JANUARY WRAP UP

HELLOOOOOO EVERYONE *^*
Sorry for being MIA but I basically spent all my christmas vacation locked down in my room reading non-stop and sleeping less than 4 hours everyday. And now I've started 2nd semester of college and I'm still reading non-stop. If my parents tell me they're going to put me in a mental hospital, I wouldn't be surprised though.
Well, let's get to the topic!
So, I have a huge list of the books I've read in January and I should say that I'm reaaaally proud of myself and now I look like a zombie because I really need to start sleeping more.
Here is the list of books my brain consumed in the first month of 2016:






- Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout
- The Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

1. Half-Blood
2. Pure
3. Deity
4. Apollyon
5. Sentinel

- The Hush Hush Saga by Becca Fitzpatrick

1. Hush Hush
2. Crescendo
3. Silence
4. Finale

- Book 2 and 3 from the Hex Hall trilogy by Rachel Hawkins

1. Spell Bound
2. Demonglass

- The Significance Series by Shelly Crane

1. Significance
2. Accordance
3. Defience
4. Independence

- Revenants Trilogy by Amy Plum

1. Die for Me
2. Until I Die
3. If I Should Die

- Mad World Duology by Christine Zolendz

1. Fall From Grace
2. Saving Grace

- The Sweet Trilogy by Wendy Higgins

1. Sweet Evil
2. Sweet Peril
3. Sweet Reckoning

- The Dark Elements Trilogy by Jennifer L. Armentrout

1. White Hot Kiss
2. Stone Cold Touch
3. Every Last Breath

So these are all the books that I've read during January. A total of 27 books and if you want to know what was the rating I gave to each on of them, you can check my goodreads (domominreader) but I'll be reviewing some of these during February.

Glad to write,

DomoMin (Brigida Afonso)

BEST BOOKS OF 2015

HELLO Y'ALL!
Missed writing here so much! Sorry for not posting in a long time, I've been submerged in my readings that I just got lost in my little bubble.
So, going right into the subject of this post... I got inspired by a lovely booktuber named Naya (Channel: NayaReadsAndSmiles) who did a video with her 9 favourite books/series of 2015 and so I'm going to do something like that but I've narrowed it to 7 (favourite number much).
Instead of counting the books seperately, I've compiled them into their respectives series.
So this is my list:
- First of all, my favourite series of all: The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout (including Oblivion and also Onyx and Opal trough Daemon's eyes). Just by ''favourite series of all'' I think you know how I feel about this series. It consumes my everyday life, eveywhere I go I can see something related to Lux. (okay, I have serious problems. Go ahead, judge away.)

- Secondly, A Court Of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.I just want to comment this: Damn perfection. Just read it if you haven't for god's sake. This was the first book I've read by Sarah and I loved her writing so much and the story is damn awesome and god, I still have millions of feels by just thinking of it.

- Thirdly, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I'm not a huge fan of contemporary books but I so loved this one. How couldn't I? I was all cutesy and I really loved all the plot.

- Fourthly, obviously another Rainbow Rowell book... CARRY ON! I won't say anything because I've already done a review on this books and I have a ton of pictures on my instagrim with me fangirling with this PRECIOUS book.

- Fithly, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare which was a huge rollecosters of feelings for me (good ones actually, like crying like a little baby and creating a new ocean. True story, check the map.)

- Sixthly, the Existence Trilogy by Abbi Glines (that by the way, the dude on the covers is Pepe Toth, also know as our baby Daemon from the Lux Series covers. Hot dude, would so marry him. Another true story). I loved this series so much that it only took me 3 days to read the 3 books and for that I basically read during my classes, didn't almost sleep and looked like a zombie in uni. So yeah, I guess It means that this series is awesome sauce.

- Seventhly and to finish up this post, A Bucket Full Of Awesome by Zainab T.Khan which I've posted a review on it and I so recomment to all of you. Another contemporary book that I loved so much. Couldn't stop reading it and even cried. A lot. For real, you should all read this book, it's damn good and I think that today my vocabulary consists in damn, good, awesome, perfect.

