~Top Ten Tuesday~ Top Ten Fall TBR

Hello everyone!  Top Ten Tuesday is just how it sounds, a topic is picked and we put our Top Ten for that in a post and share and check out everyone’s answers.  Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

The top today is:  Top Ten Books on my FALL TBR!

Soundless by Richelle Mead – Need I say more?  It's a standalone fantasy by Richelle Mead.  She's an auto-buy author and it sounds amazing!

Through the Dark by Alexandra Bracken – This is a bind-up of novellas physical form for the Darkest Minds series.  I'm currently reading book two, seriously it's taking a while but not because of the story just having too many books being read at once kind of thing.  So the idea of having the Novellas in print form to read as I finish the trilogy is exciting.  

Winter by Melissa Meyer – The final book in The Lunar Chronicles.  I'm dying to know what happens to our gang, seriously there is some people I'm really worried about. 

Ice Like Fire by Sarah Raasch– Okay this might sound strange since I haven't even read book one yet but I've heard such amazing things about it and it has just taken some time to work my way to it and as the release for book two gets closer I think it's the perfect time to read so I won't have to wait for the sequel!  There is a method to my madness.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell – Auto-buy author.  Plus I wanted to read the Carry On fanfic that Cath talked about and we saw pieces of through Fangirl and now it gets it's own book.  How cool is that?

Alpha Unleashed by Aileen Erin – Ink Monster love.  This is the conclusion of the original story arch for our characters we fell in love with from book one.  This battle has been brewing for three books and it's time for the final show down.  Never know who's going to make it and who's not.  No one is safe.  This book comes out today though!  I also had the chance to review it early and sneak peak I LOVED it!  I'll be posting my review, a special character bio and interview with Aileen Erin herself so check back tomorrow for it.

Temporary High by Colette Ballard – I just adored Running on Empty and am super excited to see what is going to happen in Kat's story post their adventure.  

  

Portia by Christina Bauer – I love this series.  Really I love all of the Ink Monster series so far, I can say it again and again but they are so much fun.  This continues the Angelbound series but with the last couple novels they expand the story from the original main kick ass heroine and this is her daughter so how cool is that?  This releases October 20th and on October 23rd I'll be hosting some fun stuff for the blog tour so check it out. 

The Rose Society by Marie Lu – Come on.  With how The Young Elites left off yes I NEED this book in my life!  I need to know what happens next.  

Quanta by Lola Doge – See above for love of Ink Monster books!  This is the second book in a new series that book one just blew me away.  This book will focus on a different character that all will weave together with the first book and the overall series.  Now this is the first book I'll have read by Lola Dodge but I'm excited to dig in and see how she does.  I'm having a blast participating in blog tours with Ink Monster and getting to put in some fun stuff with the review you were sure to get anyway.  I'll be doing that release week (October 6th) on October 9th.

  

The Scorch Trials the movie and adaptation

                Back to the work week we go.  I hope everyone had a great weekend full of good times.  Maybe some of you went to the movies this weekend, after all there was a book to movie adaptation coming out.  Yep the sequel to The Maze Runner, which is The Scorch Trials.  If you're interested in my thoughts on The Maze Runner movie you can check out that review here.  There will be spoilers from here on out for both the movie and the book.  I'll be rating it twice.  On the movie on it's own (well sequel but whatever) and then on its book adaptability.  So without further ado…

               

Movie Rating: 5 Stars

Book Adaptation Rating: 2 Stars

                I should probably start this off by saying that I did not get the chance to re-read The Scorch Trials book before the movie.  I wanted to have a refresher but there are just so many amazing books that I'm working on reading right now I didn't end up re-reading one I'd already enjoyed.  Keep in mind this is the book that I went on a mini adventure with a friend to locate the day it came out and I will always remember it for that.  So while I don't remember a lot of specific details of the book I remember the general points.  Hence the low rating for the adaptation part, so much major stuff was changed even I who read this book five years ago noticed.  So on that front it was slightly disappointing after The Maze Runner did a pretty solid job of sticking to the main points of the book.  I was expecting something a bit different.

                That being said I also really enjoyed the movie.  I find that as I had an addiction to movies before I rediscovered my love for reading again I am able most of the time to separate the book and the movie and be okay.  Now sometimes I'm just mad because I LOVED the book and wanted to see it made into the perfect adaptation and that doesn't happen.  Most of the time even if they change a lot of things I can still look at it and enjoy it as a movie rather than a book adaptation.  With The Scorch Trials I'm somewhat happy to see them changing so many things in the hopes that they will change the final book and some things I didn't care as much for (it involves a certain characters end).

                Differences.  I did find myself constantly waiting for certain things to happen.  Again I remember bigger parts and not little things so I couldn't be sure if everything happening was the same, lots felt different but the direction I was following.  The biggest thing that did bother me about the adaptation part, and maybe even the movie as I'm thinking about it now is the end of the Maze Runner and title.  In the book The Scorch Trials were trials and WICKED followed their progress through the Scorch and it was deadly and dangerous and such but it was much like the maze in that they were monitoring them, all part of the plan.  That's even how the movie leads you to believe, "initiate the scorch trials," she says at the end of The Maze Runner.  Still the movie goes off in that they escape and are on the run.  I liked the idea and the visuals and such don't get me wrong but it was no longer a trial which given the title is misleading. 

                A few other things I wish would have been included in the movie was a better explanation for the worlds current state, a rehash from the end of movie one with the sun flares, but more a how any people survived and a better description of the Cranks.  We see them and are chased by them but they aren't explained properly.  They were more like fast moving zombies. I remembered Cranks from the books but I know some who didn't read the books were a bit confused where the zombies came from.   

                The movie while following a different path than the book featured lots of action and dystopian like atmosphere.  There is still lots of running and struggling to survive.  We get to see our favorite characters and how they react to different situations.  Remember none of them remember life before waking up in the maze so everything else is new to them.  To spend all your time trying to escape to something better and to find the scorch waiting for you.  Talk about a shock to your system.  I just love Newt and Minho!  We also get to meet Brenda and Jorge who were not what I described and I admit after seeing Jorge I couldn't stop thinking of Revolution.  I also loved my Firefly flash back seeing Wash and Game of Thrones with Littlefinger (whom I don't normally like his characters I do love is accent)! Anywho lots of deception and betrayal and evil companies who swear they are doing everything for the good of everyone but do we believe them?  The whole sacrifice a few to save many mentality has always been interesting to me in its variations.  

On the scorch...

                 Overall though again I really enjoyed the movie as a whole individually.  I just sat back and enjoyed the ride.  Still as an adaptation it was rather low on my scale.  I honestly think people who enjoyed the first movie but didn't read the series may enjoy it more than die hard fans of the books.  If you read the book and liked it, I would still say give it a shot but keep an open mind and don't expect things to stay the same.  Bright side is having read the book doesn't mean you know what will happen next.  That's all I have to share at the moment.  Remember comments feed the bloggers soul so tell me what you think below.  Have you seen the movie yet?  Read the series?  What did you think of the changes? 

               

                Until next time.

A Bookish Tag: The TBR Tag

I was tagged by Lucy at Things Lucy Reads a little while back but I was excited to do this!  

How do you keep track of your TBR pile?  

My TBR is mostly in my head or just looking at my shelves seeing the books I have yet to read.  I also have a physical list of some that I want to read in the near future that I keep track of with any ARC e-books for review. 

Is your TBR mostly print or e-book?

Both.  I have tons of books in both formats.

How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?

I just go based off what I'm most interested in at that moment.  A new release I've been craving or just a series I'd been wanting to read and have time to marathon.  I do try to prioritize any ARC's I get though.

A book that's been on your TBR list the longest?

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink I got it when I was buying a bunch of books when I first got back into reading but I bought so many I never picked it up.

A book on your TBR strickly because of the beautiful cover?

The B&N special editions of Jane Austen bind-up The Vampire  Chronicles  or  the Iliad/Odyssey. 

A book you recently added to your TBR?

Asleep by Krystal Wade.   

A book on your TBR that you never plan on reading?

