Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! It is time for another TTT and this week is it top ten books I read in one sitting! I’m going to show off the books that I read relatively quickly – because reading in one sitting is almost impossible with a 1 year old! 😛

10.  This is Where is Ends by Marieke Nijkamp – This I actually did read in one sitting and it was AWESOME!!

9.  Follow me Back by A. V. Geiger – I actually read an ARC of this because it doesn’t release until June and it was just so addictive! I just HAD to find out what happened… and the very last page was worth everything!!

8.  A Bond of Venom and Magic by Karen Tomlinson – This book… Just… THIS BOOK!!!

7.  The One by Kiera Cass – I actually read this in one sitting on the day that it released! I waited a really long time for this book and it was just everything I wanted!

6.  Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas – I was actually in hospital when I read this and I basically didn’t move until I had finished… It was AMAZING!

5.  Spelled by Betsy Schow – This was a major laugh out loud for me and one that I am constantly recommending!

4.  Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill – I think for anyone who has read this book, it’s an obvious choice. If you haven’t … WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING!!

3.  Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma – I was so worried going into this because of the taboo subject matter… but I read it extremely quickly and it was done so well!

2.  Rites of Passage by Joy. N. Hensley – I normally would never have picked this up based on the cover! I absolutely hate most things to do with the army/war when it comes to books and film… however,I am so thankful to the blog (I can’t remember who it was anymore it was so long ago) who wrote a glowing review of this because I ADORED IT!!

1.  Asking For It by Louise O’Neill – This author again! This book was also absolutely amazing and thought provoking and I just want more from this author!

That’s it! These are the books that I read in one sitting or relatively quickly! Have you read any of these?

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish

Hey guys! It is time for another TTT! This weeks topic is top ten books I liked/disliked more than I thought I would. I decided to go with book that I liked more than I thought I would! Without further ado and in no particular order…

10. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma – If you read the blurb… I think most people automatically go NOPE based purely on the subject matter. However, I had heard some amazing things about this book, and I went into thinking that they can’t even be remotely right because…incest?!? However, this book broke me and my poor little feelings in all the right places and I would definitely recommend it!

9.  Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley – I really detest this cover and it is a book that I really would never have even considered if I hadn’t seen a glowing review first. I still went into this book thinking I wasn’t going to get along with it and I absolutely loved it!

8.  Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill – I was expecting to like this book, but I was not expecting it to blow me away the way that it did! I was left speechless and I had no idea how to even form words – let alone write a review!

7.  Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas – Anyone who knows me knows that I love myself a good whodunnit. I think this one is absolutely my favourite and I think after everything that happened and the feelings etc. If you’ve read it, you’ll understand – I loved this book more than I ever thought I would!

6.  Follow me Back by A. V. Geiger – Admittedly, I finished reading this on Saturday… I went into this book with the usual expectations of a book of this nature… but I was left reeling by the end and I just NEED THE SEQUEL!

5.  Pretty Wicked by Kelly Charron – I actually lowered my expectations for this one because it’s really difficult to get the perspective right from which this book is written – and usually it’s done completely wrong! However, I was absolutely blown away by this and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

4.  This is Where it Ends by Marieke Niejkamp – I am always on the search for books of this nature, however, half the time, I’m left disappointed. This book, however, exceeded my expectations and I cried for so long afterward!

3.  Spelled by Betsy Schow – I have definitely read my fair share of Fairytale retellings, so I wasn’t expecting much different from this book. However, my poor ribs!!! I’m pretty sure I cracked one laughing!

2.  Everlasting Flame by Katelyn Anderson – I went into this expecting to like it because the blurb has everything I look for. However, Joan and Dane definitely have a special place inside of me and I could re read this 1,000 times over and never get bored!

1.  The Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey – I was unsure about zombies in this. I doubted how well it could be portrayed considering all of the zombie films/ programmes there are out there. However, the way in which this is written etc. was absolutely amazing!

That’s it! I loved all of these books more than I was really expecting to and I am so glad that I picked these up! Have you read any of these? Did you enjoy them?

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish.

