Showing posts with label Veronica Roth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Veronica Roth. Show all posts

Sunday, 30 June 2013

Stacking the Shelves: June

What is Stacking The Shelves all about?
Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
 
Welcome to my monthly round up! June's been a weird month, lots of work changes and changeable weather!
I tried to be more frugal with Amazon and I ended up with a lot of 'follow up' books!

Borrowed Shelf!
Saving June by Hannah Harrington.~ I loved Speechless so I was glad to see this in my local library!
 
Actual Shelf!
Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan.~ I had to buy this as soon as I saw it as it's be on my TBR for ages!
Insurgent by Veronica Roth.~ I finally picked up this one as a Buy 1 get 1 half price deal with the points on my Waterstones card!
 
Virtual Shelf!
Addicted to You by Krista and Becca Ritchie.~ I got drawn in my the price and the blurb!
Limits by Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt.~ I love this series so I brought this one asap!
 
Review Shelf!
NetGalley
Faking It by Cora Carmack~ I wanted to see more of Cade!
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas~ This series has been on my TBR for years now! So I'm hoping to read it in July.
One Tiny Lie by K.A Tucker~ I've heard a lot of great things about this author so looking forward to sampling her work.
The Only Exception by Magan Vernon~ Another one I've heard great things about!
Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover~ I'm hoping to love this series!
 
Blog Tours
Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry~ Looking forward to the setting and themes in this one.
Again by Brandy Jeffus ~ I loved the blurb of this one and the cover.
Off the Record by Sawyer Bennett.~ I loved the first two in this series!
Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echolls.~ Jennifer Echolls is one of those authors I know I'll love so excited for this tour!
 
Quite a good NetGalley haul!
What joined your shelves in June?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer TBR!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish.
This week's topic: Top Ten Books At The Top Of My Summer TBR List. 
 The Top Ten Tuesday Summer TBR was my very first Top Ten post almost a year ago! Cannot believe it's time for the 2013 version!
This year I've divided into 'easy' beachy reads and then series books that you need a good amount of time to get in to. 
 
Summer Books!
Four Summers by Nyrae Dawn.
Charlotte Gates is tired of being Charlie Rae. She loves the lake she was raised on, their rental cabins, and spending her nights under the stars…but inside she yearns for more.
After his freshman year, Nathaniel Chase’s family spends their first summer at The Village. From the beginning Charlotte intrigues him. She’s the girl who always says what’s on her mind, wins at night games, and each time she looks through her telescope, gets lost in the sky.
Over the course of four summers together, Charlotte and Nathaniel become best friends, share firsts, mend broken hearts, protect each other’s secrets, overcome tragedies…fall in love. And say goodbye…
Charlie wants out of The Village. Nate wants her to have her stars. And they dream of being able to do it all together. But life isn’t as easy as their summers.
Each summer is told in alternating points of view between Charlie and Nate. Journey with the pair, and their friends, as they share their story about growing up, discovering who they are, making tough choices, and falling in love again and again.
Status: Waiting on my Tablet to be read!
This sounds like the perfect summer read so I've been holding out for sunny weather to read it!
 
The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy.
This isn't a deep book about first loves or self-discovery. If you want a book like that, I'd be happy to recommend one, but I don't have that kind of story to tell. Instead my story is about rash decisions and finding out that your dream guy is bad in bed. It's the story of when I finally went skinny dipping, and how my life was never the same again. Oh, and it's also the story of my freshman year of college and realising Mr. Right might have been there all along.
Status: Another one waiting on my tablet!
Again I'm holding this one back for summer!
 
Façade by Nyrae Dawn.
 Can love save them?
After her father commits a crime that shatters her family, eighteen-year-old Delaney Cross is tired of pretending everything is all right. Packing up her car, she sets out to find the people her father hurt. Her search leads her to places she’s never been—and into the arms of Adrian Westfall.
To the outside world, Adrian is a sexy, charming ladies’ man. But his playboy persona is just an act. Secretly his soul is tortured by a memory too painful to share. Only Delaney seems to see through his façade to the real man underneath. And for the first time in his life, Adrian feels he can begin to open up about his past.
Together, Adrian and Delaney share a passionate love they never expected to find. Yet both still harbour their own secrets. When the dark truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together—or tear them apart forever?
Status: Released 2nd July!
I loved Charade so I cannot wait to read about Adrian!
 
