The Courtship Book Tag

So when all else fails for a post, it’s book tag time! I saw this over on Thoughts and Afterthoughts and decided to give it a go.  The Courtship Tag plays on the phases of relationships.

Phase 1 – Initial Attraction: A book that you bought because of the cover

Alienated by Melissa Landers. I do admit to reading a lot of books because of their covers, but this is one I actually bought because of it. I was so intrigued by the cover of this book and I decided to buy it before I even really know what it was about. It was a good enough read, but wasn’t as good as I wanted it to  be. I still haven’t read the second book yet. I’m actually REALLY stingy when it comes to buying books these days and this book helped me learn my lesson.

Phase 2 – First Impressions: A book that you read because of the summary

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West. I’m a sucker for the fake relationship trope and I will read almost any book with it that I come across.

Phase 3 – Sweet Talk: A book with great writing

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. This book is just beautiful.

Phase 4 – First Date: A first book of a series which made you want to pursue the rest of the series

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I read this book in one day and went out the next day to buy the second book.

Phase 5 – Late night phone calls: A book that kept you up all night long

Nothing really keeps me up all night long these days – not intentionally anyways – but I was up quite late reading Dangerous Girls.

Phase 6 – Always on my mind: A book that you could not stop thinking about

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. This book was horribly depressing and it really stuck with me for awhile.

Phase 7 – Getting Physical: A book in which you love the way it feels

I know this probably doesn’t make me a proper book nerd, but I don’t get weird about feeling or smelling books. I love a good hard copy, but I can read a book on my Nook and not feel like I’m missing out on anything.

Phase 8 – Meeting the Parents: A book in which you would recommend to your friends and family

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. It’s not a list of books without Rainbow Rowell being mentioned! This is one of my all time favorites and within the last year I finally convinced both my sister and my mom to read it.

Phase 9 – Thinking about the future: A book or series that you know you’ll re-read many times in the future

The Blue Heron series by Kristan Higgins. I recently just finished my second full series re-read and I often re-read individual books in the series as well.

Phase 10 – Share the love!!! Who would you like to tag?

I find that I don’t often do tags I’m actually tagged in, but ones I see randomly. So if you want to do the tag, consider yourself tagged! Feel free to leave a link so I can see your answers!

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Debut Novels For 2015

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is: Top Ten Most Anticipated Debut Novels For 2015. I feel like this was just done recently? I also don’t have a lot of “debuts” on my TBR list. So instead I’m going with a list of the First Ten Most Anticipated Books of 2015. These are books on my TBR in the order they are published in 2015.

1. The Magician’s Lie by Greer Macallister. 1/13/15. The comparison to The Night Circus is the biggest reason I want to read this.

2. First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen. 1/20/15. I won a copy of this from Good Reads – my first ever giveaway win from them! I read Garden Spells to prepare for it and loved it and am now anxiously awaiting for my copy to arrive!

3. Fairest by Marissa Meyer. 1/27/15. Do I really need to explain why I want this?

4. Unbecoming by Rebecca Scherm. 1/27/15. I think I entered a giveaway somewhere for this one? It’s a psychological thriller “for fans of Gillian Flynn”, so I have high hopes for it.

5. The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon. 1/27/15. I’ve actually already read this one and it was very good! Read it!

6. Invaded by Melissa Landers. 2/3/15. I wasn’t as impressed with Alienated as I wanted to be, but I still want to give it’s sequel a shot.

7. Sabotaged by Dani Pettrey. 2/3/15. I’m actually reading an arc of this right now and am enjoying it! Love the McKenna family!

8. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. 2/10/15. The early reviews I’ve read of this have been great so far and I’m so excited to read it!

9. The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead. 2/10/15. The conclusion to the Bloodlines series! I need to know what happens with Sydney and Adrian!

10. The Return by Jennifer Armentrout. 2/17/15. Seth’s spin-off!!!!

What 2015 books are you looking forward to?

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Sequels I Can’t Wait To Get

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is: Top Ten Sequels I Can’t Wait To Get. I thought this would be the easiest top ten list ever for me to do, but going through my TBR list, a lot of my favorite series finished this year or last year. However, there are still plenty of sequels to look forward to!

1. Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles 3.5) by Marissa Meyer. January 27, 2015.

2. The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Meade. February 10, 2015.

3. P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before #2) by Jenny Han. (No cover yet!!) April 21, 2015.

4. The Bone Season #3 by Samantha Shannon – No cover, title, or release day yet! But I recently just finished The Mime Order and I’m dyyyying for the next one!

5. Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Boys #3) by Maggie Stiefvater. October 21, 2014. This is already out, but I still haven’t read it yet!

6. The Boy with the Hidden Name (Otherworld #2) by Skylar Dorset. December 2, 2014.

7. Invaded (Alienated #2) by Melissa Landers. February 3, 2015.

8. The Boy Most Likely To (My Life Next Door #2) by Huntley Fitpatrick. No cover or release date yet!

9. After the Storm (Kate Burkholder #7) by Linda Castillo. No cover yet! July 14, 2015.

10. Sabotaged (Alaskan Courage #5) by Dani Pettrey. February 3, 2015.

What sequels are you looking forward to?

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Covers I’d Frame As Pieces of Art

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is: Top Ten Book Covers I’d Frame As Pieces of Art.

1. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi.

2. Cress by Marissa Meyer.

3. Alienated by Melissa Landers.

4. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner.

5. Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay.

6. Illusions by Aprilynn Pike.

7. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson.

8. Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan

9. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

10. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins.

Review: Alienated by Melissa Landers

Synopsis from Good Reads:

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.
But when Cara’s classmates get swept up by anti-L’eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn’t safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara’s locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she’s fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

PLOT

So two years ago a group of  aliens called L’eihr introduced themselves to Earth and gave them a cure to cancer, which saved the life of Cara’s mother. The Sweeney family are pretty pro-alien. Cara is picked to be part of an exchange program where she will host a L’eihr for the school year and the following year she will go to L’eihr. She’s initially not thrilled, even though her parents are, but comes around.

Aelyx is also not thrilled about going to Earth. Neither are his other two L’eihr transfer students. They make a plan to tank the exchange, but it will take time. During that time, Aelyx starts to change his mind because (surprise!!!) he and Cara start to fall for each other.

While the Sweeney’s are super psyched to have Aelyx, the rest of Earth is not so happy. A hate group is formed and pretty much everyone in Cara’s town joins. It eventually takes on the form of a terrorist group and things go crazy.

I thought the general plotline was good, but it just wasn’t fleshed out enough and never really reached it’s full potential. I would’ve liked more info about the L’eihrs (even from Aelyx we don’t get much information besides the basics) and more information about the “Patriot” group. The end went a little too far into the unbelievable for me, as well.

CHARACTERS

Cara and Aelyx were both pretty well developed and mostly likable characters. However, the rest of the characters were pretty bland. Since the story is told in third person POV, I wish we would’ve gotten the view of at least one more person besides of just the two of them. I would’ve liked Cara’s best friend, Tori’s, POV or even her valedictorian rival who headed up the student chapter of the hate group. There’s never really an excuse for so much hatred, but I would’ve liked to have the POV of at least one member to see what exactly they’re so afraid of. I also would’ve liked to see a few more people being pro-L’eihr. There was a small group in the beginning, but they quickly faded after the hate group got more vocal.

READABILITY

Landers writing wasn’t bad and the story was well-paced until it got towards the end. Things with the protest and riot went by really fast and wasn’t very detailed. Some of Cara’s parents’ actions weren’t very believable and some of the dialogue in the beginning was on the childish side. However, it was a quick read and there were several humorous moments that I enjoyed.

ENJOYABILITY

Overall, I enjoyed Alienated. It wasn’t as good as I was expecting and didn’t quite live up to it’s potential, but I’m interested to see what happens next and will be picking up the next book when it comes out.

Rating (out of 5)
Plot: 3
Characters: 3
Readability: 3.5
Enjoyability: 3.5
Overall Average: 3.25 stars

Monday’s Minutes

Monday’s Minutes is my weekly post where I share what I’m reading and what I’m reading next.

WHAT I’M READING

Alienated by Melissa Landers. First of all, I love this cover! I’ve been pretty excited about this book for awhile, but my enthusiasm has waned a little after reading some mixed reviews. I decided to buy it anyways and I’m enjoying it. It started off a little slow and juvenile, but it’s gotten better. I think I’ll have a full review on this later in the week.

WHAT I’M READING NEXT

Secret (Elemental #4) by Brigid Kemmerer. First of all, this cover is HORRIBLE. Every cover in this series is just ridiculously bad. However, I enjoy this series and I’ve been looking forward to this book for awhile.

What are you reading?

Top Ten Tuesday: 2014 Releases I’m Dying To Read

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, is: Top Ten 2014 Release I’m Dying To Read.

1. Alienated  by Melissa Landers  available 2/4/14.
I have to say, the cover is the reason I want to read this book. It’s so interesting.

2. Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer  available 2/4/14
So far I’ve really enjoyed this series. Scarlet was one of my favorite reads of 2013. And I love the covers!

3. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi  available 2/4/14
I love this series so much. Please, please, please end better than Allegiant! Please, please,  please!!!

4. Perfect Lies (Mind Games # 2) by Kiersten White  available 2/18/14
I loved the first book in this series. The main characters are great.

5. Don’t Look Back by Jennifer Armentrout available 4/15/14
I love Jennifer Armentrout. I’ll read pretty much anything by her. And I love the cover for this book!

6. Secret  (Elemental #4) by Brigid Kemmerer  available 1/28/14
I did a binge reading of this series and received a major book hangover for it. I’m very anxious for this book.

7. Isla and the Happily Ever After  (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins  available 5/13/14
This series is so adorable. I look forward to more Anna & St. Clair and Lola & Cricket. Here’s hoping there’s no cheating in this book, though! That’s been the major downside for me with Perkins’ books

8. Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3) by Leigh Bardugo  available 6/3/14
Alina, The Darkling, Sturmhond/Nikolai, Mal. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

9. The Dead Will Tell  (Kate Burkholder #6) by Linda Castillo  available 7/8/14
I love this series. I love Kate and Tomasetti and the mysteries are always great.

10. Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer Armentrout available 8/5/14
The end of the Lux series is going to make me super sad, but I can’t wait to find out what happens! Origin left us with such a cliffhanger!