Top Ten Insta-Buy Topics

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies over at

The Broke And The Bookish!

This week, the topic is...
Top Ten Words/Topics That Make Me Instantly Buy

I've never really thought about this before.  I'm not sure how to answer this.  I do have certain authors that I will instantly buy books by, but not really certain topics.  Therefore, here is a really random list of things that I really like in books, and will instantly buy if they are mentioned in a book description!

1. Leather Pants (had to add it.)
2. Assassins
3. Daggers or other various sharp weaponry
4. Top Secret missions and government plots
5. Sports (hockey, baseball, football, anything really.)
6. Deadly (anyone else see a trend of violence?)
7. Glowing Aliens (had to do it)
8. Boarding School/Private School
9. Accents
10. Badasses

Okay, so now we have reaffirmed that I enjoy violence in my books.  I'm not even angry about it.

Anyone have any recommendations based off this?  Send 'em my way!

Much love, Samantha

Book Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Published April 23rd, 2013
HarperTeen
323 pages (International Paperback)

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Iléa.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending. (From Goodreads)

I had to go back and read my review of The Selection (click here if you are curious) in order to try and understand why I thought that I needed to read this.

If my feelings were mixed before, they're not anymore.  I am not a fan.

Sorry, but that's the truth.  This love triangle has just gotten ridiculous, the characters no longer hold my interest, and absolutely nothing happens.  The story ends at the exact same place that it starts, but with two fewer objects girls.  America does not think, and that's why I can't stand her as a "strong" protagonist.  As soon as she has to deal with the realities of her situation, she acts like a little drama queen and throws a fit.  That isn't a strong protagonist in my eyes, and by the end of the second book in a trilogy, I want to see some semblance of strength.

If you loved The Selection, you'll likely enjoy The Elite.  It's a lot of the same type of story.  If you had problems like I did, I'm not so sure.  Will I read the last book of this trilogy?  I don't know.  I'd rather someone just tell me how it all ends (I'm Team Rebels Maxon).


Much love, Samantha

Coffee Talk: The Art of Living With Your Parents

Guess who officially lives at their parents house again?!

Okay, I'm making this a bigger deal than it actually is.  I'm still only 20 years old.  Living with my parents is fine.  The problem lies in that I have gotten so used to living on my own.  

Independence is a funny thing.  I still have my independence   I have my own car, and can come and go as I please, but it feels so strange.  My family and I have always been very close, but the distance kind of made us fonder.  

I'm not just home for summer.  I'm home for the foreseeable future.  All of the nursing placements that I've applied for are closer to my parents than my school.  So I packed up my

stuff, left my student house and came home.  

I should say that my parents are trying to make this easier for me.  They painted my room and helped me redo it to fit me better.  See the orange in the photo?  Yeah, I live in a cantaloupe, and I kind of like it.

I'm not really sure what point I am trying to make here.  I think I'm just trying to work through my mixed feelings about this change.  It really isn't a big deal, but it feels like one.  It's been a week now since I moved back in, and it's been event free, minus one non-significant disagreement with my mom.  I think the hard part is that all my friends are living fair distances away.  I live in kind of a one-horse town, where nothing happens and that's exactly how everyone likes it.  

Okay, so I really don't know what point I am trying to make now.  I guess I thought I would just ramble out an update on my life...

What are you guys up to on this fine Saturday?  Any advice on moving back in with your parents?

Much love, Samantha

Single Shot: Elixir by Jennifer L. Armentrout

November 27th, 2012
Spencer Hill Press
80 pages (Paperback)

Aiden St. Delphi will do anything to save Alex. 
Even if it means doing the one thing he will never forgive himself for. 
Even if it means making war against the gods. (From Goodreads)

If you have an hour to spare and feel like you need to have your heart ripped out, stepped on, put through a blender and badly sown only half into your chest again, look no further than Elixir!

It's amazing how much emotional turmoil Jennifer L. Armentrout can pack into a novella, and having it from swoon-worthy Aiden's perspective made it even harder.  WHY CAN'T THEY JUST BE HAPPY?!?!

To anyone working through the Covenant series, don't skip this one over, but be sure to read Deity first!  To anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about, go pick up Half-blood now and start enjoying the emotional roller coaster and sexual tension!

Much love, Samantha

"Waiting On" Rush

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating!

This week I am excited for...

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn. (From Goodreads)

I've heard nothing but awesome reviews about this book.  It sounds action-packed and exciting and like everything I like in a book.  Rush, the first book in an expected trilogy, is due out June 11th, 2013, which is just after my birthday, so I think you can guess what the inevitable Chapters gift card is going towards...

