Friday, March 20, 2015

Florence (Florence Waverly #1) by Ciye Cho

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publication date: July 1st, 2012
Read: March 2015
Pages: 336
Rating: 4/5

Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean.

Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul.


My review:

I was intrigued just by reading the summary of Florence. I haven’t read any mermaid books ever since the Watersong series by Amanda Hocking which I’ve read  a year ago, so when  I received a copy of Florence in exchange for an honest review, I was really excited to read it.

I was really hoping I’d enjoy this book because I’m really busy at this time of the year with exams and didn’t want to waste my time reading a book that was boring. 

From the start, I was really impressed with the author's writing style. I loved how he described everything, the places, the characters, etc. The author's writing is very important when you're writing a book because it makes reading way easier for the reader. Who would want to read a book with a weak vocabulary, short descriptions and boring dialogues right? 

Another thing I loved was the characters and the romance. Ahhh! I don't usually like love triangles, but having two princes love you, you feel somewhat special. Florence wasn't that character that I'd consider "great" at the beginning. She was ok, but as the book progressed, she slowly changed and became a much better person. T

There were a lot of actions going on. You always want to keep reading after each chapter. After reading, I felt like I just experienced a whole lot of adventure in this new world that I'd love to learn more about in the next books. It started a bit slow for me but if you're reading this book, don't give up, keep reading and you won't regret it. 

I recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy, mermaids and romance. 



About the author:
Ciye Cho lives in Australia and works as a graphic designer. He writes YA novels in his free time--and his head is often lost in the clouds or some place far from reality...

Website: http://florence-books.com/

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Blog Tour + Giveaway: The Sextape: A Dedication to the Ladies by Peprah Boasiako

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༻ BLOG TOUR: THE SEXTAPE by Peprah Boasiako ༺

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• SYNOPSIS • Now live! Grab your copy today!

The Sextape is a collection of very detailed and highly explicit erotic short stories. The seven independent stories that make up The Sextape are written from both male and female points of view, bringing variety to adult readers. Each scene is set in a different environment, with different characters and scenarios.
With scenes featuring two strangers on vacation, to your everyday lovers, to a fancy cougar/cub fling, to an unexpected ex-lovers' meet-up, to a night-to-remember threesome, The Sextape is filled with enough detail to easily stimulate your senses. Take a ride on the wild side, an unforgettable ride you will not regret.
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A veteran of the United States Army, Peprah Boasiako was born and raised in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, in Western Africa. He migrated to the United States in September 2000, at age 16.
Peprah is currently a student of Computer Engineering Technology at DeVry University in New York City. He spends his 'free' time writing fiction and learning the craft of acting.
Peprah likes to think he is capable of venturing out to restricted territories in his writing. He is a sports freak and a big dreamer.
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Saturday, March 14, 2015

Review: Blurred Lines (The Line Between #1.5) by Tamsyn Bester

Genre: New Adult Romance
Publication date: February 24th, 2015
Publisher: Tamsyn Bester
Read: March 2015
Rating: 4/5

Summary:
Hot on the heels of the International Bestselling novel, The Line Between, comes the much-anticipated sequel, Blurred Lines. 

Jade Matthews and Reid Cole have been best friends all their lives. He was the boy who chased away the monsters from under her bed, and she was the girl he knew he was going to spend the rest of his life with. 

But even friendships aren’t always built to last. 

This is a story about two best friends who’s lives change after one night – a night that not even Fate could have stopped. In the aftermath, Reid and Jade lose their friendship, but soon come to find that they were destined to be so much more. 

**Due to language and sexual situations this book is intended for readers older than 18. Although it is about two supporting characters from The Line Between, it is not recommended as a standalone. If you don’t like somewhat clichéd stories, this book isn’t for you. HEA. No cliffy**

My review:

I enjoyed reading Jade and Reid's story. Not as much as Dane and Kennedy, but I still liked it. I'm happy that they had their own book because after reading The Line Between, I was really curious about these two. I wasn't a fan of  Jade and Reid's girlfriend Stella. I have to admit that it was predictable, but that's not really a problem. Stella was so cruel and annoying, but that's not it. The way Jade acted around her pissed me off too. Like she acted so jealous and I didn't even think she made any effort hiding it. Reid was trying to move on, because hello? Jade pushed him away. Stella had the right to be jealous, but Jade? She has no right to act jealous and hurt because she did that to herself. It's not Reid's fault that he wasn't talking to her or not going out with her. She literally just shoved him off.  In The Line Between, Jade was kick-ass, brave and I thought she was a girl who doesn't give a crap about anyone who hurts her, but I didn't see that Jade in this book. 

That was a negative review, but I'll explain why I gave it a 4/5 stars. There were a lot of parts where I was hoping things would happen and they did. I really liked Reid's character, not because he's hot, but he was someone I'd want to be friends with. What I loved about him is how committed he was in a friendship and relationship. Even if Jade wanted to erase him from her life, he was still there for her, he still cared. When Stella did  something bad, he didn't get mad at her right away after his friends told him what she really did. He didn't do judge or anything until he knew what really happened, except in a part that I won't mention because it's a spoiler. 

Book 1 of The Line Between Series ---> Click here

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Review: The Line Between (The Line Between #1) by Tamsyn Bester

Genre: New Adult
Publication date: January 19th, 2015
Publisher: Tamsyn Bester
Read: March 2015
Pages: 254
Rating: 5/5

Summary:
There’s a fine line between love and hate, so fine that you don’t know you’ve lost balance until it’s too late.
I’m not sure exactly when I lost my balance, all I know is that he was to blame.
Dane Winters.
The boy who’d spent most of his life hating me for reasons I never understood.


My review:
The funny thing was that I wasn't planning to read this. It was kind of a random choice and I ended up loving it.

 It was March break and I was bored at home. I couldn't read any of my books in my TBR pile. So, I said I'll just look for a nice contemporary romance on Amazon. I saw this book on the first page, I read the summary and I was hooked. I love "love, hate" relationships, so I purchased it on my Kindle app. 

"There's a fine line between love and hate, so fine that you don't know you've lost balance until it's too late."
What I really loved about this book was  obviously the relationship between Dane and Kennedy. Their fights/arguments were very entertaining and funny, I caught myself laughing a few times. I also loved how their love story progressed throughout the story. Kennedy learned how to toughen up. I was hooked from the beginning until the end because I still didn’t know why  Dane was acting like the way he was around Kennedy. He hated her for no reason and it got me saying like dude? What the hell is your problem? I hated it him in some scenes because he was such a jerk. 

"Dane Winters could never be my home."
Both main characters had their own best friends and they really leave you with so many questions it was annoying... in a good way! Reid and Jade were inseparable one day and next thing you know they're fighting like cats and dogs. Don't worry though, they have their own book. ;)


I gave this book a 5/5 stars because I loved it. I have to be honest that it wasn’t perfect because I got annoyed at some point, but overall it was really entertaining and it was worth the read.


About the author:
I'm 23 years old & the ultimate Book Brat :) Coffee & Books are my drugs of choice, neither of which will be kicked to the curb any time soon! I go through a book a day & when I'm not reading I'm working on my next novel :)I'm a sucker for New Adult Contemporary Romance with a whole lot of sexy thrown in & my number one rule is I won't read a book unless it has a happy ending! I also have the unhealthiest obsession with the South,and I don't mean my home country of South Africa - I mean cowboys, pick up trucks, sexy as sin Southern accents, cowboy boots and barefoot bluejean nights! One day, I will live in Alabama & I will have my own Indie publishing house - my philosophy is if your dreams don't scare you they're not big enough :) 

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Review: The Innocent Assassins by Pema Donyo

Genre: Young Adult
Publication date: June 24th, 2014
Publisher: Astraea Press
Read: March 2015
Pages: 344
Rating: 4/5

Summary:
There are three rules to staying an assassin at the corporation of Covert Operatives: (1) your parents must be deceased, (2) your contracts must remain confidential, and (3) you must be under the age of eighteen.

After a murder mission goes awry a month before her eighteenth birthday, Covert Operatives assassin Jane Lu finds herself caught by the federal government and forced to spy for the CIA while remaining in Covert Operatives. Once her spying mission is over she will be allowed to live a civilian life without facing criminal consequences, a life she's only dreamed of having.

As Jane leaks information to the CIA, she uncovers secrets with enough power to both destroy Covert Operatives and her own boyfriend, Adrian King, who's next in line to be CEO of the company. When her identity as a double agent for the CIA is discovered within Covert Operatives, she must decide where her allegiance, and her heart, truly lies.


My review:

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What I liked about this book is how courageous, determined and honest the main character Jane was, especially in the beginning. If you didn't know, I love brave characters. I also really like where the story was set, it was a very interesting kind of world and It'd be nice to learn more about it. 

There were some decisions the protagonist made that I wasn't necessarily happy about, but the good thing was that I didn't get really annoyed by her. I loved how right from the beginning we met her boyfriend. I enjoyed reading their arguments. In real life, arguments between couples are never fun, but in books, It's actually pretty entertaining. Who agrees? 

Normally, I hate love triangles. I don't know if this is a spoiler or not, if it is, I'm sorry for spoiling y'all. Anyway, there was a love triangle in this book and I can't say I hated it. It was actually pretty awesome, because I didn't like both of them and the ending was pretty satisfying. What I hate about love triangle is when I like both guys and in the end I know someone is going to be heart broken and it just pisses me off. 

The story was really good, although I didn't really connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. The author's writing is impressive knowing she's still in college. It gives me hope (fingers crossed) that It's not impossible for me to write a book. hehe. I recommend this to readers who loves fantasy/dystopian stories with romance in it. 

About the author:
Pema Donyo is the author of The Innocent Assassins and One Last Letter. She's also a coffee-fueled college student by day and a creative writer by night. As a sophomore at Claremont McKenna, she’s still working on mastering that delicate balance between finishing homework, meeting publisher deadlines, and… college. 

Black coffee, period dramas, spoken word poetry, faded book covers, and peanut butter continue to be the driving forces in her life. 

Find her online at http://pemadonyo.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter @https://twitter.com/PemaDonyo

UPDATES!

Hello everyone,
I just wanted to announce that I won't have a "Blog Schedule" anymore. I'll probably bring it back one day, but for now I won't be doing it anymore. The reason why is because It's stressing me out. As you may know already, I still go to school and I get pretty busy and stressed out most of the time. It's currently our March break and I decided that I will only post when I have time soI won't feel like I'm obligated to post every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday anymore. Thank you for understanding :)

x
Rochelle

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Release Blitz #5: Easy Love by Kristen Proby

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We are so excited to bring you the Release Blitz for Kristen Proby's EASY LOVE! EASY LOVE is a Contemporary Erotic Romance novel and is the 1st book in The Boudreaux Series!  

Easy Love

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Easy Love teaser 1Easy Love teaser 3About EASY LOVE: Eli Boudreaux’s family has built ships and boats in Louisiana for generations. He comes from a hardworking, wealthy family and his empire is growing by leaps and bounds. At thirty, he is the youngest CEO to ever head Bayou Enterprises, co-chairing with his eldest brother. His head for business and his no-nonsense work ethic is also quickly making him the best the company has seen in generations. His staff admires him, women adore him and Eli’s family is solid. But he’s recently discovered that someone on the inside of his business is stealing from him and he’s determined to find out who. Kate O’Shaughnessy is hired by companies all over the world to slip inside and investigate every member of the organization from the CEO down to the custodial staff to find the person or persons responsible for embezzling. She’s excellent at blending, becoming part of the team, and finding the weakest link. She’s smart, quick-witted, and she’s now been hired by Bayou Enterprises, specifically Eli Boudreaux. The attraction is immediate and the chemistry is off the charts, but Kate has heard all about Eli’s playboy past and she has a job to do. Sleeping with the boss isn’t a part of that job, even if just the sound of her name rolling off that Cajun tongue and the way he fills out a designer suit does make her sweat. Eli’s southern charms surprise Kate. The man whose reputation labels him as a ruthless, callous womanizer is not the man she’s coming to know intimately. He’s generous, protective and makes her smile. Cracking through Kate’s cool, reserved demeanor and discovering her love of sexy, expensive lingerie is a challenge Eli can’t resist, but her sweet nature, love of family and sense of humor pull at him in ways no one else ever has. But when the person responsible for trying to single-handedly dismantle Eli’s empire comes to light, and it’s time for Kate to move on, to what lengths will Eli go to keep the woman he’s fallen in love with by his side?
Author pic_Montana
ABOUT KRISTEN PROBY: 

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Kristen Proby is the author of the popular With Me in Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type—fiercely protective and a bit bossy—and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, and sunshine. And naps. Visit her at KristenProby.com.    

Website**Facebook**Twitter**Author Goodreads**Novel Goodreads

 

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Review: Prodigy (Legend #2) by Marie Lu

Genre: Dystopian/ YA
Publication date: January 29th, 2013
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Read: February 2015
Pages: 371
Rating: 5/5

Summary:
Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games? 

