Ethereal (Celestra #1) by Addison Moore

Ethereal (Celestra #1) by Addison Moore.

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old, Skyla Messenger is a dead girl walking. 

When her newly remarried mother moves the family to Paragon Island, to a house that is rumored to be haunted, Skyla finds refuge in Logan Oliver, a boy who shares her unique ability to read minds.

Skyla discovers Logan holds the answers to the questions she’s been looking for, but Logan’s reluctance to give her the knowledge she desires leaves her believing Logan has a few secrets of his own. 

Skyla’s bloodlines may just be connected to the most powerful angelic beings that roam the earth, and the more she knows, the more danger she seems to be in. 

Suddenly an entire faction of earthbound angels wants her dead, at least she still has Logan, or does she?

GENRE: Paranormal Romance

PUBLISHED: March 26th 2011 by Addison Moore

RATING: 3 stars




MY THOUGHTS:

"Falling in love is a lot like death. It chooses you. It decides the moment and the chain of events that will preclude the precise intersection of life in which it occurs. It uses you - treats you as though you were malleable in its warm pliable hands. It doesn't bother to ask if you want it, or need it, just fills the gaping hole of destiny's design"



Ok, after reading that phrase and seeing a great rating, I thought this was going to be the best book ever. Guess what? It wasn't. ¬¬
(it wasn't that bad either)

The only character I liked was Gage. Skyla's and Logan's description is totally shallow, it lays on the surface. What do we know about them? She is blond, he has wonderful eyes and they fell in love in what? 30 seconds?

I love reading YA novels and one of the cliches is that love at first sight thing but in order to be effective you need to get some description of the feelings and what happens to the characters. Here I didn't get it. 

Not even the love triangle was well developed, not strong enough. (view spoiler)
Everything in this book happens SO fast!

The idea of the book is really good but the way it's done didn't work for me. 

The short chapters were good at some point, because I like to read "one more chapter" before going to work or before sleeping etc, but it wasn't that cool the way they jumped from one topic to another. Sometimes it was like: What?!?! How did I get here? 

Anyhow, the end brings up an interesting turn of events, I would like to see what happens. I'll probably read the sequel but I'm not dying to.



GIVEAWAY! Congratulations to Stephanie J and Helena I who won an e-copy of "Crushed" by K.C Blake. 
I sent you an email girls, please contact me in the following 48 hs or I'll have to choose a new winner.

For those who weren't that lucky this time, don't worry! I have many GIVEAWAYS coming soon! :)
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Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1)

SYNOPSIS: 

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers abarbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure

Genre: Dystopia

Published: January 3rd 2012 by HarperCollins

Rating: 4.5 stars

MY THOUGHTS: 

Under the Never Sky was a refreshing and original reading that caused an instant grab!

Obviously as I'm a sucker for beautiful covers, I was drawn by this one.  

But the world and story the author created is absolutely astonishing! Wonderful!!!!

What is it about? Well...

Aria is a Dweller, one of the citizens born in the Pods. There, people experience their world by having "fake" lives, with a device on their eye allowing them to go to any number of virtual realms that were created for them.

 They are safe from the dangers and they can experience life that way, without facing  Aether storms, the savages or any dangerous thing at all. 

One night something happens (Can't tell lol) and Aria is vanished outside the Pod and left for dead in the middle of every danger she ever feared. 

Perry is a Scire and after his nephew is kidnapped and everyone blames him, he starts a journey to get him back.

The whole book is written in alternate POV. (Perry's and Aria's) And I love this because you can totally relate to the characters.

Perry and Aria are both unique and amazing. He is determined, selfless, caring and also extremely smart.
She is witty but spoilt and sometimes I felt like punching her in the face, but after all, it was the only way to behave she knew and through the story she matures,  softens and becomes an incredible heroine. 

There are other characters that enhance the story as well, like Roar, WOW! We get a little of his story and is compelling! 

The plot is indeed fantastic, and there are some twists that make it BRILLIANT! The love story is well developed, no insta-love, an ACTUAL love story, with ups and downs, and some nerve-racking moments. They had some little intimate scenes that made me shiver.

I think VERONICA ROSSI did a H*** of a job with "Under the Never Sky" and can't wait to read the sequel. 

I hope you like it too! 

Remember to sign up for my FIRST GIVEAWAY, today is the last day! 

Sign up HERE

Getting to know Ada Adams.

"Many people sing in the shower. I write scenes in my

 head and act them out."

At the age of five, Ada read her first chapter book—Pippi  Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. Ever since that moment, she developed an intense passion for stories and characters found within the pages of literature.

In her career as a writer and an actress, Ada spends most of her days immersed in imaginary worlds. Much like the characters she enjoys playing and writing about, Ada is a martial artist with a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. 

She is also a big proponent of lifelong learning, and has attained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (it aids in creating characters with unique quirks!) as well as a  Masters of Science in Education.

Ada strives to bring a fresh voice and perspective to fiction. She has been writing creatively for many years, and is an editor of a global fashion/literary magazine called VEUX.

She lives in Toronto, Canada, and enjoys adventurous nature hikes with her adorable puppies Cara and Oreo.

Here are her 2 works:

ReVamped (Angel Creek #1) and the soon to be released ReAwakened (Angel Creek #2)

Personally I started reading ReVamped a few days ago and the only reason why I didn't finish it in one day is because I have a lot of deadlines but I'm dying to jump straight into it!

The writing is so refreshing and humorous. 

And as Ada herself defined it: "with a satirical twist".

Don't you just love the covers?

ReVamped: 

A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.

ReAwakened:

Expected publication: November 20th 2012

Becoming a vampire guardian was Dawn Fairchild’s ticket out of the Scarlet House. Fresh off a successful mission, life in Angel Creek should have been great. But when her sort-of-maybe-boyfriend, Sebastian, disappears on a quest to help a beautiful vampire from his past, Dawn finds herself amidst a web of danger, lies, and deceit.

Joining forces with Razor, an enigmatic rebel lacking both a verbal and a physical filter and her band of Misfits—Brooke, Sophie, Hunter, and Seth—Dawn is thrust into a race against the clock to solve the mystery surrounding brutal Born kidnappings and come to terms with the sudden discovery of her own unique powers. With time ticking away and Born vampires’ lives in jeopardy, it quickly becomes evident that someone—orsomething—desperately wants Dawn and is willing to shed any amount of blood to get her.

Dawn has only one chance to face her demons and overcome all obstacles standing in her way as she embarks on the biggest mission of her life—one that threatens a deadly outcome for all involved.

Check her website HERE.

SCAVENGER HUNT PICTURE

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Review: The Vampires of Vampire Island

Pretty Jane O'Doherty always chooses the wrong kind of guys. Her specialty seems to be guys who have serious flaws and who break her heart. Her last breakup was a year ago and still she can hear his final words, "I'm sorry, Jane. I've found someone else."

A 30-day cruise through the exotic Indonesian Islands with a little unusual adventure with her best friend seems like the perfect distraction to mend her broken heart. 

On board, she meets rich and devastatingly gorgeous Nick, who attracts women in droves to the possibility of a fantasy romance. And she meets Peter, who is a cute geek with puppy dog eyes, who is obviously totally enamored with her.

Will either one just lead to another broken heart? Should she run the other way from them both and just enjoy the cruise?

But before Jane can decide, the ship is attacked by modern day pirates. Unlike the pirates of old, these guys are vampires and are more interested in human treasure than gold and jewels.

They take over the ship and take twelve women hostage.

However handsome pirate leader—with eerie chalk-white skin, and red eyes, also has another agenda – he is looking for a special prize. He wants a woman for his mate and queen. 

This creature is not your usual handsome, sexy vampire hero. No. He is evil . . . very evil and extremely vicious. Jane catches his eye, but she, along with Nick and Peter, manage to escape in a lifeboat and onto the open sea. They drift for fourteen days before finally finding an island. 

But the fates are cruel. Soon the suspense and the horror of the occult begin when the island turns out to be the lair of the vampires.

GENRE: Paranormal Romance

Published:  August 21st 2012 by Theta Navigations, Inc

Rating: 2.5 - 3 stars

MY THOUGHTS:

What to say about this book?

I love sailing, I love cruising and I really love vampire books so I WANTED TO LOVE THIS ONE!
And even if it wasn't my favourite book ever, I simply couldn't stop reading it.

First of all, let me say that I'm not very used to see vampires as the bad guys, I'm more of the "young adult sexy/charming kind" but I did like this change.

THE BOOK HAS A LOT OF POTENCIAL. 

I loved the sailing stuff and the way they communicate with the pygmies, also the plan they developed. 
But how the characters are depicted and the love story made me decide for a 3 stars rating instead of more.

Jane is a bubblehead (I don't see why everybody is so enchanted by her) She tries to appear intelligent but meh... she just stays at a half way point. 
Nick it's just Nick. Shallow and a spoilt brat. Nothing to say about him.
Leon is thirsty of power and eager for revenge. He is an interesting villain but I couldn't get to know him much. I'd love to read more about him for sure. 
Peter is probably one of the best and more complete characters and I liked his transformation from shy guy to super smart/extremely resourceful/helpful and brave guy.

Honestly I couldn't relate to the love story. It didn't feel real. 
One day she "feels" in love with one guy and a week later she feels in love with another and then wants to kiss a third one. Seriously???? Why doesn't she go and kiss the pygmies too? She is so sexually needy! 
I know that going through a difficult situation can highten feelings but it was too much for me. For instance at one point, they were running away from the pirates and they had time to kiss and flirt? 

As I said, a lot of good ideas and also original but there was something missing. Anyway, it is the start of a series, and I want to see what happens in the next book :)

Remember to join my first GIVEAWAY HERE

The Timekeeper's son by Mike Miller

SYNOPSIS:

What would you do if you could start your life over again? What if you didn’t have a choice? 

That’s what happens to Andy Meyers. He has all the normal trappings of life: a beautiful wife, a nice house, and a good job. But all that vanishes when he wakes to find himself reliving his own childhood. He is suddenly nine-years-old again, and he is poised to reenact a terrible chain of events that altered his life forever.

But that’s just the beginning. Things get even more complicated when Andy discovers an impossible note. Someone knows he has come back. Someone who doesn’t want him to change anything. And they will stop at nothing to keep him from it.

As Andy starts to unravel his own past, he begins to find that things are much different than he ever imagined. His family has a secret. A secret so big that it could change everything.



Genre: Science Fiction (Time Travel)

Published: August 29th 2012

Rating: 4 stars




MY THOUGHTS:

I'll try to review this without giving away important things about the plot, if you want that, you may want to read the blurb... XD

"The Time Keeper's Son" is a great book I'd totally recommend.

At one point, there was too much gun talk. Which for me didn't add anything to the story, and as a girl, I found it a little boring. (but it's not that long either, just a few pages) And this is only my opinion!

What else?

Let me say that at first I thought: "not this again! " but then the plot totally sucked me in. Many twists and turns and ended up being an amusing book. I was surprised by the unique developement of the premise. There was a lot of action and no time to get bored. It is a fast paced reading but not at expense of detail. On the contrary, descriptions are thorough. 

The characters were easy to relate to, and you feel the ups and downs in their moods easily, loved that.

Arghhh! Jacob drove me berserk through the whole book! He is unnerving! But I loved Lanie's curiosity and Andy's tenacity. 

It was a nice story and made me reminisce about how things were when I was younger, also made me remember things I've forgotten about my past! There were beautiful comparisons between the two times. 

I absolutely loved when Andy was explaining how the internet works and what is it for! She was clueless!

The part about the visions shocked me in a good way. What a wonderful disclosure! I wasn't expecting it at all!

Sincerely, it kept me at the edge of my seat. I found myself wondering: "how are they getting out of this mess?" And I can honestly say that the author found a clever way out in every situation. 

(Mike Miller you made me bite my nails! lol)

As I said, I would totally recommend this book. It was highly entertaining.

Don't forget to stop by my Halloween Giveaway! HERE

Review: Two weeks in the South of France

Genre: Thriller

Published: April 30th 2012 by Telemachus Press, LLC

Rating: 3 stars

SYNOPSIS:

Late at night in his San Francisco apartment, Christopher Voss gets word that his father has been shot and killed during a business trip to the South of France. The following day he heads to Europe to claim the body and while there he finds out that the father was not the person that he thought he was; the man had been living a double life. At home his dad was a mild mannered and somewhat reserved person, abroad he was a hi-end businessman with a luxury lifestyle and a player who dealt in military hardware, industrial espionage and under-table political favors. Chris meets up with Isabelle--his Dad's knockout mistress (who looks exactly like a younger version of his mother), Monsieur Ballon the dangerous business partner, and Marian Leclerc the gorgeous police inspector who is leading the murder investigation.

In the process of trying to settle the estate he gets embroiled in the search for a missing secret document that the CIA, Vatican and a team of mercenaries hired by powerful French politicians and international industrialists, are all trying to find... and they think he has it! Somewhere in that group of people might be his father's killer who could also be the same person who has made two attempts on his life.

As he digs deeper into the mystery he discovers a long buried family secret, his mother's connection to the killing, and who he really might, or might not, be. 

With the aid of a comic taxi driver and a crazy Russian mobster, he tries to stay alive and catch the assassin.

"Two Weeks in the South of France" is a very fast moving mystery thriller and a fun read that captures the feel, atmosphere and cuisine (be prepared to drool) from that part of Europe

MY THOUGHTS: 

FIRST OF ALL: THIS IS NOT A YOUNG ADULT BOOK.

3  stars!

When Chris Voss' father dies in France, our protagonist must travel to do the proper arrangements on the subject. Big is his surprise when he discovers his dad was murdered.
But that is nothing compared to what he has to face on the next 2 weeks. He uncovers many secrets involving both of his parents and a life he couldn't have imagined including intelligence agencies, political schemes and noone to trust completely. 

Regarding the characters: 

- The main character as I said is Christopher Voss. His story is believable but what didn't sound real to me was his change of personality, meaning he was a simple guy from California and suddenly he becomes a higly trained badass, so sure of himself and determined! I mean, the story takes place in such a short timeline that it's difficult to believe that. But I liked him.

- Isabelle is not an appealing character for me, I found myself rolling my eyes more than once when she said she was in love with someone and a few days later she says she loves someone else... besides at some moments she was a nutcase, yelling and making non sense scenes...

- Ballon, what a character! Compelling and intriguing, my favorite. So complex that it makes you doubt if you can trust him or not all the time!

- We also have some other people with important rolls such as Leclerc and Chris' mother but we don't get to know much about them.


About the plot: 

We learn the story of Marko (Chris' father) and Ballon through flashbacks that are sometimes a little tedious but they really help to place them in the present time and they give a perfect background for the current events. 
It is a complete thriller that has secrets and conspiracy and everything you would expect from a good book.
It is an entertaining story! The first part was harder for me to read but after 50% it was a total page turner. Cleverly solved and the kind of book that keeps you at the edge of your seat.


Writing: 

The author's writing skills are well perceived and you have several descriptions of the places and details that totally set you in France.


Do I recommend it? Of course! To everyone that likes thrillers!

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO STOP HERE TO ENTER MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!

Review: Consequences (Freewill #2)

SYNOPSIS:

The Freewill Trilogy: We are not defined by the choices that are made for us; but by the choices we make when we believe that all other options have been taken away.

As a result of finding her soul mate (Christopher), Ellie has broken her curse, and awakened from her death to find that she has become something mystical, an ethereal Other. A being, whose story has yet to end, where who one is before their death, leads to what they become after … kindness or violence follows in their wake. The Others are ancient creatures, who can help humanity, or cause our destruction … and Ellie has found that monsters are waiting in the mist.

GENRE: Paranormal Romance

PUBLISHED: June 8th 2012 by Elyse Draper

RATING:3.5 stars




MY REVIEW:

3 - 3.5 stars

I've been sitting in front of my laptop for almost half an hour and don't have a clue of what to write about this book -.- So here it goes!

