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Monday, October 31, 2016

Review - This is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp


Title: This is Where It Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Publication Date: January 5th, 2016
Category/Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

10:00 a.m. The principal of Opportunity High School finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03 a.m. The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05 a.m. Someone starts shooting.

Told from four different perspectives over the span of fifty-four harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Buy Links: Amazon 
2 “I just  can’t” Stars

I just can’t get behind this book. I don’t like being mean on reviews, but this is such a serious topic that I’m afraid my review will come out a little mean. So, warning ahead (and apologies in advance):

Warning: slightly mean review. Probably best not to read it if you loved the book. If you do read it, though, please don’t curse me.


“This is Where It Ends” is a NYT best seller, and I can understand why this book was on that list. It has a lot of strong elements that could make a great story (and there are plenty of reviewers who think it did make a great story): a strong concept, a topic that will sure touch the heart of many people, a diverse cast of characters and good writing. The problem I had with this book was its execution. I don’t understand why this book was written the way it was.

For fifty-five minutes, we watch a student shoot his fellow classmates and teachers. And that’s about all that happens.

Don’t get me wrong here. I am terrified of this type of situations. I’m not American (not that I’m saying this only happens in the U.S.A, but it sure happens a lot there), and I’ve never gone through something similar, but thinking about all the horrible shootings that had happened still makes me want to cry. That was something I expected from this book, too… But it failed to touch me on that level.

I admire the author’s idea and the risks that come with writing a book about school shootings, but unfortunately this book brought nothing new to the picture. At times, I felt like I was reading the news. It didn’t have any depth. It was just four people talking about a lunatic with a gun. I still don’t know who those people really were. I sure as heck don’t know why the shooter acted the way he did—sure there was a motive thrown in there, but it didn’t feel realistic. The way I see it, he was just a lunatic with a gun. That’s it. And that’s so not what I wanted from this.

I expected so much more from this story. In fact, I expected a story, and not a retelling of facts that we (unfortunately) see on the news more often than any of us wish we did. I wanted to see the shooter break… I wanted to understand what made him break. Truly. Not what was given to us in a rush. I know some people are uncomfortable with the idea of having the shooter’s POV (I might be one of them), so I’m not saying we needed that. But we needed to experience what drove a boy who protected his little sis to grab a gun, lock dozens of students and teachers inside a room (his little sis, included) and simply shoot them.

And there was so much death. The fact that I didn’t know those characters made it even worse. Not because I couldn’t feel anything when they were shot and killed… I did. I felt many things. Sadness. Anger. Grief. But not exactly for those characters. It was for everyone who’s ever died from mass shootings. For all the innocent lives lost. While I have to congratulate the author for evoking those feelings (see the 2 stars up there), those still weren’t directed to the characters in her book, which makes me think there’s something seriously wrong with the story.

While I don’t disapprove of the choice to have four POVs, I can’t say I connected with them, either. I didn’t like Autumm at all. I’m sorry, I just… I couldn’t get behind her. There were too many situations where her actions just made me dislike her instantly. I won't go into details because of spoilers, but let's just say that as her sister and, apparently, the main reason he was there shooting innocent people, she should've tried harder to stop that before he made all those victims.

Claire just didn’t do anything for me.

Sylv and her brother were a bit better. But I still expected more from their connection. I think Tomas was a better character than his sister, though she was the one in the spotlight with Autumm. When it came to those siblings, Tomas' feelings were a bit more clear than Sylv's. I definitely expected a different reaction from her in the end.... Or better yet, I expected a reaction, but I don't think she had one and that was a major WTF moment.

Something else that stood out was how slow and innefective the cops were. I mean... the shooter terrorized the school for almost an hour and no police? Seriously? I mean... Seriously? Nope. 


I could’ve ignored all (or most) of this if the story had brought something… anything different or unique. I needed more. I needed something different from news report or the things we can find on Google or Wikipedia. I realize this is harsh, but if you’re going to touch such an important subject, you can’t just play safe. You need to make sure readers understand why this book was written. You need to add layers and layers, and with this book, I couldn’t find one.

*If you liked this review (or not), if you read the book (or not), come say hello and leave your comments bellow.

Friday, October 28, 2016

*Grabby Hands* Cover Reveal - After We Fall by Melanie Harlow


Title: After We Fall
Author: Melanie Harlow
Publication date: November 28th, 2016


Jack Valentini isn’t my type. 

Sexy, brooding cowboys are fine in the movies, but in real life, I prefer a suit and tie. Proper manners. A close shave. 

Jack might be gorgeous, but he’s also scruffy, rugged, and rude. He wants nothing to do with a “rich city girl” like me, and he isn’t afraid to say so. 

But I’ve got a PR job to do for his family’s farm, so he’s stuck with me and I’m stuck with him. His glares. His moods. His tight jeans. His muscles. 

His huge, hard muscles.

Pretty soon there’s a whole different kind of tension between us, the kind that has me misbehaving in barns, trees, and pickup trucks. I’ve never done anything so out of character—but it feels too good to stop.

And the more I learn about the grieving ex-Army sergeant, the better I understand him. Losing his wife left him broken and bitter and blaming himself. He doesn’t think he deserves a second chance at happiness. 

But he’s wrong.

I don’t need to be his first love. If only he’d let me be his last.

Buy Link: Nook / Ibooks

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Book Traveling Thursdays - Halloween is here!



#Book Traveling Thursdays is a weekly meme created by Cátia (The Girl Who Read Too Much) and Danielle (Danielle's Book Blog) and hosted on this Goodreads group.

Come join us!


This week's theme is: 

Halloween is here!
"Choose a spooky book that you want to read."

This one has been on my TBR for a while.
My choice for the week is

Anna Dressed in Blood
by Kendare Blake


 
Original Polish
  

 French | Thai Vietnamese
               
So, what do you think about these covers? Have you read this book? Share you opinion bellow.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

#WWW Wednesday - October 26th, 2016


#WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme formely hosted by MizB @A Daily Rhythm & now hosted by Sam @Taking on a World of Words.
Come join us!


The Three W’s are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?


 
   
 
 
Have you read any of them? Share you opinion bellow.

Review - Temporarily Yours by Diane Alberts

Image and blurb from Goodreads
Title: Temporarily Yours
(Shillings Agency #1)
Author: Diane Alberts
Publication date: February 3rd, 2016
Category/Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
This marine's the perfect hoax…if she doesn’t fall for him first.

Stats whiz Kayla Moriarity knows her way around numbers and algorithms. Men, on the other hand, are unsolvable equations. Now Kayla’s en route to her sister’s wedding—alone and without the fictional boyfriend she invented for her family. Fortunately, her plane comes complete with complimentary cocktails and a ridiculously hot ex-marine in the seat beside her. And that’s all it takes for Kayla’s inhibitions to go sailing out the airlock... 

Cooper Shillings has soft spot for people in trouble, but he certainly wasn’t expecting to land in it himself—and definitelynot while getting naughty mid-air with a sexy southern belle. When he hears Kayla’s predicament, however, he offers his services as a stand-in boyfriend. After all, he’s heading overseas soon...and how could he refuse a little no-strings wickedness?

It’s the perfect plan. And all Kayla has to do is ensure her family falls for the ultimate bluff, without falling for it—and Cooper—in the process...


Buy LinkAmazon

3.5 “Distraction is the best fear therapy” Stars

ARC via NetGalley

Thank you, Entangled Brazen

Let me just say that the beginning of this book reminded me a lot of Jennifer Blackwood’s Landing the Air Marshal, also from Entangled Brazen. In both books, we have a heroine who’s terrified of flying (I can totally relate) and a hero who’s willing to help her through it with, let’s call it, unorthodox methods… meaning, a little bit of sexy times. Not complaining here.

But that’s where the similarities ended.

In “Temporarily Yours”, we have Kayla as the main character. She’s heading to her sister’s wedding and getting ready to face her family and their non-stop questions about her (inexistent) love life. Kayla is single, and she wants to stay that way. She’s busy with her career and comfortable in her own skin. She doesn’t need a man to make her life complete. Go, girl!

Still, her family is always pushing her toward finding a partner, and Kayla is tired of all that. So she comes up with a solution: she pretends to be dating someone. The only problem is having a pretend boyfriend can be really tricky when she needs him to accompany her to the wedding.

Kayla’s lucky girl, though. While she’s freaking out at the airport before boarding her flight—she hates flying about as much as I do—she meets Cooper. He’s traveling on business—in a matter of days, the ex-marine will be traveling overseas for a new job. Cooper and Kayla hit it off and, once he realizes she’s terrified of flying, he upgrades his seat to first class just to sit near her and distract her. Sweet, huh? His distraction methods? Not so sweet.

From there on, Cooper and Kayla start a steamy romance that is meant to last just one night… or a couple of days, when Cooper offers to be her fake boyfriend.

But as Cooper and Kayla get to know each, they start falling in love. Again, sweet. And sexy.

That’s the best way to describe this story. We have a quick read, with likable characters, a famous trope (fake relationship), some tension and a lot of sexy times. We also have sweet moments between Kayla and Cooper as they get closer and realize their feelings for each other aren’t fake at all.


Again, Entangled Brazen managed to deliver on what it promised, because “Temporarily Yours” is a fun and sexy book you can read in a couple of hours and finish it with a smile on your face.

*If you liked this review (or not), if you read the book (or not), come say hello and leave your comments bellow.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Review - Heartbeat (Morta Fox #1) by D.N. Hoxa

Image and blurb from Goodreads
Title: HeartBeat
(Morta Fox #1)
Author: D.N. Hoxa
Publication date: October 23rd, 2016
Category/Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Almost twenty years ago, earth shook from explosions that killed billions, and wiped away civilization. Only a small part of the city of Boston remained intact.

To Morta Fox, a twenty-year-old girl living all alone outside the Wall of Protection, waking up with a craving for blood is something she never imagined could happen. To make matters even worse, a vampire who calls himself Hammer takes away her last attempt at self-destruction.

