[Blog Tour] Review: Heart of Mist by by Helen Scheuerer + Giveaway

Heart of Mist (The Oremere Chronicles #1)
by Helen Scheuerer
Published on: August 31st 2017
Published by: Talem Press
Purchase on: Amazon

Synopsis:

In a realm where toxic mist sweeps the lands and magic is forbidden, all Bleak wants is a cure for her power.

Still grieving the death of her guardian and dangerously self-medicating with alcohol, Bleak is snatched from her home by the Commander of the King’s Army, and summoned to the capital.

But the king isn’t the only one interested in Bleak’s powers.

The leader of an infamous society of warriors, the Valia Kindred, lays claim to her as well, and Bleak finds herself in the middle of a much bigger battle than she anticipated.

Heart of Mist is the gripping first book in The Oremere Chronicles, a fantasy series of epic proportions.

Blog Tour Schedule can be found here

Review

I decided to join the Heart of Mist blog tour to kinda force myself into reading because I've been on and off (but more so with on) a terrible book slump this year. Shealea @ The Bookshelf Bitch's rave tweets about this helped a lot in that decision though! 

While I can't say that I read the whole book in one seat nor that this cured this terrible book slump of mine, Heart of Mist sure is still one heck of an enjoyable book with distinct, mysterious, fun characters and a rich, complex, fantasy world.

One of the things that I really loved about the Heart of Mist is its pacing. There are parts where a lot of interesting things are happening at the same time, one after another; the pace can get too fast that my slump just don't have the time to make me bored. However, there are also moments where the information gets too much. As far as the characters go, I can't say that the protagonist, Bleak, is my favorite character because she can really be a handful but I also see that she has a lot of room for character growth and I'm actually pretty excited about that. As well, this is told in multiple POVs but for me, Bleak's POV is the most fun to read. It's also worth noting that Bleak is an alcoholic here. I had to do a double take in the first chapter and question myself if she was really the protagonist lol. But moving on, the other characters like Fiore, Swinton, and Bren though-- oh. they are to die for! I also found myself liking the Valian warriors despite their nature. Like I said this book has distinct characters. You might not like one character but rest assured that there's plenty more characters that you will fall in love with.

Speaking of love, there's sooo little romance here and as someone who's a huge sucker for romance... I don't mind it. At all. I guess the hints are there but they're just that: Hints. And for me, if I'm able to like a book that's got no romance then that's one hella good book.

Disclaimer: A review copy was received for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Giveaway

Follow this link below for the giveaway!

Book Review: #famous by Jilly Gagnon (ARC)

#famous
by Jilly Gagnon
Published on: February 14th 2017
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
Purchase links: Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis:

In this modern-day love story, Girl likes Boy, Girl takes photo of Boy and posts it online, Boy becomes accidentally insta-famous. And what starts out as an innocent joke spirals into a whirlwind adventure that could change both their lives—and their hearts—forever. But are fame and love worth the price?

Told in alternating points of view, #famous captures the out-of-control thrill ride of falling for someone in front of everyone.

Review

#famous is such a cute read! Yes, it's cliché. Yes, it's predictable. Yes, Kyle is practically that dude from Target who went viral, but who cares? These didn’t change the fact that #famous is a fluffy, light-hearted book that made me ultra happy. I enjoyed reading it probably a lot more than I care to admit, because I’ll be honest; this isn’t the first time I’ve read a book about a popular dude and an outcast girl who fell in love with each other plus a jealous ex-girlfriend on the side. But, #famous isn’t only that. Like almost everything, #famous also has its own kind of uniqueness.

I think the way #famous tackled viral internet stuff and memes is what everyone can ultimately relate to with this book, though I thought that the representation here was a bit tamed. Everyone has probably said something either bad or good about people who became famous on the internet but what everybody doesn’t think of is how those comments affect said famous people. We often say things about them and to them not caring how they’re gonna feel about it because we think that just because they’re famous, they somehow got immune to insults and bullying and that is most definitely not true.

Something I found ironic about the characters however is that Rachel is actually a lot more interesting and funny than Kyle who’s supposed to be the more liked one – proof that people are more likely to admire someone based on their looks and not on what they do. Go figure. But all in all,  while I liked both Rachel and Kyle, Ollie is my most favorite character and I’m so bummed that he doesn’t have more scenes!

#famous gets released on Feb 14th! So if you’re looking for a nice read on Valentine’s, #famous is a great choice for you– okay, what the heck, lemme scratch that. #famous is the perfect read for everyone who wants something fluffy and light and happy regardless what day of the year it is!

Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 stars!

Book Review: Blood, Bullets, and Bones: The Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Homes to DNA by Bridget Heos

Blood, Bullets, and Bones: The Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes to DNA 
by Bridget Heos
Expected publication: October 4th 2016
Published by: Balzer + Bray

Synopsis:

Ever since the introduction of DNA testing, forensic science has been in the forefront of the public’s imagination, thanks especially to popular television shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. But forensic analysis has been practiced for thousands of years. Ancient Chinese detectives studied dead bodies for signs of foul play, and in Victorian England, officials used crime scene photography and criminal profiling to investigate the Jack the Ripper murders. In the intervening decades, forensic science has evolved to use the most cutting-edge, innovative techniques and technologies.

In this book, acclaimed author Bridget Heos uses real-life cases to tell the fascinating history of modern forensic science, from the first test for arsenic poisoning to fingerprinting, firearm and blood spatter analysis, DNA evidence, and all the important milestones in between. By turns captivating and shocking, Blood, Bullets, and Bones demonstrates the essential role forensic science has played in our criminal justice system.

Review

This is my first time to review a nonfiction book and this is also the first nonfiction I've read this year! I'm not big on nonfics but after seeing this on Edelweiss, I just couldn't not read it because forensic science!

After reading Blood, Bullets, and Bones, I feel like I now have what it takes to solve a cold case. But of course that's a stretch. 

Point is: I learned so many things from this book. From the science of murder investigations to the State laws (which doesn't really have any significance to me unless Philippines and USA have the same laws but it's nonetheless interesting.)

Serial killers stories have always fascinated (and terrified) me. Sometimes, I'd spend several hours on r/unsolvedmystery and other parts of the Internet just reading about real life murder stories and cold cases. But reading this book, I have come to the conclusion that murder investigations are 10000000x even more captivating and impressive. Science truly is amazing. But even if it has greatly evolved compared to centuries ago, it's true that it's still lacking in some aspects and the state laws still have several loopholes.

It's so depressing to read about people who were wrongfully convicted of crimes they didn't commit only to be exonerated 30 years later. In worse cases, they die from death sentence before their innocence is proved several years later. But, it's also terrifying when the ones who truly committed the crime gets acquitted only to confess to it after.

This book is very fast paced. There were no dull moments because it doesn't linger very long on any one case and the accounts are all brief and straight to the point, and neutral too. The transitions between stories are very smooth as well which made this unputdownable.

I rarely read nonfiction books (If I do at all) but for me this was a really good read.

Disclaimer: An early review copy was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 stars

[Blog Tour] Review: Between Shadows by Chanel Cleeton

Between Shadows (An Assassins Novel)
by Chanel Cleeton
Release date: January 19, 2016
Genre: Thriller

Synopsis:

A sexy new thriller about love and revenge from the author of the Capital Confessions and International School series…

X lives by three rules: Show no weakness. Trust no one. Don’t get caught. She lives by the rules they gave her.

The Academy—set in London, shrouded in secrecy—it trains spies, computer experts, and assassins. Their mission? Dispensing justice and altering the course of world politics. Or so they think. In a world where secrets are weapons and some kills are impossible to forget, everything X thought she knew about her life is about to change.

They taught her to fight. To blend into the shadows like a ghost, to operate on the fringes of society, to change her identity with ease. They taught her to kill.

She’ll need every skill they taught her, to stay alive.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo

Review:

"It’s the banner I’ll carry when I annihilate them."

“Maybe I’ll see if I can play with you later.” I laugh, the sound harsh in the cold London night. You don’t play with a vial of smallpox.

Can we talk about how badass our protagonist, X, is? Because damn, that girl says the most kickass lines ever and she's not just all talk! There's tons of action here too. In fact, we get to see X's fierceness at the start of the book right off the bat.

X is a trained assassin who works for the Academy and is regarded as the best student in class. She has a younger sister, Grace, who specializes in computers. Both of them are orphans whose childhood lives are shrouded by tragedy and secrets that even to them are unknown. This backstory plays a major role in the story and although it comes up from time to time through X’s dreams, it doesn’t fully show up until the latter part of the book because first, X had to deal with her history with Luke. *cue fangirl shrill*

Luke is also an assassin in the Academy, the best one before X took the top spot. It was clear in the beginning that he and X has a history together but it was only revealed little by little as the story progressed. However, the fact that they were romantically involved was pretty much obvious from the start. And if you put that and the fact that they are both assassins working under an organization that technically has its hands wrapped around their necks, you can pretty much get the gist of what happened between the two or why X chose to betray Luke.

Other than Luke is incredibly hot though, he is also really badass. Think of Rose and Dimitri from Vampire Academy. X and Luke are similar in terms of their badassness, but the similarities stop there. I love that X and Luke treat each other equally. Honestly, I think there’s nothing hotter than a kickass couple who regard each other as equals. There are times when Luke becomes protective of X but it always ends up to him supporting her.

As well, I love the relationship between Luke and X. Although they have a past and their attraction to each other was practically visible even at the beginning, their romance is still the slow burn type aka my type of romance. X did something to Luke that made him disappear for two years and when he came back, they were both different persons.

Their past made a huge dent if not destroyed their mutual trust, but apparently not the feelings, that when they met again, the two were constantly battling their minds and emotions as to whether to trust the other or not. It was evident when Luke thought that something came up within the Academy that could potentially endanger their lives and redefine X and Grace’s past. This was made even worse (for them but exciting for me) because they still have feelings for each other.

Overall, Between the Shadows by Chanel Cleeton is one exciting thriller with a well-paced plot, fierce characters, and enthralling storyline that will keep your eyes glued to the pages from the beginning till end.

Rating: 4/5 stars!

About the Author

Originally a Florida girl, CHANEL CLEETON moved to London where she received a bachelor’s degree from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chanel fell in
love with London and planned to streay there forever, until fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise and a fighter pilot with smooth dance moves swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure.

Law school made Chanel realize she’d rather spend her days writing sexy stories than in a courtroom, and she hasn’t looked back since. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she’s happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, her three pups, and her husband. 



Chanel writes contemporary romances, women’s fiction, and thrillers. She is published by Harlequin HQN, Penguin/InterMix, and Penguin/Berkley and is the author of the International School, Capital Confessions, and Wild Aces series.

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[Blog Tour] Review: Not Okay Cupid by Heidi R. Kling + Giveaway

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Not Okay Cupid
by Heidi R. Kling
Publication date: January 11th 2016
Published by: Entangled: Crush
Purchase links: Amazon | B&N | Entangled Pub

Synopsis:

Her wicked revenge, or his wicked heart...

Hazel McCallister loves her life. Perfect grades. Perfect best friend. Perfect boyfriend. Until her perfect boyfriend cheats on her with her perfect best friend. Now Hazel’s in free fall—until her best friend’s brother, Felix, gives her the perfect idea. Reclaim her power by taking revenge on her cheating ex.

Felix James loves his life. Casual relationships. Loads of surfing. He’s as drama-free as they come. But he can’t stand by when his sister steals her best friend’s boyfriend, and the dude insists it was Hazel’s fault. So Felix vows to help turn Hazel into a girl her ex can’t resist—so then she can break his heart.


With an alliance in place, Hazel’s revenge is all but assured. But with each piece of payback, she feels a stronger attraction to Felix, even though revenge will turn her into a girl Felix could never be with. And soon Hazel has to make an impossible choice: revenge...or Felix, the boy who’s stolen her heart.


