The Reading Hideaway

Title: The Living Author: Matt de la Pena Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers Rating: 5 Synopsis (via Goodreads):   Shy took the summer job to make some money. In a few months on a luxury cruise liner, he'll rake in the tips and be able to help his mom and sister out with the bills. And how bad can it be? Bikinis, free food, maybe even a girl or two—every cruise has different passengers, after all.  But everything changes when the Big One hits. Shy's only weeks out at sea when an earthquake more massive than ever before recorded hits California, and his life is forever changed.  The earthquake is only the first disaster. Suddenly it's a fight to survive for those left living. Review: I have just a few quick updates before I rant about how amazingly awesome The Living was... (=  1) I have a poor reason for my lack of blogging -- Life got in the way. You have no idea how upset it makes me when I don't have time to read a book, or do anything I...

Title: Waiting on the Sidelines Author: Ginger Scott Publisher: Self-Published Rating: 4 Synopsis (via Goodreads):   Nolan Lennox had things figured out. Named after a baseball legend, she enjoyed being the Tomboy, her closet filled with her brother’s hand-me-downs, cut-off jeans and soccer shorts. But when her first trip to high school results in a broken heart from the first boy to ever make her heart flutter and cruel words from an older girl she once thought a family friend, Nolan starts to question the very person she thought she was and wonders if her humble upbringing can compete with the afforded luxuries of her privileged peers.  Throughout the next four years, Nolan struggles to maintain herself throughout her path of discovery, learning just how cruel teenagers can be through the pressures of underage drinking, sexuality and class. And despite how life seems to continue to work against her, she still manages to listen to her heart, falling deeper and dee...

Title: The Notebook Author: Nicholas Sparks Publisher: Bantam Rating: 3 Synopsis (via Goodreads):   Set amid the austere beauty of the North Carolina coast, The Notebook begins with the story of Noah Calhoun, a rural Southerner recently returned form the Second World War. Noah is restoring a plantation home to its former glory, and he is haunted by images of the beautiful girl he met fourteen years earlier, a girl he loved like no other. Unable to find her, yet unwilling to forget the summer they spent together, Noah is content to live with only memories...until she unexpectedly returns to his town to see him once again.  Like a puzzle within a puzzle, the story of Noah and Allie is just the beginning. As it unfolds, their tale miraculously becomes something different, with much higher stakes. The result is a deeply moving portrait of love itself, the tender moments and the fundamental changes that affect us all. It is a story of miracles and emotions that will st...

Title: Looking for Alaska Author: John Green Publisher: Speak Rating:  2 Synopsis (via Goodreads): Before.  Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. He heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.  After.  Nothing is ever the same. Review: This book should really be titled Sex & Booze because a majority of what I read revolved around those two subjects. I'd rather not read about some teenage kid watching porn and experiencing...

Title: Revived Author: Cat Patrick Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Rating: 5 Synopsis (via Goodreads):   It started with a bus crash.  Daisy Appleby was a little girl when it happened, and she barely remembers the accident or being brought back to life. At that moment, though, she became one of the first subjects in a covert government program that tests a drug called Revive.  Now fifteen, Daisy has died and been Revived five times. Each death means a new name, a new city, a new identity. The only constant in Daisy's life is constant change.  Then Daisy meets Matt and Audrey McKean, charismatic siblings who quickly become her first real friends. But if she's ever to have a normal life, Daisy must escape from an experiment that's much larger--and more sinister--than she ever imagined.  From its striking first chapter to its emotionally charged ending, Cat Patrick's  Revived  is a riveting story about what happens when life an...

Title: Deadly Cool Author: Gemma Halliday Publisher: HarperTeen Rating: 5 Synopsis (via Goodreads):   Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren’t enough, now he’s depending on Hartley to clear his name.  But as much as Hartley wouldn’t mind seeing him squirm, she knows he’s innocent, and she’s the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school’s resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer’s next victim. Review: I guess July of 2014 has been dubbed my 'murder-mystery' month. Wound up reading The Killing Woods first, and now Deadly Cool . (2 for 2!) What next?! I'm a sucker f...

Title: The Killing Woods Author: Lucy Christopher Publisher: Chicken House Ltd Rating: 5 Synopsis (via Goodreads):   Emily’s dad is accused of murdering a teenage girl. Emily is sure he is innocent, but what happened that night in the woods behind their house where she used to play as a child? Determined to find out, she seeks out Damon Hillary, the enigmatic boyfriend of the murdered girl. He also knows these woods. Maybe they could help each other. But he’s got secrets of his own about games that are played in the dark.  A new psychological thriller from the award-winning and bestselling author of STOLEN and FLYAWAY.   Review:  Is it bad that I love murder mysteries so much? It's hard to find such an intriguing one that leaves me guessing who the killer is with various plot twists, but The Killing Woods didn't disappoint.  I won The Killing Woods via a Rafflecopter giveaway who knows when - that's how long the book has been on the shelf - and ...