Hammer has been chasing Everard – the vampire last seen with his missing mate – for a year. Right before he finds him, he witnesses a girl jump off the tenth floor of a building. Though her bones break, she heals just as fast. When she stands up, she runs as fast as only vampires can. But she can’t possibly be one, because…she has a beating heart.

When Hammer saves Morta against her will, she’s furious. Until he proposes a deal. If Morta agrees to help him find her Lord Everard, Hammer will, in return, kill her. It’s a simple deal. They even make a promise, and in the vampire world, promises cannot be broken. 

Nothing goes as planned. Morta soon discovers that her beating heart is not the only thing that makes her unusual, and Hammer is the only one who is willing to protect her. Being equally stubborn, it takes a long time for them to admit that constantly saving each other from harm has nothing to do with their deal, and everything to do with how they feel.

By the time that happens, Morta’s part of the deal is completed, and Hammer has only seven days left to fulfill his. What happens to a vampire when he doesn’t keep his promise?


Buy Links: Amazon 

3 “Vampire & Dangerous Oaths” Stars

ARC provided by author.

Thank you!!!

Yes, I am one of those people anxiously waiting for paranormal romance to make a comeback. Vampires, shifters, angels and ghosts. All of it. In YA, New Adult and Adult. Just gimme all.

That’s why I jumped on the chance to read this paranormal romance. While it wasn’t as thrilling, innovative and angsty as I wanted it to be, it was still entertaining.

This is the story of Morta Fox (in Portuguese, morta means dead so… yeah, funny and weird) and how she handles becoming a vampire. In a world destroyed by bombs that mysteriously went off and wiped away civilization, Morta tries to stay away from the rest of the survivors…living her life alone. Until one day she has a run in with a weird being that turns her into a monster: a vampire.

Terrified of what she becomes, Morta tries to end her life, but fails every single time. She then meets Hammer, an experienced vampire who’s looking for the monster who turned Morta. In exchange for her help in locating “her Lord”, he promises to kill her. Until the moment he decides he can’t kill her at all, because he's fallen in love with her.

I was expecting a couple of things from this book: a new take on vampirism, lots of action and a super strong romance.

The author did try a few new things with the vampires she presented, especially with Morta, since she was a different kind of monster. I won’t get too much into that because of spoilers, but let’s just say Morta is the kind of vampire other vampires fear. It was interesting to see some of the things that made Morta unique, mainly because it was what set this story apart from others books with the same theme.

As to the action scenes, there were a few good moments filled with tension. I wasn’t a big fan of how often Morta and Hammer found themselves surrounded by enemy and running away from them, but I understood the author was trying to keep things moving… it just didn’t have to be so literal, you know? Some of those scenes ended up being repetitive.

Last but not least, I think the reason I can’t rate this higher is because I just couldn’t connect with the romance. Often, the romance is what makes or breaks a book for me (unless I’m reading a mystery/thriller or a book that has no romance subplot). But in paranormal romance, I expect the romance to make me feel everything at the same time. I want to suffer with the characters, love when they love, hate when they hate, and all that. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen here.

And when it comes to paranormal with a hate-t0-love relationship, which seemed to be what the author was going for with Morta and Hammer, the bar is set high because I’m a Jericho Barrons-MacKayla Lane child. If you’re characters are fighting, I want to see the sexual tension, the desperation, the snarky comebacks and everything else. Again, it wasn’t happening here.

Morta and Hammer fought a lot, but the tension between them was missing. The dialogue often felt forced, and I felt like most of the time Morta was just being stubborn for the sake of it. Hammer also didn’t reach his potential as an alpha, and he wasn’t a good beta, either. I have problems with characters that fall in between, especially in paranormal. That’s a genre where I want all my love interests to be alphas, and Hammer had potential to be a good one. He just didn’t captive me the way I wanted him to. Neither did Morta. I didn't dislike her. In fact, I could understand her desperation and I thought it was touching that she cared so much about not hurting people that she was desperate to stop herself from turning into a monster. I just wish I could've connected with her...


I also wish I could’ve liked this more than I did.

Having said that, if you’re a paranormal romance fan, check the other reviews on Goodreads before you make a decision about this book, because other readers are rating it four and five stars.


*If you liked this review (or not), if you read the book (or not), come say hello and leave your comments bellow.

Release Blitz - American Queen by Sierra Simone

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Title: American Queen
Author: Sierra Simone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: October 25th, 2016american-queen-print-for-web


It starts with a stolen kiss under an English sky, and it ends with a walk down the aisle. It starts with the President sending his best friend to woo me on his behalf, and it ends with my heart split in two. It starts with buried secrets and dangerous desires…and ends with the three of us bound together with a hateful love sharper than any barbed wire.

My name is Greer Galloway, and I serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States.   This is the story of an American Queen.

Goodreads

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Sierra Simone is a USA Today Bestselling former librarian (who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk.) She lives with her husband and family in Kansas City.