Year: 2014

2014 Reading Challenges – How Did I Do?

Posted December 31, 2014 by Jana in About Me / 3 Comments

I participated in several challenges this year, and thought I’d write up how I did before I jump in to 2015’s challenges! So, here we go!

2014 Reading Challenge

2014 Reading Challenge
Jana (That Artsy Reader Girl) has
read 24 books toward her goal of 60 books.
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2014 Debut Author Challenge (That Artsy Reader Girl)

The goal: To read twelve YA books by authors who published their first YA book between Jan. 1, 2014 and Jan. 31, 2015. Here is my TBR list of all 2014 debuts.

1. Captivate by Vanessa Garden
2. Nil by Lynne Matson
3. Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae
4. What is Hidden by Lauren Skidmore
5. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
6. Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

2014 YA Contemporary Challenge (Katie’s Book Blog)

The goal: I want to read 10+ contemporary YA novels published between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014. Here is my TBR list of 2014 YA contemporaries.

1. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall
2. Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
3. Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae
4. Just One Night by Gayle Forman
5. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
6. Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
7. The Body in the Woods by April Henry
8. Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn
9. The Body in the Woods by April Henry
10. Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore
11. Just One Night by Gayle Forman
12. My True Love Gave to Me by Various Authors

2014 Review Pile Challenge (Fiktshun and Phantamic Reads)

The goal: To review as many of my ARCs, galleys, and egalleys as I can this year! I’m shooting for Grand Master status, which is 31-40 books. This should not be hard! Here is my list of books received for review. As I review them, I will add them to the list below with a link to the review.

1. Cress by Marissa Meyer
2. Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi
3. Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
4. Captivate by Vanessa Garden
5. Also Known As by Robin Benway
6. Infinite by Jodi Meadows
7. Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
8. Nil by Lynne Matson
9. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
10. Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae
11. Carrier by Vanessa Garden
12. What is Hidden by Lauren Skidmore
13. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
14. Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
15. Taken With You by Shannon Stacey
16. Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
17. The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
18. The Body in the Woods by April Henry
19. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry
20. Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn
21. Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas
22. Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore
23. Suddenly Last Summer by Sarah Morgan
24. Boomerang by Noelle August
25. Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper
26. Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White
27. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall
28. Forbidden by Kimberly Griffiths Little
29. Atlantia by Ally Condie
30. Every Time I Think of You by Tracey Garvis-Graves
31. Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Lyla Payne
32. The Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak
33. Maybe This Christmas by Sarah Morgan
34. My True Love Gave to Me by Various Authors

2014 Standalone Challenge (Dizneee’s World of Books and Iceybooks)

The goal: To read 15 standalone YA/MG novels released in 2014.

1. Plus One by Elizabeth Fama
2. Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
3. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
4. Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae
5. Carrier by Vanessa Garden
6. My True Love Gave to Me by Various Authors
7. Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
8. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry
9. Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas
10. Just Like the Movies by Kelly Fiore
11. Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White
12. Atlantia by Ally Condie
13. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall
14. Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

2014 Prequel & Sequel Challenge (Novel Heartbeat & Writer Grrl Reads)

The goal: To read as many prequels and sequels as I can. (1 point for each prequel or sequel novella, 2 points for each full-length sequel, 10 points for completing and reviewing a full series.)

1. The Prince (The Selection #.5) by Kiera Cass (1 point)
2. Into the Still Blue (Under the Never sky #3) by Veronica Rossi (12 points)
3. Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer (2 points)
4. Infinite (Newsoul #3) by Jodi Meadows (12 points)
5. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia #2) by C.S. Lewis (2 points)
6. What I Did for a Duke (Pennyroyal Green #5) by Julie Anne Long (2 points)
7. Just One Night (Just One Day #2.5) by Gayle Forman (1 point)
8. Suddenly Last Summer (O’Neil Brothers #2) by Sarah Morgan (2 points)
9. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo (12 points)
10. Maybe this Christmas (O’Neil Brothers #3) by Sarah Morgan (12 points)
11. Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society #2) (2 points)


I think I did pretty good! I only finished half of the DAC, which is a bit embarrassing since I hosted it for the second half of the year… but 201 will be so much better! I completed the Review Pile Challenge, which I am super excited about because my review pile is huge. I finished the Stadalone Challenge, and did great with the prequels and sequels! All in all, it was a good year! And I blew my Goodreads reading goal out of the water, which I am the most proud of! How did you do this year?


