“Home isn't where you're from, it's where you find light when all grows dark.”
It has been awhile since I had last read “Red Rising” by Pie[image]
“Home isn't where you're from, it's where you find light when all grows dark.”
It has been awhile since I had last read “Red Rising” by Pierce Brown and when I found out about the rest of the books in Pierce Brown’s “Red Rising” trilogy, I just has to pick up the next book “Golden Son” as soon as possible and man, was I in for one intense and shocking ride!
Darrow used to be a Red, but when his beloved wife Eo ends up dying in the last book due to defying the high and mighty Golds, Darrow then decides to disguise himself as a Gold in order to infiltrate the Gold Empire and fulfill Eo’s dying dream to live a life of freedom. While in the Gold Empire, Darrow starts making friends at the Gold Academy and after he wins the deadly competition in the last book, he becomes Augustus’ most cherished warrior. However, Darrow soon realizes that the Sons of Ares are starting a rebellion against the Gold Empire and Darrow realizes that the only way he can take down the Gold Empire is if he causes a war between the Golds themselves. As Darrow becomes Augustus’ champion and puts his plan to action, he will soon learn about the importance of true friendship while discovering several betrayals within his army that might eventually break him.
Wow! Just wow…. After I had read the first book in the “Red Rising” series, I never would have thought that the second book “Golden Son” can beat the brutal, intense and shocking nature of “Red Rising.” But lo and behold, “Golden Son” managed to beat out “Red Rising” in terms of having the most brutal and shocking twists to ever happen in this series! Pierce Brown has done a fantastic job at writing this story as it is much more intense and shocking than the first book and I was quite surprised by the number of betrayals that happens to Darrow throughout this book as the characters that I expected to betray Darrow were not the characters that I was expecting. But probably the best part about this book is the characters themselves and how much they had developed from the first book, whether it is a positive or negative progression for them. Pierce Brown has done a great job at developing all of these characters from the first book, especially Darrow himself as he went from being a weak protagonist who was not sure about his goals in life and whether or not he can succeed in infiltrating the Gold Empire to being a strong protagonist who eventually went up the ranks of the Gold Empire and even had the courage to lead an army to take down his enemies. I also loved the progression that both Sevro and Mustang take in this book as they go through the most amazing development among Darrow’s other allies and I like the fact that Darrow and Mustang’s relationship actually progresses further in this book and I cannot wait to see more of Darrow and Mustang in the next book! I also loved the friendship shared between Sevro and Darrow as they have one of the most unique friendships I have ever read in any science fiction novel!
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Anyone who does not like strong language and gory violence should be warned that there is some strong language in this book, such as the usage of the “s” and “f” word and it would probably be best to skim over these words if you are offended easily. Also, the violence is pretty strong in this book as it features massive slaughter of many people and the gory fights between the characters are told in great detail.
Overall, “Golden Son” is a truly intense and shocking second book in the “Red Rising” series that fans of dystopian fiction should definitely check out and now, I am going to read the third and final book in the series, “Morning Star” because the ending of this book is seriously killing me and I got to know what is going to happen to Darrow in the third book!
“Love is giving the world away, and being loved is having the whole world to give.”
I must admit that I rarely read romance novels [image]
3.5 stars
“Love is giving the world away, and being loved is having the whole world to give.”
I must admit that I rarely read romance novels that deal with time traveling since time traveling stories tend to confuse me due to trying to figure out what events are going on in the present versus what events are going on in the future and sometimes, the line between past, present and future can be blurred in certain stories. One such novel that I had read called “The Love That Split the World” by Emily Henry actually dealt with time travel and I have to tell you that it was one doozy of a read!
Natalie Cleary was your average high school student who is friends with her ex-boyfriend Matt Kincaid and Megan and lives in a happily adopted family with her siblings Jack and Coco and life was going well for Natalie. One night however, Natalie meets up with a mysterious boy named Beau at her high school football game and the two instantly fell in love with each other. But then, Natalie starts noticing some weird things going on around her small town in Kentucky, such as a preschool suddenly appearing where the garden store should have been and when the people in town suddenly disappear before her very eyes. It was then that a mysterious old woman called “Grandmother” came to Natalie’s dreams and gave her a warning that she has three months to save someone she really cares about. So, Natalie spends the majority of the book trying to find out who she is going to save while spending some time with Beau and trying to figure out these weird events happening around her town.
I have to admit that for a time traveling story, Emily Henry has definitely done a great job at putting a unique spin to the usual time traveling story as its core focus is the romance between Natalie and Beau and how they try to stay together throughout the different time rifts that goes on throughout their worlds. I also enjoyed the relationships between the characters, especially between Megan and Natalie and Natalie and Beau. I loved the fact that Natalie usually confides in Megan about her various visions that she has and how Megan is so understanding about Natalie’s “odd” dreams and visions as it is nice to have another character who knows about the main character’s secret abilities without having the reader go through the entire book wondering if the main character will ever reveal their secrets to anyone else. I also enjoyed the relationship between Natalie and Beau, although I found it a bit too contrived at times that Natalie suddenly thinks that Beau is her true love upon their first meeting. I loved the fact that Natalie and Beau truly love each other and I really like their cute little bantering with each other, despite the turbulent situation that they are stuck in.
The reason why I gave this book a three-and-a-half-star rating is because while the story had a strong start at the beginning, the story got a bit confusing once the time travel elements got introduced and I started to lose a bit of interest in the story due to being constantly confused about what is really going on with Natalie and Beau’s time traveling shenanigans. I also got a bit annoyed with Natalie throughout certain parts of the story as it seems like all she does is whine and complain about how bad her life is and how she is indecisive about her feelings about Matt when it is obvious that she would rather be with Beau in pursuing her relationship. Also, there were times where the pacing was a bit slow, especially during the scenes where the time traveling aspects were being explained in full detail and I was hoping for these scenes to be shorten so that we could get to the action sequences much faster.
Overall, “The Love that Split the World” may had had a strong start, but the story came apart once the time traveling aspect was introduced and it might be difficult for some fans of time traveling stories to get into. However, it is an interesting read for anyone who is a fan of time traveling romances!
“Hate cannot be fought with hate. Evil cannot be conquered by darkness. Only love has the power to conquer them both.”
I must admit that it[image]
“Hate cannot be fought with hate. Evil cannot be conquered by darkness. Only love has the power to conquer them both.”
I must admit that it has been awhile since I had last read Robin LaFevers’ hit novel “Grave Mercy.” However, years later I finally read the sequel of this fantastic series called “Dark Triumph” and I must say that it was even more exciting and personal than “Grave Mercy” was!
When Sybella first arrived at the convent of Mortain, she was mad with grief as she used to live with her monstrous dictator of a father d’Albret and her brothers Julian and Pierre and her life there was full of misery and turmoil. Just as Sybella was enjoying her life at the convent, her life takes a drastic turn as the abbess of the convent forces Sybella to go back to d’Albret’s kingdom in order to find a means to weaken the dictator during Brittany’s war with France. When Sybella founds out about this mission, she becomes truly heartbroken and she starts doubting the existence of Mortain as she wonders to herself about why would Mortain force her to go back to a life of pure misery with d’Albret? It was not until later on when Sybella meets up with one of d’Albret’s prisoners, a huge and ugly man called Beast who is a loyal servant to the duchess of Brittany and a pawn that d’Albret wishes to use against the duchess. When Sybella meets up with the prisoner, she decides to free him in order to prevent d’Albret from using him against the duchess and the two make their way towards the kingdom of Brittany to turn the tides in the war against France and d’Albret himself. But, Sybella will soon realize that she may have feelings for Beast and that might turn the life that she has known all her life upside down.
Wow! Even though I had enjoyed reading Robin LaFevers’ “Grave Mercy” novel, I never would have thought that I would enjoy the sequel “Dark Triumph” even more than “Grave Mercy!” I loved the way that Robin LaFevers made this sequel much darker and more personal than the first book as readers are introduced to Sybella’s side of the story and how her life was full of turmoil and betrayal that made her doubt her existence in the world and how Mortain would allow her life to become so turbulent. I really enjoyed seeing the character development that Sybella goes through in this book as she had an extremely miserable life with her treacherous family and I actually felt bad for her during the moments where she starts doubting her existence in the world due to certain circumstances not going her way. I also enjoyed seeing the relationships that Sybella had developed over the course of the story, especially her relationship with Ismae, as they shared a sisterly bond that kept them close to each other and I like the way that Ismae tries to comfort Sybella during her times of stress. But the character I was the most interested in was Beast himself as he has many similarities to Sybella (both love to fight off the bad guys and both had lost people that they cared about) and yet, he still retains a happy and go lucky attitude during the whole ordeal with d’Abret and the French. But, I cannot leave out one of my most favorite aspects of Beast’s character and that is (seriously) his BODY TYPE! I like the fact that we have a hero who is described as not being handsome looking, but still has an extremely muscular body that is able to take down any forces that come up against him and it is this description of Beast that makes me really fall for him!
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For those of you who do not like suggestive themes and strong violence, there are some surprisingly violent moments in this book which includes many characters getting their throats slit by the assassins that might be uncomfortable for some readers.
Also, the fact that Sybella’s family, her brother Julian and d’Abret included, seem to want to get into a sexual relationship with her, despite the fact that they are “related” to each other and that might be a bit upsetting for some readers to handle, especially since it shows that Sybella clearly does not want to engage in such relationships with her brother Julian and d’Albret and they were basically forcing themselves upon her.
Overall, “Dark Triumph” is a truly fantastic sequel to “Grave Mercy” that fans of historical romance and books that deal with assassins will definitely enjoy for many years! I am definitely looking forward to the third book in the series “Mortal Heart!”
“Sometimes I think people take reality for granted.”
For many years now, I have been hearing many good things about Francesca Z[image]
5.5 stars!!!
“Sometimes I think people take reality for granted.”
For many years now, I have been hearing many good things about Francesca Zappia’s book “Made You Up” and for a long time, I had wanted to check this book out and see what all the excitement was about. So, when I finally got around to reading “Made You Up” by Francesca Zappia, I was seriously on cloud nine after finishing this book, because this was seriously one of the most unique and awesome books I had ever read!
Alex Ridgemont is just your average girl trying to make it into college and get through the tough trials of high school, except for one thing: she has schizophrenia and is prone to seeing things that do not really exist and usually becomes extremely panicked whenever these delusions pop up. However, despite Alex having schizophrenia, she does not let that get in her way of trying to live a normal life such as maintaining a job and going out with her friends. One day however, Alex meets up with a mysterious and intimidating boy named Miles Richter and she believes that he may be the boy she met when she was younger. However, Alex thought that the mysterious boy she met when she was younger was a part of her hallucinations and she tries to figure out if Miles is real or not.
Wow…just wow… This novel was simply amazing! I just cannot get over the romantic, mysterious and intensifying tone of this novel! Francesca Zappia’s writing is both witty and intense at the same time as I got immersed into the mystery plot of the story that involves Principal McCoy’s secret dealings within the school and also trying to figure out what events is Alex hallucinating and what events are actually real. I also loved the way that Francesca Zappia explored schizophrenia through Alex’s character as we get to see firsthand how schizophrenia works and how it affects the people who have it and we get to see Alex struggle with her condition as she is trying to distinguish between reality and fantasy and how she feels so conflicted because of this. I was also shocked by the huge twist that happens in the plot towards the end of the story as I was thrown off by this revelation and it took me quite by surprise! But probably the best part of this story were the characters themselves! I really enjoyed the witty bantering going on between Alex and Miles as they constantly bicker with each other, but they really understand each other’s situations and they try to be there for each other, no matter how difficult the situation gets. I also liked the fact that both Miles and Alex have so much interest in world history that the scenes where they are reciting certain parts from history, especially World War II with such ease, are truly adorable to read through! I really enjoyed Alex herself as a character because she represents the conditions of having schizophrenia and I like the fact that despite her occasional temper tantrums, Alex always tries to look on the bright side of things and tries to live a normal life, despite her condition, which is extremely uplifting! Now, Miles is probably my most favorite character in this book since he also has a condition where he cannot distinguish emotions from other people and tends to act rude towards other people, because he does not understand about how he affects other people. I just loved the fact that despite arguing with Alex through most of the book, Miles really does care about Alex and he is always trying to be there for Alex during her rough moments and seems to really understand Alex’s condition.
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For anyone who does not like strong language, this novel has a surprising amount of strong language for a young adult novel, including words like the “s” word and the “f” word.
Overall, “Made You Up” is seriously one of the best books about mental illness that I had ever read and I cannot wait to read more of Francesca Zappia’s other works!
"I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their fa[image]
"I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them."
"I live for you," I say sadly.
Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more."
I have read many books that were similar to “The Hunger Games” and they all had the same setup as the main character has to take down an oppressive government to save their people from a life of ruin. But, Pierce Brown’s book “Red Rising” proved to be something quite unique in the Dystopian future genre!
Darrow was known as a Red, who are a group of people that are set at the lowest caste in their society and they are constantly shown to be mining away in the caves to make the surface of Mars a place for everyone to live in. Darrow was also married to a young and beautiful woman named Eo who made his life worth living for. One day however, Eo shows Darrow a forbidden forest that they were not allowed to go into and it was there that she explains to Darrow that he needs to save their people from the oppressive government controlled by the Golds. Even though Darrow did not want to go through with starting a rebellion, he soon changes his mind when his beloved wife Eo ends up being executed due to them breaking the laws, which included Eo defiantly singing a forbidden song in front of the Arch Governor Augustus. It was then that Darrow decided to sneak into the Gold Institute by disguising himself as Gold and as soon as he gets into the Gold society, he is immediately thrown into a violent game where the Proctors will determine who the strongest Gold member in the game is and who will become Primus in this game. Now, Darrow has to use his wits and strength to survive this savage game in order to take over the Gold society and save his people from a life of hardship.
Wow! I have to tell you that Pierce Brown has most certainly written a truly unique Dystopian future book of the century! Now, even though I have read plenty of young adult books that has a setting where the characters have to fight an oppressive government to save their people, this book was unique as it took place on Mars and yet, the society that the characters lived in resembles ancient Rome where the characters are forced to participate in violent games where only the strongest will survive. Pierce Brown has done an excellent job at making this world unique as I was impressed with some of the phrases being said in this book such as “ghostCloaks,” nanoCams,” and “Gas Giants” and it made the book seem authentic in what kind of phrases would be said if humans lived on Mars or another planet. I also loved the way that Pierce Brown wrote each character in this book as they were truly interesting characters and I like the fact that we get to learn each character’s backstory as it made me get attached to these characters and their goals in life. Probably my most favorite character in this book was none other than Darrow himself as I loved the character progression that he goes through in this book. It was interesting seeing Darrow go from being unsure of himself in regards to whether or not he can make Eo’s dream come true to eventually commanding his own army to rise up against the Government, which made him into a character I truly root for! I also loved the characters Mustang and Sevro as they were extremely interesting characters as you truly do not know whether or not they are loyal to Darrow and when you think that they are either betraying Darrow or stay on Darrow’s side, they would pull up surprises that the reader would never suspect!
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Anyone who does not like strong language and violence might feel a bit uncomfortable with the fact that there is some strong language in this book, including the “p” word and the “f” word being dropped a few times. Also, the violence in this book is pretty gory, especially with many scenes of people having their throats or their stomachs sliced by various weapons used in the story.
Overall, “Red Rising” is a truly fantastic book that would make the Dystopian genre proud and I will definitely be looking forward to reading the second book in the “Red Rising” series, “Golden Son!”
FINALLY! The fourth book in Lisa Kleypas’ “Travises” series has finally arrived and I got the chance to read this book in its glory! “Brown –E [image]
FINALLY! The fourth book in Lisa Kleypas’ “Travises” series has finally arrived and I got the chance to read this book in its glory! “Brown –Eyed Girl” is the latest book by Lisa Kleypas and it continues the adventures of the Travis brothers (and their sister Haven) as they find true love in the most unlikely places! This time, Joe Travis is going to get all the loving in this latest installment of the “Travis” series!
Avery Crosslin is a wedding planner who is well known around Texas as she continues to attain rich and powerful clients for her growing wedding business. But one day, when she attends a lavish wedding she planned herself, she meets up with Joe Travis, the youngest brother in the wealthy Travis family and from then on, Avery’s life has changed forever! Unfortunately, since Avery had her heart broken in the past, she refuses to let Joe get anywhere near her heart, but Joe Travis is one man who always gets what he wants and he definitely aims to make Avery his!
Wow! It has been years since I last read Lisa Kleypas’ popular “Travis” series and after I heard that Lisa Kleypas was making the fourth book in the series, of course I was excited as heck to check this book out! Lisa Kleypas has once again created a truly heartwarming and witty romance novel about the importance of true love and how true love can cure your own insecurities about yourself. I loved the way that Lisa Kleypas wrote the relationships between the characters as I actually felt warm inside whenever we see moments between the Travis family and how they try to stay together through hard times, especially during the scene where Haven goes into labor and we see the Travis family band together to be there for Haven during her time of need. But let us talk about the best part of this book and that was the relationship between Joe Travis and Avery Crosslin! I loved the way that Lisa Kleypas made Joe and Avery’s relationship come naturally as Avery had trouble being in a committed relationship due to being rejected years ago and it made it believable to me to have Avery slowly build up her relationship with Joe rather than rush into the relationship without dealing with her inner demons first. I really loved the way that Lisa Kleypas wrote both Joe and Avery as Avery is shown to be an independent wedding planner who is trying to decide what it means to fall in love again, while establishing an extremely heartwarming relationship with her half-sister Sofia which I loved reading about throughout the whole book. Now, Joe Travis was one hero that I just fell in love with immediately as he is shown to be extremely patient with Avery’s situation and I loved the way that he supported Avery throughout the book, even dealing with her insecure nature towards love. I also really enjoyed the subplot involving Sofia and Steven, the two co-workers who work with Avery, as I found their relationship with each other to be extremely heartwarming and hilarious and I would love to read more on their relationship if Lisa Kleypas decided to write a spinoff series for the “Travis” family series!
The reason why I gave this book a four star rating was because I felt that we did not get to know much about Joe Travis in this book since we rarely see things from his perspective in the story. As much as I like the fact that Avery gets a lot of focus in this story, I would have liked it better if we actually get to see things from Joe’s perspective and see more of his relationship with his family members, which we also did not get to see that much, which was pretty disappointing since I loved the Travis family as a whole.
Overall, even though “Brown-Eyed Girl” was not the best story in the “Travis” series (that honor would have to go to Blue-Eyed Devil) it is still a truly great book about the importance of true love and I definitely cannot wait to check out more books from Lisa Kleypas in the near future (especially if we get more books with the Travis family once again)!
“Sometimes the truth has difficulty breaching the city walls of our beliefs. A lie, dressed in the correct livery, passes through more eas [image]
“Sometimes the truth has difficulty breaching the city walls of our beliefs. A lie, dressed in the correct livery, passes through more easily.”
I have been hearing so many good things about Rachel Hartman’s debut novel “Seraphina” when it first came out and even though I had wanted to read it the first time around, I was not able to read this book at the time. But now, I finally got my little hands on this book and I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful narrative of this story!
Even though the peace treaty between the dragons and the humans has been going on for four decades, there is still some mistrust between the humans and the dragons and this causes many dragons to take on human form to avoid the citizens of Goredd to learn their true identities. Seraphina Dombegh is an extremely talented musician who joins the court of Goredd and although most of the court adores her, Seraphina harbors a devastating secret: she is half dragon! Seraphina has kept this secret to herself for most of her life, although it is killing her that she cannot tell anyone who she really is. But one day, a rogue dragon ends up murdering a member of the royal family and Seraphina, with the help of the extremely perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs, tries to uncover the mystery of the murder and she will soon realize that her secret might have to be comprised if she is to save the kingdom from this rogue dragon!
Wow! Rachel Hartman has done an excellent job at writing this beautiful story about discovering your own identity and how to accept your own individual differences. I loved the way that Rachel Hartman detailed the prejudice and racism between the dragons and the humans as it makes parallels to real life that racism and prejudice can still prevail in society, even if peace is enacted due to the wounds of past wars still being fresh for anyone who has lived during those times. It also shows that this can have some consequences for the people who just want to live in peace as it shows that some of the people of Goredd do not want to engage in war, but they are forced to engage in the effects of the prejudice in the kingdom due to the wars. I also loved the way that Rachel Hartman wrote each character as I found myself relating to each character in different ways:
Seraphina Dombegh: The fact that Seraphina’s whole character arc is trying to discover her true identity while sorting out her feelings for Prince Lucian Kiggs really connected with me as I have moments where I fear what other people think of my hobbies where I enjoy a good blood and splatter film and enjoy some surreal artwork. But, I also realize that those things about me are what I really like and I enjoy seeing Seraphina finding her dragon half being useful to her investigations of the royal family murders.
Prince Lucian Kiggs: Like Kiggs, I am often extremely observant of my surroundings and I always want to know what is really going on instead of being lied to. It was interesting seeing his relationship with Seraphina starting out cautious and then eventually warming up to her once he starts to learn more about her and I really enjoyed the subtle character progression of Lucian’s relationship with Seraphina!
Princess Glisselda: Like Princess Glisselda, I also have mostly a positive mindset on any situation as I want things to turn out well for everyone and myself. I really enjoyed her relationship with Seraphina as she is shown to be somewhat of a little sister to Seraphina and it was great that she would stand with Seraphina no matter how dire the situation gets.
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Even though I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I did find some parts of this book to be a bit slow in pacing and it was really hard for me to get through this book at times due to the pacing.
Overall, “Seraphina” is a truly fantastic book about discovering your true self and accepting your own personal differences. Now, I am going to check out the sequel to this book, “Shadow Scale!”
I will admit that I had just recently gotten into the new adult genre, since this genre was just recently created. So, after I heard so m4.5 stars
I will admit that I had just recently gotten into the new adult genre, since this genre was just recently created. So, after I heard so many good things about Colleen Hoover’s popular contemporary romance book “Hopeless,” I just had to give this book a shot and man, did this book take me on one intense and thrilling ride!
Sky Davis was an ordinary senior in high school (well, except that her guardian Karen refuses any kind of technology in their house, causing Sky to be clueless around technology when she got to school), until she meets a mysterious guy named Dean Holder, who seem to have a terrible reputation at school for getting into many fights years ago. But when Sky and Holder get to know each other, Sky soon realizes that Holder is not as terrible as he seems to be and she slowly starts to fall in love with him. Unfortunately, Sky ends up discovering a dark secret about herself once memories of her old life starts haunting her and her love towards Dean Holder will soon be tested to its limit once that secret is out.
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Whoa…if I have any words to describe Colleen Hoover’s tale of secrets, betrayals and forbidden love, it would have to be…ABSOLUTELY INTENSE AND EMOTIONAL! Colleen Hoover had done a brilliant job at weaving true and raw emotion into this story while balancing the story with suspense and terror. I loved the way that Colleen Hoover portrayed Sky and Dean’s relationship with each other as they truly care for each other when they are protecting each other from their own insecurities about being together due to the both of them having tragic pasts that they have to overcome throughout the book. I also loved the sarcastic bantering that went on between them as it made them intriguing and cute as a couple and they both always give out the best comebacks to each other! I really loved most of the characters in this book, especially Sky’s best friends Six and Breckin since they were so hilarious to read about, but the two characters I loved the most in this book were both Sky Davis and Dean Holder themselves! I was really intrigued in Sky’s character as she is shown to be a strong and intelligent teenage girl who is always yearning to learn more about the world around her. However, when Sky’s tragic past ends up haunting her, I actually felt sympathy for her, especially during the moments where she would break down and cry, since I cannot imagine having to go through the horrific situation she experienced in her past. Now, Dean Holder was definitely one hero that ended up growing on me towards the end of the book and for that, I am grateful! I loved the fact that Dean really cares about Sky’s feelings and how he tried to do everything in his power to protect Sky from getting hurt from her own insecurities about being close to anyone in a relationship. I also loved Dean Holder’s personality as he is both kind and tough, which is something I love in many romance heroes.
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The reason why I took off half a point from the rating was because I felt that the first half of the book was a little too slow in starting up the story line. I will admit I got a bit annoyed with both Sky and Dean holding back their feelings for each other for the majority of the first half of the book since it slowed down the pacing of the story. Therefore, things only got more interesting when Sky’s tragic past comes to light and the book’s tone shifted from heartwarming moments to pure terror and heartbreak. Also, there are some unsettling moments in this book, especially in the second half of the book where Sky’s tragic past is revealed, so readers who are easily offended by these moments might want to trend the second half of the book lightly.
Overall, “Hopeless” is a great book about finding out the true meaning of love and also finding the strength in yourself to live through life despite going through some terrible situations. I would highly recommend this book to new adult fans everywhere!
Now, I have read many paranormal romances that have vampires, werewolves and angels as main characters, but this is seriously the first time t [image]
Now, I have read many paranormal romances that have vampires, werewolves and angels as main characters, but this is seriously the first time that I had read a paranormal romance that has (view spoiler)[ALIENS (hide spoiler)] in it! Jennifer L. Armentrout’s first book in the “Lux” series “Obsidian” is seriously one novel you should check out right away!
Katy Swartz was the new girl who moved to West Virginia from Florida with her mom so that they could start a new life after Katy’s dad died a few years back. After they settled themselves into their new home, Katy goes to meet her next door neighbor Daemon Black and it turned out that Daemon was being a complete jerk to her. Just when Katy believed that she and Daemon will never get along, Katy is suddenly attacked by a mysterious and dangerous force one night and Daemon ends up saving her life. It was then that Katy discovered that there is something…supernatural about Daemon and because Daemon saved her life, she ended up having a trace on her that could lead the enemy right to her. The only way to get the trace off of her is if she spends some time with Daemon…provided that she does not kill Daemon first!
Wow! Seriously, it took me this long to check this book out? Anyway, I seriously ADORED this book to death! Jennifer L. Armentrout has done a fantastic job at building up the tension between Katy and Daemon and also layering hints throughout the story about Daemon’s mysterious supernatural abilities. I really enjoyed all of the characters in this book as they all have their funny moments and their tragic moments and I loved the way that Jennifer L. Armentrout was able to balance the drama and comedy in this book! I also loved the supernatural elements in this story as they give this story lots of tension as you are wondering what will happen to these characters next if they are not careful of their surroundings. Probably my most favorite characters in this book are Daemon and Katy themselves as they are the main characters of this book and I found their constant bickering amongst each other to be hilarious and witty at the same time. I really loved Daemon himself, as he is shown to be a gruff and rude guy, but is willing to protect everyone that he cares about. Now, sometimes whenever a hero or a heroine is too much of a jerk to be a likable character, then I tend to get turned off by the book because I could not get into the characters. However, in the case of Daemon, I really enjoyed his character as his rude behavior made him a bit more complex due to the need to keep his true identity a secret and his need to protect the ones he loves, especially his sister Dee. I also love the constant attention we get to Daemon’s good looks (especially his ripped pecs) as I was practically swooning every time they mention Daemon’s good looks!
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Katy was another character I really enjoyed as she, like Daemon, can be a bit rude towards some people, but is generally a nice person and is also willing to protect the ones she loves. And last but not least, we have Dee, Daemon’s friendlier twin sister and I really love Dee because she is probably the nicest and most positive character in the entire book as she tries to get Daemon and Katy together and she always sees the good in people, even if other people do not see it.
For anyone who does not like strong violence and language, this book has a surprising amount of strong language that you normally would not see in most young adult novels. There are also some moments of intense violence and (view spoiler)[one near rape scene (hide spoiler)] that might be uncomfortable for some readers to handle.
Overall, “Obsidian” is a truly fantastic novel that fans of paranormal romance will enjoy and now, I am checking out the second book of the “Lux” series “Onyx!”
I would like to thank my Goodreads friend Catarina for recommending me this book!
Remember when I said that “Faefever” is probably the darkest book in Karen Marie Moning’s famous “Fever” series? Well, I think that the fourth[image]
Remember when I said that “Faefever” is probably the darkest book in Karen Marie Moning’s famous “Fever” series? Well, I think that the fourth book in the “Fever” series, “Dreamfever” managed to beat “Faefever” in the darkness category by a mere mile with its tragic twists for the characters!
After MacKayla Lane gets brutally taken advantage of by the Lord Master in the last book, she is more determined than ever to bring her sister Alina’s murderer to justice and save the world as the walls between the Fae world and the human world came crashing down on Halloween night! Not only that, but MacKayla will soon discover that her feelings for Jericho Barrons has increased after Halloween night and yet, she cannot bring herself to trust him at all. The same goes for V’lane, the Fae Prince, who also wants to keep MacKayla in his clutches, causing MacKayla to also not trust him. But when the Lord Master finally takes things in his own hands and the people that MacKayla truly cares about are in great danger, MacKayla has to put aside her personal feelings for both Jericho and V’lane, while discovering more dark secrets about the war against the Fae!
Wow! This series just continues to amaze me as we read through MacKayla’s journey in trying to save the world from the Fae while trying to figure out who she should trust in this frightening world. Karen Marie Moning has done a fantastic job at writing this fourth installment in the “Fever” series as the stakes are raised higher for MacKayla and it was fantastic seeing MacKayla grow as a character as she used her wits and strategizing skills to gain allies in the most unlikely of people. It was also tragic seeing MacKayla realize that the world she was so comfortable in (the world where she was just a regular woman who loves to shop and spending time with her parents) was slowly crumbling before her very eyes due to the Faes invading Earth and causing mayhem on the world. I actually felt sympathy for MacKayla as I would have been upset about being yanked out of my comfort zone without warning and being faced with the reality of the world (which is something I have to go through quite often in real life). I also loved the way that Karen Marie Moning wrote MacKayla’s relationship with Dani as they have a sisterly bond with each other and it was great seeing MacKayla do everything in her power to protect Dani from the evil forces of the Fae while Dani does the same for her. It was also interesting seeing how MacKayla’s relationship with Jericho Barrons and V’lane continues to grow, even though she still does not trust either of them and she still argues with them at any given time. I do however like the fact that MacKayla is discovering more secrets about both V’lane and Jericho as it makes the wait to figure out their past lives less agonizing than ever before. I was happy to learn a bit more about Jericho’s dark past through MacKayla’s new talent in reading people’s minds and now I am more interested in the irresistible yet aggressive bad boy Jericho Barrons! As for the sex scenes in this book…oh…my…goodness! Things were really sizzling between Jericho and MacKayla in this book and I just pray that they get over their distrust of each other and get together already (unless, V’lane has something to say about that)!
For anyone who does not like strong language and mild sexual content, this book does have stronger language than was shown in the previous volumes (especially now that MacKayla just outright says the curse words rather than replace them with more “flowery” terms like “kiss my petunia”). Also, there are a couple of sex scenes in this book, so anyone who does not like sex scenes might want to skim over these scenes.
Overall, “Dreamfever” is definitely one intense novel that fans will enjoy and also throw their hands up in the air in frustration due to the book ending on a huge cliffhanger (hmmm…why does that sound familiar…oh yeah! The same thing happened in “Faefever” with that irritating cliffhanger!) Now because of this book ending on a cliffhanger, I’m going to check out the final book in the “Fever” series, “Shadowfever!”
I have noticed that it has been years since I had read Karen Marie Moning’s first novel in her popular “Fever” series “Darkfever.” Now, I am back withI have noticed that it has been years since I had read Karen Marie Moning’s first novel in her popular “Fever” series “Darkfever.” Now, I am back with a vengeance and I have just recently picked up the second book in the “Fever” series “Bloodfever” and it is as good as the first novel!
MacKayla Lane is back and this time, she and her new brash yet mysterious partner Jericho Barrons are searching for a mysterious book called the Sinsar Dubh which contains the darkest magic imaginable! But, MacKayla and Jericho are not the only ones after the Sinsar Dubh, as the immortal Fae Prince named V’lane is also after the Sinsar Dubh and he also seems to be after MacKayla’s heart! Also, to add more load to MacKayla’s life, she ends up meeting with a young sidhe-seer like herself named Dani and MacKayla will soon realize that there are more secrets being hidden from her than she will ever know!
Karen Marie Moning has done it again with her stellar storytelling about a young woman trying to understand her place in this frightening world. I loved the way that Karen Marie Moning explains this nightmarish universe to the readers as it makes the myths that surround Ireland so much more understandable to me and I cannot help, but be so immersed with the mythos of the Fae and the Sidhe-Seers shown in this world! I also loved the intensity and frightening moments that Karen Marie Moning brought to this story as I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat wondering how MacKayla was going to make it out of Ireland alive! But, probably the best parts about this novel were the characters themselves! MacKayla Lane is probably one of the best heroines I had ever read in any paranormal romance novel! I loved the fact that we are able to see the world from her point of view and how she is trying to cope with this strange and dangerous world that she was suddenly forced into. Sure, it may seem like MacKayla is complaining about her new life throughout this novel and that can be pretty annoying, but in this case, I actually sympathize with her frustrations in trying to understand this new and dangerous world. Also, the fact that everyone just refuses to tell MacKayla anything about her duties as the sidhe-seer just makes me sympathize with her even more since I would have been frustrated with people not telling me the things I really need to know. But, probably my most favorite character in this novel is none other than Jericho Barrons himself! Jericho Barrons is probably one of the most dangerous and mysterious heroes I had ever read about and I will admit that I tense up whenever he gets mad since he is shown being super strong (which I do wonder about). But, Jericho Barrons is easily one of the most interesting characters in this book and I loved the fact that he is always described as being extremely strong and muscular (two traits that I seek for in every alpha male hero that I read about in romance novels)!
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I also loved the introduction of Dani, the young sidhe-seer in this book as she is not only a perky girl with an attitude, but the fact that there are other sidhe-seers in this world besides MacKayla really has me intrigued to see what Dani and MacKayla’s relationship will be like in future books!
For anyone who does not like strong language, this novel contains strong language (even more so than the first novel) and anyone who feels uncomfortable with the strong language can feel free to skim over these words. Also, this novel has gory violence which involves various creatures getting eaten and we are being told this in graphic detail and that might be unsettling for anyone who does not like gory violence.
Overall, “Bloodfever” is a truly brilliant continuation of Karen Marie Moning’s fantastic “Fever” series and I will definitely be picking up the third book in the “Fever” series Faefever!
I have read many books by Neil Gaiman that were either children’s books or adult books, but Neil Gaiman’s most recent book, “Fortunately, the [image]
I have read many books by Neil Gaiman that were either children’s books or adult books, but Neil Gaiman’s most recent book, “Fortunately, the Milk,” has to be one of the most surreal and light-hearted books out of his collection!
The story starts off with a young boy and his little sister running out of milk and their father ends up going to the store to buy some more milk. However, when the father vanishes for a long time and he finally comes back home, his kids wonder where he had been. The father than goes on and tells this bizarre story about how he was on his way home, when he was abducted by aliens who wanted to remodel the planet Earth. The father then manages to escape the aliens through an emergency exit in the ship and he lands in the ocean where he meets a group of pirates! The father then managed to escape the pirates when a booming voice from above the sky calls out to him to climb up the rope ladder. When the father climbed up the rope ladder, he ends up meeting a green stegosaurus called Professor Steg who happens to be a world-renowned time traveler!
Then things get weirder from here…
Neil Gaiman has done it again in this whimsical tale about a father going on a wild adventure after trying to deliver some milk to his kids! Now, I have mentioned before that this is probably Neil Gaiman’s most light-hearted book out of all of his children’s books combined since most of his works were dark and yet still retain its creative flair for the fantasy elements! So, I absolutely loved the way that Neil Gaiman made this story both hilarious and creative at the same time and I also loved the humorous nature of this story as the Father and Professor Steg easily trick their enemies whenever they get into a tight situation! I also loved the loose narrative of this story as the Father and Professor Steg constantly keep getting into weirder situations as the story progresses and I was constantly baffled by the various people they meet along the way such as Splod the God and a group of wumpires (not vampires, although they have the same characteristics). But what really surprised me the most in this book were Skottie Young’s illustrations, since I was so used to seeing Dave McKean illustrate many books by Neil Gaiman and it was a pleasant surprise to see a different artist illustrate a book written by Neil Gaiman. Skottie Young’s illustrations complement the chaotic and hilarious nature of this book as the characters and the landscapes look truly exaggerated and surreal, making the Father’s adventures really stand out! I also loved the image of the Father himself as he wears a long striped scarf and has wild and crazy hair that brings out his eccentric nature.
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The only thing that might be problematic with this book is that the story tends to jump around very quickly and that might confuse some children. There are many events that take place during the father and Professor Steg’s adventures such as meeting the pirates and meeting the space aliens and all of those adventures colliding with each other might confuse some children who are not used to reading so many events in one sitting.
Overall, “Fortunately, the Milk” is a fantastic read for children who are huge fans of Neil Gaiman’s works and love reading about surreal and imaginative adventures! I would highly recommend this book to children of any ages!
“Love is not the absence of logic, But logic examined and recalculated, Heated and curved to fit, Inside the contours of th[image]
5.5 stars!!!
“Love is not the absence of logic, But logic examined and recalculated, Heated and curved to fit, Inside the contours of the heart.”
This, ladies and gentlemen, is a brilliant quote that came out of Tammara Webber’s fantastic contemporary romance novel, “Easy!” When I read so many good reviews about this novel, I just had to check this novel out for myself and see what the rave was all about! Well, imagine my pleasant surprise after I read this book as it was a truly beautiful experience for me and I just have to give out my thoughts on this wonderful novel!
Jacqueline Wallace thought that she had the perfect life when she started dating her college sweetheart, Kennedy. Unfortunately, when Kennedy decided to break up with Jacqueline without giving a good reason, Jacqueline finds herself suffering from the break up and she believed that she will never find the perfect guy for her. To make matters worse, Jacqueline is nearly raped by one of the most popular guys in college, Buck, until a mysterious student named Lucas Maxfield manages to save her in the nick of time. Now that Jacqueline notices the mysterious yet hot Boy Scout Lucas, will she find a new and loving relationship with Lucas or will she still remain untrustworthy of ever having another relationship?
Oh my goodness, I got to tell you that this book practically blew me away! I had read so many contemporary romance novels during my time, but I never would have thought that I would come across a romance novel that had so much grit and realism to the story that I was practically sitting on the edge of my seat trying to see what will become of the characters! Tammara Webber had done an excellent job at writing this story as the characters and the situations they get involved in are shown in a realistic and intense way and I often found myself getting immersed with how the characters handled these situations. Probably the best thing that I really enjoyed about this novel was the portrayal of the characters themselves! Jacqueline Wallace and Lucas Maxfield are probably my most favorite characters in this novel, along with Erin and Dr. Heller, as they were truly likable and easy to relate to and I loved their interactions with each other! Jacqueline Wallace is truly one heroine that I really sympathized with as she was involved in a dangerous situation and I truly understood her feelings of fear and regret after going through such a horrible experience. It was actually amazing seeing Jacqueline try to stand up for herself as she tries to find her independence after her breakup with Kennedy and her journey to recovery was just truly emotional and beautiful at the same time! Now, Lucas Maxfield is easily one of the greatest college heroes ever created as he would go out of his way to protect Jacqueline! I also loved the fact that Lucas enjoys drawing since that really brought out the artistic (and sexy) side of him and the scenes of Lucas sketching Jacqueline were full of hot and sizzling fun! Also, every time I keep hearing the description of Lucas having a muscular body with meaningful tattoos all over his body, my heart just melts with anticipation! I was amazed at how Tammara Webber tackled the issue of rape as Jacqueline was nearly raped and it was an emotional and heartbreaking ride for Jacqueline to get through. Tammara Webber really made the rape scenes so graphic and realistic that I found myself tensing up whenever these scenes popped up as going through this situation is extremely frightening for anyone.
