Showing posts with label Christina Meredith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christina Meredith. Show all posts

Monday, May 30, 2016

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #260, May 30th

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week...and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well...you never know where that next "must read" book will come from!

What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #259
Teaser Tuesday #267
WWW Wednesday #267
WOW #264
Will the Time Come #259
Third Sentence Thursday #249
Random Reads #235
First Lines Friday #254
The Reward Challenge Update #245
Follow Friday #237
How Well I Stuck to It #89
Wrote that Review Update #94
Show the Books Showcase #12

Week 22 Reviews:
Ivory and Bone
Playlist for the Dead
Take Back the Skies
A Season of Fireflies
The Diabolic
The Lost & Found
Winning
Frannie and Tru
Red Velvet Crush
26 Kisses
Unwanted
The Night is Watching
The Perfect Match
Waiting on You
In Your Dreams
Anything for You

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge:
Update 15
Update 16
Update 17
Update 18
Update 19
Update 20
Update 21
Update 22
Update 23
Update 24
Update 25
Update 26
Update 27
Update 28
Update 29
Update 30
Update 31

Random:
We Have the Cover of Arcana Chronicles #4!!!!

OK, so I got 58 posts in 7 days, so yeah, it was a pretty great week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read And I Darken, The Cat King of Havana, Diplomatic Immunity, Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit, Girl Mans Up, Rose & Thorn, and Three Dark Crowns

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL.

And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes the first book in a dark, sweeping new series in which heads will roll, bodies will be impaled . . . and hearts will be broken.
Rick Gutierrez is . . . the Cat King of Havana! A cat-video tycoon turned salsa-dancer extraordinaire, he’ll take Cuba by storm, romance the girl of his dreams, and ignite a lolcat revolution!

At least that’s the plan.

It all starts when his girlfriend dumps Rick on his sixteenth birthday for uploading cat videos from his bedroom when he should be out experiencing the real world. Known as “That Cat Guy” at school, Rick isn’t cool and he knows it. He realizes it’s time for a change.

Rick decides joining a salsa class is the answer . . . because of a girl, of course. Ana Cabrera is smart, friendly, and smooth on the dance floor. Rick might be half-Cuban, but he dances like a drunk hippo. Desperate to impress Ana, he invites her to spend the summer in Havana. The official reason: learning to dance. The hidden agenda: romance under the palm trees.

Except Cuba isn’t all sun, salsa, and music. There’s a darker side to the island. As Rick and Ana meet his family and investigate the reason why his mother left Cuba decades ago, they learn that politics isn’t just something that happens to other people. And when they find romance, it’s got sharp edges.
Anna and the French Kiss meets The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks in a romantic and hilarious new novel from Brodi Ashton, the author of the Everneath trilogy.

Raucous parties, privileged attitudes, underage drinking, and diplomatic immunity . . . it’s all part of student life on Embassy Row.

Piper Baird has always dreamed of becoming a journalist. So when she scores a scholarship to exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington, DC, she knows it’s her big opportunity. Chiswick offers the most competitive prize for teen journalists—the Bennington scholarship—which would ensure her acceptance to one of the best schools in the country.

Piper isn’t at Chiswick for two days before she witnesses the extreme privilege of the young and wealthy elite who attend her school—and realizes that access to these untouchable students just might give her the edge she’ll need to blow the lid off life at the school in a scathing and unforgettable exposé worthy of the Bennington.

The key to the whole story lies with Rafael Amador, the son of the Spanish Ambassador—and the boy at the center of the most explosive secrets and scandals on Embassy Row. Rafael is big trouble—and when he drops into her bedroom window one night, asking for help, it’s Piper’s big chance to get the full scoop. Except Piper discovers that despite his dark streak, Rafael is smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous—and she might have real feelings for him. How can she break the story of a lifetime if it will destroy the boy she just might love?
Joanna Gordon has been out and proud for years, but when her popular radio evangelist father remarries and decides to move all three of them from Atlanta to the more conservative Rome, Georgia, he asks Jo to do the impossible: to lie low for the rest of her senior year. And Jo reluctantly agrees.

