Music Monday♫

This is what I've been jammin' to recently! 

All the feels. 

HIT ME UP WITH SOME SONG RECS!!!

Happy Halloween Giveaway!

Happy Halloween ghouls and boys! I hope you get lots of treats and maybe even a few tricks!

Leave a comment below telling me either your favorite Halloween costume you've ever worn --OR-- your spookiest encounter!

(US ONLY)

ENDS 11.03

Prize list:

ARC of How to Hang a Witch

ARC of Labyrinth Lost

ARC of Spare and Found Parts

Villainous candle from Novelly Yours

Creepy Eyeball gum balls

Ghoulish bookmarks

Teaser Tuesday: Traveler by L.E. DeLano

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!

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

        I should be ashamed of myself. Stupid other me. I am really, really mad at me for this. I wish I could give me a piece of my mind. I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. "Do you realize the mess you left me?" I ask myself. ~ARC pg. 267

      Oh, Jessa, you sassy girl you. This gave me a good laugh :)

Have a teaser this week? Link up below!

ROCKSTAR BLOG TOUR + Giveaway: Glitter by Aprilynne Pike

About the book:

Title: Glitter  Author: Aprilynne Pike Release Date: October 25th Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers Formats: Hardcover, ebook Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

Outside the palace of Versailles, it’s modern day. Inside, the people dress, eat, and act like it’s the eighteenth century—with the added bonus of technology to make court life lavish, privileged, and frivolous. The palace has every indulgence, but for one pretty young thing, it’s about to become a very beautiful prison.
When Danica witnesses an act of murder by the young king, her mother makes a cruel power play . . . blackmailing the king into making Dani his queen. When she turns eighteen, Dani will marry the most ruthless and dangerous man of the court. She has six months to escape her terrifying destiny. Six months to raise enough money to disappear into the real world beyond the palace gates.
Her ticket out? Glitter. A drug so powerful that a tiny pinch mixed into a pot of rouge or lip gloss can make the wearer hopelessly addicted. Addicted to a drug Dani can sell for more money than she ever dreamed.
But in Versailles, secrets are impossible to keep. And the most dangerous secret—falling for a drug dealer outside the palace walls—is one risk she has to take.

Review:

Sex, drugs, and classical music? With a provocative premise that blends both eighteenth century glamour with all the allure of futuristic technology, Glitter is a thrill from the very beginning!

Danica is a girl looking for an escape. She is smart, strong spirited, protective, and kind. But that’s not to say she isn’t without flaws and she doesn’t make mistakes. I actually felt really bad for Danica, her mom basically pimps her out to the king in exchange for political gain and her dad is addicted to drugs. Poor girl.

The drug, Glitter, in and of itself is completely fascinating! Like, that stuff is hardcore. Put it on as a patch or mix it into some makeup and you have a pretty powerful addictive substance. Not to mention the amount of money you can make off of that stuff? Danica sees her way out and that’s when the real trouble begins!

I adored Dania’s friends, Molli and Aaron! I can’t say too much without giving anything away but Molli is a doll, sweet as can be and Aaron is plain hilarious!  Ugh, then there is Justin, ugh….did I say ugh? Truly atrocious. Terrible. Horrific. Despicable. Just bad. I love how Aprilynne was able to invoke that feeling in me about a character though, that’s when you know a story has strong character development. A+ Oh! And I can’t forget Saber! This guy! He is the serious bad boy type, swoony, mysterious and part of the wrong crowd. I needed more of him! Prequel please!?

If you’re looking for a unique read with an insane storyline and an intriguing cast of characters then you should definitely check out Glitter!!

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Aprilynne:

Aprilynne Pike is a critically acclaimed, #1 New York Times best-selling author of young adult fiction. At the age of twenty she received her BA in Creative Writing from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. When not writing, Aprilynne can usually be found running; she also enjoys singing, acting, reading, and working with pregnant moms as a childbirth educator and doula. Aprilynne lives in Arizona with her husband and their four children.

Tour Schedule: 

10/19/2016- Pandora's Books- Excerpt

10/20/2016-  BookHounds YA- Review

10/21/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

Week Two:

10/24/2016- Brooke- Reports- Review

10/25/2016- Brittany's Book Rambles- Guest Post

10/26/2016- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review

10/27/2016- A Glass Of Wine Blog- Interview

10/28/2016- Mundie Moms- Review

Be sure to check out all the other tour stops!

Sad Perfect by Stephanie Elliot

Sad Perfect

Author: Stephanie Elliot

Publisher: FSG

For sixteen-year-old Pea, eating has always been difficult. Some people might call her a picky eater, but she knows it’s more than that, and it’s getting worse. And now there’s a monster raging inside of her, one that controls more than just her eating disorder. The monster is growing, and causing anxiety, depression, and dangerous thoughts.

When Pea meets Ben and they fall crazy-mad in love, she tries to keep the monster hidden. But the monster wants out, and as much as she tries, she can’t pretend that the bad in her doesn’t exist. Unable to control herself, a chain of events thrusts Pea into a situation she’d never imagine she’d find herself in.

With the help of Ben, her family, and her best friend, Pea must find the inner strength to understand that her eating disorder doesn’t have to control her. ~Goodreads

Sad Perfect took me by totally surprise. The characters were complexly written and the plot was emotional and full of depth, I enjoyed reading this one.

 What I liked about Sad Perfect is that not only did it entertain me, it taught me something as well. Never before had I heard of AFRID, so I’m really grateful to have read this story. Something as simple as eating, and food in general, is taken for grated sometimes. Food is everywhere, at birthday parties, work meetings, school, dates—it’s such a social aspect. Well, try being Pea— where you don’t even like food, you don’t crave it and it flat out scares you sometimes. That in and of itself can lead to some pretty nerve-wracking social situations when most of them revolve around food.

I liked Pea a lot, she was honest and completely real. Her thoughts were downright scary at times but this story, Pea’s story, is an important one. Pea feels as though she’s alone and that she’s not normal and she struggles a lot. So when she finds something good in her life, for example, a cute boy—she clings to him.

Pea and Ben’s relationship is intense. I liked the way in which Stephanie captured their moments together. Their puppy love is sweet, gentle, understanding, they have mutual respect for one another. Now, that’s not to say that neither of them make mistakes, because let’s be real, they are both still super young and mistakes are made but overall their relationship was realistic and quite adorable.

I loved how Pea’s parents were involved in her story. Although she may have not have felt as though they were, their presence was strong and important—especially her mom’s. I’d honestly love to read this story told from Pea’s mom’s point of view. (The things we put our parents through—they deserve medals!) 

Another aspect of Sad Perfect that I appreciated was the fact it pointed out coping mechanisms, both positive and negative ones at that. Pea’s mom drinks, her dad busies himself with sports and Pea turns to self-harm. This book is a book about hope and change. Ultimately Peas WANTS to get better. Some people don’t realize this until it’s too late. Pea learns to overcome her demons.

Overall Sad Perfect was a powerful debut and I can’t wait to read more by Stephanie.

Traveler by L.E. DeLano

Traveler (Traveler #1)

Author: L.E. DeLano

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all steampunk pirates and fantasy lifestyles…Jessa is dying over and over again, in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it… this Jessa is going to live.

How absolutely gorgeous is that cover?! Omg—I could stare at it for days! And man oh man is the story inside just as captivating! Traveler is filled with suspense, romance, and adventure— it’s an absolute must read!

Traveler follows Jessa, a high schooler, who is living a pretty ordinary life. That is, until the guy of her dreams (literally) appears right in front of her. Dun, dun, duuuuuhn! Now, I know what you’re thinking, “this has been done a million times, Brooke,” “That is so cliché.” But oh my goodness gracious you guys, no. Just no. This story is unlike anything I’ve read before.

Traveler deals with the concept of the multiverse theory; where mirrors are portals into different universes! HOW INSANELY AWESOME IS THAT?! Every place Jessa travels to is utterly unique and fascinating in its own way. I loved how L.E. DeLano depicted each reality. Also, each Jessa herself changes drastically too—from being a goth artist to a ballet dancer to even being completely deaf in one alternative universe. The other really cool thing is that Jessa retains the other Jessa’s memory—so, when she switches with deaf Jessa, she already has all the knowledge of that other Jessa, for example, sign language. It’s all pretty darn awesome. The details of the story are so intricately woven and fast paced yet so easy to follow and just GAH! I loved it.

