Random Reads #581, January 5th

Random Reads is a monthly meme (that I'm going to do weekly) hosted by I'm Loving Books to read some books that have been on our TBR piles for a long time. Using Random.org, I got 3298 which turned out to be Hallowed by Tonya Hurley! It's been on my TBR pile since January 7th, 2014, and I added it because I loved the first 2 books! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #213, June 3rd

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

The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Expected Publication: July 7th, 2015
From Goodreads:
When sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick is sent to live with her older sister, Ivy, she has no idea that the infamous Ivy Kendrick is Washington D.C.'s #1 “fixer,” known for making politicians' scandals go away for a price. No sooner does Tess enroll at Hardwicke Academy than she unwittingly follows in her sister's footsteps and becomes D.C.'s premier high school fixer, solving problems for elite teens.

Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life. . . . until their worlds come crashing together and Tess finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy with one of her classmates and a client of Ivy's. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or politics, and the price for this fix might be more than Tess is willing to pay.

Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for more in this exciting new series.

Hallowed by Tonya Hurley
Expected Publication: July 7th, 2015
From Goodreads:
Three lost girls, one mysterious boy. They battle for his heart while he struggles for their souls in this gripping conclusion to The Blessed trilogy, from the New York Times bestselling author of the ghostgirl series. 

Lucy, Cecelia, and Agnes have sacrificed everything for their belief in a boy who stole their hearts. First in Precious Blood and then in Passionaries, the girls have struggled to reconcile with their destinies. Now, as the world turns against them, will they be able to hold steadfast? Will they survive the final test?

Paperweight by Meg Haston
Expected Publication: July 7th, 2015
From Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. In her body. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert.

Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at mealtime, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she’s worked so hard to avoid.

Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh’s death—the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she too will end her life.

In this emotionally haunting and beautifully written young adult debut, Meg Haston delves into the devastating impact of trauma and loss, while posing the question: Why are some consumed by their illness while others embark on a path toward recovery?

Renegade by Kerry Wilkinson
Expected Publication: July 7th, 2015
From Goodreads:
Silver Blackthorn is a fugitive from the law.
Silver Blackthorn has committed treason.
She is dangerous. Do NOT approach her.
A large reward is on offer. Report any sightings to your nearest Kingsman.
Long live the King.

Silver Blackthorn is on the run. She fled Windsor Castle with eleven other teenagers, taking with her something far more valuable than even she realises: knowledge.

With the entire country searching for the missing Offerings, Silver must keep them all from the vicious clutches of King Victor and the Minister Prime. Until now, no one has escaped the king and lived to tell the tale.

Or have they?

With expectations weighing heavily on the girl with the silver streak in her hair, will she ever find her way home?

Don't Ever Chance by M. Beth Bloom
Expected Publication: July 7th, 2015
From Goodreads:
Eva has always wanted to write a modern classic—one that actually appeals to her generation. The only problem is that she has realized she can't "write what she knows" because she hasn't yet begun to live. So before heading off to college, Eva is determined to get a life worth writing about.

Soon Eva's life encounters a few unexpected plot twists. She becomes a counselor at a nearby summer camp—a job she is completely unqualified for. She starts growing apart from her best friends before they've even left for school. And most surprising of all, she begins to fall for the last guy she would have ever imagined. But no matter the roadblocks, or writer's blocks, it is all up to Eva to figure out how she wants this chapter in her story to end.

Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell, Don't Ever Change is a witty, snarky, and thought-provoking coming-of-age young adult novel about a teen who sets out to write better fiction and, ultimately, discovers the truth about herself. 

Oh, yeah, such an excellent collection of books on the 7th! I can't wait for them to come out! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Tonya Hurley Author Page

The Story: Passionaries was on a list of ARC's that I could ask for, so I did! And then I got it, and then I had to read the first two books in this series together, because I could, and yeah, that was really fantastic, because they were so good! And now I can't wait for Hallowed, because it's going to be the end of the series! I can't wait!

Website

Series: The Blessed.

The Blessed: Precious Blood and her site, my review, Passionaries and her site, my review, Hallowed.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #181, November 24th

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey 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 #180
Teaser Tuesday #188
WWW Wednesday #188
WOW #185
Will the Time Come #181
Third Sentence Thursday #171
Random Reads #156
First Lines Friday #176
The Reward Challenge Update #166
Follow Friday #159
LLFL Reading Challenge Update 52
How Well I Stuck to It #10
Wrote that Review Update #15

Week 47 Reviews:
Strange Skies
The Legacy of Eden
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
The Young Elites
Beware the Wild
The Killing Game
Precious Blood
Passionaries
Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Tours:
A Darker Past: Review
One Wish Away: Review
Wild: Release Book Blitz
Possession: Review

Write on Review-a-Thon:
Update 1
Update 2
Update 3
Update 4
Update 5
Update 6
Update 7
Update 8
Update 9
Update 10
Update 11
Update 12
Update 13
Update 14
Update 15
Update 16
Update 17
Update 18
Update 19
Update 20
Update 21 and Wrap Up

