Year: 2015

Dec 30
Thicker Than Water by Brigid Kemmerer – Review

Thicker Than Water by Brigid Kemmerer – Review

Reviews 14 ★★★★

This book could almost be a YA contemporary romance and mystery, but there are hints of paranormal that become much more than hints toward the end of the book. If you enjoy both contemporary and paranormal, this book is for you! I’m not going to spend time recapping the book because I don’t want to say much more than the synopsis says, so I’ll just jump straight into my review. What I enjoyed: The mystery. I was definitely drawn into the mystery of who killed Thomas’s mother. There were several possibilities, but when the truth came out I was completely shocked and eager to learn more! Charlotte and Thomas. Thomas reminded me of Kemmerer’s Merrick brothers (who I LOVED), so that was a definite plus for me. He was a bit of an outsider with a touch of bad boy to him, but he wasn’t a jerk by any means – especially when… Read more »

Keep Reading
Dec 27
Sunday Post & Giveaways Galore – 12/27/15

Sunday Post & Giveaways Galore – 12/27/15

Sunday Post 28

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on my blog and share news about what’s coming up in the week ahead. Last week on FYFA (and in my life): Hope you all had a very merry Christmas (or happy holidays if you don’t celebrate Christmas). We had a really nice time with our extended family, who we don’t get to see all that often lately, it seems. Now that we’re all gifted out (I’m pretty sure a wrapping paper bomb went off in our house), it’s time to get back to life as usual. I’m working on a new proofread for Booktrope and need to get myself ready for our homeschool co-op classes to start back up on January 4th. Things will be slow here on the blog until then… Read more »

Keep Reading
Dec 27
December and Year-End Wrap-Up Round-Up

December and Year-End Wrap-Up Round-Up

Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up 5

The Wrap-Up Round-Up has been a great success!! Last month’s giveaway was hosted by Silvara @ Fantasy of the Silver Dragon (check out the link to see the winner of necklaces by Cait at Paper Fury!). Thanks so much for hosting, Silvara!! So, this is the link-up for our December and Year-End wrap-up posts. If you don’t already know about the Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up, read the information below: Every month, at the end of the month, I’ll put up a monthly wrap-up link-up post where everyone can link up their month end posts. There are no specific requirements for what needs to be in your post, as long as you have a book blog and your  wrap-up summarizes your month in some way.   Then, one week later, I’ll create a giveaway that encourages people to visit YOUR month end link-ups, giving entries for commenting and/or sharing.   Anyone can participate in the giveaway… Read more »

Keep Reading
Dec 24
Book Blogger Birthdays and Blogoversaries Calendar is LIVE!

Book Blogger Birthdays and Blogoversaries Calendar is LIVE!

Birthday/Blogoversary 13

It’s here!! My calendar of Book Blogger Birthdays and Blogoversaries is live and I’ve entered all of the special days that I’ve received so far. I hope that you’ll all go check it out and spread birthday/blogoversary cheer by sending bloggers your well-wishes on their special days! This calendar will always be accessible via my menu up at the top of my blog (and I’ll probably create a link to it on my sidebar as well, but that’s not there yet). Want to be added to my calendar? Happy to have you! Just fill out the form HERE.

Keep Reading
Dec 22
Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year

Top Ten Tuesday 59

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday is: Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree This Year Really, I need to read all of the books I already own, but of course that doesn’t stop me from wanting more. A lot of these are books that were big this year that I missed. (Links go to Goodreads) 1. Unbound by Neal Shusterman A book of short stories that take place in the world of Unwind. Yep, sign me up! 2. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo Pssst … here’s a secret. I happen to know that Santa (AKA my mom) IS giving me this book for Christmas. Guess it’s not much of a secret since I was there when we bought it. In fact, I paid for it since I have a Target card and get 5% back and I owe her money anyway. LOL! 3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas I NEED to join… Read more »

Keep Reading
Dec 21
Bite Sized Reviews – Snow Like Ashes and Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Bite Sized Reviews – Snow Like Ashes and Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

Reviews 10 ★★★★

I wanted to write quick reviews of these two because I just haven’t gotten to them, but they deserve some attention! Hopefully these bite sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch Series: Snow Like Ashes #1 Published by Balzer & Bray on 10/14/14 Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy Pages: 416 Source: RT My content rating: YA (Nothing more than kissing, Some violence) My rating: A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making. Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since. Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the… Read more »

Keep Reading
Dec 20
Sunday Post & Giveaways Galore -12/20/15

Sunday Post & Giveaways Galore -12/20/15

Sunday Post 10

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on my blog and share news about what’s coming up in the week ahead. Last week on FYFA (and in my life): Hey, guys! So, I took it easy this week on the blog and managed to get some personal stuff done – like Christmas shopping and present wrapping. Believe it or not, my kids WANT presents for Christmas. I decided I should probably actually get them a few.  🙂 Anyway, here’s what you may have missed last week: Top Ten Books I Read in 2015 Giving Goodreads Recommendations – Let’s Discuss! The Undays of Aralias Lyons by K.L. Horvath – Horvath’s Top Ten Addictions & Giveaway – Still time to enter to win a signed paperback! Next week on FYFA: Snow Like Ashes and Ice… Read more »

Keep Reading
Dec 19
The Undays of Aralias Lyons by K.L. Horvath – Horvath’s Top Ten Addictions & Giveaway

The Undays of Aralias Lyons by K.L. Horvath – Horvath’s Top Ten Addictions & Giveaway

Author Top Ten Lists, Giveaways (Ended) 4

If you follow my blog regularly you know that, in addition to blogging, I’m also an editor and proofreader. I don’t review the books that I work on (that would be a conflict of interest!), but I do love to spread the word about them when I can. This Booktrope project was just released on the 9th, and I wanted to give you all a chance to win a copy. Plus, I get to share another fun Top Ten Addictions list with you! The book is a mix of time traveling steampunk with a British flair – I found it quite fun. If you were a fan of Jackaby, it has that sort of feeling (though not quite as intensely quirky!). Hope you’ll check it out! K.L. Horvath’s Top Ten Addictions 1.      Starbucks cake pops 2.      Watching the show Tiny House 3.      Dark Chocolate 4.      Going to Barnes and Noble and… Read more »

Keep Reading
Dec 17
Giving Goodreads Recommendations

Giving Goodreads Recommendations

Blogging Tips, Let's Discuss 37

Just the other day, I got a book recommendation via Goodreads from Joycedale, one of my longtime blog readers (she doesn’t have a blog or I’d link you up!). The book looked great, so I immediately added it to my TBR and requested it from the library. (Which reminds me, I have to go pick it up!) It made me realize that the recommendation feature on Goodreads can be such a great tool when it’s used well – but it’s usually not. 99.9% of the time, I ignore my Goodreads recs from other users. Why? They’re completely random and don’t seem to be aimed at me at all. I’m pretty sure people just use it as a marketing tool, which is kind of annoying, since I don’t think that’s the spirit of the feature. SO, I’m proposing that we all start using the recommendations feature, but we use it the way… Read more »

Keep Reading