Charlie, Presumed Dead by Anne Heltzel

3 Out of 5 stars

I was sent a ebook copy of this from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description: 

In Paris, family and friends gather to mourn the tragic passing of Charlie Price—young, handsome, charming, a world-traveler—who is presumed dead after an explosion. Authorities find only a bloodied jacket, ID’d as Charlie’s. At the funeral, two teens who are perfect strangers, Lena Whitney and Aubrey Boroughs, make another shocking discovery: they have both been dating Charlie, both think Charlie loved them and them alone, and there is a lot they didn’t know about their boyfriend. Over the next week, a mind-bending trip unfolds: first in London—then in Mumbai, Kerala, and Bangkok, the girls go in search of Charlie. Is he still alive? What did their love for him even mean? The truth is out there, but soon it becomes clear that the girls are harboring secrets of their own. 

No one knows whom to trust in this thrilling tale of suspense and deception.

My Review: 

I enjoyed this but I didn't love it.

Lena and Aubrey were likable enough. They joined together for a common goal, to find a journal and their now ex boyfriend. They were both dating the same boy and now he is missing presumed dead.

Lean and Aubrey we both kind of average teen/early 20's type characters. Both were worried about boys and college and their futures which now does not include their long time boyfriend Charlie.

I felt like maybe I knew girls like this throughout my teens/20s so they were very relatable and I think their personalities helped move the story along.

I also loves the mystery aspect and they banding together for a common goal.

The more I learned about Charlie the more I didn't like him, which is basically the point. He has all these lies and terrible things surrounding him but these girls just can't get past their relationships and get over him.

Everyone needs closure and you will have to read to find out if they get it.

Part mystery, part scavenger hunt, and great writing keep you engaged throughout the story. 

Definitely worth picking up, but in my opinion, not something I would reread for fun.

Overall, worth it.

Recent Reads: Holiday Weekend In Review

I ended up getting a lot of reading done over the long holiday weekend.

My husband and I did some traveling and I am one of those terrible people who lets their spouse drive the whole time while they relax and nap or read or basically just be useless and whose husband is so wonderful that he doesn't mind. 

Here are some of the reviews for the items I completed. Really was a great reading weekend.

ALSO: don't forget! My giveaway ends in 2 days so make sure to get those entries submitted and check out my review for OMNI by Andrea Murray!

THE FADE OUT by ED Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Actual rating 3.5.

I did not love this. I also didn't hate it.

I am a big fan of Noir film and writing and although the art elements were there I just could not get into the story as much as I would have liked and would have enjoyed seeing more depth from the characters.

This is only the first Volume but I might not continue on since it was just okay for me.

LOSING IT by: Cora Carmack

Actual rating: 4.25 or 4.5

Seriously a quick, fast and wonderful read.

As the title indicates it is about a 22 year old girl who wants to finally get rid of her V-card.

The writing was fun and fast paced. The characters were easy to relate to and really seemed the ages they represented in the books. 

They were really people I could have seen myself knowing in college.

I am not a huge theater buff but I didn't feel like those elements of the story were overpowering so I could still relate to the story line throughout.

Overall, I thought the love interest was great and the sex scenes were minimal in terms of a New Adult.

If you like college romances and enjoy the new adult genre as a whole I think you will really enjoy this quick and cute read.  

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING by Nicola Yoon

Last but certainly not least check out this amazingly beautiful cover for this book!

Actual rating: 5 ***************'s

Seriously. 

Stop what you are doing. Go to wherever you do you book shopping and PREORDER this book.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Random House Childrens, Delacorte Press, and netgalley.com.

I love getting review books but in all my time receiving them I have never read a book I have loved as much as this one.

Lets talk cover. Absolutely beautiful. Also, completely relevant to the story.

This book is about a "bubble girl." The main character has a disease that basically keeps her air locked into her house.

She has a physician for a mother, a nurse that takes care of her every need, she studies online and tries to live as normal of a life as possible while having no friends in the outside world.

Until one day a new family moves in next door. The cute neighbor boy starts communicating by emails and they hit it off.

Of course this being a contemporary there is a very sweet romance but this books isn't only about that.

There are a lot of family dynamics for both the main character and the love interest.

One comes from an abusive family and one lost their dad and brother to a driver who fell as asleep at the wheel.

Overall, I think the relationships and characters are really what set this book apart.

I could relate to certain aspects of the family issues and to being young and in love but more than anything I could relate with the main character wanting to explore and be adventurous and a part of being young and traveling and making mistakes.

Seriously, this was just a really great book.

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker Review!

I received this book from Little Brown Books and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

I received an E-ARC of this book via Netgalley not long ago and was immediately intrigued to get started.

It started off interesting. A lot of dark magic, necromancy, witch craft and historical fantasy elements. As the story progressed I got more involved with the characters and really began to enjoy the fast paced and descriptive writing style.

I admit that it was a fun read, it was quick and there was a lot of action but I did have some issues with this book.

First: Elizabeth was kind of a hypocrite. As a witch hunter she used herbs that were considered witch craft and  got sentenced to death. (this happens VERY early on and I do not consider it a spoiler; in fact as you are reading it, it is painfully obvious.)

There is a love triangle. No big surprise there in YA but honestly I am getting sick of that just like everyone else.

I didn't really hope anyone got the girl either because I found her so annoying.

Overall, it was entertaining.

I didn't love the world of characters but if you like a fast paced historical fantasy then you might really enjoy this read.

3.5 *****'s 

Don't forget to visit my previous post for a chance to win a $20 Amazon giftcard in celebration of the release of Omni by Andrea Murray

http://readjezireread.blogspot.com/2015/05/omni-by-andrea-murray.html

TBR Books

Lately there has been a lot of discussion on the internet among bookish people about their ever growing, daunting TBR pile and ways to reduce it.

I am right there with everyone who gets a little overwhelmed at times by their owned vs read books.

I probably own about 100 books that i have yet to read in one format or another. Ebooks, audiobooks, and physical copies are all on my TBR pile.

How do I keep this from overwhelming me?

Well there are a couple ways I handle my TBR pile.

1. I think about the books I have purchased and more importantly WHY I purchased them. I purchased these books because something in them sparked my interest. the second that stops being true I will take it to my local book buying location which has a buy back for store credit policy that is actually pretty great and get rid of them in favor for something else I really want now.
2. This year I started a sort of "TBR JAR." In the past I had just solely gone off mood for what to read and often times that was difficult to judge. I am not one to put down a book so again once I started something I finished it and it might have left me feeling slumpy. My philosophy on this has changed. I wrote down on little pieces of paper all my unread books and pick from the jar at random. (often times I let my husband picks because he thinks its fun) I will read that book often times while reading a book I am more in the mood for so I have options and don't get bogged down by a single book. This has actually really helped knock some of the books that I might have put off longer off my TBR list.
3. I am more selective about my choices. I made a wish list on Amazon and when thinking of purchasing a book, if it is not a recent release, I will ask myself how quickly I will get to it and how much does it cost. If it is on a crazy ebook or audiobook sale I will often purchase it for the cheaper price but more paperbacks and hardbacks will be available for a long time so if I don't think I want to read it VERY soon then I will add it to the wish list and wait to purchase it.
4. Also, just think about what you as an individual feels comfortable with in terms of TBR books. If you start to stress when you have 25 or 50 books don't buy anymore until you are below that number.

I think the thing to remember is that everyone is different and you have to do what feels comfortable to you. Reading is supposed to be fun and if having to many unread books stresses you out then that takes away from that element of fun.

Self control when it comes to books for an avid reader can be difficult but just remember we are all in this together. 

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker Preview

Recently been diving into this book by Virginia Boecker.

I am enjoying it but having a little trouble getting involved with the main character.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Little Brown Books for Young Readers and netgalley.com in exchange for my honest review.

This book comes out June 2nd and there are quite a few books coming out this summer and especially this fall that I am really looking forward to.

I never get comments on here but in case anyone is reading this; what books are you guys looking forward to coming out soon? Are you thinking about picking up "The Witch Hunter?" 

Comment below and have a great Tuesday.

Also don't forget to enter my giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to enter the giveaway hosted on my blog for the OMNI book tour hosted by Booktrope in honor of the release of the book.

This entire week you can find fun information all over the internet about this awesome new series.

An interesting fact about the author, Andrea Murray is below.

You will find a list of the authors TOP 10 TV SHOWS as well as the link to the Rafflecopter giveaway.

Entering is easy and it is for a $20 Amazon giftcard. Hopefully you will put that giftcard to good use purchasing your own copy of this great dystopian novel.

Andrea Murray Top 10 Favorite TV shows

Top 10 Television Shows

1.       Vampire Diaries

2.       The Originals

3.       Reign

4.       Vikings

5.       The Walking Dead

6.       Game of Thrones

7.       Catfish

8.       Anything on Investigation Discovery

9.       Hell on Wheels

10.   Ink Master

                                                               GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Omni by Andrea Murray

So excited to be a part of the book tour for this book and support Booktrope and for netgalley for first allowing me access to this title. I just finished reading this and want everyone reading right along with me as this book comes out.

It is so rare to have a great dystopian duology and I do not think readers will be disappointed when they pick up this up coming release!

Also below you will find a giveway starting very soon for an Amazon gift card which will hopefully be used to purchase this amazing upcoming story.

Title: Omni (Book 1 of the Omni Duology)


Author: Andrea Murray


Publisher: Booktrope


Publication Date: April 28, 2015


Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi


Amazon ~ Barnes & Nobles ~ iTunes ~ Goodreads







They will risk everything, even challenging the all-seeing eye of the Omni government. But will the prize be worth the cost?

Seventeen-year-old Pierce is a Drudge, the lowest social stratum in society.  For over two years, he’s hoped—prayed—that his upcoming aptitude test will finally free him from his virtual slavery and give him a chance at a better existence.  When he rescues Harmony, an Artist and member of the most successful stratum, his life takes an unbelievable twist.

With his gallant act and good looks, he becomes a media sensation.  Every stratum in society seeks his membership for their publicity, but as he becomes closer to Harmony, Pierce realizes what fame in Omni is truly like. His choices will not only affect him but Harmony as well. The life Pierce thought he wanted may not be worth the cost to either of them.




Author Bio:

Andrea Murray has been teaching English for longer than most of her students have been alive. She has taught everything from elementary reading groups to concurrent credit classes. She is currently teaching junior high language arts. She has a BSE and an MA in English. She lives in a very small town in Arkansas with her husband of nineteen years and their two children. In addition to teaching, she also blogs on Chick Lit Plus, writes young adult fiction, and recently completed her fourth novel, Omni, a YA dystopian based on the story of Paris and Helen. Andrea has also written The Vivid Trilogy, a YA paranormal romance. When she isn’t doing that, she’s probably reading or watching bad B movies.

Author Links:

Website || Goodreads || Amazon || Facebook || Twitter

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours

Omni by Andrea Murray Review

Title: Omni (Book 1 of the Omni Duology)
Author: Andrea Murray
Publisher: Booktrope
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi
Amazon ~ Barnes & Nobles ~ iTunes ~ Goodreads

 My Review and Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Omni was a fast paced dystopia read with a very unique and interesting class system.

The story centers on two main characters Pierce who is a Drudge. Basically low class, crappiest job and wages and no where to go in life and Harmony an Artist which are movie stars, football players etc.

I enjoyed that people were appreciated for their artistic abilities and I definitely hadn't read something like that before.

Another thing I really enjoyed was the start of the book hooked you. It made it where the book starts at the end in a situation that is not favorable for the main character immediately pulling you in and the action just continues from there.

I rated it a 4 because I did feel like it was a little insta - love and I know they are teenagers and being young and in love can happen quickly I would have loved to see that begin a little more developed but I definitely enjoyed their relationship throughout the book.

If you like action packed dystopia books with action and a cool class system you will enjoy this book.

I received this book from Booktrope Publishing and netgally.com in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Description

They will risk everything, even challenging the all-seeing eye of the Omni government. But will the prize be worth the cost?

Seventeen-year-old Pierce is a Drudge, the lowest social stratum in society.  For over two years, he’s hoped—prayed—that his upcoming aptitude test will finally free him from his virtual slavery and give him a chance at a better existence.  When he rescues Harmony, an Artist and member of the most successful stratum, his life takes an unbelievable twist.

