September Recap and October TBR

I totally sucked at reaching my goal for September. Somehow I got STUCK on reading The Dream Thieves for 2 whole weeks! It was awesome, yet I found myself not wanting to read because I was afraid something big (and BAD) was going to happen. Plus, I had hyped it up in my mind so much that I was afraid I was going to be disappointed.

Books I Read in September:

A Little Too Far (A Little Too Far #1) by Lisa Desrochers
The Truth About You and Me by Amanda Grace (Pseudonym, Mandy Hubbard)
Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller
Play by Play (Play Makers #1) by Kate Donovan
The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater.
Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
Headfirst Falling by Melissa Guinn

Total pages read: 1988

Reviews Posted in September:
(Link will take you to my review.)

Review: Indelible by Bethany Lopez
Review: Thin Space by Jody Casella
Review: The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
Blog Tour and Review: A Little Too Far (A Little Too Far #1) by Lisa Desrochers
Review: Where My Heart Breaks by Ivy Sinclair
Review: Play by Play (Play Makers #1) by Kate Donovan
Review: Out Of Play by Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn
Review: Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair


October TBR:
Another ambitious month for me, but I am determined to read more! All of these are review copies:

Bang (Visions #2) by Lisa McMann
Hereafter (Shadowlands #2) by Kate Brian
Time After Time (Time Between Us #2) by Tamara Ireland Stone
Made of Stars by Kelley York
Forgiving Lies (Forgiving Lies #1) by Molly McAdams
(Never) Again by Theresa Paolo
Isn't She Lovely by Lauren Layne

This list doesn't include other books that are coming out this month that I plan on reading for my own enjoyment, including Just One Year (Just One Day #2) by Gayle Forman and Hero (Woodcutter Sisters #2) by Alethea Kontis.

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Happy Birthday To Me Sale In My Etsy Shop

I'm late getting this post up because I was slightly busy yesterday since it was my birthday. My annual sale is going on now. Use coupon code SAVE20 and get 20% off your entire purchase in my Etsy Shop through Monday, October 7.

I have lovely items that are perfect for Autumn.

Quilted Patchwork Tote Bag

Wristlet Purse Zipper Pouch

Flowers in Rust and Tiles in Rust Clutch

Chrysanthemum in Gold Zipper Pouch

Shoulder Bag Purse Tote Wildflowers in Rust

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Waiting On Wednesday (98) No One Else Can Have You @HaleKathleen

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

Wednesday is my favorite day of the week because I get to share books that I am super excited about and can't wait to read.

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

384 pages, Expected publication: January 7th 2014 by HarperTeen

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Small towns are nothing if not friendly. Friendship, Wisconsin (population: 688) is no different. Around here, everyone wears a smile. And no one ever locks their doors. Until, that is, high school sweetheart Ruth Fried is found murdered. Strung up like a scarecrow in the middle of a cornfield.

Unfortunately, Friendship’s police are more adept at looking for lost pets than catching killers. So Ruth’s best friend, Kippy Bushman, armed with only her tenacious Midwestern spirit and Ruth’s secret diary (which Ruth’s mother had asked her to read in order to redact any, you know, sex parts), sets out to find the murderer. But in a quiet town like Friendship—where no one is a suspect—anyone could be the killer.

Doesn't this sound awesome? Murder mystery and a fugly sweater? Count me in on this one. I can't wait to read my ARC.

What are you waiting on this week?

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Review: Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair @JamieMBlair

Leap of Faith by Jamie Blair

Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Page Count: 240
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: eArc provided in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Can true love be built on lies? A teen on the run seeks relief and redemption in this gripping, romantic read.

Leah Kurtz has finally found a place to call home, a town where she and baby Addy can live in peace, far from the drug-infested place she grew up. Chris is one of the best parts of her new life, the only person who’s ever made her feel safe. And now that she’s found him, there’s no way she can tell the truth:

Her real name is Faith, not Leah. She’s seventeen, not nineteen. And the baby isn’t hers—Faith kidnapped her.

Faith’s history catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions and Chris’s aunt spots her picture in the newspaper. She knows it’s time to run again, but if Faith leaves, she’ll lose Chris. If Chris is in love with a lie, though, did Faith ever really have him in the first place?

