Short Reviews #2

Wow, it’s been a long long time since I’ve done my first post of short reviews! I’ve found myself lacking the imagination and will to write full reviews these past few days so here we are again, at another Short Reviews segment. I’ve read a lot of books this month that I haven’t reviewed so what better way to do that than just writing a few lines about them? Just click the covers to view the Goodreads page and read the blurbs ir you want. Let’s start then!

Stripped by Jasinda Wilder

A book about a stripper??? It had everything to be a different book right? Wrong… Stripped fell into the clichéd New Adult/Adult books that are out there now. It just didn’t fill my expectations. The main character was interesting but didn’t capture me, her father just annoyed the hell out of me (even though I know there are some parents like that out there probably) and the love interest… Uh, it just fell too love at first sight (in a strip club!) to me. Didn’t believe it, and the ending was completely unnecessary.

2 Chibis

The Out of Office Girl by Nicola Doherty

An easy read and a perfect book for summer. I enjoyed it immensely and finally loved my habit of going to the bookstore and picking the first book I see. The Out of Office Girl is the book for everyone who likes brief and heartwarming stories. And Sam, Luke’s agent, *swoon* Enough said!

4 Chibis

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

This book deserves a full review, it does. I know it and everyone who has read it knows it. Speak is up there with my other favourite books. It tells a heart wrenching story that made me weep, laugh and mainly feel everything the main character was going through. It’s writing is simple but I found myself incredibly just inside the story, right there with Melinda. If you haven’t read it, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. Go pick it up now!!!

 5 Chibis

Cover Reveal: Fracture the Spider’s Web by Sarah Godfrey and Victoria DeRubeis

Since I’ve read Dance in Shadow and Whisper, book 1 in the Marionettes of Myth Saga, I’ve been ecstatic to read the next book in the series. Even though that still isn’t possible *cries* I can at least look at its stunning cover until I get sick of it, all thought I don’t think that is going to happen! Revel yourself in the beauty that is the cover for Fracture the Spider’s Web!

If you haven’t read book 1, what are you waiting for?? Starting tomorrow it’s only  99cents! Check my review of it if you want.

I can’t post the summary of Fracture the Spider’s Web because of the spoilers (see the authors’ website) so check out Dance in Shadow and Whisper’s blurb!

Dance in Shadow and Whisper summary:

“Kali unexpectedly discovers on her first day of human high school that she’s forbidden to eat or partake of the toilet during class time, the assigned history and species books look best on the shelves of popular fiction, and the boy she’s watching over is definitely a reincarnated war lord.
The highest powers of Kali’s people and the highest powers of Yuuhi’s people, irreconcilable enemies, designated them to find proof that Jason is, in fact, the reincarnated Ares.
All Yuuhi sees in Jason is the typical scrawny, socially inept emo kid dressed in conflicting shades of black. But Kali sees that Jason’s shadow is bigger than he is, and if the powers of Yuuhi’s people find out, Jason won’t be human much longer.
The desire to protect him from an unexpected visitor brings out her most dangerous sides. Something’s changing in her, something she can’t control, and she’s not afraid of Jason mutating into a creature of the shadows more than she’s afraid she’s becoming something even worse.
And the highest powers will be watching her.”

Movie Review: The Mortal Instruments – City of Bones

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Release Date: 21st August 2013

Review

I just got home from the theater. Really, it’s been like 3/4 hours since I’ve left the theater feeling disappointment and cursing the writers and producers behind the movie adaptation of City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.

If you follow my Goodreads account or are a friend of mine you know that even though I didn’t love the first book, this series is one of my favourites and when I knew a movie was coming out based on it I just had to call all my friends and bore them about going with me to watch it and wondering what scenes would make it to the screen and how the actors would perform.

It’s with great sadness that I think I WON’T be watching the second movie, if there is one, in the future. City of Bones is a badly planned movie that won’t work out for neither the people who have read the book and for those who had never even heard that the books existed and just wanted to appreciate a new movie. In lesser words, it sucked. Big time.

For those who have read the book(s) I’ll explain what I found most lacking in the movie by the end of the review. That way, people who haven’t had the chance to read the series and want to won’t be spoiled unless they want to find out what they did ABSOLUTELY WRONG.

Basically, what they have done is “introduce” every character in the book right in the first scenes, and I say “introduce” because all we know is their first names and nothing else. There is no background story, nothing. For those who haven’t read the books it probably was just a movie with a bunch of characters that appear out of nowhere and get together to do something. A friend of mine didn’t even know all their names by the end of the movie.

