It's that time of year again. Love is everywhere. Whether it is cards being passed out by excited elementary schoolers, red roses sent to a long time crush in high school, or even those celebrating (or mourning) in being single. February is all about love.

A lot of people hate Valentine's Day. They feel like it is a hallmark holiday created to bring money into stores. I take it as more of a day that I can reflect on and celebrate everyone I love in my life. My wonderful husband. My darling son. My parents and in laws. My best friends. I love them all, and try to make sure they are never left wondering if I truly care or not.

But, this year is especially exciting for me. I've been married for awhile now, the excitement has sadly died down. But, I have 2 best friends whom I love more than anything, and they both have found the love of their lives!! My best friend since high school, has actually been dating her fiance since we were sophomores in high school. I feel so lucky that I've been able to witness their entire relationship. I still remember her gushing to me about her crush on him and us dissecting whether or not he might like her back. She's getting married in November and I am so excited to be able to see them finally tie the knot. Cause, let's face it. It has been a long long long time!

My other best friend, is actually a couple friend. My husband and I met them in college and all four of us are very close. They just got engaged today!!!! Oh, I'm so excited. Aside from my own relationship, they might be my favoite actual couple. They aren't perfect... but they are perfectly suited for each other. I'm so so so so so so so so so happy for them! I actually just got off the phone with her where we cried for about an hour because we are so excited... and we're dorks... but that is beside the point.

I hate living so far away from my friends, but I decided to do a little post in honor of them both. So, today I'm going to feature my 5 favorite literary couples. I love a good love story. I'm probably first, a fan of romance in books. Some people get annoyed by the romance in a story.. I devour it. So here are 5 of my favorites. Some may not actually exsist... but I don't care. It's my favorites, and in my head they are together! I do want to warn though that there are spoilers for Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas! I put that couple last on the list, so that you can read the others if you haven't read it yet. But, be warned the spoiler is there!!

Hopeless - I love this book. It is my favorite CoHo book. It was the first I read by her, and I love it. I also love love love Sky and Dean. They have been meant for each other their whole lives! Seriously. They were in love as little guys, and though fate ripped them apart... they find each other again! Goodness, they are seriously the cutest. Okay, I like all of CoHo's couples, but they are by far my favorite. If you haven't read this one yet, I don't know why. You need to... like now, or yesterday whichever.





Twilight - I'm not going ot feature our main couple in this book. Because, honestly I don't particularly care for them. In fact, I have some big issues with them. I much would have preffered Bella with Jacob... but I digress. The couple I absolutely adore from this series is Alice and Jasper. Guys, they were the best couple and characters in the book. They love eachother unconditionally, they are perfect equals in their relationship. They don't hold ANYTHING against each other, and they trust eachother completely. I wish Meyer would write a book just about them because they are the best... way better than Bella and Edward.



Harry Potter  - So, I love this series, obviously. And, I love every couple JK Rowling wrote. But, I have a noncannon couple that I adore and wish every day had ended up together. That is Harry and Draco. Guys, I don't know why... but I feel like they were the perfect complement to each other. Their personalitys. Harry is light where Draco is dark. Their looks... Harry is dark where Draco is light... and you have to admit... they had chemistry in the books. Even if it isn't the chemistry of love, they have chemistry by the bucketfull. I have wished they ended up together since I was in high school... I may have written Drarry fanfiction once upon a time. But, I just love these two... even if they aren't an actual couple.


Rock Chick Reckoning - So, I love Kristen Ashley and all of her couples. But, Stella and Mace from this book stole my heart. They are getting that once in a lifetime second chance... and it's heartbreaking and scary and so so so exciting all at one time. Ashley promised us a spinoff with this couple makin new friends and I want it so bad. Please Kristen Ashley!! I've been waiting forever! Oh, and did I mention Stella is a singer. A wonderful singer. This book reminded me of how much I love the song Black by Pearl Jam!





Throne of Glass - I will warn one more time if you haven't read this yet SPOILERS AHEAD. Now here I go. I really loved Celaena and Dorian in the first book, but I was rooting for Chaol and Celaena... so obviously I was ecstatic when the 2nd book rolled around. Then we met Rowan... and it was a shot to my heart. I devoured their friendship in the third book and wanted more. So, yes I was celebrating and freaking out when they FINALLY got together in the most recent book. It's not Celaena and Rowan, but Aelin and Rowan. Oh my goodness I love love love them. They have complete loyalty to each other. They can't stand to be seperated. and I want them to just be together forever and have a million and 20 beautiful faeried babies together. Is that too much to ask?! But, I've seen how Maas loves to break our couples up and give them pain... so Maas if you are reading his, don't do it! I will cry and might end up burning a book. Please let them stay together. They're just so perfect!!

