What I'm Reading: June 2015

I've been thinking about getting back to blogging for a few months now. June seems like a great time to do this. My hands are in pretty good shape for typing since it's summer, and there are a ton of awesome sounding books out that I want to download to my Kindle immediately. So, what am I hoping on reading this June? Here are a few books that have grabbed my interest!

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1. Take Them By Storm by Marie Landry -- Marie is a friend of mine and I've meant to read this for ages. Now that I'm striving to get back into blogging, this is the first book I thought of for my list--even before going to GoodReads to see what had come out. I liked Sadie in After The Storm, so it will be interesting to see what will happen to her here.

2. The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough -- If Death is portrayed as an interesting character, you can bet I'm gonna be there to read about it. In an interesting and often not seen portrayal, apparently she is a lady for this outing. I think that the premise of historical fiction + a slight supernatural element is intriguing. I'm also interested in the time in which this takes place--my grandparents would have been young. I hope this author adds historical details that will let me get a glimpse of what that might have been like.

3. Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout -- I competed in music competitions from the time I was about eight up until I was around thirty, so I often enjoy stories where music either has a key role or is effecting characters' lives. Plus, one of my earliest reviews here on my blog was Anna and the French Kiss. I didn't care for that book due to some infidelity issues that rubbed me the wrong way; I did love learning about another culture, though. One of my favorite authors, Robert Beven, lives in South Korea with his family. I'm very intrigued to read a novel set there!

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4. The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter -- I knew this would make my list the moment that I read the blurb. I love a vampire romance that has a sense of humor. I'm actually reading the sample right now (or was before I started this post) and I can already tell this is going to be my kind of book. Who can resist a cat named Captain Underpants?

5. The Gentlemen Mentor by Kendall Ryan -- I've learned to listen to my instincts when it comes to books like this. I usually don't go for sexy adult contemporary reads; especially not ones that involve BDSM. (So not a fan of Fifty Shades of Grey.) But occasionally I spot a title that grabs my interest and refuses to be ignored; that's what we've got here. Hopefully this book will live up to my previous successes in finding things I want to read within this type of fiction. I guess we'll soon find out.

6. Burned By Darkness by Alexandra Ivy -- Once upon a time, Kat wanted to read a romance novel involving falling in love with a dragon. This book looks like it might just be able to deliver. From the summary, I can see the bond between the two main characters going in any variety of ways. But I find that interesting. The idea that he spent 25 years looking for this specific woman when he has a "harem" is making me roll my eyes a tad. But the premise seems interesting enough that I think I'll give this a shot.

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7. Lois Lane: Fallout by Gwenda Bond -- I'm a huge fan of DC Comics and the thought of a side character / love interest like Lois being given her own book is genius, in my opinion. I think it's great that stuff like this and the upcoming Supergirl TV show are being written / filmed / produced to try and increase female interest in conics, as i think comics have a ton to offer readers of either genre. I look forward to seeing how this was handled.

8. Only Ever Yours by Louise O'Neil -- From what I've been reading, I'm gonna want to get some kind of non-shattering case or shell for my Kindle when I download this one, 'cause it's gonna make me mad. But that's okay! A book that ticks me off means it likely did a good job; I don't get riled up over just anything. I've wanted to read this from the moment I first head about it, so count on seeing a review for it soon.

9. Powerless by Tera Lynn Childs and Tracy Deebs -- I've been working on a premise for a standalone superhero novel, so this is another book that the writer in my is interested in reading. Plus, the premise just looks like it could be a lot of fun. I mean, imagine what it would be like knowing that there are people with extraordinary powers and then also knowing you're not one of them? Imagine having everything you know or think you believe turned upside down? This definitely shows potential.

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10. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas -- I'm quite fond of Throne of Glass, so the idea of Sarah J. Maas + a potential take on Beauty and the Beast definitely had my attention from word go. I'm optimistic sense I've liked other work by this author, but she is working with my favorite fairytale, so things could get dicey. I look forward to reading the book and giving my opinion.

11. Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz -- I've enjoyed several of Melissa's other books, so I'm quite hopeful that this will be a fun read. I've been following all leads about the Disney Descendants doll line since I saw it in video footage from Toy Fair 2015 back in February (I collect dolls and My Little Pony), so finding out that there are going to be books was pretty exciting news.

12. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh -- This is a premise I've been waiting for someone to jump on since I took a class on oral storytelling in university. I never really felt a compulsion that this could or should be *my* story--I don't think I could do this justice. But I'm really happy to see that someone has spotted this opening in the fairytale retelling sub-genre and has decided to roll with it. I want to see how it turned out.

Will I get through all these in June? Absolutely not. Jay (my boyfriend) is visiting for a week and I'm just getting the blog back up and running. But I will read as much as I can and try to get back into the swing of things. I figured starting with a post of what I want to read this month will help give me some focus and keep me from staring at my Kindle and going, "What Next?".

Have you read any of the books on my list? Are there any you're especially curious to hear my thoughts on? Feel free to leave a comment. :)

What's Next? (2)

What's Next? is a weekly event hosted by Icey Books where you guys get to suggest what book I should read next from a list that I provide.

Am I the only one who gets a case of the winter blah's the moment I have to push back the clock? Doubtful. The time shift and shortening days can do a real number on me, and I know the last few weeks my brain has been about as attentive as a piece of ground up hamburger. Everything has screeched to a halt--writing, editing, reading, blogging. Everything. And I'm tired of it. 

So this week, my picks for What's Next are a bunch of books I'm dying to read, because I know I really need a pick-me-up. Wanna help me choose? 

Finding It  (Losing It #3)

by Cora Carmack

Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find where you truly belong...

