Author: Sara

Ontario Teen Book Fest Blog Tour: Spotlight on Andrew Smith

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I am so pleased to, visit web yet again, approved bring the official Ontario Teen Book Fest blog tour to What A Nerd Girl Says and other amazing Southern California bloggers! This event is one of my absolute favorite events of the year and I’m sure this one is going to be just as great, even not better, than previous years!

When:

Saturday, March 12th, 2016

9:30 am to 5 pm

Where:

Colony High School Branch Library
3850 E. Riverside Drive
Ontario, CA 91761

This event is a completely free and un-ticketed event! Priority seating WILL be given to teens, but come one, come all! There will also be giveaways and raffles at the Fest, also free! Also, keep scrolling to find a giveaway held by us bloggers!

You can visit the website, to see the full schedule of the day by visiting the official Ontario Teen Book Fest website.

Books WILL be available for purchase at the event, available from Once Upon a Time Bookstore :) They are an amazing company so definitely bring your books from home, but try and support Once Upon a Time by purchasing a book!

Its going to be an incredible event and I’m honestly counting down the days! I hope you can come along for the ride, in the days leading up to the event.  Check out the full blog tour here!

Official Blog Tour Schedule

February 22nd – Spotlight on Andrew Smith – What A Nerd Girl Says

February 23rd – Spotlight on Alexandra Monir – The Consummate Reader

February 24th – Spotlight on April Tucholke – Adventures of a Book Junkie

February 25th – Spotlight on Alexis Bass – A Traveling Book

February 26th – Spotlight on Marissa Meyer – Read Now Sleep Later

February 27th – Spotlight on Sara Elizabeth Santana – Movies, Shows and Books

February 28th – Spotlight on Robin Reul – Recently Acquired Obsessions

February 29th – Spotlight on Katherine Kottaras – iFandoms Collide

March 1st – Spotlight on Stephanie Diaz – My Fangirl Chronicles

March 2nd – Spotlight on Virginia Boecker – The Reader’s Antidote

March 3rd – Spotlight on Mary McCoy – Book You Very Much

March 4th – Spotlight on Brad Gottfred – Seeking Bazinga

March 5th – Spotlight on Michelle Levy – My Fangirl Chronicles

March 6th – Spotlight on Elana K Arnold – Read Now Sleep Later

March 7th – Spotlight on Kristin Halbrook – What A Nerd Girl Says

March 8th – Spotlight on Jessica Brody – The Windy Pages

March 9th – Spotlight on Nicole Maggi – Nite Lite Book Reviews

March 10th – Spotlight on Jay Asher – A Bookish Escape

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Today’s Spotlight Is:

ANDREW SMITH 

Andrew Smith is the award-winning author of several Young Adult novels, including the critically acclaimed Grasshopper Jungle (2015 Michael L. Printz Honor, 2014 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Carnegie Medal Longlist) and Winger. He is a native-born Californian who spent most of his formative years traveling the world. His university studies focused on Political Science, Journalism, and Literature. He has published numerous short stories and articles. The Alex Crow, a starred novel by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, is his ninth novel. He lives in Southern California.

His Website / His Facebook / His GoodReads / His Twitter / His Instagram

His Books

There are actually so many that he’s written, and all of them are absolutely fabulous. I encourage you to follow him on GoodReads and add ALL of the books. However, I am spotlighting Stand-Off since its his most recent release :)

It’s his last year at Pine Mountain, and Ryan Dean should be focused on his future, but instead, he’s haunted by his past. His rugby coach expects him to fill the roles once played by his lost friend, Joey, as the rugby team’s stand-off and new captain. And somehow he’s stuck rooming with twelve-year-old freshman Sam Abernathy, a cooking whiz with extreme claustrophobia and a serious crush on Annie Altman—aka Ryan Dean’s girlfriend, for now, anyway.

Equally distressing, Ryan Dean’s doodles and drawings don’t offer the relief they used to. He’s convinced N.A.T.E. (the Next Accidental Terrible Experience) is lurking around every corner—and then he runs into Joey’s younger brother Nico, who makes Ryan Dean feel paranoid that he’s avoiding him. Will Ryan Dean ever regain his sanity?

Find His Books at Your Local Bookstore of the Following Links:

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / iBooks / Book Depository

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The Interview

*****

Nerd Girl: Tell us about your current work in progress. What can we expect from you in the future? 

