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Teaser Tuesday: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at A Daily Rhythm.

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“It means”—I lean closer and will my words to take root within her—“I will always find you. I will always protect you. I won’t let you down. I promise.” Pg. 171

*THUD* My heart. Oh my sweet holy Cursed One. Logan is ♥♥♥ everything. *swoons* *drools* *dies*  

In Real Life by Jessica Love

In Real Life ARC Review

Author: Jessica Love

Publsiher: St. Martin's Press
Source: Around the World ARC Tours

Hannah Cho and Nick Cooper have been best friends since 8th grade. They talk for hours on the phone, regularly shower each other with presents, and know everything there is to know about one another. 

There's just one problem: Hannah and Nick have never actually met.

Hannah has spent her entire life doing what she's supposed to, but when her senior year spring break plans get ruined by a rule-breaker, she decides to break a rule or two herself. She impulsively decides to road trip to Las Vegas, her older sister and BFF in tow, to surprise Nick and finally declare her more-than-friend feelings for him.

Hannah's surprise romantic gesture backfires when she gets to Vegas and finds out that Nick has been keeping some major secrets. Hannah knows the real Nick can't be that different from the online Nick she knows and loves, but now she only has night in Sin City to figure out what her feelings for Nick really are, all while discovering how life can change when you break the rules every now and then.~Goodreads. 

So. I lived a lot of this story. Not the whole go-to-Vegas-to-surprise-the-boy-I’ve-been-talking-to-on-the-internet-who-i-also-happen-to-have-more-than-just-friendly-feelings-for part but the whole talking-to-someone-over-the-interwebz-and-falling-for-them part. I found myself marking every other page because this book was just SO freaking relatable to me it was scary. It touched on so many of my nostalgic feels. 

Texting 24/7 like it’s your job? Yes. Video chat being “too real” at first? Yes. The idea that meeting in real if is going to be SO FREAKING AWKWARD? YES YES YES.

But the one thing that Love NAILED in this book was the notion that the person who you’re talking to isn’t “real.” Or that the whole situation is just pretend. That it’s not real life. YES, JESSICA LOVE, YES. SO MUCH THIS. 

I adored Hannah. She was obviously super relatable to me but she was also very smart and funny. She grew so much in this story and came to conquer some of her fears and I just found myself being so proud of her. I enjoyed reading from Hannah’s point of view. I also REALLY liked her sister Grace. (I want a Grace and Alex a spin off please!)As for Hannah’s "best friend", Lo? She is a terrible best friend. And that’s all I’ll say about that. 

Then there is Nick. Awkward, liar-pants, nerdy, Nick. He was….something else. It was hard for me to get a good read on him (haha-haha) because one minute he was so…great and then next so closed off. I would definitely want to read more about Hannah and his relationship though! 

PSA- DON’T LIE. THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT. AND DON’T BE A CATFISH.

In Real Life is an adorable story that I think everyone should pick up! I look forward to reading more by Love in the future!

Also, if you’re in a Long Distance Relationship with someone you’ve never met, it’s serious, and you love that person, don’t put of meeting them. It may seem as though your relationship isn’t ‘real’ because they aren’t right there in front of you, but…those feelings you have towards them? Those feelings are real. Don’t let your fear overwhelm you. If it’s meant to be it will work out. You won’t regret it, I know I sure don’t :)

Take the Fall by Emily Hainsworth

Take the Fall ARC Review

Author: Emily Hainsworth

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

WHO KILLED GRETCHEN MEYER?

Fear grips the residents of Hidden Falls the night Sonia Feldman and her best friend, Gretchen Meyer, are attacked in the woods. Sonia was lucky to escape with her life, but Gretchen’s body is discovered at the bottom of a waterfall. Beautiful, popular, and seemingly untouchable, Gretchen can’t be gone. Even as Sonia struggles with guilt and confusion over having survived, the whole town is looking to her for information…could she have seen something that will lead the police to the killer?

At the top of the list of suspects is Gretchen’s ex-boyfriend—and Sonia’s longtime enemy—Marcus Perez. So when Marcus comes to Sonia for help clearing his name, she agrees, hoping to find evidence the police need to prove he’s the killer. But as Gretchen’s many secrets emerge and the suspects add up, Sonia feels less sure of Marcus’s involvement, and more afraid for herself. Could Marcus, the artist, the screwup, the boy she might be falling for have attacked her? Killed her best friend? And if it wasn’t him in the woods that night…who could it have been?~Goodreads

Enthralled. Captivated. Hooked. I could not put this book down. Oh my goodness, my mind is still reeling. What? Just what? I really need to start reading more mysteries because oh my gosh, this book was fantastic. 

I loved speculating along side the characters—I loved not knowing who was lying and who was telling the truth—I had NO idea who to trust and it was magnificent. The plot was so intricately woven that I’m seriously just so mind blown right now. I pointed fingers at so many different characters that I’m so surprised I didn’t catch on to who actually killed Gretchen. 

I don’t want to say too much more in fear of giving something away but Hainsworth did such an incredible job with this story; not only with the plot but with the imagery—I clearly SAW the Falls in my head, the park, the Evil Bean, the diner—and the characters—even the background ones—were all so complex. 

I thought that the main character, Sonia, was sweet and kind and she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. I felt so bad that she was attacked. I wanted her attacker to be caught and brought to justice as soon as possible. Then when it came out that her attacker was also a murderer? BAM. I thought, “GET SOME MORE COPS IN THIS TOWN, LET’S FIND THIS PERSON NOW.” “NO, SHERIFF, YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME TO STOP AT THE DINER FOR COFFEE, GET YOUR BUTT ON THE STREETS AND NAIL THIS SUCKA!” I was so invested.

Take the Fall is an insanely engrossing story, I HIGHLY recommend you pick it up!

ALSO- HOW DOES IT END THERE? LIKE FOR REAL? WHEN IS THE SEQUEL?! 

WANTED: Excessive Hoarding of Fictional Boys

Amani knows how to make and exit, that's for sure. Her ability to skitter around the truth, spectacularly shoot a gun, and slyly slip away, lends to her acquiring quite a reputation out in the desert; and no doubt lands her on a few 'WANTED' lists. Girl is being hunted like cray. So, in theme with Amani's practically mythical status—here's what I'd be known for.

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW! 
|| Goodreads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble||

In addition, Penguin has an AWESOME giveway going on leading up to the release of REBEL!

 5 winners will receive:

•A hardcover copy of REBEL OF THE SANDS
•A PenguinTeen tote bag
•and a Shimmering Hourglass

(US ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What would you be known for? Leave a comment below! 

Also, don't forget to check out Brooke-Reports ARC Giveaway of REBEL happeing now-2/2!

February Releases Giveaway!

February is right around the corner and with that a BUNCH of awesome new book releases!

ONE winner will receive the following:

 •The Word for Yes ARC

•Symptoms of Being Human ARC

•Take the Fall ARC

•Revenge and the Wild ARC

To enter, leave a comment belowing telling me which book you're most excited for and a way to contact you! (Twitter or Email)

US ONLY Ends 1/31

Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin

Symptoms of Being Human

Author: Jeff Garvin

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

The first thing you’re going to want to know about me is: Am I a boy, or am I a girl?

Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. The thing is . . . Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in uber-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley’s so-called “normal” life.

On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender-fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter discovers Riley’s real identity, threatening exposure. Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything. Goodreads

This book was nothing short of spectacular. It totally took me by surprise, I hadn’t even heard of it until it was sent to me for review and I am so thankful it was. 

Riley is fantastic. Riley is so down to earth and funny and straightforward and I really enjoyed reading form Riley’s point of view! The way Riley tackles and explains having anxiety is SPOT ON. I’ve struggled with anxiety and panic attacks for awhile now and the notion of it being a constant buzz or tingling in the background is so accurate I can’t even. Riley, let’s please be buds.

Now, I’m not going to lie, I did speculate as to whether Riley was indeed a “boy” or a “girl.” But as I continued to read I found it didn’t matter. Riley is an awesome character regardless of what Riley identifies as. Riley is just….Riley—smart, kind, sassy, thought-provoking Riley. 

I really enjoyed Riley’s friends, Solo and Bec, as well. Solo was such a big teddy bear and I was rooting for Riley and Bec the whole time!

This book is phenomenal. So, so needed in YA. Jeff Garvin sheds such a bright, positive, IMPORTANT light on the LGBT community and the notion of being gender fluid. He does it with such grace and knowledge I was in awe.

Symptoms of Being Human is a MUST READ. I am so looking forward to reading more by Jeff Garvin in the future—his writing is incredible. 

(also, how awesome is that cover?!)

Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Boy and Girl in the World

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine! And this week i am waiting on:

What if your town was sliding underwater and everyone was ordered to pack up and leave? How would you and your friends spend your last days together?

While the adults plan for the future, box up their possessions, and find new places to live, Keeley Hewitt and her friends decide to go out with a bang. There are parties in abandoned houses. Canoe races down Main Street. The goal is to make the most of every minute they still have together.

And for Keeley, that means taking one last shot at the boy she’s loved forever.

There’s a weird sort of bravery that comes from knowing there’s nothing left to lose. You might do things you normally wouldn’t. Or say things you shouldn’t. The reward almost always outweighs the risk.

Almost.

It’s the end of Aberdeen, but the beginning of Keeley’s first love story. It just might not turn out the way she thought. Because it’s not always clear what’s worth fighting for and what you should let become a memory.Goodreads

This just sounds absolutely adorable and I wish it were April already *pouts*

What are YOU waiting on this week?  

Teaser Tuesday: Symptoms of Being Human

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at A Daily Rhythm.

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!) 

 Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

            She sits back against the wall and says, "All right. Teach me stuff about things." ARC pg. 78

So, first, I want you to know that everybody experiences some level of anxiety. It's a normal human response to stress. It's like your body's smoke alarm. If there's a fire, you want to know so you can put it out or call 911, right?" 

I shrug. "I guess. But it feels like my alarm is going off al the time." 

Doctor Ann nods. "Some people's systems are more sensitive than others'. For you, maybe all it takes is burning a piece of toast, and your alarm thinks the house is on fire.” ARC pg. 109

This book was fantastic. And the anxiety analogy was SPOT ON. This book. THIS BOOK. *sighs* just so good. 

Rebel of the Sands ARC Giveaway!

If you haven't heard of REBEL, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING?! THE DESERT?! Rebel of the Sands was one of my MOST ANTICIPATED DEBUTS of 2016! I promised myself i'd get ahold of a copy and thanks to the lovely Stories and Sweeties i was able to swap a book (not my soul) for it! 

I know you're probably SUPER pumped for this one as well, so now is your chance to win! 

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from. 

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AN ARC OF REBEL OF THE SANDS!!

FILL OUT THIS FORM!

ENDS 2/2 US ONLY!
For an additional entry answer the following question below in the comments!

 Amani is known as The Blue-Eyed Bandit and Jin, The Eastern Snake. Who would you be known as in the desert?

Waiting on Wednesday: Dreamology by Lucy Keating

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine! And this week i am waiting on:

For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist.

But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. It turns out, though, that Real Max is nothing like Dream Max, and getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped.

When their dreams start to bleed dangerously into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough?

Whimsical, romantic and utterly original, Lucy Keating’s debut novel will win readers’ hearts.~goodreads

This book just sounds so absolutely adorable to me. And after seeing Brittany from Brittany's Book Rambles review--I AM DYING for this one! I love me some swoony romance!

What are YOU waiting on this week?!

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

The Girl from Everywhere

Author: Heidi Heilig

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Team: Blake!

Heidi Heilig’s debut teen fantasy sweeps from modern-day New York City to nineteenth-century Hawaii to places of myth and legend. Sixteen-year-old Nix has sailed across the globe and through centuries aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. But when he gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.

Nix’s life began in Honolulu in 1868. Since then she has traveled to mythic Scandinavia, a land from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, modern-day New York City, and many more places both real and imagined. As long as he has a map, Nix’s father can sail his ship, The Temptation, to any place, any time. But now he’s uncovered the one map he’s always sought—1868 Honolulu, before Nix’s mother died in childbirth. Nix’s life—her entire existence—is at stake. No one knows what will happen if her father changes the past. It could erase Nix’s future, her dreams, her adventures . . . her connection with the charming Persian thief, Kash, who’s been part of their crew for two years. If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own.

In The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heilig blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility with witty, fast-paced dialogue, breathless adventure, and enchanting romance. 

The Girl from Everywhere is an adventure filled whirlwind. The concept of this story was completely original, extremely fascinating and kept me reading.

The descriptiveness Heilig uses with the maps in this book is incredible. She paints such a clear picture, it was as if I was LOOKING at the maps and not just reading about them. Heidi's writing overflows with similes and metaphors and some of them were so gorgeous I had to re-read them 3 or 4 times. Heidi definitely is a master at creating imagery.

As for the characters, I really enjoyed reading about captain Slate. He was a very layered, complicated, some-what eccentric sailor. I would definitely read a prequel about him. I liked Nix as well but had a little trouble completely connecting with her. She read as a straightforward type of character with a level head. Well, as level headed as any sixteen year old can be. Throw some boys in the mix and of course that levelheadedness turns a touch airy :P

I thought Kashmir was adorable. He was an absolutely amazing friend to Nix. Although they have a slightly flirtatious friendship, it didn't necessarily come across as more than that to me. Nix's interactions with Blake, however, could definitely be seen as the blossoming of a beautiful romance. I liked Blake's character a lot. I do have to say, my favorite character in the whole entire story HAD to be Swag, though. Oh my goodness, he was such a little cutie and I want him! 

I’m intrigued to find out where Nix will head next, I will for sure be picking up the sequel to this one.

Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate

Seven Ways We Lie
Author: Riley Redgate

Publisher: Amulet Books

Pages: ARC Copy 343

Paloma High School is ordinary by anyone’s standards. It’s got the same cliques, the same prejudices, the same suspect cafeteria food. And like every high school, every student has something to hide—whether it’s Kat, the thespian who conceals her trust issues onstage; or Valentine, the neurotic genius who’s planted the seed of a school scandal.

When that scandal bubbles over, and rumors of a teacher-student affair surface, everyone starts hunting for someone to blame. For the unlikely allies at the heart of it all, the collision of their seven ordinary-seeming lives results in extraordinary change.

7 POVs! 7! Honestly with so many povs it took me a minute to get aquainted with each character. I'd say it was 4-5 chapters per character until i had them all organized and recognized—but once that was settled i was swept up in the story and it was SO GOOD. 

I had some inklings along the way about what was happening but was still taken by surprise at times. I had a blast trying to match each of the characters with the sins on the cover :P

We have:

Olivia— Defender, Go-Getter. (Lust?)

Kat— Short-tempered. Gamer.  (Wrath?)

Juniper—Pretty perfect princess. (Gluttony?)

Claire— Over achiever. (Envy?)

Lucas—Dealer. (Greed?)

Matt—Stoner. (Sloth?)

Valentine—Nerd bomb. (Pride?)

I really enjoyed how this book highlighted not only the struggles teens have to face at school but the struggles they have at home as well. This book was SPOT ON with covering societal pressures put on teens. It was so realatable and relevant it was scary. 

I would defintely read a sequel about these kids!

Seven Ways We Lie is a debut you should for sure check out!