The Talking Bookworm

“Thought provoking and powerful.”

–# 1 New York Times bestselling authors Erin Watt

“Beautiful, real, and devastating, If There’s No Tomorrow grabbed me by the heart from the first lines and didn’t let go until the very end. Teeming with toe-curling romance, fully-realized friendships, and nuanced portrayals of grief and healing, this book will forever have a spot on my all-time favorites shelf. Absolutely brilliant and unforgettable.”

–# 1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas

“Moving and necessary, essential and powerful, IF THERE’S NO TOMORROW belongs in everyone’s hands. You won’t be able to put it down.”

–Brigid Kemmerer, author of LETTERS TO THE LOST and ELEMENTAL SERIES

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SYNOPSIS:

ITNT-10 Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She’s ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college applications and to maybe let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be epic—one of opportunities and chances.

Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything. ITNT-5

Now Lena isn’t looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian might never forgive her for what happened.

For what she let happen.

With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when her and her friends’ entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn’t even guaranteed?

IF THERE’S NO TOMORROW giveaway!!

Surprise Signed Prize Pack (multiple JLA books & swag)

Open Internationally

Ends: 9/14/17

JLArmentrout-AuthorPhoto

#1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Giveaway

Blog Tour: Covetous (The Marked Mage Chronicles, Book #2) Giveaway

August 4, 2017August 4, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Book
Info:

Title:
Covetous

Series:
The Marked Mage Chronicles, Book #2

Author:
Victoria Evers

Genre:
Paranormal
Romance

Release
Date:
July 14, 2017

Heaven Wants Me Dead.
Hell Wants Me As Their Weapon.
And I’m in Bed With A Devil.

I was just your average seventeen-year-old girl, until I was Marked. Some may sell their souls; mine was taken. Not only are angelic hunters out to kill me, but Hell’s deadliest Mage—the devilishly charming Crown Prince of Lust—is just as desperate to get his hands on me…again. No, he doesn’t want me dead. This seductive trickster only has one thing on his mind: making me his new blushing bride.

He can call me his “mate” all he wants. I’m not about ready to sign my soul away into eternal damnation, no matter how gorgeous he may be. But after two months on the run, I realize I can’t escape the ugly truth. If I wish to fight another day, I may just have to make a deal with the worst kind of devil. The kind that loves me.

I thought I knew what rock bottom was, but this is only the beginning. As the great poet once said, “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.”

Goodreads / Amazon

$0.99 Release Sale!

EXCERPT:

“Talk about bad timing,” laughed Sam.

I rolled over on my mattress to see him staring out my side window. “What is it?”

“Your new neighbor’s just arrived.”

Hanna had spent most of the past hour stealing looks, hoping for even a glimpse of the guy in question with no such luck. Despite the humor in Hanna’s horrible timing, I still groaned. The view in question looked literally right out into the neighboring window not ten feet away, guaranteeing zero privacy. So it was official. I’d have to keep my window shades permanently pulled from here on out.

“Sure it’s not just one of the movers? They’re all pretty young,” I said.

Sam chuckled. “Trust me; this guy isn’t dressed for the job. He’s not really dressed, period.”

“What?” Curiosity got the better of me. I climbed off the mattress, joining my friend at the window.

Sam sidled aside and flipped on the light switch to admire my new setup as I went to the music dock, using its location below the window as an excuse to steal a casual look across the way. I didn’t even have to make a song selection. As soon as I touched the radio, Arctic Monkeys’ “Do I Wanna Know” suddenly started playing. I scooped up my phone, which was synced with the device, searching for the song in question. Since when was this on my playlist?

“What’s wrong?” asked Sam, clearly noting my bafflement.

Before I could so much as articulate a single syllable, my eyes instinctively shot up to the window at the sight of movement across the way. That building heat in my chest roared to life, making my knees out-and-out buckle.

Sam wasn’t kidding. My new neighbor wasn’t wearing much of anything, apart from a pair of black jeans that hung dangerously low, revealing the chiseled V-shaped section of his lower abdominals that rivaled Apollo himself.

I outright gawked, feeling my phone slip from my limp fingers. It clattered on the hardwood, but I didn’t care. I just kept staring.

This couldn’t be.

This couldn’t be.This couldn’t be.

My new neighbor slipped on the matching black dress shirt in his hands, but didn’t bother buttoning it. Instead, he simply rolled the cuffs up his sleeves just enough to display the black metallic tattoos brandishing his left arm.

“You okay?” Sam reiterated.

I didn’t move—couldn’t move.

My neighbor.

He all so casually looked up, not the least bit surprised to find me ogling at him, and straightened the collar to his opened shirt. That taut frame flexed as he raised his arms, lazily resting them on the top of the opened window. A slow, devious smile pulled at his lips.

Finally regaining control over my body, I stumbled back a step, still unable to peel my eyes away from him. I whirled, preparing to bolt for the door. I was cut short though, smacking into something—hard.

Sam.

I’d run right into him.

“Geez!” he yelped.

My momentum toppled us over, and I landed on top of him as he smacked down on the area rug.

“Owww.” He winced with a laugh, and I rolled off him with an apology. “What’s with you?”

Ding dong!

Shit!

He couldn’t possibly have gotten over here that fast…

I shot up from the carpet, ignoring Sam’s insistency, and raced for the staircase.

“Don’t answer the—” I rounded the banister, just in time to see my Aunt Jenna pull the front door open. Crashing to a halt at the bottom of the landing, I was paralyzed in place as magnetic icy eyes and bleached blonde hair greeted me on the other side of the entryway.

“Hello, lovely,” Blaine purred.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

VICTORIA EVERS is a debut paranormal fiction
writer who feels really awkward referring to herself in the third person….
When she’s not vacationing in Narnia, you’ll probably find her reading,
watching horror movies, spending time with her AMAZING family, or daydreaming
about the newest story in her head.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Other

My Ideal Reading Space

June 18, 2017June 19, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

The ideal reading space. We fantasize about it.

We think we are content burrowed in our beds when we read, but we all dream about that reading space that will stop us from changing positions every five minutes, and where we can quietly sit and admire our book collection.

The ultimate reading space is my adult fantasy. Most people dream about other things, but what I want is the perfect reading space. My own little nook of happiness.

After some careful thought, I have built my ideal reading space, and here is what it would consist of:

Isn’t this bookcase beautiful? I’ve always wanted something like this. Whenever I walk into furniture stores, I always drool over these type of bookcases. They’re so grand and majestic.

Next, we need somewhere to read. And I think the sectional below would be perfect for my reading space. It goes well color wise with the bookcase, but it’s also made for ultimate reading capability. Peak reading could get done on this sectional.

Next we need lighting because we all need to get through those last 100 pages right? And I think this modern lamp would be a nice touch. Especially because it would provide the perfect lighting to our all-nighter session needs. No need to hold your book in an awkward way for light to hit the pages.

And lastly we need a throw blanket for the sectional. Because we get cold. And we need another bookish item apart from the books. Also, the throw blanket speaks the truth. ❤

I’ve embedded links on the pictures just in case you’d like to know where to find each specific piece. The bookcase and sectional I found on Arhaus.com. They have beautiful furniture that I only wish were in my home. And the blanket came from Society6, obviously.

Now, tell me, what would you have in your ideal reading space? If you’ve done a similar post or would like to share what you would love to have in your ideal reading space/library, please leave a comment below! I would love to see them and add more things to my want list for my future reading space.

Reviews, Special Review, ya contemporary, ya romance

Book Review: It Started With Goodbye by Christina June

June 7, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Tatum Elsea is bracing for the worst summer of her life. After being falsely accused of a crime, she’s stuck under stepmother-imposed house arrest and her BFF’s gone ghost. Tatum fills her newfound free time with community service by day and working at her covert graphic design business at night (which includes trading emails with a cute cello-playing client). When Tatum discovers she’s not the only one in the house keeping secrets, she finds she has the chance to make amends with her family and friends. Equipped with a new perspective, and assisted by her feisty step-abuela-slash-fairy-godmother, Tatum is ready to start fresh and maybe even get her happy ending along the way.

Review:

I was surprised by this book many times. At first I thought it would be an angsty “woe is me” book. Then I was like ahhh something horrible is going to happen towards the end and it will ruin my ship. But none of my theories or guesses happened (except for who Shay was).

We start of at the Police station. Tatum, her friend Ashley, and Ashley’s boyfriend are arrested. Why are they arrested? Because Ashley’s bae decided to steal a whole bunch of smartphones. Now Tatum is stuck with a fine and community service even though she knew nothing of what Ashley and her bf had planned on doing that day they went to the mall. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The story progresses as Tate struggles with being under house arrest under her stepmother’s watchful eye. Her stepmother Belen is very harsh on her and her step sister Tilly hardly acknowledges her existence. To make things worse, her father goes out of the country so she is left alone with her step-family. Throughout the entire book, Tate learns that the people closest to you can disappoint you, that making new friends may not be as bad as she thought it would be, that forgiving others is always good even though it takes time for the person you forgive to realize their mistake (Yes, I am talking about Ashley) and that you shouldn’t judge others, especially if you haven’t taken the time to properly get to know them (Her stepmother Belen and her stepsister Tilly).

My favorite character’s were Abby (Her new friend and journalistic wiz) and Blanche (Belen’s mother, Tilly’s grandmother). They both brought humor and the reality check that Tate needed. They were great support systems, yet they didn’t baby Tate. Loved this!

Overall, It Started With Goodbye, is a solid debut. I will keep a lookout for Christina June’s next novel.

(P.S. I didn’t write about the romance/ship in this novel because while it is in the story, I liked that it wasn’t the main point so I shall keep it that way.)

Rating: 4 out of 5

Disclaimer: I’d like to thank Blink/Harper Collins for providing me with an ARC of this novel. Receiving this novel for free does not sway my review.

Reviews, ya contemporary, ya romance

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

June 6, 2017June 6, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Review:

So I’m not exactly sure why but I LOVED Lola and the Boy Next Door waaaaaaaay more than the first time I read it about 5 years ago. I remember being annoyed by Lola the entire time. This time around though I’m not sure what changed, but I was able to empathize with her. And I also think Cricket is part of the reason I like Lola and the Boy Next Door now.

As I am sitting here trying to gather my thoughts, and the one thing that stood out to me this time was the theme of forgiveness. Lola has to forgive the Bell twins, her biological mother, and her musician boyfriend (who becomes the ex thankfully because he sucked). The entire book is a journey of looking at the mistakes that were made, and finding redemption through forgiveness and understanding.

We also see the theme of second chances. Lola gave both her mother and Cricket a second chance. Having your heart-broken by two of the most important people hurts, but if both parties are willing to put in effort, relationships can be restored.

I was very into my feelings as I read Lola this time, and it could be why it’s gone on my “You should read this book” list (and why this review turned deep. Sorry guys, no fangirling today).

Rating: 5 out of 5

Vero Signature copy

NA Romance, Reviews

Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas

May 26, 2017 Liz Brooks

GoodReads Summary:

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

My Review:

My expectations were too high.

I loved ACOTAR and ACOMAF… but I am only mildly happy with A Court of Wings and Ruin.

SJM said that we would get the story through multiple people, and while that is semi true, it wasn’t enough for me. I didn’t see enough of the other characters for my liking… and we really needed character development for the inner circle and more information about Elain and Nesta. Feyre grew so much in ACOMAF so I felt it was the side characters time to grow.

I will say the witter banter was still there, which is always fun to read. And what Feyre does in the Spring Court was badass to a whole new level for her. The introduction of the other High Lords of the Winter, Day, and Dawn courts was super fun.

So while ACOMAF wil always be my favorite SJM novel (so far), I think ACOWAR is tying with her Heir of Fire (TOG series) for my least favorite.

Author Signing Event:

By some MIRACLE, The Ivy Bookshop was able to secure a visit from SJM herself… first time I’ve see her in Baltimore ever. So it was incredibly exciting to go see her. The questions she answered were hilarious- the inner circle’s Hogwarts Houses and how she came to terms with being a Hufflepuff; what the 6th book of TOG looks like; how Rhysand came to be.

18342474_2888438809928_2765722861454813425_n — SJM + Husband signing

Rating: 3 out of 5

NA Romance, Reviews

Book Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

May 22, 2017May 22, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she’s losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

Review:

DEBUT. NOVEL.

How the heck is this Hoover’s debut novel. It’s so freaking good. *dead*

Many of you that have been following this blog for a while now know how big of a fan I am of Colleen Hoover. That woman writes masterpiece after masterpiece, making the book community talk about tough topics no one wants to talk about (Ex: It Ends With Us and Ugly Love). In my book this lady is boss!

Alright, I’m going on a tangent… let’s go back to Slammed.

We have Layken (aka Lake) and Will.

Did I mention Will?

Y’all I’m thankful I never had a teacher like him in High School because I would have been a goner like Lake. *Swoons*

The book starts of as Lake is making the move from Texas to Michigan. Her father recently died and her mom is moving everyone to Michigan to begin anew. Then enters Will, the hot boy-next-door who not so long after meeting her asks her out on a date, and of course she says yes. The rest of the book is their journey navigating the discovery of him being her poetry teacher in high school once she finally makes it to school, and many other challenges that come along the way. As I try to keep this as non-spoilery as possible, I appreciate the fact that Hoover kept this as PG 13 as possible, which I’m assuming relates to the sensitive issue of a possible romance between a teacher and a student. Lake is 18, so she is an adult, but the fine print that keeps them apart is that she is still a student… at least for the next year.

My only “ehhh” feelings about Slammed is that the secondary characters didn’t come to life for me except for Eddie. She was amazing and her story is one I hope Hoover expands on one day. And as a last note, I want to talk about the poems within the story. They are profound and moving. I only WISH I could write poetry like Hoover. It even makes me want to go to a poetry slam session. As a writer, I am very jealous of Hoover’s ability, but I do tip my hat to her. Talent like that needs to be recognized.

Slammed is Hoover’s metaphorical mic drop in the publishing world and one can only keep expecting great stories from her.

Rating: 5/5

Check out Colleen Hoover’s other books here:

My Reviews:

Maybe Someday, Maybe Someday (Re-read review), Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Confess, Ugly Love

Liz’s Review:

Hopeless, November 9

Reviews, ya contemporary, ya romance

ARC Review: How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake

April 25, 2017May 22, 2017 Liz Brooks

GoodReads Summary:

All seventeen year-old Grace Glasser wants is her own life. A normal life in which she sleeps in the same bed for longer than three months and doesn’t have to scrounge for spare change to make sure the electric bill is paid. Emotionally trapped by her unreliable mother, Maggie, and the tiny cape on which she lives, she focuses on her best friend, her upcoming audition for a top music school in New York, and surviving Maggie’s latest boyfriend—who happens to be Grace’s own ex-boyfriend’s father.

Her attempts to lay low until she graduates are disrupted when she meets Eva, a girl with her own share of ghosts she’s trying to outrun. Grief-stricken and lonely, Eva pulls Grace into midnight adventures and feelings Grace never planned on. When Eva tells Grace she likes girls, both of their worlds open up. But, united by loss, Eva also shares a connection with Maggie. As Grace’s mother spirals downward, both girls must figure out how to love and how to move on.

My Review:

From the first moment that How to Make a Wish was announced I was incredibly excited to read it. I had read Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake and fell in love with her writing style and story telling. And while this review is coming out on the day How to Make a Wish is published, I read this novel over two months ago when I received the ARC.

How to Make a Wish grabbed me from the first sentence. A story of loss, love, acceptance, and future, Ashley weaves an intense tale of two teen girls finding each other at the right moment. Of complex stories that intertwine. Of having to handle that moment of “coming-out” to her family and friends.

I like both character’s right away and their “meet cute” was the perfect way to start their relationship.

With Grace launched into the adult world too soon, having to take care of a mother who is unpredictable, she is resentful that she doesn’t get a normal childhood. She is also looking toward her future, thinking about college, worried about her mother, worried about her best friend, feeling helpless. She is a very well-rounded character.

Eva on the other side is suffering the death of her mother and mentor. Forced to move to a town and in with a family she doesn’t know. Finding connection with Grace’s erratic mother.

On a deep scale, this book is about relationships; coming to terms with who an individual is, who a person wants to be, acceptance, love, friendship.

My Rating: 5 out of 5

I’d like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group for providing me with an ARC of this novel. Receiving this novel for free does not sway my review.

NA Romance, Reviews

Book Review: Come Back To Me by Mila Grey

April 10, 2017April 8, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend’s sister, Jessa – the one girl he can’t have.

But Kit’s not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa’s falling for his irresistible charms.

What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down.

