Cover Runway Sundays

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon! Some are by authors I already enjoy, some are the reason I gave the book a longer look. Either way they're all going to find their way here!

Eight self-drive cars set on a collision course. Who lives, who dies? You decide.

When someone hacks into the systems of eight self-drive cars, their passengers are set on a fatal collision course.

The passengers are: a TV star, a pregnant young woman, a disabled war hero, an abused wife fleeing her husband, an illegal immigrant, a husband and wife - and parents of two - who are travelling in separate vehicles and a suicidal man. Now the public have to judge who should survive but are the passengers all that they first seem?

HAPPY READING!!

Hope Rides Again Unboxing

I apologize for everyone for getting this song stuck in their head, but appropriate because this is what was humming to go pick up this package. Probably because I'm sleep deprived due, but that is neither here nor there. What matters is that there is nothing better than book mail when in the middle of long week. Especially when that mail is attached to one of your favorite series.

Last year I somehow managed to be lucky enough to help spread the word of Hope Never Dies. The first book in the Obama/Biden Murder Mystery series. It was fun, but the book was better. My copy floated around with my co-workers and is currently on an island with my flatmate. So when the opportunity fell into my lap to do it again with Hope Rides Again, I said yes.

So despite everything I knew was about to fall in my lap at work, I was excited to find this in mail early this week:

I've had a couple afternoon away to hang a few of the posters, and I've given stickers and bookmarks to my friends I know loved the first book. The rest will find homes over the next couple of days. I spent today power reading through my current read so Hope Rides Again can be the first book I pick up in July. Fitting since it's release is the second Tuesday of month (July 9th)!

Really I can't thank Quirk Books enough for the chance to help spread the word about Hope Rides Again. It's an amazing fun series that is as ridiculous as it is fun. I've been itching to read this Andrew Shaffer's website announced that there would in fact be a second book. One can only hope that this one does well enough to give us a third, or that it's already happening. Because I need all the books about this epic Bromance. All the books!

If your looking for a fun beach, or vacation, read this year, this is one I'd recommend. There's murder, laughs, fights, a red herring or two, bromance, and somewhat happy ending. Plus, the covers are amazing! I honestly didn't think it could get better than the first one, but sometimes it's good to be wrong.

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about what we have yet to read. Generally they are books that have yet to be released, but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

After years of warfare, humanity has gained the upper hand and has pushed the Fhrey to the edge of their homeland, but no farther. Now comes the pivotal moment. Persephone’s plan to use the stalemate to seek peace is destroyed by an unexpected betrayal that threatens to hand victory to the Fhrey and leaves a dear friend in peril. Her only hope lies in the legend of a witch, a forgotten song, and a simple garden door.

Why I'm Waiting: Because despite being behind in this series, I really do enjoy it and the world's Michael J Sullivan creates.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

Genre: Young Adult & SciFi

Series: Lifelike #1

Pages: 448

Lemon Fresh has seen better days.

After the climactic battle in Babel, she finds herself separated from Ezekiel and Cricket in the wastelands. Lemon’s abilities to manipulate electricity mark her as a deviate, and deadly corporate operatives are hunting her to use as a weapon in the war between BioMaas Incorporated and Daedelus Technologies. Instead, Lemon finds herself falling in with a group of fellow deviates—a band of teenagers with astonishing abilities, led by an enigmatic figure known as the Major, who may hold the secrets to Lemon’s past.

Meanwhile, Cricket finds himself in possession of the puritanical Brotherhood, a religious cult set for a head-on collision with the Major and his band. Searching for Lemon, Ezekiel finds a strange ally in an old enemy, and uncovers a plot that may see him reunited with his beloved Ana.

And inside Babel, a remade Eve hatches a plan to bring an end to the world. 

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sundays

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon! Some are by authors I already enjoy, some are the reason I gave the book a longer look. Either way they're all going to find their way here!

Lady Victoria Aston has always been just as comfortable in a pair of breeches stolen from her father as she has in satin ballgowns decked in lace. And though she is perfectly capable of minding her manners in polite society, she doesn’t much see the point. With an older sister happily wed and the future of her family estate secure, she is quite content to while her time away in the fields around her home.

