Book Review | If I Stay by Gayle Forman

December 29, 2014December 23, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ 7 Comments

Book Review | If I Stay

ABOUT THE BOOK

“Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, adoring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. Then, in an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the one decision she has left—the most important decision she’ll ever make.

Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, loving.”

MY THOUGHTS

I was really looking forward to reading this book and finally purchased it from Target. I thought I would cry while reading the book, but nothing ever came. The story was great, but it didn’t have enough emotion for me and I didn’t really relate to the characters who all seemed to be these hipster music people to me.

Even though I wasn’t fond of the personalities of the characters, I did enjoy the overall message of the book (or at least what I thought was the message). Never take the small things for granted. Seeing as I have lost two very important people in my life, I do miss the small things. Like watching Friends with my mother. That seems like something very insignificant, but now that I can’t share that time with her I really miss it.

While Mia is trying to decide whether to move on or stay she thinks about a lot of things we take for granted, like spending time with family, friends, and significant others. Essentially, when you’re time comes you don’t care what you did, but who you shared your life experiences with. At least that’s what I will think about.

If Mia really could decide to live or die, she’d have to come to terms with the people closest to her being gone. I’m not sure if I would decide to stay if I’d be an orphan and my young brother was gone. It would be really hard to cope with that kind of loss.

Now, I’m completely biased with my next comment, but I didn’t feel that there was enough of a connection between Mia and her boyfriend. There wasn’t a lot of romance between these two characters and I felt like there could have been more to it. But that’s just my hopeless romantic side talking.

Overall, If I Stay is a good book, but it didn’t live up to my expectations and sometimes I set those expectations too high.

FAVORITE QUOTES

“For the first time, I can sense how fully agonizing staying will be. But then I feel Adam’s hand.”

OVERALL RATING

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gayle Forman is an award-winning author and journalist whose articles have appeared in such publications as Jane, Seventeen, Glamour, Elle, and The New York Times Magazine, to name just a few. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.

Buy Links: Amazon, B&N, iBooks

Social Media Links: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr

Publishing Company: Dutton, Penguin Group

Release Date: April 2, 2009

Genre: Young Adult

Upcoming Book Review | The In Between by Olivia Pierce

December 27, 2014December 23, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ Leave a comment

“Tara Jenkins and Justin Westcroft used to be childhood BFFs. Now in high school, Justin’s a popular, all-star athlete, and Tara spends her days admiring him from afar. But when Tara saves Justin from nearly drowning in a freak accident, he’s unable to get her out of his mind. In no time at all, Tara and Justin fall deeply in love. And even though it’s only high school, they seem destined for a Happily Ever After.

Until tragedy strikes—and this time, Justin’s not so lucky. Tara passes through her days as a shell of her former self: Justin’s dead, but she can still feel his presence, and she can’t seem to let him go.

But there’s a reason for that, and it’s not just grief: Justin is In Between, and he’s still holding on.

They say that when someone saves you, you’re tied to them for life. But what about in the afterlife?”

Upcoming Book Review | What A Bride Wants by Kelly Hunter

December 15, 2014December 14, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ Leave a comment

This is the third book I’ve finished this month..so far. My review is coming soon.

This is book one of The Great Wedding Giveaway Series.

The Great Wedding Giveaway Series
Prequel: Beauty’s Kiss by Jane Porter
Book 1: What a Bride Wants by Kelly Hunter
Book 2: Second Chance Bride by Trish Morey
Book 3:Almost a Bride by Sarah Mayberry

Here’s a bit about the book:

“What a bride wants…Ella Grace Emerson adores her father, but he keeps trying to marry her off to every eligible rancher in Montana. When he puts an ad in the paper on her behalf – for a docile house-husband – Ella retaliates with one of her own, pinned to the noticeboard of the local saloon. No husband required, housebroken or otherwise. What she wants is the perfect lover.
What a bride needs…Newcomer Cam Sawyer is perfectly willing to tear up the sheets with Ella and be her partner in chaos. She wants a bad boy and he’s had experience aplenty. But what she really needs is a strong and loving partner, and until Sawyer stops running from his past he can never be that.
Sawyer’s the one Ella wants. But can he be the man she needs? “

Book Review | This Is Falling by Ginger Scott

December 8, 2014December 7, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ 2 Comments

BOOK REVIEW | THIS IS FALLING BY GINGER SCOTT

“First, I had to remember how to breathe. Then, I had to learn how to survive. Two years, three months and sixteen days had passed since I was the Rowe Stanton from before, since tragedy stole my youth and my heart went along with it.

