Shelf Candy Saturday

Shelf Candy Saturday
So apparently the blogger who was hosting this before vanished off the face of the earth.  So now it's hosted by Maria.
Hosted by: Maria at http://anightsdreamofbooks.blogspot.com/
What is it?: Post a picture of a book with a cool cover that has caught your interest.  As a bonus you can put the cover artist's info.




This cover makes me smile.  And you know why?  I think it's because the  Happy is in the shape of a smile.  Also the color yellow usually reminds me of happy faces which you guessed it...makes me smile.


I love the silouete aspect of the people and the sun in the background.  Oh and the reflection on the
water.


The font reminds me of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Site.  I just checked and these books are written by the same author so that explains that.



                             





HELP NEEDED: I need help deciding if I should read some books even though I don't like their covers.  

Check out my post
Hi My Names Melissa And I'm A Cover Snob!

Hi, My Name Is Melissa And I'm A Cover Snob...HELP!

covers
Sometimes at the store or library I pick up a book off the shelf.  The first thing I notice is the cover.  Sometimes I'm really not attracted to a cover at all or it doesn't tell anything about what the book is about.  And I'm like...

And 9 times out of 10 I'll put it back on the shelf.  So basically I'm a cover snob.  If the cover is pretty or interesting I'll probably read it even if I've heard it's bad (ex. Where I Belong).  

While checking out other people's Waiting on Wednesday posts I realized a lot of the books I would have passed by (because of their cover) actually had interesting summaries.  

So I'm posting a list of books I don't want to read because of their cover and I need YOU to tell me if you think I'm making a mistake by passing them up.






This one has pretty colors, but it kind of gives me a headache to look at.  And I've seen this cover 100 times and just realized that's a girls face.  I hear everyone raving about it though.  Is it really that good?








This cover reminds me too much of Harry Potter which annoys me and it looks like a young kids book, which I think it's Middle School right?  But I've had countless people tell me it's amazing including my hot 34 yr old physical therapist and my aunt....soooo..









I don't know what it is about this cover.  Maybe it's the colors that turn me off or the scary thing she's holding in her hand.  I'm really not sure, but it's supposedly a good book.








This girl's hair really bothers me and I don't know why.  It kind of freaks me out to be honest.  But should I let my weirdness stop me from picking up this book?








I think this one looks very manly and that's probably what turns me off to it.  Plus I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone and The Book of Blood And Shadow so this title just doesn't do it for me.  But people were freaking out over this book so maybe it's worth it?









I hate the thing reflected in the girl's head.  What is that?  And there's no color or anything that stands out.










Most of these books so far have no color on the cover.  Maybe that's my problem!  But this one kind of creeps me out.  I feel like that girl is staring into my soul.






What books have you read that have a weird or ugly cover that you really enjoyed?  Or do you need help deciding on a book?



{Guest Review from Jenna Anderson} Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

5 Stars

Today I am happy to introduce a fellow twitter friend and blogger, @JAScribbles, who has an awesome guest review for us!  

Thank you for having on your blog, Melissa! I’m so happy to be here. 

Title: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares
Authors: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Genrea: Humor, Contemporary, YA
Publisher: Ember
Publication Date: October 11, 2011
From Goodreads:

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

 So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors ofNick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

 Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

(Guest review by Jenna Anderson)

I stumbled across this title while cruising NetGalley. The cover grabbed my attention. Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares is a fun read that brings readers around NYC during Christmastime. The holiday aspects are light, but enough to make the book that much more enjoyable.

(I received this ebook as a free review copy from NetGalley and the publisher.)

Since this book was written by two people it is no surprise that the characters are unique and vivid. Each chapter alternates between the two. I can just image how much fun these authors had writing this story. 

Dash is charming, very intelligent and home alone. His parents don’t pay much attention to him. He acts like he doesn’t care but we all know better. I loved his dry sense of humor and flippant attitude.

Lily is a bubbly gal who is overly emotional and loves to wears odd clothing. She gives cookies to strangers and is trying hard to create a festive holiday event with her family. They are less than interested. She’s a complete mismatch for Dash… but I soon found myself wishing for them to become friends. 

This is a quick, easy read - a feel good story that will leave you with a smile. I didn't want to leave these people. I wish the story had continued for 300 more pages and in my world, that deserves five stars.

David Levithan has coauthored a number of titles – one recently with John Green, Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Have you read it? 

Thanks again for having me, Melissa! 

 Thanks for stopping by today with a great guest review!  Will you be adding it to your goodreads TBR list?  I know I will!

{Review} Nobody's Damsel by: E.M. Tippetts

5 Stars


Title: Nobody's Damsel
Author: E. M. Tippetts
Number of Pgs. 
Publication date: January 5, 2013
Genre: New Adult (yay!!)
How I got the copy: I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.


From Goodreads:

Chloe has finished her masters degree and taken a job as a forensic scientist back in her home town of Albuquerque, New Mexico, only the press will not leave her alone. They follow her to crime scenes and report on her every move, eager to show that her marriage to Hollywood A-lister, Jason Vanderholt, is on the brink of collapse. Millions of fans who dream of their own celebrity romance with him want this more than anything. This scrutiny comes at a particularly bad time as Chloe's first case is a crime against a child roughly the same age that Chloe was when she survived a homicide attempt.

Now that she sees the case from an adult's perspective, she realizes it's much harder than she ever dreamed. It's even worse for Jason, who is two steps removed from the crime. He must watch and try to support his wife as she battles with past demons and tries to keep up with a nameless suspect who evades identification and capture. Never has Jason been more frustrated with his job, its frivolities, and its lack of connection to the real world. When he storms off the set of his latest movie, the press goes wild with conjecture. While he says he wants to work on a project that means something, his agent and manager fear this may be the end of his time in the spotlight. Perhaps he never was anything more than a pretty face after all.

Together, Chloe and Jason must find their way past all the popping flashbulbs and through the dark maze of the criminal investigation to discover whether they can balance their professional goals with the demands of a celebrity marriage. The odds are entirely against them.


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.

Plot 8/10: I was expecting another fun romcom (romantic comedy) type book since the first in the series Someone Else's Fairytale was very much like that.  But while the first book touched more on the romance and less on the tough topics (like child abuse), this one took the main character's dark past and used it to enhance the plot in so many ways.  I LOVE crime shows like Law and Order. And chloe kind of reminded me of Olivia!  I also felt that this book took the reader beyond the glam of crime shows and behind the scenes to what the people working on the cases feel while trying to solve them.  At times I teared up.  Especially in light of the shooting that just occurred since both involved young children.  It's just not fair that children can't stay innocent anymore these days with all the cruelty that occurs and the author portrayed that perfectly. 

Characters 9/10: I've always loved Chloe and Jason's characters.  Chloe's easy to relate to because she's just an average girl who is vulnerable, but also really strong and independent.   And I loooove that when she meets the guy of her dreams she doesn't become all needy and dependent like lots of girls in books.  I relate to her because while I pride myself on being independent, sometimes in relationships that can backfire as we see with Chloe and Jason in this book.  After learning to look out for herself she doesn't trust easily and she isn't afraid to confront people to keep her heart safe before it gets broken.  Also, I like that being with someone famous doesn't change her into a bratty/entitled woman.  Jason's adorable as usual even when he's being shady.  I wish he was in it a little more as this was more about Chloe's time at her new job and less of a love story.  I liked the minor characters too.  Somehow E. M. T. was able to give them lots of character development too even if they weren't in many scenes.

Setting 8/10: When I think of New Mexico I often think of High School Musical.  I know, that's very weird since I'm 23, but I watched it all the time back in the day.  Anyways, I think it's a unique setting since most books take place in popular states like New York or Cali.  I liked how the author also incorporated parts of New Mexico's history with the elders and their customs.

Pacing 8/10: The pacing was great and flowed  nice and smooth.  However, at the beginning of some chapters there was a screenplay of sorts that really confused me.  I didn't realize until the last chapter what it was.  And for me it actually made me forget where I had left off with Chloe's story if I wasn't reading it all in one sitting.  Maybe I'm just stupid who knows.

Style 10/10: I love this author's writing and will continue to read anything she writes.  It's raw and emotional, yet light and fluffy.  Any author that can put those two styles in one book is awesome in my opinion.

Total: 93/100 

Final thoughts: If you like any type of crime scene show you should try this book. 
 

Want to take a look at the first book in this series?
       
Or Add it on Goodreads
  
   
Emily Mah Tippetts


Waiting on Wednesday #15

Waiting on Wednesday




Bloggers feature books that they are eagerly anticipating to be published.






Goodreads Summary 

A reckless wish taken from the darkest desires of the heart…

A bloody razor engraved with the names of the girls who turned to dust…

An endless cycle that feeds of loneliness and craves destruction…

Together, these pieces form a twisted puzzle that Annaliese Rose Gordon has to solve. Trapped in a body that isn’t hers—with no memory of how she got there—she must unlock the secrets of her past in order to escape the horrors of her future.



Release date:  June 11, 2013

Why I am excited:  
I love soliving mystrys and this sounds so original.  Why is she trapped in someone's body?  The cover has a creepy font with a girl in a pretty dress so I'm intrigued.  That outfit looks like something I'd pin on Pinterest lol.  I also like how the summary is written.  

While you're here why don't you check out my review of

Popular Posts

Like us on Facebook

2013 Reading Challenge

2013 Reading Challenge
Melissa has read 5 books toward her goal of 100 books.
hide

2014 Reading Challenge

2014 Reading Challenge
Melissa has read 0 books toward her goal of 100 books.
hide

2015 Reading Challenge

2015 Reading Challenge
Melissa has read 16 books toward her goal of 50 books.
hide

Flickr Images