Review: The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin

The Becoming of Noah Shaw

Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Series: The Shaw Confessions #1
Pages: Hardcover, 1st Edition, 384 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: November 7th 2017

Summary:

In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.

Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.

They’re wrong.

Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.

He shouldn’t.

And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.

They’re right.

Review:


I don't even know...

This book was depressing.
Noah was kinda boring, also in full on ostrich-sticking-head-in-sand syndrome.
Noah was depressing to read.
(I get that's kind of the point because he is depressed, but still.

I miss Mara, she was more interesting, especially now that she is fully manifested. Unfortunately, we don't get much of anyone else at all except for Noah.

The plot was...I don't even know!
I mean there was a stuff happening...kind of, but the characters weren't actually doing much of anything about it, till the last like 15%.

Too much shit happened in the last 15%.

And guess what? Not only do we not have any answers but there are so many more questions. It would have been nice if there was like, idk, a single book arc, and an overarching series plot arc, and oh, I don't know, have a resolution for the single book arc? Is that too much to ask?

This book just felt like a huge filler.

Am I going to read the next one? Yes, because I need freaking answers and I kinda want to know what crazy shit Hodkin is going to come up with next.


Rating: 

Ella

Review: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

The Geography of You and Me

Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pages: Kindle Edition, 352 pages
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: April 15th 2014

Summary:

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they’re rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen’s relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and—finally—a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith’s new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

Review:

So quite frankly somehow I am sitting here, wondering what I actually expected from this. But all I can say not really what I got.
I mean this is quite cute. I was hoping for a cute & fluffy. And I guess it is. Maybe, or at least some bits.
There is plenty of angst- but hey they teenies. I didn't mind that. I don't get the whole awkward phase thing, though.
Then the parents, are totally blase - but wait! we talking teenies!!!
The snail mail situation... uhm cute but who still does that? Ok well, I do but NO wap,  fb or email? Not even my granny does that!
The end yeay, cute and fab, but I was sorta over it all by then.
Basically the plot is rather unrealistic.
I enjoyed the writing style
So: my issue? I was bored most of the time. I kept kinda expecting something. Well, don't ask me what. Actually: Anything more.
I liked the night on the roof. But then, I just was given banal daily bore. I wish there was less family dynamics and all that, but more cute & fluffy instead.
Sadly not really my thing


Rating: 

ARC Review: You're Still The One by Sasha Clinton

You're Still The One

Author: Sasha Clinton
Publisher: Sasha Clinton
Series: NYC Singles #1
Pages: Kindle Edition, First, 245 pages
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Release Date: February 27th 2016

Summary:

One love. One man. Two chances.

Ashley has her life sorted out. After a painful divorce, she has now rebuilt her life as an editor. She is happy with her life—until her ex-husband Andrew walks into it, opening up the deep scars that even time has failed to heal.

He’s gorgeous, funny and as utterly tempting as he was seven years ago. Plus, being the editor for his new book, she cannot avoid him. But Andrew has his own issues lingering from the past.

Bound together by work, every breath they take draws them closer, into the same hopeless, passionate love that they once shared...

Review:

When I read the blurb of this, I loved the sound of it. It's set in NYC - one of my favorite cities in the world. It sounds like there won't be any instas going on... I knew that this could go one of two ways- I love it or loath it.

Well, I was wrong. On many accounts. First I neither love it nor loath it. I am not wowed for sure, but I also didn't hate it. It was just.. kinda awkward actually.
Look it's not terrible or infuriating, but it just never gelled with me.

First of all, the romance? INSTA all over. I could have lived with that. But I didn't buy it. They had no chemistry. Even if Clinton kept stressing that they did- well I didn't feel it.
Then the smut- was beyond awkward. It was odd and felt super wooden. Not enticing or sexy or hot. It felt rehearsed and planned. As in Clinton added some odd bits to make the couple more real or unique... BUT it felt like it was planned and more importantly it just felt off and weird.
They supposedly so in love. But I really didn't get any of that. I mean they professed to strong feelings, I just never I felt nor did I actually believe it.
Their infatuation felt superficial. Their big fight and the break up? It felt staged. And the supposed hurt of Ashley? What hurt? I felt it more in the blurb than reading the entire novel.

The character building felt labored. I mean, Clinton gave both MCs quirks and bad sides... but that's how it felt. Like their weaknesses were planned. Like Andrew's problem at the end? I felt like smacking him. Seriously, get real! It felt totally put on- so that we can have a last big drama...you know the perfunctory one before the end.
My biggest issue with the character building was, that Ashley and Andrew behaved rather juvenile most of the time. Their actions and reactions seemed to be rather arbitrary at times. Just like teens. But see we talking adults, first they in their early twenties then in their early thirties.. and frankly I just kept thinking grow the heck up people!


The plot was okay. I guess. A tad cliche. But actually not bad. This could have been a good cute & fluffy.

But I think my absolutely biggest issue with You're Still The One was the writing style. While Clinton does very flowery descriptions- they quite nice actually- the dialogues were totally wooden. Somehow they felt staged rather than a conversation. Then going back to the whole flowery descriptions- they didn't work in the context most of the time. I am not sure why. As I said, Clinton writes quite nicely. But somehow it just didn't work for me. I missed depth and soul- and saying that I have to stress, that I feel like Clinton did try and portray that. BUT I could simply not connect to it. It surprises me, because I usually love beautiful descriptions- but here it felt put on. The New York Clinton described, was not my experience of New York- Just some details felt off. In fact I was wondering if she actually has been there.
It seems my recurring problem with this novel. I simply didn't feel it, I just couldn't connect. At all.

So while I wish it would have worked better for me. I think the concept was interesting, sadly not for me though.





Rating: 


ARC was provided by Publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Review: Invaded by Melissa Landers

Invaded

Author: Melissa Landers
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Series: Alienated #2
Pages: Hardcover, 356 pages
Genre: Sci-Fi
Release Date: February 3rd 2015

Summary:

The romantic sequel to Alienated takes long-distance relationships to a new level as Cara and Aelyx long for each other from opposite ends of the universe...until a threat to both their worlds reunites them.

Cara always knew life on planet L’eihr would be an adjustment. With Aelyx, her L’eihr boyfriend, back on Earth, working to mend the broken alliance between their two planets, Cara is left to fend for herself at a new school, surrounded by hostile alien clones. Even the weird dorm pet hates her.

Things look up when Cara is appointed as human representative to a panel preparing for a human colony on L’eihr. A society melding their two cultures is a place where Cara and Aelyx could one day make a life together. But with L’eihr leaders balking at granting even the most basic freedoms, Cara begins to wonder if she could ever be happy on this planet, even with Aelyx by her side.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Aelyx, finds himself thrown into a full-scale PR campaign to improve human-L’eihr relations. Humans don’t know that their very survival depends on this alliance: only Aelyx’s people have the technology to fix the deadly contamination in the global water supply that human governments are hiding. Yet despite their upper hand, the leaders of his world suddenly seem desperate to get humans on their side, and hardly bat an eye at extremists’ multiple attempts on Aelyx’s life.

The Way clearly needs humans’ help . . . but with what? And what will they ask for in return?

Review:


When it comes to books on intergalactic travels and alien life forms, you would always find them marked on my TBR shelf. However when I’m done with them, you would usually find me feeling meh. More often than not, you would also find me poking holes in the storyline or you know, just complaining about things I generally disliked. Unfortunately, Invaded falls into the same category of books I get excited about for nothing.

The first book Alienated was a decent read. I was curious to see which direction the author would take the second book to. I was sort of prepared for the angst (considering the fact that the two MC’s were now in different galaxies and what not) but I wasn’t ready to have it dished out as the only meal with sad, regurgitated tropes you would expect in a story like this as sides.

To recap a little, Alienated ends with Aelyx’s best friend dead and a huge riot on Earth thirsting for L’eihr blood. Amidst the running around in the final pages of the book, Cara and Aelyx decide to bid farewell to planet Earth and fly off to L’eihr for a happily ever after. Cue: Plot twist. The Way intercepts their hasty escape plan and makes a decision that complicates things further for the love birds. Aelyx is forced to mend relations with fellow Earthians by staying on the planet a little longer, while Cara is shipped off to L’eihr as a human representative.

As for the second book, Invaded starts off by showing Cara adjusting to her new life in L’eihr. It comes as no surprise that no one likes her or wants her there. There isn't much happening on her end other than the clichéd typical mean girl making life difficult for new girl trope. For about half the book, we only see Cara struggling with her gym class or being ostracized by her classmates. Meanwhile, Aelyx faces multiple assassination attempts on Earth because he is still the disliked, stiff alien who wooed a human girl. The ambassador from L'eihr threatens on pulling the plug from the alliance. Tensions rise, and so another alien falling for a human sub story is seamed in, cause, duh, one love story isn’t enough. (view spoiler)

I know I might be coming off too strong and maybe some of my dislike is unwarranted. For instance, one could argue that settling in in a new culture is difficult and this is a new planet we’re talking about. So I should give the same old refashioned story line a break. Be that as it may, but I strongly believe that instead of writing about Cara throwing up every day in her gym class, the author could have spent more time on highlighting the history of the planet through classes instead of just throwing it at our faces as facts Cara knew from reading or.. speculating or.. I don’t even know what exactly.