Title: Soul Fire Author: Aprille Legacy Publisher: Createspace Rating: 5 Synopsis (via Goodreads):   Rose Evermore has lived in Ar Cena her entire life. Despite this, she still feels like an outsider, like a shoe that doesn’t quite fit. Halfway through her eighteenth year, she begins to notice changes around her, such as the fact that she has a stalker who can hold fire in his bare hands, or the dreams that she can turn into reality.  After a series of mishaps, Rose finds herself in an alternate realm, brought there to hone the magical power she was born with. Even here, though, Rose feels set apart. The Academy Masters treat her differently than the others. Her assigned soul mate avoids her when he should be working with her. Despite all this, Rose begins to grow into something no one could’ve seen coming; a hero.  With her, nothing is as it should be, and she decides to find out why. Soon she discovers that not everything about this new world is what it seems....

Title: Divergent Author: Veronica Roth Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books Rating: 5 Synopsis (via Goodreads):   In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.  During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating...

Title: The Fault in Our Stars Author: John Green Publisher: Dutton Books Rating: 5 Synopsis (via Goodreads):  Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten. Review: This book was shoved in my face by my dear friend Kayleigh, (who I've mentioned several times on this blog before). She had nothing but good things to say about TFiOS and any book that she highly recommends, I read. I trust her when it comes to books, and anything really. (: One thing she told me before reading the book was that I was going to cry. She was disappointed when I didn't. Actually, she kind of yelled at me for it. If the movie is as good as the book, I'm sure I'll be a blubbering baby. But, the book is always bet...

Title: White Lines Author: Jennifer Banash Publisher: Putnam Juvenile Rating: 4 Synopsis (via Goodreads):   A gritty, atmospheric coming of age tale set in 1980s New York City.  Seventeen-year-old Cat is living every teenager’s dream: she has her own apartment on the Lower East Side and at night she’s club kid royalty, guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest clubs in the city. The night with its crazy, frenetic, high-inducing energy—the pulsing beat of the music, the radiant, joyful people and those seductive white lines that can ease all pain—is when Cat truly lives. But her daytime, when real life occurs, is more nightmare than dream. Having spent years suffering her mother’s emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone—unable to connect to anyone or anything. But when someone comes along who makes her want to truly live, she’ll need to summon the courage to confront her demons and take control of a life already ...

Title: Better Off Friends Author: Elizabeth Eulberg Publisher: Point Rating: 5 Synopsis (via Goodreads): For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can’t be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan’s friends. They are platonic and happy that way. Eventually they realize they're best friends — which wouldn't be so bad if they didn't keep getting in each other’s way. Guys won't ask Macallan out because they think she’s with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can't help but wonder . . . are they more than friends or are they better off without making it even more complicated? From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really be just ...

Title: Shadows Author: Ilsa J. Bick Publisher: Egmont USA Rating: 2 Synopsis (via Goodreads): The Apocalypse does not end. The Changed will grow in numbers. The Spared may not survive. Even before the EMPs brought down the world, Alex was on the run from the demons of her past and the monster living in her head. After the world was gone, she believed Rule could be a sanctuary for her and those she'd come to love. But she was wrong. Now Alex is in the fight of her life against the adults, who would use her, the survivors, who don't trust her, and the Changed, who would eat her alive. Welcome to Shadows , the second book in the haunting apocalyptic Ashes Trilogy: where no one is safe and humans may be the worst of the monsters. Review: Just a heads up that this one contains, yet again, spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.  I was determined to read Shadows after I finished Ashes , but now I don't know if I want to get a copy of Monsters to even finish the t...

I feel pretty special saying that I knew Aprille Legacy via Goodreads before she became published, but I feel even more honored to be able to feature her on my blog! I'm sure this won't be the last time, either. (: So, without further ado: Miss Aprille Legacy, author of Soul Fire and Soul Blaze (released on March 29th). Why the change in cover images for Soul Fire and Soul Blaze ? I decided to change the covers to make them more eye-catching. Also, it was a lot of fun bringing the images together! I’m actually on the cover of Soul Fire and cringe everytime I remember, but the model for Soul Blaze is the beautiful Skye Foster. We had a lot of fun with that sword out in the Adelaide Hills! Do you plan on publishing any other books besides those in the Soul Fire trilogy? Absolutely! Ruthless , my Victorian Steampunk, will probably come out later this year, and then after that I have another series cooking away in my head. Who is a character you would be in one of your ...

