June Wrap Up!

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today I'll be talking about all the books I read in June, which wasn't that many, if I'm being honest. I got myself into a reading slump of sorts, but I've started getting back into the swing of reading, so here's to a productive July!

Without further ado, here are the five books I read during the month!

Fraternize by Rachel Van Dyken 

Goodreads

Fraternize started off really strong for me, but then it kept dragging. and dragging. and draaaaginggg!  The novel follows three main characters, Emerson a plus-sized cheerleader for an NFL team, Miller Quinton her first love who happens to be on said team, and Grant Sanchez, another love interest who is also a football player. While I love a good love triangle, this one drawn out. It took so long for something to be revealed, and I just didn't click with the dramatic writing. For instance, Miller said multiple times that him and Sanchez were "brothers" and that the football team was a "brotherhood." Also, he kept on referring to football games as a "war" and that he'd "war" for Sanchez. I was over the novel by the time the it wrapped up.

Again, But Better by Christine Riccio

Goodreads

After my disappointing time with Fraternize, I was looking for a breath of fresh air. I have been looking forward to reading Again, But Better by Christine Riccio ever since Christine's first video about her writing process. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit anxious reading it, but I loved this. The novel meant a lot to me on a personal level, as you can tell from this tweet (which got a lot more attention that I was anticipating). 

I’m almost done reading Again, But Better by @xtineMAY and Shane’s arc perfectly explains my passions, anxieties, and goals of having a career in publishing! I love having a story I can relate so much to, and one that makes me feel like I can accomplish my dreams 💗💗💗

— Gennifer Eccles (@genniblogs) June 11, 2019

Also, this is a friendly promo to follow my twitter account! :) I'm @genniblogs !

Waiting on Wednesday #62

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today I'll be participating in Waiting on Wednesday, and meme originally created by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. Jill hasn't been active for a while, so Tressa @ Wishful Endings has adopted it! If you see posts by the name of "Can't Wait Wednesday," it's the same thing!

The book I'm looking forward to this week is Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger!

Love. Obsession. Jealousy. Murder.

No one knows what happened to pop icon Eric Thorn. His Twitter account? Frozen. His cell phone? Cracked and bloody, buried in the snow.

Agoraphobic fangirl Tessa Hart knows the truth, but she's finally left her #EricThornObsessed days behind. She has no intention of ever touching her Twitter app again. But Snapchat... That's safer, right?

After months of living under the radar, Tessa emerges from hiding, forced to face the deadly consequences of her past. But in the interrogation room, answers only lead to more questions in the pulse-pounding conclusion to the Follow Me Back duology

Goodreads

BOOK REVIEW | Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

Title: Nyxia
Author: Scott Reintgen
Series? Yes, a trilogy
Pages: 384
Publication Date: September 12, 2017
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers (under Random House Children's)
Source: I received a galley of Nyxia via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you!

Every life has a price in this sci-fi thriller that has the nonstop action of The Maze Runner and the high-stakes space setting of Illuminae. This is the first in a new three-book series called the Nyxia Triad that will take a group of broken teens to the far reaches of the universe and force them to decide what they're willing to risk for a lifetime of fortune.

Emmett Atwater isn't just leaving Detroit; he's leaving Earth. Why the Babel Corporation recruited him is a mystery, but the number of zeroes on their contract has him boarding their lightship and hoping to return to Earth with enough money to take care of his family.

Forever.

Before long, Emmett discovers that he is one of ten recruits, all of whom have troubled pasts and are a long way from home. Now each recruit must earn the right to travel down to the planet of Eden--a planet that Babel has kept hidden--where they will mine a substance called Nyxia that has quietly become the most valuable material in the universe.

But Babel's ship is full of secrets. And Emmett will face the ultimate choice: win the fortune at any cost, or find a way to fight that won't forever compromise what it means to be human.

Author's Website | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads

June 2017 Wrap Up!

Hey everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today I'll be wrapping up June. The first half of June was pretty hectic for me. I had my last week of school, hosted a graduation party, and graduated high school on the 13th! The second half of the month I had more free time, and went to the beach for the weekend with my friends.

With this free time I was able to read a good amount of books, and I hope I'll be caught up on my goodreads goal soon. Here are the books I read this June, in order of date read. I'm only 6 books behind, whereas I was ten behind at the beginning of the month! 

 

So as you can tell, I've had a pretty good reading month! I've read a total of 10 books, and enjoyed all of them. I think the worst book I read was Unblemished by Sara Ella. I almost gave that one 2.5 stars, but decided to be giving. Obviously, my best book of the month was Dear Ijeawele. I will for sure be re-reading that in the future. I also had one reread - Frigid by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I have yet to add it to goodreads, but it was a good reread! It became tedious after a certain time, but it really reinvigorated me to pick up some more books! 

How was your June?

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!

Happy Reading!

Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!

