Heather's Summer Reading List

Hi folks! 

Here's my summer reading list! It's short and sweet! I think I can manage five books, right?

I know five books in two and a half months. No big deal right? Well, it wasn't when I was young and single and had no responsibility! Now I have a husband and two young children who need me. I don't read for personal pleasure near as much as I want to. But I've made a commitment to these five books and I WILL follow through! 

This summer my husband and I are taking a two week trip to England. We have tons to do while we're there, but I'm hoping I can sneak in some reading time ;)

Okay here we go!

The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
I accidentally bought this book. My thumb hit the one click button and the rest is history. I decided to keep it and read it because it's a Pulitzer Prize winner and it's outside my normal realm of books I like to read.
Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don't know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.
As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love--and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.

Maybe Someday, Colleen Hoover
I absolutely love Colleen Hoover's books. I started with Hopeless and I've devoured every single book of hers except Losing Hope and Maybe Someday (her newest release). I've heard great things about it and I don't doubt it. I have the opportunity to meet her this August and I bought all her books in paperback to take with me to have her sign!
At twenty-two years old, Sydney has a great life: She's in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter's cheating on her--and she is left trying to decide what to do next.
Sydney becomes captivated by Ridge, her mysterious neighbor. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there's something about Sydney that Ridge can't ignore, either. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one...

Insurgent and Allegiant, Veronica Roth
I've read Divergent and loved it! But I've heard some not so good things about the other two that have made me hesitant to finish the series. But I'm going to do it this summer. I rarely leave a book series, and since I loved the first one I feel that I should finish the series and make the decision for myself. 

The Fault in our Stars, John Green
I know, I KNOW! I haven't read this yet. I kind of don't want to. My Sister's Keeper is one of my favorite books and it was ruined in movie form so I'm scared to read/watch it. I know what happens in The Fault in our Stars so it won't be a mystery when I finally do read it.
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Okay, so there's my list! I better get to reading!

Love

Heather

I haven't even finished a book....

Shame on me!  I kind of don't even know where my kindle is...
I started a book and I couldn't get into it because all the names had a K sound in them.  I know that's a really silly excuse to put down a book, but really it hurt my brain to read them all. Then I started another one, but it was kind of confusing, but interesting so I'll pick it up again, and then Komal insisted that she'd just finished the most awesomely fantastic (my words not hers) book ever and that everyone everywhere MUST read it NOW. So of course I do what she says and I've started a third book.  I have to say, it's is pretty fantastic so far.  I know what you are thinking right now "Hey, Heather, what are the titles of these three books?"  Good question! I'm going to give you a list of book I'm currently reading but haven't finished and it's more than three.  They aren't in any particular order so don't think they are.  I'm going to attempt graphics here too...We'll see how that turns out.  I like to think I'm technologically savvy, but sometimes I'm really not.

Ok.

1. True Love Story by Willow Aster.
 

 2. Breath of Life by Sara Marion











3. Stitch by Durante

4. Bully by Penelope Douglas

5. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery

6. The Thirteenth Tale (Not YA) Diane Setterfield

7. Destined by PC and Kristen Cast

So anyway.  Those are all the books I'm currently reading.  I'm not sure when I'll finish them.  Too many good books are coming out soon!
I guess this is my summer reading list. I wasn't sure I was going to post one since Michelle and Erica did already.  I didn't put a summary with the books, but if you are interested, then you can look them up on Amazon or B&N.

Ok, now back to reading my super fantastical book (again, my words not Komal's).

So, go read a book.  If you don't have time, yes you do. Just do it.

School was hard, and other musings

Blah, so it's Tuesday and I didn't write a blog post! I have a super amazing one in my head.  School is really kicking my bootay this week and I just haven't even had much of chance to do anything else! I haven't even read much in Forever Too Far (WHAT! I know).  I think I just wasn't too impressed with Never Too Far so this hasn't really been the page turner for me that it is for most.  BUT, I'm not judging it until I finish it. Sometimes books start out really slow for me, and then BAM! I hit a good part and can't put it down.  I have several books on my Kindle right now waiting to be read, but I want to finish FTF quick because spoilers are popping up, and Abbi just posted that people were writing rude reviews.  That's sad.  I've written rude reviews, but I've recently gone back and edited them because I feel that the book is something that the author spent time on and quite possibly put their whole heart into, and being really harsh and rude is just mean.  There's a difference between constructive criticism and meanness (<--Who knew meanness was spelled that way?).
Anyway.  What books are you all currently reading? I just finished On An Edge Of Glass and OMG it was amazing. That's what the super amazing blog post in my head is about. I also just downloaded Stitch and Anne of Green Gables (I love a good classic AND its apparently considered YA!).  I really need August to get hear so I can read Komal Kant's new book.....wink wink.....And also Erica Cope needs to get to writing.....but she has an excuse to not....
So yeah, boring blog post. So comment and tell me what to read!!!

Steele Wolf By Chanda Hahn

Ack! So I've been on vacation for the past week and I haven't been able to do anything except fun vacation things lol.  I was super bummed to find out that Abbi Glines was in LA the day AFTER I was there. I probably would have stalked her.  I also stupidly left my kindle at home (what was I thinking?!)! So I got no reading done. I have the kindle app on my iphone, but it's such a tiny screen that it's hard to read anything.

Anyway, so here's my review of Steele Wolf by Chanda Hahn, I did manage to finish it before I left.

Steele Wolf starts where Iron Butterfly ends.  Thalia is back in her homeland, trying to fit in and pick up where she left off before being taken.  She finds this difficult because she is not the same person she was.  Her father is distant and ignores what happened to Thalia and dismisses her when she tries to tell him.  In an attempt to quell his daughter's new behavior her father sets up a Kreg Aruh (think Merida's situation in Brave), where suitors from all over the land come to fight for Thalia's hand.  Thalia, who doesn't like this, competes for her own hand and may have won if she hadn't been discovered. 

A series of events happen and Thalia is kidnapped and she discovers how she was first taken and who the Raven might be.  We also learn that Joss's sister has been kidnapped so Joss, Thalia, Kael and Hemi make the trek to Joss's home town of Skyfall to search for her. 

 I like that this book has more character information, but I still wish more physical description was used.  We know that Joss is blond, but are all Denai blond?  Thalia has dark hair, but so was Mona and her brother who we discover are evil.  I also kind of got lost in Skyfell. Maybe it was just me, but it could have been described a bit better. 

This series really wants to be good, but more detail need to be written out for the reader to fully comprehend the world this story takes place in.  If you are looking for a fun summer read, this is definitely something to pick up.  I got Iron Butterfly for free (on Amazon!) and I was loaned Steele Wolf by a friend.  I think I will have to buy the third one, but Steele Wolf was about $2, so I don't mind!

I did love that we learned more about Kael and how he's tied to Thalia.  It's kind of sad.  And while Chanda did a good job of explaining everything, we still don't know what he left behind (a wife, kids?).   What will ultimately happen to each of them? I'm assuming this will be answered in book three due out in August of this year (it can't come soon enough!).

 I get to pick up my kindle tomorrow (I forgot yesterday!) so I'll finish On an Edge of Glass and start on the summer reading list Erica posted yesterday.  Last summer was really busy for me, so this year I'm looking forward to laid back days of pool trips, sprinklers, ice cold sun tea, and of course, READING!

My Summer Reading List

Hey ya'll soooooo I haven't finished anything since Suddenly Royal to review because I'm trying to finish the first draft of In the Shadows (Lark #2) before my surgery on the 12th. Sooooo instead of a review this week, I'm posting my summer To Be Read list...that is my To-Be-Read-After-I-Finish-First-Draft-of-In-The-Shadows List anyway.
These books are my reward to myself for finishing---Motivation people! (PS I'm about half way done--eek!)

First up is On an Edge of Glass by Autumn Doughton.

You can't plan for everything...
That's what Ellie Glass realizes after she has a chance encounter with a young musician. Long-haired, a bit scruffy, and undeniably sexy, he's the exact opposite of her "type," but now Ellie can't stop thinking about him. When fate intervenes and the two are thrown together, Ellie gets more than she bargained for. Pretty soon she finds herself feeling and doing things that she never thought were possible.
This is the captivating story of an undeniable attraction, the choices that we make, and ultimately, the unexpected power of love. 





I've heard such wonderful things about it so I can't wait to check it out.
Next is The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard

Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.

After that I'm on to Drowning in You by Rebecca Berto

Secretly crushing

Crushed by a tragedy

Charlee May’s been crushing on Dexter Hollingworth since she was fifteen. Five years later, a horrific skiing disaster at Mason’s Ski Lift Resort leaves her millionaire dad critically injured and her mom dead at the hands of Dexter operating the lifts. Charlee is suddenly the sole caretaker for her little brother while their world falls apart.

Dexter couldn’t be more different from Charlee. He’s tattooed, avoids exclusive relationships and his Dad has a fair share of illegal dealings. With Dexter’s reputation, almost everyone believes he planned the Mason’s skiing disaster.

And after all these years he’s still crushing on Charlee May, the girl who’s too good for him.

When this cruel twist of fate ties Charlee’s family and Dexter’s reputation together, Charlee and Dexter wonder if their feelings are reciprocated, while Dexter discovers his dad is trying to steal the May’s millionaire fortune.

But like an addiction, one look, one touch, one taste—they’re hooked no matter the consequences.

I have an addiction to Abbi Glines Books. Seriously. A-D-D-I-C-T-E-D. So I definitely will be reading Forever Too Far this summer as well.  Even though this blurb totally makes me nervous:

Rush promised her forever... but promises can be broken.

Torn between his love for his family and his love for Blaire, Rush has to find a way to save one without losing the other. In the end one has to be more important. Letting go isn’t easy.

Blaire believed in her fairytale... but no one can live in a fantasy.

Her love for Rush and desire to have a family keep her believing that they can find a way for this to work. Until she has to make the right decision for her and the baby. Even if it breaks her heart.

Can they find the forever that they both want or has it all just gone... too far?




And finally, another must read (and it's a little embarrassing that I haven't read it yet) before I go to Book Bash at the end of next month (per my best friend. She refuses to be seen with me if I haven't read it yet) is.........Sea of Tranquilty.

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.
Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to.The Sea of Tranquility is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

I'm sure I'll be adding more to the list as I finish these. After all, my Kindle is full of books that are just patiently waiting to be read. I swear, I need at least 10 more hours in my day!
So what about you? What are you reading this summer?