Showcase Sunday #81

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme held by Books, Biscuits and Tea. It allows fellow bloggers to show off any books or bookish things they've compiled over the week.

Hi friends! Lovely pile of books I've accumulated over the last two weeks. My Owlcrate box arrived. Not my favourite month, but I'm happy with the book as I was going to buy a finished copy. And now I don't have to. Netgalley was also keeping me busy requesting cute chic-lit type romances. I purchased my third copy of Fangirl. I just couldn't pass up the Indigo special edition.I'll probably buy the Amazon one as well. 

Purchased

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley: Another great Owlcrate. Plus this months doesn't add to my TBR because I read the ARC. So yay for a finished copy.

Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures(Pip Bartlett #1) by Maggie Stiefvater & Jackson Pearce
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy by Sam Maggs

How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler
P.S. I Still Love You(To All the Boys I've Loved Before #2) by Jenny Han

Kindle Freebies

Netgalley

Review

**Thanks so much to HBG Canada**
Court of Fives(Court of Fives #1) by Kate Elliott
A Million Miles Away by Lara Avery
Tangled Webs(Tangled Webs #1) by Lee Bross

**Thanks so much to Raincoast**

Velvet(Velvet Trilogy #1) by Temple West

What did you guys get this week?

Happy reading!

Brittany

Weekly Wrap-Up May 23rd-29th

I only managed to finish four books this week. One was a re-read. Three were physical books and one was an e-book.
I still have like four books on the go from last week that I've yet to finish. One I'm pretty sure I'm just going to DNF because I've lost all interest. Haven't read it in over two weeks.

Wave by Eric Walters ****
I needed to read something short and quick. I've been meaning to read another Eric Walters book for forever. So Wave was a perfect pick. It's about the 2004 tsunami, so I knew it would be emotional. I think Walters did a fantastic job capturing the devastation felt by the family the book follows as well as the people of Thailand(where the family was vacationing). I didn't think this was the most well written of Walters books. But I don't think it was meant to be. Nor did that take away from the story. I need to read more of Walters back titles that I own very soon.


Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover *****(re-read)
The teaser trailer was released this week. That made me need to do a re-read. Loved it as much the second time around. You can find my past review here.


P.S. I Still Love You(To All the Boys I've Loved Before) by Jenny Han ****
A few weeks ago I read To All the Boys I've Loved Before and said I was going to review it. Well I still haven't written that review. But I will. I'm going to do a series review. So hopefully I'll actually write that this weekend and get it posted next week.


Whatever Life Throws At You by Julie Cross ****
I was at a stand still with the books I was currently reading, so I needed something to pull me out of my funk. That's where my YA and NA contemps come in. Whatever Life Throws At You was a much needed read. It's definitely nothing special. But it's a sweet romance. It's right on the cusp of NA. The MC is still in high school, but the romance gets a little steamy. Nothing really graphic. I liked it. I also love books centered around sports. I may not be a big baseball fan, but when you base a good romance book around it than I suddenly love it and want to go to a game. The writing was definitely not the best, but it was good enough to keep me reading. I think this is one of those times where the book is read at the perfect moment. Definitely enjoyed Whatever Life Throws At You. Really recommend for newbies to NA or especially someone that is hesitant to give the genre a go.

What did you guys read this week?

Happy reading!

Brittany

Review: Something Real by Heather Demetrios

Something Real by Heather Demetrios

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Publication Date: February 4th, 2014
Pages: 406
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5/5
Add to Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Bonnie™ Baker has grown up on TV—she and her twelve siblings are the stars of one-time hit reality show Baker’s Dozen. Since the show's cancellation, Bonnie™ has tried to live a normal life, under the radar and out of the spotlight. But it's about to fall apart . . . because Baker’s Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™'s mom and the show's producers won't let her quit and soon the life that she has so carefully built for herself, with real friends (and maybe even a real boyfriend), is in danger of being destroyed by the show. Bonnie™ needs to do something drastic if her life is ever going to be her own—even if it means being more exposed than ever before.

Heather Demetrios' Something Real is the winner of the Susan P. Bloom PEN New England Discovery Award.

Done. Solidified. Heather Demetrios has now moved herself into my favourite authors category. And that's only after two books. But when you're the boss like her it was pretty much a no brainer after I read I'll Meet You There. Something Real is absolutely everything I want in a YA contemporary. Not just the story and characters and the messages about not being afraid to be yourself as well as never being afraid to speak up. Which is really prevalent with Chloe's life in the spotlight. A life she never asked for, but grew up in. Something Real was interesting in it's look at how scary it's gotten with our obsession with celebrities and reality T.V. Demetrios does this is such, well, a real way.

 Chloe(nee Bonnie) Baker has spent her life in the spotlight. She was literally born on T.V. than spent thirteen years living her life through the world's T.V. screen with the rest of her family on Baker's Dozen. Now after four years off air, Chloe has been trying to keep Bonnie in the past. Her and her family moved across the country. Her and her brother, Benny are able to attend a high school where no one knows who they are. Chloe has real friends and a hope that she might be able to leave the past in the past. That is until one day Chloe and Benny arrive home from school to be ambushed by their mother and a T.V. crew. Looks like Baker's Dozen is coming back. Chloe is not alright with that. The new life she's built is about to be blown wide open. And her past is suddenly going to finally catch up to her.

Something Real touches on so many topics. In just four hundred pages I got so much out of my reading experience. Chloe was the perfect voice to deliver this story. Chloe has worked so hard break out of her reality T.V. star persona and that night where everything almost came to an end. There is nothing Chloe wants more than being normal and freedom. Chloe struggles so much with discovering herself in Something Real. I really appreciated that side to her because it's relatable. She's seeing her friends(Tessa and Mer), Patrick and even Benny have college to move on to. Where she knows she wants out but she doesn't know where that leads. Chloe is stronger than she thinks. When she finally starts to get the courage and motivation to take a stand for her life and rights, I was like a proud mama bear. Chloe's home life is so undesirable and just not right and that really could have brought her down. But she choose to fight to keep her privacy and I couldn't not love her for that.

It's terrible to see Chloe(and really her siblings too) with such a lack of parental figures. There might be a few moments when you feel a little bad for her mom but 95% of the time she's a deplorable parent. She has raised her children in the spotlight and not once does it seem like she's bothered to care how that affects them. Benny has problems with alcohol. Lexie seems to be using her sexuality in not the most positive way. And Chloe overdosed on pills. The amount of times Chloe tries to discuss how she feels about being back on the air and the past with her mom and her mom just tells her to get over herself is frustrating and honestly a little shocking. She's your mom, she should be protecting you not using you. When Chloe speaks out, instead of speaking to her daughter she tells her she's ruining the family. Her dad found the dark side of stardom and is living it up in Miami. Her step dad might come over as a good guy but that's quickly dis proven. The icing on the cake is the shows producer, Chuck. What a sleezy, slimy guy. He talks to the kids like their his family but he threatens Chloe and is a complete asshole. Even with shitty parents Chloe has her friends and Benny to have her back and support her. Even when she thinks she's alone, she's really far from it.

Patrick is absolutely the perfect boyfriend. He's been crushing on Chloe for over a year before he finally makes his move. He's so super cute. The relationship he has with his parents is even cuter. I just want to squish his face. I love his nerdy tendencies and style. And I love his support and genuine feelings towards Chloe even more. Patrick absolutely always knows all the right things to say in the most caring and thoughtful way. Patrick backs Chloe 100% and even though I'm not totally on board with a 18 year old telling his girlfriend that all he cares about is what she wants, it's sweet none the less. God, he's so sweet and adorable. Everyone needs a Patrick in their life. Every time him and Chloe are together it warms my OTP feelings.

Benny and Chloe are extremely close. They have a brother sister relationship that I envy(love you bro). Being that they're only a few months apart, the experience they had growing up was pretty much the same. Compared to their younger siblings and Lexie, their feelings over growing up in the spotlight has only deepened their bond. The return of Baker's Dozen brings Benny a whole bunch of his own going on's to the forefront. It's no secret at home that Benny's gay. At school is a different story. It's not that he's in the closest, it's that the relationship he's in is in the closet. And I understand why Matt(Benny's boyfriend) is struggling on what he should do. Even so Benny's and Matt's relationship in another strong one to highlight from Something Real. Like Patrick and Chloe, support and honesty is important. When the eventual outing goes down, all the feels go out to Benny and Matt. But what's to follow with the t-shirt and dance(I know vague, but read the book!) is definitely the most heart warming and happy moment of Something Real.

I'm so happy that Lexie is getting her own book. She was such an intriguing and complex character. Chloe and Lexie's relationship grew so much throughout Something Real. They didn't really get along. Which was more that they didn't really understand each other. But as Chloe started to speak up more, Lexie started to respect her more. Something positive to come out of a terrible situation.

Something Real is many things. Like a true coming of age story that shows just how real life gets. Demetrios writing is gripping without being over dramatized. And the banter is on point. We all know how I need my banter fulfillment. Something Real sure delivers. I've re-read my favourite parts a few times now. I've marked the hell out of all the Patrick moments(there is a lot). *sigh* I have no doubt that Something Real will get a full re-read before the year is out. Possibly more than once.

Happy reading!

Brittany  

Weekly Wrap-Up May 16th-22nd

I did manage to finish five books this week. One was a graphic novel. All were physical books.
Towards the end of the week I was kind of feeling a bit slumpy, so I do have like four books on the go.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson *****
This graphic novel is everything. The humour and wit just add to a really brilliant story. I love Nimona and her character arc. The way it was developed was phenomenal. This book made me realize that I really don't read much antihero stories. Nimona's boss, Blackheart is the villain, except he is way to moral to actually pull of being a bad villain. I loved that part. And his relationship/history with Sir Goldenloin kept hinting and the hints made me super excited. I am so hoping that there is more Nimona to come in the future. There is so much more that can be explored with these characters and world.

Picture Perfect(Geek Girl #3) by Holly Smale ****
The Geek Girl series is just a really fun time. Harriet is pretty comical. She can spout off so many random facts and tidbits. And the situations she gets herself into when modeling just adds to the humour. I will admit that her immaturity is getting a bit old. She's 16 now, but half the time she acts like she's 12. Although by the end of the book she did start to realize she was trying so hard to act like a grown up that she wasn't even coming close to achieving that. I'm definitely excited to see what Harriet, her family, Toby(LOL) and everyone gets up to in the next one.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell *****(re-read)

I picked myself one of the new special editions so of course I couldn't resist a re-read. I think I loved it even more the second time around. Especially Levi.

Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham ****

Find the full review here.

Last Year's Mistake by Gina Ciocca ****
Full review to come closer to release date.

What did you guys read this week?

Happy reading!

Brittany

Unpopular Opinions Book TAG

TAG created over on YouTube by TheBookArcher. Find the original video here.

I've been seeing this TAG go around BookTube and thought it seemed fun. So I tagged myself.

1. A Popular Book or series that you didn't like.

I don't get it. I can understand reading fluff, because I read my fair share of it. But this wasn't even a guilty pleasure read for me. Yes, I finished the trilogy off because I obviously went insane. So much ridiculousness. America and Maxon are literally the most frustratingly stupid characters. Ever. Don't be fooled by the pretty covers like I was. The Elite review and The One review.

2. A Popular Book or series that every one else seems to hate but you love. 

I had a bit of a long think on this question. I'm usually the opposite where I hate a book everyone loves(it happens quite a bit). It's no secret that Allegiant is one the most conversational endings to a series. Readers either loved it or hated it. Whatever spectra you land on, you have a strong opinion. I'm more in the minority. I loved it. Sure it broke my heart into a bazillion pieces. But it was a fitting ending. The Divergent trilogy still remains one of my favourites. Allegiant review.

3. A Love Triangle where the main character ended up with the person you did NOT want them to end up with (warn ppl for spoilers) OR an OTP that you don't like. 

Since this is the last book in a trilogy my answer might be a bit spoiler-y. I'm not naming characters though. Nope. Nope. Nope to Ruin and Rising. That is not who I wanted the MC to end up with. Total cop-out. In fact if my ship didn't sail I would have been okay as long as the MC didn't end up with who they did. I thoroughly enjoyed Ruin and Rising minus the whole ending. Still a bit angry over it. Even a year later...

4. A popular book Genre that you hardly reach for. 

I like to think that I read a good variety of genres. For the most part I don't pick up books that are marketed as Mystery. Not that I don't read books with a bit of mystery to them. But they're generally a romantic thriller or a mix of a few genres. I'm just not one to really read a straight up Mystery.

5. A popular or beloved character that you do not like.

I'm going with a duo; Clary and Jace from The Mortal Instruments series. Although I'm a fan of the series I absolutely despise the two MC's. Both are morons. Jace is so in love with himself. Like he's God's gift to the world. Nope. You're a selfish douchebag. Absolutely everything Clary says or does is a bad decision. She's annoying as hell. A lot of characters lives would have been just fine without Clary showing up and making yet another wrong move.

6. A popular author that you can't seem to get into. 

Easy. Neil Gaiman. Don't get it. I personally think he's overrated. I've read a couple of his books in the hopes that I'd find something to like. Yea, no. They're to weird and confusing. 