 My TBR list I plan to read all of them but as for my shelves TBR I have to say finishing the Fallen series by Thomas E. Sniegoski.  I read the first two I believe and then started the third but I never got into it and I didn't LOVE the first two.  I maybe also only read them because I wanted to watch the straight to DVD movie with Paul Wesley back when I was first getting addicted to The Vampire Diaries show.

A book on your TBR that everyone has read but you?

The Selection series or Mara Dyer

A book on your TBR that you're dying to read?

Winter by Marissa Myer

An unpublished book on your TBR that you're excited for?

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir I originally heard somewhere An Ember in the Ashes was a stand-alone they were making into a series so I thought, complete story but more to come.  NOPE.  Cliffhanger!

A book on your TBR that everyone recommends to you?

Snow Like Ashes and Daughter of Smoke and Bone

How many books are on your Goodreads TBR shelf?

At the present only 55 but I recently went through and only put the ones on my written TBR, ones I am seriously considering as contenders for the rest of 2015 and and the unreleased.

Finally, I tag:

Bogdana at Bogdana The Booknerd

Lisa at Shatter Books

Christina at Books Are Life

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo ~Thoughts and feels on the sequel

                Hey everyone!  Welcome back.  I hope you all are not struggling today as much as I am.  A week off from work is glorious but returning not so much. Thankfully it's a short week I come back to.  Today I'm going to talk about book two in the Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, Siege and Storm.  I reviewed book one Shadow and Bone here a few weeks back and with Six of Crows coming out this month I wanted to finish up my reviews for this trilogy that I enjoyed so much.  This being a sequel there will be some spoilers from the first book as this takes place in the aftermath.

Rating: 5 Flying Ships

                The world has changed for Alina and Mal.  They went from orphan friends to military personal.  From there Alina became a Grisha, the most powerful and only of her kind with the solid power of tearing about the nasty fold.  That is until all the lies and half truths show Alina she may have trusted the wrong people.  Now escaped from the Darkling and leaving him and his ship full of Grisha ready to use her for dead they are on the run.  Hunted across the True Sea.  They try to make a new life in a new place but they can't outrun their destiny.  The Darkling didn't die in the fold as they had hopped but instead emerged with a new power.  Alina and Mal return to their abandoned home of Ravka and gather forces to try and fight for their home.  Things are as they seem as Alina continues to build her power and slips further from Mal.  She is forced to choose between her country, her power, and her love or risk it all.

                I read the trilogy back to back and I had some expectations for this one.  Based on the last story I had an idea on how things would be paced and what would happen and boy was I wrong.  This one started out with a bang and was just flying right along.  When they realize they can no longer run from their problems Alina and Mal decide to search for the other amplifiers of legend.  They get right on that second one much faster than expected. 

                But along the journey we meet some amazing new characters that I just adored.  The most prominent being Nikolai.  He was just hilarious.  He reminded me a bit of Captain Jack Sparrow with his witty lines and comments.  He was just adorable.  I liked him as a character so much but as a possible love interest he never really worked for me personally.  Though I did love every page he was on because his character almost always made me laugh.  We also meet Tamar and other who really added to the eclectic cast of characters including returning characters including Genya and Zoya.  Now I was never a fan of Zoya, she was an evil bitch from word one.  But Genya, I just loved her for the majority of book one then I felt horribly betrayed and in Siege and Storm my conflicted feelings for her swayed back and forth but in the end I love her. 

                There is a lot of drama and things happening in this one.  I will say one small thing was that the pacing seemed a bit back and forth, super fast and full of action then followed up with longer more character driven scenes, which I was okay with but it went back and forth at times.  There was some unnecessary drama between some of the characters, but then again when do characters ever actually talk about their issues head on?  No they never do and it causes issues that turn into so much more.  But I was okay with this and I could see it from different sides and while I was shouting "GO TALK IT OUT!" at the book while reading I was also able to reason away the behavior.  There is a war after all, personal drama seems like it should be put aside for that. 

