Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Borrowed
The Night Before by Lisa Jackson
The Mime Order- Samantha Shannon

For Review
Skandal by Lindsay Smith 

What did you get in your mailbox?

Review of Through to You by Emily Hainsworth

Title: Through to You
Author: Emily Hainsworth
Source: Bought new 
Series: Standalone
Rating: 2.5/5









Goodreads Summary:
Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. He’d give anything to have just one more glimpse of her. But when Cam visits the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees an apparition. Her name is Nina, and she’s a girl from a parallel world. When Cam follows her there and makes an unbelievable discovery, it’s as if all his wildest dreams have come true. But things are very different in this other world. Nina is hiding a secret, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with the truth, he’s forced to make a choice that will change his life forever.

Cam is dealing with the death of his girlfriend Viv who died in a car accident. He withdraws from everyone in his life including his friend who has stood by his side the entire time. One day a girl appears and tells him she knows him and she is his best friend but Camden has never met this girl. He finds out that this new girl's name is Nina and she is from a parallel universe where the car accident still happened but the outcome was a lot different. 

This book was very angsty. We find out that Viv left her old boyfriend for Camden and now that Viv is gone Camden thinks he has nothing left. He has a lot of anger issues and seems to take it out on everyone including his parents who are absent for most of the book. When Camden discovers the parallel universe he just goes along with it and does not seem to question it at all and when he meets Nina he does not ask the questions that would make sense for him to ask her. 

I could not connect with Camden at all which made the story difficult to connect with as a whole. Nina was the saving grace of this book. I really liked her and her adorable little brother, Owen. She tries to help Camden as much as she can although he only has Viv on his mind and walks all over everyone in order to keep Viv alive. I felt like Viv's character was not explored enough. She had so many different sides of her that we get a brief look into her life prior to being with Camden and even after her and Camden become a couple.

The ending was super cheesy and unfulfilled. This was a quick read and I finished it in a day, but it is not something I will re-read so I will be donating this book to my local thrift store.

Blog Tour: Stone in the Sky by Cecil Castellucci

Title: Stone in the Sky
Author: Cecil Castellucci
Source: Publisher for the blog tour
Series:  Yes
Rating: 3.5/5

This is the second book in the Tin Star series and I was lucky enough to be asked by the publisher to review this book and also to be part of the blog tour for this novel.

Tin Star left me feeling like something was missing and Stone in the Sky is the missing piece. It is an excellent continuation of the story. It picks up where Tin Star left off and follows Tula on her journey to destroy Brother Blue.

The novel threw in some twists that I did not see coming and the ending left me wanting more. Tula Bane's story is not done yet and I hope there is more to come.

The Characters: We have our main character Tula Bane of course and she becomes more likeable as the story goes on. She is smart and quick to work a trade just like Heckleck taught her her. She makes the decision to leave Yertina Feray and leaves Tournour behind. Brother Blue makes another appearance and so do other surprising characters from the first novel that I thought were gone forever and lots of new and interesting characters that add to the story.

The Plot: This book starts on Yertina Feray, but takes us through the galaxy and new planets. The description of the galaxy and new planets 

This book ended in a way that the story could be considered wrapped up, but I feel like Tula has more to show us. 

Stacking the Shelves

I started a new position at work which gives me lots of time to listen to audio books so I have been listening to a lot of books while I am working. I have been trying to find books that are on my tbr shelf to knock some off my own shelves. 

Borrowed
Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Initiate by Veronica Roth
Through to You by Emily Hainsworth
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

Bought Used
The Son by Philipp Meyer
After Dark by Haruki Murakami 
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers 
Lost in A Good Book by Jasper Fforde 
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

Bought New (Kindle)
All Lined Up- Cora Carmack

What did you get in your mailbox?

Review of Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

Title: Dad is Fat
Author: Jim Gaffigan
Source: Borrowed from the library
Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5









Goodreads Summary:
In Dad is Fat, stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan, who's best known for his legendary riffs on Hot Pockets, bacon, manatees, and McDonald's, expresses all the joys and horrors of life with five young children—everything from cousins ("celebrities for little kids") to toddlers' communication skills ("they always sound like they have traveled by horseback for hours to deliver important news"), to the eating habits of four-year-olds ("there is no difference between a four year old eating a taco and throwing a taco on the floor"). Reminiscent of Bill Cosby's Fatherhood, Dad is Fat is sharply observed, explosively funny, and a cry for help from a man who has realized he and his wife are outnumbered in their own home.

