guest post: jordan from the heart of a book blogger!

*while i am on spring break march 17-27, a few people have been amazing enough to offer to guest post while i'm away! (special thanks to liv, ale, and jordan! you guys rock!)

Hi, my name is Jordan and I run the blog http://theheartofabookblogger.com The Heart of a Book Blogger! I’m from California and currently a freshman in college. I love reading, especially YA books. I absolutely love being a part of the YA book community and love that I am able to promote many of my favorite books and authors through blogging. You can also find me on 
twitter https://twitter.com/bibliophile012 
tumblr http://theheartofabookblogger.tumblr.com
instagram http://www.instagram.com/theheartofabookblogger/
goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/theheartofabookblogger
and pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/bibliophile012/
where I’m constantly talking books.

First, I want to thank Sophia for having me on her blog today! This is my first guest post so I hope it’ll meet your expectations, Sophia!
When Sophia said she needed help, I volunteered even though I had no idea what to do for a guest post. Her only guideline was that it had to be bookish. Over the past week I’ve been trying to find the perfect topic and it finally hit me one night what I should write about. So without further ado:

The Do’s & Don’ts of Book Events!
DO: Contact the store/festival in advanced about how many books you are allowed to bring. Sometimes, especially for big name authors and huge festivals, there is a limit. By contacting them in advanced, you can know how many books to bring as well as find out some of the other guidelines, like if you can only bring books bought from that store or if the event will be ticketed.

DON’T: Be afraid to email or call the store for clarification if you’re having trouble finding this information on the website.

DO: Buy at least one book from the store. If I’m going to an event, I’ll probably already own that author’s books. That’s why I’ll wait to buy the latest at the event. Buying a book at the store is just proper etiquette (and sometimes required). It’s expensive for bookstores to bring in authors and put on events, especially for independent bookstores. Buying books there thanks them and lets them know that they should keep doing these events.

DON’T: Complain about the wait if the author/store/festival allows all that author’s books to be signed. You’ll get your turn to meet the author and you’ll get to spend just as much time talking with her as the others. Complaining will only put you in a foul mood and you want to be happy!

DO: Bring friends and family! I have had a great time at events with close friends or with my mom. I went to Yallwest last year with three close friends and it worked out well where we could each stand in a line. I was able to meet many more authors than I would’ve been able to because of this.

DON’T: Be afraid to chat with those around you if you are in line by yourself. You already have one thing in common, books! I’ve met some very nice people in line and enjoyed talking with them.

DO: Bring a camera! I always bring my camera to events and take pictures during the panels and signings. I also love taking photos with authors if they’re allowed, which is another reason to bring someone with you.

*note from soph - this is a great idea! i'm definitely taking my camera with me!

DON’T: Be afraid to ask the person behind you to take a photo of you while you meet the author (if photos are allowed) if you’re alone.

DO: Write your name on sticky notes and stick them in the front title page before the event. This makes it easier on the author if you want your book personalized! Sometimes the hosts will pass out sticky notes, but that is not the always the case so I always like to be prepared. I might even bring the sticky note pad with me if I’m planning on buying books there.

DON’T: Be afraid to talk to authors! Trust me, you’ll have a much better experience when you talk with them, even if it’s just saying “I loved your book.”

DO: Be prepared for the weather, especially if you’re going to a huge festival that takes place outside. Wear sunscreen or bring an umbrella (depending on the weather)! And if you’re bringing a ton of books, be kind on your body and bring some kind of rolling bag.

DON’T: Forget to have fun! That’s what you’re here for! Chat it up with fellow book lovers and enjoy the event!

a huge thanks to jordan for writing up this amazing guest post! i have never been to a signing before [nobody comes to ohio :( ] so i will surely use these tips when i go to my first one, BookCon! :D these are great tips for both people who have and haven't been to events before!

this was the last of the guest posts! MANY MANY thanks to liv, ale, and jordan for writing up some amazing posts! *hugs* :)

guest post: ale from aleteration!

*while i am on spring break march 17-27, a few people have been amazing enough to offer to guest post while i'm away! (special thanks to liv, ale, and jordan! you guys rock!

