Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Waiting on Wednesday 1/29/14

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. So here is my choice, 






Amity by Micol Ostow
Publisher: Egmont USA
Publish Date: August 24, 2014

Not much to the summary yet, just simply:  


Two teens narrate the terrifying days and nights they spend living in a house of horrors

 And somehow between that and the cover, that's enough for me.

What do you think of this, have you heard any buzz?  Is it your speed and what are you waiting on?




Saturday, January 25, 2014

Inside and Out Book Tag

 (I stole the image from Christian Bookshelf Reviews)

As I was going through and organizing and reading my blogs this morning (I'm moving my blog subs to my new email address and new twitter, just for reading/blogging) I came across this tag and it looked like a lot of fun.  I found it first on Christian Bookshelf Reviews who links back to Book, Biscuits and Tea, and Vicky has this to say about it:

Hello everyone! I found an interesting-looking book tag on Sabrina’s blog this morning and since a lot of you seemed to enjoy my previous book tag attempts and I think it’s a great way to get to know each other and our reading habits, I thought I’d join the fun. Let me know what you think and feel free to join in! The tag was originally created by MathomBooks on YouTube

So feel free to participate, link up in my comments, I would love to see what you have to say!

I ~ Inside flap/Back of the book summaries: Too much info? Or not enough (Discuss)

It all depends. I now do a cursory reading. I like to read the book and have things surprise me.  But I have to know whether the book will interest me or not.  And then sometimes the back cover doesn't represent what's in the book in the least!  So I'm in a less is better and be accurate camp on this one.

N ~ New book: What form do you want it in? Be honest: Audiobook, E-Book, Paperback, or Hardcover?

E-book for me.  I'm running out of physical room for books, but always have room on my Kindle for a new book or three.  However I do still get excited when I get an ARC or finished copy in the mail for review.  Something about holding a book still makes me happy.

S ~ Scribble while you read? Do you like to write in your books, taking notes, making comments, or do you keep your books clean clean clean? (Tell us why)
 
No writing in a book for me unless it's on my Kindle making notes.  I'm one of those anal people about keeping my books pristine.  I've watched my husband break the spine on a paperback to make it easier to hold and I cringe so there is no way I can defile a book with writing.  The idea even wore off quickly in college.  First semester it was highlight and note like crazy then I quit doing that even in textbooks I planned on keeping.

I ~ In your best voice, read for us your favorite 1st sentence from a book.

I'm not sure about my favorite first sentence, but you'll get my favorite book's first sentence (hear this in James Earl Jones' wonderfully amazing voice.  I'm a girl and sound nothing like him, but I love hearing his voice)



The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years- if it ever did end- began, so far as I know or can tell, with a boat made of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain.


D ~ Does it matter to you whether the author is male or female when you're deciding on a book? What if you're unsure of the author's gender?

Does not matter in the least.  Gender is not something I think about if the book appeals to me.

E ~ Ever read ahead? or have you ever read the last page way before you got there?

No, I just don't do that.


&


O ~ Organized bookshelves, or Outrageous bookshelves?

Not organized at all.  I have a bookshelf that is semi-organized then I have piles of books here and there.  It's awful and wonderful.  I almost think I could organize my Kindle Fire if I was able, but I'm probably fooling myself there as well.

U ~ Under oath: have you ever bought a book based on the cover (alone)?

Of course.  I can't name a specific example, but I know I have been browsing books before and bought on the cover alone.

TTake it outside to read, or stay in?

Spring, Summer, Fall and Normal Winter here in coastal NC I would say take it outside and I do as often as possible. In spring-fall my husband puts my hammock on the front porch, but I also have comfy Adirondack chairs in the back yard, will carry my book with me on boat days and have a porch swing.  However with this winter you will find me happily cozied up under my electric throw in my chair in the living room or under piles of cover in the bed!

Please leave a link or answers to one or more questions in the comments, I would love to learn more about you!
 


Friday, January 24, 2014

Question Friday: What book are you looking forward to this year? (+ GC giveaway)

As a way to build some discussion/comments, I thought I would start a Question Friday. No that doesn't have a ring to it, but until my mind is in less of a flare-up fog and I can give it more thought it will be a boring name (if you have a suggestion, it's an extra entry option in the giveaway below).

So I'm trying to figure out the big new releases this year and I need your help.  What do I need to put on my wishlist.  And to answer simply tell me:

What book are you looking the most forward to this year?

If you comment, enter the Rafflecopter form below for an giveaway for a $5 Amazon (or B&N if you prefer that) GC. It's not much but it can either buy some great bargain books or go towards the purchase of a new release!  Open international, ends 1/29.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tuesday, January 14, 2014

AudioBook Review: A Beautiful Wedding by Jamie McGuire

A Beautiful Wedding (Beautiful, #2.5)A Beautiful Wedding by Jamie McGuire
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio
Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2013
Beautiful #2.5
My rating: 5.0/5.0




My Review:
A Beautiful Wedding is the perfect ending to the Beautiful Disaster series. Short and sweet, it was just so perfect for me. I have loved Travis and Abby since Beautiful Disaster and loved getting to know them through each side of the story. This seems to be a growing trend in New Adult genre and while I thought re-reading the same story might be boring, I quickly learned it's fascinating to see the two sides to the story.

A Beautiful Wedding presents the two-sides all in one novella. A wedding for Travis and Abby might seem crazy, but their whole relationship has been crazy and this might just have been the one sane thing they have done. I like how they both see the realism of getting married and their situation. They don't go in with rose-colored glasses. They know it will be tough but in the end they realize their love is strong enough to handle the ups and downs. I loved seeing them both have doubts yet reaching this conclusion and the story of them getting to their wedding(s) was a lot of fun!

A Beautiful Wedding completely fits with the tone of the rest of the series and I was not disappointed at all except to see the series end. But Travis and Abby get their hard-fought happily-ever-after and that was all that mattered to me.

I listened to the audio and it is well-done. I enjoyed the alternating voices in each chapter that focuses on a character. The female voice was perfect for Abby and the male voice was perfect for Travis. I listened to this over a few rides to and from work and even on a walk one day because I had to know how it would all come down (a wedding with Elvis?). If you enjoy audiobooks, this one is great and really brings to life Abby and Travis' story.

A great ending to a wonderful series. Would love to see America and Shepley's story too, not sure if it is in the works or Ms. McGuire is going in another direction. Either way she is now on my must-read list. So if you haven't read Beautiful Disaster and love the New Adult genre, I encourage you to start this series. If you have been waiting on their happily-ever-after, run out and grab (or order online) A Beautiful Wedding so you can see what I'm gushing about!

About the Book:
You know that Abby Abernathy unexpectedly became Mrs. Maddox. But what do you really know?

Why did Abby pop the question?
What secrets were shared before the ceremony?
Where did they spend their wedding night?
Who else knew about it . . . and didn’t tell?

Everything about Abby and Travis’s elopement was top-secret . . . until now. Fans of Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster will get all of their questions answered in this whirlwind tale of the wedding day (and night!)—and as with all good stories, this one will definitely have been worth the wait,



***I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.  ***