Andrew: I just submitted a novel to my editor, and I’m not really allowed to give specific details about it at this time, but I can say it’s a crazy speculative futuristic space opera-ish kind of thing. With a giraffe in it. I put the giraffe character in the book as a nod to my friend Jandy Nelson.

 

Nerd Girl: Your most recent release is STAND OFF, the sequel to Winger: what made you decide to continue Ryan Dean’s story?

 

Andrew: Probably it was pressure from readers. I still get emails every day from people of all ages, all over the world, about WINGER. Also, I really missed those characters, and writing STAND-OFF was so fun.

 

Nerd Girl: Ryan Dean struggles a lot with anxiety and PTSD in the second book in STAND OFF, after what he experienced in WINGER. As someone who struggles with similar mental issues, it felt very realistic and relatable. Was it hard to write him with this change in his personality, and did you have to do any research in order to write it the way you did?

 

Andrew: Ha ha! Been there, done that, too. Also, I never actually used terms like PTSD or anxiety in the book, I only wanted to key in on the feelings Ryan Dean was going through, and I think that made those experiences more relatable on a broad level for readers.

Nerd Girl: What is your writing process like? How do you balance writing full length novels with working your job as a teacher? How do you keep yourself motivated?

 

Andrew: Whenever I teach writers, I stress that self-discipline is an invisible but perhaps most important ingredient in what we produce. It’s easy to talk about craft, mechanics, and technique, but if you don’t get off your butt and hit the keyboard, absolutely none of that matters. It’s very difficult at times, and time exists in finite quantities, so you just have to make sure what you’re doing is going to get you where you most want to be. But as far as my personal writing is concerned, I motivate myself by building puzzles into my stories, and by always trying to do something I’ve never tried, and something that nobody else is doing. At least, I try.

 

Nerd Girl: Seeing as this is a teen book fest, I’d like to ask what were some of your favorite books as a teenager? Also, what are some of your favorite current teen reads?

 

Andrew: I read a wide range of thick, weird books when I was a teen. I remember reading–on my own–books like MOBY DICK by Herman Melville, THE IDIOT by Fyodor Dostoevsky, and FOUNDATION by Isaac Asimov.

Current YA that I’ve enjoyed (and I hope you know my favorite author is A.S. King, so I’ll spare you the expected list of all her titles): THE GREAT AMERICAN WHATEVER by Tim Federle and THE MEMORY OF THINGS by Gae Polisner. But I don’t think those are out yet.

 

Nerd Girl: What is one thing you learned about writing that you didn’t learn until after you got published?

 

Andrew: Like most people who get published, I didn’t know ANYTHING about the publishing industry when I got published. But, as far as writing goes, I think that working with the amazing editors I’ve had the opportunity to work with has taught me to recognize some of the common mistakes that young writers make in terms of craft, and this has definitely helped me to be a better, more efficient, writer.

 

Nerd Girl: You get the phone call that you’re getting published: what is your reaction? How did you celebrate?

 

Andrew: I kind of passed out, I think. And nobody in my family knew I’d been writing all those years. So I took my wife and kids out to dinner and told them what was going to happen.

 

Nerd Girl: You’ve often said that you don’t necessarily write books FOR teens but ABOUT teens…so why did you choose to write about teens? And why do you think its important to make the point that your books aren’t necessarily just for teens?
Andrew: Some of my favorite books ever have adolescent protagonists: THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain, ‘SALEM’S LOT by Stephen King, and Cormac McCarthy’s ALL THE PRETTY HORSES and THE CROSSING. I’ve always liked writing about the adolescent experience for two main reasons: First, adolescence is universal; it’s something we’ve all gone through, and second, I think we all look back on our teenage years as being some of the most significant, shaping years in our lives; times we tend to think about every day.

 

Nerd Girl: What is one of your favorite moments from when you were a teen?
Andrew: Stealing my dad’s car, ditching school, and driving to the beach.

 

Nerd Girl: Last question, who is your fictional crush?
Andrew: Oh gosh. I’d have to say Buffalo Bill from SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

*****

The Giveaway!

One winner will receive an official Ontario Teen Book Fest poster signed by ALL attending authors!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Top Anticipated February Releases!

