Book Review: Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn

Forget Tomorrow (Forget Tomorrow #1)

By Pintip Dunn

Release Date: November 3, 2015

Source: Booktube Tours

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

It’s Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she’s eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they’re meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.

Or in Callie’s case, a criminal.

In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo―a prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes the hellish prison.

But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all.

Callie herself.

To be honest, the very first thing that caught my attention about this book was the cover. SERIOUSLY. How gorgeous is it? But then I heard someone on Youtube talking about the synopsis and it sounded so intriguing that I knew I had to read it. 

When Callie turns 17, she will finally receive the memory that will tell her what she is destined to become, just like everyone else in society. Callie hopes she will be a chef or something else she will love. The last thing she expects is to be sent a memory of herself killing her younger sister, who she adores. As a future criminal, Callie is taken into custody and feels herself losing hope of a nice future until her childhood crush shows up to save her. Callie finds herself learning things about her world she had never thought could happen and realizes she may be in more danger than she had originally thought…

I love a good dystopian, but it's hard to be original after the dystopian craze of Hunger Games and Divergent. Thankfully, Forget Tomorrow was such a unique story that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the idea of receiving a memory from your future so that you know what you are supposed to be focusing on for your future. Obviously this system had flaws, though, and the government was hiding some huge secrets that they didn't want to get out. I loved following Callie on her journey in this story as she was discovering things about her society that went against everything she had ever believed in. More secrets were revealed even at the end of this book, which made me want to get my hands on book two that much more. 

As a romance junkie, I was really looking forward to the romance in this book. While I thought Callie and Logan's relationship was cute, I expected a little more development there and a little more of a realistic personality from Logan. Logan seemed just too perfect, even though he felt guilty about what he had done in the past with his brother. Even then, he was guilty for something that wasn't really a flaw and I wish he had at least one thing wrong with him to make him more relatable. 

While this wasn't the most developed dystopian society, I still enjoyed the originality of the story and how strong our main character was. Callie was a fantastic protagonist and I admired how she handled the secrecy and deception she encountered throughout the story. I am definitely excited for book two and can't wait to see where our characters head next!

Waiting on Wednesday (156)

 

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

Twisted Palace (The Royals #3)

By Erin Watt

Release Date: October 17, 2016

Q: Are you trying to kill us?

No, but we love Ella so much and her adventures with the Royals that we needed to write this third book. You’ll see when you read it. 

Q: Who’s in this book? And don’t say Ella!

Ella, the five Royal brothers, and a few more huge surprises.

----------------------------------------

Yes, Elle and Jen, you are trying to kill us! What is that synopsis?!?! And where is our cover?!?!? This one comes out in a little over three weeks and we still have NOTHING about this book! I devoured books one and two in this series and they are definitely two of the best books I've read all year. There is something about the Royals that is so intriguing and I absolutely love Ella as the main character. And those cliffhangers are KILLERS. I need this book in my hands! 

Tp Ten Tuesday: Books on My Fall TBR

 

This is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week bloggers share a list of books for the prompt given. So hopefully I'll have a new list to share with you all each week!

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Books On My Fall TBR

1. The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia

2. Ruled by Elle Kennedy

3. Down Shift by K Bromberg

4. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

5. Mistletoe Games by Jaci Burton

6. Heartless by Marissa Meyer

7. Honor by Jay Crownover

8. Twisted Palace by Erin Watt 

9. Mine for Now by Erika Kelly 

10. Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

Book Review: Bedmates by Nichole Chase

Bedmates (American Royalty #1)

By Nichole Chase

Release Date: October 4, 2016

Source: Publisher at ALA

Goodreads | Amazon

Everyone makes mistakes, especially in college. But when you’re the daughter of the President of the United States, any little slip up is a huge embarrassment. Maddie McGuire’s latest error in judgment lands her in police custody, giving the press a field day. Agreeing to do community service as penance and to restore her tattered reputation, Maddie never dreams incredibly good looking but extremely annoying vice president’s son, Jake Simmon, will be along for the ride.

Recently returning from Afghanistan with a life-altering injury, Jake is wrestling with his own demons. He doesn’t have the time or patience to deal with the likes of Maddie. They’re like oil and water and every time they’re together, it’s combustible. But there’s a thin line between love and hate, and it’s not long before their fiery arguments give way to infinitely sexier encounters.

