November 2014 Wrap Up

It is the end of November and I am ready for December! I cannot wait for my winter break and for the many books that I would like to receive for Christmas. :) I was not able to read too many books this month but I did finish a trilogy that I had been reading. I've actually finished a lot of series and trilogies this year. It's definitely been a great year for reading. So without further ado...here is my November Wrap Up. Click on the book cover pictures to find out more on Goodreads!




List of the book titles from top left to bottom right:

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Between #1) by April Genevieve Tucholke (4/5 stars)
Dust by Sarah Daltry (4/5 stars)
Trust Me, I'm Lying (Trust Me #1) by Mary Elizabeth Summer (4/5 stars)
Mom Made Us Write This In The Summer by Ali Maier (5/5 stars)
Mortal Danger (Immortal Game #1) by Ann Aguirre (4/5 stars)
Just One Day (Just One Day #1) by Gayle Forman (4/5 stars)
Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer (5/5 stars - LOVED)
Just One Year (Just One Day #2) by Gayle Forman (4/5 stars)
What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick (4/5 stars)
Unmade (The Lynburn Legacy #3) by Sarah Rees Brennan (5/5 stars - AWESOME ENDING)

Vanessa

Trust Me, I'm Lying Review

Trust Me, I'm Lying (Trust Me #1)

By Mary Elizabeth Summer

Published October 14th, 2014 by Delacorte Press

336 pages

4 stars - Great Read!

Fans of Ally Carter, especially her Heist Society readers, will love this teen mystery/thriller with sarcastic wit, a hint of romance, and Ocean’s Eleven–inspired action.

Julep Dupree tells lies. A lot of them. She’s a con artist, a master of disguise, and a sophomore at Chicago’s swanky St. Agatha High, where her father, an old-school grifter with a weakness for the ponies, sends her to so she can learn to mingle with the upper crust. For extra spending money Julep doesn’t rely on her dad—she runs petty scams for her classmates while dodging the dean of students and maintaining an A+ (okay, A-) average.

But when she comes home one day to a ransacked apartment and her father gone, Julep’s carefully laid plans for an expenses-paid golden ticket to Yale start to unravel. Even with help from St. Agatha’s resident Prince Charming, Tyler Richland, and her loyal hacker sidekick, Sam, Julep struggles to trace her dad’s trail of clues through a maze of creepy stalkers, hit attempts, family secrets, and worse, the threat of foster care. With everything she has at stake, Julep’s in way over her head . . . but that’s not going to stop her from using every trick in the book to find her dad before his mark finds her. Because that would be criminal. 

Review:

I haven't read any of Ally Carter's books and I know that I saw Ocean's Eleven, but I can't remember it. And now that I think about it, I can't recall reading any books of this nature. :) That said, I actually enjoyed Trust Me, I'm Lying. For the most part that is. I thought the writing was pretty decent and I enjoyed the characters most of the time but the book did move along slowly at some parts. 

I really enjoyed Julep's voice and character. She did quite a lot for someone so young but it seemed realistic at some points, so that is even better. Julep went through a lot throughout the book and I think that she grew a little by the end. I always enjoy character development. :) Then there was Tyler and Sam. Sam seems like such a great and supportive friend. He is extremely smart as well. Tyler is not part of the group in the beginning of the book and I have to admit that I was suspicious of him various times throughout the book. But I really did like him and Julep did as well. Those were the three main characters and all three of them went through some tough times. I still can't believe that ending!

There were twists and turns throughout this book and a very surprising ending, at least for me. Except for a few slow parts and Julep always putting herself in harm's way, I really did enjoy this book. I was hooked from the beginning and I had some major feels at the end. I will definitely be reading the next book when it is released because there was a little cliff hanger near the end. If you haven't read this one yet, then I recommend checking it out! It's a great suspense and mystery novel that I think will become a pretty decent series. 

