Thursday, September 29, 2016

Review of A Drop of Night by Stefan Bachmann

Five gifted teenagers are selected out of hundreds of other candidates to fly to France and help with the excavation of a vast, underground palace buried a hundred feet below the suburbs of Paris. Built in the 1780's to hide an aristocratic family and a mad duke during the French Revolution, the palace was sealed after the aristocrats fled there. No one has set foot in it for over two centuries.
Now, in the present day, the teenagers enter with cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art security, scientists, and chaperones. And then a brutal accident occurs. No way out. Caught in the dark.
They will have to fight to survive. But are they really alone in the depths?

Review:
I was so excited when I got this book. I mean, a palace underneath another one, awesomeness! The book was full of surprises. There were two parallel stories weaved throughout the book. One was set during when the underground palace was built, and the other was set in present day.
It started out so intriguing. I wanted to know what the heck was going on. There was an interesting mix of characters. 
Although, when some of the crazy things underground started happening, it lost me. I expected an archeology based plot, but it was far from it. It was more like The Maze Runner in style. 

Overall, I can't say that I loved it, but I didn't hate it, either. Three stars.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

WOW- Stephenie Meyer!!!!!

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine which spotlights highly anticipated upcoming releases.

This week I’m waiting on:

EEP!!!! Even though Twilight was criticized, I still LOVED the series and The Host is one of my favorites. This book isn't young adult, but given the author, I can't wait!!!!!

Book:  The Chemist

Author:   Stephenie Meyer

Release Date: November 15, 2016 

In this gripping page-turner, an ex-agent on the run from her former employers must take one more case to clear her name and save her life.

She used to work for the U.S. government, but very few people ever knew that. An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn't even have a name. And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning.


Now, she rarely stays in the same place or uses the same name for long. They've killed the only other person she trusted, but something she knows still poses a threat. They want her dead, and soon.


When her former handler offers her a way out, she realizes it's her only chance to erase the giant target on her back. But it means taking one last job for her ex-employers. To her horror, the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous.


Resolving to meet the threat head on, she prepares for the toughest fight of her life, but finds herself falling for a man who can only complicate her likelihood of survival. As she sees her choices being rapidly whittled down, she must apply her unique talents in ways she never dreamed of.


In this tautly plotted novel, Meyer creates a fierce and fascinating new heroine with a very specialized skill set. And she shows once again why she's one of the world's bestselling authors.



Thursday, September 22, 2016

Review of Dirty Rush by Taylor Bell

In this shockingly true-to-life novel written by an all-star team of Internet phenoms from the Total Frat Move generation, you’ll get the first true glimpse of “real” sorority life in all its f**ked up glory.
Dirty Rush by Taylor Bell is what happens when you take the creative minds behind Babe Walker (author of the New York Times bestselling White Girl Problems series) and add Rebecca Martinson to the mix. Rebecca Martinson—yes, that bitch—the former Delta Gamma sister responsible for the scathing, expletive-filled email that verbally assaulted her entire chapter for being “so f**king boring” at social functions, and threatened to “c*nt punt” every last one of them if their behavior didn’t shape up. Dirty Rush is a no-holds-barred look at what really happens when you “go Greek.”
Taylor Bell comes from a long line of Beta Zeta sorority sisters, who all expect her to pledge upon starting at the university. But Taylor has other plans: she’s determined to give her family the proverbial middle finger and destroy the rich tradition they hold so dear by eschewing sorority life altogether. However, Taylor’s resolve soon melts when she falls in with a group of hilarious, ultra-saucy girls, who introduce her to all things Greek and soften her to the idea of joining. Resigned to the fate the Greek gods have dealt her, Taylor pledges Beta Zeta and embarks on a collegiate career filled with the kind of carousing sure to make any sorority sister proud.
Soon, Taylor’s experience as a BZ starts to feel like a jacked-up, drug-infused, and X-rated fairy tale—especially when reality comes crashing down and a rather lewd sex tape is leaked. The girl in the video looks a lot like Taylor. Has Taylor gone off the deep end? Or is someone trying to frame her? Unless she can prove her innocence and re-ingratiate herself with the sisters who’ve accused her of leaking the video in a Kim Kardashian–style bid for attention, Taylor is at risk of losing everything she’s fought (partied) so hard for.


Review:
The blurb for this book made it sound interesting. I did the whole sorority/fraternity thing in college and have fond memories of that time in life. So I understand how things work realistically. Yes, there are politics, hazing (depending on the sorority, definitely in frats.), different levels of intelligence, boys, alcohol (drugs for some, not the majority), parties, secrets, and crazy drama. This book was not as I hoped. There are also so many great things that go on too. Study hall (my grades crazy improved), we supported some amazing organizations, worked for free to send money to organizations, helped others on campus, played sports with other sororities, make connections that last a lifetime, and great memories. 
My point in all of that, was the story was told by a mouthy sorority girl and half of what happened was soooo unrealistic. Not even remotely close to anything that happens. Sex hazing??? What sorority is going to deny you if you don't perform sexual acts of their choosing? Lines, they were crossed a lot.
While the story had a plot, was executed like a novel should be, and with minimal mistakes, it wasn't what it could have been. I'm disappointed in how disrespectful the characters in this book were, even the ones that were 'good'. 
This book is a 2.5 star listen, so I am rounding up to 3 stars.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday-Jessica Sorensen

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine which spotlights highly anticipated upcoming releases.

This week I’m waiting on:

Book: Cursed

Author: Jessica Sorensen  

Release Date:  October 18, 2016

Beautiful, popular, talented, and wealthy, Remi and her three best friends have always lived seemingly perfect lives.
But at exactly midnight on the day when the youngest of her friends turns seventeen, Remi discovers nothing about her life, and her friend’s lives is what it seems.
Beneath their beauty resides a deadly darkness tied to paranormal bloodlines.
Remi is now cursed with reaper powers and fights daily not to steal souls. And it doesn't help that she's drawn to Cameron, a sexy, charming, yet dangerous Grim Reaper.
Will she give into the evil or will she manage to find good in her curse?
Can be read as a standalone.



Anything by Jessica Sorensen that is paranormal is a must read! Can't wait to see what the start of this new series brings! 

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Stacking the Shelves-September Stash!

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews, that features books I've received/purchased/borrowed during the current week. 

I binged on audiobook add narration to my kindle books this week! (cheap is good, right?) I've been listening to audiobooks a lot lately.


For Review:



Audiobooks Bought:









Bought:



Library Audiobooks:





Kindle Unlimited:



Freebies:




What did you stack your shelves with this week?

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday-Gwen Sparks

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine which spotlights highly anticipated upcoming releases.


This week I’m waiting on:

Book:  Resurrected (The Gwen Sparks Series Book 5)

Author:   Stephanie Nelson

Release Date:  TBA

Life has been calm for Gwen Sparks and her beau, Dorian Hade. However, things in Flora never stay stagnant for too long. As Gwen and Dorian adjust to their new lives, something wicked and dark plagues their quaint little town. Corpses are disappearing from their graves and wandering down the streets. Gwen learns that a necromancer is behind Flora's sudden zombie infestation. Now she and Dorian must track down the necromancer before the infection spreads and threatens the human population.


I love this series and can't wait to see what happens next! Also, I adore Dorian. 

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Stacking the Shelves- end of August

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews, that features books I've received/purchased/borrowed during the current week. 

It was a small week for me, but there were some good books!!!
I've already devoured When Stars Collide by Micalea Smeltzer and it was EPIC!!!

Purchased:

KU:

Freebies:

What did you stack your shelves with this week?