Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando Giveaway

Everyone has heard about the what can happen when you get your new roommate. Sometimes they are awesome and other times they are your worst nightmare well Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando which came out in late 2013 is a new book that explores that relationship. 

The countdown to college has begun.
When Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment at the beginning of summer, she shoots off an email to coordinate the basics: TV, microwave, mini-fridge. She can't wait to escape her New Jersey beach town, and her mom, and start life over in California.
The first note to Lauren in San Francisco comes as a surprise; she had requested a single. But if Lauren's learned anything from being the oldest of six, it's that you can't always get what you want, especially when what you want is privacy.
Soon the girls are emailing back and forth, sharing secrets even though they've never met. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives...and each other.
With humor and heart, Sara Zarr, National Book Award finalist for Story of a Girl, and Tara Altebrando, acclaimed author of The Pursuit of Happiness, join forces for a novel about that time after high school, when everything feels like it's ending just as it's beginning.

In honor of Roomies I am going to share my freshman roommate story and courtesy of Hachette I have a chance for you to win a copy of Roomies down below.

My freshman roommate experience was not that bad. I was going to be living on an engineering floor in my dorm so I figured my roommate was going to be a fellow engineer. Luckily I was right and both my roommate and suite mate were both engineers. When I first got my assignment obviously I did not know my roommate and so I reached out so we could decide our room colors etc. It was very pleasant and I was excited to start school.

Neither of us was from Boston so we relied heavily on each other for the first couple of months. We ate dinner together and talked to each other, mostly about our classes. We made a list at the beginning of the semester outlining who would clean the bathroom and when and everyone followed it pretty much to the tee, the only issue was with my suite mate which I will get to in a bit. My roommate joined the dance team and so she was gone a lot which I liked because it meant I got to have the room to myself. Overall after getting used to living with another person it was a good relationship.

Now, to my suite mate. She had her own room attached to ours and she shared a bathroom with us. She had to be reminded more than my roommate to clean it but she did her part. For the most part we all got along and it was good, until the second semester. I don't mean to sound fatalistic it honestly wasn't that bad, but during the second semester my suite mate got a boyfriend at our school. Before that both my roommate and my suite mate had long-distance boyfriends but all that changed. Suddenly we couldn't go take a shower because she was in the shower with her boyfriend, and I who shared a wall with our suite mate was being woken up at dawn to the noise of well... I mean go ahead do that, but don't do it so loud when I am trying to sleep please?

But I cannot complain, I had a pretty good experience compared to lots of people. Both my roommate and my suite mate were nice and we had no big issues.

If you are interested in seeing how Elizabeth and Lauren's roommate situation turns out be sure to check out Roomies. And if you are interested in meeting the authors be sure to see if they are coming to your city!

• January 12, 2014 – New York, NY: McNally Jackson [venue link]
• January 15, 2014 – Salt Lake City, UT: The King's English [venue link]
• January 16, 2014 – Provo, UT: Provo Library [venue link]
• February 4, 2014 – San Francisco, CA: Books Inc, Opera Plaza [venue link] 
• February 5, 2015 – Petaluma, CA: Copperfield's Books [venue link]

Now for that giveaway. 

I have one copy of Roomies to giveaway to a U.S. address (sorry no P.O boxes) 

This giveaway will only last for two days so be sure to sign up!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Erased by Jennifer Rush

Title: Erased (Altered #2)
Author: Jennifer Rush
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: January 7, 2014
Received From: Netgalley

Synopsis: They thought they had escaped. They were wrong.
After fleeing the Branch with Sam, Cas, and Nick, Anna is trying to make sense of the memories resurfacing from her old life. At the same time, she's learning how to survive in hiding, following Sam's rules: Don't draw attention to yourself. Always carry a weapon. Know your surroundings. Watch your back.Then a figure from Anna's childhood reappears. Is it a Branch setup, or could it be the reunion Anna has hoped for? Uncertain of where her loyalties lie, Anna must fight to learn the truth -- before she is betrayed again. Ultimately, the answers hinge on one question: What was the real reason her memories were erased?Jennifer Rush delivers a thrilling sequel to Altered in a novel packed with mysteries, lies, and surprises that are sure to keep readers guessing until the last page is turned.    

Review:

If you like thrillers that will keep you guessing and you like hot boys than this series is for you. If you have not read Altered yet then you should stop reading this review and get on that because it is awesome. Now on to Erased.

I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed Altered so while I was excited to read Erased I was not as thrilled as I should have been because it was AWESOME. This is a really fast read because there is no dead time. things just keep happening and like Anna I never knew who to trust. Should she trust the boys? What if they were changed in the facility? And what about Trev? All these thoughts went through my head and while I was right in some aspects in others I was totally wrong.

I think this is the last book in this series but I could be wrong. Even if it is I think it had a great ending that did not give away too much. That is not saying that I would not read another book about Anna and her boys if Jennifer Rush decides to write another one.

