Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Books I Plan To Have In My Beach Bag This Summer

Veronica Porras (TTB)

TopTenTuesday Thank you to The Broke and The Bookish for this wonderful meme! If you want to learn how to participate, click here and check it out. Promise you won’t regret it.  🙂

Yes, you have read right. I am doing a Top Ten Tuesday. Say WHAT?!!! This week’s topic is Top Ten Books I Plan To Have In My Beach Bag This Summer.

I am very excited to be doing this list! This summer I will be reading some amazing books and this is what I will be reading/will be in my beach bag (Sorry, was not able to make a full ten list…)

1. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

2. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

3. Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry (rereads for the win!)

4. The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall

5. Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout

6. Confess by Colleen Hoover

7. This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales (another reread for the win!)

8. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Have you read any of the books on my list? What are some books what you will be reading this summer?

 

Reviews, ya contemporary

Book Review: Ugly People, Beautiful Hearts by Marlen Komar

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Title: Ugly People Beautiful Hearts
Short Summary: Ugly People Beautiful Hearts is a poetry book with over 70 poems and verses moving between the feelings of loving someone, feeling loss, trusting the night sky, losing your light, resolving that hurt is beautiful, and finding compassion in a stranger’s smile.
Genre: Poetry
Pages: 96
Audience: 16+
 
Website with poem samples: http://mar-komar.tumblr.com/

Review:

I know I normally don’t review poetry books here, but Marlen kindly reached out to me and after reading a poem of hers I said… why not?!

This poetry book still fits in the YA genre because it is for 16+ or older, but it does have some themes that I wouldn’t want someone very young to read them. I almost feel like… it wouldn’t have the same impact as someone who is a bit older. Anyways I am straying away from the review.

The entire time I was reading Ugly People Beautiful Hearts, I felt like I was on a journey, I was given entrance into someones mind and innermost thoughts and feelings which in turn made me feel vulnerable. Some of the best writing comes from pain and I think Marlen truly captured the intense emotions we feel throughout life in her poems, her work. There were some poems that I understood, while some made me feel melancholy and just sad. I wanted to shake the voice and tell them to stop acting so stupidly at times. Each poem was like a journey in itself and I couldn’t stop reading it until I’d reached the end.

Below is one of my favorite poems… What We’re Leading Up To

“And you pointed at the thick field of stars and asked, “Lie here with me?” My skin is translucent; the spots where your finger tips trace lighting up like the verses in the sky. And I’ve had my heart broken in so many interesting ways, but this way, oh by far, has been my favorite.”

There is just something about this poem that I love. I can’t explain it.

Thank you Marlen for being kind and sharing with the world your poems. You’ve poured out your soul for everyone to see. That takes a lot of courage. Congratulations!

Rating: 4 out of 5

About The Author:

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Marlen Komar

Writer/ Poet, Ugly People Beautiful Hearts
   
 Disclaimer: Thank you Marlen Komar 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.
Special Review, YA Mystery

Book Review: HIT by Delilah S. Dawson (Spoiler-Free Review)

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Goodreads Summary:

NO ONE READS THE FINE PRINT.

The good news is that the USA is finally out of debt. The bad news is that we were bought out by Valor National Bank, and debtors are the new big game, thanks to a tricky little clause hidden deep in the fine print of a credit card application. Now, after a swift and silent takeover that leaves 9-1-1 calls going through to Valor voicemail, they’re unleashing a wave of anarchy across the country.

Patsy didn’t have much of a choice. When the suits showed up at her house threatening to kill her mother then and there for outstanding debt unless Patsy agreed to be an indentured assassin, what was she supposed to do? Let her own mother die?

Patsy is forced to take on a five-day mission to complete a hit list of ten names. Each name on Patsy’s list has only three choices: pay the debt on the spot, agree to work as a bounty hunter, or die. And Patsy has to kill them personally, or else her mom takes a bullet of her own.

Since yarn bombing is the only rebellion in Patsy’s past, she’s horrified and overwhelmed, especially as she realizes that most of the ten people on her list aren’t strangers. Things get even more complicated when a moment of mercy lands her with a sidekick: a hot rich kid named Wyatt whose brother is the last name on Patsy’s list. The two share an intense chemistry even as every tick of the clock draws them closer to an impossible choice.

Delilah S. Dawson offers an absorbing, frightening glimpse at a reality just steps away from ours—a taut, suspenseful thriller that absolutely mesmerizes from start to finish.

Review:

WOW.

First, I want to thank Simon and Schuster-Simon Pulse for being so kind and sending me this ARC without me even asking for it. You guys are awesome. It’s like you know me already.

Okay, onto the book now…

HIT is exactly what I craving and I didn’t even know it. Everyone knows I’m a sucker for the spy/con-artist/conspiracy stuff, but this is entirely different, yet it still fits in the Spy/Conspiracy genre… sort of. It’s weird. You can also say it’s dystopian, but it doesn’t exactly fit into that genre either. The girl is forced to turn into a bounty hunter, but in reality she is an assassin, although she is not a trained one. It’s very weird because you can’t say “It belongs in this genre”, but I like it.

While HIT has its angst and romance, what it truly focuses on is the American spending culture present day. Almost everyone in the United States has a credit card. Our nation runs on the credit system, and I believe that most people would be screwed overnight if the credit system disappeared, or if the United States went bankrupt. HIT punches you in the gut and makes you realize just how bad our economy is. I myself have credit cards like many Americans and if the credit card companies would tell us pay up or die… Gosh… that’s just scary. HIT really makes you see just how much of a crutch the credit system is to our country and to our lives.

Overall, I really liked how HIT was set up. It was a solid first book in a series and I can’t wait to read Strike the second book in the series. I feel like there is more to Wyatt than meets the eye and we will see him fully emerge in the next book, and I am so freaking excited!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Disclaimer: Thank you Simon & Schuster 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.

Reviews, ya contemporary

Book Review: Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Goodreads Summary:

he 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? Okay, easy enough.

Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not?

Kiss a Stranger? Um…

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? Wait … what?

Review:

Wow. I really did not expect to like this book. You might be thinking… Veronica what did you just say?! and I am rather surprised myself that I had those thoughts too. I am one of those people that LOVES Morgan Matson books. I tell people I don’t even know at the bookstore that they have to read one of her books. The thing is that when SYBG was released, I wasn’t too thrilled. Don’t get me wrong, I was excited, but the synopsis didn’t grab me. Kayla bought me the book because she is awesome and I started reading it and… it fell flat. I couldn’t get into it. It was boring. (Yes I know I committed blasphemy by saying that but keep reading please)

10 months later, I decide to give SYBG another chance because I HAVE to. I was at a different point in my life then and maybe my perceptive now will change since I am at a different stage in life. I decide to “read” the book a different way this time too. Once I received my credit on Audible, I choose to spend that credit on SYBG and listen to it on my commute to and from work. Let me jus tell you the wonders a good audiobook does to your overall experience of a book, it gave Emily a voice that I couldn’t have given her in my mind. I got so into the story that I regretted packing all of my books already, and not leaving SYBG out. As I was wallowing because I could only hear SYBG and not read it too, Ms. Matson tweeted that the kindle version of SYBG was on sale for 1.99. I snatched that baby up in no time and started reading it. A month of car rides and reading SYBG at night when I could muster enough energy to stay awake for 20 more minutes, I finished it and it ended up being exactly what I needed.

Emily is a very relatable character. I think my 17 year old self would have connected with Emily more, but nonetheless, I did too at 24. In February I started a new job and I had to be the new girl all over again and It’s easy to be the shadow of a new friend. I’ve done that my entire life, but an important lesson I’ve learned is that you need to have an identity all on your own and be proud of that identity. I came into my new job with this mentality and it has worked. I am my own person and I can also be somebody’s good friend without being their shadow.

This review is more of my journey and not information itself of the book because that is exactly how the book is. I recommend you read it at some point in your life. You may not be ready for it now (or you might be), but you will be ready for it at some point and it will leave you feeling good and content with life.

Before I close, let’s not forget about Frank. I’m not a fan of the name Frank, but this character has even made me like the name. He is the sweetest, most loyal, human character I’ve read in contemporary YA in a long time. Don’t get me wrong I am still in love with Isaiah from Crash Into You (that boy will be the death of me), but there is something so real and raw about Frank that I have to say Ms. Matson did a darn good job with her characters in SYBG.

Rating: 5 out of freaking 5

Editor Letter

I’m still alive. I promise.

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Hello Fellow Readers and Bookworms,

First I want to let you all know that I am alive and well! After Contemporary Conversations ended, life decided to get busier and I was also feeling a little burnt out, so I decided to take an unplanned hiatus from blogging. I couldn’t even read. Ask Kayla (The Thousand Lives) or Anjie (Love Thy Bookshelf). They know how miserable I have been because I haven’t been able to read.

Kayla and I went to YALLWEST the second week of April and it was AWESOME. I was planning on writing a post, but life got in the way, and alas, there is not post. I’m still planning on writing one, but it won’t be as in depth as I had originally planned for it to be.

I do have good news though. I am over this horrible burnt out hangover and I can finally read again so some reviews are coming. So please anticipate them.

Sorry to all my fellow book bloggers whom blogs I have also neglected to read and have not commented on, but I’m coming back and hopefully with full force.

(Also, will be making a book haul post because when a book blogger can’t read, she buys an insane amount of books. )

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Book Spotlight

TRAILER REVEAL: NOWHERE BUT HERE BY KATIE MCGARRY

Veronica Porras (TTB)

I am are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Trailer Reveal for Katie McGarry’s NOWHERE BUT HERE! NOWHERE BUT HERE is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance being published by Harlequin Teen and is a part of Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road Series. It is being released on May 26th, 2015!!

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NOWHERE BUT HERE Pre-Order:

Amazon ** Kobo ** B-A-M ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** IndieBound

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

 

 

Nowhere But Here preoder banner

Pre-Order NOWHERE BUT HERE, Register your Pre-Order and you’ll get the eBook you’ve been asking for, Abby’s Story, CHASING IMPOSSIBLE absolutely free! PLUS, you’ll also be entered to win a $500 VISA Gift Card! Register at http://bit.ly/1Mt8cjr.

 

And check out the amazing trailer for

NOWHERE BUT HERE!

 

NOWHERE BUT HERE Synopsis:

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she’s curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn’t mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They’re the good guys. They protect people. They’re…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club’s most respected member—is in town, he’s gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it’s his shot at his dream. What he doesn’t count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

 

Katie McGarry Author Photo

About Katie McGarry:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine’s 2012 Reviewer’s Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Goodreads ** Pinterest ** Tumbler ** Instagram

 

 

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(Disclaimer: All material was provided by InkSlinger PR)

The Re-Read Challenge

#ReReads 2015 March Recap

Veronica Porras (TTB)
Re-Read Challenge
Guess what guys?! I re-read a ton of books for the month of March. Say What?! The Thousand Lives and I hosted Contemporary Conversations for the entire Month of March and the third week was Re-reads week so I had the opportunity to catch up on my re-reads. (Also, I apologize this is so late. I had it written the post somewhere else, but I hadn’t transferred it here until today. Opps! )

MARCH REREADS: 3

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I had so much fun rereading these novels. I hadn’t planned on rereading any of these titles, but it just happened. That type of reread tends to be the best type of reread. Maybe Someday was even better the second time. Breathe Annie Breathe made me fall in love with Jeremiah even more. And all I can say about Open Road Summer is JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL *sobs*
Did you reread anything exciting in March?
Reviews, Special Review, ya contemporary

Book Review: The Truth About Us by Janet Gurtler

Veronica Porras (TTB)

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Goodreads Summary:

The truth is that Jess knows she screwed up.
She’s made mistakes, betrayed her best friend, and now she’s paying for it. Her dad is making her spend the whole summer volunteering at the local soup kitchen.

The truth is she wishes she was the care-free party-girl everyone thinks she is.
She pretends it’s all fine. That her “perfect” family is fine. But it’s not. And no one notices the lie…until she meets Flynn. He’s the only one who really sees her. The only one who listens.

The truth is that Jess is falling apart – and no one seems to care.
But Flynn is the definition of “the wrong side of the tracks.” When Jess’s parents look at him they only see the differences-not how much they need each other. They don’t get that the person who shouldn’t fit in your world… might just be the one to make you feel like you belong.

Review:

There is something about Janet Gurtler novels that just makes me binge read them. I stayed up late reading this one several nights in a row (even though I had to work early in the AM). I read #16ThingsIThoughtWereTrue a few months ago and I LOVED it. I apparently loved it so much that I went over to Kayla’s house and said READ IT. I don’t remember this, but she has it and she says it happened, so it probably did. Especially since she has my book.

I was really intrigued when I saw the synopsis of this novel. We have a boy who comes from under the poverty line, and then we have the girl who is rich. We never see the rich girl, it is always the rich boy helping out the poor girl (except in Crash Into You by Katie McGarry, but that’s a whole other story there…).

I really wanted to see how Ms. Janet would portray those who are below the poverty level, and I wanted to see if they would be accurately represented.

Throughout the novel, the issue of poverty is present and it is somewhat explored, but not enough. We barely get a glimpse of it. Yes, we have the soup kitchen, and yes we have that brief moment in Flynn’s house, but poverty isn’t described well enough for me. I do have to keep in mind though that Ms. Gurtler is from Canada and I live in the USA, so poverty will look a bit different in both countries. What I did like was Jess’ attitude towards Flynn on the whole not having money front. She didn’t discriminate, but I loved that Ms. Janet did show that Jess felt uncomfortable at times being in a place where poverty is so real. I hate it when a rich character goes into a poor area and is like, “Cool yo, no shame, I’m cool. It’s all cool.” NO IT ISN’T. That is not a normal reaction. Not believable at all.

Switching over to some less serious stuff… Really Flynn?! You were so cute and adorable until the end. I loved you. I believed in you and you crushed my heart. I forgive you, but I cannot love you as much as I did at the beginning. That ending just… ugh I’m not cool with it bro.

Overall, The Truth About Us is another great book under Janet’s belt. I enjoyed reading it immensely. I know I didn’t talk much about that, but The Truth About Us raises some very important issues and that is why I requested it on NetGalley, not because I wanted a fluffy read.

Rating: 4.50 out of 5

Disclaimer: Thank you Sourcebooks Fire and  NetGalley 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.

Contemporary Conversations

ContempConvos: Giveaway Winner!

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Contemporary-Conversations-Banner

It is time to announce the giveaway winner!

First, I want to thank every single one of you one more time for participating either via posting, reading, tweeting, and any other way. You guys made this a really fun event and even though it was a lot of work for both Kayla and I, I think we would do it again in a heartbeat!

Now, what you have all been waiting for… drum roll please… The winner is:

NARA LEE

Congratulations! *throws confetti*

We have already contacted the winner. If the winner doesn’t respond within 48 hours, we will be picking another winner.

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!

Contemporary Conversations

ContempConvos: Week 4 Wrap Up

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Contemporary-Conversations-Banner

We did it! Week 4 is over! I am so excited we did it and at the same time I am really sad because Contemporary Conversations is almost over. We have two days left.

Below is a list of the posts that were a part of “Conspiracies/Spies/Drama” week. If we missed your post or discussion by any chance, go ahead and leave it down in the comments below and we will add it to the list accordingly.

Reviews:

Discussions and Fun:

I want to thank each and every one of you who participated in some shape or form in Contemporary Conversations. We couldn’t have done this without you! I want to apologize as well because I had so much planned for week 4 in the review department, but the books that were going to be featured (which Penguin kindly provided) ended up going to a wrong address. Penguin kindly resent the books, but they arrived halfway through week 4. Such a bummer. But either way you will be seeing reviews of those book shortly so stay tuned for those!

We will be announcing the giveaway winner through both Kayla’s blog and mine on Tuesday! (Kayla thinks it’s Wednesday but I checked our shared calendar 🙂 )

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