Monday, December 30, 2019

Highly Anticipated Books for 2020: My Ambitious Year

So, let's start this post with the most obvious fact: I have WAY more than 20 books I'm anticipating this year (as do you, amiright!?). But alas, I'm choosing to go the super cool girl route and narrow it down to a mere 20 (for 2020..duh). So I went ahead and choose 10 adult and 10 YA titles. Here are the contenders (in no particular order):

(NOTE: as always, clicking on covers will lead you to that books Goodreads page!)



Sunday, December 29, 2019

Favourite Reads of 2019: An Ode to Words

DEAR FAVOURITE READS OF 2019,

There aren't many ways to truly thank a book for it's contribution to your soul. Yes, you can thank the author for writing it, tweet and Instagram about it, and recommend the heck out of it to every person walking by, but is it enough!? Never. It is never enough. So this is just another way I'm falling short of truly expressing my gratitude to the great books I read this year. Here's to you, you beautifully bounded captors of my heart, here's to you a million times over.

In no particular order, here are my top 14 books of the year. These are books I either gave 4 or 5 stars to (but stars, schmars, right? THESE BOOKS GOT ME RIGHT IN THE HEART AREA):


Thursday, December 12, 2019

REVIEW: Hands Up by Stephen Clark

Title: Hands Up
Author: Stephen Clark
Genre: Adult Crime Fiction
Publisher: WiDo Publishing
Release Date: September 28, 2019
Acquired: Hardcopy sent for review
Goodreads: ADD

Officer Ryan Quinn, a rookie raised in a family of cops, is on the fast track to detective until he shoots an unarmed black male. Now, with his career, reputation and freedom on the line, he embarks on a quest for redemption that forces him to confront his fears and biases and choose between conscience or silence.

Jade Wakefield is an emotionally damaged college student living in one of Philadelphia’s worst neighborhoods. She knows the chances of getting an indictment against the cop who killed her brother are slim. When she learns there’s more to the story than the official police account, Jade is determined, even desperate, to find out what really happened. She plans to get revenge by any means necessary.

Kelly Randolph, who returns to Philadelphia broke and broken after abandoning his family ten years earlier, seeks forgiveness while mourning the death of his son. But after he’s thrust into the spotlight as the face of the protest movement, his disavowed criminal past resurfaces and threatens to derail the family’s pursuit of justice.

Ryan, Jade, and Kelly--three people from different worlds—are on a collision course after the shooting, as their lives interconnect and then spiral into chaos.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

REVIEW: Thirteen Doorways Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby

Title: Thirteen Doorways Wolves Behind Them All
Author: Laura Ruby
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal/Historical
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Acquired: Library borrow
Goodreads: ADD

The unforgettable story of two young women—one living, one dead—dealing with loss, desire, and the fragility of the American dream during WWII.

When Frankie’s mother died and her father left her and her siblings at an orphanage in Chicago, it was supposed to be only temporary—just long enough for him to get back on his feet and be able to provide for them once again. That’s why Frankie's not prepared for the day that he arrives for his weekend visit with a new woman on his arm and out-of-state train tickets in his pocket.

Now Frankie and her sister, Toni, are abandoned alongside so many other orphans—two young, unwanted women doing everything they can to survive.

And as the embers of the Great Depression are kindled into the fires of World War II, and the shadows of injustice, poverty, and death walk the streets in broad daylight, it will be up to Frankie to find something worth holding on to in the ruins of this shattered America—every minute of every day spent wondering if the life she's able to carve out will be enough.

I will admit I do not know the answer. But I will be watching, waiting to find out.

That’s what ghosts do.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

REVIEW: Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Title: Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1)
Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre: Young Adult - Dystopia/Sci-Fi
Publisher: Simon & Schuster - Books for Young Readers
Release Date: November 22, 2016
Acquired: Purchased for my collection
Goodreads: ADD

Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Monday, October 14, 2019

REVIEW: Recursion by Blake Crouch

Title: Recursion
Author: Blake Crouch
Genre: Science Fiction - Time Travel
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Release Date: March 3, 2020
Acquired: Borrowed ecopy from library
Goodreads: ADD

Memory makes reality.

That’s what New York City cop Barry Sutton is learning as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.

That's what neuroscientist Helena Smith believes. It’s why she’s dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious memories. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent.

