Ohana Reads

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Every Last Word

Tamara Ireland Stone

Disney-Hyperion

Expected: June 16th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

Why I Want It:

I've heard nothing but good things about Every Last Word, enough to make me really want to read it. I'm not a big fan of contemporary, but I'm excited to give this one a try!

Monday, June 8, 2015

Book Review: Crash by Eve Silver

Release Date: June 9th, 2015

Read: June 2nd-3rd, 2015

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Series: The Game, #3

Format: ARC, 368 pages

Source: From McNally Robinson in exchange for an honest review for their Two Thumbs Up program

Description from GoodReads:

Miki’s life is falling apart around her. Her dad and best friend are lying in the hospital. The Game is glitching, making missions more frequent and more deadly. And someone close to her is waiting for the right moment to betray her.

Miki feels like she’s hanging on by a thread and the only thing keeping her tethered is Jackson’s hand in hers. Yet telling him how much she needs him, how much she loves him, feels like the biggest challenge of all. And if Miki really wants the missions to end for everyone, she’ll have to let go and be ready to fight when the walls between the Game and reality come crashing down. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that she’s got a whole lot left to lose.

Review:

You always have a choice.
I had won Rush, the first book in the series, in spring 2014. I didn't have a chance to read it until the September after, and I couldn't put it down. Immediately after, I RUShed (Pun intended), to the library to pick up Push, the second book in the series. Though I didn't enjoy Push as much as I did Rush, I was still looking forward to Crash.
Crash was a slow read for me, while I went through it like a breeze the story itself was going nowhere. The book constantly felt like I was being pulled back and fourth between "The Game" and a major occurrence that happened at the end of Push. That was basically the book for me, because Silver didn't even do anything with the two events so the storyline went no where.
The book introduced a bunch of new things that I felt were unnecessary to the plot, sort of like Silver didn't have an idea of where the storyline should go so she just threw something together. Not to mention how the series ending didn't end up making sense at all and could be seen as confusing.
The storyline may have not been for me, but Silver sure does have a nice writing style. I'm not sure if I would have finished the book if it was otherwise.
Rush had great potential for me, even when the rest of the series didn't, even though I didn't enjoy the series overall I'm still glad I read Rush.

You can find my review on McNally Robinson's Two Thumbs Up review page here.

Rating:

Favourite Quotes:

"Depression is something I fight off. Happiness is something I fight for.

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Dystopian, Fantasy, Aliens, Video Games, Survival

Friday, June 5, 2015

Book Review: The Heir by Kiera Cass

Release Date: May 5th, 2015

Read: May 13-14th, 2015

Publisher: Harper Teen

Series: The Selection, #4

Format: Paperback, 352 pages, International Edition

Source: Bought

Description from GoodReads:

Princess Eadlyn has grown up hearing endless stories about how her mother and father met. Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won the heart of Prince Maxon—and they lived happily ever after. Eadlyn has always found their fairy-tale story romantic, but she has no interest in trying to repeat it. If it were up to her, she'd put off marriage for as long as possible.

But a princess's life is never entirely her own, and Eadlyn can't escape her very own Selection—no matter how fervently she protests.

Eadlyn doesn't expect her story to end in romance. But as the competition begins, one entry may just capture Eadlyn's heart, showing her all the possibilities that lie in front of her . . . and proving that finding her own happily ever after isn't as impossible as she's always thought.

Review:

I only have one heart, and I'm saving it.

When I heard there was going to be a fourth book in the Selection series, I was ecstatic. As much as I loved the ending to The One I still felt as if they still had a few loose ends to fix up. So this was perfect! Along with the idea of meeting Maxon and America's kids, I was 100% in.
Eadlyn is not her mother. If you went into The Heir believing that they'd practically be the same person then you probably didn't enjoy the book as much. Or well that's the feel I got from the book and my sister anyway. We both went into the book with different expectations and that's how it turned out. I loved that Eadlyn was so different compared to her mother, looks and personality wise. I had loved Queen Amberly, and was deeply saddened when she passed in the third book so when Kiera described Eadlyn as a doppleganger to Amberly it felt like we got her back in some ways.
I loved the stand Eadlyn took when she went through with The Selection, I understood why she could have looked a bit heartless. But honestly, with this Selection it was different and I'm glad Kiera treated it this way. Even with guards everywhere, the selected could have easily taken advantage of Eadlyn if she didn't stand up for herself. Kiera even makes a point of this in an event in the book. So to me a headstrong princess wasn't the worst thing.
You'd think after reading The Heir everyone would have one guy they were rooting for, but I am at a crossroads. Honestly, I'm enjoying this group of selected better then I did with the original trilogy, and noooo it's not because they were gorgeous. With the original Selection the king and his people selected the girls for Maxon themselves rather then Eadlyn randomly picking hers. So this time they didn't have any political feelings to them, which was really nice, the group felt really diverse to me.
I could probably go on forever about my feelings for The Heir, but I'll just let you see for yourself when you read it!
I will 100% be picking up the sequel to The Heir, or rather the fifth book in the series when it releases. I am to deep into the series to have any chance of giving up now, especially with THAT CLIFFHANGER AHHHH.

P.S At this point I have one real theory about the book, I think Kile's sister put his name in the Selection. She's just seems like the sort of person to do that.

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

"When we met, you couldn't stop staring at my breasts. Make sure you get an equally satisfactory look at my backside as you leave." ~ Eadlyn

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Science Fiction, Royalty, Romance, Dystopia, Princesses

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday: (42)

Crash

Eve Silver

The Game, #3

Katherine Tegen Books

Expected: June 9th, 2015

Description from GoodReads:

Why I Want It:

I've been dying to read Crash since I finished Push last October, it left us with a bunch of cliff hangers, I just need to know how everything plans out!
Real life 'video games', aliens, and so much more. I can't wait to see what Silver has in store for us now!