When summer’s over and it’s time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa’s finally following her dreams and Kit’s discovered there’s someone he’d sacrifice everything for.

Jessa’s prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they’re forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.

A breathtaking, scorchingly hot story about love, friendship, family and finding your way back from the edge of heartbreak.

Review:

Holy freaking crap. That ending. That entire book. Even today that I am writing this the day after, my feels still cannot be contained. I was so wound up last night, I ended up cleaning my entire house.

Jessa and Kit. Jessa… and… Kit. I can’t with them right now. I think we need a gif to explain my feelings.

From the beginning of the book where we are foreshadowed a character’s possible death (This is not spoilery because we are literally foreshadowed that in the first three pages. I. AM. NOT. JOKING.) to the amount of feels and sexual tension between Kit and Jessa at her birthday party you’re in for one hell of a ride.

I really liked how real the book was. As a reader you are able to relate to the characters even though A. You’re not a marine like Kit & B. you’re not even close to being Jessa. Let me give you an example about what I mean.

I can’t count the times I’ve thought about telling Jessa how I feel, but to be honest I’ve never been sure if she’s interested. And admitting something like that to someone is purely a one-time deal. If it’s not reciprocated then not only do you look like a prize fool, but you also lose a friendship. I don’t care so much about the fool part because she probably already figures me one, but I do care about losing Jessa as a friend.

-Kit, Page 19

No one can tell me that they have not been right there in that type of situation at least once in their life. My feels were dying then and it was only the beginning of the book. I had to read the entire book in chunks at a time or I would have been a pool of feels on my apartment floor for at least a week.

I don’t want to give away much of the book, but I do want to say that you need to read it. I had rated it 4 out of 5 stars on goodreads because the Epilogue did not give me what I wanted… but looking back now it really deserves a 5. It’s been a week by now and I’m still not over it. Now that is some impactful writing.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Adult Historical, Reviews, Special Review

Book Review: The Book of Crows by Sam Meekings

April 8, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the review, first I want to talk about the unique way I read this book. I read The Book of Crows on The Pigeonhole. They are a website where you buy a book and read it collectively with other people. You say isn’t that a book club and can’t we do that right now? What guarantees me someone won’t read ahead? Well… the thing about The Pigeonhole is that they release staves approximately each night, so everyone is at the same spot in the book as everyone else. This gives you the opportunity to read the book and discuss it in real time. I thought it was pretty neat and if it weren’t for this format, I most likely would have never read a book like The Book of Crows.

Summary:

A young girl is kidnapped and taken through the desert to an isolated mountain brothel. Two thousand years later, after a suspicious landslide near Lanzhou, a low-level bureaucrat searches for a missing colleague. A thirteenth-century Franciscan monk, traversing the Silk Road, begins his extraordinary deathbed confession, while five hundred years earlier, a grieving Chinese poet is summoned to the Emperor’s palace.

In a series of delicately interlaced stories, Sam Meekings’ richly poetic and gripping second novel follows the journeys of characters whose lives, separated by millennia, are all in some way touched by the mysterious Book of Crows, a mythical book in which the entire history of the world – past, present and future – is written down.

Review:

Holy Crap. That ending. I didn’t see it coming at all. But… Alright, let’s rewind…

At the beginning of the story we learn about a woman who is now in a whorehouse, and a man on a journey to find his friend. It starts off slow, but picks up quickly and you start piecing the story together. As you continue to read, more characters are brought to light and you start seeing how each character is connected to The Book of Crows. Many want to find it, while others want to destroy it. There is great mystery surrounding the book that has been revered and searched for centuries.

Each character’s story you are introduced to throughout the book is in a different time era. I really enjoyed this because the reader is able to see how much intrigue and chaos the book has caused. It’s legacy has lived through many generations.

Overall, I really like the concept, how the story was set up, and how each key part of the story was revealed. I believe that reading it in staves how The Pigeonhole set it up made my reading experience better because you had to hold on and ponder on what you read, adding to the mystery of it all.

I feel like the average YA reader might not like The Book of Crows, but if you are a history lover and/or mystery in itself, you might enjoy it.

Rating: 4/5

Disclaimer: I’d like to thank The Pigeonhole for providing me with a copy of The Book of Crows. Receiving this book for free does not influence my opinion in any way.