BOOK REVIEW | Sleeper by MacKenzie Cadenhead

Title: Sleeper
Author: MacKenzie Cadenhead
Series? No
Pages: 272
Publication Date: August 1, 2017
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: I received Sleeper via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you!

A new suspense-ridden thriller that’s Heathers meets Inception.

As if surviving high school wasn’t hard enough, Sarah Reyes suffers from REM Sleep Behavior Disorder, a parasomnia that causes her to physically act out her dreams. When she almost snaps her friend’s neck at a sleepover, Sarah and her nocturnal habits are thrust into the spotlight and she becomes a social pariah, complete with public humiliation.

 When an experimental drug comes onto the market that promises nighttime normalcy, Sarah agrees to participate in the trial. At first, she seems to be cured. Then the side effects kick in. Why does a guy from her nightmare show up at school? Are the eerily similar dreams she’s sharing with her classmates’ coincidence or of her making? Is she losing her mind or does this drug offer way more than sleep?

Amazon | Author's Website | B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads

BOOK REVIEW | Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger

Title: Follow Me Back
Author:  A.V. Geiger
Series? Yes, duology
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: I received and e-galley of Follow Me Back via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Sourcebooks Fire!

Tessa Hart’s world feels very small. Confined to her bedroom with agoraphobia, her one escape is the online fandom for pop sensation Eric Thorn. When he tweets to his fans, it’s like his speaking directly to her…

Eric Thorn is frightened by his obsessive fans. They take their devotion way too far. It doesn’t help that his PR team keeps posting to encourage their fantasies.

When a fellow pop star is murdered at the hands of a fan, Eric knows he has to do something to shatter his online image fast—like take down one of his top Twitter followers. But Eric’s plan to troll @TessaHeartsEric unexpectedly evolves into an online relationship deeper than either could have imagined. And when the two arrange to meet IRL, what should have made for the world’s best episode of Catfish takes a deadly turn…

Told through tweets, direct messages, and police transcripts.

Author's Website | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday #30

Hey everyone and welcome back to my blog! This week I will be participating in Waiting on Wednesday. WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. Every week we showcase upcoming releases that we are excited about. Tressa @ Wishful Endings has recently taken lead in this meme, considering Jill hasn't been posting on for a while. Learn more here!

This week I chose Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger!

Tessa Hart’s world feels very small. Confined to her bedroom with agoraphobia, her one escape is the online fandom for pop sensation Eric Thorn. When he tweets to his fans, it’s like his speaking directly to her…

Eric Thorn is frightened by his obsessive fans. They take their devotion way too far. It doesn’t help that his PR team keeps posting to encourage their fantasies.

When a fellow pop star is murdered at the hands of a fan, Eric knows he has to do something to shatter his online image fast—like take down one of his top Twitter followers. But Eric’s plan to troll @TessaHeartsEric unexpectedly evolves into an online relationship deeper than either could have imagined. And when the two arrange to meet IRL, what should have made for the world’s best episode of Catfish takes a deadly turn…

Told through tweets, direct messages, and police transcripts.

Author's Website | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday #24

Hey everyone and welcome back to my blog! This week I will be participating in Waiting on Wednesday. WoW is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. Every week we showcase upcoming releases that we are excited about. Tressa @ Wishful Endings has recently taken lead in this meme, considering Jill hasn't been posting on for a while. Learn more here!

This week I chose There's Someone in Your House by Stephanie Perkins!

Scream meets YA in this hotly-anticipated new novel from the bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss.

One-by-one, the students of Osborne High are dying in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasing and grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and the hunt intensifies for the killer, the dark secrets among them must finally be confronted.

International bestselling author Stephanie Perkins returns with a fresh take on the classic teen slasher story that’s fun, quick-witted, and completely impossible to put down.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository |  Goodreads 

Author Q&A | Kieran Scott

Hey everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today I'll be doing an author Q&A with Kieran Scott to promote her newest release, Pretty Fierce. I had the pleasure of reading Pretty Fierce for review via Netgalley and I really liked it! If you want to know more of my thoughts, check out my review! 

Title: Pretty Fierce
Author: Kieran Scott
Pub Date: April 4, 2017

An action-packed, edge-of-your-seat novel about a teen who, when backed into a corner, fights back, from the author of What Waits in the Woods

Kaia has been on the run her whole life. The daughter of professional assassins, she knows danger—and she’ll do anything to survive. After her parents vanished during a job gone bad, Kaia’s spent the last year in hiding, trying to blend in as an ordinary teenager, and there’s no one who makes her feel more normal, more special, than her boyfriend, Oliver.

But when she's attacked by someone from her mother's past and Oliver catches her fighting back, Kaia's secret is exposed. In a split-second decision, she flees the small town, taking Oliver with her. Stalked at every turn, Oliver and Kaia must protect each other...or die trying.

1) What inspired you to write a thriller YA novel?