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Young Adult

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Starflight by Melissa Landers

Starflight #1

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, look dirty, approved hard existence, recipe and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She’s so desperate to reach the realm that she’s willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he’s been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe…

Release Date: February 2nd, 2016

My Thoughts: I’ve already read it. Already love it. Melissa Landers rocks at these science fiction romances, seriously she’s quickly becoming a favorite. This had a nice Firefly feel to it and I loved every minute of it.

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

Red Queen #2

Mare Barrow’s blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

Release Date: February 9th, 2016

My Thoughts: It took me ages to sit down and read Red Queen but it absolutely blew my mind once I did. I literally canNOT wait until this novel comes out.

Calamity by Brandon Sanderson

The Reckoners #3

When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned his closest ally into a dangerous enemy.

David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when Prof struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Once the Reckoners’ leader, Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back…

But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying.

Release Date: February 16th, 2016

My Thoughts: I really really need to read Firefight before I read this one. Obviously. I’ve had Firefight in my TBR pile since the day it came out. I fail.

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

When Aladdin discovers Zahra’s jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn’t seen in hundreds of years — a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra’s very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes. 

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.

Release Date: February 23rd, 2016

My Thoughts: Ever since Jessica announced she was writing this book, I’ve been so so so ready for it. I’m dying. I tried so hard to get my hands on an ARC to no avail. Sad. But I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Gimme, gimme, gimme.

Titans by Victoria Scott

Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch.

She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them.

But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about.

Release Date: February 23rd, 2016

My Thoughts: I’m about halfway through and absolutely loving it. Victoria Scott is such a great writer and I really want a Titan.

*****

New Adult

*****

The Power by Jennifer L Armentrout

Titan #2

With any great change, there is always strife, and the Covenant University has become the frontline between pure-bloods who want the Breed Order reinstated and the half-bloods who want the right to control their own destinies.
Fate has other plans.

The violence is escalating and war between the races seems inevitable, and it couldn’t come at a worse time. Hyperion may be out of commission, but Josie and Seth know they have only earned a reprieve. Seth must get Josie fully prepared, which means controlling her newfound abilities, and they need to find the other demigods before the Titans do.
But the gods are sensing a greater threat.

Only one thing is more dangerous than a bunch of starved Titans, and that’s an out-of-control Apollyon. The aether in Josie is drawing Seth in deeper, and when lust mixes with love and gives way to power, he knows being close to her is not only dangerous to her, but to everyone around them, but letting her go requires a level of selflessness that just isn’t Seth’s style.

The paths taken in the past are becoming the roads of the future.

Just as chaos breaks out, familiar faces from the past return, complicating the already strained bond between Josie and Seth, and when the danger from the Titans erupts with devastating consequences, the dark allure of power calls to Seth again, but this time Josie might not be able to pull him back.

And when the struggle between power and love becomes the deadliest battleground, there may be no salvation.

Release Date: February 23rd, 2016

My Thoughts: I mean, its Seth. For some reason, that guy just doesn’t get out of your head…

*****

What books are you looking forward to in February?! Did I forget some! Leave them in the comments!

January Book Wrap Up

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January was QUITE a good month for me but the beginning of the year usually is! Now with the deadline of The Awakened 2 coming in fast AND a new project being worked on, information pills I’m sure my number will go down quite quickly.

Books Pledged to Read in 2016:

150

Am I On Track: 

2 books ahead of schedule

Books Read So Far: 

15

Total Books For January:

15

This is Falling

Built

Leaving Amarillo

You and Everything After

For the Record

Alienated

The Score

Remembrance (ARC)

Starflight (ARC)

What’s Broken Between Us 

A Week of Mondays (ARC)

The Hunger Games (Reread)

Alanna: The First Adventure (Reread)

Trickster’s Choice (Reread)

Trickster’s Queen (Reread) 

*****

How has your year started? Make sure to share in the comments!

Announcement! Ontario Teen Book Fest Authors!

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Yay! Its almost that time again! Time for my favorite event of the year, try the Ontario Teen Book Fest. The first time I attended it was nearly three years ago and each and every year, I’ve become more involved and more connected and attached to this event. Courtney, the youth services librarian, and the rest of her crew, always put on an amazing event. I’m incredibly excited about the lineup for this event, especially since I’m in it this year!

Where Teens and Books Meet!

