Book Nerds Across America

There are A LOT of great books coming out this month, so we had some very difficult decisions to make when selecting this month's read along.  As a result...we are having another Double Feature.  Both of these books are part of a trilogy and all 4 of us have been anxiously awaiting their release.  Insurgent is the 2nd book in the Divergent trilogy and Shine is the 3rd and final book in the Shade Series. 

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

 Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready

Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.

As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart. (Goodreads Overview)

We all arrived on Friday.  Some of us early, some later, but all of us were ecstatic about the possibility of  meeting these fantastic authors!  We had been tweeting them like crazy letting them know that there was a "Book Nerd Takeover"

Look at all of these people waiting to get in!!



Josephine signing Dreamless bookmarks for us


Even though there were no Dreamless books *sad face* we did receive some awesome Dreamless bookmarks and a very funny picture.

Josephine, Flo, Jacque, and Mary

It was after this that we rushed (literally rushed) to Amy Plum's table.  The reason for the rushing was because she had Until I Die advanced copies.  You know how much we love Vincent and Kate!

Amy Plum signing our Until I Die Books

We have to say that we all were so excited that Amy knew who we were.  She was so pleasant and kind to us and always has been.


Flo, Mary, Amy Plum, and Jacque

Next...We were off to see Veronica Roth, the author of Divergent and the highly anticipated Insurgent.
 

Veronica Roth signing our copies of Divergent

Flo, Mary, Veronica Roth, and Jacque

Our trip to YA Alley would not have been complete without visiting Stephanie Perkins, the author of Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door

Jacque, Amy Plum, Josie Angelini, and Flo Josie said she would send us an ARC of her 3rd book in the Starcrossed Series and Amy was our witness :)

 

Jacque, Jeri Smith-Ready and Flo We were super excited to meet the creator of the best fictional band in history/the author of the Shade Series



Flo and Jennifer Lynn Barnes, the author of the Raised by Wolves Series

Jacque, Stacy Kade, and Mary. Stacy is the author of The Ghost and the Goth Series

 


Here is a picture of everything we collected throughout the day.  Some of this we plan on sharing with our followers, so pay close attention to our upcoming giveaways.

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. (Goodreads Summary)

Me and author Kiera Cass at the RT Convention

I have been lusting after this book for awhile. I heard about it several months ago when I found out that it's going to be a TV show on the CW. Since then, I'd been really wanting to read it. I even joined a Goodreads group looking specifically for this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy). So I was super excited when, while at the RT Conference in Chicago a few weekends ago, I was talking to Kimberly Derting and she introduced me to the author, Kiera Cass, who was sitting right next to her. "YOU are The Selection?!?!" I exclaimed excitedly. Like she IS her book. Lol. Then I hopped on over and immediately launched into my tale of trying to get ahold of the ARC. She didn't have any at her table and I was sad about that, but she signed some pretty, pretty bookmarks for me*. Then later that night I gasped when I saw that fellow BookNerd Jacque had scored a copy! I offered to trade her basically any book I had for it, and seeing my enthusiam, she agreed.

First: Cover Love! This is in all the reviews for a reason -- it really is a gorgeous cover! Look at it:

Good Reads Description:

For siblings Jim and Erica Winters, a summer vacation to London promises adventure and a bit of freedom from their overprotective mother. But once they arrive, they end up with more excitement than they bargained for. Their mother is kidnapped and her captors demand the one thing they can’t produce – their long-absent father.

Unable to trust the authorities, Jim and Erica set off in pursuit of their father, racing across Europe and fending off mysterious assailants. As the trail of clues dries up, help arrives in the form of a raven-haired beauty. Is she the answer to their prayers or a romantic distraction? 

With the kidnapper’s deadline looming, the truth about their father’s shadowy past is revealed. In a last ditch effort to save their mother, Jim and Erica must climb high into the Swiss Alps where a perilous choice confronts them. Can they trust their father who has repeatedly betrayed them?


Mary's Review:


I was surprised on by how much I really enjoyed this book.  The Good Reads description really does not do it justice.

Jim and Erica are amazing characters as they go through the story in search for their father, so they can find their mother.  They have some help on the way but the majority of it is on their own.  They are not even sure who they can and cannot trust.  There are so great twist and turns in this book and it really is a page turner.

I have to say that Peter Anthony Kelley is a great writer who is very descriptive in his writing.  Going through Europe with the characters I really felt that I was there because of the detail in the book.  I rooted for Jim and Erica all through the book, in hopes that they reunite with their family.

I do not want to go into much depth of the story because I would hate to spoil it.  However, I can say this.........it is a great read (and fast) and I would recommend to others to read it.

Good Reads description:

Life sucks for orphans Callum Tate and Harper Bailey.

Kicked out of their foster homes because they suffer the 'eighteen disease' with nothing but a hundred dollar check from the government and a pat on the back, they're forced to rely on a system that failed them miserably.

So they sit. They sit inside Social Services, waiting for their social workers to call their names and offer them the miracle they know will never come but they sit anyway because they have nowhere else to go, no other options on their very literal and figurative empty plates.

But as they sit, they notice the other. Although captivated, they each come to the conclusion that life is complicated enough without throwing in a boiling tension that can't ever be acted upon because they're both too busy thinking about where their next meal will come from but when their names are called and both are placed on a year long waiting list for permanent housing, suddenly relying on each other seems like a very viable plan B.

And, oh, how lovely Plan B's can be.

Well, except for the psycho from Harper's past that haunts her and, oh, yeah, there's the little issue that neither of them knows they're in love with the other.

Needless to say, Callum & Harper's life just got a bit more complicated.

“One day, you and I are gonna’ wake up and be alright. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but one day. One day. I promise you.” - Callum Tate

Mary's Review:

Again I need to thank Twitter friends for the recommendation.

This book gets going right off the first page.  I was sucked into the world right off.  Callum and Harper were made for each other.  They lived such a rough life and I felt so sorry for them.

Fisher Amelie really makes you feel their struggles, pains, love, and happiness. On top of that, (this comes with a warning), you NEED TISSUES FOR THIS BOOK! I meant it!  It is true that I am a crier when it comes to book, but this is one that needs LOTS of tissues.

Fisher Amelie writes with such passion for her characters that you can feel every emotion and trust me, you can feel it.

This is a quick read because you will not be able to put it down.  I would recommend to everyone to read.

Book 1: Reckless Magic
Good Reads Description:

16 year old Eden Matthews has been in and out of private schools for the last two years. Kingsley is her last chance to finish high school and she is determined to simply do that. But when she meets Kiran Kendrick and her world opens to something she thought only existed in fairy tales, she's unsure what her future will hold. Suddenly she is captivated by a boy who seems to be the source of all of her problems and struggling to rescue her best friend from a foreign prison. When attempts are made on Kiran's life, Eden alone must save him. Thrust into a world that is more make-believe than reality, Eden has to find her own destiny without losing those she loves most. Reckless is an intricate story of mystery, adventure, magic and love. Eden Matthews is an unlikely heroine set on a path to save the world and her loved ones before its too late.

Book 2: Hopeless Magic
Amazon Description



After returning home from Romania, and successfully saving her best friend Lilly, Eden Matthews must now come to terms with her future as an Immortal. She is in love with the Crowned Prince, but he is betrothed to someone else. Her family desperately wants her to join their rebellion, but that would mean fighting against her one, true love, Kiran Kendrick. She must fight off assassins that want her dead, an Immortal rite of passage that takes her to India and a deadly disease that no one has thus far survived. Danger seems to lurk around every corner as Eden struggles to keep her true identity a secret and protect those that she loves. Eden must find a way to be with Kiran, or turn her back on him forever and fight to save her people. Hopeless Magic is the second installment of the Star-Crossed series.

 Book 3: Fearless Magic

Good Reads Description:

Eden Matthew's world is in shambles. Her grandfather viciously murdered, her twin brother held without magic, and her best friends imprisoned, all at the hands of the one man that was supposed to love her for eternity. She has been betrayed, and now she is being hunted by a king that wants her dead. Eden must pick up the pieces of her life and stand alone against the tyranny that threatens to destroy her world. Alone she must find a way to rebuild the Resistance, locate her missing parents, save her loved ones and take down the monarchy. Everything is against her, including forbidden feelings of a love that she thought was buried. She has declared war and now stands on the precipice of defeat. Losing is not an option however, and Eden must find a way to overcome her emotions, fight through her pain and restore the magic to her kingdom. Fearless Magic is the third installment of The Star-Crossed Series.

