New Releases - JUNE 2014

Finally it is the delayed feature (only by seventeen days) feature of 'New Releases' for June 2014. 

Enjoy. 

THE THINGS YOU KISS GOODBYE

Author: Leslie Connor

Release date: June 24th 2014

Format: Hard cover

Blurb:

Bettina Vasilis can hardly believe it when basketball star Brady Cullen asks her out, and she just about faints when her strict father actually approves of him.

But when school starts up again, Brady changes. What happened to the sweet boy she fell in love with? Then she meets a smoldering guy in his twenties, and this “cowboy” is everything Brady is not—gentle, caring, and interested in getting to know the real Bettina.

Bettina knows that breaking up with Brady would mean giving up her freedom—and that it would be inappropriate for anything to happen between her and Cowboy. Still, she can’t help that she longs for the scent of his auto shop whenever she’s anywhere else.

When tragedy strikes, Bettina must tell her family the truth—and kiss goodbye the things she thought she knew about herself and the men in her life.

Leslie Connor has written a lyrical, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about family, romance, and the immense power of love. 

MY THOUGHTS

I haven't read a full on romance novel for what seems like ages and I feel that I should read it. But I am kind of torn between whether I should read it or not. I am very doubtful with this book but I will add it to my Goodreads 'to read' account and perhaps when I am doing a book buying spree I will buy it. 

17 FIRST KISSES

Author: Rachael Allen 

Release Date: 17th June 2014

Book format: ebook

Blurb:

No how many boys Claire kisses, she can’t seem to find a decent boyfriend. Someone who wouldn't rather date her gorgeous best friend, Megan. Someone who won’t freak out when he learns about the tragedy her family still hasn't recovered from. Someone whose kisses can carry her away from her backwoods town for one fleeting moment.

Until Claire meets Luke.

But Megan is falling for Luke, too, and if there’s one thing Claire knows for sure, it’s that Megan’s pretty much irresistible.

With true love and best friendship on the line, Claire suddenly has everything to lose. And what she learns—about her crush, her friends, and most of all herself—makes the choices even harder.

MY THOUGHTS

No, the theme is not romance. 

This is just purely coincidental. 

I think I am more likely to read this book than to read "The things you kiss goodbye."I don't know why but to me this seems like a real love story. Because just from reading the blurb there seems to be no love triangles. Do you realise how badly I HATE LOVE TRIANGLES. Oh my gosh. 

COMPLICIT

Author: Stephanie Kuehn

Release Date: 24th June 2014

Format: Hardcover

Blurb:

Two years ago, sixteen-year-old Jamie Henry breathed a sigh of relief when a judge sentenced his older sister to juvenile detention for burning down their neighbor’s fancy horse barn. The whole town did. Because Crazy Cate Henry used to be a nice girl. Until she did a lot of bad things. Like drinking. And stealing. And lying. Like playing weird mind games in the woods with other children. Like making sure she always got her way. Or else.

But today Cate got out. And now she’s coming back for Jamie.

Because more than anything, Cate Henry needs her little brother to know the truth about their past. A truth she’s kept hidden for years. A truth she’s not supposed to tell. 

MY THOUGHTS

Guess what. 

This book sounds like it has no romance in it whatsoever...

Anyway this sounds absolutely thrilling. I love it in books where girls are the absolute badass, its so awesome and when I'm reading it I imagine that I have already broken all of these rules and am just reading about myself (when really I do nothing as badass as the badass girls in these super cool, badass books). 

**takes award for saying badass the most in a sentence**

INLAND

Author: Kat Rosenfield 

Release Date: June 12th 2014

Format: Hard cover

Blurb:

Callie Morgan has long lived choked by the failure of her own lungs, the result of an elusive pulmonary illness that has plagued her since childhood. A childhood marked early by the drowning death of her mother—a death to which Callie was the sole witness. Her father has moved them inland, away from the memories of the California coast her mother loved so much and toward promises of recovery—and the escape of denial—in arid, landlocked air.
 