I am a big fan of Jim Gaffigan's stand up and this book being read by him was just like listening to his stand up. He talks about his kids and his wife. He has five children in a two bedroom apartment in New York City so he has a lot of material to work with.

He makes a lot of jokes about his wife, but he also shows how much he cares for his wife and his children which makes me like him even more.

I love that he is reading the book. I really enjoyed this book and I hope he writes more books to enjoy.

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

This is a library only haul this week. I apologize for the lack of posting. The only thing I can say is life is busy and I feel like I am never home these days. I am excited as always to read all these books but I think I might be in a slight reading slump so hopefully I can bounce out of it soon. 

Borrowed from the Library
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
On the Edge- Allison Van Diepen
Empire of Shadows- Miriam Forster 
This Shattered World- Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner 

Review of I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Title: I'll Meet You There
Source: Sent for review
Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5










Goodreads Summary:

If seventeen-year-old Skylar Evans were a typical Creek View girl, her future would involve a double-wide trailer, a baby on her hip, and the graveyard shift at Taco Bell. But after graduation, the only thing standing between straightedge Skylar and art school are three minimum-wage months of summer. Skylar can taste the freedom—that is, until her mother loses her job and everything starts coming apart. Torn between her dreams and the people she loves, Skylar realizes everything she’s ever worked for is on the line.
Nineteen-year-old Josh Mitchell had a different ticket out of Creek View: the Marines. But after his leg is blown off in Afghanistan, he returns home, a shell of the cocksure boy he used to be. What brings Skylar and Josh together is working at the Paradise—a quirky motel off California’s dusty Highway 99. Despite their differences, their shared isolation turns into an unexpected friendship and soon, something deeper.

This book comes out today and I am a little late to the party to post this since I read it December and completely forgot I did not review it. You should of course buy this immediately because it is so good.

The point of view is from both Skylar and Josh. We get glimpse into Josh's life back at home and his time in the Marines.  The story switches between the two of them but this is more of Josh's story than Skylar's and it is done so good. Demetrios deals with a lot of heavy topics that we see on the news, but unless you know someone who has come back from a war you won't truly understand it. He deals with the death of his friend, losing his leg and his PTSD all while trying to be the guy his friends from back home remember. Josh is an amazing character that I feel will really hit home with a lot of people because of not only his age but how real his story is.

Skylar's story flows around Josh's and fills in the spaces, but not in a bad way. She has been working hard to escape the small town and go to art school but when her mom loses her job she starts to question if she can escape. Her best friend and Josh really help her realize what she needs to do even if it's a choice no teenager should have to make.

I am a huge fan of this book and I cannot wait until she writes another book for me to devour. 

January Wrap Up

I started the year off with a ton of reading. I cleared a lot off my bookshelves also :)

The List
Angelfall by Susan Ee (e-book)
Crash and Burn- Michael Hassan (big book)
Wise Children- Angela Carter
Switched- Amanda Hocking (been on my Goodreads TBR since 2012)

Books I own: 11
Borrowed: 4
E-Book: 3
Re-Reads: 1
Total:  15

Switched- Amand Hocking
Wise Children- Angela Carter
Otherworld Nights- Kelley Armstrong
Angelfall by Susan Ee
I Can't Keep My Own Secrets- Rachel Fershleiser (re-read)
Crash and Burn- Michael Hassan
Saving June- Hannah Harrington
The Eagle of the Ninth- Rosemary Sutcliff
These Broken Stars- Amie Kaufman Meagan Spooner
Between the Lines- Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer 
I Work At A Public Library- Gina Sheridan
The Paradox of Vertical Flight- Emil Ostrovski 
Jessica Darling #1: The (Total Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness and Perfection- Megan McCafferty 
Angus, Thongs and Full- Frontal Snogging- Louise Rennison 
The Lost Wife- Alyson Richman

February TBR

The List
One Good Hustle- Billie Livingston (The Life of a Book Addict List)
I Heart New York- Lindsey Kelk (ebook)
Fourth Comings- Megan McCafferty (been on my Goodreads TBR since 2012)
Spirit Bound- Richelle Mead (big book)