Jessa is funny and smart and awesome. Her best friend Ben is a total sweetie, loyal to a fault. And Finn, oh Finn….he is mysterious and protective and ALSO A FREAKIN’ PIRATE IN ONE OF THE ALTERNATE UNIVERSES. SUH-WOON.

Traveler is an incredible debut and I am desperate for the next installment. *tosses self at bathroom mirror in hopes of traveling to an alternate universe where book 2 is already published* *smacks face against mirror* Looks like I’ll have to wait :P

Teaser Tuesday: Poison's Kiss

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!

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

After I finish dressing, while the boys are laughing over a game of dice, I warm two loaves of flatbread, smear them with butter and sprinkle them with cinnamon. Then I pour each of us a tall glass of orange juice.

I make sure Deven gets the poisoned one. ~ARC Pg. 111

This book, you guys. SO. GOOD!  Do you have a teaser this week? Leave your link below!

Waiting on Wednesday

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

What if the ordinary things in life suddenly…disappeared?

Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home--and the place where Juliet grew up.

Sterling is a place with mysteries of its own. A place where the experiences that weave life together--scents of flowers and food, reflections from mirrors and lakes, even the ability to dream--vanish every seven years.

No one knows what caused these “Disappearances,” or what will slip away next. But Sterling always suspected that Juliet Quinn was somehow responsible--and Aila must bear the brunt of their blame while she follows the chain of literary clues her mother left behind. 

As the next Disappearance nears, Aila begins to unravel the dual mystery of why the Disappearances happen and who her mother truly was. One thing is clear: Sterling isn’t going to hold on to anyone's secrets for long before it starts giving them up.

DOES THIS NOT JUST SOUND SO FREAKIN' AWESOME?? Can't wait for this one, and that cover?! Gorge!! 

What are you waiting on this week?

Music Monday ♫

Tunes I can't stop listening to! 

On repeat. 

Awesome girl anthem with a catchy beat!

I have NO idea what she's saying, but I love it. 

Hit me with some jams, yo! What are you listening to? Sound off in the comments! 

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon ARC Review

The Sun is Also a Star ARC Review

Author: Nicola Yoon

Publisher: Delcorate Press

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true? ~Goodreads

I love, love, LOVED Nicola’s first novel, EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING so I had VERY high expectations for The Sun is Also a Star; I did happened to enjoy the it, however, it left me feeling just a tad bit underwhelmed.

Natasha is an illegal immigrant from Jamaica trying to stop the deportation of herself and her family. Daniel is a want-to-be poet trying to figure out how to be his own person. A very unlikely pair and by chance, or fate, they meet and the rest is history.

Natasha is a sassy, matter-of-fact, incredibly driven, spunky girl. She’s strong as EFF! Her entire situation is less than ideal, but she keeps pushing and trying and fighting for a solution. I admired her for that. Daniel is a sweet, overly romantic, insanely smart, adorable boy. Since the book takes place over the course of, like, 12hours there was a dash of insta-love…especially on Daniel’s part. Nevertheless, they were super cute together! Also, ehem…can you say sexy make out scene? Thank you Nicola ;)

Oh! And talk about some unique narration! I’ve never read a book quite like it, you get snippets into multiple character’s points of view. Not just main characters either, I’m talking anywhere from Nat’s dad all the way to a security guard, to a random guy driving his car. It was kind of awesome!

Yoon’s writing, as always, flows seamlessly, keeps you intrigued, and of course, wanting more. The Sun is Also a Star is a fairly quick read about family, love and loss. You should definitely give it a shot!

Now, when’s Nicola’s next book come out!?

Waiting on Wednesday

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

When 19-year-old Luc Argent’s body begins to reject his new heart, he knows he doesn't have a lot of time left. Which means he’s pushing everyone away more than he usually does in order to minimize the collateral damage when he finally kicks the bucket.

Then Evelyn comes back to town.

Evelyn left California—and her best friend Luc—three years ago. When she returns and he shows up at her doorstep with an insane idea for an impromptu road trip, she doesn't know what to think. Running away with a guy is something her mother does. Not her. 

But even after all this time she doesn’t known how to tell Luc no. Just like Luc hasn’t learned how to tell Evelyn about his illness and how serious it really is. He has a destination in mind, he has a plan, and it all revolves around him and Evelyn and what little time he has left.~Goodreads

Um!?! Does this not sound just absolutely amazing? Cute and sad and just everything?! Yes please, wants, wants, WANTS! 

What are YOU waiting on this week? 

Girls Like Me by Lola St. Vil

Girls Like Me ARC

Author: Lola St. Vil

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Fifteen-year-old Shay Summers is trying to cope with the death of her father, being overweight, and threats from a girl bully in school.  When she falls in love with Blake, a mysterious boy online, insecure Shay doesn't want to tell him who she is.   But with the help of her two best friends, as well as an assist by Kermit and Miss Piggy, ultimately Shay and Blake’s love prevails. 

     Girls Like Me is a fun and fresh poetic take on teen angst, social media and online anonymity, and high school romance.~Goodreads

How freakin’ adorable is this cover?! When I saw it I was like, “OMG! That is so me! When did they take that picture of me with my phone?” :P

Girls Like Me is a quick, yet satisfying read. From the very first verse to the last I was hooked!

I absolutely LOVED Shay. She was both a smart-ass and just plain smart, a reader, an eater, just plain real and raw. This girl has to deal with so much during the course of this novel. She has to learn to cope and move on from a major loss, she has to figure out how to connect (and not murder) her step-mom, she has to not let a bully at school get the best of her, all while struggling with her appearance. But what I loved about Shay is that she doesn’t back down from a challenge. She doesn’t conform. And she stays her sassy self throughout the book.

Shay ends up connecting to a random stranger, or so she thinks, online and the rest is history. Godot (said stranger) is flirty and funny and Shay can’t help falling for him. Turns out, he’s also the most popular guy at Shay’s school. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “how cliché” but oh my goodness gracious, their interactions are so FREAKIN’ adorable! They basically fall for each other over emails and texts. I just! GAH! I can’t even describe to you how sexy, funny and sweet Shay and Godot’s cyber conversations were! ALL THE HEARTS!

Of course, I can NOT forget get to mention how freakin’ awesome her friends are! I want to join the group. Dash and Boots are freakin’ amazing friends. Also, I completely loved how Lola gave them a story. They were just as detailed and emotionally complex as Shay. The snippets we get of them? Omg, they both need their own book!

Girls Like Me is a heartwarming read about a girl finding love, learning life lessons and letting go of things she can’t control. I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this one.

I can’t wait to read more from Lola!

Want to win an ARC of Girls Like Me? 

To enter: ~Follow Brooke-Reports (either GFC or Bloglovin') ~Leave your name/way to contact you in the comments below! ~BONUS: How many times did I say "freakin'" in this review?
US ONLY ENDS 9/28

Good luck!

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gordall

Under Rose-Tainted Skies

Author: Louise Gordall

Publisher: Clarion Books

Norah has agoraphobia and OCD. When groceries are left on the porch, she can’t step out to get them. Struggling to snag the bags with a stick, she meets Luke. He’s sweet and funny, and he just caught her fishing for groceries. Because of course he did.

Norah can’t leave the house, but can she let someone in? As their friendship grows deeper, Norah realizes Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can lie on the front lawn and look up at the stars. One who isn’t so screwed up. ~Goodreads

Okay. That tagline alone completely hooked me with this book. Like how freaking amazing does that sound? And then the synopsis? Like YES. PLEASE. This sounds SUPER freaking good.

I really enjoyed reading from Norah’s point of view. Not only is she quirky and sweet, she is honest and real about the everyday struggles that she faces. The way Louise touched on what it’s like to live with anxiety, OCD, and agoraphobia was spot on; I felt frustrated, confused, and anxious—right alongside Nora.

Nora’s mom was also just a doll. I’d totally read an adult spin-off about her! She's supportive and understanding and funny. I like when YA features good parents. A++ job!

As for Luke, I wanted to love him. I really did. If you know me, you know, I’m a fictional boy whore and I’ll jump on almost any fictional boy train and I will ride basically any YA ship into any YA shit storm or YA sunset. But for some reason, Luke was just different to me. I liked him, he was interesting….he was, there….but I feel like I never truly connected with him.

Overall, the plot was unique and fairly strong, lots of adorable and important moments sprinkled throughout! I do have to say that about ¾ of the way through the story started to drag a bit for me. I felt as though there was a lot of repetition and no more story line enhancements.

With all of that being said, I think that Under Rose-Tainted Skies was a cute little debut and I definitely look forward to reading more from Louise in the future!