The Sunday Post/It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Hey, ladies!

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. It's Monday, What Are You Reading is a fun weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date where we share what we've read and reviewed over the past week and what we plan to read next. 

I'm currently on vacation! Well, working vacation/sort of staycation type of thing. We're staying about 45 minutes from home, right in the heart of work and at a client's beach house. It's pretty swanky, all things considered! Although I do wish that it was, like, October. So hot. SO many damn people.

I'm exhausted/crampy/headache-y, but being this is certainly a nice place to feel like shit. :D I'm hoping to get a good bit of reading done, but we'll see!

Missed two days of yoga, but not bad considering all I want to do is sprawl on the couch and vegetate.

Sunday - 12,302

Monday - 12,021

Tuesday - 12,774

Wednesday - 10,938

Thursday - 11,878

Friday - 5,380

Saturday - 12,991

Total - 78,284

This Week's Recap

The Goodreads Tag

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Make Me Want to See and D0

Waiting on Wednesday

TBR Thursday

Cover Lust, No. 33

Coming Up

July Recap

Top Ten Tuesday: TBD

Waiting on Wednesday 

TBR Thursday

{Book Review} F*ucking Awkward 

Read This Week

3 stars!
Most funny, some sexy, a few downright strange, but all of them very fucking awkward.

Currently Reading

Not too sure how I feel about this so far...the heroine is annoying. 

What will I read next?

Need to finish this....

{Book Review} Never Never, Part 3 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

From Goodreads (all three book summaries)

Book 1

Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen.

Complete strangers since this morning.

He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget.

Book 2

Silas races against time as more truths unravel, while others twist tighter together. And now, the stakes are higher as Silas’ control slips and others begin to point fingers. Charlie is in trouble and he must be the one to bridge the chasm between their past and their present. Because somewhere between I love yous and Never Nevers and Never Agains, a truth they can't imagine, beckons to be found. 

Book 3

Together, Silas Nash and Charlize Wynwood must look deeper into the past to find out who they were and who they want to be. With time ticking down, the couple are in a race to find the answers they need before they lose everything. Can they regain what they once had? And will it restore who they once were?

My Thoughts

3.5-4 "I am so conflicted" Stars

I read the first Never Never book just a week or so after its release this time last year. How could you not with the gorgeous cover? 

I absolutely devoured that novella; it was such an unusual plot with compelling characters, great flow, and kept the viewer constantly guessing. Despite its shortness, it was never crammed or rushed. I slapped a 5 star rating on it, and it quickly wormed its way onto my "Favorites Shelf  Bookcase" as I not-so-patiently waited for the second installment that May. 

While book two was a touch slower paced and fumbled in a few places, I still throughly enjoyed it. My theories on what was going on kept circling around in my head, each one more outlandish than the last. I've been dying to read the final installment and see if any of my farfetched ideas were correct, and it finally released earlier this month. 

I immediately downloaded the sucker, and read it in a single sitting. 

And... I am unsure of how I feel. 

I'll try and keep this as non-spoilery as possible!

"Trust your gut. Not your heart, because it's a people pleaser, and not your brain, because it relies too heavily on logic."

I loved the beginning of the story; the reader is left high off the effects from the end of book two, and we're slammed back into where we left off. Things have drastically changed for our couple, and they're even more anxious and confused by these new circumstances. They begin searching for any sort of answer, and their journey leads them back through old memories. This part was so interesting to me - getting to see who the were in the beginning, who they were then, and the core of themselves now was so neat to watch.

Maybe it has nothing to do with anyone else, and everything to do with us.

Then...then things started going a little weird for me. Things really started unfolding, and I was underwhelmed by it. Perhaps it was because I went so long between part 2 and part 3, but it felt rushed to me. All my theories on what would happen fell flat, and I had questions left unanswered (what about the Shrimp? Their previous lifestyles?). 

I somehow have more feelings for this girl than will fit inside of me. 

Other than that though, I really enjoyed it. Silas has always been a favorite of mine, and he shined in part three. It was gorgeously romantic, and well written as always. I will definitely be doing a reread of this series soon! 