My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Various Authors | Book Review

Posted December 30, 2014 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 5 Comments

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Various Authors | Book ReviewMy True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Ally Carter, David Levithan, Gayle Forman, Holly Black, Jenny Han, Kelly Link, Kiersten White, Laini Taylor, Matt de la Peña, Myra McEntire, Rainbow Rowell, Stephanie Perkins
Published by St Martin's Press on October 14, 2014
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Holiday - Christmas, Romance
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.

My True Love Gave to Me was one of the most anticipated holiday reads of mine this season, and I was so excited to dive in and be enchanted. While I liked a few of the stories, I did not like this book as a whole as much as I expected. These are amazing authors, but sadly some of the stories did not wow me. My True Love Gave to Me is a mixed bag of stories ranging from contemporary to fantasy, with a little something for everyone. I don’t want to give too much away since each story is roughly 30 pages, so I’m just going to post my Goodreads status updates for each story. I will note that I might have enjoyed this book more if I had just read a story here and there, rather than trying to binge the whole thing over a few days.

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell
Rainbow’s story just massacred my feels! So swoony and perfect and the kind of story hopeless romantics dream of. This was my favorite story of the collection.

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link
Kelly Link’s story is odd and weird and magical, yet slightly creepy. My curiosity kept me going, and I ended up utterly captivated.

Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Peña
Matt de la Peña’s story was a tad boring, and I could have done without all the swear words and the cheating.

Polaris is Where You’ll Find Me by Jenny Han
Jenny Han’s story is whimsical, and I enjoyed that it took place in Santa’s workshop at the North Pole, but there’s no resolution. It was too short.

It’s a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins
Stephanie Perkins’s story was really cute. Love the idea of falling in love over Christmas trees and sexy voices.

Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan
Didn’t like David Levithan’s story at all. I liked that we got to see Santa come to life for a little girl, but it was mostly boring.

Krampsuslaf by Holly Black
I did not finish Holly Black’s story. A couple pages into it, and I knew it was not the Christmas story for me. Demons, horns, and scrambling “Santa” to get “Satan” do not mean Christmas to me!

What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman
Gayle Forman’s story had me excited because I’ve never read a Hanukkah story before, but I found myself bored. There were a few lovely moments, and some sweet quotes… But overall I felt meh and wanted to move on.

Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McIntyre
Myra McIntyre’s story was whimsical, but took a little while to get into. I didn’t love it, but it was fun. I’m kind of a sucker for awkward romance as well. :)

Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White
Loved kiersten White’s story! It’s magical and sweet and completely heartwarming. And I loved the focus on yummy comfort foods and cheesy Christmas decorations.

Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter
I liked the idea of Ally Carter’s story, but it should not have been a short story. We needed more character development, more back story, and more believability. The resolution was way too far fetched and unlikely. If the story were longer, the author might have been able to pull it off.

The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
I LOVED Laini Taylor’s story. It started out a little slow, but I loved the world and the pure magic. I also loved the beautiful descriptions and the writing style. Laini is super talented, and I would love an entire book devoted to the Dreamer. I wanted more.


2014 End of Year Book Survey

Posted December 29, 2014 by Jana in About Me / 9 Comments

This survey is hosted every year by Jamie

2014 Reading Stats

Number of books you read: 75? (It keeps going up!)
Number of re-reads: 0 ( I just don’t re-read things!)
Genre you read the most from: I was super eclectic this year. I read a lot of contemporary romance, fantasy, and mystery.

Best In Books

bestbooks2014

 

1. Best books you read in 2014?
YA Paranormal: Captivate by Vanessa Gardner
YA Contemporary Romance: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord, Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae
YA Dystopia: Cress by Marissa Meyer
YA Fantasy: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo, The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
YA Mystery: Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas
New Adult: Boomerang by Noelle August

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t?
My True Love Gave to Me by a ton of great YA authors. This book made me sad. I loved a couple of the stories (Rainbow’s and Stephanie’s), but the others were not very uplifting or cheerful.

Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper sounded like it was going to be very atmospheric and magical, but it was rather boring and even upsetting to me in places.

harry potter and the sorcerer's stone3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
I had NO idea what an amazing ride I was in for with Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas! LOVED it.
Boomerang by Noelle August made me re-consider the NA genre.
I finally started the Harry Potter series, and loved Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone more than I thought I would!

4. Book you “pushed” the most people to read (and they did) In 2014?
Ummm… Pretty sure it was The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson. I pushed it on a lot of people while waiting in Mary’s signing line at ALA, and I shoved my ARC of it on one of my friends and she’s STILL hungover!

5. Best series you started in 2014? Best sequel of 2014? the selectionBest series-ender of 2014?
Series I started: The Selection by Kiera Kass
Sequel: Cress by Marissa Meyer
Series-ender: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo and Infinite by Jodi Meadows

don't look back6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
Jennifer L. Armentrout! I loved Don’t Look Back, and want to read more of her books!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
I kind of fell out of the historical romance genre (I loved it when I was younger), but Julie Ann Long’s What I Did for a Duke was wonderful and made me crave more of her books and more historical romances in general!

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
DEFINITELY Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas. Holy crap.

9. Book you read in 2014 that you are most likely to re-read in the future?
I don’t re-read books, but I could see myself reading Harry Potter with my future children!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson. I’m not usually a fan of girls in dresses, but I love this cover! Ruin and Rising‘s is pretty out of this world as well!

11. Most memorable character of 2014?
Captain Carswell Thorne from Cress by Marissa Meyer stole my heart again! I had no idea I could love him more than I did before!

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?Infinite
Captivate by Vanessa Garden, Infinite by Jodi Meadows, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis.

13. Most thought-provoking/life-changing book of 2014?
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George had me thinking so much about what I would do if I went a lived on a mountain all by myself! I’d be terrified!

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier! While I did not ADORE it like I expected, I’m amazed at how long it took me to finally read it.

shatter me15. Favorite passage/quote from a book you read in 2014?

“I spent my life folded between the pages of books. In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.”
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

16. Shortest & longest book you read in 2013?
Ugh. If I count textbooks, the longest book I read was my cataloging textbook, Reference and Information Services: An Introduction by Kay Ann Cassell. Worst. Book. Ever. It’s like I was reading Japanese.

Not counting textbooks, the longest was Rebecca by Daphne at 448 pages.

The shortest I read was Just One Night by Gayle Forman at 40 pages.

17. Book that shocked you the most?
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo broke my heart. Very shocking.
And The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson has a major plot twist/reveal!

18. OTP of the year (you will go down with this ship!)what i did for a duke
Captain Carswell Thorne and Cress! And Alexander Moncrieffe, Duke of Falconbridge and Genevieve Eversea from What I Did for a Duke by Julie Ann Long.

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship of the year?
Reagan O’Neill and Lilah Montgomery, best friends from Open Road Summer by Emery Lord.

20. Favorite book you read in 2014 from an author you’ve read previously?
AHH. I don’t know! I love all the authors! I’ll mention one that has not been mentioned yet, though, since things are getting redundant. I loved Also Known As by Robin Benway!

21. Best book you read in 2014 that you read based SOLELY on a recommendation from somebody else?
The Selection by Kiera Kass. Andi said it’s book crack, so I read it. And she was right!

illusions of fate22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
Finn from Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White. Finn is super swoony. He’s 19, but not. And he’s so proper and romantic. And chivalrous. With these proper mannerisms and personality traits, though, he was not incredibly open with his feelings, which was a bit disappointing. He reminded me a tiny bit of Mr. Darcy. But just a tiny bit.

Paul Markov from A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray is another. Oh, my heart.

23. Best 2014 debut you read?
I’m sorry! I can’t do this! As host of the Debut Author Challenge, I’ve worked with a ton of debut authors and am friends with them! I can’t choose!

24. Best worldbuilding/most vivid setting you read this year?atlantia
Atlantia by Ally Condie! Atlantia is a beautiful, self-sustaining, world under the sea that actually sounds a lot like Venice, believe it or not. They have canals and gondolas, and the city is colorful with lots of shops and places to visit. There’s a market in the depths of the city

uncommon criminals25. Book that was the most FUN to read?
Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter. Ally Carter is an amazing storyteller. She writes books that read like movies, and her plots are always full of excitement, humor, and even some tenderness.

26. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2014?
I don’t read books that make me cry! But I was upset by Salt & Storm that I almost cried. A bad cry. A mad cry.

And oh my. A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray massacred me. Someone could have warned me about this!

27. Hidden gem of the year?
Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White is highly underrated. And I can understand why some might not like it, but it has stuck with me for months!

28. Book that crushed your soul?
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo for spoilery reasons. And A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray.

forbidden kgl29. Most unique book you read in 2014?
Forbidden by Kimberly Griffiths Little. It takes place in the Mesopotamian desert, which never happens. It’s about belly dancers, which is super unique. It depicts a unique world and cultures.

30. Book that made you the most mad?
Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper. Sorry, but I hated it.

 

 

Your Blogging/Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014?
What Sarah Read. Sarah is so sweet, and I love chatting with her on Twitter!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?
None of my reviews stick out in my head as being particularly fun to write. *shrug*

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
There were some good ones this year! I talked about my decision to get a master’s degree, my goal to read what I love instead of what I feel obligated to read, how book blogging is a lot like online dating, and how library books scare me!

4. Best event that you participated in?
I went to ALA Annual in Las Vegas, which was fun! I met some cool authors, was recognized by people I wasn’t expecting (Mary E. Pearson screamed my name and jumped up to hug me! We hadn’t ever met before!) I was also Macmillan’s official blogger for Sandy Hall’s signing in Salt Lake City, so I got to interview her before the event. That was a fun opportunity. :) OH, and I took over the Debut Author Challenge!

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?
Getting asked to be the official blogger is pretty awesome! And I found out I got my first blurb in a book (Monarch by Belle Whittington)!! And my blog’s name was put in Siege and Storm and Exquisite Captive!!

7. Most popular post this year on your blog?
My plans to read what I love instead of what I feel obligated to read received the most comments, except for Marissa Meyer’s guest post on why Cress was named “Arugala” originally.

8. Post you wish got a little more love?
My Christmas posts have gotten less attention than I had hoped for.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
I just found out about BookOutlet.com, and while I have not bought anything there yet, the prices are amazing! And one of my friends told me about Fishpond.com, which enabled me to buy an Aussie book I’ve been really wanting!

10. Did you complete any reading challenges or reach any goals you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I completed my Goodreads reading challenge, completely surpassing my goal! So proud of myself.

Looking Ahead

1. One book you didn’t get to in 2014 but will be your number 1 priority in 2015?
Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas!

2. Book you are most anticipating for 2015 (non-debut)?
Fairest by Marissa Meyer!

3. 2015 debut you are most anticipating?
There are SO MANY. I’m really excited about The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall, A Wicked Thing by Rhiannon Thomas, The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace, and Love, Fortunes, and Other Disasters by Kimberly Karalius.

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?
Winter by Marissa Meyer!

