Emerge ARC Review

Emerge by Tobie Easton

5 Stars

When I heard about this book, I was so excited! I'm always looking for a good mermaid read. I ended up being lucky enough to receive an e-ARC from the publisher and man, am I thankful! Going in I kind of thought Emerge was going to be a light fluffy romance, but I was wrong. There is indeed a romance, but this story has a dark tone as well.

Let's discuss the characters. I quite enjoy our main character Lia and her inner struggles. She breaks rules, but only when her intentions are good. I just loved seeing her internal fight. Lia's sisters and her cousin are also pretty entertaining. However, two of my favorite characters are Clay and Caspian. Clay is human and pretty dang adorable, I am a sucker for a flirty, green eyed man. I found myself falling for him as the story went on. Caspian on the other hand, is mer. Mer is a term you'll see fairly often as a term for the mermaid race. Caspian is intelligent, sweet, and very kind. He's actually every bit as charming as Clay. For someone I didn't enjoy, Mel. She seems like the bitch of the story and we're made to hate her for good reason. Boy, did I love to hate her. Enough about the characters, you need to read it for yourself!

My favorite thing about Emerge is actually all of the mythology behind the mermaids from how they focus on maintaining their legs to the concept of same-love. I don't want to spoil anything for you, but I love how Easton came up with this concept that everyone gets legs at a certain point in life and for a certain reason. However, they have to work to maintain them unlike what we see in The Little Mermaid, which is also mentioned throughout. Everything is so intriguing! I just can't get enough of it!

In the end, I enjoyed every minute of this novel. I even messaged Tobie as I went and that was fun. Emerge isn't your typical mermaid novel. It has a lot more to it than just beaches and romance. There's a battle to be won and it's a wonderful ride. In the end, I was only able to see one thing coming and it didn't even play a major part in the ending. I have every confidence that Emerge will surprise you. Because it says Mer Chronicles Book 1, I'm assuming there will be a sequel and the wait may just kill me. I hope you'll pick it up. It's set to release on April 19, 2016 and there are even some cool prizes if you pre-order a copy! You can find pre-order links here on Tobie's website! I'd love to discuss it with y'all so come back once you've finished.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Book Tag

For as long as I can remember every time I went over to my best friend's house, the television show FRIENDS would be playing as a kind of background noise. I caught a few episodes here and there, but it wasn't until it was on Netflix that I finally began to watch it. Of course I texted my best friend every single thought I had along the way, no matter what time it was. So when Mariam tagged me for this post, I was crazy stoked about it! Here we go!

"So no one told you life was gonna be this way." - A book which surprised you.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley and I don't think I'll ever stop pushing this book on people. It's an adult contemporary about a man facing a tough decision in regards to his wife's care. That's all I'm willing to say. However, I know that a lot of people my age read young adult more than they do adult so I'll also mention The Blood Between Us by Zac Brewer. I recently finished this one and will post my review soon. I went in knowing that I would enjoy it, but I was surprised at how much I loved it and how much I wanted more. Side note: Did anyone else feel the urge to clap like I did?

Chandler - A book which had you on the floor laughing.

No book has had me on the floor laughing, but if there's one author who never fails to make me chuckle a few times, it would be Rick Riordan. So far, I've only read six of his novels, but I own thirteen of them because he hasn't let me down yet. Riordan sprinkles just the right amount of humor within his adventure stories. Even when you think a character might die, you're likely to find a joke.

Monica - A book that you never want to be damaged or broken.

Oh lord, I hope none of my books ever get damaged! It's so hard to choose one. I suppose I'll choose one of the first adult books that I remember falling in love with. This so happens to be Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Water for Elephants was so far out of my comfort zone when I picked it up, but I did because the movie was coming out and I prefer to read the book first. It's been a very long time since I've read it, in fact it's about time for a reread, but I remember loving how this young man's world was shattered and he just got away and started over.

Joey - A book that you love and would like to become a movie.

So many of the books that I love are already movies, but it's a tie between Winger by Andrew Smith and Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes. If you haven't read either of them, you need to. Winger is kind of a coming of age story and Liars, Inc. is a good mystery/thriller.

Phoebe - A book that had bad reviews, but you loved.

I wouldn't say this book had bad reviews, but Paper Towns by John Green. John Green is a hit or miss for a lot of people and I get that. Paper Towns was in some ways an eye opener for me. My favorite quote being, "What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person." Like Q, I had my eyes on someone and believed they were the end all, be all. In reality, he was just a person and I try to look at everyone that way.

