Wicked Reads w/ Penguin Teen -- HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

**Thank you Penguin Teen/ Random House for providing the book and all other elements of this article. This has not affected my review on the book**

Title: Nightfall 

Author: Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski
Pages: 368 pages

Published: September 22nd, 2015

Source: Copy from Penguin Random House

Genre: Horror, YA Fiction

Rating: 

The dark will bring your worst nightmares to light, in this gripping and eerie survival story, perfect for fans of James Dashner and Neil Gaiman. 

On Marin's island, sunrise doesn't come every twenty-four hours-- it comes every twenty-eight years. Now the sun is just a sliver of light on the horizon. The weather is turning cold and the shadows are growing long. 

Because sunset triggers the tide to roll out hundreds of miles, the islanders are frantically preparing to sail south, where they will wait out the long Night. 

Marin and her twin brother, Kana, help their anxious parents ready the house for departure. Locks must be taken off doors. Furniture must be arranged. Tables must be set. The rituals are puzzling-- bizarre, even-- but none of the adults in town will discuss why it has to be done this way. 

Just as the ships are about to sail, a teenage boy goes missing-- the twins' friend Line, Marin and Kana are the only ones who know the truth about where Line's gone, and the only way to rescue him is by doing it themselves. But Night is falling. Their island is changing. 

And it may already be too late. 

Get it now!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

For those of you that don't know, I'm a huge horror enthusiastic. I take my scary stuff very seriously. What better way for a booklover to spend her (or his) Halloween, then to stay inside and read!  Along the lines of Stephen King, Mary Downing Hahn and other well known horror authors, reading horror and ghost stories is something I'm very much frightened out by and yet I keep doing it! Let me introduce to you today... Nightfall by Jake Halpern. 

Take this warning very seriously and do not read this book at night! I REPEAT: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK AT NIGHT. I usually never start a review with my final and closing thoughts but I figured this would be an easy way of convincing people to read this book. This book is terrifyingly scary. If I didn't know any better, this book is just an adaptation of a really gripping horror movie that was released a while ago. I cannot get over the fact at how scared I was in the process of reading the book and a long while after. Guys, guys, I think I've found my new horror author interests! Ladies and gentlemen, give a round of applause to Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski.

When you read this book, you'll find yourself paranoid and always looking behind you to make sure nothing odd is there. That's how chilling this book is. I immediately found myself engrossed in the world of this story. In any alternate universe, this book could be an exact reflection of how our future will turnout to be. You will see that you finally begin to take notice of those small noises that occur when you sleep. It's the smallest things that will freak you out, and it will be all because of this book.

The story is simple and that's what I love about it. The authors took time to focus on the creepy aspect of this book rather than abide by professional book technicalities and complex language. It's an easy and quick read that any horror book-lover's hunger for terrifying literature.

There is more to the story than these kids being stuck on an island filled with darkness. Anyone who has ever been left on the island has not survived and no one would expect a bunch of kids to survive the fall of darkness, so why should they have faith in themselves? As the reader, you're taken through their story of being left on the island and having no knowledge, whatsoever, of where to begin with staying warm and staying alive. Your supposed to be the one by their side, figuring it all out for the first time. In some ways, I found it new and enlightening to find that we were on the same level of knowledge as the narrators were.

If you're not a big fan of horror, I would still suggest you read this to make sure you 100% aren't liking the genre! This book might just change your mind (I promise).

COLORING BOOK ALERT!!

Title: The Vampire Combat Field Guide
Author: Roger Ma
Pages: 64 pages 
Published: October 6th, 2015
Source: Copy from Penguin (thanks!)
Genre: Halloween, scary, supernatural
Rating: 

In The Vampire Combat Manual, Roger Ma, the nation's preeminent expert in undead warfare, prepared the average citizen to defend against a brutal vampire attack. But without appropriate training, even the most adept slayer of bloodsuckers can be left vulnerable.

Therefore, the Institute for Undead Combat Studies has once again created an essential practice handbook for anyone seeking to avoid serious injury, infection, or death at the hands of a vampire. This comprehensive guide includes:

*Detailed illustrations to aid in identifying various types of the undead and their vulnerabilities, as well as anatomical drawings you can color to promote knowledge retention.

*Interactive mental and physical exercises that will teach invaluable fighting techniques and prepare you for battle.

*Work pages to hone weapon selection, defensive and offensive techniques, and precise staking strategies.

*and much more!

With the proper preparation, no one need fear death by exsanguination or an eternity spent in darkness. Learn to ward off these bloodthirsty creatures while you can- or say good-bye to your days in the sun...

Start coloring now!

Goodreads | Amazon 

It's not everyday I get asked to review a coloring book. I'm far too old for pony and unicorn coloring books, but no, I'm never too old for vampires. If I'm not mistaken, Roger Ma has created others from the same series of vampire combat coloring books before. This is maybe his third one! Just by flipping through the book, I've been getting a kick out of reading the small side captions and the tips and tricks.

This is not your ordinary coloring book. It's a guide to survive a vampire apocalypse, but in drawing form! It's something new, which I think YA literature and modern society needs. Ma teaches you the different tactics to taking one of those bloodsuckers down. I found one page in particular to be really helpful and it was about getting in shape to be strong enough to take one down. If you've been wanting to learn some martial art, you no longer need to pay for classes. JUST GET THIS COLORING BOOK!

Coloring books is such a therapeutic hobby. While I'm listening to e-books or class lectures, I'll usually just grab some color pencils and the closest coloring book and start doodling and filling in shapes. It's literally so easyyyy and you can get as creative as you want!

Anyone going trick-or-treating? I wish I could but I actually don't have any time between work and schoolwork. I'm going to steal some from my brother though (wink). Have a wonderful Halloween and don't forget to tell me who you're dressing as. I'm going as Uhura from Star Trek! 

Thanks for reading, as always!

A Ghost Story Contest via Twitter and WHERE I'VE BEEN?

Penguin is hosting an exciting Twitter Sweepstakes called #TwitterGhostStory taking place from (10/26-10/31), where you can win a prize pack from a list of featured titles that are totally Halloween-themed. 

Titles Include:

• Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski
• The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle 
• The Appearance of Annie Van Sinderen by Katherine Howe
• Survive the Night by Danielle Vega
• Blood and Salt by Kim Liggett 

What you have to do? 

All you have to do is submit 140 character spooky story to Twitter using the hashtag #TwitterGhostStory. This will automatically submit your story into the pile of other stories where they will be read and winners will be picked! Don't forget that this runs from the 26th to Halloween, on the 31st. 

In other news...

Where have I been?

My life can be described as someone dropping a bouncy ball on the ground. You don't know where it's going to land or how hard it's going to come down but it will, without a doubt, fall to the ground and stop bouncing. I'm at that point. I've just stopped bouncing, and I'm so done with school. Don't forget that I'm a fully-invested high schooler that works afterschool as well, so I apologize for my recent MIA activity and how the blog has gotten a bit sparse since I've started. It would make me so happy if someone could just make a post about stress and I would read it all the way through. My stress capacity is lower than most people's, if you haven't noticed already. 

Nevertheless, I encourage you all the stick around because I've got some posts planned with Halloween-themed backgrounds. I've got a Wicked Reads tour with Penguin and something else that I'm not going to reveal at the moment (hehe). I'll leave you to the suspense..

I also want to announce that I've got a volunteer job with the Wildlife Conservation society. Other than reading books and blogging, I have a strong passion for conservation ecology and helping endangered species. I applied to this program that protests against the use of microbeads and got accepted! So for the next 6 months I'll be doing some hardcore magic in the conservation business. I'VE LITERALLY ALWAYS DREAMED ABOUT WORKING WITH THE WCS! 

Anyone familiar with this logo? THESE ARE WHO I'M WORKING WITH EEEK!! 

I wish you all a wonderful rest of the week and I'll get back in a matter of days (I hope!)

Blogging Gets You Into Job Interviews!

Photo from here!

A recent event has led me to sit down and write this post. I've been apart of the blogging community for a year and a half now, and although that's not as long as some others have been doing it, I consider what I've done thus far to be a significant achievement in my life. I don't think people regard bloggers with as much praise and respect as we deserve. Blogging, in the past year, has honestly taught me more than school has. Being a blogger and having this experience is priceless, and I'm here today to bring some exciting and revolutionary news.

What does blogging teach/help with?

• Social skills- Talking to other bloggers, your readers, authors and publishers is one very important and vital step in the blogging community. You learn how to talk to public figures, such as authors, writers, publishing companies, and etc. Communicating with other bloggers is a must for a successful site and it's a great way to get some new friends along the way. 
• Coding or graphic/web design- The thing about creating your blog and website in the first place is the fact that you need a brand or logo to promote. This logo can represent what you love to talk about and what you want your site to represent in the long run. I'm The Book's Buzz, so my logo is obviously the bee. Doing this forces you to learn how to design your own header and even add some spiffy details to your site. 
• Commitment- If you start a blog, you have to be willing to commit. You must be willing to spend 50% on life and 50% on your blog. That's the way it works. If you don't commit, your readers can see right that and they will sense your disinterest. 
• A whole lot of other things but this isn't my main point so I'm going to stop listing them!

Being a blogger gives you advantages, that others don't have. 

In recent events, I applied to this program that would put together a campaign to fight microbeads that get polluted into the ocean. They are the Wildlife Conservation Society group, working with Blue York, and they were looking for teen representatives to put together this project for other teens! In my application it said to tell them a little bit about myself, so I wrote that I am a blogger and am always in contact with fellow bloggers, readers, and authors. 

I received a phonecall a few days later for a phone interview, and as I was talking to the lady she said something that immediately grabbed my attention. She mentioned how she read on my application that I was a blogger and that was really cool because I would understand what kind of social media outreach and information teens were looking for. We talked about that for a while and it was so nice just sharing what I loved most about this community. 

I was then called for a group interview where I was tasked to work with a group to create a tiny campaign using a specific audience and our social media outlet of choice. Let me just say, that I had one of the best days of my life working with strangers, forging something from my own ideas, and just working together and collaborating with other people close to my age. That's the kind of thing I want to be doing my entire life-- working with others in creating new and innovative ideas. Without blogger and Youtube, I don't think I would've done a good job at this interview. I would've been the same shy girl that was in her nutshell a year and a half ago, who was always afraid to make that move to get further in life. Blogging has changed me in ways I can never explain thoroughly, and I am blessed to be apart of such an amazing community. 

I say this all the time- that I love you guys- but I MEAN IT! Blogging gets you a long way and all the hard work you put in will get you far! You have something different that makes you you, somethingsthat others don't have. You can walk on the street and say, "Hey I own a blog!" and not many would be able to say "Hey, me too!". It's that feeling of satisfactory that you can own and think of when you're feeling not so great. Always remind yourself that YOU HAVE A BLOG/YOU ARE A BLOGGER and that's what makes you special. If you're looking to start a blog and are terribly shy with crappy ideas, do it anyway! Who knows what will end up happening a year later. And as far as the ideas go, you can choose to learn from other bloggers and even use some of their ideas (with credit of course). 

I'm not saying that non-bloggers are special and awesome. This post is directly geared to all my blogger friends and people I've happen to meet along in my blogging career. And to those that want to desperately embark on this journey, but don't have the guts to. 

MAGNUS CHASE -- The Sword of Summer by Uncle Rick

Title: The Sword of Summer (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Book #1)
Author: Rick Riordan (Uncle Rick)
Published: October 6th, 2015

Pages: 528 pages

Source: Barnes & Noble Hardcover

Genre: Norse Mythology, Fantasy

Rating:

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. 

One day, he's tracked down by a man he's never met- a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. 

The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years. 

