#ReadADessen: Lock & Key + GIVEAWAY!

Synopsis: Ruby, where is your mother?

Ruby knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will probably never return.

That's how she comes to live with Cora, the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie, whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house, fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a future; it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby is just learning to give?

*Thank you to Penguin for sending me a copy of Lock & Key!*

I really enjoyed this one! I definitely have a feel for Sarah Dessen books now and what they're all about, and cannot wait to indulge the rest of her stories. She has a strong preference for stories that deal with friendship and romance, while also handling serious issues. Her books are meant to show what it's like to grow up and adapt to certain situations, to discover yourself and dare to take risks. I think Sarah Dessen books are perfect summertime reads! With that, I want to share with all of you some of my favorite summertime jams that include some new songs plus some oldies, but goodies, paired with my favorite quotes from the book.

1. “It's a lot easier to be lost than found. It's the reason we're always searching and rarely discovered--so many locks not enough keys.”
2. “I always tried to imagine what it would be like to open your door to find something you had given up on. Maybe it had seen places you never had, been rerouted and passed through so many strange hands, but still somehow found its way back to you, all before the day even began. ”
3. “We all have one idea of what the color blue is, but pressed to describe it specifically, there are so many ways: the ocean, lapis lazuli, the sky, someone's eyes. Our definitions are as different as we are ourselves.” 

There are only a couple of weeks left until the release of ONCE AND FOR ALL! Until then, you can all enter to win a set of ALL of Sarah Dessen's books! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter for a chance to win one (1) set of Sarah Dessen’s books in paperback (ARV: $132.00).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on April 17, 2017 and 12:00 AM on May 29, 2017. Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about June 1, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

Waiting on Wednesday: An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Here is where I share with you my anticipation for upcoming books! Breaking the Spine has introduced me to this and I am super excited to get to participate. Please feel free to comment what books you are looking forward to as well!!

Synopsis:  Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized among them. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes – a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love, violating the fair folks’ ruthless Good Law. There's only one way to save both their lives, Isobel must drink from the Green Well, whose water will transform her into a fair one—at the cost of her Craft, for immortality is as stagnant as it is timeless.

Isobel has a choice: she can sacrifice her art for a future, or arm herself with paint and canvas against the ancient power of the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel.

Wowza, I am so intrigued with this book and by the premise of the story. It sounds so interesting to have a set of individuals who cannot perform basic human crafts, such as writing on paper or baking a cake, and for them to actually have a craving for this sort of thing. For starters, I love anything that deals with the fair folk, so I already dig it. Second, I love that our main character is an artist. Third, I freaking love the idea of her being able to control the fair folk's emotions. This sounds like an enemies to lovers sort of book (which is my favorite trope), so I'm ready to see how the dynamics between these two characters pan out. Also, the cover for this book is absolutely stunning and is what immediately drew me in. 

An Enchantment of Ravens will be released September 26th, 2017! You can preorder it here: 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

Hunted by Meagan Spooner

4/5 Stars

Published by HarperTeen

Published March 14th, 2017

Synopsis: Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them. 

So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance.

Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?

This Beauty and the Beast retelling knocked my socks off. The only other book I have read that is co-written by Meagan Spooner is These Broken Stars, which I had a very difficult time getting into. Hunted was the exact opposite for me - I could not put it down. Meagan Spooner's writing is pure eloquence and sophistication. The detailing is so vivid and life-like, the scenes unfurling around you like a boat's sail. It is haunting and mysterious, yet full of innocence, power, and elegance amongst the slightest touch of the darkest themes. I thought Spooner's twist on this classic tale was executed excellently and is by far one of the best Beauty and the Beast retellings on the market. Not only is this one of the best books I've read this year, but it has me even more excited for Unearthed which comes out in 2018!

#ReadADessen: The Truth About Forever + GIVEAWAY!

Synopsis: In The Truth About Forever, when asked how she is coping with her father's death, invariably seventeen year old Macy Queen's answer is "fine," when nothing could be further from the truth. In actuality, she is drowning in grief while maintaining a flawless façade of good grades and unblemished behavior. Though she feels lost when her boyfriend heads to "Brain Camp" for the summer, she finds herself a job with the quirky Wish Catering crew, and meets "sa-woon"-worthy Wes, whose chaotic lifestyle is in direct opposition to her own.

As the two share their stories over the summer, Macy realizes she can no longer keep her feelings on ice. Though it feels like her future ended with her dad's death, Macy's learns that forever is all about beginnings.

*Thank you to Penguin for sending me a finished copy of 

The Truth About Forever!*

The Truth About Forever is the first Sarah Dessen book I have ever read (I knoooow - where have I been) and I must say, Sarah Dessen has a wonderful writing style. What I love the most about her writing style is the fact that she paints a vivid picture. The detail in everything is so intricate and planned out, that I couldn't help but get lost in it. There is a lot about this book, and others I presume, that is incredibly relatable and realistic - she writes about a lot of important issues and does so really well. While The Truth About Forever deals heavily with loss and the grief that comes after, friendship plays a large part in the story. It is through the establishment of these friendships that our main character is able to break free from her controlled life and find herself. Although romance is part of the plot line, it is such a slow progression from the day Macy and Wes meet, to the day they become friends, to the day they realize they're wonderful together. This is a story of self realization, the overcoming of loss, and the determination to save what you believe in.

The characters in this book were so much fun to read about. While Macy was quite the character to read about, I especially loved the Wish Catering crew and felt that each member added a different dynamic to the story. After the passing of her father, Macy is reclusive and afraid to break away from her shell. She's studious, organized, and not one for surprises. However, the most beautiful parts of the story were when Macy found herself in a sticky situation, because it brought her out of her comfort zone and into the welcoming arms of the Wish Catering crew. Here we find Kristy, Monica, Bert, Delia, and Wes. Kristy is the best friend you hope to find, Monica is the one who is always there, Bert is comedic relief, Delia is kind hearted, and Wes is obviously sa-woon. I thought the friendships between all the characters were light-hearted, supportive, and real. The relationship between Wes and Macy is soooo sweet - I loved that we were able to really watch the relationship blossom and overcome its obstacles.

Now, I'd like to share with all of you my top three favorite quotes from The Truth About Forever:

1. "There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment.”
2. “Grief can be a burden, but also an anchor. You get used to the weight, how it holds you in place.”
3. “The choices you make now, the people you surround yourself with, they all have the potential to affect your life, even who you are, forever.”

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win one (1) set of Sarah Dessen’s books in paperback (ARV: $132.00).

 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on April 17, 2017 and 12:00 AM on May 29, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about June 1, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

a Rafflecopter giveaway