Book BFF Melissa: February 2013

Quiz: Which Literary Character Are You?

Are you the:

My favorite part of magazines like Cosmo are those silly little quizzes that test What Kind of Girlfriend Are You? and things like that. So I decided it would be fun to make up a bookish one for ya'll. I give mad props to the person who's job it is to create quizzes like these. It's actually not easy!

Also, this is just for funsies so enjoy!

1. You find an old beat up treasure map in your basement under a stack of dusty books. You...

a. smile. You're the one who hid it there in the first place.

b. put it in your pocket and decide to show it to your best friend later.

c. figure out where it begins and come up with a plan to start a search.

d. leave it where it is and keep looking for your weights so you can work on your six pack.

2. It's down pouring outside on a spring day you…

a. laugh at your nemesis who just fell in a puddle and insult them in front of the whole school.

b. take out the umbrella you were carrying just incase and share it with your best friend.

c. take cover in the nearest café where you meet a cute guy.

d. conveniently bump into your crush and start making out in the rain.

3. It's your birthday you celebrate by...

a. opening all the presents your minions…I mean friends…bought you.

b. going out to dinner with your family and best friend.

c. enjoying the surprise party that your best friend threw for you and make out with your crush who brings you the ultimate present.

d. dancing at a club/party with a cute new guy/girl that is fun to flirt with. Happy Birthday to you! ;)

4. A criminal is holding someone you care about hostage. You…

a. bargain with the criminal. You've got lots of tricks up your sleeve.

b. do nothing…you're the one being held hostage.

c. volunteer as tribute.

d. form a plan to save said love person and then declare your love to them that has been building up for months.

5. The popular girl in school just insulted you. You…

a. that wouldn't happen because you're the most popular girl in the whole school.

b. start to tear up and turn away so they don't see you cry as your best friend punches that biz notch in the face.

c. say something snarky back that makes her blush and leave you alone.

d. tell her you're sorry you dumped her, but you're interested in someone else now and she has to get over it.

Now for the fun part...

12:00 AM
8 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday #19

Top Ten Tuesday

Brokeandbookish provides a topic each week and bloggers list their top ten within that category.

February 26: Top Ten Authors I Auto-Buy

I'm going to try to do mostly authors that I've already read multiple books by them.

Jennifer L. Armentrout

I'm so glad this woman is a writing machine and busts out multiple books a year because I don't think I could stand waiting a long time to read her work. I buy all her books without reading reviews because I know I'll love them and read them multiple times. I turn to her when I want to do some serious swooning.

Sarah Dessen
She's the reason I got into reading and the reason I got back into YA it after I strayed when I thought I was supposed to be reading Adult books. Her books are all similar, but that's why I like them. They feel like home to me. I turn to her books when I want to smile and ponder life.

Tahereh Mafi

I've only ever read Shatter Me, but I love the way she writes. Her style is just so unique that I'm willing to read anything she'll put down on paper...or a napkin..or a shoe. If she writes it, I'll buy it and read it! I turn to her books when I want to get lost in poetic writing.

Simone Elkeles
This lady's magic...magic I tell you! I've only read a few of her books, but I LOVED all of them. I buy her books with out reading the back cover often. I turn to her writing when I want to have lots of feels.

Julie Kagawa

She's such an epic storyteller. Her books are so imaginative and suspenseful. I turn to her books when I'm looking for an awesome adventure.

Nicholas Sparks

He's probably the only Adult Fiction author I will buy without reading the back cover. I just love his romance stories. I turn to his books when I'm looking for a modern day fairytale to restore my faith in love.

Sophie Kinsella

Alright so I lied a little...she's also an Adult Fiction author that I auto buy. Her books make me laugh and smile until my face hurts. I haven't read a book by her that I don't enjoy. I turn to her books when I need a good laugh and cute romance and happy ending.

Veronica Roth
I know I've only read her Divergent Series, but I'm pretty sure she can do no wrong. I'll probably buy all her books no matter what the reviews are in the future. I turn to her books when I want a dystopian that makes me ponder life.

Veronica Rossi
Again I've only read her Under The Never Sky series, but I love it so much and am pretty sure I'll buy all her books no questions asked in the future. I turn to her books when I want something original and out of the box.

Leigh Talbert Moore

Her books make me think about life, love, religion, etc. They keep me engaged and I usually finish them in a few days. I turn to her books when I want an honest book that will make me reflect.

Do you auto buy any of these authors too?
Who else do you love?

While you're here have you seen my discussion post on
how reading 100+ books a year might negatively impact our reading experience as bloggers.