There are many other such tidbits introduced in this book that I didn’t enjoy. To name a few:
- I didn’t like how David’s character was used as a pawn and a means to an end in the story.

- I disliked how Cara became so judgmental after returning from L’eihr.

- I disliked how she changed her mind back so quickly. You know what I’m talking about if you have read the book.

To be honest, I have been bothered about her impulsive decision of leaving her home planet for a guy she barely knew for months from book 1. To a different galaxy no less! I was a little satisfied reading about her change of heart and was really happy when she had the only real fight with Aelyx. It was long overdue anyway. I wouldn't have had a problem if the author decided to drag that longer. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

- I disliked how Jaxen’s villainous traits were exaggerated. Don’t get me wrong, he was a megalomaniac. But so much absurdity was thrown in the last few pages that it left me with an impression of him being nothing but an indignant little wimp.

Speaking of endings, I’m still having a hard time wrapping my head around all that happened. I don’t understand why the author thought it was a good idea to a) rush the ending, and b) make it so overly dramatic for nothing. The last few pages felt like the book was suddenly put on fast forward when it was crawling sluggishly all throughout. Actually, those 2-3 pages entirely ruined the book for me.

Anyway, I guess it’s time to mention a few good things, eh? Well, I think it’s a good thing that there is finally an alliance between L’eihr and Earth after all this drama. Additionally, we know a little more about L’eihr’s past and other advanced life forms that may or may not be the good guys. I think it would make for an intriguing plot line in the next book. Most importantly though, I still haven’t lost hope in the series, and that’s a positive sign. I will be interested to see where the author takes the series now.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad read but it wasn’t as fun as I had hoped it to be. 2 stars.


Rating: 

Review: Bound by Fire by Jeaniene Frost

Bound by Fire

Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
Series: Night Prince #3
Pages: Mass Market Paperback, 342 pages
Genre: PNR
Release Date: January 27th 2015

Summary:

Play with fire, pay the price.

Leila’s years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn’t learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin…

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn’t like Vlad to feel fear, but he does…for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad’s greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad’s love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both…

Review:

Well that was....


Disappointing.


It was simply disappointing. EXTREMELY so.

Around halfway through I was actually going to DNF. But I didn't. Only because I do love Frost. She is a great author. Her writing style is awesome, she writes great action scenes, enticing smut and makes my jaded heart sore- and always gets me at least smirking.
And she did do all those things in Bound by Flames.
Buuuut the plot?! It's the variation of the same story over and over and over. I felt seriously annoyed by it- even cheated.
So I went and read two other books- and came back to BbF and struggled-STRUGGLED- through it.
And I was glad for it. While at 70% I was going to give this 1.5 Stars and rounded it down... The last 10% made this well worth it.
The bromance was just simply and utterly worth it. Really. Trust me, it's what saved the series for me. Oh and the one little twist in the super boring plot I didn't anticipate...


Well, let's list the good, the bad and the ugly shall we?

Great writing- Really! Frost does know her craft. She is still one of my fave PNR authors, probably will have to do way way worse than this for it to ever change.

Smut - Let's face it: We all still reeling from the Cat and Bone ones- but Laila and Vlad's have nothing short on those. Frost does write incredibly good smexy times - and this is coming from someone who does not care much for smut usually.

Laila and Vlad chemistry - It's what got to me in the first two books of the series- and it's still there. Still amazing, still not only believable, but desirable. They strengthen it and build on it even more, and most importantly that is written in the most believable way.

The world building - in some ways not much new,but a slowly ever growing world, that is still freakn awesome.

The humour - Frost gets to me with her dry witty humour. Every. Freakn. Time.

“Want it in English? Fine. You’re the bastard daughter of a diseased whore.”
I snorted. “Have to give it to you older vamps. Your insults are much more colorful than my generation’s variations on ‘fuck you, you fucking fuck.’
...
“Nice try,” I said evenly, “but fuck you, you fucking fuck.”"

Character building - some of this is awesome. Other bits not so much. So this is the good and the bad. Some of it, was totally been there done that, other bits were soo soo good. I am not sure I fancy the villains in this. And by fancy I mean, they are kinda unbelievable.

Motives - Sooo they are what? 500years old?! And some of their motives are.. DADDY issues?! for real?? or petty jealousy?? FECKN HELL! sorry. Excuse my french, but I am in my thirties. AND I am freakn over shit like that. 500 years... and you still groveling over THAT crap? Childish much? I really find it beyond UNBELIEVABLE.

Plot - it's the same every book. Fight, make up, getting captured, getting tortured, fighting free, making more enemies and allies, big show down, death, throw in some magic and new abilities..... oh and getting hitched.
The end.

WHY???- This made me wonder WHY this has FOUR books. I don't see the merit of this one. AT ALL. Why not write 3, cut out some of the repeating bits, or most of them anyway. I could have just loved the series felt all gushy and happy. And Frost could have used the time to write a new series.. Or an Ian book? You know use our time for something better, it would have been beneficial to both of us. I am thinking of the greater good here.. just saying.

The rating- it pains me, honestly it does. I wish I could give it 3Stars.. but really until the last 10% I would have given this ONE miserly star. So 2 it is.
But I will be reading the next one... :)


Oh I nearly forgot my absolute FAVORITE :

The barest smile twitched Vlad's lips."Rather ruins the moment doesn't it?"Maximus's mouth curled faintly as well. "Good thing neither of us is sentimental."

Rating: 

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Review: Holding Holly by Julie Brannagh

Holding Holly

Author: Julie Brannagh
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Series: Love and Football #4.5
Pages: ebook, 100 pages
Genre: Romance, Contemoprary
Release Date: December 2nd

Summary:

Julie Brannagh’s delightful Love and Football series returns in time for Christmas ...

Holly Reynolds has a secret. Make that two. The first involves upholding her grandmother’s hobby of answering Dear Santa letters from dozens of local schoolchildren. The second ... well, he just came strolling in the door.

For the last two years, Holly has not been able to stop thinking about gorgeous Seattle Shark Derrick Collins. His on-field exploits induce nightmares in quarterbacks across the NFL, but she knows he has a heart of gold.

Derrick has never known a woman he wanted to bring home to meet his family, mostly because he keeps picking the wrong ones—until he runs into sweet, shy Holly Reynolds. Different from anyone he’s ever known, Derrick realizes she might just be everything he needs.

When he discovers her holiday letter writing, he is determined to play Santa too. And as the pair team up to bring joy to one little boy very much in need, they discover the most precious Christmas gift of all: love.

Review:

I had high hopes for this one. Seriously HIGH hopes. I've been meaning to read the series, I mean cute & fluffy with a hot sport dude? YUM! What could go wrong? Right?

As I was reading Holding Holly my hope was utterly shattered to pieces.
I mean UTTERLY.


Look if Brannagh would be a man, I'd be ranting on how misogynistic she was.
Cause honestly there was not a single decent female character in this novella. First they were total dizz-balls, then they were super-uber-naive and cliche. Really. EVERY single female character. Not just one.

Holly was beyond naive and shy, to the degree that she came across as a tad stupid. I know loads of shy gals, they don't behave like that. I know loads of naive chicks, they don't manage to be THAT naive.
The mother and grandmother of Derrick -OMG!! - so all they can do is fuss, fuss more, shop, shop even more, fuss a little more, then do crafty shit and add some more shopping and fussing to it.

Every single female weird or quirky. They all have an thing about clothing- I mean A THING. In fact every single female seems obsessed with shopping. Every female is at least at some point totally helpless without Mr. I am so awesome Derrick. See??!! Misogynistic.

Oh and to top that there is Derrick:
I really didn't care much for him. While on the one hand he claims to be shy, he is also a total show off- how does that work? A shy show off? Hmmmm. Whatevs.
He has a rather arrogant take on himself and looks down on others.

"He'd always loved a woman with some flesh on her bones. She probably thought her butt was too big, and that he didn't like the slight roll over the top of her jeans."

I rest my case. I won't even say the M-word again. I mean, you get my point.
The only redeeming quality he has. Is he is generous. Though that was stress a tad to much. Guess we gotta point out the good, when he is so full of crap?

The writing is alright, though I always was keenly aware that Brannagh was trying very hard to make this quirky. Sadly in my opinion, this is not quirky. It's at best over the top at worst silly.
The banter between Derrick and Holly was painful. Simply because mr. I-am-so-freakn-fab-its-painfull was condescending, was to involved in his awesomenss or was just an asshat.

"Derrick, what am I going to get you for Christmas?"
He laid his fingertips over her mouth."You don't have to buy me a thing."
" It's not fair."
"Okay, then. You win. Bake me some cookies or something. I would love that more than anything."
" What kind?"
"The same kind everyone else wants: chocolate chip"
She couldn't help but laugh. "Got it", she said. 

Ok, someone needs to explain to me... why is she laughing? What's so funny? And: bake me some cookies or something... I really couldnt care less but... I would love that more than anything? For real?  Make up your mind, dude!

I just can't imagine someone actually does have a conversation like this. Well, to be honest if a guy would attempt to have a conversation like that with me... well, let's just say I would not be laughing, but spend my christmas happily with my granny and send him off to his awesome lonesomeness.
Another thing that kinda annoyed me was the money issue. It seems like every character was keenly aware of their finally differences. I dunno. Do people really think like that? I don't compare my clothes and the content of my valet constantly with a person I've just met. I try and get to know the person. I dunno. Maybe it's just me.

The plot is quite cute, but the whole character building or lack there of, ruined most of that.
To be honest, I think in the end the low rating does hinge on the fact that I really didn't like neither Derrick nor Holly.
In fact I was going to rate it 1,5 Stars, but in the end, I did like the rest of the team. Brannagh managed in those few pages to bring across a camaraderie between the guys. I Then I was wondering if maybe I should read a novel? Cause I still like the sporty hottie idea you know. Who knows, I might, one day.

This sadly did just not work for me.



Rating: 

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This is your normal text here but the text inside these tags is a spoiler!. And then you can keep writing over here.

Review: Real by Katy Evans

Real 

Author: Katy Evans
Publisher: Smashwords
Series: Real #1
Pages: ebook, 293 pages
Genre: New Adult
Release Date: April 8, 2013

Summary:

A fallen boxer.
A woman with a broken dream.
A competition…

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting…

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I’ve ever met in my life.

He’s the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I’m drawn to him as I’ve never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he’s near, I need to remind myself that I am strong–but he is stronger. And now it’s my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents . . .

But the one he’s most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?

Review:

Real is well written. So I enjoyed reading this for the most part.
It's your usual insta-lust/insta-love plot in many ways. The drama at 70% included.
Which is fine, it's a romance novel after all. But I had some different issues:
The smut. Well don't misunderstand me, it's rather well written smut. Rather hot and heavy, most of the time very enticing, sometimes a bit too much for my taste- except I got rather bored by hearing how amazing Remington is, how amazing he looks, how hot he is... and how lucky Brook is to have sex with him.
Then my second issue is to do with Remington's secret

********WARNING********

THIS IS CONTAINS A SPOILER SO PLEASE ONLY READ IF YOU DON'T MIND!!!

I was not surprised by the big secret. I could have guessed what Remington's condition was. BUT what did surprise me, how he and his team handled it. And even worse how Brooke was fine with it. It's beyond negligent! She is a health practitioner for heavens sake!!
Oh and then Evan's implies that Brook's presence helps Remington when he is on a down. FREAKN REALLY???!!! how can anyone except that implication? It's actually criminal!
Look my brother-in-law has the same condition, it's not a joke. This is a serious matter, and if a person in that condition does neglect their meds, there can be serious consequences. If they get agro, like Remington does, they can inflict serious injury to loved one. Because in that state, they do not know what they doing. Their strength is scary, and yeah they will get tranq. But why wait? Why say that's freakn fine?!! I don't get it
Then the whole flip of the DNA thing- uhm, well I was just kinda shocked that someone does make up stuff like that without actually doing their research.
I guess I am the worst possible reading in this situation- cause, not only am a acquainted with this particular condition, I also studied Chemistry and took several semesters of Genetics.. so I am kinda Evan's nightmare reader. BUT I seriously am taken aback that her research was faulty. Got to say Miss Evans- yeah love conquers all and shit like that, but if the people around you love you, and you have that condition, they will support you to find the right meds so you can live a normal life- not tranq you whenever and pretend that all ok
AND emotions and their states of minds have nothing to do with the person's condition. It's a chemical imbalance in the brain- which means that the person, has no control over their reaction or behavior at the time. It a great tragedy and making it light is not really going to help anyone- but will cause huge damage!

********END OF SPOILER********

I might read the rest of the series, cause I wanna know where Evan's takes this. There is lots of places this can go...I would prefer someone to test read for me though. Any takers?
Lovers of the genre with a liking for explicit and daring smut will enjoy this

Rating: 

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