As some of you know, I've been using Blogging for Books for a couple months now. I absolutely love reading, so it's nice to get a free book every once in a while :)

Over the course of the last few months, I've had an interesting experience to say the least. I mostly joined because I wanted to get a copy of one of Mindy Kaling's books, but there weren't any available by the time that I signed up.

Nevertheless, I looked around the available books and picked a couple out! Since then, I've reviewed The Little Paris Bookshop, Approval Junkie, and June. The first one I loved, but I can't truly say the same about the others. That was until, I got my hands on a copy of The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon!

After having another great experience with Blogging for Books, I decided to take a look at what they had to offer and that's how I ended up with Open When: Letters to Lift Your Spirits by Karen Salmansohn! I had always been intrigued by the "open when" letters on Pinterest, so I thought I might like this one too!

Synopsis:

These are all of the books that I have purchased in March! I have received a few more from authors and publishers, but I want to keep those a secret until I post my reviews!

As I mentioned in my book review of Burned by Ellen Hopkins, I have recently started writing a free verse novel. So, I've been picking up novels that are written in a similar style from my middle school days, in hopes that they will help me get my format in order.

After a few months, I took a break from said novel and I started my reading research again. Shortly after, I decided to start a second free verse novel, this time with a male lead. Of course, being a female, I needed help finding my male voice. That's where Jay's Journal comes in!

Synopsis:

Jay was a sweet, bright high school student who cared about his grades and his friends. He had ambitions. He was happy. And he thought he could handle anything.

A couple years ago, when I was a Resident Assistant at my University, one of my residents and I got on the topic of books. Excitedly, she suggested that I read The Girl on the Train. I scribbled it down in my notebook and continued on with our conversation, eventually forgetting about the book all together.

Then earlier this year, I was browsing through Amazon and I happened upon the title again. I reread the synopsis and added the book to my cart. It was already quite full, but I figured, what's one more book?! Eventually, that's how my book hauls got started!

Synopsis:

EVERY DAY THE SAME

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

UNTIL TODAY

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel goes to the police. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Soon she is deeply entangled not only in the investigation but in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

As some of you know, I've been using Blogging for Books for a couple months now. I absolutely love reading, so it's nice to get a free book every once in a while :)

Over the course of the last few months, I've had an interesting experience to say the least. I mostly joined because I wanted to get a copy of one of Mindy Kaling's books, but there weren't any available by the time that I signed up.

Nevertheless, I looked around the available books and picked a couple out! Since then, I've reviewed The Little Paris Bookshop, Approval Junkie, and June. The first one I loved, but I can't truly say the same about the others.

Of course, I still wanted to continue on with the partnership and by the time that I was allowed to pick another book, I was quite happy with my options! I had seen The Sun Is Also a Star on some of my favorite bookstagram accounts and I just knew that I had to get it! So, I immediately signed into my account and requested a copy! The rest is history :)

Synopsis:

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

These are all of the books that I have purchased in January! I have received a few more from authors, but I want to keep those a secret until I post my reviews!

When I was offered the chance to apply for a spot on Tim Tebow's book launch team, I stopped everything I was doing and applied right then and there! I know I've had authors send me books before, but this was something different! I actually had the opportunity to review a book by a celebrity and not only that, but I'd also be a part of my first book launch team!

To me, I didn't even care if I ended up meeting Tim or talk to him at all during the process. For me, this was all about the learning experience. So while I was beyond excited to get an advanced copy of this book, I was over the moon knowing that being a part of this team could possibly help me in the future when I release my own novels.

Nevertheless, I couldn't wait to get approved and get the book in my hands! Tim Tebow is an amazing human being and I can't help but admire the way he shares his love for God with the rest of the world!

Synopsis:

Who are you when life is steady? 

Who are you when storms come?

Most of us have been on the receiving end of rejection, a broken dream, or heartbreak. And while this is not an easy space to go through, when we are grounded in the truth, we can endure the tough times.

In this powerful book, Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow passionately shares glimpses of his journey staying grounded in the face of disappointment, criticism, and intense media scrutiny. Following an exceptional college football career with the Florida Gators and a promising playoff run with the Denver Broncos, Tebow was traded to the New York Jets. He was released after one season. 

In Shaken, Tebow talks about what he’s learned along the way, building confidence in his identity in God, not the world. This moving book also features practical wisdom from Scripture and insights gained from others who have impacted Tebow in life-changing ways. 

Though traveling hard roads is not easy, it’s always worth it!

And that's exactly what I did! I quickly realized that the book selection wasn't my usual picks, but I wanted to give it a shot anyways. The first book I received was The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George. Honestly, I loved it and you can read all about it in my review of the book here. After getting so lucky with this one, I decided to try it again.

Next up, I requested a copy of Approval Junkie by Sallie Faith. However, I didn't love it as much as I loved The Little Paris Bookshop and you can read why here. Of course, still interested in their services, I decided to go back for a third book: June by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore.

Thanks to this blog, and a bunch of wonderful blogging networks, I've had the opportunity to collaborate with some truly awesome authors and Jennifer Acres is no different!

