Week #114 of Reading Like A Maniac

Greetings, fellow readers.

I just started a new year at university and I’m already stressing out but somehow I know I’ll had to grow a wide set of ovaries and pass this cycle with generally good grades, specially on my last French term since rules have change and if I don’t burn my lashes studying I won’t get out graciously nor alive so yeah… Anyways, I managed to read a decent amount of books related to Criminal Mysteries, or just Criminality as a whole which got my truly enchanted from the day I read those synopses on Goodreads.

First book I read was the number one book in the House of Furies series by Madeleine Roux, that goes along the name of the series itself.

Right in a past century, Louisa is a girl who has learnt to survive on her own by clever lies and clean scapades until she’s given some gold by a strange old lady and the town she’s nesting in starts blaming her of being a thief. To make it our alive. she’ll have to live in an old great house where she will discover that every wrong doing has its payment and that the devil himself is gathering that discharge right in the attic of the same house. Because everything she sees is true, the monsters, the murder, the blood, and the pain; and if there’s one way of getting justice is by entering that house.

I STILL DON’T KNOW ABOUT THAT FINAL CHAPTER AND THE EPILOGUE.

I have three words to describe this book: frightening, creative and confusing? The nerve that took to create those creatures and to humanize them at the same time turning them into some sort of family living in that rotten mansion with that creppy yet handsome ring leader, trying to explain Louisa what is really going on and why killing evil people is not so morally incorrect, what is lurking in the shadows and what has been taking over her from the moment she was born. It’s a lovely story filled with terrifying monsters and the worst of humanity’s basic instics which goes from manipulation to cannibalism. It showed us two kind of monsters, those that look pure and are ready to bite us at any time and those who look ready to end us but turn out being truly caring about our welfare. Yet again Madeleine Roux manages to scare us and shock us with her marvelous writing style in the Gothic kind of thriller.

Then I read the first book in the Pretty Little Dolls series by Ker Dukey and K. Webster, named Pretty Stolen Dolls.

“Benny was a friendly stranger who defended them from a scary fat man. Benny wanted to take them to their parents to give them a doll. Benny gave them a drink inside his ban to make them sleep. Benny gathered them as His dolls. Benny was a monster.” That’s all Jade knows, when she scaped her tormentor leaving her little sister behind only to get her memories taken from her by a car hitting her head. Now she’s a cop tying a new mysterious crime to Him making her loose her mind hoping she could get to see her sister again as she’s forced to remember once again the years she spent as Benny’s Dirty Doll.

SO MEAN YET SO GOOD.

The topic itself was pretty harsh, twisted and dramatic putting yourself inside the raw memories of a former kidnapped rape victim with guilt issues and an acknowledged romantic attachment problem. The intense torture Jade had to endure and the nightmares sprinkled with the little flashbacks of those painful and shameful years, manifests through her wish to find her kidnapper and rescue her missing sister without imagining what could come to her for digging too deep. Pretty Stolen Dolls narrates a tale of unshakable selfish violence, with a dry and shameless writing style that shows the broken soul of a rape victim. No doubt I was drawn to this story because of the twisted concept, though I was able to learn that rape is not only the physical pain of a non consented sexual act but the emotional sorrow of having your will taken away from you, feeling like you’re guilty for the involuntary reactions your body had; the act was still not consensual and depraved. It showed me a different side of the feeling of been violated.

The third book was the emotionally and mentally challenging stand-alone The Good Girl by Mary Kubica.

He had lured her to go to his apartment after a flirty night at the bar. He had put a gun at her forehead after she had kissed him. He had tied her up and forced her to go inside his car. He had to give her up to those men, they had hired him for that mere purpose. But Colin didn’t do it, now he’s on the run form a criminal organization and the cops with Mia Dennett by his side crying scared and giving all of herself to get away from him. But things are not as easy as they look, specially when the only voice they get to hear is each others’ isolated in the middle of nowhere with no future and no hope.

CRYING WAS REQUIRED.

