WWW Wednesday #8 | May 30, 2018


WWW Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.
Just answer three questions and share what you're reading.


WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?
    
Jennifer Armentrout is one of my favorite authors so it drives me crazy that I still haven't read the Covenant series.  I read the first book (Half-Blood) a couple years ago but never continued the series. Then in March I decided to pick it up again and started by re-reading Half-Blood. Aaaand, I still didn't continue past the first book. I swear, I'm beginning to think I have some kind of mental block with this series. LOL So here I go again, finally starting Pure, the second book. Hopefully it's a winner and I can (one day) get this series off my TBR. :)

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?
 I finished The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things on Monday and it was so, so good. I loved main characters Sage and Shane and it had a great cast of secondary characters (always a plus). I can be a sucker for a Tragic Past and these two both had that in spades. But Sage worked hard not to be defined by her past and I admired her for that. This was sweet and funny and also heartbreaking and emotional... a great YA contemporary.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL READ NEXT?
   
What's next is a little up in the air but it will likely be either One Small Thing or The Fragile Ordinary (love that cover!).

What are you currently reading?
I wanna know! :)

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The Sunday Post #109


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:
Sunday Post Meme

  • What a week. House-hunting has turned into a full-time job and basically taken over my life. Unfortunately I don't feel like I can take it easy because our house goes on the market in *twelve days*. Gah! So basically it's been a week of serious adulting, which means way less reading time. 

  • In a fun turn of events, I'm no longer getting email notifications of blog comments. That's been my set-up for 3+ years and as of 2-3 days ago... nothing. The timing tells me it's related to the GDPR changes (I'm a total Sherlock, amiright?) but as of now Blogger is being of less than no help. Thanks Blogger, you da best.
  

WHAT I FINISHED IN THE LAST WEEK:
  
Before and Again - Barbara Delinsky
A little slower than I had anticipated but still an enjoyable read.

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING: 
 The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things - Ann Aguirre
Not a lot of reading time the past few days so I'm only 70 pages in, but I'm really, really liking this one. I'm curious about Sage's past (only hints have been given) and Shane breaks my heart.

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: 
Trust - Kylie Scott
Still doing a (re)listen of Trust. Loving it but again...adulting is getting in the way of my reading/listening time.

    
KINDLE BOOKS:
      
The Outpost - Devney Perry
Filthy Gods - R. Scarlett
Dear Bridget, I Want You - Penelope Ward
In This Life - Cora Brent




How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
I'd love to hear about it!



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WWW Wednesday #7 | May 23, 2018


WWW Wednesdays is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words.
Just answer three questions and share what you're reading.


WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?
  
        
I'm still reading Before and Again. Yes it's been over a week now, and I do feel it moves a little slow, but mostly it's just because it's been a crazy week. Between work and errands and house hunting... reading time has been at a premium. But I'm over 90% through it and will wrap it up today or tomorrow.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'LL READ NEXT?
What's next is a little up in the air but I'm considering The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things since I have it out from the library..

What are you currently reading?
I wanna know! :)

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Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Character Names

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic: 
Favorite Character Names
When reading, I'm a sucker for unique names. I find it more interesting (and certainly more memorable) to read about a Zayne rather than a John or a Mike. And when picking this list I also found that my feeling for the character definitely impacts my feeling for the name. I suppose if I love a character I have that association when I see the name. 
Do you do the same?
Now here are (some of) my favorites:

Miles and Tate | Ugly Love
Kiro | Kiro's Emily
Bailey and Porter | Alex, Approximately
Ryke | Some Kind of Perfect
Mase | When I'm Gone
Cade | Always
Avery | Wait For You
Finn | The Ones Who Got Away
Fallon | November 9
Saint | Nash

 And a few bonus ones just because I can...
Jensen | Paper Hearts
Garrick | Losing It
Molly and Reid | The Upside of Unrequited
Roth and Zayne | White Hot Kiss
Shaw | Rule

Do character names matter to you?

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The Sunday Post #108


The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:
Sunday Post Meme

  • It's been a mostly uneventful week. The Husband and I have started house-hunting and the whole process is so overwhelming. I shudder at the thought of all it entails but it's time to get it sorted since this will likely be our final move. Big decisions ahead!


  • Question: Is this the saddest lunch ever? Answer: Yes. Yes it is. My lunchtime fare at the office has hit an all-time low. This pic shows what I dejectedly purchased from the office canteen on Thursday. Anyone have some inspired suggestions? I am so burned out on sandwiches and frozen entrees and would love some more creative ideas. Help a girl out so I'll never sit down to microwaveable mac and cheese and trail mix again, will you?  


WHAT I FINISHED IN THE LAST WEEK:
  
Love Scene, Take Two - Alex Evansley
Lead (Stage Dive #3) - Kylie Scott
Deep (Stage Dive #4) - Kylie Scott

Love Scene, Take Two was absolutely adorable. Loved it.
And my binge of the Stage Dive series is now complete. 
I enjoyed some more than others - and Play (Mal's story) was my favorite by far.

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING: 
 Before and Again - Barbara Delinsky
The story is building slowly but I'm definitely invested.

WHAT I'M CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: 
Trust - Kylie Scott
I read this one last summer and decided to do a re-read on audio. 
I love main character Edie... and John Cole turns my heart to mush.

    
FREEBIES:
    
The Baller - Vi Keelend
Jake Undone - Penelope Ward
Man Candy - Melanie Harlow
Each of these were offered as freebies through the author newsletters. 
And obviously I couldn't resist.




How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
I'd love to hear about it!



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Audio Reviews: What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton


Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Memoir
Release Date: September 12, 2017
Format: Audio
Narrator: Hillary Rodham Clinton
Source: OverDrive
Find it here: GoodReads
Rating: 4.25/5 stars

For the first time, Hillary Rodham Clinton reveals what she was thinking and feeling during one of the most controversial and unpredictable presidential elections in history. Now free from the constraints of running, Hillary takes you inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference, and an opponent who broke all the rules. This is her most personal memoir yet.

The election of 2016 was unprecedented and historic. What Happened is the story of that campaign and its aftermath—both a deeply intimate account and a cautionary tale for the nation.


What Happened is a totally engrossing examination of the 2016 election. But it’s also an up close and personal look at a woman who is typically plays it close to the vest.

Clinton’s in-depth look at the 2016 election was equal parts fascinating, disturbing and downright shocking. And she doesn’t hold back. She covers it all – from the explosive debates, the Russian interference, the emails – without ever playing the victim or try to paint herself in too flattering of a light. She owns up to mistakes that both she as an individual and her campaign made along the way.

As absorbing as the election aspect was, some of the biggest surprises for me came from her more personal revelations: her sense of humor (who knew!), her love of reading (she’s an avid fiction reader), her faith. I admire Clinton’s intellect, her ability to remain cool under pressure and her no-nonsense approach. Listening to What Happened, in Clinton’s own voice, was a worthy, eye-opening experience – both for the political aspect and the candid look at the woman behind the politics.

Favorite quote: "We’re all going to share our American future together – better to do so with open hearts and outstretched hands than closed minds and clenched fists."

Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor
Release Date: November 15, 2016
Format: Audio
Narrator: Anna Kendrick
Source: OverDrive
Find it here: GoodReads
Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Even before she made a name for herself on the silver screen starring in films like Pitch Perfect, Up in the Air, Twilight, and Into the Woods, Anna Kendrick was unusually small, weird, and “10 percent defiant.”

Enter Anna’s world and follow her rise from “scrappy little nobody” to somebody who dazzles on the stage, the screen, and now the page—with an electric, singular voice, at once familiar and surprising, sharp and sweet, funny and serious (well, not that serious).

I very rarely read memoirs (celebrity or otherwise) but once in a while it’s a fun diversion. And while I wouldn’t call myself a fan of any particular celebrity, I’ve seen Anna Kendrick in the Pitch Perfect movies and in a couple interviews and liked her wry, self-deprecating humor. 

Scrappy Little Nobody is a collection of auto-biographical essays filled with Anna’s acerbic wit. Feeling like an outsider even from a young age, Anna resolved to “keep the crazy in my head where it belonged. Forever. But here’s the thing about crazy: It. Wants. Out.” So getting inside Anna’s head, so to speak, is definitely entertaining. She covers everything from her time on Broadway as a young teenager to the surreal experience of the red carpet. Topics range from the hilarious (she attempted to high five the guy who “got her there” the first time) to the serious (the loss of her grandmother).

Listening to this on audio was definitely the way to go. Anna comes across as refreshingly self-aware and down to earth and her dead pan delivery and sarcasm are so suited for this format. There were several laugh out loud moments and, even though this wasn’t anything life-altering, it was totally entertaining.

Favorite quote: “I love rules and I love following them, unless that rule is stupid.”

Have you read either of these books?


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