Just last Tuesday, Elizabeth Eulberg's fifth novel, Better Off Friends , was released. Me, being a big fan of Elizabeth, had to get myself a copy. What do you know? She was coming back home for another book signing. After Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality was released last year, she had a book signing in Wisconsin. Know who missed it? Me. I don't remember the reason, but there was no way I was missing another signing. No way. So, Kayleigh and I went to see her again together. We got another picture with Elizabeth. She was relieved to find out she would more than likely see us again at her next book signing since we'll still be in high school next year. (It's safe to say that we are the biggest Elizabeth Eulberg fans. What's not to love about her?) =) Last year, when I couldn't go to the signing, my mom went for me to get my copy of Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality signed and Elizabeth gave her extra bookmarks to be included in a g...

Title: Ashes Author: Ilsa J. Bick Publisher: Egmont USA Rating: 4 Synopsis (via Goodreads): It could happen tomorrow . . . An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions. Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP. For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human. Author Ilsa J. Bick crafts a terrifying and thrilling post-apocalyptic novel about a world that could become ours at any moment, where those left standing must learn what it means not just to survive, but to live amidst the devastation. Review: Just a heads up that this one contains spoilers. Reader discretion is advised...

Title: Sia Author: Josh Grayson Publisher: Self-Published Rating: 4 Synopsis (via Goodreads):  When seventeen-year-old Sia wakes up on a park bench, she has no idea who or where she is. Yet after a week of being homeless, she’s reunited with her family. At school, she’s powerful and popular. At home, she’s wealthy beyond her dreams. But she quickly realizes her perfect life is a lie. Her family is falling apart and her friends are snobby, cruel and plastic. Worse yet, she discovers she was the cruelest one. Mortified by her past, she embarks on a journey of redemption and falls for Kyle, the “geek” she once tormented. Yet all the time she wonders if, when her memories return, she’ll become the bully she was before…and if she’ll lose Kyle. Review: The action in Sia started from the very first page and kept my attention until the end. Waking up on a park bench with no recollection of her memory, Sia has no idea where to go or what to do. The fact that a seventeen-year...

Title: Orenda Author: Ruth Silver Expected Publication: Spring 2014 Publisher: Patchwork Press Genre: Young Adult; Fantasy Cover Design: Erica Crouch Synopsis (via Goodreads): Lil has a gift, one she never thought possible as she finds herself awake after a strange dream with the tell-tale sign that what she dreamt was in fact real. The dreamscape, was more than just a premonition it happened. She’d been momentarily tossed into another dimension. Where most would consider her crazy, not her best friend Bray. In another reality, one similar and yet slightly different Willow has been kidnapped by the sorceress turned demon, Eilith. Rawlie, Willow’s friend and companion crosses to our universe for help and brings Lil into his world. Filled with frightening creatures and magical elements, Lil demands to go home, until she discovers Bray has been taken by Eilith as well. Unable to watch her best friend die, she joins forces with Rawlie, Jamie and the others to hunt down Eil...

Title: Double Crossed Author: Ally Carter Publisher: Disney Hyperion Rating: 4 Synopsis (via Goodreads): Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training? W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief? There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup. Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour. When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help? The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind th...

Title: Shine Author: Lauren Myracle Publisher: Amulet Books Rating: 5 Synopsis (via Goodreads): When her best guy friend falls victim to a vicious hate crime, sixteen-year-old Cat sets out to discover who in her small town did it. Richly atmospheric, this daring mystery mines the secrets of a tightly knit Southern community and examines the strength of will it takes to go against everyone you know in the name of justice. Against a backdrop of poverty, clannishness, drugs, and intolerance, Myracle has crafted a harrowing coming-of-age tale couched in a deeply intelligent mystery. Smart, fearless, and compassionate, this is an unforgettable work from a beloved author. Review: This was yet another book on the Battle reading list. Another girl on my team read it before me and I read it, thinking nobody else had yet. Whatever. (: Anywho, her reading it too was a bonus because we could have book discussions about it. Trust me, you'll need to talk about this book with someon...

Title: Steve Jobs - The Man Who Thought Different Author: Karen Blumenthal Publisher: Square Fish Rating: 4 Synopsis (via Goodreads): "Your time is limited. . . . have the courage to follow your heart and intuition."--Steve Jobs. From the start, his path was never predictable. Steve Jobs was given up for adoption at birth, dropped out of college after one semester, and at the age of twenty, created Apple in his parents' garage with his friend Steve Wozniack. Then came the core and hallmark of his genius--his exacting moderation for perfection, his counterculture life approach, and his level of taste and style that pushed all boundaries. A devoted husband, father, and Buddhist, he battled cancer for over a decade, became the ultimate CEO, and made the world want every product he touched. Critically acclaimed author Karen Blumenthal takes us to the core of this complicated and legendary man while simultaneously exploring the evolution of computers. Framed by Job...