Monday, April 30, 2018

[Review] Lady Midnight, by: Cassandra Clare

The Dark Artifices #1

LADY MIDNIGHT

by: Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: March 28th, 2016
Read Date: April 22, 2018
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 698

 

In a kingdom by the sea…

In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word.

A parabatai is your partner in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other—but they can never fall in love.

Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter, and the best in her generation. She lives for battle. Shoulder to shoulder with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles, where vampires party on the Sunset Strip, and faeries—the most powerful of supernatural creatures—teeter on the edge of open war with Shadowhunters. When the bodies of humans and faeries turn up murdered in the same way Emma’s parents were when she was a child, an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma’s chance for revenge—and Julian’s chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held prisoner by the faerie Courts. All Emma, Mark, and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks…and before the murderer targets them.

Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets. What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents—and can she bear to know the truth?

The darkly magical world of Shadowhunters has captured the imaginations of millions of readers across the globe. Join the adventure in Lady Midnight, the long-awaited first volume of a new trilogy from Cassandra Clare.

my rate


Have you ever been present where an accident is about to happen? Like you see all the pieces apart, and you know that when they get together a bomb will go off. That's what I felt when reading this book.

I started this book TWO YEARS ago because it took me this long to finish something that was hurting my heart. I was NOT looking forward to reading this series because I knew it was going to be bad, for the lack of words. I knew that my favorite OTP couldn't be together. I knew it was going to be tough to put my thoughts aside from what I was actually reading. And THAT was my problem with the whole book.

Look, the series is not bad. The story in this book is NOT bad, like the overall thing. The romance can be thrown to the trash (my feelings are talking here), but it was well written. The whole mystery to be resolved was good. The action scenes were packed. And the freaking plot twist at the end was not expected.

I'm telling you, this book ripped my heart out, but am I going to read the next two? YES! Am I hoping for a happy end? Yes. Do I think is going to screw my mind from here out? Yes.

Overall, I want more. I know Ms. Clare will keep stabbing my heart, but at the end, she will stick out for me (us, the readers).

[Update Post] Bookish Bingo: Spring 2018

My sign up post here!

These are the books that I read in the month of MAR that crossed some of the spots from the bingo:
These are the books that I read in the month of APR that crossed other spots from the bingo:
  • WHITE COVER: Thank you, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polacco
  • ANIMAL ON COVER: Hipopotamister, by John Patrick Green
  • SECOND CHANCE: Lady Midnight, by Cassandra Clare
  • FLOWERS ON COVER: The Junkyard Wonders, by Patricia Polacco
    • BINGO!

Woo! I did my first, and hoping is not the only one, bingo!

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Stalking the Shelves [30]

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews, which is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. You can read more about the creation of this meme by visiting the official launch page here.

March 25th, 2018 to April 28th, 2018

READ THESE PAST WEEKS:
  • Every Little Thing, by Samantha Young
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid #1, by Jeff Kinney
  • Amulet #1, by Kazu Kibuishi
  • Dear Girl, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
  • The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away, by Patrick McDonnell
  • Blue Sky White Stars, by Sarvinder Naberhaus
  • Avalanche, by Cambria Hebert
  • Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polaco
  • The Art of Miss Chew, by Patricia Polaco
  • #Junkie, by Cambria Hebert [REREAD]
  • #Rev, by Cambria Hebert [REREAD]
  • Hippopotamister, by John Patrick Green
  • Salt in His Shoes, by Deloris Jordan
  • Listen to the Wind, by Greg Mortenson
  • Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Peña
  • Love, by Matt de la Peña
  • Lady Midnight, by Cassandra Clare
  • The Storyteller, by Evan Turk
  • Ada's Violin, by Susan Hood
BORROWED FROM THE LIBRARY:
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid #1, by Jeff Kinney
  • Amulet #1, by Kazu Kibuishi
  • Dear Girl, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
  • The Little Red Cat Who Ran Away, by Patrick McDonnell
  • Blue Sky White Stars, by Sarvinder Naberhaus
  • Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia Polaco
  • The Art of Miss Chew, by Patricia Polaco
  • Hippopotamister, by John Patrick Green
  • Salt in His Shoes, by Deloris Jordan
  • Listen to the Wind, by Greg Mortenson
  • Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Peña
  • Love, by Matt de la Peña
  • Lady Midnight, by Cassandra Clare
  • The Storyteller, by Evan Turk
  • Ada's Violin, by Susan Hood

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Thursday Tracks [88]

Ohhh! You know, and if you don't you'll know now, that I LOVE, love, LoVe music. Just as I live and breathe words, I live and breathe music. Those two things are just part of me as any other organ in my body. As you can see in my Music page, I hear music while reading! My Thursdays are dedicated to music thanks to this feature! Created to share what song, album, playlist, artist I got stuck in my head every week. 
Now, this week song is...

I FALL APART

Artist: Post Malone
Album: Stoney


favorite part of the lyrics: I love the whole song, so there's no point in just writing everything here.

Hear me next Thursday!

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Waiting on Wednesday [138]

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
Honey #3

THE GREATEST RISK

by: Kristen Ashley
Publication Date: May 1st, 2018
Genre: Erotica, BDSM, Romance, Adult

 

A woman unable to connect, struggling to hide another part of her. A man burning to learn her truth, and make her whole. Through explosive passion and deep exploration, they are about to take the greatest risk of all. But will they be able to take that leap, and come out on the other side together?

In this next passionate novel in the Honey series, New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley delivers a stunningly romantic and intensely sexy novel that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

[Review] Avalanche, by: Cambria Hebert

BearPaw Resort #1

AVALANCHE

by: Cambria Hebert
Publication Date: March 26th, 2018
Read Date: April 2nd, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
Pages: 360?

 

Don’t get caught in the surge. 

Through a bullet hole in a wall, I watch a man bleed to death.
Those responsible think their crime died with the victim, until I identify them.
What’s a girl to do when she’s being hunted by murderers
witness protection can’t even stop?
Run.
My only refuge is a place I vowed to never go again.
When it’s do or die, an eight-year-old heartache suddenly seems trivial.
Besides, he won’t be there anyway.
But he is.
Turns out my old pain feels brand new the second his eyes meet mine.
I can’t leave. I can’t stay.
This snowy town that’s supposed to be my shelter
suddenly exposes me more than before.
With no one else to lean on, Liam becomes my lifeline.
Now we’re both running for our lives,
trying not to get swept away.

my rate


Is no secret that I read most of what this author writes after I fell in love with one of her series. I have not been disappointed at all in her latest books. I keep loving her new characters and all.

I have always liked book centered in Colorado, I don’t know why because never been there and I don’t think I would go in a near future, but I feel like I know the place by so many books set there that I have read. So, again, the book is centered in Colorado, a ski resort, and there is this white thing called snow everywhere. Something that I have only seen once and it wasn’t much. The main male character is a ski instructor and an old Olympic player (is that how you say it?).

Whatever. The thing is that these characters know each other from eight years ago, so this is basically a second chance romance, which most of the time I don’t like, but this author can pull off anything for me to love. She, main female character, is running from very bad people thanks to something that happens in the very first chapter (I ain’t going to tell ya). She ends up in the place she swore to never come back. She finds herself crashing him, Mr. Sexy Sport.

Mr. Sexy Sport (the name I am giving him) is just that. Super sexy and a good sport… aren’t those synonyms? Whatever. I really, really loved him. He took no shit of whatever lie came out of her mouth. He knew something bad was about to happened and he wanted to not happen (he tried), so I really liked that. I also have to mention the friend. Their relationship made me remember Romeo and Braeden bromance from this author’s other series. I know for sure (so sure that if I bet, I will the money) that he will have his own book, I will read it and I will love it even more.

Last thoughts… I love mushy, lovey love things, so if you into that, then read this books (coming soon series). No! Read any of this author’s books, or at least the one I have read and can recommend. Just saying. Peace out!

PS, the title says it. There WILL be an avalanche, like literally.

[Release Blitz + Excerpt] Blood Type, by: K.A. Linde


BLOOD TYPE

by: K.A. Linde
Publication Date: TODAY
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Vampires

A startling new vision of paranormal romance: When a human ventures into the world of vampires—a decadent milieu of blood-bonds and betrayal—she discovers that not all is what it seems.

For Reyna Carpenter, giving up her body isn’t a choice. It’s survival.

In a civilization laid waste by poverty and desperation, Reyna accepts a high-paying position with the wealthy and hungry vampire elite. Her new job is as the live-in blood escort for the intimidating, demanding, and devilishly handsome Beckham Anderson. He’s everything she expected from a vampire, except for one thing—he won’t feed off her.

Reyna soon discovers that behind Beckham’s brooding, wicked façade lies a unique and complex man. And that, in a dark and divided world, she is more valuable than she ever would have believed.

For with each passing night, Reyna can’t shake the sensation that it’s Beckham who’s afraid of her.

Note: Reyna and Beckham’s story continues in Blood Match.

 Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ iBooks ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo ✦ Google Play ✦ GoodReads ✦



EXCERPT


     That was the moment Beckham appeared in the doorway like a storm cloud.
     Reyna straightened in her seat at the expression on his face. He walked across the room like a tightly coiled spring ready to explode.
     “Ah Beckham, there you are,” Harrington said.
     “Excuse me, William. I need to speak with Reyna. Alone.”
     She hastened out of her seat and followed him around the corner. He tugged her straight through the kitchens, out the back door, down a corridor, and into a dead end. Then her back was slammed against the brick wall. His fist connected with the wall behind her, and she felt the wall shudder. Debris floated onto her shoulders.
     “You left,” he growled.
     “I . . .”
     “No.” He pressed his finger to her lips roughly. She stopped breathing and just stared up into his eyes as dark as night. Her body trembled under the feral stare. “You left without me.”
The silence was weighted. All she could do was sit with their bodies nearly touching. His finger on her mouth. Her mind wandering to hellacious places.
     “You are my subject. Can you imagine what it was like when I found you missing? When you turned up with three of my kind?” She shook her head minutely. He bared his teeth to her, and she shrank back. “These are meant to drink your blood. To drink you dry until there is nothing left of your body but a dry corpse. We are killers. We don’t hesitate. Just because we’re wearing suits and seem more like you . . . does not mean we are like you. We are not like you. They especially are not like you. The only way you get to the top of Visage is to be fucking ruthless, Reyna. Do you understand?”
     “You’re . . . scaring me,” she whispered.
     “Good.”


AUTHOR

K.A. Linde grew up as a military brat and created fantastical stories based off of her love for Disney movies, fairy tales, and Star Wars. In her spare time, she is an avid traveler, loves reading young adult novels, and dancing. 

Additionally, K.A. has written more than a dozen adult novels and is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Lubbock, TX with her husband and two super adorable puppies. 

K.A. Linde loves to hear from her readers! 

You can contact her at kalinde45@gmail.com or visit her online at her websitefacebook or twitter.


Top Ten Tuesday [75]

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookis in June 2010 and moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each week they will post a new Top Ten list that one of their bloggers over at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone is welcome to join! This week Top Ten is...

Top ONE Frequently Used Word In Romance Titles

I have never, ever made a Top One, but here I am. Doing it because it annoys me to no end whenever the word is used every single time. I don't hate the word, but I am tired of it. The word is:

                             

The word is actually baby, but babe is basically the same, so I dislike both. This word is used as an endearment for the S/O and I hate it. I haave to admit that sometimes is cute, but most of the time is anoying for me. Some authors write it without any sense, just to make the character say it. BUT some other authors give it another meaning and those are the ones I love.
An example would be Kristen Ashley. When her main male character calls "baby/babe" the main female character it means that the couple is in another "stage", for lack of other word. Maybe they passed from haters to lovers, or from friends to lovers. The meaning is there and I love it.
Anyways, I'm no author (yet), but using endearments that everyone use is a no-no for me. There are so many and you can even make up ones. Becauce love stories in where the endearments are made up, are the most funny books. I'm just saying this for a friend, if you catch my meaning.

That's my only word, which one/ones are yours?

Friday, April 20, 2018

[Blog Tour: Review + Excerpt] Chaser, by: Kylie Scott


Dive Bar #3

CHASER

by: Kylie Scott
Publication Date: April 17th, 2018
Read Date: March 11th, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult
Format: eARC
Pages: 278

Love isn’t always NEAT…

Bartender and all-around bad boy, Eric Collins, has come to a crossroads. It’s time to take life seriously and maybe even attempt to settle down. If only the person he was hoping to settle down with didn’t turn out to be pregnant.

Starting over in a small town, Jean is determined to turn her wild lifestyle around and be the kind of mother she always wished she’d had. Since local bar owner and all-around hottie, Eric, is now determined to steer clear of her pregnant self, it should be easy. When she goes into labor during a snowstorm and her car slides on some ice, however, it’s Eric who comes to the rescue.

There seems to be a bond between them now, but is it enough? And can Eric give up his manwhore ways to be the man Jean needs?

Amazon | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | iBooks | BAM! | Indiebound


my rate



She has done it again. Kylie Scott has come through for her characters. And this time was all around bad boy, fuckboy, and bartender, Eric Collins. Let me say that I wasn't too thrill of reading about him because watching him from other people's perspective, I didn't really like it, but now he grew on me. Eric deserved this and I'm more than happy that I read it.

If you have read the other books in this series, then you know Eric Collins and how of a pain in the ass he was before. But now he wants to do good and better. That is when SHE comes in, Jean. Pregnant and all, she becomes the reason he goes celibate. When the little baby girl is born, he freaks. But then he gets his head outta his ass and for then on is hands on. But you know, nothing is always that easy.

Eric reminds me of Mal, another character of Kylie Scott, but also I have him mixed with a character of Jay Crownover, Asa. Eric has this charm that makes anyone do whatever he is telling you to do. He makes anyone laugh at loud, but he is the person that deep inside he was to be truly happy. So when Jean comes around, he knows he is no good for her, but still, he wants. I think that the truly beautiful thing of Eric. He gives, gives and gives, but he also wants and Jean does not forget about it. She received so much from him that at the end, she just gives him everything he needs.

I have to admit that every scene in where Eric is with Ada, the little baby, I melted. It was so cute to see him talk to her as if she understands him. It was totally sweet to see that Eric was almost the only one that could calm the baby. And the whole chapter of Jean giving birth with Eric there was plain beautiful and hilarious.

Kylie Scott is an author that I really recommend, so the recommendation of this book goes without saying. Read it.

PS, I don't know why but while I was reading this book, I paired the song "Nothing Left for You" by Sam Smith with it. I just wanted to say that. Bye.