I have a thing for contemporary stories, and I had been interested in reading Leap of Faith since I saw the cover and read the synopsis. I was really excited to start reading it, and I was not disappointed. It was definitely a unique story, and it had me hooked right away. My constant worry over Faith's past catching up to her really kept me reading to find out what would happen to her.

I felt that Faith's original reasons for wanting to take the baby were selfish and immature. But I could tell that Faith was a good person with a big heart, and she was trying to do the right thing by removing the baby from a terrible home. As the story progressed, Faith became surrounded by people who started to care about her and who wanted the best for her and 'her' baby. Because of the support of those around her, Faith was eventually able to see things more clearly and she tried to correct her mistakes. But what will everyone think when they realize that Faith kidnapped the baby and is on the run? Will Faith be able to go back and make things right?

I really, really liked Chris, and I thought he was sweet and adorable. He was willing to take on a huge responsibility with Faith and her baby. However, I couldn't fully support or get behind the relationship because it literally came out of nowhere and was more like insta-love or insta-relationship or insta- get deeply involved with a perfect stranger and her baby daughter. Don't get me wrong - I understand that these things can and do happen, I just really would have preferred a longer getting to know you period before things got so serious between them. So I am completely torn over Chris and his actions. On one hand I really admire him for genuinely caring about Faith and the baby, and wanting to take care of them. But on the other hand, I want to shake him and demand to know what the heck he is thinking taking on a young mother and a baby and immersing himself in their lives so completely.

While parts of this story have a slight dark tone that makes it sad, there was still an overall feeling of hope. There were also a lot of cute and uplifting moments that really balanced out the book. The situation that Faith found herself in was certainly unique. The road she chose to go down was not easy, so it was obviously not all sunshine and roses. She faced huge obstacles and had to make serious decisions and face the consequences of her actions all by herself.

I'm not convinced the story was perfectly executed, but it was powerful, and I really enjoyed it. Even though I couldn't relate to them, I still liked most of the characters. Except for Faith's drugged out mom and pseudo boyfriend - because they were awful! I also didn't like Faith's sister because she came off as selfish, and she didn't want to help Faith after she took the baby. I adored most of Chris's extended family, especially the grandma and the aunt. Faith also made friends with 2 women, and even though they weren't the greatest people, they were still good to Faith and the baby.

I'm okay with the story ending the way it did. Even though I would have preferred to see firsthand how it all played out, it made perfect sense to me.

Leap of Faith was such a heartfelt story. I really enjoyed the writing, and I loved how the author was able to make me feel such strong emotions. Overall, this was definitely a satisfying read and I highly recommend it.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Debut Author Challenge
Contemporary Reading Challenge
Stand Alone Reading Challenge

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Sunday Updates (36)

Inspired by features from The Sunday Post from Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Sunday Summary from Book Twirps.

I am a day late with my post, but I had a busy weekend, so I give you my Sunday Updates on Monday.... lame title. Whatever. My husband and I have been trying to spend quality time with our kids. Our daughter turned 16 last Monday, and our son turned 19 on Saturday, and it's freaking us out how old they are. Neither one of them is attempting to drive yet, so at least we don't have that to worry about! No boyfriends or girlfriends, so we are thankfully drama free (at least so far!)

I received my first ever ARCs in the mail. Seriously. After 2 years of blogging. Which is way cool with me, because it's not something I have been pursuing. These were offered to me, and I graciously accepted, and now I can't wait to read them!

The Last Forever by Deb Caletti (Courtesy of Simon Pulse)
Bang (Visions #2) by Lisa McMann (Courtesy of Simon Pulse)



eARCs For Review:
(All Courtesy of Harper Collins Children)

Salvage by Alexandra Duncan
No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

I can't wait to read all of these!!

Reviews posted on my blog last week:

Where My Heart Breaks by Ivy Sinclair
Play by Play (Play Makers #1) by Kate Donovan
Out Of Play by Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn

That's it for this week. My birthday is in a few days, and I have asked for a Kindle. I have an HP Touchpad, and I think I want a dedicated ereader. But then again, the new Kindle Paperwhite isn't much cheaper than the new Kindle Fire. Decisions, decisions....

