Hey guys! I hope you all had an amazing Christmas. I decided to do something fun during the month of December. I saw that Riveted was doing the 25 Reads of Christmas. So that meant everyday leading up to Christmas a different book was free to read for one day. So I decided to attempt to read some of the books. Some were successful and some weren’t but I had a fun time attempting these books in one day. So let’s dive into my progress.
Alex, Approximately By Jean Bennett
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 388 pages
Published: April 4th 2017
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Plot: The one guy Bailey Rydell can’t stand is actually the boy of her dreams—she just doesn’t know it yet.
Classic movie fan Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online as Alex. Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush.
Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep in real life—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she’s being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth—a.k.a. her new archnemesis. But life is a whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love, and whatever it is she’s starting to feel for Porter.
And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex…Approximately.
Did I finish the book in a day?: Yes, I did.
My Thoughts: I overall enjoyed this book. I thought it was a bit predictable. I just realized that the predictable factor is told in the summary soooo I guess it’s suppose to be obvious. I thought this was a fun contemporary. It was a quick read. I will be checking out more from this author.
Want By Cindy Pon
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Pages: 328 pages
Published: June 13th 2017
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Plot: Jason Zhou survives in a divided society where the elite use their wealth to buy longer lives. The rich wear special suits that protect them from the pollution and viruses that plague the city, while those without suffer illness and early deaths. Frustrated by his city’s corruption and still grieving the loss of his mother, who died as a result of it, Zhou is determined to change things, no matter the cost.
With the help of his friends, Zhou infiltrates the lives of the wealthy in hopes of destroying the international Jin Corporation from within. Jin Corp not only manufactures the special suits the rich rely on, but they may also be manufacturing the pollution that makes them necessary.
Yet the deeper Zhou delves into this new world of excess and wealth, the more muddled his plans become. And against his better judgment, Zhou finds himself falling for Daiyu, the daughter of Jin Corp’s CEO. Can Zhou save his city without compromising who he is or destroying his own heart?
Did I finish the book in a day?: No, I sadly decided to DNF at 14%
My Thoughts: I thought this book sounded super interesting. So I decided to give it a chance. I could have finished it in a day but I just wasn’t invested in this book. I got up to the 14% and just found myself not caring about the story. It was such a shame because I heard good things about it.
The Last Magician By Lisa Maxwell
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Historical
Pages: 500 pages
Published: July 18th
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Plot: Stop the Magician. Steal the book. Save the future.
In modern-day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.
Esta is a talented thief, and she’s been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Esta’s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order—and the Brink—before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.
But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.
Did I finish the book in a day?: No, I sadly I did not.
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I just didn’t realize how long it was so I ended up starting it too late. I’m going to continue reading it and hopefully I can finish it by the end of the month.
The Diabolic By S.J. Kincaid
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 416 pages
Published: November 1st 2016
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Plot: Nemesis is a Diabolic. Created to protect a galactic Senator’s daughter, Sidonia. There’s no one Nemesis wouldn’t kill to keep her safe. But when the power-mad Emperor summons Sidonia to the galactic court as a hostage, there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia.
She must become her.
Now one of the galaxy’s most dangerous weapons is masquerading in a world of corruption and Nemesis has to hide her true abilities or risk everything. As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns that there is something stronger than her deadly force: the one thing she’s been told she doesn’t have – humanity. And, amidst all the danger, action and intrigue, her humanity might be the only thing that can save her, Sidonia and the entire Empire…
Did I finish the book in a day?: Yes, I did.
My Thoughts: I was very excited to see this on the list because this was one of the books actually on my TBR. I really enjoyed this story. There was a lot of action going on. I enjoyed the characters. I know the second one came out this year. I will make sure to check that out soon. Possibly next month.
Bad Girls With Perfect Faces By Lynn Weingarten
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller
Pages: 320 pages
Published: October 31st 2017
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Plot: From the New York Times bestselling author of Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls comes a stylish thriller about the darkness that lurks inside all of us.
When I looked up, his smile was wide and real. “Ready?” he said.
I faked a smile back. I had gotten so good at faking things.
I thought: You brought this on yourself, Sasha. You will have to pretend forever now.
He squeezed my hand again. He couldn’t begin to imagine what this actually was. He had no idea what I’d done. What any of us had.
When Sasha’s best friend Xavier gets back together with his cheating ex, Ivy, Sasha knows she needs to protect him. So she poses as a guy online to lure Ivy away.
But Sasha’s plan goes sickeningly wrong. And she soon learns to be careful of who you pretend to be because you might be surprised by who you become…
Told in multiple points of view, Bad Girls with Perfect Faces is sexy and twisted with shocks at every turn.
Did I finish the book in a day?: Yes, I did.
My Thoughts: I overall enjoyed this book. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. I found it to be a pretty quick read. I have to say I ended up being surprised by this book so I always find that to be a good sign. I will most likely check out other books by this author.
The You I’ve Never Known By Ellen Hopkins
Genre: Glbt, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary
Pages: 590 pages
Published: January 24th 2017
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Plot: How do you live your life if your past is based on a lie? A new novel in both verse and prose from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Ellen Hopkins.
For as long as she can remember, it’s been just Ariel and Dad. Ariel’s mom disappeared when she was a baby. Dad says home is wherever the two of them are, but Ariel is now seventeen and after years of new apartments, new schools, and new faces, all she wants is to put down some roots. Complicating things are Monica and Gabe, both of whom have stirred a different kind of desire.
Maya’s a teenager who’s run from an abusive mother right into the arms of an older man she thinks she can trust. But now she’s isolated with a baby on the way, and life’s getting more complicated than Maya ever could have imagined.
Ariel and Maya’s lives collide unexpectedly when Ariel’s mother shows up out of the blue with wild accusations: Ariel wasn’t abandoned. Her father kidnapped her fourteen years ago.
What is Ariel supposed to believe? Is it possible Dad’s woven her entire history into a tapestry of lies? How can she choose between the mother she’s been taught to mistrust and the father who has taken care of her all these years?
In bestselling author Ellen Hopkins’s deft hands, Ariel’s emotionally charged journey to find out the truth of who she really is balances beautifully with Maya’s story of loss and redemption. This is a memorable portrait of two young women trying to make sense of their lives and coming face to face with themselves—for both the last and the very first time.
Did I finish the book in a day?: No, I sadly DNF this book.
My Thoughts: I overall enjoyed this book. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. I found it to be a pretty quick read. I have to say I ended up being surprised by this book so I always find that to be a good sign. I will most likely check out other books by this author.
The Chaos of Standing Still By Jessica Brody
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Pages: 403 pages
Published: January 28th 2017
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Plot: Over the course of one chaotic night stranded at the Denver airport, Ryn confronts her shattered past thanks to the charm of romance, the uniqueness of strangers, and the magic of ordinary places in this stunning novel from the author of Boys of Summer.
Ryn has one unread text message on her phone. And it’s been there for almost a year.
She hasn’t tried to read it. She can’t. She won’t. Because that one message is the last thing her best friend ever said to her before she died.
But as Ryn finds herself trapped in the Denver International Airport on New Year’s Eve thanks to a never-ending blizzard on the one-year anniversary of her best friend’s death, fate literally runs into her.
And his name is Xander.
When the two accidentally swap phones, Ryn and Xander are thrust into the chaos of an unforgettable all-night adventure, filled with charming and mysterious strangers, a secret New Year’s Eve bash, and a possible Illuminati conspiracy hidden within the Denver airport. But as the bizarre night continues, all Ryn can think about is that one unread text message. It follows her wherever she goes, because Ryn can’t get her brialliantly wild and free-spirited best friend out of her head.
Ryn can’t move on.
But tonight, for the first time ever, she’s trying. And maybe that’s a start.
As moving as it is funny, The Chaos of Standing Still is a heartwarming story about the earth-shattering challenges life throws at us—and the unexpected strangers who help us along the way.
Did I finish the book in a day?: Yes, I did. I did with only a couple minutes to spare.
My Thoughts: When I read the description it sounded interesting to me. I figured I would end up liking it. I thankfully really did. It was probably my favorite read out of all the books I read from Riveted.
I have to say I really enjoyed this! I thought it was such a great idea. If they did this next year as well I would love to participate again. I ended up reading 4 books. Two I had on my TBR list. The two others just seemed interesting to me. I wanted to read the book they had on Christmas but I knew I wouldn’t have anytime to get to it. I am still reading The Last Magician. I can’t wait to see how that goes.
Did any of you guys read any of the 25 books they had for free? If so which ones did you end up reading? Did you end up liking them?
1. NOS4A2 By Joe Hill 
2. An Unwanted Guest By Shari Lapena 
4. Murder on the Orient Express By Agatha Christie
5. The Shining By Stephen King
7. Lying in Wait By Liz Nugent
Bookish In Bed 