My Summer Reading List for 2011

Hello my fruits!

I’m back from my little blog break after finally seeing HP7 Part 2 and it was phenomenal! But that’s a story for another time and I don’t want to go into it too much for people who haven’t seen it yet I will say however that I loved it so much that I’m going to go see it again next week! ANYWAY since I’ve been gone British summer time has officially begun with most schools breaking up for the summer. I LOVE summer stories, in fact, most of my favourite books revolve around summer time take Jenny Hans The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy and my beloved Sarah Dessen collection. And so I got to thinking about what books I really want to try and get around to this summer. I’ve been perusing my bookshelves and have put together a list of 12 books that I really want to try and read, knowing me I might go off course a little but I want to try and read as many of them as I can so here it is my summer reading list!

1.) The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells
2.) Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
3.) Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
4.) Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott
5.) Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz
6.) Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
7.) Stay by Deb Caletti
8.) Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler
9.) A Year in Europe by Rachel Hawthorne
10.) The Single Girl's To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk
11.) The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks
12.) The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

Let me know if you’ve read any of these and if there are any I should move to the top of my to be read pile, what books are you looking forward to this summer?

Update! It’s the END! :-(

So this is literally just a VERY quick update to let you guys know that you can expect few to maybe no blog posts from me for the rest of this week and next because I’m trying to spend as little time online as possible . With the last Harry Potter movie coming out (eek!) I don’t want to risk seeing any spoilers (even though I know how it’s going to end) until I’ve had chance to see it myself next weekend with my best friend Rachel when she’s back off holiday.

I also just started Forever by Maggie Stiefvater last night (OMFGITSGOODSOFAR!!!) I’m super busy at the moment but really want to spend what little free time I have DEVOURING this last book in one of my favourite series and re-watching all of the Potter films before I go and see the last one.

So basically I might post in the next week I might not I just wanted to give you guys a heads up in case you wondered where I was. I’m so excited (and sad) for the end of two huge series that I love. Damn you Warner Brothers for making me grieve for Harry Potter TWICE in my life, I barely survived the first time with the books and now with the films *sniffs*. Anyway I want to keep this short and sweet so I can go and READ FOREVER! *freaks* as book lovers I hope you understand this need for no spoilers comes before anything else even my beloved blog and I’ll see you all when it’s OVER! *crys*

Happy reading until next time,

Jess x

P.S If anyone decides to leave spoilers in the comments I WILL hunt you down and Avada Kedavra your ass.

Review for Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton

This book starts with our main character Jessie and her best friend Emma arriving in New York City where they’ll be staying with Jessie’s mum for the summer. Sounds like every girls dream right? Well unfortunately for Jessie there’s quite literally trouble in paradise! Turns out that Jessie and her mum don’t have the most idealistic relationship with her mother more concerned about her career than her daughter. Will their rocky relationship ruin Jessie’s trip of a lifetime? Or will New York work its magic on the out of touch mother and daughter? Meanwhile New Yorker Finn is having troubles of his own. Finn’s in love with beautiful, perfect, made for him, Sam. So what’s the problem? Oh Sam only happens to already have a boyfriend- Finn’s best friend. With a summer of near misses fate brings Jessie and Finn almost together several times. But in a city of 8 million people and a duo with problems the size of the Empire State Building will Jessie and Finn find one another?

Jessie Hearts New York City is a cute, fun, summer read. Throughout the book Jessie and Finn are constantly thrown together but never actually meet. Their paths cross on countless occasions and as you get to know both characters you realise how perfect they would be together if only they would just meet! The whole concept of fate and those small chances that define the future was a really sweet and unique aspect to the book that gives Jessie Hearts NYC that extra sparkle that makes it stand out from other contemporary summer reads.

Fate and chance play a big part in this story, so what better place for it to be set in than New York the city where dreams come true? I loved the New York backdrop Keris Stainton created for this story and loved exploring the biggest and most exciting city in the world with a heroine as fun as Jessie doing all the must do touristy things.

Overall this book is sweet, fun and ideal for a beachy summer read. However Jessie’s life isn’t all perfect with her strained relationship with her mum and I loved that extra layer to the book. It made this perfect summer fairytale Jessie is living that more realistic- something I think teens are going to relate to. Jessie and her mums issues all play a part in the overall story and fit together with the running theme of fate really nicely. The book really comes full circle that way making it a bit meatier than your typical happy go lucky read.

Jessie Hearts NYC has everything a girl wants in a summer. It has the foreign destination, the will it won’t it happen romance, a sweet and likeable heroine that girls will relate to and most importantly of all that “this is the summer where everything is going to change” vibe that makes summer time so magical. If you’re looking for a romantic, fun, read this summer this is the book for you.
My Rating 4/5 stars

Thanks go to the author for sending me this book to review

Blogoversary Winners!

UK Winner - Vicki (heavenhellandpurgatory-bookreviews) who chose Audrey, Wait!
International Winner- Ginger (Greads!) who chose Rockoholic

Congratulations girls! I find it ironic that both winners chose very similar books! Emails have been sent to you so please reply to me within the week so I can get your books sent out to you.

As for everyone else- you lose. Haha! Sorry couldn’t resist that one! Seriously though thank you to everyone who entered and has supported this blog in some way over my 1st year blogging, it means a lot. Thanks for all the well wishes and here’s to more posts, giveaways and reviews in the future!

Love you all like vodka shots,

Happy reading till next time!

Jess x

Book of the Month! Featuring Babies, Revenants, and NYC

Hi guys, welcome to June’s book of the month and monthly round up! This is a feature to sum up for you my reading and recommendations for the past month and to share with you the exciting things that have been going on on the blog and books I’m looking forward to in the following month.

June's book of the month is...The Truth About You by Melissa Hill

Holy smokes guys! For the first time since last January an adult book is book of the month! I’ve actually read 2 adult books this month and funnily enough they’re both my favourites of this month. The Truth About You just tops the other for me though as I love, Love, LOVE Melissa Hill and her mind blowing twists and turns. She’s my favourite chick-lit author and The Truth About You is a very worthy BotM in my opinion. To learn more about The Truth About You stop by my review here for an in depth look at why it’s so awesome.

Best Plot: The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain
Best Writing: The Truth About You by Melissa Hill
Best Cover: Die for Me by Amy Plum
Best Characters: Forgotten by Cat Patrick
Best Ending: The Truth About You by Melissa Hill
Best Romance: Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton
Most un-put-down-able: The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain
Most Memorable: The Truth About You by Melissa Hill
Best Moral: Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton


Books read this month
36.) Forgotten by Cat Patrick (4*)
37.) The Truth About You by Melissa Hill (5*)
38.) The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain (4.5*)
39.) Die for Me by Amy Plum (4*)
40.) What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen (4*)
41.) Birthmarked by Caragh M. O’Brien (4*)
42.) Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton (4*)

Top 3 Most Recommended Books: The Truth About You, The Midwife’s Confession and Forgotten

Bookish Highlights of the month
My first blogoversary was a big one! Getting to do another Random Ramblings post I love doing those, and taking part in Lauren Kate’s tour for Passion was really fun, that post got so many hits!

Bookish Lows of the month
Book Buying Ban, and not reading a YA book that blew me away this month :|

Book’s I’m looking forward to in July
*Jumps up and down excitedly* FOREVER! OH MY GOD! Guys I am SO excited for that book I’ve got my copy all pre-ordered 9 days people! I’ve also pre-ordered Sean Griswold's Head that’s coming out in the UK in a few days. I’ve also got my eye on Hereafter that one looks pretty good too!

So there you have it my June reading summed up for you guys. Have you read any of the books I’ve read this month? What were your thoughts on them? Leave me a comment and let me know and don’t forget to treat yourselves to The Truth About You! – You won’t regret it! ^_^