Near and Far by Nicole Williams.
There’s optimistic. And there’s Jesse Walker.
If he wasn’t so charming, his sunny disposition and incessant grin would get annoying. Fast.
Falling in love with the girl who had at first seemed immune to it, was the best thing to happen to Jesse since the Walkers adopted him into their family when he was five. But loving the girl who has her fair share of secrets is about as easy as that same girl loving the boy who seems to have none.
As Jesse’s life continues at the ranch, and Rowen begins making her mark in the Seattle art community, they begin to wonder where the middle ground is. Or if there even is one.
As push comes to shove and choices aren’t only needing to be made, but forced to be made, Jesse and Rowen have to face what their lives might look like without the other.
Can two people with such tragic pasts and different presents, go on to expect a promising future? Whatever the answer, they’ll need a lot more than love to make it.
Status: Released 30th July.
I loved Lost and Found so this is another sequel I cannot wait for!
 
Right of Way by Lauren Barholdt.
Can a road trip repair a romance gone wrong? Find out in this standalone companion to Lauren Barnholdt’s Two-way Street.
Here are Peyton and Jace, meeting on vacation. Click! It’s awesome, it’s easy, it’s romantic. This is the real deal.
Unless it isn’t. Because when you’re in love, you don’t just stop calling one day. And you don’t keep secrets. Or lie. And when your life starts falling apart, you’re supposed to have the other person to lean on.
Here are Peyton and Jace again, broken up but thrown together on a road trip. One of them is lying about the destination. One of them is pretending not to be leaving something behind. And neither of them is prepared for what’s coming on the road ahead…
Status: Released 9th July.
Lauren Barnholdt has been one of my summer staple authors for years so I'm super excited for this one!
About a Girl by Lindsey Kelk.
I’d lost my job. I’d lost the love of my life. My mum wasn’t talking to me. My best friend was epically pissed off. And my flatmate probably had a hit out on me by now. I never meant for things to get so out of hand…
Tess Brookes has always been a Girl with a Plan. But when her carefully constructed Plan goes belly up, she’s forced to reconsider.
After accidentally answering her flatmate Vanessa’s phone, she decides that since being Tess isn’t going so well, why shouldn’t she try out being Vanessa? With nothing left to lose, she accepts Vanessa’s photography assignment to Hawaii – she used to be an amateur snapper, how hard can it be? Right?
But Tess is soon in big trouble – she isn’t a photographer, she isn’t Vanessa, and the gorgeous journalist on the shoot with her, who is making it very clear he’d like to get into her pants, is an egotistical monster.
Far from home and in someone else’s shoes, Tess must decide whether to fight on through, or ‘fess up and run…
Status: Released 16th July.
Lindsey Kelk is one of my favourite authors so I'm glad her new stand alone comes out in time for Summer!
 
Series Books.
Throne of Glass by Sarah L. Maas.
Meet Celaena Sardothien.
Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake: she got caught.
Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament—fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live or die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?
Status: Sitting on my bookshelf.
I've got the next one downloaded so I'm going to make a start on this series this summer!
 
Insurgent by Veronica Roth.
 I HAVE DONE BAD THINGS.
I CAN'T TAKE THEM BACK,
AND THEY ARE PART OF WHO I AM.

Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family, but she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future.
Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever... because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead.
Status: I just added this one to my bookshelf.
I loved Divergent so I tried to hold out until Allegiant comes out because I know Insurgent will be a cliff-hanger!
Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan.
 Stephen has been invisible for practically his whole life — because of a curse his grandfather, a powerful cursecaster, bestowed on Stephen’s mother before Stephen was born. So when Elizabeth moves to Stephen’s NYC apartment building from Minnesota, no one is more surprised than he is that she can see him. A budding romance ensues, and when Stephen confides in Elizabeth about his predicament, the two of them decide to dive headfirst into the secret world of cursecasters and spellseekers to figure out a way to break the curse. But things don’t go as planned, especially when Stephen’s grandfather arrives in town, taking his anger out on everyone he sees. In the end, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how big of a sacrifice they’re willing to make for Stephen to become visible — because the answer could mean the difference between life and death. At least for Elizabeth.
Status: Finally found this one in a bookshop!
This one was on my Spring TBR but I couldn't find it in any bookshop until this week!
 
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin.
 Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger. She wakes from a coma in hospital with no memory of how she got there or of the bizarre accident that caused the deaths of her best friends and her boyfriend, yet left her mysteriously unharmed. The doctors suggest that starting over in a new city, a new school, would be good for her and just to let the memories gradually come back on their own.
But Mara’s new start is anything but comforting. She sees the faces of her dead friends everywhere, and when she suddenly begins to see other people’s deaths right before they happen, Mara wonders whether she’s going crazy! And if dealing with all this wasn’t enough, Noah Shaw, the most beautiful boy she has ever seen can’t seem to leave her alone… but as her life unravels around her, Mara can’t help but wonder if Noah has another agenda altogether…
Status: Sitting on my bookshelf.
I've been meaning to read this one for months but it seems pretty 'heavy' so I saved it for summer!
 
What do you hope to read this summer?
Is it actually sunny where you are?
Much Love!
Lettie.
Xxx 

Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor, Abnegation , Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her...


I put this book off for ages- what a mistake! It lives up to the hype and more!

What I loved:
Tris-  I admired her determination and drive! At times she really frustrated me with naivety and her inability to take direction but she was genuinely a good person. I loved how supportive she could be when needed and how she honoured the actual principles of Dauntless without losing the best parts of Abnegation.
Four- What an intriguing character! Hard to discuss him without spoiling it! I loved that I was able to guess the secret and still be intrigued and surprised. I liked how Four was withdrawn and low key but knew how to command respect and always seemed to be adhering to the basic principals of Dauntless
Side Characters- I loved the side cast! All the new Dauntless initiates were so diverse and had such contrasting motivations it was interesting to see how they coped with the pressures of initiation. I especially loved how Tris interacted both the Dauntless initiates and the Transfers. I liked getting to see the Abnegation people even briefly and I liked all the little insights in to the other sections through the side characters.
Setting- The setting was heavily influenced by the concept and the plot, each section had a part of the city. I liked how Abnegation was laid out and how Tris explained how the city was laid out as a whole. I'm really intrigued by what the rest of the world is like outside of the city and how they became the way they are!
Concept- I really liked this concept of Dystopia! I liked how it was based on personality not jobs or wealth. I loved the 5 different sections- very clever personality divisions. It was all explained really well seeing as it was Tris's point of view and she only had personal experience of two of them. My friend and I spent ages discussing which section we'd be in.
Fear landscapes- I loved this idea! It was a clever way to rank the initiates and really revealed the deeper fears that everyone has. I think it also showed the true meaning of Dauntless- not the absence of fear itself but the courage to work through the fear.

What I didn't love as much:
Character decisions- I loved Tris but my gosh she was told to lie low and she just didn't! She didn't seem to have any self preservation! I also disliked some the inevitable decisions
No Principles- Some of the initiates were so ruthless and cruel and  they got away with it. Fearlessness is not cruelty!

I loved this book- I can't believe i put it off for so long! Both my friend and her dad borrowed it while we were on holiday!

Did you love Divergent?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxxx

Tuesday, 1 January 2013

Top Ten Tuesday! 2013 Reads!


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by: The Broke and the Bookish.
This week's topic: Top Ten Books I Resolve To Read In 2013
 
New Year! New books to read!
However I have a few books I didn't get around to reading last year that I don't want to forget about!
The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
I have started this one! Got distracted by Christmas!
 
Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I loved Divergent but I know Insurgent will be better
 
Crossed by Ally Condie
Crossed (Matched, #2)
No excuses now Reached is out as well!
 
