Independance Day Post

Happy fourth of July! I'm sure most of you know (either because you are American yourself or you just happen to know America's day of independence), the four the of July is Independence Day! So I'm going to celebrate being freed from the English (even though I'm half British...) and I'm going to keep it book related. How so? Look below!



SPOILERS!

If you haven't read Mockingjay, then stop reading. If you have, then you know how it ends. It's horrible. It made me cry. But anyway, in the end the districts get their independence from the Capitol. Er, they take over the capitol. Same sort of thing. Kind of.

Synopsis:

My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans - except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. she must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost.

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This is more children's fiction than Middle Grade, but whatever. It fits the bill. And I'm sure we've all read these at one point or another.

Synopsis:

It is a dark and snowy night when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to colonial times. General George Washington is about to lead his army in a sneak attack against their enemy. But now a terrible weather is making the great general question his plans. Can Jack and Annie keep history on track? The fate of the country rests in their hands!

Any books I forgot? Tell me about them!




Kacii

Presidents in YA

Happy Presidents' Day! Yeah, normally I wouldn't care either. So I decided to make a post involving books (this is a book blog after all) which have presidents in them. I'm not going to go through all of the books, because that would take forever. But I'll definitely mention a few.

  

 



     So for starters we have The Hunger Games trilogy. I'm pretty sure everyone has read those books. If you haven't, you really should. My mother and grandmother refuse to read them, but that's because they don't like the violence of kids killing kids. I guess that's a valid enough reason. We all know who the president in those books are. President Snow. He becomes a more prominent character in Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

     I'm sure a lot of you have read Legend if not then you must've heard of it. And Prodigy came out a couple of weeks ago. Prodigy is still on my TBR list because I haven't found the time to read it yet. But I'll get to it eventually. And there is a president in Legend, though you only meet the son, if I remember correctly. I think he has a bigger role in Prodigy, but since I haven't read it yet I can't say for sure.

     The Undesirable is also fairly new. Came out at the end of January. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my TBR list. It sounds really good. I suggest you check it out on Goodreads if you haven't already. And the president in this book (going from the blurb, if it changes in the book I wouldn't know yet) is Maxwell Cooper.

Happy Presidents' Day and happy reading!

Kacii

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

     As you saw, yesterday I had a cover reveal, and I don't like posting twice in one day, so I'm doing my Valentine's Day post today. What am I doing for my Valentine's Day post? Hmm... I guess you'll just have to keep reading to find out!

     I thought I'd share with you guys my top ten favorite Young Adult/New Adult romances/contemporaries. The first five are normal old contemporaries, and the second five are all in the fantasy/dystopian/paranormal genres.

Realistic YA/NA Contemporary (In no particular order)

1.While it Lasts by Abbi Glines

Synopsis:

Maybe driving home after a few (or more) shots of tequila had been a bad idea, but hell, he did it all the time. The cops had to have been freaking bored to have pulled him over. He wasn’t even swerving! That’s Cage York’s story and he’s sticking to it.

Unfortunately, his baseball coach isn’t buying it. Cage has a free ride to the local junior college for baseball -- or he did, until he’d gotten a DUI. Now, Cage has to decide: does he drop out and give up his dream of getting noticed by a college in the SEC, and possibly making it into the Major Leagues -- or does he give in to his coach’s demands and spend his summer baling hay?

Eva Brooks planned out her life step by step when she was eight years old. Not once over the years had she lost sight of her goals. Josh Beasley, her next door neighbor, had been the center of those goals. He’d been her first boyfriend at seven, her first kiss at ten, her first date at fifteen, and her first tragedy at eighteen. The moment she’d received the phone call from Josh’s mother saying he’d been killed along with four other soldiers just north of Baghdad, Eva’s carefully planned life imploded in the worst way possible.

Cage isn’t real happy with his closet-sized bedroom in the back of a foul smelling barn, or his daily interactions with cows, but he knows that if he doesn’t make his coach happy then he can kiss his scholarship goodbye. Only a sick and twisted man would decide his punishment was to be working on a farm all summer. No hot babes in bikinis waiting to meet a Southern boy to make her vacation complete. Just him and the damned cows.

Oh -- and an uptight, snarky brunette with the biggest blue eyes he’s every seen. But she doesn’t count, because as hard as he’s tried to charm her out of her panties - he’s pretty sure she’d rather see him hung from the rafters than let him get a taste of her pretty little lips

2. Easy by Tammara Webber



Synopsis:

Rescued by a stranger.
Haunted by a secret
Sometimes, love isn’t easy…

He watched her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her savior…

The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he’d worked so hard to overcome, and the future she’d put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart.

Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth—and find the unexpected power of love.

3. My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron



Synopsis:

Taylor Caldwell can't decide if she wants to kiss her new college roommate or punch him.

