A Recap of 2014!

The Book Bratz

Today is the very last day of 2014, and to celebrate, us ladies here at The Book Bratz decided to go back and recap all of the awesome stuff that we covered here in 2014.

May 2014: Our Revival! 

After a couple of months on hiatus after school and our daily lives were beginning to weigh us down, we cracked our knuckles and got back to work! After a series of redesigns with our layout and way of managing things, the new and improved Book Bratz were born. Check out our very short (and very hurried) welcome back post here. 

#BookCon2014!


2014 was the first year of BookCon, which is a sort of branch-off from BEA, for all readers! We had such a great time and can't wait to attend both BookCon (possibly) and BEA (definitely!) next year! Check out our pics from the event by clicking here or here.

We discussed:

We waited for:
The Cage by Megan Shepherd
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Dead Zone  by Robinson Wells
Echoes of Us by Kat Zhang
Fairest by Marissa Meyer
The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
Invaded by Melissa Landers
Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Silver Shadows  by Richelle Mead
Siren's Fury by Mary Weber
The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent 
Stay With Me by J. Lynn
Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Talon by Julie Kagawa
A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
Vicious by Sara Shepherd
Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

We were a part of:

We reviewed:
The Young World   Zodiac

Stats: 
165 GFC Followers
180 Bloglovin' Followers
37 E-mail Subscribers 
835 Twitter Followers
25,6000 Page Views

So that's our recap of 2014! What milestones did your blog hit this past year? What were some of your favorite books you reviewed and challenges you took part in? Tell us in the comment section below! :-)

 Happy new year, everyone!
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Waiting on Wednesday #17: The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine.
Title: The Sin Eater's Daughter (The Sin Eater's Daughter #1)
Author: Melina Salisbury
Genre: High Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: February 24th, 2015

 Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she’s engaged to the prince, Twylla isn’t exactly a member of the court. She’s the executioner. As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she touches. Each month she’s taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will ever love a girl with murder in her veins. Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla’s fatal touch, avoids her company. But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose easy smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he’s able to look past Twylla’s executioner robes and see the girl, not the Goddess. Yet Twylla’s been promised to the prince, and knows what happens to people who cross the queen. However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla’s problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies, a plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?




That cover is so damn beautiful. The colors, the vial. Its perfect. Besides the cover the title hooked me in as well. The Sin Eater's Daughter? If you aren't curious abouyt what this would have to be about then you are crazy! I've been on a High Fantasy binge latley and I hope when I read this it will hit the spot. I am super super super excited for it! 

What are you waiting on?


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'Tis The Season Book Tag!


Thank you Brittany @ Please Feed The Bookworm for tagging us in the 'Tis The Season Booktag! 

1. Do you have a favourite winter read?
Amber: Not really. I typically read The Grinch with my little brother. 
Jessica: We have a gorgeous copy of The Polar Express in my house. I love picking it up and flipping through it from time to time.

2. Find a book with blue in the cover?
Amber: 
I am currently reading Made You Up and it is amazing. Be sure to check it out when it releases in May!

Jessica: 

Unmarked (The Legion, #2)

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and it was just too gorgeous not to share!

3. Find a book you’d use as the star on the Christmas tree.
Amber: 
We put an angel on top of the Christmas tree so I think Nym could pass for one.
Jessica: 
The One (The Selection, #3)
America Singer was definitely the star in her story!

4. Pick one fictional place that would be perfect for a winter vacation!

Amber: I am not sure. I read alot of dystopia so those places don't seen desirable. 
Jessica: For a winter vacation? I'm more of a fan of tropical islands, so I'd have to go with the island that the girls all visit in Dangerous Girls. (It's been awhile. I forgot what it's called.)

5. Pick one fictional character you’d take with you on your winter vacation!

Amber: Just one? I can't choose a whole bunch? Gah. Kaidan Rowe from the Sweet Trilogy by Wendy Higgins.
Jessica: I may have to steal Kaidan from Amber when she isn't looking. ;-)

6. Name one book on your wish list this year.

Amber: Zodiac by Romina Russell
Jessica: Rites of Passage, which my fabulous co-blogger Amber got me for Christmas!! <333

7. Favourite holiday drink, treat and movie?
Amber: Hot chocolate, homemade Christmas cookies and Elf! 
Jessica: French vanilla hot chocolate, warm chocolate chip cookies and A Year Without a Santa Claus!

We aren't going to tag anyone, since the holidays have already come to a close.. So take this as your invite to do it if you choose and then comment us your link! :-)


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The Book Bratz Present: The Best YA Books of 2014 Awards!


Alright, alright. We know we aren't super fancy and can't throw our own awards show, but 2014 is ending in four days and we felt it was only right to give a thumbs up to our favorite books of the year. Here at The Book Bratz, we came up with some categories and each picked one book that we felt deserved the award (and if we both agreed on the same book, only one won!) for one of the best books of the year. Check out what we picked and then comment down below telling us which books you thought deserved to win each category!

Best Fantasy:

13206828 

Jessica: Cress by Marissa Meyer
Amber: Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Best Contemporary:

 22369488

Jessica: Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid
Amber: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Best Romance:

 18599754 

Jessica: Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
Amber: Stay With Me by J. Lynn

Sexiest Book: 

16007855 

Jessica: Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins
Amber: Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Best Stand-Alone Novel:

 22369488 

Jessica: Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid
Amber: Conversion by Katherine Howe

Least Favorite Book This Year: 

17375787


Jessica: The Rules for Breaking by Ashley Elston
Amber: The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien

Best Love Triangle:

 13188676 

 Jessica: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
Amber: Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Biggest Thriller: 

 18599667 

Jessica: (Don't You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn
Amber: Amity by Micol Ostow

 Best World Building:
18367581

Jessica: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld
Amber: Zodiac by Romina Russell

Best Cover:

 18053060 

 Jessica: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Amber: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Best Book-To-Movie Adaptation:

Amber & Jessica: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Favorite Main Character:

 18635016 

Jessica: America Singer from The One by Kiera Cass
Amber: Meria from Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Best Debut Author:

18324459

Amber & Jessica: Nikki Kelly, author of Lailah


And that's it for the books we award for 2014! 2015 is only a few days away, and we can't wait to see all of the awesome new releases in store!

 Happy New Year! :-)


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Review: Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill


Title: Being Sloane Jacobs
Author: Lauren Morrill
Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 Stars)
Hardcover, 352 Pages
Published January 2014
Add it on Goodreads!

 Summary: Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life. Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over. When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself. 

 Before I even starting reading this book, just based on the summary, the first thing that came into my mind was The Parent Trap. Having seen and loved that movie and everything about it, I was praying that this book wouldn't tear the idea to shreds and destroy it. Luckily, it didn't - finally, a Parent Trap retelling that is a success!

 I received a copy of this book from my good friend Dana over at Dana Square a couple of weeks back and was immediately excited to start it. First of all, the cover is absolutely gorgeous - I had a hard time tearing my eyes away. And the story is even better.

 Sloane Emily Jacobs and Sloane Devon Jacobs have an accidental meetup in a hotel the night before they're supposed to be heading to their respective camps - Sloane Emily for figure skating, and Sloane Devon for ice hockey. Neither of the two are excited about where they're heading, and upon realizing that they have the same name and also happen to look slightly similar, the decision is made...they're going to switch.

 The story is told in duel-perspective in alternating chapters. You get to see Sloane Emily struggling to hold her own at a vigorous ice hockey camp while competing against teenage girls that are equivalent to giant bricks and burly milkmaids. On the other hand, you get to watch Sloane Devon struggling through the "piece of cake" figure skating routines and holding herself like a lady, all while rooming with the infamous she-devil, Ivy. Before the switch took place both girls were under the impression that the other's sport was far easier. (Sloane Emily believed that ice hockey was safer because of all of the padding and equipment. Sloane Devon thought doing girly turns on a sheet of ice was a piece of cake.)

 I really enjoyed watching both girls fall into place in their new surroundings, doing everything they could to succeed because they realized how much was riding on keeping the other Sloane's reputation in tact. Both girls wanted an escape from their reality and what was expected of them, which is what pushed them towards doing the switch in the first place. The story was definitely heartwarming, funny, and interesting to follow - but there wasn't much complexity to it. For me, this was a good thing because I need a little bit of fluff and brain candy to get through my reading, so it worked out well. If you're looking for a nice, light book to take a break from vigorous, dark stories, Being Sloane Jacobs is definitely my recommendation! 

 One part of this book that I wasn't too keen on was the romance aspect of it. Each girl found a boy they were interested in, which took their focus off of what they were trying to accomplish. To make it worse, they didn't tell either of the boys about their crazy scheme.

 So you could definitely predict what happens with that.

 All in all, Being Sloane Jacobs was a refreshing contemporary read that kept me laughing and gasping at all of the right moments. Morrill has a knack for writing chick-lit and contemporary stories like this one, and she pulled off a great retelling of The Parent Trap - which was refreshing to see. I'd definitely recommend this book to anybody looking for something fresh and new, and totally entertaining!

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Stacking the Shelves #10: Christmas + Some ARCs

Stacking the Shelves is a book meme created and is being hosted every Saturday by Tynga’s Reviews. This is the chance to showcase all the books you have bought and added to your shelves!

FOR REVIEW FROM EDELWEISS:

    
  

                                   

No Covers Yet:
Alice in Wonderland High by Rachel Shane & Shana Silver 


CHRISTMAS GIFTS:

Amber: 


Santa really spoiled me this year! 

   

I have the best co-blogger! 


Jessica: 


I am a pretty awesome friend/co-blogger, huh? Jess is super excited for this book! 


What did you get this week? 

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