From the author of the unforgettable New York Times bestseller We Were Liars comes a masterful new psychological suspense novel–the story of a young woman whose diabolical smarts are her ticket into a charmed life. But how many times can someone reinvent themselves? You be the judge.
Imogen is a runaway heiress, an orphan, a cook, and a cheat.
Jule is a fighter, a social chameleon, and an athlete.
An intense friendship. A disappearance. A murder, or maybe two.
A bad romance, or maybe three.
Blunt objects, disguises, blood, and chocolate. The American dream, superheroes, spies, and villains.
A girl who refuses to give people what they want from her.
A girl who refuses to be the person she once was.
What I Thought
When I first heard about Genuine Fraud, I was instantly intrigued. I had read We Were Liars, so I already knew how great E. Lockhart’s writing was and that she was a risk taker. So, when I received Genuine Fraud for Christmas, I was super excited to read it. I’m happy to say it did not disappoint, either!
Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share with you all my TBR for the #InLoveAThon, hosted by Cristina from christinasjourney, and a bunch of other lovely BookTubers as well! I was so happy to hear about this readathon, because I had just been thinking about how I wished there was a Valentine’s Day themed readathon, and sure enough, I found this wonderful one! The #InLoveAThon runs from tomorrow, February 9th – February 15th. The goal is to read a book corresponding to at least seven of the ten different challenges listed. There’s also going to be Twitter Sprints available and a group watch-a-long.
Here’s a complete list of the challenges:
1. Read a book from your favorite romance author. It can be contemporary or historical.
2. Read a book that has  your favorite romantic trope. Â
3. Read a book with a prince/princess
4. Read an original fairytale and watch the Disney movie or a film adaptation.
5. Read a book while eating some Valentine treats. It could be chocolate, ice cream, or you can change it to having drinks like wine. Itâs up to you!
6. Read a book that takes place in a location where you would love to spend Valentineâs Day.
7. Read a book with pink or red in the cover.
8. Read a LGBTQ+ love story.
9. Read a classic love story. (E.g. Romeo&Juliet)
10. Read one of the hosts favorite Contemporary/Historical Romance books.
Cristina’s Journey // Losing It â https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Pd…
The Bookish Babbler // Song of Achilles â https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIEB…
Paper Faerie // Pride and Prejudice â https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDUG…
Tiny Book Dragon // Fill in Boyfriend â https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUyH…
jordyn, discombobulated // Hunted â https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZo1…
HardbackHoarder // To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before or The Hating Game â https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpjGKbwm-ZXBedvkOI1uAjAÂ
Because I’m delusional and unrealistic, I’ve decided to attempt 8 of the challenges:
⸠Read a book from your favorite romance author.
This book is more paranormal than contemporary, and I admit, romance is not necessarily the focal point of this series, but I really love Meg Cabot! She’s one of my favorite authors, writes the best relationships for her characters, and this book has been on my TBR for forever, so I’m going with it. I’d really love to get both books in this bind-up read, but I definitely want to at least read Safe House.
⸠Read a book that has your favorite romantic trope.
Nicholas Sparks books always have such classic romantic tropes! I chose A Walk to Remember, because I love the movie and I’ve been meaning to read this book for literally years, and I love that whole unexpected romance/opposites attract trope.
⸠Read a book with a prince/princess.
I’ve been meaning to read The Coronation for a few months now, and with its sequel, The Rebellion, coming soon, I really need to get to this one. It sounds like such a fun read, I’ve been wanting to read a royalty story lately, and I think this one will be the perfect fit!
⸠Read an original fairytale and watch the Disney movie or a film adaptation.
I’m still going back and forth for this one! I’m definitely going to read either Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, though. I found this really lovely copy (for FREE) from Project Gutenberg, that has all three of those stories, so I’ll see what I feel like when I decide to do this challenge!
⸠Read a book while eating some Valentine treats.
I got the Just One bind-up for Christmas, and I think it’ll make a really great Valentine’s Day read. I don’t know what I’ll be eating yet, though!
⸠Read a book with pink or red in the cover.
I just recently got The Choosing, and it’s one that I’ve been wanting to read for a while now! The book may only be half red, but I think that’s close enough, so I’m counting it!
⸠Read a classic love story.
For this challenge, I didn’t want to read anything too large, because classics take me longer to read than other books, and this readathon is only a week long. So, I decided to go with Breakfast at Tiffany’s! This novel is quite short, and I’ve actually never seen the movie, so maybe I’ll check out the movie after reading the book!
⸠Read one of the hosts favorite Contemporary/Historical Romance books.
For the challenge of reading one of the hosts’ favorites, I went with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before! This is, yet another, book that has been on my TBR for way too long, and I’m excited to read this book and get in on the hype for it!
