Page 225 of 422

Item: Punk 57
Rating: 5
Author: Chelsea

BOOK REVIEW: Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas

January 18, 2017 / Chelsea / 3 Comments

Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
“We were perfect together. Until we met.”

Misha

I can’t help but smile at the words in her letter. She misses me.

In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.

It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…

And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.

Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am.

We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it?

Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?

F*ck it. I need to meet her.

I just don’t expect to hate what I find.

Ryen

He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch.

Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should’ve gotten his number or picture or something.

He could be gone forever.

Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.

Punk provided something I hadn’t realized I had been missing: Fun. Yes, I’ve read plenty of fun books and yes, believe it or not, I’ve read a fair share of hot, steamy books. But I can admit one thing, for sure: Not for a long time have I found a more satisfying mix of sexy, fun, and smoldering hot hate.

It may come as a surprise to many of you that I used to read so many of these books it was almost exhausting. I got to the point where it became mundane, meaningless, and I felt like I was trapped in a pretty bad book funk. And I was-that’s the problem.

Eventually we all have to weigh what we want more: wanting back what we had or wanting what could be. To stay or to risk everything to move forward.

And, because of this problem, I really don’t let myself indulge in the finer trashy books in life. I don’t normally miss them, either, if I’m being honest. But there comes a time when you’re just in the mood for something hot, angsty, and completely antagonistic you’d go so far as to search into your old roots. And, it just so happens, I have a friend who knows me about as well as anyone….and she specializes in smut, the little tart.

So, after a long week in NC where I was having the best time ever, relaxing and truly enjoying myself, but not finding the book to match my mood, I figured out what I was craving: Angst. All the books I had targeted seemed like they might have angst, but they weren’t hitting that perfect spot. So, when I finally connected the dots that that was exactly what I craved, I thought of none other than my lovely, smut-loving friend, Pea.

Which, as you can all see…led me to my first five star read of 2017. A great start, if you ask me. Bold, daring, antagonistic, and even with a bit of moral ambiguity, this book touched on everything I had been aching for since The Hating Game.

Punk 57 isn’t necessarily a new formula, I don’t imagine, but it certainly felt new. Two 7 year friends who were accidentally made pen pals in the fifth grade continue to write to one another long after the school year ends. They have rules to never exchange phone numbers, to never look each other up, to keep things as they have always been.

Masen just makes everything seem smaller. Like I have a new perspective. He’s becoming a part of my heart, and I feel good when he’s around. Almost like none of my fears matter as long he’s there.

But, as they grow older, they become each other’s crutch. They begin to secretly (or not so secretly?) fall for one another, having been each other’s sounding board for so long. And as they begin to near the end of High School, something happens that will irrevocably change their lives…even if only one of them knows about it. And, after all these years, they both finally want to see what the other is like in real life…but what if it changes everything?

Fat tears spill over, and I feel a weight on my shoulders. It’s not Trey. It’s not Lyla. It’s me. I don’t know who I’m supposed to be.

I’ll admit that I didn’t know what I would think of this book-I’ve always been fond of the old Penelope Douglas. I mean, come on, Bully??? I ate that shit up!!! But I’ve heard some things over the years that deterred me from really following up on her work, perhaps hiding from the progressive approach she had been taking a path towards. But I’ve never forgotten, never stopped watching, and always kept tabs with H, making sure to not let any hidden gems slip through my fingers-and here we are, three years later…And I’m already like a junkie ready for my next fix.

I’ll admit this wasn’t without its flaws. I even was going to mention them…but why taint what I thought was a pretty addicting book? I don’t want to be negative, I just want to focus on the positive, which is how I’m going to end this review-with why this book was so unflinchingly addicting.

I may have mentioned before that they wanted to meet each other-But what happens if they meet and see its all been a lie? That they aren’t truly made for one another and after all these years, falling in love with one another is all a big fat waste?

I learned a long time ago that you don’t need to reveal everything inside of you to the people around you. They like to judge, and I’m happier when they don’t. Some things stay hidden.

