The Talking Bookworm

Goodreads Summary:

The Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women is a fairly typical all-girls school, that is, if every school taught advanced martial arts in PE, the latest in chemical warfare in science; and students received extra credit for breaking CIA codes computer class. So in truth, Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses, but its really a school for spies. Cammie Morgan is a second generation Gallagher Girl, and by her sophomore year she’s already fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti.) But the one thing the Gallagher Academy hasn’t prepared her for is what to do when she falls for an ordinary boy who thinks she’s an ordinary girl. Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without his ever being the wiser, but can she have a regular relationship with a regular boy who can never know the truth about her?

Cammie may be an elite spy in training, but in her sophomore year, shes beginning her most dangerous mission; she’s falling in love.

Review:

The last time I read this book was about 5 years ago. Reading it again after such a long time, it was almost like reading it for the first time. I had completely forgotten how the whole Josh thing went down. The first time I read it, I was confused with the whole Josh thing and how things worked (writing style-wise), but reading it now, my experience was crisp clean reading.

I liked the pacing of the novel and I fell for Joe Solomon. I wasn’t a big fan of Joe Solomon until the third book, but now, a totally different experience. Re-reading it again made me love the Gallagher Girls even more. If you haven’t read the Gallagher Girls series, I suggest you do. The first book may seem like it is for a 13 year old girl, but as the series progresses, so do the books. The series matured along with its audience. Oh and this book is the nicest and fluffiest book you are going to get. The rest is heartbreak town. Good Luck!

Rating: 5/5

Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Favorite Books With USA Setting

August 12, 2013May 25, 2014 Veronica Porras (TTB)

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

This week we have Top Ten Favorite Book With X Setting. Anjie and I deliberated for a while because we weren’t sure what setting to choose. In the end, we ended up picking, Top Ten Favorite Books With USA Setting. We decided to pick a broad setting like the United States of America because #1 it would be easier to find books, and #2 we could both find books with the same setting within each of our genre of expertise.

If you would like to know more about the books in our list, click on the picture of the book.

Veronica’s List:

1. The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler:

Location? Blackfeather, Colorado. Ingredients? Mountains, Family, Barbecues, Forests, and the Vargas Boys.

2. Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor:

Boston, Massachusetts is hit by a murder, and some know who hit it. The person that needs to figure it out is Anne Dowling.

3. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson:

East Coast-ers like to spend their summers on a lake in Pennsylvania. Locals + vacationers + second chances = A Second Chance Summer for Taylor Edwards.

4. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen:

McLean’s last stop is Lakeview, North Carolina, where she will have to face up to everything she has been running away from.

5. Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger:

The California Coachella Valley is known for its extreme hot and cold weather, its dryness (it is a desert), and having a very windy area. Enter Audra the sylph (air elemental) + Vane (a boy who cannot remember anything before the age of 10) + a unknown heritage = Let The Sky Fall.

Anjie’s List:

6. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin:

It is set in Miami, FL, and I was really excited about that because I live there. It was nice reading about the place I live in a book, a great one at that.

7. Percy Jackson & The Olympians series by Rick Riordan:

I know it’s not just one book, but the setting of it is all over the US, so it’s perfect for this week. I loved how in this series Olympus moved to the top of the Empire State building in New York, and the Underworld was in Hollywood, California.

8. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand:

The novel is set in Wyoming. I loved the descriptions of nature and the mountains. Wyoming sounds so peaceful, of course not counting the fire that the main character envisions. 😉

9. The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks:

The Last Song is one of my favorite books by him and the location is amazing (right by the beach!). I really love that the setting is consistent throughout all of Nicholas Sparks’ novels. They’re either in North or South Carolina.

10. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead:

It takes place in Palm Springs, California. It’s pretty much a desert, as described in the book, with scorching temperatures. Not exactly a paradise, but the books in the series are phenomenal! (Veronica: I live about an hour away from Palm Springs and Richelle Mead’s description of it is dead on! It’s so hot that I do not understand why people even live there! I sound just like Adrian now.)

Random

Week 2 of GG Readathon

August 12, 2013 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Last week we read I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You.

I had forgotten so many things, and how the whole Josh thing really went down. I was so enamored by Josh when I was 16, but now I just find him cute. I can’t wait until Zack comes into the picture. I can’t wait for the Blackthorn Boys. *giggles*

This week we are reading:

I am really glad I decided to join this Readathon. I will be posting a short book review of the first book soon.

Have a lovely Monday!

Reviews, YA Sci Fi

Book Review: Unraveling (Unraveling #1) by Elizabeth Norris

August 9, 2013June 15, 2016 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Janelle Tenner is used to having a lot of responsibility. She balances working as a lifeguard in San Diego with an intense academic schedule. Janelle’s mother is bipolar, and her dad is a workaholic FBI agent, which means Janelle also has to look out for her younger brother, Jared.

And that was before she died…and is brought back to life by Ben Michaels, a mysterious, alluring loner from her high school. When she discovers a strange clock that seems to be counting down to the earth’s destruction, Janelle learns she has twenty-four days to figure out how to stop the clock and save the planet.

What I Like:

I started reading this book assuming it was more contemporary or murder mystery. I didn’t understand why it was in the adventure/fatansy/sci fi section at Barnes and Nobles until things started getting freaky. It is because of the vague assumptions I made about the content inside this book that made it ten times better for me. I loved the roller-coaster feeling I had the whole time I was reading it. It got nerdy, it got very science fiction on me, and I loved it. The first thirty pages were amazing. It set the tone for the rest of the book. Elizabeth Norris is a talented writer.

I really liked the main character Janelle because she took the attention of herself. The first half of the book we really got to understand and know the secondary characters and even though the story is being told through Janelle, like I said before, she took the attention of herself and it really helped with the character development. I know that may sound weird, but trust me on this.

I liked the plot and the world Ms. Norris created. The story freaked me out a little bit because it is set in today’s world and the things that happened could very well happen today. Ms. Norris knows how to mess with your mind.

What I ~~Dislike~~:

I have zero negative comments about this book.

Overall:

I loved Unraveling. The characters, the world, the plot, I loved it all. I highly recommend this to anyone.

Rating: 5/5

Book Spotlight

Book Spotlight #8: Angelfall by Ee

August 8, 2013August 11, 2013 anjieeeb

This week’s Book Spotlight will feature Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy/Sci-fi:

I really enjoyed Angelfall! The theme of the novel was a lot darker than I am used to reading, and sometimes I would get so creeped out that I had to stop reading. It definitely shed a darker light on angels, as opposed to the light, bright, and goodness they are usually associated with. Angelfall is a great novel. Just a heads up, it contains unexpected plot twists, and a slight cliffhanger.

Book Title: Angelfall

Author: Susan Ee

Originally Published: May 21st, 2011

Goodreads Summary:

It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco where she’ll risk everything to rescue her sister and he’ll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

WWW

WWW Wednesday’s (August 7)

August 7, 2013 Veronica Porras (TTB)

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?

1. What are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading an ARC, Killer Image by Wendy Tyson, and I’d Tell You I Love You, But I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter.

2. What did you recently finish?

I just finished reading Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris. It left my heart in pieces. I want to read Unbreakable, the sequel, but I have no means to get it yet.

3. What do you think you’ll read next?

I will be reading Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter.

What are you currently reading?

Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Books I Wish Could Have Had Sequels

August 5, 2013August 5, 2013 Veronica Porras (TTB)

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

Hello fellow book readers! Today’s topic is one I am very excited about because I used to read a lot of stand alone novels in the past. There are so many books that I wish had sequels and I can now share with you all what they are. Below are the books Anjie and I wished had a sequel:

Veronica’s List:

1. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

3. Love Story by Jennifer Echols

4. Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

5. Boundless by Cynthia Hand

Anjie’s List:

6. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

7. The Host by Stephenie Meyer

8. Requiem by Lauren Oliver

9. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J Watson

10. The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks

Now, it’s your turn to share. What are some books you wish had a sequel?

Reviews, YA Dystopian

Book Review: The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

August 5, 2013June 15, 2016 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

What I Like:

I read this book in one sitting. ONE SITTING. I absolutely loved it. Prince Maxon was such a sweetheart, except for this one time where I was really mad at him. Hormones, Ugh. I really liked Maxon’s mother, the Queen. She brought stability and hope. I really think the Queen is a symbol of what the kingdom would be like if given the opportunity, or more better said, the right to have the ability to rise, to better themselves. Your caste number does not define you, it is the type of person you are that ultimately defines you. We can see this with Celeste. She may be of the second highest caste, but inside, she is a horrible human being. On the other hand, America, who does have her fair share of imperfections and moments of horrible judgement of character, is a better person overall and cares for others. She is always trying to help others, even at the cost of it affecting her in a negative way.

What I Dislike:

I was annoyed with America many times in the book. Like I said earlier, she can be a horrible judge of character. I also really disliked Aspen and the way he was trying to weasel into America’s heart by making Prince Maxon look bad at all costs. I do feel like the selection is dragging a little long. I hope we get to see more of the rebels in The One.

Overall:

In conclusion, the good of the book overpowers the bad. The “bad” parts of the book are not poor writing, or a boring plot, the “bad” parts of the book are the decisions the characters make and the consequences that they have to face for making said decisions. Kiera’s writing is so easy and effortless to read and very, very enjoyable that one only notices how long the book is until one is done. In my opinion, the books are not long enough.

Rating: 5/5

Random

The Start Line: The Gallagher Girls Series Read-A-Thon Begins Today!

August 5, 2013 Veronica Porras (TTB)

The Read-A-Thon begins today! Woo!

The first book we will be reading is I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You. At the end of each time period, I will be posting a review of the book. I will be doing that for all five books in the Gallagher Girls Series.

The first book is only 284 pages which basically means, I may be done in two days if I don’t pace myself. In order to pace myself I will be reading Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris at the same time. Expect a review of that book soon too.

Alright guys, this is it. Let’s marathon this series. Here we go!

Book Spotlight

Book Spotlight #7: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

August 4, 2013 Veronica Porras (TTB)

So, I know that this Book Spotlight is late. Why? I absolutely forgot about it. I apologize you guys. I don’t even know how it happened honestly, but I will be better about my posts from now on. I normally don’t do this which is why I am in a state of shock. Anyways, let’s continue with what you really want to read.

For this week’s spotlight we are going back to YA contemporary novels and the one that I will be focusing the spotlight on is:

I really really enjoyed Catching Jordan. Having a girl be the captain of the football team and play better than any of the other guys on the team was freaking awesome. It is a book about the unconventional. We have sports, romance, family, and friendship. Pretty much it has it all. Just thinking about this book makes me want to read it again. Yup, it’s that awesome.

Book title: Catching Jordan

Author: Miranda Kenneally

Originally Published: December 1st, 2011

Goodreads Summary:

Whoever said football and girls don’t mix hasn’t read Catching Jordan. I couldn’t put it down ” — Simone Elkeles, New York Times bestselling author of the Perfect Chemistry series

ONE OF THE BOYS

What girl doesn’t want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn’t just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys and that’s just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

But everything she’s ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he’s also amazingly hot. And for the first time, Jordan’s feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart’s on the line?