Waiting On Wednesday #2: How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love

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

Title: How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love
Author: Ken Baker
Release date: April 22, 2014
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Genre: YA
Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | B&N
Goodreads

"Thick. Heavy. Big boned. Plump. Full figured. Chunky. Womanly. Large. Curvy. Plus-size. Hefty." To sixteen-year-old Emery Jackson, these are all just euphemisms for the big "F" word—"fat." Living on a Southern California beach with her workout fiend dad, underwear model sister, and former model mother, it is impossible for Emery not to be aware of her weight.

Emery is okay with how things are. That is, until her "momager" signs her up for Fifty Pounds to Freedom, a reality show in which Emery will have to lose fifty pounds in fifty days in order to win the million dollars that will solve her family's financial woes. Emery is skeptical of the process, but when the pounds start to come off and the ratings skyrocket, she finds it hard to resist the adoration of her new figure and the world of fame. Emery knows that things have changed. But is it for the better?

Blogthings: The Bookshelf Test

I have to say I absolutely love Blogthings. Their quizzes are so fun and a great way to spend some mindless time on the internet (and quite of the outcomes are so true, scary actually!)

Your Bookshelf is Impressive

LGBT Month

Upcoming month I will take part in the LGBT month (in the left column there is a link to the event). Since I'm all for equal rights and support the LGBT community, it seemed only logical for me to participate.
Since there are many LGBT books on my to read list (a bit over 400) it is very difficult to make a decision on what to read and review, but here is a small selection on what I would like to read.

1.  The Evolution of Ethan Poe by Robin Reardon

In the space of a few months, sixteen-year-old Ethan Poe's life has become a complicated mix of facts, theories, and hypotheses. Things he knows beyond doubt: his parents are divorcing, his older brother Kyle is exhibiting alarming behavior, and his best friend is turning into a spiritual fanatic. Then there are the shifting uncertainties, including his feelings toward his father and his desire to both blend in and stand out in his rural Maine hometown. Most pressing of all, there's his attraction to Max Modine, a boy he wants to know much better than he does.

2. A Really Nice Prom Mess by Brian Sloan 

Cameron doesn't want to go to prom. Not with his boyfriend, Shane, and definitely not with his fake date, Virginia. Sure, it's senior prom, it's the end of high school, and Virginia's drop-dead gorgeous. But none of that matters to Cam, who's never liked any high school dance. Ever.

Then an unexpected kiss changes everything, and Cam needs to make a quick exit. After teaming up with a waiter who's been dealing drugs in the bathroom, Cam leaves the prom. But his night is far from over. From a high-speed car chase, to a stop at the after-prom party, to a bar with a wild dance contest...Cam's night finally ends in the most unlikely of romances.

  
3.  Wrong Direction by Lance V. Ramsey

Jack Cox quits Sixth Form College in East London, and fate tosses him a lifeboat, in the form of a summer job with Essex boy, Josh Wood. yet when also joins Josh's band, and meets its hunky drummer, Leonid Bershkov, things start hotting up for Jack, on stage and off. Will Jack's fortunes float on the rising tide, or is he heading in the wrong direction?

4. The Next Competitor by K.P. Kincaid

It's the all-important Olympic season and eighteen-year-old American figure skater Alex Grady is discovering that there are many obstacles along the way on his quest to win a gold medal. For starters, he has to get through endless hours of practice under the watchful eye of his stern and slightly terrifying Russian coach. Then he has to contend with his all-American rival, Tanner Nielsen. Tanner has the talent, looks, poise and picture-perfect girlfriend that make him the ideal poster boy for United States figure skating. Alex has the talent and his looks aren't bad, but the filter between his brain and his mouth is missing, and he definitely doesn't have a girlfriend. He doesn't have a boyfriend either, although he finds himself thinking far too much about pairs skater Matt Savelli, which is ridiculous, since goody two-shoes Matt is totally not his type. Besides, Alex doesn't have time to worry about dating, not with the Olympics looming, right? Can he find a way to go for the gold and still remain true to himself?