Although it is (mostly) much easier for Jo to fit in as a straight girl, things get complicated when she meets Mary Carlson, the oh-so-tempting sister of her new friend at school. But Jo couldn’t possibly think of breaking her promise to her dad. Even if she’s starting to fall for the girl. Even if there’s a chance Mary Carlson might be interested in her, too. Right?
All Pen wants is to be the kind of girl she’s always been. So why does everyone have a problem with it? They think the way she looks and acts means she’s trying to be a boy—that she should quit trying to be something she’s not. If she dresses like a girl, and does what her folks want, it will show respect. If she takes orders and does what her friend Colby wants, it will show her loyalty. But respect and loyalty, Pen discovers, are empty words. Old-world parents, disintegrating friendships, and strong feelings for other girls drive Pen to see the truth--that in order to be who she truly wants to be, she’ll have to man up.
This beauty isn’t sleeping! Sarah Prineas’s darkly imaginative retelling breaks down the classic story of Sleeping Beauty in a big, bold way. Brimming with action and romance, beautiful Rose must escape the curse that will force the kingdom to fall into a century-long slumber and fights for the freedom to find her own happily ever after.

After the spell protecting her is destroyed, Rose seeks safety in the world outside the valley she had called home. She’s been kept hidden all her life to delay the three curses she was born with, curses that will have drastic consequences if they take effect. Accompanied by the handsome and mysterious Griff and Quirk, his witty and warmhearted partner, Rose tries to escape from the ties that bind her to this forced fairy tale. But will the path they take lead them to freedom, or will it bring them straight into the prescribed story they are trying to avoid?

Set in the world of Prineas’s Ash & Bramble fifty years later, Rose & Thorn is a powerful retelling of Sleeping Beauty. If you like your fairy tales dark, your heroines daring, and your suitors dashing, this is the book for you.
Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Week 22 Review: Red Velvet Crush

From Goodreads:
Rock music, a broken family, challenging sisters, and the crush of first love—Red Velvet Crush has everything you need in a summer read. For fans of Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, Eleanor & Park, and This Song Will Save Your Life.

Teddy Lee's mother ran off when she was in second grade. And ever since, Teddy Lee, the often-overshadowed middle kid, has tried to keep her family together. But her older brother Winston usually keeps himself busy with smoking, drinking, and girls, and who knows what else. Her younger sister Billie is occupied with her shoplifting habit and boys . . . and who knows what else. So when Teddy Lee finally takes the songs she's always written and forms a band, maybe it'll bring everyone closer together, maybe it'll be her time to shine. Unless Billie steals the spotlight—and the boy—just like she always does. Christina Meredith explores the complicated relationship of sisters—both the unconditional love and the unavoidable resentments—in a novel full of music, urgency, the first blushes of love, and the undeniable excitement of hitting the road.

My Review:
Reading this book was pretty awesome! I love music, and I love books, so this was a pretty perfect combination of the two! The fact that this was a wonderful story was just icing on the cake, basically! Loved it!

These characters were really enjoyable to read! This family had their mom leave when they were pretty young, and it damaged them, what with the "who knows what else" they were doing. Some of it was part of who they were, but part of it was because of the damage.

That they named the band Red Velvet Crush, that was pretty awesome. The band and the relationships were the main things of this book, and they wove together very well, especially since her sister was the lead singer and her brother the manager and her boyfriend a member of the band!

I was wondering how her sister would steal the boy. And spotlight, that was pretty early on. But the boy? That left us hanging till the end. And honestly, it wasn't much of a steal, but it did still hurt, because it was her boyfriend and her sister!

Really enjoyed this book, and yeah, I'd love to read more by Christina Meredith!

Author: Christina Meredith
Read: May 25th, 2016
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: It sounded so great, and it's a SAC Book, Sophomore Challenge Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Expected Publication: June 14th 2016
5/5 Hearts
4.5/5 Books
4.5/5 Stars

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge Update 21

Clean Sweep ARC Challenhe
Ok, so I read Red Velvet Crush, and yeah, now to read 26 Kisses!