I totally spent the last five chapters crying my ass off, no joke. I thought that maybe there was hope for a new beginning and then I was reminded that this was realistic therefore no way this was gonna end well. Anyways, the writing style was quick and pretty defined, not confusing at all with some amazing turns of events and such humane characters with their terrible flaws but painful redeeming qualities. I must give props for creativity because even though this was not a regular mystery where you’re not so desperate to find out who’s after the crimes, it managed to get my attention through the thrilling feels and such intense moments.

Next was the first book in the Charlotte Proxy series by Jonathan Harrow, named Dolls.

Charlotte Hayes was only haunted by the paparazzi trying to get her comments on what happened to her that night when she killed the old bastard who had kidnapped her, shamed her and gathered girls to tear them apart. That’s why she had run from LA to live with her estranged father, but a night she receives a peculiar call from one of the girls He had hurt telling her they were never alone since she had survived unharmed. Now her sanity is going to hell as she starts seeing and feeling things that come out of horror films, physically hurting her and all those who dare to help her.

THAT WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING.

Try Drag Me to Hell meets The Evil Dead remake, and you’ll find a horrifying aesthetic, the one I pictured while all the violent, gruesome and supernatural stuff was happening. I mean the whole love story was in fourth place when it came to the plot and the direction the story was taking; I must admit that I wasn’t convinced at the beginning with such insane first six chapters that got me scared to death, I was like “WTF is going on I was promised some teenagery little high school fright, not some quality horror😵”. Then I got drawn to the plot and I just needed to understand what the hell was taking place and why, by the way also Why, until I loved it and I could literally picture all that was going on which I thought was also a small rendition to that 90’s anime they mentioned which I found was equally disturbing with bloodthirsty villains with no humanity left which got me enchanted, props for such gore-ish scenes and the fact I’ll never see adult nerds the same fucking way. Good job, Jonathan.

The fifth was a tiny little embarrasing short story named the Vampire King’s Nanny by T. S. Ryder.

Thomas rules a world of darknesss, barely helping his peers from the harmful demons around them, and wants some pure light to guide his daughters path before wickedness takes over her young life so he finds her a human nanny in the most unorthodox way. What he doesn’t know is that this brave and untamed human female comes with her own bagage and emotional turmoils on her own.

OK, I GUESS.

I wasn’t expecting a master piece of fantasy writing, I knew it was a short story made for entertainment purposes only yet I still wanted the story to feel fuller than what I was given. The arcs and personalities were not truly developed and I considered the characters had so much potential, I specially like Clarissa a lot with her supernatural way of being, she was a winner for me. So to anyone looking for something with a reliable love story, this is a big no no but if you just want something to get in between big badass emotionally charged stories then this is a strong suggestion.

The following book was a haunting stand-alone known as Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin.

Tessa Cartwright was once a normal and happy sixteen-year-old until she waskidnapped and later woke up below the soil next to a recently dead corpse and two skeletons with beautiful black-eyed susans growing above them. She forgot her time with her kidnapper and the names of the girls, even the way he looked but in the end a man was named guilty for the crimes against her. Now, over a decade later, she finds herself unable to be certain she helped sent the right person to jail as that man’s dying hour is near according to Texas laws, she must recall her former therapy sessions as unknown details of what happened in the trial that day because her real kidnapper could be still out there planting black-eyed Susans on her yard again.

I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD END THIS THE SAME DAY I STARTED IT.

Wow, just fucking wow. A book hadn’t shocked me since Paula Hawkins’ one, or Dangerous Girls I mean WOW. First of all, don’t let the premise of the traumatized bored single mother being haunted by ghosts of her past discourage you in any way, trust me it is worthy, and so so right on the spot when it comes to the mystery element and the inevitable plot twists. I mean just when you think you got it all figured out, you’re slapped with some ice cold reality that tears your bones apart. The was the writing style which was impecable and in an adult responsible way, a little ethereal yet not depressing which is the first thing that pops in your mind when you see some postraumatic stress disorder in a kidnapped sixteen year old, but the way things are in Her mind are pretty minimalistic looking for answers and a way out of being constantly looking behind her back with a gun. In the end, you’re left not with a happy ending but with so many thoughts not questions, but options for what truly happened in the minds of the leading characters of this shocking tale.