Bet you are wondering what 700/400/100 is?  The Book Nerds recently went to RT Book Lovers Convention and were able to get a signed copy of Divergent from Veronica Roth.  Now that is the prize BUT THE SURPRISE TO THAT IS:

If we reach 700 followers on Twitter, 400 followers on the site and 100 likes on Facebook we  will ADD A SPECIAL SURPRISE TO THE GIVEAWAY WINNER!! The "catch" is if we do not make those goals then the winner will only get the signed copy of Divergent. Be sure to tell everyone about the giveaway and good luck!

Luce would die for Daniel.

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way. . .

Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.  

Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever.

Sweeping across centuries, PASSION is the third novel in the unforgettably epic FALLEN series. (Goodreads Overview)


Jacque's Review:
After finishing Torment, I had high hopes for Passion.  I thought the series may finally make it to 4 stars from the 3 stars I have given the first two books, but this was not the case.  I was still at a solid 3 stars for the third installment in this series.  I still really enjoyed the characters and the story line, but it just didn't grab and hold my attention like so many other books I have read lately.  

I was introduced to Jamie McGuire's book Beautiful Disaster from a friend on Twitter.  I was instantly pulled into this amazing story and as soon as I was done I contacted Jaime for an interview.  If you go to her site she has a list of her latest projects, other books that she has worked on, and FAQs.

I would like to thank Jamie for taking time out of her busy day to allow us to interview her.

1.      I saw that on your blog’s FAQs that you are going to be doing a spinoff of Travis’ POV and Travis’ brother, why the spinoff instead of just doing a sequel?

Good Reads Description:

Isadora Rivers feels trapped. Her small town high school is suffocating her. Another day of wannabe gangsters, dumb jocks, and Barbie clones, and she'll just lose it. Her keen emotional sensitivity is to blame. She sees through all of the poser behavior to the pain and insecurity simmering just below the surface, and it's overwhelming. She feels like she's literally drowning in other people's emotions.

This same sensitivity, however, makes her a great actress. Suffocating or not, her high school is one of the top arts schools in the country. Acting is not only her passion, but it also looks like her way out. If she can just score the lead role in the school play, she might get herself noticed by a Hollywood agent. But she's got a strong reckless streak, and it keeps getting her in trouble and jeopardizing her chances.

Riding her bike at top speed, she swerves in front of a car and nearly gets hit. The driver, Tristan Blake, turns out to be the mysterious new boy at school. He's rebellious, broody, and wise beyond his years. He's also devastatingly gorgeous. From the moment their eyes meet, Isadora is irresistibly drawn to him. But as soon as he enters her life, things go horribly wrong. She begins having disturbing visions full of unimaginable glamour and unbearable darkness. He knows things about her he shouldn't. And he's somehow so familiar. As he at turns pulls her close, and then pushes her away, Isadora feels like her heart is being twisted and torn.

She soon discovers that her whole future is in jeopardy, and her only hope is to stay away from Tristan. But how can she turn away from the only boy she has ever loved? As a harrowing event looms closer, one that threatens to rip apart her psyche, Isadora must reach deep inside herself and find the strength to change her own destiny. But is she strong enough to do it?


Mary's Review:

Good Reads Description:

Jessie Boone is a self proclaimed bad boy and doesn’t march to the beat of anyone’s drum, but his own. Growing up in less than desirable circumstances has made him no stranger to the hard knock life and his determination to leave it behind is fierce. When he finds himself transferred to East Franklin High School, he sees his opportunity to use his athletic ability to snag a college football scholarship, but Forbes Henderson, the player Jessie means to replace isn’t giving up his spot willingly. In fact, Forbes is willing to go to extreme measures to retain his place as first string quarterback. When Forbes’ malicious plan to injure his replacement fails, Jessie is furious and determined to show him he messed with the wrong person; not only is he going to take the position of first string quarterback, he’s going to take his girl, too.