I'm sorry if I didn't talk much about the books but I want to be totally spoiler free since most of my favs are series.
If you want me to write more about any of this books I've pointed out, feel free to ask :D
That's all folks.

Glad to write,

DomoMin (Brigida Afonso)

DECEMBER WRAP UP & JANUARY TBR

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY *^* 
 Hope everybody had an awesome New Years and that this year is better than 2015!


So, my December Wrap Up... Funny thing is that I failed it completly BUT! It was for a good cause and that is my damn feels.
So instead of reading what I had planned to read in December, I've read A Bucket Full Of Awesome and Sanctuary by Zainab T. Khan that I recommend and thought that both were amazing;
I've read Carry On by Rainbow Rowell that made me cry like 2376876234872 times, smile, get extremly exited and happy and ruined my feels; City Of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare that also ruined my feels and made me cry an ocean and it was damn perfect and I can't even talk about this book without crying (not kidding); and last but not least... Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Ohhh Oblivion how you wrecked my life. So if you guys don't know, the Lux Series is my favourite book series of all, my baby, my life and I've read the series in the beginning of summer 2015 and coming back to this world once again but in Daemon's POV brought back all my feels and they smashed me like a 500 pound elephant BUT! (yes, there is always a 'but') I've also read Onyx and Opal in Daemon's POV but it's only available in ebook.
So as you can see, I actually read a lot but not what I planned so my TBR pile is still huge as hell and basically I cried every single day of the month since I cried with every book.
You could give a name to my room and it would appear in the world map as the new discouvered ocean. True story.

And now for my January TBR that I so hope to accomplish.
I plan to read:
- The Covenant Series (5 books by Jennifer L. Armentrout)
- Hush Hush Series (4 books by Becca Fitzpatrick)
- Demonglass & Spell Bound (From the Hex Hall Series by Rachel Hawkins)
Probably gonna fail miserably again but I'll try and it's just the first day of the year and I've finished re-reading Origin and I'm half way through Opposition from the Lux Series. Yup, the love is real, judge me.
That's all folks.

Glad to write,

DomoMin (Brigida Afonso)

BOOK REVIEW: Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux (#1.5)

Published date: 1st December, 2015

Published by: Entangled Teen

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal

Pages: 350

Format: Paperback

Rating: 5*

Synopsis: Experience the epic love story of OBSIDIAN as told by its hero, Daemon Black…

I knew the moment Katy Swartz moved in next door, there was going to be trouble. Lots of it. 

And trouble’s the last thing I need, since I’m not exactly from around here. My people arrived on Earth from Lux, a planet thirteen billion light years away. Plus, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans can’t be trusted. We scare them. We can do things they only dream about, and honestly, we make them look weak as hell. ‘Cuz they are. 

But Kat is getting to me in ways no one else has, and I can't stop myself from wanting her—or wanting to use my powers to protect her. She makes me weak, and I’m the strongest of our kind, tasked with protecting us all. So this one simple girl…she can mean the end for us. Because the Luxen have an even bigger enemy—the Arum, and I need to stay on my game. 

Falling for Katy—a human—won't just place her in danger. It could get us all killed, and that’s one thing I’ll never let happen..

Review:

Daemon is perfect.

Glad to write,

DomoMin (Brigida Afonso)

KIDDING!

Back to the review.

Even though we already got to read Daemon's POV in the last Lux Series book, an entire book with ONLY Daemon's POV is something completely different.

The Lux Series is one of my favorite book series (if not the favorite one!) and to be able to read once again something from this story but in a different perspective made me so freaking happy.

It is obvious how much I loved this book. As soon as I saw that the book was coming out, I made the pre-order of it and this was the first pre-order I've made in my entire life.

Everyone loves Daemon, it's a worldwide fact.