However, Vicky’s comfortable, idyllic life is overturned in the course of one night. Her sister’s husband is a terrible cad and now Vicky must marry, or find herself and her family destitute. Armed only with the wisdom she has gained from her beloved novels by Jane Austen, she enters society’s season in a flutter of silks, dances, and pretty words.

But Miss Austen has little to say about Vicky’s particular circumstances: whether the gorgeous and roguish Mr. Carmichael is indeed a scoundrel, if her former best friend—the much-grown and very handsome Tom Sherborne—is out for her dowry or for her heart, or even how to fend off the attentions of the foppish Mr. Silby, he of the bright-orange waistcoat.

Most unfortunately of all, Vicky’s books are silent on the topic of the mysterious accidents cropping up around her. Accidents that have her wondering if there’s someone trying to prevent a match from being made…or prevent her from surviving until her wedding day.

HAPPY READING!!

Mini Reviews

AIDAN is back! Well, sorta. This is the story of how AIDEN became a monster. Oh, was this worth the wait! Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff are one of my favorite duos, and I love the world the created in Illuminae. In 82 short pages they hit me right in the feels, and reminded me why I adore AIDAN so much. Memento is look at AIDAN before, and during the start of, the attack on Kerneza IV. I don't want to give too much away since this is just a novella that leads into the series itself, but it was a great look at a fully function AIDAN. Of course I would have loved a full sized book because Liv (our main human) was amazing and I'd love to know about her. It was also nice to see some of my favorites from the series come back to. Looking at you McCall and Ezra! 5 Stars!


HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about what we have yet to read. Generally they are books that have yet to be released, but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

Nigerian God-Punk - a powerful and atmospheric urban fantasy set in Lagos.

Since the Orisha War that rained thousands of deities down on the streets of Lagos, David Mogo, demigod, scours Eko’s dank underbelly for a living wage as a freelance Godhunter. Despite pulling his biggest feat yet by capturing a high god for a renowned Eko wizard, David knows his job’s bad luck. He’s proved right when the wizard conjures a legion of Taboos—feral godling-child hybrids—to seize Lagos for himself. To fix his mistake and keep Lagos standing, David teams up with his foster wizard, the high god’s twin sister and a speech-impaired Muslim teenage girl to defeat the wizard.

Why I'm Waiting: I don't know a whole lot about the folklore for this region of the world, so I've been on the look out for books to niche. And, David Mogo, Godhunter, has that sort of Neil Gaimen vibe. So I'm all in for this on.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

Genre: Re-Telling

Series: Stand Alone

Pages: 304

It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.

There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined. 

Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....

HAPPY READING!!

Mini Reviews

This little gem has been on my TBR for quite a while, and I was lucky enough to snag a copy while I was in San Francisco earlier this year. It was a fun little bedside table book that I picked up between reads. While not every recipes are something I was interested in. It was a lot of fun to see how each recipe tied into the author's writing and personal life. There were a handful that I marked that I'd love to try out this year.  4 Stars! 

I first saw this book over Christmas in the window of my local bookstore, and the cover and title caught my eye immediately. My favorite part is the eight-bit artwork that takes me back to Elementary School. I remember doing the extra credit was a chance to play Oregon Trail, or doing well enough in computer class to get a cheat day and play. While it's a quick read, it's a really fun read. I enjoyed the sass and "life lessons" told with the Oregon Trail motif. 4 Stars!

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sundays

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon! Some are by authors I already enjoy, some are the reason I gave the book a longer look. Either way they're all going to find their way here!

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next. 

HAPPY READING!!

Reverse Readathon

The last couple of Dewey's 24 Hours Readathons I haven't been able to join in due to work or other going ons. Finally though, I'll be able to jump into their Reverse Readathon this August. If you click on the image above it'll take you to the official Reverse Readathon pages that has all the information and the sign-up page! It's super low stress and a wonderful reason to shut the TV off for 24-hours, or go out to the park, beach, or what have you and bust through the last of your summer reading list.

As of right now I have no idea what I'll be picking up for this one. Normally with Dewey's I tried read smaller stuff on my TBR. Books I know I can bust through in a short amount of time, or one really big book that will hold my attention. What I do know is I've already yanked one friend into this with me. We've decided to nest in my living with only the best snacks and the perfect playlist. Either way there will be a lap for each cat and the perfect day away from work.