When: March 12, 2016
9 am to 5 pm

Where: Colony High Branch Library
3850 East Riverside Drive
Ontario, CA

More information will be coming! Check out the official blog tour, starting February 22nd, kicking off on THIS blog, for more information, including giveaways. You can also visit the official TBF website here, to find out more about sponsors, how to purchase books, all about the panels and more!

For now, let’s meet this year’s line up! Click the authors’ names to check out their websites and learn more!

Authors: 

*****

Elana K Arnold

Jay Asher

Alexis Bass

Virginia Boecker

Jessica Brody

Stephanie Diaz

Brad Gottfred

Kristin Halbrook

Michelle Levy

Nicole Maggi

Mary McCoy

Marissa Meyer

Alexandra Monir

Andrew Smith

April Genevieve Tucholke

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Moderators

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E. Katherine Kottaras

Robin Reul 

Sara Elizabeth Santana

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Who are you most excited about? I hope to see you all there, and make sure to come back on February 22nd for the blog tour kick off!

Top Anticipated January Releases!

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Young Adult

*****

The Killing Jar by Jennifer Bosworth

Seventeen-year-old Kenna Marsden has a secret.

She’s haunted by a violent tragedy she can’t explain. Kenna’s past has kept people—even her own mother—at a distance for years. Just when she finds a friend who loves her and life begins to improve, prostate she’s plunged into a new nightmare. Her mom and twin sister are attacked, and the dark powers Kenna has struggled to suppress awaken with a vengeance.

On the heels of the assault, Kenna is exiled to a nearby commune, known as Eclipse, to live with a relative she never knew she had. There, she discovers an extraordinary new way of life as she learns who she really is, and the wonders she’s capable of. For the first time, she starts to feel like she belongs somewhere. That her terrible secret makes her beautiful and strong, not dangerous. But the longer she stays at Eclipse, the more she senses there is something malignant lurking underneath it all. And she begins to suspect that her new family has sinister plans for her…

Release Date: January 12th, 2016

My Thoughts: It has been way too damn long since JBos put out a boook and I’m absolutely dying to get my hands on it. Her first novel was amazing, and surprised me in so many ways. I can’t wait for this one.

The Siren by Kiera Cass

A girl with a secret.
The boy of her dreams.
An Ocean between them.

Years ago, Kahlen was rescued from drowning by the Ocean. To repay her debt, she has served as a Siren ever since, using her voice to lure countless strangers to their deaths. Though a single word from Kahlen can kill, she can’t resist spending her days on land, watching ordinary people and longing for the day when she will be able to speak and laugh and live freely among them again.

Kahlen is resigned to finishing her sentence in solitude…until she meets Akinli. Handsome, caring, and kind, Akinli is everything Kahlen ever dreamed of.

Falling in love with a human breaks the Ocean’s rules. But for the first time in a lifetime of following the rules, Kahlen is determined to follow her heart.

Release Date: January 26th, 2016

My Thoughts: Kiera Cass is amazing and I can’t wait to read this. I know she originally self published and I’m a terrible person because I never read it but now that its being officially published, I can’t wait to read it. Its not really my thing, sirens, that sort of thing, but I didn’t think I’d like The Selection either so there’s that.

*****

New Adult

*****

Built by Jay Crownover 

Sayer Cole is frozen inside. At least, that’s what it’s felt like for as long as she can remember. She’s yet to let anyone past her icy exterior – and the one guy she thinks might melt her heart couldn’t possibly be interested in someone so uptight.

Rough, hard and hot-as-hell, Zeb Fuller has rebuilt his life and his construction business since protecting his family sent him to jail all those years ago. His elegant client, Sayer, makes him feel like a Neanderthal in denim, but despite the many hints that he’s been dropping to get to know her better, she seems oblivious to his charms.

Just as things finally start to heat up, Zeb’s past comes back to haunt him and he needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. As these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, fire and ice collide in an unstoppable explosion of steam…

Release Date: January 5th, 2016

My Thoughts: Already read it. Already LOVED it. I did my anticipated releases way too late.

The Score by Elle Kennedy 

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she’s going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di-Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

Release Date: January 11th, 2016

My Thoughts: I absolutely LOVED The Deal and The Mistake. Elle Kennedy writes amazing books and I’ve watched Dean for quite some time so I can’t wait to read his story. I’m dying. Its only days away and I’m already so so so excited.

*****

What books are you most excited for in January? 

End of the Year Survey 2015!