Vanessa

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3)
By Maggie Stiefvater
Published October 21st, 2014 by Scholastic Press
400 pages

5 stars - AMAZING!!

There is danger in dreaming. But there is even more danger in waking up.

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.
Review:

Gansey! I just had to say it. :) I love Gansey more and more with each book. :) Blue Lily, Lily Blue was just beautiful. Maggie has done it again and entranced readers with a world that is mystical. I read this book in no time at all and loved every minute.

The Raven Boys, ugh! I just love those boys and Blue of course. We learn more about the group that is so hard not to love. Adam finds himself, Ronan figures out more about his dream powers, and Blue and Gansey may like each other just a little more. We also see all the old characters with a few new ones. I loved Jesse Dittley, just saying...

There were definitely some surprise twists near the end. Just amazing. And such a cliff hanger! I cannot wait for the next book! Seriously, I need it now. I need to read more about one of my favorite groups. If you haven't read this book yet, then you need to now! And if you haven't read this series, then what are you doing reading this?! Read Raven Boys now! :) 

I feel like I really didn't say anything... But that is because I don't want to give anything away. All you need to know is that the book is just as great as the others and Maggie writes wonderfully. To find out all the surprise twists and secrets make sure to check it out now!

Vanessa

Mom Made Us Write This In The Summer Review

Mom Made Us Write This In The Summer

By Ali Maier

Published October 3rd, 2013 by Erie Island Media, LLC

208 pages

5 stars - Great Read!!

*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Synopsis:

A sister and brother, forced to write in the summer, and share ONE journal? Ugh.

This is exactly what happens to 10-year-old twins Maggie and Max Pruitt. When Mom comes up with a plan for them to keep a summer journal, Maggie and Max can’t believe it. Worse yet, they have to share!

Through their writing, Maggie and Max find out they have very different (and hilarious) views about growing up, family and life - a conclusion they only discovered because, as Max and Maggie say, “Mom Made Us Write This.”

Mom Made Us Write This In The Summer is a journal-style book for children (ages 8 – 12) that captures the essence of sibling relationships. Anyone with a brother or sister will identify with the fun and struggles that Max and Maggie experience this summer! From a trip to the zoo to the annual check-up at the docs – read all about the life adventures of Maggie & Max.

Mom Made Us Write This In The Summer is available for sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The series also includes Mom Made Us Write This: Write Your Own Shared Journal and Mom Made Us Write This Family Quiz Book. 

Review:

Mom Made Us Write This In The Summer is a book for children 8-12, but I'm definitely older than 12 and I still enjoyed it! This was such a fun book to read and was surprisingly relate - able. It is written in journal entries by twins Max and Maggie. They share the journal and write about their summer vacation and include little drawings and comments which makes it very realistic. 

I have two younger brothers myself and I remember the summer days full of fun and bickering pretty well. Those days still happen today! I thought that Max and Maggie sounded pretty realistic and their voices were great. I remember writing in a journal when I was younger and the Max and Maggie shared some similar complaints with me. :) 

Overall, this is definitely a good book for children and especially siblings. It helps siblings understand the thoughts going on in their heads. There are fun doodles and funny comments to keep the younger children interested as well. If you are a parent, then you might even be able to pick up the actual journal version of the book for your own kids. :) I recommend you pick this up soon if you haven't yet! You won't want to miss out!

Vanessa

About the Author:

Ali Maier was born in Johnstown, PA. In high school she spent a lot of time with children, working as a summer camp counselor for many years, volunteering to teach Sunday school at church, working in the local day-care center, and working as a kindergarten aide. 

She went to John Carroll University and earned a BA in Elementary Education. Throughout college, Ali worked at a local toy store then worked in product development at a company making art and craft kits for kids. 

Eventually Ali left her job to work full time with her husband, Mark, at their marketing company.  When her children were born, she worked from home. 

Ali lives in a Cleveland suburb with her husband and two children. She loves to read, write and spend time with her family. 

Ali chose to write the Mom Made Us Write This series to encourage young readers to do something she loves – to read! Ali wanted to write a book series that would allow readers to laugh and encourage them to write and share their own stories.

To learn more, go to http://mommadeuswritethis.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MomMadeUsWriteThis

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18361503-mom-made-us-write-this-in-the-summer

Dust by Sarah Daltry - Review

Dust

By Sarah Daltry

Published November 7th, 2014 by Little Bird Publishing

4 stars - FANTASTIC! 

*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.*

Who makes YOUR choices?

"I was once the type of person who was impressed by starlight; the type of person who would dance beneath glass ceilings and let the world swim in its loveliness. The sky reminds me of the parties we used to throw - parties like the one last night. The memories bring back the trill of harps and endless ripples of satisfied laughter. Now, though, when I try to recall what I felt, all I hear is screaming."

In a world ravaged by war and oppressive forces of evil, a princess must fight to claim her bloodright and save her people.

When the princess, Alondra, falls for the beautiful, blue eyes of a hooded stranger, it awakens in her a taste for freedom and an escape from her duty.

But her parents have other plans; they have a kingdom to protect and Alondra must marry to ensure the peace between nations. Only what happens when your parents choose a cold-hearted assassin as your betrothed? 

As lies, illusions, and long hidden vendettas surface, the princess has to confront a very secret history. One that makes her realize that she not only risks losing her liberty, but also everything she has known and loved.

Review:

Reading the synopsis of this book intrigued me and I'll let you know that the actual book is just as intriguing! This wasn't a very long read for me and I was pulled in from the very beginning. The history of these characters is an interesting one as well as the characters themselves.

Dust is told in parts and the readers are able to see different Alondras. What I mean is that Alondra was a definitely different person in her "past" then in her "present." In part one we get to see the Alondra before the war and then we switch to the Alondra after the war. Alondra is a princess but didn't want any of her duties before the war started. She wanted to make her own choices which included wanting the choice to not have to marry Seamus, her betrothed. She comes off as insensitive and naive at the beginning but she grows so much throughout the book. She becomes brave and strong and she does what she feels is right. The other thing that grows is her relationship with Seamus. Seamus is the assassin and that is something that Alondra does not like in the beginning. She doesn't truly understand who he is though and everyone gets to learn more about him as the story goes on. Then we have the blue eyed stranger who is someone that Alronda did not expect. So much can be learned about the characters in the this book as well as their history.

There are different kingdoms involved and there are the stories with them as well. Then there is the big factor in the book which is magic. This book includes betrayal, secrets, lies, love, magic and so much more. There is so much going on in this book and though it can be kind of confusing at times, it really is worth it. If you are into the fantasy genre, then this is definitely for you. If you aren't, then you should check it out anyway! 

Vanessa

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey

The Infinite Sea (The Fifth Wave #2)

By Rick Yancey 

Published September 16th, 2014 by Putnam Juvenile
300 pages

5 stars - Out of this World!

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate. 

Review:

Oh. My. Gosh. Rick Yancey is awesome! Seriously. The Infinite Sea was amazing and even better than the first! I'm so glad a movie is being made because this is some good stuff. :) It really didn't take me that long to read this book but that could be because it was shorter. That was probably the only thing that I'd complain about as well. 

What did I like? I really loved learning more about the thoughts of the aliens. I also loved learning more about Ringer and Poundcake. There was so much character development with almost all of the characters and it's great to be able to know them better. There is more depth to them and now I'm able to understand where they are coming from. There are a few new characters that you'll either love or hate as well. 

Then there is the fact that Yancey really made me think. I was thinking about humanity and aliens and it was just a really great time. :) Seriously though, I think that this series really makes one think about what humanity would be like with aliens involved. Or what one would do in that predicament. The ending was such a cliff hanger and I really need more! I cannot wait till the next book comes out. All the secrets that were shared and the twists were pretty Awesome! Check it out now!

Vanessa