When Jake receives devastating news about the last remaining member of his unit, the darkness he’s resisted for so long begins to overwhelm him. Scared to let anyone close, he pushes Maddie away. But she isn’t about to give up on Jake that easily. Maddie’s fallen for him, and she’ll do anything to keep him from the edge as they both discover that love is a battlefield and there are some fights you just can’t lose.

When I read the summary for this book, it sounded like so much fun! I mean, she's the president's daughter who gets arrested and he's the vice president's son who she's forced to do community service with. I smell a yummy romance! 

As the daughter of the president of the United States, Maddie McGuire can't afford to make a mistake. So when she's arrested for standing up for what she believes in, her father's people have to fix her image. Fast. After recently returning from Afghanistan and losing part of his leg, Jake Simmon has decided that the only way to please his mother, the VP of the United States, is to go in the public eye by helping build houses for veterans. He doesn't expect to have to work side-by-side with Maddie, who has definitely grown up since the last time he saw her. The two butt heads when they begin their work, but their passion for their work turns towards attraction as Jake deals with past demons and Maddie tries to understand what her heart and her head are telling her. 

Oh, this book was SO GOOD. I've go to say, it started off as a stereotypical new adult romance that was more on the mindless, steamy side. But about 65% of the way through, something very serious happens that causes this book to take a very dark and emotional turn. I loved how Maddie and Jake were tested with their newfound feelings for each other that they were just starting to acknowledge. 

What made this book so lovable was definitely Maddie and Jake's characters. Maddie was so passionate and headstrong and I loved how much she loved animals. It was cute how Jake came to the shelter with her and saw her soft side. Jake was such a gentleman and I loved how much we got to see his true self, especially how guilty he felt regarding why he had to leave Afghanistan. Definitely a lot of emotion, but also fun banter and some serious heat between our two characters. 

Overall, Bedmates ended up being exactly as I expected and I couldn't have asked for more. I could have done without the stereotypical politician that only wants to get ahead and cares about image (*cough* Jake's Mom *cough*), but I loved our two strong-willed yet incredibly caring main characters who had intense chemistry and only wanted to help each other become better.

Book Review: The Goal by Elle Kennedy

The Goal (Off-Campus #4)

By Elle Kennedy

Release Date: September 26, 2016

Source: Author

Goodreads | Amazon 

She’s good at achieving her goals…

College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick butt in law school, and land a high-paying job at a cutthroat firm. Her path to escaping her shameful past certainly doesn’t include a gorgeous hockey player who believes in love at first sight. One night of sizzling heat and surprising tenderness is all she’s willing to give John Tucker, but sometimes, one night is all it takes for your entire life to change.

But the game just got a whole lot more complicated

Tucker believes being a team player is as important as being the star. On the ice, he’s fine staying out of the spotlight, but when it comes to becoming a daddy at the age of twenty-two, he refuses to be a bench warmer. It doesn’t hurt that the soon-to-be mother of his child is beautiful, whip-smart, and keeps him on his toes. The problem is, Sabrina’s heart is locked up tight, and the fiery brunette is too stubborn to accept his help. If he wants a life with the woman of his dreams, he’ll have to convince her that some goals can only be made with an assist.

OMG IS THIS REAL LIFE RIGHT NOW? I actually got to read another book in the Off-Campus series and I am already so mad at myself for reading this book in only two days. Why didn't I savor every moment and draw it out for as long as I could? Because now I'm back to waiting for another book with my absolute favorite men and my favorite college world. But it was sooooooo good while it lasted! 

Sabrina James has spent all of her life working hard to follow her perfect plan- get through college, get into law school, work as a kick-butt lawyer. With so much focus and dedication, Sabrina doesn't have time for a real boyfriend, so she looks to quick fixes to scratch her itch. The perfect candidates? Athletes. Sabrina's only rule, though, is no hockey players. Until she meets Tucker, that is. John Tucker is taken by Sabrina the moment he sets eyes on her and knows their attraction is undeniable. Sabrina makes it clear that she isn't in the market for a relationship, but Tuck is a patient man who will do whatever it takes to get what he wants, even if it means changing his life forever. 

If you've read and loved books one through three, then you already know what Tucker is going to experience in this book. It's been so long since I read the last book, though, that I didn't remember what was revealed at the end until I was about 25% through this book. This book begins during the same timeline as the last book, so we know things that happen to the characters up until halfway through this book. I actually liked having this book take place during that time because we knew what to expect when certain events were going to happen and I was intrigued to see how Tucker and Sabrina were going to get through it. I was even more engaged in their story and dying to watch them grow together and figure out what they really wanted out of life, especially if they wanted to grow together or give up on each other completely. 

While I have loved all of my hockey men in these books, Tucker is by far the best. Not only is he insanely good looking and smooth with the ladies, he is a genuinely good guy. He is so patient with Sabrina and is such a gentleman when it comes to respecting Sabrina's wishes and letting her make the decisions in the relationship. I was so annoyed with Sabrina when she doubted Tucker and didn't want to "drag him down." HELLOOOOO! You have the most gorgeous guy begging to be with you and doing everything you want him to do, yet you still doubt if he genuinely likes her? Puh-lease. Sabrina had such hard life, though, that I totally understood her doubts and was so happy she had someone like Tucker in her life. 

While this was more of a serious addition to the Off-Campus series, just like The Score was, I fell head over heels for Tucker and his southern charm. Sabrina was a strong, driven main character who didn't need a man in her life, but found herself under the spell of a hockey player with some big muscles, but with an even bigger heart.

Stacking the Shelves (211)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what books they got throughout the week!

From Publisher

I got this lovely packaged from Random House and it had Jennifer Niven's first book All the Bright Places and her upcoming release Holding up the Universe. I have read both and loved them, so I'm excited to have these! 

Book Review: We Were Liars by E Lockhart

We Were Liars

By E Lockhart 

Release Date: May 13, 2014

Source: Book Outlet 

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

After finishing this book, I was so conflicted over my feelings about it. All I had heard was that it was amazing and shocking and that I was going to love it. After reading it, I was definitely shocked, but I'm not so sure I completely loved it. 

Normally I would go into a summary here, but I think that it's best to go into this one blind. So all I'm going to say is that it's about a girl who's trying to figure out a secret. That's pretty much all I can tell you to give you the full experience of this book. 

The one thing that I'm not a huge fan of is the fact that the only reason I felt like I was reading it was to figure out the answer to the secret at the end. What were they hiding from the main character? I wasn't huge fan of her or her friends and I was waiting for the huge shocking moment that everyone who has talked about this book was blown away by. I think that since I had such high expectations for the ending, when the secret was revealed, I wasn't all that impressed. 

I really enjoyed the lyrical writing of this book and how unique it was, but that writing style is definitely not for everyone. Since I've been drifting away from YA, it was refreshing to read something so different and poetic. That being said, though, I do think that the author didn't make really realistic teenage characters, specifically with the main character and her love interest. They spoke very philosophically and I found that unrealistic and a bit annoying by how pretentious they acted. 

While there were things that bothered me, this was still a beautiful book that was so unique that I had to give it some credit. It wasn't a horrible read, I just wish I wasn't spending the whole book looking forward to the ending, only to be a little let down. If you decide to read this one, be prepared for the lyrical language and a narrator that you're either going to love or really hate.

Waiting on Wednesday (155)

Gilt Hollow

by Lorie Langdon

Release Date: September 26, 2016

Willow Lamott’s best friend is a murderer, and no one in the small town of Gilt Hollow will let her forget it. For four long years, she’s tried to fade into the background—but none of that matters when Ashton Keller comes striding into school, fresh out of juvie and fueled by revenge. The moment their eyes meet, Willow no longer feels invisible. Drawn to the vulnerability behind Ashton’s mask of rage, she sinks deeper into his sinister world and begins to question whether he’s a villain, a savior, or both.

Ashton thought he wanted vengeance, until Willow reminded him what he’d been missing. Now he longs to clear his name and become the person she sees in him. But the closer they get to uncovering the truth, the darker the secrets become, and Ashton fears his return to Gilt Hollow will destroy everyone he loves, especially the girl he left behind.

--------------------------------

I have met Lorie a handful of times now and I absolutely love her! She co-wrote the Doon series and I really enjoyed the first book in that series and being able to gush about Scottish men with her. When she told me about her new release the last time I met her in May, I knew that I had to pick it up. There is mystery and romance, two things that I really enjoy in a book, so I can't wait to finally read this! 

Book Review: Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)

By Sarah J Maas

Release Date: May 7, 2013

Source: Gifted 

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository 

When magic has gone from the world, and a vicious king rules from his throne of glass, an assassin comes to the castle. She does not come to kill, but to win her freedom. If she can defeat twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the greatest assassin in the land, she will become the King's Champion and be released from prison.

Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her.

And a princess from a foreign land will become the one thing Celaena never thought she'd have again: a friend.

But something evil dwells in the castle—and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying, horribly, one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival—and a desperate quest to root out the source of the evil before it destroys her world.

I know what you are all thinking. HOW AM I JUST READING THIS BOOK NOW? Well, I'll have you know that I am not a huge fantasy reader, but I read ACOTAR and ACOMAF this summer and completely fell in love with them, so I couldn't wait to finally give Throne of Glass a chance. 

Celaena Sardothien is known by everyone as the most deadly assassin. Little do they know, she's a teenage girl who has been captured and is working in the worst slave camp, fighting each day to survive. When the prince and his captain of the guard show up with the offer for her to compete to be the king's personal assassin, Celaena knows that it is her only hope of freedom, so she agrees. Celaena is swept into the glass kingdom and finds herself facing magic, evil, brute force, and romantic feelings that leave her more conflicted than ever. 

Let me start off by saying I think that reading ACOTAR and ACOMAF before this book made me not love it as much. Those two books were just such epic fantasies and romances that I was expecting a lot from Throne of Glass. While I really enjoyed this story and how kick-butt Celaena's character was, I was left feeling dissatisfied with the romance. I didn't buy into Celaena's feelings for the guy in this book and I wanted much more passion and intensity than what we got. I don't know, it just seemed a bit juvenile and Celaena seemed younger than she should have been as a girl who's been raised to kill her entire life. 

I really did enjoy the whole complicated world our characters lived in and how Celaena was competing to be the king's assassin. I had a little bit of an issue with the pacing and how quickly some things passed while others dragged, but overall I enjoyed the fantasy aspects. I got a little confused in the final battle with all of the details in what happened, but I was left excited to pick up book two and see where our characters were going next. 

While this was not as fabulous as the ACOTAR series, I still really enjoyed Throne of Glass. There is action, magic, romance, and mystery that will keep you reading and reading until you are begging book two.

Stacking the Shelves (210)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what books they got throughout the week!

For Review

This week was an AMAZING book week. First, I was sent a copy of Forget Tomorrow from BookTubeTours and I so excited for this book! The cover is gorgeous and these story sounds so unique and I can't wait! Then, I was sent an e-arc of The Goal by Elle Kennedy. If you've been a follower of mine for awhile, then you know that I am OBSESSED with Elle Kennedy and that her Off-Campus series is one of my favorites. I can't wait to gobble this book up! 

From Author Signing 

I drove 2.5 hours after school on Thursday to see Sarah J Maas and have her sign my book. It was AMAZING and I am, like, 10x more obsessed with her. Not only is she an amazing writer, but use is such a funny person and I loved hearing about her writing and her life. I've only read Throne of Glass in this series, but I am so excited for book 5 after hearing her talk about it that I need to read the other books ASAP!

From Dollar Tree

I remember wanting to read Mystic City years ago, but I never picked it up. I was at Dollar Tree the other day and found a copy! For only a dollar! I knew I couldn't pass that up!

That's it for me! What did you all add to your shelves this week? 

P.S. Do you like my pictures? Follow me on Instagram here! 

Release Week Blitz: #Bea by Cambria Hebert

 
#Bae
Cambria Hebert
(Hashtag #8: Conclusion)
Publication date: September 16th 2016
Genres: New Adult College Romance

BEFORE ANYONE ELSE 

The Hashtag Series #8 

Happily-ever-after. 

That’s what happens when you get married. 

Right? 

Turns out sparkly rings, cake and a fantastic wedding do not automatically grant you that, not even when it’s all you truly want. 

I’m even starting to doubt the bottomless, unconditional love I share with the man I married will be enough. 

I can’t have happily ever after, know why? 

Because I can’t give Romeo what he truly wants. I’ve tried. So hard. I won’t be happy unless he is and something is missing. Someone. 

Paparazzi are in my face. The flashing cameras and prying eyes are everywhere. My secret is getting harder to hide, and I know the second the scoop is dished the grip I have on the fraying rope of that happily ever after will snap right in my face. 

In our face. 

I can’t let that happen. No matter what. 

Because with or without a happy ending, Romeo comes Before Anyone Else.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

—

About the Author

Cambria Hebert is an award winning, bestselling novelist of more than twenty books. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair. 

Besides writing, Cambria loves a caramel latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching movies. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chorkie (the real boss of the house). 

Cambria has written within the young adult and new adult genres, penning many paranormal and contemporary titles. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense. A few of her most recognized titles are: The Hashtag Series, Text, Torch, and Tattoo. 

Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC. 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway