Finally Friday {6}: From a Distant Star

Finally Friday is a meme started by me (Jessica, aka @coffeelvnmom) and J from @life_love_fandoms. This week's I-finally-read-this-waiting-on-Wednesday-book is: From a Distant Star.

From a Distant Star was different than I’d expected. I guess that’s my fault… the cover made the book look more like a romance novel, and I made sure *not* to read the blurb because I didn't want anything spoiled.

However, the storyline was still interesting, with more than one turn along the way that I didn’t see coming. (Do not. Trust. Anyone.) 

I felt the storytelling was well executed by doing dual points of view, and the way Ms. McQuestion chose to do Scout’s side worked out quite well.

There were a few lines that made me laugh (which is why I bumped it up from 3 to 3.5 stars), including one where Scout finally *gets* human phraseology and uses it properly in a sentence.



Out of the many characters in From a Distant Star, I’d have to say that Lucas’ brother, Eric, was my favorite. Smart kid, and kind, and exactly what you’d want your own little brother to be like. I wouldn’t have minded if he was in it a little more, and their mom was in it a little less. (Ha.)



If you’d like to read a YA book about aliens, or, more specifically, an alien learning how to adjust to earth + a teen normally not really strong in the standing-up-to-people department well, finally standing up, this book might be for you.

Waiting on Wednesday {99}: The Last Place on Earth

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: The Last Place on Earth.

From Goodreads:

Daisy and Henry are best friends, and they know all each other's secrets. Or, so Daisy thinks, until she wakes up one morning to find that Henry and his family have disappeared without a trace. Daisy suspects Henry's disappearance is connected to their seriously awkward meeting the night before, but then she finds a note from Henry, containing just the words "SAVE ME." Deeply worried, Daisy convinces her unemployed brother to take her on a rescue mission into the California mountains. As they begin to home in on Henry's exact location, they also start to find some disturbing clues... clues that call into question everything Daisy believes she knows about her friend. Why is he so hard to find? What kind of trouble is he in, exactly? And most importantly, who is actually saving who?

I'm doing the Books 'n' Bloggers Swap! ;D

YOU GUYS... I've joined the Books & Bloggers swap, and I am SO EXCITED!!! This is a really neat swap by Chaotic Goddess Swaps and it's a fun way to interact with another book lover and SEND THEM BOOKS! WOO! The best part is that you get to send a couple different ones... including one you think they'd like, and one they've been wanting! (Isn't that cool?) 

Here's a bit about it:

Your Swap Objective: 

Get to know your fellow book-loving partner and send them a fantastic bookish package.  

Your package must include: 

• A book from your partner's wishlist.
• A book you have read and loved.
• A book you haven't read, but think looks interesting. (Can also be on their wishlist.)
• *Optional* Other book-related goodies.  

Important Dates to Remember:

• Sign-ups Open: Monday, August 17th.
• Sign-ups Close: Monday, August 24th.
• Partners Assigned by: Wednesday, August 26th.
• Packages Ship: on or by Saturday, September 5th.
• Show-Off Linky Opens: Wednesday, September 9th.

If you're interested in signing up and being partnered with someone and having some bookish fun, today is the last day to sign up, so GO HERE and fill out the form!

Waiting on Wednesday {98}: Walk on Earth a Stranger

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Walk on Earth a Stranger.

Walk on Earth a Stranger

by Rae Carson

Publication date: September 22, 2015

From Goodreads:

The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, dazzles with this new fantasy that subverts both our own history and familiar fantasy tropes.

Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research.

The Words We Thought Were True cover reveal + giveaway

It's HERE! 

It's finally here! 

After MONTHS of sitting on this, I finally get to share! 

The Words We Thought Were True (Cozenage, #2)'s cover is out. Go to IceyBooks (link) for a first look + enter to win an ARC + ebook! 

Pencils + journals = An @IceyDesigns GIVEAWAY!

So my lovely pal, Hafsah, has gotten *so* many wonderful things in her shop lately that I just HAD to host a giveaway. I mean... have you seen this stuff? JOURNALS! POSTERS! BOOKISH PENCILS! HAND LETTERED QUOTE ART, and MORE!!!

