Author: Veronica Porras (TTB)

I am a thirty-something living in Southern California. I blog about books, read, and live life as best as I can.
Reviews, ya contemporary

Book Review: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Goodreads Summary:

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.

My Initial Thoughts:

At first I thought… a book about a girl that is suicidal?! I didn’t want to read it, but the whole DJ thing intrigued me cause I LOVE music. Then Kayla was like read it for me first and I was like OKAY! 🙂

Review:

You can say I read this book in two parts. I read the first half about 3 weeks ago and the other half tonight, and it was a good idea. Why? I coincidently stopped reading right before it all went down in the story. Anyways, let’s get down to business.

The main character, Elise, is not your typical suicidal girl. She is not craving attention. She just wants someone to see her and not just ignore her. I think we can all relate to her. We have all felt invisible at some point in our lives. What struck a chord in me were her habits and ways of dealing with life (not her suicidal tendencies, but how she dealt with life after her attempt).

My second year of college was a hard one. I was tired but wired a lot of the time. At night I would walk around campus, past midnight, trying to tire myself out so that I could sleep a few hours. I would put on my headphones and try to forget the world around me. Elise and I are so similar in that way because she would do the exact same thing to tire herself out, it was weird. I was like… how does the author know this I did?! I didn’t come across a underground party, or learn to DJ, but it was surreal to see a little of myself in Elise.

This story is so powerful because it shows us that this life is worth living. Yes, this world may suck at times (or a lot of the times) and we may not be happy with the cards life gave us, but we can make the best of it. The main message of this book is “Do not settle on being ordinary, be extraordinary”. We can all do that in our own individual ways if we try.

I really wish we got to see more of Henry though. That’s my only complaint. 🙂

Rating : 5/5

Special Review, YA Paranormal

ARC Book Review: Waterfell by Amalie Howard

Veronica Porras (TTB)

1113-9780373211050-bigwI was kind of to receive a copy from Harlequin Teen through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date:

October 29,2013

Goodreads Summary:

THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE QUEEN

Nerissa Marin hides among teens in her human form, waiting for the day she can claim her birthright—the undersea kingdom stolen from her the day her father was murdered. Blending in is her best weapon—until her father’s betrayer confronts Nerissa and challenges her to a battle to the death on Nerissa’s upcoming birthday—the day she comes of age.

Amid danger and the heartbreak of her missing mother, falling for a human boy is the last thing Nerissa should do. But Lo Seavon breaches her defenses and somehow becomes the only person she can count on to help her desperate search for her mother, a prisoner of Nerissa’s mortal enemy. Is Lo the linchpin that might win Nerissa back her crown? Or will this mortal boy become the weakness that destroys her?

My Initial Thoughts:

I requested Waterfell on NetGalley because I thought it was about mermaids. Mermaid books and I don’t get along, but I wanted to give them one more chance. To my surprise this ended up not being about mermaids…

Review:

I have very mixed feelings about the book. I like it and at the same time I am not satisfied with it. Let me explain. I think the concept is good, the plot is good, I just have a few issues with some of the main characters. Let’s start with Nerissa. She seems very selfish and while she has her good moments, she seems to me like the royal brat she was raised as. Jenna and Sawyer were my favorite characters to be honest and they aren’t even the main characters. Lo was too cocky and a bit of  a jerk. Some of that may make characters lovable, but it was a little over the top when it came to Lo.

I did like that a lot of the book was very fast paced and that it was full of action. The only downfall is that I was being bombarded with information every few pages that it was hard to keep up with it some of the time. Another thing is that I cannot picture how Nerissa’s species looks. In my head they are just gigantic colorful snakes…

Overall, I like Waterfell and it intrigued me enough to want to read the next book in the series which comes out in 2014. I want to see the growth that Lo and Nerissa go through as they have to adapt to their new life and what happens now that Nerissa is queen.

Rating: 3.5/5

Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR

Veronica Porras (TTB)

toptentuesdayThank you to the lovely people at The Broke and The Bookish for creating this wonderful meme.

This week’s TTT is Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR. In the past I would be really excited for this time of year because WINTER BREAK, but I no longer have that since I am officially in the working world, but who says I can’t attempt to read all of these books this winter right?!

1. The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines) by Richelle Mead

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2. This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

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3. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

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4. Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally

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5. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

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6. What’s Left of Me by Kat Zhang

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7. Crewel by Gennifer Albin

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8. Legend by Marie Lu

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9. Prodigy by Marie Lu

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10. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

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Special Review, YA Dystopian, YA Paranormal

Blog Book Review Tour: Sanctuary by Pauline Creeden

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Blurb

In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meets The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what’s left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth’s population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it…When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18684843-sanctuary?ac=1

http://www.amazon.com/Sanctuary-Pauline-Creeden/dp/1491072067/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385951078&sr=8-1&keywords=Sanctuary+creeden

Pauline Creeden

In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.

Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy.

