Review Friday: Glow by Kathleen Ryan

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Sky Chasers #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside."

R&R Review Thursday: Where Can I Flee by A.M. Heath

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Goodreads Blurb:

"War is on the horizon during the spring of 1861. It will be an event that will change the lives of everyone in its path. The Harper family included.

Frank Harper is a young man full of dreams and ambitions. Even when the country is split and war breaks out, Frank will do whatever is necessary to see his dreams come true, even when that means putting on a uniform and leaving home.

For the first time, Claire Harper is forced to consider the reasons behind such a conflict. Should slavery be abolished? Which side should she be on, and what does God have to say about this? Claire is torn between her own opinions and those of her family. The struggle within her only increases when she repeatedly runs into a kind and handsome Union soldier. She longs to see her brother turn to Christ before it is too late. Desperate to reach her brother with the gospel, Claire pens a series of inspiring letters. Will she be able to handle all the obstacles of war and continue to be a witness to those around her?

How long can Claire last when her heart is torn in half and she is burdened for her brother's soul? How long can Frank resist his sister's urgent pleas or the gentle tugging from within? Can a man outrun a holy God?"

Review Wednesday: Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George

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The Princesses of Westfalin Trilogy #3

Goodreads Blurb:

"When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all."

Review Monday: Champion by Marie Lu

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Legend #3

Goodreads Blurb:

"He is a Legend.

She is a Prodigy.

Who will be Champion? 

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps-Elect, while Day has been assigned a high-level military position. 

But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them: just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything. 

With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion."

Review and Interview Sunday: The Butterfly Crest by Eva Vanrell

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Protogenoi Series #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"An ancient war. A long-told prophecy. A cursed Inheritance.

If you were destined to die, how would you choose to live?

Between the shadows of the human world, a war as old as time is being fought. Ageless pantheons scheme to obtain or keep control, provoked by the weight of human belief which has altered the realm of the divine.

An ancient prophecy speaks of a human woman who will alter the course of this divine war, a descendant of a Great House mired in misfortune and blood, whose history was shaped by the cruelty of the gods.

On a day as unremarkable as any other, Elena Vicens, a young woman living a seemingly ordinary life, receives a letter about a deposit box belonging to her mother, nineteen years after her mother’s death. When this letter sends her on a journey halfway across the world from New Orleans to Japan, Elena unknowingly comes into possession of a cursed inheritance. She is suddenly thrust into a world of myths and legends, where the intangible and the strange are the fabric of everyday life, and deathless gods vie for victory at any cost.

As allies converge to help Elena fulfill the prophecy, one of whom is struggling with his own inheritance, Elena must choose for herself the measure of her own destiny.

>>>The book includes a comprehensive appendix that can be accessed through the Table of Contents."

Stacking the Shelves (33) and A Week In Review

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly event hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It features books you've recently added to your shelves, be it from the library, bookstore, or ebooks.

Review Friday: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

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Stand-alone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting-- he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd-- whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself-- Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined."

An Update: My life, the books, and so much more!

Hey guys!  It's been a long time since we've talked and I think we should sit down for a chat!  So grab a snack and beverage and let's get into it!

So lately I've been posting nothing but reviews, reviews, reviews, reviews, and look!  More reviews!  The barrage will soon be over, I assure you!  These are all the reviews that I had written up last month and in the beginning part of this month.  The notes had been sitting there for months on end and I finally got most of the reviews written!  By the middle of November, I'll finally be all caught up!  Isn't this exciting??

Here's a list of reviews to watch out for:

Red Glass by Laura Resau
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
The Butterfly Crest by Eva Vanrell
Champion by Marie Lu
Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George
Glow by Kathleen Ryan
Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
Altered by Jennifer Rush
Talon by Julie Kagawa
Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
Where She Went by Gayle Forman
This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
Counteract by Tracy Lawson
The Body Electric by Beth Revis
Where Can I Flee by A.M. Heath

And some movie reviews!

Avengers: Age of Ultron
Maleficent
The Book of Eli
The Green Mile
Pitch Perfect 2
The Shawshank Redemption


It's quite a list I know!  I've also decided to dedicate November to R&R's so I'll be freezing my library account and read solely R&R's like my life depends on it.  It's time I finished up the list!

My life in general has been pretty busy with non-bookish stuff but that should be all over by the new year which means more content stuff!  I've been meaning to redesign my blog (I even started taking a programming class to learn more about computers!) which will (I repeat WILL) happen this next year!  I also plan to start getting back to the monthly wrap-ups.  It'll be made easier once I have all these reviews out of the way so the next one will by my November wrap-up.

I hope you are all doing well!

Review Wednesday: Red Glass by Laura Resau

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Stand-alone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"ONE NIGHT SOPHIE and her parents are called to a hospital where Pedro, 6-year-old Mexican boy, is recovering from dehydration. Crossing the border into Arizona with a group of Mexicans and a coyote, or guide, Pedro and his parents faced such harsh conditions that the boy is the only survivor. Pedro comes to live with Sophie, her parents, and Sophie's Aunt Dika, a refugee of the war in Bosnia. Sophie loves Pedro - her Principito, or Little Prince. But after a year, Pedro's surviving family in Mexico makes contact, and Sophie, Dika, Dika's new boyfriend, and his son must travel with Pedro to his hometown so that he can make a heartwrenching decision."

Review Monday: The Waste Lands by Stephen King

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The Dark Tower #3

Goodreads Blurb:

"In 1978, Stephen King introduced the world to the last gunslinger, Roland of Gilead.  Nothing has been the same since. More than twenty years later, the quest for the Dark Tower continues to take readers on a wildly epic ride. Through parallel worlds and across time, Roland must brave desolate wastelands and endless deserts, drifting into the unimaginable and the familiar. A classic tale of colossal scope—crossing over terrain from The Stand, The Eyes of the Dragon, Insomnia, The Talisman, Black House, Hearts in Atlantis, ’Salem’s Lot, and other familiar King haunts—the adventure takes hold with the turn of each page.

And the tower awaits....

Roland, The Last Gunslinger, moves ever closer to The Dark Tower of his dreams and nightmares—as he crosses a desert of damnation in a macabre world that is a twisted image of our own. With him are those he has drawn to this world: street-smart Eddie Dean and courageous wheelchair-bound Susannah.

Ahead of him are mind-rending revelations about who and what is driving him. Against him is arrayed a swelling legion of foes—both more and less than human..."

Review Friday: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

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Stand-alone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger - and a possible murderer - to inherit his vast fortune, one thing's for sure: Sam Westing may be dead... but that won't stop him from playing one last game!"

Review Thursday: Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

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The Darkest Minds #2

Goodreads Blurb:

"Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster. 

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her. 

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?"

Review Tuesday: Princess in Waiting by Meg Cabot

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The Princess Diaries #4

Goodreads Blurb:

"Never before has the world seen such a princess.

Nor have her own subjects, for that matter. Mia's royal introduction to Genovia has mixed results: while her fashion sense is widely applauded, her position on the installation of public parking meters is met with resistance.

But the politics of bureaucracy are nothing next to Mia's real troubles. Between canceled dates with her long—sought—after royal consort, a second semester of the dreaded Algebra, more princess lessons from Grandmère as a result of the Genovian parking—meter thing, and the inability to stop gnawing on her fingernails, isn't there anything Mia is good at besides inheriting an unwanted royal title?"

Review Sunday: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

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The 5th Wave #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up."

Stacking the Shelves (32) and A Week In Review

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly event hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  It features books you've recently added to your shelves, be it from the library, bookstore, or ebooks.

R&R Review Thursday: Digitarum by Derek Bailey

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Stand-alone to date

Goodreads Blurb:

"A grand fantasy epic that draws inspiration from fictions both old and new. Five gods are born into a world of absolute nothingness and have but one task to complete – build. Each of them have their own special powers and talents which they lend toward this effort, but before long, darkness takes root within the world that they construct. The gods struggle against their enemy throughout the ages and despite all of their power, they find that evil is a cunning opponent which comes in many forms. They care for the world as it grows to new heights and serve as champions for the people that live within it. This sprawling tale spans from the birth of a world until the end of its days and takes readers on a journey that freshly combines familiar narrative elements and themes."

Review Tuesday: Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini

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The Worldwalker Trilogy #1

Goodreads Blurb:

"This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.

What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected."

BABB Update: Review List

The challenge for September (I know, I know I'm REALLY late.  But actually, not really because all the reviews are already scheduled!  I have a couple more but I'll probably forget them so I'll add them to the list later!) was to create a review backlog.  I've been doing just that all this month!  Here's a list of all the reviews heading your way in the next month or so!

Review Sunday: The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

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The Queen of the Tearling #2

Goodreads Blurb:

"With each passing day, Kelsea Glynn is growing into her new responsibilities as Queen of the Tearling. By stopping the shipments of slaves to the neighboring kingdom of Mortmesne, she crossed the Red Queen, a brutal ruler whose power derives from dark magic, who is sending her fearsome army into the Tearling to take what is hers. And nothing can stop the invasion.

But as the Mort army draws ever closer, Kelsea develops a mysterious connection to a time before the Crossing, and she finds herself relying on a strange and possibly dangerous ally: a woman named Lily, fighting for her life in a world where being female can feel like a crime. The fate of the Tearling —and that of Kelsea’s own soul—may rest with Lily and her story, but Kelsea may not have enough time to find out."

Review Friday: The Heir by Kiera Cass

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The Selection #4

Goodreads Blurb:

"Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought."