REVIEW: The Last Changeling by Chelsea Pitcher

Title: The Last Changeling (Faerie Revolutions #1) 

Author: Chelsea Pitcher 

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Taylor’s given up on happiness. He’s just trying to survive. Haunted by his brother’s death and pushed around at school, he spends his days searching for a quiet moment of peace, until he meets Elora. The enigmatic runaway gives him a hope he’s never had—the hope of truly connecting with another human being. But the daughter of the Unseelie Queen has different plans for Taylor. Born into a world of corruption and war, Elora is determined to free her people from her mother’s tyranny. If she can gain the allegiance of the Seelie Queen, her mother’s loathed enemy, she and her rebels can crush the Dark Court and bring equality to Faerie. But to do that, she’ll need a proper offering . . . A human. To steal a mortal, Elora must become a mortal—at least, by all appearances. And infiltrating Taylor’s high school is surprisingly easy. But as she becomes entangled in his world, Elora realizes something startling: inequality in the human world isn’t so different from inequality in Faerie. Students are bullied, ostracized and attacked for being different. And just like she did in Faerie, she begins gathering up the outcasts, encouraging them to take back the school. Now Elora has two rebellions on her hands: a quickly mounting mutiny in Faerie, and a mortal uprising inspired by the boy she’s destined to betray.

My Review:

I was instantly drawn to the book by the cover and the plot, I was expecting an epic adventure between humans and faeries but instead I had a mini adventure with romance between teenagers. I have to say I had higher expectation regarding this book but all in all I enoyed it.

The book started pretty good with mysteries and fantasy mixing the human and the faerie world. The book was full of secrets, specially around the two main characters. Taylor was mysterious and really sweet, he wanted to hep Elora above all.  I really liked the slow burnt of the story and the writing was amazing with a really great pace but I couldn´t really get into the story because it wasn´t what I was expecting. 

Blog Tour: Where the Road Takes Me by Jay McLean

Title: Where The Road Takes Me 

Author: Jay McLean 

Synopsis: Chloe has one plan for the future, and one plan only: the road. She’s made a promise to herself: don’t let anyone in, and don’t let anyone love her. She’s learned the hard way what happens if she breaks her rules. So she’s focused on being invisible and waiting until she can set out on the road—her dream of freedom, at least for a little while. Blake Hunter is a basketball star who has it all—everything about him looks perfect to those on the other side of his protective walls. He can’t let anyone see the shattered pieces behind the flawless facade or else all his hopes and dreams will disappear. One dark night throws Chloe and Blake together, changing everything for Blake. For Chloe, nothing changes: she has the road, and she’s focused on it. But when the so-called perfect boy starts to notice the invisible girl, they discover that sometimes with love, no one knows where the road may lead.

My Review: 

I am a huge fan of Jay McLean´s writing and her More series so I was pretty excited to read her new book.  That´s why I had high expectations for this book and I have to say it let me down.

McLean´s writing is as flawless as ever, the style and the way she is able to put that kind of powerful feelings into words.  I really love reading the feelings of the characters and the new perspectives the author puts into view. I definitely think she should write a poetry book or something of the sort because she writes deep, real, raw and intense feelings.

The main problem I found with Where the Road Takes Me has to do with Chloe and the way her “maybe illness” is treated. The whole book is full of drama, Chloe is living or not living because she may have some chances of having cancer because her mother and aunt had it. Sorry for the language but I call all of it bullshit because my mother had cancer and died of it and I am not worrying every day of my life that I am going to end up dying of cancer. So this was the main problem I had, Chloe and her vision of life.

I liked Blake, he was sweet and hot but I missed him being more mature, his whole doubt about what to do in life seemed from my point of view kind of silly. I really didn´t liked the main characters, I preferred Josh. I hope he gets his own book.

All in all I enjoyed the beautiful moments of the book but I wasn´t really impressed with the story mainly because I was expecting something different and for the reason I gave above. 

Review: Savor by Monica Murphy

Title: Savor (Billionaire Bachelor Club #3) 

Author: Monica Murphy 

Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy concludes her sexy Billionaire Bachelors Club series with a fiery romance that refuses to be left at the office… Bryn James can’t take much more. Smart, sexy Matthew DeLuca is everything she wants in a man, but he’s also her boss—the youngest, hottest vineyard owner in the Napa Valley—and he doesn’t see her as anything more than his shy assistant. That’s all about to change. Armed with a hot new look and an attitude to match, Bryn is determined to catch Matt’s eye… professionalism be damned. With his winery’s grand reopening approaching, Matt is trying to stay focused, but Bryn is suddenly making it very difficult. He’s always thought her prim demeanor effortlessly sexy, but Matt can’t deny that her transformation is jaw-dropping …and going to make it very difficult to keep his hands to himself. But when one thing leads to another and suddenly Matt is stripping Bryn bare, he’ll be faced with the biggest risk of his career—and his heart. Can he convince her—and himself—that this might just be more than a no-strings office affair?

My Review:

Savor was a short read but it was also quite addictive because of the fast paced narration and the plot which was catching and enjoyable. Both Matthew and Bryn are believable and charming characters and the chemistry between them is palpable from the very first moment. They are made for each other.

I was drawn to Matthew because he is interesting, stubborn but has morals at the same time. Bryn is a really nice heroine, she knows how to keep her space and is a down-to-earth character.

I also liked the secondary character, whom I suppose are the main characters of the 2 first novels. I don´t know why I didn´t look in goodreads the order of this series since I started in the 3rd book without knowing anything about the firsts ones. I don´t usually skip books in a series because I got lost easily in the plot but I can assure you that Savor can be read as an standalone because the author keeps involving the previous characters and their stories so the reader knows what happened before.

Savor is the perfect read for romance lovers looking for a good time when they don´t have a lot of free time.

Review: Getting Rooted in New Zealand

Getting Rooted in New Zealand by Jamie Baywood

Craving change and lacking logic, at 26, Jamie, a cute and quirky Californian, impulsively moves to New Zealand to avoid dating after reading that the country's population has 100,000 fewer men. In her journal, she captures a hysterically honest look at herself, her past and her new wonderfully weird world filled with curious characters and slapstick situations in unbelievably bizarre jobs. It takes a zany jaunt to the end of the Earth and a serendipitous meeting with a fellow traveler before Jamie learns what it really means to get rooted.

This book was actually very enjoyable. Being an autobiography it’s easy to put oneself in the author’s shoes (especially being a young woman) and understand the problems she has with friends or men… but what the book is mainly about are the cultural differences between her native California and New Zealand. Ok, I’m not from any of those places and therefore I might have missed some of the references but the book is really fun and witty from beginning to end and you can actually enjoy it even if you’re not from the places mentioned.

It was quite interesting to realize how two countries that share a language can be so different, and it was also cool to know a bit more about New Zealand (there are lots of books and movies set in the US but not in this island). Also being an English student I personally enjoyed things like different meanings that same expressions can have in these countries or weird pronunciations of words that the writer found in New Zealand (the title of the book itself).

All in all I sure would recommend the book; it was definitely a good read, quick, easy and fun.

Lost in Us Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

Title: Lost in Us 

Author: Layla Hagen 

Synopsis: Serena has learned to live with her past, locking her secrets and nightmares deep inside her. But when her boyfriend of six years abruptly leaves her, she’s catapulted back into pain, nursing a broken heart. When indulging in mountains of chocolate doesn’t work, Serena decides the best way to deal with her shattered heart is to indulge in something else. A rebound . . . The night she swaps her usual Sprite for tequila, she meets James. The encounter is breathtaking. Electrifying. And best not repeated. James is a successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. A man who has amassed a fortune by taking risks. A man who has shunned commitment completely, and still does. He’s the exact opposite of Serena. But sometimes opposites attract. Sometimes they give in to burning passion. Sometimes opposites are perfect for each other. James is everything her damaged soul could want. His kisses are intoxicating, his touch out of this world. He makes her forget. He grants her peace from her pain. But as they grow closer, Serena discovers she isn’t the only one with a past. James carries the scars of a past much darker than hers. One that has left him damaged, hurt, and wary of love. A past that gives him the power to shatter her. Now James and Serena must find a way to mend one another. Or risk losing each other forever.

Amazon- B&N

My review: 

Lost in Us is an easy read full of emotional rollercoasters. The narrative is refreshing though from my point of view everything happens too fast. I am not used to reading books where the main characters hook up and connect so instantly. I liked Serena, she was a strong heroine but at the same time she has the typical flaws of girls when we have a crush

I didn't like James a lot, lately I've been realizing that I am not a huge fan of wealthy characters. I find them presumptuos and annoying. Though James had some redeeming qualities.

Lost in Us is full of smockingly Hot scenes and angsty flights that will be highly by romance readers.

My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author.

I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.

I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.

And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough 

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Giveaway:

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REVIEW: Always You

Title: Always You 

Author: Missy Johnson 

Synopsis: I was thrilled when I was offered a graduate teaching position at the prestigious Tennerson Girls Academy. At twenty-three, this would be my first ‘real’ teaching assignment. Working at the elite boarding school, home to the daughters of some of the wealthiest people in the world, was a great opportunity that I would’ve been stupid to pass up. One week into my new job, and I suddenly had no idea why I chose high school…I was a seventeen year old boy once, I knew how teenage girls behaved. You can’t even imagine the hell of trying to teach thirty, hormonal driven seventeen year olds who have been cooped up, away from any male contact. I could handle the whispers every time I entered the room. I could even handle the obvious attempts at gaining my attention. What I couldn’t handle was her… Rich bitches and way too many rules. Was it any wonder that I hated school? Add to that the lack of male contact, and I was going insane. Like literally. I wasn’t used to this. A year ago I was normal. I had a boyfriend, friends and a loving family. There is nothing normal about me anymore, and nobody here lets me forget that. My name is Wrenn, and I’m only here because my aunt took me in after what happened, but my aunt also happens to be the headmistress of this academy…Can you see my problem? I’m hated for my lack of money, and I’m hated for who my Aunt is. Then he arrived. Dalton Reed. My new history teacher. Slowly, he helped me see that even in the worst situations, there is always hope.

                                                                 Amazon

My Review:

I really liked the beginning, it was very sweet and I was eager to read where it was heading. The book has a dual point of view. I usually don´t mind reading about teacher/student, but it was kind of unbelievable having such a young teacher in a girl boarding school.

I liked Wren till she started being a selfish child, she has a lot of potential but I really didn´t understand why they couldn´t wait to be together, if you tell me they had to wait a year... ok, but it was just around 8 weeks, I mean you are just out of college and you want to throw everyhing out for a chick you just met? Not my style at all. Dalton´s possible illness brings something very interesting into the story, I have to say I even cry in some parts.

Through the whole book I was expecting to read the moment when they realize they have already met each other, but I was completely let down. I mean I was expecting that scene since the beginning and it was simple and it didn´t bring the feelings I was expecting.

I enjoyed reading it, I liked reading the alternating point of view of the characters but I think that the fact that such a wonderful beginning and end of story were possible but at the same time the whole development of the story was just OK, didn´t made up for the flatness of what was in the middle, because the whole time I was expecting something more, more feelings, more drama.

Review: More Than Friends

Title: More Than Friends 

Author: L.Marie 

Synopsis:Alyssa's day couldn't have been worse, that is until her best friend gave her a time she would never forget. Her hot fantasy was about to become a reality!

My Review:

This short story was too short! It has too much potential, I wanted to read more about them, it looked more like the beginning of a chapter not just a whole story. And the end was kind of rushed as the sex, everything happened like in a blurb. 
Nice for a 10 minutes read but frustrating because I want more!

Review: Looking for Alaska

Title: Looking for Alaska 

Author: John Green 

Synopsis: Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

Amazon

My Review:

I had been hearing about this book for a long while before I eventually decided to grab it in one of my usual book hauls xD. I had heard many good things about it and the author John Green (who is not known for writing the happiest endings I guess), and so I s tarted reading. I have to say that I quite liked the book despite thinking it would be some kind of ‘Nicholas Sparks for adolescents novel’ (not that I don’t like Nicholas Sparks xD).

It is one of those novels that gives you both easy and hard parts to read; sometimes it is light, entertaining, fun to read… But when you get about halfway through the book, (for the lack of better words) shit gets real. You know from the beginning that the novel is going to have hints of tragedy but you don’t expect it that soon in the story. It certainly makes sense though, after the central tragic event, the book gets deeper and somehow more philosophical.

The central character, Alaska, is actually really interesting. She is a cheeky teenager, with a troubled past and a strong personality who lives for the present only. It is one of those characters that we aspire to be like in some aspects (at least I know I do).

All in all even though I wouldn’t say it is a life-changing book it certainly is a great, fast-to-read option. It is both enjoyable and interesting, and I guess highly relatable as well.

“So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane.” 

Título: Buscando a Alaska 

Autor: John Green 

Sinopsis: Cansado de su aburrida existencia, Miles, de 16 años, deja su casa para buscar su “gran quizás” en un colegio internado. Ahí su recién descubierta libertad y una enigmática chica, Alaska, lo lanzan de lleno a la vida. Miles se siente que está por alcanzar su objetivo cuando una tragedia inesperada amenaza con arrebatárselo. ¿Cómo la intensidad de la amistad puede terminar en una pérdida devastadora?

Amazon

Mi reseña:

Había oído mucho sobre este libro antes de decidirme a comprarlo en una de mis habituales búsquedas por las librerías xD. Había leído un montón de cosas buenas sobre él y su autor John Green (a quien no se le conoce precisamente por sus finales felices), así que empecé a leerme el libro. Tengo que decir que me ha gustado bastante a pesar de parecerme al principio algo como una novela de Nicholas Sparks para adolescentes (no es que no me guste Nicholas Sparks, eh xD).

Es una de esas novelas que tiene momentos tanto fáciles como difíciles de leer; a veces es ligera y entretenida… Pero cuando llegas a eso de la mitad del libro, las cosas se ponen serias. Desde el principio sabes que la novela va tener algo de tragedia pero no te lo esperas tan pronto en la historia. Pero la verdad es que funciona muy bien; después del acontecimiento central, el libro se vuelve más profundo e incluso filosófico.

El personaje principal, Alaska, es en realidad muy interesante. Se trata de una adolescente descarada, con un pasado problemático y mucha personalidad que vive solo por y para el presente. Es uno de esos personajes a los que aspiras parecerte en algunos aspectos (yo por lo menos).

En general, aunque no diría que es un libro de los que te cambian la vida, sí que es una muy buena elección, rápida de leer. Es entretenido e interesante a la vez y supongo que fácil de sentirse identificado con él.

“Así que caminé de regreso a mi cuarto y colapsé en el fondo de la litera, pensando que si las personas fueran lluvia, yo era llovizna y ella un huracán.”

Review: Naked

Title: Naked (The Blackstone Affair #1) 

Author: Raine Miller 

Synopsis: Brynne Bennett is living the good life. An American art student at the University of London and part-time photographic model, she’s putting her life back on track with school and lots of hard work. When ultra successful London businessman, Ethan Blackstone, buys her nude portrait, he isn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. He wants Brynne in his bed and makes plans to keep her there no matter what. His dominant nature captivates and ensnares despite the demons she carries inside her. But there are secrets in this relationship. Huge ones. Can Ethan free Brynne from the past that has marked her? Will Brynne let him or will the specters tormenting her resurface to destroy them both…

My review: 

I started reading Naked for the RARE Event challenge of reading and posting a review of a book of every author attending the signing event. I didn´t read any Miller´s books before Naked.

The synopsis and development of this story reminded me in a way to 50 Shades of Grey. The controlling, over protective, rich man obsessing over the insecure, beauty student. Though I have to say the writing style is a lot better. I also liked the setting of pre-olympic London and all the detailed descriptions of one of the cities I love the most. Sometimes it was as if I was back in London for a couple of hours while reading Naked.

From my point of view the main problem for me were the main characters. But not because they were weak or bad developed, it is just a matter of taste. Rich men are my least favourite kind of heroes and if we add overprotective and kind of caveman...just not my kind. I have to say there is a cliffhanger at the end so you may want to have All In, the 2nd book in The Blackstone Affair series to avoid the tension!

Naked was a short and easy read perfect for romantic readers that are looking for insta attraction and caveman behaviour while enjoying a detailed narration in the wonderful city of London.

Amazon

REVIEW: Reality

I am Arie Belle and up until my mother’s unexpected and mysterious death my life had been pretty simple, but then things became dark and, at times, hopeless. Even my uncanny ability to communicate with nature had turned its back on me. My only saving grace is my lifetime friendship with the boy next door, River, whom I had always thought of as my soul mate up until my eighteenth birthday when everything seemed to change. My body tingles with heightened sensations and my emotions veer out of control. They are further tested when Ashe, a beautiful stranger with a powerful draw, enters my life and challenges my heart and soul. Amidst the rush of feelings after years of numbness, my true destiny slowly unravels and my journey to find out what I am, to find my mother’s killer, and stop my own death becomes a frantic rush before the next full moon. This powerful story encaptures the true meaning of love and the dark corners of life that can either suck you in or save you.

The synopsis is really interesting and it has very appealing characters. I liked the beginning a lot, I was really hooked in the story but in the middle of all the mystery I kind of lose track of what was happening. It takes a lot of time to discover things and all the supernatural stuff wasn´t messing just with Arie´s mind but also with my mind. The incorporation of Ashe in the story made things a bit more interesting though I was team River from the very beginning.

The world the author has created is really original but I think there´s too much description about nature, I wanted more flashbacks to know more about Arie and her past life. All the mystery around the shadows is really appealing but I think more explanations were needed to solve all the questions around Arie.

Overall, I liked the book but the narative style didn´t draw me completely into the story and Arie´s behaviour with River and Ashe was mean sometimes and I didn´t like those scenes.

But it is really enjoyable to read, original and supernatural, a perfect read for fantasy lovers.

In the ending things end up in a rush and open so I think next book will be even better than this one.

Author Information: My passion for writing started at a very young age. It started with a multitude of diaries as soon as I could, then poetry, then short stories. I received my BA at USC in Theatre with an unofficial minor in writing. While at USC I wrote my first screenplay and post-graduation I was hired to write another screenplay, which I did successfully. Life got busy again and my passion was pushed aside, but then I met an amazing person who loved my story and encouraged me to start writing again. With that said, I am in a happier place now. I am fulfilling my inner desire and passion to write. I just self-published book one in The Life of Aries series and am currently working on book two. I am also working on an adult dark romance.

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