TBR Thursday – March 28

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab.

Goodreads Synopsis:

It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift–back into Black London.

Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games–an extravagant international competition of magic meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries–a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Review: Fracture Me (Shatter Me #2.5)

Title: Fracture Me (Shatter Me #2.5)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: December 17, 2013
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In this electrifying sixty-page companion novella to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, discover the fate of the Omega Point rebels as they go up against The Reestablishment. Set during and soon after the final moments of Unravel MeFracture Me is told from Adam’s perspective.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam’s focus couldn’t be further from the upcoming battle. He’s reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend’s life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James’s safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It’s time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam’s newly discovered half brother, won’t be that easy. The Reestablishment can’t tolerate a rebellion, and they’ll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Review:

I’m obsessed with this series! I love that there are novellas to read between novels. They fill in the gaps in time between the novels.

I didn’t realize that this novella was written from Adam’s point of view. I thought they were all from Warner’s perspective, just like the first one. I was so excited that this one was told by Adam, because he wasn’t in the previous book as much. He’s a complicated character, who had to make some tough decisions in this story.

One of my favourite parts of these novellas is that they show parts of the story that couldn’t be shown in the other novels. Since the novels are told from Juliette’s perspective, only her side of the story is told. There are important things going on around her, so it is great to see those events too. This was especially important for this part of the story, because Juliette wasn’t present for a lot of the battle at the end of Unravel Me.

I loved this novella! I can’t wait to read Ignite Me very soon!

What to read next:

Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi

Have you read Fracture Me? What did you think of it?

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – March 27

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is Broken Throne (Red Queen #4.5) by Victoria Aveyard. The release date is May 7, 2019.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Return once more to the deadly and dazzling world of Red Queen in Broken Throne, a beautifully designed, must-have companion to the chart-topping series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard.

The perfect addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling Red Queen series, this gorgeously designed package features three brand-new novellas, two previously published novellas, Steel Scars and Queen Song, and never-before-seen maps, flags, bonus scenes, journal entries, and much more exclusive content.

Fans will be delighted to catch up with beloved characters after the drama of War Storm and be excited to hear from brand-new voices as well. This stunning collection is not to be missed!

What books are you waiting on this week?

Top 5 Wednesday – Books I Thought I’d Love But Didn’t

This meme is hosted by Lainey from Thoughts on Tomes. The Goodreads Group for Top 5 Wednesday can be found here.

This week’s prompt is Books You Thought You’d Hate But Ended Up Loving. However, I choose what books I read now since I get to pick so many ARCs. Instead, I’m listing the books I thought I’d love but didn’t. Here’s my list:

1. From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess by Meg Cabot

2. Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

3. Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge by Lisa Jensen

4. Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds

5. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

What books did you think you’d love but didn’t?

Review: Work it, Girl: Run the Show Like CEO Oprah Winfrey

Title: Work it, Girl: Run the Show Like CEO Oprah Winfrey
Author: Caroline Moss, Sinem Erkas (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Nonfiction
Publisher: Lincoln Children’s Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A new series of empowering biographies featuring modern women.

When Oprah Winfrey was a little girl, she watched her grandma hang clothes out on the line. Oprah adored her grandma, but she knew in that moment her life would be different… And she was right. 

Discover how Oprah became a billionaire CEO and media mogul in this true story of her life. Then, learn 10 key lessons from her work you can apply to your own life. Featuring inspiring quotes and mantras, this is a book for all kids wanting to forge their own career path.

Review:

I didn’t know much about Oprah’s life before reading this book. She came from very humble beginnings. She had to live with her grandmother as a child, and they didn’t have much. Her mother didn’t care for her the way she should. She was discriminated against because of her race, including not being able to sleep in the same building as her family because her skin was too dark. Oprah made the most of her opportunities in school to become a very successful business woman.

I loved the art in this book. Each illustration looks like pieces of paper cut out and layered to make a picture. There are some parts where different materials are used, such as ribbon to create Oprah’s hair. One of my favourite pictures had a VCR tape with the tape coming out of the plastic to create an image of Oprah. This was such a creative way to illustrate the book!

This book is for kids, so it has simple language. It talks about the hardships that Oprah had to go through to get to where she is today, so it doesn’t talk down to the young reader. There was a list of further reading at the back, though I don’t think some books should have been included because they are too mature for children reading this book. It had a parental advisory next to the book titles, but I don’t think they should have been included. My copy is an ARC, so this may have been changed in the final copy.

I loved this book. I’ll be reading the other book in this series soon, which is about J.K. Rowling.

What to read next:

Work it, Girl: Boss the Bestseller List Like J.K. Rowling by Caroline Moss and Sinem Erkas (illustrator)

Have you read Work it, Girl: Run the Show Like CEO Oprah Winfrey? What did you think of it?

Top Ten Tuesday – Audiobooks

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is an Audio freebie. I’m going to list some great books I’ve listened to as audiobooks. I don’t listen to audiobooks very often, so this was kind of hard. Here’s my list:

1. Sadie by Courtney Summers

2. The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater)

3. Doctor Who: Pest Control by Peter Anghelides

4. Canada by Mike Myers

5. Doctor Who: The Forever Trap by Dan Abnett

6. Doctor Who: Dead Air by James Goss

7. The Martian by Andy Weir

8. Doctor Who: Night of the Whisper by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright

9. Doctor Who: The Time Machine by Matt Fitton

10. Landline by Rainbow Rowell

(All photos taken from Goodreads)

Review: I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Title: I Believe in a Thing Called Love
Author: Maurene Goo
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 30, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Desi Lee believes anything is possible if you have a plan. That’s how she became student body president. Varsity soccer star. And it’s how she’ll get into Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds guidance in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It’s a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Steps to True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and staged car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.

Review:

This was such a fun story!

I’ve never watched a Korean drama, but this story made me want to watch one. The main character, Desi, is a perfectionist. She decides to get the guy she likes by following the steps that the main characters follow in Korean dramas. It was funny and sometimes dangerous, but always entertaining.

I fell in love with the characters. I found Desi so relatable because she had flaws and made mistakes. The story opens with her coughing phlegm right onto a cute guy, so I knew she would be entertaining. I also loved Luca. He was so sweet with Desi. The characters are important for a romantic comedy, and these ones were great!

I loved this story! I can’t wait to read more of Maurene’s books!

What to read next:

The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Have you read I Believe in a Thing Called Love? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – March 25

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Stay Up with Hugo Best by Erin Somers.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – March 24

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

I did 9 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With…

The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.

This Sunday I’m reading Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A thief. An officer. A guardian. 

Three strangers, one shared destiny . . .


When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. A new life for a wealthy French family and their descendants. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing.

Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…

Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spy on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.

Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a renowned traitor. In training to take command of the military, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when his father dies and leaves behind a cryptic message that only one person can read: a girl named Alouette.

Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.

All three have a role to play in a dangerous game of revolution—and together they will shape the future of a planet.

Power, romance, and destiny collide in this sweeping reimagining of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Les Misérables.

What book are you in bed with today?