Speaking of the boys I like how  we get to know more about them and their pasts in Erased. The flashbacks kept me on my toes and I liked understanding their personalities even more than before. I also liked getting to know more about Anna's past and what happened to lead to their current predicament.

Overall this is a great series and it is supremely underrated. Go pick up your copy today. You will not regret it!

Waiting On Wednesday: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is

Title: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: February 4, 2014

Synopsis: Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.
In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

Why I'm Excited!:
Cress is the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series. The first two are Cinder and Scarlet. All three books are fairy tale retellings that take place in a very different future. I loved both Cinder and Scarlet so I cannot wait to find out what happens to them as well as meet Cress! There are four books in this series so Cress is not the end.

Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney

Title: Starry Nights
Author: Daisy Whitney
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Received From: NetGalley

 Synopsis:Seventeen-year-old Julien is a romantic—he loves spending his free time at the museum poring over the great works of the Impressionists. But one night, a peach falls out of a Cezanne, Degas ballerinas dance across the floor, and Julien is not hallucinating.
The art is reacting to a curse that trapped a beautiful girl, Clio, in a painting forever. Julien has a chance to free Clio and he can't help but fall in love with her. But love is a curse in its own right. And soon paintings begin to bleed and disappear. Together Julien and Clio must save the world's greatest art . . . at the expense of the greatest love they've ever known. 

Review:
I was awestruck by Starry Nights, it was unlike anything I had read before. I read Daisy Whitney's The Mockingbirds and The Rivals and I adored them so I was super excited to read Starry Nights. I knew it was going to be completely different but I was still looking forward to it.

If you have ever wanted to travel to Paris, and or are a big art fan then Starry Nights is for you. I am not the biggest art enthusiast but reading Starry Nights made me want to learn more about the pieces of art mentioned.

Julien and Clio's relationship is very different from the relationships in most other books. At first I thought it was going to be a relationship that only existed in Julien's mind but was pleasantly surprised to find out about who Clio really was.

The secondary characters really fill out the story. They add dimension and interest to an already very different story. Without them the story would not be nearly as good as it was.

If you like capers then you might think that this book is not for you, but when you learn that Julien and Clio must travel all over the world to break a curse? I think everyone will like at least some aspect of this book. It is a little on the slow side but it was so beautiful that I think that is the only way it could be written. You should definitely pick up Starry Nights as well as Daisy Whitney's other books they will leave you spellbound. And that cover? YES.

Bout of Books Goals

This is my goal post for the Bout of Books Read-a-thon. I really hope this will help me to get a good foundation for my blog since I am starting school on the 13th! I will be updating this everyday so check back to see what I have accomplished!

My Goals

• To read 14 books at least.
• Or failing that to read 4000 pages
• Schedule reviews for all the books I read

Books to Read

I tried to do a good mixture of review books/my books/and genres

1. Finish Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
2. Finish Cress by Marissa Meyer
3. Finish Erased by Jennifer Rush (ereader)
4. Finish Going Rogue by Robin Benway (ereader)
5. Independant Study by Joelle Chabonneau
6. Solving for Ex by Leigh Ann Kopans (ereader)
7. A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
8. Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare
9. Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
10. Cold Spell by Jackson Pearce
11. Ink by Amanda Sun
12. Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken
13. Learning to Play Gin by Ally Carter
14. Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano

Extra books:
Keeper of the Lost Cities: Exile by Shannon Messenger
Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally
Scorched by Mari Mancusi

Updates

Monday
Number of books I've read today: 2
Total number of books I've read: 2
Books:
Erased by Jennifer Rush
Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally

Tuesday
Number of books I've read today: 0
Total number of books I've read: 2
Books:

Wednesday
Number of books I've read today: 1
Total number of books I've read: 3
Books:
Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare

Thursday
Number of books I've read today: 1
Total number of books I've read: 4
Books:
Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor

Friday
Number of books I've read today:
Total number of books I've read:
Books:

Saturday
Number of books I've read today: 1
Total number of books I've read: 5
Books: Going Rogue by Robin Benway

Sunday
Number of books I've read today:
Total number of books I've read:
Books:

Final!
I completely failed but I did get a lot of reading done which was the point!
I read the following books:
Erased by Jennifer Rush
Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare
Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor
Going Rogue by Robin Benway

Bout of Books!

Since I don't start school until the thirteenth I am able to participate in the Bout of Books readathon this week!

More about Bout of Books!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 6th and runs through Sunday, January 12th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 9.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I am super excited! Be sure to check out my goals post. Are you participating?

Happy 2014!

 http://www.happynewyear2014.co/

Happy 2014!

Hi guys! I know I was the worst blogger ever in 2013 and I sincerely apologize. I had a lot of stuff going on and was just not in the mood to blog. 

