Thursday, March 31, 2016

Monthly Endings: March!

Thursday, March 31, 2016
Hey Guys! It's Rin here! Hope you had a great month! And if you didn't, then I hope it will get better! I've also been keeping track of my TV shows! Yay! And I actually won my violin challenge in orchestra! Sooo it wasn't all that bad even though testing starts on the 11th of April *i boo* AND I have to test on my birthday :(. I'mm just saying--and this is totally unrelated, but--I found a really cool Instagram filter that I really like! If you're curious as to what it is, it is:

VSCO: HB1 or HB2 

I'm going to try and use Instagram because even though pictures take FOREVER to edit the crap out of, it's still really fun to do. 

Anyway, hope you enjoy! 

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Read:
Current Read: Summer of Sloane by Erin L. Schneider

  • Sentinel
  • Bookishly Ever After (about 1/4 into it!)
  • The Darkest Minds 
  • Gathering Darkness
  • Glass Sword
  • Passenger 

Reviewed:
Waiting on Wednesday- 

All the Others: 

Reading Challenge Updates: 


I haven't really been keeping up with this for a while, so I thought I should. This month I: read 2 fantasy books this month! 

Books being: Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard, Passenger by Alexandra Bracken (review on this soon!)


tell me: anything interesting happen this month?  

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #33: Ruined

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Hey Guys! It's Al here! Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by Breaking the Spine.
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Ruined
by Amy Tintera
Publisher: Harper Teen
Series: Ruined #1
Genres: YA, Fantasy

find this book on:
goodreads | amazon


Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.
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Expected Publication Date: 
05/03/16

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As I was reading the synopsis I really thought that it seemed interesting and that the character Emelina was a very interesting and different character. This book is a little bit different than a usual romance story (I am in a romance phase right now) which makes it really pop out. I look forward in reading this book and seeing what her deadliest mistake is.

tell me: what are you waiting for?

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Review: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amy Kaufman & Kay Kristoff

Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) 
by  & 
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Series: The Illuminae Files #1
Genres: YA, Science Fiction, Romance

find this book on:
goodreads | amazon 

Rating:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Friday, March 25, 2016

Organization *facepalm*

Friday, March 25, 2016

Hello! It's Rin Here! Guys, I'm about to tell you a secret. I've been trying to hide this for a long time, but here I go.

I'm an organization freak. Shhhh! Don't tell anybody! ;)

....This isn't actually a secret. Not in the least bit, but this post is about my obsession with organization and what I do to "try" to stay on top of things. There will be numbers and listing and all that jazz! *jazz hands*

Sticky Notes 

I still silently cringe when people ask me about sticky notes. They're sticky notes. I use them for everything. When I say everything, I mean everything. I write sticky notes for every event I have to go to, every piece of homework that is assigned to me (especially for science). I have sticky notes on my white board with my monthly Tbrs. Sticky notes with html color codes. I have sticky notes on my bookshelf reminding me what I haven't read. Though, this wasn't really necessary, but it was fun to do regardless.


Thursday, March 24, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #32: Love & Gelato

Thursday, March 24, 2016
Hey Guys! It's Rin here! It's Thursday, but better late then never right? Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by Breaking the Spine.

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Love & Gelato 
by Jenna Evans Welch
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Series: None
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Romance

find this book on:
goodreads | amazon

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept from Lina for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.
---

Expected Publication Date:
05/03/16

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I'm really interested how this is going to play out. I'm already loving the concept of gelato (x10) and love. I'm really interested to know what is inside of the journal and what the secret is. I haven't read a lot of books that place in a different country other than the United States and I'm hoping I can get the chance to read some words in Italian (even though I can't understand it haha). Foreign things (anythings?) will forever always interest me. Also, a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries? Sign me up. 

tell me: what book are you waiting on?

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Waiting on Wednesday #31: And I Darken

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Hey Guys! It's Al Here! 
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by Breaking the Spine.
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And I Darken 
by Kiersten White 
Publisher: Delatcorte Press
Series: The Conquerors Saga #1
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Expected date of publication: June 28, 2016

find this book on

goodreads | amazon

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point. 
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I am waiting for this book because it just sounds so interesting. I love reading about princes and princesses because I find it so gosh darn exciting. I read this synopsis and I knew that I would fall in love with it because I love reading fantasy! The characters sound really interesting as well and I can't wait until this book comes out!


tell me: what are you waiting for?







Friday, March 11, 2016

Review: Rebel Spring (Falling Kingdoms #2) by Morgan Rhodes

Friday, March 11, 2016
Rebel Spring (Falling Kingdoms #2) 
by Morgan Rhodes
Publisher: Razorbill
Series: Falling Kingdoms #2
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Romance, Adventure
Published On: December 3, 2013

find this book on

goodreads | amazon

Rating:

The road to power... is paved with blood and magic.

Cleo
 is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people.

Magnus stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia.
Lucia is haunted by the outcome of the breathtaking display of magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms.
Jonas watched at the palace gates a troop of rebels behind him, waiting for him to tell them how he plans to overtake King Gaius.

After a bloody siege, Auranos has been defeated, its young queen orphaned and dethroned. The three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now unwillingly united as one country called Mytica. But the allure of ancient, dangerous magic beckons still, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the whole world over...


At the heart of the fray are four brave young people grappling for that magic and the power it promises. For Cleo, the magic would enable her to reclaim her royal seat. In Jonas's hands, it frees his nation, and in Lucia's, it fulfills the ancient prophecy of her destiny. And if the magic were Magnus's, he would finally prove his worth in the eyes of his cruel and scheming father, King Gaius, who rules Mytica with a punishing hand.


When Gaius begins to build a road into the Forbidden Mountains to physically link all of Mytica, he sparks a long-smoking fire in the hearts of the people that will forever change the face of this land. For Gaius's road is paved with blood, and its construction will have cosmic consequences.


---

“But she didn't fall. Someone was there, reaching an arm around her waist to steady her. She looked up expecting to see Nic, but it was Magnus.

His dark brows were drawn tightly together. "Problem, princess?” 

I was in a bit of heart break over this book. Since the first book, I've loved more characters more than others and other characters less than others. Now it's starting to hurt more that I'm starting to grow more closer to other characters than the first two that I've connected with since the beginning. 

This book was in a sense, a mix of fantasy, romance, and magic. Sure, some parts did not work for me at all. Some characters just annoyed me to no end--not because there was anything wrong with them, just that they were conflicting with my feelings. Trust me, I had a lot of feelings about this book (in the Eh Feelings Section below).

Honestly, I had no problems with the plot or the writing pace. The storyline was just as good as the first book.  It was just the characters. 

I feel like connecting with the characters is hard. Not impossible, just hard and it will definitely be a long process because I don't like all of them. 

I liked this book, because it had variety. Variety between what was happening between kingdoms and variety between points of views. Reading the story in various point of views really brings color to the plot. 

As for recommendations, I say if you liked the first book then GO FOR IT you won't be disappointed. 

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Thursday, March 10, 2016
To All the Boys I've Loved Before 
by Jenny Han 
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young readers
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1
Genres: YA, Romance, Contemporary

find this book on:

goodreads | amazon

Rating:


To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.
---

"Not a good-bye letter. "

"Just a plain old love letter. " (quote)

I absolutely loved this book times infinity! I read and read this book within days and every time I opened this book to read I would start smiling because I LOVE CLICHE BOOKS! Judge all you want, but this is such a fascinating book I enjoyed it so much and would recommend it to anyone who loves cliche romance stories. I really liked all of the characters to be honest, but of course I hated the antagonist (Genevieve). 

I always loved Peter because c'mon he's Peter. Lara Jean and him were such a cute couple and I just couldn't! The way that the author described all the characters was amazing! I loved the style of every character and I was just in love and interested in this book the entire time. 

The ending was BAE! OMG I loved the ending because it was just so darn adorable! I love Peter and I still do because he is so polite and cute! I had some parts in the book where I thought he was being pretty unfair to Lara Jean, but he made it up in the cutest way possible!

Peter may be stupid, but it doesn't mean he isn't a good person he is just those people who try to hard when they are already fine. 

(I am literally obsessed with this book rn and I am looking to see if this book is going to become a movie because I will watch it so many times! If it is I am so curious who the cast will be!)

Monday, March 07, 2016

To Be Read: March 2016

Monday, March 07, 2016
March 2016
Last month was horrible. You know "those" months. The one's where you can't sit down and read a book without not being able to focus AT ALL on the story that you are reading about. Every little thing for some reason was so distracting. I would zone out? and stare at something for waaaay too long and then realize what I was doing. 

Again, since I've had 2 bad reading months in a row, I'm not really expecting much for this month. I really hope I can prove myself wrong, but I've only set 4 books as my goal anyway. 

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Passenger (#1) by Alexandria Bracken
Sentinel (Covenant #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms #3) by Michelle Rhodes
The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken

tell me: what are you reading this month?


Wednesday, March 02, 2016

Monthly Endings: February 2016

Wednesday, March 02, 2016
Hello me lovelies! It's Rin here! WOW February is ending. I honestly feel like February was one of the worst months in my entire life. Not only was it a really bad reading month, it was also packed with work and sweat and tears. Literally. No joke. I've also gained an obsession for the color orange and Cap'n Crunch (the cereal, not the captain).

Talk about very stressful month.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

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Read
  • Apollyon (Covenant #4)
  • After the Woods
  • Glass Sword (Red Queen #2)
  • Passenger
  • A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes #1)
Books Reviews 
Blog Tours
Others

tell me: how was your month?
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