Armored Hearts, her joint effort with author Melissa Turner Lee, has been a #1 Bestseller in Christian Fantasy and been awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence by InDtale Magazine. Her debut novel, Sanctuary is scheduled for release September 30, 2013, and has already been nominated for two awards in YA Science Fiction.

One of Pauline’s short stories has won the CCW Short Story contest. Other short stories have been published in Fear & Trembling Magazine, Obsidian River and Avenir Eclectia. An urban fantasy short will appear in The Book of Sylvari: An Anthology of Elves from Port Yonder Press, and a vampire short will appear in Monsters! from Diminished Media Group.

https://twitter.com/P_Creeden

https://www.facebook.com/PaulineCreeden

http://paulinecreeden.com

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5284782.Pauline_Creeden

Review

First of all, if you like scary books about alien invasions, this is your type of book! I was so scared when I was reading it that I opted to read it in the morning and not at night. It took me a while to sleep the first night I read a few chapters. I kept imagining the aliens described in the book and trust me my imagination did a wonderful job at creating them.

Sanctuary is written in several POV’s which helps the reader understand what is going on through different parts of the country. It also helps us see how all the characters came together and were able to find temporary safety. At first I thought Jennie was cowardly, but as I read on the story, I noticed how brave she really was and coming out strong after everything that she experienced is awe-inspiring. I also enjoyed Hugh’s POV.

The attacks of the aliens, the science behind the alien animals, and the bible passages made it real in the sense that as you’re reading the story, you feel as if you’re in that world experiencing the attack, fearing for your own life. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of alien invasions and The Walking Dead. This is one sic fi thrill you won’t want to miss.

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Tuesday Meme

Top Ten 2014 Release I’m Dying To Read

Veronica Porras (TTB)

toptentuesday

Thank you to the lovely people at The Broke and The Bookish for creating this wonderful meme.

Hey guys! I’m back…sort of? Not having internet, moving, and my new full-time job have sucked all my time lately. Anjie has been super busy with school as well so I’m sorry we haven’t been blogging as much as we normally do. But, alas, I bring to you a Top Ten Tuesday! Exciting right?! I am too! And here we go~

Top Ten 2014 Release I’m Dying To Read

1. The One by Kiera Cass

2. Let The Storm Break by Shannon Messenger

3. Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

4. Panic by Lauren Oliver

5. Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

6. The Immortal Crown by Richelle Mead

7. Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

8. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

9.The Assassin’s Blade: The Throne of Glass Novellas by Sarah J. Maas

10. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

What books are you anticipating this year?

NA Romance, Reviews

Book Review: Flat Out Love by Jessica Park

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Goodreads Summary:

He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche Is My Homeboy.

So, that was Matt. Who Julie Seagle likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.

Complicated? Awkward? Completely.

But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother’s? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn’t supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she’s never quite met. But what does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before. They have connection.

But here’s the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations—it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed.

My Initial Thoughts:

The first time I heard about Flat Out Love was through Kayla (thethousandlives). Before that I had only heard of Park’s other novel Left Drowning which a lot of bloggers were saying was depressing. I was hoping Flat Out Love would be more lighthearted. I was also nervous because her previous novels were NA and I wanted a book without the naughty bits.

 Review:

The story starts of with the main character stranded in Boston. We learn that she had been cheated off by someone posing as a landlord who was renting apartments to college students, but in reality the address led to a burger joint. No apartment complex in sight. No landlord. No Money.

After Julie calls her mom the situation is fixed when her mom’s college roommate happens to live in Boston and her mom arranges for her to stay at her house for the time being. In comes Matt, the son of her mom’s college roommate.

They story progresses as Julies meets the quirky family whose son Finn is out exploring the world, leaving the youngest, Celeste, in shams picking up after the pieces his departure left in their lives.

Flat Out Love was written in three parts, which helps the reader pinpoint the importance of each occurrence and the consequences of Julie’s and Matt’s actions. What surprised me the most is that the book is a self-published book, through Amazon’s publisher. All I can say is that Ms. Park created such a unique story one that I’ve never read before and that is saying something. Many know me as the YA Contemporary guru, since I’ve read a lot of contemporary novels throughout my lifetime. This makes book shopping hard with me, as Kayla discovered, because every suggestion is followed by a, “Oh, I’ve already read that”. This novel is something new, something fresh in the YA Contemp genre. It will break your heart and at the same time it will make it soar in the clouds with the many adorable moments. Think of it as the baby of Ana and the French Kiss and Second Chance Summer.

I wish I could read this book again. It has been a while since I’ve read a book that has me giggling, gasping, making me tear up, and jump of joy! The themes in the novel, mental health, grief, love, friendships, family, are all very well written and executed. Ms. Park brings some important issues to light in this book that should be discussed more instead of ignored by the masses.

I suggest you all give this book a try; it may sound like your average YA Contemp novel but it isn’t. Trust me on this one.

