Tanja @ Ja čitam, a ti?

Just please add little something to the end and you've got it! Review to come..

Review to come...

This book is just too weird. Review to come...

Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

Once upon a time there was a family and in that family were four Liars. They grew up in a kingdom of private island surrounded by tormented seas. During the year they spent some time away, taking care of boring things, like school, life and etc, but every summer they went back to their kingdom where life was everything but boring.

But once upon a time there was an evil force, strong and powerful which occupied this world. That force ruined families and their bonds. It's a force little kids knew nothing about and it terrified them. It was ruining their childhood and everything they thought was unbreakable. They needed to fight and they needed to find a way. That's what they did.

Once upon a time there was a story, a story that was wonderfully written and that captured you from the start. That same story will make you laugh, cry and invite you to its world. But be careful, that story will give you much and you must give it something in return. Piece of your heart, perhaps. But worry not, that same story will keep it and take care of it. That story will also take a day of your time which you'll have to give to it, but in return it'll stay with you forever. It'll give you its eternity.

That same story is this story and it's a story you should read. Without thinking much about it and without excuses. Go on, chase it down and thank me later.

My rating: 5 shining stars!

In case you want to see other opinion and maybe even more logical one, then check out Glass' review for this book.

Review posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

Taking away human emotions is something I have seen before in dystopian stories, but non of these stories was so dark and intriguing as Fury. Which made this story even more interesting to me is that I'm hardly ever furious, so seeing Josi explode in the nights of the full moon is how I sometimes feel to.

But let's go from the start. Josephine, our main character here is living in an dystopian world where the government has taken negative emotions out of people. They turned them basically into drones, without giving them opportunity to stand up and fight. But Josi is different, every year in time when blood moon is full she loses her memories and that night is always a mystery to her. Her secret stays with her until there is Luke. A guy who seems like any other drone but still different somehow. Josi must be careful as she knows that the government wouldn't be free if they knew her secret.

Beside interesting character and plot I really like the way this story was written. With constant switch from past to present and discovering story bit by bit I really couldn't put it down. Only thing that bothered me was that we get a part of the story which Josi tells to someone and in that part we have Luke's POV included. It wasn't a bad thing but I really had troubles with that as he was not around. It seems illogical to me and while I did like that we had his POV I couldn't get read of the weirdness.

All in all, I really expect this story to become something even more interesting.

Rating: 3.5 stars.

Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

Tanja: This is yet another book my girl Glass and I got to read together. But this time we had a support in Nick @Nick's Book Blog. She already posted her review and you can check it out here. Now Glass start!

Glass: Fourth book in Pushing The Limits series - and please, Harlequin, don't make it be the last - was so good. So good! I think we were is swooning frenzy whole time we had been reading. Want to know why? Okay here we go.

All the reasons we think Haley is awesome.

Glass: As you probably noticed so far, we love when girls in our novels are strong, smart, when they don't measure their worth with how much boys like them, when they don't let anyone to push them around and when they fight for what they believe in. Haley is one of those.
Tanja: Totally agreed! She is not only strong and capable I like her sympathy and desire to help others. She is also selfless and boy does she knows how to fight!

Why did we lock West in our fictional harem?

Tanja: Even though we both cheered for Abby's story (we still do) Take Me On surprised me on many levels. Mostly it is West whom I didn't expect to be like this. He is one of the characters who in the previous book Crash Into You was not on my all time fave list but boy when you get to meet him. That's another story all together.
Glass: West wasn't my favorite character in previous book, Crash Into You, either. As the matter of fact, I thought he was selfish, I hated the way he sometimes treated his sister Rachel and I had my doubts about Katie writing more books in this series because I wasn't sure how long it could be new and not start to go into circles,but also about new characters - boy, was I wrong. West redeemed himself - he is perfect combination of bad and good boy - tough when he needs to be, a little bit reckless, but when it comes to the girl he likes - sweet and loyal.

But, absolutely the best female character of all time - Abby!

Glass: From the first time I read about Abby, I wanted to know more. I need to read her story! This girl is bad-ass. Even big, bad boys are careful around her. She walks like she is a queen and everyone around her are her loyal peasants. If they are not, she'll make them regret it. Still, you can see snippets of her true nature from time to time and there is so much more underneath her whole steely exterior.
Tanja: Agreed and I truly loved her in this book. This all is just another reason that I'd love to see her get her story.

Take Me On as a mix of young adult and new adult.

Tanja: Have you seen the movie Never Back Down? At moments this book reminded me of that movie and it's a great thing as it's a move I really like. Well the point of that question is that if you have then you'll notice that the movie is not exactly for kids but then again it carries a really strong message for everyone. The same is with Katie McGarry's books. It is about growing up and finding oneself in this cruel and tough world.
Glass: I'd say that Katie McGarry balances on that fine line between young and new adult. She combines best of both genre - you get amazing and heart-melting love story, but it never goes into the cliches of new adult. Take Me On reminds me a little bit of novels written by Jessica Sorensen.

Five reasons to read Katie McGarry novels:

You will walk all dreamy eyed and overwhelmed with feeling for days after you finish reading.
The best first kiss scenes you will ever read in your life.
You'll always FEEL everything.
Her characters are also well developed and real.
Katie McGarry's writing.

Will there be more sequels?

Glass & Tanja: That would be a million dollars question. Apparently, "publishing gods" are still thinking about fate of our favorite series. Only thing that is sure for now is another novel about Echo and Noah - Breaking the Rules could be described as conclusion to their story and it'll be published in December this year. Lets's hope that there would be at least two more books, because we really want to read Abby's and Ethan's stories.

Review to come on Friday!

Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

There is something in dystopian settings which seem so real and possible that lure me in. This is one of them. With huge climate-changes happening all over the planet it's really not hard to imagine that the weather will change drastically and that humans won't be able to live in the surface any longer. Well, this book offers you a solution - underground cities. I really hope you're not claustrophobic.

Jansin Nordqvist is a sixteen-year-old cadet living in one of the underground cities within the society highly controlled and divided. As in Utopia everyone knows its place and what one should or should not do. This order is what was a result of people's moving from underground after the hypercanes destroyed any possibility of living on the surface. So now, the government has organized the society and Jansin knows her place. Traveling to surface is something rich members of society get a chance to so the scientist can observe things on the land. Once Jansin gets a chance to travel up she is happily obliges. Only what she's about to learn there is not what the government hoped.

Now we're moving onto a tricky territory as I really don't want to spoil things. You can assume that the government kept many secrets and that Jansin has got to reveal some of them. She discovers life among the rage of hypercanes and her life changes.

Like I said I hope you're not claustrophobic as I really don't know how would I survive under the ground without seeing stars and sky everyday. It's something that people there are used to and how the cities are created under there really blow me away. It's maybe hard to imagine but if you think of it the world builds in your imagination. When it comes to Jansin, she was a great character most of the time, strong, capable and most of all human. But at moments she was too perfect and way too lucky near the end of the story.

What fascinated me here the most was the writing style. Kat Ross really did a great research and all characters possessed the right and suitable voice. And there is also romance which was so sweet and loving to me. It's also action packed and it kept me turning the pages like a madman.

Review to come...

I don't think I'll write a review as my girl Glass already did it perfectly, so I'll just share one of my favorite poems which the title is taken from (I assume).

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

When I first read My Life Next Door I couldn't describe how much I enjoyed it. It was all I asked for, sweet, innocent and extremely emotional. Honestly, April couldn't be here soon enough to finally grab this one and enter Fitzpatrick's world once again. I wish I could say everything turned out great this time around but that's not the case. So I'll just split my review into things I liked and those that I did not.

Good:
- I'll start from the setting here. I always felt some connection with sea and water and I always felt comfortable around it so to be in a world where sea is part of everyday life was a huge enjoyment for me.
- Cass. Well while I assume some people will have problems with his perfection I loved him so much. It's unreal taken in consideration his age but it was wonderful to imagine someone like him existed.
- Humor. Maybe my favorite thing in this book. I loved how in certain moments our characters became really witty and I had to suppress my chuckle couple of times as my family thinks I'm crazy enough already.
- Multiculturalism. Now I do sound like an English lit student but cannot help myself. I loved every word of Portuguese, only what bothered me was that I have no idea what was the background of it.

Bad:
- I don't want to rant here but I'm afraid it'll turn out like that. But I don't think that this book has a single responsible parent/adult. I mean sure you are all busy and stuff but these kids are going wild in front of your eyes.
- Gwen. Our main character here. I did like her wit and the way she puts up with everything, but that's about it. I have huge problems with her recklessness and they way she acts towards sex and boys. My main fear in life is losing control over myself and it comes so easily to Gwen.
- Viv. This is tricky. She is Gwen's best friend and her cousin's girlfriend and while she might have had reasons for her actions I don't approve them.
- Length. My biggest problem her, but this book was unnecessarily too long. I got bored a lot and I do understand why some people gave up.
- Way of storytelling. It's really confusing at the start as you don't understand Gwen and her attitude but her memories showed like flashes in right situations. So you discover things bit by bit. Which isn't bad idea but I was lost through most of the book. Besides there is painfully too much narration.

In-between:
- Romance. Well as this is contemporary romance book of course I wanted to see romance on every page, which I did get. I liked that things moved relatively slow after the drama at the start of everything, but I wasn't feeling it. I did at the moment and it was sweet but not entirely.
- Class-division. It's a good thing that it showed the relationships in their society, but Gwen sometimes annoyed me with Cass being a white-collar. If he doesn't care, why do you?
This turned out a bit too long, sorry for that. All in all, I expected more.

Rating: 2.5 or 3 stars.


Buddy-read with - well I shall call us The Balkan Gang!

This cover! I mean

Boy this is something else. I don't think I'll review it as I have no idea what to say but -

READ IT!

Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

When Livia Blackburne approached me last year and asked me to read the prequel to this story, Poison Dance, I jumped to it. Assassins are always my favorite bunch to hang out with and luckily it turned out for the best. Ever since then I've been frantically checking NetGalley for Midnight Thief and finally it is here.

First I'd want to start this review by saying that you should read Poison Dance before reading this book (it's free on Amazon so go and grab it) because you'll be able to understand this world a little bit better and what is most you will understand James better. When I first saw him in this book I was taken aback. Everything seemed the same only he was older, wiser and with what happened before changed his way of thinking. When it comes to Kyra she was one of those characters I assume many (together with me) will love. She is brave and extremely resourceful because life tough her that. Then in came Tristam, whom I didn't expect, but like any real knight he swept me off my feet. Even though romance is not main focus in this story it was sweet and slow.

Now, we're getting to the my favorite detail in the story. It's that you never know who is in fact good and who is bad here. The rolls switch every now and then and mostly villains are in facts heroes in their own minds. It's so easy to see every Kyra's doubt as you never know whom to trust. It kept me on edge throughout the whole book and I enjoyed it so much. Also there is clash of different worlds here and it was a puzzle to put all of them on the right sides. Still is to me.

That being said, I must add that I enjoyed the plot here which was full of unexpected twists and turns, with great characters - both main and supporting, who are all portrayed realistically, with dose of magic which I enjoyed.

Only thing I wish to have here was a map. I can imagine it but sometimes it was hard to follow all the places. I really hope that the finished copy will have one.

Review also posted at Ja čitam, a ti?

While I always say that angels are my favorite paranormal creatures somehow I always end up disappointed with stories about them (there are few exceptions, though) but never have I seen a book like this where we deal with Angels of Affection so when I got the opportunity to meet them I jumped right into it.

It all starts with Liam and his last days of life. While fighting for a good cause he dies, but soon enough a new way of life opens for him and we see that he has many regrets to make and this is a chance for him to change. While working and adjusting to the new tasks at hand he didn't dream that once again he will go back being a mortal to help get back the love to the world. His new partner Adela, will have even greater challenges as she left this world a while ago. Together they will do anything to help Jeff.

While this division between the angels and the whole idea of getting love back in to the people was really interesting, sadly this story wasn't as fascinating as I hoped. The whole setting once Liam died and went to heaven was really weakly done. I couldn't sense the whole glorious aura around the angels and the parts of this story which were set on Earth were much better to me. Another thing that bothered me was that some aspects of this story were really predictable, but I must say that the relationship here was really good. I loved how slowly things moved and how the affection between the two grew.

All in all, it's a fast and decent read but sadly nothing much.

Review maybe to come..