Geekerella

                Hello happy readers!  Happy Halloween!  Normally I would do a Top Ten Tuesday but I am drawing a blank for the Halloween freebie and I have a review and giveaway to post and thought what better time than to add a treat on Halloween!  To get into the spirit I spent the weekend doing Halloween items like a haunted corn maze, a haunted trail, and a Saw movie marathon to prepare to see the new Jigsaw movie.  All and all it was a good weekend.  I also spent Friday with family celebrating my moms’ birthday and then stayed up much too late one night finishing up a super cute audiobook, Geekerella by Ashley Poston, which was totally worth the lack of sleep.  I have been excited to dive into this book since I went to the signing for it a few months back and heard how much of a fangirl the author was.  While I was at the signing I also snagged a second copy that I got signed to use as a giveaway!  The details will be at the bottom of the post, but first my thoughts on this book.

Rating:  5 Stars

                Geekerella is a the story of Elle and Darien.  Elle is a huge geek/fangirl for her beloved Starfield which was something her parents loved, to the point of creating a con, ExcelsiCon which holds a coseplay contest for it.  Now the odd man out living with her step mother and her twin girls and treated like the help and working at the vegan pumpkin food truck she is beyond excited for the revamp and interest her favorite show is getting with the new movie coming up.  Only down side…Darien Freeman, teen heart throb and not who a fan wants playing the lead role of Carmindor.  Darien is thrilled for this role as his favorite character on a show he loved.  Before becoming the teen heart throb he lived for conventions and getting to see all the splendor they hold, now he’s on the other side of the table.  But to keep his image he has to keep his geek status hidden, making him feel more like a fake than ever before until a wrong number turns into something more.

                This book is FILLED with fun references and Easter eggs from different fandoms.  I constantly found myself laughing at finding them.  The characters were fresh and fun.  I loved Elle and her story.  Her history with her father.  I felt for everything she has been and goes through.  She is someone you root for and instantly understand.  I wanted her to win at so many things in life and things to go well for her.  I wanted her as our Cinderella to have her dreams come true.  Then you add in Darien who is sweet and likeable being separated from life in a different way with people planning and marketing everything you do.  While I couldn’t relate to it personally, so few can, I felt for him.  I could see how your path in life could isolate you and how being anonymous could be the best release. 

                I also adore the idea of making a friend by accident of a wrong number.  It’s so random and fun.  As many of us make friends over the internet via blogs, forums, etc. it’s easy to see how you could start connecting with someone you’ve never seen before and just get along with them.  That is normal but the pure act of coincidence that you would get a wrong number and connect with them is special. Plus there is something to be said for the joy of having someone like you for only your wit and conversation having no idea what you look like. 

“I suck at being social.  I think one thing and my mouth says something completely different, like I’m possessed.  By a whole lot of stupid.”

                Overall the story has lots of cute moments, great characters, and life lessons all in a modern day retelling.  Yep this is a retelling and I love it.  It has elements but for most of the book I did forget that part.  This book flew by and the audiobook format was fantastic (score Audible daily deals) but the book itself has such pretty end pages full of fangirl stuff.  Among all the fan nods in the book I lost track but they will instantly bring a smile to any fans face when they find them peppered in the story.  I highly recommend this to any reader because you can enjoy it on every level!

                Now for the giveaway.  I had the pleasure of meeting the author at her event at Little Shop of Stories some months back.  I knew I would love this book after seeing the cover, title, and summary.  But hearing her talk about it I had to snag an extra copy to do a giveaway with because I wanted to spread the fangirl love!  So you can enter in the widget thingy below.  Open to anyone.  I will leave this open until November 14th/15th @12:00AM EST  Enjoy and fangirl on!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reading Challenge Wrap-Up: October

                Hello happy readers!  Here is where I stand for my monthly challenge update and wrap-up.  Here is my standing but please don't forget to share your progress as well! 

Goodreads Challenge:

Goal: 125

At: 59

2017 Debut Authors (#2017DebAuthC):

Goal: 12

At: 7

What I've Read:

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

2017 Rock My TBR (#RockMyTBR):

Goal: As many as possible!

At: 23

What I've Read:

Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard (review)

2017 Series Ender Challenge:

Goal: 15+

At: 7

What I’ve Read:

:(

2017 New Releases Challenge:

Goal: 31-60

At: 32 (YAY!!!!)

What I've Read:

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2) by P.C. Cast (review)

2017 Audiobook Challenge: (my best one)

Goal: 5-10

At: 26

What I've Listened:

Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard

Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2) by P.C. Cast

                I am thinking I won’t finish some of these this year it’s just been a slower reading year for me but I am keeping positive and going to try and finish strong at least!  Wish me luck!  I'd love to hear how you're doing so link back to your wrap up!