Stacking the Shelves {5}

Link up at Tynga's Reviews

I had another pretty big bookoutlet order come in. Guys, I have a problem with that website. Just ignore it. I'm pretty proud though, I haven't made an order in two weeks now. So, next week should be pretty small. Also, Barnes and Noble had a 2 for $20 on all YA books so I got a couple books I've been dying to get.

Bookoutlet Haul

         

Side Effects May Vary - I may or may not read this one. I got it for my cousin who was saying she wanted to read it. But, I might read it eventually if I don't see her soon.

Statistiacal Probability of Love at First Sight - I already read this. It was super short and only took me a few hours. It was cute and cheesy. A very easy read.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters - I read the first in this series a long timI'e ago and then forgot about it. I picked up the first 2 last month, and this one this week. I'm so excited that I can read the whole series now!

Of Beast and Beauty - I mentioned this one a few weeks ago and quite a few people mentioned that they really enjoyed it. So, I had to buy it when I saw it on book outlet for like $2

Falling Kingdoms - I'm so excited to read this series! I'm thinking I'm going to end up marathoning it though, so I'm going to wait until I get all of the books before I read it. So glad to get this one on discount. 

The Burning Sky - I have been wanting to read this one for awhile too. It's got pretty good ratings on Goodreads and the whole series has gorgeous covers. Hopefully I'll get to this one soon.

Until Friday Night - I love Abbi Gline's Rosemary Beach series, so I'm realy excited to dive into her new series.

The Mime Order - I got the first in this series a couple weeks ago, and had to get this one when it popped up as well.

Barnes and Noble Order

  

Grisha trilogy - I read Shadow and Bone in December and I LOVED it. I wanted to wait until I got the series in hard copy to finish reading it though. So excited.

Six of Crows - I figure this will be a safe bet since I love the Grisha trilogy. Plus people keep telling me this is one of their all time favorite books.

The Wrath and the Dawn - I read this one. I have a review up. It was so beautiful. I knew I wanted a physical copy of it and it's sequel that comes out in a few months. So now, I own it. Yay!

Review: Too All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Jenny Han
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (#1)
Published: April 15, 2014
Rating: ★★★★★

Summary: (Taken from Goodreads)
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

Links
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Book Depository

Cover Comments:
This cover is so perfect. I love the model they chose to be Lara Jean, and I love love love the bedroom setup they staged her in. It is rarely that I feel a cover really gives you a perfect feel of a book. This one does though. It's dreamy, girly, romantic, and kind of whimsical. Just like our main character Lara Jean. 

My Thoughts:
I was kind of begining to think I needed to let go of Contemporary YA. I mean, I still enjoy it when I read them, but gosh darn it I grew up. I don't connect to the characters the way that I used to. I don't put myself in their shoes anymore. However, this book gave me all the old feelings that come with being a teenage girl. Guys, it brought up memories for me. I felt like Han caught how it feels to be a teenage girl so so so perfectly that I was yanked back from my adult mom life and perfectly transported to the state of mind I was in at that point in my life. And, I loved it. 

Lara Jean is your typical teenage girl, but has a bit a maturity that comes with losing a parent at a young age. She is very close to her father and sisters. Instead of that typical angst that teenagers have about their parents ruining their lives. I really liked the lack of family angst. I mean, I went to college and realized I don't know as much as my mom... so I tend to roll my eyes when I read about family angst in books. Anyways, Lara Jean is dreading preparing to face her junior year of high school, and the first year without her oldest sister, Margot, whom she emulates and adores. Since her sister is going out of country to college, Lara Jean is feeling the pressure to step up and really take on the mom role for her little sister, Kitty, something she dreads because she knows she can't be as good as her Margot.

Lara Jean is a romantic and a dreamer. You have to understand that. She is a total girly girl with a sensitive streak a mile long. Every guy that she has ever really liked in her life she has written a love letter to. The letters are for her eyes only, and kind of a way to let go of the feelings that have overwhelmed her. Once she writes these letters, she hides them in a hat box under bed and lets go of her love for these guys.

However, a few weeks into the school year, she has the most horrifying discovery. These very heart wrenching love letters have somehow been sent in the mail. Guys, I can imagine that terror. Honestly, it gives me a panicky feeling just thinking about it. It could happen to a lot of girls. A quick note to your best friend about the guy you've been crushing on for a year. It gets out somehow, and well, to a teenage mind your life is over. Obviously, Lara Jean is terrified. She can get past the boys from middle school easily enough. But, what about her best guy friend neighbor who dated her older sister for a year, and has just had his heart broken?! Lara Jean is terrified when he finds out, and does something completely irrational to keep him at a distance. After all, she's pretty sure he still loves Margot and vice versa. Lara Jean, conspires with another boy that she used to love, to pretend to be his girlfriend just until the love letter drama dies down a bit.

