July TBR

June Wrap Up!

Review: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare

Edition: Paperback
Pages: 435
Publish Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Walkerbooks
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: The Mortal Instruments
Goodreads Rating: 4.16 (267,658 ratings)

Well I'll be honest, I didn't enjoy this one as much. Jace being all distant, so much focus on Simon and his relationships, I just expected and wanted more of Clary. Her learning about being a shadowhunter. Though I did enjoy the story a lot, it added a lot of characters that I did not like. Don't get me wrong it's nice to have an evil villain, but I was just bored of the whole rule the world idea of creating these super demon shadowhunter things. It was twisted and makes me question the sanity of these characters.
Maybe I'm needing some contemporary fluff after this overload of Fantasy and Dystopian madness.
100% interested in City of Lost Souls, but I am going to hold off for a bit before getting back into it. 

Review: Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Edition: Paperback
Pages: 365
Publish Date: September 14, 2010
Publisher: Grand Central
Genre:  Adult Romance
Series: No
Goodreads Rating: 4.17 (207, 096 ratings)

So this was another book that was made into a movie and stupid me saw the movie first. But in all honesty the movie only took a few main points from the book, like names, places, and base story line. The rest was all completely different. It honestly felt like a completely different story with different personalities for almost every character.
I adored both the book and the movie, but the book was definitely better if only because in books you hear the characters thoughts, so you got to understand each character a lot better. Though it was highly disturbing being in Kevin's head.
Over all I love this book, I loved the movie, but if the movie was actually supposed to be like the book it did not do a very good job, and I would definitely pick the book over the film.

Review: The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Edition: ebook
Pages: 352
Publish Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Harper Teen
Genre: YA Contemporary
Series: No
Goodreads Rating: 3.93 (7,515 ratings)

Kasie West has done it again! 
If you're ever in the mood for a cutesy fluffy story you should pick this or any of her other books up.
This story follows Gia, a senior and all around perfect highschool girl. After months of telling her tight knit group about the college guy she's been seeing they still don't believe he's real - thanks to the new comer in the group, Jules. So finally on prom night Gia is thrilled to finally show off her very real boyfriend, only to have him dump her before entering the prom. Desperate to prove her friends wrong she enlists the help of a stranger who's name she doesn't even know to be her fill in date. The night goes well enough, though ending on a sour note for her fill-in-boyfriend, but desperate to see him one last time Gia tries to appeal to his sister Bec, who she never even communicated with once despite having classes with her. 
This leads to a second fake date for Gia and Fill-in-Bradley, AKA Hayden, as he tries to make his ex-girlfriend jealous and hopefully regret cheating on him with his best friend. 
In the midst of all the fake dates and acting, somewhere along the line the feelings become real for Gia. 
But with a frenemy out to get her kicked out of the group, an ex who now wants her back, her fill-in boyfriend being wanted by not only herself but his ex as well, and all sorts of other drama with family, friends, and life choices, Gia finds herself changing, and maybe for the better.

This was such an adorable read, but despite that I really wanted more...it was like the build up in finding out Hayden's real name. The ending fell short after all the build up of drama, I really just wanted a cat fight between Gia and Jules, or Gia and Hayden's ex, just something more.

Review: City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare

Edition: Paperback
Pages: 541
Publish Date: January 1, 2009
Publisher: Walkerbooks
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: The Mortal Instruments
Goodreads Rating: 4.34 (464,361 ratings)

Well that was an epic ending! Spoiler: Valentine's dead mwahaha.
more spoilers: Clary and Jace are together in the end! WOOHOO
I don't know what the next books in the series will bring now that Valentine's plans have been foiled and that story line is over. But I'm sure there is much to learn for Clary, and of course all the many relationships will grow. I'm so excited to continue :)

Review: City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

Edition: Paperback
Pages: 411
Publish Date: January 1, 2007
Publisher: Walkerbooks
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: The Mortal Instruments
Goodreads Rating: 4.23 (446,635 ratings)

I originally wasn't looking forward to this book. I was spoiled that the truth of Jace and Clary not being brother and sister wouldn't be out until the third book. But oh my goodness this book was so action pact! Better then the first by far.
There was even more discovery of powers and gifts that Jace and Clary both possess, and then the more involvement of Vampires, werewolves, and of course Magnus Bane the High Warlock. 
Though I'm happy it didn't end on too much of a cliffhanger I still want to read the next book ASAP!
I am truly appalled at myself for waiting this long to start this series. Me and my stupid belief that I didn't like fantasy novels. Stupid me!

Review: Loving Mr. Daniels by Brittainy C. Cherry

Edition: ebook
Pages: 310
Publish Date: May 10, 2014
Publisher: Createspace
Genre: NA Romance
Series: No
Goodreads Rating: 4.33 (10,454 ratings)

OMG. This was like Slammed by Colleen Hoover but SOOOOO much better!
The story follows a 19 year old girl names Ashlyn who, after her twin sister Gabby's death from Leukemia is sent to live with her estranged father and his new perfect family in Wisconsin. 
Through love, new friends, re-connections with family, and of course Mr.Daniels, Ashlyn learns to cope through old and new losses.
This was such an adorably beautiful story, but I will say that with all the Shakespeare quotes, references, lyrics and all that I was seriously terrified that this was going to end in tragedy, so spoil alert there is a very happily ever after.

Review: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

Edition: Paperback
Pages: 506
Publish Date: January 1, 2007
Publisher: Walkerbooks
Genre: YA Fantasy
Series: The Mortal Instruments
Goodreads Rating: 4.12 (871,280 ratings)

I am so glad I finally got my shit together and started this series! Though I was an idiot and saw the movie first which slightly damaged my perception of this book I still loved it. But now that I've finished with this book I can get onto the next and read a story that I didn't already have spoilers about!
But can someone spoil me as to when you find out that Jace and Clary are NOT related. Cause that shit just is not okay!
I loved the movie, but I have to admit the book was so much better, I felt more attached with all the characters while reading about them then I did while watching them. Cannot wait to start on the next book!!!

Review: Red Queen (#1) by Victoria Aveyard

Edition: Hardcover
Pages: 383
Publish Date: February 10, 2015 
Publisher: Orion
Genre: YA Dystopian Fantasy
Series: Red Queen
Goodreads Rating: 4.15 (31,972 ratings)

Holy wow..though this one was a very classic dystopian, all the powers made it very interesting, as well as the dynamic between Red's and Silver's. 
So much happened in this book and it was within such a short time period! The romance's (yes plural because there are like 4 guys in love with Mare) were totally on point, all the betrayal and lies made all of the relationships so compelling.
The only thing I hate is having to wait for the next book :( though it wasn't too much of a cliffhanger I still want to know what comes next.

Summer Reading Plan!

OKAY! So the summer has officially started for all students and I am planning to join everyone in sharing my summer reading goal!
So my overall goal for the year is 104 books, that's 2 per week, and I am already at 55 books, but as usual my reading goal is something I usually try and top. So I'm sticking to my 2 books per week goal, which means by the end of August I should finish 26 books! I'm going to try and push that to 30. So here are the 30 books I plan to read this summer! I may not read some or read others instead, but as of right now, these are the books I'm most looking forward to.