Rating: 5/5

Reviews, ya contemporary, ya romance

Things I Can’t Forget (Hundred Oaks #3) by Miranda Keneally

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Things-I-Cant-Forget-cover1Goodreads Summary:

Companion to Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker.

Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…

This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt–with her.

Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…

Read an excerpt here.

My Initial Thoughts:

You all know I had several issues with Catching Parker and I said I would not read more Miranda Kenneally books, but I decided to give her one more chance.

Review:

I’m actually happy I gave Ms. Kennneally another chance because I really liked Things I Can’t Forget.

I really liked the decision Kate made at the end. It seems like a lot of books nowadays, especially those that have christian characters, portray them in a way that is not realistic or true a lot of the time. I liked that Kate said no and no meant no. She didn’t care that she might lose Matt, she made the right choice and for that I’m so happy. I think that is one of the reasons why I loved this book. Someone that actually favors their beliefs instead of the guy. Someone that actually favors abstinence.

I also want to point out that Miranda’s writing style is unique. It’s not fake or unrealistic, it’s feels real. I feel like I know the characters in real life, it almost feels like I’m reading a journal. While I was reading the novel in my head Kate was my friend and everything I was reading were letters she had sent me, explaining what’s been happening in her life, the struggles that she is going through, and the things she has to figure out.

I also like the development of the characters and how inanimate objects were used to bring quirkiness and uniqueness to each character. For Matt it was his doorless Jeep. For Kate it was her paintings.

Overall, I think this is the best book out of the three books so far in the Hundred Oaks companion novel series. I liked Catching Jordan and I despised Stealing Parker. We will see if I will hate or love Racing Savannah when I read it next month.

I recommend this book to those who want a quick read. I read this book in a few hours.

Rating: 4/5

NA Romance, Reviews, ya romance

Book Review: Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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I was given a ARC of Crash Into You by Katie McGarry through NetGalley from Harlequin Teen in exchange of a honest review

Goodreads Summary:

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that’s who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers…and she’s just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can’t get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they’ll go to save each other.

My Initial Thoughts:

I had read Pushing The Limits about a year ago and I know that I loved it. My expectations coming into this novel weren’t high because I had forgotten a lot of information and why I had loved this author’s writing so much. After Crash Into You, I quickly remembered why I love Ms. McGarry and why I didn’t hesitate to request this ARC a while ago.

Review:

I am going to start this review by gushing. I LOVED this book. I ab-so-lu-te-ly loved it. Ask Anjie, Ask Kayla, heck go on my twitter and see what I tweeted Ms. McGarry.

One of the reasons why I love this novel so much is the car talk. I love cars, so when you give me a well written book with a to-die for male protagonist and cars?! I’m speechless. If this were my tumblr I would insert here a gif saying that I ship myself with it all.

On a more serious note, I do want to mention one of the reasons why I loved this novel so much is because it is very well written. The story just sucks you in and it almost becomes your reality. In the moment you are reading the novel, you are experiencing what Isaiah and Rachel are feeling. You are in the driver’s seat, and it is one heck of a ride!

The characterization in the novel is fantastic. I feel like I will run out of adjectives soon, but I can’t stop gushing over this novel. I do want to say that this novel may not be a “everyone will automatically love” type of novel. Not everyone is into cars (like myself), and if you haven’t read Pushing The Limits, it might be a little hard to understand what’s going on and why characters act the way they do.

The pacing of the novel was perfect right up until the end where I did feel like it hiccuped a little. Knowing that the next novel is through abut a certain character (I wish I could say but I don’t want to spoil anyone), it makes sense why the end is how it is.

Overall, I find no fault in this novel and I can’t wait for future books written by Ms.McGarry.

Rating: 5/5

Editor Letter

I’m Sorry

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Hello readers,

are you still there?

Veronica here… I know it feels that I have abandoned you guys, but that is not the case. I just finished a two week training at work and I just moved into a new place. Moving + new job = MIA Veronica.

I have been reading though! I finished Crash Into You by Katie McGarry a week ago, and I am reading other ARC’s at the moment. I’ll be writing reviews and will be posting them in the following days.

Please bare with me this month of November as I get used to my new place, new job, new everything it seems.

Alright enough of my excuses, I’m going to go write some reviews!

~Veronica

Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Character Names I Love or Top Ten Unusual Character Names

Veronica Porras (TTB)

toptentuesday

 

Thank you The Broke and the Bookish for this wonderful Tuesday Meme

Hello Everyone! We haven’t done a Top Ten Tuesday for a while.  Today we get to pick Top Ten Character Names I Love or Top Ten Unusual Character Names. 

1. Peregrine (Perry) – Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

2. Daenerys – A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

3. Ulrik – Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

4. Etienne – Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perking

5. Peeta & Katniss – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

6. Penryn – Angelfall by Susan Ee

7. Katsa & Po – Graceling by Kristin Cashore

8. Patch/Jev – Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

9. Rhine – Wither by Lauren DeStefano

10. Minho – The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Which are your top unusual names?

 

Anjie