This novel contains extremely strong language including dropping the “f” bomb a dozen times and the “s” word. Anyone who does not like reading strong language might want to skim over these words as they are reading this book. Also, this novel deals with the subject of rape and that topic might be too uncomfortable for many people to handle, especially since it is written in an extremely realistic and graphic way.
Overall, “Easy” is truly one novel that every romance reader has to check out and it is easily on my top romance novels lists as of now! This is definitely one novel that really defines the true meaning of love!
“Hold on to the ones you love because you never when they will be gone.”
After reading Cynthia Hand’s fantastic book Unearthly, I just had to pick “Hold on to the ones you love because you never when they will be gone.”
After reading Cynthia Hand’s fantastic book Unearthly, I just had to pick up the sequel to this book, “Hallowed” and oh man, was I blown away by this incredible story! In this novel, Clara Gardner will experience both joy and pain that she had never experience before as she has to make tough choices that will change her life forever! Well, she is part angel after all; how more complicated can her life be?
After Clara Gardner, who happens to be part angel, confronted the forest fire that invaded her visions in the first book, she thought that everything would be fine now that she saved Tucker’s life and meets up with Christian. Unfortunately, Clara will soon realize that the forest fire was just the beginning of her problematic visions. Even though Clara is happily dating Tucker Avery and she is becoming fast friends with Angela Zerbino and Christian Prescott, she will soon realize that she would have to make tough choices in her life that could possibly put her happiness in jeopardy.
Oh, and did I mention that someone Clara truly cares about will die and that Clara has to find some way to stop it from happening?
Wow…I am just so awestruck by how emotional and exciting this book really was! Cynthia Hand’s writing is just as beautiful and heartwarming in this novel as it was in “Unearthly” and I often found myself really sympathizing with Clara’s predicament in either deciding to give up her purpose in order to have a happy life or give up the life she chooses to live in order to fulfill her purpose. I really loved the supernatural themes being explored in this story, especially about the fact that Clara and her family are angels and that they have to serve a purpose given to them during their lives. I also loved the way that Cynthia Hand weaved the angels’ purposes into the story by making the purposes collide with the characters’ personal lives and how the characters react to the purposes they must perform. This is especially prevalent with Clara Gardner as she is constantly shown trying to fight her purpose in order to have the happy life that she desires and yet, knows that deep down, she will have to follow her purpose at some point of her life. But probably the best part of this book was Clara’s relationship with Tucker Avery! I just loved Clara’s relationship with Tucker as she is almost always honest with him and it just made their relationship feel so real to me! Tucker Avery is definitely one awesome hero of this story as he is always understanding of Clara’s feelings and even though he knows that Clara’s an angel, he still loves her anyway. However, I also really loved Christian Prescott, as he gets more development in this book than in the first book as it shows that he cares about Clara, but respect her relationship with Tucker and would do anything to make her happy. I liked the way that Cynthia Hand handled the love triangle between Christian, Clara and Tucker as it was not shown in a negative way where only one of the love interests is shown to be good-natured while the other love interest is shown to be not worthy of the main character. To me, this love triangle was one of the few times I actually enjoyed a love triangle romance in a young adult novel since both Clara's love interests, Christian and Tucker, were extremely likable characters and I would not mind if Clara dated both of them (although I am more for Tucker any day)! I also loved the way that Cynthia Hand handled the sensitive subject matter about the death of a loved one as we see Clara trying to handle this situation with care and it was heartbreaking seeing Clara break down so much when her loved one is dying right before her eyes.
I will not tell you who dies in this book, but let us just say that it is someone that we really care about.
The only problem with this book is that there is some language sprinkled throughout this book, although the language here is not as bad as some other young adult books. Readers who do not like reading language in a book might want to skim over the language in this book.
Overall, “Hallowed” is honestly a brilliant novel that any fan of Cynthia Hand’s works will thoroughly enjoy! Now, I am off to read the third book in this series, Boundless although I will probably have to check out Radiant first before I read the third book!
REAL, EMOTIONAL, HEARTBREAKING, FUNNY AND INSIGHTFUL
These are the words that perfectly describe one of the most emotional and insightful b [image]
REAL, EMOTIONAL, HEARTBREAKING, FUNNY AND INSIGHTFUL
These are the words that perfectly describe one of the most emotional and insightful books I had ever read, “The Fault in Our Stars.” “The Fault in Our Stars” is a beautiful book that is written by John Green, who also wrote Looking for Alaska and I have the pleasure to experience the raw emotion being put into this novel and enjoying every single minute of it!
Hazel Grace Lancaster was a young sixteen year old teenage girl who had suffered thyroid cancer at the age of fourteen and when she thought that she was going to die, the doctors managed to give her a medical miracle that would help shrink her tumor. Even though Hazel managed to survive, she was forced to be hooked up to an oxygen tank to enable her breathing. Since that day, Hazel thought that she will never live life the same way again, but then Hazel ends up meeting a gorgeous teenage boy named Augustus Waters, who also happens to suffer cancer, which caused him to lose one of his legs. Hazel and Augustus (Gus) immediately start connecting with each other and the two friends soon realize the importance of following their dreams and understanding life and death.
After I heard so much praise for this book and my reading friends urged me to give this book a shot, I just had to pick this book up and man, was I blown away by the emotional intensity that this book brought out in the open! Even though John Green had written several books before this novel, one of the most notable novels being “Looking for Alaska,” “The Fault in Our Stars” was actually the first book I had read from John Green and I enjoyed it immensely! John Green had done a brilliant job at writing a story about how a cancer patient views life after she went through a life threatening situation at a young age. It was fantastic hearing the story from Hazel’s point of view as I loved the way that she details her struggles with coping with her cancer while trying to live her life the best way she can. But, what I really loved about Hazel is that she never let her cancer take control of her life as she is shown to be a sarcastic and easygoing person who tries to understand about life while pursuing her dreams at the same time. Augustus Waters is easily my most favorite character in this novel as he is just as sarcastic as Hazel, but he shows so much intellect about life that I really enjoyed his personal thoughts. I also loved the fact that Augustus truly cares for Hazel and was willing to help her accomplish her dreams while having his own inspirations in life. The banter between Hazel and Augustus is so hilarious and heartwarming at the same time as they discuss the importance of life while joking about their illnesses (although I can see the idea about characters joking about their illnesses being a little uncomfortable for anyone who is actually going through cancer).
Since this book deals with a sensitive subject matter, some readers might literally CRY when reading this book (I know that I definitely started crying at the end of this book). Anyone who does not like reading books about characters dealing with cancer might want to handle this book with care. Also, this book has some strong language, so anyone who does not like reading strong language might want to skim over the language.
Overall, “The Fault in Our Stars” is easily one of the most thought-provoking and emotional books I had ever read. This was basically the first book I had read about characters experiencing cancer first hand and I was so emotionally invested in both the story and the characters, that I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to anyone who is a huge fan of John Green’s works.
BE FOREWARNED, THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOU CRY HUGE BUCKETS OF TEARS!
“My Name is Katniss Everdeen. Why Am I Not Dead? I Should be Dead.”
After reading Suzanne Collins’ previous books The Hunger Games and Catching Fir“My Name is Katniss Everdeen. Why Am I Not Dead? I Should be Dead.”
After reading Suzanne Collins’ previous books The Hunger Games and Catching Fire I wanted to check out the final book in the “Hunger Games” series called “Mocking jay” and man, was it just as intense and horrifying as the previous two books!
After Katniss Everdeen survived the last Hunger Games in “Catching Fire,” she discovers that the Capitol had destroyed her home District 12 as a way to teach Katniss that she cannot defy the Capitol. Katniss and her family then escape to the legendary hidden district, District 13 to seek refuge, only to find out that District 13 is planning a revolt against the Capitol! Now Katniss realizes that she was apart of a major plan to overthrow the Capitol, even though she never knew about it in the first place and now the future of Panem rests on her shoulders as she has to decide on whether or not she should become the Mocking jay that will defy the Capitol!
Wow! I was absolutely blown away by how this final installment in the “Hunger Games” was much DARKER, MORE GRUESOME and MORE EMOTIONAL than the previous books! Suzanne Collins has definitely done a great job at building up tension throughout this book as I was seriously on the edge of my seat trying to see if Katniss would be able to fulfill her destiny as the Mocking jay! I loved the way that Suzanne Collins gives us a good insight inside Katniss’ mind about how she has doubts about being the Mocking jay and how it will affect her relationship with her family and friends. I also loved seeing the developing relationships she has with both Gale and Peeta and it was interesting seeing how she was willing to put her life on the line to protect her friends and families from the Capitol’s evil influence. I also loved the way that Suzanne Collins wrote Katniss as a strong heroine who is not only good at fighting, but is extremely intelligent as she tries to think through her problems before acting on them and I think that is a good characteristic that helps Katniss survive through the revolution against the Capitol. I also loved Peeta’s character and I was actually worried for Peeta throughout this book after the Capitol kidnapped him in the last book and did horrible things to his mind.
The reason why I gave this book a four star rating is because of the constant love triangle between Gale, Katniss and Peeta. I usually do not do well with love triangles because of the fact that the character in the middle has to spend the majority of the book deciding whether or not he or she wants to spend the rest of their life with whoever they choose. I felt that this aspect of the story sort of took away from the constant action and suspense of the last two books and sometimes, it was hard getting through this book without gritting my teeth in impatience with Katniss choosing who she wants to be with. Another problem that some readers might have with this book is that it has more bloody and sad scenes than the last two books as there are many characters that are killed off in the most gruesome ways in this book. Since this final book deals with war and its consequences, it might be a bit difficult to get through this book without being sadden by the turn of events in this book. Anyone who is planning on reading this book better be prepared for a DARK RIDE ahead of them!
Overall, even though “Mocking jay” was not the best of the “Hunger Games” series, it is still a great read for “Hunger Games” fans and the ending will definitely blow you away once you pick up this book!
After reading “Saving Francesca” and hearing so many good reviews on this book, I had decided to pick up another one of Melina Marchetta5.5 stars!
After reading “Saving Francesca” and hearing so many good reviews on this book, I had decided to pick up another one of Melina Marchetta’s young adult novels and I came across “Jellicoe Road” (some versions it is called On the Jellicoe Road). “Jellicoe Road” is a Printz Award winning book and I was absolutely blown away by how emotional and exciting this novel really is!
Taylor Markham was eleven years old when she was abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road. Now seventeen years old, Taylor is not only the new leader of her boarding school dorm, but she will soon uncover many secrets about her life before she came on Jellicoe Road, especially after her mentor Hannah, suddenly disappears from the school without a word to Taylor. Not only that but Taylor soon meets up with her old sweetheart, Jonah Griggs and she suspects that Jonah knows more about herself then Taylor knows. Now, Taylor must go on a journey to find out the truth about her mother’s abandonment and the whereabouts of Hannah and what she will discover about her true past will change her life forever!
Wow…just wow for the umpteenth time. Now, I know that I had mentioned before that I loved reading Saving Francesca and I still love that book, but after reading “Jellicoe Road,” I think that “Jellicoe Road” is a few leagues above “Saving Francesca” in terms of storytelling and character development. I loved the way that Melina Marchetta build up the mystery surrounding Taylor’s past and how it affects her current state. This was probably the main reason why I loved reading “Jellicoe Road” because I was constantly sitting on the edge of my seat every time certain clues were being thrown out regarding Taylor’s past such as why Hannah suddenly left the school and why her mother abandoned her on Jellicoe Road all those years ago. I also liked the character Taylor Markham herself and even though there were times where her aggressive attitude towards other people annoyed me a bit, I can sort of sympathize with her because of how she finds it hard to trust anyone after her mother abandoned her and Hannah, the closest person she had to a family, suddenly left the school without telling Taylor. I really enjoyed Taylor’s relationship with Jonah Griggs, Raffaela, Ben, and Chaz Santangelo as they are close friends with her and I loved the way that these characters all tried to help Taylor through her trust issues with other people and also, showed her the true meaning of friendship. I really enjoyed the way that Melina Marchetta set this story in Australia since I love reading stories located in other countries and I also loved the way that Melina Marchetta described the Jellicoe Road as being a road where trees sort of hang over the roads, like a canopy and that just gives me a wonderful image about the road every time I read this book!
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I really liked the scenes where Taylor was reading Hannah’s manuscripts (the italicized sections of the book) as they tell the stories about the characters Tate, Narnie, Jude, Fitz, and Webb and even though the stories were truly heartbreaking and touching, the significance of the manuscript scenes is definitely something that shocked me after I finished reading this book!
For a novel that is aimed at young adults, there is some pretty strong language in this novel including dropping the “f” bomb and the “s” word. If anyone does not like reading strong language in a novel, then it might be best to skim over these scenes. This novel also deals with the subject of child abandonment and anyone who has ever gone through this situation, might find it hard to read through this book.
Overall, “Jellicoe Road” is a truly emotional and engaging novel that anyone who is a fan of Melina Marchetta’s works or love reading young adult novels about real teenagers dealing with real life will love for many years to come!
Okay! Now, I am officially a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas’ contemporary romance series! I have always read Lisa Kleypas’ historical romance series mainly Okay! Now, I am officially a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas’ contemporary romance series! I have always read Lisa Kleypas’ historical romance series mainly the “Wallflower” series, but her “Travises” series has really climbed its way to my top contemporary romance list and the third book (Jack Travis’ book) “Smooth Talking Stranger” has really made me fall in love with the contemporary romance genre! With nothing but sensual sensations, drama and discovering true love in the plot, “Smooth Talking Stranger” is definitely one romance novel you cannot miss!
When Ella Varner discovers that her sister Tara left behind a baby named Luke on her doorsteps, Ella tries to find out who the father of Tara’s baby is and the first person she suspects is none other than Jack Travis! But when Jack Travis claims that the baby is not his, Ella will soon discover a sexual attraction to this rich man that she had never felt with any other man before!
Wow…just wow! Everything about this book was just so fantastic and heartwarming at the same time! Lisa Kleypas had really made me feel emotion for every character in this book (well, maybe except for Ella’s mother and Tara a little bit since they made Ella’s life miserable) and I just loved the way that Lisa Kleypas handled each character’s story in this book! My favorite characters in this entire book were Ella Varner and Jack Travis as they were a truly cute couple and they truly supported each other throughout this entire book. Ella Varner was a truly remarkable heroine in this story, as she had to contend with so many traumas in her life such as being forced to take care of her sister’s baby, Luke, when Tara was incapable of taking care of him herself and dealing with her mother’s constant insults at her. However, I loved the fact that Ella still tried to do the best she can in her life and how she still remains optimistic about her life. The only thing that slightly annoyed me about Ella’s character is that she kept distancing herself from Jack at the beginning. I understand that it was because she was in a relationship with Dane at first and she had trauma in her childhood that caused her to fear love, but sometimes throughout the book, I was urging Ella to just accept Jack since it was obvious that Jack truly cared about her. Now, onto the best character in this entire book Jack Travis! I just loved Jack Travis to death as he is shown to be an extremely sympathetic character who tries to help Ella Varner out any way he can and I also loved the way that he truly cared about Luke, despite the fact that Luke is not really his baby. The only problem I have with Jack’s character in this book is that we do not really get his viewpoint on the situation and I would have really loved to hear what Jack thinks about Ella’s situation on a personal level. I really enjoyed seeing the rest of the Travis family again, especially Haven and Hardy, as their book Blue-Eyed Devil was a massive hit with me and it was great seeing how they are doing! I also loved the fact that Jack Travis is one muscular, large and sexy guy (a fact that Ella has alerted the audience many times) and I just melted every time I envisioned his strong body!
