Stacking the Shelves: BBG (Bargains, Borrowed Books, and Gifts!)

Stacking The Shelves is a feature hosted by Tynga’s Reviews where bloggers share what books (both physical and digital) they received, won, bought, and borrowed.

So here's the deal. I haven't done a STS post in a long time. Here it is though! All of these books were gifts, borrowed and bargain finds.

Bargains:

A Clash of Kings by George R.R Martin

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Past Imperfect by Julian Fellowes

Borrowed:

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Gifts:

Where Rainbows End by Cecilia Ahern

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Complete Nothing by Kieran Scott

Each book has a story to tell, on how it landed on my hands. But I'll keep it very simple. I would like to just thank my aunts, and my grandparents for giving me Christmas money for books. To my awesome older sister for sharing the love of books with me as well as to my two good friends, Neil and Anna, for entrusting your books to me.

So, how are you? Bought any good books today?

Wicked Review: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Published: January 14, 2014

Publisher: Quirk Books

Series: Miss Peregrine #2

Acquired: Borrowed Paperback

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Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children was the surprise best seller of 2011—an unprecedented mix of YA fantasy and vintage photography that enthralled readers and critics alike.

This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine's island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.

Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.

The whole thing is an epic journey of epic proportions! The peculiars are lost. They have nothing and their home is gone and Miss Peregrine is now a bird. World War II is underway. Wights are wreaking havoc in all peculiardom.

Jacob's abilities in sensing hollows seemed to have developed slowly. His body is now a hollowgast compass. I always thoughts Jacob as a mere 12 year old like how I pictured the peculiars. But he isn't. He's a teenager and he's in love with Emma. The romance aspect is like a breath of fresh air amidst the war and dark days ahead. I learned so much about the lore of the peculiars, like how it all started, the different loops and the secrets.

Not only did Jacob grow up emotionally, physically and mentally, do did the others. Now that they are no longer in their comfort zones, they seemed to be adapting in the scary world outside their loop. Emma, Enoch, Bronwyn, Horace, Hugh, Olive, Fiona, and Claire each have their own scary pasts and I am in awe of what they have experienced and their wisdom is something to be reckoned with.

But what book is complete without a major plot twist. Plot twist to battle to all the plot twists in all of peculiardom.

And the cliffhanger ending. I need book 3, Ransom Riggs!

Ransom Riggs is an American writer and filmmaker best known for the book Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Riggs was born in Maryland on a 200 year old farm, and grew up in Florida where he attended the Pine View School for the Gifted. He studied English literature at Kenyon College, and studied film at the University of Southern California. His work on short films for the Internet and blogging for Mental Floss got him a job writing The Sherlock Holmes Handbook which was released as a tie-in to the 2009 Sherlock Holmes film.

Riggs had collected curious vernacular photographs and approached his publisher, Quirk Books, about using some of them in a picture book. On the suggestion of an editor, Riggs used the photographs as a guide from which to put together a narrative. The resulting book was Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children which made The New York Times Best Seller list.

Another book inspired by old photographs, Talking Pictures was published by Harper Collins in October 2012. The sequel Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Children was released January 14, 2014.

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{Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway} Withering Hope by Layla Hagen

Hello and welcome to the last day of the Withering Hope Book Tour brought to you by the awesome people over at Xpresso Book Tours!

Withering Hope by Layla Hagen

Publication Date: January 19, 2015

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

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*This will be a STANDALONE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE.*

Aimee’s wedding is supposed to turn out perfect. Her dress, her fiancé and the location—the idyllic holiday ranch in Brazil—are perfect.

But all Aimee’s plans come crashing down when the private jet that’s taking her from the U.S. to the ranch—where her fiancé awaits her—defects mid-flight and the pilot is forced to perform an emergency landing in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

With no way to reach civilisation, being rescued is Aimee and Tristan’s—the pilot—only hope. A slim one that slowly withers away, desperation taking its place. Because death wanders in the jungle under many forms: starvation, diseases. Beasts.

As Aimee and Tristan fight to find ways to survive, they grow closer. Together they discover that facing old, inner agonies carved by painful pasts takes just as much courage, if not even more, than facing the rainforest.

Despite her devotion to her fiancé, Aimee can’t hide her feelings for Tristan—the man for whom she’s slowly becoming everything. You can hide many things in the rainforest. But not lies. Or love.

Withering Hope is the story of a man who desperately needs forgiveness and the woman who brings him hope. It is a story in which hope births wings and blooms into a love that is as beautiful and intense as it is forbidden.

I received a review copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Giselle of Xpresso Book Tours and to the author for this wonderful opportunity,

What I love about this book is that the characters are mature. Aimee can pretty much stand up on her own. Based on her flashbacks, she's a very independent woman and I think that's what made Tristan fall in love with her. Aimee is engaged to her best friend, Chris. Both of them are very successful professionals too and everyone expects them to be together forever. But seeing Aimee struggle in the Amazon with Tristan changed that.