By far the best part of this book is when Misha decides that its all been a lie-that Ryen is a fake, a phoney, and nothing at all like she is in her letters. When he realizes this, sees he has fallen for a girl that is all smoke and mirrors, as fake as a person can be, he snaps. He immediately hates her. How could she be so different than that beautiful girl (on the inside) he had been talking to all these years?

I know him very little, but after every encounter, I feel like I know him less.

What follows is him taunting her, berating her, trying to show her she is better than she acts-that this facade she is putting out there for the world to see makes her no better than the trash she hangs out with. But by far the best part of the novel…is that she has no idea why the hot new guy hates her so quickly when the rest of the school practically worships her. That’s right-The best part of this book is that she has no idea that the new guy who seemingly hates her for no reason is her best friend, the guy she compares all other guys to, the one she loves, and the one she cares about most in the world.

Fucked up, right?? But oh so perfectly perfect. Need I say more? I don’t think so. For all it’s minor errors and total lack of believability (I mean…a principle would let this shit go on? I hardly think so), it was exactly what I needed. So, maybe its for you, maybe it isn’t….but I’ll tell you one thing-It was hot as hell. ‘Nuff said.

View all my reviews

TOP TEN TUESDAY – Underrated/Hidden Gem Books We’ve Read

January 17, 2017 / Jen / 18 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday.13

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week is – Underrated/Hidden Gem Books We’ve Read. These are books we love that have less than 1,500 Ratings on Goodreads. So we hope you’ll want to discover them too!

(Jen’s Choice – Review)

1. Xenophobia by S.B. Roozenboom
This story was unique, so much fun and I can’t wait to see where this series goes! Plus I adored Tevire, the things Tevire did to protect Ness was gut wrenching, sweaty palm inducing and entirely swoon worthy.

2. The Union (The Union #1) by T.H. Hernandez
This series is an epic journey that had me devouring the pages as fast as possible! It contains a sigh inducing book boyfriend, friendships that are deep and meaningful, a heroine I adore and even a character I love to hate. I love this series!

(Jen’s Choice – Review)

3. Infinity (The Infinity Division #1) by Jus Accardo
Infinity haunted my dreams and interrupted my thoughts throughout the day. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book. I loved getting swept away by the action, adventure and the unknown.

4. Stay With Me (Come Back to Me #2) by Mila Gray
The characters easily worked their way into my emotions. I couldn’t help but feel everything they did. And the sexual tension and angst left me longing to read the pages as fast as possible while also slowing down so I could savor every sexy moment.

(Jen’s Choice – Review)

(Chelsea’s Choice)

5. Rebel Wing (Rebel Wing #1) by Tracy Banghart
Rebel Wing was spellbinding, intricately crafted, and I found myself being pulled in by the moments of hope, betrayal, torture, alliances, and friendships.

6. Deep in the Heart by Sharon Sala
An oldie but goodie…Sharon Sala’s tale of lost romance and found again will want your heart. It was my first ‘adult’ contemporary.

(Jen’s Choice – Review)

(Chelsea’s Choice – Review)

7. Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers #1) by Brenda Drake
The pages were filled with friendship, laughter, tears, betrayal, love and trust. And I happily found myself addicted, since the characters continually pulled at my emotions.

8. Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake
Sweet, heartbreaking, and about finding yourself and believing in others…I’m shocked this isn’t more popular!

(Jen’s Choice – Review)

9. Broken Skies (Broken Skies #1) by Theresa Kay
Broken Skies gripped me to the core and was truly outstanding. The story continually built and became more intricate, causing me to become obsessed with this book. The pages were scattered with hardships and butterfly inducing moments that were breathtaking. I never wanted this book to end.

10. Playing the Player by Lisa Brown Roberts
Playing the Player was beyond adorable. I couldn’t stop smiling or keep the laughter contained that kept bubbling out of me.

So these are the Underrated/Hidden Gem Books We’ve Read and loved. Have you read any of these books or do you have them on your tbr? What Underrated/Hidden Gem Books do you love?