When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision. 

Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die...

Get it now!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

It's been a while -- and I mean a long while -- since I've last dived into one of Uncle Rick's book. I say Uncle because Riordan was always the one that put me to sleep at night with his fascinating stories and characters. The Percy Jackson series is one of my all-time faves. Now speaking about this book today, Rick Riordan has decided to step into a whole other universe of Norse gods! Riordan never fails to surprise me and make me fall in love with yet another part of mythology. By the end of the book, I was saying...

Plot

It should come as no surprise to any of the readers that the narrator DIES!! Magnus Chase dies a heroic death and is sent to Valhalla. According to myth, Valhalla is this majestic place in Asgard where heroes that have died in battle and are chosen to be worthy stay. It is ruled over by the god Odin. Now for a lack of better words, it's like the glorious afterlife that the Egyptians were trying to reach. Everyone wants to go there and some would say they treat you better there in death than how people would treat you when you were living. The story actually starts off with Magnus dying and being placed in Valhalla. What he doesn't know, is that he was chosen for a greater destiny than to spend the rest of his life (well, rest of his death, I should say) in a heavenly paradise. 

The plot works sort of the same way the Percy Jackson series works. There's a dude with this prophecy and he's supposed to find something and save the world... yappety yap yapp. That doesn't change much. I also found a long string of similarities, which I think were put in on purpose. Rick Riordan probably wanted his readers to feel more nostalgic while reading this book and to think of his PJ series. For those who haven't read PJ, you're not missing out or anything but it's nice to have that sense of returning warmth when you read Riordan's familiar words. 

Did anyone else feel like Valhalla was extremely similar to Camp Half-Blood? IF you have read the book and you understand what I'm talking about, please let me know I'm not crazy!

Characters 

Going into this book, I was expecting Magnus Chase to be a lot like Percy Jackson. It's been a habit of mine to compare the characters in one series to another series that the author has written, just like the Throne of Glass series and A Court of Thorns and Roses series, both by Sarah J. Maas. Ladies and gentlemen, another reason why I LOVE Rick Riordan is because his characters are so unique. Magnus was a whole lot of wit and not enough selflessness, which makes him on an different level than Percy. I couldn't find anything similar about them, other than the fact that they both encounter gods. Their journeys are so different and their personalities lead them to do either the most dangerous or most heroic things. I would have to say that I love Percy more though, not that Magnus wasn't interesting, but I guess I think Percy is more tame. 

Magnus is indeed a flamboyant character. He's like the sun, and he's not afraid to show his rays. He is not afraid to barter and test a god's patience, which at some points were funny but also made me scared for his life! 

We have a returning character from the Percy Jackson series, the bae Annabeth. Of course, none of you should be surprised since Magnus' last name is 'Chase'. Annabeth is like this tiny cutie in the book and it's so wonderful that she made an appearance. 

Although most of Rick's books are geared towards middle grade readers, The Sword of Summer has once again proven that anyone, at any age, will enjoy reading his work. He makes you feel like a kid again and that feeling is priceless. For lovers of the Percy Jackson series, you'll definitely get a kick out of reading this new installment in a brand new series. With a returning character, a new protagonist, and some similar aspects that bring you back into the PJ series, it's a guaranteed 5 star rating! If you just love mythology, Rick Riordan will lure you in with the way he ties the myths and legends into the plot and setting. You'll feel like you're in the book! I am so ready for the second installment of this series! 

Have any of you read this year? Fangirl with me!

DC Comics Taking TV By Storm

Over the past year or two, we've had a swarm of television series based on the oh-so popular and timeless DC Comics. We've seen Gotham, The Flash, Arrow and so many more in the works of amazing directors and producers who have snatched up these comics and turned them into worlds that these real characters can actually live in. While these shows have become wildly popular over time, the audience and critics can't help but think what's in store for the future of the DC Comics? Is television going to be taken over by them? 

Are you familiar with...

  

And these are just a few show off a list of many that were originally DC Comics and have been turned into TV shows starring real live actors. The ones listed have been hitting the bank hard as they successfully bring new viewers in. It's the actors and the directors that make the real magic, but it's also because of the foundation that DC has laid for the creation of these shows. Some would say, they are bringing more attention to the comics than there ever was. 

Let's take The Flash for example. Although incredibly cliche and weird when it comes to superpowers, this show isn't a bunch of blab that was sent out into modern television. No, no. The show contains more than just a guy in a tight red suit that can run hella fast, no we're talking about science and other schematics. Things you've never even heard of are mentioned in this show. If you're a nerd, well you better sit down and buckle up because you're in for a real ride. The show takes place after a particle accelator explodes in Central City and gives ordinary people these extraordinary powers, including Barry Allen, a detective that works for the CSI and is super hot (if I must say so myself). The explosion gives Allen the power of speed and makes him really really fast. With these powers and the gang at S.T.A.R labs as they help him recover and learn about his ability, he takes crime by the balls in Central City and shows those criminals who want to cause trouble whose boss. The show is filled with pit falls, action scenes, violent criminal masses, and the whole lot of all you'd expect in a high-action hero TV show. 

You could say I've taken a short hiatus from school and other super annoying tendencies, to enjoy a nice hot cup of joe and binge-watch the first season of The Flash like a crazy Netflixer. I have not been disappointed in DC Comic TV Shows thus far, as I am a series regular of The Flash and Arrow. These shows are amazing and engrossing. You can't stream Netflix and just one episode without watching four others in turn. 

It's not that these DC Comic-turned shows are the only things on the network that have been receiving high ratings in the polls, but they have been doing extremely well in the long run and seem to be going pretty far with Arrow returning for its fourth season and The Flash coming in with a second season, which I'm extremely overexcited for. Flash has been hitting a 10-week high and winning its hour with a lot of teen and younger viewers who were fans of the original comics. In fact, the show drew in more viewers under 35 than The Voice for the first time! You can definitely say that the CW and other networks that are broadcasting these DC Comic shows are getting the bang for their bucks! It's all been worth it. 

Not to mention the utter hotness that makes its way into our television screens. God, these DC Comic heroes can't get any hotter, can they? Let's look at the photo montage for evidence...

the left: Grant Gustin in his role as Barry Allen of The Flash, the right: Stephen Amell in his role as Oliver Queen or Arrow of Arrow

Rumors are that The CW is even trying to get in another DC Comics show to propell the ratings to even further. The real question is though... who will be the next chosen character from the comics? I, myself, who isn't a big comic book reader, am not familiar with the characters so tell me what you guys think if you are a comic-book buff! 

Are these comic-book based shows taking over telelvision? It seems to me that they are extremely popular and roll the money in so why would networks hesitate to make more? What else will come and what are viewers expecting? Well, I'd love to know. 

Mythology in the flesh -- A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond

Title: A Song for Ella Grey

Author: David Almond 

Pages: 272 pages

Published: October 13th, 2015 

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology 

Source: ARC from Penguin Random House 

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

"I'm the one who's left behind. I'm the one to tell the tale. I knew them both... knew how they lived and how they died." 

Claire is Ella Grey's best friend. She's there when the whirlwind arrives on the scene, catapulted into a North East landscape of gutted shipyards; of high arched bridges and ancient collapse mines. She witnesses a love so dramatic it is as if her best friend has been captured and taken from her. But the loss of her friend to the arms of Orpheus is nothing compared to the loss she feels when Ella is taken from the world. This is her story- as she bears witness to a love so complete; so sure, that not even death can prove final. 

Get it here! 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

**I want to thank the publishers for sending me an advanced copy of this book. This has not affected my review in any way and everything said is from my own opinion of the book**  

There are moments when we, as readers, understand the synopsis of a book or are completely confused by one. This book's synopsis left me perplexed and really intrigued. It doesn't seem to explain everything and yet that's enough information to be called a synopsis.  Needless to say, I was so mystified by this vague summary that I dived right into the book, knowing close to nothing.

