Chuyển đến nội dung chính

My faves!

2014  has already come and gone and I have yet to share with you my favorite reads of the year. For those who don’t follow me on social media, the answer as to why is simple: I was dying of the plague. Okay, not really. I REALLY had the flu. And not just one. I had TWO different strands. So for my Christmas vacation, I spent 16 days in bed. Sleeping. Barely moving. Barely reading—which is the real tragedy. But now that we have enjoyed a full two weeks of 2015, let me share with you my favorite reads of 2014. First, I met my Goodreads goal of 115 books. As a matter of fact, I didn’t meet it—I spanked it. By year’s end I read 144 books (mostly YA and mysteries). I really like rounded up numbers, so I am bummed I didn’t reach 145, but hey, since I spanked my original goal, I will take it. Of those 144 boys, below I am sharing with you 15 of my favorite tween/YA reads in no particular order. Enjoy! ‘The Impossible Knife of Memory’ – Laurie Halse Anderson      I did...

The Secret

Review: 'Time Between Us'



Title and author: Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9781423159568    
Publisher:Disney-Hyperion
Source: NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett has the unique ability to travel through time and space, which brings him into Anna’s life, and with him a new world of adventure and possibility.

As their relationship deepens, the two face the reality that time may knock Bennett back to where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, Time Between Us is a stunning, spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new voice in YA fiction.

My Thoughts:

First let me say that this is one of my favorite reads of 2012 – seriously. I could not put this book down.

What drove this book were the character development as well as plot. Stone is spot on in the way she brings readers into the fold of her plot, enveloping us with intrigue and suspense. Who is Bennett? What does he want from Anna? And how will the author end this novel?!

The characters of Anna and Bennett are developed nicely, with a pace that will keep readers satisfied. There was not a moment in the novel where I thought, “Can we just get there already?!” Stone took care to make sure to give readers a taste of what they needed while still keeping them in the dark, craving more pages, and more interaction between Anna and Bennett. At least, this was true for me. Anna and Bennett are truly what drove the story for me. Their on-page chemistry had me melting into the pages, feeling as if I was standing with them, experiencing the moments - and revelations - with them.

The plot itself was carefully constructed and revealed – not giving too much at any one time, but still allowing me to “guess” where she would take me next. I loved the idea that the plot itself felt plausible. Really truly plausible. I have read several novels with time travel that I love, but this was the first for me that had me thinking that Stone might be on to something, and had me questioning whether or not she had a Bennett of her own.

As a whole, this is a solid YA debut. This novel will appeal to those who love a good love story that is not overly mushy. Mushy can be good, but it would not have served justice in this particular novel.

I recommend Time Between Us to all readers of YA – and with Christmas coming up and a need for presents, this should definitely find its way under a Christmas tree.

Still not sure? Here's the author pitching her book to you as well:

Bài đăng phổ biến từ blog này

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine .  It’s designed for bloggers to spotlight the upcoming releases that they simply can’t wait to read. This week my choice is one that I am sure many of you have. I’ve seen it all over Twitter, and my interest is piqued. Title: 'The 5 th Wave' Author: Rick Yancey Publisher: Putnam Juvenile Release Date: 7 May 2013 Summary (from Goodreads ) : After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or ...

Review: A Snicker of Magic

First, let me say that if a cover has a large ice cream cone on it, dibs are I am going to pick it up. Period. I am a cover shopper, and nothing says, “Pick me up Hodgenator” like a giant ice cream cone. Also, the title has the word “magic” in it. I am going to touch it. In this case, I saw it on Netgalley and realized I needed this book in my life. Little did I know that while reading it, I did need this book in my life . Title: ‘A Snicker of Magic’ Author: Natalie Lloyd Pages: 320 Publisher: Scholastic Press Available: NOW at your local library/book store Source: Netgalley Summary (from Goodreads ) : Introducing an extraordinary new voice---a magical debut that will make your skin tingle, your eyes glisten…and your heart sing. Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is ...

Review: Origin

I bought this at B&N after viewing the cover an d title and thinking it looked interesting. It was - I did not want to put this book down. I had to because of my teaching responsibilities, but it was a captivating read. If you're looking for a gift for the YA reader in your life, you should consider adding this title to your gift-giving list.     Title: Origin   Author: Jessica Khoury   ISBN: 9781595145956   Available: NOW at your local bookstore and library   Summary (from the book jacket):   Pia has always known her destiny. She is meant to start a new race, a line of descendants who will bring an end to death. She has been bred for no other purpose, genetically engineered to be immortal and raised by a team of scientists in a secret compound hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest. Now those scientists have begun to challenge her, with the goal of training her to carry on their dangerous work .   For as long as she can remember, Pia’s...

Free $100