Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: The Love that Split the World

Author: Emily Henry

Release Date: January 26, 2016

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)

Natalie Cleary must risk her future and leap blindly into a vast unknown for the chance to build a new world with the boy she loves.

Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start... until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” They’re just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.

That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.

Emily Henry’s stunning debut novel is Friday Night Lights meets The Time Traveler’s Wife, and perfectly captures those bittersweet months after high school, when we dream not only of the future, but of all the roads and paths we’ve left untaken. 

Add to Goodreads

My Thoughts: Do you see that beautiful cover?! Did you read the awesome synopsis?! I don't think there is any question as to why I'm waiting.. This one sounds amazing all around. I love that it is a mixture of contemporary and fantasy. I just can't wait one bit!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is a Halloween freebie. I decided to go with the theme Halloween Literary costumes.

                  

1. Effie Trinkett from the Hunger Games: I'm sure most people would choose Katniss, but think of how much fun it would be to put on a ridiculous amount of makeup, and the weirdest outfit you can find. That would be how I'd do Effie. I'm not usually a big person on getting dolled up, but I love the idea of dressing up in something crazy like her.

Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter: I know I went trick or treating as a Hogwarts student once in elementary school, but if I had the chance, I would do it again this time as Luna. I love all of her cute little accessories and quirks. Actually, the older I get, the more I love and adore Luna.

3. Max from Where the Wild Things Are: This would be a costume for my son. I adore this book, and Max is my son to a tee! Plus, this costume is so cute and snuggly. I just love it. I almost did Max this year, but I think next year he'll be the perfect age at 2.5.

4. Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass: How awesome would it be to dress as a beautiful assassin for Halloween. It'd be downright breathtaking!

5. Viola Swamp from Miss Nelson is Missing: I have a confession. I did this on Book Character Day last year at work. I read the book to my kids the day before, then came in dressed as Viola the next day. My kids thought it was hilarious, when I pretended to be mean and terrifying.

6. Fifty Shades of Gray: This costume just cracks me up. I'd never think to do this. I could see my husband doing something like this though.

7. White Witch from Chronicles of Narnia: Another character that would be so much fun to do. Getting the long flowy white gown and putting the white hair spray in my hair. I could make myself look terrifying!

8. Peter Pan's Shadow from Peter Pan: I stumbled upon this one yesterday while looking for pictures and had to replace one of my other choices with it. How genius is this costume?! You see a million Peter Pans, so I could pair up and have a blast messing with one!

9. Moaning Myrtle from Harry Potter: This is another fun Harry Potter character. I love the idea of the toilet seat!

10. Dorothy from Wizard of Oz: Yes I know this isn't very original. But I love everything about this book, movie, play, whichever version. I LOVE IT. It helps that I played Dorothy in middle school in a play, so I'd have the costume... yes I still fit in my middle school clothes. I stopped growing in 5th grade.

Review: Rebel Belle

Rebel Belle
Rachel Hawkins
Series: Rebel Belle #1
Published April 8, 2014
Rating: ★★★★

Summary (taken from Goodreads)
Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.

With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.

Links
Goodreads Amazon Barnes and Noble

Cover Comments
I love this cover. It's so perfect for a Southern Belle gone rogue. I love everything about it, down to the font used for Hawkin's name. The simplicity is perfect... and it really gives you a feel for the book.

My Review:
If you like Buffy or Veronica Mars, you will probably like this book. Harper has that same spunk that those girls have... and she's wrapped into a pretty southern belle bow. This book was so much fun, mainly because of Harper's commentary on what is happening in her life, as it literally changes course in every way. Sadly, I found David's character to be a bit more stale than he could have been. Actually, I felt like I knew even other minor characters better than him at the end of the book. Hopefully in the second book he'll develop a bit more.

Harper is that girl. Think back to your high school days. That girl that was in every club, well known, smart, and gorgeous. You'd love to hate her... but she is actually nice for the most part on top of it all. She has everything going for her, until an accidental encounter leaves her in charge of protecting a guy she has hated since grade school.

I felt like a lot of time was given to developing Harper's story, but at the same time it got a little boring sometimes. She'd just woken up with superpowers! I wanted to see more of them. There wasn't as much action as you'd expect in the book, but still enough to keep me turning pages.

I felt like this was a quick and easy book. Not too heavy at all... just light and fun read. Things never got so complicated that I was stressed, but it was still enough to keep me interested in what would happen next. Even though it is a paranormal book, it read very much like a contemporary book. Just pure fun!

I'm back!

It's been a year and a half, but I decided to give my blog another go. Let's see if I can actually keep up this time. This time I'll be taking it slow and steady, not trying to rush into everything. So here I am just saying hi!