Saturday, January 31, 2015

January Wrap Up!

   

Greetings!   


 January was one of the slowest book months I've had in forever. I know that I had my blogiversary at the beginning of the month, but my exams blurred everything out. Dang are exams stressful, especially when one of your exams involve a class you're struggling in. Oh well, I'm done till June now.
   Besides having the dread of exams and final projects the last few weeks, I got some fabulous news on Twitter! My name is in the paperback of Cress by Marissa Meyer! Or rather my blog is! If you look at the top piece of Cress's hair, you'll see Ohana Reads right before the first ribbon. Because I wasn't able to head out and about to get myself a copy, I got a pic of the blogger page from my lovely friend Becca from Pivot Book Review. If you happen to stubble upon a paperback copy of Cress, then I'd be happy to sign by my blog name! Ha! 
  I also got to hang out with some of my bookish friends over a Tim's date this week(DeathByFeelz), I lent them my copy of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. The one currently reading it is already going crazy with the fabulousness of it. I hope I didn't ruin her! 
  On to even more happier news, my birthday is at the end of the month! I don't know if I'll do anything to celebrate yet, but I'm sure if I do I'll have it planned out soon!
   Finally for this months wrap up! I've decided that I want to introduce everyone to one of my all time favourite book series! This series is older then me, so a bunch of you might not have heard about it. It just hasn't been a popular series lately. Either way I think I'm going to plan a Read a Long or Readathon for the series for the end of February! I'm super excited for it, I haven't read the series in forever and I thought it was definitely time for a re read! ( As you can see, I'm trying to keep the series a secret till later!) More information about the Readalong should be up sometime in the next week or so..
  That's it for this month! I can't wait for February! I Love to Read month is an all time favourite of mine, so I know February is just going to be the best!
   Now for the bookish stats! 


Books Read in January:




February Releases I'm Excited For: 



Book Haul for January:




Books Reviewed:




   That's all for this month! Yay for February!




Thursday, January 29, 2015

Book Blitz: A Cold Legacy by Megan Shepherd


Hey!

   So a couple of you may have noticed in my last post, I was in a bit of a hiatus. I was super busy for the past two weeks with exams and final projects. I guess at one point I had signed up for this amazing book blitz but ended up forgetting to post it! So feeling bad that I broke a promise to have it up for the 27th, I decided to post it today! I hope you guys don't mind, and I hope you guys end up enjoying The Madman's Daughter!


   If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Megan Shepherd, be sure to check out all the details below.


   This blast also includes a giveaway for a signed copy of the book and swag courtesy of Megan and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

A Cold Legacy by Megan Sheperd


Release Date: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins
Series: The Madman's Daughter #3
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages



Description from GoodReads:


   After killing the men who tried to steal her father’s research, Juliet—along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward—has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet’s secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor’s own walls.

   Then Juliet uncovers the truth about the manor’s long history of scientific experimentation—and her own intended role in it—forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. And she must decide if she’ll follow her father’s dark footsteps or her mother’s tragic ones, or whether she’ll make her own.

   With inspiration from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this breathless conclusion to the Madman’s Daughter trilogy is about the things we’ll sacrifice to save those we love—even our own humanity. 



p.21-24



   Montgomery stopped the horses outside a tavern. He came to the carriage door, opening it just a crack to keep the rain from drenching us. “I’m going to ask directions. We can’t be far now.”

   We watched him saunter over the muddy street as though he didn’t even feel the bite of freezing rain. A face appeared in the tavern window. The door opened and he spoke to a woman in a wool dress for a few moments, then stomped back through the mud. “This village is called Quick,” he told us. “The manor’s only five miles from here.”

   “Did you hear that?” Lucy murmured to Edward, still stroking his hair. “We’re almost there. Just hold on. Everything will be all right once we arrive.”

   Montgomery’s eyes shifted to me. Neither of us wanted to remind Lucy that the prospect of Edward’s fever breaking—and the Beast’s reappearance—was almost more frightening than the fever itself. Delirious, he was less of a threat.

   “Let’s go then,” I whispered to Montgomery. “And quickly.”

   He closed the door and in another moment we were moving again, passing through the rest of Quick. Then all too soon the village was nothing but fading lights. The storm grew and the road became rougher, and all the while Edward’s eyes rolled back and forth beneath shuttered lids.

   Thunder struck close by, and Lucy shrieked. Montgomery whipped the horses harder, pulling us along the uneven road impossibly fast, trying to outrun the storm. I twisted in the seat to look out the back window at the pelting rain. A stone fence ran alongside us.

