The Beast Within Review

The Beast Within by Serena Valentino

5 Stars

Sometime last year I was walking through my local Barnes and Noble when I spotted Beast's face on a book. I squealed and told my mother I had to get, but went home empty handed. I finally got it for Christmas this year and I finished it so fast! The Beast within is all about the Beast before and during his curse. In all honesty he was a jerk and I kind of thought he deserved the curse. However, I was not a fan of the three witches and all of their meddling. The most shocking thing was who was the Beast's best friend growing up. Seriously, WHAT?! If you're a fan of Beauty and the Beast, I truly believe you'll love this one. It's only 215 pages and it's so worth it. If you've read it, let's discuss. If not, go and get it now.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Riding in Cars with Boys Review

Riding in Cars with Boys by Beverly Donofrio

5 Stars

I don't know if any of y'all have seen this movie, it came out in 2001 when I was around 6 years old and I fell in love with it. So naturally when the adult me found out that it was actually based on an autobiography, I had to buy it despite my struggles reading non-fiction. Let me tell you, I finished this book in a matter of hours. I just couldn't put it down! I did have my problems, but they weren't with the book itself. Instead they were with the decisions being made by Beverly most of the time. Don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic read, hence the rating, but it was so hard for me not to be judgmental. If you don't know, Beverly finds herself pregnant in high school during the late 60's if memory serves. It's all about her parenting journey, but mostly how she finds herself along the way. I definitely recommend this one and it's also very short, barely over 200 pages so it goes by so fast! If any of y'all have read it, I'm dying to hear your thoughts! Even if you've only seen the movie, it stays pretty true, let's discuss.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

The Score ARC Review

The Score by Elle Kennedy

5 Stars

Holy shit. I swear these books keep getting better and better. In this one we focus on Allie, a serial monogamist fresh from a breakup, and Dean, an unbelievable ladies man. Kennedy does her thing and creates a very steamy read that you won't be able to put down. I found myself wishing I was Allie the whole time out of complete jealousy and love for the leading man. Dean is just mesmerizing and it's honestly not hard to see why no one can resist his charms. He's kind of a cocky bastard, but it works for him. I devoured this novel in one sitting and I still wanted more! I seriously hope this isn't the last book in the series because holy cow, that bomb dropped at the end?! You can't do that to me! I'd love to be able to say so much more, but you honestly just need to read it for yourself. The Score comes out on January 11, 2016 and while it is the 3rd book, it's a companion series so you don't have to read the other two first. However, you might get minor spoilers, so if that's an issue I would go in order. They're all amazing books and like I said, they just keep getting better. I can't wait for y'all to get your hands on this one so we can discuss it!

Xoxo,

Gabriella

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Review

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

5 Stars

I still cannot believe that it took me until I was 21 years old to actually read this book! I found it quite enjoyable and in one way or another I could relate to each of the four girls wearing "the pants". Although, I did find myself getting more and more annoyed with Carmen as the story progressed. I seriously hope her attitude changes in the next book because I just cannot handle her! I personally loved how these girls are all so different from one another and yet their friendship remains strong. While reading, I really missed my own friends and longed for a good adventure. I also liked how the book didn't really focus on making grand adventures happen. Instead the focus was on these girls and how their Summer changed them and how they felt about everything going on around them. We see Bridget make a bold choice and instead of being completely over the moon, she's quite down on herself. If you know the decision I'm talking about, then you also probably know how realistic it is. Just perfect. I can't wait to buy book two and continue to grow with these characters. Let's talk about it.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

The Geek's Guide to Dating Review

The Geek's Guide to Dating by Eric Smith

5 Stars

First off, I want to thank Eric Smith for so kindly sending me a copy of his book to review. Secondly, I just want to say that despite the absurd amount of time it took me to finish this book, I really loved it. I just struggle when there isn't something making me go, "OH MY GOD, I need to know what happens next!" Moving on, this is a literal guide to dating. It's completely relevant and full of pop culture references that will help you understand what is being said. Example: "If you're an autobot and she's an aerialbot, you can't expect her to suddenly transform into a ground-based vehicle. But you can still bond over your mutual love of administering beat downs to Decepticons. Be respectful, be patient, be open to learning about her passions." Smith also adds the right amount of humor to his work. I personally found myself laughing at several points and I know you will too. I've seen a few complaints about how this is aimed at males and yes, it is. However, Smith makes it a point to say that these tips apply to females just as much as they do to males. He even includes "A Note for the Gal Geek" on page 18. I really appreciated that even though I had no problem with the focus being on men. Lastly, I want to throw in a quote that made me really happy; "Here's the thing, Player One. As much as this concept has been romanticized, it neglects the fact that women are human beings with their own issues--they don't exist just for you." Overall, I found Geek's Guide to be quite helpful and entertaining. I honestly recommend this to anyone who needs help dating or even just needs a good laugh. I'd love to discuss it with anyone who has read it or even wants to.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

A Court of Thorns and Roses Review

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

5 Stars

When I first heard about this book it was on Booktube and everyone was saying it was going to be a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Being that Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite, I was so going to make sure that I read it. Despite having preordered it, I hyped myself up too much and didn’t end up reading it until now. Which worked out since I made it the Better Read Than Dead pick for December.

Now this may be kind of irrelevant, but I use an Android app called “Read Tracker” that tells me how long it takes me to read. When I found out that it took me 17 minutes to read just 12 pages, I immediately snapchatted my friend Grace about how this book was going to take me absolutely forever to read. Boy was I wrong, I had read all 416 pages by the following evening. Sarah J Maas blew my mind! At first I was prepared for things to go slow considering the first couple of chapters hadn’t grabbed me yet, but once Feyre was taken away I couldn’t put it down.

Now to take a better look at things. Feyre, our main character, is not someone I found myself focusing on too much. Maybe it’s because in some odd way, I wanted to be her or maybe it was just because she was surrounded by cooler characters. I’m not saying that I didn’t like her because I did, I just enjoyed the men in this novel a whole lot more. I loved Tamlin’s awkwardness despite his strength and “celebrity”. I definitely found myself being drawn in by his charm. However, Lucien might be my favorite. Throughout this novel he is so sassy and he is unafraid to express himself. I often found myself giggling at his remarks, they’re just gold. Rhysand though, I couldn’t trust him one bit. This didn’t stop me from falling in love with him though. The way he was first described really drew me in, but his personality and the way he presented himself kept me around. I am looking forward to seeing more of him in A Court of Mist and Fury.

Lastly, I didn’t really care for Feyre’s family. They seemed quite ungrateful to me. They may have shown another side, but I’m still not quite sold. A few things that I absolutely loved were that our main character wasn’t portrayed as some fragile, innocent virgin like so many YA novels have the tendency to do. In fact, her virginity wasn’t discussed because it was long gone. I appreciated that the sex scenes weren’t fluffy. While not graphic, Maas did not beat around the bush. We all knew what was happening and it was damn good. Now I’ve seen a few reviews talking about a particular moment being kind of “rapey” or having been an assault. Now I am not encouraging this behavior in the real world whatsoever, but, and this is a big but, this is a YA fantasy novel where one of the characters in question is quite literally animalistic in several aspects. The man has claws for christ’s sake. However, I do see why those things are being said and I actually would love to hear what Maas has to say about it.

Overall, I enjoyed ACOTAR. I honestly would have given it more than 5 stars had that been possible. If any of you have read this, please leave a comment. I am dying to talk about it! Meanwhile, I will be not so patiently waiting for the sequel to come out in May 2016. Also a reminder that anyone is welcome to join our bookclub (https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/157333-better-read-than-dead-bookclub), we’d love to have you.

Xoxo,

Gabriella

The Sword of Summer Review

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

5 Stars

I absolutely love the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series so when I saw that Rick Riordan had another book coming out, I had to read it. This was the Better Read Than Dead book for November and I loved it. I will say that at some points it was a little slow, but things always picked back up again. I found that Norse mythology is actually a tad complicated and was grateful for the glossary in the back of the book, but you'll be fine not knowing anything so don't feel the need to shy away because of that. Our main character Magnus Chase is actually 16 years old and homeless which was quite different, but he is every bit as sassy as Percy is. I tried not to compare the books as I read, however, I just couldn't help myself. I fell in love with these characters. If you haven't heard, we have a deaf character and also a character of Middle Eastern descent and they're both wonderful in their own ways. I felt the need to mention these characters because I personally haven't read enough books with that kind of diversity. You can expect a lot of humor throughout The Sword of Summer as well as pop culture relevance with mentions of Taylor Swift, Arrow, Breaking Bad and more. I must say that Thor and his goats crack me up. If you've read it, then you know exactly why I had to mention them. I honestly have so much to say, but everything is so spoilery! Ugh! I recommend you give this book a try whether you've read Rick's previous works or not, but especially if you have. As always, feel free to join us over on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/157333-better-read-than-dead-bookclub).

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Liars, Inc. Black Friday Sale!

Liars, Inc. Black Friday Sale Blitz

If you've been around for a while, then you know I absolutely adore Paula Stokes and her book Liars, Inc. If not, welcome! When I heard there was going to be a sale, I decided I had to share this with all of you. I've never read a book that blew me away quite like this one and I know you'll love it. Now on to the fun stuff!

“This is one exciting ride.” –ALA Booklist

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money. So with the help of his friend Preston and his girlfriend, Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something, and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn't think twice about it. But then Preston never comes home. And the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead to Preston's body.

Terrifying clues that point to Max as the killer….

 

Paula: I was super-thrilled to see that HarperTeen put the Liars, Inc. ebook back on sale for Black Friday, this time across multiple digital platforms. You can score an e-copy all week for the low price of $1.99 from Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N and iTunes!

 

I'm a girl who will buy almost anything if it feels like a mega-deal, but I realize that some people are a little more discriminating when they buy books. Therefore, I've designed a handy decision-making tree to help you determine if Liars, Inc. is right for you!

 

Paula: If you started to cry while reading the above chart, it's possible that you, like me, are a person who struggles to make decisions. It's okay. Some of us need additional information. Click here to read the first chapter of Liars, Inc. It's a great example of what you might be getting yourself into :)

JUST FOR FUN:  Check out the top ten things I would bring with me if I had to go on the run from the feds.Includes essentials like Chapstick, chocolate, and flash bangs. If you leave a comment, tell me the top 3 things you'd pack if you went on the lam.

 

And hey, just for stopping by, you can enter to win a $25 gift card to B&N (U.S.) or your choice of any book from The Book Depository up to $20 value (INT).

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Now for those of you who have already read and enjoyed Liars, Inc. by the ever so lovely, Paula Stokes, I suggest you recommend it to a friend and tell them about this great sale. You can also Check out her previous books or the next two coming in 2016 on her website, http://authorpaulastokes.com. If you hate waiting, like me, you can fill your time with other YA mysteries such as Trust Me, I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer, The Lying Game by Sara Shepard, or The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Happy reading and I hope y'all have a wonderful holiday weekend, or a great weekend if you live outside of the United States! Thanks for stopping by and feel free to tell me what you love about Liars, Inc., or mysteries in general, in the comments. Maybe one of you will earn yourself a signed bookmark? (: Also, a big thank you to Paula for writing such a wonderful book and allowing me to share it with all of you!

Xoxo,

Gabriella

 

Matt's Story Review

Matt's Story by Lauren Gibaldi

5 Stars

Lauren Gibaldi has done it again! For those of you who don't know, Matt's Story is the novella that goes with The Night We Said Yes. Matt's Story follows Matt during his time away living in Texas. In these short 63 pages we get inside Matt's head and see why he decided to keep to himself so much. New friendships are made and some old ones are mended. I'd say this novella is all about growth and how sometimes it's better to let people in and let them help you even when you don't want to. Lauren does a wonderful job of creating characters you'd want to interact with, they're just so realistic. I wanted to hug Matt, but also knock some sense into him most of the time. Plus Kat and Cindy were awesome. I'd love to be surrounded by the joy that they seem to radiate. I definitely recommend picking up The Night We Said Yes and then this wonderful novella. I can't wait to see more work from Lauren Gibaldi. She's seriously wonderful. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Xoxo,

Gabriella

Trust Me, I'm Lying Review

Trust Me, I'm Lying by Mary Elizabeth Summer

3.5 Stars

This was the Better Read Than Dead Bookclub pick for the month of October and I must say it was decent. At the very beginning I found myself quite bored. The was a cliff hanger at the end of one of the first few chapters and I was actually able to put it down for a few days. This worried me. I thought, "Oh crap, another book I'm not going to finish." However, I kept reading every now and then. Basically forcing myself to get through it. About half way through, I suddenly became interested. I'm not sure if it was the story or the introduction of a cute boy, but it happened. Note that this boy alone earned a half star, without him I would've only given it 3 stars. The story suddenly became a bit of a thrill and I needed to know more. If you didn't know, this book happens to be about a teenage con artist searching for her missing father. As I read, I kind of had it in my mind that the main character needed to be older than she was in order to be dealing with all of the things that were coming at her left and right. I suppose part of me still feels that way. Regardless of my issues with this novel, I find myself considering picking up the sequel just to see where things head and in hopes that the story improves. If you've read this, I would love to hear your thoughts. Also, anyone is welcome to join our book club! (https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/157333-better-read-than-dead-bookclub)

Xoxo,

Gabriella