With his gallant act and good looks, he becomes a media sensation.  Every stratum in society seeks his membership for their publicity, but as he becomes closer to Harmony, Pierce realizes what fame in Omni is truly like. His choices will not only affect him but Harmony as well. The life Pierce thought he wanted may not be worth the cost to either of them.

Look out on Sunday for a special announcement post on this blog about Omni as well as a giveaway as part of the books book tour. Many exciting things to come!

Bossypants by Tina Fey

100 out of 5 ****

Run, do not walk. I repeat RUN and get this audio-book.

Especially if you are in your mid-20's and you need a good laugh and are thinking of things she mentions having to go through herself like having a baby and working in a male dominated work force, basically being awkward and different and learning not to care about that but embracing it.

She uses humor to recount moments in her life that defined her but that didn't slow her down.

From her first terrible job out of college where she still actively pursued her dream of doing what she wanted while having to make a living to having trouble breastfeeding and being okay with it to funny anecdotes about 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live and honestly just being a woman; Tina covers it all with a lighthearted yet heartfelt account of her life.

Seriously haven't felt this inspired by a persons goofiness and willingness to talk about herself and her successes and shortcomings as I am by this book.

Loved, loved, loved it.

YOU have got to read YOU by Caroline Kepnes

5 very disturbing and psychotic stars.

I am having a hard time doing anything since I completed this book, or rather since I started this book.

It was all I could think about, seriously it consumed me not unlike the main character was consumed with the object of his desire.

It is easy to relate to this person and I think in the end that is what I found most disturbing about it. Because you are constantly in the narrator's head you start to think well this girl would make anyone a little crazy.

The author uses some beautiful writing, wonderful pop culture references cementing you in the now and allowing you to think that somewhere this could be happening to someone which makes me shudder.

I don't think I have been left feeling truly disturbed by a book like I was with this one since I read "The Circle" by Dave Eggers which is a whole other story.

Told from the perspective a a stalker who doesn't feel like he is stalking the girl he loves but is helping protect her from anyone and anything that will stand between her and her life as well as their happiness.

He takes extreme measures to reach this goal and although I can not go into a lot of detail without giving to much away just know that this book will NOT be for everyone.

It is dark and twisted and written in such a way that it will not leave your mind for long.

I heard there was also going to be a sequel and I have anxiety just thinking about what that could possibly contain.

YOU by Caroline Kepnes

Had a great little weekend getaway with my husband. We went to a nice dinner, a concert, and stayed over night in a very cute little town. Really enjoyed it and it was only about 2 hrs away from home. On the right back I started a book. This particular book had decent sized font and good sentence spacing that I thought would be good for reading in the car.

I proceeded to spend about 1/2 my day yesterday in a sort of trance either thinking about this book or reading it.

That book is YOU by Caroline Kepnes and damn. Just damn. Only have about 60 pages left and I can  not wait to know what happens.

First thank you Gallery Books and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

I don't feel like it is hard to speak honestly about a book like "Inside the O'Briens" as that is exactly how the author approaches the audience in this novel.

The story is about a Irish Catholic family in Boston with a police man father and a close knit family.

Joe O' Brien has lived his whole life in Boston, loves the Sox, protecting his city, and his family. He is a simple man who is just biding the time until he can retire and spend more time with his family and eventually have free time to spend with his future grandchildren.

Like most parents he worries about his kids and what they are doing with their lives and if he spends enough time with them and his wife. He starts to experience changes in behavior like increased anger and twitching as well as decreased motor skills. People start to take notice and actually accuse him of abusing alcohol or drugs.

Once they find out it is Huntington's Disease the story progresses through what it is like to live with this disease with no cure and little public education as well as for his children who have a 50/50 chance of also carrying this gene.

This book is not only heartbreaking but it is also informative. I am one of the people who knew very little about the disease and I believe the author seamlessly weaves a story of human struggle and existence with a educational piece on a disease not frequently discussed.

It was emotional ride and I feel like I know more about what other people go through just from reading it. I have never read "Still Alice" by the same author or seen the movie but I don't know that if it is anything like this story than I can't wait to pick it up.

If you are interested in learning more about a disease and getting completely sucked in to the story of a strong family and their bond than this is definitely the book for you.

*Please note I received an ebook version of this book from Ten Speed Press through NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.

How freaking cute is this cover? If you are one of those people who is sick hearing that "You've probably never heard of it," than this is the book for you.

A funny take on the pseudo hippies and hipsters that are now part of a never ending subculture of millennials poised to take over every aspect of culture today.

Some of my favorites included the "Globe-Trotting Seeker of Self," the "Party Crasher Photog," and the "Recreationally Homeless." My husband actually met someone who was recreationally homeless once and they literally just hitch hiked and begged for money even though they were college educated and came from wealthy families.

This new strange and silly hipster groups were comical to read about and even though you might agree with some aspects of hipster culture like micro breweries and independent coffee shops I still think you would get a kick out of this fun and inventive pocket guide to the hipster nation.

Been reading a lot of great graphic novels and novellas lately. Really loving them.

These are some examples of so recent reads.

I have had Sparks Fly by Alexandra Bracken for what seems like forever and In the After Light just sitting on my shelf and I finally decided to continue on with this novella and I was NOT disappointed.

Just like what she did for Zu in In Time she did for Sammy and Lucas in Sparks Rise. Absolutely breathtaking in such a small amount of time. My heart cried for the characters and broke a little more at the end. It was just amazing and made me one to finish this series asap.

What can I possibly say about Saga Vol 4 that hasn't been said? Seriously with this series. Even if you are not someone who actively seeks out graphic novels this should be on your radar. Its gripping and the art style is imaginative and vivid and I can't suggest it enough.

An interesting thing I received on www.netgalley.com for free in exchange for an honest review was; Lois Lane: Cloudy With A Chance of Destruction by Gwenda Bond.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this short from the upcoming Lois Lane: Fallout which follows Lois Lane as she begins her life at Smallville highschool.

The dialog was witty and I thought the story was good and fit right in with what I know of Lois Lane. I imagined her as a precocious and inquisitive young sleuth who is always in everyone's business, perfect personality to one day become a reporter and that is exactly how she was written.

I think the overall novel might appeal to people a bit young than myself but I still think I will be picking it up to see how the story unfolds.

Already doing great for May reading and am significantly ahead on the "Reading Challenge" I set for myself on Goodreads.

I am currently reading; Dark Lover by J. R. Ward which is the first book and the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This is a paranormal romance that has a lot of sex and violence but it also romantic and action packed. I am really loving it because its definitely something different from what I have been reading lately.

Also, I plan to dive into The Name of the Wind by Patrick Ruthfuss in coming weeks and am so excited to get into this world because I hear he is an amazing fantasy writer.

Only Ever Yours: Louise O'Neill

4.5*

I just can't even begin to explain this amazing dystopian ya.

It is a satirical look at how the media, men, and people in general view and portray women and how that could lead to a very different future in this novel.

I was lucky enough to receive this copy for review from NetGalley and I had actually read about it in a Buzzfeed article several months before heralding it as one of the best new dystopians.

They couldn't have been more right. I enjoyed this so much more than I initially thought I would. 

The writing was amazing and the although you get very little information about the world outside of the school and what happens outside of the grounds you do feel like the school in which this takes place is a world of its own.

Imagine a future when the world has only a few approved living zones left and girls are not "manufactured" to suit the tastes of the men surviving.

The are raised in a school, are told they are never pretty or special enough and are told the best thing that could happen to them is to become a males "companion" basically the equivalent of a wife.

However you can also become a concubine or a chastity which are the women that keep the school running for future generations.

There are 3 girls for every male and he gets to decide to be with you or keep you as his side piece.

The females in this book are told constantly they need improvement they have a target weight and are judged weekly by anyone who can log onto the internet how pretty they are and what is ugly about them.

They are not allowed to cry or feel emotions and basically just supposed to be perfect robots.

As the book progressed and our main character gets closer and closer to either becoming a wife or harlet you feel for her and realize the effects of social pressures on a young female.

The ending was amazing. Overall, I couldn't have been more excited for this amazing debut and can't wait for anything Louise O'Neill puts out next.

Her writing style is gripping and her world and characters amazing.