Archive for February 2014

Elizabeth Norris: Unraveling

Elizabeth Norris: Unraveling (Unraveling, #1)
 4 stars

Sixteen-year-old Janelle Tenner is used to having a lot of responsibility. She balances working as a lifeguard in San Diego with an intense academic schedule. Janelle's mother is bipolar, and her dad is a workaholic FBI agent, which means Janelle also has to look out for her younger brother, Jared.

And that was before she died... and is brought back to life by Ben Michaels, a mysterious, alluring loner from her high school. When she discovers a strange clock that seems to be counting down to the earth's destruction, Janelle learns she has twenty-four days to figure out how to stop the clock and save the planet.


~~~~~~
“Apparently this month is full of surprises. No one is as dumb as I thought they were.”


Does anyone remember the TV series Roswell from somewhere around 1999? That series was one of my favorites at the time and my opinion is that it still is one the best series ever. This book, and escpecially the beginning of the book reminded me a lot of Roswell. Janelle and Ben reminded me of Liz and Max and the beginning where Ben saved Janelle's life was a bit similar like when in Roswell's pilot episode Max healed Liz's gunshot wound. There are so many similar elements, that I could almost swear that the author was either consciously or unconsciously influenced by that TV series. This could also be my own imagination, but the feeling is really, really strong.

I wasn't very excited about this book when I started reading, but this book's been in my tbr-list for a long time, and my goal this year is to shorten that list and read as many books as possible from that list. I was between 3 and 4 start a long time and my real opinion would probably be 3.5, but I'm gonna round it up, so 4 stars. The was not bad, but it wasn't great either. It was well written, but it reminded of lot of Roswell. Bit too much maybe. I loved that series, but this seemed a little like copying it. And there was something missing. For some reason, something just didn't "click".

The ending was absolutely heartbreaking, but I kinda liked it. On the other hand, the story was complete, but there is still possibility of next book. And I know there is another book. I'm going to read it, even though this book did not make it to my favorites, 'cos it sounds more promising than this one, at least based on summary it seems really interesting. But my conclusion about this book is that it was nice, and probably many will really like it, but for me something was missing. It wasnät complete waste of my time, but I could've live with myself even if I hadn't read this at all. Sometimes I really regret when I hadn't read some book before, but this time I didn't feel like I'd missed anything important.

(tbr-list 14/200)

Abigail Gibbs: Dinner with a Vampire

Abigail Gibbs: Dinner with a Vampire (The Dark Heroine, #1)
 4 stars

One moment can change your life forever...

For Violet Lee, a chance encounter on a darkened street draws her into a world beyond her wildest imaginings, a timeless place of vast elegance and immeasurable wealth – of beautiful mansions and lavish parties – where a decadent group of friends live for pleasure alone. A place from which there is no escape...no matter how hard Violet tries.

Yet all the riches in the world can’t mask the darkness that lies beneath the gilded surface, embodied in the charismatic but dangerous Kaspar Varn.

Violet and Kaspar surrender to a passion that transcends their separate worlds – but it’s a passion that comes at a price...


“Kidnapped by a vampire, death by a squid. How tragic.”

First, I must say that the book was not anything what I expected. It was much better. I've run across this book in bookstores several times in the last six months, but I wasn't very interested. It's been even in my reader for a while before I decided to finally read it. And there are couple big factors why I was "avoiding" this book; the title and the cover of this book. Personally, I'm a reader who ofter chooses book by it's cover and title. If the title and the cover aren't nice, I often don't necessarily even read the book synopsis. And I'm sure that there are many great books, that I've missed because of it. But since I use the library a lot and there's so much choise, I need some way to limit my options... So.. I think the name of this book is stupid and the cover isn't particulary interesting either. So, I would say that my expectations were not very high.

I am pleased to say that I was positively surprised. The book was much better than I imagined. I don't actually agree with the book slogan "The sexiest romance you'll read this year..", but yes, I liked the book very much and yes, there were sexiness. (But I've read a lot sexier romance this year)

I especially likes the characters in this book. Violet is not a damsel in distress (even if she kinda is), but she's strong and stubborn and spunky. She is attracted to Kaspar from the fisrt moment, but is she willing to engage in her desires? No. What about when Kasper shows some interest? Still no. Attraction and sexual tention is there, but it takes a while before Violet finally surrenders. And I think it's great. Why? Because I don't believe in love at first sight. I have been really annoyed in many, many books by the fact that the couple meets, they fall in love and week later they're married or something. WTF? It does not happen in real life. Or at leats it's really really rare. Books do not need, of course, to be realistic, but I think those "love at first sight" stuff are ofter pretty annoying.

And what about Kaspar? I loved him immediately, of course, because I'm always with the bad guys. But who doesn't love them? He is honest about who he is, and he doesn't apologise. And he doesn't chase Violet like a puppy. Of course, there's always some kind of redemption or something like that, but again, it does not happen over night or just like that. Karpar really is honest about himself.

The whole Dark Heroine thing seemed a bit vague at first, but it was revealed little by little towards the end and conveniently in small pieces so that the interest towards the book remained. You really needed to read a little bit more if you wanted to know I little bit more. Maybe it's 'cos author published this originally online one chapter at a time, so she wanted to keep readers interested. I'm still not fully decided what I think about this series, but this opening book was certainly a great start, and I really hope that the quality is as good in upcoming books too. I'm definally adding the next in my tbr-list too and I'm waiting excitedly what the future holds for this series. I think that there is major potential in this one.


(from my tbr-list 12/200)

Aimee Carter: Pawn

Aimee Carter: Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion, #1)
 5 stars

YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.


~~~~~~

Kitty lives in a world where people are divided into castes, highest class being VII, which belongs only to Prime Minister and their families. Others will have to participate in a test on their 17th birthday, which will determine their social class. Kitty, our heroine who unfortunately can not read, gets III and has been sentenced to life as a sewageworker. But as a result of unexpected events gets an offer she can't refuse. She can have a life as  VII, the highest possible social class.  Kitty accepts this offer, but doesn't know what awaits her. Kitty will be Masked - surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who was murdered.

All of this because Lila was a great advocate of the revolution. Lila campaigned against the caste system and now Kitty's task is to repair Lila's doings, so that the people would not take a full-scale rebellion against the government. As the story progresses, Kitty understands that she is just a pawn in other peoples games and everything is not what it seems. Who Kitty cantrust and what she has to do in order to save her own, as well as her loved ones' lives?

The book's plot was interesting and I set my eyes on this book months ago, even before the publication of the book. However, I read it only now and it really didn't disappoint meThere is mystery, action and romance, and as I already mentioned, all is not what they first seem to be. Kitty is just an awesome character from the beginning and you can see how good a person she really is. She is ready to sacrifice herselves for others, and she survives surprisingly well in a situation where she was directly thrown into a life that is completely foreign to her. And even if Kitty can't read, she is still very smart. And she's spunky. In a hopeless situation she found a spark, and she doesn't give up. On the other hand, she has one "tiny" flaw. Her world seems to rotate only around Benjy, who I did not think in any way interesting character. There's nothing wrong with altruism, but somehow it seemed to go a little too far. Threaten Benjy and Kitty does everything she's told. And there was a lot of threatning. At times, it seemed a little amusing, I should've counted how many times Benjy's life was threated or how many times the Kitty agreed to do something just because of Benjy.

In fact, I root for Kitty and Knox, and I very much hope that in the next book, there will some action or sparkle between them. Benjy is a boring, meaningless character, who does not seem to have any other purpose than to be threated. Sorry, Benjy-fans, but I think that Benjy should just disappear. I wouldn't miss him.

Otherwise, there was certainly enough action. Sometimes even too much. The plot progressed quite rapidly. On the other hand, there wasn't even a moment of borebom and there were plenty of exciting plot twists, some pretty major. And things really wasn't what they seemed to be at first, quite literaly.

The book reminded me of The Selection series, which wasn't a bod thing, 'cos I love that series and it's one of my favourites. I think that the fans of that series will like this one too and also the other way around. In my opinion, there wasn't that major cliffhanget in the end, but this part of the story was wrapped up pretty nicely. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.


(from my tbr-list 11/200)

Katie Kacvinsky: Awaken

Katie Kacvinsky: Awaken (Awaken, #1)
4 stars

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her. 

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.
“Don't worry about hurting me, if that's what you're afraid of. I want to get hurt. At least I´ll feel something for a change.”


Katie Kacvinsky's debut novel, Awaken, takes us to the year 2060, where people's lives are almost entirely online. People go to school online, meet friends online and go on a date online. Real trees and grass are very rare and have been replaced with plastic ones. There are no more physical books; people read them in digital format. People no longer cook food, but eat tasteless energy bars, where they receive all the nutrients needed. People do not even know what their neighbors look like, because they have never met them face to face.

That is the world where Maddie lives and she is relatively satisfied in life, until she meets Justin, who shows her a different way to live, in the real world. Justin is in fact one of the rebels, who are fighting against the ever increasing digital live. But everything isn't that simple, as Maddie's father is the developer of digital school, and the largest of its advocate. Maddie is confused and does not know what would be the right way to live. On the other hand, she enjoys her digital life, but at the same time misses real people and real life. And Maddie's past isn't absolutely spotless either. Nearly three years ago, she hacked her father's computer's secret information and gave them to the rebels, with catastrophic consequences. Maddie is on probation until her 18th birthday, and if she makes even one wrong move, she is at risk of going into a detention center where people go to "rehabilitation".


I think this book is an incredibly great example of what our society is perhaps going. A rather frightening example. In Maddie's world, people's whole life is online; we are luckily not quite there. The reality, however, is that Facebook and other social media are pushing our society toward it all the time. We pay bills online and without e-mail address life is almost impossible. For example, many of the bills come in there, and no longer physically in mailbox or post office. We order stuff online and I myself have studied online. At least in Finland it is possible to carry out the whole high school online, so that only the tests will take place at the school doing them physically. In fact, I did not even know what my teachers looked like, because I never met them. I'm not complaining about that, 'cos at same time I was studying also elsewhere, so it would've been impossible to be in two places at once, but it's frightening to think that maybe in the future it's the only way to go to school.

The story was well written and the characters are extremely interesting. The plot was written nicely, so that, for example, Justin and Maddie's past and motives are not revealed at once, but bit by bit and new aspects of the story unfolds, and the outcome or the reality was not quite what it seemed at the beginning. The back-story, the events and characters hatched into something completely different, what you first thought. There was also some gaps and questions left without answer, which I hope will be revealed in the following books. I myself have at least some theories and a guesses, and I look forward reading the next book to see if I guessed correctly. And, in particular, what Justine's and Maddie's future holds, and if they have any hope to eventually be together.

 
(Read from my Goodreads tbr-list.)

Minireviews #1

I've been reading lot of books past week or so and I decided to bundle them up in one post. So here's few minireviews from book that I've read recently.

Emma Chase: Tangled (Tangled, #1)
5/5

I really liked this one. It's so refreshing to something non-fantasy once in a while. This book is one of those NA chick-lit books that have been really popular lately. And it doesn't disappoint. It's fun and light and OMg it's HOT. I mean really, really HOT. And I really love how it's written from Drew's pov.
I'm definally going to read next book in this series when it comes out.

“For God's sake, don't let her watch Cinderella. What kind of example is that? A mindless twit who can't even remember where she left her damn shoe, so she has to wait for some douchebag in tights to bring it to her? Give me a frigging break!”

Stacey Wallace Benefiel: Glow (Zellie Wells, #3)
4/5

I liked this, but not as much as previous' books. I don't know. There was something missing. I gave it 4 stars, so it's good, but it took me a while to finish this one and to be honest, I was glad it ended. It wrapped things up pretty nicely thought and it wasn't bad.

Zellie and gang got their "happily ever after" and revenge. That's it. Sorry, I can't think more I want to say about this book.


Bonnie Dee, Marie Treanor: Cinderella Unmasked (Fairytale Fantasies, #1)
4/5

In the years since her husband King Charming boarded a pirate ship to “find himself”, Queen Ella has ruled alone. Romantic love? It’s a girlish emotion. These days, her only confidant is her steward, Sebastian.
Five years is a long time to forego sexual pleasures. She’s the queen, after all..shouldn’t she be allowed a few indulgences? A masquerade is just the ticket to find fulfillment Charming never gave her. With Sebastian’s encouragement—and a little help from a fairy godmother—Ella prepares to make some magic.

Oh my. This is something. It's HOT, HOT, HOT. Loved it.


Bonnie Dee, Marie Treanor: Demon Lover (Fairytale Fantasies, #2)
4/5

"Rumplestiltskin is not his name and this hunk’s no gnarled old goblin."
 
Fairytales fantasies continues. This time authors took Rumpletiltskin and Persephone myth, combined them and made something magical and sexy.

Books a bit short, but they are full of really hot scenes that will make you blush. I love fairytale retellings, and especially when they turn them into something sexy and exciting.

Emily Murdoch: If You Find Me
5/5

Oh.. This was tragic. This really was an awful book. Well, not the book, but the story. I mean that it was great and it was well written, but my heart just broke again and again when I read this. This really is great heartbreaking survival story, one that you really must read. This made me really think and see world pretty differently. I don't know what to say. I was absolutely speechless for a while when I finished this. This story really made me think.

There are some things you can’t leave behind…

My goal this year: shorten my TBR-list

I've decided that this year I have a goal. I'm finally trying to shorten my tbr list. Last year I added a lot of books that I ment to read, but that didn't happen. Well, I read a lot, but there are still lot of books that have been just waiting there. So this year I try to pick my readings from that list and I try not to add too much new books.

So...

Currently I have 194 books in my list. It a lot. I know that many have even more, but I'd like to keep my list short or I get overwhelmed when I try to pick what to read next. I can't make up my mind. So my goal is to read at least half of those books or at least delete them from my list if i'm not even going to read that book.

This year I have read 7 books from my list. I've also removed few that I'm probably never going to read, but I've also added about 10 books. About half of those almost 200 books are books from series' I've never read before and about half are sequals and about 15 have not been published yet, so lets see where I am in few weeks, so stay tuned. :) I'm trying to keep record.

Top Ten Reasons I Love Being A Reader/Book Blogger

(TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish)
 

Top Ten Reasons I Love Being A Reader/Book Blogger:

 

I love being a reader, because it gives me the opportunity to fully focus on another world and forget all about my worries and concerns. I can close the real world completely outside and imagine being in the story. My life is f*ed up sometimes  but when I'm reading, I can forget it and focus only to the story I'm reading.

I love being a reader, because it is a hobby that does not have eat a lot of money. The library has millions of books that can be borrowed free of charge and e-books are not that expensive.

I love being a reader, because it makes me feel smarter. My vocabulary and language skills has increased considerably and I've absorbed the huge amount of all kinds of trivia (though I don't know if I ever need it). Maybe I've also learned something new about myself and the world around me.

I love being a reader, because I have never a dull moment. Reading never stops. I could read all my waking hours and there are always more great books.

I love being a reader, because even if the world would end, I won't get bored. Although electricity and computers would disappear, books would be left.
I don't know how much I'd have time or desire to read, but it would be possible .
 
I love being a reader, because it is simply fun. One book can make you angry, happy, raging lunatic, laugh or cry. A good book can get you to jump with happiness and exciting cliffhanger can make your fingers and nerves itch, while you wait for the next book. And if you're really passionate reader, sometimes you feel like throwing the book on the wall when you are so furious with the writer of a book or character.

I love being a blogger, because I can share my own opinion, my rage and my happiness with the book with others. I can pour out all my feelings out, and perhaps someone is pleased to get to read it and find that book through my blog .

I love being a blogger, because sometimes I get a chance to get books for free or in advance. Passionate reader can not but to love getting hold of a book before others and for free.

I love being a blogger, because by reading other blogs, I have found an incredible number of great books that I'm sure I would have otherwise never found.

I love being a blogger, because it develops my language skills. Most of you certainly have noticed that English is not my native language and I know that there is likely to be a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. However, blogging helps me to learn, because in real life I get to use English very rarely.


Sophie Jordan: Uninvited

Sophie Jordan: Uninvited (Uninvited, #1)
5/5

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.


------
Who is this girl? The well-bred girl who sang opera and carefully styled her hair every morning so that it looked carefully messy is gone. As good as dead. Stragely enough, she has to be if I want to survive.

Imagine a world where a single gene determines your future, if you'll be maybe the next ax murderer or school shooter. In this book that world is reality. Davy Hamilton is a normal 17-years-old teenager whose hobbies include playing multiple different instruments and singing . She is a successful, popular, and she has been accepted to study at Juilliard. One day, however, the test results show that she has the so-called "killgene". Davy is fired from a private school, her acceptance to Juilliard canceled and she will have to go to a public schools killgene carrier class, "the Cage". Davy's whole life will change once and for all, and she turns from popular music proginy to an outcast and feared freak. Life is no longer easy and Davy loses her hope in a bright future. When all hope seems to be gone, Davy gets an opportunity to go to a training camp, where only a selected few specific gene carriers can get. Also Gil and Sean from her carrier class get the same opportunity. Davy believes that this is her chance for a better future, but the camp is not quite what Davy thought it would be.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The idea is really interesting and the story is well written. The idea of ​​a killer gene sounds pretty scary, when in fact studies have found a little similar gene called "warrior gene", if I remember correctly. The gene carriers resort to violence more easily than normal people.
In this book, the idea of this gene is taken pretty far, and killgene is almost like epidemic, and it's carriers are like plague patients who are isolated from the others and  avoided.
 