12:00 AM
14 Comments

Can Book Blogging Have A Negative Affect On Our Reading Experiences?

blogging

Usually I am a huge advocate for book blogging and can ramble on to friends, or random strangers, about how much it enhances my reading experience. But today, while reading a review someone wrote for a book I fangirl over that they thought was just okay, one sentence stood out to me. They said that they thought the reason they didn't enjoy the book as much was because they had read some really awesome books before this one and they were stuck in a book hangover and nothing just seemed to compare. It made me stop and question if reading so many books back to back can actually hinder the overall reading experience.

Oh No I Didn't!

I know I can't believe I just said that either. I mean book blogging is such a big part of my life, but once I stepped back and really thought about it I could kind of agree with that review I read. Before I had this blog I probably only read like a book a month...if even that. So every time I read a book I had a clear mind and nothing to compare it to. But now I read about two books a week. And when I start a new book I'm still thinking about the book I finished yesterday.

Here's where it can get negative. Is this fair to authors and other bloggers looking to a review to see if they want to read a book? It's not a secret that reviews can change someone's mind about whether they want to read a book or not. Sometimes I'll read reviews while I'm browsing in B&N and it makes me actually go buy the book. But other times if it's an iffy review I'll actually put that book on the back burner of my to be read list for awhile. What if it was an iffy review because they had just read something so fantastical like The Hunger Games the day before and this other book which is actually quite great just didn't compare for them?

I guess the only way as a reader to make a good decision is to do one of two things:
1. Read the book and make up your own mind and just use reviews as loose guidelines or
2. Read a lot of reviews and don't let just one sway your decision.

So what do you guys think? Does reading 100+ books a year make you more critical when writing reviews? Do you think your overall reading experience is being affected by mass reading? Do you think it's fair to authors and other readers? I want to know I'm not alone in this thought.

12:00 AM
23 Comments

{Review} Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

4 Stars

Number of Pgs. 320

Publication date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: New Adult, Adult, Romance, Erotica

How I got the copy: From Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Gallery Books!

From Goodreads:

An ambitious intern. A perfectionist executive. And a whole lot of name calling. Discover the story that garnered more than two million reads online.

Whip-smart, hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He’s exacting, blunt, inconsiderate—and completely irresistible. A Beautiful Bastard.

Bennett has returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family’s massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who’d been helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently provocative—completely infuriating—creature he now has to see every day. Despite the rumors, he’s never been one for a workplace hookup. But Chloe’s so tempting he’s willing to bend the rules—or outright smash them—if it means he can have her. All over the office.

As their appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and Chloe must decide exactly what they’re willing to lose in order to win each other. Originally only available online as The Office by tby789—and garnering over two million reads on fan fiction sites—Beautiful Bastard has been extensively updated for re-release.

I've been using a new way of reviewing that I saw over at Making the Grade. It breaks the book down and makes it easier to rate. The way it works is each category gets a score out of ten points. Then you add them all up + 50 (50% automatically for each book) and that's your score out of 100.

610: The main reason I fangirl over the Lux series so much is because I LOVE the animosity/passion between the two main characters. Now take that concept and apply it to adult fiction with exxxtra steamy scenes and you've got a book that'll keep my attention.

While I enjoyed these intense hot moments, I was a little disappointed that the entire book revolved around the relationship. Nothing else happens for the characters besides their conflict of if they should date, continue hooking up, or stop all together. I just wanted more. And I wondered why it took them nine months to jump each other in the first place.

Although I liked 50 Shades & Twilight, I was a little nervous to read this because I heard it was fan fic. It wasn't overwhemling similar to either of those which made me happy. I might not have even known it was fan fiction if I hadn't read that somewhere.

1:32 AM
4 Comments

Sunday Post/Stacking the Shelves #27

Stacking the Shelves

The Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Both are a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and talk about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Thirteen Reasons Why

My cousin let me borrow her copy because she remembered I wanted to read it. She said she read this book in a day so I'm excited to get lost in it. If you've read it is it any good?

HOLY CRAP you guys! I'm so excited it's ridiculous. My brother's girlfriend told me they put up a bargain bookstore in a shopping center here. I was so bummed when the half price bookstore closed last year so this definitely makes up for it. And to make it even better it's next door to a DSW. I know where I'll be spending all my money lol.

7:05 PM
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{Review} The Truth About Letting go by:Leigh T. Moore

5 Stars

Publication date: February 21, 2013

Genre: YA, Contemporary

How I got the copy: From the author in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5 stars

Amazon/B&N/Kobo/Itunes

Ashley wants to smash everything in her once-perfect life.
Charlotte wants to walk in Ashley's seemingly charmed shoes.
Colt wants to turn Smalltown USA on its ear--with Ashley at his side.
Jordan wants to follow his heart... but Ashley is the one sacrifice he never expected to make.

