Review: A Million Miles Away

We always hurt the ones we love the most

Kelsey never meant to hurt Peter. When her identical twin sister, Michelle, passed away in a car crash, Kelsey was resolved to tell the "widowed" boyfriend the truth. But when she saw him through Skype, facing the war in Afghanistan, she couldn't. Why cause him more anguish? He seemed so happy to see Michelle's face. 

To be honest, the beginning captures the interest at once. The loss hit the family to the core; Kelsey finding a way to distract herself from the issue by corresponding with Peter, while her parents formed a grieving club in their living room. But then Kelsey goes too far (could she go any lower than impersonating a death person) by lying to Peter's family and friends, cheating on her own boyfriend and worse lying during intimacy. 

On top of all these crazy shenanigans brought on by her grief, Kelsey refuses to be a mirroring effect around Peter and actually becomes Michelle. She subscribes to Michelle's art classes and memorizes a heap of information on many painters just to sound like her dead sister. Even considering all her mannerism. When Peter plays her a song:

"Kelsey thought of Michelle, and remembered to clap."

All in all a good plot. Too bad the main character lacked depth.

Review: Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between

Love meets circumstances

Clare and Aidan are the perfect high school couple. They share numerous pleasant memories and most importantly they "dove" each-other (John Green would be pleased that more teens are giving the word love a personal touch). But now, Clare wants to break up. Tonight! It's logical that separate colleges will cause them to drift into a long distance relationship, and it's far better, to break up in good terms than later on when they are miles apart. But can these two say goodbye without resenting the other?

It's impossible not to feel a pang of sorrow when reading this book. They are not ending their relationship because someone cheated, or simply stopped caring. Aidan knew from the start what college to apply, and Clare had no choice due to some rejection letters. Sometimes you need to let someone go for your own good and theirs. 

However, despite their good reasoning, Aidan took out his anger with his best friend Scotty and Clare was far too self absorbed, that even her friend Stella had to mention it (in case we hadn't noticed)

"You've been asking me why I'm too busy for you. Why I haven't been there for you. You haven't once asked me where I've been."

All in all, a realistic situation but with characters too into themselves to relate.

Review: Final Orders

Can Anton be stopped once and for all

In this final installment of the series, Anton must face his rivals, as they attempt to stop his dictatorship. To know how to get rid of him, we must face his past and so Anton's education (including a glimpse of his mother) is demonstrated. Why is he so possessive and abusive towards woman? Seeing them as sexual objects more than humans? Who will end his tyranny?

It seemed cruel at times to see how bittersweet the characters got when meeting dead ones in other dimensions. But through it all, Helenowski passed on the message to let go of those "what could have been" questions of our past that haunt us and concentrate on the present.

Caught my arrow #46

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

Got a variety of genres to entertain me for this week. The weather is amazing this weekend in Montreal, and I will certainly be enjoying reading these outdoors.

Received from Publisher

Une photo publiée par natalia (@natyuniverse) le 15 Sept. 2015 à 5h38 PDT

Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Borrowed from Library

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead
Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Received from Author

Black Ice by Stephen Tesher

What are you reading this week?

Review: Jesse's Girl

Could you resist one of 50's Most Beautiful People?

Maya didn't think she'd fall for Country Superstar Jesse Scott when these two are paired up during a career spotting activity for high school class. But with Maya's musical talent put on display, Jesse lets down his guard and shows her an entire different side of himself. Vulnerable, caring, family oriented... Jesse is amazing. Regardless of the fact she's falling hard for him, can Maya risk her heart?

Catching Jordan's writer returns with yet another romantic story worth swooning for. The dialogue sounds genuine, the sex advice is worth noting, and best of all, the climax is not love triangle based. The book also includes LGBT themes. 

A great uplifting romance, free of tears.

Cover Reveal: Magic Brew

A NEW ADULT URBAN FANTASY 

They call me Edge, and I’m the only supernatural in New York City with Djinn powers. My gang is known as the Forsaken. We’re the throwaways of our kind, despised by purebloods for being mixed breeds. Banishment, rejection and abandonment bind us. Yet our differences are what make us powerful, and close to unstoppable. Until today.

We’ve been double-crossed. The one person we trusted above all others, lured us into a trap set by a gang of warlocks. They’ve crippled my powers and tried to enslave me for the rare magic pumping in my veins. I gave them the slip, but now there’s a price on my head and the road home is blocked by gangs of shifters, witches, vampires, demons and deadly fae. Odds are good we won’t all make it back alive. But you can be damn sure, me and my crew won’t go down without a fight.

T. Rae Mitchell is the author of Fate's Fables. Feel free to follow Mitchell via her Website, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

Review: Summer by Summer

"People say a heart can't be broken. But they forget the rest of the organs. How your mind spins trying to undue what was done. How the lungs ache with each new breath."

To break away from her grief, Summer leaves for Belize, where she'll work as a nanny. The job is like a breath of fresh air, until Bray arrives. He's absolutely pretentious and gorgeous. Of course, he hates Summer (she looks like a librarian). Will getting stranded on an island with her change his mind -- and most importantly, will this new adventure help Summer heal from an empty heart?

To be honest, the story had great potential. Summer and Bray established a dislike from one another at the very start. Then as soon as she adds highlights to her hair and starts wearing a bikini, Bray goes gaga and Summer swoons. Sure, it's nice to be admired (wait he doesn't know her) desired by a hunk, but to call it love is a huge mistake. This is nothing more than an infatuation and to rush into conversations about marriage after mere days of knowing each other is a dangerous way to ruin your life. Even Christian dating has months of courting. Marriage is no joke.

But rushing is all the book would do. Summer would rush into tears at almost every chapter, the action felt rushed (from a deserted island - to abandoned houses filled with food - to a criminal island - to a place where families camp...) and then of course, there's the crazy brokenhearted coma. 

Too bad, because it was nice to have two different point-of-views that sounded genuine.

Feature and Follow Friday: So far from mediocre

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

Once you answer be sure to leave me your link so I can follow you back

Q: Undiscovered talent: tell us about a book you loved but no one else seems to have heard of.

Haven't seen many reviews for The Truth About Us even though it was released in April. I enjoyed the romantic/contemporary theme of two lovebirds torn apart by their families.

What book would you recommend?

Review: Ms. Marvel

She's no ordinary girl

Kamala (a.k.a perfection as her dad puts it) feels like a blank canvas. She yearns for more parental freedom, eat a BLT sandwich (bacon goes against her Muslim beliefs), and above all, be accepted by the in-crowd. But when she disobeys her folks and sneaks into a party, Kamala comes at an impasse. It appears Captain America, Captain Marvel and Iron Man believe she has what it takes to play a significant role in society without reinventing herself entirely... just a few supernatural powers will do the trick.

I loved that, like Spiderman, Kamala does not come off as a natural born superhero. She is petite, brunette and interrupted during crazy fights by a call from her mother. She's also the first Muslim comic girl I've seen. Which made me pause! Not because I didn't want a Muslim superhero (I'm all for girl power) but because I didn't want it to be a gratuitous add to the plot just to say "hey, I included diversity." 

Instead, the author did a lot of research on the Muslim background (she is a Muslim herself) and even included a brother who used religion to his advantage, visits to the mosque and religious holidays. 

A great new series!!

Top Ten Tuesday: Blank Space

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

TOP DYSTOPIAN SERIES I HAVEN'T FINISHED YET

Too many books, not enough time. Or did I simply loose interest?

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

I was about to read the third installment, when I heard a fourth book came out. For some reason, this put me on pause. 

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Read two out of three. Not that bad of a score.

Eve by Anna Carey

Love the first book of the series. Being searching for the other two, but every time I go to the bookstore my eyes drift. 

Escape from Furnace series by Alexander Gordon Smith 

The author always finishes each book with a crazy cliffhanger. Had to stop to catch my breath for a little while. 

The Selection by Kiera Cass

What am I waiting for to finish this series!!

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Ordered The Scorch Trials online today. Only a few days until the movie hits the theater. Don't know if I'll make it. 

Review: Treasure Darkly

"He might not have a hero, but he could be hers."

Clark Treasure didn't mean to drink the army vial that would give him powers over life and death. But what's done is done. Hiding at his birth-father's rich estate seems like the only solution. But what happens when he falls in love with his sister? Can Clark really be a rich boy, secret lover, superhero and maintain his identity a secret all at once?

Steampunk meets romance (mostly romance) in Mierek's first book of the series. Characters were well-developed, with lots of secrets and hidden agendas. Although, I enjoyed Amethyst and Clark's lovely and erotic relationship, he kind of went against his word at the end, with a promising cliffhanger surprise. 

Wonder what Mierek has in store for her characters next.