Love Letters to the Dead- A Review

Happy Saturday, bibliophiles! I hope you're all enjoying a lovely weekend discovering new worlds and new characters! I've been working on a few exciting projects that I plan to tell you about soon, but for now, I wanted to bring you my latest book review! Love Letters to the Dead is the debut novel from Ava Dellaira. I had noticed this book on a few of my B&N runs, but I finally decided to grab a copy on a binge haul. 

This was an interesting take on trying to deal with loss. I admit, I was drawn to the stunning cover, but the story was intriguing as well. 

Laurel has just lost her older sister, May, for reasons unknown to us, and relocated to another school. The unexpected passing of her much adored sibling left her family in tatters, and she's just trying to cope and find her way again. When her English teacher gives the students a project to write a letter to a dead person to turn in at the end of the class period, Laurel discovers an outlet for her thoughts. 

Amelia Earhart, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Elizabeth Bishop, Heath Ledger, Alan Young, and a few others appear as recipients for Laurel's story. Through her letters, she is not only able to connect with the deceased and put her soul down on paper, but she's also able to come to terms with the night her sister left, and feelings she wasn't ready to handle. 

While this is sold as a YA read, and readers get all the happenings of high school drama, we also understand how everyone deals differently with death. We meet friends of Laurel's and witness her day-to-day as she moves on, but we get the bigger story and her innermost thoughts, which, for me, was the focus of the story. 

I adored this story. I've dealt with a tremendous amount of loss in my own life (unfortunately), so I was able to relate to Laurel quite a bit. The writing was stunning and read a little like poetry, so even though I was reading about death, there was something naturally beautiful woven into the pages as well.

Anyone who has not only had to cope with loss, but unexpected loss, should go pick up this book. It also looks like Ava is working on the screenplay for the movie adaptation, so we'll be seeing more of Laurel in the future! 

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Cupcake- A Review

This was a very cute (and steamy) read. Meeting Gray and Pippa was an absolute treat, pun intended! They're both workaholics, and neither are looking for a relationship or to be tied down and nagged, until they meet each other, and the chemistry flies off the charts. They try to keep things as casual as possible, but they know it won't last. Within days, they know they need each other more than the air they breathe. If you're looking for a sweet treat to take up some time on a lovely afternoon,Hey again, bibliophiles! I know... another review. I'm so sorry (not really). I've been burning through books lately and have to post my reviews because if I let them sit for a day or two, they'll just get backed up and then you'll REALLY be bombarded by bookish reviews!  Anyway, it's been a slow(er) day at the office, so in my spare time, I decided on a new read, and settled on this sweet novella by M. Andrews. As I've stated earlier, my TBR is beyond stacked up. Whether they're tangible books on my shelves, or on my iBooks or Kindle apps, I'm overwhelmed, which means, I've been having the toughest time trying to decide what to read next (I really need to get on that jar idea already). I took a night to sleep on a few top choices I had, and finally settled on cracking the cover of Cupcake. This was a very cute (and beyond steamy) read! Meeting Grayson and Pippa was an absolute treat, pun intended! He's a rookie football player for the Boston Minutemen, and she's the brains and beauty behind Pippa's Just Desserts. They're both workaholics, and neither are looking for a relationship or to be tied down and nagged, until they meet each other. The chemistry flies off the charts. They try to keep things as casual as possible, in order to satisfy their mutual sparks, but they know it won't last and that something more is sizzling below the surface. Within days, they know they need each other more than the air they breathe, and decide to REALLY commit to one another. If you're looking for a sweet treat to take up some time on a lovely afternoon, go indulge in these two! They'll make you see the decadence of desserts in a whole new light! My Final Rating: four out of five stars

The Player (The Game Maker #3)- A Review

Hello bibliophiles and bookworms! The week is coming to an end, and I seem to be on a roll with my Reading Challenge, so I figured I'd keep up the pace and bring you another review! It's The Player by Kresley Cole! While it is a third in the series, The Game Maker, there was a gap between my readings with books one and two, and this third installment, hence why it is standing all by its lonesome. You can check out my combined review of the first two books, The Professional and The Master here. They'll help to serve as a foundation as to where Dmitri comes from in his brooding storm of a persona. 

Let me start off by saying that I had no idea Dmitri was getting his own book (that, or I just completely forgot amid the chaos that is my library and endless TBR). Anyway, as soon as it was on my radar, it was all but overnighted to my house thanks to Amazon. I was nowhere near disappointed! 

I'm not even going to pretend I understand where Victoria or Dmitri are coming from in their family situations (you'll understand at the end.. they're a bit cuckoo), but their lives work for them and that's why I had to go ahead and say that neither of them are nutters. 

Victoria's family owes a debt, and it's a large one. She's known con games for as long as she can remember, and it's honestly all she does know. It's when her work brings her directly into the path of one Dmitri Sevastyan that her life not only takes a complete 180, but is also set on the fast-track. Within days of meeting, Dmitri is talking marriage and Victoria finds it impossible to say no. After weeks together and really getting to know each other, the lovers seem completely blissful, until Victoria's family make a discovery that seems to pop the bubble of happiness and send both Dmitri and Victoria crashing back to earth. Will new revelations, confessions, and past demons tear these two apart, or make them stronger than ever? 

Their story sounds like absolute lunacy, and to an extent, it really is, there's no denying that little fact. However, there's also something enviable about their instant need and draw to one another. It's complete fairy tale and story-book, a life that's seemingly unrealistic,  but Dmitri has zeroed in on Victoria and has had her in his crosshairs since day one. She may have been burned a few times in past relationships, but Dmitri promises to give her the goddamn world, and he does. 

Trust me, they have moments of less-than-stellar swoon city emotions, but doesn't every couple? They did a lot of things in an unconventional way, and they have a lot to work through, but their determination and resilience for one another and their relationship almost make you want to believe a true happily ever after could exist in this world. I both adored and despised them for the unwavering affection they obviously had for one another, through both good and bad.

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

 

Paper Princess (The Royals #1)- A Review

Hey there, bibliophiles! Happy Tuesday! Today, I'm bringing a review for a new book in a new series! Normally, I wait until the series is completed and just review the whole batch, but this just came out and I couldn't wait! It's Paper Princess by Erin Watt which is the pseudonym for authors Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick. Time to dive right in and tell you all about this story!

I wasn't quite sure what I was in for when I started this book, but I sure enjoyed the ride!

Ella is orphaned (mom died of cancer and dad also passed without meeting his child) and finds herself under the protective wing of her new guardian, Callum Royal. Callum was an old friend of her father's, and sees it as his duty to look out for Ella and make her a Royal in her own way. Being with Callum means being with his boys... All five of them (Gideon, Reed, Easton, Sebastian, and Sawyer). While she just wants to make it from high school to college, they want to make her life Hell on earth.

I wanted to smack all of these boys... Repeatedly. Of course they were just being males and making assumptions about a girl they didn't even know. I kept screaming for Ella to just run far away from them. Take whatever money she had saved from working and just go. Kudos to her for being the stronger one of the two of us and sticking with her plan to not let these guys break her. When she proves herself among them and their peers at school, she absolutely kicks ass and finally earns some respect. I was waiting for just that moment.

Easton was one of my favorites. I know he has demons, but I love the dynamic he and Ella had as pseudo step-siblings. I think they both need each other in that regard.

Reed, is a whole other animal. As much as I want to be mad at him, I just can't. He wasn't worthy of Ella in the beginning, but when he finally calls a truce with her and they work out their issues, he begins proving himself. As much as I still want to be fuming with him over how he and Ella left things in that Royal Mansion, I still can't, I think something fishy is in the air.... So I need book two asap so I can get to the bottom of it and all can be well again!

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

 

 

My Favorite Shoppe- A Literary Adventure!

Hey hey out there to all of you book lovers! Happy Sunday to you (if it's still Sunday where you are). Today, I had a bit of an adventure and I felt I just had to get on here when I got the chance and tell you all about what happened! This is book related, I promise!

With the weekend comes down time (if I'm lucky), and sometimes, one of my friends and I take "Sunday Funday drives". We simply get in the car with a few destinations in mind, and head out on a spontaneous trip and see what the day brings. Somehow, we almost always find outdoor festivals, art shows, and random events. Today was no different. After some deliberation, we decided we would trek an hour from the good, old garden state and head across the river to Pennsylvania. Normally, we wander into New Hope and take a gander at the antique and art boutiques before grabbing a cafe lunch and whatnot.

Today was not much different. We headed in that general direction, but into another portion of New Hope called Lahaska and we found Peddler's Village. If you're ever in the area and need something fun do do on a quiet Sunday, I urge you to take a stroll around this place! It's so quaint and lovely to just lose yourself in some shopping, good food, and scenery for a bit.  It's like stepping back in time and it couldn't have been more needed at the time by yours truly. I could NOT get enough!

Anyway, my friend and I popped into some shops and enjoyed a window view at brunch to people watch. It's when we wandered into My Favorite Shoppe that I felt I truly hit the jackpot. Inside this mini-paradise were assorted gifts ranging from jewelry to household essentials, antiques, and contemporary trinkets. 

What caught my eye, however, were the cases and stacks of books. Old and new, for adults and children, the shelves and cases were packed and I didn't know where to look first! Luckily for me, there was a gentleman there who was so informative and helpful, and needless to say, I was in utter heaven. 

I stayed lost among the shelves for quite awhile (I wish I had gotten more pictures of the cases, because they were enchanting). What I loved most was the amount of rare and first editions that were on hand. Not only did I get to look through the information provided by the card written in each book, but the man who helped me was just as in love with literature as I was. Aside from a few university professors I had the privilege of studying with, this gentleman was extremely knowledgable on the books I happened to pick up and peruse. Obviously, I couldn't leave empty-handed, and it was nearly impossible to depart with just a few titles, but rare books are a bit pricey, so I decided to build up my collection slowly in that regard. The ones I left with this afternoon were The Haunted Grange of Goresthorpe, The Seven Seas, and The Call of the Wild. 

The Call of the Wild: 

As the card states, this was a very rare and early 1906 printing of the famous Jack London novel. There is an inscription inside dated September 1st of that year to Frank Masou from Uncle Sam. That personal touch gave this one just a touch of personal sentiment. Also, shortly after this edition was printed, they stopped putting portraits on the covers. 

The Haunted Grange of Goresthorpe: 

While this short story was published in 2000, it's still considered rare. It is a first publication of an otherwise known ghost story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's a collector because there are only 500 copies circulating in the world and it is no longer in print. Even though it's new(er), I still find this one my favorite among the treasures I purchased today. 

The Seven Seas: 

This is one of the most famous collections of poetry by Rudyard Kipling. You may know him as the author of The Jungle Book. With the popularity soaring due to the new Disney movie, the prices matched the mini-hysteria. There was a rare (and stunning) copy of those stories on the shelf as well, but I wanted to get something a little less known, even to me. I had no idea Kipling published poetry! This is a First American Edition from 1897 and also includes an inscription from July 4th of the publication year. 

Needless to say, I am over-the-moon that I found this shop and such a helpful and informative man to geek out with regarding my love of books. I learned so much that I should have taken notes. There are facts I had been told about these books that I don't even remember. While they did put a tiny dent in my bank account, they were 110% worth the money. My classics section of my shelves are vast and I do own quite a bit (not to toot my own horn), but I have never had the privilege of owning such pieces. I can only hope to visit my new literary friends at this store one day soon and see what else they have (They get new novels on a weekly basis)! 

Like I said, if you are in the area and need a bookish place to go and visit, this store is an absolute MUST! You will NOT regret the pieces you are guaranteed to come across. 

I think it's time I go give these books a sniff (yes, they smell divine), and give them a proper home on my shelves. Until next time, bibliophiles... happy reading! 

How To Tame Beasts and Other Wild Things- A Review

Happy Friday, bibliophiles! I know, I've been posting like crazy. I'm sorry (sort of). I've been plowing through books lately. I'm not quite sure how since every time I crack a book open or pull up one of my reading apps, every person in the world interrupts me in some way, but I'm managing! That being said, I'm excited to bring you my latest review from the lovely A. Wilding Wells. This book involves a beast of a Brit who wears the crap out of a kilt, so I knew I was on board right from the very beginning. I know my last blog post was rather lengthy with a bit of idle chat, so let's just get into How To Tame Beasts and Other Wild Things.

I received this book after putting in a request for an ARC copy via my latest obsession, NetGalley. I'm not entirely sure why it took me so long to discover this site, but I'm happy I finally did. I can't seem to get enough! I digress...

A widowed father of young twin boys collides with his eclectic and unique sister in-law when she leaves her apartment in Paris only to show up on his doorstep at his farm in Wisconsin.

They're polar opposites  (they say opposites attract) in an absolute Green Acres situation. Matilda's father holds a trust fund over her head until she finds Balthazar a new woman to be the ideal wife and mother to his boys, Jax and Jinx. Balthazar needs to keep the farm that is in his father in-law's name, but he has sworn off relationships entirely after his wife, Lavinia (Matilda's sister), left him and wound up dead in a car accident.