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Delirium
 Requiem is out in March so I can read the series straight through no waiting!
 
In Honour by Jessi Kirby
 In Honor
Hopefully this one will come down to under £5! I sampled it and I know I will love it!
 
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks, #1) 
This one is very popular and well reviewed! I finally bit the bullet and brought it!
 
Callum and Harper by Fisher Amelie
Callum & Harper (Sleepless, #1)
I loved Thomas and January and the review was one of my most read posts!
 
Throne of Glass by Sarah.J.Maas
I will read Throne of Glass! I owe it so no excuses! 
 
 ArchEnemy by Frank Beddor
ArchEnemy (The Looking Glass Wars, #3)
I will finish The Looking Glass Wars!
 
The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines 
The Vincent Boys
I downloaded this one awhile back! I love Abbi Glines so I need to read this one!
 
This ten will not get away from me this year!
What do you want to read this year?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxxx

Monday, 31 December 2012

Best of 2012!

2012 has been a phenomenal reading year for me!
After three years of hard work and partying I regained time for reading- I've read 50 books since June!
So my last post of 2012 is a quick round up of my 2012 favourites! I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year!

Favourite Debut
I picked this one up with nothing to go by and I loved it!

Favourite Start of Series
Divergent perfectly set the scene and the action for the rest of the series- just need to read Insurgent!

Favourite Standalone
 Morgan Matson is a firm summer time must read for me! I loved all the emotions and memories in this one!
 
Unexpected Favourite
I got this one free when I preordered Sophie Kinsella's latest book- I loved it! Very rarely does a free book surpass the one you paid for!
 
Favourite All Around
Dash and Lily had everything! Humour, sweet moments, stupid moments and action!

Favourite Latecomer
One of my last books of the year and one of my favourite! I'll be reviewing it next year!

The One I Should of Read Earlier!
Everyone's been raving about The Hunger Games for ages and I eventually picked it up in June this year- should have picked it up earlier!
 
Favourite End of Series
I was so happy to finally finish Ruby's story- I've loved her neurotic ways since 2006!
 
Favourite Sequel
I loved If I Stay but Where She Went had a little more resolution and perspective! Brilliant sequel!

Favourite 'Indie' Author
A random download led me to Abbi Glines! My favourite Indie author of 2012 because her books encouraged me to try other indie authors! 
 

Favourite Author
This one was hard! Veronica Rossi wrote a beautifully crafted world, a wonderful prequel and is very interactive! I'm already scouring my local bookshops for a freak early release!


Favourite Genre
 

 Before The Hunger Games I'd had no real interest in Dystopia but now I love it! I love all the different interpretations of the world, the intriguing mysteries and the characters. Not a fan of some of the love triangles but you can't love it all!


What were your favourites of 2012?
Happy New Year!
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxxx

Monday, 12 November 2012

Monday Round Up!

 
One of my favourite memes hosted by the lovely Shelia over at Book Journey!
 
Well I had a technical fail week! My desktop now shuts itself down randomly and I had to send my laptop off for repair! Luckily I'd pre scheduled the majority of my posts but I'm behind on comments and posts are now backlogged... How typical of both the computers in my house chose the same heavy blog week to break down!
 
Reviews!
Swell by Julie Rieman Duck- My stop on the Blog Tour- Hearts!

Other posts!
Top Ten 2012 Contemporary Reads!- Pretty self explanatory post :)
Cover Reveal- Make It Last by Bethany Lopez

Read!

6 Seconds was so different than my usual read and Just For Now was worth the wait!

Reading!

I love it! So far it is everything I hoped it would be :)

What's Next!
 

Someone requested it at the Library so I need to read it fast!
 

Upcoming Posts!
Cover Comparisons- moved to this week!
 

Upcoming Blog Tours 
This week is a busy blog tour week!
6 Seconds of Life Blog Tour- Stopping here tomorrow!
Loving Summer Blog Tour- Stopping here Thursday!
Saving You, Saving Me Blog Tour- Stopping here Saturday!
 
How has your week been?
Hopefully technology didn't fail you :)
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxxx

Tuesday, 30 October 2012

Challenge Update!