As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face-to-face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease—a force that attacks not just our minds but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.

But how can they make a stand when reality itself is shifting and crumbling all around them?

Friday, May 10, 2019

BLOG TOUR: National Geographic Complete Guide to Pet Health, Behavior, and Happiness: The Veterinarian's Approach to At-Home Animal Care by Gary Gary Weitzman

Title: National Geographic Complete Guide to Pet Health, Behavior, and Happiness
Author: Gary Weitzman
Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher: National Geographic
Release Date: April 2, 2019
Acquired: Print copy received for review
Goodreads: ADD

In National Geographic's comprehensive and easy-to-use illustrated pet reference, a renowned veterinarian offers expert advice on common health, behavior, and training for cats, dogs, and other domestic pets.

Combining first aid, medical reference, and tips and tricks of the trade, here is your go-to-guide for at-home animal care, focusing on dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and more! Building on more than two decades of veterinary experience, Dr. Gary Weitzman covers topics including upset stomachs, house training, physical ailments and behavior tips. The president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society and former co-host of the weekly NPR show The Animal House, "Dr. Gary" brings a wealth of experience to essential veterinary questions, revealing basic first-aid techniques, when a trip to the vet is necessary, dietary recommendations, simple training techniques, necessary supplies, essential behavior cues, and much more.


Monday, April 1, 2019

BLOG TOUR: What She Gave Away by Catherine RIggs

Title: What She Gave Away
Author: Catherine Riggs
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Acquired: Print copy received for review
Goodreads: ADD

Revenge is anything but sweet in this twisty thriller about two women with very different lives locked in the same deadly game.

Imagining the best way to destroy a person’s happiness is Crystal Love’s favorite game. Devious and unpolished, the plus-sized loan analyst couldn’t be more out of place in her new town of Santa Barbara, where the beautifully manicured women never age and the ocean views stretch farther than the million-dollar lawns. And yet her eye for the power dynamics at play in this tony community is dead accurate.

Kathi Wright, on the other hand, has made it her life’s work to fit in with the plastic people who surround her. But when her husband—a wealthy bank president—dies suddenly, she’s left with nothing. Then the FBI shows up, asking questions she can’t answer and freezing assets she once took for granted.


While Kathi struggles to outrun the mess caused by her husband’s mysterious death, Crystal seems focused on her game. But why? And who are her targets?

Spanning two years and told in Crystal’s and Kathi’s alternating voices, this tautly plotted novel reveals the power of choice and the price of revenge.


Sunday, January 6, 2019

January 2019 Reading (Challenges & TBR)

JANUARY READING

In order to keep myself on track, I'll be making a monthly post detailing my TBR pile for the month. This will include the books I've chosen for my reading challenges, approved eARCs/review copies, and book club picks.

The reading challenge books I chose will be set in motion by the Pick-A-Theme Reading Challenge by She's Got Books on Her Mind. The theme I pick for each month will need to be present in all of the books for that particular month.


THEME THIS MONTH: COLD

(books will contain a cold-hearted individual as one of the main or secondary characters, will be a non-fiction book detailing cold-hearted acts/people/topics, or be set in a cold climate/have a cold atmosphere)

Thursday, January 3, 2019

43 Highly Anticipated Books of 2019 (Goodreads)

HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!

Last year felt like it would never end, and that was made worse by the fact that I had my worst reading year to date. Life most certainly threw me some lemons (amongst other things), and reading, unfortunately, took a backseat to all of that madness. Like most of my fellow obsessive book readers, reading plays the role of an escape, a balm to the trials of life—it can feel like the one thing they can always turn to for some happiness and positivity. At least that's what it's always felt like to me, and I hate that I forgot that during my worst and lowest times. But anyway...

I'm BACK! And I'm ready to delve back into the flurry and deliriously satisfying world of reading and reviewing. Of researching new finds, and clearing TBRs of already owned books. Of finishing reading challenges and cheering on my fellow readers on their own journeys! I can't believe I let myself stray so far away from something that made me so content *sigh.

To kick off my 2019 posts, I thought I'd list the books I already own and plan to read off of Goodreads' recent post of 43 Highly Anticipated Books of 2019. I also listed the one that I'M most looking forward to from each category.