Update

Istanbul is a great, many faced city full of history. I liked it here and this study trip has been full of surprises (pleasant ones) and you never get to know your fellow students profoundly until you travel with them. I'd say this has been epic trip and I've loved every minute of it - even though I had bad flu when we first came here. Two full days and travelling day left.

So, that's the reason why I haven't been updating for a while. I'll be back with reviews around Wednesday. Obscura Burning will be my next review!

Review: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Between, #1)
by April Genevieve Tucholke
Published by Dial
Hardcover (bought)
YA, paranormal, romance

“You stop fearing the Devil when you're holding his hand...”

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town… until River West comes along. River rents the guest house behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard.

Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more?

Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery... who makes you want to kiss back.

Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

 

I've disappointed many times for promise of a bad boy who won't change or devil that truly is devil without turning sappy teenager in love. This one didn't disappoint me and I worship Tucholke for that. I'm aware how many complaints this book has gotten but I say, let them complain. There's as many interpretations as there's readers and I say this one is both worth time and money.

 

I firmly believe that love isn't unconditional and great if one of the characters needs to change for the other. It's conditional and makes love worthless. To love someone one has to accept the beloved ones flaws. That's why I liked Violet and River together - they accepted each other. Yes, River was almost devil himself and some say he was unlikable because of that. However, I was estatic: every promise the backcover made were true. I praise Tucholke for that!

 

The book was full of wonderful and insightful quotes. Tucholke's writing style was something I needed to get used to for a couple of chapters but after that it was beautiful, enchanting and downright stunning.

 

Twisted, insightful characters was not all this book was full of. No, there was patient, interesting and depth owning characters as well. Tucholke created a beautiful, detailed setting for a deep characters that will steal your soul - more or less literally.

I cannot wait for the sequel, Between the Spark and the Burn!

 

5 of 5 stars.

 

“Lots of people have bad stories, and if they wail and sob and tell their story to anyone who’ll listen, it’s crap. Or half crap, at least.The stuff that really hurts people, the stuff that almost breaks them . . . that they won’t talk about. Ever.”

 

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea on Goodreads.

Stacking The Shelves (1)

 

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!

On sale (couldn't resist!)

 

A Brief History of Angels and Demons by Sarah Bartlett

 

 

Bought (with giftcard saved from christmas)

 

 

 

 

Down London Road by Samantha Young
Be With Me by J. Lynn
Break by Zoe Perdita
Obscura Burning by Suzanne van Rooyen
Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Of Poseidon by Anna Bans

                                   

Received from author (won)
 

 

Honor Among Orcs by Amalia Dillin

 

 

Wow. This week was better than usually. Cannot wait to read all of them!

ARC Review: Out of Control by Nina Croft

Out of Control (Babysitting a Billionaire, #2)
by Nina Croft
Published by Entangled Publishing
Ebook (received from author)
Adult, romance, contemporary

She’s a challenge he can’t resist.

Hollywood heartthrob Zachary Hunter loves women—as long as they don’t want more than a little fun in the bedroom. When his most recent movie stirs up the wrong kind of attention, the kind that includes an attempt on his life, he hires a friend’s company to locate the threat. The pint-sized redhead assigned to protect him isn’t what he expects—or wants. Worse, he can’t take his eyes off of her.

After ten years in the army, Danielle Sinclair knows how to handle men. With a new security gig to pass the time until she’s cleared to return to the military, she’s figures her sexy new client will be easy to manage. And then he opens his gorgeous mouth, and she can’t decide whether to kiss him or kill him. His sex appeal may tempt her into his bed, but his sexist attitude is unbearable, and she’s going to make him eat every single word.

 

Out of Control was funny and easy to read with steaming romance that was not forced. I don't read books from this genre often but when I do, I wish for romance that's genuine, character's worth my time and fluent language. Nina Croft almost met all my requirements for a good, steaming romance to bring joy for rainy days.

 

What I loved of this book was Dani, the leading female character. I admit, it takes a lot for me to like female characters and even more to respect them. Dani earned both from me - I loved how she stayed true to herself during the whole story. Not once did she put on heels or lipstick to be pretty for someone (expect her friend's wedding where she was bridesmade but that's understantable ecxeption) but rather chose t-shirt and jeans. She was insecure, feisty and truly snarky, and I couldn't help but love her. She had depth in her and I'd say Croft did perfect job with her character.

 

But what went great with Dani, did not go great with Zach, the leading male. Sure he was handsome and charming but he lacked the depth Dani had - Zach ended up being only a writer playboy who settled down with the right one for him. Honestly, I disappointed his character because compared to Dani, he was kind of tedious and only thing that saved him being just a miserable character was Dani. On other words, he was one-dimensional and it was pretty obvious.

 

Overall the book was very enjoyable, the romance was genuine and sex scenes steaming. Dani was a leading force and she carried the story forward, and mostly because of she the story had depth in it. Out of Control is great for rainy days and dark nights.

