Monthly Archives: March 2015

Review: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

My rating: ? of 5 stars
Received: Giveaway
Publication Date: April 7th 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Point of View: 1st Person & Masculine
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, High School, Coming of Age, Friendship, Love

BLURB:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met. Continue reading →

Book Blitz (Excerpt + Giveaway): Bittersweet (Faerie Song Trilogy, #2) by Michele Barrow-Belisle

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Bittersweet (Faerie Song Trilogy, #2) by Michele Barrow-Belisle 
Release Date: 03/24/15
Summary from Goodreads:
To save the Faery world and her mother’s life, Lorelei sacrificed everything, and the dangerous bargain she made in Nevermore had lasting repercussions. Now safely back in her own world, Lorelei seems the same to her highschool friends and her supernatural boyfriend. Yet love across dimensions is complicated, especially when an invisible Veil between the two worlds—the only bridge that links the pair, is sealing, threatening to separate Lorelei and Adrius forever.
Determined to find a solution, Lorelei resorts to using her new found powers. But when her friends succumb to the same mysterious illness that nearly took her mother’s life, Lorelei can’t help but wonder if her own dark magic is responsible. Still, the nightmares from Nevermore continue their icy hold. Someone from Adrius’s past arrives, determined to destroy Lorelei’s world starting with those closest to her, and Lorelei is forced to choose between her family and friends and a love that was ill-fated from the start.

Continue reading →

Review: Last Year’s Mistake by Gina Ciocca

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Last Year’s Mistake by Gina Ciocca

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: June 9th 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Point of View: 1st Person & Feminine
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, High School, Drama

BLURB:

Before:
Kelsey and David became best friends the summer before freshman year and were inseparable ever after. Until the night a misunderstanding turned Kelsey into the school joke, and everything around her crumbled—including her friendship with David. So when Kelsey’s parents decided to move away, she couldn’t wait to start over and leave the past behind. Except, David wasn’t ready to let her go…

After:
Now it’s senior year and Kelsey has a new group of friends, genuine popularity, and a hot boyfriend. Her life is perfect. That is, until David’s family moves to town and he shakes up everything. Soon old feelings bubble to the surface and threaten to destroy Kelsey’s second chance at happiness. The more time she spends with David, the more she realizes she never truly let him go. And maybe she never wants to.

Told in alternating sections, LAST YEAR’S MISTAKE is a charming and romantic debut about loving, leaving, and letting go. Continue reading →

Review: The Winner’s Curse (The Winner’s Trilogy, #1) by Marie Rutkoski

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The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Received: Bought
Publication Date: Farrar Straus Giroux
Publisher: March 4th 2014
Point of View: 3rd Person & Alternative
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, High Fantasy, Romance, Slavery

BLURB:

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love…

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart. Continue reading →

Review: No Touching At All by Kou Yoneda

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No Touching At All by Kou Yoneda

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Received: Online Read – Mangafox
Publication Date: November 30th 2010
Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing
Point of View: Masculine
Genres & Themes: Manga, Adult, Yaoi, Slice of Life, Drama

BLURB:

On his very first day at a brand-new job, shy Shima is trapped in the elevator with a hungover mess of a guy…who turns out to be his boss! Togawa’s prickly exterior definitely puts the rookie recruit on-edge, but it doesn’t take long before Shima’s every waking thought is invaded by his overbearing yet totally thoughtful superior. Will Shima put aside a history of disappointment in order to take a chance on a complicated relationship? Continue reading →

Give to the Heart Vol. 1 – Wann

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Give to the Heart Volume 1 by Wann

My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
Publication Date: October 7th 2014
Publisher: NETCOMICS
Point of View: Feminine
Genres & Themes: Manga, Young Adult, Fantasy, Gods, Romance

BLURB:

In the far-off distant future, the Earth suffers a cataclysm that destroys modern civilization. Over centuries, human survivors regroup and organize into primitive cities. Three godlike beings arise and oversee the well-being of the world. Lord Ganok rules all waters. Nations prosper – or starve – on his whim. He nourishes farmlands with rainfall or blights entire realms with drought. He can unleash violent storms that level entire cities. Yet, despite all his awe-inspiring abilities, the Water King can’t win the heart of a simple human woman named Sooyi. Lord Ganok quickly learns that the human heart contains more intense storms than he could ever hope to create. Furthermore, Sooyi seeks out a power of her own in order to fulfill an old vendetta…the power to slay the Water King once and for all! Continue reading →

Who Am I, Really?

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I realised, some time ago, that I don’t talk that much about myself. I mean, sure, I do give my opinion on plenty of subjects throughout my reviews, but I don’t share much personal information with you at all. Or do many random slice of life posts. At all. And my About Me page isn’t very detailed.

I feel like you don’t know me. And I think you feel like you don’t know me too… Could it be?

Continue reading →

Review: Confess by Colleen Hoover

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Confess by Colleen Hoover

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Bought
Publication Date: March 10th 2015
Publisher: Atria Books
Point of View: 1st Person & Alternative
Genres & Themes: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Family

BLURB:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a new novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies.

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin… Continue reading →

Review: Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1 (Fullmetal Alchemist, #1) by Hiromu Arakawa

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Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1 by Hiromu Arakawa

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Received: Online – Mangafox
Publication Date: January 1st 2002
Publisher: ガンガンコミックス
Point of View: Masculine
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Steam punk, Adventure

BLURB:

Alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world; something between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in this power to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg…and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living steel. Now Edward is an agent of the government, a slave of the military-alchemical complex, using his unique powers to obey orders…even to kill. Except his powers aren’t unique. The world has been ravaged by the abuse of alchemy. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher’s Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are… Continue reading →