You can keep up with Sarah and myself's shenanigans for this readathon at my twitter: @_sullybear_! We will be drunk on cat cuddles, and probably cheese.

Anyone else thinking of joining up? What's a good readathon snack we should think about doing?

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about what we have yet to read. Generally they are books that have yet to be released, but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

A future chieftain

Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime.

A fugitive prince

When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses—and perhaps his throat. But he offers a wager that she can’t refuse: protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns.

A too-cunning bodyguard

Hawk warrior Tavin has always put Jas’s life before his, magically assuming the prince’s appearance and shadowing his every step. But what happens when Tavin begins to want something to call his own?

Why I'm Waiting: Because it sounds amazing! In fact ,The Merciful Crow is one of the books I've been looking forward to this year!

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

Genre: Nonfiction

Series: Stand Alone

Pages: 400

Norco ’80 tells the story of how five heavily-armed young men—led by an apocalyptic born-again Christian—attempted a bank robbery that turned into one of the most violent criminal events in U.S. history, forever changing the face of American law enforcement. Part action thriller and part courtroom drama, Norco ’80 transports the reader back to the Southern California of the 1970s, an era of predatory evangelical gurus, doomsday predictions, megachurches, and soaring crime rates, with the threat of nuclear obliteration looming over it all.

A group of landscapers transforms into a murderous gang of bank robbers armed to the teeth with military-grade weapons. Their desperate getaway turned the surrounding towns into war zones. When it was over, three were dead and close to twenty wounded; a police helicopter was forced down from the sky, and thirty-two police vehicles were destroyed by thousands of rounds of ammo. The resulting trials shook the community to the core, raising many issues that continue to plague society today: from racism and the epidemic of post-traumatic stress disorder within law enforcement to religious extremism and the militarization of local police forces.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sunday

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon! Some are by authors I already enjoy, some are the reason I gave the book a longer look. Either way they're all going to find their way here!

On the run from the FBI.
Targeted by a murderous cult.
Labeled a cyber-terrorist by the media.
Irritated texts from his best friend.
Eye contact with a nice-looking guy on the train.
Aidan has a lot to deal with, and he's not quite sure which takes top priority.

Finding himself alone in a posh New York City hotel room for the night, Aidan does what any red-blooded seventeen-year-old would do---he tries to hook up with someone new. But that lapse in judgement leads to him waking up next to a dead guy, which sparks an epic case of mistaken identity that puts Aidan on the run from everyone---faceless federal agents, his eccentric family, and, naturally, a cyber-terrorist group who will stop at nothing to find him.

He soon realizes the only way to stop the chase is to deliver the object everyone wants, before he gets caught or killed. But for Aidan, the hardest part is knowing who he can trust not to betray him---including himself. 

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about what we have yet to read. Generally they are books that have yet to be released, but don't have to be. It is based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous at Breaking the Spine.

Following a successful but exhausting book tour, Joe Biden is looking forward to returning home. However, before he does, he's got one last stop to make: Chicago, where the Obama Foundation is holding its first annual global economics forum. Barack Obama has invited Joe to meet a wealthy left-leaning philanthropist, whose deep pockets Joe will need if he decides to run for president. Joe isn't even sure if wants to run...but he's not going to pass up a rare chance to reconnect with his one-time governing mate.

Joe and Obama barely have time to catch up before another mystery lands in their laps: Obama's prized Blackberry is stolen. When the suspect turns up comatose from a gunshot wound, local police are content with writing it off as just another gangland shooting. But Joe and Obama smell a rat.

In a race to find the shooter, Joe and Obama butt heads with their former compadre, Mayor Rahm Emanuel; follow a trail of clues through Chicago's South Side; go undercover inside a Prohibition-era speakeasy; and scale the Tribune Tower in a Die Hard-worthy final set-piece.

Robert Frost said "the woods are dreary, dark, and deep." So are the waters of Lake Michigan...and if Joe and Obama aren't careful, that's where they could wind up spending their retirement.

Why I'm waiting: Because this series is amazing! Best bromance ever, and I need to know what kind of shenanigans they'll get up to this time!