When I left for college, I put a thousand miles between my future and my past. I’d made a choice—I was going to cross back to the other side, to live with the living. I just didn’t know how.

And then I met Nate Preeter.

An All-American baseball player, Nate wasn’t supposed to notice a ghost-of-a-girl like me. But he did. He shouldn’t want to know my name. But he did. And when he learned my secret and saw the scars it left behind, he was supposed to run. But he didn’t.

My heart was dead, and I was never supposed to belong to anyone. But Nate Preeter had me feeling, and he made me want to be his. He showed me everything I was missing.

And then he showed me how to fall.”

***

Rowe Stanton was a teenager trying to overcome her past. Going to college seemed like the perfect place to start over and finally move on from a horrible tragedy that has consumed her. She didn’t want it to consume her any longer, so she took a chance, but the road wasn’t going to be easy.

I’m not going to give away what happened to Rowe, but I will say it’s something that would be difficult for anyone to go through and get over. It would require a lot of therapy to move forward and I personally would have a hard time trusting the world around me. This was true for Rowe as well, but she took a chance with herself and a young man named Nate Preeter.

Nate Preeter was a star baseball player and wanted by many of the girls attending McConnell University, but he became infatuated by Rowe when he bumped into her in the dorm hallway. He wanted to get to know her, so he made sure he could.

This book really explored the inner emotions of a girl who’s gone through something very tragic and how those feelings mix with her feelings for Nate. Sometimes they didn’t mix well. Sometimes they did. It just made their relationship that much more special. He was able to break through her concrete wall.

I think Rowe is an amazing character. Not only was she going through a lot of psychological issues, she was also transitioning into college life. That is hard in itself. Trying to acclimate into college life isn’t always easy, but Rowe was able to do it on top of everything else. Just barely.

As always, the best part is seeing another love story unfold. I’m a hopeless romantic and can’t get enough of love stories and truly enjoyed how Rowe and Nate’s relationship grew.

This Is Falling is one of those books you can’t put down. It keeps you wanting more. Fortunately, you will get more in Ginger Scott’s You and Everything After, which released this month. This book follows the character Ty Preeter, who’s Nate’s older brother. I just purchased this book and can’t wait to read it, especially if it’s anything like This Is Falling.

FAVORITE QUOTES

“I’m stuck between wanting to let go and wanting to honor everything he was to my life, wanting to prove that I was his until the very end.”

“Every little thing – sometimes the tiniest things – makes me love her more, and I’m in so deep now, I know I won’t make it back out whole.”

“You are the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. You are the face in all of my dreams and the smile I see when I close my eyes.”

OVERALL RATING

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ginger Scott is a writer and journalist from Peoria, Arizona. She is the author of five young and new adult romances, with her sixth title, You And Everything After, set to release Dec. 5, 2014. This is the sequel to This Is Falling.

Scott has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns.

When she’s not writing, the odds are high that she’s somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Scott is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork ’em, Devils).

Buy Links: Amazon, B&N, Kobo

Social Media Links: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads

Publishing Company: Ginger Scott

Release Date: August 29, 2014

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Book Review & Giveaway | Inside Out by Lia Riley

December 4, 2014December 3, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ Leave a comment

BOOK REVIEW | INSIDE OUT BY LIA RILEY

“Lia Riley made New Adult readers fall in love with her breakout debut, Upside Down. Sideswiped, the second of her series, made readers clamor for more. Now, with INSIDE OUT, Lia Riley brings her evocative Off the Map series to a stunning conclusion.

When Talia first moved from California to Australia to study abroad, she never dreamed she’d find the love of her life. Bran understands her like no one ever has before. And despite the numerous challenges they’ve faced, they’ve always managed to figure out how to stay together. But this time they’ll face their toughest hurdle yet. Is their love strong enough to keep them together?”

***

*PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Inside Out was my all time favorite book of the Off the Map series. I tend to love books that are set in California and contain love, romance, and a little naughtiness.

This book is about love. It’s about family. It’s about letting go of your fears and embracing the world around you. It’s about believing in yourself against all odds.

Lia Riley has really taken Bran and Talia’s relationship to another level with this last installment of the series. When Talia contracts malaria during her short time with the Peace Corps, Bran immediately comes to her aid, flying all the way to Africa. He was there when Talia finally woke from her coma.

Bran helps Talia relocate back to California when her father insists that she recover in the states. Living under the watchful eye of Talia’s father was tough, but the toughest part for Bran was getting Talia to open up again. After returning to California she became very distant and thought of herself as a failure, but Bran was patient with her and knew that it would take time for her heart to open again. Thankfully she did.

