2015 "Real" Book Challenge November Wrap-Up

2015 "Real" Book Challenge hosted by Swoony Boys Podcast and Fic Fare.

I read these 'real' books in the month of November.

Technically today's still November but I know I won't be reading any more 'real' books so I've gone ahead and tallied up my count. I was sick at home one weekend so I just read and read. I ended up finishing three books in two days! Not too bad right? ;D
 

How many 'real' books did you read in the month of November?

Stacking the Shelves #72

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

These are the pretties I won from Lauren @ Love is not a triangle and Maryam @ Once Upon A Story. Thank you to SMP for sending them to me!

 

Dream Things True by Marie Marquardt
The Weight of Feathers by Anne-Marie McLemore

Thank you HCCFrenzy for this beauty! I can't believe I have it in my hands :D

 

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

 

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

Liars, Inc. Black Friday Sale Blitz!

 

Hi everyone! Today I have Paula Stokes, YA author with upcoming 2016 titles Vicarious and Girl Against the Universe, here to share an exciting Black Friday deal with you! Let's welcome her!

 

Paula: I was super-thrilled to see that HarperTeen put the Liars, Inc. ebook back on sale for Black Friday, this time across multiple digital platforms. You can score an e-copy all week for the low price of $1.99 from Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N and iTunes!

A little information about Liars, Inc.
 

Liars, Inc.
by Paula Stokes
March 24, 2015
368 pages

 

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

“This is one exciting ride.” –ALA Booklist

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money. So with the help of his friend Preston and his girlfriend, Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something, and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn't think twice about it. But then Preston never comes home. And the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead to Preston's body.

 

Terrifying clues that point to Max as the killer….

 

Paula: I'm a girl who will buy almost anything if it feels like a mega-deal, but I realize that some people are a little more discriminating when they buy books. Therefore, I've designed a handy decision-making tree to help you determine if Liars, Inc. is right for you! (Click on the image to enlarge!)
 

 

If you started to cry while reading the above chart, it's possible that you, like me, are a person who struggles to make decisions. It's okay. Some of us need additional information. Click here to read the first chapter of Liars, Inc. It's a great example of what you might be getting yourself into :)

 

JUST FOR FUN:  Check out the top ten things I would bring with me if I had to go on the run from the feds. Includes essentials like Chapstick, chocolate, and flash bangs. If you leave a comment, tell me the top 3 things you'd pack if you went on the lam.

Thanks so much for sharing all this with us Paula! Don't forget to enter the amazing giveaway she has put together!
 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WoW #73: Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers #1) by Brenda Drake

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about! 

Thief of Lies
(Library Jumpers #1)

by Brenda Drake

January 5, 2016

400 pages
 

Goodreads  Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

Gia Kearns would rather fight with boys than kiss them. That is, until Arik, a leather clad hottie in the Boston Athenaeum, suddenly disappears. While examining the book of world libraries he abandoned, Gia unwittingly speaks the key that sucks her and her friends into a photograph and transports them into a Paris library, where Arik and his Sentinels-magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books-rescue them from a demonic hound.

Jumping into some of the world's most beautiful libraries would be a dream come true for Gia, if she weren't busy resisting her heart or dodging an exiled wizard seeking revenge on both the Mystik and human worlds. Add a French flirt obsessed with Arik and a fling with a young wizard, and Gia must choose between her heart and her head, between Arik's world and her own, before both are destroyed.
 

I heard about this one at the Raincoast TeensReads event and I just love the sound of it!

 

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas

*This review contains spoilers. It was hard to get my thoughts down without mentioning spoilers so you have been warned. :D

A Court of Thorns and Roses
(A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)

by Sarah J. Maas

May 5, 2015

416 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Dangling Paws~

Mellow is a post I'll be doing from time to time (mostly on Sundays) just to show off my cat, Ripple, a little bit ;)


So when Ripple sits, he likes to dangle his paws/legs over the side. I'm sure all cats do this but when Ripple does it, it just looks hilarious. Maybe because he's got such a lazy facial expression and a big belly so it looks extra funny? Or is he just too big lol!



Ripple is on Instagram if you'd like to see more of him!

Stacking the Shelves #71

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

 

I was really surprised and ecstatic to have won this one from Brittany @ Brittany's Book Rambles! Thank you Brittany <3 Ripple's ready to rule ;)

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

I won a $10 BookOutlet giftcard from Jamie @ Books and Ladders awhile back which I finally used to purchase these good-looking books. I'm so excited A Mad Wicked Folly is a signed copy!!!

 

Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

Lark Rising by Sandra Waugh

A Mad Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

 

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

Tabby Talk: Reading Reviews

Tabby Talk is a discussion post I thought I'd do occasionally where I'll share my random thoughts on something and include my cat in them ;)

Today I just wanted to ask a quick and simple question:

What do you look for when reading reviews?