I don't have any complaints about this book, I loved everything about it and smiled through all of it and had the same (or even worse and bigger) feels as I did when I read Obsidian.

Now, for the second time, I've finished the Lux Series and I still want more of it. Jennifer L. Armentrout has powerful writing skills that makes you get hooked in the worlds she creates, at least for me. Although I've only read this series by J. L. Armentrout, I know the other books she has released are as awesome as the Lux Series and in this case Oblivion.

Reading this book made me want to re-read the entire series once again and roll on the floor while I cry because of the feels all this story brings.

To everyone who has read the Lux Series: READ THIS BOOK!

To everyone who still hasn't read the Lux Series: READ THE SERIES AND THIS BOOK.

BOOK REVIEW: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Published date: October 6th, 2015

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, LGBT

Pages: 513

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 4.5*

Sinopsis:

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters.

Review:

I want to make this review as spoiler free as possible so I'm just pointing out some aspects that I loved.

Let's begin with why I didn't rate this book 5 stars. Well, the first chapters didn't quite get me hooked to the book (it doesn't mean I didn't liked them) and so for me it was a slow read but after a while the story started to make get so damn curious that I just couldn't let go of it. 

Rainbow Rowell does it once again. She wrote a damn well awesome book that thanks to it I'm having another existential crisis because of too many feelings brought by this amazing story.

Even though I read Fangirl during summer and had some idea of who Simon and Basilton (Baz) were, thanks to Cath's fanfiction, I loved them even more in this book. The thing that comes right away to mind if we speak of Baz is the moment that he appears in the book I started to smile so much and fangirl and he didn't even do anything! I was just so excited to get to know him even more and the other characters spoke so much of him that I just needed to read his POV or something where he was present at that moment.

I was so god damn curious to know how Rainbow Rowell developed Simon and Baz's romance and when everything started to get explained through the book I was like: ''OHHHHHH, this makes sense'', but I was mostly screaming, sobbing and fangirling in my mind although I spent most of this marvelous book smiling like a girl how's just fallen in love.

I'm so glad that I've read this book and got to be in the world of Mages once again but this time got to explore it and to see it throught the eyes of several characters. 

Everyone who wants to read Carry On should first read Fangirl to get the inicial glimpses at the world of Mages and then you can read this book.

Hope that everyone who reads it, loves it as much as I did.

BOOK REVIEW: Sanctuary by Zainab T. Khan

Sanctuary by Zainab T. Khan

Release date: December 21st, 2015

Genres: Contemporary

Pages: 115

Format: Ebook

Rating: 4*

Sinopsis:

Sanctuary

(n.) the protection that is provided by a safe place.

"And Sanctuary was the right word to describe our small town with its mouth-watering Pakistani fruits, Spain’s bullfighting, Italian pizzas, French artists, Indian spices, Korean kimchi, Turkish delights, and Russian dishes. To every single one of us–a Pakistani, Indian, French, Italian, Korean, Arab, Spanish, Russian, Australian, African, American and Turkish–it was a sanctuary. Our own safe haven. Our home with its different cultural styles and with a culture of its own."

Review:

If you're looking for a one-sit-read, this book is the one! 

I really enjoyed reading this book and I so badly wanted that Zainab explored the plot even more because I surely saw a great  potential for an awesome romance.

I loved this idea the author had with this novellette in which she packed several cultures and religions in one story, this Sanctuary, this world she created is a well thought and explored idea. A place where all cultures are welcomed and there's no racism or hate for something that is different or is considered by others as strange.

In this book you get to see the point of view of Adelaide and Ruelle who are twins (brother and sister) and originally from France. For me, they were both excelent characters but I got more attached with Adelaide (probably because I'm a girl *inserts stupid laugh*) and her extraordinary personality.

One thing that I liked but at the same time didn't like was the fact that the names of several characters were point out numerous times at it started to get a little repetitive but at the same time it was good so we could memorize all the different people and cultures presented in this story.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this short book but I SOOOOO want more of this, at least more Adelaide and Kinvac moments and also Ruelle and Raina moments!

BOOK REVIEW: A Bucket full of Awesome by Zainab T. Khan

A Bucket full of Awesome by Zainab T. Khan

Genres: Young Adult

Published Date: February 14th, 2015

Pages: 208

Format: Ebook 

Rating: 5*

Synopsis:

"You know, Blake, even though we all know that cancer is a heartless dragon who wants to take everything and everyone into its fiery pit, we still fight with it. We still hope. And we clash again and again with its fire, and even though we get burned, we don't accept defeat. Humans are the most fragile yet the strongest beings on earth." 

"And they are the most stubborn." 

I laughed, "Right. They are stubborn." 

* 

Summer Wallace is a wild, crazy girl who simply couldn't care less about her appearance. She strongly believe in the saying, "You Only Live Once", in teenage subculture also known as YOLO. She plays basketball like her life depends on it. Well, it sort of does, she loses one game and there's a dent in her ego, not a small one either. 

Meet Blake Walker, her best friend and her partner-in-crime. Although he is just like his childhood best friend in acting-like-a-kid department, he can be a bit saner than her. Though, at times, he can be crazier than her. But a day changes both of their lives which leads Summer to make a bucket list and complete it before her whole life takes a 180 degree. Whereas, Blake is determined to keep her as long as he can. And he is perfect for the job. After all, he knows her more than anyone else. And they have no room for regrets. As Summer Wallace says, "There shouldn’t be any space for regrets in our beautiful lives.” 

Review:

This book, oh this book... Where do I even start?

First of all, like my best friend said to me: ''Not all books are perfect and you have to stop getting so hyped and write a review where you point out the negative parts and what you didn't like''. And yes, it is very true what she said but (there is always a but), I actually don't have anything that I didn't like about this, except that it could be bigger because I loved it.

So... *composes herself into a professional person* The book is written in the first person and in the point of view of Summer Wallace, though almost at the end it changes into Blake Knight's POV and then again into Summer's POV.

Summer's almost 20 years old and getting to read her thoughts at that right moment, her actions, you get into her skin like if you were her. The writing was surprisingly simple in a way but also complex (in a positive way). Since it was Summer's mind that we were reading, the way she speaks/thinks is actually like a teenage girl from nowadays, for example when she says: ''make-out session with the concrete floor.''; ''Awesome. Please note the sarcasm.'' or ''Seriously, dude?'', these expressions that sound like something a girl of her age would say made me get even more attached to Summer and the story because even I speak like that so it made feel like I could relate to her. 

SPOILERS

The fact that right in the beginning she denied receiving treatment and why she did it sounded quite realistic. She feared death but feared more if she died while missing all the things in her life that she loved to do like playing basketball for indeterminate hours with Blake. I think that her strong personality made all the story even more interesting because she tried to show her strong side even though that in the inside she was actually scared and didn't want to make anyone suffer because of a stupid disease (Summer's words). 

Blake is a very important character here since besides being Summer's best friend, he's her pillar, the one who's beside her all the time and through all her life and obstacles that somehow she tries to avoid them like if they don't exist but Blake knows it, he knows how she feels even if she doesn't say a word about it.

If it wasn't for him, Summer wouldn't be doing the treatment and would probably die and then not truly enjoy her life.

There's a lot more that I can say about these two characters and the others like Luke, Lucinda or even Cameron. They all supported Summer and tried to make her see that with just a little effort everything would be okay and in the end she would be healthy and beside the ones she loves and cares for. 

For me it was obvious that Summer and Blake had feelings for each other but because they were best friends since always they didn't even think about that, but with time Summer started to get more scared about her condition and if she would survive and the talk she had with Cameron about why was she avoiding Blake made her see that avoiding him, so he didn't get hurt if she died, was actually hurting him more. Cameron opened her eyes to reality and so did Blake with a letter she wrote to him where she exposed her true feelings.

I think that the whole story was well structered and it's timeline was consistent. We got to see several stages of Summer's illness and all the learning she did while doing the things she had in her ''bucket full of awesome'' (bucket list). 

I did actually cried a couple of times and laughed a gazillion of times. If you read this book (I hope you do), count on a gazillion of funny moments.

The last thing that I want to point out is the inspirational side of the book.

You see Summer struggling with her disease but also you get to see what she learns with it and with all the adventures she has while trying to finish her bucket list. 

To finish, here are some parts that I thought were inspirational and beautiful:

''You are no princess. You are a warrior. You don't own a tiara or create peace and harmony. You wear spiky shoes and create caos. You, my darling friend, are a firecracker. A bomb which can explode anytime. You don't go for dresses, but jean shorts, leather belts, and spiky boots. Princesses are just too main stream whereas you, darling, are the only one of your kind. One and only.'' - Blake

''It's a given that we'll face difficulties and breaking points in our lives but with them we'll also have lots of positive moments. We only have to recognise them and let them be. We shouldn't burden those few positive moments with the negatives in our lives or we're going to just ruin them. Life is full of drama, competition, difficulties, and God knows what else. But that shouldn't rule out the love, happiness and joy we feel by being around the things we love and the people who love us. That's how life is. It's supposed to be bitter, but you have to sweeten it.'' - Summer

DECEMBER TBR

HELLO MA LOVELYZ! *^*
So initially this was supposed to be my December+January TBR since my classes finish the 17th of December and I'm still on my exams month. BUT! Fear not because now this will only be my December TBR.

I'm going to try really hard to read all these books and probably I'll start to desperate when I start with the Infernal Devices. Look at those books, they're GINORMOUS!
And I still need to read City Of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments) by Cassandra Clary as well. Wish me luck because I'll need it!

Books List:
City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments Series)
The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare
Let it Snow
An Abundance of Katherines
Will Grayson, Will Grayson (all 3 by John Green)
Demonglass
Spell Bound (both by Rachel Hawkins - Hell Hall Trilogy)

Currently reading: 
A Bucket full of Awesome by Zainab T. Khan

Review coming soon *^*

Glad to write,

DomoMin (Brigida Afonso)

COMING SOON! - OBLIVION By Jennifer L. Armentrout

Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Lux Series (#1.5)
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genres: Young Adult, Sci-Fi
Release Date: December 1st, 2015
Synopsis:
Experience the epic love story of OBSIDIAN as told by its hero, Daemon Black…

I knew the moment Katy Swartz moved in next door, there was going to be trouble. Lots of it.

And trouble’s the last thing I need, since I’m not exactly from around here. My people arrived on Earth from Lux, a planet thirteen billion light years away. Plus, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans can’t be trusted. We scare them. We can do things they only dream about, and honestly, we make them look weak as hell. ‘Cuz they are.

But Kat is getting to me in ways no one else has, and I can't stop myself from wanting her—or wanting to use my powers to protect her. She makes me weak, and I’m the strongest of our kind, tasked with protecting us all. So this one simple girl…she can mean the end for us. Because the Luxen have an even bigger enemy—the Arum, and I need to stay on my game.

Falling for Katy—a human—won't just place her in danger. It could get us all killed, and that’s one thing I’ll never let happen...


Who's exited for the release of this book? Surely I am! Even though that usually I'm not a big fan of a story retold in another POV, but this is Daemon Black that we're talking about. I'm not a fan of Sci-Fi books, but LUX Series ended with my life! I fell in love with this series instantly and getting to read one more more book from this series (even though it's book 1 in another point of view) make me so excited and anxious to get this beauty in my hands as soon as possible.
If you desire to get some deleted scenes that ARE NOT IN THE BOOK, make your pre-order and follow J.L Armentrout instructions in her instagram account. I made mine on BookDepository.
As soon as I get the book, I'll read it and I'll be doing a review.

Until then,

Glad to write,

DomoMin (Brigida Afonso)

BOOK REVIEW: Fallen by Emily Clarke & Thom Young

Fallen by Emily Clarke & Thom Young

Published: LOMS

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

Pages: 211

Format: Ebook

Rating: 3*

Synopsis: Julie Anderson never wanted to leave her life and friends behind in Connecticut, but when her father gets a new job in Texas she discovers her destiny.

When she meets the devilishly fallen angel, Nick Landers, her life begins to unravel. Nick is different from the other boys and seems to have an unhealthy obsession with her. 

Julie soon learns that Nick has taken an oath never to fall in love with a human being. Despite Nick’s irrational behavior, Julie finds herself falling for him. 

When Julie’s mother is killed in a car wreck, Julie realizes her own life is at risk and only fate will decide whether Nick kills or protects her.

REVIEW:

I'm an honest reviewer and so I must write my true opinion about this book.

I think that the plot, the content itself, has potential. It needs to be more elaborated and more descriptive (like with feelings, express the pain and sadness the character is feeling, the attraction).

Also, I think that the characters personalities need more work and dedication to them.

One of the things that I liked about all the characters is that they represent what several teenagers nowadays are going through like cutting, smoking, bad or non existent relationship with their parents, etc. The story is quite realistic in that topic and that makes us think about real problems that you could (or not) relate to them.

I understand that Julie (the main character) is going through a lot in her life but I think that maybe in the second book she could be more strong minded instead of getting depressed and just cry. In a way she feels lost, doesn't know how to deal with Nick and who to trust. Is Tyler someone she can rely on or not? She doesn't understand herself and her life much less others.

Overall, I didn't dislike the book but I didn't love it. It's a nice quick read and has it's positive aspects as I've pointed out.

Hope you give it a try because it's worth it. 

BOOK REVIEW: Half Blood by Kat Sloan

Half Blood by Kat Sloan

Published: Kathel Coven Press

Release Date: February 10th, 2014

Genres: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 341

Format: Hardcover

Rating: 4.5*

Synopsis:

"Although our union felt so utterly perfect, the idea of us together was still so terribly wrong. Vampire and Half Blood werewolf . . . forbidden. But we were unreservedly in love, and in our world there was no room for the forbidden."

Trapped in a world she doesn't understand and haunted by a past she doesn't remember, young Native-American Lakota Avital discovers that she is part of a supernatural existence. When Irishman, Aiden Kathel enters her life and captivates her with his magnetic charisma, she falls desperately in love with him. In a tumultuous turn of events, Lakota learns that she is a Half Blood werewolf and her eternal love, Aiden, is a vampire. 

Their forbidden love and the dark secrets of Lakota's past threaten to tear both their worlds apart. Their lives will be tormented with heartbreak, grief, and sacrifice as they desperately attempt to thwart war of catastrophic proportions between their two worlds.

REVIEW:

Firstly I need to say that this made me cry twice, and when that happens it’s because I get emotionally attached to the story and the characters. That happened with this book, mostly because of Aiden (of course, Jesus Christ, he’s perfect). 

Also! Don't take quick conclusions about this book. It's not like Twilight or Vampire Diaries. It's completely different, trust me when I say it is. 

It has such an amazing plot and romance that you completely forget that probably you thought ''Oh, this is just another vampire and werewolf book''.

The story is fast-paced and made me want to know more and more about everything that was happening throughout the pages. The writing is really good and that also helped me to get hooked on the book.

 It is written in Lakota's perspective, the main character of this story. She's the one who had more character development and the one with the strongest personality. 

The way Kat Sloan made her characters and story come to life with just words was exquisite.

All the story and it’s emotional moments made me grow fond of the characters and wanting to know more about each one, to get to understand them and their purpose in the story. 

The ending just killed me emotionally! I don’t have much to say about it because it was something that I wasn’t really expecting and when I read it, it hit me like an elephant smashing every single bone in my body. 

I recommend this book to everyone because it is a MUST READ!!

Waiting excitedly for the second book!