February Wrap Up and March TBR

The books I read this month are Rush Revere and the First Patriots. I read this for my children's literature class. We needed to read a historical fiction book for kids and my dad recommended this one. I do not think their was any political basis in this book and I think it is a fun book for teaching kids about history. I find myself pretty interested throughout the story because it was fun to be apart of their adventure and be a part of history. Goodreads Review

My Life Next Door is the next book and my favorite for the month. This was my January To Be Read. This was a book that I have been meaning to read since it came out and I'm glad I finally got around to reading this book. This book was so much more than a summer romance. It had very adult themes for being a YA book. This book made me fall in love with the characters and stay up late reading. Goodreads Review

And We Stay is the last book I read this month and the most disappointed book of the month. I just expected to feel more emotion with a book about suicide and I just didn't feel that deep connection with the characters in this novel. I still enjoyed this novel and I still gave it 4 stars, but I just thought I would like this book better than I actually did. Goodreads Review

It seems to me that I'm going to have to add an in progress section to the monthly wrap up because I have been reading at least two books if not three at the same time the whole month of February. One book that I keep picking up and putting down is Heidel by Anita Valle on my kindle. I enjoy the book, but I keep having library books that are taking priority. I'm currently on pg 112, which is 46% through the book. I am almost finished with The Choice by Nicholas Sparks. I'm currently on pg. 262, which is 78% through the book. The last book I'm in the middle of is Cloaked by Alex Flinn. This is my February To Be Read. I'm not really far enough in to form an opinion. I'm only 21 pages in.

Last month's TBR was a total bust. I didn't read any of the books. I'm participating in Take Control of Your TBR Pile, which means that I plan to read books I own in the month of March. The books I plan to read are The Geography of You and Me, 99 Days, and PS I still Love You.

March 2016 To Be Read List~ Let's Vote

Hosted by Because Reading

Even though I haven't managed to complete any of the months on time I'm trying to keep up with this feature this year. This month you guys are going to help me read a book I own. 

A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay.

 When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

For as long as she can remember, Wren Gray’s goal has been to please her parents. But as high school graduation nears, so does an uncomfortable realization: Pleasing her parents once overlapped with pleasing herself, but now... not so much. Wren needs to honor her own desires, but how can she if she doesn’t even know what they are?

 Charlie Parker, on the other hand, is painfully aware of his heart’s desire. A gentle boy with a troubled past, Charlie has loved Wren since the day he first saw her. But a girl like Wren would never fall for a guy like Charlie—at least not the sort of guy Charlie believes himself to be.

 And yet certain things are written in the stars. And in the summer after high school, Wren and Charlie’s souls will collide. But souls are complicated, as are the bodies that house them...

 Sexy, romantic, and oh-so-true to life, this is an unforgettable look at first love from one of young adult fiction’s greatest writers.

I had no idea GirlOnline would take off the way it has - I can't believe I now have 5432 followers, thanks so much! - and the thought of opening up to you all about this is terrifying, but here goes...

 Penny has a secret.

 Under the alias GirlOnline, she blogs about school dramas, boys, her mad, whirlwind family - and the panic attacks she's suffered from lately. When things go from bad to worse, her family whisks her away to New York, where she meets the gorgeous, guitar-strumming Noah. Suddenly Penny is falling in love - and capturing every moment of it on her blog.

 But Noah has a secret too. One that threatens to ruin Penny's cover - and her closest friendship - forever.

2/21/16 Target Haul

I usually do not do coupon hauls here on the blog and this will not be a thing that you guys will see regularly unless you really enjoy them, but I had a pretty awesome haul yesterday that I wanted to post about.

I usually hate to do more than one transaction, but Target has a beauty deal this week where if you spend $20 on beauty products you get a $5 giftcard, so I needed to do two transactions so I could get two $5 giftcards.

