[RANT] Struck by the love bug???

I'm in a romantic mood this year. Don't get me wrong, it's not an issue because I do love romance novels but it's strange that I'm so obssessed with them these days considering in 2012, I was all over dystopia lit...kind of a 180 don't you think?

Not sure if it's the soon to come Valentine's day or the fact that most of the romance novels are ebooks is to blame.  Just finding it odd that I'm reading much more romance novels than usual. On that note some that you should definitely check out.

• Anything by Alice Clayton: Boy that author can write. Not only is the romance AH-mazing in her books but the witty banter is very funny. I first started reading her novels when I read Wallbanger and then went on to her Redhead Series. Now she's one of my favourite authors!
• Love Left Behind by SH Kolee. This one sounded like a typical romance novel. Girl falls in love with rich guy, something happens and then they get back together. Well I got that...as well as a lot of drama. And I mean A LOT! The good thing was that I felt connected to the charaters and truly felt the emotions and turmoil that happened in their relationship.
• Exquisite by Ella Frank. This was a fun read. Sort of a more simpler version of Bared to you and 50 shades but equally good to read. I wouldn't say it's in the same place as 50 shades but definitely still good.
• And of course there are the books I raved in my TOP books of 2012 post. Check those out.

On that note I leave you with some lovely new music by Matchbox 20. Enjoy!

[NEW RELEASES] January 15, 2013

Well this week what's being released.

It's no other than "The Gates of Paradise" by Melissa De La Cruz. I've loved the Blue Blood Series and I'm always recommending them but lately the series has slowed down. I've had issues reading the last installment and I'll probably finish that before reading this one.

The Gates of Paradise is the final novel in the series. Let's see how this series end turns out to be.

Schuyler Van Alen is running out of time. The Dark Prince of Hell is storming the Gates of Paradise, intent on winning the heavenly throne for good. This time he has his greatest angels by his side, Abbadon and Azrael—Jack and Mimi Force, as they are known in the Coven.

Or so he thinks. Even as Lucifer assigns Jack and Mimi the tasks of killing their true loves, the Force twins secretly vow to defeat the Dark Prince once and for all. But how far will Mimi and Jack go to conceal their real loyalties?

Meanwhile, former vampire Bliss Llewellyn has joined forces with Lawson, the greatest wolf of the underworld, to free his people from their imprisonment in Hell. As they struggle against impossible odds, an ancient message, woven into the very fabric of time, reveals just how much depends on the success of their mission.

Lucifer seeks the key to the Gate of Promise, and when Schuyler is taken captive and delivered straight to Hell, she must make an unthinkable choice—the same one the archangel Michael was forced to make during the Crisis in Rome. Will Schuyler find the strength to do what he could not?

The epic, heartbreaking Blue Bloods series comes to a close with this final novel about staggering courage, unbearable sacrifice, and the immortality of true love. (From Goodreads)

Enjoy!

[REVIEW] Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir

Published: January 2013
Publisher:  Delcorte Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Series: Timeless #2 [end]

[Goodreads]

What happened. That's my initial reaction to finishing this book. What happened to the beautiful love story between Philip and Michele that was the entire first novel. What happened to the story that I was looking forward to reading. Well I didn't get any of what I was hoping for. Not to bash the story because it was good (not great, but good) and Alexandra Monir did an amazing job connecting the first book to the sequel but I guess along the way something was lost. Maybe it was that I felt some of the dialogue to be awkward and somewhat forced. Also I think some of the events could have happened differently that would have made the story more interesting and exciting.

[SPOILER ALERT] For instance, when Irving is first approached by Millicent, I found was very climatical. This was the start of Michele's involvement with the Time Society. And then they started talking. At first I was okay with it. She was explaining the situation, true, something was weird. And then it was all like "Don't worry, we have everything under control. Just follow me." It seemed pointless and very simple for Irving to figure out how to get back his skeleton key. It was too quick and easy for him to get it back. I would have liked it if maybe Irving saw the key hanging around Rebecca's neck and recognized it which then made him find the Society on his own and/or confront her. That would have made it more exciting then a "Someone's here to see you" and she instantly get's confronted and kicked out. I'm missing an emotion from this scene and I'm not sure what it is just that something's missing.  [END SPOILERS]

Maybe before I completely bash the book I should go over some parts I did like. For instance, Philip and Michele's love adventure (as I like to call it).  Kudos to Alexandra Monir in making Philip lose his memory. When I first heard of it I was angry. WHY would she do that to them after everything those two have been through in the first novel and then I firgued, why not. WHY make it so easy for them, hmm? A good romantic angst and worry is good. So I very much enjoyed Michele's efforts and inner turmoil in seeing that Philip was hers, and yet not hers. Also it was very interesting in how Philip's appearence was explained. At first I believed he was a time traveler too. Why not if Michele was one and then when the story progressed, I was sure of it. But of course that wasn't the case. Read the story if you want to know the full explanation. I feel like that's something each reader should find out for themselves.

Also, Caissie. I liked her role in this story.  Although she had a significantly smaller role, I felt that her actions spoke more about her character than before.  [SPOILERS ALERT] Especially when she takes the key from Michele. I know she said that it was because a voice told her too but I'm fairly certain it was because she was jealous of Michele who was rich and had everything AND was also special and a time traveler. I'm sure Caissie was tired of her mundane life and wished for something more. She reminds me of Rebecca and I would have loved to see her turn evil and all sinister like Rebecca herself. [END SPOILERS]

Rebecca is probably the first real villian to appear in this series. Her involvement sort of turns this book into more than a romance story for me. It adds a depth to it that I didn't get as much from the first book. But also, in my opinion, her involvement takes away from the romance between Philip and Michele, which I mentioned at the beginning of my review, I didn't get a whole lot of, or at least what I thought I would get.

