RWM Wednesday: Featuring All the Contemporaries

Read With Me: Contemporary Edition

Summer Days and Summer Nights edited by Stephanie Perkins

Unrivaled by Alyson Noel

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan

When We Collided by Emery Lord

The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub

Sing by Vivi Greene

I thought it might be fun to talk about the books I'm reading in a new little feature I'm calling, "Read With Me Wednesday's" twice a month. It's been a struggle this year, trying to juggle work, personal life, and reading all at the same time and still have some "free time" for me. So, after giving it some thought, I've decided that I'm not going to set a "how many books I'll be reading this year" goal, because it's just been too much added pressure on me and honestly it's started to suck the fun out reading. I've also decided that I'm going to read whatever feels right and what I'm in the mood to read, while still intermingling some of the ARC's I've received for review into that pile as well.

This Wednesday, we're going to be talking about "all the Contemporaries", because it seems like I've been on a really big kick with them lately. It's summer time and I love sinking into a really fun, super carefree, sweet romance or a super hyped-up, all drama, crazy ball of contemporary feels. Also, I love how diverse most of the books I'm most excited to read this summer, are. But enough of my gabbing, let's talk about these books and what I loved about them or why I want/can't wait to read them. 

Currently Reading...

Summer Days and Summer Nights 

edited by Stephanie Perkins

I'm really enjoying this book, I'm about half way through it and I've been taking my time reading two or three stories a day or whenever I have time. It's not as strong as the My True Love Gave to Me anthology of short stories, but it's really cute, fun, and a couple of the stories has super feels. I absolutely love the short story that Francesca Lia Block wrote, it was beautiful, angsty, and super feels-y. It really gave me something to think about, to reflect on, plus is made me cry. It was just gorgeous and so far, it has been one of my absolute favorites. (Even though, some have said it just seemed pointless.)

I also really loved how adorable and cute Stephanie Perkins story was and I'm really looking forward to reading the one that Jennifer E. Smith wrote, since I've heard that it puts a positive spin on highlighting Autism and how it affects the people who have to live with it on a daily basis. If you like short stories and summer, I would definitely suggest picking up a copy and reading it, because it's tons of fun and feels-y. 

Unrivaled by Alyson Noel

I actually received a finished copy of this book via the publisher and I have to say, that despite some residual feelings, I'm actually enjoying it. It's a pretty good summer mystery, filled with all kinds of drama, various characters from different backgrounds, and different purposes that all tie into the bigger part of the story. 

Again, I'm about half-way through it, and I'm really liking it. So, if you're looking for a pretty decent summer mystery, I would actually suggest you give this one a try and see how you like it. 

Wanting to Read...

You Know Me Well 

by Nina LaCour and David Levithan

Okay, so, where do I even begin with this book?! Because, I love the fact that it's so LGBTQ+ positive (that there are more books like this that are being written and released soon in YA), that Nina LaCour and David Levithan freaking wrote a book together, (what?!), or that the basic premise of it just sounds so amazing. I want this book to become a movie, so that I can like freaking obsess over it like crazy. 

There should be more books like these, more characters and stories exactly like this one in YA. This book is going to be absolutely gorgeous and brave and full of so many wonderful things and I can't wait to read it.

When We Collided by Emery Lord

"We are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know…"

That quote is THE WHY I want to read this book, because if the rest of it is ANYTHING like that then I know it's going to be absolutely beautiful and amazing. This is how I want to spend the rest of my summer days, reading books like these that give me ALL THE FEELS. That, and the fact that it's unlike any of the other books that she's written, that it highlights mental illness in such a raw and realistic thought provoking way just makes me want to read it even more! 

This is probably going to be one that I'm going to want to physically own a copy of and not just have it on my Kindle. 

The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub

I absolutely love reading books like this one, because you get to meet various characters, see how their lives crossed or intersected in some way or another, and also see the future impact that it had on them. You just get to see so many sides to each person, see their story, and how it affects them and other's around them that you can't help, but feel. 

Currently Read...