It's interesting to think about the existence of this gene, especially how people resort to violence. Of course there is a real sociopaths who really enjoy the violence and who really are dangerous. But what about the people whose nature is not violent at all, such as for example, Davy? What about when you are isolated from the others, you will be feared and controlled and you will be driven strait into a corner? No one will defend or protect you. It is horrible to think that you do not get to defend yourself because then you will be branded with a tattoo like a cattle. It is absolutely horrible that some people are classified so easy, and then they actually provoke you until the "desired" reaction can be obtained. It's just so wrong. I could not help, but to feel anger at the thought of what the world of the story is. In a way, the thing is that because you have the killgene, you will become a killer almost by force. You will be driven into a corner, so that killing seems to be only way out.

But like I said, I really loved this book. I read it in one night, because I just could not stop. And I really look forward the next book. I could probably say, however, that I was not completely satisfied with the ending. How should I say it without spoiling too much... The ending was pretty nice, but somehow things happened perhaps too smoothly. In a way it was nice ending for this book, but there wasn't that delicious, nervwrecking cliffhanger, that makes you want to rip you hair off and beg to get your hand on arc of the next book. I know, those endings are always annoying, when you turn the page and it's just blank and you really have to wait the next book to know what happens. But that's the thing, you still want that ending, 'cos the waiting is so deliciously torturous. And I would have preferred something more like it. For something little bigger, little more. Now the book ended in such a way that, even if I'm just going to want to read the next book, it is likely I'm not in a hurry to read it. I'll read after the release when I remember, but I won't lose my sleep over it.

Deborah Blumenthal: Mafia Girl

Deborah Blumenthal: Mafia Girl
3/5

 What's in a name? Everything if you have my name." At her exclusive Manhattan high school, seventeen-year-old Gia is the most hated/loved girl in school. Why? Her father doesn't have a boss. He is the boss--the capo di tutti cappi, boss of all bosses. Not that Gia cares. But life gets complicated when she meets a cop she calls "Officer Hottie" and feels a suprising chemistry. Then Vogue magazine wants to feature Gia in a fashion spread about real-life bad girls. On top of this, she's running for class president. Can Gia step out from under her dad's shadow and show everyone there's more to her than "Mafia Girl?

-----

I received free ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books that was easy to read. It was light, fluffy and nice. But I think it was bit average. There wasn't anything that special. I liked this book, but I think that I will forget it pretty soon. There wasn't anything that memorable that makes this book "pop up". It was pretty average teen romance novel. I don't know. I felt like there wasn't actually any particular plot. It's pretty hard to discribe what I mean... There was this thing with Gia and her dad and can she really step away from his shadow and be her own person. And there were of course that romance thing. But I really wanted something more.

I think that I was too old for this book. I'm not old, old (I'm 24), but I still think that maybe I'm too old or maybe I've read so much that I have centain expectations about a book. And this one didn't rise up to them. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good for me.

I loved Clive. I'd love to read more about him. He seemed interesting. I think he deserves his own book. I liked Gia, but I loved Clive, even if he wasn't MC. He deserved more.

I don't really know what to say about this book. I know I'm repeating myself, but it really wasn't that memorable book. It was nice and it was easy to read and the cover is nice, but expected something more. Something that makes this somehow special. I'm not saying that this is a bad book, 'cos it wasn't. I think I would've liked it more if I was younger.

Rasheedah Prioleau: American Specter

4/5

-------

 

FBI Agent Audra Wheeler has been haunted for the last thirteen years by a paranormal attack that left her sister, Kendra, in a coma. Mentored by FBI Assistant Director Jonathan Cordero to investigate crimes committed by specters, Audra believes she is on the trail of a ‘serial killer’ specter with a MO very similar to her sister’s attacker. The investigation takes her to a small town of Specter, Georgia; a haven for ghosts who exist among the living.

-------

 I received this book in exchange for a honest review .

At first, the book did not impress me all that much, but then it surprised me very positively. For some reason, the writing didn't feel very smooth and the plot seemed very transparent, but I was sorely mistaken. But if you feel like me and the book don't seem very convincing at first, don't stop reading. It really improves towards the end.


So after all, I really liked this book and it was almost perfect. There were some things that felt like they weren't quite finishes or maybe there was just that last "polish" missing. But the story was awesome and I couln't put it away before I was finished. So in the end, I read the whole book in one sitting.

At first, I thought that it was quite clear who the bad guy was. It's him, I thought. Then I changed my mind. And then I changed my mind again. And again. And the real villain was surprise for at least for me. I'm trying to not spoil too much, but when they first explained the reasons for specters existence, it felt kinda dumn. I thought so. I felt like I needed to hit my head somewhere. It felt so stupid. I thought that it was unnecessary so explain it, that it didn't have anything to do with the plot and the whole thing felt like it had forcibly shoved into the book. In the end, however, everything fit together nicely and the book felt whole. It seems like this book is first in a series and I really hope so, because I would love to read more book from this author. I hope that the next book will be just as good, and maybe even a little better. It just need to little more polished that this one, and I believe it'll be perfect.

Laini Taylor: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Laini Taylor: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #1)
5/5

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real, she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands", she speaks many languages - not all of them human - and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When beautiful, haunted Akiva fixes fiery eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?


----
Once upon a time,
an angel and a devil fell in love.

It did not end well.
 

This is (again) one of those books that have been haunting be in labrary for ages and I finally picked it up and loaned it. I've been meaning to read it before, but somehow I always put it off. But yeah, finally it's read. And oh boy, I loved it. It was so much better than I expected. It wasn't at all what I thought it would be. It was amazing. The synopsis doesn't do justice to this book, it doesn't tell anything. I think it's pretty misleading. It makes sense after you read this book, but I think it's not that appealing. I only picked this up, 'cos I got tired to looking at in the library everytime is went there. But I'm really glad that I read it. Really, really glad. Amazing start to this series!

This was my second book that took place Prague recently and the city seems great. And as mentioned in my last review, now it's in my "must visit"-list.

This book was so ometional and overwhelming and everything, that it's so hard to say anything about it. I loved it. It sums it up pretty good. But that's not a proper review, so I need to write something that tells little bit more.

We have a tendancy with YA books to have stories that have super happy couples and happy endings where everything works out and everything is just kisses and butterflies and stuff. Not in this book. This book is pretty dark and Karou's and Akiva's lovestory is really tragic. Kind of like Romeo and Juliet mated with YA paranormal romance. It was powerful and heartbreaking and... I don't know. I really can't wait to read more. This book was so unique and extraordinary and the world behind it is great. I love it and I love everything about this book.

Salla Simukka: Valkea kuin Lumi

Salla Simukka: Valkea kuin lumi (Lumikki Andersson, #2)
(As White as Snow, Snow White, #2)
5/5

Lumikki Andersson is backpacking in Prague, where the weather is scorching hot. A girl approaches her in a small café and claims to be her half sister. Lumikki’s parents seem to be hiding a secret concerning the family’s past, so the girl’s claim rouses Lumikki’s interest. Despite her erratic behaviour, the girl manages to persuade Lumikki to join a religious family community. Later it turns out that the members are no relation to each other, after all. But it is not until Lumikki learns that the cult leaders are planning mass suicide that she understands just how dangerous the cult is. Furthermore, someone is planning to profit from the tragedy. Lumikki gets acquainted with the streets and graveyards of Prague when she is forced to run for her life to prevent the tragedy. The religion of the cult is not pure; and innocence is not as white as snow.


Once upon a time, there was a girl who had a secret.

Lumikki's story continues. This time freezing Tampere has switched to scorching hot Prague. This time the story feels more real when it's not happening in Finland.

I love Simukka's writing style, it's so detailed that I could really imagine being there and seeing what Lumikki is seeing. After reading this book, Prague is in my "must visit someday"-list.

The second book wasn't as difficult to read or as confusing as the first one. Maybe it was 'cos I got used to Simukka's writing style or maybe this was just more straightforward-type of book. I donät know whick one, but I really loved this book and finished it in only few hours.

The book wasn't too long, story progression was just perfect. There were enough details, but things also happened pretty fast and you couldn't get bored. This was one of those book that I needed to finish in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down, there were always something exciting happening. I must say that I'm really looking forward to reading next and final book in this series that will be published in couple weeks.

Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry


(TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish)
 
 
Today we have the honor to welcome author Rasheedah Prioleau to our guest as part of her virtual book tour for her new book American Specter. The book is out today, so I highly recommend for you to check it out. (I will post my review later this week, so stay tuned)
And here's Prioleau's list of books that will make you cry.

Top Ten Books That Will Make You Cry:



Little Women – Louisa May Alcott

I read this book in elementary school because my older sister read it for middle school. I remember how engrossed she was in it as the book jacket took over her face for several days.  A girl named Jo with dreams much bigger than her station in life.  It’s obvious what part makes us actually cry, the heartbreaking loss of Beth, the only sister that never ventured from home.  But, I often think about those twist and turns in the book that make Alcott a women of extraordinary vision and insight.  I can only marvel at what she might have written if she were here today.  Jo’s words “I should have been a great many things,” still echo so poignantly today.


Great Expectations – Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens is by far the hardest writer to actually read. But, when you have to do it for school you find that he’s actually worth it.  The long and tedious build up to the poignant moments of this story are greatly rewarded.  After nearly a life time of false impressions regarding wealth and selfworth Pip learns he has a vagabond to thank for his great success and Mrs. Havisham learns the only thing worse than having a broken heart is breaking an innocent heart.  Tragically beautiful.   


Cry the Beloved Country – Alan Paton

Upon the death of Nelson Mandela I reflected on this story that surrounds apartheid and amnesty in South Africa.  A father journeys to find his son in Johannesburg during a time of great racial unrest and comes across a spectrum of social issues that face the country. What I took away from this book was that there are no easy answers, no quick fixes.  It is hard to draw a line around innocence and justifying violence, even for self-preservation.   


Dear John – Nicholas Sparks

Unlike the movie, the book actually takes an in-depth look at the relationship that John has with his father. Sparks does an excellent job of writing in the conflicts surrounding becoming an adult and caring for a parent. When John has to face putting his father in a nursing home where his OCD has the potential of crushing him, I cried.  It’s hard for me to think that there could ever come a day when I am unable to care for my mom and have to put her in a home or hospital. 


The Joy Luck Club – Amy Tan

I read this book when I was in college and just beginning to see the difference between expectations and opportunities for females vs. males.  All of the stories in this book are sad and heartbreaking especially when you get the feeling that women of post WWII China and current day America are not far removed from each other.  Tan’s observation that tradition has a way of transcending progress and modern ideas really reminds us that the fight for equality has been long fought and isn’t over because it is a battle of the mind.  How we as women see ourselves will be the deciding factor in how society treats us. 


The Diary of Anne Frank – Anne Frank

Obviously the saddest part of the book is the end because we know why it ends.  She was just a regular girl with the same hopes and dreams all young girls have.  It makes me sad the people that took her and her family didn’t see them as people. 


The Memory Keeper’s Daughter – Kim Edwards

A doctor’s decision to get rid of his daughter because she has Down Syndrome is enough to make me cry.  This book never makes it okay. Even though the girl is adopted by his nurse and raised with love and care, dark clouds that make their lives quite miserable chase all of the characters.  The sad thought is really what could have been if the doctor had been brave enough to love his daughter. 


I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou

Reading about the sad childhood of this amazing writer makes me cry for two reasons. First, no child should have to go through the things she did as a child.  Second, the amount of courage it took for her to get over feeling shame for things that were not her fault.  It reminds us why the fight to protect children is so important. 


Heaven Casteel Series – VC Andrews

Just about all of VC Andrews’ books are sad.  But, this series in particular stuck with me because of the element of poverty that was so well written.  Heaven grows up in the cold mountains and helps raise her brothers and sisters until her mother decides to run away. Her father chooses to sell off all of the children and she is tossed and turned from there. She is quite desperate to belong somewhere and be loved. 


A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
Again, Dickens is hard to get through but the poignant moments of this book make it worth it.  “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”  One man takes the place of another man on the guillotine.  I honestly didn’t get anything else about the book, but that line pierced my heart, the ultimate sacrifice for a greater good.