On the one hand, Hunter Zaccadelli is a handsome, blue-eyed bundle of charm. On the other, he's a tattooed, guitar-playing bundle of bad boy. Maybe that's why Taylor's afraid of falling in love with him, or anyone else. She doesn't want to get burned, and even though her other roommates adore him, she wants him gone before it's too late.

Hunter himself has been been burned before, but the fact that Taylor calls him out on his crap and has the sexiest laugh ever make him decide maybe love isn't a lost cause. They make a bet: if she can convince him she truly loves or hates him, he'll leave the apartment--and leave her alone. The problem is, the more time they spend together, the less she hates him, and the more she moves toward love.

But when the man who holds the key to Taylor's fear of giving up her heart resurfaces and threatens to wreck everything, she has to decide: trust Hunter with her greatest secret, or do everything in her power to win that bet and drive him away forever.

4. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover



Synopsis:

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

5. Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles



Synopsis:

When Carlos Fuentes returns to America after living in Mexico for a year, he doesn’t want any part of the life his older brother, Alex, has laid out for him at a high school in Colorado. Carlos likes living his life on the edge and wants to carve his own path—just like Alex did. Then he meets Kiara Westford. She doesn’t talk much and is completely intimidated by Carlos’ wild ways. As they get to know one another, Carlos assumes Kiara thinks she’s too good for him, and refuses to admit that she might be getting to him. But he soon realizes that being himself is exactly what Kiara needs right now.

Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Paranormal/Supernatural/Dystopia Contemporary (In no particular order)

1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi



Synopsis:

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior

2. Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout



Synopsis:

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy Internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is.

3. Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins



Synopsis:

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver



Synopsis:

They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever.

And I've always believed them.

Until now.

Now everything has changed.

Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

5. Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent



Synopsis:

I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it.

The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….

     Happy Valentine's Day! Don't forget to share your thoughts on what you think of the books I've listed here.

Kacii

Mardi Gras + Support for Breast Cancer

mardi gras plural of Mar·di Gras

Noun A carnival held in some countries on Shrove Tuesday, most famously in New Orleans

     I'm doing a Mardi Gras post today. Totally random, I mean, when is Mardi Gras again? Oh, that's right. It's today. It's also Lincoln's birthday. Not that we care. At all.
     I love Mardi Gras. No, I am not from New Orleans, and I'm not even really from the Deep South. I'm pretty sure DC is in the North. Virginia is in the South, I think. That line gets blurry sometimes.
     Anyways, Mardi Gras is usually a southern tradition, but it's something that my family has participated in for years. My mother used to host charity balls at hotels, usually the Hilton. It would always be a Mardi Gras ball.
     She stopped doing them since we moved to DC because she has so much more stress and work so she doesn't have the time. But I used to love setting everything up. I got to sprinkle confetti on the tables, help with decorations, putting the free masks on the tables, that sort of thing.
     There would always be an auction with various items being sold off. My Grandpa painted a picture of a jester walking down a street in New Orleans for one of the auctions. It was beautiful. A friend of ours bought it and then gave it to my mom as a present because she had wanted it so bad.
     One year I got to go to the ball and I wore my mom's red dress and a mask. It was so much fun, even though I was one of the youngest people there.
     Anyways, I just wanted to have a post on here for Mardi Gras, since it means something to me. I'm not the best person to tell you about the history, since I only know vague details, but click here to get the history and learn what Mardi Gras is about. I think it gives a decent explanation. It's a kids craft website with craft info for different holidays and special occasions.
     Now I may not be able to hold a Mardi Gras ball, but I would love it if you could help support me in fundraising for Avon for the walk to help raise money for breast cancer. I need to get $1,800 to walk in the DC Avon walk for breast cancer. I would love it if you could help donate money to this charity to help people get the money they need to survive.
     It would mean a lot to me and all of the people who will benefit from your generosity. Maybe you know someone with breast cancer or maybe you don't Help me help the people who need to survive. In the long run you'll be so happy that you've helped someone. You will have helped save lives, and that's no small matter. Be grateful for what you have and donate to help the people who need it most.



Now, to keep this post book related here are some books involving either masks, or New Orleans:

Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz
 This is the second book in the Blue Bloods series, which I highly reccommend. Of course I'd start by reading the first book, but here's this one too.

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith
 I have not read this book, but it's on my TBR list. It sounds pretty good.

Blood Like Poison by M. Leighton
 I have no connection whatsoever to this book. I found it while looking at Goodreads. But I have read some books by the author.

The Homecoming Masquerade by Spencer Baum
 Another book that I just found involving masks. No connection, but it does sound pretty good.

Thanks for all of your support and generosity and kindness. It means so much to me and all of the people who will be getting your support. You people rock!

Kacii