Sunday, May 31, 2015

May Wrap Up!

Hey Y'all!

So this month was once again a busy one, and I count on the first half of June being the same. For July and August everything should be back to normal again. Either way I had a bunch of exciting stuff happen this month!

This month I died in Ikea. Yup you read that right, I died in a Ikea. Adi Alsaid participated this month in Twitter Fiction Fest and used me in his story by killing me off! Let me tell you, when you forget that you signed up to die and start getting interesting tweets on Twitter, you become a little panicked LOL. Overall it was a fun time! You can read Adi's story here!

BEA was this month! Unfortunately I was not there this year but I will be heading to Chicago for next year! I will finally get to meet some of my close friends from online. Seeing everything that went on this month just made me all that more excited for next year! You know how I designed Adi Alsaids bookmarks? Well a bunch of those were handed out at BEA too! So it was exciting to see them in pictures!

And finally A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Heir released this month! I'd already read ACOTAR in January and ADORED it but It was fantastic to see everyone else love it as well.

That was it for this month! I hope your month went as well as mine did!

Now for the bookish stats!

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Book Review: Rogue by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: April 28th, 2015

Read: May 9-13th, 2015

Publisher: HarlequinTeen

Series: Talon, #2

Format: Hardcover, 464 pages

Source: Bought

Description from GoodReads:

Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant.

Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George.

A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?

Review:

Relax, oh paranoid one. I doubt there'll be Talon agents hiding in the potted plants.
I think I've come to the conclusion that this series is just not for me. I know I loved every other piece of work that Kagawa's produced, but something with this one just bothers me waaaay too much. The series just had too much of a rebelling/Government overthrowing feel rather then a dragon feel, and at this point I just can't stand those anymore. I've had my fill of them for a long time.
Rogue had some of the same problems Talon did, like Riley. We got to know him a lot more in Rogue and one thing that I noticed was his age. The book kept having chapters where we'd go back in time and see Riley as a Basilisk, like 12 years back. If Riley was a 'hatchling' then that would have made him at least 15-16, adding the additional 12 years that would make Riley 27/28 years old. This means a 27/28 year old has feelings for a 15/16 year old. I am not okay with this, this screams pedophile in my book. Even if dragons lived longer and age wasn't much of a difference, this was definitely a nope for me. This along with the 'inner dragon' urges, I just couldn't find myself truly enjoying the book.
Ember in Rogue came off as a immature little girl, and honestly I felt sad that she was written like this for Rogue. In Talon at least she had the sense to know when not to do something or if it was too dangerous. In this one she was just a mess. Nope, I could have done without her character.
Where Rogue did have some problems for me, it was still a fantastically written book. Kagawa knows how to keep her viewers interested, even when you utterly despise two of the three main characters.
This series may not be for me, but I'm at the point where I'm too invested in the series that I just have to continue it. I will be picking up Soldier when it releases.

Rating:

Favourite Quote:

" A flame that burns twice as bright lasts half as long." ~ Riley

Recommend to People Who Enjoy:

Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Dragons, Hunters, Shapeshifters, Overthrowing Governments

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Book Blitz: The Notorious Pagan Jones by Nina Berry

A huge fan of Historical Fiction and YA? Then do I have the Book Blitz for you! Today I am hosting the Release Day Celebration for The Notorious Pagan Jones by Nina Berry! I'm super excited for this one and I hope after today you will be too!

The Notorious Pagan Jones by Nina Berry

Release Date: May 26th, 2015

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Series: Pagan Jones, #1

Format: Hardcover, 400 pages

Description from GoodReads:

Pagan Jones went from America's sweetheart to fallen angel in one fateful night in 1960: the night a car accident killed her whole family. Pagan was behind the wheel and driving drunk. Nine months later, she's stuck in the Lighthouse Reformatory for Wayward Girls and tortured by her guilt—not to mention the sadistic Miss Edwards, who takes special delight in humiliating the once-great Pagan Jones.

But all of that is about to change. Pagan's old agent shows up with a mysterious studio executive, Devin Black, and an offer. Pagan will be released from juvenile detention if she accepts a juicy role in a comedy directed by award-winning director Bennie Wexler. The shoot starts in West Berlin in just three days. If Pagan's going to do it, she has to decide fast—and she has to agree to a court-appointed "guardian," the handsome yet infuriating Devin, who's too young, too smooth, too sophisticated to be some studio flack.

The offer's too good to be true, Berlin's in turmoil and Devin Black knows way too much about her—there's definitely something fishy going on. But if anyone can take on a divided city, a scheming guardian and the criticism of a world that once adored her, it's the notorious Pagan Jones. What could go wrong?

Praise for Pagan Jones:

“With a hint of Hollywood glam, mystery, and a time period unique to the YA genre, Berry treats readers to a can’t-miss story. She finds a winner in Pagan, a Marilyn Monroe-like teen actress with a tale that will appeal to younger and older fans alike.” – RT Book Reviews

“Well paced historical thriller. Scary in all the right places…” – Kirkus Reviews

“Pagan Jones, though, is nobody’s pawn. This is a well-plotted balance of Hollywood glitter and international political conspiracies during the Cold War, and the historical backdrop is meticulously set. Pagan is a smart, charismatic heroine given depth by her struggles with alcoholism.” – Booklist

“Berry’s noirish writing blends the blinding spotlight of Hollywood, the sexy world of espionage, and real-life events to create a fast-paced spy thriller” – Publisher’s Weekly

Writer, crypt-explorer, bodysufer, Nina Berry is the author of THE NOTORIOUS PAGAN JONES and the OTHERKIN series. Born in Honolulu, she now writes books for teens from her secret lair in Hollywood.