What are you waiting on?

Much love, Samantha

Top Ten Tuesday: Surprises

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies over at

The Broke And The Bookish!

This week, the topic is...
Top Ten Books I Thought I'd Love More/Less

Doesn't it feel great to read a book you thought that you would dislike, and actually really enjoy it?!  Here are some that I pleasantly enjoyed...

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown
Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
The Shade trilogy by Jeri Smith-Ready

Unfortunately, it can just as easily go the opposite way.  It sucks when you get so amped for a book, only for it to not meet your sky-high expectations.  So here are some that fell short for me...


The Bloodlines series (so far) by Richelle Mead
Lover At Last by J.R. Ward
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Black City by Elizabeth Richards
Rebel Heart by Moira Young

So guys, do you disagree with any of my choices? 

Much love, Samantha

Book Review: The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

Published December 13th, 2012
Self-Published

230 pages (eBook)

There are those who don’t get luck handed to them on a shiny platter, who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, who don’t get saved.

Luck was not on Callie’s side the day of her twelfth birthday when everything was stolen from her. After it’s all over, she locks up her feelings and vows never to tell anyone what happened. Six years later her painful past consumes her life and most days it’s a struggle just to breathe.

For as long as Kayden can remember, suffering in silence was the only way to survive life. As long as he did what he was told, everything was okay. One night, after making a terrible mistake, it seems like his life might be over. Luck was on his side, though, when Callie coincidentally is in the right place at the right time and saves him.Now he can’t stop thinking about the girl he saw at school, but never really knew. When he ends up at the same college as Callie, he does everything he can to try to get to know her. But Callie is reserved and closed off. The more he tries to be part of her life, the more he realizes Callie might need to be saved. (From Goodreads)

Something about Jessica Sorensen's characters really appeals to me.  This book is very much character driven.  It's impossible not to feel something for them.  There is a lot of backstory provided, but not thoroughly explained.  A lot of questions remain regarding all the characters, and I'm hoping that we're just getting set up for future books.

She also knows how to start a book off strong.  I like that this book starts with a very dramatic event.  But let's talk about that ending.  If you want a cliffhanger, this is the book.  Like leaning-over-the-edge, staring-straight-down, about-to-fall-to-your-excruciatingly-painful-death cliffhanger.  I was not prepared for that.  I don't do cliffhangers well.  There is no closure whatsoever to this story.

If you love romance, drama and a good cliffhanger, give The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden a go.  If you can't handle wild endings, download this book, but wait until the title is released and devour both.  It's not worth passing up.  You know I'm anticipating The Redemption of Callie & Kayden, set for release August 6th, 2013.

Much love, Samantha

Book Review: Partials by Dan Wells

Published Febuary 28th, 2012
Balzer + Bray
480 pages (Hardcover)

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them--connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.Dan Wells, acclaimed author of I Am Not a Serial Killer, takes readers on a pulsepounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question--one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival. (From Goodreads)

I really enjoyed this book.  Post-apocalyptic and action and medical stuff is a great combination.  Bombs and guns and virology and a genetically engineered soldier I love (oh my).  

The world building here is complicated, but really cool.  Not only is there a virus killing babies, but there is a superhuman army keeping everyone isolated on Long Island.  It's one giant lose-lose situation, but no one seems too depressed about that, beyond our protagonist, Kira.  Everyone else is concerned about the sketchy government looking over their situation (and they should be).  It's complex, but works really well.

The characters are believable and interesting.  I developed some strong opinions on these guys while reading Partials.  For example, Kira definitely crosses the line from brave to stupid.  Marcus is a sincerely good guy.  Jayden was a badass.  Samm is my favourite (I completely ship him and Kira did I just use the term "ship").  These characters were well done and had me from the beginning.

Romance is typically a huge factor in me enjoying a book.  Sorry, but I like kissing and cute monologues and all that jazz.  The romance in this book actually takes a backseat, and I was okay with it.  The relationship between Kira and Marcus already exists when the book starts.  It worked really well, but I have a subtle feeling that the romance may become a bit more prominent in the next book.

I definately suggest this book to anyone interested in dystopian/post-apocalyptic books or anything with action.  Go check it out.

Much love, Samantha

"Waiting On" Sweet Peril

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating!

This week I am excited for...

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things. 

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.
When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life? (From Goodreads)

There is no denying my excitement for this one.  It's a long time in the making, and I'm glad it's finally close to release.  I like the mixture of romance and suspense.  I tend to really dislike angel/demon stories, but this one works.  It focuses more on demons, which sets it apart and appeals to me.  It's a wee bit darker, but not scary dark.  If you haven't given Sweet Evil (review) a read, check it out before Sweet Peril is released April 30th, 2013.