But after years of running away, the promise of a life-changing job for her father brings Callie and him back to the coast, to Florida, where Callie’s symptoms miraculously disappear. For once, life seems delightfully normal. But the ocean’s edge offers more than healing air … it holds a magnetic pull, drawing Callie closer and closer to the chilly, watery embrace that claimed her mother. Returned to the ocean, Callie comes of age and comes into a family destiny that holds generations of secrets and very few happy endings. 

MY THOUGHTS

1. I hope you appreciate and realise how many people are raving and swooning over the cover of this book, it is amazing. 

2. The story line sounds gripping (just from the blurb) it makes me want to scream. **adding it to 'need to read list' on Goodreads. 

A/N: Next post will probably be; 'currently reading'. Stay seated. 

Tfios comes out in England in two days **cries** 

MY BLOG IS BETTER THAN YOUR VLOG

ELLIE

Currently Reading - Flip

To keep you updated on what I am currently reading.

FLIP  - MARTYN BEDFORD

THIS IS THE COPY I HAVE

DO I PREFER THIS COVER?

Fourteen-year-old Alex Gray wakes up one morning to discover he's not in his own bedroom. More surprising is that he doesn't recognize his hands, or his legs... When he looks in the mirror he gets the shock of his life. How is it possible that Alex has become another boy - a boy who everyone calls Philip?

Picking this book up I thought that this would be like Every day by David Levithan, but it couldn't be more different. So far, I am only 100 pages in and I am loving it. I am so excited to see where it leads to!

MY BLOG IS BETTER THAN YOUR VLOG

ELLIE

The Selection - Kiera Cass

Title: The Selection. 
Author: Kiera Cass
Format: Paperback 
Release date: 24th April 2012
Genre: YA Romance, Dystopian, Future. 
Stars out of ten: 

SUMMARY 

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

REVIEW

When America Singer is thrown into a selection of 39 (it's in the thirties?) girls all competing for Prince Maxon's heart, all she wants to do is escape. She meets Prince Maxon on the first night of the castle, America was feeling claustrophobic and willing to obliterate anything in her way of keeping her from the gardens of the Castl, however the guards would not let her pass until Maxon sees her struggling and 'saves' her, only to be called shallow by America. However Maxon keeps her in the competition and meets her the next day after breakfast for the second time where he teases her about getting uptight after he called her "my dear" claiming it works on other girls. 

Over time America became Maxon's supposed favourite, but America promised to only be his friend in order to help him through he selection and only to keep her in the competition for the food. But her feelings change towards the end of the book when she realises she has feelings for Maxon. 

FIRST SENTENCES 

'When we got the letter in the post, my mother was ecstatic. She had already decided that all of our problems were solved, gone forever. The big hitch in her brilliant plan was me." 

FIRST THOUGHTS

I loved this book so much, I'm not really a big fan of the whole Princess thing (well I wasn't before I read this book). However this has reached one of the near to top marks in my favourite series list. The characters are so amazing and they are so easy to relate to. I mean we all have that girl that is super annoying and rips your dress off and you constantly want to tell someone but nobody would believe you... yeah well that's Celeste. 

Title: The Elite 

Author: Kiera Cass

Format: Paperback 

Release Date: April 23th 2013

Genre: YA Romance, Dystopian, Future. 

Stars out of ten:

SUMMARY

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending

REVIEW

Aspen, America's old boyfriend now conveniently has a job as a palace guard assigned to America's door. Meaning every single time America sees Aspen she is torn as to whether she should get back with Aspen again. Meanwhile her liking to Maxon just keeps increasing. However after one of the girls who was close to America in the selection gets whipped due to her having a 'fling' with a guard, America tries to save her friend only to be pushed back. 

After this event happens Maxon and Kriss start spending more time together and Kriss becomes the favourite of many people.

America only then realises that she never wants to loose Maxon. 

FIRST SENTENCES

"The Angeles air was quiet, and for a while I lay still, listening to the sound of Maxons breathing. It was getting harder and harder to catch him in a truly calm happy moment, and I soaked up the time, grateful that he seemed to be at his best whilst he and I were alone."