The seventh book was another thrilling and mysterious stand-alone, now by the talented Paula Hawkins, named Into the Water.

Julia never wanted to go back to the town that haunted her since she was thirteen years old, specially not for her sister. The cruel sister who never loved her nor took care of her when they were younger, but Nell threw herself of the Drawning Pool in a dramatic fashion and now Julia has to take care of her estranged fifteen-year-old niece. She thought she could just bury her memories and her sister, to then make a new life outside that town but things get complicated when she realises Nell was not the first woman to allegedly have commited suicide in there, that perhaps the horror stories Nell told her about those troublesome women getting too near the water only to drown later could be true.

PAULA HAWKINS DID IT AGAIN.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2017, but I left it to be read in my most recent Criminal Week and I wasn’t disappointed, I had some high hopes and now I know Hawkins will forever be my thrilling mysterious place to land. However, when I started reading I had a hard time trying to get accustomed to the amount of POVs I was getting and got extremely confused during the first 75 pages since I got no physical descriptions till there and my brain doesn’t cope well without a picture in my mind, I totally confused Erin and Nickie a million times because of this. Anyways, these characters were precious, so emotionally fucked up that they all need some therapy sessions and perhaps medication cuz all of them have some fucked up issues, which I think made them more real, despite this the plot was enchanting once I got into the mystery I needed to solve it and I had it kind of figured out the moment the drowning of the feline came up until Paula Hawkins threw an F-bomb right at my face with that last POV and as I said before: these folks need a psychiatrist.

Finally there was the book I just finished an hour ago, the Black Dagger Brotherhood series 16th book by J. R. Ward named The Thief.

Assail promised himself he would leave her alone to have a human life with her grandmother, but his cousins never made that promise. As his sudden death comes near, they waste no time taking Sola to see him with the hope that maybe seeing his female could bring him back to life out of the darkness his brain has turned into. While Vishous and Doc Jane are having their own marital issues and when their separation becomes inevitable, will the new poisonous threat against the vampire world be enough to reunite them?

PAULA HAWKINS DID IT AGAIN.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2017, but I left it to be read in my most recent Criminal Week and I wasn’t disappointed, I had some high hopes and now I know Hawkins will forever be my thrilling mysterious place to land. However, when I started reading I had a hard time trying to get accustomed to the amount of POVs I was getting and got extremely confused during the first 75 pages since I got no physical descriptions till there and my brain doesn’t cope well without a picture in my mind, I totally confused Erin and Nickie a million times because of this. Anyways, these characters were precious, so emotionally fucked up that they all need some therapy sessions and perhaps medication cuz all of them have some fucked up issues, which I think made them more real, despite this the plot was enchanting once I got into the mystery I needed to solve it and I had it kind of figured out the moment the drowning of the feline came up until Paula Hawkins threw an F-bomb right at my face with that last POV and as I said before these folks need a psychiatrist.

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Week #113 of Reading Like A Maniac

Good evening, fellow readers

So this was a surprising week, I got to finally move on on my medical treatment and I also managed to read far more books than I did last week, I mean a couple were like super little in comparisson to others but still I handled what could have been a messy situation and accomplished to read that many novels. And next week I start university again, (6th cycle) so I will literally will have like two to three days a week to read which means I will probably be posting on Sundays from now till the end of July with fewer books to review. I hope I can juggle all my duties with my studies, health and my reading passion, wish me luck.

First book I read was the compelling and mysterious Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver.

Nick and Dara have always been different from each other, even though they are sisters. Nick has always given up on everything Dara wanted, and Dara has always taken everything Nick cherished; but when a car accident crashes them, Dara is left with permanent scars through her beautiful face and a secluded aptitude while Nick gathers no clear memories of why she crashed their car, all she knows is that things are never going to be like they once were between both sisters.

SO I SAW IT COMING.

I blame the editor of the official synopsis for saying it was like WWL by Lockhart so the moment Nick said Dara hadn’t written to her in her absence I just fucking knew it. I wish I had remained oblivious and ignorant till show time but anyways, the story was well built, the characters were easy to imagine and how things progressed was like an spectacle worthy of seeing, all with the compelling writing skills given by Lauren Oliver made up an entertaining mystery stand-alone that I would definetly recommend to anyone but without the synopsis.

Next book was the first in a trilogy that goes with the same name, “Trust Me, I’m Lying” by Mary Elizabeth Summer.

Julep Dupree lives a constant lie, as a con artist living with an equally criminal of a father she has learnt the family bussiness quite well and has started involving her rich classmates to pay her prep school in New York and save some money so she could stop telling lies, going to collegue and get the true life she wants for herself. But things get complicated when her father dissapears leaving nothing more than a destroyed apartment and clues for her to discover what happened and who could want her head.

ENTERTAINMENT GOALS ACHIEVED.

I enjoy the story even though some of the first chapters seemed a little too dense for a YA book, it was like swimming in an oil tank where you want to move faster but can’t; anyways the plot itself and the whole crime thing was a plus cuz its consistency and level of keeping me reading waiting to see what happened next as for the romance factor I wasn’t much of a fan since both the romantic partners as their reactions were not believable enough, almost too cheesy to take them seriously with an insta love where the girl is oblivious I mean that’s such an over used cliché. However the shocking plot twist was there and my heart felt it, so I can properly say it was a good book, not perfect but nice for beginners looking to follow some clues.

Third book was the realistic and emotional stand-alone known as Every Ugly Word by Aimee L. Salter.

Torment and abuse, that’s all Ashley Watson has known since she entered high school with no peace and extra hate; the innocent decisions of her childhood defined the hatred of her peers and now her only scape is the secret love she feels for her only friend who doesn’t seem to notice the pain in her eyes and art, that could give her a ticket out of town for good. But lately she hasn’t been so alone, depite her mother’s lack of love for her or the fact she can barely scape her tormentors, she has found a way out inside a mirror that shows her what her life could be in the years to come.

ONE COULD FEEL THE PAIN.

Overall the book was raw and hurtful but true to reality, cuz not everything ends with a happily ever after nor with a poetic death, in the end one must live with those emotions wounds hopeful that a day will come when life will be easier and we’ll look at the person we were and the one we are right now thanks to all those obstacles and failures to prove we want to live and write a new story. This extremely touched me since it narrated how one can be scarred for a long time thanks to bullying that we start believing we aren’t worthy and how we found no safe place for our hearts, it showed the voices saying “you’re not good enough” in such a physical way and that as long as we value ourselves we’ll achieve what others well never get: our dreams, perhaps not in the perfect way we wished for since nothing remains flawless and ideals are not real life.

Following was another stand-alone I ended up enjoying named Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross.

Annie Lucas never expected to fall in love, after moving to another state for her father’s new job but that’s what makes him happy so she’ll have to suck up her feelings for new big league baseball player Brody, who’s not only the youngest to ever play this profesionally but has gotten a piece of her father’s heart on the way and a big portion of hers. Will they give into their feelings or their situation could unravel some disastrous outcomes?

NOT EXACTLY WHAT I EXPECTED.

I went on reading this with no expectations whatsoever, it didn’t seem like such a great read jut a little YA contemporary to enjoy a little but it had substance, it was quite a fun and relatable set of characters around the lives of Brody and Annie. It was like real life but sweeter and so much more hilarious that normal perks. And even though it was short and a little too fast paced towards the end, I felt like a made a connection and it wasn’t a futile read so Julie Cross achieved the regular goals with her YA+NA stand-alone.

Fifth book was yet another contemporary romance stand-alone named Shelter You by Alice Montalvo-Tribue.

Mia is about to turn eighteen years old and she’s scaping the life her parents chose for her to avoid shame and dispair, she was willing to go along and do what they told her until she held Her. Her newborn baby is all that matters to her now, and she’ll do what she needs to getaway from harm and danger to protect who has become her heart. Until she finds shelter with a kind cop who wants nothing more than to help her, but her underage status is not her only secret and when things come to light they could get ugly.

THIS IS THE KIND OF SWEET BOOK I LOVE DEVOURING.