Greetings y’all!! Don’t worry, Soph hasn’t moved to the Midwest/South and picked up a new accent…no, this is your girl, Ale - pronounced as “uh-lee” (Ali or Allie). I’m covering for Soph while she enjoys her Spring Break and I sit through a whole lot of homework *YAY!*

Ok, let’s get down to business. This blog post’s title promised you my TOP 5 winter reads (in no particular order) – well prepare yourself (and your credit card!) for the best books that I read this season!

1)  The Lux Series (Books #1, #2, #3, #4), by Jennifer L. Armentrout

a.   Think Twilight meets aliens, but with a whole lot better plot and a much smarter/stronger and more expressive female lead – now triple the awesomeness and you get THE LUX SERIES. That’s. How. Freaking. Good. These. Books. Are.  Even if you aren’t a Science-Fiction junkie, I can promise that you’ll love Daemon and Kat’s relationship. If you need more convincing then please head on over to my blog (which is super inactive) and watch (well, read…) me fangirl over this hot alien boy. PS: He brings her Pumpkin Spice Latte’s, as a total basic white girl, I think that makes him the ultimate bae. 

2)  Alienated + Invaded, by Melissa Landers

a.   I have a thing for alien boys – they’re whole “extraterrestrial” mojo/swag they have is just TOO MUCH FOR ME TO HANDLE. I love them. Unconditionally. Anyways, this gorgeous alien boy’s name is Aelyx and he comes to earth for an ALIEN STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM - if that is a thing then someone please sign me up. Getting back on topic…Aelyx is hosted by this small-town, American girl named Cara. SPOILER (not really for those of you who’ve read the Goodreads page): She falls for him.

3)  How I Found You, by Gabriella Lepore

a.   Ok, Fantasy lovers, this one’s for y’all! Love witches, love brothers, love destiny and dreams? Meet the next book on your TBR! This novel follows the story of a sixteen-year-old girl named Rose and what she expects to be a less-than-ordinary type of summer, but then she starts to have weird dreams and two disturbingly hot brothers show up on her front porch and somehow whisk their way into her aunt’s family…spoiler: there’s magic involved.

4)  The Impossible Knife of Memory, by Laurie Halse Anderson

a.   If you are a contemporary lover then raise your hands in the air and wave them like you just don’t care, cause it has finally come to you! The Impossible Knife of Memory narrates the story of a young girl, Hayley, and her struggles of dealing with her father who's a war veteran and suffers of major PTSD. Hayley is forced to move from town to town in order to escape her father’s demons, but what she doesn't expect to find when she moves to her father’s hometown is L-O-V-E.

5)  The Young Elites, by Marie Lu

a.   Last, but certainly not least, we have the most epic and possibly mainstream of recommendations…The Young Elites, by the legendary Marie Lu! If you don’t own this book or haven’t read it then I suggest you go and grab it from your nearest bookstore or library, because IT IS MIND BLOWING. Despise the fact that the main character, Adelina, can be annoying and somehow difficult to relate to - unless you take joy in watching your sister get injured - this book is absolutely captivating. I normally don’t enjoy books that include more detailed narrations than dialogue, but The Young Elites changed that.

*note from soph- i am currently (and slowly) reading this and LOVING it! marie lu's writing is fantastic!

What were your favorite winter reads? Tell me below!

Want more recommendations? Follow me on instagram/bookstagram: @aleteration 
and if you wanna check out my blog: aleteration.blogspot.com

*soph here! again, i'd like to give a huge thanks to Ale for offering to guest post! these are some awesome recommendations and will for sure be added to my infinite list of TBR books!

guest post: liv from curlyhairbibliophile!

*while i am on spring break march 17-27, a few people have been amazing enough to offer to guest post while i'm away! (special thanks to liv, jordan, and ale! you guys rock!)

https://curlyhairbibliophile.wordpress.com/
https://twitter.com/GrangerLiv
https://www.goodreads.com/curlyhairbibliophile

Hi everyone! My name is Liv, and my personal blog is curlyhairbibliophile.wordpress.com. I have curly hair and I love to read (hence my blog name.)

I love writing, reading, and traveling. I also love grammar, tea, cats, and the internet. I’ve been reading YA books for about four years, and I’ve been blogging for a couple months. I live in the North Texas area with my family, my dog, and my cat. You can reach me on my blog (see above), my Goodreads (curlyhairbibliophile), or my twitter (Grangerliv).

(This is what I look like!)

Now that the formal introduction is over, it’s time to talk about books! More precisely: bookish spoilers. No one likes spoilers; it’s just a fact of life. I have been spoiled for the following books:

• Allegiant by Veronica Roth
• Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
• Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
• The Death Cure by James Dashner
• Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
  
  
  *note from soph- omg i was spoiled for all of these too, except isla! i was so disappointed!

Only one of these books I spoiled myself on and that was Isla and the Happily Ever After. I was reading a Goodreads review that said click here for spoilers and I clicked. I know, I know. I’m an idiot. But, all the other ones were spoiled in some other way. I’m going to be talking about how to avoid giving and receiving spoilers. (By the way: these tips can be applied to all things. TV Shows, Movies, etc.)

What You Can Do to Avoid Spoilers

1. STAY AWAY FROM THE INTERNET

If you think something is going to spoil for a book/series you are reading, avoid it! For example: don’t search Harry Potter on any form of social media without finishing the entire series. Don’t read comments on book review videos.

2. Don’t talk about the book/series with friends who may accidentally spoil it

If you all your friends have read the series, don’t join in on a discussion just yet. It can be very easy for them to accidentally spoil something. So if your friends start having an in depth discussion on the last chapter, you put on your headphones and avoid humans.

3. Turn into a hermit until you finish the new release

Don’t even think about going on the internet if you haven’t finished a book series’s new released sequel. In fact: I didn’t eat or sleep for a solid day while I read City of Heavenly Fire. It’s best to avoid spoilers. But please eat while you binge-read the new release. Not eating is dangerous.

What You Can do to Avoid Giving Spoilers

1. Word of Mouth

For the love of all things good in this world, please don’t spoil your friend. It is not cool. It is not funny. It’s just plain annoying. Talk to your friend about what they had already read. Also, please don’t say anything like: “Oh, just wait until the plot twist at the end!” THAT IS A SPOILER.

2. Tag your spoilers

If you are writing something where you are saying a spoiler, please tag your spoilers. Say, “Spoilers for [insert book here]”. It is a simple gesture that will change someone’s reading experience. If they read the spoiler anyway, that is their fault.

3. Be aware of your surroundings

Way back in the day, I was watching a short film series on YouTube. One of the comments was literally, “[character’s name]’s death reminds me of [character of well-known series]’s death in [insert well-known series].” That is just rude. Please do not say this. Keep these comments to yourself, please.

These are just a few tips on how to avoid giving and receiving spoilers. What do you guys think? Have you ever been spoiled for a book? What book? (Please don’t say spoilers in the comments, please!). A HUGE THANK YOU to Sophia for allowing me to guest post. Thanks for reading!

*Again, major thank you to Liv for being so kind as to guest post! I LOVE this discussion, because i think spoilers are a huge (and annoying) part of reading! i, especially, need to learn to stay off the internet before i finish a book! 

hamilton book tag!

i gotta start off by saying this: if you haven't listened to the hamilton soundtrack yet, go. stop reading this and go listen to it RIGHT NOW. it is beautiful and heartbreaking and is just INCREDIBLE. if you need suggestions, listen to satisfied, non stop, it's quiet uptown, who lives who dies who tells your story, stay alive, and burn. come back to this post once you've listened to those! ;)

*note- if at any point a spoiler is included, it will say something like 'name of tag (SPOILER)'

NOW FOR THE TAG! :D

the room where it happened // book you would put yourself into

harry potter of course! "whether you come back by page or by the big screen, hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home." i mean, who wouldn't want to go to hogwarts? giant feasts, quidditch matches, learning magic, wearing a robe, casting spells, hogsmeade & diagon alley visits, riding broomsticks, drinking butterbeer... hasta la vista high school!

the schuyler sisters // female character who is underrated

although there are many i could name who don't get the credit they deserve, i definitely think charlotte branwell from the infernal devices is way too underrated! which makes me sad because she is one of my favorite characters from the series. she is almost always underestimated by the clave just because she is a girl. despite her age and size, she is a strong, intelligent, determined woman who will fight for what she believes in!

my shot // character who goes after what they want (SPOILERS)

aelin ashryver galathynius! honestly the toughest character i've ever read about. even after her parents' murder, going through arobynn, losing loved ones, endovier camps, fighting to become the king's champion, battling valg demons, AND killing the king,   she remains standing with her head held high and will NEVER back down.

stay alive // character you wish was still alive (SPOILERS)

shade barrow from red queen/glass sword! i can't even begin to explain. shade was instantly my favorite when i picked up glass sword and i was devastated when he died. although, i did wonder this: what is the point of making us think he is dead, then revealing he is still alive, just to kill him off (for real this time!) this was the one thing i hated about glass sword. plus, can you imagine how far he could've come as a character? how much his ability would help EVERYONE? anyways, before i rant about this for too long... 

burn // devastating relationship (SPOILERS) 

june and day from legend! that ending of champion tore my heart apart. *sobs* i couldn't even imagine what i would do in that situation.

you'll be back // sassiest villain

does rhysand from ACOTAR count? because if so, then definitely him. tbh i ship him and feyre more than feyre and tamlin. he kind of reminds me of will herondale with the mysterious-bad-boy-vibe. and you can't forget about the black hair-blue eyes combo. they always tend to have a sassy temper.

the reynolds pamphlet // book with a twist you didn't see coming (SPOILERS)

i know, i know, this is technically a pic of S&S, but it was the only decent one i had that ruin and rising was even in. it is the third book in the grisha trilogy. i had no clue that that would be the third amplifier... i gotta say, i never in a million years could've seen that coming.

non stop // series you marathoned

the lunar chronicles! i think i read cinder in 2 days, scarlet in 2, cress in 4, fairest in 1, winter in 4, and stars above in 4! it took awhile, but it was surely worth it!

satisfied // book with multiple points of view

kaz. inej. nina. matthias. wylan. jesper. need i say more? six of crows has 5 POVs (i think?) and i thought it would get confusing, but OH MY. it was amazing and i'm pretty sure i read it for 6 hours straight one night.

who lives who dies who tells your story // book that will go down in history

i don't want to be cliche with this answer, but i truly think that harry potter has and will continue to go down in book history. it is such an incredible, inspiring story that has touched the lives of millions (including me) and i think it is honestly one of the best series this world will ever read.

// so that is the end of the original hamilton book tag... BUT WAIT! i read alexandra's (twirlingpages) hamilton book tag earlier and saw that she added a few of her own, so i decided to do them as well! so without further ado...

helpless // a relationship you were pulling with from the start

oh man, there's a lot. some major ones for me are probably kaz x inej (six of crows), june x day (legend), and kady x ezra (illuminae). they were such opposites, and i tend to ship people like that MUCH more than those who are more alike.

what comes next // a series you wish had more books

the lunar chronicles! i was very pleased with the endings of winter and stars above, but I STILL WANT MORE. i'd love to get a sequel that tells us about what the crew does after the wedding, the adventures they go on, etc.

right hand man // favorite brotp

jemandwilljemandwilljemandwill. forever and always. these two are the definition of friendship/parabatai goals. the amount of love they have for each other and how much they care for one another makes me want a friendship like that! 

wait for it // most anticipated upcoming release

there's quite a few: harry potter and the cursed child, heartless, empire of storms, a court of mist and fury, crooked kingdom, gemina, and a torch against the night, and many more!

it's quiet uptown // book or series that put you in a book hangover

everything you see pictured here. these books are my favorites and definitely left me with the feels.

voila! that is my hamilton book tag! thanks for reading, sorry it was so long! if you've done this tag, please let me know! i'd love to read yours! :)

review: starflight, by melissa landers

Starflight
Author: Melissa Landers
Genre: Sci-Fi, Young Adult, Fantasy
Pub Date: February 2nd, 2016
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 359
Source: Purchased

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he's been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i'm gonna start off by saying this- i normally don't care for sci-fi books all that much, but starflight definitely exceeded my expectations.

it starts off introducing us to one of the main characters, solara, who is trying to get to the outer realm in search of a new start. though, it isn't easy when you've got tattoos on your knuckles that let everyone know what you've done in your past. at first, she kind of reminded me of cinder because they're both mechanics, though they have their differences. while cinder worked for her family, solara has to work for a brat named doran, whose father owns one of the largest fuel companies on the planet. since going to school together, the two have hated each others guts for awhile, but must put that aside once thrown into a sticky situation.

one of the things i really appreciated was that starflight has a very diverse cast of characters. you don't see this much in YA (at least, that i've read), and i think we need more of it! it makes the book so much more interesting and complex and overall a more enjoyable read. starflight contains a girl from the slums who must work for her freedom; a somewhat bratty rich boy who used to be a football player; a sassy girl with an unknown identity; a flirty boy who only wants his best friend to be happy; an intelligent captain with a sugar glider as a pet who cares more for everyone else than he does himself; and a super kind, laid-back co-captain who will fight for what he believes in. if that doesn't make you want to read this book, i don't know what will.

space-like concepts normally don't strike my interest, but starflight focuses more on the characters and their journey together than the atmosphere they live in, which was fabulous because sometimes if a book goes into too much detail about the surroundings it gets a bit boring. melissa did a fantastic job at keeping the story interesting all the while providing just enough information to make it understandable.

this book had an ending that i did not see coming. it was as if one moment, everything was normal, then within 50 pages to the end of the book, everything flipped upside down. personally, these kinds of books are my favorites because i love reading about unexpected twists and surprises, and like to be kept guessing what will happen next! to say the least, it was great.

overall, i'd give this book a 5/5 stars! by far one of the best sci-fi books i have ever read, and i definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun sci-fi read!

CHARACTERS - 5/5

PLOT - 5/5 

CONCEPT - 5/5 

PACING - 5/5 

COVER - 5/5 

OVERALL - 5/5 STARS

disney book tag [lunar chronicles edition!]

DISNEY BOOK TAG

lunar chronicles edition!

i originally saw this tag on alexalovesbooks' blog (you can view her post here! it is a sarah j maas edition and its pretty awesome!)

the little mermaid - a character who is out of their element
at the beginning of the story, jacin. he's not really sure whether he's on cinder's side or levana's side. soon enough, he makes the right decision!

cinderella - a character who goes through a major transformation

cinder! going from a normal cyborg mechanic to princess/queen of luna? i'd say that's a pretty dang big transformation.

snow white - a book with an eclectic cast of characters

stars above! i absolutely LOVED the whole crew! they are squad goals! and that wedding *heart eyes* i loved seeing them all back together for the finale!

sleeping beauty - a book that put you to sleep

fairest was my least favorite of the series, but maybe that's because levana was my least favorite character. the love story was twisted, but i guess that's what marissa was aiming for!

the lion king - a character who had something traumatic happen to them in their childhood

cress! poor 9 year old (or was it 12? idk.) little baby cress, shoved onto a satellite all by herself for so many years! until cinder finds her, of course.

beauty and the beast - a beast of a book you were intimidated by but found the story beautiful 

winter! the book is 820 pages and is the second biggest book i've ever read. in my opinion, it is the best series finale EVER! marissa wrapped the story up so well and i just loved it!

aladdin - a character who gets their wish granted, for better or worse

well, if levana ever wished to be reunited with evret, that wish was granted...

mulan - a character who pretends to be someone they're not
thorne! he pretends he's dumb (okay, maybe he is just a tad) and he made himself seem unworthy of cress and that made me so sad :( he made himself look bad by stealing ships and flirting with other girls, but on the inside he's a total sweetheart and loves cress!

toy story - a book with characters you wish would come to life
again, winter! marissa created such a unique, wonderful set of characters and they all fit into the story so perfectly and all of the relationships were on point!

disney descendants - your favorite villain or morally ambiguous character

levana! she was horrible, and very easy to hate. i hated her from the moment she wanted to marry kai. HECK NO LADY GET OUT #KAIDER4LIFE



so that is my disney book tag, lunar chronicles edition! hope you guys liked it! who was your favorite TLC character and why? comment so we can discuss! :)