No More TBR's

It's time for another discussion post, but this time it's going to be a bit different. One of my goals this year for Ali's Bookshelf is to fall in love with reading and this blog again. I know I've said this before, but this year I've made a plan! I'm hoping I can stick with it and get back into the groove again and love doing what I do. 

I'm guessing by the title of the post your realize that I'm no longer going to be posting my once a month TBR pile posts, if that's what you're thinking then you're right, but along with that I will not be posting anymore It's Monday...What Are You Reading posts. Yep, I've decided to stop those posts as well. Here's my thinking when it comes to both of these posts. 

Really when it came down to me making this desission, my thoughts came back to how I pick what I want to read and with me wanting to fall in love with reading again. Sometimes I feel like a TBR list or aWhat are you reading list, puts a bit of pressure on me to make sure I read those books and even if I don't feel like reading said books I must do so. That feeling really takes the joy out of reading for me. I'm an emotional reader. I read what I feel like reading and if something is on my tbr list and I just don't feel it then I'm going to hate the book, even though at another time I probably wouldn't. 

 Are any of you like this? Do you pick what you want to read this way? Or are you a by the list type of person? 

 

If I do decide to post a It's Monday post, it more than likely will only be the book that I'm currently reading, which more than likely I just wont post this type of post. I'm not really sure yet what I want to replace the post with, if you have any suggestions please let me know in the comments below.  I'm also thinking about just adding to my sidebar what I'm currently reading so you all can see that there instead. 

Do you post TBR posts, if so, do you feel the pressure or are you okay with it? Please let me know below in the comments I would love to see other readers take on this subject! 

 

 

ARC Giveaway

I haven't done one of these posts in a very long time, but I honestly think it's time to bring this one back. I've been going through my ARC's lately and realized how many I actually have. I figured I would try to do a few giveaways and hopefully you will want them. Seeing as it's almost 2018, I really need to make room for new ARC's as well. I'm only giving away ARC's that I have the finished copy of the book on my shelf and or have already read the book/ARC. I got the idea for this post a while back from seeing a few other bloggers do so, the main one being Fiktshun. She is one of my all time favorite bloggers and if you haven't checked out her blog, it's a must!  

 Today I have three ARC's to giveaway and the rules are below to enter the giveaway you must live in the US and must be at least 13 years old or older. 

The ARC's for today's giveaway are as follows and are in the image below. 

• Eden Summer by Liz Flanagan 
• Worthy byDonna Cooner 
• The Wolf Hour by Sara Lewis Holmes 

The Rules 

• These ARC'S will be going to ONE winner only! 
• As stated above you must be 13 years old or older to win and you must live in the US. 
• The Giveaway will end on January 1st 2018 Midnight EST. 
• The winner will be contacted through email and of course it will be announced here on the giveaway page. 
• The winner will have 24 hours to reply or the ARC's will be given to someone else. 

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway          

 

2018 Discussion Challenge

The 2018 Discussion Challenge is hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction and It Starts At Midnight. 

I'm super excited about this challenge as well! So many great ones for 2018. Discussions is something that I want to really focus more on here on Ali's Bookshelf this upcoming year, so this challenge fits perfectly with that goal.  To learn more about this challenge CLICK HERE!

My Goal For This Challenge: 

 1-10 – Discussion Dabbler

 I'm going with the first level between 1 to 10 Discussions. I'm pretty sure I can do that at least I hope so. I'm going to try to go ahead and come up with a list and go from there. 

This challenge will be updated on my main Challenge page, which can be found here.

 

Ali Talks: Unhauling Books

Ali Talks is a discusion post here on Ali's Bookshelf. One where we chat about different topics, today's topic, is Unhauling books! YIKES.

This is a topic I've been wanting to chat about for awhile now, but it's something that I rarely did so I didn't want to really bring it up. Now I've started to actually unhaul some of my books so it's time to chat. My feelings about the topic has changed throughout my years here on the blog and throughout my life in general. 

I used to think that Unhauling books was a bad thing, it was just something I never did. I was a collector of books and collecting meant keeping the books I acquired. Now fast forward a few years and I have a different take on the idea of Unhauling books. 

Right now I have nine boxes of books that are in my car and I'm getting ready to take them to Half Price books, I'm hoping doing these books will bring someone else joy by getting to read them. The books that are in the boxes are either ones that I've read and didn't enjoy enough to keep or ones that I'm just never going to read. Some of which are books that were given to me by people as presents or recommended to me and I just didn't enjoy. There are also a few books in the boxes that I did enjoy, but don't feel the need to keep mainly because I'm never going to read them again and don't love them enough to keep them around. 

So after taking the books to Half Price Books. I walked out of there with nine new books and over 100$! Which is amazing, I'm starting to see that unhauling books can lead to me being able to get books that I will enjoy and read right away. I really think it's a way that I might be able to reach my TBR goals for 2018 as well. I want to shorten my TBR a lot by the end of the year. Especially when it comes to books that I actually own. 

Anyway, what are your thoughts on Unhauling books? Do you think it's a good idea or do you think the way I used to and never unhaul books? Let me know in the comments below! I would love to know your thoughts on this topic. 

Ali Recommends: Christmas Reads

Another new feature here on Ali's Bookshelf is going to be one where I get to recommend books to you! I haven't done anything like this in awhile here on the blog and figured today would be just as good as any to start this back up again. Today we are going to talk Christmas reads! 

The first book I want to talk about is written by one of my favorite authors, one that I would recommend any of her books, but my favorite Christmas book of her's would have to be...

Christmas In Paris by Anita Hughes

Published: St Martin's Press

Pages: 277 pages

Goodreads

Hughes will fill your heart with the sights, sounds, and flavors of new love, glamorous fashion, and decadent holiday cuisine.

Isabel Lawson is standing on the balcony of her suite at the Hotel Crillon as she gazes at the twinkling lights of the Champs Elysee and wonders if she’s made a terrible mistake. She was supposed to be visiting the Christmas tree in the Place de la Concorde, and eating escargots and macaroons with her new husband on their honeymoon. But a week before the wedding, she called it off. Isabel is an ambitious Philadelphia finance woman, and Neil suddenly decided to take over his grandparents’ farm. Isabel wasn’t ready to trade her briefcase for a pair of rubber boots and a saddle.

When Neil suggested she use their honeymoon tickets for herself, she thought it would give her a chance to clear her head. That is until she locks herself out on the balcony in the middle of winter. Thankfully her neighbor Alec, a French children’s illustrator, comes to her rescue. He too is nursing a broken heart at the Crillon for the holidays. With a new friend by her side, Isabel is determined to use her time in the city of lights wisely. After a chance encounter with a fortune teller and a close call with a taxi, she starts to question everything she thought was important.

Christmas in Paris is a moving and heartwarming story about love, trust, and self-discovery. Set during the most magical week of the year, the glorious foods and fashions of the most romantic city in the world are sure to take your breath away.

Like I said above I love all of her books and her writing style is just perfection, but I adore this book written by her and it's a perfect cozy read to pick up on a day around Christmas time. Oh and did I forget to mention I adore her characters in this book!


The next book I want to recommend to you all for a great Christmas read would have to be...

Christmas Curveball by Shari Mikels

Published: Carina Press
Pages: 111 pages

Goodreads

 When newly-single Rachel Tanner finds out that pro pitcher Kevin Ganlin has come home to recover from an injury, her heart skips a beat. She’s loved him from afar since her preteen years, never bold enough to let him know.

Kevin is less than thrilled when Rachel shows up at his doorstep. She’s his best friend’s little sister and officially off limits. Besides, he’s staring early retirement in the face, a one-man pity-party with no interest in anything more serious than quick flings on the road. Until an icy mishap lands Rachel cozied up on his sofa, irresistible in his practice sweats.

A little game of Truth or Truth reveals much more than Rachel had ever dared to hope and leads to a midnight make-out session that leaves them both panting. But can she trust that he’s truly changed his ways? This Christmas, Kevin will do whatever it takes to make Rachel understand she’s the only one for him.

This one is a fun and fast read with a fantastic story that will have you dying to find out what's going to happen next. I read this one last year and couldn't get enough of it. I love the romance and how they come together. I read this one in one sitting and know you will too!


I'm going to recommend one more, even though there are dozens of fantastic Christmas books out there. Honestly, I could make this post go on and on, but let's just recommend one more.

 A Christmas Homecoming by Melissa McClone 
Published: Tule Publishing
Pages:  210 pages

Goodreads

A kiss is just a kiss…

Unless it’s under the mistletoe.

