Stacking The Shelves # 31

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is a way to share with everyone all the goodies you've received through out the week. 

Just click the covers to be taken to their goodreads pages. 

Purchased

I grabbed the Silver Shadows audio so that I can start it next. Also, I was going to cancel my audible for a bit. I was paying for the 2 credits a month, and I'm now a member of my library. Their selection isn't too great, but they have a few I've been wanting to listen too. I've been very busy and distracted so I figured I would just start it back up in the new year, but then they offered me a 20 dollar coupon if I stayed with them, but dropped to the lower membership. I couldn't pass that up because I'm a sucker. So used that coupon towards Outlander (because lets face it, it will be the only way I get to it any time soon), and Jellicoe Raod, because Jen said the audio is great.

Also I picked up Dark Witch and Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts. Before I started reading YA, I devoured just about everything this woman wrote. I'm wondering now, if her books will still do it for me. Plus, Halloween is coming and they look a little spooky! Yay witches!

For Review



(Thank you Little, Brown Books)

I requested this one a while back when I saw it come up on Edelwiess. Immediately I was denied. Last week I saw it pop up on Netgalley as read now. That's probably not a good sign, but I picked it up anyway. I think it sounds pretty interesting. I did notice its a book two though, but I think I'll just read it anyway. Out of order... living on the edge.

So this week has been pretty crazy. My little girl started first grade! My oh my does time fly!

Always striking a pose. lol. I can't believe I have a first grader already. She is just amazing in every sense of the word. I'm so proud of that little girl. I must say, its so great sharing these milestones with Jen. It makes us even closer as co bloggers. <3 Being a mom is tough sometimes and having her to vent to is awesome. 

A few weeks back, I mentioned how I have been very busy this summer and very distracted by stuff going on in my personal life. Well, I can finally talk about why! I was looking for a new job and I've found one. I start in 2 weeks, and I'm super excited. My current employer told me that I will be laid off come winter, so these past couple months have been a bit stressful. I don't like change and I certainly can't afford to be laid off. Especially right before Christmas. I'm a "Find a job I like and stay there" kind of girl. so it's sad that after almost 10 years, I'll be moving on. Change can be good though, and I think this will be great for me and for my family. It seems like a great company, and I'll be doing pretty much the same stuff I do now. Plus, I get to buy a bunch of new pretty clothes! I now own my first pencil skirt ever and I'm kind of giddy about it. lol. 

So there it is, I've been holding it back all this time, but I wasn't able to say anything publicly. I apologize for not visiting and commenting as much, and this is why I haven't. Now things should start to settle down. Once the new job jitters disappear! :) 

I hope you all had a great week and are enjoying this last un-official weekend of Summer! 

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Labels: stacking the shelves

The Weekend Update - 8.30.14

So, since my end-of-the-week post isn't just about what I got in my mailbox or on my Kindle each week -- though that is a big part of it, I won't lie -- I decided to change up the title and intro a bit.  I might tweak the format a bit over the next few weeks, but for the most part, it'll contain the same stuff: stuff I got, stuff I did, and stuff that's coming up on the blog.  Plus, I get to use the awesome GIF you see here and blow kisses to all the people who sent me lovely books and bookish things.  Oh, and I've started linking up to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews since I'm not using a specific meme title anymore.  April's also doing her own Stacking the Shelves posts on Sundays.  Stop by and say hi!  =)

My girl is officially a first grader as of Monday. I can't believe how fast time flies and how much difference a year makes!

Kindergarten vs. First Grade

She is becoming quite the young lady, and I am so thankful to have her in my life. Each day I'm reminded just how special she is, and she makes me want to be a better person, too. I think with the new school year here, it's time to make another trip to the book store, as a reward to both of us, lol. We've just about worn out her copies of the Olivia books. :D

Anyway, here's what I scored this week:

For Review:

The Young Elites by Marie Lu - ARC thanks to Penguin - OMG SO EXCITED!!!!
Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch - ARC thanks to HarperCollins - have heard the BEST things!

The Lost by Sarah Beth Durst - ARC thanks to Harlequin
Where Silence Gathers by Kelsey Sutton - finished copy thanks to Flux
Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini - ARC thanks to Macmillan, 2nd copy - for giveaway
A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall - ARC thanks to Macmillan



Love and Other Theories by Alexis Bass
Solitaire by Alice Oseman
Twisted Fate by Norah Olson
Better Than Perfect by Melissa Kantor
Lies I Told by Michelle Zink

I tried to choose Harper titles on Edelweiss sparingly, but I still got carried away. Oh, well. C'est la vie.

So, that's my haul. How about you? What did you get this week?

The Week in Review:

Reviews:

• Recklessly Royal (April)
• Winterkill (Jen)
• Zac & Mia (Jen)
• The Jewel (April)

Current Giveaways: 

September ARC Giveaway!!!
Promotional/Discussion Posts:  

• To Read, Don't Own - the top ten books we want to read but don't own yet
• Waiting on Wednesday - this week we're waiting on Princes of Thorns & Suspicion
• The End of Summer TBR Wrap-up - the end results of our Summer TBR challenges

Jen's Currently Reading/Listening To:

I'm finally letting myself read this. Eeeek! I've not read anything from Clare Legrand before, but I follow her on Twitter and she is just lovely. I'm already enjoying it so much and I have no doubt that I'll end up loving this faerie story inspired by The Nutcracker.

Re-listening to this in preparation for the sequel, which is due out in a few weeks. I've been not-so-patiently awaiting The Infinite Sea, as I MUST know what happened to Evan. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

Upcoming Reviews:

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Labels: in my mailbox (imm), stacking the shelves, the weekend update

The End of Summer TBR Wrap-up

Can you believe summer is over already? Neither can we! We read some great books -- and some not-so-great books -- and now it's time to check our progress and see how many of the books we actually read on our Summer TBR Lists. If you'll remember, we set two lists of ten for ourselves: one with summer-themed stories and one with new releases and/or review titles on it. (This challenge is originally based off of our Summer Reads & Recs post, the What We Would Put in Our Summer Beach Bag TTT post, and the What's on Our Summer TBR TTT post.) We did surprisingly well and even managed to review most of them! Shocker, I know.

So, here's Jen's Summer Fun TBR and what she managed to get read over the last few months:


The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy by Jenny Han - only the first book but I do plan on finishing the series
What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick (review)
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson (review)
Broken Hearts, Fences and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn (review)
A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols
From What I Remember by Stacey Kramer & Valerie Thomas (review)
In Honor by Jessi Kirby
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (review)
Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker

Seven out of ten -- technically 12 with that Summer trilogy in there, but who's counting -- ain't bad, right? I'll have to save those that I didn't get to for next summer...or for when the weather finally turns colder and I need something to remind me of summer. =)

And here's April's Summer-y TBR and what she accomplished:

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (Review)
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson (Review)
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick (Review)
What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick - I'm sad I didn't get to this one.
Stray by Elissa Susssman - I was silly to think I'd get to this one. It doesn't come out till October.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (Review)
Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis (Review)
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (Review)
Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid  (Review)
Nantucket Red by Leila Howland (Review)

Heck Freaking Yes!!! Not bad I say! Not bad. I wish I could have finished them all but this summer was crazy busy. I'm surprised I was able to finish as many as I did.

The following are the books that Jen wanted to read this summer that don't necessarily have a summer-y theme...new releases, review copies, etc.:

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson (review very soon, plus a stop on the blog tour!)
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas (review)
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (review)
Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater (review)
Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios
Where the Silence Gathers by Kelsey Sutton (review)
Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini
Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers
Wild by Alex Mallory (review)
The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Over half! And I've got two of these on my TBR for the VERY near future. After reviews started rolling in for Trial by Fire and The Jewel, I decided not to devote time to them, but April seems to have enjoyed The Jewel -- which we were supposed to buddy-read together, oops! -- so I may add that one back in...or see if my library gets it on audio. :D

Here are the books April challenged herself to finish reading over the summer:


Through to You by Lauren Barnholdt  (Review)
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson  (Review)
Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore - DNF
The Stepsister's Tale by Tracy Barrett  (Review)
One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington (Review)
Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid (Review)
Some Boys by Patty Blount (Review)
Six Feet Over It by Jennifer Longo - DNF
How to Fall by Jane Casey -DNF
The Jewel by Amy Ewing  (Review)

Well if you can over look the fact that I have 3 DNF's, I did them all! I tried, but those books just weren't working for me. And technically Lets Get Lost was a DNF, but I read enough of it that I had something to say. :)


Did you challenge yourself to finish any certain books this summer? We'd love to hear how much you accomplished toward your goal! And check back next month because we'll be challenging ourselves to read some spooky reads just in time for Halloween!

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Labels: 2014, discussion, funfunfun, reading challenges, summer, TBR pile