I can't exactly remember how we met, but I'm sure social media was involved; and honestly, I'm so glad that we did! She is a total sweetheart :)

When I heard what her book was about, I just knew that I had to read it! I felt far too connected with the story and her characters not to reach out to Jennifer, and I'm honored to have received an advanced copy of On the Way to Simple!

Synopsis:

Dakota Ames had everything under control, or so she thought.

These are all of the books that I have purchased in October! I have received a few more from authors, but I want to keep those a secret until I post my reviews!

A couple weeks ago, I collaborated with Cassandra Larsen to review her book Deceitful Circle. She was even generous enough to give away 10 copies and I've got to say, that was a pretty great giveaway! 

Cassandra was then kind enough to send me a paperback copy of her most recent novella, Gray's Dilemma! And since I was still reeling from her last book, I knew I needed to read it right away!

Now, for those of you that are interested in reading the series, please don't read this book before reading Silent Circle and Deceitful Circle!

Synopsis:

Pack life can be harsh. The price for disobedience is swift and severe. Gray knows this. As the Alpha’s son, he’s even had to mete out a few punishments himself. But when a close friend of his lands on the wrong side of pack law, Gray must choose between loyalty to his friend and loyalty to his pack. And this time, a wrong decision could cost a lot more than a beating… Gray’s Dilemma is a novella from The Witches Circle series, told from Gray’s perspective. It covers events in the Silver Ridge Pack that take place at the same time as the first book in the series, Silent Circle.

I feel a little silly publishing a book review on a book I first read in middle school, but I'm going to do it anyways!

A couple weeks ago, I starting working on a second novel. It was completely unplanned and unlike anything I've ever written before. I'm not sure why, but this one was coming to life in the form of poetry. So, I decided that I was going to turn it into a free verse narrative.

Unfortunately, I have had ZERO experience writing a poetry novel before, so I knew I needed to do some research. And who best to turn to other than the wonderful Ellen Hopkins! But the question was, which Ellen Hopkins book?

Part of me wanted to go with a new book, so at least I was reading something new, but the other part of me wanted one of her old books. I needed to have one of the one's that made me fall in love with her writing in the first place. So, I decided to order Burned.

Synopsis:

Pattyn Von Stratten is searching for the love she isn’t getting from God or her family in this novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins.

It all started with a dream. Just a typical fantasy, but for a girl raised in a religious—and abusive—family, a simple dream could be the first step toward eternal damnation. Now Pattyn Von Stratten has questions. Questions about God, and sex, and mostly love. Will she ever find it? Pattyn experiences the first stirrings of passion, but when her father catches her in a compromising position, events spiral out of control.

Pattyn is sent to live with an aunt in the wilds of rural Nevada to find salvation and redemption. What she finds instead is love and acceptance, and for the first time she feels worthy of both—until she realizes that her old demons will not let her go. Those demons lead Pattyn down a path to hell—not to the place she learned about in sacrament meetings, but to an existence every bit as horrifying.

In this gripping and masterful novel told in verse, Ellen Hopkins embarks on an emotional journey that ebbs and flows. From the highs of true love to the lows of loss and despair, Pattyn’s story is utterly compelling. You won’t want this story to end—but when it does, you can find out what’s next for Pattyn in the sequel, Smoke.

If you read my review for Silent Circle, then you already know that I love Cassandra Larsen's Witches Circle series. So when she offered to send me the second book, I immediately said yes!

Unlike most series, I didn't actually have to wait for the second book to come out. This one was already finished and published, so all I had to do was get my hands on a copy!

Of course, I'm definitely going to have to wait for the third book. And guess what?! Cassandra told me there will be a fourth too! Isn't that exciting?

Synopsis:

Having recently decided to join Night’s Hollow, Emerson is disheartened to discover just how much training she still needs in order to catch up to the other witches. But when an impromptu road trip exposes her new coven to a pack of werewolves, Emerson’s unusual abilities may be the only thing that can save them.

As the coven prepares for battle, a mysterious new student shows up in town and sets his sights on Emerson. With danger surrounding her on all sides, Emerson continues to hunt for the truth about her mother’s death.

But some truths are better left buried…

Deceitful Circle is the second book in the young adult urban fantasy series, The Witches Circle. Don’t miss the first book in the series, Silent Circle.

I have to admit, today's blog post title is a tad bit misleading. I definitely don't plan to read all of these books at once, especially since some haven't even come out yet. However, I've been asked a few times for book recommendations, so I thought I'd create a list of books you can read with me :)

1. Burned by Ellen Hopkins

I haven't picked up an Ellen Hopkins book since middle school, but I've got a new project that I'm working on. I've been inspired to try my hand at free verse poetry and I thought I'd go back in time to one of my favorite free verse poetry narratives!

2. June by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore

As I've mentioned before, I've gotten a couple of books in exchange for a written review from Blogging for Books and this one is no different. Since I haven't heard of many of the authors on this website, I have decided to use this opportunity to read books that I wouldn't normally read myself. This is what really got me, "June and Jack’s lives were forever altered by murder, blackmail, and betrayal."

