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, Special Review, ya contemporary

Book Review: Everything, Everything By Nicola Yoon

Veronica Porras (TTB)

EverythingEverythingCover

Goodreads Summary:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Review:

I think this is one of the hardest reviews I’ve written so far because I like the book, I loved the ending, I loved the message, but I did not like the MC. Don’t get me wrong, Madeline is not a bad character, I just personally didn’t like her half of the time.

I really like that Everything, Everything encourages the reader to do things they’re afraid of, not to stay in unhealthy relationships, and makes us see that the person “in love” does not always have the best judgement when it comes to the person they love.

What I actually disliked about EE was the middle of the book. I found myself a little bored and I was very close to giving up on it. I decided to put it aside for a few months and gave it a second chance a few days ago and I’m glad I did because the last 30% of the book was awesome!

I personally think if I had been younger I would have absolutely loved Everything, Everything. The writing is wonderful and at times poetic (and I’m a sucker for poetic writing), but I was not able to connect with the characters. I found them a bit childish at times and that made my experience a not so great one.

Overall, Everything, Everything is a novel you want to read. The impressions it leaves you with are worth the read.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Disclaimer: Thank you Delacorte Press/Random House Children for giving me the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I received this book at YALLWEST 2015. Receiving this book for free does not sway my opinion.

WWW

WWW (August 26)

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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W.W.W. Wednesday’s is hosted by Should Be Reading. To play along all you have to do is answer three simple questions: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish? What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout

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What did you recently finish?

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

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What do you think you’ll read next?

I have no clue! Any suggestions?

Giveaway

Giveaway Time – Purging Round 1 Edition

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Well hello all! Hope you are having a wonderful day so far. As the title implies, I am purging my bookshelves in order to make room for new ones. I’ve gotten into the habit that if my friends don’t want the books, I just donate them to Goodwill. This time I thought, why not give them away to my wonderful readers!? You have made my book blogging experience a great one the past few years and this is my way of saying THANK YOU!

The books I will be giving away this round are:

IMG_1717It will be a total of four books.

  • The Duff by Kody Kaplinger
  • Not Anything by Carmen Rodriguez
  • Love, Maybe? By Heather Hepler
  • Girl Overboard by Justina Chen

Sorry, this giveaway is not international, I can only ship in the United States. All the books are in like new condition. I like to keep my books looking pristine. The giveaway will be running for two weeks. From August 21st to September 4th. Giveaway ends September 4th @ 12:00am PST.

To enter please click on the link below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

May The Odds Be Ever In You Favor!

Tags

The NKOTB Book Tag

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Andi from Andi’s ABCs and Gail from Ticket to Anywhere unveiled their new joint endeavor: The New Kids on the Block book tag (as inspired by the Taylor Swift book tag).

I was tagged by Emma from Miss Print and I will be using the banners Andi and Gail put together (which I am borrowing here) because they have prompts. (I’ve hardly heard NKOTB *hides from the fangirls*)

Also, this tag is super super late. My apologies Emma!

But without further ado here are my responses:nkotb13

I’m not going to lie.. I was sad to see the Divergent Trilogy end. *still not over the ending*
nkotb12NOWHERE BUT HERE BY KATIE McGARRY! OZ <3333333
nkotb11 I would love to see Bloodlines as a TV show. I think that would make a better TV show than movie. Or Even Fangirl the movie. OMG YES!nkotb10Throne of Glass, Crown At Midnight, & Heir of Fire. Basically the entire ToG series so far.
nkotb9 I love Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover. My love for that book is very intense. nkotb8Um…. I haven’t really read any space books or future books… *hides*
nkotb7 Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is the first one that comes to mind.nkotb6 OMG, that one would be THE DUFF. UGHHHHH. nkotb5 Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. nkotb4 Well, I have many characters to pick from, but I will pick Sydney Sage from the VA & BL series. nkotb3I really like Isla and the Happily Ever After‘s cover. It’s so pretty!
nkotb2

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas (My feels are already at an all time high in anticipation)
nkotb1That would be… Legend by Marie Lu. That ending.. Ugh.

 

NA Romance, Reviews

Book Review: Confess by Colleen Hoover

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Goodreads Summary:

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin.

Review:

It’s been a good two weeks since I read this book and I think I can finally write the review. The entire time I was reading Confess, I was at the edge of my seat. It is INTENSE. It is THRILLING. And it will leave you with an immense BOOK HANGOVER.

Let’s get the not so good stuff out-of-the-way first. Sadly, this isn’t my favorite Colleen Hoover Book. Also, I needed more of Auburn’s first boyfriend. I needed more of his story. Ahhhhh. It is not FAIR. MY FEELS. *cries* LIFE IS NOT FAIR.

Owen is also not my favorite male protagonist. The other book boyfriends have been better, but man did he have a good reason to be messed up like he was. Both Auburn and Owen have such depressing and sad backstories, your feels will be getting punched again and again and again. I did like that he always supported Auburn and was never a burden. He didn’t give her his messed up mess. He supported her, encouraged her, and was there for her. Four for you Owen, You go Owen!

Putting all the kidding aside, this book really makes you look inward and see what your reactions and decisions would be if you were in that situation. In a way, you do some soul-searching while reading this book.

The impression Confess has left me after several weeks have passed is this: Never Settle. Always Fight For What You Want. and lastly, Never Give Up.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Awards

Real Neat Blog Award

Veronica Porras (TTB)

realneat

Thank you my dear friend (LoveThyShelf) for tagging me! You’re the best and I love you very much! (Yes, it’s getting all mushy time. Haha.)

The Rules

  1. Thank and link the blogger who nominated you.
  2. Answer the 7 questions the nomination has provided.
  3. Nominate 7 other bloggers
  4. Create 7 questions for your nominees.

Anjie’s Questions For Me:

1. What was your favorite read in July?

I hardly read anything in July… but the most memorable was Confess by Colleen Hoover.

2. Which book release are you anticipating the most?

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas! (But who isn’t right?)

3. Other than reading, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Watching TV shows, watching YouTube, learning new things, I don’t know. It depends on my mood.

4. What’s your favorite TV show?

ALL TIME: Gilmore Girls

Current Obsession: Covert Affairs

5. Which book character do you relate to the most?

I feel like the person I’ve related the most to has to be Anna from Anna and the French Kiss. Not 100%, but the two times that I read it, I saw myself in her a lot.

6. Pick your book boyfriend … just one! (No cheating like having a fantasy boyfriend and a contemporary boyfriend haha)

Adrian Ivashkov from Vampire Academy and Bloodlines. Didn’t even have to think twice about it!

7. Are you currently crushing on anyone (not a book character)? Tell me about them. (Sorry I’m in a lovey-dovey mood!)

Sadly, no one. It’s been a while since I’ve had a crush on someone. Last one was in college… and I graduated from college May 2013… so you can see its been a while. My love life is non-existent. Hehe. -_-

My Questions:

  1. If you were on a 17 hour plane ride, what two books would you take onboard to pass the time?
  2. What book can you reread over and over again, and not get tired of it?
  3. Top 3 favorite authors. Go!
  4. What author did you last discover in 2015 that you cannot believe you hadn’t been reading this entire time?
  5. Do you like audiobooks? If you do, which is your favorite? (If you don’t, why do you not like audiobooks? No Judgement. 🙂 )
  6. I’m obsessed with makeup. What is your make-up staple? (That product you have to use everyday before you walk out the door?)
  7. What’s going on in your life right now? Going back to school? Any big changes? Do Tell!

Nominations

Montly Recap, Other

July Recap – 2015 Edition

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Good Day! I’m going to start doing something I did over two years ago when I first started my blog and that is… a collective post of all the posts of the month! Yay!

And now here is what happened in my blog in the month of July.

And that’s what happened here in the month of July! Did you read any good books last month? Please let me know. I’m always willing to add more books to my endless TBR!

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Re-Read Meme, The Re-Read Challenge

#REREADS 2015 APRIL TO JULY RECAP

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Re-Read Challenge

My last recap was for March and we are now in August and I have not re-read a single thing. *hides in shame*

I was doing so well and then… I stopped. I didn’t necessarily stop on my own accord. First, I was preparing for the move, then I moved, and after that came the whole settling down after the move. I’ve been in my new place for two months and I’m still not completely settled.

I have been listening to the Amy and Rogers Epic Detour audiobook which is amazing by the way. So, I have been “re-reading” in the last 4 months, I just haven’t finished a single book.

Hopefully my August recap will be much less empty than this (although it can’t get any worse when you’re at zero book reread right?).

What have you been re-reading this past month?

Reviews, ya contemporary

Book Review: My Best Everything by Sarah Tomp

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Tomp_MyBestEverything_HC

Goodreads Summary:

You say it was all meant to be. You and me. The way we met. Our secrets in the woods. Even the way it all exploded. It was simply a matter of fate.

Maybe if you were here to tell me again, to explain it one more time, then maybe I wouldn’t feel so uncertain. But I’m going back to the beginning on my own. To see what happened and why.

Luisa “Lulu” Mendez has just finished her final year of high school in a small Virginia town, determined to move on and leave her job at the local junkyard behind. So when her father loses her college tuition money, Lulu needs a new ticket out.

Desperate for funds, she cooks up the (definitely illegal) plan to make and sell moonshine with her friends, Roni and Bucky. Quickly realizing they’re out of their depth, Lulu turns to Mason: a local boy who’s always seemed like a dead end. As Mason guides Lulu through the secret world of moonshine, it looks like her plan might actually work. But can she leave town before she loses everything – including her heart?

Review:

Guys, I really wanted to like this. I really did. But it fell short for me and I DNF’ed it halfway through.

The beginning wasn’t bad. I was actually starting to like it. Lulu was a bit endearing and you sympathized. You were rooting for her. Then entered her friends and I was just like ehhhhhh. And then there was Mason. I wanted to like him. I did. But I couldn’t. Something didn’t click for me. It fell short. I made myself continue to read it because I said to myself “It begins slow, It’s going to get better just you see, Come on Veronica you’re being too harsh!” But none of that helped.

The whole moonshine thing also made me want to smack Lulu in the head. I was like, “Come ON! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING! STOP IT!”

Overall, the story wasn’t for me. Maybe others have enjoyed it and I’m glad for them, but for me the story didn’t click. The characters were just characters and I couldn’t come to care for them.

Sigh.

Does anyone agree or disagree with me? Please let me know in the comments below!

Rating: DNF (Did Not Finish)

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for giving me the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this book for free does not sway my opinion.

Book Subscription Box

Uppercase Box Review – July 2015 Edition

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Hello all!

Today I will be reviewing one of many book subscriptions that exist today, the Uppercase Box. Before I even subscribed to this box I researched several boxes and decided that UPB was the best fit for me.

There are three different types of subscriptions boxes at Uppercase Box. There is the Book Exclusive at $17, the Expert Plan at $23, and the Personalized recommendation at $29 (all prices are in US dollars). You also have to add $6 for shipping. I paid a total of $29 for the Expert Pick Plan. Click here to go to the FAQ page at Uppercase Box if you want more detailed information.

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I decided to get the Expert Plan to fully try out what Uppercase Box has to offer. This is what I received for the month of July.

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The box as shown above came with the following:

  • The book of the month: Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
  • Signed bookplate from Sophie Kinsella
  • Book-Inspired coffee sleeve
  • Out of Print Clothing Library Socks
  • Exclusive set of 3 Paper Towns bookmarks designed by Risa Rodil

I say this is a pretty good value for everything that you receive in the box. You get a book, merch, and all sorts of goodies. I’m pretty happy with this month’s box.

I’ll be keeping my subscription for another month and I will report back then.

Are you currently subscribed to a Book Box or thinking of subscribing to one? Let me know! I’m all for discovering new boxes.