 

As book bloggers, we write our own reviews and read other bloggers' reviews. Is there something specific you like to read about in a review? World-building? Character developments? For example when I'm reading a review, I tend to keep an eye out for the mentioning of romance. I'm a diehard romance addict so that's important to me in a book.

 

On the other hand, is there anything you don't like to see in a review? Besides spoilers of course ;) I'm not talking about the style of reviewing (like some people use gifs in their reviews) but rather the content of the review. Is there something you absolutely don't want to see being talked about in a review?

 

Ripple and I also really love to look at artistic shots of book covers~ So what about you? What do you like and not like to see in reviews?

Review: The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart

by Jenn Bennett

November 3, 2015

304 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Artist Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she's spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Leonardo da Vinci’s footsteps, she's ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital’s Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down.

Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is—and tries to uncover what he’s hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in Beatrix’s own family’s closet tear them apart?

WoW #72: Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms #4) by Morgan Rhodes

 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about! 

 

 

Frozen Tides
(Falling Kingdoms #4)

by Morgan Rhodes

December 15, 2015

400 pages

Goodreads  Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

Rebels, royals, and monsters wage war over the Mytican throne in the shocking fourth book of the Falling Kingdoms series, from New York Times bestselling author Morgan Rhodes.

CLEO: Reeling after a bloody showdown in Limeros ending with Amara’s abduction of the water crystal, and a vacancy in the Mytican throne, Princess Cleo must cast aside her feelings and look toward her kingdom with the eyes of a Queen.

MAGNUS: With the kingdom in chaos, Princess Lucia still missing and quite possibly in danger, and a shocking realization about Cleo, the steely prince is once again torn between love and duty, leaving him wondering whether he’s strong enough to rule his people.

LUCIA: The young sorcercess has had her vengeance after the cruel death of her first and only love. Heartbroken and unable to trust anyone, she allies with the awoken Fire god, who also seeks revenge.

JONAS: After escaping death by the skin of his teeth, the defeated rebel—along with a mysterious stranger–leader reunites with Princess Cleo, only to find himself a mere pawn in a dangerous hunt for the elusive Kindred.

KING GAIUS: Abandoned by Melenia and betrayed by his own children, Gaius flees Mytica and sails to Kraeshia, where he attempts to ally with the famously brutal emperor across the Silver Sea.

 

Originally I was going to wait until the completion of this series to start reading the books but I don't think I can wait any longer. When this one releases, I'm going to binge the first four books!

What are you guys waiting on this week?

#TheShelfieHop!

#TheShelfieHop is hosted by Bookiemoji and My Friends Are Fiction to show off our bookshelves! 

My shelves are always changing but at the moment it looks like this!

At the top is my Harry Potter Funko collection and there's a random Vegeta Funko that's sort of commanding the tank which was made by my hubby. He wanted to build something one Christmas so that's what he made XD He put my present in it!

The bookshelf on the right consist of series and fantasy novels. Harry Potter and Percy Jackson gets its own shelf~ I put all my paperbacks on the bottom shelf because I'm more of a hardcore hardcover person :P Air Awakens faces out because it's just such a gorgeous cover (I can't wait until Fire Falling joins it!).

The top shelf of the bookshelf on the left stores all my ARCs. Then the rest of the shelves are mostly standalone and contemporary books. The bottom two shelves hold my swags and random things I don't know where to put ;) And that's basically it for my shelves!

Do your shelves look similar to mine? Make sure you go and check out all the other bloggers' shelves!

Bookiemoji

My Friends Are Fiction

Between Fantasy and Reality

The Literary Hedonist

Books and Ladders

Bellsiebooks

Let's Take A Shelfie

The Bookkeeper's Apprentice

In Love With Handmade

Ex Libris

Just Another Bookish Blog

Here's to Happy Endings

DEA LENIHAN'S BLOG

A Tree Grows in Bookland

BookCatPin (you're here!)

Please Feed the Bookworm

Perks of Being a Book Nerd

Bookmark Lit

Christina Writes

By Breenah

BIBLIOPHIBIAN INC.

Novel Ink

Adventures of a Book Junkie

The YA Book Traveler

The Bookish Emporium

Books In My Suitcase

The Green Reader

BooksABlog

Big Books & Grande Lattes

YA Indulgences

Hope To Read

coffee-inked tales

The Reader & The Chef

Yellow, Green, & Read All Over

It Starts at Midnight

Blame It On the Books

Wandering Bark Books

thoughts and afterthoughts

Here be Me Shelf

A Reader Under the Sea

Books and Prejudice

Lauren Skidmore

The Best Books Ever

Cruising Pages

Loving My Lit

Pretty Deadly Reviews

Chasing Faerytales

Savings in Seconds

The O.W.L.

Word Revel

Follow the Yellow Book Road

Rebelle Reads

A Perfection Called Books

The Magical Adventures of Cassie the Weird

Once Upon A Dream Books

Reading Among the Stars

thebibliophagist

The Reading Nook Reviews

The Novel Orange

Betsy's Random Assortment of Thoughts

Vi3tbabe

Fiery Reads

The Fox's Hideaway

bookishnessandtea

Rattle The Pages

Beauty and the Bookshelf

Shelfie

Bookish Bevil

Spines & Covers

Quality Fangirls

Ohana Reads

Bookish Unicorn

Mia in Narnia

ADDLEPATES AND BOOK NERDS

somethinglikelydia

There were books involved...

Literary, etc

The Book Addict's Guide

My Thoughts...Literally!

Books and Swoons

The Psychotic Nerd

The Novel Hermit

Read.Sleep.Repeat.

Writer of Wrongs

Only True Magic

Cover Reveal - Interviews & Giveaway: Earth's End (Air Awakens #3) by Elise Kova

Today I'm super excited to help Elise unveil the cover of the third book in her Air Awakens series! If you're not yet familiar with the series here's a little about the first two books to get you acquainted~

Air Awakens
(Air Awakens #1)

by Elise Kova

August 25, 2015

377 pages

Goodreads  Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond...

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined. 

Fire Falling

(Air Awakens #2)

by Elise Kova

November 19, 2015

Goodreads  Amazon

Goodreads:

Soldier… Sorcerer… Savior… Who is Vhalla Yarl?

Vhalla Yarl marches to war as property of the Solaris Empire. The Emperor counts on her to bring victory, the Senate counts on her death, and the only thing Vhalla can count on is the fight of her life. As she grapples with the ghosts of her past, new challenges in the present threaten to shatter the remnants of her fragile sanity. Will she maintain her humanity? Or will she truly become the Empire’s monster?

Now here is the cover!

Stacking the Shevles #70

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

I bought these pretty books recently~ My sister wants them cause her favourite colour's purple ;)

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

A Mad Zombie Party by Gena Showalter

This is a win from participating in the "Real" Book Challenge hosted by Swoony Boys Podcast and Fic Fare. Thank you!

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
 

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

Release Tour - Review & Giveaway: Fire Falling (Air Awakens #2) by Elise Kova

*Review is spoiler-free but may contain spoilers from the previous book in the series.

Fire Falling

(Air Awakens #2)

by Elise Kova

November 19, 2015
378 pages

Goodreads  Amazon

Synopsis:

Soldier… Sorcerer… Savior… Who is Vhalla Yarl?

Vhalla Yarl marches to war as property of the Solaris Empire. The Emperor counts on her to bring victory, the Senate counts on her death, and the only thing Vhalla can count on is the fight of her life. As she grapples with the ghosts of her past, new challenges in the present threaten to shatter the remnants of her fragile sanity. Will she maintain her humanity? Or will she truly become the Empire’s monster?

WoW #71: Their Fractured Light (Starbound #3) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about! 

Their Fractured Light
(Starbound #3)

by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

December 1, 2015

400 pages

Goodreads  Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.

Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker—a whiz kid and an urban warrior. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.

Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father and is out for revenge at any cost.

When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.

 

I can't believe it's already the last book. Can't wait to see the epic conclusion to this gorgeous sci-fi trilogy!

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Review: The Lies About Truth by Courtney C. Stevens

The Lies About Truth

by Courtney C. Stevens

November 3, 2015

336 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Sadie Kingston, is a girl living in the aftermath. A year after surviving a car accident that killed her friend Trent and left her body and face scarred, she can’t move forward. The only person who seems to understand her is Trent’s brother, Max.

As Sadie begins to fall for Max, she's unsure if she is truly healed enough to be with him — even if Max is able to look at her scars and not shy away. But when the truth about the accident and subsequent events comes to light, Sadie has to decide if she can embrace the future or if she'll always be trapped in the past.

Sharky Po

 

Mellow is a post I'll be doing from time to time (mostly on Sundays) just to show off my cat, Ripple, a little bit ;)

 

Last Saturday was Halloween and my sister had fun dressing Ripple up in his shark costume~ It was drop dead adorable so I wanted to share the pictures with you all!

What do you guys think he should be next year? :D

Ripple is on Instagram if you'd like to see more of him!

Stacking the Shelves #69

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

This was a preorder because RICK RIORDAN! Ripple wants to read about Magnus Chase's adventure but we have a looming TBR to get through first :S

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

 

How can I not get this beauty?!?! Even Ripple loves it *wink* ;)

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone: Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay

Both of these are from Raincoast Books. Thank you! I still can't believe I won a copy of Carry On! I can't wait to dive into more Rainbow Rowell :D

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

 

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

Review: Air Awakens (Air Awakens #1) by Elise Kova

Air Awakens
(Air Awakens #1)

by Elise Kova

August 25, 2015

377 pages

Goodreads  Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond...

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world. Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.