~Waiting on Wednesday~ Heart of Iron

                “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:

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston 2/27

Out:  2/27

From Goodreads:

                Seventeen-year-old Ana is a scoundrel by nurture and an outlaw by nature.  Found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android call D09, Ana was saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family.  But D09—one of the last remaining illegal Metals—has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him.

                Ana’s desperate effort to save D09 leads her on a quest to steal the coordinates to a lost ship that could offer all the answers.  But at the last moment, a spoiled Ironblood boy beats Ana to her prize.  He has his own reasons for taking the coordinates, and he doesn’t care what he’ll sacrifice to keep them.

                When everything goes wrong, she and the Ironblood end up as fugitives on the run.  Now their entire kingdom is after them—and the coordinates—and not everyone wants them captured alive.

                What they find in the lost corner of the universe will change all their lives—and unearth dangerous secrets.  But when a darkness from Ana’s past returns, she must face an impossible choice:  does she protect a kingdom that wants her dead or save the Metal boy she loves?

Why I’m Waiting:

                I am getting some Firefly vibes and that is enough for me.  Really though space pirates had me sold to give it a go but add in trying to save your android, thievery, and romance…I’m game. 

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.

Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2)

                 Hello happy readers!  I hope you all had a great weekend.  I am way behind on some of my regular shows but I did get something new that I hope will work as intended and allow me to see more movies and let me start including new movie reviews in here as well.  More on that once I've tried it out.  Mostly this weekend I spent more time listening to my current audiobook to finish it, because it was hard to stop, than I did sleeping .  Today I'm going to discuss my thoughts and feels on the new release Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2) by P.C. Cast which is the amazing sequel to Moon Chosen which I reviewed here.  I did receive an advanced digital ARC from NetGalley (thank you) but as I listened to book one and enjoyed the experience I waited to listen until I could get the audiobook on release day.  So this book picks up exactly where the first one left off so spoilers for book one ahead. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                Things pick up right where we left off.  Mari and Nik and their canines are fleeing in a boat from the angry Thaddeus and his followers who murdered Nik's father and blame Mari for that and the raging fire that fell down upon the tribe and is currently burning its way through the forest.  They freed the slaved Earth Walker women and now much fight to save more people.  The time for hiding is over, Mari is a moon woman, half companion, and fully herself.  She will do whatever she can to help her clan but she will not hide who and what she is anymore and wants to make something new and better.  Nik is right there with her in creating something new and while it won't be easy and they have many difficulties to face along the way as long as they believe in one another there is always hope. 

                First and foremost I loved the characters.  Each one was different and unique and I really enjoyed the different voices they had to offer the story.  We saw things from many different sides, creating a larger whole.  The Earth Walkers, the Tribe of the Trees, and the Skin Stealers.  Each group only has a small bit of knowledge of the other never fully understanding or knowing them.  They each have made assumptions on them with that limited knowledge and never bothered to learn more.  It's hard to change ingrained ways.  Its even harder to admit your ways were wrong.  I love how related everything is.  How coming together, like Mari and Nik, and sharing different experiences and information how similar they are.

                We get to spend time with way more companions as well which I adored because come on dogs and an amazing lynx what could go wrong there?  I admit freely to growling while listening at times when something happened and it was felt by one of the animals, maybe it's the audiobook or maybe I'm strange but yep I growled.  I'm going to go with being really into the story.  Bast may be my favorite new addition.  Getting to know the lynx was fun as her personality is very different than the pups we are used to but so is her dynamic with her companion.  I can't say enough how much I enjoyed getting to see the different types of people in this world as it continues to grow.  I'm especially excited to meet the next group that should be in the next book! 

                The story and plot both keep things moving along as there is always something happening.  I was invested in the characters both good and bad and seeing what would happen and how things would meet up or relate as it continued on.  I my feelings for some shifted through the book on both sides, characters I didn't care for I started to enjoy and root for while some I did like started to lose their affection.  I love how everything is fluid as with nature and personalities when confronted with new experiences.  It's not a constant action packed extravaganza but that isn't the type of story it needed to be.  There is a lot happening behind the scenes, plotting, planning, and emotional conflict, discoveries, and more to keep the story moving along as it grows.  Plus as with everything I have read by Cast I love her humor.  She finds a way to infuse some hilarious moments throughout.  I would randomly find myself bursting out with a fit of laughter at some parts and then having to go back because I couldn't hear the next part I was too loud.   

                "Hey, I'm muddling an enormous amount of poppy tea to drug a bunch of people.  Partially to alleviate their pain and partially to shut them up."

                I really enjoyed this book.  I even enjoyed it more than the first one as I was familiar with the world and I fell right back in.  My only problem with having finished it within a week is that I don't know when the next book will come out and I am beyond excited to learn more.  As with the first book we left off right at the end of a pretty HUGE thing that had us eager to find out what would happen next.  We again leave with so much anticipation for more it's almost painful to have to sit and wait for the next installment, but wait I shall because I am hooked!  As a  side note as much as I loved the audiobook I also enjoyed following along with the end of chapter sketches in the physical/digital book too!

