Bookish Digest: May 2014

Hello lovelies! Welcome to our new feature called "Bookish Digest" -  something we'll be putting together at the end of every month to highlight our recent favorite reads and recap any posts you may have missed.

Genre:	Young Adult, Contemporary
Website:	Jillian Cantor
	Goodreads
Review:	Unknown

Sky and River have always lived on Island, the only world they’ve ever known. Until the day River spots a boat. Across Ocean, in a place called California, Sky is separated from River and forced to live with a grandmother she’s just met. Here the rules for survival are different. People rely on strange things like cars and cell phones. They keep secrets from one another. And without River, nothing makes sense. Sky yearns for her old life where she was strong and capable, not lost and confused. She must find River so they can return to Island, but the truth behind how they ended up there in the first place will come as the biggest shock of all.

Reviews

5 Flowers

The Here And Now by Ann Brashares

Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews

Author/Book Spotlights

Lamb To The Slaughter by Karen Ann Hopkins
Above by Isla Morley

Chasing Prophecy by James Moser

A is for Apocalypse edited by Rhonda Parrish

First Loves Blog Tour

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen
Mortal Enchantment by Stacey O'Neale

Miscellaneous

Signed Sealed Delivered

Reviews
5 Flowers
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

4 Flowers
The Haven by Carol Lynch Williams
Silver by Rhiannon Held
Mythos by Heather McLaren
Almost Night by Emily White
Teardrop by Lauren Kate

Author/Book Spotlights
Misunderstandings by Tiffany King

Genre:	Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Website:	Morgan Matson
	Goodreads
Review:	To be posted June 8

The Pre-Sloane Emily didn't go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn't do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell. But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just... disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try... unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple Picking at Night? Ok, easy enough. Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Wait... what?

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

Go Skinny Dipping? Um...

Reviews
5 Flowers
Empower by Jessica Shirvington
Moon at Nine by Deborah Ellis + Guest Post

4 Flowers
We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt

3 Flowers
Killer Instinct by S.E. Green + Author Interview
Old Flames, Burned Hands by Tim McGregor + Guest Post
The Reflections of Queen Snow White by David C. Meredith

Author/Book Spotlight

Brazen by Katherine Longshore

Features

Top Ten Tuesday

From the Shelves to the Walls
F is for Friends Who Do Things Together

Feature & Follow

Meeting Authors
Convincing Others to Read

Miscellaneous

2014 Book Blogger Summer Reading Program

Bookjigs
Signed Sealed Delivered

Genre:	New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Website:	J. Lynn
	Goodreads
Review:	Posted May 24

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

Reviews

5 Flowers

Tempting the Bodyguard by J. Lynn
Be with Me by J. Lynn

Author/Book Spotlights

Forever Kinda Love by Clara Stone

Genre:	Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Website:	T.S. Krupa
	Goodreads
Review:	Posted May 21

When Jill met Jay Greenfield she knew she had found her forever love. She was a kindergarten teacher, he was a high-powered attorney and their lives were perfect. But when a tragic accident takes Jay’s life, this young bride is left to pick up the pieces.

Jill finds herself a young widow facing multiple decisions she thought she had a lifetime to decide. With support from her childhood best friends, Lanie and Stella, Jill attempts to piece her life back together. With nightmares plaguing her dreams and the struggles of constant grief over Jay’s passing, Stella and Lanie keep near constant vigilance over her.

In the process of settling the estate, Jill learns that her husband was not quite the man she thought he was. She finds herself transported to the small beach town of Oak Island, North Carolina. But the fairy tale ending she envisioned no longer exists. She must face the reality that Jay is gone as she finds herself having a chance at love one more time.

Safe and Sound follows a yearlong journey of love, loss, friendship, and conquering the unexpected.

Reviews

4 Flowers

Out of Heaven's Grasp by V.J Chambers

The Mine by John A. Heldt

Author/Book Spotlights

Leticia by Lindsay Anne Kendal

The Plantagenets by Dan Jones
Safe & Sound by T.S Krupa

Genre:	Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Magic, Witches
Website:	Jennifer McMahon
	Goodreads
Review:	Posted May 24

If high school is all about social status, Indigo Blackwood has it made. Sure, her quirky mom owns an occult shop, and a nerd just won’t stop trying to be her friend, but Indie is a popular cheerleader with a football-star boyfriend and a social circle powerful enough to ruin everyone at school. Who wouldn’t want to be her?