FIRST THOUGHTS

I only gave this nine stars because it was the most annoying book I have ever read and then we had to wait at least a year for The One to come out, expected to carry on with daily life. And also ASPEN CAME BACK, KRISS AND MAXON GOT REALLY CLOSE AND AMERICA ALMOST LEFT THE SELECTION BUT DIDN'T. Such a good book but, I don't think I have ever shouted at a book so much. 








Title: The one
Author: Kiera Cass 
Format: Paperback 
Release Date: May 6th 2014
Genre: YA Romance, Dystopian, Future.
Stars out of ten:

SUMMARY

The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen--and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants. 

REVIEW

America starts to worm her way back into the selection, with there only being 5 girls left in the competition America Singer is prepared to win the crown and the title as Princess of Illea, and Maxon is prepared to help her. In the very beginning of the book she takes the Kings words very seriously and in order to prove that she could also satisfy Maxon just as well as the other girls she wears a very seductive red dress with a slit up the thigh to dinner that night, and when Maxon tugs his ear she is ecstatic. However it di not turn oyut the way she thought it was. 

Many huge things happen that shock the reader just as much as they do America, with America witnessing Kriss' and Maxon's first kiss to Maxon brushing off America the morning of the main announcement. I will just warn you that the shootings can either break or make America's life in this book. 

FIRST SENTENCES

"This time we were in the Great Room enduring another etiquette lesson when bricks came flying through the window."

FIRST THOUGHTS 

I suffered with post book depression after reading this book, I was so upset that the series had ended, I mean it made/makes me want to be a princess with a Prince Maxon, and all I did for about three days was just read the books over and over again. But I loved this book, it was my favourite out of all of the three and that's all I am say because I am bound to splurt out spoilers and I don't want to ruin it for all of you upcoming princesses. 

Please, please, please, please read it.

A/N;

I will probably/hopefully post tomorrow:)

MY BLOG IS BETTER THAN YOUR VLOG

ELLIE

Coverflips.

It's a Thursday.
One more day closer to Friday. 
Which means it's the end of the week for you guys, but not for me seeing as my week ends on Saturday at 4. Urgh.

Anyhow Cover flips is back and better than ever. 

 FREEDOM

Patty and Walter Berglund were the new pioneers of old St. Paul—the gentrifies, the hands-on parents, the avant-garde of the Whole Foods generation. Patty was the ideal sort of neighbour, who could tell you where to recycle your batteries and how to get the local cops to actually do their job. She was an enviably perfect mother and the wife of Walter’s dreams. Together with Walter—environmental lawyer, commuter cyclist, total family man—she was doing her small part to build a better world.

But now, in the new millennium, the Berglunds have become a mystery. Why has their teenage son moved in with the aggressively Republican family next door? Why has Walter taken a job working with Big Coal? What exactly is Richard Katz—outré rocker and Walter’s college best friend and rival—still doing in the picture? Most of all, what has happened to Patty? Why has the bright star of Barrier Street become “a very different kind of neighbour,” an implacable Fury coming unhinged before the street’s attentive eyes?

MY THOUGHTS ON THE COVER AND BLURB. 

I like the difference between the two covers, one seems to make you think about the relevence to freedom (the bird one, on the left) but then there is a very basic and easy to grasp cover with a girl running with her arms outstretched. I really love both but perhaps the cover on the right would appeal to more teenagers. 

I love the idea of this book, making me want to read it. Perhaps this could be a summer read to add to my very long list. 

VAMPIRE ACADEMY 

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable night time rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

MY THOUGHTS OF COVER AND BLURB. 

I love the colour on the left, its more hypnotising and darker, making me relate this to vampires more? I am not completely sure. The cover on the right is too bright, I mean blood is a deep red, not a bright red. 

I am not completely sure that I would read this myself, I would recommend this to all vampire lovers though.  

 SHADOW AND BONE

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

MY THOUGHTS ON THE COVER AND BLURB

I found the cover on the left on Goodreads and the cover on the right on Tumblr. I'm not entirely sure as to whether the one from Tumblr is an official cover but I absolutely love it, however I am not entirely sure if it reflects what the book is about, which is a huge issue. 

