Waiting on Wednesday (#41) - More Than This - Patrick Ness

Waiting on Wednesday is Hosted by Jill @ Breaking The Spine

Goodreads Summary: From two-time Carnegie Medal winner Patrick Ness comes an enthralling and provocative new novel chronicling the life — or perhaps afterlife — of a teen trapped in a crumbling, abandoned world.

A boy named Seth drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments, losing his life as the pounding sea claims him. But then he wakes. He is naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. How is that possible? He remembers dying, his bones breaking, his skull dashed upon the rocks. So how is he here? And where is this place? It looks like the suburban English town where he lived as a child, before an unthinkable tragedy happened and his family moved to America. But the neighborhood around his old house is overgrown, covered in dust, and completely abandoned. What’s going on? And why is it that whenever he closes his eyes, he falls prey to vivid, agonizing memories that seem more real than the world around him? Seth begins a search for answers, hoping that he might not be alone, that this might not be the hell he fears it to be, that there might be more than just this. . . .

Why I'm Waiting For It: I am absolutely in love with this book so much! The cover hooked me in, the storylines sounds killer, and of course it's a Patrick Ness book! I can't wait to get my hands on this badly, this book is going to be jaw droppingly amazing!

 
What I feel as I wait...#thestruggle 

Find More Than This On:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Chilling & Heart Pounding: Find Me - Emily Bernerd

Find Me by Romily Bernard 
Date Released: September 24, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 307 pages
Format: ARC
Source: Teenreads
Rating: LOVED
Series: Standalone 

Goodreads Synopsis:  “Find Me.”

These are the words written on Tessa Waye’s diary. The diary that ends up with Wick Tate. But Tessa’s just been found . . . dead.

Wick has the right computer-hacking skills for the job, but little interest in this perverse game of hide-and-seek. Until her sister Lily is the next target.

Then Griff, trailer-park boy next door and fellow hacker, shows up, intent on helping Wick. Is a happy ending possible with the threat of Wick’s deadbeat dad returning, the detective hunting him sniffing around Wick instead, and a killer taunting her at every step?

Foster child. Daughter of a felon. Loner hacker girl. Wick has a bad attitude and sarcasm to spare.

But she’s going to find this killer no matter what.

Because it just got personal.

From Goodreads

Find Me by Romily Bernard was a perfect blend of heart pounding suspense, edge of the seat scenes, and an unexpected romance that makes Find Me hit my list of 2013 Favorites! I LOVED and DEVOURED this book and I am so happy to pick this up for review! Definitely excited for Romily's other books in the future!

Wick, is a super hacker genius. She can crack codes, locate a person in seconds, and find anyone. When she finds Tessa Waye's diary saying "Find Me" she knows that she is in the middle of a hide an seek game with her sister the next target. The plotline of Find Me was a strong point of the book. It kept going and it had me turning the pages to see how Wick did everything to prevent her sister from being next. She even teams up with trailer park boy, Griff, whom she doesn't know she can trust but understands her situation. I love that romance aspect to that book and it made it more dimensional. I loved Wick a lot in the book and is definitely one of my favorite protagonist in 2013! She goes through a lot and I love seeing her amazing hacker skills in the book. Add in creepy scenes, it made it a perfect book!

One thing that I loved about Find Me was that it had a great mystery that explains itself in the end, but also this heart racing feel that gets to you and soon its already the morning and your glady finished the book. It would definitely appeal to a lot of YA readers and would be a great read for fall also! Find Me blow all my expectations away. One word. Die-hard amazing (If you consider that one word :D) 

Find Find Me On:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

New To Shelves (#34) - Getting Off The Slump

New To Shelves is a way to share all the great books I got this whole week and to add to my TBR Pile! It also includes a roundup of what's going to happen next week on the blog. It's a new name but similar meme.

I'll be linking up to:

I am honestly so sorry for abandoning the blog, my Goodreads club, and my twitter! School has been test after test and my grades are so much higher this year I really like it keep it up like that, so I spend most of September quiet. I'm so getting used to school, so I'll try to sneak in posts for later on during the week.

This is what this whole week felt like:

Then me walking away from the computer

My Haul:

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (Loved her other books a lot, excited for this!)

The Social Code by Sadie Haynes (I'm really looking forward to this one! I love the concept and I hope it delivers!) 

Coming Up This Week On The Blog:

Reviews of Find Me, Starters, and Fangirl

Waiting on Wednesday, Fresh Off The Press, Discussion Post

Now..What's New To Your Shelves? :D

P.S: If you guys are student blogger, do you have any tips for blogging but also managing good grades at school? Tell me in the comments below! :D

Hilarious & Warming: Since You Asked - Maureen Goo

Since You Asked by Maureen Goo 
Date Released: June 25, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic 
Pages: 262 Pages
Format: Hardcover
Source: For Review Sent by Author
Rating: Loved
Series: Standalone

Goodreads Synopsis:  A humorous, debut novel about a Korean-American teenager who accidentally lands her own column in her high school newspaper, and proceeds to rant her way through the school year while struggling to reconcile the traditional Korean values of her parents with contemporary American culture.

From Goodreads

Since You Asked was one of those quick, easy lovable book you pick up and it warms you up from the inside. It was such a fun and thrilling book that was relatable and it was a great ready that would appeal to so many reader of any age.

In Since You Asked, we have Holly, who is a sophomore at her high school and she accidentally gets her own column. In her column she rants about her life, the struggles she goes through, but also real high school experiences. I loved the aspect of the newspaper integrated in the book. It made it fun and enjoyable, mixed it with Holly's bubbly and spontaneous personality it was a home run. In addition, Maureen Goo had other great characters along side with Holly who were amazing and I loved them a lot. Since You Asked was balanced with Maureen Goo's effortless writing and the characters realism. 

Since You Asked is a book that hits close to home for any reader and it's a book that any YA reader should pick up. It's fun, full of laughs, and never apologetic. I loved Since You Asked!

See my Interview With Maureen Goo

Find Since You Asked On:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

New To Shelves (#33) - Welcome Fall!

New To Shelves is a way to share all the great books I got this whole week and to add to my TBR Pile! It also includes a roundup of what's going to happen next week on the blog. It's a new name but similar meme.

I'll be linking up to:

It's finally September and hello Fall! I am so sick of this hot heat in California, I can't wait for winds and the cold. I also got some great reads for the past 2 weeks, and I'm trying to fit in a lot of books to review too. 

Find Me by Romily Bernard (From TeenBoards {ARC Copy} I'm reading this and it's so amazing! I definitely can't wait to share my review!)

Since You Asked by Maureen Goo (I actually did an interview with Maureen yesterday HERE! I'll be having my review up tomorrow)

On The Blog This Week:

Review of Winds of Salem by Melissa De La Cruz

Top Ten Tuesday (#5) - Top Ten Books You Wish Were Thought In School

Author Interview: Maureen Goo 

Coming Up On The Blog:

Reviews of Since You Asked, Find Me, and more

Top 10, WoW, and Follow Friday

plus Discussion Posts!

I'll also be introducing a new meme, where I bring books and songs together every Friday!

Now..What's On Your Shelf?

Author Interview: Maureen Goo Author of Since You Asked

I am so happy to share with you and interview with Maureen Goo, author of her debut novel, Since You Asked, which recently came out!

1.) The Bookshelves: What was the inspiration for Since You Asked?

Maureen Goo: A few years ago I was filling out one of those Facebook surveys—you know the kind that ask like "25 Things You Didn't Know About Me!" and I thought, "Wouldn't it be funny if someone made a really obnoxious version of this?" So I did, in the voice of a slightly antagonistic teenager who I channeled from my own teenage years. And that voice ended up being Holly. The first draft of this novel included that survey, rather than a column, as the trigger for her getting her own newspaper column. 

2.) TB: What character resembles you the post and why? Was there any \"you\" in any of the characters?

MG: Holly definitely resembles me the most—but she is more cynical and braver than I ever was in high school! But her family life, her love of reading and writing, her loyalty to her friends—all that stems very much from my own high school experiences but also my adult life at times.

3.) TB: Tell us about that cover! How was the process to getting the cover art like? Did you love the cover?

MG: I love the cover. The designer was Natalie Sousa (http://www.krop.com/nataliecsousa/#/) and she created the perfect cover for Since You Asked. She captured Holly's essence so well with finding that snarl! The process was fairly straightforward—my editor presented me with the cover and I liked it right away. It was so different from what I had imagined but yet so right. I asked for a few superficial tweaks (yes I am THAT annoying author) but mostly just loved what they did. I love the hot pink sunglasses, too–it's become a great visual icon for Holly and the book. Funny story: The model/photographer on the cover and I found out we have a mutual acquaintance! The world is so small.

4.) TB:  Fav Brand. One Celebrity Crush. One Wish. 

MG: Brand: I spend way too much money at Madewell.

Male crush: Michael Fassbender Female Crush: Anna Kendrick

One wish: Wow. Well I am a wisher of many wishes, but one consistent one is that everyone I love have happy lives. So obvious, right? But if that one basic requirement is met, so much good stems from it. I just truly want everyone I care about to be happy.

5.) TB: Tweet Review! In 140 Words or less, tell us about Since You Asked!

MG: My tweet review:

A book for anyone who wants to say what they truly think about high school—Holly Kim is you and everyone you know in SInce You Asked! (TB Note: I actually got it mixed up with Kasie West!)

6.) TB: How was the writing process like? Any tips for aspiring writers?
MG: The writing process was hugely different in each of its stages for me. When I started this book, it was for a sample for grad school.  I kept writing it for fun, so it was all very relaxing and creative. It wasn't until I had an agent interested that I really buckled down and worked on it for a few months and got it done. I had so much fun writing this it almost felt wrong! No part of it was torture.

My tips for aspiring writers is write about something you care about because you will be spending so much time on this! And then once you figure that out, just write. Force yourself to sit and do it, even when you don't feel like it. Because more important than anything is finishing a book—that is the very first step in getting anyone interested in your writing.

7.) TB: What can you tell us about the next book? Any hints you can give us?

MG: No hints allowed yet! But—whatever comes out next will be contemporary and funny :)

8.) TB: What is your current YA read? How are you liking it?

MG: I just finished Laini Taylor's DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE. It was incredible—not only were the fantasy and romance elements so lush and well-done, but the dialogue and friendships were so sharp and realistic! I find that rare in a lot of fantasy I read. Really enjoyed it. Can't wait to read the sequel. (TB Note: I LOVED It Too! Great book!!) 

Big THANKS for Maureen Goo for this interview and review copy (my review will be up next week!) :) Hope you enjoy the interview :))