These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly 

Release Date: October 27, 2015
Publisher: Random House Delacourte
Source: Library
Format: Finished Copy
Pages: 488
Amazon  |  Goodreads

Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soon—like all the girls in her class—she’ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thing she wants. Jo secretly dreams of becoming a writer—a newspaper reporter like the trailblazing Nellie Bly.

Wild aspirations aside, Jo’s life seems perfect until tragedy strikes: her father is found dead. Charles Montfort accidentally shot himself while cleaning his revolver. One of New York City’s wealthiest men, he owned a newspaper and was partner in a massive shipping firm, and Jo knows he was far too smart to clean a loaded gun.

The more Jo uncovers about her father’s death, the more her suspicions grow. There are too many secrets. And they all seem to be buried in plain sight. Then she meets Eddie—a young, brash, infuriatingly handsome reporter at her father’s newspaper—and it becomes all too clear how much she stands to lose if she keeps searching for the truth. Only now it might be too late to stop.

The past never stays buried forever. Life is dirtier than Jo Montfort could ever have imagined, and the truth is the dirtiest part of all.

I haven't read anything by Jennifer Donnelly so I didn't know what to expect going into this book. I just knew the cover was hauntingly gorgeous and I couldn't get the synopsis out of my head. I honestly fell in love with this book within just a few chapters. 

The main character Jo, and Eddie really made this story for me. Jo is torn between two worlds, what is expected of her and what she longs for. I loved her interactions with Eddie  and they soon became my favorite parts of the book. I found myself racing through the chapters, not wanting to put this book down for a second! 

This book has mystery and suspense, historical features, a love triangle, and I found it incredibly well done! By the time I got to the end of the book I found myself grabbing up all the books the author noted as her source material and research for the book. A total FIRST for me! A book has NEVER entanced me so much that I couldn't let it go and had to delve in beyond the book itself. Which speaks volumes as to how amazing this book really was! It is an all time favorite for me. If you've read it I'd love to hear your thoughts, and if you haven't, run, RUN to the bookstore NOW!

 

Waiting on Wednesday (33)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

This electric cross-country thriller follows the game of cat and mouse between a girl on the run from a murder she witnessed—or committed?—and the boy who’s sent to kill her.

Nicolette Holland is the girl everyone likes. Up for adventure. Loyal to a fault. And she’s pretty sure she can get away with anything...until a young woman is brutally murdered in the woods near Nicolette’s house. Which is why she has to disappear.

Jack Manx has always been the stand-up guy with the killer last name. But straight A’s and athletic trophies can’t make people forget that his father was a hit man and his brother is doing time for armed assault. Just when Jack is about to graduate from his Las Vegas high school and head east for college, his brother pulls him into the family business with inescapable instructions: find this ruthless Nicolette Holland and get rid of her. Or else Jack and everyone he loves will pay the price.

As Nicolette and Jack race to outsmart each other, tensions—and attractions—run high. Told in alternating voices, this tightly plotted mystery and tense love story challenges our assumptions about right and wrong, guilt and innocence, truth and lies. 

I am ALWAYS looking for more mystery/thrillers to add my never ending TBR list. I adore the cover of this and I think the story sounds fantastic too! I can't wait to read How to Disappear when it hits stores June 14, 2016 by Simon Pulse!

What are you eagerly anticipating? I'd love to know so don't forget to share in the comments. And if you participate in WoW make sure you leave your link below so I can check it out!

Happy Reading!

XOXO

Review: Wildthorn

Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Release Date: January 17, 2012
Publisher: Young Picador
Source: Purchased
Format: Finished Copy
Pages: 359
Amazon  |  Goodreads


Seventeen-year-old Louisa Cosgrove longs to break free from her respectable life as a Victorian doctor's daughter. But her dreams become a nightmare when Louisa is sent to Wildthorn Hall: labeled a lunatic, deprived of her liberty and even her real name. As she unravels the betrayals that led to her incarceration, she realizes there are many kinds of prison. She must be honest with herself - and others - in order to be set free. And love may be the key...

I am embarassed to say that this sat on my bookshelf untouched for many, many years. As in 4 years ...*face palm*  ANYWAYS...moving on. Of course the cover is what initially attracted me, but I really enjoy historical fiction and I was really curious about this book. I am so glad that after such a long time I dusted it off and gave it a try!

The main character Louisa is not your typical victorian belle, she has much more in common with girls today like you and I.  She wanted more than to  just wear fashionable clothes, look pretty, and procure a good marriage. She was fascinated by her father's work ( he was a doctor) , she studied and had dreams of becoming a doctor herself one day. She was a character I could really identify with. Most girls from the time they are little play act weddings and by the time they are 10 have their entire weddings planned out. I was never that girl, I wanted to go to college and have a career. So I really connected with Louisa right away. Which is why this story was so utterly heartbreaking. . .

After her father's death, which is hard enough, she is committed to an insane asylum simply because she wants to study and become a doctor. It really saddens me that something as simple as being different, or  not being content with just being a housewife actually landed women in asylum's . But things like this ACTUALLY happened, which is what this whole story is based upon.

"Excessive study, especially in one of the fair sex, often leads to insanity."

I won't go any farther into the story because I think its an incredible book that every woman should read! It will make you cry, and make you thankful to have the freedom to be a wife, a mother, a student, or whatever it is that you desire to be.

 

Review: Young Miss Holmes, Casebooks 1-2

Young Miss Holmes Casebook 1-2 by Kaoru Shintani

Release Date: March 13,2012
Publisher: Seven Seas
Source: Borrowed
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384


Christie is Sherlock Holmes' precocious niece. She lives in a beautiful home with her maids and her giant dog Nelson, who look after her in the absence of her parents. Her maids include the proper Annemarie and the unrefined, uneducated Nora, whose skill with her "Snake Tongue" whip occasionally comes in handy. Though Christie hates studying, she loves using logic to solve mysteries, and so she often ends up helping her uncle and Dr. Watson solve their cases.