I might read this book, I have just read a snippet of it on Tumblr and it sounds so dramatic and romance-y and gripping, that it has pulled me in and I may have to add it to my 'to read' list on Goodreads. 

THRONE OF GLASS

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined

MY THOUGHTS ON COVER AND THE BLURB

Can we just all speculate at the cover on the right, I'm not even overreacting to say its beautiful. Because it is beautiful. As you all probably know by now, I hate it when there are cover models on the front because that isn't how I imagine them, unless its a photo where is doesn't show the face of the model I am fine, other than that all you can see me doing is flicking from the page I am on to the front cover making absurd faces at it whilst the cover model stares back at me, looking all flawless with no blemishes, whilst I feel like screaming "I DO NOT IMAGINE YOU LIKE THIS". 

Rant over. 

People have been raving over this book for a long time and quite a few people I know have read it, but I have never really looked into it until now and this is another to add to my 'summer reading list.' But that's ok, because I don't plan on socialising for 9 weeks.

Well that is the end to cover flips for this very long week, but it will be back next Thursday. 

Be prepared for a brief 'What am I reading' and a review on the selection series, because I have finished The One, boo. 

MY BLOG IS BETTER THAN YOUR VLOG

ELLIE

We were liars - E. Lockhart.

Title: We were liars. 

Author: E. Lockhart.
Format: Paperback. 
Release date: May 13th 2014
Genre: YA Romance, Mystery, Realistic fiction. 
Stars out of ten: 

SUMMARY

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

REVIEW

A girl named Cadence suffering with head splitting migraines and a supposedly perfect family in which she is a part of. Cadence has forgotten everything that had happened before the summer of fifteen, where she knows that she went into the sea but cannot remember anything afterwards, but the strange thing is that it seems as if nobody wants her to remember claiming that they 'want her to remember in her own time.'  She is a part of a group called the Liars with her two cousins, Mirren and Johnny. And also Gat the boy that she was in love with. After the accident Cadence had sent them many emails, to which they didn't reply. Cadence supposed that Gat didn't want to talk to her, instead he had another love a part from the island, and Mirren and Johnny were going to college (something that she wasn't during due to her medical treatment and migraines.)

In summer Seventeen Cadence goes back to the island in hope of remembering what happened  and after not being there, with the Liars for summer Sixteen she felt that she would have been missing out on their goings on. So still suffering with amnesia and migraines, she goes back to Beechwood Island.

You later find out that the Sinclair Family is not as perfect as you are lead to believe to begin with. With family arguments a natural recurrence, but they still manage to come across as a perfect family. In summer 15 Cadence finds out that Clairmont (the main Sinclair family house) was burned down, and that it was her and the liars, they didn't want to see the family be torn apart due to who inherited the Sinclair family home. 

In summer Seventeen Cadence believes that she was talking to the liars, she was falling in love again with Gat, she was spending more time with Mirren and Johnny but she wasn't. They had burned to death in that house and until the end of summer Seventeen she realised this and had to say goodbye to the liars. 

FIRST SENTENCES

Welcome to the beautiful Sinclair family. 

No one is a criminal. 

No one is an addict. 

No one is a failure. 

MY THOUGHTS 

At the beginning at the fault in our stars Hazel Grace says that she is addicted to one book, reading it over and over again. This is the book for me. So many of the pages are dog eared so many quotes are underlines (in pencil) it's such an amazing book with such amazing characters, its just so sad. And even just reading short chapters of it now makes me want to cry. 

Cry because its amazingly written. 

Cry because it's so sad. 

Cry because of Gat, Mirren and Johnny. 

Cry.

It is definitely worth the read, a title you will not forget. 

MY BLOG IS BETTER THAN YOUR VLOG

ELLIE

(A/N: SORRY FOR SO MANY SPOILERS)

New Releases - May 2014

I think its that time again for me to apologise for the lack of posts, however I have exams next week and I've been very busy. But not to worry we only have four more weeks of school and then we will have eight weeks full of blog posts and reading. It sounds like heaven. 

It is time for our very new feature; New releases, which has been done many time which I guess means it isn't as new as I'm making it out to be. 

