Friday, January 26, 2018

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.


Saturday, January 20, 2018

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
!




Friday, January 19, 2018

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.


Friday, January 12, 2018

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.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

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.


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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.





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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Saturday, January 6, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: Full Package by Lauren Blakely

Total Package by Lauren Blakely
Published date: 9 January, 2017
Published by: Lauren Blakely Books
Genres: Contemporary Romance 
Pages: 300
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4.5*
Synopsis:
I’ve been told I have quite a gift.

Hey, I don’t just mean in my pants. I’ve got a big brain too, and a huge heart of gold. And I like to use all my gifts to the fullest, the package included. Life is smooth sailing....

Until I find myself stuck between a rock and a sexy roommate, which makes for one very hard… place.

Because scoring an apartment in this city is harder than finding true love. So even if I have to shack up with my buddy’s smoking hot and incredibly amazing little sister, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.

I can resist Josie. I’m disciplined, I’m focused, and I keep my hands to myself, even in the mere five-hundred square feet we share. Until the one night, she insists on sliding under the covers with me. It’ll help her sleep after what happened that day, she says.

Surprise—neither one of us sleeps.

And even though we agree to return to roomies-without-benefits, I quickly realise I want more than someone to split the utilities with. Now all I want is to spend every night—and every day—with my gorgeous roommate.

Did I mention she’s also one of my best friends? That she’s brilliant, beautiful and a total firecracker? Guess that makes her the full package too.

What’s a man stuck in a hard place to do?
 

REVIEW:
The book itself is a Full package!
It has a bit of everything:
- Friendship
- Love
- Humor
- Sexual spark
- Mutual respect
- Adoration for each other
It was impossible to not love this book. The story is told through Chase's eyes but sometimes we have small chapters that are some of Josie's recipe pages that may or may not compare the making of the sweet to the way she feels towards Chase.

I devoured this book in a couple of hours and I simply couldn't let it go. From page 1 I loved reading about Chase, also known as Doctor McHottie, the first problems he encountered in the beginning of the book and how that was the thing that pushed him even more into Josie's life. Even though both were already best friends and pretty much everyone thought the had feelings for each other already, both Chase and Josie were kinda blind to those feelings. They existed but they just didn't know it was love LOVE and not just that love you have for your best friend. 

Chase stole every single particle of my heart. The title of this book completely belongs to his - he has the body, the brains but most importantly, he has a heart full of heart and has no problems showing his affection and he truly respects Josie so I couldn't I love him and melt every time he said something nice? In his eyes Josie was his entire world, the embodiment of the word perfection. 

Something that Chase sometimes does without taking knowledge of it is that he flirts with Josie. He flirts a lot. But in a sweet way even if sometimes he can be real dirty. But other times he just bluntly flirts because he likes to do it and his dirty innuendos make the interactions between him and Josie way funnier and enjoyable.

Also, how couldn't I also love Josie? She's just the sweetest person ever and I mean that in two different ways. She's a baker so the adjective works and she's just so nice and lovable towards Chase. Oh! And the lady i«has no shyness at all in regards of sex. She's all claws and has no problems showing that do Doctor McHottie, also know as her guinea pig in regards of her cooking creations. It's not as if Chase doesn't LOVE tasting everything that Josie gives him. And yes, I mean everything *wink...wink* 

 Overall, you should pick this book up because it's a sweet and lovable reading filled with hottie hot moments and a lot of cocky moments from our Doctor McHottie.

Friday, January 5, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: Crave (Bonds #1) by Sierra Cartwright

Crave by Sierra Cartwright
Published date: 30 May, 2014
Published by: Totally Bound
Genres: Romance, BDSM, Erotica, Contemporary
Pages: 197
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4*
Synopsis:
She still craved him… The sight of a collar in her boyfriend’s drawer had stunned Sarah. Panicking, she had fled. But no other man has ever been his equal.



Two years ago, the woman he’d hoped to collar and marry disappeared. So Reece McRae is stunned to find his former girlfriend on her knees, behaving as the submissive he’d always wanted.

Is it too late? He should refuse her, but an undeniable sexual attraction consumes him.

Sarah had been under Reece’s spell from the moment she met him. When she found a steel collar in his drawer, she panicked. The idea of a lifetime of his relentless demands, sensual and otherwise, suffocated her.

In the years they’ve been apart, she hasn’t met his equal. Now, convinced one last night will vanquish his memory, she sets out to seduce him.

The Reece she returns to is even more determined to have his way. Is she now strong enough, brave enough, to surrender to his love?
Review:
This is the first Sierra Cartwright book I read and I must say I was quite impressed and became a fan of her with just reading one work of her.