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New In My Etsy Shop On A Saturday

I purchased some fabric that was only recently released, and I spent this week whipping up new items for my Etsy Shop. I LOVE new fabric!

Padded Zipper Pouch Dahlia in Lavender

Look how pretty!

Long Zipper Pouch Pencil Case Swallow Study in Teal

Cosmetic Case Makeup Bag Dainty Daisies in Emerald

Padded Zipper Pouch Dainty Daisies in Lavender

Cosmetic Case Padded Zipper Pouch Swallow Study in Lavender

Clutch Swallow Study in Chocolate and Hive in Mint

This is my favorite item that I made this week. Look how cute it is!

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Review: Out Of Play by Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn

Out of Play by Jolene Perry and Nyrae Dawn

Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Page Count: 320
Published by: Entangled Teen
Source: eArc provided in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Rock star drummer Bishop Riley doesn't have a drug problem. Celebrities—especially ones suffering from anxiety—just need a little help taking the edge off sometimes. After downing a few too many pills, Bishop wakes up in the hospital facing an intervention. If he wants to stay in the band, he’ll have to detox while under house arrest in Seldon, Alaska.　

Hockey player Penny Jones can't imagine a life outside of Seldon. Though she has tons of scholarship offers to all the best schools, the last thing she wants is to leave. Who'll take care of her absentminded gramps? Not her mother, who can’t even be bothered to come home from work, let alone deal with their new tenants next door.

Penny’s not interested in dealing with Bishop’s crappy attitude, and Bishop’s too busy sneaking pills to care. Until he starts hanging out with Gramps and begins to see what he’s been missing. If Bishop wants a chance with the fiery girl next door, he’ll have to admit he has a problem and kick it. Too bad addiction is hard to kick…and Bishop’s about to run out of time.

This is the first book I have read by either author and I really enjoyed it! I was really impressed by how well this book was written, and I always love stories with dual POV.

I really loved the characters, flaws and all. Bishop had some major issues, and he really struggled with his addiction. I felt that deep down he had a huge heart and really wanted to do the right thing. But because he was still in denial, he screwed up a few times. He was finally forced into admitting that he had a problem. I admired him for owning up to his addiction and taking charge and doing something about it. I loved watching Bishop grow and become a better person throughout the story.

Penny was one tough cookie! She was strong willed and determined to do things her way. I really loved the way she was written. Penny's life revolved around her family and the boys' hockey team (who all loved her!) She was more comfortable hanging out with the guys than she was with girls. I could really relate to that because I was the same way while growing up. She is under a lot of pressure because everyone assumes that she will pursue her hockey dreams by attending college and joining a girls team. All Penny really wants is to stay in Alaska and keep playing with the guys.

I loved the slow building relationship between Penny and Bishop. They were both cautious, but the more time they spent together, the more they understood each other. It wasn't all smooth sailing, and they butted heads a few times, but I like that they were able to work out their problems and deal with whatever was going on. Out of Play is definitely YA, nice and clean without the complications of sex to muddy their fledgling relationship.

I fell in love with the story. It was emotional at times, but it also had moments of sweetness. And the characters were just wonderful. Penny and Bishop had real life problems that they needed to work out. I found myself interested in what would happen to Penny and Bishop, and if they could find peace and happiness. Overall, this was a wonderful story, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Waiting On Wednesday (97) What I Thought Was True

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

Wednesday is my favorite day of the week because I get to share books that I am super excited about and can't wait to read.

What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Hardcover, 416 pages

Expected publication: April 15th 2014 by Dial Books for Young Readers

Synopsis From Goodreads:

From the author of My Life Next Door comes a swoony summertime romance full of expectation and regret, humor and hard questions.
Gwen Castle's Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, is slumming it as a yard boy on her Nantucket-esque island this summer. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

I was hooked as soon as I read "swoony summertime romance"!!! What's not to love about that synopsis? Plus, it's a stand alone contemporary - my favorite!

What are you waiting on this week?

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