Purchased
24 October 2015
Stacking the Shelves (38)
Purchased
16 October 2015
Review: Better When He's Bad by Jay Crownover
Better When He's Bad (Welcome to the Point, #1)
by Jay Crownover
Published by HarperCollins Publishers
Paperback (purchased)
NA, contemporary, romance
Welcome to the Point
There’s a difference between a bad boy and a boy who’s bad . . . meet Shane Baxter.
Sexy, dark, and dangerous, Bax isn’t just from the wrong side of the tracks, he is the wrong side of the tracks. A criminal, a thug, and a brawler, he’s the master of bad choices, until one such choice landed him in prison for five years. Now Bax is out and looking for answers, and he doesn’t care what he has to do or who he has to hurt to get them. But there’s a new player in the game, and she’s much too innocent, much too soft…and standing directly in his way.
Dovie Pryce knows all about living a hard life and the tough choices that come with it. She’s always tried to be good, tried to help others, and tried not to let the darkness pull her down. But the streets are fighting back, things have gone from bad to worse, and the only person who can help her is the scariest, sexiest, most complicated ex-con The Point has ever produced.
Bax terrifies her, but it doesn’t take Dovie long to realize that some boys are just better when they’re bad.
Better When He's Bad; the name, back cover and the authors introduction all promised me badness rivaled by nothing, it promised criminals, bad people and everything's that not good or light. I was more than ready for it, after disappointing rows of bad boys who weren't bad all I craved was a bad man, a criminal with no regrets and most of all, someone who was better when they were bad. However, the story did not deliver. There was a lot of talk about Bax being bad - him being the worst, always making the wrong decision, him being beyond redemption. There was a lot of talk about other bad guys, mostly infamous criminal Novak, who ran the city. It was all talk, as the story didn't show how bad Bax was. How he was the one who was ruthless and could take anyone down without caring the consequences. The bad things had happened in the past, before Bax went to prison for five years. Except it seemed the worst Bax did was steal cars. I mean, this is the bad guy who's the worst the city had offer? Don't get me wrong, I liked Bax. He had an attitude and I really liked him, but while he was shady and a little bit crooked, he wasn't bad in a sense the book tried to make him. Yes, he had made bad choices and yes he went to prison because he stole cars from rich people for a criminal boss. Yes, he liked to set up fights and beat others but seriously that happened once during the story. This is not a story about someone who's bad and does really bad things, it's mostly filled up with "dark" romance, sex and lots of talking about being bad. So yeah, I am disappointed and I feel a little bit cheated.
What I couldn't stand at all, was how the main female lead, Dovie, described how Bax was two different persons: Shane who was better and Bax who was all kinds of wrong. There wasn't two persons living inside one body, no matter how Dovie made it sound. There was just two sides in one person - or not even that because no one has a good side and a bad side, one that's lovable and one that's not. It irked me way too much when Dovie spoke how she likes Shane but tolerates Bax - girl, if you're going to have a relationship with someone, you have to love them the way they are, not the tiny parts you feel like loving.
The characters were okay overall. I liked Bax until he changed too much (it's more personal pet peeve of mine, I don't like characters totally changing for love), Titus was intriguing and I actually wanted to hear more about Novak (other than he was criminal and bad). Race was a mystery too, and I would have liked to see more scenes between him and Bax. Dovie, however, was kind of boring. She had her moments when it felt like she could become really interesting, but mostly she was a little bit boring as she was the usual good-girl-who-was-not-entirely-good-girl -type of character that New Adult romances use way too much.
For me, Better When He's Bad was a disappointment. It was a little bit boring as there wasn't enough action, just a talk about action. Mostly the book was about talking about something, not actually doing it. The beginning was good and it had action but about third way in, it became more of sex and boring talk than actual action. And I actually guessed the big reveal really early, so even the building up felt flat. If you like heterosexual contemporary romance stories with tattooed guys who are a bit bad and lot of shady, then Better When He's Bad might be just for you. For me, well, I was happy when it just ended.
2 of 5 stars.
14 October 2015
Waiting on Wednesday #30
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's cannot-wait book is:
Half Truths by Sally Green!
Half Truths (The Half Bad trilogy)
Really, it's no wonder why I'm waiting for this. First of all, it's about Gabriel who is my beloved. It's part of Half Bad world and while the wait for the final book is way too long, this is going to soothe me (a little bit, and then I'll need more). I just wish that November is here soon!
Half Truths on Goodreads.
Half Truths (The Half Bad trilogy)
by Sally Green
Published by Viking Books for Young Readers
Expected publication: November 3rd 2015
YA, fantasy, novella
Half Truths follows Gabriel’s story from the time he arrives Switzerland, seeking help in recovering his magical powers from the conniving Black Witch Mercury, and goes up until the moment when he first meets Nathan and their paths become forever intertwined.
For the new reader, this is the perfect bite-sized introduction to the world of Half Bad, where witches and humans live alongside one another. And for the returning reader, this story sheds new light on one of the trilogy’s most beloved characters.
Really, it's no wonder why I'm waiting for this. First of all, it's about Gabriel who is my beloved. It's part of Half Bad world and while the wait for the final book is way too long, this is going to soothe me (a little bit, and then I'll need more). I just wish that November is here soon!
Half Truths on Goodreads.
10 October 2015
Stacking the Shelves (37)
Purchased
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Harry Potter boxset 1-5 by J. K. Rowling
Won
Skyscraping ARC by Cordelia Jensen
For review
The Devil and the Deep by Megan Tayte
Fox Tales Anthology Volume 1 by Dee Carey
Free on Amazon
Omega In The Light by Zoe Perdita
4 October 2015
ARC Review: Skyscraping by Cordelia Jensen
Skycrapingby Cordelia Jensen
Published by Philomel Books
Paperback (won in a giveaway)
YA, LGBT, contemporary
A heartrending, bold novel in verse about family, identity, and forgiveness
Mira is just beginning her senior year of high school when she discovers her father with his male lover. Her world–and everything she thought she knew about her family–is shattered instantly. Unable to comprehend the lies, betrayal, and secrets that–unbeknownst to Mira–have come to define and keep intact her family’s existence, Mira distances herself from her sister and closest friends as a means of coping. But her father’s sexual orientation isn’t all he's kept hidden. A shocking health scare brings to light his battle with HIV. As Mira struggles to make sense of the many fractures in her family's fabric and redefine her wavering sense of self, she must find a way to reconnect with her dad–while there is still time.
Told in raw, exposed free verse, Skyscraping reminds us that there is no one way to be a family.
Honestly, I was taken a back when I got Skyscraping in my hands and found it it's written in verse. I don't read poems or anything written in verse, it's just not my cup of tea. But I had been waiting for Skyscraping ever since I heard about it, the author was so nice and friendly, and I really yearned to read it. So I thought: I'll give it a try, it can't be bad even if it's different than prose. I'm so glad I decided that, because I fell in love with Skyscraping - every aspect of it. Truthfully, it's best as it is right now; written in verse, somehow it makes it more emotionally, more beautiful, more everything. Skyscraping became one of my favourite books, one to be treasured - and because of it, I might read more book written in verse in the future.
After reading the blurb I was sure Skyscraping is going to be bold and it's going to hurt - it's about a girl who finds out her parents have an open marriage, her father have a male lover and finally, her father have HIV. All of this shatters Mira's identity and makes her question everything. Maybe especially so since the book takes place in 1993 and 1994, when the world was less accepting than it's nowadays. It's bold, in every sense of the word, and I loved every heart-wrenching moment. I fell in love with the characters, how every one of them had their own voice, how their lives fit together and how they defined a family: it's more than just parents and their children. Mira's struggle with her identity and her journey towards forgiveness is wonderful journey to follow and I feel blessed to get to read it. Mira goes through such character development, and reader can see it and feel it: how her identity shatters, how she's lost and doesn't know what to do and what not, and how she finally finds herself and her family again. It's beautiful, it's full of emotions and it's brilliant.
I just have to praise the characters a little bit more. April was my favourite, hands down, because I could identify with her the most. However, I did end up liking Mira a lot even though there was a moment when I almost lost my faith in her. Mira's mother and father, James, and Dylan were all characters I liked really much, and besides them there was some truly brilliant characters like Gloria, and some I didn't really like but they were well crafted nonetheless. They all felt real, and that's the most important thing in characters. They were so real it hurt.
Skyscraping is a powerful story, as well as an important one: it should be read by many people from all ages. It teaches truly important lesson: there's more than one type of family. Jensen's novel is sharp, powerful and brilliant, and for a debut, it's an amazing accomplishment.
If it's not clear yet, I highly recommend Skyscraping to everyone. It's a novel you just need to read and live through.
5 of 5 stars.
1 October 2015
Wrapping the Month: September Edition
What's greater way to start new month than taking a look at previous one?
This month I failed as a blogger and as a reader. Then again, I managed to successfully move to another country, get my new flat together, get used to live with two flatmates from different countries than I am from, and I have been able to keep up with the university work (I knew it was going to take a lot of my time, but this is even more intense than I ever imagined). That's why I'm going to forgive myself even though all I managed to do was read two books and write four posts during the month of September. I think during October I can get the hang of blogging again, because by now I've gotten used to the uni work schedule and living in Scotland. And let me say - I love this country. I've loved UK for as long as I can remember and moving to Scotland was a dream come true. So beautiful, so friendly and it already feels more home than Finland ever did. If you ever have a chance, visit Scotland. It's breathtaking and the people here are so nice and friendly!
Of course I purchased tons of books - I mean, I'm in UK now. There's books everywhere. And the charity shops are killing me, all the beautiful books I've always wanted for one or two pounds. I'm not going to be able to resists (especially since all those shops are near my flat).
(And yes, The Scorch Trials is the limited signed/numbered edition - it matches my The Maze Runner edition, too! Also, The Dryad of Callaire is personalized.)
September's reviews:
Shadow of the Wolf (2 stars)
Well, I did say I only read two books. I re-read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton right after the move while there was no internet in the flat. Oh boy did I fall in love with that book more than the first time! After that I decided to go for Teleny by Oscar Wilde - I wanted to read something from Wilde and I happened to have Teleny as I got it from a friend some time ago. It sure was different; bold, brave and yeah, quite erotic. After that I did start Better When He's Bad by Jay Crownover and Against Reason by Scarlet Blackwell but I haven't had time to finish those because of the university reading - but I hope to finish them during October and read some more.
I'm ten books behind my reading goal at Goodreads. Anyone, want to do a short (or long!) read-a-long with me? I really want to read more books that aren't required history books for university, but I feel like I need some motivation and someone to read alongside with me.
I really hope that I'll have more time to read during October. I do have three essays due November so I'll need to start those, but I'd like to read more. I think I at least try to work out some good schedule for university reading, classes, sports, reading and blogging. We'll see how I manage to do that :)
Hugs,
Henna
30 September 2015
Release Day Party + Giveaway: The Devil and the Deep by Megan Tayte
The Devil and the Deep (Ceruleans, #4)by Megan Tayte
Published by Heaven Afire
Release date: 30th of September 2015
Young adult, fantasy, paranormal, romance
STORM CLOUDS ARE GATHERING, AND THEY WILL RAIN BLOOD.
Scarlett is living her happy-ever-after, back in the real world. Only the ‘happy’ part is proving problematic.
For starters, there’s the isolation. Being a Cerulean among humans is fraught with risk, so her time with people can only be fleeting. Which means being with Luke but not being with Luke.