Hey guys! I can’t believe it is Tuesday again already! Time seems to be flying! This weeks topic (for me at least) is top ten books that every teen/young adult should read at least once! I feel there are a lot of books out there that don’t garner the attention that they should and they are books that teens or young adults really could learn a lot from! So, without further ado. In no particular order:

10.  What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler. This is actually based on a true story which made the events even worse! I loved this book, but it was such a difficult read knowing that some poor girl actually went through everything that happened in this book! My review. Amazon.

9.  Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma. This is a really taboo based book and, at times, is really difficult read. Having said that, this book shows that things are not always the way that they seem… Amazon.

8.  The Fat Girl by Marilyn Sachs. This book highlights one form of abuse – which I think is very cleverly done with the use of teenagers rather than a married couple itself! My Review. Amazon.

7.  This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp. School shootings are a very real problem in todays society. I think that this book takes a deeper look into it and highlights both the victims and the perpetrator. My Review. Amazon.

6.  Unspeakable by Michelle K. Pickett . This is a very powerful book that highlights a variety of issues within a family environment as well as relationships! My Review. Amazon.

5.  The Truth about Alice by Jennifer Mathieu. This takes a very real look at slut shaming within high schools today – and about the rumours that people believe, but are not necessarily true! My review. Amazon.

4.  Two Boys Kissing by David Leviathan. Whilst I think that Levithan always picks pretty relevant problems to write about, his look at sexuality, Homophobia etc. in this book are one of his best works. My Review. Amazon.

3.  Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley. Looking past the whole military side of things, I think this book brings up the problem of equality amongst both men and women in todays society. My Review. Amazon.

2.  Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas. I just had a major debate with myself whether to use this book or Dangerous Boys. I feel like this book would be better because the justice system, and what evidence is actually given in court in order to make a guilty or innocent verdict is a very real problem. My Review. Amazon.

1.  Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This sort of thing happens all the time and it makes you wonder just who is around you and what they are truly like! My Review. Amazon.

So that is my Top Ten! What did you guys come up with? Feel free to leave links below and I will check them all out!

Throwback Thursday

Hey guys! I have decided that every week I am going to do a Throwback Thursday to highlight books that I have read, but haven’t spoken about in a while! This weeks Throwback Thursday is:

Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she’s not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She’s even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won’t risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty… no matter how much she wants him.

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.
At any cost.

Now time’s running short. Sam must decide who she can trust… and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences.

I adored this book! Sam McKenna was such a strong female lead – she is the sort of character that any reader could look up to! She goes through a lot and she keeps her head held high! I think that any reader could learn a lot through this book – plus it is an enjoyable read!

Read my review here!

Order your copy here!

What would your Throwback Thursday be? Feel free to leave answers below!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the Broke and Bookish.

Hi guys! Can’t believe we’r halfway through the year already – where is it going??? This weeks TTT is top ten books that I’d like to see as films/TV Shows. This is a hard one, especially (and we all know it), the books are always better than the films! However, here are my choices, in no particular order:

10.  Dragonlance by Magaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I have read both the Chronicles series and the Legends series and I think, if done right, these books would make epic films! Just like Lord of the Rings!

9.  The Walls Around Us by Nova Suma. Not entirely sure how they would film it to get the right atmosphere, but I reckon this could be quite creepy!

8.  Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. For anyone who knows me/follows my blog etc. will know that I absolutely adore this series! I would love to see what they could do with it on screen!

7.  Splintered by A. G. Howard. I reckon Tim Burton’s imagination could handle this – what do you guys think?

6.  The Selection by Kiera Cass. I guess this one is technically cheating since Warner Bros recently bought the film rights for this series – but I am still looking forward to it!

5.  Say Her Name by James Dawson. My life is missing a decent horror movie – or maybe I just don’t scare easily? Either way, this could make for a good horror movie! 🙂

4.  Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. Again, this could be a great film – if the film industry could handle such awesomness…

3.  The Iron Trials by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. This would be a challenge because of the high risk that it would be just like Harry Potter!

2.  Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley. With a little bit of everything in this book – it could easily be a crowd pleaser if done right.

1.  Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas. Again, another challenge. If they got the psychology right and portrayed it in the right way, this could be as enjoyable as the book.

That’s it! What do you guys think? Feel free to leave opinions, answers and links in the comments section below.

