Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Words/Topics That Instantly Make Me Buy/Pick Up A Book

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new top ten list is posted for us bloggers to share the books we love and discuss anything book related! To see more details about Top Ten Tuesday click HERE. 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is Top Ten Words/Topics That Instantly Make Me Buy/Pick Up A Book. This was actually a pretty hard topic for me but here is what I came up with:

1) ROMANCE. I love anything with romance. It's my weakness, I am a stereotypical girly girl when it comes to this. I get all fan-girly and gush over it. It's just so great :)

Some examples:

-Walking Disaster by Jaime McGuire

-Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

-The Selection by Kiera Cass

2) Mystery. I'm not really into the dark scary mysteries, although I'm sure they are great, but the goofy comedies or pretty much anything with romance (get used to it, it will probably be mentioned in every topic).


Some examples:
-The Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich  
-The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter know, I know, not actually a mystery but the whole book I was trying to figure out who was killing everyone!)



3) Angels. This seems so cheesy when I write it down, I don't know why. Maybe I am still coming to terms with how much I like certain paranormal topics, but this is one of them. I don't have a whole lot of books on this subject yet, but I am always on the look out for a good series about angels.

Some examples:
-Hush, Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick
- Fallen Series by Lauren Kate





4) Princesses. Seriously guys, I really want to be a princess. Not an actual princess, with responsibilities and junk but a real life version of a Disney Princess. Like Jasmine or Mia from The Princess Diaries. How cool would that be?

Some Examples:
-The Selection by Kiera Cass (this one might pop up a few times, because its my current series and I'M LOVING IT!)
-The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot - I actually only read the first 5 of these but they were great, as was the movie!



5) Dystopian. The Hunger Games was probably my first dystopian book and I loved it! Great way to get introduced into the genre :) I love the futuristic, anything can happen feeling you get from them.

Some examples:
-The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - obviously
-The Selection by Kiera Cass - lets see how many times I can mention this book in this post ;)
-Divergent by Veronica Roth



6) Magic. I have not read too many books that just have straight up magic in them, but the ones I have read I always love. This is another topic (like Angels) that I am always looking for another good book from.

Some examples:
-HARRY POTTER by J.K. Rowling- am I the only one who reads this is an accent? ...maybe some of you naturally talk with this accent?? Consider yourselves luck, I'm from Texas. I don't have a heavy country accent, but its nothing to be excited about
-The Gemma Doyle Series by Libba Bray (A Great & Terrible Beauty, etc.) - I read these a while back, but I LOVED them!

7) Bad Boys/Forbidden Love. Yes, I get that this falls under the romance category.. but I had to get more specific. I really enjoy reading about a bad boy. I don't know what it is, it just gets me. Probably half the books I read these days have a bad boy or forbidden love in them. Ugh... so good.

Some examples:
-Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
-Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
-Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James




8) College. Since I am a college student I find I am able to relate to characters in college and really enjoy those books. I feel like these books are rather few and far between, or maybe I just have not found them yet, so I always get crazy excited when I find one.

Some examples:
 -Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James- Yes this book is on here a ton. It's one of my favorites. When I first read about this book, I honestly just thought it would be a slightly steamy romance about a girl graduating college. I had already convinced myself I had to read it before I knew what it was about. And boy am I glad
-A Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

9) Comedies.  The other topic that is right up there with romance is comedy. I love a good laugh. And reading a book and busting out laughing? The best.

Some examples:
-Wallbanger by Alice Clayton- Even though the end of this book really let me down, the first half of this book had me laughing so loudly at completely inappropriate times. Like in class... I should probably rethink reading in class.
-The Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich


10) Vampires. Im pretty picky about vampire books, but there are so many to chose from that you can always find a great one out there!

Some examples:-House of Night Series
-Twilight *not series, only the first book... the rest were crap*
-The Morganville Vampire Series - I have not actually read these, so I probably shouldn't even mention them. But they are on my list and I am soooo looking forward to reading them, I just had to include them!

What are some topics or words that make you pick up a book??

Review: The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Book: The Selection by Kiera Cass (The Selection #1)

Published: April 24th 2012 by HarperTeen

My rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: YA Dystopian Romance

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"

The Selecton by Kiera Cass is the first book in The Selection Trilogy. This book, to me, is a cross between The Hunger Games and The Bachelor. I actually saw this on goodreads and really agree with it. I know some readers do not like comparing this book to The Hunger Games, so let me explain...

Why I feel it is similar:

-It is a dystopian YA in a setting that was once the US
-The people are divided into different groups (known as castes in this series) based on wealth

-Each cast has a different job they are in charge of, for example: America, out leading lady, is a 5. They are the artists. 

-There is a group of young women drawn at random to represent different areas in the country

-Their competition is broadcast live for the country to watch 

How it is different:

-They are not physically fighting, so nobody dies

-They are competing to be the Princess, not for their lives (big difference)

-One based on romance, on has a romance story intertwined into the big story

-Entering the selection is an option, it's required in The Hunger Games

All in all they have similar basic qualities but the overall plot line is very different. These girls are not fighting for their lives, they are fighting for love. This is what really makes these too books different. 

Things I enjoyed about this book:

-Maxon. I just want to hug this kid! Well, most of the time. He does have one line in here that makes me want to punch him. I don't remember exactly what it was, and I didn't mark it so I cant find it, but It was something along the lines of "Did you forget you are talking to a prince?" Like bro, she's your friend, she can talk to you how ever she wants without you throwing your title in her face. But for real guys, he is one of my (many) book boyfriends... in my mind hes totally my age :)

-Princesses, hello! I am that girl, who always dressed up as a princess for halloween when I was younger. I love The Princess Diaries (the movie, I surprisingly never read the books... I should fix that), I love Disney princess movies, I want to be a princess. In the girly dress up and live in a castle kid of way. I get there is more to the job, but thats not really what I'm in love with here. And I know I'm not alone... How many of y'all wanted to be a princess??

-It's different, I like it. While there are lot of TV shows like this, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, etc. there really aren't a lot of books with this basic plot line where the girls are competing for the love of one guy. I enjoyed the different topic. It was nice and refreshing, and really enjoyable!

-Unlike other dystopian books, the Selection is actually the main plot of the book. In other dystopian novels that is only the first book. Then the main character realizes how wrong the government and proceed to overthrow it. When I first started reading dystopian nobels, I would go into so many books, such as The Hunger Games, expecting them to be based on the initial thing that brought them in, such as the games in The Hunger Games, or becoming a part of their faction in Divergent. Those books turned out to be so much more, and as much as I loved them, I am really enjoying just reading about the selection. I'm sure somewhere down the way, either in The Elite (The Selection #2) or in The One (The Selection #3), there will be something more to the plot but for now I am really enjoying this :) 

Things I didn't enjoy about the book:

-Aspen. I get that he is important to the story, and without him there would be nothing. But I am NOT a fan. All I can say, is what a d-bag. He makes America join enter The Selection for their future and then breaks up with her. So she does what she has to do to start getting over him. GO AWAY ASPEN. NOBODY LIKES YOU. 

-Other than that I didn't really have anything I didn't like. It ended sooner than I thought it would, but thats because I was expecting to read about the entire Selection. But now the title The Elite makes a lot of sense. (For those of you who have not read the book yet, once the prince narrows down the 35 girls to 10 they are called the Elite). But as mentioned above, I am really enjoying reading about the Selection and not some crazy need to overthrow the government. 

Did you read this book? What did you think about it??

Review: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

This book was recommended to me by a friend. She loved it and told me it was definitely a book for me! And when I first started it, I thought so too. The characters in this book were so funny! I would open it on my iPad in class and read (because my classes are BORING) and I would struggle not to burst out laughing. It was hysterical. But then I got halfway in and kept expecting some big twist or some kind of drama. And it just wasn't there, so I kept reading thinking there had to be some kind of conflict to keep the book as long as it is... and there wasn't. I had a really hard time rating this book because I loved the first half so much, and the second half was just ehhh..

Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Book: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton
Published: November 25th 2012 Omnific Publishing
My rating: 4/5 Stars

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Goodreads Summary:

"Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a KitchenAid mixer, and no O (and we’re not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a flourishing design career, an office overlooking the bay, a killer zucchini bread recipe, and no O. She has Clive (the best cat ever), great friends, a great rack, and no O.

