Showing posts with label ARC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ARC. Show all posts

Friday, December 6, 2013

Switched by Cassie Mae






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Final cover



Click image to read Goodreads summary

I received an eARC of Switched through netgalley.com


Oh my frakking Norse gods! This book was a roller coaster ride, spinning in a tornado! It was funny, sweet, delicious, and exciting! From the first page to the very last I was smiling and grinning and biting my lips. My toes kept on curling while I anticipated for that awesome, explosive kiss scene that would knock Wesley and Kayla to their senses that they belong together!


I think the Cardigan's song Lovefool fits this book perfectly.


One of the reasons why I gave this book 4 stars is Wesley. Oh Wesley, you made me swoon and look for an actor who had a dimple like yours (because the actors I'm crushing on don't fit you or give you justice). And I have two reasons why this book isn't a five: one, this reminded me a bit of the first 2 episodes of Lovely Complex (an anime). Girl falls for guy's friend. Guy falls for girl's friend. They make a plan to get the people they like to like them back, and etc. Two, Kayla leaned a little on the annoying-whining-girl side. But I just like to think that's her flaw and there are other reasons why you should love her!

Rate4stars



 

Giveaway


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Anyone who comments on this review post through midnight (PST) on Sunday, December 8 is eligible to win a NetGalley review copy of SWITCHED! Winner chosen at random.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Review: Sempre (Forever #1) by J.M. Darhower

sempre-aphrodite



Click image to read Goodreads summary
 

I've read the first version of Sempre before it was republished and it was one awesome read. But I did have some problems with it like 1) it had some minor characters that didn't quite make the story move or didn't have a great significance and 2) there were some scenes that stalled the whole book. It just stopped! Frustrating at times but those scenes made the book edgier, grittier, and raw. Still, they had no real importance to the story.


The second time I read Sempre (I received an eARC through netgalley. com and thank you publisher for approving my request) I've noticed a great change. The scenes in the first version that made Carmine a really big spoiled asshole of a man-whore were gone, which was kind of saddening because I really thought those scenes highlighted how screwed up he was, but I realized as well those scenes made no story movement and the little scenes and paragraphs left to showcase Carmine's bad attitude were enough to give readers a big insight on who he was before he met and fell in love with Haven.

Although there were scenes I wish didn't have to be deleted, this republished version of Sempre is still as amazing as the first. It's less messy to read, less confusing (yes, I got confused a little on the first version), less vague and more direct to the point. I fell in love all over again with Carmine and Haven and their love story.

Rate:5-stars1

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Hunted by Jill Kaelin

Hunted Blog Tour Badge


I've read books with paranormal creatures like vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, zombies, angels, and other made-up creatures authors can think of. But Hunted took me by surprise when its fantastical, mystical creature was a UNICORN. Initially, My Little Pony came into mind.

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Alright, to be honest, the unicorn theme was a bit of a turn off, but I shouldn't let my narrow-mindedness stop me from reading.  The author lets us get into the mind of Skye, a sixteen-year-old unicorn-girl, and her struggles as she goes through high school. She's a regular teen, except she's a unicorn, who has a magical gem stone, and she has outlived a cat by FOUR LIVES.

What I love about Hunted is how the author crafted a whole new world of species with odd traditions and culture. Unicorn-culture is a new experience for me, which fascinated me. I'd love to know more about it.

If you're tired of the same vampire, werewolf, and zombie books out there, then try Hunted. I guarantee you'll enjoy the teen romance and you'd probably want to join PETA to protect the unicorns.

Rating


Hunted.v2.14stars

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Stacking the Shelves #3


Stacking the Shelves is a new meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews, which is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!


A really great haul for me this month of September! I received Demons, Guardian, and What I didn't Say from Netgalley for a review.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince




Goodreads summary: Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’s dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.

Review


An eARC of this book was provided to me through Netgalley.

Every time I read one of Julie Kagawa's books it always feels like a challenge to me. It's a face off always! And I know one of us is going down!



Sigh... The Lost Prince just lost me. Again, just like The Iron King, this book is just a blend of popular books and cliche characters. There is nothing unique about this book.

It's a shame that Kagawa did not really hold my interest long enough. I really do think the first fifteen pages or so of the novel was interesting. I liked how she introduced Ethan to the readers. For a moment, I thought Ethan was going to be a unique character. But I was DEAD WRONG!

Ethan Chase

If I were to meet him, the first thing I will tell him is to piss off and be emo somewhere else. Don't contaminate me with your broody, emo vibes, you leech!

He is your typical, mysterious "bad boy". Just imagine him as Ash, only he is human and immature. And, what do we expect that happens to bad boy? He falls in love! HE EFFIN FALLS IN LOVE ALMOST INSTANTLY! Oh my glob! Isn't that the most unexpected thing, like, since ever? I didn't see that coming!

From broody, distant bad boy to I-can't-be-without-you, I'm-your-knight-in-shining-armor dude. Yep, totally unique, un-cliche, and unexpected. This was a major, major bombshell!

Kenzie

The polar opposite of Ethan Chase. She is popular, rich, and a good girl, who is bored in life and just wants to live. Yep, so far it's the most special and one-of-a-kind novel I have ever read.

I WANT THIS CHARACTER TO DIE!! 

She is almost as useful as the gunk between my toes! For me, she is a character that can't really make a story move. I think Kagawa just added this character to represent and remind the readers that there is romance in this book. I say Kagawa should throw this character away and use that other chick, Samantha, as Ethan's love interest.

Why?

I think I just made a story within this story :D Ethan said that he had a friend, Samantha, who got injured while riding a phouka when they were younger. He claimed that the phouka was after him and not his friend. The girl couldn't walk after that, though, and moved away somewhere else. I would have loved the romance of the novel more if the circumstances were like this: Ethan unexpectedly meets Samantha again in his new high school, and is surprised to see her walking again! Then, he learns that the girl bargained with the fey to have the ability to walk again. It's now up to him to save her from the crazy she just entered and find out why she can see the fey.

I think there's more gravity there than with Kenzie's. The girl can't even fight for herself!

By the way, Kenzie, your confession to Ethan wasn't a blow to me. I think Kagawa just wrote your confession without even planning it and wrote it in the spur of the moment.

Keirran and Annwyl

Useless characters. Throw them away. Please!

The Forgotten

Let me guess, Kagawa imagined you in the spur of the moment as well. Typical! Just like Stephanie Meyer. Oh well.

Brow Raising Lines

I will say it again. I. HATE. KAGAWA'S. WRITING. STYLE. I wrote like her when I was fourteen. When I presented a short story to four award-winning authors of my country with the style same as Kagawa's, you know what they said? They all agreed I had no talent! One said to me, "I'm sorry. Don't get offended, alright? But I don't like how you wrote this. This is fanfiction!" And another one said, "This is crap!" And one more said, "I think the author should read more."

"The fairy laced his hands behind his skull." SERIOUSLY? Is this how an adult should write? Laced his hands behind his skull. Hah! What? Was he a skeleton? Did he have no hair and scalp?

- "He blew out a noisy breath." I'm sorry, but what does this mean? What do you mean by noisy? Did his breath sound like static?

- "I looked up, and she gave me a fierce smile."; "...staring at me with blackest hate.";" ...her eyes suspiciously bright." THIS IS CRAP! I can't imagine or see this fierce smile or blackest hate or eyes suspiciously bright!

Final Thoughts

This is a novel I would love to chop into pieces and then burn into ashes if I had a paperback copy of it. The plot and characters are as bad as the author's writing style. This is horribly draggy with so many unnecessary scenes to make it even more draggier. There are so many scenes here I think should be deleted because they are not significant enough and don't make the story move. One example is Ethan's fight scene with a snake-like fey. And, yes, Kagawa used another character again, Todd, to make Ethan move. Very much like how she used Ethan in the Iron King to force Meghan to go into the fey world.

To this novel, I give it the finger. And to make everything short, I shall describe this book in two words: It SUCKS.

Rate


Sunday, August 19, 2012

Stacking the Shelves #2


Stacking the Shelves is a new meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews, which is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!


Yey! Month of August, you are torturing me. I received another set of great books from Netgalley for review.


Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett (ebook)



The Twisted Window by Lois Duncan (ebook)



Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (ebook)


And I received an ebook directly from the author for an honest review.



Taste by Kate Evangelista


A review of Julie Kagawa's The Lost Prince will also be on the way. So far I am not liking what I am reading. And I wonder if The Twisted Window will be like Antonia Michaelis' The Storyteller.

Rape Girl by Alina Klein

Rape Girl




Goodreads summary: "Hey, look. It’s that girl. That rape girl, right?"

Valerie always wanted to be the smart girl. The pretty girl. The popular girl.

But not the rape girl.

That’s who she is now. Rape Girl. Because everyone seems to think they know the truth about what happened with Adam that day, and they don’t think Valerie’s telling it.

Before, she had a best friend, a crush, and a close-knit family. After, she has a court case, a support group, and a house full of strangers.

The real truth is, nothing will ever be the same.

RAPE GIRL is the compelling story of a survivor who does the right thing and suffers for it. It is also the story of a young woman’s struggle to find the strength in herself to fight back.

Review


I received a copy of Rape Girl through Netgalley for an honest review.

This book made me frustrated at everything that happened, which is a good sign because it means I connected with the characters and plot, made me feel something. The writing style was good. I liked how it flowed and how it didn't use too many adjectives, unlike most YA novels.

Valerie is a refreshing voice in the YA world plagued by cliche, overbearing, airhead protagonists. I was struggling with her when she was struggling with her so called "friends", her family, her schoolmates, and how people treated her. While I was reading, I really wished that her rapist and her "friends" just died! I was disheartened to learn what happened on the case against her rapist and just wanted to smash my kindle into bits! Valerie's transition was slow, but I rooted her all the way and wished she could get pass this crisis.

I had a problem with the ending. It didn't satisfy me enough because the rapist didn't really feel any remorse or guilt. And it just ended abruptly. I wanted to read more on what Valerie was going to do now she had confronted her rapist and what her rapist would do after

What I learned on Rape Girl?

Even "nice guys" can turn into rapists.

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