Earlier this year, I stumbled across a blog post mentioning the Blogging for Books website. Since I was already reviewing my own books, I figured why not try and get a couple free books too!

And that's exactly what I did! I quickly realized that the book selection wasn't my usual picks, but I wanted to give it a shot anyways. The first book I received was The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George. Honestly, I loved it and you can read all about it in my review of the book here. After getting so lucky with this one, I decided to try it again.

My to-be read list was getting pretty long, but I wanted to read something that I wouldn't normally pick out for myself. That's when I happened upon Faith Salie's book, Approval Junkie. It sounded like something I'd be interested in, even though it was considered a memoir. I'm more of a YA fiction girl, but Amy Poehler has swayed me. 

Honestly, I had never heard of Faith before, but she sounded very relatable in her synopsis. I, myself, have been an approval junkie for quite some time, so I thought it would be interesting reading about someone else's journey for approval. After making my decision, I quickly requested a copy and patiently awaited my shipping confirmation!

Synopsis:

On my journey to writing my first novel, I signed up to participate in the April session of Camp NaNoWriMo. That's where I met Cassandra Larsen, author of the Witches Circle series.

We got to talking in the group message and eventually switched over to email. She was working on the third installment of her current series and we discussed swapping chapters. Of course, I knew I needed to read the first two books in the series in order to get all caught up. Luckily, Cassandra was kind enough to offer a copy of each and sent them my way.

I've always been really interested in this specific genre--young adult + paranormal--even before the whole Twilight phenomenon. So I was more than interested in started Silent Circle. It had all of the elements that usually catch my attention, so it immediately went onto my "to be read" list. Unfortunately, that list was a little long and it took a while before I could get to it. However, that just motivated me to finish the other books as soon as I could!

Synopsis:

“Most teens get a car for their seventeenth birthday. Me? I get inducted into a freaky coven of witches.”

When Emerson wakes up on her seventeenth birthday, she has no idea that her life will change forever. After her mother’s inexplicable suicide three years ago, she’s gotten used to the scorn and sideways looks of her classmates. She knows that everyone believes her mother was crazy, and that it’s only a matter of time before Emerson cracks herself. So when Emerson starts seeing auras and hearing voices, she begins to think that the rest of the town may be right.

That is, until Caiden, an enigmatic boy from her class, tells her that she’s a witch, just like her mother. With the truth revealed, a whole new world opens up to Emerson, a world she soon discovers holds its own dangers.

Caiden agrees to help Emerson navigate this secret world, training her to control her newfound abilities. But Caiden isn’t the only witch in town. When a rival coven shows up to recruit Emerson, she has to decide whether to join Caiden’s coven, or risk facing these dangerous witches alone.

Silent Circle is the first novel in the young adult urban fantasy series, The Witches Circle.

A few months ago, Kira Lynne followed me on twitter. I checked out her account and was immediately impressed. She is a fellow spoonie and a published author, which is exactly what I want to be!

I, of course, gave her a follow and quickly sent her a message. We talked a little bit about her book and she graciously offered to send me a copy! Not only that, but she also offered to co-host a giveaway with me!

As a new member of the spoonie community, I haven't read many books on chronic pain. However, I knew that was about to change. Aches, Pains, and Love: A Guide to Dating and Relationships for Those with Chronic Pain and Illness caught my attention.

Some of you might be asking yourselves, "isn't Ivy married?" You're right, I am. But that doesn't mean that I can't read a book about the topic. I can still relate to what it was like dating with a chronic illness, and I might even learn a few tips on how to better manage my marriage and friendships.

The thing that intrigued me the most was a quote from Denise Stroude's review that reads, "Brilliant and long overdue. A must-read for anyone living with pain or chronic illness and for those who love them." Those words gave me hope that it wouldn't just be a beneficial read for me, but it might also be a good read to help those around me understand me a little bit better.

Synopsis:

Are you living with chronic pain or illness, or both? Have you given up on having an intimate, romantic relationship? Twenty years ago, a doctor told Kira Lynne that she would never be able to have an intimate relationship due to her chronic health conditions. Having proven that doctor wrong, Kira set out to write a book for people living with chronic pain and illness who believe the door has closed on their prospects for love and relationships. Living with chronic pain and illness can feel overwhelming, never mind adding intimacy into the mix. Yet, even though hundreds of thousands of people in North America alone suffer from such conditions, very little has been published on dating and relationships for people with chronic pain and illness. Aches, Pains, and Love addresses that need with wisdom, compassion, and humour. This is a book about hope, especially for those who feel that a loving relationship is beyond their reach due to their health conditions. You can have a loving, fulfilling partnership when you live with chronic pain and illness. It is possible to live joyfully in spite of illness and pain, to make new friends, deepen connections, and find lasting love and companionship in an intimate relationship. Both entertaining and practical, Aches, Pains, and Love provides a step-by-step guide to getting the love you want, regardless of your physical condition. From creating a strong personal foundation to finding prospective partners, to dating, to sex and beyond, Kira offers a host of real-life stories, frank practical observations, and specific tools that will help you decide what you really desire in a loving relationship and guide you toward achieving that happiness.