I am a big fan of anything Sherlock Holmes, books, movies, comics, re-tellings, you name it and I am ALL about it! When I saw this at my local library while perusing the manga shelves, I had to take it home, and I am so glad I did!

This is a super cute series, that's easy, fun and a super quick read. The story centers around  Christie, Sherlock Holmes niece. She wants to follow in her uncle's steps and is definitely proving to be a relation of his with her quick wit and sharp skills of observation.  As would be expected in Victorian times, she does it all with a maid and tutor in tow!

I really began to enjoy seeing how she would go about inserting herself into her Uncle's cases, I found it quite comical at times. Although only 10 years old, Christie can hold her own in the grown up world of mystery , suspense and scandal! Throw in  a few vampires and you have yourself a really fantastic series.

If your fans of Sherlock Holmes, Manga or your just want to try something different then I recommend you pick up a copy for yourself!

 

Waiting on Wednesday (32)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

From gold medalist and reality TV star Shawn Johnson comes a debut YA novel inspired by her own experiences as an elite teenage gymnast—just in time for the Summer 2016 Olympic games.

Charlie Ryland has a secret.

She may seem like your average high school sophomore—but she’s just really good at pretending.

Because outside of school Charlie spends all her waking hours training to become one of the best gymnasts in the world. And it’s not easy flying under the radar when you’re aiming for Olympic gold…especially when an irresistible guy comes along and threatens to throw your whole world off balance.

Inspired by her own experiences as a fifteen-year-old Olympic gymnast, gold medalist Shawn Johnson writes a delightfully entertaining novel about chasing big dreams and falling in love, all while trying to keep it real.

I had absolutely no clue that Shawn Johnson was writing a YA based off her experiences...how EPIC is that guys?!? I am such a HUGE olympics junkie, and a fan of Shawn. It isn't often that you find a YA with a MC training for the Olympics! In fact...this is probably a FIRST! Wooo! I seriously cannot wait you guys! Thank goodness this hits stores  June 7th!

What are you eagerly anticipating? I'd love to know so don't forget to share in the comments. And if you participate in WoW make sure you leave your link below so I can check it out!

Happy Reading!

XOXO

Review: Finding Audrey

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Release Date: June 9, 2015
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Source: Borrowed

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 288
Amazon |  Goodreads

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

So I have been in love with Sophie Kinsella and her witty books since what feels like the beginning of time! When I found out she was going to be coming out with a Young Adult book, my fave genre, I flipped! In the best way of course! ;)

Sophie's books have the most entertaining character's, that literally have me laughing out loud until I have tears running down my face. If you've never read anything by her, check out her Shopaholic series, it is hysterical!

While this book felt much more middle grade than YA, I really did enjoy it once I got into it. It wasn't as laugh out loud funny as some of her other's, but it was cleverly entertaining none the less!

The main character, Audrey has gone through a pretty traumatic event, which causes her to just retract into herself. For the first time in her life, she is dealing with some pretty big issues, like anxiety and depression. I personally suffer from both, and found her descriptions and the lengths someone suffering from these disorders will go to to avoid interaction or uncomfortable/unfamiliar situations, totally spot on! I wish this book had been around when I was teen! This is not a subject that is featured in very many YA or MG works, and I love that Sophie Kinsella took this on with her witty and entertaining style!

My favorite things about this book, besides the wit and humor, were the character's! They were so vivid and colorful, and delicously entertaining! Particularly Audrey's family, who are every bit as quirky as she is! I loved pretty much every scene with her mother and laughed hysterically at her antics. All in all this managed to be a fun, light hearted, and quick read despite the serious nature of the main character's issues.

If your a Sophie Kinsella fan, a YA or MG fan, or are just looking for a lighthearted, fun read, with a bit of depth, I highly recommend this one!

Swatch & Review : BH Cosmetics Galaxy Chic Eyeshadow Palette

Hi Lovelies!

I am here today with a swatch and review of the BH Cosmetic's Galaxy Chic eye shadow palette. I recently placed my first order with BH for the Carli Bybel (look for a review and swatch soon!) palette, and was amazed at the fantastic quality at such an affordable price! I just had to order more!

Now that I have moved out on my own, I have to be so much more conscience of my budget. Gone are the days of blowing a paycheck at Ulta or Sephora. *cries* Anyhooo....fortunately for me, there are some incredible brands out there that deliver loads of bang for your buck, and BH Cosmetics just happens to be one of them!

While I have not tried all of their products, I am loving all of the palette's I have ordered from them so far. The Galaxy Chic palette contains 18 baked eye shadows that come in a range of colors from neutrals, to smokey tones and vibrant colors.  I love the range in this palette because I can do an every day look for work or running errands, a smokey look or a bright super fun look. Whatever I'm in the mood for!

So let's get to the swatches!

From top to bottom we have Aphrodite, Prometheus, Jupiter, and Sun.  

From left to right we have Mars, Mercury, Cosmic and Milky Way

From left to right we have Neptune, Earth, Comet and Meteor

From left to right we have Asteroid, Mercury, and Mars

And our last 3 from left to right are Pluto, Moon and Electra

As usual, BH Palette's are very pigmented and go on very nicely! They are so fun to play with and are priced well! And the best part, since these are baked, you can apply them wet for an even bolder look!

I can't wait to really play with this and have some fun! I think the blue's are going to make an amazing mermaid look! Ahhh!!!

You can grab this palette by clicking on the picture below . It is on sale for $12! If you grab one, make sure you let me know how you like it! And feel free to share pics of any looks you created with it.

Until next time...

XOXO

Cristina