Tristan, on the other hand, only got a few chapters in but then that's good too because it just adds to his charisma as a really good leading man. He's more determined in keeping Aimee alive than himself really. He's very strong and we see him try his best just to get over the demons of his past.

It's not one of those very sappy romances (although I like those too). This gives you a new look in life and love. You really can't help who you fall in love with in the end. It's just a matter of fate and time.

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My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author.
I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.
I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.
And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough.


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Reasons Why I Haven't Read Anything Yet

Well, hello there. As seen above, I haven't done any reading for the past week,. WEIRD, I KNOW. Aside from dying over my undergraduate thesis, I'm squeezing in some telly. I mean, I'm watching a bunch of shows all at the same time and it's taking up my time. Most of them just came back from their mid-season finales okay.

Arrow (The CW)

Seasons: 3

Episode I'm Watching: Season 3, EP10

The Flash (The CW)

Seasons: 1

Episode I'm Watching: EP10

Downton Abbey (iTV)

Seasons: 5

Currently Watching: Season 2, EP01

I need to catch up on this one!

Jane The Virgin (The CW)

Seasons: 1

Currently Watching: EP01

How To Get Away With Murder (ABC)

Seasons: 1

Currently Watching: EP09

I just realized that I'm practically watching everything that is on The CW. I'm going to fangirl a bit because Gina Rodriguez (Jane The Virgin) won a Golden Globe for Jane The Virgin and Joanna Froggatt (Downton Abbey) won a Golden Globe for Downton Abbey. Viola Davis (How To Get Away With Murder) also won a SAG Award as well as the whole cast of Downton Abbey! I am so happy right now.

Weekend is upon us and I swear to everything that is holy, that I will pick up a book! I'd like to know what you're watching right now.

{Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway} Sing For Me by Gracie Madison

Hello and welcome to the Sing For Me Blog Tour brought to you by Xpresso Book Tours. Below you find my review. Click on the image above so you can also see the list of the different blogs participating in this tour.

Sing For Me by Gracie Madison

Publication Date: January 23, 2015

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal Romance

Amazon

Madeline Noel fled war-torn Heaven to hide within the mortal world, but the blessing that could protect her from evil is the holy realm’s forbidden power.

As a talented soprano for the Eden Theatre Company, Madeline hides among prima donnas and tone-deaf flutists. Her perfect voice may entertain audiences, but a careless laugh may shatter glass, and her greatest scream can kill. To control her unrestrained voice, the angels forbid Madeline from embracing the emotions that strengthen her song. Anger. Fear.

Love.

The demon-hunter Damascus vows to defend Madeline from Hell’s relentless evil, but he cannot protect her from her own feelings. Though they deny their dangerous attraction, her guardian becomes her greatest temptation.

Surrendering to desire may awaken the gift suppressed within Madeline’s soul, and neither Heaven nor Hell will allow such absolute power to exist.

I would like to thank Giselle of Xpresso Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to participate in this blog tour.

This ain't your ordinary paranormal read okay. (Oh look, I used a sort of oxymoron!) You see, this book is smoking hot. Like, literally smoking.

Madeline is hiding in the mortal world from the evil Corinth who is out to wreck the Realm into pieces and ruin everything good in it. She works in the theatre as a very gifted soprano and she's very good at it. What amused me from the start of this book is Danielle, the prima donna of the production. Frankly, she was scarier than Corinth.

She and the theatre producer, Natalie, was attacked by demons sent out by Corinth to kill Madeline but was saved by Damascus. Now, Damascus is a heavenly soldier and is bound to protect Madeline at all costs.

I am so used to seeing Young Adult and Paranormal Romance mesh together. But never New Adult. I was wrong. You see, each character is written intricately and when they interact with another character, it all becomes perfect.

Madeline didn't need constant saving from Damascus. She can do that herself. While she was in Heaven, Choirs like her weren't allowed to feel. This caused a great deal to Madeline when she came down in the mortal world because her feelings were all over the place. After learning how to control herself, she can wield her voice with such power she's unstoppable.

The lore in this book is so intriguing as well. I've only read a handful of books about angels and demons. Each lore is different from the other. This book proves it.

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Gracie Madison would spend every day, all day writing…if it were socially acceptable.  Ever since she was a little girl scribbling with a crayon, Gracie’s dedicated herself to her books and all the supernatural and paranormal, creepy and beautiful stories and characters born within the pages. Now Gracie is committed to finally sharing those books with the world.  When the laptop is pried from her hands, Gracie is probably working her day job, rooting on the Steelers, or out with her husband searching for Pittsburgh’s best sushi.

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