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Number of Books You Read:

130 books

Number of Re-Reads:

24

Genre You Read the Most From:

New Adult Romance. I definitely discovered my love for that this year

Best Book You Read in 2015:

I could never pick one. I’ll try to narrow it down as best I can:

Unchanged by Jessica Brody
The Shameless Hour by Sarina Bowen
Him by Elle Kennedy
All Played Out by Cora Carmack
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead
Stand Off by Andrew Smith
What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Winter by Marissa Meyer
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Scorched by Jennifer L Armentrout

Book You Were Excited About And Thought You Were Going to Love More But Didn’t: 

One Week Girlfriend by Monica Murphy was a huge one. It wasn’t a new release this year but it was new to me this year and I barely made it through it. Same with Scoring Wilder by RS Grey, though I did love her other book that I read.

Most Surprising Book (in a good way or bad way) You Read:

I would say the entire Marked Men series by Jay Crownover. Yes, I was getting into NA this year but I honestly thought I needed it to be sports NA or I couldn’t read it. I didn’t love the first book, Rule, but I LOVED the second book, Jet, and I loved the rest of the series. I never expected to LOVE it as much as I did.

Also, The Deal by Elle Kennedy. I wanted to read it but it has such a cheesy cover and I wasn’t sure of it but omg I love that book and series so so so so much.

Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read:

This year? I pushed the Rusk University series by Cora Carmack. Definitely the Ivy Years by Sarina Bowen and I’ve been begging people to read The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Best series you started in 2014?

The Ivy Years by Sarina Bowen, The Off Campus by Elle Kennedy, the Wait for You series by J Lynn, the Marked Men by Jay Crownover. I read a LOT of really amazing first novels though like Red Queen, Six of Crows, Flamecaster, etc, and I’m looking forward to those series.

Best Sequel of 2014?

Hmmmmm. Stand Off by Andrew Smith was absolutely incredible. Oh god. That book was so damn good. Also, This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. OH, The White Rose by Amy Ewing was quite good too!

Best Series Ender of 2014?

Winter by Marissa Meyer and Unchanged by Jessica Brody. Hands down. No question. Amazing. Both of them.

Favorite New Author You Discovered: 

These authors are all new to ME. Sarina Bowen. Elle Kennedy. Alexandra Bracken. Victoria Aveyard. Jay Crownover. Marie Rutkowski.

Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki. I’m not a graphic novel reader at all but my friend Sean recommended it and I love love love it.

Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Red Queen was absolutely INCREDIBLE. I can’t believe I waited so long to read it. Sweet Jesus. Unchanged was brilliant, same with Winter. SIX OF CROWS. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken, which comes out early 2016 but I received an ARC and so much love for this book.

Book You Read in 2015 That You are Most Likely to ReRead in Next Year?

Stand Off by Andrew Smith for sure. Six of Crows. Red Queen. Scorched. Probably alll those new adult books haha

Favorite Cover of a Book Read You Read in 2015?

Six of Crows. Carry On. My own book cover lol. Hey, my book cover is gorgeous. Winter. Passenger.

Most Memorable Character of 2015:

Simon and Baz from Carry On. Sera from Unchanged. Sam Abernathy from Stand Off. Inej from Six of Crows. Mare from Red Queen. Torres from All Played Out. Jase from Be with Me. OH GOD. Andrea from Scorched. Kate from What We Saw.

Most Beautifully Written Book Read in 2015:

Either Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard or Scorched by Jennifer L Armentrout. Flamecaster was also quite beautiful. Six of Crows. Damn.

Most Thought-Provoking or Life Changing Book of 2015: 

Scorched by Jennifer L Armentrout is probably #1. It hit hard and personal for me. I cried a lot while reading that book. Also Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone, also very personal to me. Lastly, What We Saw was absolutely INCREDIBLE and completely thought provoking.

Book You Can’t Believe You Waited Until 2015 to Read:

the Wait for You series is a huge one. I obviously have known JLA for a few years now and kept ignoring that series and I can’t believe I did that.

Favorite Passage/Quote from a Book You Read this Year: 

This one is too hard. I struggle with it every single year. But I will say this: there is a part in Scorched by Jennifer L Armentrout where the main character has a pretty severe panic attack. And it was written so beautifully and it hit me so personally that it has stuck with me since. As someone who struggles through anxiety disorder and panic attacks…it was just so personal. That was probably my favorite, because of how much it resonated with me.

Shortest and Longest Book You Read in 2015:

Welcome to the Shadowhunter Academy? I don’t know if the Simon stories count. Probably Leveled by Jay Crownover…JK, it was One Week Girlfriend. 155 pages. Longest…Winter at 824 pages.

Book That Shocked You the Most 

Sweet Jesus. Red Queen. I mean, I knew something was going to happen but I literally was like HOW DID THIS HAPPEN! I can’t handle how that just threw me for a loop. Agh. Still not over it.

OTP of the Year

Jace and Tessa from Be with Me. Jet and Avery from Jet. Ivy and Bishop from The Book of Ivy. Oh man, Simon and Baz from Carry On. Kaz and Inej from Six of Crows. Bella and Rafe from Shameless Hour.

Favorite Non Romantic Relationship

Hmmmm. I think all the friendships in the Wait for You series and the friendships in the Marked Men series. They create these families and its just so beautiful. I want that.

Favorite Book You Read in 2015 From an Author You’ve Read Previously

Cora Carmack’s All Played Out is up there. Winter, by Marissa Meyer. Unchanged by Jessica Brody. Stand-Off by Andrew Smith. I could go on…

Newest Fictional Crush? 

Jase from Be With Me. Rafe from The Shameless Hour. Jet from…Jet. Kaz from Six of Crows. Oz from Nowhere But Here. Bishop from The Book of Ivy

Best 2015 Debut You Read: 

The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi. LOVED this book. Just finished the ARC of the second book and loved it. Lauren Gibaldi is fantastic.

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read this Year?

Its a tie between Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows, who is one of the best world builders I know, and Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen, who created this unbelievable world.

Book That Put a Smile on your Face/Was the Most Fun to Read?

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. It made me laugh and it was just so fun. It was so fun to be so invested in it and it wasn’t an actual series. But it was fun and it reminded me of reading a Harry Potter book for the first time, and it was fabulous.

Book That Made You Cry in 2015?

The better question is…what book DIDN’T make me cry. I’m an emotional person. I cry when I’m happy, sad, angry, frustrated, hungry, tired, etc. Books make me cry all the time.

Hidden Gem of the Year?

Scorched by JLA. I just didn’t expect it to be like that and I don’t think enough people are talking about this amazing book. I want to just scream at people to read this book.

Book That Crushed Your Soul?

Scorched by JLA lol. I cried so hard. It crushed my soul because I knew exactly how it felt to be the main character…it was an emotional roller coaster to me and I felt myself crumble at several parts. The difference is…after I was done, I came out much stronger. Its very strange.

Most Unique Book You Read in 2015: 

The Alex Crow. I’m pretty sure Andrew Smith will end up as the most unique book every single year. There just isn’t anyone who writes like he does. His books always stand out.

Book That Made You The Most Mad

Probably Red Queen. Because I couldn’t believe that damn ending and how long I’ve had to wait for the sequel. Almost there!

One Book You Didn’t Get to in 2015, But Will be Your Number 1 Priority in 2016

Leaving Amarillo by Caisey Quinn. It was supposed to be read back in summer, whoops.

Book You Are Most Anticipating in 2016

Hmmm. Lots of books haha. Marissa Meyer’s new book, Heartless. Cora’s new book. Victoria Aveyard’s new book. Melissa Lander’s new book. There’s a TON of great books coming out this year, because I’m surrounded by a ton of amazing authors all the damn time haha. The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury. UGH. SO excited for that one. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. Flamecaster by Cinda Chima. Morgan Matson and Jessica Brody both have new books this year.

2016 Debut You’re Looking Forward to: 

I’m SO insanely excited for Freedom Matthew’s debut, Inherited. She is the second debut author through OfTomes, the publishing company that published my book, and it sounds AMAZING, and the cover is INCREDIBLE. I can’t wait to dive into it.

Series Ending/Sequel You’re Most Anticipating in 2016: 

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard is a HUGE one for sure. That’s probably the number one I’m anticipating.

One Thing You’re Hoping to Accomplish or Do in Your Reading/Blogging Life in 2016? 

Find a way to balance reading books and writing books. And blog more! I was lazy in 2015!

A 2016 Release You’ve Already Read and Recommend to Everyone: 

Ruined by Amy Tintera, Flamecaster by Cinda Chima…those are the big ones!

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Happy New Year everyone!