It narrated realistic issues with unrealistic turn out of events, however I loved it because it was predictable yet lovely I mean everyone needs that beautiful rainbow to finish a rainy day and this one was so meant to be for that purpose. Besides there’s the whole deal of it being so easy to get into, the characters’ maturity level and its own realism in the most unfair situations. Such a happily ever after but it wasn’t cheesy nor idiotic, it had the right amount of drama and seriousness it needed to make a book believable and fulfilling for a YA/NA advanced or beginner reader; I swear I shed a tear.

Next one is part of an Spanish contemporary trilogy that goes along by a similar title, its name is “Algo tan sencillo como tuitear te quiero” (Something as simple as tweeting I love you) by Blue Jeans.

Seven guys are starting university in their new residence and are about to discover that their plans can easily go to hell and their past is here to haunt them, that life is not as safe and simple as they expected and that the adult world can be less exciting and more terrifying than their lives at home. Elena is a preppy girl focused in her studies and nothing else, David wishes to get away from his guilt to have the “perfect” girl for him, Manu knows no boundaries and wants to have fun, Julen hides a personal secret, Iria thinks her long-distance relationship will work out, Ainhoa will realise that her parents’ divorce truly affected her, and Nicole will see another side of what she thought would be a ride of a lifetime.

I KNOW IT’S UNIVERSITY BUT IT FELT LIKE HIGH SCHOOL.

It was like a 98% perfect, I mean I was so pleased by the entirety of the book however I wasn’t like super fangirl kind of happy since everything was left with a cliffhanger and I don’t know how that happened (Elena’s epilogue). It felt real though, no matter how unreal the perception of love these young adults seem to have because there’s no love after a godamn week but OK I was gonna let that one go since it’s Spain and the culture is so different but still. There characters I enjoyed reading and others I was annoyed by, like Manu and his unstoppable peacock aptitude that was fun once but then God I so wanted to punch him in the face (I’m not a violent -person but this has no logic) and absent minded Toni trusting that much in that twitter chick, like no dude one does not simply trust in people who refuse to see you on cam it’s too dangerous but whatever. Anyway, the handwriting was excellent as always and I loved how Buejeans captured the adolescent spark of Madrid and its own dangerous alerts, so well played.

Then was its sequel titled “Algo tan sencillo como darte un beso” (Something as simple as kissing you).

After a ouija game gone wrong, David sees how his past is coming for him to hurt him not only emotionally but physically to make him pay the mistakes he commited when he was younger. Elena and Toni start suspecting more about him and the strange name of a dead girl that appeared that night on the board, as Iria and Julen discover their feelings for people they never though they could find and Ainhoa is loosing it over her eating disorder and the fact that Óscar only played with her feelings.

I WASN’T AS ANNOYED AS IN THE FIRST ONE.

Again, Mr Blue jeans is fantastic building his plot line and enriching many of his characters, I’m attached to everything in this new trilogy and this book gave me so many different feels. I got excited, I got annoyed, I got depressed, I got hopeful, I was so fucking afraid and seriously angry. I mean (here I’ll talk about characters) I’ve never read about such annoying and unlikable people like when I wondered through Elena’s sister (I can’t recall her name) or Oscar’s back again cheating girlfriend (I can’t recall her name either), dude I literally was in need to punch some sense into their immature and ridiculous tiny brains. I screamed at my book, refusing to believe there could actually be people like that in real life, so much emotion you guys. Anyways, this one was better than the previous and we got some character development coming from Iria and Elena (yay for friendship!).

The following was the final book on the trilogy named “Algo tan sencillo como estar contigo” (Something as simple as being with you).

After discovering Manu’s alliance with Gonzalo, he dissapeared into thin air but when a corpse is found with no finger prints and a shattered face in Edinburg, the exact place they were supposed to be hidin, David knows a disaster took place there. Iria refuses to acknoledge what Manu could have done as Julen discovers some part of his boyfriend’s past he wishes he could just erase. Ainhoa keeps fighting her urges to love Óscar and vomiting to loose weight, as her desperation to get Nicole back finally affects her deeply. Finally, Elena and David will have to figure out their status as a new girl comes to water their ‘meant-to-be’ flame.

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING BUT SIMPLE.

I felt that much of the character development that was achieved during the second book was killed here, great character with so much potential for greatness feel under the spell of their penis controlling their minds and the fact that love means shit for these young adults. Immaturity and lack of attachments is what’s in everybody’s mind and heart, and I know it’s a cultural thing but still I wasn’t pleased with it. It was embarrassing and ridiculous mistake after another awful mistake that only a 13 year old teenager should be committing and not 18 year old going to university with regular senses. Anyways, apart from the irregular plot line the writing was amazing as always and if I was pleased with anything from this book it would definitely be the reveal of Silvia’s intentions.

The ninth book I read was another contemporary stand-alone named Chasing Spring by R. S. Grey.

Lilah Calloway is back into the town of her nightmares, the last thing she wanted was to go back to the place that reminded her fate was to be just like her estranged mother and the last thing she expected was for Chase Matthews to be her room neighbour just accross the hall In Her House. The last time they saw each other, they were too broken and suffering for her mother’s mistakes so she knew she had to leave. Now she claims she doesn’t care about him, not talking to him and remining lonely with the bad side of Blackwater, Texas. But Chase will not let her sink into what the town predicts, after all once they used to be best friends.

I WASN’T EXPECTING FOR THIS BOOK TO HAVE A SOUL.

I remember the first time I tried reading this I wasn’t in the best emotional state dealing with a first degree depression (no joke) and I gave it up for a more fast paced little short story, and I was right since that just wasn’t the right time for this one. “Chasing Spring” is a book that truly needs dedication and a spot of devotion, otherwise you won’t give it a shot since it’s a slow starting stand-alone and you need like to be seven or eight chapters in to understand what the story is telling us, and to unveil is dramatic mysteries; there’s when I got attached and found myself crying over the amount of feels. Thinking about the plot, the story of the two bffs path through life and death is remarkably told in a way that even when the darkest time was coming I just couldn’t stop imagining those two little girls being friends and helping each other deal with lost. So yeah, read this lovely (*sobs*) and raw story, it’s totally fucking worthy and it gives a different meaning to the ethereal art of gardening.

After this I read yet another contemporary stand-alone (I know, it’s too much but I became addicted to these easy going misfits) named Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes.

Maguire lives on bad luck. Her dad, uncle and big brother died in a car accident were she was left unharmed, she was the only survivor in an failed amusement park’s ride, and she just knows that whenever she’s close to others they end up hurt but after her psychologist tells her to start defy herself she finds a key to all her problems in tennis golden boy Jordy. He’ll teach her that life is not about being afraid but smile through it no matter what it throws at you.

I’M CURRENTLY INTO PAULA STOKES’ WRITING ABILITIES.

This was another of the books I gave up early in January because of my damn depression/reading slump that now I kick myself over for not finishing it right there and waiting afraid that I wouldn’t like, because I effing loved it with its realistic point of view against the odds and unfortunate events life has prepared for us that we cannot control and the cute romantic story line …of course. Though I felt it missed a tiny bit of a spark of sassyness, it was enough and so right to face reality and one’s fears to tell the universe to fuck off and take back what it took from you, such a powerful message, since those are things you can actually achieve if you push yourself through it. I might end up reading Liars INC now I know Paula Stokes writes such amazing tales.

The eleventh one I read was an ebook novella belonging to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J. R. Ward titled Dearest Ivie.

Ivie is a middle class female who just screwed a job interview as a nurse for a dying male, she’s no-nonsense and when Silas approaches her she is resilient to let his glymera ass into her life. But the attraction between them two is unstoppable, he lets her know that he is not here to stay and in anytime must go back to the Old Country so she’ll risk her heart in a love that could only lead to madness to those who yearn it.

IT WAS A LOVELY “RITE OF PASSAGE” KIND OF STORY.

