Showing posts with label dive smack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dive smack. Show all posts

Friday, July 6, 2018

June 2018 Book Haul!

Well, I definitely wasn't expecting to get this many books, especially after such a big May haul. I got 22 total books across the three platforms of physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks. I'm only going to be talking about 19 of them, though. Let's go ahead and dive right in because this is going to be a long one!




The first category is physical books which I got 17 of. I'm only going to talk about 14 of them simply because the other 3 aren't super interesting and were hand-me-downs essentially. Still, I'm excited about all of these and can't wait to read them all! 

First I have a signed arc of  Whisper of the Tide by Sarah Tolscer. I won a giveaway that the author was doing to celebrate the upcoming release of this book and I definitely didn't expect to win. Considering she said she was going to pick a winner before the 3-day Memorial weekend, I was surprised when Tuesday rolled around and she picked me. Now that I have this book, I'm excited to binge this duology!

The next book I got was A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir. I'm beyond happy to finally have this book in my hands after such a long wait. I don't know how I'll be able to handle waiting for the final book to release on account of everyone saying that this book has been destroying their hearts. I'm also planning on doing a reread of the first two books just so that I'm all caught up on heartbreak before this one. One of the highlights of my month was going to a Sabaa Tahir signing and getting to meet her. For the full run-down and pictures, you can check out my blog post about it here! 

Next, I got an arc of Dive Smack by Demetra Brodsky. I got this book because I was involved in a blog tour for it and I'm excited to have it. It's a thriller set in a high school that has been described as Teen Wolf meets E. Lockhart or Mara Dyer meets Riverdale. For my blog post stop, you can check out my post here! 

The next book I got was an arc of The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle. This releases in September and I'm super excited to have gotten a copy through BookishFirst. It's all centered around the question "If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?" This book is about the main character showing up to that dinner. I'm super excited to be reading this and reviewing it soon!

Up next, I have an arc of Terror is Our Business by Joe R. Lansdale and Kasey Lansdale. This is a horror mystery compilation from a father-daughter writing duo. It sounds pretty interesting and I'm excited to be reading and reviewing it for Smith Publicity. 

Next, I went to a used bookstore to trade in some old DVD's and left with a hardcover of City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. I had every Cassie Clare book in hardcover except for the first three in the Mortal Instruments and Clockwork Angel and I've been wanting to get all of them in hardcover for a while. When I saw this one at the store for $5, I knew that I had to get it. My collection is only 3 books away from all hardcovers, which means that my sister is that much closer to getting my old paperbacks and starting her collection!

I went to the used bookstore again to trade in more DVDs and walked out with Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan. I've been wanting to read his Kane Chronicles books for a couple years now and decided to get it when I saw this like-new paperback. I was originally planning on getting hardcovers, but I couldn't pass up the $3 price tag for such a beautiful book.

Next, I traded somebody on Twitter for a copy of Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser. The moment that I knew I was going to be getting an arc of book 2, I knew that I wanted to finally get this beautiful book in my hands. I am so excited to have this book and can't wait to do a duology binge this fall! 

I also traded somebody on Twitter for a signed arc of The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Jennifer is one of my absolute favorite authors and when I found out that she was releasing a spin-off/continuation of the Lux series that follows Luc, I knew that I needed it. I just can't believe that I have a signed arc in my hands. I don't even have any signed books by her so this is pretty much a dream come true. Thank you thank you thank you to the lovely people on Twitter who made this happen.

Then, still riding my Jennifer L. Armentrout high after getting an arc, I ordered Wicked. This is the first in a trilogy of hers that I hadn't read yet (because, let's be real, I'll be trying to catch up on Jennifer books for as long as I live) and have been interested in for a while. It's a supernatural/paranormal book set in New Orleans. All I know is that I saw a teaser for the third book and knew that it was finally time for me to get this book. 

Next, I got Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova. The second book in this series just recently released and peaked my interest for this book. When I saw that Amazon had it on sale for $7, I knew that it was finally time to get it. All I know is that it's about magic and witches and awesomeness. I can't wait to read it and, hopefully, love it!