Plot

This book is a contemporary story with a dark hint of mythology. Before you get immersed into the story, the author pulls a fast one and gives you a lesson on mythology 101, preferably the legend of Orpheus. Orpheus was considered a symbol of art and music and there is a story of him venturing into the underworld to bring back his wife, Eurydice. First told by classical Greek poets, and has been past down for generations as a myth that inspires both art and music.

This story is a modern mythology retelling and it's much more heavy and complex. There are fantastical elements so for those of you that love a surprise or a good element of fantasy, then this book is for you. The story itself tells like the tale it has this special ambiance with music playing in the background.

The narrator is Claire, the best friend of Ella Grey. The two are inseparable and their friendship grows even stronger with the duration of the book. Then comes along Orpheus, a guy inspired by the sound of music and art, who sweeps Ella Grey off of her feet with the sound of his own music. That's right ladies, this guy can pull some strings. As Orpheus and Ella start to grow fond of each other, Claire's hold on Ella dwindles. But when Ella tragically dies in the middle of the book, Claire realizes that she loves her friend more than she realizes.

Romance

It's something like a tainted version of Romeo and Juliet. Two people in love who aren't allowed to be in love with each other because they live two very different lives. There's no surprise that she kills herself and so does he. It states that in the synopsis, so I promise I'm not spoiling anything important. At first when you read it, it doesn't feel like Romeo and Juliet. And after, you're quickly taken aback by the realization that, yes, it does cover the same aspects in forbidden love and the idea of how the pair are infatuated with each other. Ahhh the romance was so cute, and it had that old and classic kind of vibe, like how people felt for each other a long long time ago!

I couldn't be more proud of a mythology-based retelling. A modernized version that displays an equal share in the past and the present. This book will make you laugh, smile, and cry hilariously as you discover the fact that it wasn't just a story you were reading, but it was also a myth and legend that people have believed in for ages. This book definitely surprised me but it wasn't an OMG to die for book, you know what I mean. I loved the mystery and lyrical aspect of it, but again, it wasn't something that blew me away. 

DAVID ALMOND grew up in a large family in northeastern England and says, "The place and the people have given me many of my stories." His first novel for children, Slellig, was a Michael L. Printz Honor Book and an ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book and appeared on many Best Book of the Year lists. He wrote My Name Is Mina, the prequel to Skellig. His novel Kit's Wilderness won the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. David Almond is a recipient of the prestigious Hans Christian Anderson Award. He lives in England. Visit him online at davidalmond.com and on Facebook and follow @davidjalmond on Twitter. 

Will you be reading this book soon? 

It's Blogtober!

Happy October everyone! This month there comes a special event that all bloggers should be participating in to celebrate the creepy and dark month of October. Let's have a fun time this month together as the blogging community comes together to dress up for Halloween. Oh no, you're not the one dressing up. That's right, your blog is going to get dressed up this time around. 

Ever heard of dressing up your blog?

I used to do this a lot when holiday time came around. I used to edit my header so that it would match the season and/or holiday. Do you notice anything different with my header now? I'm sure you do because I've completely redesigned it for Halloween. Oh don't worry, it'll be back to its original form when the season is over but for now, I think it suits the site. I had a ton of fun redesigning the header and its really simple, I promise. 

1. Go to picmonkey.com to start editing and keep it in a tab on the side 

2. Go to another tab and go to your blog. Save your original header so you have the old one to change back to and also a new one to edit. I am assuming you have knowledge of how to change header photos back and forth. 

3. Go back to picmonkey and open up your header. Then go to google and download some png overlays or just use the premade overlays for Halloween on the site already. Start placing them where you would like until you're satisfied with the look. 

Here's how my header turned out in the end...

I replaced the bee for this creepy and huge pumpkin. Kind of sad that we don't see the bee anymore, but I must keep in mind that it's only going to last for this month! I found all overlays on Google so you can find them there too if you just know what to look up. 