Ellie Smith is determined to make up for Christmases past by spreading holiday cheer throughout the Bar V5 dude ranch, but tech “bah, humbug” billionaire, Josiah Whittaker, refuses to bask in the spirit of the season.

Unwilling to let the geek-to-gorgeous Josiah win, Ellie plans to give him a Christmas he’ll never forget. But after a simple kiss under the mistletoe, Ellie and Josiah both start questioning everything. Can Christmas really bring the gift neither one of them were expecting: true love?

   Now this is one that I read back in 2015 for the first time, but I ended up reading it again last year and I'm thinking I might read it again this year. It's an adorable story about two people that question everything in life and how Christmas brings them together. I adore stories like this, don't you? 

 Like I said above I could go on and on with more Christmas books, but I figured we would stop at three for now. What are some of your favorite Christmas reads? I would love to know, maybe get to add some more to my TBR pile! Hope you all are enjoying your Christmas week so far, I know I am.

 

What Ali's Been Watching Lately

I've been wanting to do a post like this for some time now and I'm excited to finally get the chance. I've seen several posts like this in book blogging community and to just name a few that I've seen one being Christina over at Girl in the Pages. I've also seen a few Booktubers do a feature like this as well. I'm not sure who created the feature first, but I'm going to jump on the bandwagon here and share what I've been watching lately! 

To begin, I will go ahead and say I watch a verity of different genres, but I think that just keeps things fun. 

The Walking Dead

 Anyone that knows me knows I watch The Walking Dead religiously. It's my favorite show and I just can't get enough. Yes spoiler alert, I'm not too happy with what just happened in the Mid Season finale, but I'm not going to say anymore about it. Like I said I adore this show.  I've watched The Walking Dead from the very beginning and have even met most of the cast at conventions and such. Which I must say they are all super nice and so amazing with their fans. Which of course made me love the show so much more. My favorite character on the show is...Daryl Dixon, of course! I'm getting ready to binge watch the whole series over again. I've done this a few times already and love it.

The Crown Season 2

I adored season one of this show and knew right away that I had to watch season two. I'm only on episode four I think but I love it just as much as the first.  I love the history aspect even though I'm pretty sure it's not spot on. This show is one that I love to binge watch, when I have time, but it's one you really have to watch to enjoy. It goes through the life of Queen Elizabeth and how she became who she is. Which I'm a huge history buff anyway, so this just ended up being a perfect show for me to watch. 

Up Next 

Right now I have two movies that I'm just dying to see. One of course is the new Thor movie, must I say more, it's Thor! The other is the Murder on the Orient Express. I'm not sure what has captured my interest on this one, I think it just looked very interesting to me and I haven't been able to get it off my mind. I of course have a few more, but for now this seems like the perfect two to start with.  

So what are some of your favorite shows to watch, please tell me so maybe I can add them to my list! 

 

2018 Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

The 2018 NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge is hosted by Katrina @ Bookish Things. 
So like I said the other day when I posted a 2018 challenge post, I don't usually do a lot of these types of challenges because I usually fail misarably! But this one coinsides with another one that I plan to do, so I figured why not take part in this one as well.  If you would like to know more about this challenge and the rules, CLICK HERE.

So my goal for another challenge is to get my Netgalley percentage up to 80% and I'm hoping this challenge will help with that other goal as well.

Challenge Guidelines

• The challenge will run from Jan 1, 201 – Dec 31, 2018.
• Anyone is welcome to join. You do not need to be a blogger, just post your reviews and come back every month to link them up.
• Any genre, release date, request date, length, etc. counts so long as it came from Edelweiss or Netgalley.
• At the beginning of each month there will be a roundup post for you to add your reviews.
• If you forget to link up one month it’s not a problem just add your reviews next month.
• If you would like to move up or down levels that is completely fine and at your discretion.
• If you have any questions tweet me @BookishThings or e-mail bookishthingsandmore@yahoo.com!
• Hashtag: #NGEW2018

Levels

Bronze – 10 Books

Silver – 25 Books

Gold – 50 Books

Platinum – 75 Books

Diamond – 100 Books

I'm going to start off with 25 books as my goal but will more than likely move my goal up to 50 books. We shall see how I do before I actually say I'm moving it up to 50!  I am super excited about this challenge and hope I can actually achieve my reading goals this year. Cross your fingers for me please!

12 Days of My True Love Gave To Me: Day 2

So it's day two of the 12 days of My True Love Gave to Me here on Ali's Bookshelf and it's been a crazy day for me. First off my Dad is in the hospital and had a life threating surgery yesterday, he's doing okay today, but I was there most of the day. As well as my daughter had a concert today at our mall so I was there for that as well. Anyway, like I said it's been a crazy day for me. After all that I came home and read the second story in this fantastic book and wanted to share my thoughts with you on this one. 

This post isn't going to be as long as the one yesterday. Mainly because I really didn't like this story. It took me awhile to even catch on to what was going on. The story is The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link. If I'm being truely honest, I still don't understand the story it jumped around way too much and it was pretty boring to me. I found myself wanted to jump ahead myself and get to the next story. Which kind of makes me a bit sad, because I wanted to love all the stories in this book. Guess that never really happens with this type of book though. 

Let's hope the next one is better! For now I give The Lady and the Fox...

and that's being generous about it to be truthful! 

On to the next one, I will be back tomorrow to share my thoughts on the next story in this book. It's called Angels in the snow by Matt De La Pena. I'm crossing my fingers that this one is way better! 

12 Days of My True Love Gave To Me: Day 1

I've seen a few different vloggers talk about this fantastic looking book for awhile now and I figured I would give it a shot. Today I got my copy and a idea for the blog popped into my head. Now I'm sure there has been another blogger out there that has done something like this, but I wanted to challenge myself to do 12 posts where I will be sharring my thoughts on each of these stories. Since we are 12 days away from Christmas I thought it fit perfectly that there are 12 stories to share. So for the next 12 days I will make a post every day talking about this book and it's stories. 

Today I want to talk about author Rainbow Rowell's story It's called Midnights and like all of her other books and stories, I loved this one.  It starts out a little confusing but I caught on really fast. It's broken down into several years but each part is only based around the time of the year that the countdown for New Years happens. 

I'm not really going to write any spoilers, but it's about two main characters named Mags and Noel. (I also must say I love the names that author Rainbow Rowell picked because my name is in this story and it's actually spelled correctly. Yeah that doesn't happen often.) Anyway, it showcases Mags and Noel's relationship from just meeting at Alicia's New Years Eve party and him asking if there are tree nuts in what she's eating to the next several years of them as friends. At the end, which is my favorite part, they've all moved away to college but come back for the party. 

I enjoy this authors writing so much and how she can just throw you into a story, like this one and she has you just by the first few lines. So much so that you have to know what's going to happen next. I'm not going to tell you what happens next, because I hate spoilers, but I love this short story.  As of today this book has a 5 out of 5 puppy rating for me. The story Midnights does as well.

I have a couple lines that I loved and wanted to share with you...

Mags laughed. "You're a kaleidospope. You change every time I look away."  "Don't you hate that?" He asked

"I know things have to change, but...I can't lose you. I don't think I get another one like you." 

If you haven't read this book, this is the perfect day to start it. Would love you to read alone with me. One day one story! Also if you have read the book would love to hear your thoughts on this story as well. Hope you all have a great Thursday and as always...

2018 #Bookish Resolutions Challenge

hosted by Laura @ trips down imagination road and Michelle @ Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life.

I'm super excited to take part in this challenge mainly because it has to do with goals for the year all about reading! In this challenge you pick three resolutions or goals for the year and well you mainly try your hardest to complete them throughout the year. If you would like to know more about the challenge and the rules, CLICK HERE! 

Rules: 

1.    Create between 3 or more resolutions related to books/book blogging/writing (there are examples below but you can make up your own)
2.    Create a sign up post and add it to the Linky on this post (sign up before Feb 1st)
3.    This is a year long challenge, so you can’t add resolutions that could be done in a day these must be year long goals.
4.    Twice a year we will have an update to see how you are doing. One in April and One on August. The last update will be the end post in December for you to link up. You will find the link on both mine and Laura’s blog
5.    For each goal you complete you get one entry into the giveaway that will be in our wrap up post on December 31, 2015

My Bookish Resolutions for 2018

•   Get my Netgalley percentage up to 80%
• Read 20  Netgalley books this year 
• Read at least 20 books off of my TBR Shelf
• Listen to 1 audio books per month
•  Read 20 number of books that I already own

 Wish me luck!!!!

Teaser Tuesday #119

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser

 Of course, this world has been trying to kill me from the very first second I set out to explore. I've encountered some truly insane shit so far-an avalanche, lighting strikes, quicksand and some kind of mutated polar bear that I managed to butcher and eat using nothing but a dagger and my two bare hands. Still, nothing compares to what I've just found. 