----- First of all, I want to thank Elyse for giving me the chance to read this trilogy in exchange for an honest review. ----------

After ending up with my eyes wide open and my jaw almost touching the floor when I finished "Freewill" (Freewill #1), which I loved , I was expecting more.

I liked this one but didn't blew me away.


About the cover: 

mmm.... interesting, a little scary maybe.

About the characters: 

Here, we meet new characters like Michael, Ursa, Artemis and Cass. Also we spend a nice part of the book trying to guess who "SHE" is and of course we still have Chris, Ellie and the incredibly amazing and smart Lune. (I love that dog! XD)
Michael is a great addittion and I believe it really helps Chris to stay on track, Ursa and Artemis are lovely, I can totally see them interacting with the guys.
Cass is a little too stubborn and I don't like the hatred against the "Mortos" (humans) but I like her anyway.
Ellie's changed a lot since Freewill and in a good way! You'll see.
And Chris... well he is definitely suffering the Consequences of his acts in the previous book. That's mainly what his story is about.

Plot and writing: 

I wanted this book to be as dynamic and vibrant as the first. But didn't feel that. It is a very good book but even being beautifully written didn't captivate me enough.
It begins from Christopher's point of view. We learn what happened to James, V and Ann and how that makes Chris feel. It starts wonderfully, but suddenly it loses strenght and becomes a bit tedious. 
It soon regains strenght once we move to Ellie's POV and there we meet Cassandra and learn about the Ho Thanatos and the Daimonion To. 
This book has a way more complex plot than the previous one because we have items and myths from several cultures and many creatures (we go from Greek mythology to wolves packs to Faeries) I believe there are a few loose ends (sometimes I got confused) but of course we still have book 3 to solve that.

Nonetheless I am looking forward to reading the end of this trilogy and see how the story finishes for the characters :)


Don't forget to stop by my first GIVEAWAY to get the chance to win an amazing book HERE

Review: Sweet Evil

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Published: May 1st 2012 by Harper Teen.

Rating: 5 stars

SYNOPSIS:

Embrace the Forbidden.

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

MY REVIEW:

FLAW-LESS ! ! ! 

First of all, let's analyse the cover: Gorgeous, the dress is beautiful and that couple looks intriguing.

That was the first thing that I noticed and draw my attention. And then I read it.

I LO-VED IT! And I should say it in present tense because I still keep thinking about it! (I read it a few months ago)

The writing is beautiful, Wendy surprised me in a really good way. 

This is an angel and demon's book but taken to a whole new level. 

It's original with fascinating and believable characters. Yes, I know, it's paranormal but still, you totally buy this story lol.

Anna is a good girl but she has a dark side that she must control and it's amazing to see the way she struggles and the obstacles she finds in her way.

We do have a sort of "insta-love" kind of thing, but impeccably executed that you can't help smiling and falling for KAIDAN at the same time Anna does.

I mean, KAIDAN ROWE, even his name is smoking HOT! Sorry to be so extremely excited but this guy is definitely on the top of my "book boyfriends" list lol (fighting for the title with Daemon Black XD)

“He was smoking hot. As in H-O-T-T, hott. I’d never understood until that moment why girls insisted on adding an extra t. This guy was extra-t-worthy.”

But not only he is a wonderful character. Anna is amazing, full of contradictions, feminine but strong and strong willed, delicate but full of conviction.And she is at the same time, innocent and has that dark side I mentioned before, which makes the story so addictive. 

The supporting characters are fantastic as well and make the book just perfect. From Patti (Anna's mom) to Kopano.

I don't want to give away anything about the plot because I believe everyone should give it a try and I want you all to be as surprised  as I was after every page.

If you were wondering, it is a total page turner and I devoured it in a few hours!

The ending is like WOW! It sure will leave you wanting to know more! I can't wait!

And the "Extras" from Kaidan's POV: delicious! Check them too!

GREAT BOOK WENDY!

If you want another great book, sign up for a GIVEAWAY and win an e-copy of "CRUSHED" by K.C Blake.

Where??? 

Right HERE!