                Until next time…

~Stacking the Shelves~

                Welcome to Stacking the Shelves was created by Tynga and the full details can be found on her page.  Basically you showcase the books you bought or received each week.  Little, or not so little, weekly book hauls.

Audiobooks:

Sun Warrior (Tales of a New World #2) by P.C. Cast

                That's if for this week.  Share a link below with what goodies you got this week. 

Glass Sword (Red Queen #2)

                Hello happy readers.  I hope all has been going well on your end.  The weather has taken a turn, finally, to not sweating just stepping foot outside and was actually cool for a couple of days. I'm excited though the 90 to 60 sudden drop wrecked havoc on my sinuses.  I also tried a new recipe, Caramel Apple Bread which seems to be a hit!  I have been able to finish a book from my TBR I’ve had for some time, Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard.  I reviewed book one back in March of 2015 here so it had been a while but when I started the audiobook of the sequel it all came back as I listened.  It picks up where Red Queen left off so spoilers.

Rating: 5 Stars

                So it has been some time since I read Red Queen.  I dove right in.  Mare and Cal are on the run with the Red Guard but being a silver, Cal is not treated with the best care.  Mare is a red with silver abilities, the lightning girl.  She thought she was an anomaly but finds there are others like her, new bloods.  The king is dead at Cal’s hand.  His hand forced by the Queen, using her ability against him to dispute him and put her traitors son Maven on the throne.  He is not the man either of them thought him to be, just a puppet playing the part that would make them both care for him.  Now Mare must fight but the cost is high and all of the treachery and betrayal have taken their toll and changed her.

               

                The action and intrigue of this series picks up at the first page and doesn't let you down.  There is so much happening from escaping without dying and oh yeah convincing the people you're with Cal isn't just an evil silver but an ally.  I loved throughout the book there is always more than one thing happening.  The constant struggle between the reds and silvers and now new bloods, never knowing where one stands as we are constantly reminded that anyone can betray you at any time.  Oh and the political issues of being on the run as Maven takes over as king.  It's one hit after another and we just keep rolling with the momentum never slowing down.

                The pacing of the book keeps it moving along for sure.  Still there is lots of character development with all out characters.  There is no clear right and wrong anymore everything seems to be shades of grey.  Mare, everyone really but her especially, has to deal with so much.  Blaming herself.  Wanting to save people like her, save everyone and fix the world into something better.  She wasn't trained to be a leader, she never wanted to be one but despite everything people keep looking to her to lead.  Watching her struggle with all of her issues throughout the book was grounding.  There was one part in which case I was so glad I was parked when it happened because I just stared at my car display in shock.  You go through the emotional ringer with these characters that's for sure.

"If I am a sword, I am a sword made of glass, and I feel myself beginning to shatter."

                One of my favorite parts was getting to meet all the new characters.  Some good and some bad.  I especially enjoyed our new bloods and learning all their new powers as some were so much fun to imagine.  I enjoyed the difficult position each one was in and how real everything felt.  Not everyone is saved all the time.  This is a war and they are rebels and that means they are the underdog.  Farley was by far a favorite for me, the accent the narrator did for her was spot on as well, I loved how she could be surrounded by people with special abilities and be severely out matched but still hold her own with her tricks and skills.

                There is some small pieces between Mare and Cal but given everything that has happened it is very small and sedate.  They both are struggling with Maven.  Yes he is a monster.  He has done and continues to do horrible things to people.  Still that is not the Maven they knew and loved and even knowing that their Maven was "real" is still a hard thing to reconcile with the monster that is out to get you.  I love that they both are struggling with that and their places in this new war.  They both have beliefs and hard wired instincts they have to work on with everything flipped around.  I thought the reactions to it all was rather true to the characters and I enjoyed it. 

                Overall I really enjoyed this story and am glad I don't have to wait long to start the next book and then even less time for the final book to come out.  As much as I want to dive right in given that ending…and yes that ending hurt me…I also want to be fresh for the final book to come out.  And I have a few other books I have to get to this month!  I am caught up in this story and even waiting close to 2 years between reading without any catch up I fell right back into things with no problem because the author wrote such a unique and interesting world it was transfixed in my head! 

                Until next time…

~Waiting on Wednesday~ The Belles (The Belles #1)

                “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:

The Belles (The Belles #1) by Dhonielle Clayton

Out:  2/20

From Goodreads:

                Camellia Beauregard is a Belle.  In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else.  In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful. 

                But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle.  She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orleans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land.  But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be.  Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined.  And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces and impossible decision.

                With the future of Orleans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

Why I’m Waiting:

                This sounds like an interesting concept.  Being born gray and damned with some having special power and beauty being a power…huh.  I’ve seen many tales where beauty is used like a weapon or distraction but this is new.  Color me curious.

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your WoW as well so I can check it out.