Caught my arrow # 20

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to In my mailbox and  Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

You know that weird moment when you go from nothingness to a full platter in like a second. That's what I felt this week at the library as I went to scan a book and got told that all my reservations arrived at once.

Origin

The Madman's Daughter

The Boyfriend List

The Catastrophic History of You and Me

Clockwork Prince

A big thank you to Booksneeze for sending me a copy of Anomaly. It's a new Dystopia book and I can't wait to read it. 

Also, I purchased a copy of Summer and the City after watching the show. 

What are you reading this week?

Feature and Follow Friday: Universal Reading

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

Once you answer be sure to leave me your link so I can follow you back

Q: Book Vacay: Where is the best destination reading spot for you? (Where do you like to go to read other than your home)

Funny story. On my last vacay, I believed I had found the most perfect place for a light read.

The Jacuzzi. 

So I went in with a book, blinded to the fact that the jet button was under the water and that turning pages with one hand (only one dry) is a difficult task.

What's My Name Again

J.K.Rowling got so many mixed reviews with The Casual Vacancy:

"Still, this Rowling person may have a career as a writer before her." Kirkus 

"But the worst you could say about it, really, is that it doesn't deserve the media frenzy surrounding it. And who nowadays thinks that merit and publicity have anything do with each other?" The Guardian

It's no wonder she used a pen name for her second post Harry Potter novel. 

Below are some famous YA authors who chose pen names as well. 

   

Lois Lowry born Lois Ann Hammersberg

Cassandra Clare born Judith Rumelt

Stephenie Meyer born Stephenie Morgan

Ally Carter born Sarah Leigh Fogleman

Christopher Pike born Christopher McFadden

Lauren Oliver born Laura Schechter

Libba Bray born Martha E. Bray

If you were to write a book, would you use a pen name or keep your own?

Review: The S-Word

Slut.

Grabs your attention, right? It certainly grabbed Lizzie's when she read it on her school locker after getting caught in bed with Angie's boyfriend. If I had been the one to catch my best friend and my sweetheart in bed on prom night, this story would've had a different ending. See, I'm glad Angie caught them. Rather than angry and savage -- she was disappointed. And so Lizzie killed herself. Jumped off the roof of the school. Of course, no one kills themselves after one week of bullying. There had to be bigger reasons for such a drastic action. What was Lizzie hiding?

This is a debut novel, and although I see a lot of talent between the lines, several things made this story difficult to follow. No one wants to be reminded they are reading a book: 

"I know what you are thinking. Kids? Liquor? No Way! Relax. I'm not saying I was an adolescent boozehound." 

Not only was Angie judgmental of everyone in the story, but us too? Her constant insinuations that everyone bullied Lizzie for her sake, so it was her fault, made no sense. As she was neither a popular kid in school, nor did she participate with the others. 

And although it is true that certain people change their minds a lot, switching from "I like you, I like you not," several times in one book, this coming from both characters in the relationship, is quite confusing. Bisexuality is not a new topic, and sadly, Chelsea struggled when it came to pull it through. 

All in all, the story would've been more much interesting with a stronger main lead.

Top Ten Tuesday: Praise the Author

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

AUTHORS WHO DESERVE MORE RECOGNITION

 1. Sara Varon 
Robot Dreams conveys so much emotion regardless that it has zero words. It teaches a lasting message about friendship and how some people are meant to come and go from our lives.









2. Sara Kocek
I was lucky to read an ARC of Promise me Something, meant to debut in September, and loved it. It's nice to see such talent from a new author.

3. Ashley Elston 
Another debut author deserving some praise. Her book The Rules for Disappearing is a thriller/love story that left me wanting more. Can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

4. Alexander Gordon Smith 
His Escape from Furnace series kept me up for several nights. It is downright scary, thrilling and worth every nightmare. I strongly recommend to horror/dystopia fans.

5. Gavin Extence
I'm not done reading The Universe Versus Alex Woods yet. But have been impressed with all the knowledge this book has filled my head with. Yup, I now know the difference between a meteor, meteoroid and meteorite.

 
6. Jill Baguchinsky
A modern Nancy Drew who can communicate with ghosts, except for her late mother. I loved how Spookygirl also tackled the issue of bullying. The more we talk about it the better.








7. Mélanie Watt
Although Mélanie gets a lot of attention with her Scaredy Squirrel series, Chester is always forgotten. A book in which the main character takes control over the author, is just plain funny and deserves a read.