   “We must be getting close,” I said.
   “Not soon enough,” Lucy breathed. “We’re going to crash if he keeps driving like this!”
   The road widened, straightening, letting us travel even faster. Lightning struck close by, blinding me. The horses bolted. Lucy screamed and covered her eyes, but I couldn’t tear mine away. The lightning had struck an enormous oak tree, twisted from centuries of wind. The oak took flame, blazing despite the rain. A smoking gash ran down the trunk—the lightning’s death mark. I watched until the rain put out most of the flames, but it still smoldered, billowing hot ash into the night.
   The horses pawed the earth, and I grabbed the window to steady myself. At this wild speed, just hitting a single rock at the wrong angle would send the carriage shattering to the ground. It was madness to go so fast. Couldn’t Montgomery calm the horses?
   Just when I feared the carriage would careen out of control, it stopped short, throwing me against the opposite wall. I tangled in Lucy’s limbs as the chains around Edward’s body clinked. Balthazar grunted, jerking awake at last. We scrambled in the bottom of the carriage until the door flew open.
Montgomery stood in the pelting rain. I feared he’d say we’d broken another strut or the horses had gone lame or we’d have to spend the night in the harsh storm.
   But then I saw the lights behind him, and the night took shape into a turreted stone manor with bright lamps blazing and gargoyles on the roof vomiting rain into a stone courtyard.
   Montgomery’s eyes met mine beneath the low brim of his hat.
   “We’ve arrived,” he said.



   Hello! 

   I’ve been many things, like a professional exchange student, park ranger in Montana, and LOST enthusiast, but what I am now is a writer.

   I think it’s fair to say I was born into it. I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina, raised behind the counter of my parents’ independent bookstore, Highland Books in Brevard. Ah, so many free books. But I never thought being a writer could be a real career. After college I thought I’d end up as a foreign service officer somewhere dashing and exotic, like Canada. I studied French, Spanish, German, and Russian and still speak a few of those. Then I joined the Peace Corps and spent two years in Senegal, where I learned a few more languages I’ll never speak again and lived in a mud hut with no electricity or running water. You can probably imagine how that experience went, but if you’re curious, here are the dirty details. 

   It wasn't until a chance aquaintance read something I wrote and said, "have you ever considered being a writer?" that something clicked and I realized it was possible. My husband encouraged me, and I quickly fell head-over-heels in love with writing and children's literature in particular. I started out writing articles, which have appeared in Faces, Appleseeds, and Calliope magazines, and stories for younger children. I soon realized I wasn’t sweet enough to write fiction for that age and found myself writing young adult literature instead, which doesn’t require nearly as many tender moments and includes a lot more cursing.

   When I'm not writing, I can usually be found horseback riding, day dreaming at coffee shops, or hiking in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. I love to hear from readers, so please drop me a line!

   I am represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary.
Author Photo by Kristi Hedberg Photography.






Giveaway Details:


   1 winner will receive a signed copy of A COLD LEGACY and swag! US Only.
Ends on February 6th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


   Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy A Cold Legacy!



Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday (28)


Salt & Stone

Author: Victoria Scott
Fire & Flood #2
Scholastic Press
Expected: February 24th, 2015


Description from GoodReads:


   What would you do to save someone you love?

   In Fire & Flood, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

   But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

   The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

Why I Want It:


   Victoria ended the first book in the series ( Fire & Flood) beautifully, leaving me wanting to know what happens next! I'm dying to know who will win! Or if something snaps and suddenly everything changes? I love Victoria's books starting with her Dante Walker series, everything of hers is gold. Gold I tell you.

Why You Should Want It:


   This series is another set of games that will somewhat resemble The Hunger Games, but let me tell you. The Fire & Flood series gives Hunger Games a run for its money. Fans of action, sci-fi and races will be tripping over their feet for this series! 


   That's my waiting on Wednesday for this week! Will you be picking up Salt & Stone? What are you waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments!




Thursday, January 22, 2015

Another Hiatus *Sigh*

Hey everybody!
   I'm just stopping by to let you guys know that I won't be posting anything or have anything scheduled until next Wednesday, January 28th. As some of you may have noticed I have been missing a few postings, that is because my exams are going on right now leading up till next week. Along with last minute projects due, I am jam packed. So until next Wednesday, don't expect anything from me really. You'll still be able to get a hold of me, but blog wise I'm going to be a no show. Thank you all for understanding. I'll be back up again after exams and better then ever!

   Thanks again! 




Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday (27)


The Return

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Titan #1
Spencer Hill Press
Expected: February 17th, 2015


Description from GoodReads:


  The Fates are cackling their bony asses off…

   It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody–which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet.


   Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her.


   But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.


   Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.


Why I Want It:


   Having adored both the Lux series and The Dark Elements by JLA I have made her a must read author, I must read everything. This would be my first NA of Jennifer's, but never the less I'm excited anyhow!


Why You Should Want It:


   GREEK MYTHOLOGY. Who can't get enough of those stories? JLA! Everyone should love her books at this point, if not you obviously should check them out! And finally, shirtless hotties! 



   That's my waiting on Wednesday for this week! Will you be picking up The Return? What are you waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments!




Friday, January 16, 2015

Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: September 2nd, 2014
Read: January 7th- 13th, 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Series: Throne of Glass #2
Format: Paperback, 448 pages
Source: Gifted


Description from GoodReads:


   Celaena Sardothien is the king's Champion—yet she is far from loyal to the crown, for the man she serves is bent on evil. But working against her master in secret is no easy task. As Celaena tries to untangle the mysteries buried within the glass castle, she can trust no one, not even her supposed allies Crown Prince Dorian, Captain of the Guard Chaol, and foreign princess Nehemia.