Adding insult to O-less, since her move, she has an oversexed neighbor with the loudest late-night wallbanging she’s ever heard. Each moan, spank, and–was that a meow?–punctuates the fact that not only is she losing sleep, she still has, yep, you guessed it, no O.

Enter Simon Parker. (No, really, Simon, please enter.) When the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. Their late-night hallway encounter has, well, mixed results. Ahem. With walls this thin, the tension’s gonna be thick…

In her third novel, Alice Clayton returns to dish her trademark mix of silly and steamy. Banter, barbs, and strutting pussycats, plus the sexiest apple pie ever made, are dunked in a hot tub and set against the gorgeous San Francisco skyline in this hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight."

Things I enjoyed about this book:

- The characters had me literally laughing out loud. I mean this guys, I would be sitting with my boyfriend (who will be known as BF from now on) reading while he was watching baseball or whatever other sport is on TV. And I would just bust out laughing. BF kept asking me what was so funny, wanting in on the fun, and I would just say "nothing." Finally he got so frustrated, I was like "It's my book! You won't care." Then he lost interest. 

But for real guys, these characters are so witty and straightforward that pretty much everything out of their mouth (or in their thoughts) is hysterical! This what really pulled me into the book. 

-There is so much sexual tension, I could feel it. From the second Caroline and Simon meet you can feel the pull between them. You are constantly rooting for them because you can tell how badly they want each other. The whole first half of the book they are making all these sassy, smart ass comments to each other that really build up the tension. I loved it!

- Unlike some romance novels, they don't just jump right into bed with each other. They actually take the time to build a relationship. This is so uncommon (at least with the books I have read) and I wish it was not. I love building the relationship because it really helps me connect with the characters. You see them move from hating each other, to building a friendship and more. It actually felt authentic. 

Reasons I only like, not love, this book:

-As much as I hate to say this, I got bored. I never would have thought I would based on how funny and entertaining the first half of this book was. I felt like there was so much going on in the beginning and it was so well thought out and the second half was just thrown together so the book would have an ending. I'm still not sure if it was me or the book, but it was just mehhh. There was so much exciting tension in the first half and I expected the second half to have some kind of big drama, but it was not there. I don't know how else to say it without really telling you the whole book so I'll leave it at that. 

-The other thing that got me was how in the beginning there were so many different characters and once we got to the second half of the book, they kind of fell off the face of the Earth. Eventually they were mentioned, but they seemed so important, and then once I loved all the characters they were gone. 

Overall: I know I had a lot of negative to say about this, but I loved Caroline and Simon and their witty banter so much that I can't dislike this book, but I can't say I loved it as a whole either. Which really makes me sad, because I want to. If I have not completely turned you away from the book, please read it! Even thought it kind of dragged out in the end, I think its worth it. And maybe I'm the crazy one and everyone else loved it! If you read it let me know your thoughts!!

Did you read this book?? What did you think??

Feature & Follow Friday (#2)

Hey guys! Today is Friday which means Feature & Follow Friday! FFF is hosted by Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read.  It is an opportunity to gain followers and find new blogs in the book blogging community! You can find more information about it here. This week's featured blog is Beauty But A Funny Girl & I'll Tumble for YA.

Here is the question of the week:

Is there a song that reminds you of a book? Or vice versa? What is the song & the book?

I have a couple of songs and they all remind me of the same book! The book is Fifty Shades of Grey (and the others in the series of course) by EL James. This is probably not a big surprise  because there is so much music mentioned in the book. After I finished the book I looked up playlists for the book that had all the music that EL James mentioned in it.  

So pretty much any songs mentioned will remind me of this book. Anytime I hear classical music I think of that red room... Alos, anytime I hear Sex on Fire I picture Ana dancing around Christian's kitchen. 

Also I heard a song on the radio this morning that references the book and makes me so happy :) I can't remember what it is called... I know its by Pitbull... I'm looking it up! FEEL THIS MOMENT! Anyway, there is a line in the song "She read books, especially about red rooms and tie ups" and every time I hear this I smile. 