Ross - A book that you can't decide whether you love it or hate it.

I actually don't have an answer for this one. I'm pretty sure minded when it comes to my opinion on books and I actually love most of what I read. But I will mention a book that I have a love hate relationship with. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall pissed me off to no end, but I loved it. It is basically a novel of near misses, but the end made up for it. Oddly enough this is how I feel about Ross. He makes me so damn mad and I love him.

Rachel - A character that had major character development.

I don't pay a whole lot of attention to the logistics so I'm tempted to say Sita from the Thirst series by Christopher Pike. Throughout the series she changes a lot, but also stays the same. I know this answer is very vague and I'm sorry. The series is amazing. I always say that it isn't your typical vampire novel. My favorite thing about it is actually the religious aspect and how nothing is black and white.

Central Perk - A book to go to when you're bored.

When I'm bored, I usually grab a steamy book. A recent favorite is The Score by Elle Kennedy. I absolutely love Dean. The Score is the third in a series of companion novels called the Off-Campus series. You can read them out of order, but because of the appearance of past characters I prefer to read them in order.

Gunther - A book that you always hear about, but never buy.

I'm always hearing about the Outlander series and the Game of Thrones books. I don't see myself ever reading them. They're so large and intimidating. Not to mention that there are just so many of them. No offense to Diana Gabaldon or George R.R. Martin.

"Smelly cat, smelly cat, what are they feeding you?" - A book that has a nice smell.

Every book smells different, but every book smells nice. I can' think of a particular book that has a better smell than any other one.

"How you doin'?" - A book character that you love so much.

One of my favorite book characters is Tobias Eaton, more commonly known as Four. Because of my past, I felt a deep connection to him, specifically when reading his short stories. I know most people like Tobias because they want to date him or whatever, but I'm more into how he managed to face his his fears. Maybe one day, I'll be able to do the same.

"WE WERE ON A BREAK!" - A book that you stopped reading for some reason.

Oh man, I have put down so many books! I absolutely have every intention of giving them all another shot, which is why I still have them all. Most recently I put down Dumplin' by Julie Murphy. I just simply wasn't in the mood for it at the time and I don't know when I will be. Maybe in the Summer? Who knows, but I'm looking forward to it regardless.

This was my first tag and I really hope you enjoyed it, I sure did! Thank you to Mariam for tagging me. I tag Grace, Cassie & Jocelyn, Abigail, and anyone else who would like to do it! Feel free to leave a link to your post in the comments, I would love to read them!

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Tucson Festival of Books Take Two

Tucson Festival of Books

March 12th & 13th of 2016

If you've been around for a while, then you'll know that last year I went to the Tucson Festival of Books for the very first time and had an absolute blast. I've been waiting for it to be time again ever since. I never knew that my city hosted an event full of my people, crazy right? This year was absolutely amazing and I am left waiting for the same great experience next year.

Day one I went with my cousin and his girlfriend as we all planned to see R.L. Stine. My favorite quote from his presentation happened to come after some story telling, "I always make up my true stories." This earned a laugh from the audience. Afterwards, the plan was to meet him and get my copy of Eye Candy signed, but after 45 minutes in line we gave up. Turned out that his line was going to be around 3 hours long and I had other things to do! It's still quite the bummer though. While I stopped at the Sweet Sixteens' booth I was able to meet Kathleen Glasgow and Shannon M. Parker and they were both so kind! Shannon even gave me a signed copy of her debut, The Girl Who Fell. Later in the day, I was lucky enough to finally meet Danielle Paige, who I had previously talked to on Twitter, and get my copy of Dorothy Must Die signed! I also met Rae Carson, Suzanne Young, Karen Bao (unfortunately I forgot to ask for a picture), Aprilynne Pike, Heidi Heilig, Liz Fenton, and Lisa Steinke. I wasn't able to meet Tommy Wallach, but the UofA Bookstore did have a signed copy of Thanks for the Trouble and I just had to buy it! I may have gone home with a lovely sunburn, but it was worth it to have such a wonderful day!

Day two I was lucky enough to experience with a childhood friend that I hadn't seen in years! The first thing we did was go and say hello to Zac Brewer and get my copy of The Blood Between Us signed, which I had gotten the previous day at the Epic Reads booth. SCORE. I was also able to meet Sara Raasch, Terry Brooks, and Caragh M. O'Brien! Drisana and I went to a panel about World Building in YA Lit featuring Zac Brewer, Carol Goodman , Caragh M. O'Brien, and Sara Raasch. My favorite thing said from this session was from Zac. The question was whether you write for you or for your fans and Zac said, "My minions, that's what I call my fans, are so similar to me that I kind of assume that they'll include themselves in the story." I can't wait to see if I feel this when I read The Blood Between Us. Which if you've been living under a rock, will be the first book published under Zac Brewer rather than Heather Brewer. How awesome is that?! You do you. Lastly, I purchased a painting from the Creative Juice booth and definitely hope to take a class there soon!

Two of the most exciting things to happen during this amazing festival happen to have a little something to do with debut authors. The first being meeting the lovely Abigail Johnson. We got to talking while in line for Danielle Paige when I just had to compliment her super cute boots. I'm glad I spoke up because as it turns out her debut will be out later this year and she gave me her card! If you're interested If I Fix You comes out in the Fall and Better Read Than Dead will be reading it in January of 2017. The second exciting thing is that while talking to Kathleen, we discussed possibly doing an interview! Her debut, Girl in Pieces, will be out on September 6, 2016! Overall, I was able to meet some seriously awesome people and I cannot wait until next year! If you'd like to donate to the Tucson Festival of Books, you can do so on their website. This helps keep the festival free to all of us bookworms.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

I went a little nuts. Here's my haul for the weekend!

The Darkest Minds Review

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

5 Stars

The Darkest Minds was the Better Read Than Dead book club pick for February 2016 and boy did I enjoy it. For those of you who don't know a "disease" swept through the country and seemed to only affect children. Those who survived were not the same afterwards and thus were sent away.

I found the beginning to be a little slow and was unsure about my feelings toward our main character, Ruby. However, when we were introduced to Liam and his eclectic bunch I just could not put it down. It's safe to say that I loved him. Maybe a little too much. Lol. I found Zu to be absolutely precious and also quite the mystery. I was drawn to her partially because we knew so little about her. Chubs however, rubbed me the wrong way for a good amount of the novel. He did eventually grow on me, so I encourage you to hold out hope. One character that I had severe mixed feeling for was Clance. He pulled me in so much, but my brain was telling me no. So I guess you could say I sensed something deep down. I like how Bracken gave these people such depth. No one's backstory, or personality even, is just black and white. There are so many shades of grey and I really appreciated that.

This was quite the adventure. While I have never seen what the East coast of the United States looks like in person, I could sense the destruction and general devastation through Alexandra's words. It was all so real to me and I felt bad for these people. You really get a great sense of the world she has created within her mind. I'm so glad she decided to put it on a page because it's incredible. I'd never want to live there though. Some things just felt a bit too cult-like for me. Anyone else get that feeling?

To sum up, The Darkest Minds was quite the page turner. In the end I was left feeling broken. I had developed such an attachment and man was I crushed. Book two in the series, Never Fade, is for sure in my future. Anyone is welcome to join Grace and I for book club. We read one young adult novel a month and discuss as we go. If you've read The Darkest Minds, let's talk about it.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Wild Swans ARC Review

Wild Swans by Jessica Spotswood

5 Stars

To start off, I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing me with yet another lovely novel. I went into this book thinking it was basically about some family curse where the women die young and talented. I was wrong. This is a contemporary novel that, in my opinion, centers around family issues, finding your voice, and acceptance. Boy did I eat it up.

I found our main character, Ivy, to be smart, strong-willed, but also a tad whiny. I understand her issues, believe me, you will too. But sometimes I just wanted to scream at her for not speaking up when she truly needed to. It was one of the most frustrating things and often it had to do with her grandad. I absolutely adored Grace and Ella. I hope you will as well. These two, while young, can really teach you something.

On to my least favorite characters. I wasn't a huge fan of Alex, he seemed quite possessive, but maybe if there is a future book, he can redeem himself. My most hated character was Erica. However, you are made to hate her. She's the villain of this story and I think Spotswood did a fantastic job at creating her. At the end of the novel I really wanted more so I could know how her story turns out.

While I love the not-so-perfect family aspect of this novel, there is one thing that I love even more. Spotswood added a transgender character and delicately touched on all the emotions of the people around her. This person is in no way a focus of the story. I love that such a minor character has such an important lesson to teach the reader. While talking about lessons, I might as well mention Claire. I didn't plan on talking about her, hence her not being mentioned above. But Claire has some great outlooks on life. I would just like you to pay attention to some of the things that she says.

All in all, this was quite the enjoyable read for me. My family is not perfect in any way and I really love reading about other families and their issues. Especially ones that cause huge rifts. Another thing I appreciate is how while there is a romance, it's not at the forefront. The focus remains on this family the entire time. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good Summer read that isn't super lovey. Wild Swans is not some fluffy read and it's not some divine mystery like I initially assumed. Wild Swans will be out on May 3, 2016 for those of you who are interested. Be sure to come back and discuss it once you've read it.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Summer of Sloane ARC Review

Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

5 Stars

I am so incredibly happy that I was able to read this book early. Thank you so, so much to NetGalley and the publisher for "granting my wish". Summer of Sloane is a novel about friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and finding yourself. I'm not going to say what, but a huge bomb was dropped right on the first page. WHAT?! I wasn't sure where it was going to go, but I needed to find out. 

The characters all felt very real and relatable in a sense and I found that quite refreshing. I will say I found myself very angry at Mick throughout the whole novel. The actions of this character just rubbed me the wrong way, but also it felt like that was intentional so it's not a bad thing. My favorite character had to be Finn. He was charming and funny, he just pulled me in from the very start. As I got to know more about him, I loved him even more. A book from his perspective would be welcomed with open arms. *wink wink* Or even just a sequel. I need more. Sloane is a very independent yet confused girl who clearly needs time to discover who she is and what she wants. I think that's one of the most enjoyable parts. I loved her thought process and how although her mind thought things were very black and white, her heart saw things as grey. I could go on forever about the wonderful characters in this novel. 

Schneider does a fantastic job at describing the scenery, man I wish I were in Hawaii. I'd like to also address the pool. A small fact is that Sloane has anxiety and she deals with it by building a pool in her mind, drop by drop, piece by piece. As someone who also has anxiety, I found this to be amazing. I have never heard of such a way to deal with it and watching Sloane do it was very calming. I haven't read a lot of books that talk about anxiety in such a real and helpful way. I think it was wonderful that it was included in this book even though it didn't necessarily need to be. Thank you, Erin.

To sum everything up, Sloane is a journey. While it is a fun Summer read, it is also a perfect example of how sometimes all you need is to get away for a little while. That focusing on yourself is not wrong, but also how things can change in a single moment. Sloane takes on a serious side as well. I recommend this to absolutely anyone who loves contemporary and even those who are unsure. For those of you who are interested, Summer of Sloane will be out on May 3, 2016. I do hope you'll get yourself a copy and discuss it with me.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Also, here are two of the pictures I took of my Sloane bookmark for the event called #SloaneAroundTheWorld. You can see everyone else's photos by looking up the hashtag on both Instagram and Twitter. You also might want to check out Erin's Blog.

                   

A Little Something Different Review

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

5 Stars

Around Valentine's day I was looking for a super cute read and so I picked up A Little Something Different. The title definitely fits. If you don't already know this is a love story and it is told from fourteen different perspectives, none of which are the actual couple. I must say, while that is a lot of vantage points, there was only one that bothered me. Her name is Hillary and boy did she just rub me the wrong way. Other than that, I enjoyed them all. I especially loved the meddling friends and the creative writing professor (the squirrel was cute too). Now on to the actual story. While I did give it 5 stars because I enjoyed it overall, I had no idea it was going to be full of so many near misses! It was incredibly frustrating, but I guess that's what you get when you don't have "instalove". Gabe and Lea were both so adorable and the connection was there. I just would have liked to see them as a couple as well as all of the before. Regardless of my little issues, I could not put it down. Maybe because I was hardcore rooting for these two to get together since there wasn't a whole lot else going on. If you're looking for a super cute and quick read, this is absolutely what I'd recommend. I picked the perfect book for a holiday about love. If you've read this, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you wish there were more to the story? Are you happy with where it ended? Let's discuss!

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Holding Court ARC Review

Holding Court by K.C. Held

5 Stars

Holding Court caught my attention because the description seemed so different. A book about a girl working in a castle who finds a body? Not to mention her "PTS", wow. I needed to see what this was all about and I'm glad I did. I found myself falling in love with Juliet, her gran, and yes, Grayson Chandler (There's an obvious need to use his full name once you read it). I can tell you Juliet's gran is absolutely hilarious. Back to the story, the focus of Holding Court is this mystery of who died and where did the body go? Even though I kind of figured out who did it around halfway through, it was still entertaining and I didn't know 100% that my suspect was indeed the guilty party until it was revealed. Bottom line, I could not put it down. I needed to know who had done the deed and I was also rooting for a certain couple. K.C. wove together an intriguing mystery that's also hilarious and adorable at the same time. If you're looking for a fun, quick read, then this one is for you. A special thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy. Holding Court will be available for purchase on March 1, 2016, grab yourself a copy and we can talk about it.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

City of Bones Review

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

5 Stars

I know, I know, I'm so late to the cool kids club with this one. Fuck it, I took my time and I'm glad I did because damn, I loved this book. I finally understand the hype surrounding this series and I am definitely going to continue with it. As late as I was, I finally picked this up because the television show, Shadowhunters, was starting this month. I don't know about you, but I struggle to read something once I've seen its adaptation so I had to hurry my ass up.

I loved practically all of the characters, but I was mildly annoyed by Simon. Clary had her moments as well, but let's focus on the good. Jace was so cocky, he didn't hold back in any aspect and it was perfect. Definitely the most entertaining character to read about for me. Isabelle’s confidence is for sure something I am jealous of. I found Hodge to be kind of sketchy throughout the book, but I feel like a sketchy character is always needed especially with a story like this one. As for Alec, I don't have a lot of thoughts there except for the scene where he gets a tad angry. DAMN. Lastly, I want to see more of Magnus. His character seems to just draw me in! Anyone else feel that way?

As for the plot, I felt it was very well paced with a few serious bombs dropped throughout. Seriously, WHAT?! I enjoyed the romance aspect as well and how it was in the background instead of the forefront. There is a couple that I ship and I don't know how to feel about it. If you've read it, you know. If you're behind on the times like I am, read it. Read it now. If you love adventure, sarcasm, action, etc. then this book is for  you. Book two is in my future for sure. I'd love to hear your thoughts, whether they're on the book, the movie, or the tv show. Just try not to leave any spoilers.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Gone Wild ARC Review

Gone Wild by Jodi Lundgren

4 Stars

I was able to read this gem through NetGalley and for that, I am thankful. All you really need to know going into this book is that two teens are on separate journeys to escape from their problems and their paths cross. Now I expected this to be way more enlightening, but it was still enjoyable to read. The journey was not quite amazing, it was more of an okay, clear your head type of thing. So don't expect some grand adventure that leaves you questioning your own life, this isn't that. It was nice to see the inner struggles that both of these characters went through and how they handled them. I haven't read a lot of books dealing with either topics and I'm sure there are a lot out there, but I'd still like to see more. This is definitely a quick review for a quick read, but I recommend it. Especially if you want something fast, easy, and slightly different. It'll be out September 1, 2016 if you'd like to get yourself a copy.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

The Princess Diaries Review

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

4 Stars

I picked up this book because I really wanted to read the adult book that has been added to the series. Being that I've never read these books, I felt that I should. Now, I breezed through this book. It was a quick, fun, light, and easy read. Not surprising since it's meant for tweens and teens. My main problem was how young Mia seemed, it might be just me, but I did not act like that in high school. Not even middle school, it read like 5th grade me was writing it. Yes, I said it was enjoyable, but my god, Mia drove me nuts most of the time. I'm really hoping to see her grow up because I don't know how much more of that I can take. I will definitely be picking up book 2 very, very soon. Have any of you read the series? I'd be interested in your thoughts.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

First Book Outlet Experience

My very first Book Outlet order!

If you watch as many "Booktube" videos as I do, you've probably heard of Book Outlet. Book Outlet is notoriously known for their amazingly low prices or "read-iculously low" as they put it. On December 28th they had this Boxing Day sale where if you spent a certain amount of money, you got a certain amount of money off of your order. I managed to spend around $75 so I received $30 off of my purchase. I finally decided to give in and purchase from Book Outlet because they had ten of the books in The Princess Diaries series. I wanted to start reading them so I can read the new adult book in the series. Unfortunately, three of the books sold out before I checked out, but I was still able to get the rest. Anyway, I now see why everyone is so in love with this company. If you don't have a ton of money, but you fly through books like there is no tomorrow then they allow you to feed your addiction without breaking the bank. Only one of my books came with the wrong cover and I'm not even mad about it, it's still beautiful so no worries. Overall, I loved my books and I cannot wait to make more purchases in the future. I'll leave a list of the books I bought below. Have you ever used Book Outlet? If not, you can use this link to make your first purchase!

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Books in my haul and their links!

A Little Something Different

Lux Beginnings

Bewitching

Bound to You

Hide and Seek

Cross My Heart, Hope to Die

Disney Princess Comics Treasury

Don't Expect Magic

Everbound

Everybody Sees the Ants

Gossip Girl

The Princess Diaries

Princess in the Spotlight

Princess in Love

Princess in Waiting

Party Princess

Princess on the Brink

Princess Mia

The Heiresses

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

You may notice that some of the links take you to Goodreads, that's because those books aren't currently on Book Outlet.

Arrow Volume 1 Review

Arrow Volume 1 by Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Mike Grell

4.5 Stars

This year I started watching Arrow and when I was looking into purchasing the dvds, I was recommended this graphic novel. Of course I had to put it on my Christmas list! I read this in one sitting and while I did breeze through it, it was not what I expected. I figured it would have a lot more to do with the television show and it did, but it didn't in my opinion. I was a little confused as to where certain things fit in and whatnot. I just think that if they're going to put Stephen Amell on the cover, then it should be a lot clearer and be a lot more related. I hope I'm making sense. Regardless of my problem with that, it definitely was entertaining and completely enjoyable. I recommend this if you're looking for an extra dose of Arrow, but I wouldn't say you're missing anything if you don't pick it up. Also, I really enjoyed the artwork it really matches the feel. Let me know your thoughts!

Xoxo,

Gabriella

2015 Reading Survey

Number Of Books You Read: 52

Number of Re-Reads: 1
Genre You Read The Most From: I believe it was contemporary.

1. Best Book You Read In 2015? I think the best book for me was A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. I couldn't put it down and I still find myself thinking about it almost a month later. I'm also tempted to reread it, which is typically not something that I do. 

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t? I would either have to say Trust Me, I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summers or The F-It List by Julie Halpern. I actually loved them both in the end, but I expected something completely different than what I got from both of those novels. Going into The F-It List I was kind of hoping it would be more about her friend having cancer and how they're dealing with it together. Instead, I got a novel with a cancer ridden friend kind of in the background. Trust Me, I'm Lying on the other hand dealt with situations that just didn't seem realistic for a teenager and I would've liked it if the characters were just a tad older.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read? The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley really took me by surprise. I bought my best friend and myself a copy on a whim and, although she isn't much of a reader, we both fell completely in love with it. Our hearts got broken, we were angry, ugly tears were shed as well as happy tears. It was an all around fantastic read and I'm pretty sure it was a debut novel as well. Highly recommend if you're looking for a book that will really make you feel.

4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)? I would say I spent most of my time pushing people to read Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes. I'm not quite sure how many people actually read it because of me, but I was told by a few people that they really enjoyed it and that made me happy.

5. Best series you started in 2015? Best Sequel of 2015? Best Series Ender of 2015? Mmm, I'm trying not to repeat myself so I guess I'll choose Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard for best series I started. Rick Riordan could write a book about practically anything godly or magical and I'd buy it. I'd just buy anything he writes. For Best sequel, I'm going to go with either Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban or Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, both by J.K. Rowling. I'm actually reading the series for the first time and those were the only two I finished this year. Both were amazing and I'm currently reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Ignite me by Tahereh Mafi, hands down, best series ender. I want more. I fell absolutely in love with Warner and I just want to know how things are holding up.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2015? I've read from so many new authors this year, but I'm going to pick one that I haven't seen anyone pick yet, Elle Kennedy. Her new adult Off Campus series just gets me. I'm beyond hooked. They're great, but if you're not cool with graphic scenes, I wouldn't pick it up.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone? A Work in Progress by Connor Franta. I don't read a lot of nonfiction and memoirs. However, this one was great. The photography was beautiful and the words Connor wrote really made me think about my life. Frantastic! ;)

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year? Never Never Parts 1 & 2 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher. I wouldn't call these action-packed, but they were certainly thrilling. I NEED part 3!

9. Book You Read In 2015 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year? I don't reread, but if I were to pick up a book that I read this year it would definitely be A Court of Thorns and Roses! Need I say more?

