March TBR

Since I am not buying books I am trying to get through as many of my owned books as possible so when I crack and buy a book again I can feel less guilty. 

The List
The Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger (re-read)
Slated- Teri Terry
Blood Promise- Richelle Mead
Warm Bodies- Issac Marion
Don't Even Think About It- Sarah Mlynowski (kindle)
Sekret- Lindsay Smith (kindle)
Love Letters to the Dead- Ava Dellaira (kindle)
Ashes to Ashes- Melissa Walker

The other goals I setting for myself this month:
1) Buy less books than I read
2) Donate at least one book
3) Re-read at least one book

Tin Star- Cecil Castellucci

Title: Tin Star
Author: Cecil Castellucci
Source: For review
Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5









Goodreads Summary:
On their way to start a new life, Tula and her family travel on the Prairie Rose, a colony ship headed to a planet in the outer reaches of the galaxy. All is going well until the ship makes a stop at a remote space station, the Yertina Feray, and the colonist's leader, Brother Blue, beats Tula within an inch of her life. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station.

When three humans crash land onto the station, Tula's desire for escape becomes irresistible, and her desire for companionship becomes unavoidable. But just as Tula begins to concoct a plan to get off the space station and kill Brother Blue, everything goes awry, and suddenly romance is the farthest thing from her mind. 

I have read another book previously by this author and I thought it was pretty good so I decided to try it out. I really liked the first 2/3 of this book but I felt the ending fell a little flat.

Tula and her family are on the Prairie Rose travelling a new life. She is part of the Children of the Earth and the leader is Brother Blue. When Tula starts asking too many questions, Brother Blue leaves her for dead on the Yertina Feray, a remote space station.  Tula wakes up and is taken in by  Heckleck who is an alien.   Heckleck teaches her how to survive and thrive on the space station.

The protagonist is Tula who's goal is to get revenge on Brother Blue. She befriends Tournour and Heckleck and learns how to trade on the black market, I like Tula, I thought she was an interesting character. She does not fall into self-pity after she is left behind. She picks herself up and makes her new life at the space station. She knows how to take care of herself. Tournour was a little bit of an odd character. He seemed very cold and distant, but occasionally you could see his true feeling for Tula showing. My favorite character was Heckleck. He does not trust anyone but allows Tula to help him with some parts of his black market trades.

The world building was really good, I could imagine the space station and the planets in the galaxy.  The plot was interesting. I really enjoyed the world and I hope that the author writes more books in this world. The part that fell flat for me is the ending. I felt like this book was too short and the ending was too abrupt. The ending was sloppy and the romance really ruined it for me.  If this was a series I think I would have honestly like it more or if it was a little longer to work out the loose ends with the ending. There was a lot that was left unsaid. Overall I enjoyed this but the ending really changed my rating. I am giving this a 3/5.

Stacking the Shelves (110)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

I sent my wedding invites out this week. I was so nervous about getting them done and sent out but now that they are out I feel a lot better. I also met with my venue and we picked our food out and got everything together. I am getting excited. I did not do a lot of reading this weekend so I hope I can make up for it this weekend. 

Borrowed from the Library
Diamonds and Deceit- Leila Rasheed
None Else Can Have You- Kathleen Hale

Sever- Lauren DeStefano

Title: Sever
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Source:  Borrowed
Series: Yes
Rating: 3/5








Goodreads Summary:

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

This is the final book in the Chemical Garden series. It took me a long time to read this, I was not a fan of the second book and I had no plans to finish the series but I was continuously recommended to finish this series so it took me awhile but I finally did it.

The final book in the series was my second favorite book in the series. I really enjoyed the first book, and I was sadly disappointed in the second book and I liked how the story wrapped up. This review may contain spoilers.

Rhine is back at the house with Vaughn and Linden. I was not a fan of Rhine in this novel. She started the series as this hard girl who knows how to take care of herself and is desperate to get back to her brother, Rowan and she has turned into a completely different person. She was so upset about being married off to Linden but she never takes her wedding ring off and gets jealous of Cecily and Linden's relationship. It was frustrating.

The storyline is continuing from the first novel. The world has grown and the characters from previous novels have made an appearance in this novel. I thought the ending was a too neatly wrapped up. There was not a lot of resolution to this story.  I am glad that I did read this novel but I was disappointed with this series overall. 

Stacking the Shelves (109)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

I did not buy any books this week again. I am going on over two weeks without buying a single book. I am proud of myself.

Borrowed by the Library
Ashes to Ashes- Melissa Walker
Burn- Julianna Baggott
The Shadowhunter's Codex- Cassandra Clare  

For Review
Don't Even Think About It- Sarah Mlynowski (kindle)
Sekret- Lindsay Smith (kindle)
Love Letters to the Dead- Ava Dellaira

Gifted/ Credit
Rage Within- Jeyn Roberts
The Bone Season- Samantha Shannon
The Golem and the Jinni- Helene Wecker

Not a Drop To Drink- Mindy McGinnis

Title: Not a Drop to Drink
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Source: Kindle
Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5









I feel like I am the last person on Earth to read this book. I am so glad I read it. There is a large shortage of water. The cities are experiences the worse of the water shortage so people have fled the cities and found refuge in the country. Lynn was raised by her mother and told the most important thing to do is to protect the pond. She grows up learning not only how to read and write but also how to shoot a gun and kill anyone who comes close to the pond.. One day while looking out from her roof she spots smoke in the distance and she knows she will have to fight to kill to defend herself. 