7. A popular book trope that you're tired of seeing. (examples "lost princess", corrupt ruler, love triangles, etc.)

We all know how much I'm into romance and NA. It's really my thing this year. There's a lot of romance tropes I love. They just kind of suck me in every single time. But there's also a few that I am quite over. I like myself a bad boy but I'm completely over the bad boy who is just an ass. He's got some lame excuse of a reason he's being mean to the leading lady. Dude, it's not cool. I don't even know what she sees in you. I'd be keeping my distance from your unattractive attitude. What really gets me is how many times abuse(mental, emotion, physical) is being romanticized. That should never ever be shown in a positive light. And than have readers saying it's just a book. It doesn't matter, it's never okay to romanticize abuse. This asshole bad boy is far to often bringing a long a past that he hasn't worked out and which leads him to taking it out on a women. Case and point, After by Anna Todd. UGH! 

8. A popular series that you have no interest in reading.

I did have every intention of getting around to GoT. In fact one of my best friends gave me the book back in high school(so well over 10 years ago). But I'm kind of over it. The hype is annoying me. And I feel like it's taboo not to have read or watched it(and no, I've yet to see a single episode). Maybe one day I'll dive into the world. But more than likely it'll be the show I check out first. 

9. The saying goes "The book is always better than the movie", but what movie or T.V. show adaptation do you prefer more than the book?

Just know that I adore the book. The Lord of the Rings is one of my favourite books. BUT I think Peter Jackson did an brilliant job of adapting it to the screen. All three movies are my favourite. They capture the world and characters Tolkien created perfectly. The book is super dense and descriptive. So the movies are able to cut that out. The movies are a masterpiece.

I am going to TAG a few of my girls.
Samantha @ The Secret Life of a Bookworm
Missy @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Charnell @ Reviews From a Bookworm

Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library

Jen @ Ebony Ink Reviews

Happy reading!

Brittany

Miniviews #22: Love and the Ledge & Days Like This

Love on the Ledge by Zoraida Cordova

Publisher: Diversion Books

Publication Date: May 5th, 2015

Series: On the Verge #2

Pages: 250

Source: Netgalley/Publisher

Rating: 4/5

Add to Goodreads

Cordova caught my attention with the first book in this series, Luck on the Line. It was a really good and fun NA read. So needless to say I was eager to see what she would produce next. Love on the Ledge is just as fun and romantic. The setting on the Hamptons in the summer is one a lot of wish to experience. It was great to see it through Sky's POV as she falls for Hayden and tries to keep her family from getting into too much trouble. I really liked Sky. We meet her briefly in the first book, where she got her heart broken by her asshole of a boyfriend. That lead her out to the Hamptons to stay at her uncle's house well she puts her life on hold. Well she wants to figure it out. What does she really want. Sky loves to help people, so being a nurse fit her personality. But in the end she mostly become a nurse to appease her mother. Sky's mother is good at meddling in her life, which like Sky I found quite frustrating, but can also understand that she just wants the best for her daughter. Sky doesn't need the help though. She is super independent and strong headed.  She just needed a little breather. 

Hayden literally falls into Sky's life. It's a totally meet cute. I really enjoyed the progression of their relationship. It wasn't angsty, just kind of sweet. That has a lot to do with Hayden. I love me a guy who is a hard worker, which you know, produces some nice muscle. But Hayden is such a genuine, sweet and fun guy. Really great guy. Perfect book boyfriend.
There was also a lot of focus on family. With Sky's uncles getting married, her extended family are all coming together and staying under one roof. Which, of course, leads to fighting and butting of heads. But there's also laughing and fun times. Cordova does a really good job of showing family dynamics done in a light way. Which is exactly what Love on the Ledge is; a light, fun and romantic read. Perfect beach reading material. 

Days Like This by Danielle Ellison
Publisher: Bookish Group Press
Publication Date: June 2nd, 2015
Pages: 219
Source: Netgalley/Publisher
Rating: 4/5
Add to Goodreads