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015? Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi, the US Cover. I find it to be absolutely mesmerizing. It's my favorite out of all of her covers.

11. Most memorable character of 2015? Rhysand from A Court of Thorns and Roses left quite the impression on me. I'm really hoping to see a lot more of him in A Court of Mist and Fury.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015? I can't really say, but for some reason The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider keeps popping into my head. I just remember really loving that one for the meaning.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2015? Maybe it was Riding in Cars with Boys by Beverly Donofrio. While reading that autobiography I was really thinking about the choices we make and how they change our path, but also how we can get ourselves back on course. Even what seems to be the worst thing to ever happen can be a blessing, it just might take us a while to realize it.

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read? The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares for sure. It was so cute and while I had seen both of the movies, I had never read the books. I finally picked up book one towards the end of the year and I really enjoyed it.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2015? “Loneliness is a strange sort of thing.
It creeps on you, quiet and still, sits by your side in the dark, strokes by your hair as you sleep. It wraps itself around your bones, squeezing so tight you almost can't breathe. It leaves lies in your heart, lies next to you at night, leaches the light out of every corner. It's a constant companion, clasping your hand only to yank you down when you're struggling to stand up. 
You wake up in the morning and wonder who you are. You fail to fall asleep at night and tremble in your skin. You doubt you doubt you doubt. 
do I
don't I
should I
why won't I
And even when you're ready to let go. When you're ready to break free. When you're ready to be brand-new. Loneliness is an old friend stand beside you in the mirror, looking you in the eye, challenging you to live your life without it. You can't find the words to fight yourself, to fight the words screaming that you're not enough never enough never ever enough. 
Loneliness is a bitter, wretched companion. 
Sometimes it just won't let go.” Tahereh Mafi, Unravel Me

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2015? Shortest book was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Thea Feldman and the longest book was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling.

17. Book That Shocked You The Most? Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. I didn't think that person was the murderer at all. I probably should have figured it out, but I didn't.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)? Is it too boring to say Hermione and Ron? I guess I could throw in Feyre and Rhysand. I definitely ship them. Argue with me all you want about how her and Tamlin are perfect for each other, I don't really care.

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year? Feyre and Lucien, I love their banter throughout A Court of Thorns and Roses.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2015 From An Author You’ve Read Previously? Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan. I know it started slow and there was a lot of world building, but I enjoyed every bit of it. Rick is so good at making you laugh even through the dire situations.

21. Best Book You Read In 2015 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure: The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley. Although, I did buy this, my best friend started it without me and finished it before me. I kept getting messages telling me to hurry up and finish so I guess you could say she pressured me.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2015? Dean DiLaurentis from The Score by Elle Kennedy. He's pretty great and those green eyes? To die for.

23. Best 2015 debut you read? The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi. I found this to be so realistic and relatable. I missed my friends the whole time I was reading it and the novella that goes with it was great as well.

24. Best World building/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year? A Court of Thorns and Roses I suppose. I can see that world perfectly in my mind, but that may also be because of Sarah J. Maas' pinterest board for the book.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read? Ignite by Lily Paradis. It was the very first book that I read this year and I finished it the day I got it. The romance was cute, the kids were adorable, and the struggle was real. And by struggle, I mean the struggle to make a decision. Although I will say that I could kind of tell where she was leaning most of the time even if she couldn't.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2015? The Promise of Stardust, again. This book brought out the ugly tears. I'm talking Kim Kardashian ugly crying. Not to poke fun because I look like that when I cry too. Priscille Sibley just really knew how to tug on my heart strings and the meaning of the word "stardust" in this novel... OH MAN. I bawled my eyes out for a while over that one.

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year? I wouldn't really say it was hidden, but Eye Candy by R.L. Stine. This book really messed with me. It was my first book by him, I know, shame on me. I picked it up after the television show was cancelled to compare the story and they weren't really all that alike. They were both wonderful in their own right.

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul? For fear of being super repetitive, I'm going to say The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. The whole book didn't crush me. It was just one chapter towards the end involving, I believe it was a coyote? Something along those lines. Ugh, that killed me to read. I was about ready to throw the book across the room.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2015? Inked by Eric Smith. I loved the premise of this book. Tattoos deciding your fate? Amazing. I'm really looking forward to book two.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)? Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. I wasn't mad at the book. All my anger was aimed at one particular person, John Hammond. In the movies, they make him out to be this sweet, albeit crazy, old man with a dream. However, the book shows his true colors and he blames everyone around him. So frustrating, I really wanted to scream at him. Despite my anger, I loved the book. It was everything I expected it to be and so much more.

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2015? I don't read as many blogs as I should. I prefer to watch Booktube videos just because I can get other things done while I listen, but I really enjoy my friend Grace's blog. Her reviews are so well thought out and they've convinced me to read a few books. You can find Grace at The Grace Lucy Review or her twitter @gracelucyreads.

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2015? My favorite review of mine has been my review of A Court of Thorns and Roses. I personally think it's my best review. If you look back at all the reviews I've written and compare them to that one, you can just tell I had so many thoughts. I thought so highly of the book and I needed to get everything I could out there without spoiling anything. I hope more books do that to me in the future.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog? I didn't really post much other than reviews, but I did have fun writing about my experience at the Tucson Festival of Books earlier this year. I also loved being able to help promote a sale going on for Liars, Inc by Paula Stokes later in the year. I really believed in that book and it was great to draw people in and get them to pick up something I enjoyed so much.

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)? The Tucson Festival of Books was my first bookish event and it was amazing! I am seriously looking forward to going again in 2016! To be surrounded by so many people who love reading just as much as I do was truly mind blowing for me.

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2015? My best moment was getting my first follower. It was around six months after I began blogging and it took me by complete surprise. I still only have two followers that I know of and I am very grateful for them. It's not so much about the numbers, but knowing that someone out there cares about what I have to say.

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year? Reviewing every book I read. I can tell you right now that I didn't get to every book. Mostly, for the ones I missed, it was simply because I had waited so long after reading the book that I had forgotten what I wanted to say. Therefore, I ended up just not saying anything. There are at least 4 books that I read and didn't review after starting my blog. 

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)? My most popular review was of Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes. I attribute this to her being kind enough to tweet out the link so people would see it.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love? I wish my post on A Court of Thorns and Roses got a little more love. I can honestly say that I worked the hardest on that particular review and even had Grace proofread it for me.

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)? Book Outlet for sure. I haven't gotten my first order in yet, but I did finally give in and participate in their Boxing Day sale. You'll hear more about that when the package gets here. (:

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year? YES! I set out to read 24 books in 2015 and I ended up being able to finish 52 of them! I'm actually quite proud of myself. I also planned to purchase a boxed set, which I did. I haven't read them yet, but the entire Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan sure does look good on my shelf. I managed to fail a few goals as well, but we won't get into that.

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2015 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2016? It's not that I didn't get to it, I just was't able to finish it. I'd like to finally finish Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I've been slowly reading this one for almost 3 months now. I'd have to say it's my least favorite so far because I just really want to slap Harry a good portion of the time. However, his attitude is improving a tad and I think my pace might pick up if I don't get too distracted.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2016 (non-debut)? I have a few books I'm really looking forward to in 2016. I won't go into depth, but they are A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes, Vicarious by Paula Stokes, and The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan.

3. 2016 Debut You Are Most Anticipating? Mmm, I'm going to have to say Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn. There are definitely a lot, but I'm drawing a blank. The premise of this one intrigues me. "Seventeen-year-old Mercedes provides a unique service to her virgin classmates: the opportunity to get their awkward first time over with, judgment-free. But what was meant to be temporary spirals out of control, and Mercedes begins to question where her heart really belongs." How can that not draw you in?

 4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2016? My absolute most anticipated sequel is A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. I need to know what happens and I just want to be back in that world and be able to explore it more.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2016? I want to review every book I read. I was close this year, but some books I just waited way too long and couldn't remember anything. So I guess I just want to be more efficient. I think it'd also be cool to get more comments/followers. It's not the numbers, it'd just be cool to be able to discuss things with my readers. If y'all didn't know, not a lot of my friends read so my opportunity to actually talk about books is quite limited. So whether it's one comment or fifty comments, I'll be just as excited. However, that's not my main focus. I want to improve my writing and my efficiency because I just love blogging!

6. A 2016 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone: I've only read one 2016 release so far and that was The Score by Elle Kennedy. I recommend it to anyone who loves a really good, steamy read.

Now, I'd like to thank Jamie for creating this survey as I've had loads of fun filling it out! Feel free to tell me a few of your answers in the comments. See y'all in 2016!
Xoxo,
Gabriella