Michele seemed a bit scatter to me in this book. At first she's all worried about Philip then willingly commits to stopping Rebecca while also trying to continue the search for her father. Seems like a bit too much issues for a teenage girl to have, considering that these are all very big issues, not small problems like buying more milk etc.

The story seemed to have a planned happy ending and some of the events seemed very predictable. I wasn't entirely impressed with all the outcomes of the events. It still got better towards the end but still predictable.

Overall this wasn't what I expected.  It was a pleasent read and I'm sorry that it couldn't have been more than that.

(Some pity points given because of my love for the first novel.)

MEH borderline BORROW

[NEW RELEASES] January 8, 2013

New Release for today is Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir.

This is the second in the Timeless series. I had doubts about the first book [review here] at the beginning but it got much better and when I finished the short novel, I realized I was hooked and couldn't wait for the second one. It's been a long wait but hopefully it'll all be worth it (fingers crossed).

 When Philip Walker appears as a new student in Michele Windsor's high school class, she is floored. He is the love she thought she lost forever when they said goodbye during her time travels last century. Overjoyed that they can resume the relationship they had a lifetime ago, Michele eagerly approaches him and discovers the unthinkable: he doesn't remember her. In fact, he doesn't seem to remember anything about the Philip Walker of 1910.

Michele then finds her father's journals, which tell stories of his time-traveling past. As she digs deeper, she learns about his entanglement with a mysterious and powerful organization called the Time Society and his dealings with a vengeful Windsor ancestor. Michele soon finds herself at the center of a rift over 120 years in the making, one whose resolution will have life-or-death consequences.

Alexandra Monir's Timekeeper combines breathtaking romance with a tale of complex magic in a sequel that will have every reader believing in the transcendent power of love. (From Goodreads)

Let me know what you think of this one. I'm definitely excited to continue this story.

[RANT] The Best of 2012

With the coming of a New Year I started thinking about the best books I've read in 2012. They are:

Fifty Shades Darker
(Review here)

The Fifty Shades series definitely introduced me to adult erotica fiction but also just plain intense romantic stories, which is mainly the reason why I find myself hooked on them lately.

The second book in the series was definitely my favourite of the whole.

The Nightmare

 

Lars Kepler returns with another amazing crime/mystery fiction. I loved the Hypnotist (review here) and I was so excited when I heard they had a sequel coming out.  This book was as amazing as the first and I definitely recommend this series to all Millenium trilogy lovers (i.e. The Girl with the Dragon tattoo series by Stieg Larson)

The Pledge

This was probably my favourite dystopia literatures of the year.  I read this pretty close to the start of the year but it blew my mind and became my favourite all year round, even with the release of Insurgent, The Pledge was still my favourite.

Kimberly Derting takes a different spin on a dystopia society and it instantly caught my attention.  With the sequel released less than a week ago, I'm really excited to read it and continue this story. The Pledge was one of my most raved books of 2012.

Cinder

 

I was recommanded this book last year when it was first released at the bookstore where a kind saleslady told me that this book was quite talked about already. Sadly, I didn't pay any attention to it until my whole fairy tale infatuation phase when I finally decided that it was time I made an effort to give this book a shot. Well a couple months later I purchased a copy and started reading it. It honestly blew my mind. I finished it in one day and when I finished, I was so angry that there was no more. I was at a doctor's appointment waiting when I finished and very angrily flipped through the acknowledgments and started thinking that I had bought a faulty copy. Much to the amusement of the other patients, my frustration proved that indeed, I had finished the book and that I would have to wait for the sequel (to be released Feburary 2013). This definitely became one of my favourites. I know that this is dystopia literature but I really see it as a modern retelling of a fairy tale more.

The Crimson Crown
(review here)

The finale to the seven realms series, one of my most favourite series for the last year. Cinda Williams Chima finished it with a bang that made this fan quite happy and proud of her writing.







Up in the Air series
(Book 1 Goodreads)

Rk Lilley wrote a series that I found to be as worthy as the fifty shades series, which is very hard. Biana and James gave me a new story to fall in love with even more and I'm honestly so excited for the third book in this series. IT HAS TO COME OUT SOONER! SOOOOOOONER!

I honestly cried when I read the first book which doesn't happen. Unless it's a Nicholas Sparks novel but seriously I found myself crying to myself late at night while I stayed up still reading it. That's how powerful these books were to me.

And the last book to round out this list is...

On Dublin Street

On Dublin Street, although it's technically erotic fiction too, I found myself more attracted to the romance in this story. It's filled with angst, and a lot of drama. Definitely a good read.

[NEW RELEASES] January 1, 2013

Kicking off the new year with a post (well the first actually) of the new releases segment.

What's released today?

Well it's none other than The Essence by Kimberly Derting and I can't be more excited. The Essence is the sequel to The Pledge, the first in The Pledge series.  The Pledge was one of the dystopia lit books that I've been raving about since I first read it.

“Danger, dread, mystery, and romance” (Booklist) continue in the second book of The Pledge trilogy, as Charlie’s reign is under siege from the most unusual of enemies.

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within. (curtesy of Goodreads)

 

This book is definitely one that I've been waiting for and is so excited to read.  If you haven't given this series a try, why not make it one of your New Year resolutions to stop by the bookstore and buy The Pledge and The Essence or even borrow them. This series is definitely a must read.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year everyone!
Here's to a great 2013 filled with more book reviews and blog posts.