WARNING! This book contains betrayal, revenge, and that most tempting vice of all, the bad boy you know you can't have.

I can’t stress enough just how cute Not Okay Cupid is. The book is short and the plot is very light. It delves into the topics of friendship, familial relationships, and romance which is what main focus of the book is. This isn’t the first time that I’ve read a book of its kind. With its summary, I think we already know where the story is headed to, but Not Okay Cupid has its own brand of uniqueness that makes it a compelling read.

Not Okay Cupid has a pair of main characters that add complex to the plot which, admittedly, is what the plot department lacks. I wouldn’t say that Hazel is an easy character to like though. She’s prejudiced and she’s the kind of girl that plans everything out including her future with her then boyfriend, Jay, who she found out was cheating on her with her bestfriend, Kimmy, who happened to be Felix’ sister.

Felix, unlike Hazel, is a very likeable character. I wasn’t that into him initially because of the way Hazel described him as like the typical high school pretty boy who gets a lot of girls but never taking any of them seriously. While it has some truth, there is more to Felix than just that. Felix is a very caring son and brother. He is selfless – always putting his family first before him unlike his sister, Kimmy, who cares more about shopping than helping the family meet the ends.

Felix is also pretty mischievous. In fact, he was the one who came up with the idea of fake dating to get revenge on Kimmy and Jay. I know it doesn’t sound like a smart idea what with all the books we’ve all read with the same theme, but still, I like that no matter how much Felix loved his bitch of a sister, he didn’t just stand there and watch the drama unfold instead he acknowledged that what his sister did was wrong most especially since it was her bestfriend whose boyfriend she stole. He set up a plan to punish both Kimmy and Jay by pretending to be dating Hazel just to throw them off and to get Jay jealous as well. Felix is definitely not a rocket scientist but he is compassionate and sympathetic. I also thought it was pretty cute that he was a needy fake boyfriend. He was aware of it and he tries not to be like it because he knew it was wrong to act like it so he wants to give her space. He’s also plenty excited about practically everything and I found that to be extremely cute!

Also, I love the mothers in this book! Hazel’s and Felix’s mothers are a sarcastic bunch and I love the dynamics they have with their children. As well, I like that these characters are three-dimensional. Hazel started out as a judgmental girl who only cared about the things that she has planned out, but as the story progressed and she got to spend more time with Felix, she slowly opened up to him, and to the things he did and to the people he was acquainted with that ultimately led to her growth as a character.

Not Okay Cupid is the perfect book for those looking for a fast and easy read that’s light, romantic and compelling.

Rating: 4/5 stars!

Giveaway

a #Heartbreak tank top that looks like this and was inspired by Not Okay, Cupid (as the series name for this book is High School Heartbreakers):  Link here

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About the Author

After earning her BA in Literature & Creative Writing Literature from UC Santa Cruz and finding her voice in YA, Heidi went on to earn her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School. She has directed and written children’s theatre on both coasts and lives with her husband and two children in Palo Alto, CA.

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[Blog Tour] Review: I See London by Chanel Cleeton

I See London (I See London #1)
by Chanel Cleeton
ebook, 319 pages
Published February 3rd 2014 by Harlequin HQN
Purchase here: Amazon | B&N | iTunes

Synopsis:

Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.

When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.

Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

This is a New Adult romance recommended for readers 17 and up.

Review:

Aaaand another book gets added to my list of sexy books! Did you know that before 2014, I only read young adult books and two or three new adult books that are not really NA but are more like YA? I wanted to expand my reading genre this year and though NA has let me down a couple of times before, I still thrived. That said, I’m glad to report that I See London is my fifth NA this year AND this is also the fifth NA that I came to love this year!

I initially thought that I See London was a standalone so I was surprised that it has a sequel, London Falling, which by the way I’m really excited about because one of the five NA’s I’ve read this year has the same title and I loved it as well. Though with the way the book left off, I am actually really glad that we’re going to get more from the characters, but with that, you can also deduce that this has a cliffhanger, but not the heart-attack inducing type.

Maggie is a fun character whom I can relate to at first. She’s easy-going, innocent and a very hard-working student. She even got accepted to the International School in London. She was, overall, a good girl but when she started attending the International School and met different people, she started to become a different person too; favoring parties and boys over her studies. Though this is obviously the wrong way to a good character growth, I actually liked watching her transition from a good girl to an irresponsible girl. We have two hotties vying for Maggie’s affection here. If you’ve read my previous reviews, you’ll know that I don’t like love triangles at all. However, I have faith in my OTP and I know that whatever happens, I’ll get what I want in the end. *rubs hands and chuckles maniacally* it’s true tho.

Another thing I really liked about I See London is the side characters. Fleur. My word, that girl is a bitch, but somehow I love her. If you told me before that this book is part of a series, I’d assume that it’s a series of companion novels and that Fleur’s story is next. Either way, I’d read the sequel whether it’s Fleur’s story or not, because it’s just good. I See London has its own brand of flaws but despite that, it’s an enjoyable read with well-paced plot and an easy air to it.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Disclosure: A review copy was received as part of the I See London blog tour in exchange for an honest review. No compensation of any kind was received for this.

Giveaway

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About the Author

Originally a Florida girl, at seventeen Chanel moved to London to attend an international university. In the four years that follow
ed, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, learned how to dance, travelled through Europe, and made lifelong friendships. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever. But fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise, when an American fighter pilot with smooth dance moves, swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure in South Korea. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she is happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, puppy cuddles, and her fighter pilot husband. Chanel writes New Adult contemporary romances and Young Adult thrillers. Her New Adult debut, I SEE LONDON, will be released by Harlequin (HQN) on February 3, 2014, followed by a sequel, LONDON FALLING, later in the year.

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[Blog Tour] Review: Where You'll Find Me + Giveaway

Where You'll Find Me
by Erin Fletcher
Kindle Edition, 211 pages
Published January 7th 2014 by Entangled: Teen
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Purchase here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes 

Synopsis:

When Hanley Helton discovers a boy living in her garage, she knows she should kick him out. But Nate is too charming to be dangerous. He just needs a place to get away, which Hanley understands. Her own escape methods—vodka, black hair dye, and pretending the past didn't happen—are more traditional, but who is she to judge?

Nate doesn't tell her why he's in her garage, and she doesn't tell him what she's running from. Soon, Hanley¹s trading her late-night escapades for all-night conversations and stolen kisses. But when Nate¹s recognized as the missing teen from the news, Hanley isn't sure which is worse: that she's harboring a fugitive, or that she's in love with one.

Review:

Where You’ll Find Me is a very fast-paced read. With only a little more than 200 pages, it still managed to weave all the threads together and unfold the mystery quite wonderfully. I love that it started right off the bat and didn’t dwell too much in the unnecessary.

Initially, I had mixed feelings about Hanley and Nate’s first meeting. On one hand, it was interesting and smile-inducing. Hanley’s reaction afterwards, on the other hand, was not something I’d expect from someone who found out that she has a stranger living in her garage. But also at the same time, this is where the story got even more interesting – which is practically only a few pages from the first one – so you can see how I had such a hard time trying to put down this book. I was immediately curious about Nate. Nate is so very secretive that even I was quickly drawn to his mysterious past. I wanted to know what brought him to Hanley’s garage especially since he didn’t seem like a street person at all. It was this mystery combined with the different dynamics that got me absorbed in this book.

I loved that Erin covered not only the romantic relationship between Nate and Hanley, but as well as friendship and familial relationships. I’m a huge romance junkie and the relationship that I’m almost always interested in books is the romantic one, so it was very much surprising how I came to love the other dynamics almost more than the romance itself.

Apart from that, we also get to witness the remarkable growth in the characters. The synopsis makes it sound like a light and easy read, but it’s really far from that. This story has depth and both our characters have so many stories to tell. Nate and Hanley are both troubled by their own personal demons and they handle their problems in different ways but in the end, they learn to supplement what the other is lacking and together they overcome the obstacles that came with them.

I always tell myself that I don’t like stories with so much drama in it and I will still try to avoid them if possible but at the same time, what I love the most about this type of stories is how the characters stand up after falling so many times. I love the happy feeling I get when the characters finally get the happiness they deserve. Where You’ll Find Me comes with a beautiful story and wraps up with an equally wonderful ending. I know some people have mixed feelings about it but I’m thankful for Erin for including it! Where You’ll Find Me is Erin’s first novel but this surely won’t be the last of her that I will read.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Disclosure: An advance reading copy was received for review for the Where You'll Find Me blog tour. No compensation of any kind was received for this honest review.  

Giveaway

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About the Author

Erin Fletcher is a morning person who does most of her writing before sunrise while drinking excessive quantities of coffee, believes flip-flops qualify as year-round footwear, and would spend every day at the beach if she could. She has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics (which is almost never useful when writing books) and lives in North Carolina.

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[Blog Tour] Review: Snowed Over + Giveaway

Snowed Over
by Angie Stanton
Kindle Edition, 126 pages
Published October 12th 2012 by Vanguard Management, Inc.
Source: AToMR (Blog Tour host)
Purchase here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

To college student, Katie Brandt, ‘Home for the Holidays’ sounds like hell. When her parents separated, their holiday traditions shattered like a dropped ornament. What could be worse than celebrating Christmas with her suddenly single mom and mom’s new boyfriend?

Alex Walker, an engaged 20-year-old, dreads going home for his own reasons. He has a daunting task ahead of him and wishes he could skip the holidays altogether. So when a friend of a friend needs a ride north, Alex finds that having beautiful Katie seated by his side proves to be just the distraction he needs.

A simple ride home for Christmas turns into a nightmare when light snow rages into a full-scale blizzard. Katie and Alex find themselves stranded, and a vacant cabin becomes a haven from the storm. Under different circumstances, time alone with Alex would be the ultimate Christmas gift, but Katie knows Alex is engaged and she must hide her growing attraction.

However, Alex harbors a secret that just might change this holiday from the worst Christmas ever, to the best.

Snowed Over is the sort of short story that everyone would enjoy more if read in a more appropriate environment. Like for example on a cold Christmas night while sitting near the hearth, wrapped in a comfortable blanket with a hot chocolate on hand. Honestly, I was almost guilty for reading this without the aforementioned non-requirements! But that aside, Snowed Over is a feel-good short story and no type of surrounding could have stopped all the grins that kept creeping up to my face on the entire course of my reading this.

Snowed Over, though leans more on the romantic aspect, also tackles familial relationships albeit underdeveloped. I like that Angie incorporated backdrops of Alex and Katie's families. Katie's parents are facing divorce and she has been having a hard time accepting that fact as well as the fact that her mother is currently dating Not a Boyfriend. Alex has things easier with his family with a fun and supportive younger brother, and parents who both seemed caring. His relationship with his family is tight. The only downside in his life is his current fiance, Trina, whom he has been trying to break up with but to no avail.

Katie is a very rational character and I love that about her. I notice in most books that characters tend to abandon logic when faced with possible hot makeout session so I admire Katie because despite being attracted to Alex, she didn't set aside the fact that he is engaged to another girl and actually calls him out for kissing her. She doesn't only know, but she also acknowledges that no one deserves to be cheated on, even if that person is the ultimate bitch fiancee. I only wish she was consistent on this train of thought.

Alex, on the other hand, despite kissing another girl even when he's about to be married, is not entirely an asshole. He's actually an incredibly nice guy who was forced to be committed into a difficult relationship with a manipulative girl. And I was ultimately pleased by how he handled things with Trina toward the end. It was harsh, but even I couldn't see a better way to do things the way he did.

As a short story, I feel like there are a couple of points that Angie did not cover. Moreover, some parts also lacked in depth descriptions that could have given the important scenes more impact. But ironically, I'm also grateful for that because I have only ever pegged this to be a soul-soothing novella and I don't think it could have managed that had Angie included way too much drama.

If you're into cute and romantic reads, Snowed Over is the perfect novella for you. It has chocolates, wine, mice droppings, and, dude, SNOW! 

Rating: 4/5 stars!

Disclosure: A copy was provided by AToMR as part of the Snowed Over Blog Tour for review purposes only. No compensation of any kind was received for this review and my opinions are all honest and mine.

Giveaway

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Angie Stanton never planned on writing books, she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in a rural setting with her brothers' 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn't work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head she began to write them down and the rest is history.

She loves dipping french fries in chocolate shakes, natural disaster movies and Broadway Musicals. When not writing, Angie is concocting ways to make more dreams come true, whether it be tickets to a Broadway show or convincing her family they should rent an RV and travel the country. She's still working on that one.

Angie is a proud double finalist of the 2011 National Readers Choice Awards for Love 'em or Leave 'em, as well as a finalist for the Golden Quill Awards.

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[Blog Tour: My Date from Hell] Review: My Ex from Hell + Giveaway

Hey there! Today is the final day in My Date from Hell blog tour, and I'll be reviewing the first book, My Ex from Hell. Also, keep scrolling for a chance to win copies of My Ex from Hell and My Date from Hell. You can check out all the tour stops here.

My Ex from Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #1)
by Tellulah Darling
Paperback, 272 pages
Published April 1st 2013 by Te Da Media
Source: AToMR Blog Tours

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following:
a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)
b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.

Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy teen yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.

Literally.

This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.

Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.

Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …

… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.

My Ex From Hell is a YA romantic comedy/Greek mythology smackdown. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book one of this teen fantasy romance series. Compared to Kai and Sophie, Romeo and Juliet had it easy

The story begins with Sophie Bloom planning to take revenge on the yoga-goddess, Bethany, to try to slip her with a laxative on the night of the Halloween dance so Bethany can end up answering the call of nature all night while Sophie pretends to be Bethany and hook up with the super hot guy Bethany was supposed to meet. But this super hot guy, Kai, isn't just an ordinary super hot guy for he is the son of Hades and his kiss triggers memories from Sophie's past, and reveals her true identity.

Seriously, I can't remember the last time I read a book based on Greek Mythology that had me laughing my butt off like this My Ex From Hell did. Sophie Bloom is probably one of the quirkiest characters I have ever met with two best friends, Hannah and Theo, who are about as crazy as her. Hannah and Sophie were the first to be bestfriends when they were kids and Theo joined the band later on. This gives both girls the right to bully Theo from time to time. From the beginning of the story until the end, Sophie doesn't stop making me laugh. Bethany is the ultimate mean girl but Sophie, too, has a mean girl side to her but this rarely surfaces and only when she's had enough of yoga-godesses making her life a living hell. Did I also mention this super hot guy named Kai? Even though Sophie still has doubts about Kai's true feelings for her, I loved their interactions together and I love that they compliment each others' characters.

Inaccuracies aside, Tellulah's take on the Greek Mythology aspects here in My Ex from Hell is fun-filled and very entertaining. The gods and goddesses here are not how we usually picture them out to be but nevertheless, they made the story all the more exciting. In fact, these alterations are what made me enjoy this book so much more. Also, the dialogues. I can't even begin to tell you how epic the interactions of the characters here are. Tellulah is brilliant for coming up with the characters's witty banters. They range from hilarious-normal to hilarious-crazy and I love all of them!

Quirky characters with crazy minds and hilarious dialogues. Add to that, the Underworld fight scenes, adventures and highschool drama, this book practically left me exhausted, with an ending that makes me eager to read the next book! My Ex From Hell is a short and light read that you can laughingly breeze through in just one seat.

Rating: 4/5 stars!

Disclaimer: Copy is provided by the author, Tellulah Darling, and the blog tour host, AToMR. My opinions about this book are my honest opinions and are not influenced by a third party. No compensation was received for making this review.

Buy My Ex From Hell on Amazon | Buy My Ex From Hell on Barnes & Noble

Buy My Date From Hell on Amazon

About the Author

Tellulah Darling
noun

1. YA romantic comedy author because her first kiss sucked and she's compensating.
2. Alter ego of former screenwriter.
3. Sassy minx.

Geeks out over: cool tech.
Squees for: great storytelling.
Delights in: fabulous conversation.
Writes about: where love meets comedy. Awkwardness ensues.

Sassy girls. Swoony boys. What could go wrong?

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

Tellulah is also hosting a contest on her site to give Sophie’s power (her vines of light) a cool name because everything she’s come up with sucks. The winner will get a signed copy of My Date From Hell, a t-shirt featuring a design of one of Kai’s tattoos and will have their power name featured in the final book of the trilogy. Contest runs Oct 21-Nov 7. Details and entry (as of Oct 21) here.

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Book Review: Wild Cards

Wild Cards (Wild Cards #1)
by Simone Elkeles
Hardcover, 342 pages
Expected publication: January 2nd 2014 by Walker UK (first published October 1st 2013)
Source: Publisher

Synopsis:

After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?

Review:

I should hate this book. I have already established a long time ago that I dislike books that are romance-centered. I like subtlety in my romance and I tend to dislike those books with romance and sexual tension in every page, just like what happened in all the books in the Perfect Chemistry series. But unlike Perfect Chemistry, I actually liked Wild Cards a lot.

Wild Cards has about the same elements as Perfect Chemistry, but thank goodness it's only in the milder sense. I don't think I can handle anymore of those "mamacita's" and "chica's" and unnecessary gangster dramas. Like in PC, Wild Cards is told in alternating POV's of the main characters, Ashtyn and Derek. Ashtyn is the only female member of her school's football team and is also the captain. She's quite snarky and very motivated. She knows what she wants and she works hard to get it. Derek, on the other hand, is the prankster from the South who got kicked out of school and transferred to Ashtyn's school. His snark rivals that of Ashtyn's which made all their banters so amusing and enjoyable to read. But unlike the bad boy facade that he usually wears, there is more to Derek than meets the eye. He has his own secrets that's keeping him from moving forward.

There is an insta-attraction between our two protagonists here but if you're used to Simone's writing, you'll find this hardly surprising. From the moment they met until about the end of the book, Ashtyn and Derek kept on ignoring their feelings toward each other. This leaves the readers to deal with the overwhelming sexual tension. Like I said, I'm not used to sexual tension in every page, but what made this tolerable is that our protagonists started off as real enemies. Their first meeting is one that I truly enjoyed reading.

Apart from our main characters, the side characters are also very enjoyable to read about. The readers will get to know a bit about Derek's past in the beginning; like what happened to his mother and what his grandmother did to them. We only get to meet Derek's grandmother about 3/4 through the book but oh, she is such an entertaining character. She is a snob in the most hilarious way possible. Derek's stepmom and stepbrother are both an enjoyable characters also. His stepmom is described as clueless and who probably hadn't finished highschool but regardless, my heart tugged for both of them multiple times.

Although I liked the plot, there are some loose ends that need to be tied together. The ending is my least favorite. It was Simone's last attempt at a cringe-worthy romance and she succeeded at that. It was also abrupt. I was looking forward to Ashtyn and Derek's senior football, but Simone didn't deliver that. But nonetheless, those negative aspects didn't really shake my love for this book. In fact, I'm already looking forward to the next book in this series.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Disclosure: This ARC was received from the publisher (Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

Manga Mondays (1): Blue Exorcist, Vol. 1

Manga Mondays

Manga Mondays is a meme hosted by Alison @ Alison Can Read

This is my first post for Manga Mondays although I've been reading manga since forever. ;p

Blue Exorcist (Blue Exorcist, Vol. 1)
by Kazue Kato
Genre: Shōnen, Action, Supernatural
English, Paperback, 200 pages
Published April 5th 2011 by VIZ Media LLC
Buy the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

This world consists of two dimensions joined as one, like a mirror. The first is the world in which the humans live, Assiah. The other is the world of demons, Gehenna. Ordinarily, travel between the two, and indeed any kind of contact between the two, is impossible.

However the demons can pass over into this world by possessing anything that exist within it.

Satan is the god of demons, but there's one thing that he doesn't have, and that's a substance in the human world that is powerful enough to contain him!

For that purpose he created Rin, his son from a human woman, but will his son agree to his plans? or will he become something else...? An exorcist?

Originally published in Japanese as 青の祓魔師 (Ao no Exorcist); translated in French and English as Blue Exorcist

Review: (Might contain minor spoilers)

When it comes to books, I'm more of the romance type but when it comes to manga, I'm all for the shōnen, action and adventure.

Okumura Rin, our hero, is like your typical shōnen protagonist who is short-tempered, strong-willed, boisterous and war freak. He is the son of a priest/exorcist and is the older twin brother of Yukio who is everything that Rin is not. Yukio is intelligent, patient, polite, responsible and has ambition in life. He is also the more weak-willed one who used to get bullied a lot. I'm a sucker for siblings with unconditional love for each other, so the flashbacks for when Rin used to save and protect Yukio from the bullies moved me.

Rin and Yukio have just finished middle school and while Yukio is to go to True Cross Academy as a scholar, Rin is left to go job hunting. Now, this is where the plot escalates rather quickly. When Rin left for a job interview, he began seeing weird little dark things floating around that no one else seems to be able to see. After, he is confronted by one of his gangster enemies, who later turned out to be a demon. It was also here that Rin discovered that he, too, was demon and the son of Satan, no less. But though he and Yukio are twins, only Rin inherited Satan's demon-blood. This secret was guarded by their adoptive father in order to hide Rin from Satan. These revelations happened in one chapter only and though shōnen manga generally tend to have eventful pilot chapters, I found it slightly discomforting since I've grown more accustomed to the slower pacing in YA novels and other shonen manga.

The second chapter focuses more on Rin and Yukio's relationship as siblings especially after what happened to their adoptive father. Here, we realize that Yukio is not as weak-willed as readers think he is. He continues to be the responsible one to his immature older twin brother which is just amusing to no end. In the third chapter, we meet a new character, Shiemi, an overly shy girl whose grandmother had just died and who also had an instance with a demon which Rin and Yukio helped to exorcise.

Overall, Blue Exorcist is a good addition to the list of shōnen manga with great promise, awesome drawing style and a humor to contend with the rest of them. Rin is definitely a crush-worthy bishie and I can't wait to read more of his adventures!

Cover: That's Rin looking cool and badass. Blue flame is the symbol of Satan and it only appears when he removes the sword from its scabbard. He also grows a tail and his ears become elongated like that of an elf's.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: Ephemeral [Blog Tour]

Ephemeral (Countenance #1)
by Addison Moore
Kindle Edition, 412 pages
Published September 12th 2012 by Addison Moore
Source: Author for blog tour
Buy the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

Description:

Young Adult/ Mature Situations

The last thing Laken Stewart remembers is the oncoming car, then bursting through the windshield.

Two months dissolve without her knowledge and she finds herself in unfamiliar surroundings with strangers who not only profess to know her but insist she’s someone else entirely.

Laken discovers her long dead boyfriend, Wesley, has been thrown into this alternate world as well. He is quick to inform her she suffered a horrible fall and that her memory hasn’t fully returned. According to Wesley the other life she had—her name, her family, they were simply a side effect of her brain trauma.

In her quest for answers she meets Cooper Flanders, the son of her psychiatrist who readily believes every word she says.

Laken Stewart knows she died on that hot July afternoon, but now she’s alive—or is she?

Review:

I started Ephemeral without first reading the synopsis so I really had no idea what the story was about. The shallow me thought that the girl's dress on the cover was pretty thus making the book a worthy read. But lo, I've read so many books with pretty dresses on the covers with stories that did not end up as pretty as their front. And yes, I thought that this might be one of those books BUT fear not, friends. Ephemeral is a quite a shocking novel. Its beginning alone will send you bouncing on your seat and have you screaming for more.

For me, it's important that stories start off with intense beginnings. It sets my reading speed to full blast and my focus to max and it makes me able to read faster while being able to notice every detail of the plot. Of course, the excitement also decreases as the plot start to become tedious, but in Ephemeral's case, the intensity is consistent. I usually just find intensity in action-packed scenes but though Ephemeral has very little fight scenes involved, as it focused more on world-building, the thrill is palpable and the suspense, it's everywhere!

Our main character, Laken, is a very entertaining character who's very easy to like. She's a strong minded person with a very dark sense of humor you will love. The only thing I didn't like much about her was her tendency to be very boy-focused. Most of the time, she just keeps on thinking about Wes, Wes, Wes and Wes. It was a bit annoying at first, to be honest. However, this doesn't go unexplained because from the beginning we already know about Laken's relationship with Wes. And! I'm happy to report that there's a rather interesting growth on Laken's character as the story progressed and there's another guy with the hottest-looking eyes ever I'm sure you're going to love more. And can I just mention how hot this book is? Practically every page is packed with steamy scenes. I admit though that while I love the steamy scenes, I think Addison incorporated too much of it. But hey, hot is HOT!

Overall, Ephemeral is an interesting and refreshing take on paranormal YA that is surprising in the best way possible. Moore has incorporated the supernatural, paranormal and mystery into one unique book that will grab you even from the beginning. From what I've heard, this is somewhat connected to Addison's other series, Celestra. I may not know if Celestra is better or what, but all I can say is that Ephemeral is definitely worth a read.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Disclosure: This book was received from the author as part of Ephemeral blog tour, for free in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

Addison Moore is the author of young adult fiction and romance. She has worked as therapist on a locked psychiatric unit for almost a decade. She is the mother of four wonderful children. She resides on the West Coast with her family and two dogs where she eats too much chocolate and stays up way too late. When she's not writing, she's reading.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Book Review: Hexed

Hexed (Iron Druid Chronicles #2)
by Kevin Hearne
Paperback, 320 pages
Published June 7th 2011 by Del Rey
Source: Bought
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Summary:

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.

With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor’s rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Review:

Hexed was just as fun as Hounded! Atticus and Oberon were as hilarious as ever. I have to say though, my respect for the hound shot up way higher than Atticus in this book. In Hounded, I thought Oberon thought like a 5-year-old kid. He still did in Hexed sometimes, still demanding sausages and bacon. But most of the time, his intelligence beat that of Atticus. He could handle complex conversations with Atticus and could even come up with jokes that would surely crack you up.

In the first half of Hexed, a character we only heard about from Hounded was introduced. A trickster god, Coyote, tricked Atticus into helping him kill a fallen angel who had been causing havoc on a school where one of Coyote's people was studying. In the second half, Atticus was forced to form an agreement with a coven of Polish witches to help annihilate another coven who had become a threat to both the Polish witches and Atticus, as well as to the very few people who were close to him.

Just like Hounded, Hexed was also filled with heart-stopping action-packed scenes that would surely challenge your imagination. One of the things I so loved in this series is the abundance of mythologies. In book 1, we met lots of awesome gods and goddesses and strange creatures from different pantheons and here in book 2, we are introduced to more of them. There was also a lot of running and fighting around naked and the gore leveled up as well.

The characters were just as hilarious and more clever, and the story itself was both enjoyable and nerve-wracking at the same time. But just like Hounded, one of the drawbacks of Hexed for me was that Atticus seemed to always get his way. There were also the rare times when I felt the tediousness of the plot. Although the events were unpredictable, the results were not. But even though I knew how the fights were going to end, I can't deny that this brought me to the edge of my seat for almost the entire duration of the book. If you're looking for a read that exudes with exhilarating fight scenes and one that would also make you double over with so much laughter, you must pick up this series NOW.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Book Review: My Life Next Door

My Life Next Door
by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Hardcover, 395 pages
Published June 14th 2012 by Dial Books For Young Readers
Source: Bought
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

Review:

The first time I saw this book on Goodreads, I squealed in delight. I thought it had the cutest premise ever. Not the most original one out there, but a cute premise is cute. It sounded like something I'd like at first then dislike for a while but will ultimately love in the end. So, did I like it a first? Yes, yes I did. Did I dislike it for a while? Oh, yes. But did I ultimately love it in the end? YES!

Although I predicted my feelings for this book, what really went on in the book was far from predictable. My Life Next is Door is well-paced but kinda dragged for a bit around the middle part. The romantic relationship between Jase and Sam started out early in the book but it didn't feel like insta-love at all (thank goodness!); but it was also sort of alarming because when a relationship is already perfect in the first quarter of the book, you just know that something big is about to happen. And indeed, something big did happen. But I'm not going into more details there. All I can say is that it will definitely shock you. It will make you cry for a while and then make you want to cuddle all the characters.

Samantha was quite a relatable protag even though it was a little hard to connect with her at first. I didn't love her character but I liked her and I enjoyed seeing her character grow. Between Sam and her older sister, she was expected to be the responsible one. I thought she was going to be a boring character but when she met Jase and the rest of Garretts, it was then that her life started to become interesting. She learned that there was more to life than the life her mother had painstakingly built inside the fence. Her relationship with Jase was both innocent and passionate and it was delightful to see them work around their relationship and learn more about life together. Another character I liked was Tim. While Samantha and Jase appear to be the most loved characters in this book by majority of the readers, I found Tim more amusing and dare I say, adorable, despite his foul language and alcoholic self. I hated him at first because he was a selfish addict who cared about no one; he even went so far as endangering the lives of her sister and Sam. I wanted to pluck him out of the book and throw him into rehab. However, as the story progressed and we get to see more of him, it was just hard not to love him. The character that I found the most convoluted though, was Clay Tucker. I didn't like the guy and his ability to talk himself into everything and into anyone both fascinated and scared me.

Then there's also the Garretts family. One does not simply forget to include the Garretts when writing a review of My Life Next Door. Because seriously? That family is full of awesome and cute. Each of the family members have personalities that are far apart from each other but all of them are simply adorable. George and Patsy are my favorites! They are too cute they make my knees go weak. Seeing their family together was aww-inducing; the chaos, the banters, the FUN! Makes you want to have a Garretts family of your own. If you're looking for a quick heart-warming read with adorable characters and an unpredictable solid plot, My Life Next Door is the book for you.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Book Review: Hounded

Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles #1)
by Kevin Hearne
Paperback, 289 pages
Published May 3rd 2011 by Del Rey
Source: Bought
Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

The first novel in the original, six-book Iron Druid Chronicles--introducing a cool, new, funny urban fantasy hero


Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.


Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

Review:

Atticus O'Sullivan is not your average 21-year-old-looking Irish boy. Aside from he runs a bookstore with a wide selection of ancient occult and religion books with an apothecary on the side, Atticus is also the last living Druid on earth. Oh, and he's also 2100 years old.

Hounded is one of the reasons why I love fantasy so much. This is where faeries, vampires, werewolves, demons and witches co-exist. Where Jesus and Mary are real (Atticus met them and thought they were nice people). Where Thor is an arrogant bastard and everyone wants to kill him. This is where all mythologies are real; Celtic, Norse, Greek... name it, they're all real! I didn't know about Druids before I read this book. (Yes, I'm guilty of not reading the summary first before buying it.) Thought they were an original concept by the author, so it was a nice surprise to know that Druids were part of the Celtic mythology. Add to that nice surprise is that the Druid in this book was such a fun, likable and admirable character.

Despite his age, Atticus acts like a normal 21 year old boy. He likes to flirt with redheaded bartenders and spooky goddesses. He also speaks the modern vernacular with ease, which is funny when you compare him to the other characters that are less than half his age and still speaks like the ancient. He reminded me of Master Roshi from Dragonball Z. Good thing Atticus looks like a 21-year-old because if not, that would be very amusing - but not a very nice sight.

Another fun character in the book was Oberon, Atticus' Irish wolfhound. I love books with protags who have adorable pets, so Hounded immediately earned a plus star for that. Atticus doesn't treat Oberon as merely a pet dog, rather, he treats him like one would treat a best friend. Oberon sometimes thought like a 5-year-old kid and Atticus indulges him a lot. He told him stories about people from the past and Oberon always felt the need of imitating them. Like when Atticus told him about Gengis Khan and after, Oberon wanted him to be called as Oberon Khan, demanding a horde of French poodles like Gengis Khan had a horde of women.

Hounded is an action-packed novel with lots of magic, fangs, claws and swords involved. I have to say that the action scenes really challenged my imagination. The only drawback of this book for me was the fact that Atticus always gets his way. He always beats his enemies. With some difficulty, yes, but he always wins in the end. But nonetheless, Hounded was an honest to goodness enjoyable read. Even without romance, the friendship between Oberon and Atticus and the breathtaking fight scenes, as well as the magic of this book kept me glued and entertained from the beginning till end.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Book Review: Matched

Matched (Matched #1)
by Ally Condie
384 Pages - Hardcover
Published November 30th 2010 by Dutton Juvenile
Challenge: Dystopia Reading Challenge
Source: Bought

Summary: (from Amazon)

For Cassia, nothing is left to chance--not what she will eat, the job she will have, or the man she will marry. In Matched, the Society Officials have determined optimal outcomes for all aspects of daily life, thereby removing the "burden" of choice. When Cassia's best friend is identified as her ideal marriage Match it confirms her belief that Society knows best, until she plugs in her Match microchip and a different boy’s face flashes on the screen. This improbable mistake sets Cassia on a dangerous path to the unthinkable--rebelling against the predetermined life Society has in store for her. As author Ally Condie’s unique dystopian Society takes chilling measures to maintain the status quo, Matched reminds readers that freedom of choice is precious, and not without sacrifice.

Review:

And so I have finally read Matched! Let me start this off by telling you how bored and tired I was when I started reading this; so I was really, really bored and mentally exhausted. Ever had those days when you have nothing better to do than to sit on the couch and stare at the walls with eyes wide open until you remember that normal people blink? Those days when not even a book could pull you out of the world of boredom…  I know this is a little embarrassing and I have no idea if normal people actually do that when they’re bored out of their life. But.

The point is, upon further reflection, I realized that nothing exciting actually happened in Matched. I was already bored when I started reading this and by the time I finished it, there was no change in my mood. There might have been a couple of breath-taking moments, but as a whole, the events just… fell flat. I read a lot of mixed reviews about Matched, but almost all of them agreed that Matched’s focus is on world-building. I was expecting that, really. But I didn’t expect for it to focus on just that. Sure there was family, friendship and romance. But I didn’t even get that last one! The beginning of their romance is very realistic but the ‘when’ is not. I was aware that something was happening between Cassia and Ky. Still, the revelation that they have fallen for each other seemed so sudden for me. Which is really weird. Because the entire book is all about developments and realizations of all kinds. The way they seemed so sure about their feelings, I wish there was more development between them before the confessions.

However. Ok, this is where I praise Condie’s genius. Cassia’s character development is astounding. The journey to her growth might have been boring for me, but it amazed me how well-developed she has become and still have space for more development. And oh, the writing is just spectacular! I might have a grudge on the plot’s lack of action and power to pull me inside its bubble, but I can’t help but admire Condie’s writing. It's just gorgeous! If you don’t plan to read this book because of the plot’s lack of action and potential boringness, then do it for Condie’s writing. You will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Plot = 3/5 stars
Writing = 5/5 stars
Total =  4/5 stars!