How about you? What song reminds you of a book or vice versa?

Review: The Goddess Inheritance

You guys, I need summer break NOW. I have been so busy with school, that I couldn't even remember if I had done this review or not. I can't wait for school to be out. Anyway, here is my review for The Goddess Inheritance!

*DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE PREVIOUS BOOKS*

Book: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter (Goddess Test, #3)
Published: February 26th 2013 by Harlequin Teen
My rating: 4/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary: 

"Love or life.

Henry or their child.

The end of her family or the end of the world.

Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity."

Alright guys I LOVED this book! Heres why:

-KATE IS PREGNANT! (This is in the summary so I'm not ruining anything :) And usually I can't stand it when younger characters get pregnant and we have to read about all the changes (like in Breaking Dawn, world's worst book ever). This book is not about her being young and pregnant or her struggle through her pregnancy. It's about her struggle to save her family. Which has pretty much been the same story from the beginning, it just evolved. But I usually don't like pregnancies in books, I'm not sure why, I just don't. But I did not have a problem with this book. I loved it!

-It, like the others in this series, kept me guessing! I cannot predict what Aimee Carter is going to write next, and I love that! I don't mind predictable books as long as they are entertaining but I get really excited when I read one that I cannot predict. It keeps me guessing and I can't put it down!!

The reason I gave if 4 and not 5 stars:

-This is the only problem I had with the book, but I am so tired of Kate sacrificing herself. This part was pretty predictable  but other than that I couldn't guess anything! But come on Kate, talk to your husband and try to solve things, not just giving yourself over to the enemy. Annoying. 

Overall: I really enjoyed this series. I am sad it is over, but really happy at the same time with how it ended. These books sent me on a roller coaster of emotions, but in the end I loved it :) You guys should read this if you have not!

Have you read this book? What did you think?

Waiting on Wednesday (#2)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. It is a weekly post to show off some books that us bloggers are excited to see coming out soon! Here's my pick this week:

Someday, Someday. Maybe by Lauren Graham

Expected Publication Date: April 30, 2013

First, I just have to say.. How freaking amazing is this cover?? I would buy this book, just for the cover. It is so pretty. AND the book sounds good! Whats not to love? I can't wait :)

I mean come on guys, its a book by Lauren Graham!! I love her, she will always and forever be Lorelei Gilmore in my eyes :) Like for real, I've got the entire series on DVD. And watch it regularly. Anyway, I have heard some really wonderful things about this book. For those who have not heard of it yet, it is a novel about a young actress trying to make it in... I can't remember, New York I think? I'll post the description from goodreads for you guys!

"Franny Banks is a struggling actress in New York City, with just six months left of the three year deadline she gave herself to succeed. But so far, all she has to show for her efforts is a single line in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters and a degrading waitressing job. She lives in Brooklyn with two roommates-Jane, her best friend from college, and Dan, a sci-fi writer, who is very definitely not boyfriend material-and is struggling with her feelings for a suspiciously charming guy in her acting class, all while trying to find a hair-product cocktail that actually works. Meanwhile, she dreams of doing "important" work, but only ever seems to get auditions for dishwashing liquid and peanut butter commercials. It's hard to tell if she'll run out of time or money first, but either way, failure would mean facing the fact that she has absolutely no skills to make it in the real world. Her father wants her to come home and teach, her agent won't call her back, and her classmate Penelope, who seems supportive, might just turn out to be her toughest competition yet. Someday, Someday, Maybe is a funny and charming debut about finding yourself, finding love, and, most difficult of all, finding an acting job"

Enjoy!

What books are you waiting for this week?? 

Top Ten Tuesday (#2): Books I Thought I Would Like More/Less Than I Did

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new top ten list is posted for us bloggers to share the books we love and discuss anything book related! To see more details about Top Ten Tuesday click HERE.

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is books that I thought I would like more or less than I did. I decided (like many others) to split my list into top 5 I thought I would like more and top 5 I thought I would like less. Here are my top books:

Top 5 books I thought I would like less than I did. AKA books that pleasantly surprised me:

1. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer - When I first heard of these books Twilight and New Moon were the only ones out. I had heard so much about these books but I was still unsure about them. At this age I was primarily reading YA contemporaries. I had a few darker mystery/ suspense books I had read and maybe one paranormal, but for the most part I was not interested in anything that had to do with vampires, werewolves, ore anything else of the sort. My sister had been reading the series and told my mom how good it was. So, my mom read it. And then she tried to get me to read it. By this time my mom and sister had ganged up on me and every time I wanted to read a book they told me to read Twilight. But I really wasn't all that excited about the book. It got to the point, to where one night I wanted to go hang out with my friends and my mom told me I was not allowed to do ANYTHING until I read the first two chapters of Twilight. Seriously guys, I wasn't allowed to read Harry Potter growing up but I was grounded until I read Twilight. My family is weird. Anyway, turnes out my family knows me well.. I didn't leave my room until I had to ask my sister for her copy of New Moon.

2. Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire - This was actually the first book I reviewed on my blog! If you have read my review, you guys know I was iffy on this when I first found out it was the same story from Travis's point of view. I really wanted more story when I finished Beautiful Disaster and when I found out I would be retreading what I just did I was disappointed to say the least. But once I started the book, I knew it would be my favorite of the two. It was so great, it exceeded all expectations I had for it. If you want to read my review click HERE!

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - I had been hearing about this book for YEARS. I was so stuck in my own ways, I really just wasn't interested in this book. I didn't want to read a coming of age book from a boy's point of view. I wanted to read a good ole YA romance with a girl narrating. But when they turned the book into a movie, I knew it was time to read it. And boy am I glad!! This is now one of my top favorites :)

4. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling - I know, I know.. You guys are all thinking to yourselves.. "Amber, how did you ever not want to read Harry Potter!? The problem was, since I was not allowed to read it as a kid, I was afraid I wouldn't enjoy them as much as everyone else did. I knew how important these books are to my generation and I didn't want to not like them. I was 21 years old reading about a 12 year old boy. I was terrified it would not live up to my expectations. Thankfully it did, I can honestly say I am a true Harry Potter fan now. If you have not read these, please do. NOW.

5. The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins - This book had just started getting popular when I got it as a gift. I never picked it up on my own because I was not interested in action packed books, and that's what I thought this was. And I was not wrong, but I didn't expect myself to fall in love with all the characters and the relationships they formed with eachother. I got so emotionally invested in these books that I carried the EVERYWHERE. I went to a hockey game with my boyfriends family, we had awesome seats.. And what did I do?? I read Catching Fire. LOVED. THESE. BOOKS.




Top 5 books I thought I would like more than I did. AKA books that disappointed me:

1. Bared to You by Sylvia Day - As much as I wanted to like this book, I just didn't. I loved Fifty Shades (E.L. James) and I expected these to be the a rather predictable but still enjoyable series of books that followed the same storyline as Fifty Shades. This book just did not do it for me. I have to admit, I didn't finish it. I just couldn't. To me, there was not plot. It was just, "I want to fuck your cunt." I have a really hard time reading books where the guy says they just want to "fuck" the girl. I don't like it, but if its not constant I can overlook it. But when the word cunt is used, I lose ALL interest. I just can't stand that word. I don't generally have a problem with curse words in books, I use most curse words on my own. They do not offend me, but I like to read about character I would connect with. And if some guy came up to me and said "I want to fuck your cunt" I would not react well. I just want a little respect guys, come on. So when the main character doesn't punch the guy and then walk away without a second thought, I just can't make a connection with that character.

2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien - I really wanted to LOVE these books. I think when I tried to read them I was just too young. I believe I was 12 years old and these books were significantly bigger and at a higher reading level than I was used to. But I saw the movies and couldn't get enough of them.  I would watch the movies at least once or twice a week. I had them memorized, and that could have been part of the problem. But I just couldn't get into the books like I did the movies. Maybe one day I'll try again but for now, these books were just meh.

3. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia - I got this book, read about 100 pages and then put it down. Later when I heard they were making it into a movie I tried again. It was good, don't get me wrong. It just wasn't great. This book just took me a while to read. I wasn't into it as much as I have been with other books. I carried it everywhere mainly because I just wanted to finish it, but even then it took me a few weeks to read. One day I'll read the rest of the series, but that day is not today.

4. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer - For as much as I LOVED the first book, hated this one about the same. She took a good story, and turned it to crap. Total dog crap. I wish Stephanie Meyer would have just put an ending on Eclipse and called it a day. This book was unnecessary and a waste of time. I was so excited to read this book, I waited in the bookstore at midnight for its release, and as much fun as the experience was, the book was NOT worth it.

5. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard - I really wish I read these BEFORE the TV show. I loved the show and I knew the books were different so I picked up the first one and started reading. I just couldn't get into it. I was too impatient and I just wanted to get to parts I didn't already know, but that would have taken FOREVER. So I gave up after the first book.

Have you read these books? What did you think of them? Let me know!

Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

So, I finished this book Friday night and have been so busy I have not been able to write the review on it until now! Sorry this is late, but I hope you like it!

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Book: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter (Goddess Test, #2)
Published: March 27th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
My rating: 5/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

"Kate Winters has won immortality.
But if she wants a life with Henry in the Underworld, she'll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone."


**if you have not read the first book, I do not recommend reading any more of this review**

Things I really loved about this book:

-The book didn't take the first 100 pages to retell the story like so many other sequels do. 
I don't like HATE when the author spends the whole first half of the book retelling things we already know. When I really sit and think from their perspective I understand, but I always read series back to back or reread the first few before I read the new ones, so for me the retelling is just annoying and redundant. And in this book, Aimee Carter has done a great job of reminding you of what happend without giving you full descriptions of characters and events that happened in the previous book. It made getting into the story so much more enjoyable :)

-We got to meet Persephone. I'm sure we all saw this coming. She played such an important role in Henry's life that even though you don't like her for leaving Henry you really want to meet her to see for yourself who she really is. And, let me just tell you guys, I had so many different opinions on her by the time this book was over. I would hate her one minute and the next she would be my favorite character. Overall, I think I like her, but I'll let you guys decide for yourselves.

-Super intense emotions. Yeah, this pretty much goes along with what I said above. This book just made me feel so many different things. I really loved how Aimee Carter can completely catch me off guard. She has this story set up, and you think you know whats

Things I did not enjoy about this book:

-Im trying really hard to come up with at least one small critique, but I've got nothing. I loved this book so much. Which is really unusual for me with sequels because I do not normally like them nearly as much as the first book in a series.

-The only thing I was not a huge fan of is something I cannot mention. Basically the entire book I was constantly changing my mind about Persephone. At first I hated her, then I learned more about her and she wasn't so bad, and it just went back and forth until the book ended. But even though I did not like it, it was necessary for the story. So it really doesn't count.

Overall: I LOVED this book. So much. Thats all I can really say. It was just that good.

Did you read this book? What did you think about it?

Feature & Follow Friday (#1)

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read.  It is an opportunity to gain followers and find new blogs in the book blogging community! You can find more information about it here. This week's featured blog is Dear, Restless Reader. Go check her out!

Here is the question of the week:

If you could hang out with any author (living) who would it be and what would you want to do?

Hands down.. I would want to hang out with J. K. Rowling. I mean seriously, who would not want to spend time with her?? We would hang out at Hogwarts and drink butter beer all day. It would be awesome. I could pick apart her brain and she can tell me all the awesome info about Hogwarts all the characters that never made it into the books.

Who would you want to spend the day with? Comment below and leave  your blog address so I can follow you back :)

Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter 

Book: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter (Goddess Test, #1)
Published: 2011by Harlequin Teen
My rating: 4/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:


"It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.

If she fails..."

Things I really loved about this book:

-It may have been just me but for the most part I didn't know what was going to happen. I had my theories (I was even right about one thing!) but I didn't know how the book was going to proceed. So of course I HAD to keep reading. I was up until 3 AM the day I started this book because I was so anxious to see what happened next! Then I finished it the next day!
-I know some of you are probably thinking "Amber, this book isn't even 300 pages. Why is that such a big deal?" I love to read, and am willing to drop everything to read a good book, but that fact is.. I am a slow reader

-Greek mythology was a really nice change of pace for me. A lot of the books I read are either your typical chick lit book, or paranormal (vampires) or dystopian. I read so many of these books because I really do love them. But sometimes, I just need something new. And for me this was it! I loved it :)

Things I did not enjoy about this book:

-The main problem I had with this book was that it would skip HUGE amounts of time. Something big would happen and then the next paragraph would be a few weeks later. No tests were mentioned. We just skipped ahead with no warning to a new time period. In the end, I think it made sense. The book does cover 6 months, so to cover that amount of time in less than 300 pages, I get the need for it, now. But as I was reading it drove me nuts!

Overall: I really did enjoy this book. I read it in about 2 days which is saying a lot for me because not only am I a slow reader, but I also have work and school to keep me busy. I have read the iBooks sample of the next book, Goddess Interrupted, already and plan to really get into it tonight!

Did you read this book? What did you think about it?

Divergent Book #3 by Veronica Roth HAS A TITLE

Allegiant. 
by Veronica Roth

I am so excited. I just heard the news from The Book Basement and I could not be more excited! Like, for real, guys..

This was me:

And then...

Here is the video for you guys to watch for yourselves :)

I don't even know what else to say, I'm just so happy!

What did you think??

Waiting on Wednesday (#1)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Each wednesday, this meme highlights upcoming books that we are excited about!

Here are the books I can't wait for:

Untitled (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth


"What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent."

Why I am excited: Come on guys, it't the final divergent book!! After finishing Insurgent, I just sat and stared into space for a good 15 min trying to decide what to do next. Ugh, waiting is killing me. And this is all the information they are giving me?? I can't even get a title?? LAME.

Expected Release Date: October 22, 2013

The Heist (O'Hare and Fox #1) by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg


"FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first."

Why I Am Excited: I just found this searching through some upcoming releases, and I can't express how excited I am for this series! I LOVE the Stephanie Plum series by Evanovich, and this sounds awesome! I can't wait to read this new series from her!

Expected Release Date: June 18, 2013

Hotshot by Julie Garwood


"Peyton Lockhart and her sisters have inherited Bishop’s Cove, a small, luxurious oceanfront resort, but it comes with a condition: The girls must run the resort for one year and show a profit—only then will they own it.

A graduate of a prestigious French culinary school, Peyton has just lost her job as a food critic. Out of work and in a bad place personally, a year doing something completely different sounds wonderful.

There are countless challenges and too many people who want to stop the sisters from succeeding. Among them are Peyton’s contentious cousins, who are outraged that they didn’t inherit the resort, as well as a powerful group of land developers who have been eyeing the coveted beachfront property.

It’s soon apparent to Peyton that their efforts are being sabotaged, but she refuses to let the threats scare her—until she’s nearly killed. She calls on her childhood friend and protector, Finn MacBain, now with the FBI, and asks for his help. He saved her life once; he can do it again."

Why I Am Excited: Why not be excited about this? Its got a beach resort, a hot FBI agent, a mystery, and romance! This is for sure my kind of book. I will definitely be reading this when it comes out. This sounds like a perfect summer read :)

Expected Release Date: August 6, 2013

What upcoming books are you guys excited for?

Catching Fire Teaser Trailer :)

Alright guys, I JUST found this on Danielle's blog Coffee and Characters. I actually was just looking for new blogs to follow and stumbled upon hers. And boy am I GLAD! If you saw my post from yesterday (maybe early this morning?) that listed my top books then you know I love the Hunger Games! If you have not seen the post you can find it here. I don't even know how to express to you how much I love these. So I will not make you wait any longer, here is the first trailer that was released Sunday night at the MTV awards:

AHHHHHHHH I can't even form words after watching this. Ugh, its just so good!! I need it to be Nov.22 NOW! What do y'all think of it??

Top Ten Tuesday (#1): Top 10 Books on my Summer TBR List

When I first discovered book blogs, one of the first blogs I found is The Broke and the Bookish. I immediately fell in love with this blog, and I am so excited to do my first Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the one and only... The Broke and the Bookish

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is Top Ten Tuesday REWIND which means that I got to choose which Top Ten Tuesday post from the past I wanted to do. In no particular order, here are my top ten:

Top 10 books on my Summer TBR List:

1) Across the Universe by Beth Revis

2) Rush by Maya Banks

3) City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

4) The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys, #1) by Abbi Glines 

5) Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, #1) by Rachel Caine 

6) A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R. R. Martin

7) Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

8) Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 

9) Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer

10) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

What books are on your top ten list this week?

Top Six FAVORITE Books

Hey guys,

Since I do not have many posts yet, I wanted to make a list of my top 6 books that I have read! That way you can get a better idea for what types of books I read! These are not in any kind of order, it was hard enough to narrow it down, so there was no way I could put these in an order! Here it is:

Amber's Top 6 Books

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

This book was something I have been hearing about for years. Everyone I know says it is one of their favorite books. I always had it on my TBR list but I finally picked it up when I heard it was being made into a movie. This book was so good, and so sad. I remember when I finished the book I was sitting home alone and just stared at the wall in awe of this book. It was such a good book, I would recommend this (and the movie) to anyone. 

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

This was another one of those books that I had heard a lot about but never picked up. Christmas 2011 by boyfriend and I received this as a gift. Boyfriend (who is not normally a reader) read this book in one sitting. Obviously I had to read it then. I loved it! The first one is definitely my favorite. After reading the first one I was so curious to see what happened next I couldn't put them down long enough to do anything. The second and third surprised me, but I loved them as well! I would also recommend this book to anyone! 

Fifty Shades Series by E. L. James

When I first heard of this book all I knew about it was that the main character was a college grad. I got so excited to read it because I really enjoy reading about characters I feel I can relate to, and being a college student I was super pumped! Then, when talking to bf's mom, I was told what this book is REALLY about. That was an awkward conversation. After that I was just plain curious. I had to know what happened! So I read it, and I was hooked. Yes, this book has a lot of sex. And not just sex but raunch, dirty sex. But this book also has a story! And that's why I continued reading the second and third books. I love that these were not just books about sex. You were brought in initially by curiosity, and hooked by the story. Perfection. I would NOT recommend this book to anyone under 17 or anyone who does not reading sex. This book does contain graphic sex scenes. 

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

This book really hit home for me. For those of you who have not heard of it, the story is narrated by a women who has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. The book follows her journey from the time she is diagnosed until the disease has taken over. My Grandma was diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimers shortly after my high school graduation. She moved in with my family and lived with them for a few years. She has since passed, and I am always wanting to learn more about this disease. When I saw a book written from the perspective of an Alzheimers patient I knew I had to read it. It was overall a incredibly sad book, but also an AMAZING story. I am so glad I found this book. I would recommend this book to anyone who has had a loved one with this disease, or anyone who is curious about it. 

The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling

Alright guys, it's HARRY POTTER! Need I say more?

Actually, I do need. I grew up in the generation of Harry Potter. Unfortunately (unlike all of my friends), I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO READ THEM AS A KID. Whyyyyy??? I really missed out. But don't you worry, I eventually got to read them. My junior year in college I decided it was time for me to read about the amazing wizarding world of Harry Potter! It was as awesome as everyone said. If you have not read these you need to stop what you are doing, get off the computer, go buy them, and start reading. NOW! Even if you think you are too old, or you've seen the movies, or any other lame excuses you can come up with. Excuses are crap. Go read them now. 

 Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austin

Alright guys, I have to admit.. I saw the movie before I read the book. To some of you this is probably not a big deal. But I firmly believe everything is better in book form. And if I am going to hear the story, I HAVE to read the book first. I tend to enjoy the version of the story I hear first. So if I see the movie first, I hate all the changes in the book. Even when the book is actually the correct story. Its a confusing mess, I know. But I saw the movie first. Which in this case turned out to be great. The movie was the reason why I read the book. It is one of my favorite movies of all time and I figured if the movie was that good the book must be even better! I can't pick one I enjoy more, book or movie. They are both awesome. I don't read many classics, but this one I loved. If you like classics and have not read this or want to try out classics, I would recommend this. 

So there you guys go! My top 6 books! What are your favorites? Let me know!