Much love, Samantha

Top Ten REWIND

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful ladies over at

The Broke And The Bookish!

This week, the topic is...
Top Ten Eight Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read

Some are new, some are old, but they're all books I likely should have read a significant amount of time ago.  

1. The Fault in our Stars - Yeah, judge away.  I told my roommate that I would read it as soon as she finished it, but she has yet to do so, so y'all can blame her...
2. Most of the Harry Potter books - I read the first couple when I was younger, but never loved them.
3. Any of the Narnia books - Again, I was never interested.
4. Anything by Jane Austen - I have issues with following older writing styles, if that makes sense.
5. Anything by Charles Dickens - See above.
6. Graceling - I'm getting to it, I swear.
7. Lullabies for Little Criminals - I can see this one on my shelf right now, judging me...
8. Tilt - I swear by Ellen Hopkins, and just haven't had the time to really tackle this one.

And, I'm out.  It's a rewind week, so I reserve the right to cheat.  Any here that you cant believe?

Much love, Samantha

Book Review: The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

Published October 2nd, 2012
Forever
368 pages (eBook)

A rule-breaker with a fiery attitude, Ella always wore her heart on her sleeve. Then she left everything behind to go to college, where she transformed into someone who follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. Now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home. But once there, Ella fears that everything she's worked so hard to bury might resurface-especially with Micha living right next door.Smart, sexy, and confident, Micha can get under Ella's skin like no one else. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. If he tries to tempt the old Ella to return, he will be impossible to resist. But what Ella doesn't realize is that when she left, she took a piece of Micha's heart with her. Now he's determined to win back the girl he lost, no matter what it takes. (From Goodreads)

I really liked this book!  I didn't actually expect to enjoy the story as much as I did.

I think I liked it because it felt different than all of the New Adult that I've read.  The story starts at a different place in Ella and Micah's relationship, not your typical insta-love scenario.  Beyond that, the characters themselves were different.  They were edgier and less cookie-cutter.

There were a couple of issues with world-building.  The setting never quite came together for me in this very character-driven book.  This didn't drag the book down at all, but the descriptive factor needs some work.

I just really liked this story.  Ella and Micha were interesting, and their "secrets" drew me in from beginning to end.  I definitely recommend checking out this quick read.

Much love, Samantha 

Book Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Published March 19th, 2013

Margaret K. McElderry Books

568 pages (Hardcover)

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy? 

Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. 

A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her. (From Goodreads)

Did I enjoy this book?  Yes.
Was it my favourite in the series? No.

I am a huge fan of this series, and have been anxiously awaiting this book since the moment I finished Clockwork Prince.  I did really enjoy it.  It provided the closure that the series needed, and tied up nearly every loose end.  I'm really not sure what else to say, other than that it is a great series.

The love triangle was my only complaint.  It was going so well, but I felt a little cheated at the end, as if the easy route was taken.  This is hard to explain without spoiling everything.  If you've read this book, let me know how you felt. 

Ultimately, this remains one of my favourite series, and is sure to be read again and again.  Thank you, Cassandra Clare, for your amazing story telling.

Much love, Samantha 

Coffee Talk: From the Bottom of my Little Hole

Guys!  I came back to you all!  *giant virtual bear hug*

Selfies > Studying

The past couple months are ones that I would like to forget.  It's been a rough patch, but there is a tiny glittering light up ahead that seems to be growing closer each day.  It's not a bright white light.  It's kind of dim, but it's there, and it represents that, in about a week and a half, I am moving back in with my parents...

More on this in the future, but it's sort of a win-lose situation that I am trying to take in the best way possible.

But onto the book-related stuff.

I've been in a rut.  Nothing I've been picking up has been appealing to me, and the books that I did get into were disappointing me.  Then I reached a point where none of this mattered, because there was no time to read anyways.  In the few moments that I had the time to sit down and write a review, it felt like a losing battle.  The words weren't coming together and were sounding excessively negative.

I'm still on exams right now, but my hardest one is finished and I only have two left, with ample time in between.  I'm going to try to get back into regular blogging over the next couple weeks.  I'm also taking this time to decide on what direction I want this blog to go in.  I may re-vamp it a little.  I may add some new content, change stuff up, I don't know yet.  I'm also going to get myself out of this rut, one way or another.  Send me some titles that y'all have been loving.  Send me advice, anything really.

Now, to see what the blog-o-sphere has been up to in my absence.

Much love, Samantha