Alright! There’s my TBR! Realistically, I’ll be lucky if I can even get more than 3 of those books read, but I’m just going to have fun and try my best!
Let me know if you’re participating in the #InLoveAThon! Also, tell me your Valentine’s Day plans!!
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Itâs Top Ten Tuesday again!  Itâs a weekly bookish list hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This week’s topic is:
TOP TEN BOOKS ON MY TBR I STILL HAVEN’T READ
The Sweet Far Thing
Are any of you even the tiniest bit surprised that this book is on here?! No? I thought so! If you’ve been following for any amount of time, you know pretty much every TBR post I make, I include The Sweet Far Thing, and yet, I still haven’t read it…
The Help
I loved the movie, and I’ve heard so many good things about this book! I keep meaning to read it, and I just never get around to it, and that needs to change!
The Outsiders
Everybody always tells me to read The Outsiders! It’s one of my sister’s favorite books, so naturally, she tells me to read it every chance she gets. Yet, here I am, still not reading it. Will I ever find out who this Pony Boy is that everyone speaks of?!
A Walk to Remember
I really adore the movie for A Walk to Remember (even though I cry every single time), and I’ve heard the book is quite different. So I’m really curious to see how the two compare. I hope to be getting to this book very soon, because actually it’s on my TBR for the #InLoveAThon, which I’ll be sharing my full TBR for later this week!
Trouble is a Friend of Mine
I’ve wanted to read this book for a while now, because a lot of people compare it to having Nancy Drew vibes, which, y’all know I absolutely adore! Trouble is a Friend of Mine sounds so fun and mysterious, and like the perfect mystery read. So…why I haven’t I read it yet?!
Reached
I have no excuse for why I haven’t read Reached yet. I loved the first two, I own this one, I actually do want to read it. I really have no idea why I just haven’t picked this one up yet!
Jane Eyre
I’ve heard really good things about this classic novel, and I keep saying I’m going to read it, and yet, I still haven’t. Maybe this year will be the year I finally read Jane Eyre?! lol that rhymed.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette?
Where’d You Go, Bernadette, is yet another book I really want to read but never pick up! Why am I like this?!
Sinner
I admit, I was a bit hesitant about this book when I first heard of Sinner’s release, so I think maybe that’s why I didn’t read it right away. That being said, I finally decided I did want to read this one a long time ago, and yet I still haven’t. So, what’s my excuse now?
Fangirl
Fangirl is a book that has been on my TBR for several years, but I never got around to it because I didn’t own a copy. Well, my #TBTBSanta gifted it to me this past Christmas, so now I have no excuse! I’m really excited to finally own a copy, and I’m really planning on reading this one soon…Finally!!
That’s this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! Share with me some of the books that have been on your TBR the longest!
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Title: Dreaming with God: A Bold Call to Step Out and Follow God’s Lead by Sarah Beth Marr
Pages:Â 203
Genres:Â Christian, Non-Fiction, Motivational
Published by:Â Baker Books (Feb. 6, 2018)
Summary
The world tells us that the way to make all our dreams come true is to set our own course and strive every day. But when it’s all on us, we end up feeling exhausted, frustrated, and, disappointed when things don’t turn out as we’d hoped. Have you ever wondered if there was a better way?
There is. God knows the desires of our hearts–he put them there. And he calls us to trust, to lean on him, and sometimes . . . to wait. Weaving together her unique perspective as a professional ballerina with profound truths drawn from Scripture and the life of faith, Sarah Beth Marr reminds us that we are not dreaming alone. If God has given us a dream, we can be sure that he will come alongside us as we work toward realizing it. Using her own story as a catalyst, Marr encourages women to surrender their plans to God, to stay in tempo with his Spirit, and to step into a deeper relationship with Christ. When they do, she says, they will be able to move confidently into the future, knowing that their dreams and God’s desires are aligned in perfect harmony.
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to Baker Books and Sarah Beth Marr!*
I’ve followed Sarah Beth Marr on Instagram for years now. From her beautiful dancing, to her meaningful devotionals on her blog, I’ve really adored her, and have loved watching her grow through her writing journey. When she first announced that she was releasing a book, I just knew I had to read it!
Hi everyone! I was tagged way back in September, by the lovely Marta from The Book Mermaid, to do The New Disney Princess Book Tag! This tag is super cute, and looks like so much fun. So, let’s get started!
The Rules
- Mention where you saw the tag/thank whoever tagged you because thatâs always good fun
- Tag Book Princess Reviews and Zuky with our posts so we can check out the wonderful Princess fun throughout the blog world (Book Princess Reviews | Book Bum)
- Play a game of tag at the end!
