26. kol 2015.

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Buy the book at 
Author's 

Book summary:
Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.
At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.
Until one day, he does…
As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?
         In case that you're thinking that in this book Holly Black will deliver you a fluffy and lovely story about magical land where everything ends with HEA, well don't raise your hopes. Even after reading The Coldest Girl in the Coldtown I knew that this one would be different, but I didn't know by how much.

        Here we're in a place somewhere, between reality and fiction. It's a world just like ours only it's slightly different as it has fae in it. The folk of Fairfold are aware of it and while they tend to warn all tourists away from the woods, it's hard to resist temptation. Especially after the Snow White, sorry, a boy with horns is missing from his glass coffin. It triggers all kinds of change that neither Hazel nor Ben thought would ever happen. Their fantasies are close to coming to life, only what if they aren't as idealistic as they seemed in their little heads.

         For me, Holly's greatest strength beside captivating writing is that she can use any typical paranormal creature and give you a story that is all but typical. Vampires don't turn too human in here books and fairies don't make you fly, it's quite opposite as humans are more likely to become like vampires and run from fairies as far as they can. It's what intrigues me so much that I will read anything she writes.

Rating: 4 stars.

Until the next time,

24. kol 2015.

Daughter of Dusk by Livia Blackburn

Buy the book at 
Author's 

Book summary:
After learning the truth about her bloodlines, Kyra can’t help but feel like a monster.
Though she’s formed a tentative alliance with the Palace, Kyra must keep her identity a secret or risk being hunted like the rest of her Demon Rider kin. Tristam and the imprisoned assassin James are among the few who know about her heritage, but when Tristam reveals a heartbreaking secret of his own, Kyra’s not sure she can trust him. And with James’s fate in the hands of the palace, Kyra fears that he will give her away to save himself.
As tensions rise within Forge's Council, and vicious Demon Rider attacks continue in surrounding villages, Kyra knows she must do something to save her city. But she walks a dangerous line between opposing armies: will she be able to use her link to the Demon Riders for good, or will her Makvani blood prove to be deadly?
In this spellbinding sequel to Midnight Thief, Kyra and Tristam face their biggest battle yet as they grapple with changing allegiances, shocking deceit, and vengeful opponents.

     When Midnight Thief appeared two years ago I was blown away by it. The whole idea of the story was so good and with addition of Poison Dance (a prequel) this story promised me a really good ride. I did get that, and I'm happy to say that Daughter of Dusk is pushing it in the right way.

     Even though it's been two years since I've read Midnight Thief it didn't take me long to get back into this story. Daughter of Dusk continues where the previous one left off. We're back with Kyra and her development. Not to spoil things for people who haven't read the first book, there were some unexpected (if you ask me) twists at the end of it and here we get to discover a new side of this world. A new side of Kyra, but also other characters here. It adds to already complex world building which was what meed me fall in love with the first book. Now with Demon Rider kin who as it turns out plays greater role than expected things are about to go down. For real!

      I wasn't surprised that I got back into the story so quick as Kyra is a character you'll easily love. She is all you ever wanted to be: smart, capable and with all that really human, meaning with some flaws that make her even more likeable. And with Tristam who let's face it is a knight in shining armor it wasn't hard to cheer for them. Not to forget James, who for me is one of those amazing villains or so it seemed.

      Even though, it seemed like this would be a great series sadly it ended to soon. I don't really know why this turned out to be a duology as in my opinion there is so much to be said about this. I wish there was more to it. But who knows, maybe someday.

Rating: 4 stars. 

Until the next time,
*NOTE: Copy of this book was kindly provided for review by the publisher, Disney. 

23. kol 2015.

The Sunday Post (#52)

Hello all. Well, as some of you know Sundays are always reserved for Sunday Post which is a meme created by lovely Kim @Caffeinated Book Reviews!