Lynn is a unique character who has not had much contact with anyone besides her mother in her entire life. She only knows how to work hard, she has never had the luxury of just relaxing. She must constantly fight to survive. 

The biggest thing you need to know going into this book is that Lynn takes no one's crap and she is a awesome protagonist and she can kick butt. There is a lot that happens in this novel but I liked the not knowing going into it. The ending took me by surprise and I can see where this novel can either be a standalone or a series.

The Tyrant's Daughter- J.C. Carleson

Title: The Tyrant's Daughter
Author: J.C. Carleson
Source: For review from the provider
Series: Standalone
Rating: 4.5/5









Goodreads Summary:
From a former CIA officer comes the riveting account of a royal Middle Eastern family exiled to the American suburbs. 

When her father is killed in a coup, 15-year-old Laila flees from the war-torn middle east to a life of exile and anonymity in the U.S. Gradually she adjusts to a new school, new friends, and a new culture, but while Laila sees opportunity in her new life, her mother is focused on the past. She’s conspiring with CIA operatives and rebel factions to regain the throne their family lost. Laila can’t bear to stand still as an international crisis takes shape around her, but how can one girl stop a conflict that spans generations? 

Laila flees the country with her mother and her brother to the United States after her father is killed. She has to learn to adapt to a completely different lifestyle than she is used to. Laila has a hard time adjusting at first, her mother keeps acting like they are still rich.

This book is a mixture of a lot of different conflicts currently happening in the world while also throwing in a teenage girl trying to find her place in the world. Leila has a hard time when they move, trying to adjust to living in the United States while also finding out a lot of things about her country and even her own family she was not aware of. Her mother acts like they have never left while Leila is constantly worrying about money.  Her little brother seems to like living in the US, but Leila misses her home even though it is being torn apart.

The plot shows flashes of the protagonist life before they flee the country and after she flees. The novel also shows how she deals with a culture shock of how women dress and even how they are treated. She is torn between following how she would act in her old home and how she acts in her new home. She learns about friendship and love.

This book is spectacular and I am being very vague, but this is a book I knew nothing about before reading it and I absolutely loved going into it blind. This book is very different from any other YA book out there that I have read.  The story line is unique and really opens your eyes to what is happening and what people are going through. I gave this 4.5/5.  I really enjoyed it. 

Stacking the Shelves (108)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

This weekend has been super busy. We had a wedding to attend and lots of things to do for our own wedding. I am on day 7 of buying 0 books. I can't remember the last book I bought in January so I am just going with I have not bought a book in February yet which is pretty awesome. 

Borrowed from the Library
Hollow City- Ransom Riggs
Where the Stars Still Shine- Trish Doller

January Wrap Up

Physical copies : 2
Kindle books (purchased): 7
Kindle books (free): 10
Gifted: 1
Grand Total: 20
Total amount: $ 26.47 (I got technically 10 books free on Kindle, although one was box set )

I accomplished my goal of reading more books than I technically bought (kindle had a lot of free books). This year has started off with me not reading very much, but I did complete my TBR :).

The List
The Painted Girls- Cathy Marie Buchanan (I started it in December but did not finished it)
Cress- Marissa Meyer
Beautiful Disaster- Jamie McGuire
No Place Like Oz- Danielle Paige
Across A Star-Swept Sea- Diana Peterfreund
Tears of Tess- Pepper Winters
The Color Purple- Alice Walker (re-read)
The Pilot's Wife- Anita Shreve
The Cuckoo's Calling- Robert Galbraith

The other goals I setting for myself this month:
1) Buy less books than I read (bought: 9, read: 12)
2) Donate five books ( 5/5)

Books I own: 9
Borrowed: 4
E-Books: 4
Total: 13

The Painted Girls- Cathy Marie Buchanan
The Color Purple- Alice Walker (re-read)
Beautiful Disaster- Jamie McGuire
The Pilot's Wife- Anita Shreve
No Place Like Oz- Danielle Paige
The Cuckoo's Calling- Robert Galbraith
Cress- Marissa Meyer
Across A Star-Swept Sea- Diana Peterfreund
Tears of Tess- Pepper Winters
Snow White Blood Red- Cameron Jace
Juvie- Steve Watkins
Ketchup Clouds-Annabel Pitcher
Ashes to Ashes and Cinder to Cinder- Jace Cameron

Stacking the Shelves (107)

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Borrowed from the Library
Babyville- Jane Green
Reconstructing Amelia- Kimberly McCreight

February TBR

I have been reading pretty slowly lately but I still have a pretty ambitious list for this month.

The List
Not a Drop to Drink- Mindy McGinnis
The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Stephen Chbosky (re-read)
Jessica Z- Shawn Klomparens 
Sever- Lauren DeStefano 
Nightshade- Andrea Cremer
The Tyrant's Daughter- J.C. Carleson
Habibi- Craig Thompson (Need to finish)

The other goals I setting for myself this month:
1) Buy less books than I read
2) Donate one book
3) Re-read at least one book