This book explores the relationship between Talia and Bran, but also the relationship she has with her parents. And I can’t forget to mention a certain perverted creature named Chester.

Everything has come full circle since they first met in Upside Down, book one of the series. They’ve gone through so much and helped each other grow throughout each book.

***SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS***

Now for the number one reason I love this book! Drum roll please….

Talia and Bran get engaged at Yosemite National Park in California. Why is this so significant you ask? Well, it just so happens that my fiancé proposed to me in Yosemite as well. Yosemite is one of my favorite national parks. I couldn’t believe that I was able to say “yes” to the man I love overlooking beautiful Yosemite Valley with a view of Bridal Veil Falls, which is mentioned in the book.

Once it was revealed that Talia and Bran would be taking a trip to Yosemite, I jumped up to tell my fiancé. I was so excited! I just knew that Bran had something planned and couldn’t wait to find out how it ended.

And with that I want to share a picture from when my fiancé proposed in Yosemite.

Thank you to Lia Riley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for allowing me to read a copy of this book for an honest review.

Favorite Quotes

“She makes me want to be the best version of myself.”

“She’s it for me, forever, the last girl I’ll ever love.”

“One day, you’re sleepwalking through life, and the next you meet someone who wakes you up. A person who makes you want to try to dig in for your best self.”

Giveaways

Take a chance at winning the Inside Out Prizepack! You seriously can’t miss out on this giveaway. This awesome prize pack includes the following:

One digital copy of Upside Down (Book #1) Off the Map for you or a friend
TimTam’s (Australia’s best cookies)
Chocolate Koalas
Santa Cruz women’s hoodie (choice of S, M, L, XL)
Off the Map “If You Never Get Lost, You’ll Never Be Found” rubber wristband
Signed Off the Map Swag

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In addition, I have been given an extra digital copy of Inside Out to give away via Net Galley. All my fellow Net Galley users please take advantage of this giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Overall Rating

About the Author

After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. When not torturing heroes (because c’mon, who doesn’t love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about as-of-yet unwritten books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

Buy Links: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, GooglePlay, Kobo

Social Media Links: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Tumblr

Publishing Company: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Release Date: December 2, 2014

Genre: New Adult

Check out my reviews of the first two books in the Off the Map series.

Upside Down

Sideswiped

Upcoming Book Review & Giveaway | Inside Out by Lia Riley

December 2, 2014November 29, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ Leave a comment

Lia Riley’s Off The Map series comes to a conclusion with today’s release of Inside Out! Inside Out is the final chapter of Bran and Talia’s romance. I’ve followed these two love birds through the ups and downs that come with loving someone more than anything and have enjoyed learning more about each character. While I’m sad the series is ending, I’m still loving the final book because it contains lots of familiar places to me.

As part of the Inside Out Blog Tour, I will be posting my review of the book on December 4th which will include TWO GIVEAWAYS! I know my followers love giveaways, so be sure to check out the review on Thursday.

I want to congratulate Lia Riley and thank her for allowing me to review each book in the series. I’ve loved reading them and would recommend the series to anyone who enjoys reading new adult books.

INSIDE OUT by Lia Riley (December 2, 2014; Forever E-Book; $3.99)

Lia Riley made New Adult readers fall in love with her breakout debut, Upside Down. Sideswiped, the second of her series, made readers clamor for more. Now, with INSIDE OUT, Lia Riley brings her evocative Off the Map series to a stunning conclusion.

About the author:

Social Media Links:

Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Tumblr

Buy Links:

Amazon, B&N, iBooks, GogglePlay, Kobo

Book Review | Things I Wish I Could Have Told My Younger Self by E.A. Davis

November 19, 2014November 17, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ 3 Comments

Book Review | Things I Wish I Could Have Told My Younger Self

“Things I Wish I Could Have Told My Younger Self, is a debut publication. It is a reflection of life throughout the years and how greatly it changes. It is meant to be met with a light-heart and humorous nature.”

***

Things I Wish I Could Have Told My Younger Self is great quick read. Author Elizabeth Davis writes about the things she wish she could tell her younger self, incorporating memories from her childhood and lessons she learned as she got older. Don’t we all wish we could tell our younger self a few things?

While I wasn’t too fond of the writing style, there were some great lessons incorporated into the book.

There are two lessons in particular that Davis wrote about. These lessons really got me thinking about my own childhood and what I would tell my younger self.