Then there’s her Cerulean light, her power over life and death. Less awesome talent, as it turns out, and more overwhelming responsibility. And it comes with rules – rules that are increasingly difficult to obey.
But what’s really pushing Scarlett to the precipice is something much bigger than herself, than her life in the cove. A force to be reckoned with:
Blood.
When long-buried truths are exposed, will Scarlett keep her head above water – or will she drown in the blood-dimmed tide that is unleashed?
Purchase your own copy!
And if you have missed the previous books in the Cerulean series, now it's a good time to start!
Death Wish on Amazon (Goodreads) FREE RIGHT NOW!
Forget Me Not on Amazon (Goodreads) FREE RIGHT NOW!
Author bio
Once
upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted
to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess fireman. ‘Write,
Megan,’ her grandmother advised. So that’s what she did.
Thirty-odd years later, Megan is a professional writer and published author by day, and an indie novelist by night. Her fiction – young adult romance with soul – recently earned her the SPR’s Independent Woman Author of the Year award.
Megan grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in Robin Hood's county, Nottinghamshire. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a palaeontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When she's not writing, you'll find her walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.
Thirty-odd years later, Megan is a professional writer and published author by day, and an indie novelist by night. Her fiction – young adult romance with soul – recently earned her the SPR’s Independent Woman Author of the Year award.
Megan grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in Robin Hood's county, Nottinghamshire. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a palaeontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When she's not writing, you'll find her walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.
Excerpt
It began with screaming. Shrill, ear-piercing, horrified
screaming.
A girl shrieked, ‘Blood! Look, look – it’s everywhere!’ and
pressed her hand to her mouth.
A man shouted, ‘Good grief!’ and another, ‘Great Scott!’
An old lady swooned gracefully and would have tipped over
the balustrade of the riverboat had a lanky lad not caught her.
The cause of the excitement – a woman lying slumped on the
long table on deck, cheek on her bread plate, headdress in the butter dish –
twitched a little.
‘She’s alive!’ cried a lad beside her delightedly. ‘She
moved!’
‘Did not,’ argued another.
‘Did too!’
‘Gentlemen,’ interjected a short, portly man with a twirly
black moustache, ‘if you will forgive my intrusion, it must be noted that this
woman has a bullet hole in her head and is logically, therefore, quite
definitely deceased.’
Another old dear folded to the deck with a prolonged
‘Ohhhhhh’ and her husband grabbed a feathered fan and began wafting cool
evening air in her face while calling, ‘Smelling salts – does anyone have any?’
I tried to keep a straight face. Really I did. I bit my
bottom lip until I tasted my cherry-red lipstick. I pinched my leg through the
cream satin of my gown. I dug my long cigarette holder into the sensitive flesh
of my arm.
But it was no good.
The ‘What ho, chaps’ posh accents.
The buxom woman sagging in the arms of an elephant hunter
wearing Converse All Stars.
The production of smelling salts in a bottle whose label
read Pepto-Bismol.
The corners of the little round man’s moustache coming
looser with his every word.
The fast-pooling puddle of pinkish blood on the bread plate,
buffeted by the steady in-and-out breaths of the corpse.
Take it from a girl who’s really died – death on the River
Dart, Devon, is hilarious.
‘Dear me, Ms Robson here appears to be quite overcome with
shock,’ said the guy at my side suddenly, and he slipped an arm around me and
turned me away. ‘Come, madam. Let us get some air.’
I smiled at him. Then grinned. Then choked back a guffaw.
Thankfully, by the time full-scale hilarity hit me I’d been led to the rear of
the boat, away from the rest of our party, and could bury my face in the
bloke’s chest and shake mutely with laughter.
The gallant gentleman rubbed my back soothingly as I let it
all out and said loudly, for the benefit of any onlookers, ‘There there,
pignsey, there there.’
‘Pigsney?’ It was the final straw. My high-heeled sandals
gave way and I melted into a puddle of mirth on the deck.
‘I’ll have you know, Scarlett Blake,’ hissed Luke, my
boyfriend a.k.a. gallant gent, hoiking up his too-tight corduroy trousers so he
could squat down beside me, ‘I Googled “old-fashioned terms of endearment” and
pigsney’s a classic.’
I wiped tears from my eyes, dislodging a false eyelash in
the process, and tried to catch my hiccupping breath as Luke went on.
‘Means pig’s eye. No idea why that’s appealing, but
apparently in the seventeenth century, calling a lady pigsney was the very
height of courting.’
Through his fake specs Luke’s blue eyes fixed me with a
stare so earnest I almost managed to stop laughing.
‘But this is a Death
on the Nile-Stroke-Dart murder mystery night, Luke,’ I managed to get out.
‘Set in the nineteen thirties, not the seventeen thirties.’
‘Ah,’ he said, ‘but my character tonight, Mr Fijawaddle, is
a historical fiction writer, isn’t he? So as well as dressing like a brainy
recluse – and I’m warning you now, I won’t hear another slur against this tweed
jacket – he’d know all kinds of obscure terms. Like ginglyform and jargogle and
nudiustertian and bromopnea and farctate and quagswag and philosophunculist.’
His showing off sobered me just enough to control the
giggles. ‘You made those words up,’ I accused, poking a crimson talon into his
mustard-yellow shirtfront.
He blinked at me innocently. ‘Did not. I told you before we
left the house, I did my homework.’
I narrowed my eyes. ‘All right then, Mr Fijawaddle, what
does that last word you said mean?’
‘Philosophunculist?’
‘Yes, that.’
‘Er…’ Luke gave me a sheepish grin.
‘Spill it,’ I said menacingly. As menacingly as a girl dressed
up as a vintage Hollywood starlet with cute little pin curls and rouge aplenty
can be, that is.
‘Philosophunculist,’ recited Luke. ‘Noun. A person who
pretends to know more than they do in order to impress others.’
I threw my head back and laughed. ‘Busted!’
Luke slipped an arm around me and pulled me close. Really
close.
‘Bet you like it when I use long words,’ he said huskily,
eyes fixed on my too-red lips.
‘Bet you like it when I wear a clingy nightgown as a dress,’
I replied, eyes fixed on his too-kissable lips.
‘Brazen hussy,’ he growled at me.
‘Randy boffin,’ I murmured back.
Then neither of us said another word for quite some time.
Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
23 September 2015
Review: Shadow of the Wolf by Tim Hall
Shadow of the Wolf (Sherwood's Doom, #1)by Tim Hall
Published by David Fickling Books
Paperback (purchased)
YA, retelling, fantasy
A world of gods and monsters. An elemental power, rising. This is Robin Hood, reborn, as he has never been seen before…
Robin Loxley is seven years old when his parents disappear without trace. Years later the great love of his life, Marian, is also taken from him. Driven by these mysteries, and this anguish, Robin follows a darkening path into the ancient heart of Sherwood Forest. What he encounters there will leave him transformed, and will alter forever the legend of Robin Hood.
Disappointment. I had a great expectations: it's a Robin Hood retelling, blurbed by Sally Green, intriguing synopsis - basically everything just clicked. Tim Hall is a great writer, the style was good and just right for the Medieval times. I just couldn't care less about the characters in the end. I fell in love with Robin at the beginning and I continued to love him, but I couldn't stand how stupid things he did and the choices he made. He made all the wrong ones, because every time he had it good, Marian showed up and he deserted everything to do her bidding which lead him trouble every time. Marian was the thing I loathed most: she was mean, selfish and well, bitch. Still Robin praised her, even though she was mean to him and called him names. Robin endured the worst but he was belittled by everyone, especially Marian, which was strange as Marian seemed to do nothing during the story (and she accused Robin of doing nothing). I think the author shipped Robin and Marian, and tried to force the reader to like them together even though they were no good together - Marian was no good to Robin. My personal dislike towards Marian and how she was praised from time to time affected my reading experience, and if being honest, I could care less about Marian and about what Robin was ready to do for her. The plot partly evolved around that which made me just hope for the end. I probably won't read the sequel (when I bought the book, I was convinced it was a standalone) because I don't care anymore what happens to them.