excerpt


I’d been tricked. Betrayed.
After Andre and Jean ate their lunch, we headed outside to deal with her stuff. The cold wind suited my mood to perfection.
Talk about disappointed.
“Don’t lift that, it looks heavy,” I snapped.
Jean blinked. “It’s a pillow.”
“The world’s largest pillow ever. You can’t be too careful.” My gaze roamed over her swollen middle. “You’re . . .”
“Pregnant?” she asked with a voice dripping poison and sugar.
“Are you having trouble with the concept?”
“Absolutely not. I was just going to say huge, that’s all.”
She blew out an exasperated breath. “Thanks, Eric. That makes me feel so much better.”
“I just . . .”
“Don’t bother.” The woman turned back to her sensible, medium-sized SUV and got busy riffling through the contents. I was surprised she’d been able to squeeze into the driver’s seat.
Boxes and stuff took up almost every inch inside the vehicle. Each and every box seemed to have been neatly labeled with the contents.
The woman took her organization seriously. She looked over her shoulder. “You know, I can’t help noticing that Eric-the-smooth-moving-flirt has been suddenly replaced by Eric-the-awkward-jerk.”
“Well, you said you were single.” I folded my arms defensively across my chest.
“I am.”
And then there was an awkward silence.
“Yeah, but . . . I mean, in your condition . . .” I fumbled to a halt.
She turned, face all scrunched up. Like I was the one with the problem.
“Just hop out of the way so I can grab some boxes,” I said, voice gruff.
Still nothing from her. “It’s a second-story walk-up and you have a lot of stuff to get up there. You should be taking it easy.” Hands on hips, I tapped my black leather boot against the sidewalk, waiting her out. “Jean, I’m not trying to insult you. It’s the truth.”
She swore quietly, going back to fussing with the contents in the vehicle. I don’t think any woman has ever given me the silent treatment quite this quickly. Usually I’m good for at least a couple of hours after seeing them naked.
Man, I still couldn’t believe this was happening. God hated me or something. Pregnant women and me were enema. Anathema. Whatever. Now that I’d seen her out in the autumn light, however, she looked younger than I’d first guessed. Despite her tired eyes, her skin was smooth, soft looking. She was likely closer to her early twenties than mid.
“How old are you?” I asked.
“Why do you care?”
I shrugged one shoulder. “Just curious.”
“How old are you?”
“Nearly thirty.”
She sniffed. “I’m twenty-two.”
Young, like I’d thought. She was probably too immature for me, anyway.
 “Come on, Jean. Let me get some of the boxes.”
Boyd ambled out of the Dive Bar, turning his head this way and that, looking up and down the street. I raised my hand and he started over in our direction. The big cook would make short work out of moving all this stuff. Behind us, Andre and Nell came out of the tenants’ entrance to the Bird Building. The place was a big brick building about a hundred years old. Just past the door was an entryway with stairs leading up to the second floor, followed by two empty shops, their windows covered in flyers about local events. Concerts and parades and shit. They’d been vacant for a while, unfortunately. Andre’s Guitar Den came next, then Pat’s tattoo parlor Inkaho, and the Dive Bar on the corner.
“Everything’s good to go. Alex and I gave it a cleaning last week just to be sure,” said Nell, smacking a kiss on Jean’s cheek.
“You’ll meet Alex later. She’s probably busy working or something now. She’s sort of a shut-in.”
“You two didn’t have to do that,” said Jean. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.”
Andre leaned against the SUV. “Your furniture got delivered yesterday too, so it’s all good to go.”
“Excellent,” said Jean. “I can’t wait to sleep in a decent bed again. Road trips when you’re seven months’ pregnant kind of suck.”
“I bet.”
“Who’s minding the kitchen?” I asked.
“Lydia will text Boyd if they need something,” said Nell.
“We’re only going to be a few feet away from the place.”
I frowned.
“I own the kitchen, Eric. Not you,” she said. “You’re in charge of the bar, that’s all.”
One of Jean’s eyebrows inched up slightly. So I might have implied that I was the sole owner. Shit happened.
I crossed my arms. “Fine. No need to bite my head off.”
“My best online friend just moved to town. We’ve been texting and skyping for months. She’s been an absolute rock for me through all the nerves of being pregnant again,” said Nell. “Stop messing with my happy.”
And then there was an awkward silence. Great. If only there was some way to get out of helping without looking like a raging asshole. The possibility of anything happening between me and Jean had been buried six feet deep, never to be spoken of again.

READ THE REST OF THE SERIES!


author

kyliescottimage
Kylie Scott is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. 

You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/