Most girls would kill to spend months traveling around Europe after college graduation with no responsibility, no parents, and no-limit credit cards. Kelsey Summers is no exception. She's having the time of her life . . . or that's what she keeps telling herself.

It's a lonely business trying to find out who you are, especially when you're afraid you won't like what you discover. No amount of drinking or dancing can chase away Kelsey's loneliness, but maybe Jackson Hunt can. After a few chance meetings, he convinces her to take a journey of adventure instead of alcohol. With each new city and experience, Kelsey's mind becomes a little clearer and her heart a little less hers. Jackson helps her unravel her own dreams and desires. But the more she learns about herself, the more Kelsey realizes how little she knows about Jackson.

I've read and loved Cora Carmack's first two books, Losing It and Faking It. So I've been looking forward to Finding It for a while. 

The Art of Wishing 

by Lindsay Ribar 

He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.

Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?

But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.

A whole lot more.

This was my #1 pick for most anticipated book by a debut author at the start of the year and I still haven't read it yet. I downloaded and loved the sample on my Kindle, so I really should fix that, right?

Wild Cards

by Simone Elkeles

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Simone Elkeles' Perfect Chemistry trilogy is one of my favorite series ever and I've been waiting a very long time for her to release something new. I've very eager to check Wild Cards out. 

This Is What Happy Looks Like

by Jennifer E. Smith

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

This was another of my top picks for this year, and I was super fortunate to swap for a copy of it earlier this month at the Ontario Blogger Meetup in Toronto. 

Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

This book looks like it will be super cute, and I can totally relate to feeling awkward while starting college (university) and dealing with professors who are authors who have certain ideas of their own. It was a while ago, but I've been there. 

So, now I leave this in your capable hands. Tell me, people ... What's Next? :D

What's Next? (1)

What's Next? is a weekly event hosted by Icey Books where you guys get to suggest what book I should read next from a list that I provide.

Some of you might have guessed I've been having trouble reading books lately! Between writing, family stuff and fall weather (which for some reason makes me really, really, sleepy!) the books on my shelves are doing that weird thing where all the words sorta meld together. But I need to take a pause between doing edit notes for Sealer's Promise and actually making the edits, and if I want those edits to come out well I know I need to read stuff. That's non-negotiable.

What's Next? seems like a win-win to me. I hopefully get some motivation to read something and you guys get to hear my thoughts on something, rather than wondering what random book I'll finally come back with. So without further ado, here are...

The Burning Sky
by Sherry Thomas

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

Why I Bought It: Magic, a prince, and romance? What's not to love, it's right up my alley. :D

Why I'm hesitant: Things could go very bad for this couple. It's the first book in a trilogy. It's historical, which can be hit or miss for me--and I didn't know that when I bought it.

If You Leave
by Courtney Cole

26-year old Gabriel Vincent is a badass hero. Or he used to be, anyway. As an ex-Army Ranger, Gabe never thought he needed anyone. But after one horrible night in Afghanistan scars him in a way that he can't get past, he needs someone who can help him heal...even if he doesn't realize it.

25-year old Madison Hill doesn't need anybody...or so she thinks. She grew up watching her parents' messed-up abusive relationship and she knows there's no way in hell that she's ever letting that happen to her.

They don't know it in the beginning, but Gabriel and Madison will soon develop a weakness: Each other.

But Gabriel's got a secret, a hidden monster that he's afraid Maddy could never overcome... And Maddy's got issues that she's afraid Gabe will never understand. They quickly realize that they need each other to be whole, but at the same time they know that they've got demons to fight.

And the problem with demons is that they never die quietly.

Why I Bought It: I totally, madly, loved If You Stay. I bought If You Leave the day it released, but I've been so busy I haven't had time to even take a glance at the first page.

Why I'm Hesitant: A string of contemporary NA / Adult reads that didn't click with me is part of what caused me to need to take time away from blogging, so I'm not 100% sure this is the right thing to read as I dive back in.

Elsker
S.T. Bende

You don't win the heart of an immortal assassin without making a few enemies along the way. Kristia Tostenson prefers Earl Grey to Grey Goose and book clubs to nightclubs, but when she transfers from her one-stoplight town to Cardiff University in Wales she falls in love with Ull Myhr. Her new boyfriend isn't exactly what she was expecting. He's an honest to goodness Norse God - an immortal assassin fated to die at Ragnarok, the battle destined to destroy Asgard and Earth. Kristia's crazy visions are the only thing that can save their realms. Her orderly life just got very messy.

Why I Bought It: I love books based on mythology, and Norse myth is both interesting and less common. This was one of those books where I went "Oh, I have to read that." Yet it's still on my Kindle. Go figure.

Why I'm Hesitant: Mythology based fantasy is, to some extent, the driving force of my own novel. I've been very careful about what I read while doing the latest draft. However, I'm at the editing stages now so I should be okay. Still, it'll be weird to read this after the two months I've had.

Cinder
by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Why I Bought It: Cyborg Cinderella? Again, how could I resist. I honestly can't tell ya why I haven't read it. I've never even opened it. It just hasn't happened.

Why I'm Hesitant: Every time I look at this book all I can think is "It's big.". That's silly--one of my favorite series is The Tiger Saga! If I was patient enough to get into that, Cinder should be cake. But at least I'm honest. :)

The Liberator
by Victoria Scott

Bad boy, meet bad girl.

Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.

When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.

With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.

Why I Bought It: The Collector was the most recent recipient of my writing award, the Kat's Meow. With how much I loved the first book, it only makes sense I want to read the second.

Why I'm Hesitant: Here's the thing, though. When I love a book that can prove a double edged sword. Will The Liberator be able to match The Collector? That'll be a tough act to follow! 

Now for the fun part. 

Leave a comment and tell me...