The first is “I Will Never Be Like My Mother”. In truth, I don’t think my mother would have wanted me to be like her. She wanted more for me. While I won’t be like her in several ways, I like to think I have her best traits, like her unconditional love and support. I’m sure I got that from her.

Davis realized that she became like her mother in certain ways as well. She said, “I would like to tell my younger self that being like your mother is not the worst thing in the world, depending on what you take from it”. I think this is the perfect lesson because I was that young girl who hated everything about her mother. Now that she’s gone, I miss all the things I had taken for granted.

The second lesson is “Change Isn’t That Frightening”. While Davis considered change to be a scary thought, I was quite the opposite. I so desperately wanted things to change when I was younger. I wanted to get out of my home town and be somebody. So I embraced change and tried new things. Yes, change can be scary sometimes, but it’s inevitable. You’re either forced to change or you make the decision to change. Davis realized that change helped her grow and I could say that’s true for me too.

Thank you to Elizabeth Davis for sending me a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite Quotes

“I would tell myself to not be a wallflower and live a damn little. Sitting in the back of the class and being quiet and reserved all the time makes you forgettable.”

“If I never made mistakes I would have had nothing to learn from.”

Overall Rating

About The Author

“E. A. Davis is a 30-something writer, blogger, and photographer in Saint Louis. She was born and raised in the city and has grown in up a very culturally diverse atmosphere. A supporter and lover of all things artistic and creative, including authors who are Indie/Self-Published.”

Book Review | The Forgers by Bradford Morrow

November 6, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ 5 Comments

Book Review | The Forgers

“The rare book world is stunned when a reclusive collector, Adam Diehl, is found on the floor of his Montauk home: hands severed, surrounded by valuable inscribed books and original manuscripts that have been vandalized beyond repair. Adam’s sister, Meghan, and her lover, Will—a convicted if unrepentant literary forger—struggle to come to terms with the seemingly incomprehensible murder. But when Will begins receiving threatening handwritten letters, seemingly penned by long-dead authors, but really from someone who knows secrets about Adam’s death and Will’s past, he understands his own life is also on the line—and attempts to forge a new beginning for himself and Meg.”

***

I was a little unsure about requesting this book because it’s based on a field that I know nothing about; rare book collecting, inscriptions, and forgery. It caught my eye anyway because it’s full of mystery and suspense. Two things I like to read.

Honestly, you don’t have to know anything about the rare book collecting community to understand what was going on because it’s essentially about a murder. Who killed Adam Diehl? Who would want to kill a man who kept to himself and his books?

Adam’s sister Meghan was distraught, as he was her only family. She tries to pick up the pieces and come to terms with her brother’s death, but finds it difficult since the police can’t determine who did it.

The story is told in the perspective of Will, Meghan’s long time boyfriend. He is a man of many secrets. Secrets of his and that of Adam’s. He knows what Adam was up to before he died…or so he thinks.

Will is also the kind of man that’s a bit full of himself and his abilities. He believes that he’s the best forger out there. Perhaps he is, but much of what he says about his work is very egotistical.

When Will starts being blackmailed he knows that someone from his past has emerged once again. It was the same person who sold him out to the police about his forgery and dragged his name in the dirt of the book collecting industry. Will does everything he can to safeguard his future with Meghan and tries to stay one step ahead of this ghost from the past.

You don’t find out the true killer until the very end and you’re kind of left a bit shocked by it, but then you can see why this person had the motive to do it.

Overall, I couldn’t put the book down and wanted to find out what happened next. When I finished the book it was like I didn’t want the story to end. I feel like this book can easily have a sequel to it and I would definitely read it.

Favorite Quotes

“Isn’t the butterfly whose wings have been plucked by a heedless child better off crushed beneath his heel than left in the grass gazing up at the sky, flightless?”

“Books make us feel alive, and though we obviously won’t live forever, they make us feel as if we might.”

Overall Rating

Author Links: Website, Twitter

Publishing Company: Grove Atlantic | Mysterious Press

Release Date: November 4, 2014

Genre: Mystery & Thriller

This is the second book I read and reviewed for #NetGalleyMonth!

Upcoming Book Review | This Is Falling by Ginger Scott

October 19, 2014October 18, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ 1 Comment

This was another book I found on Net Galley and I absolutely loved it. I think I’m addicted to Net Galley, but how can I not when I find gems like This Is Falling. My review of this book will be coming soon.

