Book Spotlight

Book Spotlight #3 The Selection by Kiera Cass

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Book Spotlights are back! *pops fireworks*

I really love book spotlights because they give me a chance to feature a book that may not be featured otherwise that I love. This week we have The Selection, which is dystopian meets the bachelor meets a complicated love triangle. It seems to me that a lot of people haven’t read this book yet and I want to remedy that. It is a great book and the second book in the trilogy is out as well.

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Book Title: The Selection

Author: Kiera Cass

Originally Published: 2012

Goodreads Summary:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.(

Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Beach Reads

Veronica Porras (TTB)

toptentuesday-1Thank you The Broke and The Bookish for this lovely Tuesday meme.

This week we have “Top Ten Beach Reads” which to me doesn’t mean anything since I never go to the beach. Yes, I do live in California. Yes, I know it can almost be classified as a sin if a Californian doesn’t go to the beach. My response? Too bad. The way I am going to do this Top Ten Tuesday is that I will imagine that I like to go to the beach and what books I would read at the beach, if you know, I did the whole beach thing. Now, let’s do this!

Keeping the Moon
Keeping the Moon

1. Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

The Princess Diaries
The Princess Diaries

2. The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

Summer in the City
Summer in the City

3. Summer in the City by Candace Bushnell

Epic Fail by Clare LaZebnik
Epic Fail

4. Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

Second Chance Summer
Second Chance Summer

5. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Catching Jordan
Catching Jordan

6. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

The Daughters
The Daughters

7. The Daughters by Joanna Philbin

The Summer I Turned Pretty
The Summer I Turned Pretty

8. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Along for the Ride
Along for the Ride

9. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

The Book of Broken Hearts
The Book of Broken Hearts

10. The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

What are some of your beach reads?

Book Blast from the Past

Book Blast from the Past Review: The Princess Diaries #1 by Meg Cabot

Veronica Porras (TTB)
The Princess Diaries
The Princess Diaries

This month I have chosen The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot to be featured in my Book Blast from the Past Feature. When I was 13, The Princess Diaries series was my favorite series and it helped me get through middle school which was a hard time for me because I was the new girl in a new place.

Originally Published: 2001

Copy Read: Princess Diaries Collection (#1-3)

Publisher: Harper Teen (A HarperCollins Publishers Imprint)

Goodreads Summary:

She’s just a New York City girl living with her artist mom…

News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that’s why a limo meets her at the airport!)

Downer: Dad can’t have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.)

Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material.

Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmére, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne.

Well, her father can lecture her until he’s royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty–no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what’s a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo?

Review:

The last time I read this book was in 2004. I had forgotten how witty Mia is and how hilarious Mia and Lilly are together. I swooned for Michael at 13, and I swooned at 22 again. My 13 year old self enjoyed this book, and today my 22 year old self is enjoying it as well. Mia deals with real life problems, even if some people would classify them as first world problems, but they are real problems nonetheless. Problems like the separation of parents, love life problems, having to deal with your mother dating other people that is not your father, and dealing with family that you are not exactly fond of. We will all have those issues at some point [if we don’t already]  in our lives and Mia helps us see how bad it can get, but also that it isn’t all horrible. The Princess Diaries is a book that can be enjoyed by many, and the witty lines in the book only adds to its amazing-ness (Yes, I am aware “amazing-ness” is not a real word.)

Rating: 5/5

Rating System:

1/5: I hate it.

2/5: It had some redeeming qualities but overall, not a good book.

3/5: I like it /A fun read.

4/5: I really like it, but something is missing.

5/5: I love it! It’s as close to perfection as it can get!

Random

Day 8 of the 30 Day Book Challenge

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Day 8: Most Overrated Book

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen.

On Goodreads it has a 4.40 rating. I can’t believe it. The book is poorly written and it’s horrible. I think I skimmed about half of it because of the R-rated content it had. That book needs a warning label. Serisouly. (I think everyone knows by now I dislike books that have explicit sex scenes in them.)

Reviews, ya contemporary, ya romance

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Veronica Porras (TTB)

the-fault-in-our-stars

Goodreads Summary:

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs… for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

What I like:

I absolutely adored the relationship between Augustus and Hazel. I loved the humor and the witty lines in this book. I was pleasantly surprised because I was expecting something along the lines of an Abundance of Katherines and Looking for Alaska hybrid and it wasn’t. I am not one to love every part of a book; I can always find something wrong with it, but this book just left me breathless and actually made me shed a tear. A tear for me is the equivalence of others sobbing. The letter at the end that Augustus wrote was beautiful. It left me gasping for breathe with how beautifully written it was.

What I dislike:

The only complaint I have with this book is how the relationship of Augustus and Hazel ended up turning out in the end.

Overall:

I cannot express how much I love this book so I will just say it was brilliant and it will not be easily forgotten.

Rating: 5/5

Rating System:

1/5: I hated it.

2/5: It had some redeeming qualities but overall, not a good book.

3/5: I liked it (A fun read).

4/5: I really like it, but something was missing.

5/5: I love it! A Masterpiece!

Random

Day 4, 5, 6, & 7 of the 30 Day Book Challenge

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Day 4: Favorite book of your favorite series

“My favorite book in the Vampire Academy Series would have to be Shadow Kiss.”

Day 5: A book that makes you happy

“A book that makes me happy is Divergent by Veronica Roth. I know that is a weird choice, but ugh, it makes me happy in so many ways.”

Day 6: A book that makes you sad

“The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. That book ripped me to shreds.”

Day 7: Most underrated book

“Love Story by Jennifer Echols. I don’t know anyone else that has read it except for myself and one other person and I let that person borrow the book.”

Care to share your choices? 🙂

Editor Letter, Random

This week’s important news

Veronica Porras (TTB)

Good Morning to all who live in the pacific west coast of the USA like myself. To everyone else… Hello!

First, I want to apologize for not posting Day 4 or Day 5 of the 30 Day Book Challenge. I’ve been really busy with job interviews, job search, and other responsibilities.

Second, I have a goodie for you all! Last night I went to Richelle Mead’s Event at Barnes & Nobles in Santa Monica, CA. I will be posting a special post on that event very soon! We have some information on The Fiery Heart, Gameboard of the Gods, and Blood Sisters updates! I will of course not give too much away for the sake of courtesy but I will have pictures and some of her responses to the Q&A session. Lastly, there will be pictures! I already posted one of myself with Richelle Mead at the event over at my tumblr.

That is all the news I have for you and please be patient with me this week. Hope you’re all having a lovely week.

Happy Thursday!

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Tuesday Meme

Top Ten Books Featuring Travel In Some Way

Veronica Porras (TTB)

toptentuesday-1

Thank you to The Broke and The Bookish for the Top Ten Tuesday Feature.

This week we have Top Ten Books Featuring Travel in Some Way. This Top Ten Tuesday has me thrilled because I love books that have travel in them. I tend to buy a lot of books that have the main characters traveling so this will be easy. Let’s do this!

1. Heist Society by Ally Carter

Katarina Bishop and her crew (along with the dreamy Hale) travel all around the world to accomplish the con jobs they have to do.

2. Ana and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Ana travels to England and meets St. Clair. The end. Read the book. 🙂

3. Two Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt

Roadtrip with your ex. >:)

4. Amy & Rogers Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

A road trip across America.

5. Blood Promise (VA #4) by Richelle Mead

Rose goes to Europe.

6. The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler

Motorcycles and a Roadtrip.

7. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

An account of traveling from the States to Europe and falling in love in the process.

8. Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Moves from the country to the city.

9. Lipstick Apology by Jennifer Jabaley

Moves to another city due to unfortunate circumstances.

10. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

4 girls. 4 different locations. 1 pair of pants.

What are some books that you love that feature travel in some sort of way?