Thursday 29 August 2013

Review - All Our Yesterdays (Cassandra Chronicles #1) by Cristin Terrill


Blurb from Goodreads:
Em is locked in a bare, cold cell with no comforts. Finn is in the cell next door. The Doctor is keeping them there until they tell him what he wants to know. Trouble is, what he wants to know hasn't happened yet.

Em and Finn have a shared past, but no future unless they can find a way out. The present is torture - being kept apart, overhearing each other's anguish as the Doctor relentlessly seeks answers. There's no way back from here, to what they used to be, the world they used to know. Then Em finds a note in her cell which changes everything. It's from her future self and contains some simple but very clear instructions. Em must travel back in time to avert a tragedy that's about to unfold. Worse, she has to pursue and kill the boy she loves to change the future.
Goodreads link:
Amazon UK link:
My Review:

4.5/5 stars.
I adore anything to do with time travel so I couldn't wait to read this book and I was not disappointed!
The story alternates from Marina and Em's viewpoints. Em is Marina's future self and she will do anything to save the girl she used to be even if it means killing her first love. But can she kill him even knowing that doing so will save hundreds or even thousands of lives?
I really enjoyed this book. I felt for both Marina and Em and it was easy to connect with them. My favourite character, however, was Finn because he always managed to make Marina/Em laugh. The future that Terrill created is (unfortunately) very believable as were the dilemmas that the characters were faced with. I couldn't put this book down and I'm still not sure that I fully understand the ending but I cannot wait for the sequel. I feel like I've been on an emotional rollercoaster and am still on a come-down.
Overall this is fantastic book and a must read.




Sunday 25 August 2013

Review - Tangled Tides (The Sea Monster Memoirs, #1) by Karen Amanda Hooper


Blurb from Goodreads:
Yara Jones doesn't believe in sea monsters-until she becomes one. When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people-until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process-or she might open the gateway to a love that's deeper than the oceans.




My Review:
1.5/5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to All Night Reads and Karen Amanda Hooper*

This book started promisingly but as it went on I found myself losing interest.
What I liked- the concept and the mythology.
What I didn't like- how quickly Yara became a mermaid and how some things weren't fully explained (for example, C-weed and seagarettes- we're never told HOW they help just that they do).

Overall I couldn't get into this book but I liked the premise.



My Week in Books (19th-25th August)

Read:
The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond

3.5/5 stars
My review can be found in the previous post.


City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare


3/5 stars


Bought:

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead (paperback from a charity shop)


Been wanting to read this for ages.


Won:

Briar Rose by Jana Oliver



Borrowed:

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare



Hereafter (Hereafter #1) by Tara Hudson



Arise (Hereafter #2) by Tara Hudson



Netgalley Approved:

Unspoken (Woodlands, #2) by Jen Frederick



Resist (Breathe, #2) by Sarah Crossan



Hidden Wings (Hidden Wings, #1) by Renae Cameo



Sia by Josh Grayson



Waterfell (The Aquarathi, #1) by Amalie Howard



Witchstruck (The Tudor Witch Trilogy, #1) by Victoria Lamb



Countdown by Michelle Rowen



Currently Reading:

Tangled Tides (The Sea Monster Memoirs #1) by Karen Amanda Hooper



All photos taken from Goodreads.

I've been really busy this week so I haven't done any writing. I did however have two more story ideas.

I saw Kick-Ass 2 and enjoyed it but I did prefer the first film.

Hope you guys had a great week!
J x


Wednesday 21 August 2013

Review - The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond

Blurb from Goodreads:
The more things change…

Five years ago, the gods of ancient mythology awoke all around the world.

The more things stay the same…

This morning, Kyra Locke is late for school because of an argument with her father.

Seventeen-year-old Kyra lives in a transformed Washington, D.C., dominated by the embassies of divine pantheons and watched over by the mysterious Society of the Sun that governs mankind’s relations with the gods. But when rebellious Kyra encounters two trickster gods on her way home, one offering a threat and the other a warning, it turns out her life isn't what it seems. She escapes with the aid of Osborne "Oz" Spencer, a young Society field operative, only to discover that her scholar father has disappeared with a dangerous Egyptian relic. The Society needs the item back, and they aren’t interested in her protests that she knows nothing about it or her father's secrets.

Now Kyra must depend on her wits and the suspect help of scary Sumerian gods, her estranged oracle mother, and, of course, Oz--whose first allegiance is to the Society. She has no choice if she’s going to recover the missing relic and save her father. And if she doesn't? Well, that may just mean the end of the world as she knows it. From the author of Blackwood comes a fresh, thrilling urban fantasy that will appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman, Cassandra Clare, and Rick Riordan.



My Review:
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley. Thanks to Angry Robot Ltd and Gwenda Bond*
3.5/5 stars
I love anything to do with ancient Egypt so when I saw that this book had Gods (some of them Egyptian) in it I just had to read it.

Overall I enjoyed this book. The concept was well-done and the plot was interesting. The characters were mainly likeable, my favourites being Oz and Tam and Bree whose determination I admired. The romance took a back seat and wasn't too in your face. I loved that relics could be used against the Gods and boy do I wish I had a shoe that could turn me invisible!

Despite all this The Woken Gods didn't wow me. But if you're looking for something different to read I would recommend this book.


Monday 19 August 2013

Review - No One's Angel by Kelly Walker


Blurb from Goodreads:
Tess used to spend more hours than she’d care to admit playing her favorite computer game, using the nickname Angel. She could pretend her life was different, and she could pretend Arion was just a friend. But a girl needs more to keep her warm at night than pixels and she traded her virtual heaven for a real life hell. Now she’s on the run from a past she won’t talk about, and the only place she has to go is the doorstep of the friend she’s never actually met.

When Angel disappeared from their nightly games, it nearly destroyed Arion. He threw himself into work and women, but he can’t help knowing the one night stands will never compare to the angel who haunts his dreams. At first, when she shows up soaking wet and scared-shitless on his doorstep, he thinks his prayers have been answered.

But the more Arion tries to keep Angel close, the more her fear drives her away. If they are ever going to have a chance for a future, they’ll first have to deal with the past that hasn’t forgotten her any more than she’s forgotten it, and Arion will have to learn how to let her go.

No One's Angel is a New Adult(NA) Contemporary Romance about a girl learning to fight back, and a boy learning how to let go. It is recommended for mature audiences only due to language and sexual content. (HEA ending and cliffhanger free. Paperback Version has approximately 340 pages.)
Goodreads link:
My review:
3.5/5 stars
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to All Night Reads and Kelly Walker*

Tess (Angel) and Axel (Arion) are two strangers who met playing an online game. Over time they grow close and when Tess suddenly disappears Axel is heartbroken. A year later Tess appears at Axel’s apartment on the run from her ex, broken and scared.

For me the best part of this book was the beginning. It immediately drew me in and made me want to read on. I enjoyed reading as Axel tried to make Tess stay, though he was nearly as controlling as her ex, Nick, at times, but the reason for this is explained later on. Tess was relatable and became stronger throughout the book.

This is a sweet, endearing and heart-warming story about two people learning to trust again. 



Sunday 18 August 2013

My Week in Books (12th-18th August)

Read:
The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass

4/5 stars


The Prince (The Selection #0.5) by Kiera Cass


3/5 stars


The Darkness of Shadows by Chris Little


2/5 stars

My review can be seen in a previous post.


Forgotten by Cat Patrick


3/5 stars


No One's Angel by Kelly Walker


3.5/5 stars

Review to come!


Borrowed:

Forgotten by Cat Patrick



City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare



Netgalley Approved:

The Darkness of Shadows by Chris Little



The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond



No One's Angel by Kelly Walker



Tangled Tides (The Sea Monster Memoirs #1) by Karen Amanda Hooper



Bought:

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill (paperback)



Goddess Interrupted (The Goddess Series - Book 2) by Aimee Carter (Kindle copy, £0.99)



The Goddess Inheritance (The Goddess Series - Book 3) by Aimee Carter (Kindle copy, £0.99)



Promise Me This (Promise Me #1) by Sarah Ashley Jones (Kindle copy, £0.77)



Currently Reading:

The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond



All pics taken from Goodreads.

Hope you guys all had a good week!
J x


Saturday 17 August 2013

My Favourite Series (with 3 or more books)

In no particular order...
The Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde


Mr Fforde is a genius. I love all his books.
In this series the main character Thursday Next travels into books.



The Tales of the Ketty Jay series by Chris Wooding





Chris Wooding is another fantastic author.
This series is action packed and very funny.
The fourth and final book comes out next month!


The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini



I haven't actually gotten around to reading Inheritance yet but I love this series. If you like fantasy books you should definitely read these books.


The Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick





I love this series and not just because Patch is my favourite book boyfriend. This is also my favourite angel series.


The A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin



This series is brilliant because none of the characters are safe. My favourites in the series are books 1 and 3.
Unfortunately I found book 4 really boring but apart from that I really like these books.


The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien



LOVE this series.
These books are the reason I started writing.


The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling



I grew up with these books and adore the magical world that Rowling has created.


The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins



The best thing about this series is Finnick but I do like Katniss.
My favourite of the series is Catching Fire but I HATE Mockingjay. How could Collins do that?! Between the deaths and the boring plot I really did not enjoy the final book.


The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix



There is a #3.5 book which contains short stories and is called Across the Wall. Also there is going to be a book #4 called Clariel! *fangirls* set 300 years before Sabriel.
If you like fantasy you should definitely read this series.


The Mad World series by Christine Zolendz




This series is an interesting take on angels.
I really enjoyed it and love Grace and Shane.


Mad World photos taken from Goodreads. All other photos are mine.

J x