Here’s a bit about the book from Ginger Scott’s website:

When I left for college, I put a thousand miles between my future and my past. I’d made a choice—I was going to cross back to the other side, to live with the living. I just didn’t know how.

And then I met Nate Preeter.

My heart was dead, and I was never supposed to belong to anyone. But Nate Preeter had me feeling, and he made me want to be his. He showed me everything I was missing.

And then he showed me how to fall.”

About The Author

I tell stories for a living. It’s a pretty great gig, actually. Each story has led to an amazing encounter, be it a new appreciation for the view from atop a polo horse to a deeper understanding of what it means to be the parent of a child with autism. I’ve told the stories of Olympians, comedians, doctors, teachers, politicians, activists, criminals, heroes and towns. You can check out a small sampling here or, heck, just Google me — my journalism work is usually under Ginger Eiden. I published my debut novel, Waiting on the Sidelines, in spring 2013, and in August 2014, I published my fifth novel, a really raw college romance called This Is Falling. Its sequel will be out in December. Check back for updates on You And Everything After.

Author Links: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads

Book Review | Walt Before Mickey by Timothy Susanin

October 13, 2014October 13, 2014 ~ Danielle Olson ~ Leave a comment

Book Review | Walt Before Mickey

“For ten years before the creation of Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney struggled with, failed at, and eventually mastered the art and business of animation. Most biographies of his career begin in 1928, when Steamboat Willie was released. That first Disney Studio cartoon with synchronized sound made its main character—Mickey Mouse—an icon for generations.

But Steamboat Willie was neither Disney’s first cartoon nor Mickey Mouse’s first appearance. Prior to this groundbreaking achievement, Walt Disney worked in a variety of venues and studios, refining what would become known as the Disney style. In Walt Before Mickey, 1919–1928, Timothy Susanin creates a portrait of the artist from age seventeen to the cusp of his international renown.” – Net Galley

***

Many people who know me and know my fiance can see that we have a love of Disney. We go to Disneyland at least once a month, we love watching Disney movies together, we took our engagement photos at Disney California Adventure, and we may incorporate a few Disney elements into our wedding. With that being said, I was excited to read about how Walt Disney started this great empire of his. I wanted to know where the billion dollar company came from and what it took to get there.

In the year 1919, when Walt Disney was 18 years old, he began working at Gray Advertising Company as an art apprentice in Kansas City. It was at the Gray Advertising Company that Walt’s animation career began. Then in 1920, he worked for the Kansas City Film Ad Service where he made his first animated cartoons.

It was clear that Walt never liked working for other’s, but was grateful for the opportunities to learn more about the industry and hone his skills. Walt would eventually start Kaycee Studios, but would only last from 1921 to 1922. Then in spring 1922, he opened Laugh-O-Gram Films, Inc.

Unfortunately, what Walt thought would be his big break turned out to be another failed company. Laugh-O-Gram Films, Inc. wasn’t making any money and Walt eventually had to let it go. This was when he decided to move to California and the rest is history.

***

The story of Walt Disney is quite inspirational for me. Even though at times he had no money, he still believed in what he was doing. He believed that he would be successful even when it seemed like everything was crashing down on him. He is living proof that when you fail at something you love just keep on going because sooner or later your hard work will pay off. When I start submitting my books to get published, I will try to remember Walt’s journey and not let rejection get to me.

His story also shows that having people who believe in you makes all the difference. Many people are mentioned in the book who helped Walt during those years before he created Mickey. Whether it was loaning money or letting him use equipment, there was always someone who believed in what Walt was doing. His biggest supporter seemed to be his brother Roy Disney. Personally, having family and friends that support my ambitions makes me work that much more to be successful.

The only thing I didn’t like about the book is that it included a lot of addresses and building locations (i.e. this building is located on the corner of..). I don’t think that was necessary, but it could be for other people.

If you’re a Disney fan (like me), I would recommend reading this book. I’m not sure if someone who doesn’t enjoy anything related to Disney would want to read about how the company began.

***

In November 2014, the movie adaptation of Walt Before Mickey will be released. Just watching the trailer gets me excited, especially since I recognize many of the actors and actresses.

Thank you to University Press of Mississippi for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite Quotes

“Never once did I hear him express anything except determination to go ahead, because he believed in himself and he believed in what he was trying to accomplish.”

“I want the characters to be somebody. I don’t want them just to be a drawing.”

Overall Rating

Publishing Company: University Press of Mississippi

Release Date: September 2, 2014

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Movie Information: Facebook, IMDb

I can check this book off my #NetGalleyMonth reading list.