Tuesday Thoughts & Talks [7]

This is a meme hosted HERE that asks us to present something we've learned or thought about after we finished reading a book to anyone out there - sparking a conversation amongst us!

What I Read to Spark the feels:

This week's topic for thoughts & talk is author appreciation or lack thereof. Recently the author of one of one of my favourite series The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, Michelle Hodkin came out on twitter to mention her recent hiatus/absence from twitter. To sum up, the amount of aggressive tweets and backlash from unhappy fans has kept her away (I am no way saying this was the ACTUAL meaning - I am summarizing to what I took away from Michelle's tweets). It left me feeling very sad and had me reflecting on my OWN behaviour online. With a platform like twitter, I feel there is an anonymous quality that allows for people to feel like they can say what they want, whenever they want, because there isn't a physical repercussion to their online actions. What people often lack to see is that there is someone who stands behind all the words out there in the world - not just twitter. Bringing that back to Michelle Hodkin's case on twitter, and frankly it applies I think to any author anywhere, it truly is sad to see the horrible things said about the authors not their books. Whether or not you like a book, I think we should all take caution in the way we express our feelings. Are they personal attacks on someone or are they working criticisms on their books/writing?

What are your thoughts on online critics/fans? Add a link to your response OR just leave a comment below on this week's Tuesday Thoughts&Talks!

If you want to participate in the Tuesday Thoughts & Talks, just grab the banner, post your own Tues.T&T on your blog & then leave a comment down below with a link to your post!

AS ALWAYS,
HAPPY READING!
-SHERRY

Review: Zack By Sawyer Bennett

Title: Zack

Author: Sawyer Bennett

Published Date: June 9th 2015

New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett goes for a hat trick with the latest romance in a sexy series about cool-as-ice hockey players and the women heating up their lives.

Rising star Zack Grantham has been stuck in a downward spiral of grief ever since the car accident that left him a single dad and put his career on hold. Back on the road with the Carolina Cold Fury and still crippled by emotional baggage, he’s in need of some serious help with his son. But while the nerdy new nanny wins his son’s heart, Zack isn’t sure he’s ready for a woman’s touch—even after getting a glimpse of the killer curves she’s hiding under those baggy clothes.

Kate Francis usually keeps men like Zack at a distance. Though his athlete’s body is honed to perfection, he refuses to move on with his life—and besides, he’s her boss. Still, the sparks between them are undeniable, tempting Kate to turn their professional relationship into a personal one. But before she makes a power play for Zack’s wounded heart, Kate will have to open him up again and show him that love is worth the fight.

(Synopsis Provided By Goodreads)

Zack Grantham had what would be a perfect life. Gina the happy wife, Ben the light of Zack's life and his son, and a hockey career on the rise. That is until a car accident that leaves his life in shambles. Gina is gone - taken away by that car accident and Zack takes the responsibility of it. Plagued by the guilt of it, he tries to get by for the sake of his son but he knows that he's a shell of a man who once was. After going through recovery himself, he's finally fit to return to playing on the ice for his team but that leaves his son unwatched. The last thing he wants to do is to hire a nanny but it's the right thing to do. Enter Kate Francis. Poor girl from the other side of town. She's got her own tale of tragedy but she's stubborn enough to hide it all even if it hurts her. Kate needs a job if she wants to continue to go to school so she jumped at the opportunity to nanny. It isn't all rainbows when Zack and Kate finally meet. Quite the opposite actually. He's about ready to throw her out but she's willing to cling on to anything just to survive this job. Zack and Kate over the next days, weeks and months learn to deal with each other for the sake of Ben but the best part of everything is, Kate's the one to help Zack heal.

Told in alternating perspectives of Zack and Kate, Zack By Sawyer Bennett weaves a very well written story of fighting the demons of guilt and learning to forgive yourself. Along the way she also tells a remarkable story of finding love again. Sawyer Bennett creates characters with lots of depth to them. It's hard to find a boring part to this story. I was engaged with what was happening on pages the entire time I was reading!

Sunday Musings [8]: Debut & Appreciation Post!

Two birds one stone - I stumbled upon The Sunday Post Meme hosted by the lovely Caffinated Book Reviewer & the Stacking The Shelves meme hosted by the awesome Tynga's Reviews! It is quite similar to what I'm doing here with my Sunday musings - recapping the week in book blogging universe as well as letting you guys know about what books I bought or received.

Most important this week was the release of LAST YEAR'S MISTAKE! For any of you followers of my blog here or on Instagram, you know I've been non-stop posting about this book! I received an ARC of it earlier this year and when I read it, I was touched by it! There is a plethora of reasons why any YA lover should add this book to their shelves. Top reason being that the teens in Last Year's Mistake resemble most accurately, teens in real life. All the little imperfections and flaws that make teens human! I haven't found that in a loooooong while. There were a lot of things I saw in Last Year's Mistake that I went through and so it holds a very special place in my heart this book. ♥ Sometimes when we pick up a book in stores, online or wherever, we never think about (or at least I don't) the author who stands behind it. It is hard when we get caught up with story-lines, characters, etc, to imagine that someone out there sat down and wrote everything that we experience on these pages. I think what makes Last Year's Mistake a little more special to me is the interaction with its author that I was fortunate enough to have. I want to extend a HUGE thank you to the author of said book, GINA CIOCCA! She is such an amazing person and thank you for sharing Last Year's Mistake with the rest of us! Thanks for creating relatable characters that we can't help but fall in love with! Most of all, thank you for allowing me to freak out to you about Last Year's Mistake! I went a little post crazy but I'd do it all again! You my friend, are AWESOME! I can't wait to see what happens next in your bookish journey!
~

Posts From The Past Week:

Liebster Award Love!

(Definitely CHECK this out - I ask some questions that I'd LOVE to hear your answers too!)

Tuesday Thoughts & Talks [6] : Favourite Book Boys!

Waiting on Wednesday [7]

Reflect Thursday: Shining Books of Waiting on Wednesday! [6]

Review: The Law of Attraction By N.M Silber

Happening This Week:

A Review of Zack By Sawyer Bennett

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NEW Books added to my shelf this week:

LAST YEAR'S MISTAKE! In all it's final hardcover glory!
It was funny, this book was scheduled to be released in stores June 9th but I went to the local bookstore in HOPES that someone might have accidentally shelved the books early. My luck, it was shelved early and so thus, I picked them ALL UP! I'm just joking, I wish I did though - just one copy for me!

That's it for now lovelies♥ Let me know how your week went in the comments below ;)

AS ALWAYS,

HAPPY READING &SUNDAY!

-SHERRY

Review: The Law of Attraction By N.M Silber

Title: The Law of Attraction

Author: N. M. Silber

Published Date: February 21st 2014

Once upon a time two lawyers fell in love across a courtroom ...
Gabrielle Ginsberg was a public defender with plenty of nerve and Braden Pierce was an assistant district attorney with a whole lot of swagger. Gabrielle wanted Braden and Braden wanted Gabrielle.
And Cameron wanted Gabrielle.
And Marla wanted Braden.
And Cole wanted Gabrielle.
And Mrs. Mason wanted Braden.
And an anonymous letter writer wanted to keep Gabrielle and Braden apart.
Together Gabrielle and Braden discovered many important things, like which doors at the courthouse actually locked, and that desks could be useful for more than writing. They also found out that the path of love was not always smooth, and it was sometimes tread upon by some really wacky people, like a confused fanny grabber, an eighty-two year old pothead and a gentleman who threw a wine and cheese party in his pants. Could true love overcome a lack of privacy, interference by jealous rivals and the insanity of the criminal court system?

(Synopsis Provided By Goodreads)

Gabrielle Ginsberg always knew how good Braden Pierce could be in the room. Courtroom that is. She works opposite to him trying to defend criminals who need a serious reality check. One day at a bar, Gabrielle takes enough liquid courage to make a play for Braden and to her surprise - he goes for it. What starts as just a heated night at the bar turns into a fast track to happily ever after for Gabrielle and Braden. When things seem to be going a little too smoothly for the happy couple, danger appears in the form of a mystery letter. Who could it be from? An ex-lover? An unsatisfied criminal? Or family?

Thoughts on this book were that the chemistry was fun and cute but ultimately the story is mediocre. I didn't think the storyline was that different from other contemporary romances out there. The Law of Attraction had some good characters that added a unique spin to the simple story of two people who were first physically attracted to each other, then became something so much more. I think the writing of the story hit a point towards the middle/end where there wasn't anything intriguing for the reader to engage with anymore - things fizzled out.

Reflect Thursday: Shining Books of Waiting on Wednesday [6]

Do you ever feel after a day like Waiting on Wednesday your list of TBR grows significantly? I wanted to mention a few titles that really caught my eye this week on the blogosphere after browsing the wonderful Waiting on Wednesday lists!

1. Blackhearts By Nicole Castroman

Expected Release: February 9th 2016

Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything. This is their story.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England? 

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.
(Synopsis Provided By Goodreads)

Pirate love story - do I need to explain more? This is an untouched topic for me and so I am VERY interested in reading Blackhearts! Too bad it's almost a year away before it hits shelves! :'(

1. The Fixer By Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Expected Release: July 7th 2015

This thriller YA is Scandal meets Veronica Mars.

Sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick has spent her entire life on her grandfather's ranch. But when her estranged sister Ivy uproots her to D.C., Tess is thrown into a world that revolves around politics and power. She also starts at Hardwicke Academy, the D.C. school for the children of the rich and powerful, where she unwittingly becomes a fixer for the high school set, fixing teens’ problems the way her sister fixes their parents’ problems.

And when a conspiracy surfaces that involves the family member of one of Tess's classmates, love triangles and unbelievable family secrets come to light and life gets even more interesting—and complicated—for Tess.

Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for this compelling teen drama with a political twist.
(Synopsis Provided By Goodreads)

So much angst and mystery to this story which has peaked my interest definitely! This was one of the Waiting on Wednesday picks that I found floating around multiple blogs - that has to be a good thing!

What books did you discover after WOW? Create a post and leave a link in your description for me to check out! 
& Much thanks to those who helped bring these books to my attention!

AS ALWAYS,

HAPPY READING!

-SHERRY

Waiting on Wednesday [7]

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine - spotlighting books that haven't been released yet!

My Waiting on Wednesday this week is...
The Rest of Us Just Live Here By Patrick Ness

Expected Release Date: August 27th 2015

What if you aren’t the Chosen One?

The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshiped by mountain lions.

Award-winning writer Patrick Ness’s bold and irreverent novel powerfully reminds us that there are many different types of remarkable.
(Synopsis Provided By Goodreads)


I'm really excited to share this Waiting on Wednesday with you guys! I haven't heard of a story that straddles the idea of 'the rest' - the group of people who aren't chosen for stardom and greatness! The Rest of Us Just Live Here sounds like a novel that gives us an ENTIRELY new perspective on the story cliches we usually find in YA or Teen Fiction! Sounds like a refreshing read! As well, they pitch this book to be a contemporary/sci-fi YA read, a cross between both genres, which I'm all for because I don't usually read sci-fi but if there is contemporary in there I'll definitely check it out!

Who else agrees that this is quite a unique sounding book?Leave a link in the comments below to your own Waiting on Wednesday I'll make sure to stop by!

AS ALWAYS,
HAPPY READING!
-SHERRY