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.

Hi guys! It has been way too long since I did one of these! Here I am now though and I am really looking forward to the books that I got 🙂

 Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley. I have already read and reviewed this, but just as a recap – I loved it!

 Hunting Lila by Sarah Alderson. I have had this book on my TBR forever now! I need to read a copy of it (which I now have), which is also going to to toward my British Books Challenge.

 The Heir by Kiera Cass. This is the fourth book within The Selection series and I flipped a lid (in a good way) when I found out that she was going to carry on with the series. This book hasn’t long released and I am definitely looking forward to cracking the spine open!

 The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu. Again, this book has been on my TBR for a very long time – the problem with this one was that I could not find a copy in English anywhere. However, I have one now, so I am looking forward to finally taking it off of my monster list.

 The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney. This is one of those book that I would never have given a second thought to adding to my TBR if I had not read a review about it first. I am glad that I finally have a copy of it!

 Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren. After seeing Beautiful Secret on Netgalley a while back, I decided to add this series onto my TBR list.

So that is it, guys! What have you all added this week? Feel free to leave comments and links below.

Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley

Sam McKenna’s never turned down a dare. And she’s not going to start with the last one her brother gave her before he died.

So Sam joins the first-ever class of girls at the prestigious Denmark Military Academy. She’s expecting push-ups and long runs, rope climbing and mud-crawling. As a military brat, she can handle an obstacle course just as well as the boys. She’s even expecting the hostility she gets from some of the cadets who don’t think girls belong there. What she’s not expecting is her fiery attraction to her drill sergeant. But dating is strictly forbidden and Sam won’t risk her future, or the dare, on something so petty… no matter how much she wants him.

As Sam struggles to prove herself, she discovers that some of the boys don’t just want her gone—they will stop at nothing to drive her out. When their petty threats turn to brutal hazing, bleeding into every corner of her life, she realizes they are not acting alone. A decades-old secret society is alive and active… and determined to force her out.
At any cost.

Now time’s running short. Sam must decide who she can trust… and choosing the wrong person could have deadly consequences. (Goodreads)

This isn’t normally the sort of book that I would pick up based purely on the cover. I think, if I saw it kicking around on Goodreads or in a book shop, without having read the review I read about it first, it wouldn’t be the sort of book I would go for. However, I did add this book to my TBR (despite the cover) because of the review that I read – and thank god that I did! I absolutely loved every second of this book.

I don’t think that the cover or the premises of this book actually do the book justice at all. It almost makes it sound like a love story with a weird military twist on the side. It is not like that… at all. If anything, this book is more about the military training and what Sam has to go through as a woman – a McKenna woman – with a side of love to go. It wasn’t even that wishy washy kind of love that has you rolling your eyes at the cliche of it – it had my heart going and everything.

Sam takes strong female characters to new heights! She’s a sassy, takes no nonsense kinda girl who would carry on through the pain just to spite the people who are telling her that she can’t do it like the men do it. I think that is what I love about her the most. No matter what was thrown at her, no matter what the Corporals put her through and what was said to her, she never gave up – she never gave up for both herself and her pride but also for the people around her and the women who are to come after her in the DMA.

I also liked Drill Sergeant Stamm. He was kind, funny and the sort of person who earns your respect rather than just expecting to have it because of his rank. He also never believed that Sam couldn’t do something that the men were doing and he supported her throughout the year in the DMA. He is also good-looking and is making an appearance on my fictional boyfriend list.

There were obviously characters that everyone loves to hate which just made this story what it is. Corporals Matthews and Julius, Cadet Evers and the members of the Pandora Society in general completed the story. I was worried that it wasn’t going to resemble that of what a typical military setting would be – however, the way in which these characters were all written helped to enhance the setting of the story as a whole. I just feel that not enough was done to Matthews and Julius at the end of the story – it is a good premise for a sequel.

There was one part to that ending that I absolutely hated though! I thought it was so unfair and I literally felt my heart break just a little bit. This book needs a sequel really really badly – however, I don’t think that we are going to get one.

I loved this book and would recommend it to pretty much anyone and everyone. I almost feel like my review hasn’t done the book justice. I gave this book 5/5 stars.