So many lovely things, and all of them gorgeous. There's more in her Etsy shop, so check it out. And... that's it! Enter the giveaway to win either a pack of pencils, or one of her precious journals, and spread the word! I can't wait to see who wins! :D

Deets: US only. Contest ends September 13th at 11:59 p.m. PST 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday {97}: Blackhearts

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Blackhearts.

Blackhearts

by Nicole Castroman

Publication date: February 9, 2016

From Goodreads:

Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything. This is their story.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England?

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.

EXCUSE to READ read-a-thon summary (#ExcusetoRead)

I'm a few days late and a couple dollars short (well, a lot dollars... vacation does that to ya!) but here I am with my EXCUSE TO READ summary! :D When Cheyanne and I planned this, I didn't know our family would end up going on vacation. I read as much as I could, but there was no way to get through all of them! Here was my TBR: 

My official Excuse to Read TBR

Here's what I was actually able to read (womp womp):

I *did* read From the Wreckage when I got back, though, so I'm going to give myself a couple days' grace period since I was on vacation and count it! Therefore, I read a total of FOUR books. :D

And now, for the breakdown:

* Cover Love (all-time favorite cover): I'd have to say Falling into Place. It's what pulled me in the first time I saw the book, it makes total sense when you start the first page, it makes even more sense once you've read it. So yeah. Cover love goes to Falling Into Place. (Also? Amy's writing? YOWZA. I CRIED!)

Favorite quote: 

There are a million favorite quotes. *le sigh* But I'm going to share one quick one, because it's what's in front of me, and maybe it'll get you to check it out...

Liam watched with his mouth hanging wide open, expecting her to crumple on the asphalt and die tragically before his eyes.

She didn't, and when she walked away, Liam's heart followed.

* Fun Find (book you're most glad you picked up): Tin Star. I'd been curious about this, and when Brit sent it to me, I thought, okay, time to check this one out. I'll be honest, at first, I wasn't too keen on the aliens, but the storyline grew on me, and next thing I knew, I was sitting in the middle of the Monterey Bay Aquarium reading the last few pages because I couldn't wait to find out what happened! I can't wait to read book two: Stone in the Sky!

DUDE. This tagline!

Favorite quote: 

All the parts on my body that hurt began to numb. But not my heart. That was still beating strong.

* Old Geezer (book you've been meaning to read the longest): From the Wreckage. As I said, I've had it downloaded for quite a while, but I didn't realize how long it had been until I was writing up this post. Come to find out, I downloaded it July of last year! D'oh! Had I known how much I was going to love it (I CRIED!!!), I would have read it WAYYY sooner! (BRB, off to download book two: Out of Ruins).*

Download FtW for FREE on Amazon (link)

Favorite quote:

My favorite quote is a huge, major spoiler, so I'm just going to leave you with West saying this... Best damn mint I've ever tasted

Hahaha have fun trying to figure THAT out.

 * Author Love (author you're definitely going to read more of): Melina Marchetta (are you surprised??). Oh man, this lady gets to me every time. Looking for Alibrandi was first written in the 90s. I didn't realize how old it was, not that it matters, because it's completely timeless. Italians, family, religion, nuns, boys, peer pressure, boys, Australia... it's got a great combination of stuff.* Also: I CRIED! (SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A THEME THIS READ-A-THON...) 

I've now found out that there's a movie version of this that I MUST SEE. Problem is, it's only available in Australia. (HALP.)

I'm not quite sure what's up with this cover. I mean, yes,
she does jar tomatoes with her grandma, but...

Favorite quote:

THERE ARE SO MANY. I chose one that made me laugh and showed Josie's personality.

“We're so different. You're an intellectual. I'm an idiot." 

"Don't say that," I yelled. "You're not an idiot, you stupid idiot.”

So there you have it. My reading list. Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think? 

If any of the above books look interesting to ya and/or you want to quickly add them to your Goodreads, check out my original post. 

I can't wait to do another #ExcusetoRead read-a-thon! :)

*Both of these books featured boys with motorcycles. Ha ha!

Waiting on Wednesday {96}: Revenge and the Wild

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. This week's can't-wait-to-read pre-publication book is: Revenge and the Wild.

Revenge and the Wild

by Michelle Modesto

Publication date: February 2, 2016

From Goodreads:

The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto.