Nadette Rae Rodgers's Blog, page 12

Summer Reads: The One

Book: The One

Series: The Selection series

Author: Kiera Cass

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars

Synopsis (via Goodreads):

The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon’s heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she’ll have to fight for the future she wants.

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I tore through this book, reading it in less than two days. It was so good, and I could not put it down!

The Selection series continues to get better and better. I loved the first book so much and did not think it was possible for the series to get better than it already was. The One certainly did not disappoint!

I loved getting to see more into Maxon and America’s relationship, as well as seeing how other character’s lives were going (Aspen, Marlee, Lucy, etc). I also feel like you see a deeper side to Maxon in this book.

This book had so much emotion in it! I don’t want to give anything away, but I was hooked throughout the whole book, anxious to see what would come next. From traumatic events because of the rebels, to finding out secrets of those around America, to the drama of falling for a guy who is dating three other girls at the same time, to the tragedies that strike toward the end of the book, to the epilogue that made me cry. There were some very sad parts in the book, but I think it turned out really well in the end.

I loved every minute of this book!

My favorite part was reading the letters Maxon wrote for America. They showed so much about his character and were so sweet and full of love and I just loved it so much!

Cass does an incredible job of making the reader feel like they are really experiencing the selection with America. You can feel everything she is feeling and honestly just want her to be happy.

Overall, this book just made my heart so happy. When I finished it, I just sat there for a few minutes, sad the book was over, but so incredibly happy for each character for how this book wrapped up. I’m really excited to read the next two books, as well as the novellas that go along with the first three books in the series.  

I highly recommend the entire selection series if you have not read it yet!

Have you read The One yet? Share your thoughts below!

~Nadette

Summer Reads: Saint Anything

Book: Saint Anything

Author: Sarah Dessen

My Goodreads Rating: 5 stars

Follow me on Instagram @nadetterae

Synopsis (via Goodreads):

Peyton, Sydney’s charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion’s share of their parents’ attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton’s increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.

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First of all, I have yet to read a Sarah Dessen book I don’t like. Each time I read another one of her books I think, “Okay, this one is definitely my favorite!”

But this time! I mean it, Saint Anything is my new favorite Sarah Dessen book! (Lock and Key was previously my favorite.)

This book had so much meaning to it. Once you read the part that explains the title, it is so perfect and fitting. They talk about the saints, and how there’s basically a patron saint for anything. But she just needed a “Saint Anything”, something to protect her for whatever she needed, to protect/ help her brother, to help her mother heal, to help her heal, and to just be there as a constant reminder of the past and what is yet to come.

It was one of those books you can’t stop thinking about even after you’ve finished it.

I loved all the characters in the book, especially Mac, Layla, and their mom. I feel like they were the type of people Sydney needed in her life and it was a blessing for her to have met them. I think they all helped her find herself and deal with the guilt and other emotions she had weighing down on her.

I loved the carousel scene! I thought it was so neat to have an old carousel out in the woods and all the symbolism in that for the main character. I loved how Dessen chose the carousel to be the cover of the book! I thought that was perfect!

The ending too was really great! I kind of want to know how that conversation went, but at the same time, I do think it was a good stopping point for the book because the readers get to see how much Sydney has grown and the steps she is taking toward her future.

Which Sarah Dessen book is your favorite?

Happy Reading!

~Nadette

#1linewed

Here’s today’s #1linewed post based on the theme of “socks”: Follow me on Twitter (@nadetterae) to see my #1linewed posts each Wednesday.

~Nadette

Dreaming of…Back to School

Hi everyone!

It’s that time of year again! Back to school time.

If you find yourself dreaming about going back to school, chances are it’s just your nerves or excitement about the start of the school year fast approaching (if you haven’t already started!). Typical dreams would be being late on the first day, forgetting your homework at home, missing the first day of school, or some other first day related nightmare.

But I thought it would be fun today to analyze back to school dreams in a more specific way rather than just in general. 

School→ “Dreams that focus on school reflect your anxiety about how well you are being perceived by others.” (Cheung)

School Hallway→ to dream of yourself in your hallway at school is symbolic of a new path, the beginning of a journey in your waking life. (i.e. starting a new school, going back to school, etc.)

Books→ dreaming of books is a symbol of knowledge and intelligence, or your personal search for knowledge. It could also symbolize a new chapter starting in your life.

Pencils→ you are trying to figure something out in your waking hours. If you are writing with pencil, as opposed to pen, the information you are looking for, or solution, is less permanent. When you write in pencil, you can erase what you wrote, so your mind is not referring to a major change in your life that will remain that way forever.

A test/exam→ anxiety in your waking hours about a new challenge you are facing; you are not confident in yourself/ your abilities (Being unprepared for a test is one of the most common recurring dreams.)  

Chalkboard→ “The blackboard sets information out in black and white, so in dreams it can represent unambiguous insights or the need to make your mark on the world.” (Cheung)

Backpack→ You are going on a new journey/adventure. You are leaving old difficulties behind.

Apple→ “Your thirst for knowledge will be quenched.” (Kemp)

Be sure to check out Illusion and see what kind of dreams Addison has as she goes back to school the fall of her junior year! Click here to purchase on Amazon.

Sweet Dreams and Happy Back to School!

~Nadette

*Some information found in “The Dream Dictionary From A to Z” by Theresa Cheung

*Some information found in “The Dream Book” by Gillian Kemp

 

Summer Reads: My Life Next Door

Book: My Life Next Door

Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Goodreads Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis (via. Goodreads):

 “One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase’s family embraces Samantha – even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha’s world. She’s suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.
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I really enjoyed reading this book! I happened to come across it at a half-price book store and had some money left on my giftcard, so I bought it because it sounded cute.

I am SO glad I bought it!

As soon as I finished it, I was looking up the author to see if she had any other books because I really liked her writing style. I found that she had a followup book that went along with My Life Next Door, so I ran out to Barnes & Noble to get it. That’s how much I liked the first book.

I like this story because there is so much more to it than your typical summer romance. There’s the star-crossed lovers aspect, as she (Sam) is from a proper, uptight house of a senator and he (Jase) is in the loud, messy house next door, “one of those Garretts”.

But shortly into the book, you become fascinated with the Garrett family, just like Sam did. You want to know what goes on in their crazy busy life. You fall in love with the family, especially little George. You just want to know more about them, and like Sam, can’t help but be intrigued.

The relationship Sam and Jase have is a very honest one, which I think is admirable. They’re super open with each other and you can tell he likes her for her, whereas some of her previous boyfriends/relationships wanted her to change and her family wants her to be someone she really isn’t. I liked getting to see their relationship unfold and loved that Jase had seen her when she thought no one else did. They just worked really well together, I thought.

Another aspect in this story is the issues within Sam’s family. Her mother is so focused on the election that she often does the wrong thing and Sam is left to pick up the pieces.

I just felt this book was deep and had a lot of meaning to it, while also being a fun summer read.

I really, really liked this book and definitely recommend it!

Happy Reading!

~Nadette

It’s National Read a Book Day!

Hey guys,

Today is #nationalreadabookday and to celebrate I thought I would share some quotes about reading, as well as a surprise at the end of the post!

“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” -Dr. Seuss

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” -Stephen King

“Reading is dreaming with open eyes.” -unknown

“All I have learned, I learned from books.” -Abraham Lincoln

“I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a book.” -J.K. Rowling

“The act of reading is a partnership. The author builds the house, but the reader makes it a home.” -Jodi Picoult

Today, you can read a book (my book) for FREE by downloading the Kindle version here.

Hope you all have a super great day!

Happy Reading!

~Nadette

Author Interview Series: Sarah K. Stephens

Hi everyone,

For today’s post, I interviewed author Sarah K. Stephens, who has a new thriller coming this winter!

Enjoy!

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Author Interview

Author name: Sarah K. Stephens

Works: A Flash of Red, a literary thriller coming from Pandamoon Publishing for Winter 2016

What is your all time favorite book?

It’s a tie between Children of Men by P.D. James and The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

What is your current favorite book?

I am loving the Robert Galbraith mystery series, starting with Cuckoo’s Calling

What is the most recent book you’ve read?

The Hand That Feeds You by A.J. Rich

Who is your author role-model?

P.D. James. She was a widow raising two daughters while working in Britain’s civil service, and yet she still made her writing life a priority. She continued to write until her passing last year, and each book she wrote was plotted with spectacular precision and written with a tangible admiration for the English language.

How old were you when you began writing?

I was 9 years old, in third grade in Mrs. Lippiatt’s special English class.

What inspires you to write?

As a developmental psychologist, I find people and their connections to each other fascinating. Human behavior is so terribly complex that we’ve only begun to understand what brings people together and what tears people apart, either in a dyadic relationship between two lovers or on a larger scale within a community or a country. It’s this complexity that inspires and challenges me. My goal with my writing is to reveal some portion of humanity to my readers that they perhaps had not yet considered.   

Do you base characters off of people in your life?

To paraphrase the always insightful P.D. James, my characters are based on everyone and no one in my life. Parts of my family, friends, and colleagues show up in my writing, but never as a direct reproduction. Rather, I strive to make my characters real by interweaving what captures my attention about people in the real world.  

Read the book or see the movie first?

Read. The. Book.

What are your thoughts on major plot-twists?

I love them, especially when you can read the book a second time and, in your hindsight, see how the author gave you clues of what was to come.

How do you read a book (i.e. cover to cover, sometimes finish it, will tear through it in a day, read the last page before starting)?

I have a habit of reading the author’s note and acknowledgements first, then sometimes the final sentence, after which I rip through from beginning to end.

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

Nobody is born a writer. Rather, writing is a skill like any other—hard work, diligence, and being responsive to constructive feedback are the keys to improving that skill each and every day.  

* * * 

     Sarah K. Stephens earned her Doctorate in Developmental Psychology and teaches a variety of human development courses as a lecturer at Penn State University. Although Fall and Spring find her in the classroom, she remains a writer year-round. Her short stories have appeared in Five on the Fifth, The Voices Project, The Indianola Review, and the Manawaker Studio’s Flash Fiction Podcast. Her debut novel, A Flash of Red, will be released in Winter 2016 by Pandamoon Publishing. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook and read more of her writing on her blog.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out Sarah’s blog and watch for A Flash of Red this winter!

Happy Reading!

~Nadette

#1linewed

Happy Wednesday everyone! 

Today’s theme for #1linewed is “believe”, so here is a line from my new book, Illusion (book one of the Illusion trilogy). 

Follow me on Twitter (@nadetterae) to see my #1linewed posts each week. 

Have a great Wednesday and happy reading! 

~Nadette 

Summer Reads: War and Wonder

Book: War and Wonder

Series: The Whisper Trilogy (book #3)

Author: Dana Faletti

My Goodreads rating: 5 stars

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I could not wait to start reading the final installment of the Whisper trilogy! The first two books had me hooked and anxious to see what would come next.

Faletti did an awesome job wrapping up the trilogy. She tied up all the ends in creative ways I didn’t expect.

I really liked the use of the end times as a way to finish the series. End of the world as the end of the series. I also liked the tie ins with the book of revelation and the stories about what would happen with the apocalypse.

The ending of this book and the ending of the trilogy as a whole was so good! It’s one of those trilogies, where when it ends you feel totally at peace and happy for the characters.

Over the course of these three books, you’ll fall in love with Arc angels like Callie and Joshua, their micro friends Silas, Jules, and Jixer, and humans with a great faith like Callie’s family and her best friend Mila.

I really liked getting to see more of Callie and Joshua Pride’s relationship in this book. As well as Callie’s bond with her parents.

Overall, if you haven’t started the Whisper trilogy yet, I highly recommend it. Faletti mixes the supernatural, romance, action, and faith into a intriguing story that will keep you hooked from the very beginning that is Whisper until the great end that is War and Wonder.

Click here to read my interview with the author.

Click here to read my review of Whisper.

Click here to read my review of Wake (book #2).

Click here to purchase the books on Amazon.

 

What’s a trilogy you really loved? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy reading!

~Nadette

Giveaway!

Thanks to everyone who entered to win a signed copy of Illusion (book one of the Illusion Trilogy). 

Congratulations to the winner! 

If anyone is interested, the book can be purchased (in paperback or Kindle version) on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1532807511). 

Thanks again, 

~Nadette