Waiting On Wednesday #1: Fan Art

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

Title: Fan Art
Author: Sarah Tregay
Release date: June 17, 2014
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: YA, LGBT, Romance
Pre-order: Amazon | Book Depository | B&N
Goodreads

When the picture tells the story…

Senior year is almost over, and Jamie Peterson has a big problem. Not college—that’s all set. Not prom—he’ll find a date somehow. No, it’s the worst problem of all: he’s fallen for his best friend.

As much as Jamie tries to keep it under wraps, everyone seems to know where his affections lie, and the giggling girls in art class are determined to help Jamie get together with Mason. But Jamie isn’t sure if that’s what he wants—because as much as Jamie would like to come clean to Mason, what if the truth ruins everything? What if there are no more road trips, taco dinners, or movie nights? Does he dare risk a childhood friendship for romance?

This book is about what happens when a picture reveals what we can’t say, when art is truer than life, and how falling in love is easy, except when it’s not. Fan Art explores the joys and pains of friendship, of pressing boundaries, and how facing our worst fears can sometimes lead us to what we want most.

When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney (review)

Title: When You Were Here
Author: Daisy Whitney
Release date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown
Genre: YA contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Buy on: Amazon | Book Depository | B&N
Goodreads

Filled with humor, raw emotion, a strong voice, and a brilliant dog named Sandy Koufax, When You Were Here explores the two most powerful forces known to man-death and love. Daisy Whitney brings her characters to life with a deft touch and resonating authenticity.

Danny's mother lost her five-year battle with cancer three weeks before his graduation-the one day that she was hanging on to see.

Now Danny is left alone, with only his memories, his dog, and his heart-breaking ex-girlfriend for company. He doesn't know how to figure out what to do with her estate, what to say for his Valedictorian speech, let alone how to live or be happy anymore.

When he gets a letter from his mom's property manager in Tokyo, where she had been going for treatment, it shows a side of his mother he never knew. So, with no other sense of direction, Danny travels to Tokyo to connect with his mother's memory and make sense of her final months, which seemed filled with more joy than Danny ever knew. There, among the cherry blossoms, temples, and crowds, and with the help of an almost-but-definitely-not Harajuku girl, he begins to see how it may not have been ancient magic or mystical treatment that kept his mother going. Perhaps, the secret of how to live lies in how she died.

Books to read the upcoming week

There are two books on my to read list that I want to finish upcoming week. Luckily I don't have any classes so I have the time in the world to finish and review these books.

1. Marionette by T.B. Markinson

Paige Alexander is seventeen and has her whole life in front of her. One day her girlfriend comes home to discover that Paige has slit her wrists. Paige isn't insane, but she acts like she is. Why?

After the incident, Paige agrees to go to therapy to appease her girlfriend, Jess. However, Paige doesn't believe that therapy will help her. She believes she’s beyond help. Paige doesn't want to find herself and she doesn't want to relive her painful past in order to come to terms with it. What Paige wants is control over her life, which she hasn't had since her birth.

During her childhood, Paige is blamed for a family tragedy, when in fact, her twin sister, Abbie was responsible. Abbie doesn't come forward and Paige becomes the pariah of the family.

To add to Paige’s woes, while attending a college in a small town in Colorado, the residents are in the midst of debating whether or not gays and lesbians should have equal rights. Tension is high and there’s a threat of violence. She isn't out of the closet and pretends to be straight at school since she fears what will happen if her parents find out she’s a lesbian. Will she end up dead like her best friend, Alex?

I received this as an ARC ebook via Goodreads and I am quite excited to read this. It seems like it has a good story, though I am afraid there might be too much plot. But I can only figure it out when I read it, right?

