The Bookish Report

Here are all of the top bookish stories, blog posts, pictures, and videos I found this past week. I put this post up every Sunday so come back again next week for more bookish awesomeness.Click away and enjoy your Sunday!

News

The childhood/controversial classic The Giving Tree celebrates its 50th anniversary.

I can't wait for The Walking Dead Season 5 premier tonight and neither can these authors!

Just in case you missed out on all the annoying/fun/cryptic J.K. Rowling tweets this week.

It's funny. If Goosebumps Books Were Written For Adults

Epic Reads has some of the best posts and this one I can't help but agree with 100%.

The Queen of the Tearling is coming to the big screen and Emma Watson is involved.

How very interesting. Unusual Work Habits of Authors: Infographic

Fellow Book Blogger Posts

Do you love giveaway hops or perhaps you are thinking of joining one? Head over to Caffeinated Book Reviewer and find out about their Black Friday Book Bonanza!
Parajunkee shares some tips on how to deal with telling authors about the negative review you just wrote about their book.
I love Jamie's post If We Were Having Coffee. It's always nice to get to know your fellow book bloggers a little more.

Funny Photo

13 Movies (all categories) to Watch This Halloween

I love Fall and every single thing about it, including Halloween. Therefore, I decided to brew up some fun Halloween inspired posts for you all this year. This will probably be one of several.

Every year during the month of October I force my husband or friends or whoever is around me to watch Halloween inspired movies, and I decided to share my obsession with you. Below you will find some of my favorites! I tried to share some movies that probably aren't your usual Halloween movie choice to spice things up a bit. Please tell me which movies you watch in honor of Halloween in the comments below. :)

Waiting on Wednesday #12: The Fill-In Boyfriend, Salt & Stone, and Seriously Wicked

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

The Author I Will Read No Matter What

The Fill-In Boyfriend by: Kasie West

Release Date: May 5, 2015

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Goodreads Summary: When Gia Montgomery's boyfriend, Bradley, dumps her in the parking lot of her high school prom, she has to think fast. After all, she'd been telling her friends about him for months now. This was supposed to be the night she proved he existed. So when she sees a cute guy waiting to pick up his sister, she enlists his help. The task is simple: be her fill-in boyfriend— two hours, zero commitment, a few white lies. After that, she can win back the real Bradley.

The problem is that days after prom, it's not the real Bradley she's thinking about, but the stand-in. The one whose name she doesn't even know. But tracking him down doesn't mean they're done faking a relationship. Gia owes him a favor and his sister intends to see that he collects: his ex-girlfriend's graduation party — three hours, zero commitment, a few white lies.

Just when Gia begins to wonder if she could turn her fake boyfriend into a real one, Bradley comes waltzing back into her life, exposing her lie, and threatening to destroy her friendships and her new-found relationship.

The Sequel I Can't Wait To Get My Hands On

Salt & Stone by: Victoria Scott

Release Date: Feb. 24, 2015
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Goodreads Summary: What would you do to save someone you love?

In FIRE & FLOOD, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't quit--she has to win the race, save Cody, and then fight to make sure the race stops before it can claim any more lives. In the next legs of the race, across the ocean and over mountains, Tella will face frostbite, sharks, avalanche, and twisted new rules in the race.

But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?

The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the start of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the final part of the race, just forty-one are left--and only one can win.

Because... That Cover

Seriously Wicked by: Tina Connolly
Release Date: May 5, 2015
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Goodreads Summary: The only thing worse than being a witch is living with one.

Camellia’s adopted mother wants Cam to grow up to be just like her. Problem is, Mom’s a seriously wicked witch.

Cam’s used to stopping the witch’s crazy schemes for world domination. But when the witch summons a demon, he gets loose—and into Devon, the cute new boy at school.

Now Cam’s suddenly got bigger problems than passing Algebra. Her friends are getting zombiefied. Their dragon is tired of hiding in the RV garage. For being a shy boy-band boy, Devon is sure kissing a bunch of girls. And a phoenix hidden in the school is going to explode on the night of the Halloween Dance.

To stop the demon before he destroys Devon’s soul, Cam might have to try a spell of her own. But if she’s willing to work spells like the witch...will that mean she’s wicked too?

What are you waiting on?

Review: Graduation Day by: Joelle Charbonneau

Graduation Day (The Testing #3) by: Joelle Charbonneau (June 2014)

304 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Dystopian

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Source: The library

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon

Goodreads Summary: In a scarred and brutal future, The United Commonwealth teeters on the brink of all-out civil war. The rebel resistance plots against a government that rules with cruelty and cunning. Gifted student and Testing survivor Cia Vale vows to fight. But she can't do it alone. This is the chance to lead that Cia has trained for - but who will follow? Plunging through layers of danger and deception, Cia must risk the lives of those she loves - and gamble on the loyalty of her lethal classmates.

My Review

Graduation Day is how every young adult trilogy should end, strongly. With even more tests and enough action guaranteed to never let you become bored, this trilogy deserves to be read.

Graduation Day begins right where the last book, Independent Study, left off. This left me a little confused at first since I couldn't clearly remember everything that happened and everyone that was in the previous novel. Luckily a few more pages in and I felt refreshed and quickly emerged back into Cia’s world. The politics and tests were back in full force and I was full of anticipation.

Cia is just as clever as ever in this final installment. She continues to be a strong leader. I missed her character a great deal. I thought all of the other characters were interesting and complex as well, it’s just too bad we didn’t get more time with Cia and Thomas together. I like their relationship and I don’t mind that it is in the background since more important things are going on, but it would have been nice to see them together a little more, making their relationship more real. That and only one small thing made this read only 4.5 stars instead of 5. There is one thing that happens in the book that kind of rubbed me the wrong way, but that was it. (I don't want to mention it since it would be a spoiler.) I also started to catch on to the big ending sooner rather than later so no huge surprise this time, but that didn't bother me since I was never 100% sure until the end anyway.

The Testing trilogy is one young adult dystopian that shouldn’t be overlooked. The first book may seem a little too much like The Hunger Games, but I can guarantee that each book becomes more unique. The best thing Graduation Day has to offer, (finally) a strong solid ending to a young adult dystopian trilogy.

The Bookish Report

Here are all of the top bookish stories, blog posts, pictures, and videos I found this past week. I put this post up every Sunday so come back again next week for more bookish awesomeness.Click away and enjoy your Sunday!

News

Gilmore girls is now on Netflix! I've been binge watching since the day it was put on there (last Wednesday) with breaks for work of course. I'm sure you have all heard about the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge. The creator of this challenge picked his top sevenbooks in honor of the Netflix release.

If you ever think you are having a horrible day take a second to remember these literary characters that probably had a worse day than you.

Do you think you are the biggest Harry Potter fan? Think again. This guy broke a world record.

Everyone should read this list of 22 mind-boggling facts about banned books in America.

A bookstore in Japan is offering people to spend the night! How cool would that be?

Stephen King's book 11/22/63 (which I really do hope to read sometime) is going to be on Hulu.

This news is just sad. Nicholas Sparks has been accused of racism and homophobia. Maybe it isn't true...

Fellow Book Blogger Posts

Because I feel like I never get enough young adult books with male POVsthis infographic rocked my world.

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Find out about Read Pink.

I feel like there are so many of those surprise box things that you can sign up for, it's becoming more and more popular.Bookmark Lit tells us about the Uppercase Box she received. So far this one is the best one Ive seen around the blogosphere. I wish I had the money to get it. Perhaps a certain husband of mine can get me this for Christmas. At least once. ;)

Do you love Halloween? If so then you should really check out Fortnight of Fright.

Other Bookish Fun

This bookmark is 100% correct. Buy here.

I love this banned books tote. Buy here.

Review: The Kiss of Deception by: Mary E. Pearson

The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) by: Mary E. Pearson (July 2014)

492 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Publisher: Henry Holt

Source: The library

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon

Goodreads Summary: A princess must find her place in a reborn world.
She flees on her wedding day.

She steals ancient documents from the Chancellor's secret collection.

She is pursued by bounty hunters sent by her own father.

She is Princess Lia, seventeen, First Daughter of the House of Morrighan.

The Kingdom of Morrighan is steeped in tradition and the stories of a bygone world, but some traditions Lia can't abide. Like having to marry someone she's never met to secure a political alliance.

Fed up and ready for a new life, Lia flees to a distant village on the morning of her wedding. She settles in among the common folk, intrigued when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her.

Deceptions swirl and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—secrets that may unravel her world—even as she feels herself falling in love.

My Review

My First Thoughts: the main character, Lia, is either crazy or brave. Either way, I like her.

Although The Kiss of Deception is more of a romance than a fantasy it captivated my attention. I enjoyed the story of the runaway princess a great deal.

I’m going to tell you right off the bat, I’m not a big fan of love triangles, BUT this book really doesn’t have one, at least not what you would originally think of as a love triangle. It has a semi new twist on the idea of a love triangle. Throughout the novel it is obvious that Lia has a preference for one of the two guys, but there is a catch. Lia and the reader don’t know which guy is the assassin sent to kill her and which one is the prince she originally ran away from. Sometimes I thought I figured it out, but then I didn’t. I flip flopped so much on who was who. I did however have a favorite. I always cheered him and Lia on, I loved them. Honestly, I was surprised who turned out to be the prince. This aspect of the novel alone makes this book worth reading and too unique to pass up. It was my favorite part of the whole book, I loved it.

Here are a few other things I loved about The Kiss of Deception. I loved how everything isn’t always black and white. The complex characters were great. A smile always kept creeping on my face while reading. Last but obviously not least, even though I’ve already mentioned this it deserves another, the mystery of who is who.

Now here are the three things I wasn't a fan of in The Kiss of Deception. First, not enough action. Second, its slow pacing at times. Third, the ending. It isn’t that it is a bad ending, it is just a frustrating one.

Bottom Line: The Kiss of Deception shouldn't be overlooked. It may not be as full of action as many fantasy novels, but it is still a very good read with its own unique qualities. I also love the cover.

Library Loot #26

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Linda from Silly Little Mischief that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

** I can't believe most of my loot consists of adult books this time. I don't know why but there just wasn't a lot of young adult books that caught my eye this trip.

My Library Loot

1. I actually just finished this. It was really good.

2. A co-worker told me this one was worth reading.

3. The synopsis grabbed my attention.

4. Heroes are my weakness.

5. An adult dystopian/survival story. I'll give it a try.

6. I've heard this is super cute.

7. I've only heard good things about it.

8. Captain Hook's story. Need I say more?

9. This book about Typhoid Mary sounds too good to pass up.