitely loved seeing David's and Kelsey's relationship and how well they just click :) 

Jesse’s Girl by Miranda Kenneally
Release Date: July 7th, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Rating: 3.5-4 STARS
Jesse's Girl (Hundred Oaks)
THOUGHTS:
SO I had mixed feelings on Jesse's and Maya's relationship. I loved them but at the same time it kinda fell flat after they got together. It was a pretty simple relationship considering everything and they both helped each other grow in their own way. I would rec this to Miranda Kenneally fans and some contemp readers (Also you guys don't understand how much I ADORE the title of the book though. It's just perfect)

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler
Release Date: June 2nd, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Rating: 4 STARS
The Summer of Chasing Mermaids
THOUGHTS:
This book is so important guys. It single-handedly explored and touched on important themes of society in such a beautiful and Sarah Ockley way (I don't know how else to describe it). If anything it was hard to relate to Elyse but I did love seeing her character grow. I had mixed feelings about Christian (on and off through out the book) but in the end I guess he fine. Favorite character had to be Sebastian (Christian's little brother) and all his adorableness and determination! 

Forbidden by Kimberley Griffiths Little
Release Date: November 4th, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Rating: 4 STARS 
Forbidden (Forbidden, #1)
THOUGHTS:
Intense. That would be the one word I would describe this book as. I so was not expecting how harsh it would be. I could never live in a society/tribe like Jayden's and I applaud her strength and courage despite everything's she's been through. So much happens and everything changes and just GAH. All I want is for Kadesh and Jayden to end up with a HEA. Is that too much to ask for? Knowing authors, probably.

So what do you think about these books (if you've read them)?
Any you seem interested in?
Do you like this new feature? Was it just as helpful as a review? 
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! :) 

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