Peter, oh Peter... there are things I like about him and things I don't like about him. He's your typical high school jock. Completely off key with Lara Jean who has this good girl in her own little world vibe. But, he does have his softer sides. The way he hangs out with Kitty, and follows along with the ridiculous lists Lara Jean insists on. I adore him. He's not given enough credit in this book. But, I think what I really love is that he's not perfect! He can be arrogant, and obnoxious... just like every teenage boy ever in the history of mankind.

I don't want to give too much more, but I will say it is kind of obvious that this pretend relationship gets out of hand very quickly. Both Lara Jean and Peter find themselves in situations neither really wanted or expected. They have to find out if they can bind well together and find happiness where they least expect it, or if their lives are just too too different. 

As I mentioned before, I really loved this book. It is probably the best Contemporary YA I have read in a long time. I went straight from this book, into the sequel and will be getting my review up for that one in the next day or so. I'm trying hard to catch up on my reviews guys I really am! My final rating for this book was 5 stars, and I know I'll be doing a reread of this one in the future, as well as reading everything by Jenny Han that I can get my hands on. I really highly recommend this one to any Contemporary YA fan!

Waiting on Wednessday: The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love

Link up at Breaking the Spine

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love

Sarvenaz Tash

Release Date: June 14, 2016

Summary: (Taken from Goodreads)

Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy...

Archie and Veronica...

Althena and Noth...

...Graham and Roxy?

Graham met his best friend, Roxana, when he moved into her neighborhood eight years ago, and she asked him which Hogwarts house he’d be sorted into. Graham has been in love with her ever since.

But now they’re sixteen, still neighbors, still best friends. And Graham and Roxy share more than ever—moving on from their Harry Potter obsession to a serious love of comic books.

When Graham learns that the creator of their favorite comic, The Chronicles of Althena, is making a rare appearance at this year’s New York Comic Con, he knows he must score tickets. And the event inspires Graham to come up with the perfect plan to tell Roxy how he really feels about her. He’s got three days to woo his best friend at the coolest, kookiest con full of superheroes and supervillains. But no one at a comic book convention is who they appear to be...even Roxy. And Graham is starting to realize fictional love stories are way less complicated than real-life ones.

Why I'm Waiting

Um adorable! This book had me from the moment it mentions Hogwarts. Yes, I'm superficial. Oh my goodness though, this sounds like the cutest thing ever. I love Geeks... I am a geek in my ow way. So, I'm always rooting for the geeks to fall in love. Is this going to be cheesy? I think so. Am I completely okay with that as long as Tash gets the geekiness right? YEP! In fact I'm looking forward to the cheesiness. 

Review: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger
Alexandra Bracken
Series: Passenger (#1)
Published: January 5, 2015
My Rating: ★★★★★

Summary: (Taken from Goodreads)
passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever

Links:
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes and Noble

Cover Comments:
So beautiful. I love this cover. It kind of makes me swoon. That is all.


My Thoughts:
I loved this book. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I love it. I'll admit, the first 1/3 of it was a little bit slow. However, Bracken has created this beautiful, magical world and had to build it for us. I have to admit the last 1/2 of the book more than made up for any of the slow reading at the beginning. 

I'm kind of worried that this might turn into a big I love this book gush fest.. so if it does, well I'm not sorry, this book deserved it.

Let's start with our characters. Etta and Nicholas are the main characters... born to different worlds at different times. They are wonderful. Etta is brave, smart, and willing to do ANYTHING she needs to for those she loves. Nicholas is just as smart and brave as Etta, but a bit more rational. He perfectly balances the way she literally jumps into anything with very little thought. There is a bit of instalove, but it is okay for me. It's more instacrush that takes awhile to grow into actual love. The two of them end up together crossing the world throught all of time.

Now the time travel. Bracken did this so well. I was able to go to one of her book signings and listening to her talk about her research... she LOVES history, and wanted to do it right. I so respect that. She didn't want to stick to one area, but wanted to explore the history of the entire time. I loved it. I'm not a history buff by any means, but she gave me just enough to feel connected to each area Etta and Nicholas visited. I don't want to tell you where she visited, but it wasn't just the normal places you'd think of. We visited all over, and I mean all over the world. I'm just so excited to see where the book will go from here.

Just a warning though, the ending. Oh it was painful. I'm dying to read Wayfarer like yesterday. I need to know what happens. I don't want to wait another year.. like really really don't want to. 

Oh, and a random thought. I LOVED Sophie.. even though she's a total B in this book. Bracken promised me that we will get a lot more of her story in the next book. I just knew she had many new layers. Woot woot! She also said that she is one of her favorite characters as well. To say I'm excited would be an understatement. 