Then I got a completely unexpected package from Macmillan and Wednesday Books: an arc of Sadie by Courtney Summers. I got home from work one morning and found this in my mailbox and completely freaked out. Not only have I been seeing this book everywhere and wanting to read it, but this is the first time a big-league publisher has sent me a book that I didn't win in a raffle or giveaway! The only thing I really know about this book is that it's about a girl looking for her sister's killer and a podcast. 


The final book I got this month was Legendary by Stephanie Garber. I went to Target one day with my sister and, of course, I checked the book section. I had just gotten paid for housesitting and I didn't have the self-control to not get a book. I've already read this book and loved it (you can find my review here) so it was time for me to finally get a physical copy! 



I only got four ebooks this month, but considering how many physical books I got this month, that's probably a good thing. I also only paid for one of them, so I'm pretty proud of that. I'm super excited about all of these and can't wait to read them all!

The first on that I got was Fallen Crest High by Tijan. I've read one of Tijan's other books and really loved that one, so I thought it was time to finally try her most popular series. I enjoyed this book but thought that it fell a little flat for me (you can find my review here). However, I feel like this is an author who's books get better as you go, so I'm definitely going to try the next book in this series. Plus, the characters are flawed and kind of immoral, which I love.

The next ebook I got was a review copy of Captivating Melody by Katherine Mcintyre. This is one that I will be reading and reviewing this summer and I'm excited to read it! Usually, I don't accept ebook review copies because screens give me headaches after long periods of time, but this one sounded so interesting that I couldn't resist! 

Next, I got a review copy of Harnessing the Winds by Morena Silver. This is an RH romance and I'm so excited. I love RH books and this one has pirates! I can't wait for it. This is also another case of me being too interested to turn down an ebook copy. Stay tuned for my review by the end of August!

The last ebook I got was an arc of Seafire by Natalie C. Parker. I got this through Penguin's First to Read program and I can't wait. I've seen nothing but hype and amazing things about this book! The only thing I know about this book is that it takes place on the sea and features a female crew! 



I also got three audiobooks this month. The first of which is The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Braken. Audible was having a sale this month for its members and this audiobook was only $3. Considering how I haven't read this book in years and the movie is coming out soon, I figured it was worth it for me to get and listen to before the movie releases!

The second book I got in their sale was Autoboyography by Christina Lauren. I've heard nothing but awesome things about this book and I can't wait to listen to this cute story! Again, it was one that was only $3, so I couldn't pass up on that sale price!

The last audiobook I got was The Novice by Taran Matharu. This is one of my best friend's favorite books and I've been meaning to read it for such a long time. I'm excited to have this because it means that maybe I'll finally be able to finish this book!



Thanks so much for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed this post and I can't wait for what July will bring (I already have some exciting books for my July haul).
xoxo
Lauren



Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

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Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Blog Tour Review: "Dive Smack" by Demetra Brodsky


First off, I want to wish a very happy release to this amazing book! I am thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for this book and can't wait to share it with you all! It was a fun, binge-worthy read that was perfect for reading at the pool during my breaks at work and late at night when I'm sitting alone in my dark house!



SYNOPSIS

Theo Mackey only remembers one thing for certain about the fire that destroyed his home: he lit the match.

Sure, it was an accident. But the blaze killed his mom and set his dad on a path to self-destruction. Everything else about that fateful night is full of gaping holes in Theo’s mind, for good reason. Maybe it’s better that way. As captain of the Ellis Hollow Diving Team, with straight A's and solid friends, he's only one semester away from securing a scholarship, and leaving his past behind.

But when a family history project gets assigned at school, new memories come rushing to the surface, memories that make him question what he really knows about his family, the night of the fire, and if he can trust anyone—including himself.

A 2018 JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION



PRAISE + REVIEWS

"A tense psychological drama with a voice that pulls you in and a twist you won't see coming, Dive Smack is an instant Hitchcockian classic!" —Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten

"A twisty, witty thriller readers will love puzzling through to the very end. A visceral, delightful debut." —Carrie Mesrobian, author of William C. Morris award finalist Sex & Violence

"This riveting debut will plunge readers into an accelerating coil of twists and turns as if in free fall, plummeting them from a precipice as they cling to the dwindling hope of safe entry into the mysterious darkness below." —S.A. Bodeen, author of The Compound

"Brodsky’s debut combines an engaging school story, filled with best friend shenanigans, first love, and a fascinating look at competitive diving, with a tense psychological mystery." —Booklist

"In an impressive debut, Brodsky injects her teen drama with ambiguity, and a subtle hint of paranormal phenomena, leaving readers to guess at what’s really going on. Strong characters and a compelling mystery make this a real page-turner." —Publishers Weekly

"A taut thriller with a twist ending that will blow your mind." —Kim Liggett, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of The Last Harvest

"Complex, thrilling, and with a pitch-perfect narrative voice, Dive Smack will leave you on the edge of your seat and unable to put this one down." —C. Desir, author of Bleed Like Me

"Heartbreaking, human and heroic, Dive Smack is a Perfect 10!" —Karen LaFace, 1992 USA Olympic Springboard Diver

“A taut roller coaster of a thriller chock full of dark family secrets, twisty lies, and finally, the redeeming power of truth.” —Michelle Zink, author of This Wicked Game



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Demetra Brodsky


Demetra Brodsky is an award-winning graphic designer & art director turned writer. She has a B.F.A. from The Massachusetts College of Art and Design and lives in Southern California with her family of four and two lovable rescue dogs where she is always trying to make more time for the beach. Dive Smack is dedicated to Pumpkin, the monarch butterfly she once saved from the brink of death. Once you read the book, you'll understand why. 



CONNECT + WHERE TO ORDER

You can find ALL of Demetra's social media and connection links here as well as links for where to preorder her book from any retailer! There are also links to other goodies such as a Spotify playlist, the Pinterest inspiration board for this book, podcasts, excerpts, and more! Her Twitter is located here. 



MY REVIEW

And now we're on to my personal thoughts on the book! I will be posting a super in depth review later on in the week, but for now here are my main, spoiler-free thoughts! 

As I said before, I thought that this book was fun and binge-worthy. I went into this book knowing that the author had called it "Riverdale meets Mara Dyer" and "Teen Wolf meets E. Lockhart," which, if you know me at all, you know that Teen Wolf is my absolute favorite show. I went in with high expectations and I did not get disappointed.

The writing style was so easy to follow and I never felt a disconnect because of the writing. I thought the characters were fun and multi-dimensional. I really connected with Theo because we do have some shared personal experiences and I liked seeing those portrayed. From the start of the book, I was in love with all of the puns that were used, especially between Chip and Theo. I loved their relationship in this book especially. 

Being a part of the swimming and diving community for over 8 years, I was both excited and skeptical about the competitive diving aspects of this book. I was pleased with how it was handled. Obviously, there were small things that just came down to wording that didn't match up with my experiences, but the overall portrayal of diving and swimming was very well done. 

This is definitely a book that pulls you in. I was very happy with it and I enjoyed how it went from an average high-school novel into a twisting psychological thriller. I can honestly say that this is one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time. 



GIVEAWAY

Hardcover copy of DIVE SMACK by Demetra Brodsky & Prize pack of necklace, bracelet, signed bookmark, & signed book plate! US only, ends 6/26.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this blog tour stop! If you would like to continue following this tour, you can find the schedule here!
xoxo
Lauren



Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

Follow my Instagram here. New giveaway will be posted in late May!

Get 10% off of HD Movie Codes (sponsored by Movies Anywhere) when you use "INFLUENCER" at checkout! *I do not receive commission from HD Movie Codes--I just want to save you some $*

Get 10% off your first order, plus 50 rewards points, when you use this link to purchase a personal aromatherapy diffuser from Monq

Get 10% off your first order on A Court of Candles when you use this link.

Subscribe to Owlcrate using this link and get a discount off your first box using AVIREADS

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link