Days Like This is one of those books that well I'm reading I'm thoroughly enjoying(hence my good rating), but now weeks later I remember details but not a lot. Maybe that's just because I read a lot...Anyhow, Days Like This was more on the darker side of NA. It doesn't start out in the happiest of ways. It's clear that Cassie is trudging through her life. She's at college, has a boyfriend who's good to her, and friends. But she's still thinking about what she left behind. Cassie did one of those self sacrificing runners. 90% of the time when a character pulls that self sacrificing bullshit I'm more frustrated than agreeing with their decision. Cassie left her boyfriend, soul mate, etc... Graham in the middle of the night when she realizes she doesn't want him to have to try to still love her when she inevitably turns out like her mother. Cassie's mom is diagnosed bi-polar, which has lead Cassie to a lot of difficult times growing up. Graham was always there for her and eventually that lead them into a romantic relationship. Roughly a year after Cassie did the runner, Graham contacts her to come home because of her mom. So Cassie doe what she's good at and runs from her "new" life. Where of course she now has to confront her feelings about Graham and her mom.
What I enjoyed most about Days Like This was the character progression. All the feelings between Cassie and Graham and Cassie and her mom was done pretty realistically. There was no magical fix. Everyone spoke their thoughts and learned how to proceed forward. This book is pretty short too, but the pace was pretty good. Didn't feel rushed. Cassie definitely had her moments when she frustrated me, but I understood she was trying to be selfless. Graham was understandably confused. He never got closure. He still loves Cassie even though he tried to move on with his life sans her. Graham was a really sweet guy, and as hurt as he was you could see how much he still cared and loved Cassie. It was hard for him to keep those feelings under wrap. I was of course rooting for them. And the ending was done really well. Again, quite realistically. I liked how they didn't give up their individual dreams. The resolution Cassie has with her mom was satisfying as well. There's still things to figure out, but they were talking and Cassie was finding herself able to stop hiding how her moms actions hurt her growing up. I could tell they'd be alright down the road.
Ellison was able to give me a well developed story and character arc in not so many pages, and I'm super interested to see what she'll write next.

Happy reading!

Brittany

Black Bear Meet Red Bird

It occurred to me as I was driving home a few minutes ago that the red bird and the black bear have something in common. They appeared in almost exactly the same spot outside the house.

The bird is in the window,

and the bear was about two feet away, at the front door! (White old fashioned screen.)

Hmmmmmmm.

Thanks to all my friends who have offered very solid advice on how to get rid of the red bird.

Of course, ever since I did the blog post, the red bird has been nowhere to be seen!

Top 5 Wednesday: Debut Novels

Top 5 Wednesday is a meme started by Lainey at Ginger Reads Lainey. Find the list of all the #T5WFamily here.

This weeks topic is:

Top 5 Debut Novels!

I didn't really know how to take this weeks topic. Is it debuts from this year? Or just an authors debut that you've read? Anyhow, I just took it as that authors debut that I've read. So here are my top 5 that came to me first.

5. Divergent by Veronica Roth

4. Something Real by Heather Demetrios

3. Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

2. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

1. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

What debuts would make your list?

Happy reading!

Brittany

Review: Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham

Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham

Publisher: Little Brown Books
Publication Date: May 19th, 2015
Pages: 320
Source: ARC from publisher **I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Rating: 4/5
Add to Goodreads

Meet Scarlett, a smart, sarcastic fifteen-year-old, ready to take on crime in her hometown. When Scarlett agrees to investigate a local boy's suicide, she figures she's in for an easy case and a quick buck. But it doesn't take long for suicide to start looking a lot like murder.
As Scarlett finds herself deep in a world of cults, curses, and the seemingly supernatural, she discovers that her own family secrets may have more to do with the situation than she thinks...and that cracking the case could lead to solving her father's murder.

When I saw Scarlett Undercover being offered for review I was immediately interested for two reasons. One Scarlett Undercover sounds perfect for fans of Veronica Mars and two Scarlett is a Muslim American. There was no way I was passing up a book that has a POC as the MC. As we all know that is so rare in YA. Scarlett Undercover is a great hidden gem of a book that I think will appease a variety of readers.

Scarlett is a PI. After her father's murder years ago, a murder that has gone unsolved, she's taken it upon herself to discover clues about it as well as help those in her city. Scarlett takes what she thinks is going to be an easy case from a nine year old girl, but turns out to be much much more. That call leads Scarlett onto clues and people that bring up details on her fathers murder.

I'm going to take a page out of my friend, Missy's, reviewing format and do this review a little differently than I normally do.

• Scarlett is a great voice. She's clever, witty and sassy. Scarlett kind of has this old timey way of talking. You know, how PI's talked in the like the 30's-50's? Yea, Scarlett totally has that down. Plus she's totally kick-ass and unafraid to say or do whatever. 
• The relationship and connections Scarlett has are the bomb. She only has her sister as family she has left. But that's only blood family. Scarlett has so many people looking out for her. As well as her best friend(secret(not so secret) crush). Scarlett has a really good read on most situations she finds herself in, which means she can get her way and what she needs by using her smart mouth(I don't mean that meanly). She's got an in everywhere. Which makes her a great PI. 
• I love the how the story progressed. For such a short book I got worried that once revelations start getting revealed that there'd be this big rush to get to the next unlocked clue. But nope, I didn't feel like any secret or situation was overlooked. Latham did a really good job on introducing a few important characters that would explain the situation and thus would lead Scarlett onto figuring out the next clue. There was a really easy flow that lead Scarlett through solving the case. 
• Latham does a fantastic job on incorporating Muslim lore and religion into the story. Scarlett is Muslim American but she's kind of confused on where she stands since her parents deaths. Scarlett is a very smart girl and of course has an understanding of her religious history but what this case teaches her is there is a lot more to it. And a lot more to her families history. There's supernatural elements that were really interesting to learn about. 
• As you all know romance is my thing. I love me a perfect ship in any book I'm reading. Scarlett  Undercover barely touches on anything romantic and I didn't miss it. I was so caught up in Scarlett solving the case and her father's murder that I'm really happy to see a romance didn't over take what was important to this story. Sure I was totally shipping Scarlett and Deck but it wasn't my main focus. 
• As far as I know Scarlett Undercover is a stand alone, which YAY, but I definitely wouldn't mind seeing more of Scarlett in the future. Which might not be the case, so my only little issue is that I would have liked to see another twenty or thirty pages. Like I mentioned I don't think the story felt rushed, but I would have liked to see some of the details flushed out a bit more. As well as a bit more after the conflict is resolved. It wasn't an abrupt ending, but I missed getting more on Scarlett's feelings. 

Scarlett Undercover is a really fast thrilling read. It's something unique in the flood of YA books out there. Diversity is always a win and when it's done so well and interesting it makes it really easy for me to add a new book to my book pushing pile. 

Happy reading!

Brittany

That can't be...a bear?

Living where we do, in a rural area surrounded by sparsely inhabited hills, we've had bear sightings before.

But none like last night.

We were eating a quiet dinner when I turned my head and there, right beside the window, was a huge black bear with a brown snout.

He must have been five or six feet long, from nose tip to tail, and three feet in girth.

We jumped up from the table and scrambled to get the camera. By the time we were shooting, he was lumbering around the side of the house and headed for our front porch. He climbed up the stairs and peered in through the screening

we have on the window, and then he got bored and went back down the stairs.

Soon he was headed for the driveway, or the compost or the garage.

We have a very tiny dog named Poco and I was grateful at that moment that she was sitting comfortably in the house, unfazed by our excitement.

"We can't let her out on her own anymore," I said to my husband.

"Don't be silly, the bear is gone."

"Ah, but will he come back?

"Bears don't eat dogs!"

So I looked it up. The state of Connecticut, which has plenty of bear sightings, says that bears "rarely" bother cats and dogs. I'm not sure I like the word rarely.

It took me the whole evening to settle my nerves.  And it's going to take me a lot longer before I let Poco out to play without following her around the yard.

Showcase Sunday #80

Showcase Sunday is a weekly meme held by Books, Biscuits and Tea. It allows fellow bloggers to show off any books or bookish things they've compiled over the week.

Hello! It's the Victoria Day long weekend, so yes for a three day weekend. Plus it's gorgeous out. Annnddd Pitch Perfect 2 is out. I've, of course, seen that today.
There sure is  lot of books here. I really didn't think by doing this post every two weeks the books would pile up this much. #sorrynotsorry As far as the physical ones, I've at least read 80% of them. My finished copy(ies) of A Court of Thorns and Roses finally showed up. If you guys remember, it was my top read of 2014. I can re-read it now in finished form!!! 

Purchased

The Wrath and the Dawn(The Wrath and the Dawn #1) by Renee Ahdieh
The Fill-In boyfriend by Kasie West

The Girl At Midnight(The Girl At Midnight #1) by Melissa Grey
Overruled(The Legal Briefs #1) by Emma Chase

All Played Out(Rusk University #3) by Cora Carmack
Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough

A Court of Thorns and Roses(A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J Maas(Yes, I bought myself both the US and UK editions)

E-Books Purchased

Kindle Freebies

Review

Last Year's Mistake by Gina Ciocca
**Thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for sending this out**

Gifted

The Summer After You + Me by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
**Thanks so much to Raincoast for sending me a finished copy**

Netgalley

What did you guys get this week?

Happy reading!

Brittany