{The Weekend Update} 1.30.16 - ♫ I'm Walkin' on Sunshine ♫

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!  =)

You guys! It's going to be in the mid-70s here all weekend long! So, of course, I've already got a barbecue on the books. =) I like winter, but I can only take so much of it. Which is really saying something considering I live somewhere that doesn't really have a true winter. We get maybe one snowfall -- read: ice storm -- a year. But I think if we did get more snow, I might enjoy winter more. I know those of you who live in the north would beg to disagree, but let me have this. ;0)

The sunshine has really put a spring in my step, too. I've been more social this week. And I'm attending TWO social functions this weekend. Go me!!! But you know deep down that I'm still just hoping to have some time to read outside in my hammock. :P

Okay, okay. On to the books. Here's what I scored this week...

From Publishers:



So excited for this mailing from Harper! I'm very keen to read A Study in Charlotte and The Great Hunt. And I always love discovering new books!



And I managed to only snag two galleys from Harper's mass-upload on EW yesterday. *pats self on back*

Traded:



Another successful #booksfortrade thanks to Molly! =D


So, that's my haul. =) What fabulous bookmail did you get this week?

The Week in Review:

Reviews:

Some of these were posted on Goodreads...

• Blackhearts
• Wolf by Wolf
• A Madness So Discreet
• 26 Kisses

Current Giveaways:





Promotional/Discussion Posts:  

• #WoW - Wild Swans by Jessica Spotswood
• The Disney Princess Book Tag

Currently Reading:

I just re-read The Storyspinner so that I'd be ready for this sequel, but in all honesty, I don't know if that was ever actually going to be a possibility. My head was ready, but my heart is most definitely not.

Currently Listening:

I finished re-listening to Storm Siren yesterday and immediately started re-listening to this book so that I can get to my review copy of Siren's Song. I know I only just discovered this series last year, but I feel as if I've been waiting for this conclusion foreverrrrrrrr.




Upcoming Reviews:

Like honest reviews & giveaways?  Be sure to follow us on Bloglovin' so you never miss out!

Like pretty pictures of books and bookish things? Follow me on Instagram! I also host IG giveaways from time to time. :D

Subscribe by email:

The Disney Princess Book Tag

I don't know where this tag originated from or where I first saw it, but I love Disney princess stories, so I thought I'd give it a go. =)

Pride and Prejudice has long been a favorite of mine. It surprises me how long it's been since I've given it a re-read, though. But I guess when you've already found your own Mr. Darcy, it's not as pressing to read about Elizabeth finding hers. ;0)

When I was younger, it was much easier for me to stay up all night to finish a good book. These days...not so much. But when I read Wink Poppy Midnight earlier this year, I did so from beginning to end, which means I was up to the wee hours with it. And I don't regret a thing.

In I'll Meet You There, Skylar lives a dreary existence, making sacrifice upon sacrifice in order to help her mother make ends meet. But she's also striving to go to college and study art and get as far away from her small-town life as possible. This is easily one of my favorite contemporary novels.

I could have just said Pride and Prejudice here, too, but I thought I'd simply pick another favorite of mine by Jane Austen. Emma is quirky and funny and adorable. I just love how she tries to play matchmaker throughout the novel.

Illuminae was probably my favorite book of 2015. That Kady was sassy and snarky and selfless and just so freaking awesome. She was clever as all get out and I can't wait to see her make an appearance in the next book!

Dumplin' features an overweight protagonist who decides to flout social norms and enter a beauty contest. against all odds. And it was kind of awesome. :D

Passenger was a little slow to start, much like your typical roller coaster, but then it was full of twists and turns and threw me for a loop there at the end. I still don't know if I've recovered from that ending yet!

Lila Bard from A Darker Shade of Magic is probably one of THE most kickass female characters I've ever encountered. I just re-read this book, and I'm still in awe of her amazing character. And I'm sure she'll be even more spectacular in the sequel!

Puck Connolly is one of my favorite characters ever. She's strong-willed and goes after what she wants -- even when others tell her she can't. Puck works hard to get her "pony" ready for The Scorpio Races and what happens next is all on her.

I'll Give You the Sun is like a work of art, the writing is so beautiful and poignant. But it also features several artist-types: sculptors and painters and photographers alike. Just thinking about it makes me want to break out my paints again.

The mother-daughter relationship in 99 Days is not good, but you don't really find out why until you've been reading for awhile. And then you kind of understand. The mother-daughter relationship is complex, anyway, without your mother putting your life on display for the world to see.

The Garrett family is one of my all-time favorites in YA. They're raucous and fun and just super close. They take care of each other. There's so many of them that they have to. ;-) But I really liked how Alice and Jase interacted best, with Alice looking out for Jase where Sam was concerned. Even in the companion/sequel, you can still see that their bond is deep.


So, that was fun. =D Not tagging anybody because I don't like to make folks feel obligated, but feel free to post your own!

Review: 26 Kisses by Anna Michels

Title: 26 Kisses
Author: Anna Michels
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: May 24th, 2016
Source: Received for review from publisher via Edelwiess
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Breaking up with her boyfriend is not how Veda planned on starting her summer. When Mark makes it clear that it’s over between them, Veda is heartbroken and humiliated—but, more importantly, she’s inspired. And so she sets out on the love quest of a lifetime: use the summer to forget about Mark, move on, and move up. All she has to do is kiss twenty-six boys with twenty-six different names—one for each letter of the alphabet.

From the top of the Ferris wheel at her hometown carnival to the sandy dunes of Lake Michigan, Veda takes every opportunity she can to add kisses (and boys) to her list, and soon the breakup doesn’t sting quite as much. But just when Veda thinks she has the whole kissing thing figured out, she meets someone who turns her world upside down.

By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Anna Michels’s debut is the story of one girl who realizes that moving on from the supposed love of your life means taking a chance—and having the courage to love again.

Sometimes you just need a fun light read, and 26 Kisses fits the bill perfectly. I needed this book so bad. I had just read a pretty emotional story and this one had me smiling the whole time. 

The gist is, Veda gets dumped by her boyfriend right before summer. She's devastated. Her friend and her come up with a plan for Veda to kiss 26 boys, one for every letter in the alphabet. SO Fun! There were a few letters that had me laughing out loud. 

The romance was cute. Because there is a romance, and her kissing challenge gets in the way of that a bit. I also enjoyed her interactions with her best friends. Things get sticky for reasons I won't mention, but I liked the over all message there. Yay friendships! 

There really isn't a whole bunch to say about 26 Kisses, but that's not a negative thing to say. It's an adorable summer read. It's not going to make you cry or keep you mind reeling for days after. And that's okay. It's just not supposed to be that kind of book. It will make you laugh however. You get what is promised and I was very pleased. :)

About the author:

When I was writing 26 Kisses, I asked myself, "If you could be seventeen again and be
kissed anywhere by any guy, what would happen?" My favorite scenes in the book grew out of that question--scenes that are stuffed to the gills with the sights, sounds, and smells of summer, and the fluttery feeling you really only get with a first kiss. I loved writing 26 Kisses, and I hope you love reading it!

Find Anna:

Website | Goodreads 

{WOW} Wild Swans by Jessica Spotswood

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...








's Pick:



Title: Wild Swans
Author: Jessica Spotswood
Series: n/a
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 3, 2016

The summer before Ivy’s senior year is going to be golden; all bonfires, barbeques, and spending time with her best friends. For once, she will just get to be. No summer classes, none of Granddad’s intense expectations to live up to the family name. For generations, the Milbourn women have lead extraordinary lives—and died young and tragically. Granddad calls it a legacy, but Ivy considers it a curse. Why else would her mother have run off and abandoned her as a child?

But when her mother unexpectedly returns home with two young daughters in tow, all of the stories Ivy wove to protect her heart start to unravel. The very people she once trusted now speak in lies. And all of Ivy’s ambition and determination cannot defend her against the secrets of the Milbourn past…

What is it about the first Tuesday of May that makes it the primo new release day of Spring? I mean, do you know how many books I'm anticipating that release on that day, this book included? Too many to name right now. Also, I'm feeling lazy.

But in all seriousness, I am very intrigued by this book. I really enjoyed the first book in her Cahill Witch series, and though I've yet to pick up the second book, I own it and very much plan to continue that series. After only one book, I know that I like the author's writing style, and I can't wait to see what she does with this story of family curses and obligations and wayward mothers.


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!