Transaction 1:
Dove Shampoo and Conditioner 4.99 X 2 = 9.98
Loreal Paris Shampoo and Conditioner 3.99 X 2= 7.98
Dove Body Wash 5.49
Motts Fruit Snacks 1.50
Chobani Flip 1 X 3= 3

Total Before Coupons: 27.95
Give Cashier Beauty Coupon First to Get $5 giftcard
My Coupons
3/2 Dove Shampoo/Conditioner
(2) 2/1 Loreal Paris Shampoo/Conditioner
10% off cartwheel on Loreal Paris (.80 cents)
1/1 Dove Body Wash
.50/1 Motts Fruit Snacks
-.05 cents for resuable bags
Pay  19.94  w/ tax
Get back $5 for next transaction

Transaction 2:
Biore 6.49 X 2 = 12.98
Simple 5.99
St. Ives 3.89
Wet N' Wild .94
Progresso 1.50 X 3 = 4.50
Kashi Vanilla Pepita 2.99
Naked 2.50 X 2 = 5
Sour Cream 1.22

Total Before Coupons 37.51
Give Cashier Beauty Coupon First to Get $5 giftcard
My Coupons
2/2 Biore
3/2 Simple, St. Ives
.50/1 Wet N' Wild
1/3 Progresso
1/2 Naked
10% off cartwheel on Wet N' Wild (.10 cents)
20% off cartwheel on Progresso (.90 cents)
50% off cartwheel on Kashi ($1.50)
5% off Market Pantry Sour Cream (.07 cents)
-10 cents for reusable bags
Use $5 giftcard from Transaction 1
Pay 23.57 with tax
Get back $5 giftcard

Rebates
Savingstar
$3 for Dove Shampoo/Condition
$1 for Dove Body Wash
$.50 for Motts Fruit Snacks
$3 for Simple and St. Ives
$1 for Progresso

Checkout51
$1 for Dove Body Wash

Ibotta
.50 cents for Progresso

Retail Cost: 65.46
My Out of Pocket (OPP): 33.51 (Plus $5 giftcard for next purchase)
54% percent savings

My TBR List January Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading

Book: My Life Next Door

Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick

Publication: June 14, 2012

Source: Library

Read: Jan 29-Feb 11, 2016

Summary (from 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.

My Thoughts:
This is a book I knew I would love. I have wanted to read this book since it came out, but it always got pushed back on the list. I'm glad 2016 is the year I finally decided to read this wonderful book. I expected My Life Next Door to be a sweet, summer romance. Jase and Samantha have the forbidden love that we see in Romeo and Juliet. I didn't go into the book expecting the serious themes I would see in this book.

For some reason Samantha Reed's mother dislikes the family next door, The Garretts. The Garretts are a large family, who are disorganized, and loud. Samantha's house is quiet and organized. She spends her night pretending to watch the stars, but really she is watching the Garretts. Little did Samantha know she would come so entwined in the Garret family.

I expected this book to be a sweet, summer book and this book undeniably had a lot of sweet moments. I didn't think anything could go wrong for Samantha and Jase's love story. The book is about so much more than just a love story. It is about love, family, hard work, and friendship. The whole book is about building a strong connection with the characters. Samantha who is sweet, but also hardworking and not afraid to speak her mind. Jase who can fix anything, but is also a gentleman and a relationship worth fighting for. Mrs. Garret with her heart of gold. George with his endless string of facts. The baby, Patsy, who only knows about books and poop. Just when everything seems perfect Jase, his family, and Samantha's whole world. Samantha is forced to make life changing decisions that will change her entire life and her relationship with Jase. I think the characters worked through this problem in a realistic way.

I couldn't be happier with the way the book ended. My Life Next Door becomes the first book of 2016 to make me cry and I actually cried 3 or 4 times with the intense moments. I'm excited to read more books by this author.

My To Be Read List Winner February 2016

Hosted by Michelle @ Because Reading

This month's My TBR List book won by a landslide. The other two books got 4 votes each while the winner got 7. Thanks to everybody who voted. 

And the winner is....

I'm in a fairy tale mood, so I hope that I enjoy this read.