Ashley Lockett has always followed the rules. She's always done the right thing, played it safe, gone to church. And then her ideal life is shattered when her dad dies suddenly.

Fueled by anger and grief, she vows to do everything opposite of how she lived before. She rejects safety, rules, faith,

and then she meets Jordan.

Jordan has big dreams, he's had a crush on Ashley for years, and he's a great kisser. But he's also safe.

Enter Colt. He is not safe, and he's more than willing to help Ashley fulfill her vow.

I've been using a way of reviewing that I saw over at Making the Grade. It breaks the book down and makes it easier to rate. The way it works is each category gets a score out of ten points. Then you add them all up + 50 (50% automatically for each book) and that's your score out of 100.

8/10: This book could not have come at a better time in my life personally. If you've been following my blog you know I was recently diagnosed with Crohn's Disease which has put me on bedrest for months. Much like the main character Ashley, who has lost her father in the beginning of the story, I'm left wondering why did this happen to me?

Ashley's journey to understand faith, love, grief, and acceptance really hit home and was almost a comfort to know someone else, even if they were fictional, had gone through the same thoughts when dealing with something so difficult.

Ashley's process was a little more extreme than mine...it's kind of hard to deface school property from my couch, but I did have moments just like her where I questioned faith and wanted to just scream or do something crazy so I could stop feeling so depressed and helpless. But just like Ashley I was able to figure out that I'm not the only one who's gone through this and being depressed doesn't really help anything. I just wish I had a hot geek like Jordan to help me figure it out like she did!

2:48 PM
5 Comments

{Review} The Ruining by Anna Collomore

4 Stars

Number of Pgs. 313

Publication date: February 7, 2013
Publisher: Razorbill
Genre: New Adult, Thriller, Mystery

How I got the copy: Won it from Book Loving Mom!

Rating: 4 Stars

Annie Phillips is thrilled to leave her past behind and begin a shiny new life on Belvedere Island, as a nanny for the picture-perfect Cohen family. In no time at all, she falls in love with the Cohens, especially with Libby, the beautiful young matriarch of the family. Life is better than she ever imagined. She even finds romance with the boy next door.

All too soon cracks appear in Annie's seemingly perfect world. She's blamed for mistakes she doesn't remember making. Her bedroom door comes unhinged, and she feels like she's always being watched. Libby, who once felt like a big sister, is suddenly cold and unforgiving. As she struggles to keep up with the demands of her new life, Annie's fear gives way to frightening hallucinations. Is she tumbling into madness, or is something sinister at play?

The Ruining is a complex ride through first love, chilling manipulation, and the terrifying depths of insanity.

I've been using this way of reviewing that I saw over at Making the Grade. It breaks the book down and makes it easier to rate. The way it works is each category gets a score out of ten points. Then you add them all up + 50 (50% automatically for each book) and that's your score out of 100.

7/10: Wow is all I can really say. Giselle over at Xpresso reads had told me this would be a mind f*ck before I started reading, but she wasn't kidding. It was one of those books that makes you feel like you're slowly going insane right along with the main character. After I finished the book I felt l like staring at a wall for a few hours and rocking back and forth...just kidding sorta. It really messed with me though.

I will say that it was a little predictable. I was able to figure out the big mystery, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment of the book. I also didn't really like the ending because it was all happily ever after too quickly. The mystery was solved and then five pages later everyone's happy and it's over. I craved more. Like what happens a year from then?

Also, I loved the reference to the sinister The Yellow Wallpaper story. I remember reading that in school one time and being thoroughly creeped out. It was kind of like a modern retelling in a way.

2:19 PM
3 Comments

Sunday Post/ Stacking The Shelves #26

Stacking the Shelves

Exiled

I won this from a giveaway over at Stuck In Books. Big thank you to Val and the author M. Merrick! I'm really excited to read this because Val says it's awesome and I totally trust her opinions. Also, look at all the swag. I might just have to share.

Beautiful Bastard

I liked 50 shades and Twilight so I'm really curious about this fan fic. Thank you to Gallery Books for the copy!

The Ruining

I won this from Amy over at Book Loving Mom! My goodreads friend who's reading this now was just raving about it so I'm very excited to start it.

I also received a copy of Opal that I won from a live chat with JLA! I'll be doing a giveaway for my bloggaversary in March because now I have two copies of it.

The highlight of my week was definitely reading Article 5. If you haven't read that book you seriously need to. I can't wait to review it and read book 2.

This week I had a lot of fun making the Valentines Day post! I took my favorite romantic movies and paired them with similar YA Contemps.

Dance of Shadows was kind of a disappointment for me, but I'm curious to hear what you guys thought of it.

Also, look for my guest post about The Carrie Diaries featured on Story Crush next week!!!