Sing by Vivi Greene

I know from looking at Goodreads that pretty everyone and their mother, thinks this book is based on Taylor Swift and her life. I can't say whether or not it was or wasn't inspired by her, but I am going to say that not everything is about Taylor Swift (who, I actually kind of like btw). This story was fun, super sweet and charming, and it definitely made me laugh and cry at the same time. It actually made me feel something, it was the first book that I've picked up in the last couple of months that I actually wanted to sit down and just drown in without putting it away until I was finished. It was another one that was sent as finished copy by the publisher for review and I have yet to find the words to say how much I enjoyed it. 

I just don't care what other people think, really, because until you've read it you don't really know who it's about or what it's really about. There's a little bit more there to it, than meets the eye and I felt like it was really sweet and cute and funny in all of the right ways that a summer romance and finding oneself and being brave enough to accept the changes in who you were, who you are becoming, and who you want to be no matter the odds that you'll face or the people or things that might fall away in your life. That is how this story spoke to me and I really loved it. 

So, those are the books that I'm currently reading, what I want to read, and what I've read so far. 

What are you reading? Wanting to read? Have read? 

Let me know in the comments below!

Book Review: Fated by Alyson Noel

Fated
by Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Expected Publication: May 22, 2012
Pages: 368
Age Demographic: Young Adult
amazon | b&n

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

* Summary taken from Goodreads.

❝My Thoughts❞

Fated is a mysteriously intriguing novel about a young girl who discovers she has the power to walk between the world of the living and the dead. Daire Santos has noticed some strange happenings around her, crows have been mocking her, animals have started following her around a lot, and people have started showing up mysteriously out of nowhere. When her mother starts taking notice of these weird things and starts worrying after her daughters mental well being, she decides that it might be better for Daire to send her off to stay with her grandmother she's never met before, to live in Enchanted New Mexico. Once out there, Daire meets Dace, a sweet and charming guy with unearthly blue eyes that seem familiar to her, only in her dreams. As Daire becomes closer to Paloma, her grandmother, she soon learns the truth of her destiny.

Daire Santos is a Soul Seeker who is able to traverse between the world of the living and of the dead. Almost as soon as she discovers this hidden gift, she is tasked with learning how to harness her new found powers. This is something that Daire has to master pretty quickly because Dace's brother, an evil shapeshifter, is vying for her power and will stop at nothing to claim it for his own. Daire has no choice, but to embrace her power and seek the answers to whether or not Dace is the one she's meant to be with or if he's with the enemy she's meant to destroy. The story that develops between these two quickly starts to turn into a story of love and trust.

At first glance of the premise for Fated, the story itself seems to be quite promising. Alyson Noel's idea behind the Soul Seekers is intriguing and definitely attention grabbing, if nothing else. Readers will find themselves wanting to gobble up as many details as they can, regarding the history and the mythology behind how the Soul Seekers came about and what exactly they can and can't do with their powers, and why it's important to never let evil shapeshifters steal them. Daire is a likable and easy character to connect with. It was admirable to see how brave and determined to take on her destiny of being a Soul Seeker, despite the few annoying flaws she did possess.

Dace is a wonderfully developed and charming character, of his own merit. He has such a warm and likable disposition about him and it's endearing to see just how much he does does really care for Daire. Their romance is sweet and fun to read about and readers will either enjoy them or not. Cade, on the other hand, had this alluring bad boy swagger going on that appealed to me on a more personal level. There's just something about a swoon worthy and irresistably bad boy that gets my blood to pumping.

Those who found themselves enjoying Alyson Noel's previous paranormal romance series The Immortals, are sure to enjoy this novel quite a bit as it explores new territory and brings a whole new world of mythology to the table in the form of animals and spirits. It is chalked full of wonderfully fun mystery, interestingly developed mythology behind the Soul Seekers making them and the Native Americans one of the more interesting aspects of the novel, and beautiful magical enchantment. It is quite an enjoyable and light read, for those who are looking for something easy to read.

Want to pre-order a copy

of Fated by Alsyon Noel?