I've heard murmurings of another book collaboration for Hoover and Fisher in both their author Facebook groups, and I am beyond curious to see where that goes.

Overall, this is a 4.5 star series for me, and I highly recommend binge reading them.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Book Quotes (From This Year!)

Hey, ladies!

It's The Broke and The Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday! This week's theme is Top Quotes From Books You've Read This Year (Or So), and I've been looking forward to this one for weeks. My books are constantly dog eared, Post-It'ed, or highlighted with quotes that strike my fancy, and I had trouble narrowing it down to these!
Clearly, I went outside the typical 10, and these are mostly recent reads, with a few old favorites slipped in.


In no real order:

14.

"That bitch!"

"She's nice enough, just -"

"Nice enough? I'm gonna put a hit out on her!"

"Okay, hold on there, Tony Soprano. No one's putting a hit on anyone." I paused." Just to be clear, you don't have those kinds of connections, do you?"

"No, but I have money! I'm sure I can buy some connections."

- The Fall Up by Aly Martinez

13.

"My love... I want you free. I want you wild. I want you brave. I want you anyway I can get you. I want you now, and I want you for the rest of my life."

- The Hooker and The Hermit by L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid

12.

I was head over heels in love with her. No, that didn't describe it. 

I was tear my fucking heart out and throw it to her, beg her to take it into hers. I was falling for the greatest heights, with no safety net below. 

I was giving everything of my own life for hers, giving up every inch of my soul so she could wear it proudly. 

I was a former king on my knees before the queen. A jester begging for a chance. 

I was powerless, helpless, and at her mercy. 

- The Dex-Files by Karina Halle

One of my all time favorites! 

11.

I think that in the space between birth and death you can have one life, or you can have many. But in order to have many, you also need the strength to end the one that came before it. And therein lies the tricky part.

- King of Hearts by L.H. Cosway

10.

Much slower, I turned around to see Vlad examining his fingernails, as if his hands weren't still ablaze in the flames that had blasted the ghoul's head off moments before.

"What the hell was that?" I gasped.

"Premature inflammation," He replied. "Happens sometimes. Very embarrassing; I don't like to talk about it."

- This Side of The Grave by Jeaniene Frost

I don't quite know why, but this bit makes me laugh my ass off every time I read it. 

9.

"You're imagination both frightens and intrigues me."

- Racing The Sun by Karina Halle

That's one hell of a compliment. 

8.

"I am forever yours, Kitten, in this life and the next."

- This Side of The Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Oh, Bones! *swoons*

7.

"You're either on my side, by my side, or in my fucking way. Choose wisely."

- Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning

Can't remember which this one was from!

6.

I knew I loved her - fiercely and with every part of my heart, even the broken parts, even the parts that felt unworthy and without value. And maybe those parts most of all.

- Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan

5.

"Why not live with the magic? Be a kid again, and believe in the fantastical. Life is more fun with a little smoke and mirrors."

- Six of Hearts by L.H. Cosway

4.

She's lost in thought. I'm lost in her.

- Never Never (Part 1) by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

3.

"In the light of day, I can see all your cracks and your darkness and your flaws, and I fall in love with it all. And I hope you can fall in love with everything that I am, all that lurks in my dark, all that shines in my light. I want you to love every little piece of me, because it all belongs to you."

- The Play by Karina Halle

This book left me with 45 breathtaking quotes! It was so hard to pick just one. 

2.

I moaned like a whore in church. To be fair, I'd never actually heard a whore moan in church, but I had a feeling it would sound a lot like the unholy sounds pouring forth from my mouth.

- Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

1.

He looked at me and I shivered. I never get enough of him. Never will.

He lives. I breathe.

I. Want. Him. Always.

Fire to my ice. Ice to my fever.

- Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

This one gives me chills. Gorgeous, especially after you read their story!

- The Bibliophile Babe

Cover Lust No. 3

Never Never (#1, #2, and #3) by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen.

Complete strangers since this morning.

He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget.

“Never forget that I was your first real kiss. Never forget that you’ll be my last. 
And never stop loving me between all of them. 
Never stop, Charlie. 
Never forget.” 

Silas races against time as more truths unravel, while others twist tighter together. And now, the stakes are higher as Silas’ control slips and others begin to point fingers. Charlie is in trouble and he must be the one to bridge the chasm between their past and their present. Because somewhere between I love yous and Never Nevers and Never Agains, a truth they can't imagine, beckons to be found. 

“Where are you, Charlie?” 

No summary yet, but holy bat balls I need this! Comes out in January. :D

One of my favorite series of the year! This novella series is full of twists and turns, swoony romance and heart pounding suspense. Highly recommend.

I love the way the three covers flow together!

The Bibliophile Babe Reviews Never Never, Part 1 - Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

Hey, everyone! Good to have y'all here this morning. :) Today I'm reviewing Never Never: Part 1 by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher. I was not paid, perked or given a book in exchange for a review; I'm reviewing my own copy and all opinions are my own.

Colleen Hoover is one of my favorite authors. She's written Confess, Ugly Love, Slammed, and Maybe Someday. She has a uniquely absorbing writing style, and writes some of the best male protagonists. So many of her male characters are on my book boyfriend list.

I haven't yet read anything by Tarryn Fisher, but she is on my To Be Read shelf! She's the author of Marrow, Mud Vein  and the Love Me With Lies series.

Never Never is a three part collaborative novella series between Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher. It's a new adult contemporary romantic suspense with elements of paranormal (I think).  While the main characters are still in senior year of high school, it does not read like a Young Adult book.

Like I said, this is a novella trilogy, and the second book came out last Sunday (5/17). The third book does not yet have a release date, but the authors are hopeful to debut it this summer.

Here is Never Never's intriguing (and brief!) description:

"Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen. 
Complete strangers since this morning. 
He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget. "

They definitely don't tell you much with that, huh? The book is so short that I'd almost rather you didn't know more than that, and just went in blind. I did, and I couldn't be happier for it!

For those of you that prefer to be a little more knowledgable, I'll give you the gist and then you can pick it up (because serious, you need to read this).

Never Never follows two 18 year old high school seniors, Silas and Charlie (it's used as a girl's name here). They've been in love since they were kids, and have been dating since they were 14. One day they wake up with no memory of themselves, each other, or their families. Oddly enough, they can remember song lyrics, how to drive, and various things they enjoy doing. 

They both decide to pretend as if all is normal, even as they try desperately to remember. As they learn more about themselves and their lives, some ugly realities start to surface. Major conflict between Charlie and Silas's families have made relationships with their parents extremely strained, Charlie's mother is an alcoholic, they're alienated from their siblings, and it turns out they aren't exactly the golden couple they're made out to be. 

That's really all I can say without giving it away!

Even though Never Never is only around 130 pages, it felt like a full length novel due to the amount of information you learn. Despite that, I never once felt like it was rushed or cramped. The writing flowed beautifully, the pace was fast and engaging, and I was utterly captivated by the characters and their situation. It has a unique and refreshing storyline, and the collaboration was flawless. 

I found myself getting so wrapped up in the characters, and I felt an instant connection with Silas. His point of view was fascinating, and the way he thought about things made me so curious. I liked Charlie as well, though I didn't quite "get" her the way I got Silas. 

I had a new question forming in my head with practically every page turn, and by the end of the book I was buzzing with excitement and anticipation for the second installment. My only complaint is that it ends with a killer cliffhanger, but now that book two is out you don't need to endure the same frustration! 

I just love this cover!

STATS:

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: New adult contemporary romantic suspense, possibly with paranormal elements

Point of View: Alternating 1st person

Steam/Sexual Content: Some hot steam, mild sexual content

HEA: Not sure yet!

Cliffhanger: YES!

Warnings: None aside from the cliffy

Length: Novella/159 (according to Amazon)

Series: Never Never 
Publisher: Hoover Ink

So that's what we have for Never Never! Have you read this book yet? What did you think? 

- The Bibliophile Babe