Waiting on Wednesday #15

This weekly feature is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

My Pick

Book Link

Synopsis from Goodreads

Vada Bergen is broke, the black sheep of her family, and moving a thousand miles away from home for grad school, but she’s got the two things she loves most: her art, and her best friend and soulmate, Ellis Carraway. Elle and Vada have a friendship so consuming it’s hard to tell where one girl ends and the other begins. It’s intense. It’s a little codependent. And nothing can tear them apart.

Until an accident on an icy winter road changes everything.

Vada is left deeply scarred, both emotionally and physically. Her once-promising art career is cut short. And Ellis pulls away, unwilling to talk about that night. Everything Vada loved is gone.

She’s got nothing left to lose.

So when she meets a smooth-talking lothario who offers to set her up as a cam girl, she can’t say no. All Vada has to do is spend a couple hours each night taking off her clothes on webcam, and the “tips” come pouring in.

It’s all just kinky fun till a client gets serious. “Blue” is mysterious, alluring, and more interested in Vada’s life than her body. Online, they open up to each other intimately. Blue helps her heal. And he pays well, but he wants her all to himself. No more cam shows. She agrees, because she’s starting to fall for him. And when he asks to meet, she says yes. Because she’s dying to know the real man behind the keyboard.

Even if one of his conditions is to bring Ellis. The girl who wants nothing to do with her anymore.

Now Vada must confront the past she’s been running from. A past full of devastating secrets—those of others, and those she’s been keeping from herself…

My Thoughts

Oh my goodness, this book just screams "ME!" I am so excited about this book. It looks exactly like something I will absolutely love. Is it November yet? Plus, look at that stunning cover! You all know I'm a sucker for gorgeous covers.

So what books are you most excited for?

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2015

This feature is hosted by the ladies of The Broke and the Bookish

This week, I had to compile my list of the top books I've read in 2015. It was pretty easy since I haven't had a lot of amazing reads this year.

I divided up my list by genre, because I'm really detail oriented.

Go see what books I listed this week!

Contemporary

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga 

-This book surprised me in the best way possible. I loved it and gave it 5 stars-

Paperweight by Meg Haston

-This book is a book that will stay with me for a very long time. I gave this book 5 stars-

The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen

-Girl power! I loved this book so much. It enraged me, it made me laugh and it made me cry. I gave this book 5 stars-

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli 

This book may be my favorite LGBT book of the year. So adorable & nerdy. I gave this book 5 stars-

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

This book broke my heart into a thousand teeny pieces. I loved this book so hard and I gave it 5 stars-

The Devil You Know by Trish Doller

-This book utterly terrified me. It was so different than Doller's previous books, but so awesome. I gave it 5 stars- 

Fantasy

The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1) by Jodi Meadows

-It started off slowly, but I began to fall in love with it right around page 60. I gave it 4.5 stars-

The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh

-THIS BOOK, GUYS! Oh my goodness, I adored this book. It was gorgeously written and had a swoon-worthy guy. I gave it 5 stars-

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

-Is there such a thing as heart eyes? Because this book, and particularly Lucien and Rhysand GAVE ME ALL THE SWOONS! I gave this book 5 stars-

Science Fiction

NIL Unlocked (NIL #2) by Lynne Matson

-So freaking fabulous. I adore this series and it just keeps getting better. I gave this book 5 stars-

Let me know if any of the books on my list are also on your list. Don't forget to leave the links to your TTT list this week.

Review: Rebound (Boomerang #2) by Noelle August

Book Title: Rebound

Author: Noelle August

Published Date: February 10th, 2015

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Genre: NA Contemporary Romance

Series: Book Two in Boomerang Trilogy

Book Link: Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Hooking up is only the beginning of the fun in this sexy and irresistible second installment of the thrilling New Adult series, Boomerang.

Adam Blackwood has it all. At twenty-two, he’s fabulously wealthy, Ryan Gosling-hot and at the top of the heap in the business world. His life is perfect, until a scandal from his past resurfaces and knocks the tech wunderkind down, throwing his company, Boomerang, a hook-up site for millennials, into chaos.

Three years ago, Adam married his high school love—and then lost her in a tragic accident. Now, the heartbreak and guilt he’s tried to bury with work and women begins to take over his life.

Alison Quick, the twenty-one-year-old daughter of a business tycoon—and the very ex-girlfriend of Boomerang’s former intern, Ethan—has a problem of her own. She’s got one chance to prove to her father that she deserves a place in his empire by grabbing control of Boomerang and taking Adam down.

But as Alison moves in on him, armed with a cadre of lawyers and accountants, she discovers there’s much more to Adam and Boomerang than meets the eye. Will earning her father’s approval come at the price of losing her first real love? It appears so, unless Adam can forgive her for wrecking his life and trying to steal his livelihood. But Alison hopes that old adage is right. Maybe love can conquer all.

Disclaimer: I received this e-ARC from William Morrow Paperbacks via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

Review:

You guys know that I am normally so picky about my NA reads and how rarely I read NA because they disappoint me so much. Yet last year, right about this time, I reviewed Boomerang, which is the first book in the Boomerang trilogy. I fell in love with this book because they didn't follow a typical NA formula that I had become so used to.

When I heard this book was going to be about Ethan's ex, Allison and Ethan's former boss, Adam, I was a little nervous to see how it would all play out. I didn't expect to like Allison given what we had learned about her in Boomerang. Surprise, surprise, I ended up really liking her. She was in a tough position as her father was very powerful and used to getting his way through manipulation. Allison also loved horses, and I loved reading about how she cared for the horses her father owned.

Adam was a difficult one for me to warm up to. I didn't love him in Boomerang, so I was hoping I'd love him in Rebound. I ended up liking him more and more as the book went on. He complimented Allison quite well. Where she was weakest, he was strongest. Where she was strongest, he was weakest.

That Catwoman/Zorro scene at the beginning of the book was H-O-T.

We also learn a lot about Adam's past, which I loved. I didn't know what to expect with his past, but when certain things revealed themselves, it was clear to me that he was still struggling mightly, but he was hiding it from so many people. Hiding things is so unhealthy and I felt bad for Adam, and really wanted him to find that happy ending.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed Boomerang. It took me awhile to like Adam, and certain other things kinda bugged me about this book. I do still recommend not only this book, but the first book in this trilogy. I'll be giving it 4 stars.

It's Pride Month!

It should come as a surprise to no one that I am a HUGE supporter of the LGBT community, and am in fact, part of the LGBT community, as I identify as bisexual. I was struggling to come up with a post this week, but then it hit me. 

I wanted to do a post on Pride Month, but I tweaked it a bit, and decided to do a post where I recommend some books featuring LGBT characters in honor of it being Pride Month. I even asked my fellow book nerds for their recommendations because I wanted a pretty big list.

It encompasses MG, YA & NA.

Books that are already out

Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas features a gay character

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Bennway features a gay character

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli features two gay characters 

Black Iris by Leah Raeder features a bisexual main character

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson has a gay main character

Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz has a bisexual main character

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz features two gay characters

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera features a gay main character

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley features two lesbian main characters

 The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun Hutchinson features two gay main characters

Alex as well by Alyssa Brugman features a male to female transgender character

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky features a male to female transgender character

Far From You by Tess Sharpe features a bisexual main character

The Summer I Wasn't Me by Jessica Verdi features a lesbian main character

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour features two lesbian main characters

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky features a gay character 

Just Between Us by J. H. Trumble features two gay main characters

Where You Are by J. H. Trumble features two gay characters

Don't Let Me Go by J. H. Trumble features a gay character.

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan features two gay main characters

Trust the Focus by Megan Erickson features two gay characters

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan features two gay characters

 

One May Guy by Michael Barakiva features two gay characters

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth features two lesbian characters 

Focus on Me by Megan Erickson features two gay main characters

The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen features two gay characters

Upcoming releases

Under the Lights by Dahlia Adler features two lesbian man characters

What We Left Behind by Robin Talley features a lesbian main character & a genderqueer main character

Trust Me, I'm Trouble by Mary Elizabeth Summer features a LGBT character

Cam Girl by Leah Raeder features a LGBT character

I know this is a lot of recs and I was honestly shocked to see so many people recommend books to me. I wasn't expecting to have 30 books on this list.  This list is in no way, a complete list. They are just the ones I loved, or the ones my fellow book lovers recommended.

Thank you to Andi S.,Kim B., Jenny, Stormy, Danielle, Hannah, Shelly, Giselle, Stefani, Kayla, Amber, Estelle, Kat, Dahlia. I could not have created this list without your help!

Waiting on Wednesday #13

This weekly feature is hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.

My Pick

Goodreads

Synopsis from Goodreads:
A boldly surreal novel from one of the best YA writers working today.

Four talented teenagers are traumatized-coping with grief, surviving date rape, facing the anxiety of standardized tests and the neglect of self-absorbed adults--and they'll do anything to escape the pressure. They'll even build an invisible helicopter, to fly far away to a place where everyone will understand them... until they learn the only way to escape reality is to face it head-on.

My Thoughts

Yes, gimmie this book. It looks like something I'll absolutely fall in love with. It involves tough stuff, which is one of my favorite things in books. Plus it's written by A. S. King, someone who I've heard a lot about, but whose books I have not read yet. That cover is just so simple and classic. Thankfully I don't have to wait long to read this book.

So what books are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Paperweight by Meg Haston

Book Title: Paperweight

Author: Meg Haston

Published Date: July 7th, 2015

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: YA Contemporary

Standalone

Book Link: Goodreads

Pre-Order Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis 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?

Disclaimer #1: I received this e-ARC from HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

Disclaimer #2: Trigger warnings: Self Harm, Eating Disorders.

Review:

Every once and awhile, there's a book that changes your life. It had been a very long time since this had happened. I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did. It was one of the hardest books I had ever read in my life. It was a book that I know will stay in my mind for a very long time, probably forever.

When we meet Stevie, she is completely against any kind of treatment. It isn't necessary in her opinion. She plans on ending her own life. She believes that she was responsible for her brother, Josh's death. She wants to be with Josh again, and she believes that killing herself can absolve her of guilt.

She developed the eating disorder prior to her brother's death and after her mother walked out on her, Josh and their dad. Yet, it was when Eden came into her life, that things shifted once again. Stevie found Eden intoxicating. Josh also was captivated by her. Stevie feels jealous that Josh and Eden were involved. Stevie develops feelings for Eden, which complicates things between her and Josh.

When first started at the treatment center, she was very against just being there. She looks at the girls who've made progress and ridicules them for not having willpower. This was the thing that irked me. I mean I understand why she would think that given where she was in her recovery, but I really didn't like her in the beginning.

It wasn't until I was halfway through the book, that Stevie really started to grow on me. I liked how she was warming up to Ashlee, Cate and Tegen by the ending. I loved her story arc. It was inspiring and emotional. I wasn't sure if I would ever end up liking her, but I did end up loving her.

Watching Stevie become more aware of how toxic Eden was, was totally awesome and unexpected. I wasn't sure what to expect, but she came to the realization that Eden never really cared about her and that Eden wan't good for her in any way. Someone who would not inquire as to how someone was doing, was not a friend. Knowing that Eden hadn't even asked how Stevie was doing with Josh's death or even the eating disorder.

I fell in love with this book unexpectedly, but damn this book is so, so important. I cannot wait to own a finished copy of this gorgeous book with great character development. I am giving this book 5 stars and I recommend this book very highly.

Review: Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

Book Title: Emmy & Oliver

Author: Robin Benway

Published Date: June 23rd, 2015

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: YA Contemporary

Standalone

Book Link: Goodreads

Pre-Order Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story. 

Disclaimer: I received this e-ARC from HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

Review:

I was taking a bit of a risk with this book as it looked fairly fluffy and I don't usually go for fluffy. The premise looked promising and I thought there was a good chance of me enjoying the book. And I was right, for the most part. The beginning started off really well and I was pulled into the story almost effortlessly. Within the first 3% of the book I was full on sobbing, and I did in fact tweet the author about this very thing.

As the book went on though, I started to feel a little bored. I didn't love Oliver right away and I wasn't excited to pick the book back up at night. I trudged through it because while it wasn't a bad book, I just wasn't invested for a good chunk of the time. Now, as I look back on it, I'm about 95% sure that my mood was affecting my reading.

Right around the 60% mark in the book was where my feelings about the book improved significantly. I gobbled up the last 40% of the book in on sitting. I smiled, I cried, I even got a bit rage-y in certain parts. But I fell in love with Oliver and Emmy as a couple during this portion. I rooted for them, I grinned like crazy every time there was kissing.

The friendships were so solid and they had stayed that way the entire time Oliver was gone. Caro and Drew were awesome and I absolutely adored them. There was a time that I was frustrated with Emmy and how she put her new relationship with Oliver before her friendship with Caro. I could see why Caro was so hurt and I hurt for her.

The ending was emotional in the best possible way. I'm so glad that I stuck with this book. I ended up really enjoying it. I am giving this book 4 stars and I absolutely recommend it to everyone.

TTT: Top Ten Books With My Favorite Sub-Category of "Tough Stuff" Contemporary

This feature is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

My favorite genre is contemporary and my favorite sub-genre is "tough stuff" contemporary. Since this TTT is a freebie, I decided to do my top 10 favorite "tough stuff" contemporaries. This may be the books I cried the most over, the books that touched me or even the books that incited strong emotions in me.

 Fault Line by C. Desir

My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

Paperweight by Meg Haston

Pointe by Brandy Colbert

Made You Up  by Francesca Zappia

The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen

Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby

The Summer I Wasn't Me by Jessica Verdi

Bleed Like Me by C. Desir

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens

So tell me, have you read any of these? If you have, be sure to let me know what you thought of them.

If you did a TTT, be sure to link me to it in the comments.