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Hello readers, welcome to my blog, Booking Around! Here you will find book reviews and discussions!
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I appreciate you checking out my blog and hope you enjoy♡
Reading Slumps... and how to break out of them! I'd like to start out this blog entry by apologizing. I'm sorry that it's been so long since I've updated! I've been extremely busy; the past three weekends in a row I've been at horse shows and two out of three of those weekends I haven been showing myself. I have also recently been riding a new green off the track Thoroughbred mare on top of lessons on my own horse, therefore I've been extremely tired when I get home and just don't feel like doing anything. To top it all off it is the end of the school year so I've been busy with that too! Luckily, schools out for the summer and I'm officially a senior! It's super crazy to think about.. I do have a little bit of a low in horse shows so I won't be as busy getting ready for them.
After reading The Problem with Forever, my brain was consumed with feels. I was left in a book hangover and I tried to pull myself out of the reading slump I felt myself falling into by immediately immersing into other books. Typically when I feel myself slipping into a reading slump that tactic works for me. Unfortunately, this time around it didn't. I read quite a few books after TPWF but my brain still had itself wrapped around all it's glory, not to mention the state that A Court of Mist and Fury left me in.. Then I got swamped with riding and all the horse shows which really didn't help my cause. Now I just can't seem to get into anything! It's quite frustrating! I've even done the infamous act of continuously picking up books only to put them down, start something else, and repeat the process over again. Reading slumps... They happen to the best of us.. They begin due to numerous of reasons and no matter what your reason is here are some tips on how to attempt to eliminate our biggest nemesis!
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Today's Favorite Five Friday is based off of my top five favorite authors. I've read just about all of the books that these authors have written. Most people would say that their list isn't in order, this one is. Of course author number one is my ultimate favorite author who I've luckily had the opportunity to meet twice. I've met two others of these favorite authors of mine as well. I'm so very fortunate!
In The ReinsTitle: In The Reins
Author: Carly Kade Publication Date: December 10th, 2015 Publisher: Carly Kade Creative Category: Adult Genre: Contemporary/Western/Horse Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Synopsis: A city-girl-gone-country, a handsome cowboy and a horse meet by fate on a southern farm. She's looking for a fresh start and unexpectedly falls for the mysterious cowboy. But can a man with a deeply guarded secret open himself up to the wannabe cowgirl in the saddle next to him? Deeply romantic and suspenseful, In The Reins captures the struggle between letting life move forward and shying away from taking the reins. Passionate, captivating, and full of equine epiphanies, this is a love story sure to touch your inner cowgirl. From the Back Cover: McKennon Kelly. McKennon Kelly. McKennon Kelly. Cowboy McKennon Kelly was the last thing Devon Brooke wanted to focus on after finding herself suddenly single. Looking for a fresh start to life, city girl and journalist Devon just wanted to go back to her country roots and focus on building a relationship with her newly acquired equine partner Faith. Devon finds companionship in handsome bull riding ranch hand JD and delicate Green Briar horse farm owner Sophia, both who advise Devon to keep her distance from McKennon and “mind her p’s and q’s” around the quiet and eerily peaceful stables. Devon thinks it shouldn’t be too difficult to avoid the Adonis cowboy, but after noticing his skills and expert ways with training horses, she figures it couldn’t hurt to get to know him a little bit … right? Devon follows the guarded cowboy to a horse show, where she is unprepared to learn she may not be the cowgirl she thought she was. After a near-tragic incident, Devon begins to realize that the more time she spends with McKennon, the less she really knows about him (or horses, for that matter), and his mystery just keeps getting bigger. Who is he really, what is it that everyone doesn’t want her to know, and why is this tight-shirted, spur-jingling, weather-eyed cowboy all she can think about now? Treacherous ShadowsTitle: Treacherous Shadows
Author: Jennifer Parr Publication Date: April 8th, 2016 Publisher: Jennifer Parr Category: Young Adult Genre: Fantasy Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Aeria Morgan knows her life will be short. Since the Darkness fell two hundred years ago, brevity has staked its claim, especially on the childless. Aeria will die if she does not find love, and soon. But she and her Dviinu brother, Aeron, are outcasts, set apart from the rest of Avalon Valley because of their sordid family history and mysterious conception, and so Aeria has resigned herself to a loveless fate. It isn’t until Aeria meets village newcomer Lyam Trey that she learns that love is worth hoping for after all. As trouble mounts, can Aeria hold tight to what she’s found, or will she lose everything she thought she’d never have? The Problem With ForeverTitle: The Problem With Forever
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout Publication Date: May 17th, 2016 Publisher: Harlequin Teen Category: Young Adult Genre: Contemporary Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Synopsis: For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime. Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day. It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with the lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory faces a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants, and the truths that need to be heard. Today's Favorite Five Friday is based off of my five favorite standalones! Category: New Adult Genre: Contemporary Synopsis: Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry. For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it. The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin… Category: Young Adult Genre: Fantasy Synopsis: It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen. Category: Young Adult Genre: Mystery Synopsis: Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend. Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash. But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive? Category: Young Adult Genre: Contemporary/Mystery/Thriller Synopsis: A teen is forced to make a fresh start after witnessing a violent crime—but love and danger find her anyway in this novel from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga. Stella Gordon is not her real name. Thunder Basin, Nebraska, is not her real home. This is not her real life. After witnessing a lethal crime, Stella Gordon is sent to the middle of nowhere for her own safety before she testifies against the man she saw kill her mother’s drug dealer. But Stella was about to start her senior year with the boyfriend she loves. How can she be pulled away from the only life she knows and expected to start a new one in Nebraska? Stella chafes at her protection and is rude to everyone she meets. She’s not planning on staying long, so why be friendly? Then she meets Chet Falconer and it becomes harder to keep her guard up, even as her guilt about having to lie to him grows. As Stella starts to feel safer, the real threat to her life increases—because her enemies are actually closer than she thinks… Click HERE to read my review.
Category: New Adult Genre: Contemporary Synopsis: Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse. Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist. A Court of Mist and FuryTitle: A Court of Mist and Fury
Author: Sarah J. Maas Publication Date: May 3rd, 2016 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens Category: Young Adult Genre: Fantasy Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Synopsis: Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people. Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two. With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights. Disclaimer: The first half of my review will be spoiler free although the second half will not be. Do not click "read more" unless you have read the book already or don't care about spoilers. Spoiler free or not, I recommend that you do not read this review at all unless you've read A Court of Thorns and Roses because there may be some spoilers. My Thoughts (Spoiler Free): For starters this book makes you feel so many feels. In my opinion this book was much more enjoyable than the first one. I had a hard time getting into A Court of Thorns and Roses and didn't feel a huge swoon-worthy connection with Tamlin. From the beginning I've always loved Feyre. I love her name, her dedication, and her passion for what she believes in. Later into ACOTAR when Rhysand was introduced to us during Feyre's time under the mountain, I instantly knew I was going to love his character. I personally also thought that the world building of Pyrthian as a whole lacked a little bit in ACOTAR but that was not true for ACOMAF. The world building was done very well in all the lands and different courts throughout Pyrithian. I can't believe I was a bit skeptiocal coming into this book because ACOTAR didn't quite draw me it but damn, this book was freaking fantastic! I really wish I would've reread or skimmed through A Court of Thorns and Roses because I had forgotten a lot more details then I thought. I think maybe because I wasn't as enthralled with it. Yes, this book is Young Adult but I would say that it is more on the mature side of YA. A Court of Mist and Fury starts us off shortly after Feyre and Tamiln have returned from the under the mountain but Feyre is different now. She is no longer mortal, she's now High Fae, brought back to life from the powers of each of the seven High Lords. Despite her new exciting High Fae immortality and unknown growing powers, she is broken inside. All the death and sacrifices she caused under the mountain really took a toll on her. She also begins feeling suffocated in the Spring Court and loving Tamiln doesn't make it easier as she slowly starts to emotionally and physically wither away. Their time under the mountain has made Tamiln petrified of losing Feyre again and becomes too possessive and controlling of her especially with the lingering threats of the other courts. Not to mention the pressure of the bargain Feyre made with Rhysand under the mountain. Rhysand doesn't forget about his bargain with Feyre either. He takes her for his one week per month and pretty much lets her do as she pleases then returns her home until she comes to her senses and realizes some things that Rhys is more than happy to help her out with. One of the things I greatly enjoyed with this book is it was not focused on the love interests, but more focused on Feyre and her self-discovery. It's more about her finding out who she is as a person and what it is she wants in life. Her character development is quite phenomenal because as she grew into a new version of herself, she was able to accept what she did under the mountain and release the hold it had on her. I did say this book isn't focused on romance like the first one but don't get me wrong, there is romance and it's perfectly written because Maas lets the romance develop over an extensive period of time, there is no insta-love or "your mine and I must hover over you and lay claim" crap. "No one was my master-- but I might be master of everything, if I wished. If I dared." -Feyre I don't know if I've mentioned it but I love Rhysand. We get to know more about the brutal, mysterious, dark High Lord. We get to see a more passionate and caring side of him. We're also introduced to his people and all of the Night Court. We learn about his inner circle of friends which is another compassionate side to him. Rhys is definitely a character of many masks. A Court of Mist and Fury made me feel SO many feels, gahh. They are definitely hard to contain! My hear bursts open and is ripped apart so many times with all these feels that it's unreal. I love a book with tons of emotion and this is most definitely one of those books! And then there is Rhys, oh lovely Rhys.. sigh.. If you're a Tamiln lover then I must tell you, he is absent for about 80% of this book but I promise that Rhys doesn't disappoint! "To the stars who listen-- and the dreams that are answered." I'm sorry that this review isn't as great as other but there is so much about this book that I just want to complete splurge and I can't without slipping up and spoiling things. That being said this is the end of my spoiler free review. I-M-P-O-R-T-A-N-T: If you have not read this book then I would suggest that you do not proceed unless you are one of those people who like spoilers. If you click "read more" you will find my spoiler half of my review. Today's favorite five Friday is based off of my top five favorite quotes! Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. ArmentroutMoney doesn't by taste, personality, or common decency. Confess by Colleen HooverI'll love you forever. Even when I can't. Wandering Star by Romina RussellOur choices define us: The stars may set us on a given path, but it is we who must decide whether we take it. Bloodlines by Richelle MeadLove and loyalty run deeper than blood. Suspicion by Alexandra MonirThere's a big difference between perception and misconception. November 9Title: November 9
Author: Colleen Hoover Publication Date: November 10th, 2015 Publisher: Atria Paperback Category: New Adult Genre: Contemporary Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Synopsis: Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse. Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist. The Mirror KingTitle: The Mirror King
Author: Jodi Meadows Publication Date: April 5th, 2016 Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books Category: Young Adult Genre: Fantasy Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Synopsis: Wilhelmina has a hundred enemies. HER FRIENDS HAVE TURNED. After her identity is revealed during the Inundation, Princess Wilhelmina is kept prisoner by the Indigo Kingdom, with the Ospreys lost somewhere in the devastated city. When the Ospreys’ leader emerges at the worst possible moment, leaving Wil’s biggest ally on his deathbed, she must become Black Knife to set things right. HER MAGIC IS UNCONTROLLABLE. Wil’s power is to animate, not to give true life, but in the wraithland she commanded a cloud of wraith mist to save herself, and later ordered it solid. Now there is a living boy made of wraith—destructive and deadly, and willing to do anything for her. HER HEART IS TORN. Though she’s ready for her crown, declaring herself queen means war. Caught between what she wants and what is right, Wilhelmina realizes the throne might not even matter. Everyone thought the wraith was years off, but already it’s destroying Indigo Kingdom villages. If she can’t protect both kingdoms, soon there won’t be a land to rule. Disclaimer: This review does not contain any spoilers for The Mirror King although it might contain some for The Orphan Queen. If you have not read The Orphan Queen then I do not suggest that you continue reading this review but you can read my review on The Orphan Queen here. If you've read The Orphan Queen then please continue reading and enjoy! |
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Short BiographyMy name is Devynn, I'm a 18 year old girl who resides in sunny Southern California. Most of my time is spent with my nose stuck in a book or on the back of a horse. I love the outdoors and hiking, specifically in the spring when everything is blooming and beautiful! Archives
November 2017
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