Then a guy dies right before her eyes. And the dusty old family Bible her mom is freakishly possessive of is stolen. But it’s when a frustratingly sexy stranger named Bishop enters Indie’s world that she learns her destiny involves a lot more than pom-poms and parties. If she doesn’t get the Bible back, every witch on the planet will die. And that’s seriously bad news for Indie, because according to Bishop, she’s a witch too.

Suddenly forced into a centuries-old war between witches and sorcerers, Indie’s about to uncover the many dark truths about her life—and a future unlike any she ever imagined on top of the cheer pyramid.

Reviews
5 Flowers
Hexed by Michelle Krys

What were some of your TOP FAVORITE books this month?! How did your month go - reading or another wise?! :) 

The Reflections of Queen Snow White by David C. Meredith (Review)

Genre:	Adult, Fantasy, Fairytale, Retelling
Publication.Date:	October 2, 2013
Pages:	155 (Kindle)
Published By:	David Meredith
Website:	David C. Meredith
	The Reflections of Queen Snow White on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

Where to get:

What happens when "happily ever after" has come and gone?

On the eve of her only daughter, Princess Raven's wedding, an aging Snow White finds it impossible to share in the joyous spirit of the occasion. The ceremony itself promises to be the most glamorous social event of the decade. Snow White’s castle has been meticulously scrubbed, polished and opulently decorated for the celebration. It is already nearly bursting with jubilant guests and merry well-wishers. Prince Edel, Raven's fiancé, is a fine man from a neighboring kingdom and Snow White's own domain is prosperous and at peace. Things could not be better, in fact, except for one thing:

The king is dead.

The queen has been in a moribund state of hopeless depression for over a year with no end in sight. It is only when, in a fit of bitter despair, she seeks solitude in the vastness of her own sprawling castle and climbs a long disused and forgotten tower stair that she comes face to face with herself in the very same magic mirror used by her stepmother of old.

It promises her respite in its shimmering depths, but can Snow White trust a device that was so precious to a woman who sought to cause her such irreparable harm? Can she confront the demons of her own difficult past to discover a better future for herself and her family? And finally, can she release her soul-crushing grief and suffocating loneliness to once again discover what "happily ever after" really means?

Only time will tell as she wrestles with her past and is forced to confront The Reflections of Queen Snow White. (Goodreads)

Arglist had talked to the mirror as well. For someone so obsessive about her appearance, it had always puzzled Snow White that the other woman seemed so unsure of herself in private - always asking the mirror if she really was the most beautiful woman in the land, if she really was the most desirable. What was more, although Snow White had been little more than a child at the time and was now certain that it had merely been the fanciful imagining of childhood, she distinctly remembered the mirror talking back.

Snow White still felt uneasy. She feared this magical device. Could she truly trust something that had been so dear to a woman who had damaged her so?

"I cannot force you to do anything," the mirror pressed undeterred, "but I do know this: If you would have joy again, you must recall how you first found it and the answer lies within you. If you would have strength again you must likewise recall how you discovered it before. It lies beyond the pain. Have you not said yourself that you no longer remember how you might be happy again? Look deeply, see what you were, and you may! What you experience now are but shadows of things that have already been. There is nothing that can hurt you but you yourself."

David takes a different route with this Snow White retelling. Snow White herself has aged and is currently wallowing in grief for her dead husband, King Charming. She has turned into herself and become weak and self pitying. I found it hard to connect with Snow White because she would comment, to herself and others, that she had been so dependent on Charming that without him she was nothing. Now, I have not lost a husband of thirty years so I'm in no position to say how I would or would not act, but I wanted to just snap her out of it.

After having a meeting with Erfreut, the last living dwarf, about her daughter's upcoming wedding, Snow White goes up to the tower where her stepmother lived. It is there, in the dust covered room, that she stumbles upon the magic mirror. I appreciate the fact that David gave it personality and a purpose. The mirror constantly tells Snow White that it shows the truth, whether one wants to see it or not. I especially like when it told Snow White that it does "not offer advice. I simply show that which is right in front of me. You must decide how to act on what you see. You can run from it or you can embrace it."

After bemoaning to the mirror about how she is lost without Charming and whatever is she going to do, the mirror begins to show her snippets of her past. We see moments with her father, the abuse by her stepmother, her meeting with Charming, and many other memories that shaped Snow White's character. I love this approach as it is as if the mirror is reminding Snow White of her strength and courage, without Charming. That despite what she thinks at this moment, she still has a life to live and a daughter who needs her.

The Reflections of Queen Snow White is a quick read, but I thoroughly enjoyed the continuation of Snow White's story. It's a story of an old woman finding herself and remembering those lessons that she had long forgotten. That even after "happily ever after" appears to end, it's not over. One of my favorite lines occurs on the last page, though it is slightly spoilery: "But most importantly, she saw a princess of raven hair and skin of purest snow with lips like the red, red rose who had finally found her happily ever after."

Teardrop by Lauren Kate (Review)

Genre:	Paranormal, Mythology,YA
Publication Date:	October 22, 2013
Pages:	441
Published By:	Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Website	Teardrop on Goodreads
	Lauren Kate Website
My review copy:	From Random House Canada for honest review

Where to get:

Never, ever cry... Seventeen-year-old Eureka won't let anyone close enough to feel her pain. After her mother was killed in a freak accident, the things she used to love hold no meaning. She wants to escape, but one thing holds her back: Ander, the boy who is everywhere she goes, whose turquoise eyes are like the ocean. And then Eureka uncovers an ancient tale of romance and heartbreak, about a girl who cried an entire continent into the sea. Suddenly her mother's death and Ander's appearance seem connected, and her life takes on dark undercurrents that don't make sense. Can everything you love be washed away?(Goodreads)

 Spectacular, Compelling Beginning.

I have read Lauren Kate's Fallen series and enjoyed it, so I was excited to start Teardrop. What I didn't expect was to fall for this book as hard I did. Lauren Kate's masterful and beautiful writing entranced me from start to finish. This book took what I though Lauren Kate could do and elevated her to new levels, take more than the next step. The Fallen novels drew me in, I would be lying if I told you otherwise but Teardrop has me completely addicted.

The world building and pacing in this book...well there are no words for it. The creativity, beauty and unique way the tale is spun, made for the type of book I just did not want to put down. The execution of the book was almost perfect, flowing from start to finish beautifully. The few flaws that I found lay not within the plot or the pacing and honestly going on those things alone would have made the book perfect. There is a spectacularly woven tale laying between the covers of this book and I regret not picking it up sooner, so I could have lived in its beauty longer. I enjoyed the fact that I didn't know how it was all going to for the first while and that by the end I had developed a hunger for the answers. There is so much to love plot and pacing wise in this read. Even if you are hesitant of the premise, give it a shot for the

Eureka is a wall. I felt for her and the fact that she was taught to never let anything show, more specifically she was not to cry. However, holding in one emotion leads to another and before you know it, you have closed yourself off. This does not mean that she didn't care but more that she was told she was never to cry. This always seemed easy but things are changing. If losing her mother wasn't bad enough she has to now deal with a mysterious boy that is coming off like a stalker. All things considered, I do feel that Kate created a realistic response for a teenage girl, that is in the position that Eureka is in. I mean as a teen I'm not sure I would have been telling anyone and with all of the mysterious happenings. Was she the perfect character? No, but did I like her? Sometimes/mostly... However, what I did like was the detail and depth in her character. It was clear that Kate crafted this character carefully and I could appreciate that.

The romance may be where some people get a little lost or turned off. Yes, there is in fact a mostly love triangle going on. Yes, Eureka likes more than one guy, but she is a teenage girl that is just discovering her friends attraction and has a mysterious stranger floating around (not literally). No matter what we all say, triangles happen and we all have hormones and I may not always get it but I can appreciate it sometimes. In the cause of Eureka, Brooks and Ander, I am left wondering exactly what I hope is going to happen. Brooks seems stable and he genuinely seems to give a crap. With Ander, I know he cares but I am not sure what exactly his angle is. However, Ander has the mysterious, dark and dangerous thing going on for sure that will draw so many towards him. Basically what I am saying is that I may have had my nit pick moments with the romance, but overall I am so excited and hopeful for it!

Teardrop was a creative and unique read. Lauren Kate crafted a world with characters that people (people like me) will easily slip into. Waterfall cab seriously not come fast enough and I can only imagine how stunning its cover will be. If you are looking for something fun, unique and captivating I would recommend this read. If you are a current Lauren Kate fan, this book is NOT to be missed!!

We Are the Goldens by Dana Reinhardt (ARC Review)

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Publication.Date:	May 27, 2014
Pages:	208 (ARC Kindle)
Published By:	Wendy Lamb Books
Website:	Dana Reinhardt
	We Are the Goldens on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Nell knows a secret about her perfect, beautiful sister Layla. If she tells, it could blow their world apart.

When Nell and Layla were little, Nell used to call them Nellaya. Because to Nell, there was no difference between where she started and her adored big sister ended. They're a unit; divorce made them rely on each other early on, so when one pulls away, what is the other to do? But now, Nell's a freshman in high school and Layla is changing, secretive. And then Nell discovers why. Layla is involved with one of their teachers. And even though Nell tries to support Layla, to understand that she's happy and in love, Nell struggles with her true feelings: it's wrong, and she must do something about it. (Goodreads)

Quotes are from an ARC copy and are subject to change

I'll probably always remember where I was and what I wore and all that; it was that kind of moment.

I could no longer pretend.

Something was happening.

Something that shouldn't be.

And I had absolutely no idea what to do.

Don't think about it. Don't think about it. Life is good. Life is great. You're on your way to a party with the boy you adore, who just kissed you on the lips. Don't think about Angel and the spots. Don't think about Layla and what she's doing. Life is good. You are with your best friend. On your way to a party. Don't think about it. Don't think about it.

I think we fall back into our patterns when we don't know what else to do. So as you went back to Layla, the girl with the world on a string, I went back to playing Nell, adoring sister, keeper of the peace.

The sister who lies for you.

Layla, you know I'd happily lie for you to save your life, or to fix your life, but it's a different story entirely to lie about something that I believe is ruining your life.

Layla and Nell are sister's that have always been inseparable and are best friends. While only 18 months apart, their parents held Nell back a year in effort to give the girls space to find themselves - at least this is Nell's theory as her parents said she "just wasn't ready." We Are the Goldens begins with Nell's freshman year and Layla's junior year at City Day. The story is told to us as if we are Layla. Nell is recounting the events of the past few months, explaining to Layla/the reader why she needs to tell Layla's biggest and deepest secret: she is in a relationship with her teacher.

I really enjoy Nell's voice in the story - even from the first two lines ("There's something I need to tell you. Don't be mad") her voice is strong, clear, and realistic. She is not overly mature for a high school freshman, but nor is she immature and whiny. Nell is attempting to navigate her first year of high school without the help of Layla who is slowly drifting away from her family and friends. While Nell does have her best friend, Felix, she is longing for the advice that can only come from her older sister.

Aside from having an affair with her teacher, Layla comes across as your typical high school girl experiencing her first romance. She spends her free moments (secretly) talking to him, he's her end all be all, they're going to be together forever, and she would rather spend time with him than her family.

While I found the story to be completely enjoyable, there are certain facets of the plot that I cannot agree to. I am a high school teacher, my fiance is a high school teacher, and I know how these things work. Mr. Barr (the teacher in question) has rumors spread about him every year that he is in a relationship with a student. Every. Year. Apparently they always turn out to be just that, rumors, but let's be real here. If a male teacher is rumored to have any sort of relationship with a student, the school board and police will be on that like white on rice. And for it to happen every year? No. The school board would without a doubt do something about that. Also, there is another scene where Nell goes to transfer out of Mr. Barr's class and has the following interaction with the woman in the registrar office:

"I don't think I've ever had a student drop one of Mr. Barr's classes. Usually they fight tooth and nail to get in."

I shrugged. "I like music."

"Who doesn't? But Mr. B. could be teaching chemistry. Or Latin. Kids would still line up to take his classes." She winked at me. "Especially the girls."

The fuck?! No. No way in Hell. Not if this woman wants to keep her job. Not if this woman isn't a creep herself. You do not say that to a student in the school. There's a line and it's been crossed. Another student refers to the rumors as an "occupational hazard." This is not an "occupational hazard" of being a teacher. Being under appreciated is an occupational hazard. Taking work home is an occupational hazard. Losing your voice from talking for eight hours straight is an occupational hazard. Having rumors spread about you that your sleeping with a student is not an occupational hazard! *takes a deep breath*

Aside from my huge issue with this, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. If Mr. Barr hadn't had the reputation that he did, and is reputation wasn't treated in the manner it was, I would have rated this book a five. The relationship between the two sisters is obviously something both girls cherish and it's a shame to see it crumble under this secret. You know that Nell is torn between lying for or betraying the person she loves most. Their parents were present and involved, which is an amazing change from most YA novels with absentee parents.

I imagine most readers will not be thrilled with the ending, but honestly, I absolutely loved it. Semi-Spoiler: It's an ambiguous ending and is left open to your imagination. We Are the Goldens is fascinating novel that delves into the relationship of two sisters, woes of high school, friendship/romance, and leaves you both hungering for more but completely content. (Yes, I know those are completely different emotions, but that's exactly how I felt in the end and it worked.)

Be with Me by J. Lynn (Review)

Genre:	New Adult, Romance
Publication.Date	February 4, 2014
Pages:	365
Published By:	William Morrow Paperbacks
Website	J. Lynn
	Be with Me on Goodreads
My review copy:	Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Where to get:

Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she’s in love with her big brother’s best friend, but he hasn’t spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, change-your-life kiss. She got out of a terrible relationship. And now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It’s time for Plan B – college. And maybe a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.

Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he’s not telling anyone. Especially not his best friend’s incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn’t have time for a relationship. But it doesn’t help that all he can think about kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they’re thrown together more and more, Jase and Tess can’t keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they’re willing to risk to be together, and what they’re willing to lose if they’re not…

(Goodreads)

"I always knew I'd make an excellent human tissue." He dipped his head so that his chine rested atop my head. "Thank you for letting me achieve that dream."

"Silence is not a fucking virtue. It's a disease--a cancer that eats away at you and fucks with your head."

He smirked. "Oh, my authority is there. All the time. It's just stealth authority. You don't even know it's happening."

"I have considerable charm, Tess."
"That's true." I cracked a grin.
"And with said charm comes great responsibility to use it wisely," he continues, eyes dancing. "I only break it out when necessary."

Being fed seemed stupid. Unless it was a naked Jase feeding you. Then it was incredibly hot.

"Baby, your ass is like my own personal holy ground."

I loved Wait For You on an astronomical level. It's one of the first New Adult books I remember reading (not the VERY first, but one of them), and it really helped me to fall in love with the genre. Doesn't hurt that J. Lynn aka Jennifer L. Armentrout freaking rocks at writing some of the best stuff. And now I've finally sat down and read the sequel, Be with Me, and I loved it just as much as the first.

I almost want to say I loved it more, but I'm not sure I did. It's more like I loved them both equally, but in different ways. Which makes perfect sense since their STORIES are both great and impacting, but in different ways. Honestly, between the two, Be with Me is more near and dear to my heart on a personal level. Just because of the subject matter. But Wait For You was great, too...

And we're not here to compare, so I'll just move on now.

I really loved the characters in this one. Tess was a character I'd been worried would get on my nerves a bit, since she was the little sister and blah blah blah. But she didn't act annoying with it or anything. She was just a girl who was related to Cam and that was good and cool, but she did her own thing. Of course, we got to see a good amount of Cam and Avery still, which was cute. What I liked best about Tess was that she had a pile of her own crap to work through, but she didn't really become an A-hole because of it. She was pretty open to Jase and not being a B. I freaking LOVE that in female characters, and Tess rocks. She didn't make me angry for being a stupid girl.

Jase, on the other hand, made it an Olympic sport to push Tess away. But I loved him anyway. Why? Because he won me over in the first effing chapter. Seriously. Right out the gates, he shines as a sweet, kind, attractive-as-fudge character. Another reason why his attempts to push Tess away didn't bother me much was that they didn't last entirely too long, the periods in which they were fighting or weren't together. He always made it up pretty quick, and that kind of added on sweet points because Jase is truly an amazing dude. He had his own reasons for doing what he did, and while I would have preferred he'd handled them in a different way, at least he dealt with it all in a way that I could read without cringing. And he came through for Tess every time she really needed him.

Jase also gets bonus points for being super funny. I can't even tell you how many quotes from him I have marked in my copy right now. FOR REAL.

The romance was perfection. Jase and Tess are so obviously better together and it's adorable to watch. Jase says sweet things and is positively sweet and charming, and Tess doesn't give up through his random cray cray moments where he can be a douche. And when they are actually TOGETHER, they compliment each other in the most perfect ways. Take care of each other. Yeah, these two are perfect together for sure.

The plot and writing were both engaging and enjoyable. The only flaw was that I guessed something big about Jase super early in the novel, but that isn't a HUGE deal, since it wasn't exactly a secret Jen tried to keep under wraps for long. Everything else flowed in a way that I didn't quite guess what was going to happen, but instead I got little hints leading me to it so that when it DID happen, I was 100% into it. I was THERE, you know? This turned out to be one of those books I sort of flew through, but tried to NOT so that it could last as long as possible. And now it's over and I'm said, because I want MOAR. 

I have how many months until Stay with Me comes out? (TOO MANY) *cries*

Overall, I loved Be with Me wholly and completely. Jase and Tess were fantastic, the writing and the story won me over from the very beginning all the way through to the end, and I wish with everything in me that Jase and Tess' story weren't over. I cannot wait to get out glimpses of them in the other novels in this series!