Back on track! Hello all. It's been great to back with updates. This past week we tried to catch as much as we could with updates from your. You've been really busy and hardworking. It's amazing to see your posts again. 
Like we said, we're taking small steps now after what it seemed like a burnout for both of us. So we'll post only few posts a week. We still haven't figured it all out yet, so just go with the flow. :) In the meantime let's see what we did post this last week and what you can expect in the week to come. 


  • Daughter of Dusk by Livia Blackburn 
  • The Darkest Part of Forest by Holly Black 
  • Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn 
We won't post our haul, as we lost track of that one. It'll be back next week, worry not ;) 

Until the next time, 

21. kol 2015.

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

Buy the book at 
Author's 

Book summary:
Annith has watched her gifted sisters at the convent come and go, carrying out their dark dealings in the name of St. Mortain, patiently awaiting her own turn to serve Death. But her worst fears are realized when she discovers she is being groomed by the abbess as a Seeress, to be forever sequestered in the rock and stone womb of the convent. Feeling sorely betrayed, Annith decides to strike out on her own.
She has spent her whole life training to be an assassin. Just because the convent has changed its mind doesn't mean she has... 
        It might be surprising why I waited for so long to finish this trilogy. Well the thing is, Annith was one I had high expectations for. After reading Dark Triumph somehow this series started to get away from me, as I did't connect with it as much as I did with Grave Mercy. But luckily for me, Mortal Heart returned this on the right track.

        It'll be heart to write a review solely about this book without spoiling the first two for you, so I won't say much. But after hearing Ismae and Sybella's stories it was time to go back to covenant and get to see how things really function there. Annith as one who has been there for a long time has a lot to say about it. She always felt like worthless as she didn't get to go and fulfill her missions without knowing what's really behind all that. After her fears came true and she found out that she is about to become the next Seeress and forever kept in the covenant it's time for her to show what she is really made of.

        I wasn't surprised that I always felt strong connection with her as she is so much like me. Always working hard and giving her best but at the same time obedient. Luckily for me she got to be herself and take things into her hands. One weird thing happened though. I really shipped romance here from the start. It had all elements that I was looking for, slow building and whit that ups and downs. But even when I realized what's really happening it didn't bother me as much as I expected. So heck to the author, who made me fall for it to the point of no return.

       All in all, this is one of the series that you must have on you reading list. It'll take you back in history, our history and add a spark of magic there.

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Until the next time,

19. kol 2015.

Waiting on Wednesday (#146)


You know the story. This is a meme created by Breaking the Spine and every week we pick books we're waiting for. Here are our picks for this week.

Our pick

Featuring fan favorites MacKayla Lane and Jericho Barrons, the sensational Fever series picks up where Burned leaves off in this highly anticipated new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning.

Expected publication: January 19th, 2016

We'd love to see your picks so feel free to link them up.

Until the next time,

17. kol 2015.

It's ALIVE!


Hello our dear friends!!!

We know it's been a while since we posted anything and we're sorry for that. It's just that both Glass and I needed some time off. So little update from us and promise that we'll try to post some more in weeks to come. It won't be a post a day schedule but expect our reviews :)

In the meantime Glass has been job hunting again and mostly relaxing. After so many obligations at her previous job she need some time off. Mostly spend with books, mind it.

And other half of this blog, Tanja has passed all her exams and that left her with 0 energy. So she also took some time off and enjoyed this summer. Now brain needs to be turned on again as it's time to do the final thesis.

We've also been reading some good books, but worry not you'll be informed about that shortly ;)

But we'd love to hear what all of you've been doing? How's summer treating you? Hopefully with some amazing books and lots of sunshine! 

Tell us, we'd love to hear!

Till the next time,

24. srp 2015.

ARC Review: Hidden Huntress by Danielle L. Jensen

Buy the book at 
Author's 

Book summary:
Sometimes, one must accomplish the impossible.
Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.
Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.
To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted… 
          One of the things you maybe don't know about me is that I'm a list person, meaning I make lists, often. It doesn't matter if it's reading related or not I tend to have some lists in my head. Therefore here is one little short list of things this book made me do:
  1. It made me reread some chapters right after finishing them. I don't think this ever happened, but boy some were so good that I couldn't resists.
  2. It made me cry throughout half of it. It's usually that I get teary eyed at the end or some parts of the book, but not this one. I was sniffing all the time while reading. 
  3. I actually hugged my Kindle after finishing it, literally. I was almost asleep and I just had to hug it for a while. 
  4. It's been over a month since I have read this one and still I cannot get it out of my head.
  5. Cecile is still someone I wish to think as my alter-ego. 
          Now after reading this book I'm in the same position I was a year ago after finishing Stolen Songbird. Even though this book was quite long I wanted more. I still do and I really cannot wait to get back into this world one last time. That's gonna be hard. But till then you should totally read The Maledict Trilogy. 

Rating: 5 stars!

Until the next time,
 *NOTE: Review of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, Angry Robots. Thank you so much. All opinions are personal!

21. srp 2015.

ARC Review: Awekened by Patricia Vanasse

Welcome to my tour stop for Awakened by Patricia Vanasse!  The tour runs July 13-24 with reviews only. This is the second book in the series. Stop by the tour page for more information.


Book summary: 
In an attempt to protect their families, Livia and Adam set out in a search for answers that would change their lives forever. While on the run, Livia and Adam crossed paths with Daniel, who had been searching for them and the five other genetically enhanced teens Daniel knew existed. But getting out from under The Agency’s radar has not been easy. After being ambushed by the leader of The Agency that created them—a desperate attempt to claim what they lost just over a decade earlier—Livia was forced to leave an injured Adam behind, barely escaping to safety with Daniel. Now under the control of The Agency, Adam is serving the purpose for which he was created. Manipulated to forget his love for Livia and his past, he lives a life crafted by fake memories that enslave him to a life of following the orders of The Agency. Adam battles with vivid “dreams” of a life he does not remember and the strong connection he feels to the girl with familiar blue eyes.The desire for vengeance propels Livia and Daniel into a dangerous race to disrupt the destructive string of events that The Agency initiated seventeen years earlier. As they travel across parts of North America in search of other teens who are just like them, Livia will face an ethical battle over genetics, loyalty, and love. The race is on, and it is up to Livia to destroy The Agency and rescue Adam, but even if she succeeds at saving him, there are no guarantees she’ll able to save the deep connection they once shared.
Buy the book at  Amazon  
        Even though it's been over a year since I had a chance to read and review the first book in this series, Resilent I'm happy to say that it seemed like no time has passed at all. I was able to jump into the story right away and follow Adam and Livia's journey. 

       Where Resilent was stronger on humor and a bit lighter, Awekened was all but that. Here guys have serious problems to deal with and with that The Agency is closer than ever and stronger than ever. Therefore, this book is also much quicker in pace, as it's constantly on edge. Their run is fast and what's more we get to see the story from different perspectives, or better said characters so we see what's happening on both sides. With that Adam and Livia are now apart, and because of that their love functions differently. 

        But this sequel isn't without issues. While Adam and Livia now get a chance to think about their emotions I missed seeing them together. In the first book those moments were nicely balanced with the action so it was much easier to follow it. The other thing that I had some troubles with were hints of a love triangle. No, there isn't one yet here, but I am afraid it might come to that. 

        Still I hope not, and I will continue to hope till the next sequel. 

Rating: 3 stars.
About the Author:
tissa author

Patricia Vanasse was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Now she lives on a beautiful island in the Pacific Northwest. She has been through Culinary Arts, Psychology, Law School, and now has finally found her passion in creative writing. She also loves traveling, cooking, and is an avid reader. Her strength- believes that everything is possible. Her weakness- an obsessive relationship with caffeine.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway:

One (1) $50 Amazon Gift (INT), Two (2) signed copies of Resilient (US), One (1) e-arc of Against All Odds (INT)
Ends July 28th
Prizing is provided by the author and hosts are not responsible in any way.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Until the next time,

26. lip 2015.