Save

BOOK REVIEW: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

January 16, 2017 / Chelsea / 4 Comments

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Nemesis (n.)
1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;
2) A person’s undoing;
3) Joshua Templeman.
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

“You hate me so much, and I can’t take it much longer.” I’m pathetic. I hear it in my voice.
“Shortcake.”
“Stop calling me Shortcake.” I try to roll onto my side but he presses the heels of his palms lightly against my shoulders. I stop breathing.
“Watching you pretend to hate that nickname is the best part of my day.”

I think it’s been long enough-I am just sitting down, taking the time, and finally writing a review for one of my favorite contemporaries ever. You’ll rarely see me read a contemporary, and the reason for that is it’s so hard to impress me in this genre. I don’t like cheesy, I don’t like over-the-top, and I certainly don’t like when it doesn’t feel authentic.

“Mustard today,” I observe aloud. Why do I poke the hornet’s nest? “Just can’t wait for baby blue on Monday.”
The look he gives me is both smug and irritated. “You notice so much about me, Shortcake. But can I remind you that comments about appearance are against the B& G human resources policy.”
Ah, the HR Game. We haven’t played this one in ages. “Stop calling me Shortcake or I’ll report you to HR.”

So, here I am, ignoring this brightly covered book on my feed, and months pass. When, all of the sudden, hey, one of my best friends starts gushing about how giddy it makes her. Naturally, I’m curious. I’m always, always looking for the next amazing contemporary, and I desperately need it at this time in my life.

I decide to give a try, my friend gifts it to me (dawww), and the rest is history. From the moment I picked this book up-literally-I was done for. The sarcastic looks, the not-so-nasty banter, and every little thing in between…this book has it all. But, most of all…It has Joshua Templeman

“So this is what sex with you would be like.” I can’t resist teasing him. “I was hoping you’d participate a little more.”
He finally says something. “I’d participate. So well, you wouldn’t walk straight the next day.”

Where do I even begin??? Joshua wassss…everything. He was smart. He was attractive. He was…well, I can’t say, can I? Because, as far as you know, he’s a complete prick who makes Lucy’s life a living hell.

I don’t like big guys. They’re too much like horses. They could trample you if you got underfoot. He is auditing my appearance with the same narrowed eyes that I am. I wonder what the top of my head looks like. I’m sure he only fornicates with Amazons. Our stares clash and maybe comparing them to an ink stain was a tad too harsh. Those eyes are wasted on him.

These two got off on the wrong foot, and however that may have happened, it did. So every day they play their games, they are antagonistic towards one another, causing nothing but problems and HR issues. In fact, even the HR rep is sick of their shit (omg it’s so funny, the messages they send about one another to HR-it’s even a ‘safe word’…later on :P).

So why was this book so cute? Do you ever just want to get away? To escape real life and just laugh? To smile, to giggle, to swoon, to just know that when you pick up your book, you are immediately in for a wonderful treat and an out of this reality read? Well, this is that book.

[image error]

See, I’ve been pregnant since July, and I know I mention it a lot, but it’s a big player in my life-for more than the obvious reason. Now that I am finally, finally past the sickness part (5 months, people. FIVE.), I find that I get depressed…A LOT. Very very much. So, it’s harder to know my mood when picking out a book. So, naturally, when I find a book that literally takes my breath away, makes me smile even when, moments before, I had been bawling or crying or deep within myself brooding or upset or extremely hurt for no apparent reason, I’m going to hold onto it like a life raft after the Titanic hit the iceberg. And perhaps I DID have a reason that day or moment to be depressed, who knows? My point is…this book? It made me giddier than anything has in a very long time. And that is why, a month later almost, I still smile when I think of this book and am forcing myself to write a review-it brought me out from the darkness.

And, if you didn’t gather already, I pick this book up frequently, looking at all my favorite parts, all my highlights, all the funniest or swooniest or sexiest quotes. It simply makes me happy. The transition from bickering, resilient, resentful co-workers, to reluctant friends, to a somewhat new relationship was so heartwarming-my heart swelled so many times it was almost unbearable. But I guess that’s what happens when two people who are clearly meant to be together finally connect.

