Waiting on Wednesday [20]

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This feature highlights a future release that you are eagerly waiting to come out.

'The Impossible Knife of Memory'
by Laurie Halse Anderson

Length: 472 pages (hardcover)

Expected Publication: January 7th 2014

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

[Synopsis from Goodreads] 

  

Laurie Halse Anderson is definitely known for writing powerful books and this sounds like no exception. PTSD is definitely a difficult subject, but Anderson seems like the perfect writer for it. Comment below on your thoughts about 'The Impossible Knife of Memory' and link your WoW, if you participated this week.

Top Ten Tuesday [9] : New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish so head over there if you want more information or want to participate. This week is a top ten new-to-me authors. So for me, I am going to list the top ten authors that I read a work by them for the first time this year. And since it is a top ten, these are also authors that I want to read more from. The links below connect to their author page on Goodreads. :)  So here is my list:

1. Marjane Satrapi: after reading 'Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood'

2. Marie Lu: after reading 'Legend' and 'Prodigy'

3. Johan Harstad: after reading '172 Hours on the Moon

4. Marissa Meyer: after reading 'Cinder'

5. Katie McGarry: after reading 'Pushing the Limits'

6. Courtney Summers: after reading 'Fall for Anything'

7. Tahereh Mafi: after reading 'Shatter Me'

8. Cat Patrick: after reading 'Forgotten'

9. Gillian Flynn: after reading 'Gone Girl'

10. Jay Asher: after reading 'Thirteen Reasons Why'

I enjoyed being introduced to theses author's work this year and look forward to reading more from them in the coming year. High on the top of my list is 'Scarlet' by Marissa Meyer and 'Champion' by Marie Lu. Comment below if you have any recommendations of these author's work. :)

So there is my list as of now! Make sure to link your Top 10 Tuesday below, so I can stop by. Thanks! :)

Recommend A... [1] Book That Lived Up to Expectations

Recommend A... is hosted by Vy's Blog. Future Monday prompts can be found here as well as more info on this feature. And also check out last week's introduction post. All you have to do to join in is answer the week's prompt and leave a link.

This weeks prompt is: Recommend A... Book That Lived Up To Your Expectations:

'Pushing the Limits' by Katie McGarry

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with freaky scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again. [Goodreads synopsis]

Overall I gave this book 4 / 5 stars and really enjoyed reading it this past summer after hearing so much about it. Contemporary fiction is not always my favorite genre, but this didn't disappoint. 

Comment below and let me know what you thought of 'Pushing the Limits' and leave a link to your Recommend A... post.

Bout of Books 9.0!

It is time to sign up for the Bout of Books 9.0 read-a-thon! This year I will be participating and I hope all of you are too! It is a low stress read-a-thon, so definitely still participate even if you aren't sure you will be able to read like crazy! :) Click here to head to the sign-up post!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal! It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01 AM on Monday January 6th and runs through Sunday January 12th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 9.0 information and updates, be sure to sure the Bout of Books blog!

Back in October 2011 I participated and hosted a challenge/giveaway on my blog for Bout of Books 2.0 and am excited to take part in it again!

It's Monday! What are you reading? [21]

'It's Monday! What are you reading?' is a meme hosted by Book Journey and consists of sharing what you have read this past week, what you hope to read this week, and whatever else fits in too. So here are my books for this week:

JUST FINISHED: 'The Cuckoo's Calling' by Robert Galbraith

READING NOW: 'A Game of Thrones' by George R.R. Martin

TO READ NEXT: 'The 100' by Kass Morgan

Friday evening I finished up reading 'The Cuckoo's Calling' and rated it 3 / 5 stars. I started 'A Game of Thrones' a week or so ago but since I am under no impression that it will be done this month, since the holidays are coming up, I plan to start 'The 100' soon, since I received it from a Goodreads giveaway in October and need to get my review of it up! :)

Comment below if you have read any of these and let me know your thoughts on them. And also make sure to link your 'It's Monday! What are you Reading?' if you are participating this week. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

2013 End of the Year Book Survey - Part 1!

As this year comes to an end, I thought I would participate in the End of the Year Book Survey 2013 hosted by The Perpetual Page-Turner. This provides the opportunity to look back on your reads for 2013 and answer some questions based on the books you read.

Click here to check out the original blog post and get all the info you need to participate, as well as to link up your post (no matter if you do it now or after the year is over).

So here we go! All links for the books will be connected to Goodreads so you can check out more on the books if you want!

BEST BOOKS IN 2013

1. Best book you read in 2013?

     Adult Fiction: 'Invisible Monsters' by Chuck Palahniuk

     Non-Fiction: 'Maus Vol 1 & 2' by Art Spiegelman

     YA Fiction: 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green

2. Book you were excited about & thought you would love more than you did?

     Tied between 'Insurgent' by Veronica Roth and 'The DUFF' by Kody Keplinger

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book you read in 2013?

     '172 Hours on the Moon' by Johan Harstad

4. Book you read in 2013 and recommended to people the most?

     'Cinder' by Marissa Meyer

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?

     'Legend' by Marie Lu

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?

    Katie McGarry, after reading 'Pushing the Limits'

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or a new genre?

     Was introduced to Adult Mystery/Thriller with 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?

     'Shades of Earth' by Beth Revis

9. Book you read that you are most likely to re-read in 2014?

     'Invisible Monsters' by Chuck Palahniuk

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?

     'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' by Ransom Riggs

11. Most memorable character of 2013?

     Will Herondale from 'Clockwork Angel' by Cassandra Clare

12. Most beautifully written book?

     'Shatter Me' by Tahereh Mafi

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you?

     'Maus' by Art Spiegelman

14. Book you cannot believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to read?

     'City of Glass' by Cassandra Clare and 'Divergent' by Veronica Roth

15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read?

     Off the top of my head I would probably go with: 

“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.” 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

16. Shortest and Longest book you read in 2013?

     Shortest: 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' at 88 pages

     Longest: 'Last Sacrifice' by Richelle Mead at 594 pages

17. Book that had a scene in it that had you reeling and dying to talk to somebody about it?

     'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card (That ending! Wow!)

18. Favorite relationship from a book you read in 2013?

     Echo and Noah in 'Pushing the Limits' by Katie McGarry

     Hazel and Augustus in 'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green'

19. Favorite book you read from an author you've read previously?

     'The Fault in Our Stars' by John Green' and 'Invisible Monsters' by Chuck Palahniuk

20. Best book that you read solely on a recommendation?

     'The Iron King' by Julie Kagawa

Part 2 of the Survey ... Coming Soon!

It's Monday! What are you reading? [20]

'It's Monday! What are you reading?' is a meme hosted by Book Journey and consists of sharing what you have read this past week, what you hope to read this week, and whatever else fits in too. So here are my books for this week:

JUST FINISHED: '172 Hours on the Moon' by Johan Harstad

READING NOW: 'The Edge of Never' by J.A. Redmerski

TO READ NEXT: 'The Cuckoo's Calling' by Robert Galbraith

Comment below if you have read any of these and let me know your thoughts on them. And also make sure to link your 'It's Monday! What are you Reading?' if you are participating this week. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

I'm back! (Again)

Hey everyone! Long story short, senior year has been the craziest yet and my priorities have shifted as I get ready to graduate. A few weeks ago I realized more and more how much I missed blogging as an outlet though, so now I am back!!

I will mainly be posting just reviews to start out so I don't feel too much stress adding something else to a schedule that includes: being a full time student, working in my field, and and internship as well. But hopefully in time I will get back in the swing of things and continuously be devoting more time to my blog!

Goodreads right now is the easiest way for me to update and see what reviews will be coming up soon, so feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5311314-erin-let-s-evaluate.

Hope everyone is doing well and cannot wait to catch back up with all of you and your blogs! <3 <3