ARC Review: Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley

Buy the book:
Author's:
Expected publication date: June 30th 2015

My rating: 5 stars

Book summary:

"The ride of her life . . . Once upon a time, Carissa Teodoro believed in happy endings. Money, marriage, motherhood: everything came easy---until she woke up to the ugly truth about her Prince Charming. Now a struggling, single mom and stranded by a flat tire, Carissa's pondering her mistakes when a vaguely familiar knight rides to her rescue on a ton of horsepower.

Climb on and hold tight . . .
In high school, Carson Steele was a bad boy loner who put Carissa on a pedestal where she stayed far beyond his reach. Today, he's the hard-bodied biker known only as Joker, and from the way Carissa's acting, it's clear she's falling fast. While catching her is irresistible, knowing what to do with her is a different story. A good girl like Carissa is the least likely fit with the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Too bad holding back is so damned hard. Now, as Joker's secrets are revealed and an outside threat endangers the club, Joker must decide whether to ride steady with Carissa---or ride away forever . . "

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23341855-ride-steady?from_search=true&search_version=service

      I know that I'm boring you to death with my love for Kristen Ashley, but I just can't help myself. I love how this woman writes, her characters, story, romance... Everything! So it is pretty understandable that I was over the moon happy when I got ARC of Ride Steady, third book in Chaos series. 

      Five things that made me love Ride Steady

  • Joker aka Carson Steele. This man is everything! Probably my favorite KA men along Tate Jackson from Sweet Dreams. The way he was portrayed as kid broke my heart, as teenager he made me fall in love with him and as the man Carson made me forget about every other book boyfriend I have ever loved. 
  • Carissa Teodoro. She is strong and loyal and devoted. She knows what she wants and what is important in her life.
  • The Club. Chaos boys are my ultimate weakness. Their friendship and "brotherhood", the way they support each other... Not to mention bromance that happens in every book in this series. 
  • Big bad biker with a kid in his hands. Melts my heart every single time.
  • Positivity. Despite some hard times and bad things that happen to Kristen Ashley's characters, her stories are in the end all about happiness and all things that are good in this world. When you finish one of her novels, including Ride Steady, you have this big, goofy smile on your face.

      I am now anxiously waiting for October and Walk Through Fire - I cannot wait to find out more about  Logan "High" Judd.

Happy reading,

*Copy of the book was provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

25. lip 2015.

ARC Review: Chasing River by K. A. Tucker

Buy the book:
Author's: 
Expected publication date: July 7th 2015 by Atria Books 

My rating: 5 stars

Book summary: 

"Armed with two years' worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude.

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn't let her die, but he also couldn't risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move.

Maybe it's because he saved her life, or maybe it's because he's completely different from everything she's left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone.

And River isn't the kind of guy she'd want to catch."

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23522253-chasing-river?from_search=true&search_version=service

      K. A. Tucker just continues to surprise me with every new book in Burying Water series. I absolutely loved previous two books, Burying Water and Becoming Rain, and I anxiously waited for the next one. Still, I was a little bit afraid because I had doubts about story and its originality compared to first two books. I shouldn't have had any doubts - Chasing River was amazing.
       Want to know why? Here we go...

  •       Setting. Chasing River is happening in Ireland. Now, I am always trying to hold back when reading books that are written about other countries by authors who aren't actually connected with those in any way other than maybe as a tourist. It feels like K.A. Tucker had done her research before writing this book. 
  •       River. So far, Water and Rain were female characters, but in the third sequel River is a guy. And what a guy!
  •       Romance. This will not be the usual new adult storyline, that is something I can promise. First of all, the way Amber and River meet, reasons for which she looks for him and, in the end, how everything unravels is main reason for my five stars rating. 
  •       Secondary characters. I feel a story there. Ivy will already get hers in Surviving Ice and I am really curious about River's younger brother.

      Who should read this book? Fans of K.A. Tucker (of course). All of you who have doubts about new adult genre. If you want romance and suspense in your books. Chasing River will not disappoint you.


Happy reading,

               *Copy of the book was provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...