SNOW WHITE
THIS BOOK (LIKE THE MOVIE) STARTED IT ALL
Favorite Debut Book From an AuthorÂ
I was really blown away by The Program! It was so much better than I expected it to be, and Suzanne Young’s debut novel was a definite winner for me!
CINDERELLA
A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
AURORA
SLEEPING BEAUTY
ARIEL
UNDER THE SEA
BELLE
BEAUTY AND THE BOOKS
JASMINE
THE THIEF AND THE PRINCESS
POCAHONTAS
THE REAL LIFE PRINCESS
MULAN
THE PRINCESS THAT SAVED HER COUNTRY
I feel like going with The Hunger Games is such a cliche answer, but I’m doing it anyway. Katniss really is such a fierce heroine and selfless character, and right now, I really can’t think of anyone braver!
TIANA
THE PRINCESS WITH THE COOLEST AND MOST DIVERSE CREW
RAPUNZEL
LET YOUR LONGGGGGG HAIR DOWN
MERIDA
I DETERMINE MY OWN FATE
ANNA/ELSA
FROZEN HEARTS
MOANA
HOW FAR IâLL GO
I tag anyone who wants to do this! This was such a fun tag to do, and I really enjoyed picking my answers for this one. Thanks again for tagging me, Marta!
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It’s finally February!! I don’t know about you, but January felt about three months long. Last month was also a very emotionally draining and a rather stress-filled month for me for a good chunk of it, too. So, I’m really glad it’s behind us, and I’m looking forward to happier days in February!
Despite all that, I think I still had a pretty good blogging month, and I also managed to read three books. Although, I’m really surprised that 2 out of those 3 were nonfiction, because that’s a genre I really don’t read a whole lot!
BOOKS READ
– The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (ebook) \\ âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
– Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine \\ âď¸âď¸1/2
– Dreaming with God by Sarah Beth Marr \\ âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸1/2
STANDOUT BOOK OF THE MONTH
I have to go with The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up for my Standout Book of the Month. This book was one that’s really not typical of something that I would pick up, and yet, I really enjoyed it!
BOOKS REVIEWED
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo \\ âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell \\ âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine \\ âď¸âď¸1/2
BOOK HAUL
I received two books in January!
First, I went to Target right after New Year’s, and that’s a dangerous time to go, because pretty much the entire store is on sale. I picked up Turtles All the Way Down for only $11!
Then, I received The Choosing, for FREE, through the My Reader Rewards Club from Tyndale House and NavPress! It’s a rewards program where you can answer surveys, watch videos, and other short and easy activities, and you can earn points for prizes. If you’re interested in signing up, you can click here (if you use my link, you’ll get a bonus 25 points, and I’ll get 10)!
MISCELLANEOUS
This month, I participated in some really fun Top Ten Tuesdays!
- Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2017
- Top Ten Books I Meant to Read in 2017 but Didn’t Get To
- Top Five Bookish Resolutions/Goals for 2018
- Top Ten Books I Really Liked But Can’t Remember
- Top Five Books I Can’t Believe I Read
I also shared some of the books that I’m anticipating for Waiting on Wednesday.
Some of the other posts I wrote this month were:
Also, I’m hosting the 2018 Classics Challenge! One of my reading goals for 2018 is to read more classic novels, and so I decided to create some prompts to challenge myself and others!
That wraps up January 2018! I’m looking forward to February, and all the lovely things in store.
Thanks so much for reading!
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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature started by Breaking the Spine that puts the spotlight on upcoming releases!Â
Todayâs pick is:
The Belles (The Belles #1)
Releasing February 6th, 2018!
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of OrlĂŠans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In OrlĂŠans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.
But itâs not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favoriteâthe Belle chosen by the Queen of OrlĂŠans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lieâthat her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.
With the future of OrlĂŠans and its people at stake, Camellia must decideâsave herself and her sisters and the way of the Bellesâor resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.
I’ve been seeing so many people talking about The Belles on Twitter lately! This book sounds so intriguing, and it’s giving me Uglies vibes, which, you may or may not know, is one of my favorite series. So that’s a definite plus for me. I’m so excited for the release of this book and to see how it is. Also, look at that gorgeous cover!
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Itâs Top Ten Tuesday again!  Itâs a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish, but is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!
This week I actually had a little trouble coming up with books that fit the topic, so I’m only doing a top 5, today. The topic is:
TOP FIVE BOOKS I CAN’T BELIEVE I READ
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
I can’t believe I actually read Gone with the Wind, because of its size! This book is over 1,000 pages, and aside from the Bible, it is the biggest book I’ve ever read. I ended up really loving it, too!