His smile is worth a thousand of anyone else’s. I need a photograph. I need something to hold on to. I need this entire bizarre planet to stop spinning so I can freeze this moment in time. What a disaster.

This book wasn’t without its issues, sure, but the issues were so minuscule, so insignificant, so small…you just don’t care. And I know I said I wouldn’t say anything, but you must know-Josh is an instant book boyfriend for a reason. He is sweet. He is selfless. He is kind. He is caring….and he’s fucking lonely-Just like Lucy. He’s grumpy. Stiff. All about doing everything right….he’s a ‘by the book’ type of guy…but he’s the most loyal man you’ll ever meet.

It sounds like the first time he’s spoken those words. He looks at the ground, miserable. I creep closer to him. Another weird kaleidoscopic twist? His hurt makes my own heart hurt.

And Lucy? She’s spunky. Sweet. Clingy. And, truth be told…she’s ferocious. I loved this about her. She didn’t take shit, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t hurt inside, that she isn’t extremely lonely and vulnerable. She reminded me so much of…well, me. No, I wouldn’t push someone away like Josh as much as she did (see above-this book isn’t without its fair share of issues) and I wouldn’t be so body hungry when its clear it hurts the other person, but in general, I saw a lot of myself…and that’s always so fun. To top it all off, I just love when the people she adores get attacked…just-you better watch out, is all I’ll say. Me-OW.

“So. Nervous?”
“Why would I be?”
“Your big date, Shortcake. You haven’t had one in a while. As long as I’ve known you, I think.” He indicates quotation marks with his fingers at big date. He’s positive it’s all a lie.
“I’m way too picky.”
He steeples his fingers so hard it looks painful. “Really.”
“Such a complete drought of eligible men here.”
“That’s not true.”
“You’re searching for your own eligible bachelor?”
“I—no—shut up.”

So, it should say something that I am writing this review three weeks later, or more. I don’t do that. Once I close the final page on a book and finish another book, I begin to push previous books into the back of my mind. Like…who cares? After a certain amount of time, no one wants to hear my thoughts anymore. Honestly, people might never want to hear them period (sorry, you’ll hear them whether you want to or not). But hey, that’s what Goodreads is for, right?

“I’d better get to bed.” I’m talking to my parents. I’m also gently cleaning the two-dollar eBay Smurf I got a few weeks back with a baby’s toothbrush. Law & Order is on in the background and they are currently pursuing a false lead. I’ve got a white clay mask on my face and my toenail polish is drying.

So, yeah, I get the hype surrounding this one. And, frankly, I don’t know everyone else’s motive for loving this story, I only know mine. It may not be everyone’s idea of perfect….but it’s my happy place…and that’s more than enough for me. It’s perfection.

View all my reviews

FRIDAY STARS – Your Weekly Must Knows 01/13/17

January 13, 2017 / Jen / 14 Comments

Life:

This past week our lives have been inundated with snow. Tahoe is at almost 200 inches in less than two weeks, and I could not be happier (well except for the rain that we had that melted the snow and caused severe flooding and then we lost power when it was 20 degrees outside but we’re back to snow again as of yesterday yay!)! I was California born and raised, but I have lived on the Nevada side of Tahoe for the last 10+ years. And while I thought I’d miss the ocean, I’ve come to realize that I love every single thing about this area. The ski resorts, the beaches that are beyond gorgeous, the hiking, the small town feel, the list just goes on and on. I am so grateful we live here and I am definitely counting the seconds until our 3 day weekend begins and we can enjoy every moment of sledding, snowboarding, and hiking! Here’s hoping you have a wonderful weekend planned too!

In case you aren’t familiar with our Friday Star Posts, we like to take a look at what’s happened around here in the last week, what’s coming up that we are excited about and anything else that we may have to share!

♥ Enjoy!

✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮

Just Finished and Loved:

Unfortunately there weren’t any books that we loved, but I did find a book that I enjoyed immensely!

4 Stars:
Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers #1) by Brenda Drake → Jen’s Review

✩✮✩✮✩

We also had a Top Ten Tuesday Post about 2016 Releases We Meant To Read But Didn’t Get To (But TOTALLY plan to!). If you missed it, then you can check it out here.

✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮

Reading Next:

Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
“We were perfect together. Until we met.”
Misha
I can’t help but smile at the lyrics in her letter. She misses me.
In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.
It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…
And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.
Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am.
We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it?
Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?
F*ck it. I need to meet her.
I just don’t expect to hate what I find.
Ryen
He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch.
Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should’ve gotten his phone number or picture or something.
He could be gone forever.
Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.

✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮

Upcoming Releases:

Carve the Mark (Untitled Duology #1) by Veronica Roth (Releases 01/17) – (Chelsea’s Review)
On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not—their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?
Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.
Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuvhe, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive—or to destroy one another.

✩✮✩✮✩

Heartstone by Elle Katharine White (Releases 01/17)
A debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen’s beloved Pride & Prejudice in an imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias, banshees, and lindworms.
They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay—and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters.
Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she’s already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again.
Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn’t expect is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that follows them from Merybourne Manor, its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . . something far more sinister than gryphons.
It’s a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she’s never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart.

You can check out the rest of the books that we can’t wait to be released → HERE

✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮

Sales:

$0.99

New Sale	5 Stars! Jen’s Review Chelsea’s Review	Chelsea’s Review
4 Stars! Laura’s Review

$1.99

New Sale 5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review	New Sale 5 Stars! Anna’s Review	5 Stars! Anna’s Review
5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review Anna’s Review	5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review
5 Stars! Anna’s Review Jen’s Review Chelsea’s Review	4.5 Stars! Anna’s Review	4.5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review
4 Stars!

$2.99

4.5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review	4.5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review
4.5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review

$3.99+

5 Stars! Jen’s Review Chelsea’s Review	4.5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review	5 Stars! Anna’s Review
	4.5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review	5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review
5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review	Anna’s Review	4.5 Stars! Anna’s Review
4 Stars! Chelsea’s Review	5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review Anna’s Review
5 Stars! Cheslea’s Review	5 Stars! Anna’s Review Laura’s Review Jen’s Review Chelsea’s Review	5 Stars! Laura’s Review
4.5 Stars! Chelsea’s Review

Freebies:

5 Stars! Cheslea’s Review	4 Stars! Anna’s Review

Save

TOP TEN TUESDAY – 2016 Releases We Meant To Read But Didn’t Get To (But TOTALLY plan to!)

January 10, 2017 / Jen / 12 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
This week is – 2016 Releases We Meant To Read But Didn’t Get To (But TOTALLY plan to!). And they are…..

(Chelsea’s Choice)

1. A Shadow Bright and Burning (Kingdom on Fire #1) by Jessica Cluess
Henrietta Howel can burst into flames.
Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she’s shocked when instead of being executed, she’s invited to train as one of Her Majesty’s royal sorcerers.
Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her.
But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one.
As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city—and the one she loves?

2. Truthwitch (The Witchlands #1) by Susan Dennard
On a continent ruled by three empires, everyone is born with a “witchery,” a magical skill that sets them apart from others. Now, as the Twenty Year Truce in a centuries long war is about to end, the balance of power-and the failing health of all magic-will fall on the shoulders of a mythical pair called the Cahr Awen.
The biggest thing on Safi and Iseult’s minds is saving money for their planned future in the Hundred Isles. Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the emotional Threads binding the world. Safi, on the other hand, is a Truthwitch-she always knows when a person is telling a lie. A powerful magic like that is something people would kill to have on their side-or to keep off their enemy’s side-and so Safi cannot even admit what she truly is.
With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and a ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must rise above their doubts and fight to learn who they are and what they are made of, if they are going to stay alive and preserve the balance of their world.

(Chelsea’s Choice)

3. Some Kind of Perfect (Calloway Sisters #4.5) by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie
The conclusion to the epic ten-book series about the unbreakable strength of family, friendship, and love.
Lily & Lo are back one final time. Childhood best friends and soul mates.
Ryke & Daisy are back one final time. Wild risk-takers and flirty adventurers.
Connor & Rose are back one final time. Genius rivals and intellectual teammates.
Ten years of laughter. Of heartache. And love.

4. The Crown’s Game (The Crown’s Game #1) by Evelyn Skye
Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.
And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.
Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?
For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.
And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love . . . or be killed himself.
As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear . . . the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

(Jen’s Choice)

(Jen’s Choice – Review)

5. P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
Signed, sealed, delivered…
While spacing out in Chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk, and added a message to her. Intrigue!
Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters — sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery, and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

6. Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman
Adorkable (ah-dor-kuh-bul): Descriptive term meaning to be equal parts dorky and adorable. For reference, see Sally Spitz.
Seventeen-year-old Sally Spitz is done with dating. Or at least, she’s done with the horrible blind dates/hookups/sneak attacks her matchmaking bestie, Hooker, sets her up on. There’s only so much one geek girl and Gryffindor supporter can take.
Her solution: she needs a fake boyfriend. And fast.
Enter Becks, soccer phenom, all-around-hottie, and Sally’s best friend practically since birth. When Sally asks Becks to be her F.B.F. (fake boyfriend), Becks is only too happy to be used. He’d do anything for Sal–even if that means giving her PDA lessons in his bedroom, saying she’s “more than pretty,” and expertly kissing her at parties.
The problem: Sally’s been in love with Becks all her life–and he’s completely clueless.
This book features two best friends, one special edition Yoda snuggie, countless beneath-the-ear kisses and begs the question:
Who wants a real boyfriend when faking it is so much more fun?

(Jen’s Choice)

(Jen’s Choice – Review)

7. Nobody’s Hero (Burned Lands #1) by Bec McMaster
First rule of surviving the Wastelands: don’t be caught out after the sun sets…
After her father was killed in a warg attack, Riley Kincaid was forced to stand on her own two feet in the brutal Wastelands she calls home. She knows how to survive, but when a lapse in judgment leaves her out after dark, Riley realizes she’s in trouble. The sun has set, the monsters are out to play, and there’s a band of reivers heading straight for her settlement. Riley needs to warn her people, but that’s before she runs a handsome stranger down in her jeep. A stranger who might not be a man after all…
Kidnapping her was the worst mistake he ever made.
Dangerous outlaw, Lucius Wade, lives only for revenge. But when he kidnaps Riley in order to lure an old friend into a trap, suddenly the tables are turned. Riley has no intentions of being bait, and she tempts him in ways he hasn’t felt for a long time. He’s never played the hero, but suddenly a part of him wants to. Even as he knows there’s no point.
When dangerous secrets are revealed, and Luc realizes an old enemy is on his trail, he’s forced to change his plans. The hunter is suddenly the hunted, and the only allies he has… is a stubborn blonde who thinks there should be more to live for than revenge, and the ex-friend who shoved a knife in his back ten years ago.

8. The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen #1) by Roshani Chokshi
Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?
Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…
But Akaran has its own secrets — thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.

(Jen’s Choice)

(Jen’s Choice – Review)

9. Paper Princess (The Royals #1) by Erin Watt
From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.
These Royals will ruin you…
Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.
Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.
Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.
He might be right.
Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.

10. The Great Hunt (Eurona Duology #1) by Wendy Higgins
When a monstrous beast attacks in Eurona, desperate measures must be taken. The king sends a proclamation to the best and bravest hunters: whoever kills the creature will win the hand of his daughter Princess Aerity as a reward. The princess recognizes her duty but cannot bear the idea of marrying a stranger—she was meant to marry for love—until a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention. And while there’s no denying the fiery chemistry between them, Princess Aerity feels that Paxton’s mysteriousness is foreboding, maybe even dangerous.

So these are the 2016 Releases We Meant To Read But Didn’t Get To (But TOTALLY plan to!)! Have you already read some of these? If not, are they on your list too? Or what books did you want to read last year, but didn’t get around to?

Save