Basically I loved everything but Marian, which makes it strange how I ended up disliking the story overall. Or maybe not, because even though the story was all about Robin, Marian was the one who Robin was all about, so in a way the story was all about Marian. I just couldn't get into what was so great about that mean, arrogant and selfish girl, who caused trouble everywhere she went to.
I apologize as this review is starting to be more about a rant about Marian than anything else. As I previously stated, the writing style itself was great and there was some intriguing, complex supporting characters - about who I'd like to hear more. Robin was a love for me until I just couldn't care anymore because of his obsession towards Marian and all the bad choices he made because of her. What I'm trying to say is simple: the story itself was good, it didn't blow my mind or anything, but it was good. I just can't agree with the choices characters made and I can't understand the obsession and worship the characters and the story itself had towards Marian - and this kind of ruined the reading experience for me.
If you want to read well written story about retelling of Robin Hood with interesting twists, Shadow of the Wolf might be a right book for you. But if you can't stand mean, arrogant and selfish characters, this might not be right story for you.
2 of 5 stars.
(I simply can't give more because the reading experience didn't end pleasantly).
22 September 2015
Book Blitz + Giveaway: The Summer Marked by Rebekah L. Purdy
The Summer Marked (The Winter People #2)
Release Date: 09/22/15
Entangled Teen
305 pages
Salome left humankind behind to be with her boyfriend, Gareth, in the Kingdom of Summer. But now forces of darkness are rising. Her happily-ever-after is coming apart, and the Kingdom is on the brink of war.
Newly-single Kadie Byers is on her way home for Thanksgiving, imagining a visit filled with hot chocolate, a hot guy for a little rebound action, and some girl time with her bestie, Salome. Except she receives a message from Salome with two important words: PLEASE HURRY.
When Kadie rushes to help Salome, she’s ripped from the human world and
pulled into the kingdoms of Faerie, where she's shocked to learn that Salome's monsters are real, and that she's now at the mercy of one extremely vengeful Winter Queen...
Now both Salome and Kadie must find a way to survive the deadly chaos...or lose themselves to Winter's deadly, icy grasp.
Now both Salome and Kadie must find a way to survive the deadly chaos...or lose themselves to Winter's deadly, icy grasp.
Buy Links:
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(cover linked to Goodreads)
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About the Author
Rebekah Purdy grew up in Michigan, where she spent many late nights armed with a good book and a flashlight. When not hiding at her computer and getting lost in her stories, she enjoys reading, singing, soccer, swimming, football, camping, playing video games and hanging out with her kids. She loves the unexplainable like Bigfoot, the Dogman, and the Loch Ness Monster (lots of good story material)! She admits to still having all the books she bought
throughout her childhood and teen years, and she may or may not have an obsession with anything chocolate…
Author Links:
GIVEAWAY:
12 September 2015
Stacking the Shelves (36)
Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is all about sharing the book you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
In my defence, two of these were pre-orders (and how am I about to resist signed limited edition of The Scorch Trials that matches my The Maze Runner copy?) and only one I paid a full prize. There's just way too many charity shops around here where I can get books for £1-£2 and I can't resist that - especially since I've always wanted to read those books (and it's for a good cause!). So aye, Scotland is no good for my wallet.
Sorry for being kind of absent from the blogging community, but moving to a new country, settling down and starting the university takes time. But I'm comfortable here now, so I try to start update more frequently :)
Purchased
From Library
For Review
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