That being said I am super excited about 2014 here on the blog. I will strive to make this the best year yet as a thank you to all of you who have stuck around this long. I really appreciate it. 

So, I look forward to what this year has in store and hope you have a great year as well!

Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1) by Aimee Carter

Title: Pawn  (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1)
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Received From: Publisher via Netgalley  

Synopsis: YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING. 
For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country. 
If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter. 
There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

Review:
I love Aimee Carter's Goddess Test series so I was super excited to read Pawn.  I know a lot of people are burnt out on dystopian but I think Pawn has elements that are different enough to entice even the most cynical of dystopian readers.

The world that Carter has created is so rich and detailed. I really liked getting to know the world as Kitty got to know and understand the intimate details of how it is run. Every good dystopian novel needs an evil leader and Pawn definitely has its fair share of corrupt leadership. I was severely creeped out by some of the things the Harts did.

I never knew who to trust while I was reading Pawn. There were so many twists and turns to the plot that I was completely surprised by some of the events that transpired.

While I really liked Kitty and thought she was a strong but flawed protagonist, I think the secondary characters really shone. Whether it was one of the scheming Harts or Kitty's boyfriend Benji they all added so much variety and spice to the plot!

Pawn is one of the best dystopian books I have read in a while. It was unexpected, creepy, and even had a little teeny bit of romance thrown in. I cannot wait for the next book to see what happens to Kitty and the Harts!

Definitely pick this one up today!

Romance Review: Wicked in Your Arms: Forgotten Princesses #1 by Sophie Jordan

Title: Wicked in Your Arms: Forgotten Princesses
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: July 26, 2011
Received From: Library

Synopsis: One of the most notoriously eligible bachelors in Europe is finally ready to marry . . .

For fiercely independent Grier Hadley, being the illegitimate daughter of one of London's most unsavory characters has only one advantage: an enormous, ill-gotten dowry.

Prince Sevastian Maksimi knows where his duty lies: he must find a well-bred young lady—one with a considerable fortune to her name—wed her promptly, and get to the business of producing an heir.

The last thing Grier needs is some unattainable prince curling her toes with his smoldering glances and wicked suggestions. As far as Sev is concerned, she lacks the breeding to become a princess. And yet one kiss from this arresting female is all it takes for him to realize that anyone else in his arms would be unthinkable . . .

Review:
Wicked in Your Arms was the first of Sophie Jordan's adult books I had read. I had read her Firelight (YA) series and really enjoyed it so I decided to give her historical romances a try. I am so glad I did I loved this book and Grier was a fabulous heroine.

I read this book in ebook format and I am glad I did. There were so many passages that I highlighted because they were fantastic and hilarious. Also because I wanted to choose one to share with you so you could get a peek into the banter between Grier and Savastian. I think this passage will convince you to read this book much more than anything I could say.

 "Not that it's any of your concern, but I'm eight and twenty."
He blinked. "You're a bit long in the tooth, aren't you?"
She gasped. "For what? Being alive?"
"For being yet unclaimed."
"Unclaimed? As in unclaimed by a man?"
He nodded once.
"A little archaic, aren't you? I've been busy... haven't gotten around to a man... claiming me yet."
"I see," he murmured, either missing her sarcasm or deliberately ignoring it.
Propping her hands on her hips, she demanded, "And how old are you?"
"It doesn't matter how old I am. I'm a man."
"No, you're a jackass!" she retorted. (58)

 Isn't that dialogue awesome? You want to know what happens next don't you? Wicked in Your Arms is chock full of dialogue just like that. As well as stolen kisses and political intrigue.

One of the main reasons I liked this book so much, besides the dialogue, is Grier herself. She has all these secrets that the reader and Sevastian both have to figure out. She is strong willed and independent and very different from many typical historical romance heroines. Also Sev is sexy.

I think anyone who is a fan of historical romance or who wants to get into reading historical romance should definitely pick up Wicked in Your Arms. It is a real treat!

Sweet Legacy Blog Blitz: Five Fast Facts

Today is the release date for the final book in the Medusa Girl's series by Tera Lynn Childs. Sweet Legacy
In case you haven't heard about this awesome Medusa based series here is the synopsis for the first book Sweet Venom;

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.
Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.
Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.
These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

Awesome right?
Well in celebration of the release of Sweet Legacy I have five interesting facts about the author Tera Lynn Childs!

• She visited Czechoslovakia behind the Iron Curtain when she was seven
• The only kind of cherries she likes are Rainier
• She almost trained as an Olympic swimmer
• She spent a summer working at an historic dude ranch in the remote western side of Rocky Mountain National Park
• She was born three weeks late (and has been making up for it ever since)

Pretty cool right? I am totally with her on the Rainier cherries thing. All other cherries are inferior!

Let me know, are you excited for the final Medusa Girl's book? Or are you going to be picking up the first book just in time to binge read?