You can do so by visiting my Amazon Store and adding them to your shopping cart. While you're there, feel free to look around, you might find something else you want. I hope you enjoyed the review for Fated and you decide to give it a chance. If you haven't read it, then I encourage you to pick up a copy for yourself or even for someone else, if you think they'll like it.

ABOUT ALYSON NOEL

Website || Twitter || Blog || Goodreads

Alyson Noël is the #1 New York Times best selling, award-winning, author of FAKING 19, ART GEEKS AND PROM QUEENS, LAGUNA COVE, FLY ME TO THE MOON, KISS & BLOG, SAVING ZOË, CRUEL SUMMER, FOREVER SUMMER (a LAGUNA COVE/CRUEL SUMMER 2-in-1), the IMMORTALS series including: EVERMORE, BLUE MOON, SHADOWLAND, DARK FLAME, NIGHT STAR, and EVERLASTING, the IMMORTALS spin-off, RILEY BLOOM series including RADIANCE, SHIMMER, DREAMLAND, & WHISPER (04.26.12), with short stories appearing in the anthologies FIRST KISS (THEN TELL), KISSES FROM HELL, & DEAR BULLY. She is currently working on a new series for teens, SOUL SEEKERS, including: FATED, ECHO, MYSTIC, & HORIZON. Book 1, FATED, is set to debut in May 2012.

Author information taken from her Goodreads.

{ This audiobook and ARC was provided by Macmillian Audio and ATW ARC Tours, in exchange for an honest review which I have provided. No money exchanged hands, I review books for fun because I love to read. I am not interested in monetary gain. Any piece of this ARC that was or wasn't quoted, is not part of the finished product and should not be perceived as such. Instead, you should compare and check it against a finished copy once it is released.}

#029 Follow & Feature: Books You've Read Because of Bad Review?!

Happy Follow and Feature, everyone! The long and short of it, life is crazy and reading is my life, basically. Go visit Parajunkee's View or Allison Can Read, to get the details on how to follow and have fun with everyone else. It's all about meeting new people, finding new blogs to follow, and basically just having a lot of fun.

This week the two awesome features are The Romanceaholic and The Talking TeacupThese two bloggers are just as awesomesauce as their blogs, so definitely show them some love! :D

THE QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Have you ever bought a book BECAUSE of a bad review?

About a year ago, I was shopping around my local bookstore and noticed that they were having a pretty awesome sale. On the bargain table, I saw the first six books (five in hardback and one in paperback) for the House of Night series on sale for really cheap, plus they were buy two and get one free. I instantly nabbed them up along with the next three books that were in The Immortal series by Alyson Noel, which were also hardback and on sale for like $4 bucks a piece like the HoN series. I know that I'm probably in the minority, despite the fact that some find Alyson Noel's writing thoroughly disenchanting but I actually kind of like her. While The Immortal series isn't the greatest written supernatural ya series out there, it's certainly NOT the absolute worst either. The same pretty much goes for the HoN series, even though a part of me sort of feels like it's never going to end - it has to at some point doesn't it?! lol.

I guess I just don't understand why some are so quick to harshly judge, especially when Alyson Noel has written other books (contemporary ya) such as Forever Summer, Saving Zoe, Cruel Summer, and Laguna Cove just to name a few and those books were actually pretty good once you get into them. Actually, I think they're some great summer reads to dig into on those days that are too hot to spend outside and all you want to do is curl up underneath the AC and read. Plus, her Riley Bloom series is just as enchanting as it can be. Sometimes I think, that Riley was her best character to ever come out of the The Immortal series and that's saying a lot, since she was just a bit part character and the sister to the main protagonist who got her own spin-off.

Not to mention that P.C. Cast has written a great ya series, Parthalon that I've actually enjoyed quite a bit even though I've only read the first book in that series so far. I have really enjoyed reading Elphame's Choice. There's some wonderful enchanting magic and mythical folklore in between these pages. My whole point is, that just because a book gets a bad review here or there, or you end up reading a book by a particular author that you don't care for - please don't just assume that all of their books are thoroughly disenchanting or their writing is off and not worth giving another one of their books a chance.

What books have you read, despite a bad review?



❝Hopping Through?!❞