Thrillers have always been my favorite stories to read, to watch and to write. When I was a kid I used to watch classic thrillers with my mom like REAR WINDOW and FRANTIC and I always just loved the way they made me feel—like I had to hold my breath because something or someone was about to jump out from behind that curtain or fling themselves off a train. I’ve also read a lot of great adult thrillers over the years and felt like, while there are some great YA novels in the genre, there weren’t any fun, humorous thrillers. I always think the best ones have those moments of comedic relief, which is what I tried for here.

2) If you could only write one genre for the rest of your career, what would it be?

I’d like to write mystery/thrillers. There’s just something exciting about coming up with all the twists and turns, trying to keep secrets from the reader, and challenging myself to come up with cliffhangers to end each chapter. Plus, plotting is my favorite part of the writing process, so I really enjoy plot-driven narratives. I’ve never been great with the flowery descriptions and settings. I like to write dialogue and action.

Waiting on Wednesday #3: Till Death by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine! Every week we showcase one upcoming release that we are excited about. This week I chose a upcoming release by one of my go-to authors, Jennifer L. Armentrout! Till Death comes out in late February, and it is a thriller romance. It actually reminds me of The Dead List, which Armentrout published via wattpad for fun. You can find my review of that book here.

Here is Till Death's stats:
Pages: 400
Publsiher: William Morrow
Expected Publication: Feb. 28, 2017

In New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s gripping new novel, a young woman comes home to reclaim her life—even as a murderer plots to end it. . .

It’s been ten years since Sasha Keaton left her West Virginia hometown . . . since she escaped the twisted serial killer known as the Groom. Returning to help run her family inn means being whole again, except for one missing piece. The piece that falls into place when Sasha’s threatened—and FBI agent Cole Landis vows to protect her the way he couldn’t a decade ago.

First one woman disappears; then another, and all the while, disturbing calling cards are left for the sole survivor of the Groom’s reign of terror. Cole’s never forgiven himself for not being there when Sasha was taken, but he intends to make up for it now . . . because under the quirky sexiness Cole first fell for is a steely strength that only makes him love Sasha more.

But someone is watching. Waiting. And Sasha’s first mistake could be her last.

Why I'm Waiting

Jennifer L. Armentrout is a go to author of mine. I don't have auto-buy authors, but I don have auto-read authors, and she's one of them. I really enjoyed reading The Dead List, and I'm looking forward to reading another thriller. I don't read too many thrillers, so I am looking forward to pushing my comfort zone! I know I'll be requesting this from my library once it is released! 

What did you pick this week? Are you looking forward to Till Death?

Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!

Happy Reading!

Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!

Book Review: The Dead List by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Dead List was so addicting and fun!

I can never get enough of Jennifer L. Armentrout! She seems to show up every single month in my wrap ups and January will be no exception. The Dead List is actually a free online read on the website Wattpad! I've read a plethora of books from the wattpad app, and while there have been plenty I have really liked, there were others that were complete misses for me. However, I had high hopes for this one because I am so familiar with Jennifer L. Armentrout.

The Dead List is a contemporary thriller that follows our main character Ella after she is almost murdered. I haven't read much thriller or watched much for that matter, so unlike for some people, this was a breath of fresh air. There were some parts of the book that had a very Scream like vibe, but besides that I didn't mind the book not being as original compared to her other books. 

The Dead List was so much fun to read. It wasn't without it's faults, but the story and the characters carried it through for me. I was more interested in the plot than the characters because they didn't stand out for me. Ella is a classic character that is beautiful without really knowing and has several guys pining after her. Jensen, the love interest, is the classic jock (ex jock in this novel) that is a bit mysterious and a lot misunderstood. Though they were cookie cutter characters, their actions and what happened to them were not. 


Throughout the novel there are two different stories being told that intertwine with each other. While the storyline of the serial killer that attempted to murder Ella was the primary story, the secondary one was just as interesting. I love how they were connected with each other and it kept me on my toes. While I was guessing who the murderer was right along with the other readers on the wattpad app, the big reveal did take me by surprise. 

I really loved the romance of this book. While it was a bit predictable, the dialogue between the two sold it for me. What I love about all the relationships that Jennifer L. Arementrout writes about is how swoon worthy and intriguing they are. The idea that Jensen and Ella used to be best friends that grew apart because of a tragic accident kept me wondering what exactly had happened. 

Though The Dead List does get some criticism for its lack of originality, I enjoyed it as a whole. The plot intrigued me the whole entire time I was reading it and there was no dull point in my reading experience. If you are new to the app or thinking about getting it, I would recommend this one. The romance was cute and at times sexy, with the story achieving its goal of being thrilling. 

With that, I give this book 

4 out of 5 Stars!

Have you read any of Jennifer L. Arementrout's books? What was your favorite? 

Thanks guys for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!

Happy Reading!

Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!

P.S. Sorry for my mysterious disappearance! Finals week killed me. :D