The You I’ve Never Known by Ellen Hopkins
Ellen Hopkins’ books have always intimidated me. From the fact that they’re written in verse, to their heavy subject matters, I’ve always been hesitant of her work. When I got the chance to review The You I’ve Never Known, however, I discovered how great of a writer she truly is! This book really took me by surprise, and I can’t believe I finally got brave enough to try one of her novels.
Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Big Lie by Anthony Del Col
As many of you know, I’m a big Nancy Drew fan. So, when I discovered this new, noir-style comic series, I had to try it out! I can’t believe I read something so different from the regular Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, and not only that, but I can’t believe that I actually loved it!
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
It’s not that I can’t believe that I read this book, but it’s that I can’t believe what I read in this book. It’s been almost five years, and I’m still not over it. Yet, I kind of want to reread the entire Divergent series soon…
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
A non-fiction book about cleaning just isn’t the typical type of books I read. So, I’m honestly surprised that I picked this one up. That being said, I’m glad I did, because I really enjoyed it, and actually learned quite a bit from this book!
That’s this week’s list! What are some books you can’t believe that you’ve read?
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Title: Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine
Pages:Â 374
Genres:Â Fantasy, Dystopian, YA, Alternate History
Published by:Â New American Library (July 7, 2015)
Summary
In an exhilarating new series, “New York Times” bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.Â
Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.Â
Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.Â
When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe knowledge is more valuable than any human life and soon both heretics and books will burn.
What I Thought
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you to the publisher and Blogging for Books!*
When I read the premise for this book, I thought I was going to love it!  Ink and Bone is all about books and the love of books and reading. Plus, it has a dystopian, sort of alternate universe setting, which sounded so cool! Unfortunately, this book just missed the mark for me.
Itâs Top Ten Tuesday again!  Itâs a weekly bookish list created by The Broke and the Bookish, but is now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl! This weekâs topic is:
TOP TEN BOOKS I REALLY LIKED BUT CAN’T REMEMBER
Shadowland (The Mediator #1) by Meg Cabot
I read this book several years ago, and while I remember the main premise, I really don’t remember much of the characters or the actual plot. I really love Meg Cabot’s writing style though, so hopefully I can reread this book soon, and continue the series, because I think I would still really enjoy it!
Death by Bikini (Death by Mysteries #1)Â by Linda Gerber
This is another book that I read some time ago. I thought it was a really intriguing mystery, but I just never picked up the rest of the books in the series. I may reread this book and the rest of the series this summer!
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Basically I think this whole list is going to be books that are first in a series that I never got around to finishing!  The Body Finder is yet another book that I read, really enjoyed, never finished the series, and now I can’t remember anything that happened.
Heist Society by Ally Carter
I read this book back when I was a freshman or sophomore in high school. I don’t think I even realized it was going to be a series at the time. I remember absolutely loving it, being so excited when I found out about the sequel, and then never reading it. Why am I like this?!
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
I am so sad to say that, aside from the fact that it is a Peter Pan retelling, I really remember nothing from this book except that it was so wonderful! I even think it may have been one of my favorite books the year I read it, but now I can’t remember anything about it.
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
I read this book for school in, I think, the 5th grade. I remember thinking it was a great book, but the only part I remember is when they were eating some type of word soup that made them hungrier the more they ate it?!
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sydney
I absolutely adored this book when I read it so many years ago! I discovered my mom’s copy when I was 10 or 11, and I just remember loving this story so much! Unfortunately, that’s about all I remember.
Extras (Uglies #4) by Scott Westerfeld
The Uglies series was one of my favorites in high school (I seriously need to reread them)! Extras was an additional book that focused on different characters than the original series. I remember really enjoying it, maybe not quite as much as the original three, but thinking it was a great addition to the series. For some reason, I can’t remember anything about this book. Like, at all! I think someone was a reporter or something? Maybe?
Dream Factory by Brad Barkley & Heather Hepler
I don’t remember anything that happens in this book! Like, at all. I know that it is about some teens who work at Disney World, and that it’s super cute and I loved it when I read it. That’s it.
Unraveled (the Amanda Project #4) by Amanda Valentino & Cathleen Davitt Bell
Let me just start by saying that The Amanda Project is probably the most underrated YA series I’ve ever read. I loved these books in high school. They were from Harper Teen, but for some reason, had very little publicity?! Now, for some reason, I just cannot remember how everything wraps up! I do remember liking this last book in the series, but I just don’t know what happened!
Wow! My reread TBR pile has now grown! As if I don’t already have enough books to read, I now want to reread all of these and see what I think about them today. đ
Thank you for reading! Be sure to share with me your favorite books that you can’t remember anything about!
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the calico books 