What was a big shock for me and my friends was the whole info dump they just threw at us. I didn’t know info dump was possible in movies. Turns out it is. They just gave you the whole information in one go, the movie had no development but they wanted you to know EVERYTHING so just make a character say everything there is to know in one scene. AND THEY TELL THINGS FROM BOOK 2 AND 3.

Also, the CGI, auch. Just auch. Okay, it wasn’t that bad! The Worst CGI prize goes without a doubt to the movie adaptation of The Host by Stephanie Meyer. That was bad, guys, really bad, it’s, in my opinion, the worst movie I have ever seen. But that doesn’t matter now. The demons were alright and some of the effects even I have to admit were pretty cool. But the portals and the runes AND the runes effects were those you laugh at. There is a particular scene where Jace uses the steel to watch through some books in a shelf and I just couldn’t stop thinking, WTF?

Finally, the soundtrack. Who chose it?? Who was in charge of putting music in this movie? Really…

You’re lucky I’m a pacific person who is only aggressive to her friends. But be warned, it’s going to be a very serious talk. Come on, in a really intense scene (you know what scene I’m talking about, everyone knows! It’s in the freaking trailer when it shouldn’t be! It’s the kiss scene *smooch*) someone thought it would be cool to have an upbeat music. It would work IF and only IF the freaking music didn’t have any lyrics. And let’s not even talk about the choice of music, ugh, I wanted to scream the entire music every time a pop song that had nothing to do with the scenes came up. It was a lot of  the film time unfortunately.

Worst of all was how they just spoiled the whole series. GUYS THEY SPOILED THE SERIES AND RUINED THE WHOLE PLOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREAKING MOVIE! I will just say it and get over with it. There is a scene where Hodge just says to Valentine to lie to Clary (TO LIE) and tell her and Jace they are brothers. THIS IS THE WHOLE MYSTERY BEHIND THE SERIES! We just find out in BOOK 3 that they ARE NOT actually brothers. So thank you, you just ruined the series for those who have read book 1 (Thank goodness I wasn’t one of those or I would just sue you for spoiling me the whole series if that was possible)

Anyway, NOW for those WHO HAVE READ the book, and will be enraged and will probably want to cry or just throw the popcorn all over the place…. Here are the things they changed, and believe me, they fucking changed a lot. It’s like they just read the book and said “Fuck it, let’s make a movie about another book that doesn’t exist” and that book is just boring and confusing as hell!

• They change the order of some things and I know there must be changes whenever a book turns into a movie, some things just don’t work on screen and I fully recognize that. What I don’t understand is why they decided to put the scene where Simon tries to declare himself to Clary BEFORE they go to Pandemonium and meet Jace. Jace’s input on the book is hilarious on that scene and they completely ruined it taking him out of it. It just didn’t work.
• Clary should kill the demon when it’s in her house right? GIRL POWER!! No… Let’s just make Jace save the day and kill it.
• Idris? What is Idris?? IT DOESN’T FUCKING APPEAR ON THE MOVIE! It isn’t mentioned, like ever! It doesn’t exist, Shadowhunters don’t have their own country. THAT IS IMPORTANT AS HELL because if they DO want to make a second and third movie, they have to introduce Idris somehow.
• Without Idris where are Isabelle and Alec’s parents and cute nerd little brother. Oh yeah, remember when I said they don’t tell anything about the characters that appear on the movie? Well, their parents and Max are never mentioned either! They must not exist! I don’t think the writer read the whole book, he must have just skimmed it. I don’t know, he should just be fired when he presented the script.
• That hilarious scene where Simon turns into a mouse?? Yeah, another cut out. They just made him drink a potion that made him pass out and the vampires just took him. Just like that, no mouse, no jokes about him being a mouse. Oh! And no flying motorcycle either in Jace and Clary’s rescue plan.
• Valentine running away with the cup? What, no!  Let’s just make Clary get the freaking cup back!
• Silent Brothers, what are they? What do they do?? They live in the City of Bones. The End.

There were probably many other things that were changed but I don’t really remember. I just know that most of the time I looked at my friend and just made a crying face.

Now, they added some scenes that were actually pretty nice and worked really well, like the part where Clary’s mother is abducted. That was one of the best scenes, just because she was so badass! Ok, it’s the best scene…

And I won’t even talk about Magnus. It’s just not worth it.

Big disappointment and I won’t let myself be fooled like this again.

1 Chibi

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Trust in Me by J. Lynn

It’s Wait for You as you’ve never seen it. Trust in Me lets you in on Cam’s side of the #1 New York Times Bestselling story.

Cameron Hamilton is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But when Avery Morgansten comes crashing into his life – literally – he finally meets the one person who can resist his soulful baby blues. But Cam’s not ready to give up. He can’t get the feisty and intriguing girl out of his head.

Avery has secrets, secrets that keep her from admitting the feelings Cam knows she has for him. Will persistence (and some delicious homemade cookies) help him break down her barriers and gain her trust? Or will he be shut out of Avery’s life, losing his first real shot at the kind of love that lasts forever?

Giveaway

If you want a chance to win 1 signed copy of Wait for You and a turtle charm click the link below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour + Review: Steel Lily by Megan Curd

Hi everyone! Welcome to my stop of the Steel Lily blog tour! Be sure to check the others blogs at the tour listed on the schedule at the end of the post!

Steel Lily by Megan Curd

Genre: Dystopian

Summary

AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Three: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Three. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued.

But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better. …Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, it may make her wonder if she was better off being a government tool than searching for freedom.

Some secrets are better left concealed, but humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

Review

By now I’ve read my share of dystopias. The Hunger Games were my introduction to the genre and then only few other series managed to keep me a fan of this type of books. It was with great joy that when I finished reading Steel Lily I just wanted to read book 2 to be ready by my side so I could just pick it up and start reading it, too. Believe me when I tell you that Steel Lily is like a piece of candy that you’ll love and won’t be able to stop eating.

Steel Lily is about Avery, a girl who has the ability of making water turn to steam and because of that she is called an Elementalist. Basically. everyone lives in a world where WWIII has taken place and destroyed everything. Energy is not the same and they live off the steam the Elementalists make, or so is thought (no spoilers here 😉 !!!!). When faced with a certain situation, Avery and her friend Alice have to move out of the Dome they in. And that’s when things begin to move forward and give way to a beautiful and not so smooth journey in Avery’s world.

Avery kind of won me over right in the first character so she might have clouded my judgement of the book from the beginning (I’m obviously joking but I really liked her!). She just says whatever she wants and doesn’t back down, even when older students or even teachers at school make fun of her or try to make her do things. I just loved the first chapter because there she shows her personality right away and we learn that there is no bullshit with her. Oh, how so many girls could learn from her in real life…

We meet so many interesting characters throughout the book, too! Oh guys, the love interest. Yeeshh, he is up there in my book boyfriends list, and that’s kind of a tough list to enter! Jaxon is kind of different from other boys in books. From his physical description he would probably be like a secondary character or the bestie, at least that’s what I think from other books I’ve read and that’s one of the things that make him unique. He says what he thinks, just like Avery and I just want to see what will happen to them in the future. Then there is Sari and Alice who become major characters in the plot development. I loved Sari but Alice, Avery’s best friend from the dome, annoyed me some times… I would talk about many more characters but they are for you to discover in case you choose to read the book.

There were not one but several plot twists (YAY!). They don’t make your head hurt, don’t worry, they are really well introduced and only make the story even more intricate at the same time that it makes you even more entranced with it.

Steel Lily is, for now, one of my favourite dystopias and for any fan out there who likes this type I can only say: read it and prepare yourself to be enchanted.

5 Chibis

Author’s Info:

Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college.

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves to snowboard and travel to new places, and doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself. Megan currently resides in Stanton, Kentucky with her husband, son, and Great Dane named Dozer.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Tour Stops

August 12th

Into the Land of Books-Author Interview, Top Ten, Excerpt

Books For A Delicate Eternity-Review, Character Interview

Great Imaginations – Review

Little Library Muse-Excerpt

The “I Love Books Club”-Review

Enchanted Endpapers-Review, Interview

Girl in the Woods Reviews-Review, Excerpt

August 13th

A Book Vacation-Review, Guest Post/Top Ten, Excerpt

Indy Book Fairy-Review, Guest Post

This Is How It’s Supposed To Be– Review

Literary Meanderings-Top Ten List

lilybloombooks-Review

ReadingToTheStarsAndBack-Review, Author Interview

Kaidans Seduction-Review, Excerpt

Shelves of Books-Review

The Book Town-Review

Secrets of Lost Words-Review

Frodo’s Blog of Randomness-Review

Istyria book blog-Review

This Redhead LOVES Books-Review, Excerpt

August 14th

SassyCat’s Books Review– Guest Post, Author Interview, Character Interview

Oops! I Read A Book Again– Guest Post/Top Ten, Character Interview, Excerpt

BookEnd 2 BookEnd-Review, Excerpt

Fabulous and Fun-Review

Momma Says Read-Review, Interview, Top Ten List (moved to 17th)

Live, Love, Laugh-Guest Post, Excerpt

Diamond & Coal Book Reviews-Review

Kate’s Tales of Books & Bands-Book Playlist

Dizneeee’s World of Books-Review, Guest Post, Excerpt

Faerie Tale Books-Review, Excerpt

The Social Potato-Review

Loves All Things Books-Excerpt

Book Nerd Dash-Review

August 15th

Upon The Wings of Greater Things– Review, Author Interview

Such A Novel Idea-Review, Interview, Excerpt

Shelfspace Needed-Review, Character Interview, Excerpt

the flirty reader-Review, Interview

Little Bookworm Reviews-Excerpt

Book Groupies-Excerpt, Top Ten

Addicted Readers-Excerpt

Little Bookworm Reviews-Excerpt

A Cup of Coffee and a Book-Review, Excerpt

OurSomethingElse-Review

Chibi Reader-Review

Bibliophilia, Please-Guest Post, Interview, Excerpt

Bodacious Bookaholic-Review

August 16th

TSK TSK What to Read-Review, Character Interview

bees knees reviews-Review

Books Forget Me Knot– Review, Excerpt

paranormal book club– Review, Excerpt

Book 2 Book-Review

Read-A-holicZ-Review

Book Soulmates-Guest Post, Author Interview, Top Ten

Nook of Books-Review

Ramblings of a Writer-Review

Book Nerd Dash-Review

Racing To Read-Review, Top Ten List

Dear, Restless Reader-Review

Reads and Thoughts-Review, Top Ten List

August 17th

The Book Ninja-Review

Adventures in Reading-Excerpt

Life with Lesley-Review, Excerpt

The Reading Pile – Review

Reading Rainblog-Review, Guest Post, Excerpt

Becky’s Barmy Book Blog-Guest Post, Author Interview,Character Interview, Top Ten

Paperback cowgirl reviews-Excerpt, Top Ten List

Tamara’s Book Ramblings-Excerpt

August 18th

Black Lilies Are Deadly-Review, Excerpt

Reader Girls– Review, Top Ten List

Write Away Bliss-Review, Character Interview

Paperback Princess-Review, Author Interview, Character Interview, Top Ten List

abookandalattee– Review

Girls With Books– Review, Guest Post

Musings of a Blogder-Review

Manga Maniac Cafe-Author Interview, Character Interview

Blkosiner’s Book Blog-Guest Post, Author Interview, Character Interview, Excerpt, Top Ten

read more sleep less-Review, Interview

Resch Reads and Reviews-Interview

Hope, Faith & Books-Review

August 19th

My Bookopolis-Review & Excerpt

Mercurial Musings-Guest Post, Author Interview, Character Interview, Excerpt, Top Ten List

TeamNerd Reviews-Review, Excerpt

Brooke Blogs-Guest Post

JeanzBookReadNReview-Review, Interview, Excerpt

Jess resides here-Guest Post, Excerpt, Top Ten List

Working for the Mandroid-Review, Guest Post, Top Ten List

deal sharing aunt-Top Ten List

The Bearded Scribe-Review, Interview

To Read or Not to Read?-Review

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club-Review, Interview

Mercy Amare-Review

Rose & Beps Blog-Excerpt

My Midnight Fantasies-Excerpt

Geek Goes Rogue-Review, Guest Post, Interview

Book Infatuation-Review, Excerpt

Project Read and Review-Interview, Excerpt

Two-Tall-Tales-Guest Post

Starlight Book Reviews-Review, Excerpt

Tamara’s One Stop Indie Shop-Review, Excerpt

The Book Diaries-Review

girls in the stacks-Review, Interview

Books For YA!-Review

Blitz: Creatura by Nely Cab

Creatura by Nely Cab
Publication date: August 6th, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal

Synopsis

“Isis can control her dreams. Or she could-until recently. The creature in her nightmares has been haunting her for months. As if being dumped wasn’t bad enough, now she dreads going to sleep. She decides to confront the creature and win back some of her peace; only, she finds that he’s not a monster and he’s not a dream.

A sacrifice for love, a shocking discovery and a jealous ex-boyfriend blur the lines between reality and dreams, making it hard to tell who the real monsters are.

Who would’ve known…that sometimes love is lethal?”

Excerpt

 “Why can’t you believe that I am real?” he asked.
“Because you’re not. Look at you with your golden skin andwings, wearing a skirt. How can I believe you’re real?” “I can prove it.”

“Oh, yeah? I dare you.”


“Do you, now?” David raised his brow.


“Double dare. And you should wear a skirt that looks more like pants for the occasion.”


“Your clever quips are very delightful, my lovely. Are you positively sure about this?”


“I’ve been waiting for this for three months.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Bring it on.”


“Very well. But I have to warn you, I’m quite the competitor.”

“Then there should be a prize for the winner to make it more interesting.”

“You’re proposing a wager?”
I nodded.

“If I win, you’ll leave my dreams forever,” I said. He gazed at me for a moment. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I thought I saw a trace of a grin on his face.

“If I should win, you will believe me when I say I’m not a dream,” David said.


“If you say so,” I snickered. “I guess this is goodbye since I’ll be winning.”
“And…” he said

“There’s more?”


“And…you will never again come here.”


“Okay,” I said. “Fair enough.”


“And…” he said again.


“That’s too many ‘ands’.”


“And…” he continued, “I bid you not farewell, but good morrow.”


David tipped his head as he disappeared, leaving behind a cloud of golden dust.

Author’s Info

Nely Cab was born on December 9, 1974, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. She has lived and resided in a small, quiet South Texas town most of her life. Putting her Computer Accounting skills to use, Nely worked in banking for several years. In 2001, the author relocated to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, where she dedicated time to the study of culinary arts and the art of oil painting. After her return to the U.S., Nely resumed her employment in banking and later transitioned to the field of Social Work.

Today, Nely Cab writes from the comfort of her home, where she lives with her husband and son. Her life goal is to check-off Bucket List Item No. 95,623,351: To conquer the world. While she aspires world domination, Nely continues to work on her debut series Creatura.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Sofyy’s book review: Fallen too Far by Abbi Glines

Fallen too Far by Abbi Glines

Series: Too Far (#1)

Publisher: Self-published

Published: December 14th 2012

Goodreads: “To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter. 

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother. 

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.”

Review:

This book is so beautiful in so many different ways; I thought this was going to be just another Abbi Glines’s book. I must say that although I really enjoy Abbi Glines’s books, most of them are the same, the only difference between the characters from her books are their names, the plot changes, not much, it is all too equal. As such, I didn’t think Fallen too Far would make me seriously fall in love with it. But, surprise, surprise, it did! The whole book is so intense, throughout the book I found myself laughing, crying, going all “awww”, falling in love bit by bit for the amazing male character Abbi created… Rush Finlay… *sighs*

POV: 1st Person vs 3rd Person

I recently found out that many people have problems with 1st person POVs. At first I just couldn’t help thinking that most of the books I read ARE narrated in the first person and I never really thought about it. If I’m being honest, I must admit, I like first person POVs. They are more captivating and I love being inside the head of the character without having to read “he/she” all the time. I feel like I’m more connected to the characters. However, there are exceptions where I don’t mind reading in a third person POV but are few the books like that that I finish reading. Like I said, it might be that I think and feel more like the character, I don’t really know. Maybe it’s because when I first really started reading a lot (and I’m talking post Harry Potter phase) most of or all the books I read were, in fact, narrated in the first person.

Now, I completely understand why people find 1st person POVs rather unattractive or annoying. Firstly, it all depends on the character. If the character is annoying there are higher chances that most won’t even bother to finish reading the book. It happens all the time with me! For example, weak, irritating and/or bitchy main character are a huge no no for me. I don’t like them and I just don’t want to waste my time reading about a them. These traits are more obvious in a 1st person POV and the thoughts expressed by the character can annoy the hell out of a person. I usually just want to break something and be able to take the character in question out of the book and give him/her a little shake. But, unfortunately, we can’t do that so I just try to stay away from this type of books.

Secondly, another thing that might bother some people is not knowing more about the others characters. Sometimes the secondary character are more interesting that the mains and we just want to have more insight on what’s happening to them. Also, and I’m only talking about the books I’ve read, it get’s a little upsetting when something big happens and I want to know what everyone is thinking but no, we just know one character’s reaction…

And that’s all the negative things I have to say about 1st person POV. As I said, I’m a huge fan and I don’t know if my tastes will change in the future (it is actually the most probable thing) but for now, I don’t have a lot to say about the downs and ups of reading in 1st person or 3rd person.

If you’re curious, the books in the 3rd person that I’ve most enjoyed and Gabriel’s Inferno (it’s an amazing book that I would recommend to those who like to read adult books. It’s really good and, psst, there is no hardcore scenes, damn I don’t really want to spoil the book, but it’s a brief of fresh air to find a book that is mostly about emotions and sexual tension that sex in itself and some really really strange things that I really don’t want to read about.The 3rd person POV was really well done and I think that the book was written in the 1st person it would lose a lot of the content and some of its beauty) and It Had To Be You (first part of the book was good but by the end it drags a little but it was a nice read and the 3rd person POV allowed me to know what was happening always with almost every character.)

What do you prefer, 1st or 3rd person POVs? And why?