Random:
Elsie Chapman Author Page
Emma McLaughlin Author Page
Nicola Kraus Author Page
Emma Pass Author Page
Erin Bowman Author Page
Eve Marie Mont Author Page
Paula Stokes Author Page
Frannie Billingsley Author Page
Gabrielle Zevin Author Page
Gail Carriger Author Page
I Just Watched the Mockingjay Part 1 Movie!!!!
Rebound: Cover Reveal
Gemma Halliday Author Page

OK, so I got 59 posts in 7 days, which is pretty good, considering what I was doing! Hope to do more, this week, though! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Crimson Bound, This Night So Dark, This Shattered World, Take Back the Skies, Gabriel's Redemption, Take Me On, Nearly Gone, White Witch, Black Curse, The Spring Before I Met You, The Summer Before I Met You, Unspoken, The Night After I Lost You, Witchrise, Dark Metropolis, The Nightmare Dilemma, Sunrise, Dead Over Heels, Captive, Stone Cold Touch, The Treatment, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, The Retribution of Mara Dyer, Originally Human, Mortal Danger, Polaris, The Fault in Our Stars, Alienated, After Anthology, Afterworlds, The Gospel of Winter, The Fall, Anything to Have You, Exquisite Captive, Red Queen, 99 Days, On the Edge, Unbreakable, Eternal, Angels & Demons, The Rules for Breaking, Nantucket Blue, Nantucket Red, Darker Still, The Last Time We Say Goodbye, Angels in the Dark, Fallen in Love, Rapture, Sinner, A Questionable Client, Magic Bites, Lie for Me, Find Me, Remember Me, The Murder Wall, Settled Blood, Deadly Deceit, Dream Dark, Beautiful Darkness, Glow, The Fear Trials, The Murder Complex, Death Sworn, Death Marked, The Darkest Minds, Her Dark Curiosity, and Liars, Inc..

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

Every touch has its price

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla's powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

Can Sloane and James survive the lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end? Find out in this sequel to The Program, which Publishers Weekly called “chilling and suspenseful.”

How do you stop an epidemic?

Sloane and James are on the run after barely surviving the suicide epidemic and The Program. But they’re not out of danger. Huge pieces of their memories are still missing, and although Sloane and James have found their way back to each other, The Program isn’t ready to let them go.

Escaping with a group of troubled rebels, Sloane and James will have to figure out who they can trust, and how to take down The Program. But for as far as they’ve come, there’s still a lot Sloane and James can’t remember. The key to unlocking their past lies with the Treatment—a pill that can bring back forgotten memories, but at a high cost. And there’s only one dose.

Ultimately when the stakes are at their highest, can Sloane and James survive the many lies and secrets surrounding them, or will The Program claim them in the end?

Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.
There is.

She doesn't stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.

Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.

Retribution has arrived.

A fearless debut novel about the restorative power of truth and love after the trauma of abuse.

As sixteen-year-old Aidan Donovan’s fractured family disintegrates around him, he searches for solace in a few bumps of Adderall, his father’s wet bar, and the attentions of his local priest, Father Greg—the only adult who actually listens to him.

When Christmas hits, Aidan's world collapses in a crisis of trust when he recognizes the darkness of Father Greg's affections. He turns to a crew of new friends to help make sense of his life: Josie, the girl he just might love; Sophie, who’s a little wild; and Mark, the charismatic swim team captain whose own secret agonies converge with Aidan's.

The Gospel of Winter maps the ways love can be used as a weapon against the innocent—but can also, in the right hands, restore hope and even faith. Brendan Kiely's unflinching and courageous debut novel exposes the damage from the secrets we keep and proves that in truth, there is power. And real love.

From Allison van Diepen, author of Snitch and Street Pharm, comes a sexy, dangerous novel about a teen who witnesses a murder and gets caught up in the seedy world of Miami’s gangs.

Maddie Diaz never should have taken that shortcut through the park. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have seen two members of the Reyes gang attacking a homeless man. Now, as the only witness, she knows there’s a target on her back. 

But when the Reyes jump her on the street, Maddie is protected by a second gang and their secretive leader, Lobo, who is determined to take down the Reyes himself. Lobo is mysterious and passionate, and Maddie begins to fall for him. But when they live this close to the edge, can their love survive?

On the Edge is a compelling story about fighting for what’s right and figuring out where you belong. The novel showcases a gritty, realistic voice and earth–shattering romance that will intrigue readers of Simone Elkeles and Paul Griffin and captivate fans of Allison van Diepen's other novels.

There's death all around us.
We just don't pay attention.
Until we do.

The last time Lex was happy, it was before. When she had a family that was whole. A boyfriend she loved. Friends who didn't look at her like she might break down at any moment.

Now she's just the girl whose brother killed himself. And it feels like that's all she'll ever be.

As Lex starts to put her life back together, she tries to block out what happened the night Tyler died. But there's a secret she hasn't told anyone-a text Tyler sent, that could have changed everything.

Lex's brother is gone. But Lex is about to discover that a ghost doesn't have to be real to keep you from moving on.

From New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Hand, The Last Time We Say Goodbye is a gorgeous and heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and letting go.

A 50+ page collection of intense moments and amazing insights from the dangerously romantic world of the Fallen series. A party that goes terribly wrong, Arriane on a heavenly shopping spree, Daniel navigating the streets of L.A., Miles taking a step into darkness, an uncomfortable scene at Shoreline, an angel on the hunt, and a deleted scene of a date between Luce and Daniel make up this digital collection, offering a unique glimpse into the world of Fallen, a must for any fan of Lauren Kate.

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

It all starts with one little lie…

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell lies to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts a business providing forged permission slips and cover stories for the students of Vista Palisades High. Liars, Inc. they call it. 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 hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? Paula Stokes starts with one single white lie and weaves a twisted tale that will have readers guessing until the explosive final chapters. 

Write on Review-a-Thon Update 8

So I wrote my next review, The Killing Game, and I'll be reviewing Precious Blood and Passionaries next.

Reviews: Possession, The Legacy of Eden, The Legacy of Eden, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, The Young Elites, Beware the Wild, Crimson Bound, The Killing Game.

Week 48 Reviews: Crimson Bound.

Goals: 20

Reviews: 8

Week 47 Reviews: Precious Blood, Passionaries

From Goodreads:
From the author of the New York Times bestselling ghostgirl series, the start to a captivating and haunting teen trilogy about three girls who become entangled with an enigmatic boy—a boy who believes he is a saint.

What if martyrs and saints lived among us? And what if you were told you were one of them?

Meet Agnes, Cecilia, and Lucy. Three lost girls, each searching for something. But what they find is Beyond Belief.

From Goodreads:
Agnes, Cecelia, and Lucy watched as Sebastian sacrificed himself for what he believed in. Will the girls trust that their destiny as saints and martyrs and perform the miracles as Sebastian instructed? Or lose faith in themselves and each other in his absence? Time is running out for them to make a decision, and the fate of the world lies in the balance.

My Review:
Ah, these were just so great! I kinda procrastinated reading these books, because there's 2 of them, and I want to read them together, and various thoughts in my head about that subject, that just made it a bit harder for me to read them. But I made a perfect time to read them! So yeah!

So initially, of all the characters, I didn't like Lucy as much in the beginning, because she was this party girl who made her fame by trading coverage with various secrets of those around her! And yeah, as someone who is pretty much the opposite of the popular crowd, I didn't like her too much at first!

Really enjoyed how all these things about this world were revealed, that Doctor Frey knew about it, and was against it, that faith is a disease that has been proven as being transmitted from the people with minds that are weakened by something, kinda like an immune system, I'm on the girl's side, though!

That ending of Passionaries! Everyone pretty much under the thumb of Doctor Frey, that's not going to be a bad thing, and between the deaths of Sebastian and Lucy, yeah, those are just a lot of things that are testing them, and I can't wait to see how they're going to face them!

Favourite line from  Passionaries: "Well, my attitude is still a virgin because I never gave a f**k." Love this a lot!

Great 2 books, I really enjoyed them a lot, and yeah, I really can't wait for the 3rd and final book!

Author: Tonya Hurley
Series: The Blessed #1, 2
Read: November 20th, 21st, 2014
Source: Tuebl, Publisher for Review
Reason Why: Sounded good, and I have the 2nd one as an ARC, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2014 Books! And Passionaries is a LLFL Book!
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: May 14th 2013, January 7th 2014

Precious Blood:

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars

Passionaries:

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4.55 Stars

Last Letter, First Letter Reading Challenge Update 52

OK, so I have done some more reading, and I read Passionaries.

Yep. Happy reading!

Here's the link to this year's post with my journey.

What it is:

You pick a book, read it. Then you look at the last letter of the title, for example, "The Adventures of Tom Saywer." Then you take that last letter, and search you TBR piles for a book starting with the last letter, so continuing the example, someone could read "Rotters" next, and then a title that starts with "s."

Rules:
1. Have fun!
2. Read!
3. The last letter of the book you read must be the first letter of the next book you read.
4. Words like "the," "a," "and," and those such don't count as the first letter.
5. If a letter becomes overused, like d, e, l, w, ext, and you run out of books that you really want to read for this challenge, cycle in letters that don't often get used like a, b, i, k, p, ext, and note what you cycle in, where!

Third Sentence Thursday #171, November 20th

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to watch fireworks especially while eating a cookie!

1) Take the book you are currently reading and open it to a random page. Share the third full sentence on that page. (If there isn't a third one – like at the end of a chapter or a blank page – you can share the third sentence of the book or just choose another random page.) Feel free to share more than one sentence, if you feel the need to do so.

2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)

3) Post a link to your sentence at Words I Write Crazy (This Blog)

4) Visit one or two of the other blogs to check out their third sentences!

"They walked and talked, both Agnes and Hazel keeping one eye over their respective shoulders." -Precious Blood by Tonya Hurley, page 82.

That kinda sounds retrospective!

What are your guy's 3rd lines? Link up below!