Have any of you read this one yet? I'm in love with this book so far! 

 

Books I Marked DNF Lately

So today I'm going to do something a little different here on the blog. Normally I don't mark books DNF. (DNF means Did Not Finish for those of you that didn't know that.) Lately though, I've found books that aren't holding my attention enough that I just sit them aside and haven't gone back to them since. I figured it would be a good post to make and share with you all. I know I'm probably going to get yelled at for a few of these, but each person is different when it comes to what they want to read and what's going to be good to them.  I've seen a few other bloggers and vloggers talking about this subject lately and really wanted to show you my thoughts on these books without the long drawn out review.

Lost in A Book by Jennifer Donnely 

Published January 31st 2017 by Disney Press 

Hardcover, 341 Pages 

Smart, bookish Belle, a captive in the Beast’s castle, has become accustomed to her new home and has befriended its inhabitants. When she comes upon Nevermore, an enchanted book unlike anything else she has seen in the castle, Belle finds herself pulled into its pages and transported to a world of glamour and intrigue. The adventures Belle has always imagined, the dreams she was forced to give up when she became a prisoner, seem within reach again.

The charming and mysterious characters Belle meets within the pages of Nevermore offer her glamorous conversation, a life of dazzling Parisian luxury, and even a reunion she never thought possible. Here Belle can have everything she has ever wished for. But what about her friends in the Beast’s castle? Can Belle trust her new companions inside the pages of Nevermore? Is Nevermore’s world even real? Belle must uncover the truth about the book, before she loses herself in it forever.

My Thoughts:  

I really wanted to love this book, the plot and summary pulled me in so much. That's why the day it came out I had it in my hands and started reading. But to be honest I feel like this book just fell flat for me. I couldn't connect with the characters and Belle is my all time favorite Disney character ever! I gave this book awhile before I DNF'd it, I really tried to give it as long as I possibly could. But in the end I just couldn't make myself want to read another page. I got a little over half way through and I just had to put it down. Like I said above, I really wanted to love it, I just couldn't. 

Once and For All by Sarah Dessen 

Published June 6th 2017 by Viking Books for Young Readers 

Hardcover, 358 Pages 

 As bubbly as champagne and delectable as wedding cake, Once and for All, Sarah Dessen's thirteenth novel, is set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine.

Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that's why she's cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm's length. But Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged, now that he's met the one girl he really wants.

Sarah Dessen’s many, many fans will adore her latest, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story that has everything—humor, romance, and an ending both happy and imperfect, just like life itself.

My Thoughts 

Now this one wounds me to actually admit. I've loved all of author Sarah Dessen's books and this one seemed like it was written just for me. I have degree in wedding planning so it just seemed the perfect fit. I was wrong and I'm hoping that maybe I was just in the wrong reading zone and might try to pick this one up again soon. I will say I even tried to listen to it with an audiobook and that didn't even work. So I'm not sure that I will try it again, but we shall see. 

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray 

Published November 4th 2014 by Harper Teen 

Softcover, 368 Pages 

 

 Cloud Atlas meets Orphan Black in this epic dimension-bending trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray about a girl who must chase her father's killer through multiple dimensions.

Marguerite Caine's physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite's father is murdered, and the killer—her parent's handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul— escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows—including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul's guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father's death is far more sinister than she expected.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores an amazingly intricate multi-universe where fate is unavoidable, the truth elusive, and love the greatest mystery of all.

My Thoughts 

I know most of you are probably shaking your heads at me and yelling at your computer screens for me to try reading this one again. I've honestly tried five different times to read this one and I'm not sure it's going to happen. I will say the first time I tried this one I was in a reading slump that's the reason I've tried it so many times. I love the plot and come on the summary alone had me right away with the whole Cloud Atlas meets Orphan Black part, but I just can't do it. I can't seem to finish this one. I have gotten to about the halfway mark and can't seem to get past that spot.  Maybe one day I might be able to try again. 

I'm not sure how often I'll be posting these types of posts, but like I said here lately I have DNF'd a few books. So we shall see I guess. Hope you don't want to murder me now lol.  Have you read any of these books? What did you think? Have you DNF'd any books lately, let me know I would love to know your thoughts.