 

3 of 5 stars.

 

Out of Control on Goodreads.

 

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Review: Hushed by Kelley York

Hushed
by Kelley York
Published by Entangled Publishing
Paperback (bought)
NA, LGBT, contemporary, dark

“Karma is a cruel mistress.”

He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

 

I'm sucker for dark, twisted stories with characters who feels real. When I first heard about Hushed, I was thrilled - I found what I was looking for. My expectations were so high that I doubt Hushed would meet any of them. Silly me, it blew my mind and made me fall on my knees. It still does and I first discovered Hushed on 2012.

Hushed isn't for delicate person who wants puppies and happy thoughts. No, it's truly as dark as the backcover suggest and someway even more twisted. York still delivers heartbreaking romance - a romance that stole my soul because it's real, it hurts and still it was even more wonderful I could even imagine. Without saying I adored Evan from the start and cherished Archer - I could never choose whom to love more, because I'm in love with both of them, especially when they're together.

 

I'll never be able to do justice to this book only by my words. It's too unique for them.

 

If you're looking for story of heartbreaking romance, stunning characters, twisted plot and enchanted writing, Hushed is for you.

 

5 of 5 stars and everything else I can give to it.

 

 

Hushed on Goodreads.

Review: Passion by Lauren Kate

Passion (Fallen, #3)

by Lauren Kate

Published by Corgi

Paperback (bought)

YA, paranormal, romance with time travel

"Every single lifetime, I'll choose you. Just as you have always chosen me. Forever."

Before Luce and Daniel met at Sword & Cross, before they fought the Immortals, they had already lived many lives. And so Luce, desperate to unlock the curse that condemns their love, must revisit her past incarnations in order to understand her fate. Each century, each life, holds a different clue.

But Daniel is chasing her throughout the centuries before she has a chance to rewrite history.

How many deaths can one true love endure? And can Luce and Daniel unlock their past in order to change their future?



First book's enchanted, beautiful romance and second's more complicated love story turned out to be plain foolish at the third one. Luce and Daniel's love seemed to become, not all consuming and neverending, a foolish teenager romance that's bound to bore you out of your mind. That's mostly because the plot went nowhere. First fourth of the book was going forward nicely but then it became nothing more than showing off one's history knowledge - which, let me tell you, wasn't that impressive. Take all major areas of history and write a couple of nice but cliché love stories seemed to be Kate's plan. There was so much potential with the idea of Luce's travelling through their past and learning what their love is about.

 

Sadly, the book did not meet any of my expections mostly because the book was too long for the plot. It could have been summed to 150 pages and it would've been unique and thrilling instead of dragging reader along wishing for the end. Though, the end got my hopes up for the last part of this series.

I truly wanted to love this one as I loved Fallen, or even like it as I liked Torment. In the end all I could do was finish it. However, I did adore those small climbses of other characters and their past: Cam, Roland and others. Readable, but sadly too tedious to be stunning.

 

I'm going to give this series a chance to redeem itself with the last part.

3 of 5 stars.

 

 

Passion on Goodreads.

Cover Reveal + Blurb: Car Crash Hearts by Kelley York and Rowan Altwood

Kelley York is one of my favourite authors - everything I've ever read from her is absolutely stunning, beautiful and downright heartbreaking, which makes it even more memorable. That's why I'm particularly excited of this book. York co-writes Car Crash Hearts with Rowan Altwood, and I'm overly excited about this. Without more ramblings, here's the wondrous cover and blurb!

Isn't it stunning? So breathtaking - powerful, beautiful and again, stunning. And here's the blurb for your pleasure:

When 19-year-old Luc Argent’s body begins to reject his new heart, he knows he doesn't have a lot of time left. Which means he’s pushing everyone away more than he usually does in order to minimize the collateral damage when he finally kicks the bucket. 

Then Evelyn comes back to town. 

Evelyn left California—and her best friend Luc—three years ago. Since then, she hasn’t gotten so much as an e-mail from him. So when she returns and he shows up at her doorstep with an insane idea for an impromptu road trip, she doesn't know what to think. Running away with a guy is something her mother does. Not her.  

But even after all this time she doesn’t known how to tell Luc no. Just like Luc hasn’t learned how to tell Evelyn about his illness and how serious it really is. He has a destination in mind, he has a plan, and it all revolves around him and Evelyn and what little time he has left.

I'm intriguid; I'm sold.

Add CCH on Goodreads.
York gave a teaser of CCH earlier this month. Read it here, on her blog.

Warm Welcome

Hello, and welcome to my brand new blog! I'll mainly focus on books and reviews and stuff like that but there's a big chance that I'll post other things about things that catches my attention - about history, mythologies, legends and things like that.

 

Before Easter I've plenty of exams (five left, wish me luck!) so there won't be that many reviews but I'll continue to create this blog to be better and better - and there'll be some things, like possible cover reveals and some small things.

 

Anyway, I welcome any soul who has found my brand new world! :)