Rough around the edges, these two have no choice but to live under the same roof and play nice. Nice leads to flirtation which leads to so much more. It's when they finally open their eyes and really see each other that things become utterly chaotic. Between their demons of the past, and the future they're trying to mold as a new family unit, will they wind up making the long haul into forever, or giving up on something good before it can truly begin?

This story was an absolute roller coaster, but I found myself enjoying every minute. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment. There were times I wanted to smash their stubborn heads together, and times when I could've used fifty more chapters of their amazing (and sizzling) chemistry. Their story is very different (I'm not just saying that). With the family they're creating and the lost family that comes into their lives from years prior, it builds for an absolutely unique situation.

In all honesty, I didn't always agree or understand why the characters thought or acted the way that they did, but it was interesting to see such a different point of view than what I'm used to when seeing events play out. I may have wanted to scream bloody murder every time these two did, but I wound up being completely content and thankful by time I closed the book.

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

 

 

 

Book Hauls and What's On My Bookshelf

Hello there, bookworms! I've been meaning to get to this post for awhile, and I finally got the time to sit down and get it to you, so I hope you enjoy it because it's going to be a bit of a lengthy one. My apologies in advance!

Lately, I've had a few friends and family messaging and texting me asking me for book recommendations, which causes my brain to all but short out because I slip into geek mode so fast. I'm sure by time the conversation is over, they're ready to run for the hills and wish they never asked me for my input because I go insane shoving books their way. I have to hope and keep my fingers crossed that they take a few of my suggestions, because talking about a mutual love of a book is one of the greatest and simplest pleasures I have in this life. To be able to properly fan-girl and discuss ideas and aspects of plots and characters with my people makes me giddy to the bone.

Also, as a fan of the "what's in my bag?" topic on YouTube (I know.. massive nerd, but they help me think of items to carry that I may randomly forget), I thought I would give you a glimpse into the books I'm reading, what's coming up on my TBR (to be read) pile, and also provide a bit of a method as to how I go about deciding what to buy on my bookish shopping lists for my B&N. Hopefully, this post will spark some discussion, and inspire some of you to break out of your reading box and discover new genres. I'm ALWAYS looking for something new to read, so I know I appreciate a great suggestion (or several) from others. Now is my time to pass it on and spread the literary love. Enjoy some new reads, and feel free to keep me posted if you decide to pick any of these up for your own collections!

I have a few months of shopping hauls to catch up on.. so I'm done rambling. Here's some books:

November 3rd Haul:
These are some classics I have on my TBR, and some I've already read and love to re-visit from time-to-time. 
1) The Short Stories- Ernest Hemingway
2) Greek Classics- Cliffsnotes
3) The Short Stories- F. Scott Fitzgerald
4) The Complete Sherlock Holmes- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
5) Far From The Madding Crowd- Thomas Hardy
6) The Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso- Dante
7) Tess of the D'Ubervilles- Thomas Hardy

November 13th Haul:

This was one of my random B&N wanderings. I had my trusty goodreads app open as I browsed my TBR I built to see if any titles jumped out at me. These books I adopted were the results. 

1) Good Omens- Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

2) Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children- Ransom Riggs (I've since bought the rest of the trilogy)

3) The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer- Michelle Hodkin (I've since bought the rest of the trilogy)

4) Confess- Colleen Hoover

5) November 9- Colleen Hoover

January 3rd Haul:

This was my birthday haul, so I took myself on a date and went a bit cuckoo. 

1) The Outlander 2016 calendar - This was on sale.. so it was a great deal! 

2) The Complete Poems- John Keats

3) First Touch- Laurelin Paige

4) Beowulf- J.R.R. Tolkien

5) The Canterbury Tales- Geoffrey Chaucer

6) Hollow City- Ransom Rigg

7) Library of Souls- Ransom Rigg

8) Myths of the Greeks and Romans- Michael Grant

9) The Nightingale- Kristin Hannah 

January 17th Haul:

I joined Emma Watson and her Shared Shelf feminist-inspired book club via goodreads. Also, I'm forever looking at grad schools, so this led to a bit of an eclectic batch of books. 

1) My Life on the Road- Gloria Steinem

2) Cruel Crown- Victoria Aveyard (this is the sequel to Red Queen which I purchased earlier in the year)

3) Grad's Guide to Graduate Admission Essays- Colleen Reding

February 5th Haul: 

Who doesn't love book mail? I know I do! Both of these purchases are parts of series, so if you're thinking of purchasing either one, make sure to go online and look at what order the books are posted in among the overall series. 

1) Wicked Sexy Liar- Christina Lauren (Wild Seasons Series) 

2) The Shadow- Sylvain Reynard (The Florentine Series)

February 28th Haul: 

This was another random outing to B&N. Many weekends, I find myself wandering the shelves of my local store either with a friend in tow, or taking myself on a date, and leave with my arms hurting, and my bank account significantly smaller. This was one of those trips. I also decided to replenish my romance shelves. 

1) Mine- Helenkay Dimon (Holton Woods Series. I also own the rest of the series)

2) The Selection- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series. I've since bought the rest of the series)

3) Beautiful Boss- Christina Lauren (Beautiful Bastard series. I own the rest of the series) 

4) Mercy- Helenkay Dimon (Holton Woods Series)

March 19th Haul: 

I have no explanation. It was a wild weekend and I just went bonkers with taking items off of the shelves. 

1) Doctor Who Coloring Book- I wouldn't be a proper Whovian without one!

2) Exposed- Jasinda Wilder (Madame X Series) 

3) You- Caroline Kepnes (You Series)

4) Hidden Bodies- Caroline Kepnes (You Series)

5) The Elite- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series)

6) The One- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series)

7) Madame- Jasinda Wilder (Madame X Series) 

April 1st Haul: 

I was gearing up for all things Outlander and picking up what I could of the end of a series I was reading. 

1) Outlander edition of TV Guide

2) Happily Ever After- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series novellas) 

3) The Heir- Kiera Cass (The Selection Series) 

4) Scarred Souls- Tillie Cole (Scarred Souls Series) 

April 2nd Haul: 

You're reading the dates correctly. I went to B&N twice in two days. 

1) The Siren- Kiera Cass 

2) Love Letters to the Dead- Ava Dellaira

3) An Irish Country Girl- Patrick Taylor (Irish Country Series. I also own part of this series) 

4) The Girl You Left Behind- JoJo Moyes

5) The Ship of Brides- JoJo Moyes

April 14th Haul: 

Here's a glimpse of the books I have en route to me via Amazon. Some of these I read as ebooks, and some I have yet to read. Either way, I want the paperbacks on my shelf. 

1) An Irish Country Christmas- Patrick Taylor (Irish Country Series)

2) Gone Girl- Gillian Flynn

3) Paper Princess- Erin Watt (The Royals Series) 

4) The Bad Ones- Stylo Fantôme

5) The Player- Kresley Cole (The Game Maker Series) 

6) 44 Chapters About 4 Men- BB Easton

Lastly, I thought I'd give all of you a glance at my TBR shelf. These are (mostly) books from the prior hauls that are on deck. What is not pictured are other novels I have on my larger book cases, books that I have on my iBooks app, and books that I have on my Kindle. If that were the case, we'd be here until at least tomorrow. If you'd like me to do another post about what I have on those devices, feel free to let me know and I'll get to it next! 

1) Myths and Legends

2) Red Queen

3) Cruel Crown

4) A Brief History of Time and Space

5) The Book Thief

6) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

7) Hollow City

8) Library of Souls

9) Beowulf

10) Myths of the Greeks and Romans

11) The Secret History

12) The Devil in the White City

13) The Complete Poems

14) The Canterbury Tales

15) Lord John and the Private Matter

16) Lord John and the Hand of Devils

17) Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade

18) The Scottish Prisoner

19) Grey

20) Ulysses

21) The Ship of Brides

22) The Girl You Left Behind

23) The Siren

24) Love Letters to the Dead

25) Madame

26) Exposed

27) The Bookman's Tale

28) Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

29) An Irish Country Doctor

30) An Irish Country Village

31) An Irish Country Girl 

Well, if you're still here, thanks for sticking with me! Future haul posts most-likely won't be nearly as long, I just had a lot of catching up to do at the moment. I've been dying to post this one for awhile (clearly). I hope this blurb was able to give you some ideas as far as what to read next, or will maybe spark some discussion if you have already read any of the books listed above. Lastly, like I said earlier, I'm always taking suggestions myself, so send some of your ideas my way! 

Until next time... happy reading and have a lovely weekend! xx