So yeah, I know that was a rambling not giving anything away review wasn't very good. But, all I'm saying is just read it. I loved it. You'll love it. It was beautiful and wonderful and magical and perfect. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Past and Future Books

Link up here

This week the theme is all about books that take place in the past or in the future. I'm not going to lie, I'm not a big historical fiction reader. I like some, but I'm usually a girl that loves her in the present and right now books, or books that take place in a whole other world. I also got tired of the dystopian type books pretty quickly. I have my favorites, but they just became overdone. 

I guess, I'm trying to point out that my choices aren't going to be something new and amazing. I'm going to spotlight 5 historical books and 5 futuristic books, but I'm sorry now for the boring choices this week.

5 in the past

    

1. Outlander - I know this one is cliche, but I loved this book. The tv show is good too, but the book is phenomenal. I kept putting it off becasue I knew I wouldn't like it... and I was wrong.

2. Passenger - So this one travels all throughout history. I loved this book. If you haven't read it yet, you need to Bracken did so much esearch on the historical aspects. You can tell that she really respects history.

3. A Company of Swans - I read this a LONG time ago. I think Iwas still in high school.. so it's been awhile. I know I loved it though because it's one of my books I've carried across country 4 times now.

4. Annie's Song - Probably one of my favorite books. This is such a beautiful story. It's just, the sweetest. If you haven't read it, you need to.

5. A Kingdom of Dreams - So, one of the few historical books I do read a lot of is highlander books. I don't know why, but I love them. I chose my absolute favorite... I think I featured it last week too. It's just phenomenal. 

5 in the future

    

6. The Giver - Probably another favorite. I read this in 4th grade. I still have my tattered and abused copy. It's one of the best books ever. The movie is horrible though, don't go see it.
7. The Hunger Games - This is as cliche as it gets. But, I love this series... so there it is for you.
8. The Selection - I enjoyed this series. Is it really silly and frivolous? yes! Do I secretly adore the bachelor on tv too? Yes. This is just such a fun more lighthearted dystopian series. You don't see that often.
9. The Winner's Curse - This one doesn't really count, but I had to stretch. I just reaad this series a few months ago. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It really drew me in.
10. Red Queen - Another one that doesn't really count, but could. I loved this book. I'm hearig mixed things on the 2nd book, but I'm really hopeful. Plus that beautiful cover is enough to make anyone gaga!

So there you go.. I did my best. Honestly, I could have featured a bunch of kid books. I loved historical fiction as a child... it's actually really surprising I tend to avoid it now.

Review: Until November by Aurora Rose Reynolds

Until November
Aurora Rose Reynolds
Series: Until (#1)
Published: December 26, 2013
Rating: ★★★

Summary: (Taken from Goodreads)

November is looking forward to getting to know her father and the safety of a small town. After leaving the big apple and her bad memories for Tennessee, November starts working for her dad at his strip club doing the books. The one time she’s allowed there during club hours she runs into Asher Mayson. He’s perfect until he opens his mouth and makes assumptions. November wants nothing to do with Asher but too bad for November fate has other plans. Asher Mayson has never had a problem getting a woman that is until November. Now all he can think about is making November his and keeping her safe.

Links
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes and Noble

Cover Thoughts
Well, it's a typical romance novel cover. I'm just glad I have an ereader. I'd never be able to read books with covers like this in public.

My Thoughts
This was kind of a spur of the moment read. After I posted my Top Ten books I didn't get to in 2015, I started actually going through a few of them. When I started looking at the book Until July I realized it was a spin off series about the daughter of the couple in this book... obviously, I had to read this series first. What I'm saying is, I picked this one up on a whim and knew pretty much nothing about it before I picked it up.

This is a fun read. I will give it that... there is very little plot, but lots of fluff and romance. Exactly what I was in the mood for. But, I was kidn of letdown. A lot of people who love Kristen Ashley, love this author as well. I didn't love her though. It honestly felt like she took a book by Kristen Ashley, broke it down, and rewrote it with her own characters instead. I mean, it was down to small details that I felt just copied Ashley's style. It was kind of annoying. Yes, Kristen Ashley writes basically the same story over and over using the same layout... but it is her style, and she has it down to an art. It's fun, silly, and completely original... or it was when she first popped up a few years ago. Reynolds hasn't created her own writing style, she just copied Ashley's and not as well in my opinion.

Once I realized how copy cat the book was, I had a hard hard time enjoying it. I liked November and I liked Asher... I wanted to see more though. More development from her side characters. It felt like I missed a lot. One minute November is meeting her boyfriend's brothers. The next is 6 months later and they reat her like their own little sister. I wanted to SEE the relationships developing, and I didn't get to. It made me kind of bitter.

So yeah, if you want  a quick fun read sure this one is fun, but I think there are better ones out there. This read like a Kristen Ashley fanfiction, not an original story. Kind of makes me sad to see authors afraid of developing their own voices.