                Overall I really liked the story and loved learning more about the world.  This world of the Grisha is so beautifully built up and the ending was just 'on point.'  I loved the part there in the end.  It made me put it on my shelf and immediately pick up the next and final book.  I had to know more and that to me is a successful sequel.  What did you think of the sequel?  Who was your favorite character to read about?  Mine was Nikolai, he just stole all his scenes.  Even when I wanted to smack him.  Comments are love.  Until next time.

~Waiting on Wednesday~ Temporary High by Colette Ballard

                “Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

Temporary High by Colette Ballard

Out: ?

From Goodreads:

The side of his mouth quirked up as he studied me.  "I think I might be fallin' in love."

I picked up his keys off the bedside table and tossed them to him.  "That makes one of us."

He clutched at his heart in mock pain.  Then his perfect red lips formed the word, "Liar."

Seventeen year-old Kat Chandler has been called worse, but she orked hard to make amends for past mistakes and gain control of her life.  So she isn't about to be thrown off her game by some Harley-driving bad boy who's just moved to town.  Luca is mysterious.  Aloof.  Frustrating.  Kat can't stand him; she can't seem to stay away from him either.

But she's forced to reassess the company she keeps when she finds herself being blackmailed by her mom's con artist ex-boyfriend.  Fresh out of prison, Cross has reappeared to collect a debt—Kat's debt.  His demand?  Three grand in three weeks or else his stay won't be temporary.  He even offers a suggestion on how to get the cash—and it involves Luca.

Desperate to keep Cross out of her life and the people she cares about safe, Kat devises a plan that will cost her more than just money.  She will have to give up control, her hard-won integrity, and possibly the only guy she's ever fallen for.

My thoughts:

                This is a sequel/companion on Running on Empty.  I read Running on Empty when it first came out, as an ARC so before hand.  I just loved the story and the friendships inside the pages.  I have been eagerly waiting for this book since I found out about it.  Even more so since I had the fun to hang out and jabber with the amazing author herself at YALLfest.  Sadly, Temporary High was supposed to be released in August but got pushed back and there isn't a 100% solid day just yet but I am ready and waiting when it does.  I want to see Kat's story as she was such a great character in Running on Empty.  My review is here and I also interviewed Colette which you can find here.

               

                That’s one I’m waiting on.  What are you waiting on?  Share in the comments below!

~Top Ten Tuesday~ Auto-buy Authors!

               Hello everyone!  It’s Top Ten Tuesday time.  If you don’t know Top Ten Tuesday is just how it sounds, a topic is picked and we put our Top Ten for that in a post and share and check out everyone’s answers.  Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke andthe Bookish.

The top today is a Freebie:  Top Ten Auto-buy Authors!

Richelle Mead - So many amazing series and one of the few on this list I haven't yet had the pleasure to me (hoping to change it at YALLfest this year!) I just love the different worlds she creates and brings to life.

P.C. Cast - I got into the HoN series when I got back into reading again and just couldn't stop the humor she weaves through her story where I just suddenly snort with laughter or have to put it down because wow that was just wow I need a tissue I'm cry laughing. I also adore the way she mixes the different gods and goddesses in her series.

Maggie Stiefvater - Can we just say cover love.  I fell in love with Shiver by the cover and then knew with the way she writes that I would read anything she put out.  She is also a fascinating person who wears so many different hats but is still totally down to earth and hilarious.  

Jennifer L. Armentrout (J Lynn) - I fell in love with the Lux series and just knew I had to read more by her.  I own several of her books, though I am still making my way through them because, seriously, this woman can put out some books.  Between two names I'm constantly buying a new book of hers and trying to catch up.  But they are all so different and fun I like the game!  

Sarah J. Maas - Do I really need to explain.  I jumped on the Throne of Glass bandwagon last year and OMG is all I can say.  It's amazing and then she came out with another series and it also blew me away so whatever she does I'll read. 

Cassandra Clare - The Shadowhunter world is amazing.  I'm so glad when she started this that she knew she had many different series to tell in the same world.  Each one is fun and I just love how some of the characters overlap.   

Ink Monster - Technically it's a publisher but the authors work together and have several series that are just amazing so anything they put out I buy!  Christina Bauer & Aileen Erin They are amazing.  I am so glad I found them on NetGalley because this series I have re-read a few times.  Just the best.  