5. One thing you hope to accomplish or do in your reading/blogging life in 2015?
I really want this Debut Author Challenge to explode and be a huge success! I’d love to get another blurb or my name in another book. And I’d love to find more 5-star reads!

6. A 2015 release you’ve already read & recommend to everyone?
Love, Lucy by April Lindner. It’s PERFECTION. Takes place in Florence, Italy!!!


So, let’s chat! Do you agree with any of my choices? Do you disagree? What have some of your favorite books of 2014 been? What reading/blogging successes have you had? What are you looking forward to in 2015?


The Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak | Mini Book Review

Posted December 26, 2014 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 2 Comments

The Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak | Mini Book ReviewThe Heart of Christmas by Brenda Novak
Series: Whiskey Creek #7
Published by Mira on October 28, 2014
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Holiday - Christmas, Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon

Just call her Christmas Eve… 

Eve Harmon has always enjoyed Christmas, but this year it reminds her of everything she doesn't have. Almost all her friends are married now, and that's what Eve wants, too. Love. A husband and kids of her own. But the B and B she manages, and even Whiskey Creek, the small Gold Country town where she was born and raised, suddenly seem…confining.

Eve's worried that her future will simply be a reflection of her past. There's no one in the area she could even imagine as a husband, until a handsome stranger comes to town. Eve's definitely attracted to him, and he seems to have the same reaction to her. But his darkly mysterious past could ruin Eve's happily ever after, just when it finally seems within reach. And just when she's counting on the best Christmas of her life!

 

The Heart of Christmas was my first experience with the Whiskey Creek series by Brenda Novak, and I was happy to see that it read as a standalone. I’m intrigued by the stories of some of the other characters in this book, though, so I’m definitely going to look in to the rest of the series! I’m very mixed on my review of this book, so it has been hard to gather my thoughts together in a way that makes sense to me.

I’m a huge fan of small towns where everyone knows everyone, and you feel safe and loved. That’s exactly what the town of Whiskey Creek is like. And that aspect of the book is one of the few things I actually liked, sadly. I loved the atmosphere. I loved the Victorian Christmas at Eve’s B&B. But I did not love Eve. I can relate to her. I’m still single, the last single of my group of friends actually. It’s hard. But I don’t make bad decisions as a result, and I’ve never been excited about romances that bloom from drunken one night stands. I felt like I lost respect for both characters before I even got to know them. Of course, this opinion is obviously based on a personal set of morals and so I tried to not let my feelings taint my thoughts on the book. But… the fact that things escalated from a regretted one night stand to a slight tolerance on both their parts to a lustful friends with benefits, no strings attached thing to MY LIFE IS ALL ABOUT YOU so quickly I just had a hard time believing it. As such, the chemistry was not convincing and I didn’t really care if Eve and Rex ended up together or not.

Rex’s dark, mysterious past seemed too far-fetched. And the semi-mystery/suspense that resulted from it just did not work for me at all. I can see why the author chose to do this, but I felt like it turned the book into a story you would find in an over the top action movie. The ending itself was unsatisfying because the loose ends are not all tied up, and you’re left with a few questions.

Basically, I was disappointed. Perhaps if I were a long-time lover of Whiskey Creek I might have ended up loving this book. While it did read as a standalone, I did not come into it with the love of the series that many people probably did. Maybe this was not the best book to start out the series with, as I’ve heard it’s not as good as some of the earlier titles. I’ve liked Brenda Novak’s historicals, so I’m going to give this series another shot.


Merry Christmas!

Posted December 25, 2014 by Jana in Personal / 3 Comments

Can you believe Christmas is finally here? I feel like the entire holiday season just flew by. I hope you have a wonderful day with your friends and loved ones, full of food, books, giving, and laughter. The blog is going to be pretty slow until the new year, as I am spending time with my family and getting the 2015 Debut Author Challenge ready to go! Make sure you sign up if you haven’t! Merry Christmas!