As much as I hate to wish this year away 2012 is closing in on it's finish line which means I should be winding up my challenges..... Whoops!
I seem to have lost momentum despite challenge progress being one of my October goals so I'm using this update post to see where I am and what I want to read!

Aim=12! So far 6....
So I'm actually halfway through this one!
Books I should of picked up!
To Read
The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien, Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer and Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan.
Books sat on my shelf brought and unread!
To Read
Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott, Forest Born by Shannon Hale

Aim- Finish 2 series So far- *tumbleweed*
By far the least progress, even posting Top Ten Series I Haven't Finished didn't fire up progress like I hoped it would!
Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
To Read- ArchEnemy
Tales of Otori by Lian Hearn.
To Read Heaven's Net is Wide and Harsh Cry of the Heron

Dystopia 2012 Challenge
Aim=5 books *changed* 15 books. So far 8.... 
I achieved my original aim! But I set a new one so I'm hoping to reach it too!
To Read
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Crossed by Ally Condie
Reached by Ally Condie
Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Sad truth about my lack of progress is every single book in this post apart from Reached is currently in my possession whether I brought it , borrowed from a friend or the library! Just need to read them!

How are you doing with your challenges?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Monday, 1 October 2012

September Round Up!

Monthly Feature- rounds up all the books I've read, progress on challenges and reviews my blogging!
It is kind of an expansion (?) of my favourite memes hosted by the lovely Shelia over at Book Journey!
September in numbers!
Total posts= 15
Books read= 11
Books listened to= 2 ½
Reviews Posted= 5
Meme Posts= 4
Other Posts= 6
Total days spent in the UK= 12
 
What I read in September!
*Plus*
The Lost Son by Preston Norton and Tamra Torero
 
What I Reviewed!
Frozen by Mary Casanova.
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan.
Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide To Getting Girls by Tellulah Darling.
Because of Low by Abbi Glines.
Matched by Ally Condie
Stronger review month! I seem to be reviewing my books accidentally in order which is handy!
I'm hoping my scheduling will make the number of reviews a month higher and more consistent from now on..
 
What I Posted!
Reviews- A post clarifying my personal approach to reviewing.
Bloggiesta- Brilliant event which really helped me with my monthly goals! Check out my goals post to see what else I cleaned up blogwise.
Autumn TBR- What I plan on reading this season!
Cover Reveal- Check out the beautiful cover on Abbi Glines' next instalment of Sea Breeze!
Series I need to finish!- This top ten kind of works as a 'to read' list for my series challenge.
 
Did I achieve my goals?
To post 15 posts.
Just achieved this one! I think I managed it, thanks to my holiday forcing me to schedule posts in advance. However my short notice holiday stopped my hope of 8 reviews as I didn't have time to write them up and schedule them before leaving for France.
To improve the standard of this blog.
I think I've achieved this one but it's an ongoing process. My review policy is clear and concise. My ratings system has made me think more about my reviews, which I hope has made them better. Bloggiesta gave me the chance to improve it further with the mini challenges.
To learn more about blog design.
I've tried but I think this goal will take longer than a month! The Bloggiesta mini challenges were so helpful for this one so it's an ongoing process.
 
 

What I hope to achieve in October!
  • To blog to a schedule.- I created a proper blog schedule for bloggiesta which I will be posting later, I'm hoping to keep to it in order to give this blog a clearly defined structure and reliability.
  • To make progress on my challenges.- I've been slacking on the majority of my challenges, in particular finishing the series. I'm hoping to make a lot more progress in October.
  • To post two non meme/review posts.- This was originally last month's goal until I realised I wouldn't be able to write them up before going away! I've got a least one written up ready so hopefully this will be an easy goal!
  • To tweet every blog post.- I used to do this all the time and it generated a lot of traffic! Need to get back into the habit.
September was an odd blogging month as I was away for the majority of the month so I wasn't actively blogging! I will be posting my Bloggiesta wrap up with my schedule so hopefully this month will be run smoothly!

How was your September blog/book/life wise?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx