BOOK REVIEW: Moonlight Sins (de Vincent #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published date: 30 January, 2018
Published by: Avon Books

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Adult 

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback

Rating: 4*

Synopsis:

Julia Hughes has always played it safe until she learned a very painful lesson. Now Julia’s starting over with a job in the Louisiana bayou—and a scorching encounter with a stranger, only to discover he’s Lucian de Vincent... her new employer. The de Vincent brothers share a massive fortune and a dark reputation. Julia cares for their troubled sister, but a menacing presence in the mansion—and the ever-present temptation of Lucian—prove dangerously distracting.

Lucian’s grandmother claimed de Vincent men fall in love once—and hard. Apparently, it’s Lucian’s turn. Julia’s compassionate care of his twin makes Lucian want to lay himself bare. But some secrets are better for Julia not to know.

The recent “suicide” of Lucian’s father is the latest in a string of deaths on the estate. Someone is eliminating the de Vincents. And the best way to get to Lucian may be through Julia...

REVIEW:

Look who's finally decided to post a review on this book? This idiot here.

It took quite the time to post it since it was the hardest review I've ever written. Also because I rated this book 4 stars and I'm about to say stuff that won't make sense regarding the rating but bare with me. Read the entire review and you'll understand. 

So... Why FOUR stars and not less or more?

First of all, overall I did enjoy the book thus why I read it so fast but there were so many things that kinda disappointed me or left me feeling that it was too predictable. 

It's quite difficult for me to hate a Jennifer L. Armentrout book because she's my favorite author (yes, I'm a bit biased) but I can still point out when something on her books pisses me off or I think didn't make any sense at all.

Once again - and I'm getting tired of having to bring this up - the hype ruined the book for me. 

Okay, maybe not ruined... But I didn't love it as much as I could've if the freaking hype wasn't an a**hole.

I was expecting more. There's not much I can add to that. I just felt that something was missing, the romance didn't do it for me, the whole drama towards Lucian's sister was too predictable for me and the fact that Lucian didn't tell us everything about his past pissed me so damn much. For crying out loud, this book was about him and Julia and still a lot of things weren't answered. 

My hopes for this book were like a roller coaster where the journey is 15% up and 85% down into hell. The beginning was quite awesome and it made fly through the pages but once I started reading more, that felling of awesomeness just dissipated. You could almost say that it kinda got a bit boring, I wanted more action, more drama, MORE romance. One moment Lucian and Julia have 0 feelings for each other and 2 seconds later... BAM, I love you. 

Putting aside what I said about Lucian earlier, I did love him. I think he was the best character in this book and I craved for the chapters in his POV.

I didn't connect at all with Julia and that made me sad because usually I connect with every single freaking character Jennifer creates.

I'm just praying to all the gods and entities out there that I love the second and thirst books in the de Vicent trilogy.

To clarify a bit more: I didn't hate the book but I also didn't love it. OVERALL (emphasis in that word) I enjoyed it but since Jennifer's my favorite author I'm almost expecting more and better from her thus why a lot of things weren't to my liking. 

I hope now you understand why the 4 stars rating.

BOOK REVIEW: Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black

Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Published date: 2 January, 2018
Published by: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fae 

Pages: 384

Format: Ebook

Rating: 3*

Synopsis:

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

REVIEW:

3 SOLID DISAPPOINTING STARS !!

[May the hate towards my review come. I'm ready y'all.]

So... Cruel Prince...

I don't even know where to start but I ain't gonna spoil anything at all so this will be a very short review.

This is the first Holly Black book I read and I had high expectations. Why?! Well, let's give a round of applause to my best friend [irony] THE HYPE!! 

For real, the hype people do over books tend to ruin them to me and I wanted to love this book so much but I wasn't able.

Did I enjoy it? I did.

Will I re-read it?? Hell to the big NO. 

Did I love any character(s)? Hahah, you're funny. Not a single one, honey.

The story is intriguing but I didn't like the way Holly Black explored this world and their characters. She fussed over so many things as if they were a matter of life and death but in the end they were completely forgotten throughout the story. I spent the entirety of the book asking myself if anyone would bring up said topic/action/moment that was supposedly soooo important. 

Yes, I'm pissed. 

I truly tried to create any kind of connection towards the characters but I just couldn't make myself do it because it was impossible to connect with them. Actually, to me, most things in this book didn't even make sense. 

So basically, I struggled to put myself in anyone's shoes because I just thought everyone was trash. Even the main character.

Will I be reading the second next year? Yes.

Why? Because I want to give this a second chance. 

As I said, I didn't like it but I did enjoy it in its entirety. Overall I was able to enjoy it but if we brake this book into sections... Oh honey, I will hate the heck out of it and point out every single ridiculous thing there is in each sentence.

BOOK REVIEW: Eternal Darkness by J. F. Johns

Eternal Darkness by J. F. Johns

Published date: 11 January, 2016
Published by: JFJohns

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult 

Pages: 342

Format: Paperback

Rating: 5*

Synopsis:

The world is divided between humans and cyborgs. 

Scarlet Lock is neither. 
She is a soldier created to kill on command. But her memory has been erased and when she awakens in a government facility she soon discovers that this new world is a dangerous place, full of government secrets and cruel experiments performed in the name of progress. 
With the help of a group of cyborgs, Scarlet will fight to uncover the truth and transform the future of the new world she now lives in. 
Eternal Darkness is full of suspense, action and romance and will make readers question what it means to be human.

REVIEW:

I think this was the hardest review to write because I still have no words to describe how much I LOVED this story. 

From page one until the last one I was impressed with what I was reading. Jazmin (J. F. Johns) has amazing writing skills and the way she wrote this, I could feel myself as if I was the main character, Scarlet Lock. 

I'm not into science fiction, cyborgs and all that jazz but oh boy did I LOVE this book!

A thing that I usually do when I read is to put some sticky tabs marking some parts that I quite enjoyed, some funny or inspirational quote. Well... The book looks like it was eaten up by a gazillion sticky tabs. I just fell in love with every single character in here and how each and every one interacted with each other.

Scarlet Lock is our main character and she doesn't remember the last 20 years of her life. Every time she gets a glimpse of her past I just crave for more. I want more memories, they helps to understand her, to see what she had to go through all those years since she's neither human nor cyborg. What is she? You ask. Ain't gonna spoil that! Pick you and book and go through all the feels I had to in order to learn her true nature.

With every memorie she recovered, the more I cared for Scarlet, the more I felt sorry for everything that it was done to her.

Who wouldn't feel lost if they couldn't remember part of their life? Everyone, duh. But Scarlet, even though she was feeling like part of her was missing, even though she was somehow disoriented, she was determined to find out about her, about what was done to her. 

''My name is Scarlet Lock, I was born with this name and i shall die with it.''

This was absolutely one of my favorite quotes by Scarlet and I won't freaking forget it because it just shows that no matter what no one can take away her real identity. Try messing with her and she'll just fire back ten times more.

But now it's time to talk about my baby, Eric Thorn. Just the name is enough to melt my heart and break the rest of my body into tiny pieces that could be easily picked up by the wind. This boy is just complete perfection, book-boyfriend material obviously. If someone says that he's otherwise... I will find you and I will rip your organs out and feed them to the hounds. Eric is totally full of himself BUT he's just the sweetest person ever. Yes, he has a messed up past and an even messier present but he doesn't hide who he was and is. Some feelings he keeps them to himself but he still shows what he truly feels do Scarlet. He's always there for here even if he thinks that she doesn't feel the same (dumbass, of course she likes you, idiot). 

Every time Eric opens is mouth is to say some snarky retort or to say the most beautiful thing ever. Either I was laughing my lungs or I was crying my eyes out. This boy breaks me, I'm telling you, he destroys me.

There are a lot more characters that I want to talk about but if I do so I won't stop writing and then this would be a novella about what I thought of every single little aspect of the book and I ain't got time to write a book. 

But be sure that I freaking loved this. I know I've said that already but hey, I'm just trying to make you guys sure that this story is brilliant, the writing amazing and I need the others books as soon as possible or else I'll die in a pile of tears because the ending of this book just made my soul cease to exist. 

Good luck with surviving this book because it's a ride. But the best ride ever. Your mind will just enter this world so easily that you'll like you're living all of that, as if you actually know that universe, as if what is happening is happening around you. That is what I want a book to do to me... To transport me into another world and Jazmin had and has that power and for that I congratulate her because she deserves that recognition.

Also, I'm going to thank her once again for sending me the book and giving me opportunity to enjoy such an amazing story.

OPINIÃO: Koldbrann - Parte 2: Desleais por Ana Cláudia Dâmaso

Koldbrann - Parte 2: Desleais por Ana Cláudia Dâmaso

Publicado em: Junho, 2017
Editora: Chiado Editora
Páginas: 168

Género: Distopia, Fantasia, Young Adult

Classificação: 5*
Sinopse:

Num mundo apocalíptico, a população saudável vive em cidades-bunker, denominadas fortalezas, que os protegem dos perigos do mundo exterior, mas com um custo: a sociedade está dividida em dois polos importantes que todos são obrigados a cumprir, seguindo os seus destinos sem questionar. Mas será que todos os perigos se encontram fora das fortalezas?
Diana Salvatore e os seus amigos Josh e Nicole descobriram informações que deixará a vida de todos de pernas para o ar e coube a Diana e Josh a árdua missão de escapar da fortaleza de Scallabis para tentar descobrir toda a verdade! Será que irão conseguir?

OPINIÃO:

Comparando a cotação do livro anterior para com este fica logo bastante claro que gostei ainda mais desta segunda parte de Koldbrann. Ainda que este livro seja bem mais pequeno que o primeiro, senti o meu coração a palpitar muito rápido devido ao suspense, à curiosidade que este livro suscitou em mim. Página após página eu via-me cada vez mais imersa na história e o espectáculo desenvolvimento dos personagens neste livro foi soberbo.

Posso dizer que este livro está cheio de twists e muito mais coisas nos são explicadas. Tudo aquilo que se foi descobrindo ao largo da história deixou-me sempre de boca aberta, sem saber realmente como reagir. Nada neste livro me pareceu óbvio o que é um enorme ponto extra para a nossa talentosa Ana Dâmaso. Pela segunda vez digo que ela está de parabéns com a obra que nos apresentou.

Eu terminei de ler este livro com o coração nas mãos e com uma enorme vontade de chorar. O final deste livro deixou-me completamente K.O, morta e enterrada. Desleais está escrito no ponto de vista de diversos personagens por isso em vez do livro terminar com um cliffhanger (que já é bastante mau para o pobre coração de um leitor), terminou com diversos cliffhangers o que acabou por ser o destruidor do meu frágil coração. 

Se vos recomendei o primeiro livro, agora digo com ainda mais ênfase para pegarem nesta saga e começarem a ler e desfrutar deste mundo fantástico.
Por agora aguardo no meu cantinho do desespero pelo terceiro livro pois necessito dele o mais rápido possível. Deus dai me forças!

OPINIÃO: Koldbrann - Parte 1: Rebeldes por Ana Cláudia Dâmaso

Koldbrann - Parte 1: Rebeldes por Ana Cláudia Dâmaso
Publicado em: 9 de Julho, 2016
Editora: Chiado Editora
Páginas: 457
Género: Distopia, Fantasia, Young Adult
Classificação: 4*
Sinopse:

Num mundo apocalíptico, a população saudável vive em cidades-bunker, chamadas de fortalezas, que os protegem dos perigos do mundo exterior, onde é melhor morrer, que deixar de ter o sangue vermelho.

A limitação da liberdade alheia cria estruturas sociais muito restritas que todos são são obrigados a cumprir.

Esta é a história de Diana Salvatore, uma jovem que se revolta contra o destino que lhe foi imposto. 

REVIEW:

(Spoiler-free)

Levei um bom tempinho para ler este menino mas não significa que não estivesse a gostar dele, pelo contrário. Reading slump é o culpado de eu ter demorado tanto mas assim que voltei a pegar neste bebé devorei-o em menos de nada!

Logo no primeiro capítulo foi um oceano de feels e umas quantas lágrimas aqui e ali. Achei que foi uma óptima maneira de iniciar a história.

Ana Dâmaso leva-nos para um mundo que de certa maneira é como o nosso: tem muito mais que se lhe diga. 

Toda a complexidade colocada neste novo mundo, os próprios personagens e as suas mentalidades foram o que fizeram a minha curiosidade saltar ao de cima.

Diana Salvatore. 

Quente. Uma cabeça muito quente. Para ela as injustiças que a sociedade dela apresentam são absurdas pois tais coisas não deveriam existir. Ser obrigada a fazer algo que vai contra aquilo que ela acredita e deseja no momento destroem-na por completo. Ela tem uma alma lutadora, não se deixa levar por aquilo que os outros acham correto so porque está na lei. 

Ao lutar contra o seu destino ela acaba por descobrir diversas coisas que acabam por ser prejudiciais para não só o futuro dela como de muitas outras pessoas e oh boy... some shit is about to go down!

Ainda que este livro tivesse um pacing um pouco lento pois era crucial conhecer-mos a Diana na totalidade e como ela faz para alcançar aquilo que realmente é necessário, eu vi-me completamente imersa neste mundo e dentro da própria cabeça da nossa personagem principal. Quase como se eu é que estivesse a viver aquilo, como se aqueles pensamentos fossem meus e dou os meus parabéns a Ana por ter conseguido tal coisa com a sua escrita.

Além da Diana temos muitos, mas muitos outros personagens que com o desenrolar da história começam a tornar-se chave para que a Diana consigo chegar onde precisa de chegar e também passam a ser personagens dos quais queremos mais momentos, mais paginas, saber mais sobre eles. Tal como o Josh, Emma, Mária, Nicole, Ricky, entre muitos outros.

Estou muito grata em ter recebido este bebé e pela parceria que tenho com a Ana e recomendo a todos que leiam esta obra pois digo honestamente que valeu todas as horas que lhe dediquei, todas as lágrimas e sorrisos.

BOOK REVIEW: Fated Loss by Claudia Caren (Red Rose & Black Ash #1)

Fated Loss by Claudia Caren

Published date: 29 July, 2017
Published by: PaperHeart Press

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance 

Pages: 248

Format: Ebook

Rating: 4*

Synopsis:

For two years, her memories were lost.

For two years, she believed a lie.

For two years, thousands of lives rested in her hands. But she didn't even know.

Because she can't remember her past, Rose Kristal thinks she is an ordinary girl until her sixteenth birthday. On that day she discovers she is far beyond ordinary. On that day she remembers what she had forgotten. Now with thousands of people in peril, Rose needs to take back what has been stolen from her. 

Second by second, time ticks down and challenges pile up as Rose struggles to reclaim her kingdom from a vile tyrant. One who is determined to vanquish her. And to make matters more complicated, she is falling for a kind guy with a deadly secret. 

But Rose's biggest fear—losing the one she loves to the prophecy.

REVIEW:

We get to meet Rose, our main character, who has no recollection of her life pior her 14th birthday. She has a couple of strange encounters with her own magic, something she didn't knew she had. Well, at least she didn't remember she had it. At first she thinks she's hallucinating but after eavesdropping some of her grandparents conversations she begins to suspect that maybe magic was real and she wasn't just a regular human. And oh boy she truly wasn't. Besides not being human she has an important role in saving her family and friends, her entire kingdom's fate is resting upon her but with the help of her sister Skylar, her friend Ariel and the one who stole her heart, Logan, she will do everything to save everything and everyone.  