2. Being Hartley by Allison Rushby

Fifteen-year-old Thea Wallis was born to entertain. Her mother, Oscar winning actress Cassie Hartley, thinks differently and has kept her daughter out of the spotlight since day one. Coming from showbiz royalty, it hasn't been easy to go unnoticed, but mismatched surnames, a family home in Tasmania and a low-key scriptwriter father has made this possible.

Just like her cousin Rory on the hugely popular TV show Saturday Morning Dance, Thea loves to dance. She learns the show's routines off by heart each week, despite her mother's attempts to convince her that dentistry would be a far more fulfilling career choice.

However, when Rory goes off the rails in LA, Thea's mother is suddenly left with no choice at all – Rory needs them and to LA they must go. Within forty-eight hours, Thea finds herself a long way from Tasmania and living her dream – on the road to Las Vegas with the Saturday Morning Dance team.

It doesn't take long before Thea's talents are discovered and she's offered everything she's ever wanted on a plate, including the dance partner she's had a crush on forever. But, as her mother has always told her, Hollywood dreams come at a price. Thea soon realizes she will have to work out just how much she's willing to pay. And, ultimately, discover her own way to be Hartley.

I also received this as an ARC ebook. One of my guilty pleassures are books with famous characters so I am really looking forward to this one.

Steal My Sunshine by Emily Gale (Review)

Title: Steal My Sunshine
Author: Emily Gale
Release date: May 1, 2013
Publisher: Random House Australia
Genre: YA contemporary, Cultural (Australia)
Buy on: Amazon |
Goodreads

During a Melbourne heatwave, Hannah's family life begins to distort beyond her deepest fears. It's going to take more than a cool change to fix it, but how can a girl who lives in the shadows take on the task alone? Feeling powerless and invisible, Hannah seeks refuge in the two anarchists of her life: her wild best friend, Chloe, and her eccentric grandmother, Essie, who look like they know how life really works. But Hannah's loyalty to both is tested, first by her attraction to Chloe's older brother, and then by Essie's devastating secret that sheds new light on how the family has lost its way. Even if Hannah doesn't know what to believe in, she'd better start believing in herself.

Review Masterlist

Here the links to all my reviews will get posted.

Steal My Sunshine by Emily Gale
When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney 
Marionette by T.B. Markinson
Alice in Tumblr-land by Tim Manley
Being Hartley by Allison Rushby 
The Next Competitor by K.P. Kincaid 
Letting Go by Jeanette Grey
Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Just One Year by Gayle Forman
Reflections of Queen Snow White by David Meredith
The Hollywood Version by Harry K. Malone
The Best Boy Ever Made by Rachel Eliason
The End Of You And Me by Wendi M. Lee
Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern
When We Wake by Karen Healey
Take A Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg
Fan Art by Sarah Tregay
Glitterland by Alexis Hall
If I Told You So by Timothy Woodward

Review Policy

I currently accept YA, NA and LGBT books for review.
Genres I rarely read are historical and science fiction, but I will consider it if the plot appeals to me.
You can always look at my Goodreads profile to see what interests me.

Formats I accept are:
ARC
Finished paperback & harcover
Ebook

I am also open to hosting book tours and giveaways.

I am currently in university so don't have all the time to read, so if you would like me to review a book, please let me know the latest 3 weeks before you want to the review posted and there is a chance that due to scheduling I have to refuse the offer to review. I can however then do a promotional post with links to the book on Goodreads and the authors site.

Remember that my ratings are based on personal enjoyment and thus not objective.

Email me here

Welcome!

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Thank you for visiting my blog.

I'm setting everything up now, trying to figure out this all works and then I hope my blog will be properly up and running in a few days.

I plan to read and review mostly YA, NA and MM books. You won't find a lot of paranormal book reviews on my blog, but I do read them from time to time. I mostly enjoy realistic fiction.

Some of my favorite books are The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher, If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman and Beneath Angel's Wings by E. Summers, so you will find books similar to that on my blog.

I am very active on goodreads, so add me on there if you like!