My Reading Journey:

Divided by Elsie Chapman
Started On: May 2th
Finished On: May 2th
Pages Read: 309

The Truth by Jeffry W. Johnston 
Started On: May 6th
Finished On: May 6th
Pages Read: 240

This Is My Brain on Boys by Sarah Trohmeyer
Started On: May 6th
Finished On: May 6th
Pages Read: 352

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy 
Started On: May 7th
Finished On: May 7th
Pages Read: 336

The Fall of Butterflies by Andrea Portes 
Started On: May 7th
Finished On: May 7th
Pages Read: 400

Between the Notes by Sharon Huss Roat
Started On: May 8th
Finished On: May 8th
Pages Read: 382

The Unholy by Heather Graham
Started On: May 13th
Finished On: May 13th, 10:04 PM
Pages Read: 246

Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge
Started On: May 15th
Finished On: May 15th, 10:00 PM
Pages Read: 448

Change Places With Me by Lois Metzger
Started On: May 15th
Finished On: May 15th, 11:05 PM
Pages Read: 224

Shadow Rider by Christine Feehan
Started On: May 18th
Finished On: May 18th, 10:06 PM
Pages Read: 480

A Reckless Promise by Kasey Michaels 
Started On: May 20th
Finished On: May 20th, 3:24 PM
Pages Read: 384

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins 
Started On: May 20th
Finished On: May 20th, 9:28 PM 
Pastes Read: 384

Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh
Started On: May 21st
Finished On: May 21st, 9:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff
Started On: May 22nd
Finished On: May 22nd, 11:27 PM
Pages Read: 288

Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon
Started On: May 23rd
Finished On: May 23rd, 7:14 AM
Pages Read: 384

A Season for Fireflies by Rebecca Maizel
Started On: May 23rd
Finished On: May 23rd, 9:10 PM
Pages Read: 256

The Diabolic by S.J. Kincaid
Started On: May 24th
Finished On: May 24th, 7:14 PM
Pages Read: 416

The Lost & Found by Katrina Leno
Started On: May 24th
Finished On: May 24th, 9:52
Pages Read: 352 

Winning by Lara Deloza
Started On: May 24th
Finished On: May 24th, 11:43 PM
Pages Read: 336

Frannie and Tru by Karen Hattrup
Started On: May 25th
Finished On: May 25th, 6:15 PM
Pages Read: 320

Red Velvet Crush by Christina Meredith
Started On: May 25th
Finished On: May 25th, 8:41 PM
Pages Read: 304

26 Kisses by Anna Michels
Started On: May
Pages Read: 0 of 304 

Books Read: 21
Pages Read: 7630
Reading Next: What the Dead Want

WWW Wednesday #267, May 25th

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you'll read next?

Thanks to MizB of Should Be Writing now A Daily Rhythm for starting this meme!

I'm currently reading Frannie and Tru, and yeah, it's so awesome!
I'm also reading Red Velvet Crush, and it's so awesome and enjoyable and great!
 I read Winning, and it was just so great and different!
I'm going to be reading 26 Kisses, and I can't wait, it looks so great!

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #262, May 18th

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!

Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh
Expected Publication: June 14th, 2016
From Goodreads:
The Psy-Changeling world has undergone a staggering transformation and now stands at a crossroads. The Trinity Accord promises a new era of cooperation between disparate races and groups. It is a beacon of hope held together by many hands: Old enemies. New allies. Wary loners.

But a century of distrust and suspicion can’t be so easily forgotten and threatens to shatter Trinity from within at any moment. As rival members vie for dominance, chaos and evil gather in the shadows and a kidnapped woman’s cry for help washes up in San Francisco, while the Consortium turns its murderous gaze toward a child who is the embodiment of change, of love, of piercing hope: A child who is both Psy…and changeling.

To find the lost, protect the vulnerable—and save Trinity—no one can stand alone. This is a time of loyalty across divisions, of bonds woven into the heart and the soul, of heroes known and unknown standing back to back and holding the line. But is an allegiance of honor even possible with traitors lurking in their midst?

Field of Graves by J.T. Ellison
Expected Publication: June 14th, 2016
From Goodreads:
All of Nashville is on edge with a serial killer on the loose. A madman is trying to create his own end-of-days apocalypse and the cops trying to catch him are almost as damaged as the killer. Field of Graves reveals the origins of some of J.T. Ellison's most famous creations: the haunted Lieutenant Taylor Jackson; her blunt, exceptional best friend, medical examiner Dr. Samantha Owens; and troubled FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin. Together, they race the clock and their own demons to find the killer before he claims yet another victim. This dark, thrilling and utterly compelling novel will have readers on the edge of their seats, and Ellison's fans will be delighted with the revelations about their favorite characters.
How to Disappear by Ann Redisch Stampler
Expected Publication: June 14th, 2016
From Goodreads:
This electric cross-country thriller follows the game of cat and mouse between a girl on the run from a murder she witnessed—or committed?—and the boy who’s sent to kill her.

Nicolette Holland is the girl everyone likes. Up for adventure. Loyal to a fault. And she’s pretty sure she can get away with anything...until a young woman is brutally murdered in the woods near Nicolette’s house. Which is why she has to disappear.

Jack Manx has always been the stand-up guy with the killer last name. But straight A’s and athletic trophies can’t make people forget that his father was a hit man and his brother is doing time for armed assault. Just when Jack is about to graduate from his Las Vegas high school and head east for college, his brother pulls him into the family business with inescapable instructions: find this ruthless Nicolette Holland and get rid of her. Or else Jack and everyone he loves will pay the price.

As Nicolette and Jack race to outsmart each other, tensions—and attractions—run high. Told in alternating voices, this tightly plotted mystery and tense love story challenges our assumptions about right and wrong, guilt and innocence, truth and lies. 


The King Slayer by Virginia Boeker
Expected Publication: June 14th, 2016
From Goodreads:
"I think, in time, you'll either be my greatest mistake or my greatest victory."

Former witch hunter Elizabeth Grey is hiding within the magically protected village of Harrow, evading the price put on her head by Lord Blackwell, the usurper king of Anglia. Their last encounter left Blackwell ruined, but his thirst for power grows stronger every day. He's readying for a war against those who would resist his rule--namely Elizabeth and the witches and wizards she now calls her allies.

Having lost her stigma, a magical source of protection and healing, Elizabeth's strength is tested both physically and emotionally. War always means sacrifice, and as the lines between good and evil blur once more, Elizabeth must decide just how far she'll go to save those she loves.


Change Places With Me by Lois Metzger
Expected Publication: June 14th, 2016
From Goodreads:
From Lois Metzger, acclaimed author of A Trick of the Light, comes a work of speculative fiction set in the near future about a teen girl who finds a new, mysterious perspective on her life.

Rose has changed. She still lives in the same neighborhood with her stepmother and goes to the same high school with the same group of kids, but when she woke up today, something was just a little different than it was before. The dogs who live upstairs are no longer a terror. Her hair and her clothes all feel brand-new. She wants to throw a party—this from a girl who hardly ever spoke to her classmates before. There is no more sadness in her life; she is bursting with happiness.

But something still feels wrong to Rose. Because, until very recently, Rose was an entirely different person—a person who is still there inside her, just beneath the thinnest layer of skin. 

A bold and original work of speculative fiction set in a familiar future, Lois Metzger’s latest novel is a profoundly authentic and heartbreaking tale of the things we keep locked away inside us, even from ourselves. 

Red Velvet Crush by Christina Meredith
Expected Publication: June 14th, 2016
From Goodreads:
Rock music, a broken family, challenging sisters, and the crush of first love—Red Velvet Crush has everything you need in a summer read. For fans of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Eleanor & Park, and This Song Will Save Your Life.

Teddy Lee’s mother ran off when she was in second grade. And ever since, Teddy Lee, the often-overshadowed middle kid, has tried to keep her family together. But her older brother Winston usually keeps himself busy with smoking, drinking, and girls, and who knows what else. Her younger sister Billie is occupied with her shoplifting habit and boys . . . and who knows what else. So when Teddy Lee finally takes the songs she’s always written and forms a band, maybe it’ll bring everyone closer together, maybe it’ll be her time to shine. Unless Billie steals the spotlight—and the boy—just like she always does. Christina Meredith explores the complicated relationship of sisters—both the unconditional love and the unavoidable resentments—in a novel full of music, urgency, the first blushes of love, and the undeniable excitement of hitting the road. 


Autofocus by Lauren Gibaldi
Expected Publication: June 14th, 2016
From Goodreads:
Family.

It’s always been a loaded word for Maude. And when she is given a senior photography assignment—to create a portfolio that shows the meaning of family—she doesn’t quite know where to begin. But she knows one thing: without the story of her birth mother, who died when Maude was born, her project will be incomplete.

So Maude decides to visit her best friend, Treena, at college in Tallahassee, Florida, where Maude’s birth mother once lived. But when Maude arrives, she quickly discovers that Treena has changed. With a new boyfriend and a packed social calendar, Treena doesn’t seem to have time for Maude—or helping Maude in her search.

Enter Bennett, a cute guy who lives in Treena’s dorm. He understands Maude’s need to find her mother. And as Bennett helps Maude in her search, she starts to find that her mother’s past doesn’t have to define her own future.

Lauren Gibaldi has crafted a beautiful and timely coming-of-age story that poses the question: Is who we are determined at birth, or can we change as we grow? 

How it Feels to Fly by Kathryn Holmes
Expected Publication: June 14th, 2016
From Goodreads:
A struggle with body dysmorphia forces one girl to decide if letting go of her insecurity also means turning her back on her dreams.

Sam has always known she’d be a professional dancer—but that was before her body betrayed her, developing unmanageable curves in all the wrong places. Lately, the girl staring back at Sam in the mirror is unrecognizable. Dieting doesn’t work, ignoring the whispers is pointless, and her overbearing mother just makes it worse.

Following a series of crippling anxiety attacks, Sam is sent to a treatment camp for teens struggling with mental and emotional obstacles. Forced to open up to complete strangers, Sam must get through the program if she wants to attend a crucial ballet intensive later in the summer. It seems hopeless until she starts confiding in a camp counselor who sparks a confidence she was sure she’d never feel again. But when she’s faced with disappointing setbacks, will Sam succumb to the insecurity that imprisons her?

This compelling story from Kathryn Holmes examines one girl’s efforts to overcome her worst enemy: herself. 

We Were Never Here by Jennifer Gilmore
Expected Publication: June 14th, 2016
From Goodreads:
In this exquisitely written and emotionally charged young adult debut, Jennifer Gilmore explores how sometimes the wounds you can’t see are the most painful.

Did you know your entire life can change in an instant?

For sixteen-year-old Lizzie Stoller that moment is when she collapses out of the blue. The next thing she knows, she’s in a hospital with an illness she’s never heard of.

But that isn’t the only life-changing moment for Lizzie. The other is when Connor and his dog, Verlaine, walk into her hospital room. Lizzie has never connected with anyone the way she does with the handsome teenage volunteer. However, the more time she spends with him and the deeper in love she falls, the more she realizes that Connor has secrets and a deep pain of his own . . . and that while being with him has the power to make Lizzie forget about her illness, being with her might tear Connor apart.

Another great collection of books! I've read some of the books, but I want the rest! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Christina Meredith Author Page

The Story: Kiss Crush Collide was out and about, and I found it, read it, and really enjoyed it! And now I've gotten Red Velvet Crush from Edelweiss, and I can't wait to read it!

Website

Stand Alone's: Kiss Crush Collide and her site, my review, Red Velvet Crush and her site, my review.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Week 29 Review: Kiss Crush Collide

From Goodreads:
Kiss
What Leah did—only she really shouldn't have—one hot night at a country club party.

Crush
What Leah has—only she really shouldn't have—on the guy with the green eyes, the guy who is not her perfect boyfriend, the guy who does not fit in her picture-perfect life, the guy her sisters will only mock and her mother will never approve of. Not in a million years.

Collide
What happens when everything you always thought you wanted—having cool friends, being class valedictorian and homecoming queen—runs smack into everything it turns out you really do want.

Kiss. Crush. Collide.
For Leah and Porter, summer is only the beginning.

My Review:
Oh, I loved this novel, of trying to get out the path lead by a mother and 2 older sisters. There were constant references to it, like collecting the $200 of monopoly, but wanting to drive the other way, and Leah and Porter's relationship was very sweet, and I just devoured this book!

Leah, I enjoyed reading about her. Everything comes easy to her, so you'd think I wouldn't. But she knows that, and feels bad about it. And she doesn't like being pretty much perfect. And yeah, her relationship with the bad boy might seem wrong, but it's right for her.

Though she didn't handle the whole thing well, the way that she treated her boyfriend, that wasn't very nice, but I guess, most teenagers just have a hard time thinking about others. It's sad, but pretty true.

Really enjoyed how this book all wrapped up, because yeah, her parents came around, because they did lover her, they just had ideas that didn't fit with reality. Once they saw reality, they were on board, so yeah, good ending!

This was a really great book, and I enjoyed it a lot!

Author: Christina Meredith
Read: July 19th, 2012
Source: Library
Reason Why: Sounded like a great book, and it's an RR book, and a LLFL book!
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Published: December 27th 2011
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
4.5/5 Stars