Lets crack on with new release for May 2014.

CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE. 

Author: Cassandra Clare 

Blurb: 

ΕRCHOMAI, SEBASTIAN HAD SAID. 

I am coming.

Darkness returns to the Shadowhunter world. As their society falls apart around them, Clary, Jace, Simon and their friends must band together to fight the greatest evil the Nephilim have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Nothing in the world can defeat him — must they journey to another world to find the chance?

MY THOUGHTS;

I am currently reading this book and so far; its perfect. Cassandra Clare is a Queen and she is perfect at creating made up worlds. I mean just read the blurb, and she has already used a rhetorical question and mentioned four people's names. If you've read the first five thios is well worth a read. 

THE ONE. 

Author: Kiera Cass 

Blurb:

The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen--and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.

Find out who America will choose in The One, the enchanting, beautifully romantic third book in the Selection series!

MY THOUGHTS; 

I have been raving about this book for ages, and eagerly awaiting the last book to the selection series. However it is not available in England yet and I haven't been able to read it. Which is very disappointing.

WE WERE LIARS. 

Author: E. Lockhart]

Blurb:

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

MY THOUGHTS. 

I recently read this book and finshed it. Its quite a short book with 225 pages, but such as strong story line. The characters were so vivid and the blurb is very mysterious. Well worth a read. I will do a review on it in the near future. 

ALL THE LIGHTS WE CANNOT SEE. 

Author: Anthony Doerr 

Blurb:

From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, a stunningly ambitious and beautiful novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

Marie Laure lives with her father in Paris within walking distance of the Museum of Natural History where he works as the master of the locks (there are thousands of locks in the museum). When she is six, she goes blind, and her father builds her a model of their neighborhood, every house, every manhole, so she can memorize it with her fingers and navigate the real streets with her feet and cane. When the Germans occupy Paris, father and daughter flee to Saint-Malo on the Brittany coast, where Marie-Laure's agoraphobic great uncle lives in a tall, narrow house by the sea wall.

In another world in Germany, an orphan boy, Werner, grows up with his younger sister, Jutta, both enchanted by a crude radio Werner finds. He becomes a master at building and fixing radios, a talent that wins him a place at an elite and brutal military academy and, ultimately, makes him a highly specialized tracker of the Resistance. Werner travels through the heart of Hitler Youth to the far-flung outskirts of Russia, and finally into Saint-Malo, where his path converges with Marie-Laure.

MY THOUGHTS: 

I dint know whether I am one to read war books or not. I mean I have read my fair share of them and enjoyed them, but others I have read and stopped half way through. 

I like the storyline and the two different people in different countries and all but I cannot tell you whether I would read it or not. 

RUSH TOO FAR. 

Author: Abbi Glines 

Blurb: 

Fallen Too Far was Blaire's story. Now it's time for Rush to share his side.

Everyone in Rosemary Beach thinks they know how Rush Finlay and Blaire Wynn fell in love. But Rush is back to tell his side of the story...

Rush has earned every bit of his bad-boy reputation. The three-story beach house, luxury car, and line of girls begging for time between his sheets are the envy of every guy in Rosemary Beach, and Rush handles it all with the laid-back cool of a rock star’s son. All he needs are his best friend, Grant, and his sister, Nan.

Until Blaire Wynn drives into town in her beat-up pickup truck with a pistol under her seat. The Alabama farm girl instantly captures Rush’s attention once he discovers that the angelic beauty is his new stepsister, but he vows to keep his distance. Even if she needs his help. Even if he craves her.

Because Rush knows why Blaire is all alone in the world, forced to ask for help from the father who abandoned her three years ago. And he knows if he gets too close it will destroy Nan, who has a secret connection to Blaire.

He has every reason in the world to stay away from her. Find out why he doesn’t.

MY THOUGHTS;

This reminds me of a Wattpad story, and if you do not know already I love cliché wattpad story's. I'm not a big fan of the cover though, I don't like it when the main character is on the cover because I cannot imagine them as well.

MY BLOG IS BETTER THAN YOUR VLOG

ELLIE