   Then, an unspeakable tragedy shatters Celaena's world. She must decide once and for all where her loyalties lie . . . and whom she will fight for. 


Review:


   Does your love for yourself know no bounds?
   I was not a huge fan of Throne of Glass, I had heard the raving from friends and bloggers. Sarah was going to be at YALLFest 2014, so I bought the first one anyway. Knowing what everyone said about Crown of Midnight, on how the series got even better with each book I decided to give it a chance. The second chance might also have to do with the fact that I adored Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses but who knows.....
   Crown of Midnight started off right where Throne of Glass left off, so we didn't miss a single thing. It also made it easier for people who hadn't read Throne of Glass in a while to quickly remember what had happened.
   I love Celaena Sardothien, her character is fabulous. Bad things have happened to her, but she never let anything bring her down. Rather she embraced it and learned to become a better person and not allow any more harm to come to her. I'm truly glad that she got her bit of happiness and romance in this sequel, even if it was only for a brief while. I hope to see that romance happen again in the third, fourth and anymore books to come.
   So many secrets were unraveled that it was all so much that when you finally took it all in, all you could say was, "woah." Maas untangles all Celaena's secrets and feelings so beautifully that you wouldn't have thought that Celaena had any secrets in the first place. Not to mention that when you finally heard them, you just thought they were fitting for Celaena.
   Once I started Crown of Midnight I couldn't put it down, Heir of Fire will have to be one of the next books I read. I just hope that it doesn't pull me to shreds like Crown of Midnight did. Then The Assassin's Blade will be next!


Rating:





Favourite Quote:


"The best lies were always mixed with truth."


Recommend to People Who Enjoy:


Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance, High Fantasy, Magic, Fae 





Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

The Red Queen

Author: Victoria Aveyard
Red Queen #1
Orion
Expected: February 10th, 2015



Description from GoodReads:


   The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

   To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

   Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

   But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?


Why I Want It:


   Red Queen is a mush of fabulous. When I first heard of Red Queen, it was all the rage on Twitter. Aveyard having gotten a 3 book deal, and being option for movie all before we even saw the cover for the book! You'd think it'd have to be a pretty great book for it to all happen at once right? Right! Once again all my blogger friends are all in love with Red Queen, a bunch have said they know it's going to be their favourite for 2015 already! Definitely need a copy of Red Queen in my hands ASAP.


Why You Should Want It:


   If you actually read what I said above then you obviously know the reasons why you should check out Red Queen!



   That's my Waiting on Wednesday for this week! Will you being picking up The Red Queen? What are you waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments!





Sunday, January 11, 2015

Movie Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Mockingjay

(Contains Spoilers)


Movie:

Film Corporation: Lionsgate
Released to Theatres: November 21nd, 2014
Audience Rating: PG13
Length of Time: 123 minutes
Director: Francis Lawrence


Book:

Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: August 24th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 390 pages


Movie Review:


  Ms. Everdeen, it's the things we love most that destroy us.
   Catching Fire was one of my favourite YA adaptions of all time, so you can understand my excitement when Mockingjay was finally in theatres. I was rather disappointed with it to be honest, it just wasn't one of my favourites. Then again I also didn't enjoy Mockingjay as a book, but I still had high hopes especially after Catching Fire.
   I had two major concerns about Mockingjay, the first and top one being that the movie was basically Katniss and Snow messaging each other back and fourth. Actually that's exactly what it was. Just saying that was a pretty decent sum up of the movie.
    The second concern I had for the book was that Annie was supposed to be unstable. Even from the brief moments that we saw her in the book it was obvious that she wasn't. The question now is, will they fix it for Part 2?
   Overall the movie did hold my attention and I still had a good time watching it. No matter what I say, I'm still rather excited for Part 2. I hope Mockingjay Part 2 turns out better then this one did.
   Mockingjay Part 2 hits theatres November 20th, 2015.



Overall Rating:


Favourite Scene:


   My favourite scene from the movie was after the attack at District 13 and Katniss went above to shoot a message to show the capital that they were still living and found the white roses. The acting Jennifer Lawrence did in that scene was phenomenal.



Favourite Quote:


" Are you coming to the tree? ~ Katniss


Recommend to People Who Enjoy: 


Adventure, Sci-Fi, Action, Dystopian, Rebellion 



  What did you think of the movie? Let me know in the comments!




Friday, January 9, 2015

Ohana Reads Most Anticipated Books of Early 2015



   Just like everyone else, I have a huge list of books that I'm excited for in 2015. So today I have for you 15 of my top anticipated books releasing from January to June. Most books after July don't have covers yet! So I'll do another anticipated post in June or July. I currently have ARCs of two of these books, and have yet to read one of them but I am going to read the next one very soon! Out of the two ARCs I have the one I read, A Court of Thorns and Roses is to die for!



   Those are my most anticipated books for early 2015! What are yours? Let me know here or on Twitter!