Rainbow Rowell - I own all of her books, though I've only read two thus far but they were amazing and I've heard just as many good things about the others and I'm dying to see for myself.  

Marie Lu - I marathoned the Legend series after it took me a while to start them and I just loved the whole set up and world.  They were also rather short and quick reads.  Then when she had a new series coming out I knew I had to try it as well.  Now The Rose Society is one of my most anticipated books!

Krystal Wade - I discovered her on NetGalley with her first series and I was just in love.  Cover love.  Story love.  OMG the Wilde's Fire series is just...amazing!  She's also an amazing person as well and I finally got to meet her in person at UtopYA this year, kind of the reason I found out and went lol.  She also has other books along with a creepy take on a fairy-tale retelling and another in the works!

Firewalker by Josephine Angelini

                Hello readers!  I hope you had a great weekend.  I completed my first rosette cake, a smash cake for one of the two 1st birthday parties I went to on Saturday, my birthday, so it was full of sweets and birthday cheer!  I think the cake turned out very good!  I'll post pictures below.  What I really wanted to discuss today is a newer release, Firewalker by Josephine Angelini.  This is the sequel to Trial by Fire which I reviewed here.  I was beyond excited to get this book as I had been waiting a long time for it.  This being a sequel there will be some spoilers for the first book as this picks up at the exact moment Trial by Fire left us hanging. 

Rating: 5 Willstones

                Worlds divided, magic slays, and love lies.

                That's the tagline.  Lily is back in her own world, and she's ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side.  After healing from her near death Pyre incident. She now must hide her magic for obvious reasons.  Still things seem much easier than the near constant threat of death she faced in the other Salem with the monstrous Woven and her evil other self.  Still other her, Lillian, the ruthless ruler of the other word is not willing to let her and Rowan go.  She decides if she can't reason her into coming home she will force her hand in any way necessary.

                Firewalker was my other must have release of September 1st and I got right to it.  First I have to mention the cover change.  Now I loved the original cover for book one but the new ones are even prettier.  It's even pretty naked.  Now I'm not a huge fan of my covers not matching but still it's pretty.  Also there is a novella between the two books, it's not necessary it's just from Rowan's perspective as he finds Lily and believes she is Lillian and how he comes to realize that isn't the case.  As I mentioned Trial by Fire may have left us with a cliff hanger, Lily and Rowan about to jump worlds after he said he was sticking with her always.  Super sweet.  Well they jumped.  Downside is that Lily is in seriously bad shape after staying on pyre so long for her first time first fueling her army and then for the world jump.  She needs her mechanics attention.  Turns out coming home also has some troubles besides healing up.  Apparently when you go missing for weeks on end the authorities get involved. 

                Rowan is put into a work he is completely unfamiliar with and tasked with saving his witch with the help of her mother who's head isn't always in this world and her sister in this world, a nurse, who isn't sure what she believes. Tristan of her world is there as well, he has been worried for her since she disappeared.  Her Tristan is like Rowans best friend, he has the power to be a strong mechanic inside of him but in a world without magic he was never awoken but with a witch in this world, and a powerful one, there will be those now drawn to her power if not knowingly. 

                Lily quickly makes a new group of friends and at Rowans insistence her own coven.  There is a lot going on and we see it from different perspectives which was interesting.  There were also lots of flashbacks/memories that Lillian shared with Lily trying to make her see her side of things and convince her to return.  I liked seeing the reversal of roles, Rowan in an unfamiliar setting.  People questioning him.  Though it was like a walk in the park learning to navigate the new world with the internet and such vs constantly being on the move and attacked from all different sides from the cities and the Woven.

                That's all I can really say without giving any spoilers.  Now I want to talk about the characters some more but I have some serious things to say and some will be spoilers.  You've been warned so read on at your own discretion. 

                Lily.  She has grown so much since the first book.  She has come into her power and while it does call to her she is able to resist it and is scared of the feelings it gives her, making her want to lose control.  I agree with Rowan here, her being careful and fearful of losing control makes me think she will never be like Lillian in the sense that she respects the power she was given more.  Still seeing her in her own world, where she left broken hearted and weak and coming back strong in many ways and with the love of her life there with her was great.  She had a huge crush on Tristan and had thought something was finally happening between them when she caught him with another girl and then proceeded to have an episode and went straight to another world.  Seeing her face him again, I was proud of the way she handled herself.  Even as things turned bad and she could have easily sought out solace in him, in that way, she didn't and I really liked that.

New Cover for book 1

                On the flip side, her other world self Lillian changed some too.  Not so much the character changed but our understanding of her changed.  She has always said she has a reason for the evil she has done and she will be the villain to let him stay the hero, that she really loved Rowan and that what she did to him was out of love.  I always thought she had knocked her head or got a bit to high on witch magic with that line of thought.  Every good villain always thinks they are doing what is best.  Still seeing her memories and how her good intentions were turned against her and would create something none of her world would survive I understood.  I still don't agree with her methods and don't think I could ever forgive her some acts, but I understand what was driving her.  That was a unique perspective to have.  Understanding of the villain of the story. 

                Then we have Rowan.  I was cold to him at the start of the first book because he was kind of an ass.  As the story wore on I understood him and his reasoning and conflict but grew to love him.  I was just so happy for him and Lily.  Still I knew something was off from the start.  Knowing everything he had been through I even suspected things.  Still these two suffer from a huge obstacle.  Lies and half-truths.  I think so much of this could have been cleared up with honesty, it would have sucked and it would have hurt but I think it would have been understood and then everyone would have been on the same page.  I also think if Lillian had just been honest she could have saved so much trouble.  While I understand the desire to protect the one you love from that information, I think in the end it would have been easier for him to take. I thought Rowan was a strong character and I think both Lillian and Lily sold him short on what he could handle.  Lily in particular who is always upset about him trying to decide what she can and cannot handle. Though my views on Rowan change by books end.

                The journey of this book, trying to understand the past and find a solution for the future of this world is epic.  Facing the different woven, trying to understand them and feeling their may me more to them.  Firewalker let me more heartbroken and in a state of emotional duress than the first book and all I want is to know what happens next and hope that some things can be fixed, though I'm not sure they have not passed the point of no return.

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                *****Spoilers***** Really need to discuss so only read this next paragraph if you've finished Firewalker*****

                 I went from loving Rowan to having an issue with him and not liking him one bit.  First he is going to leave her, which is a dick move by the way after you swore your place is by her side and you came with her to begin with.  I understood his need to go back but to wish to be apart and keeping it from her was not cool.  Also he's all about wanting to know everything and not be pushed out but he does a lot of secret keeping and pushing her out of things which makes him a hypocrite and I'm never fond of those.  Then back in the other world together all happy and even finally have their alone uninterrupted sexy fun times and it all seems good, minus her small secret but that seems simple now.  Nope then he does the unforgivable.  He sides against her.  He does it by taking her willstones.  That's it for me for him.  I don't care his reasoning behind it and I don’t know if anything could ever make up for it to redeem his character to me.  He made her show him what those creeps did to her and her willstones when they tortured her.  He knew what they did and he vowed to never let that happen to her again.  Then he DID that very thing to her himself.  What they did to her in that place was evil and unforgivable but I feel what he did, knowing that and what it did to her, makes him a bigger monster.  He was too chicken to do that to the evil Lillian whom did horrible things but he was able to do it to the sweet Lily who just wanted to make things better and only wanted to help people, who always tried to respect the power she had been given.  The one whom he said he had always loved, she's the one he was able to torture like that.  I'm curious how he plays into the next book but honestly I'd be okay if he was brutally murdered at this point. 

*****Spoiler rant over*****

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               That's all I have to share about Firewalker.  I did enjoy the book, though it left me an emotional wreck and in desperate need of the next book.  I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys fantasy, magic, witches, parallel universes, rebellions, constantly evolving characters and all that good stuff.  Just be prepared to be in shock and awe.  Tell me what you think in the comments below.  Have you read Firewalker yet?  Tell me what you think about my rant, though please state spoiler in the comment to be safe.  I'm dying to discuss this book with someone!  Until next time.