My review:

This second book was a great read like the first one. It took me a lot longer to finish it because of school but I still enjoyed it from the beginning until the end. I feel like June and Day's relationship was more solid in this book. There were still doubts on both sides but we all know they both love each other even if one of them still didn't admit it. I was really torn on who to believe. The Patriots? or Anden? In the beginning I was with the Patriots because they helped Day and June heal, but at some point I believed what Anden was saying. When I got to know more about his character, I learned to trust him. He seemed very kind and honest and was different from his father. Like June, even though I had a feeling Anden was telling the truth, I still thought he was lying. Tess was really annoying, I don't really know why. She was a great friend and I knew why she was acting that way around Day and June, but I still find her character disturbing. If you perhaps didn't enjoy the first book that much, you should give this second book a chance. There was a plot twist near the end that somewhat shattered my heart into millions of pieces. 
Legend (Legend #1) Book Review

Review: Losing It (Losing It #1) by Cora Carmack

Genre: New Adult
Publication date: October 15th, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Read: February 2015
Pages: 189
Rating: 5/5

Summary:
Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, Bliss Edwards decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible - a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren't embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She'd left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

My review:

As much as I'd like to write a long review, this will be short because there's not much to say. You know when a book was so good you just have no words to describe your feelings? But I had to try because one day I'll read this review and be like "Damn, I remember how awesome that book was!" and will certainly reread it. 

This book was AMAZING, INCREDIBLE, MARVELOUS, AWESOME, ENTERTAINING, AWKWARD AND HILARIOUS! I've been wanting to read this book for so long and now that I finally read it, ahhhhhhhh I'm pleased!

Bliss was so awkwardly funny and she reminded me so much of my friend. I adored her character so much. Garrick was really sweet, fun and very attractive especially with his British accent. There were so many scenes I loved that I want to share with you guys but I don't want to spoil you. If you love romance, specifically new adult, you will enjoy this book. You will laugh, swoon, laugh, swoon, laugh and swoon again. hahaha. I really wished this book was longer. 


About the author:
Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Losing It series. 

Review: Frostfire (Kanin Chronicles #1) by Amanda Hocking

Genre: Paranormal Romance/ YA
Publication date: January 6th, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Read: February 2015
Pages: 321
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes.


Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who's determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite King’s Guard to protect the royal family. She's not going to let anything stand in her way, not even a forbidden romance with her boss Ridley Dresden.

But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin– a fallen hero she once loved – begins kidnapping changelings. Bryn is sent in to help stop him, but will she lose her heart in the process? 


My review:

I was thrilled when I found out Amanda Hocking was going to write another book series set in the Trylle world. If you didn't know, The Trylle Series was the reason why I'm now a bookworm. In that series I was actually torn. I wasn't a big fan of the love triangle because it was a little predictable who Wendy was going to end up with. However, I still loved that series because it made me get into reading. 

Frostfire was satisfying and I was happy with how this new series started. I did have a good feeling about it before reading the book. I adored the new characters and the old ones like Finn Holmes and Ember Holmes who appeared in the previous series. The main character Bryn was a pretty tough character and that's what I loved about her. Although, like Finn, she took her job very seriously and wouldn't do anything to distract her from her job such as Love.

"For you, I would lay down my life any day."
Ridley reminded me a little bit of Finn. Though, he's less mysterious. He's a little older than Bryn, but I felt like they were the same age. The romance in this book wasn't that big, like Switched (the first book in the Trylle Series). I didn't really mind because the story in general was interesting and a little bit of romance wasn't a problem for me.

Unlike the last series, I actually wanted a love triangle. haha. Konstantin Black was very mysterious and I was really curious about his character. Even though he was the enemy, I felt like there was something good in him that the others didn't know. I think he was just blackmailed by someone who was much more superior than him.


About the author:
Amanda Hocking is a lifelong Minnesotan obsessed with Batman and Jim Henson. In between watching cooking shows, taking care of her menagerie of pets, and drinking too much Red Bull Zero, she writes young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

Her New York Times best-selling series the Trylle Trilogy has been optioned for films. She has published fifteen novels, including the Hollows and the Watersong series. Frostfire - the first book in her newest trilogy, the Kanin Chronicles - is out now, and the second book - Ice Kissed - will be May 5, 2015.

For more info about her and her books, here are some other places to check out and ways to contact her:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandahockingfans

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/aehocking/

Wattpad: www.wattpad.com/AmandaHocking

Email: hockingbooks@hotmail.com

Tumblr: amandahocking.tumblr.com/

Website: www.worldofamandahocking.com 

TBR for this week

I'll read and finish reading Innocent Assassins by Pema Donyo and Florence by Ciye Cho because if I don't finish it this week, I won't have time after. I'm actually pretty excited to read these two review copies because after reading their summary, I'm really intrigued.

Also, I'm going to post all the book reviews(Prodigy, Frostfire, Losing It...) I have to post this week...hopefully xD

Well except the two books I just mentioned, my review on them will be posted later this month. 

x

Rochelle