The Holiday Boyfriend | Spoiler-Free Review

As I sit here typing this, Frozen is playing in the background, How the Grinch Stole Christmas having preceded it, and several Hallmark movies before that. Along with the Christmas movies, I have been doing Christmas cards for my friends, and even a few authors who I have to come to call my friends as well. Of course I have purchased a couple gifts for the closest of my friends and my immediate family, but you may understand the position I'm in. Practically everything I have been doing these past few weeks has been related, in some way, to getting into the Christmas Spirit. For me, getting into it is always a little tough since school is usually craziest around this time of year with midterm exams, but I take advantage of every opportunity to try in get in the Christmas Spirit. If you're like me, well, you're in luck, because I have a possible solution for you.

It's called The Holiday Boyfriend, and it is written by the lovely Christina Benjamin, one of the authors I am lucky enough to call one of my friends.

Destiny (The Geneva Project #4) | Spoiler-Free Review

You guys. It has been almost TWO WHOLE MONTHS since I last posted. I'm so sorry for being AWOL for so long! I'm in my senior year of high school and application/scholarship deadlines have been brutal!

Anyway, here's a quick review for a book I read a few months ago. Since it is the fourth and final book in the series, I will not be posting the synopsis, because, well, possible spoilers. My review will be fairly general, and very brief.

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Almost Boyfriend | Spoiler-Free Review

Hey guys, this is the first post I've done in awhile. I have a post going up soon detailing all the crazy stuff I've been doing, but here is a review to quench your thirst, since you all have (hopefully) missed me!

***DISCLAIMER***

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Title:

The Almost Boyfriend
(Book #2 in the Boyfriend Series)

Author:

Christina Benjamin

Seraphina's Awakening AND Seraphina's Initiation | Spoiler-Free Review

“This is it. All her training and preparation has come to this. This is her graduation, her initiation into being an Angel.”

—Seraphina's Initiation

Hey everyone! Today I will be reviewing two books I have been posting about for months—Seraphina's Awakening and Seraphina's Initiation by Sheena Hurchinson! Let me just start off by saying that, just because it took me awhile to read each book, it was in no way because of the books' content or plot. My life has been absolutely crazy with work, my relationship, and getting ready for school.

I received the first book from the author as an Advanced Reader Copy and the second book for free in exchange for an honest review over both of them.

LAST SUNDAY UPDATE!

Hey guys! I'm going to take you all through my past week pretty quickly since I'm currently getting ready for my first day of school tomorrow!

Monday—I went to the Shawn Mendes/Charlie Puth concert with some of my friends. 

Tuesday—I had my first marching band performance of the season. 

Wednesday—I spent the evening with my boyfriend enoing at a local park. 

Thursday—I got a minor haircut, got my eyebrows waxed (finally!), and had my first clarinet lesson since May. 

Friday—I swam with my 'brother' and had lunch with him at Red Robin. 

Other than that, my week was filled with work, haha!

I will have my review over the first two books in the Seraphina Series up within the next few days!

Have a great next week guys! I love you all!

Catheryn

Sunday Update #8

Hey guys!

So I haven't finished my current read, but I have a few updates for you guys as to how my week went!

My boyfriend's and my one month anniversary was last Thursday! Also, I spent this last week at band camp, where we learned the first two movements of our show!

Below is my planner spread from last week, featuring a mini kit from Minted Paperie on Etsy (sorry for the low picture quality, my phone's camera sucks). 

That's it for this week! Have a spectacular first week of August you guys!

Love,

The Book Lioness

Sunday Update #7

Hey guys. 

Not really much to update on. I'm still working on Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin for my AP Biology class. I found out this week that College Board has named me an AP Scholar, so that's cool. I toured Vanderbilt University on Monday and was kind of disappointed since it's been my dream school since I was little, but oh well. 

Here's a look at my planner spread from this past week!

As I'm typing this, I'm suffering from incapacitating head pain. It feels as if someone is stabbing me in the temple repeatedly, but I guess c'est la vie. 

That's all for this week. Wish me luck at band camp. 

Love, Catheryn

Sunday Update #6

GUYS. 

You all are going to be so proud of me... I finally finished Seraphina's Initiation and it BLEW. ME. AWAY. My review for it will be up sometime in the next few days!

Today I started on Your Inner Fish by Neil Shuman, for my AP Biology class this year. 

I realized that I never posted a picture of my planner spread from the week of Fourth of July, so here it is. 

And my spread from this past week is below. 

Tomorrow I am going to tour Vanderbilt University, and Tuesday I'm starting workouts to prepare me for my Marine Scholarship Fitness test, but other than that, next week will mostly involve working at the pool. 

Have a fantastic week, book cubs!

Much love❤️

The Book Lioness

Sunday Update #5

Hey guys.

So, I still haven't finished Seraphina's Initiation. I only have 50 pages or so left though, so I'm almost there!

The only thing to update you on is that I received my AP scores, and they are as follows:

Chemistry—4

English Language & Composition—4

United States History—5

That's all for now, book cubs. Love y'all!

Catheryn, The Book Lioness

Sunday Update #4

Hey guys!

I have not yet managed to finish Seraphina's Initiation, but I'm ALMOST there! As soon as I get it finished, I will be posting a review for the first two books in that series (Seraphina's Awakening and Seraphina's Initiation by Sheena Hutchinson). 

As of June 27th, I am a taken young woman! 

Lastly, this was the first week I got to use my Erin Condren Life Planner. Here's a look at the sticker kit I used this week, as well as this past week's events!

That's all for this week, my book cubs!

Have a safe and fun Fourth of July!

Love,

Catheryn, The Book Lioness

Sunday Update #3

Guys. 

I'm posting this with only a few minutes to spare before Monday hits.

I finished Unseen by Stephanie Erickson this morning and HOLY CRAP I WANT TO READ THE SEQUEL RIGHT NOW. STEPHANIE, PLEASE SEND ME THE SECOND AND THIR BOOKS SO I CAN REVIEW THEM!

Rant over, haha. 

I got my fifth and sixth saves this past week.

And...there is a very special guy who has entered my life recently (: Things are getting pretty serious, but until things are official and I know he is okay with it, I will not be using his name or posting any pictures of us together. 

That's it for this week, book cubs. I love you all!

Catheryn, The Book Lioness

Sunday Update #2

Hey guys!

So, my currently reading is the same as last week (refer to last Sunday's update post to see what I'm reading), but I did receive three books this week. First off, I received Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Abertalli from my best friend as a very belated birthday present. Second, I received The Almost Boyfriend by Christina Benjamin to review. Lastly, I received an anthology titled Snakes and Stones (featuring Christina Benjamin and 5 other authors) to review.

TRIGGER WARNING!

Before I go, I wanted to share a very personal and significant event in my life that occurred this past week. If you have been following my blog for several years, you have some idea of the struggles with mental illness I have had. In 2014, I began self-harming and developed an eating disorder. It wasn't until the summer of 2015 that I was sent to inpatient treatment and then to an eating disorder clinic. This past week I celebrated two years clean from cutting, and two years in recovery from my eating disorder. If anyone reading this right now feels like you are struggling with any kind of mental illness, please get help. It is absolutely okay to admit that you can't do it on your own. Even now, I have some days where my anxiety and/or depression are pretty bad, but I've learned how to use positive coping tactics, and I promise that you can, too. 

That is all for this week's update, my book cubs. I love you all so much!

Have a great week,

Catheryn

The Book Lioness

Sunday Update

Hey guys!

This is my first post of Jasmine's (from Stay Classy by Jazzy) summer blogging challenge! Let's dive in, shall we?

This week I finished...

The Paths We Cannot See (The Geneva Project Prequel #?) by Christina Benjamin

This week I started reading...

Seraphina's Initiation by Sheena Hutchinson

Unseen by Stephanie Erickson

As you guys know from my previous blog post, I am a lifeguard this summer, and this past week, I got my third and fourth saves. That is all for my updates, so...

SENDING LOVE TO ALL MY BOOK CUBS!

Have a great week!

Love,

Catheryn || The Book Lioness

February through May Wrap-Up || Updates and New Things!

Guys.

I am SO sorry for my hiatus!

The last half of my junior year was crazy, and so much has happened since then! I was studying for three AP exams, all while trying to keep up with the rest of my classes. I also have been having a hard time with some personal stuff. However, I am back, and I will be trying to post something every Sunday, despite now having two jobs (I'm a lifeguard and I also work at a doctor's office).

January Wrap-Up || February To-Be-Read

Hey guys! Can you believe that it's already February 2017??? This year is already flying by, which means I've had to really pick up my reading pace! If you don't follow me on Goodreads (Catheryn Bolick), and if you haven't seen my reading goal in my Instagram bio (@thebooklioness), my reading goal for this year is 30 books, and in the month of February I read four books.

Uncovering Officer Smith by Sheena Hutchinson

The Practice Boyfriend by Christina Benjamin

The Christmas Gift (The Geneva Project Prequel #1) by Christina Benjamin

The Floating Stone (The Geneva Project Prequel #3) by Christina Benjamin

I ended January by starting Seraphina's Awakening by Sheena Hutchinson, and I hope to have that read within the next week or so. I will also be reading the sequel, Seraphina's Initiation, to review before its release date on February 20th. I most likely will be reviewing both of these in the same post! If there are any Red Queen fangirls/fanboys out there, I have pre-ordered King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard, which releases on February 7th, so I will definitely be reading that as soon as I receive it in the mail. And I also hope to get to Destiny (Book 4 in The Geneva Project series) by Christina Benjamin at least started by the end of this month. I'm sadly having to avoid binge re-reading the first three books in The Geneva Project series and the first two books in the Red Queen series, even though I wanted to be completely re-immersed in the worlds before reading the new releases.

That's all for now! I will see you all in my next review! Stay fierce, book cubs!

Love,

The Book Lioness

Review: "The Practice Boyfriend" by Christina Benjamin

Goodreads Synopsis:

Practice makes perfect...or so she thought.

Nobody likes Cody Matthews, including Cody Matthews. And why should they? He got his high school girlfriend pregnant and then almost killed them both while driving drunk. That’s why he’s perfect for Hannah. She’d never fall for someone like him.

Hannah Stark is a high school senior with a resume of straight A’s. She’s never stepped a toe out of line. But that’s also why she’s never had a boyfriend. While all her classmates are counting down the days until graduation, Hannah is dragging her feet. She can’t believe she’ll be leaving her adolescence behind without ever taking a chance to be wild and free. That’s why she’s set her sights on Harrison.

Harrison Cohl is everything Hannah wants to be. Gorgeous, wealthy, popular and wild. He’s also notorious for the legendary masquerade ball he throws every year. And this year Hannah is determined to be invited. And have Harrison as her date.


Her plan is crazy. But she’s convinced she just needs a little practice to make her high school résumé perfect.

Rating:

5 out of 5 stars!

Review:

Okay, so apparently my reading streak is two for two for freaking AMAZING books this year! To be completely honest, I read this book in only a day and a half, not giving myself any breaks to stop and write down or mark any of my favorite quotes, so I apologize that I don't have that section in this review!

I, in all honesty, did not expect this book to be as amazing as it was. I'm fairly sure that this was the first contemporary book that Christina has written, so I was just expecting it to be another light, fun young adult romance read with cliche quotes and a sappy, happy ending.

I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG!

What I got instead was a plot-twist-filled, suspenseful, sexually frustrating, tempting, tense (both romantic- and action-wise) book that kept me utterly hooked. At moment, I caught myself holding my breath because of how drawn into the book I was. And, let me just tell you now that the ending will have you gripping your e-reader or physical book for dear life until the very last sentence.

Congratulations, Christina on yet ANOTHER fantastic book!

(I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review).

Recommend?

Yes, but, as with the previous review, for MATURE audiences only due to strong language and sexual references, as well as an intense scene near the end of the book.

Review: "Uncovering Officer Smith" by Sheena Hutchinson

Welcome to the first post of 2017! Today I have a review over Uncovering Officer Smith by Sheena Hutchinson, book two in the Discovering trilogy (the review for book one, Disovering April, can be found in an earlier section of my blog).

Goodreads Synopsis:

John Smith has been hurt before by a mysterious blonde that tumbles out of his cop car. Since she stomped on his heart, he's made sure he'll never feel that way again. He has developed two rules: Never more than one night and never a blonde.

The nerdy and conservative Becca Swanson has a plan for her life: college, law school, and rule the world. Nothing and no one will get in her way. That is until she wakes up in a stranger's bedroom with no recollection of the night before.

This one tumultuous night caused these two to cross paths. Becca is everything John told himself he didn't need. Smart, sexy, and -- blonde. When she becomes the victim of one of his cases he finally can't deny the connection anymore. Worst of all, he's beginning to fall harder than ever before.

It throws his rules and her plans out the window. Could it have been fate? Or will it become the biggest mistake either of them has ever made?

Favorite Quotes:

"They all want to be the one to change me--I'm not a dog. I can't be tamed." -John

"There's something sexy about a man in uniform." -Becca

"It seems no matter how far guys knock us down, friends can always throw you a rope and help you up again." -Becca

"Could it possibly be that friends are our soul mates?" -Becca

"You can try to hide behind all those books, Becca Swanson, but I see you. I've always seen you." -John

"I'm John f***ing Smith, notorious bachelor, self-declared workaholic, and heartbreaker extraordinaire." -John

"Hate is just unrequited love." -Bedford

Rating:

5 out of 5 stars!

Review:

If my first read of 2017 is any indication of how this year is going to be for me, I cannot wait! Besides being filled with steamy romance, this book also contains a subplot filled with suspense and mystery that keeps you invested in the story from beginning to end.

As for characters, Rebecca Swanson is probably one of the most relatable that I have ever read about, from her academic determination to her refusal of sex to her severe depression at a point in the book, even to her struggle with addiction. The way Sheena approaches the topic of alcoholism within the plot feels very raw and real, and it shows just how difficult recovery can be, though it IS possible with support from one's family and friends.

Just for some basic information on the two main characters, Rebecca and John, read below:

Rebecca is a student at North Commons University to study law. She is most often called "Becca", "Becks", or "Becky". Her roommate Megan ("Meggie") is also her best friend. SHe spends all her time doing schoolwork, swearing off any and all relationships, claiming them to be a distraction.

John is a sexy police officer who knows it, very well. After a blonde-haired, green-eyed beauty broke his heart, he swore himself to eternal bachelorism, turning out a new girl from his apartment every morning. He never lets them get too close, since they are just pickings from the bar where he works part-time as a bouncer.

I really enjoyed this book, especially because of the different range of emotions and scenarios that Sheena incorporates into the book. There were never really any slow moments, something always there to keep the plot rolling, which is something I greatly appreciate in books.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Recommend?

Yes, but only for MATURE readers due to sexual references and some sexual/intense scenarios, as well as alcoholism.

Review: "Between Faded Lines" by Allison R. Naumann

Synopsis:

Cover Art by Allison R. Naumann.

Bright Castor plunged in darkest age,

The fighters fall in blackcoat rage.

Their ruler's image dark and cold:

One changed, one lost, one saved, one bold.

One chosen from Celesti brought,

Well veiled and kept, her worth known naught.

With gold the darkness will she purge,

Her faith alone shift river's surge.

Commander Black Hawk stands at Castoria's helm, the cowering world subject to his will. But when Empress Circe charges him to capture the one person who could annihilate his future empire, he unintentionally provokes forces beyond his control. Torturous visions combined with devastating losses drive Black Hawk between the fades lines of two opposing paths. He must choose one--or fight destiny to his grave.

The ancient war betwixt the Stars and the Fallen is rising.

Meet the Author:

Allison R. Naumann lives in Texas with her family and chickens. Dreaming up fantastical stories has always been a joy to her, and she began to put her ideas into writing and drawings when she was eight years old.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mikelcelestsky

Rating:

Five out of five stars. I would give it six out of five stars, but I don't have the authority to break the rating scale.

Review:

Think of Star Wars, Star Trek, and modern YA dystopian novels. Now, imagine what their *theoretical* child would be like, except all the characters are human (as in, no aliens). To me, that is exactly what this book is, and I loved every page of it. From the prologue in the bigging to the very last word, I was transported to another galaxy, living the lives of the characters that shared point-of-views throughout the story. There were evil characters, there were good characters, characters who didn't know if their side was good or bad, and a character who stood on the line between choosing to be good or bad. I fell in love with every single one of them (except two specific ones, ahem, Allison, you know who I'm talking about). The story is primarily told from Commander Black Hawk's point-of-view, but almost as much, it is told from Mikel's point-of-view, both of whom are struggling to discover who they are and what they are destined to become, both of them fighting their fate for various amounts of time. I have to say, the ending left me breathless, and I was so stunned that I couldn't even cry. This is the first book in the Living In the Shadows series, and the second book will be out sometime in May, according to the author. All I know is that I am not going to mentally be stable until I have my copy and can learn more about this new and exciting world.

That's it for this book review! If you'd like to know anymore about this series, contact Allison or myself, and if you would like to see anything else incorporated into my book reviews, comment below or shoot me a direct message on Instagram.

Happy New Year, my Book Cubs!

XOXO!!

Catheryn // The Book Lioness