Five hours. It took me freaking five hours to devour this book. I was hooked on the first page and couldn't seem to let it go. I just wanted to keep reading and know what was about to happen.

The first half of the book was quite fast-paced and at first I didn't like that everything was happening too fast but the second half slowed down a bit and it help me enjoy the book a bit more. Besides that I loved every single character from the first moment they appeared and the story about this other world from which Rose actually belongs to was just so interesting. I was thirsty for more knowledge, to know each and everyone's past.

I think that the author is creating an awesome world from where she can give us much more adventures, action, romance. That ending freaking killed me. It ripped me to small shreds and now I need the second book more than I need to breathe. Some things in this book I was already expecting to happen but others I wasn't and that left me impressed because it made the story not so obvious but that ending wasn't even on my mind. It really never crossed my mind and I don't know if I should worship Claudia for such a clever way to end this first installment or if I should kidnap her, hold her hostage for what she did to my pour soul with that last chapter.

CHAPTER REVEAL: Undefeated by Stuart Reardon & Jane Harvey-Berrick

 

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A powerful contemporary romance set in the fast-moving world of international rugby.

When your world crashes down

When they all say you’re out

When your body is broken

I will rise.

I will return.

And I will be undefeated.

Nick Renshaw is the golden boy of British rugby. When a serious injury threatens his career, he starts to spiral downwards, a broken man.

Feeling abandoned and betrayed by those closest to him, he fights to restart his life. Maybe there’s someone out there who can help him. Maybe he can find his way back toward the light. Maybe … not.

Dr. Anna Scott might be the one person who can help Nick, but she has her own secrets. And when Nick’s past comes back to haunt them both, the enigmatic doctor is more vulnerable than she seems.

Broken and betrayed, the struggle to survive seems intolerable. Who will give in, and who will rise, undefeated?

Coming January 23rd 2018

Prologue

It’s a beautiful game.

It’s a hard game.

And even on a good day your body is battered and bruised. It’s a brutal game with blood, mud and dirt.

See this scar on my cheek? Rugby.

See this scar running through my eyebrow? Rugby.

I have a lot of scars.

I have 13 scars on each arm from keyhole surgery, knee surgery, scars on my forehead and the back of my head, scars on my knuckles, broken fingers. I’ve had both eyelids stitched, surgery on both shoulders, suffered a broken nose twice and spiral fractures in my hands, I’ve broken my fingers so many times, I don’t event count those. I’ve had cartilage cleaned out of my left knee, two medial ligament grade two tears on each knee, three lots of surgery for Achilles tendon injuries, and once I put my bottom teeth through my top lip. Getting stitches in your mouth isn’t much fun. They tug when you eat or speak.

There’s nothing nice about rugby. Maybe that’s why I bloody love it.

Chicks dig scars? Yeah, I’ve heard that, too.

In my experience, they’re not so keen on being around while you’re healing. Being the loser who’s benched, not so sexy. Being the guy who’s career went down the toilet … I’m looking a lot less appealing now.

Trusting a woman when you’re at your lowest—dumbest, stupidest thing ever.

Beat me, break me, butcher my heart.

I’m coming for you. And this time…

I’m going to win.

Stuart Reardon

Stuart is a retired England International Rugby League player who’s career spanned 16 years as a professional playing for several top League clubs. He has had several major injuries that nearly ended his career just as in Undefeated, the amazing collaboration with Jane.

Currently he is a Personal trainer living in Cheshire, and has an online fitness program: Fear Nothing Fitness.

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Jane Harvey-Berrick

I enjoy watching surfers at my local beach, and weaving stories of romance in the modern world, with all its trials and tribulations.

It’s been the best fun working with Stu on this story. And yes, he did think about joining the Marines once.

Author Links

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