Claire Deveraux is perfection at it’s best. She is beautiful, intelligent and unaware she just became Jessie Boone’s conquest as revenge against her boyfriend, Forbes Henderson. Like her flawless performance as the perfect daughter and student, Claire’s production of being the perfect girlfriend has everyone fooled, except Jessie Boone, and she fears this tattooed bad boy will see her secret desire to explore his crude threats and promises to rock her perfect world. If she decides to give in to one uninhibited moment with Jessie, will she learn too late that it was all an act of vengeance or will Jessie learn the taste of first love is sweeter than that of revenge?


Mary's Review:


Again, @LuvMyHootie loaned me another amazing book.  No werewolves, vampires, or any other supernatural being.  It was just a boy from the wrong side of the tracks that falls for a girl from the other side of the tracks.


I loved it! Georgia Cates is an amazing author who makes you root for Jessie and Claire.  It is not just one of those tragic love stories either.  Do not get me wrong, there are parts in this book that I definitely teared up for Jessie but at the same time I just held on to hope until the end.

Good Reads Description:

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’ apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.


Mary's Review:


Once again I need to thank my Twitter buddy @LuvMyHootie because she loaned me this book.  I was up until 3 am reading this book.  It was great!


Let me explain, you all know that I love my supernatural guys and couples, but sometimes a girl needs "regular" characters and Jamie McGuire delivered!  I fell head over heels for Travis and Abby!  It was so nice to read a book that I could actually relate to because it could happen (somewhat).  Jamie McGuire did keep me guessing about some parts and I kept rooting for Travis and Abby to get together the whole time.  

"Sixteen-year-old Piper Wesley has always been better at hooking fish than guys. But with her best friend Benny by her side, she’s never minded. And besides, her fishing skills have made her a celebrity in her hometown of Islamorada, an island paradise in the Florida Keys. So when a slump in tourism threatens to sink her family’s fishing charter business, Piper recruits Benny to help her win a major fishing tournament and the $25,000 grand prize. It seems like a perfect plan. Put her skills to use, win some money and help her parents weather the storm. Except that now Benny cares more about hanging out with his girlfriend Marina than helping Piper. And he keeps disappearing, usually after something suspicious happens on the island. Add in Logan, a Michigan transplant with a growing interest in something other than Piper’s fishing, and it looks like practicing for the tournament will be anything but easy. Leaving Piper to wonder how she'll win. And who will be there when it’s over." (From the author's website.)

Jackie approached the BookNerds about reviewing her book, and when I saw that it takes place in my home state of Florida, I couldn't say no. But I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. This was a really great read! I tore through it, reading it in a few hours over a couple of plane rides. I couldn't put it down. I had to see what Benny and Marina were up to. I had to see if Piper would let herself be swept off her feet by Logan. And of course -- the Scramble. Jackie must be quite the fisher woman because all her descriptions were pretty in depth. At times I glossed often the lengthy explanations, but overall it was neat to learn about something different, and I really like the idea of a book focusing on a girl who likes to fish. Outside of the norm, but it totally works for Piper. I think some might say the twist at the end was easy to see coming, but I totally did not! It's not very often that I am so pleasantly surprised by how good a book is, but this one did it for me. If you are looking for unique and engrossing read, I would definitely check it out!

I contacted Jessica Sorensen when I began reading the forth installment of The Fallen Star series.  I thoroughly enjoyed this series and I would recommend others to read them also.

As usual, I asked 5 questions because I know how busy authors are.  I would like to THANK Jessica for taking time to answer my questions.

Good Reads Description:

My name is Gemma Lucas and my life’s a mess. Alex is gone, my dad’s trapped in his own mind, and my mom’s working for the dark side. Not to mention Nicholas refuses to quit haunting me. 

The world has also entered apocalyptic mode. Everyday more vampires, witches, and fey run the streets. Innocent people are dying. The Mark of Malefiscus is showing up everywhere. And I’m the only one who can stop it.

The only problem is I have to die in order to do so. And I have to let Alex die. Something I’m not sure I can do.