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For anyone who does not like strong language in a book, this book has many crude words such as dropping the “f” bomb a couple of times and it would be best to skim over these worlds if they are upsetting. Also, there are many sex scenes in this novel between the two lead characters, so those are also some scenes you could skim over if they are uncomfortable to read through.
Overall, “Smooth Talking Stranger” is easily the most poignant and sensual story out of the entire “Travises” series that every Lisa Kleypas fan just have to check out right away!
Wow! Can I officially say that “Blue-Eyed Devil” by Lisa Kleypas has now become one of my top contemporary romance novels of all time next to “Kiss AnWow! Can I officially say that “Blue-Eyed Devil” by Lisa Kleypas has now become one of my top contemporary romance novels of all time next to “Kiss An Angel?” “Blue-Eyed Devil” is the second book in Lisa Kleypas popular “Travises” series and this time, it stars the sister in the family, Haven Travis and the former bad-boy, Hardy Cates! “Blue-Eyed Devil” is a truly mesmerizing book that has drama, secrets and forbidden love rolled into one novel!
Haven Travis is the only sister in the famous and filthy rich Travis family and she is known to have a mind of her own. However, when Haven ends up marrying a man named Nick who she believed was her true love only to discover too late about his abusive ways, she believes that she may never find true love ever again. However years later, Haven meets Hardy Cates, her sister in law Liberty’s former love interest and enemy of her family and she will soon discover that not only does she start developing feelings for him, but she will soon uncover his dark past that will change her world forever.
Oh my goodness! This book really set my heart up in flames! “Blue-Eyed Devil” is certainly a huge improvement from the first book Sugar Daddy as we get to learn more about the characters in this book (especially about Haven Travis!) Lisa Kleypas has done a brilliant job at developing a story that was quite unusual for any romance novel, but was still able to produce enough drama and romance that really made my heart flutter! What I mean by how this novel was quite unusual for a romance novel is that the story starts off with Haven being abused by her former husband Nick and this was the first romance novel that I had read that dealt with the subject matter of domestic abuse and it really made this story much more relatable to any reader who had also suffered through domestic abuse. I also loved the fact that Lisa Kleypas provided facts and helpful websites that would help the reader really understand the nature of domestic abuse and how to deal with them, which really helped me understand more about domestic violence. Now, onto the characters of this book! Haven Travis was just an amazing heroine throughout this book as she had to go through domestic abuse caused by her former husband and for awhile, she could not trust anyone with her issues and was afraid to get close to any man she had contact with. I actually found myself sympathizing so much with Haven’s situation as domestic abuse happens so much in real life and I was hoping throughout this story that she would find someone who can truly understand the horror she been through and be able to heal her pain. I also loved the way that Lisa Kleypas made Haven Travis into a strong and independent woman as she may have suffered through a terrible ordeal, but she still tries to move on with her life. Now, I am going to start getting all flirty whenever I am talking about Hardy Cates, the hero of the story, since he has become one of my most favorite romance heroes of all time! Hardy Cates has come a long way from the first book “Sugar Daddy” as he was Liberty’s former love interest and had become an enemy of the Travis family after his stunt in “Sugar Daddy.” However, Hardy Cates was probably the best character in this book as he may be the dangerous and sexy bad-boy that people would warn you to not get near, but he truly shows how much he cared about Haven and how he tries to help her through the ordeal she went through. Also, it would not hurt to mention that the fact that Hardy Cates is muscular, large and sexy all around just really makes me feel all giddy inside!
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Since this novel discusses about domestic abuse and gives vivid detail about the abuse that Haven has suffered at the hands of her former husband, some readers who do not like reading about such subject matter might feel a bit uncomfortable reading this novel and they might want to see if they can handle such subject matter before reading this book. Also, this book has many scenes that detail explicit sex and they might want to skim over these sex scenes if they feel uncomfortable about them.
Overall, “Blue-Eyed Devil” is definitely one romance novel that you have to check out and I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the “Travis” series Smooth Talking Stranger!
Ever since I had started reading Lisa Kleypas’ “Hathaways” series, I had fallen in love with her romance novels ever since! Well, after reading so manEver since I had started reading Lisa Kleypas’ “Hathaways” series, I had fallen in love with her romance novels ever since! Well, after reading so many romance novels from Lisa Kleypas that were mostly historical romance, I began reading some of Lisa Kleypas’ contemporary romance novels, the most recent one I have read is none other than “Sugar Daddy!”
Liberty Jones was fourteen years old when she first met the local hunky boy next door Hardy Cates. Unfortunately, Hardy Cates ends up leaving the Texan town called Welcome to pursue his own ambitions, leaving Liberty Jones to confront with years of loneliness. During her time of loneliness, Liberty also has to cope with the death of her mother which leaves her in the care of her baby sister, Carrington and she had to struggle to survive on her own. Years later however, Liberty gets a job at a hair salon and meets elderly Texan aristocrat Churchill Travis. After Liberty is introduced to the Travis family which included Gage Travis, the oldest son, Jack Travis, the middle son and Haven Travis the only daughter in the family. Not only does Liberty soon realize that the Travis family is the kindest family she has ever known, but Liberty also discovers about the importance of true love.
I will admit that “Sugar Daddy” was way different from any other contemporary romance novel I have read. For one thing, the story consists of a love triangle between the main characters Liberty Jones, Hardy Cates and Gage Travis. Now, I sometimes have issues with reading romance novels that has a love triangle plotline because most of the time, if a third character pops into the love triangle, it is not until the last second that the third person in the triangle arrives and sometimes the romance between the characters seem a bit forced when this happens. Lisa Kleypas however makes the love triangle plotline work perfectly as we really get to know each character and their struggles during their life and the romance they pursue. Liberty Jones is now officially one of my most favorite heroines ever from Lisa Kleypas’ romance novels! I loved the fact that Liberty Jones is shown as an independent heroine as she not only has to deal with racism due to her being Mexican-American (which is something I truly admired about her character since it is rare that I see a diverse heroine or hero in a romance novel, although it is probably because I am not looking in the right place), but she also had to deal with taking care of her baby sister Carrington when her mother died. It was a truly moving experience for me in seeing Liberty being determined in providing a good life for herself and her baby sister and it was this aspect of her personality that really made me feel attracted to her character. I also loved the way that Lisa Kleypas developed Liberty’s character throughout this novel as we started to get to know Liberty’s deeper emotions about her life and how she feels about both Hardy Cates and Gage Travis and it was interesting seeing the world through her point of view. Now let me get on with explaining about the heroes in this novel! I just loved Gage Travis because he is such an interesting hero that is not your average handsome looking rich boy! I loved the way that Lisa Kleypas made Gage Travis into this troubled character that had to meet his father’s expectations and yet is able to truly feel true love for Liberty Jones and her little sister, Carrington. I also loved the fact that Gage Travis is one good-looking hero who is described as having a lean muscular body that really sets me on fire! I also enjoyed the character Hardy Cates in his early years because he was such a sweet and handsome guy who cared for Liberty during her time of need and I loved the fact that he is so muscular compared to Gage!
For anyone who does not like reading sex scenes in a novel might want to skip over the sex scenes in this novel, although the sex scenes in this novel do not show up too often. Also, one major issue I had with this novel is the fact that Gage Travis was not introduced in the story until near the end of the second half of this novel. I felt that if the book was a little longer, we would have seen more scenes between Liberty and Gage and instead of having an instant romance, we would have seen the struggles between Liberty and Gage trying to work out their differences between each other since Gage is rich and wealthy while Liberty had to struggle to live the life that she wanted for herself and her sister. I also thought that Hardy Cates should have arrived back into Liberty’s life after Liberty started living with the Travis family a little earlier because there would have been more scenes between Liberty and Hardy trying to adjust to being near each other as adults. Also, with Hardy Cates coming in a bit late in the story caused the ending of this novel to be a bit forced (I will not tell you what happened at the end since I do not want to spoil it for anyone).
Overall, “Sugar Daddy” is still a brilliant novel to read and is easily one of my most favorite contemporary romance novels ever around! I definitely recommend this book to fans of Lisa Kleypas’ romance novels!
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