Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014!

It's that time when we're approaching the end of the year! Dec 29, Dec 30, Dec 31! Where has time been! I think 2013 was my year in blogging! I challenged myself so much more, decide to put myself more out there, and make a name for my brand, and I all loved the journey!

I won't be doing anything this year like post wise, this is my wrap up post for 2013 and I can't wait to show you all the stuff I have for 2014! :)

BIG THANKS TO ALL THE BLOGGERS, READERS (OF MY BLOG), AUTHORS, AND PUBLICISTS! YOU GUYS KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND YOU ARE SO AMAZING! I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO MEET YOU GUYS!

I also want to do this 2014 List of Resolutions thing I found on Pinterest! I think it's a great way to expand yourself and discover new things!

A bad habit I'm going to break: Definitely stop eating junk food and eat healthy and fresh! I also want to put school first above anything and blogging!

A new skill I'd like to learn: I would really like to learn more about the design aspect of blogging! Maybe a new look for 2014? I don't know but I'm sure excited to do more designing!

A person I hope to be more like: A stronger and more confident person in my life. I need that extra push to get me to new places and experiences. 

A good deed I'm going to do: I was thinking of doing a blogger helper corner to help incoming bloggers find their identity in this big world and establish a steady blog. I think it's definitely going to be great and be super helpful.

A place I'd like to visit: NEW YORK! It's always been on my dream to go there and experience it and I just can't wait for that day. Enough said, the city speaks for itself :)

A book I'd like to read: "A book"? Just one book? Impossible for me! I'm definitely going to raise my goal to 60 next year and I do want to read more Adult books and branch into some John Green books too!

A letter I'm going to write: One to me and my family! Like one of those time-capsule letters you would read in the future. It would be amazing to do that. 

A new food I'd like to try: I would like to try Fajitas! Yes! I never had them before, even though I'm a BIG  fan of Mexican food, it's a must!

I'm doing to do better at: Spending time with family, blogging, and friends! 

Thanks guys! Have a great year and be sure to use the pic and write your own answers! See you in 2014!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Happy Christmas Eve! We are almost done with the year and its so sad and amazing how it's all coming to an end. Hope everyone has a fun, safe, and enjoyable Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! Time to eat, eat, read, read, and hang out with friends and family!

I will still be updating my blog but I'm leaving today and tomorrow as "breaks" from blogging but I will be back with reviews, discussion posts, and still continuing my Best of 2013! 

I want to say A BIG THANKS AND HUGS TO:

- All the amazing bloggers (you know who you are :) You guys are amazing and it was great meeting new ones and the old ones! The best of the best!

- The publishers and publicists! Especially those from St. Martin's Press and Hyperion! You guys are the best!

- Authors! You guys make blogging worth it and I loved chatting with all of you on Twitter and Facebook!

Let's do this!

Best of 2013: Sequels and Stunning Covers

It's almost the end of 2013! Ahh! Can you believe it? While 2013 was one of the best and had some downs, I have to save it was one of my best blogging years and I learned so much and meet amazing bloggers and even the books! 

Best of 2013:

"Dystopian and Standalones"

Dystopias: 

I think dystopias are the best genres! I just think it's my niche of books and they relate to everyone from a imperfect society to a strong heroine. So I will be showcasing my favorite dystopias I read this year :)

  

Stunning Cover: 

These books are ones that had the most stunning cover I saw in 2013. They may be books I read or not but they definitely deserved to be on this list. 

And there it is! Stop by tomorrow for "Best of 2013: Stats & Shoutouts!"

Best of 2013: Dystopians + Standalones!

t's almost the end of 2013! Ahh! Can you believe it? While 2013 was one of the best and had some downs, I have to save it was one of my best blogging years and I learned so much and meet amazing bloggers and even the books! 

Exactly. 

Best of 2013:

"Dystopian and Standalones"

Dystopias are literally my favorite genre and the same goes for standalones, and here I'll be showcasing my favorite ones that I read this year from 2013. 

Dystopian:

Standalones: 

Stop by tomorrow for my "Best of 2013: Sequels and Stunning Covers!"

  

Racing & Spine Chilling: The Killing Woods - Lucy Christopher

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher
Date Released: January 7, 2014
Publisher: Chicken House Ltd
Pages: 369 Pages
Format: ARC
Source: Won @ Teenreads.com
Rating: LOVED
Series: Standalone 

Goodreads Synopsis:  Emily’s dad is accused of murdering a teenage girl. Emily is sure he is innocent, but what happened that night in the woods behind their house where she used to play as a child? Determined to find out, she seeks out Damon Hillary the enigmatic boyfriend of the murdered girl. He also knows these woods. Maybe they could help each other. But he’s got secrets of his own about games that are played in the dark.

A new psychological thriller from the award-winning and bestselling author of STOLEN and FLYAWAY.

From Goodreads

The Killing Woods is what I would call an "addictive and unraveling YA suspense novel"! It had a perfect blend of the typical thriller novel, but Lucy Christopher adds her own twist and plays mind tricks on her readers. I would gladly love to re-read The Killing Woods and pick up Lucy's other book, Stolen in the future. 

The pacing is an aspect in the killing would that made it addictive. Lucy Christopher slowly builds anticipation and assumptions for the reader, but once you turn the next page you are completely wrong. Emily Shepard's dad is convicted of manslaughter/murder when all fingers point to him killing Ashlee Parker. But as the plot line moves and by the way it's completely smart and done perfectly right I couldn't believe it! Lucy Christopher will definitely make your jaw drop once you see everything piece together and I love it when a book does it flawlessly. Even though we get a little cast of characters in the book, it was a great amount and balanced out the pacing of the novel. I loved Emily's endurance to prove her dad innocent and it was a book about coming to terms. 

The ending of The Killing Woods was written really well. Lucy Christopher manages to wrap up the conclusions you could possibly have by the end and hits it out of the water. I am definitely looking forward to see bloggers and reader pick up this book once it hits shelves in Jan 2014! 

Find The Killing Woods On:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

2014 Review PIle Challenge + Prequel/Sequel Challenges!

I am definitely excited to sign up for these challenges next year, 2014! I am looking forward to the Prequel/Sequel Challenge Hosted @ Novel Heart Beat and the Review Pile Reading Challenge Hosted @  Rachel @ Fiktshun Reanna @ Phantasmic Reads!

2014 Prequel and Sequel Challenge:

For this challenge, it's all about to read as many prequels and sequels as you can! I am so exited for this one! There are some amazing book coming out next year and I cannot wait to pick them up. 

I am aiming for:

10-25 points: Newbie (Here! But I know I am definitely branching out into Amateur hopefully!) 

25-50 points: Amateur

51-75 points: Advanced

76-100 points: Professional
101+ points: Veteran

Review Pile Reading Challenge:

For this challenge, it's all about tackling those review books you got or requested from Netgalley/Edelweiss and I am so happy for this challenge! I have so much review books to catch up, especially after that post-finals week, I want to dive into them! 

So here is my list,

Pointe by Brandy Colbert

Ask Me by Kimberly Pauley

Man Made Boy by Jon Skovron

The Next Big Thing by Sadie Hayes

and more to come! 

I am aiming for:

1-10: Apprentice (Here! But I do want to journey into the Journeyman Level!) 
11-20: Journeyman
21-30: Master
31-40: Grand Master
40+:  Adept

Let's do this!

Follow Friday (#28) - Bookselling Time!

Follow Friday is Hosted @ The Parajunkee 

Today's Question: Bookselling Time: Go to your biggest bookcases. Go to the second shelf from the top and pick out the sixth book from the left. Hardsell that book to us – even if you haven’t read it or if you hated it. (if you don’t have bookcases, don’t have six books on one shelf, etc, pick a book at random)

My Answer:

I got Bloodlines by Richelle Mead! What a coincidence and I know I can definitely sell this book to anyone! I loved the book a lot personally and I think any reader who loved VA should pick this up instantly. I has the perfect mix of action and suspense along with amazing characters and it's perfectly paced. I think anyone would devour this book!

What's Your Follow Friday? 

Waiting on Wednesday (#49) - New Sight by Jo Schneider

Waiting on Wednesday is Hosted by Jill @ Breaking The Spine

Goodreads Summary: After succumbing to the sudden and terrifying urge to rip people’s eyes out of their sockets, 16-year-old Lysandra Blake finds herself tied down in a psych ward, convinced she’s crazy. The doctors have no answers, and Lys is ready to give up when the mysterious Jeremiah Mason appears, telling Lys that she’s not insane—she’s addicted to a rare and deadly drug that she has no recollection of using. Mr. Mason offers to take her to his facility where he can treat her. Desperate yet suspicious, Lys agrees to go with Mr. Mason to his facility where she meets with a fellow addict, the tall and handsome Kamau. Together they discover that Mr. Mason may not have told them the truth about their condition—they’re thrown headfirst into a world of daunting powers that are not only unbelievable, they are dangerous.

Why I'm Waiting For It: I just love how this cover grabs you from the start! It's so graphic and geometric I can't wait to see it in the bookstores! I also think the premise, is really interesting and the plot line sounds gripping. I can't wait!


Find New Sight On:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads