Nevernight – Jay Kristoff

March 7, 2019March 7, 2019 Book Chick1 Comment

34503674 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Mia Covere is only ten years old when she is given her first lesson in death.

Destined to destroy empires, the child raised in shadows made a promise on the day she lost everything: to avenge herself on those that shattered her world.

But the chance to strike against such powerful enemies will be fleeting, and Mia must become a weapon without equal. Before she seeks vengeance, she must seek training among the infamous assassins of the Red Church of Itreya.

Inside the Church’s halls, Mia must prove herself against the deadliest of opponents and survive the tutelage of murderers, liars and demons at the heart of a murder cult.

The Church is no ordinary school, but Mia is no ordinary student.

Untitled

My thoughts: This book is marked as a young adult fantasy. Me personally, I would not categorize it as a YA. It is way darker, gorier and explicit than other YA books I have read. And that is probably why I liked it so. There were some rough language but nothing embarrassing or cringe which I often find YA to be. I would place this one in the late young/adult epic fantasy. Thought you should know if you expected something else. 😉

The book is fantastic. It is dark, funny and witty to a degree it is on the border to sarcasm and irony. There is an interesting narrator, funny with a dark sense of humor and all the footnotes (Which I hear so many hate) is such a strong complement to the story without the impression of an author droning away on details. Strong and deep characters with interesting history and personality. Complex and wonderful world building. Notice that it is a man who is the author. Not much lovey-dovey. More strait to the point in a detached kind of way but still capturing and at some points heartbreaking.

Refreshing. Can nothing other than recommend it to whoever wish to read some epic fantasy. If you are new to the genre I would recommend it as an starter before you go into something heavier like, for an example, Robin Hobb, which I also have read some books of.

TBR March

March 4, 2019February 28, 2019 Book Chick1 Comment

New month, new To Be Read list. I’m quite happy with my results from February. I had selected 6 books (one was a February book club book) and I read all besides one. Well actually two since I DNF’ed one of them.

“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” is the one I never started in February. I have put it on my list for March since this is a book I really want to read, I just didn’t get to it last month.

Other than that I have the fifth book in the Winston Brothers series, the fourth book in the Colorado Mountain series and the first book in a new series, The Nevernight Chronicle. The last one, “A court of Thorns and Roses” are actually a reread I have had a desire for lately.

There will also be a sixth book on the list but that one I do not know until my book club have had its meeting on Wednesday. Pretty excited for March and I think this will be a great reading month.

What are you planing on reading in March?

Monthly summary

February Summary

March 2, 2019March 1, 2019 Book ChickLeave a comment

monthlysummery2

I have been pretty mentally preoccupied this month and there was a lot less reading than usual. I just had troubles with focusing and there where things in my life I just needed to let it take its course and hope the ability to read returned. And yes it did.

Favorite book this month: The Chase – Elle Kennedy
Least favorite book this month: Boomer – C.M Steele

Number of physical books: 2
Number of e-books: 7
Number of audiobooks: 1/2 (the one I DNF’ed)
Total pages: 3009
Female authors: 6
Male authors: 1

Little fires everywhere – Celeste Ng
Pages: 338 Published: 2017
Genres: Contemporary, fiction
My rating: 3/5
Links: Review

The chase – Elle Kennedy
Pages: 377 Published: 2018
Genres: Contemporary, new adult, collage, sports, games, romance.
My rating: 5/5
Links: Review
Book 1 in The Briar U series.

The messenger – Jessica Gadziala
Pages: 245 Published: 2018
Genres: Contemporary, romance.
My rating: 4/5
Links: Review
Book 3 in The Professionals series.

The goal – Elle Kennedy
Pages: 350 Published: 2016
Genres: New adult, romance, contemporary, romance.
My rating: 3/5
Links: Review
Book 4 in The off-campus series.

The seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – Stuart Turton
Pages: 528 Published: 2018
Genres: Mystery, fiction, thriller, fantasy.
My rating: 3/5
Links: Review

Reeve – Jessica Gadziala
Pages: 226 Published: 2018
Genres: Romance, contemporary.
My rating: 4/5
Links: Review
Book 11 in The Henchmen MC series.

Under Locke – Mariana zapata
Pages: 497 Published: 2014
Genres: Contemporary, romance, new adult.
My rating: 3/5
Links: Review

Boomer – C.M Steele
Pages: 128 Published: 2018
Genres: Adult, erotica.
My rating: 1/5
Links: Review
Book 1 in The steele riders mc series.