And to participate in Blogtober all you have to do is go to someone else's blog and give them a nice trick or treat. Tell them a joke or even compliment their site. Anything that'll help you spread the love and joy of Halloween time on the Blogosphere! 

Are you decorating for Blogober? 

Harry Potter Spells Book Tag

I couldn't help myself. Right when I saw this over on Rachel's blog, I knew I had to do it. Kimberly @ KimerlyFayreReads created this magnificent tag, and I wasn't tagged but I'm doing it anyway. All the graphics used were created and made by their respectful owners. I didn't do all the spells because, wow, that's a lot! 

An upcoming release that you'd wish you had at the moment. 

Easy pick...

I need to know what happens to all my BAES and BABES!!!

Favorite Series Starter

This is the first book in an epic series that is based off of the tale of 1001 Nights, I believe. Correct me if I said the name wrong. This book has everything- the writing is profound, the characters are hard to let go of, and the plot is bumpy and heartbreaking at times! Pick it up now! 

A book that gave you all the warm and fuzzies.

My first CoHo and definitely not my last. I can easily say that this book is one of the most well-written contemporaries I've ever read. 

A book character or heroine you want around to protect you in real life.

Vin is my top choice of female heroines. She's a Mistborn and she can deadass swallow allomantic metals and conjure the power in them to use against bad guys. I'd be well taken care of if she was at my every beck and call. 

A book you wish you could make everyone read because you loved it so much. 

Read it! *sends you away* Come back when you've read my favorite book ever.

A book you wish you could forget you ever read.

If you follow me around on social media a lot, especially Youtube, you'd know that I have a growing hatred for this book. I'm so close to throwing it out but then my bookcase would be missing a book I really disliked. You can check out my "glowing" review in the review archives. We must speak of it no more!

 

A book you wish you could visit.

There is a lot of cultural infused in this fantasy book. The Hagia Sophia in Instanbul was mentioned as one of the places they visited, and it's my dream to go there because of the beautiful architecture and people!!

A book that had a shocking end or plot twist. 

I would recommend any of you who haven't read this book yet to wait for the second one to come out first because, man, does Victoria Aveyard like to leave her readers hanging! 

That's all I'm doing for this tag, but there are some other great spells and questions! 

I tag Diamond @ Dee's Reads (gotcha gurl)

Do you agree with some of my picks?

Countdown to Winter by Marissa Meyer!

WINTER IS COMING! IT'S COMING! IT'S SO CLOSE. No, not winter the season but the fourth book in The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. On November 12th, Winter is coming out in bookstores everywhere, and I just can't contain the excitement. After reading Cress, you'll know that the book leaves on a major drop where you're just dying to know what happens next to the gang. 

First there was Cinder...

We were introduced to Linh Cinder, who has a little bit of cyborg in her. She's a mechanic (so badass, ikr?). And that's how she meets the irresistible Prince Kai, when he comes to her asking her to fix something for him. Cinder lives with her two stepsisters and her stepmom who don't treat her very nicely, except for one of her sisters, Peony. A virus sweeps the land of New Beijing and when she is sent to the lab as a cyborg draft to help find a cure to this plague, she finds something entirely unexpected instead. A classic take on Cinderella finds itself modernized by this epic fairytale story. 

Then came... 

Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing, and she attempts to go on a hazardous journey to find her. She meets Wolf on the way, a tainted soul who is trying to change. Together they go through hell to save her grandmother and figure out why she was taken. Their paths are also crossed when they Meet Cinder along the way. 

Then there was...

Cress has been sent to live in a satellite forever as a hacker, working for Queen Levana. It's not long before she meets Cinder, Scarlet, and Captain Thorne in an attempt to rescue her. Things go unexpectedly wrong and the gang is split up. They must find their way back, stop the marriage of Queen Levana and Prince Kai, and gather forces to stop her from taking over New Beijing. 

Recreating the Covers 

Check out my Instagram for future recreations of Cress and Winter! 

WHO ELSE IS SUPER EXCITED?