Crave is the story of Sarah and Reece. How both loved, suffered and got together once again. How both made mistakes and where blinded by their fears. 
People always say: Don't judge one person without hearing their side of the story. Well, it suits this book completely.
You shouldn't condemn Sarah nor Reece but instead listen to both of them. I must admit that in the beginning I did judge Sarah for her actions and how she broke Reece's heart two years prior but once I kept reading the book and understanding Sarah's mind, I knew why she did what she did.

The main word (or problem, you could say) here is: miscommunication. Sarah needed to grow up a bit more so she could really be prepared for the BDSM world that Reece introduced her into. He was always gentle, calm and understanding towards her but she wasn't ready, she needed more time and after finding that specific object (no spoilers, go read the book) it was normal for her to panic. Yes, she shouldn't have run away, she should've talked to Reece but Reece also should've talked to her instead of assuming she was prepared for something she obviously wasn't. 

In the end... I think that both decisions weren't mistakes at all. Why? Well, it made both Sarah and Reece grow and learn. Made them both learn more about themselves and each other and that's why when they eventually restart their relationship it actually works out and evolves into something more.   

They both love each other and that much is quite obvious from page one but one broke the other's heart so there's some work to be done so they can reconnect once again. The love, the desire, the connection never left nor did the spark died between them. 

I enjoyed every single thing in this book because it wasn't just a stupid thing that was the catalyst of the story. Every thing happened for an understandable reason and in the end both characters understood that.

Thursday, January 4, 2018

BOOK REVIEW: Brave (A Wicked Trilogy #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Brave by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published date: 11 December, 2017
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 362
Format: Ebook
Rating: 5*
Synopsis:
Ivy Morgan hasn't been feeling like herself lately. Not like anyone can blame her. After all, being held captive by a psychotic fae prince hell-bent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld is bound to leave some mental scars.


It’s more than that, though. Something dark and insidious is spreading throughout Ivy, more powerful than she could ever imagine... and it’s coming between her and the man she’s fallen deeply in love with, elite Order member Ren Owens.


Ren would do anything to keep Ivy safe. Anything. But when he makes a life altering choice for her, the fallout of his act has far reaching consequences that threaten to tear their lives apart. If Ivy is going to have any hope of surviving this, she must put aside the hurt and betrayal she feels, and work with not only those she loves, but with an enemy she would rather kill than ever trust. War is coming, and it soon becomes clear that what Ivy and Ren thought they knew about the Order, themselves, and even their enemies, has been nothing but a cluster of dangerous, deadly lies. Ivy knows she must be more than just brave to save those she loves--and, ultimately, to save herself.


Because behind ever evil fae Prince, there’s a Queen…

REVIEW:
So... the ending of this trilogy comes upon us. Wicked, Torn and finally Brave. It took me a couple of days to write this review because, even right now, I'm not sure how to describe this book.
I went through so many feelings, just like a freaking huge roller coaster.

Jennifer L. Armentrout always, but freaking always leaves me amazed with her work. She's that good. I'm all caught up on her books, read them all, from her first to her latest published one and I don't know how she's able to do it but she just gets better and better from book to book. From each fictional world to another. 

I recommend you all to first read Wicked and Torn and then you can read this review because I don't want you getting any hints of what happens here without having read the two other previous books.

Now let's get to the juicy stuff.
Brave.
One word. It's a guy. He's perfect and everyone loves him.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
If you said Ren you're one hundred percent right. There's not one thing that Ren could do wrongly. He's just the sweetest person and the way he truly loves Ivy just melts my heart.

Everyone loves Ren, duh, but everyone loves Tink. Who doesn't? He's just the epitome os sarcasm combined with adorableness and witty answers. Tink just makes his entire trilogy so much better and every time something comes out of is mouth it's almost impossible not to laugh.
I loved the fact that Jennifer gave Tink a new plaything and but that I mean so man meat, some hubby for him to have fun between the sheets. Tink freaking deserves an entire book dedicated to him
!

I wanted to point out some of the things I loved in this book but if I don't point every single thing I'll just feel like I'm leaving you guys without the entire juicy stuff. Freaking read the whole trilogy and fall in love with every single character. Hate some of those you loved and start loving some of the ones you hated.
This book will surprise the hell out of you just as it did with me. 

I found myself saying holy lord so many times that the Lord himself must be tired of hearing me call him every time I read.

Just trust me when I say that Jennifer is a freaking genius and you should read every single book of hers. Oh! And Brave is pure perfection, Tink is best friend material, Ivy is a f*cking badass and Ren should marry me. 

Every single character has so much more to give us so let's just wait for the next work Jennifer gives us and it will surely be as awesome and good as Brave was.