Fire and ice – Julie Garwood
Pages: 320 Published: 2008
Genres: Contemporary, mystery, romance, suspense.
My rating: 4/5
Links: Review
Book 7 in The Buchanan-Renard series.

BOOKS I DNF’ed!

Golden son – Pierce Brown
Pages: 430 Published: 2015
Genres: Science fiction, fantasy, young adult, dystopia
Book 2 in The Red rising series.
I read the first book and it was okay. You can read that review here. But after several hours with the second one I just have to be hones to myself that this is nothing for me. It is just to much Young Adult, dystopian for my taste. It doesn’t work.

Contemporary · Mystery/Crime · Romance · Suspense

Fire and ice – Julie Garwood

March 1, 2019February 28, 2019 Book Chick1 Comment

3407345 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Sophie Rose, a tough and determined newspaper reporter, is the daughter of Bobby Rose, a suave, charming, and handsome gentleman who also happens to be a notorious big-time thief sought by every law-enforcement agency in the country. When the major Chicago daily where she works insists she write an expose about her roguish father, Sophie refuses, quits her job, and goes to work at a small newspaper. Far from her onetime high-powered crime beat, she now covers local personalities such as the quirky winner of several area 5K runs whose trademark is goofy red socks.
Those red socks-with Sophie’s business card neatly tucked inside-are practically all that’s found after runner William Harrington is killed near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, seemingly the victim of a brutal death by polar bear. The Alaska cops want to know why Harrington carried Sophie’s card. With an unerring nose for a good story, she heads north.
What Sophie doesn’t realize is that on her journey from Chicago to Prudhoe Bay, danger follows in her wake. After one attempt on her life, she’s been assigned brash but sexy Jack MacAlister as a bodyguard by the cautious FBI. Amid great peril and deadly intrigue in the unforgiving Alaskan terrain, she and Jack form an uneasy alliance sparked with sensual attraction. But they will soon be fighting more than their growing passion for each other. Powerful forces will stop at nothing to prevent the exposure of the sinister conspiracy Sophie and Jack are about to uncover.

Untitled

My thoughts: What I really like with Garwood is that she is such a strong character writer. Especially when it comes to the females. I’m a huge critic when it comes to females and often finds them dumb, childish, meek and excessive. But never with Garwood. I receive pretty much what I expect and it never disappoint me. This one was just as good as always when it comes to the writing, character and such. The plot however I found a little weak. I really liked Sophie’s history and enigmatic father but Jack could have used a little more work and the story a little more depth. I missed that … umpf… in lack of better words.

Nothing bad really, just didn’t earn the last star but certainly not a bad book in any means. This is the 7 book in the series about Buchanan-Renard family and it is safe to say, I will continue it.

Adult fiction/Erotica

Boomer – C.M Steele

February 28, 2019February 26, 2019 Book Chick1 Comment

39337611 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: As the President of the Steele Riders Motorcycle Club, Garrett “Boomer” Steele is used to people following his command. No questions asked. As a former military man, he is dedicated, focused, and disciplined. Then in walks a fiery little beauty and all that goes out the window. He will do all he can to keep her as his. Even go to war to protect everything that belongs to him.

Crystal Miller’s just being the friend that Morgan needs when she runs into a bare-chested Boomer. He’s cocky, loving, and bossy as hell. Even though she’s one tough woman, she loves the way he needs to shield her from danger. And there’s plenty of it.

When trouble comes calling, can they stand together and survive, or will a big secret tear them apart?

Untitled

My thoughts: If it wasn’t for the reason it is only like 130 pages long, I would probably never have finished this misogynistic crap. Because god damn this is some terrible junk in my opinion. It is so bad it is almost funny. (Keyword ALMOST) Let’s see! Horrible writing, horrible characters and so awfully shallow and cliché it hurts.

I’m warning you. This rest of the review contain spoilers.

We have the classic Guy no 1 trying to rape Girl. Girl doesn’t tell Guy no 2 who has set his mind to win her body. (Not her as a person or anything. No! Her body. Because that is all a girl is worth right?)

Anyway, Girl moves in with Guy no 2 after a day because he says so and she doesn’t even bat an eyelash to that. (What the hell?) Guy no 2 later finds out about Guy no 1 and goes batshit crazy and plan to revenge in her honor. Guy no 1 gets his pride hurt and is now planing to hurt Girl and everything the Girl holds dear (family, friends you name it). Girl (who is a virgin by the way) sleeps with guy no 2 after just a couple of days even though she was supposed to save it and yada, yada. Then after another couple of days Girl marrying Guy no 2 just because he say so, again not bating an eyelash. Hell breaks loose, Guy no 2 has some serious self-esteem issues, judging by the way he growls and want to knock the teeth out of every man’s mouth who even looking in their direction. Do I need to go one? Because I can. It’s only getting worse.

Don’t get me wrong. I love alpha males and sexy books but it still need to be from this century. Not this man dominating piece of crap that doesn’t even give the girl her own choice, voice and she takes it so damn lightly. He tells her what to wear, where to live, what to work with, what to eat and so on. If you like that kind of things, yay, god for you. But me personally do not find books where the man is the one who determines everything and not even giving the woman who by the way is pressed down to be a sex and birthing machine her own voice. Maybe I have totally misunderstand the book, maybe not. We will probably never know because I will not waist more time on it.

Contemporary · Romance · Young, New adult/College

Under Locke – Mariana Zapata

February 26, 2019February 25, 2019 Book Chick1 Comment

20613920 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: He was my boss, my brother’s friend, a Widower, an ex-felon, and a man I’d seen casually with a handful of women. But he was everything that gripped me, both the good and the bad. Worst case scenario if things turned awkward between us, I could go somewhere else. I’d gotten over epic heartbreak before, one more wouldn’t kill me.

After moving to Austin following six months of unemployment back home, Iris Taylor knows she should be glad to have landed a job so quickly… even if the business is owned by a member of the same motorcycle club her estranged father used to belong to. Except Dex Locke might just be the biggest jerk she’s ever met. He’s rude, impatient and doesn’t know how to tell time. And the last thing they ever expected was each other.
But it was either the strip club or the tattoo shop.

… she should have chosen the strip club.

Untitled

My thoughts: Mariana is one of my favorite authors with her unique writing style and thoughtful plots. And even though I often find it a delight reading her books, I can’t say that it I fell for Under Locke. In my opinion, of those book I have read so far, this is certainly the weakest one. I can see how she tried to achieve some strong, kick ass characters but it fell flat on so many levels.

My biggest problem was really Iris and that she certainly is not an character easy to love. She prides herself with not holding grudges, but like 60% of the books is constant nagging about what a dick one character is, what an asshole another are and it goes on and on and on. I can’t stand that type of self-pity and it drives me nuts that she sounds like a broken record. She is almost 25 years old but often acts like 15. Yeah I know she have had a hard life and so on, but then you would expect a more mature woman.

The plot is pretty straight forward. Woman has troubles with finding job, finds a job working for an asshole. Female fall in love with asshole and lo and behold, he is not an asshole after all. Just a man with many layers. Unfortunately those layers was not as deep as expected.

Overall it is a good book. It is quite entertaining and so on but so much dwelling is annoying to read. This book will not change my opinion regarding Mariana Zapata. I see it as a bad day, everyone has one and this book is just one of Mariana Zapatas bad days. Still okay but not as good as I know it can be.

Romance

Reeve – Jessica Gadziala

February 24, 2019February 22, 2019 Book Chick1 Comment

37285282 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Reeve
I had long since given up hope of the pursuit of genuine happiness. It wasn’t possible after all the sh*t I had been through. I had my siblings, my club, a purpose in life. It was enough.
Until I came across her.
She represented everything that I knew I couldn’t have – stability, a future, a way out of my past.
And, it seemed, the harder I tried to keep her at a distance, to protect her from my reality, she only got in deeper, only pulled me closer.
Then, one night, an old face popped up in Navesink Bank. And everything changed forever.

Rey
I liked my life. I liked the freedom and simplicity of it, even if it was, perhaps, a little lonely.
Then one night, there he was.
With the saddest eyes I had ever seen.
He represented everything my life didn’t need – chaos, violence, uncertainty. But, at the same time, everything it was lacking – companionship, connection.
He tried to fight it, to keep up his guards, to keep me at arm’s length.
But, well, fate had other plans.
That was the night everything changed.
Down an alley, facing down a new, yet familiar, big bad in Navesink Bank, forcing us together, making us confront the reality of what was happening between us.
Trapped together, waiting for the winds to blow over, he finally trusted me enough to let me in, to give us a shot, to invite me into his family.
That is, if all of us survived the upcoming storm…

Untitled

My thoughts: Rey was a character I thought I wouldn’t like. To hippy dippy, flower power, peace on earth, mumble jumble for my taste. But god damn she is hilarious. Down to earth, smart, funny and I see a lot of myself in her. And her total love for animals, self-reliance, her easygoing nature and somewhat different lifestyle is just wonderful. I love her and it’s not often I love a female character more than the male one. But in this I did. And I feel almost a little sad that it wasn’t longer because I would have loved to follow her more. She is just that good and Gadziala did a great work without making her over the top.

Overall the book is a typical Gadziala book with some hot scenes and complicated characters, history and an interesting future. It was nice to know Reeve’s story. I loved his brother and Reeve he had a pretty large role in Cyrus book but you never got to know what his history really was. But everything makes total sense now. And all the side characters is just so fun to follow and get to know.

There was also a huge plot twist that will go on for at least a couple of books forward. Not a major cliffhanger yet, but I’m looking forward do see how that will evolve.

Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Mystery/Crime · Thriller/Horror

The seven deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – Stuart Turton

February 21, 2019 Book Chick1 Comment

41807223 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: How do you stop a murder that’s already happened?

At a gala party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed–again. She’s been murdered hundreds of times, and each day, Aiden Bishop is too late to save her. Doomed to repeat the same day over and over, Aiden’s only escape is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder and conquer the shadows of an enemy he struggles to even comprehend–but nothing and no one are quite what they seem.

Deeply atmospheric and ingeniously plotted, The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a highly original debut that will appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson and Agatha Christie.

Untitled

My thoughts: Oh, so many feelings. I was looking forward to be reading this. It intrigued me and when I started, it felt like a mix between a classic Agatha Christie, dinner murder mystery and the movies like groundhog day and the cube. This is one of those books that seem to be impossible to give a deserving rating to. It all depends on what I’m focusing on.

If I would rate the concept, writing skill and character build-up it would be a solid 5 stars. It is just perfect and such a joy reading. Even though we are talking about a lot of characters and a lot of details, it was still fully possible to keep track of them all. At some points I was a little confused to be honest, but Turton skillfully included small details here and there to remind us readers where we were and what it was about.

If I would rate the general plot and ending I would give it a two star. The build-up of the story was so big and thrilling that the ending was just an anticlimactic balloon, losing all its air. Not at all what I had expected and quite frankly a little tame when compared to the rest of the book. And in the middle I found myself stagnant due to that the story didn’t progressed forward. And I didn’t find myself that into it to be honest. Specially since you never really get to know the whole truth outside of Blackheath. I would have liked that.

Then that I also had such problem focusing can also be a reason for my conflicted feelings and low rating. I have had a couple of bad weeks but that is not unusual for me and if a book is good it will keep me captured either way. Anyway, after a lot of thinking and sorting my feelings I land on a solid 3 stars. If possible I would give it 3.5. I did like it overall, but I didn’t love it and it certainly was not amazing in my opinion.

Contemporary · Romance · Sports/Games · Young, New adult/College

The Goal – Elle Kennedy

February 18, 2019February 18, 2019 Book Chick1 Comment

28262024 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: She’s good at achieving her goals…

College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick butt in law school, and land a high-paying job at a cutthroat firm. Her path to escaping her shameful past certainly doesn’t include a gorgeous hockey player who believes in love at first sight. One night of sizzling heat and surprising tenderness is all she’s willing to give John Tucker, but sometimes, one night is all it takes for your entire life to change.

But the game just got a whole lot more complicated…

Tucker believes being a team player is as important as being the star. On the ice, he’s fine staying out of the spotlight, but when it comes to becoming a daddy at the age of twenty-two, he refuses to be a bench warmer. It doesn’t hurt that the soon-to-be mother of his child is beautiful, whip-smart, and keeps him on his toes. The problem is, Sabrina’s heart is locked up tight, and the fiery brunette is too stubborn to accept his help. If he wants a life with the woman of his dreams, he’ll have to convince her that some goals can only be made with an assist.

Untitled

My thoughts:I liked but I didn’t love it. Short, sweet but I wasn’t really feeling it. Okay, I will give you that it is a nice story and as always filled with some really nice characters and a believable plot. But the way it was built and the slowness of it, didn’t do much for me this time.

I like Sabrina. She is a tough cookie. She is just so set on the goal of her life and doesn’t handle stuff well outside of that goal plan and some of her personality traits just rubs me the wrong way. It is Tucker who does the whole story. Maybe because I already loved him before I started reading this one. And off course how am I not supposed to love him? He is just such a great man. Kennedy really has a gift with writing characters that does not feel needy or unrealistic.

I did enjoy it and it was nice to read something simpler since I have trouble with keeping my head in the reading mode right now. Note to self: Finnish one series before starting another written by Kennedy. That way you wont risk any spoilers on some certain details. 😉 Just saying.

Everyday things