World of Books: Charl + Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Everyone has their neighborhood bookstore or their local library they call home. Maybe both even. I know I do - in TWO different cities. World of Books if a bi-weekly feature that allows me - and any of YOU - to share the bookstores and libraries you love so much. If you want to be featured on World of Books too, make sure to go HERE and fill out the contact form!

Moss Books – Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Epic Recs: February

Feature created by Amber and Judith, Graphic created by Judith

January's Epic Recs went fantastically. You can see proof of such fantastic-ness in my review of GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers and in Lisa's review of SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen. Now, Lisa and I had so much fun working together that we're going to continue with Epic Recs. So I bet you're all wondering what we've picked for each other, huh? WONDER NO LONGER.

I recommended WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Forman to Lisa. If you're wondering why, you should check out Lisa's blog (spoilers: I did it because I'm a crazy selfish chick). And if you're wondering why Lisa recommended INSIGNIA by S.J. Kincaid to me, you should probably keep reading (spoilers: she was really thinking of me and what I like - who's the better friends here, I wonder?). 

"Gaby's list of things she likes in books included military, sci-fi, and character driven books. INSIGNIA by S.J. Kincaid is DEFINITELY ticking off those boxes! It's also one of those books that I really adore but can't recommend to everyone, so when I saw Gaby was into those types of elements in books, I was like OH YES PLZ. I am so happy Gaby is my people! Anyway, INSIGNIA features an awkward yet rad kid named Tom who gets drafted to a military boarding school to virtually fight WWIII but of course all is not as it seems which makes for great plotting. Also, I know that Gaby will LOVE reading the about the characters at the military academy!"

So have you read INSIGNIA? Will I like it? And how about WHERE SHE WENT? How selfish do you guys think I'm being, considering Lisa isn't big on realistic fiction? Be sure to comment here and then head over to Lisa's Feburary Epic Recs post! 

Top Ten Books That Made Me Cry (44)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I think for this week's post I'm just going to throw up 10 book covers and that's it. I don't really want to get into the reasons why each of these books lead to the crying and the sads and what have you. Like, even if you can't see why said book would make me cry, just accept it and move on. Because explaining might make me cry again and I just can't. Also, I acknowledge the The Fault in Our Stars by John Green will be on everyone's lists and I'm okay with that. Also, also, I cheated, this list is four more than ten. I'm okay with that too.

(PS: You should be able to reach the Goodreads page for each of these books by clicking the images. Please keep in mind that many of these books are not the first, or even the last, in their series. And furthermore, some of these books aren't out yet - Strange and Ever After doesn't come out until the summer! So consider this hype.)

Veronica Mars Watch-Along Week 30

[Graphic designed by the lovely Judith of Paper Riot]

So, how does this work, super sleuths? Go check out the Watch-Along kick off post for the skinny. I'll give you a second just in case...

All caught up? Good.

In case you already know the basics and just forgot what episodes are up today, here's the list:

• "Postgame Mortem"
• "Mars Bars"

And for NEXT WEEK:

• "Papa's Cabin"
• "Un-American Graffiti"

So after a brief hiatus, WE'RE BACK TO THE GOOD STUFF.

I'm BAAAACK!

Fact: I don't like coffee. I just like saying Coffee Clutch in my best and deepest New York accent. Considering I'm a New Yorker, I'm pretty freaking good at it. So I've got my tea and I hope you have your heated beverage of choice, because it's time to gab the day away.

If you've been paying attention, you'll know I went on a cute little hiatus for over half of January. I even gave it an adorable little title that made it seem like I was still in high school or college, was just going off to some warm place for the week and didn't want to bring my laptop to with me. Oh, and I was too lazy to schedule posts in advance.

But I'm back now and I've had some time to think about all of the stuff. These are some of the conclusions I've come to:

Epic Recs Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Feature created by Amber and Judith, Graphic created by Judith

For our first ever Epic Recs, Lisa insisted I read Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers. I think it took her 30 seconds of scrolling through my Goodreads TBR to decide this. Of course, her excitement got me all revved up to read an AMAZING book. And, because Lisa is awesome is totally gets me, I got just that.

Title: Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)

Author: Robin LaFevers
Release Date: April 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Page Count: 549
Source: Purchased
First Reaction: O.O Whoa.

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

[Summary Source: Goodreads]

Review + Giveaway: Something Real by Heather Demetrios

Title: Something Real
Author: Heather Demetrios
Release Date: February 4th 2014
Publisher: Henry Holt BYR
Page Count: 416
Source: ARC from Publisher (Thanks Macmillan!)
First Reaction: A very real and emotional look into the world of reality TV - that I absolutely loved.

There’s nothing real about reality TV.

Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV—she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker’s Dozen. Since the show’s cancellation and the scandal surrounding it, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight. But it’s about to fall apart… because Baker’s Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™’s mom and the show’s producers won’t let her quit and soon the life she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show. Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own—even if it means being more exposed than ever before.

[Summary Source: Goodreads]