I knew it was gonna be an almost inexplicable insta-love since it was a short story however it still confused me quite a lot, I wasn’t seeing what got their attention to each other, what they liked about the other. I had no idea but still I kept reading until I was hooked and when the emotions hit me, ohh those little bitches hit me hard: I found myself crying like I had not done it in a long time and I guess this is how a relative feels when they know a loved one is dying and there’s no hope so I felt touch, cuz I don’t remember reading about lost in such an honest yet mourning way before I don’t know what made this love story so real for me from the perspective of a nurse who passed from trying to comfort the relatives to be the one loosing her recently gained love. It felt real.

The next book was the first in the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro, titled A Study in Charlotte.

Jamie Watson (yeah that Watson) never wanted to move closer to his father’s home in America but when a rugby scholarship in a privileged boarding school he wastes no time. All until he meets outstanding Charlotte Holmes (yeah that Holmes), which leads to a violent dispute between him and a bragging idiot; eveything would have turned out cool if not for the unfortunate murder of said idiot. Now everyone thinks Holmes and/or Sherlock are guilty so they’ll have to find out who’s the true killer and who’s trying to frame them when more deadly accidents occur.

IT STARTED OFF A LITTLE SLOW.

I had a hard time getting to understand the concept and the writing style but once the mystery appeared I knew I was on board, like I literally needed to know what was going on and who was the one to blame in this murder case. Talking about characters, I felt they were very authentic and with a believable character progression (specially Charlotte 😢), dealing with strong subjects like drug addiction and rape. Besides there was the whole Sherlock and Watson theme which I didn’t quite understand at first but then I loved, I was into the references and how fucked up the guilty ones were. So good, so refreshing.

The thirteenth book I read was ANOTHER stand-alone, this time a new-adult one titled Calico by Callie Hart.

Callan and Coralie had a starcrossed love many years ago, now they are back into the town that shattered their innocence to bury the corpse of the monster who handled their separation. Coralie hides a secret that has been killing her since she scaped, Callan wants to get his girl back and they both will have to grow up fastly again to bury their broken teenage souls and give a shot at life once again. Will it be enough to make it last or to tear them apart once more?

I HADN’T FELT SO ATTACHED TO A BOOK IN A LONG TIME.

There were infinite clichés in here but I didn’t give a fuck because I felt the pain was real and the main characters were my babies, besides I’m gonna start reading some other stories by Callie Hart since this one was priceless. BTW, can you imagine I was avoiding this cuz I thought it was a lame title and I was kind of misleaded because of the cover art but once I got the synopsis I just knew this would be my kind of stand-alone. And even though I only shed a little tear when Coralie narrated that traumatic basement event, I felt more connected to the aftermath perspective where they both felt so lost and broken and that’s when I cried like here was no tomorrow, I screwed up my new glasses. Anyways, I felt so into the story line and the heartache it caused Coralie, because for some sadistic reason I enjoy reading about the lost of babies only for the sight of a hurt in e early motherhood, one could literally feel the hole she was in when her world was shattered and I was pleased with how it was portrayed because in many books it’s addressed as just a piece of humanity one wasn’t really attached to so one can easily get over it. With Calico, we felt the trauma and that was refreshing in the most respectful way towards young mothers.

Then there was another stand-alone, this time a mystery/supernatural one titled The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma.

Violet, Orianna and Amber are three girls than one day happened to meet and now play a main role in each other’s existence. One was framed by a treacherous friend, one was secluded for taking justice in her own hands, and the other is waiting for her punishment to finally hit her in the head. But is everything as simple as it seems, or will there be more layers to the innocuous choices that put them into their current fate?

I’LL JUST PRETEND THE ENDING HAS NO INTERPRETATION WHATSOEVER MORE THAN MAGIC.

Wow, this book was something else. I remember that when I picked it up I couldn’t remember why I got it, I didn’t recall the cover neither the synopsis so I had to look up what was it about like a newbie. I wasn’t quite convinced since everything was not unexpected and so depressing, so confusing with tangled povs and periods of time, idk but I kept reading until I just knew I was hooked without scape so I had to see if my theories were right and they were, what shocked me was the calmness and sobriety in the words of Amber that defined a serious solitude describing Orianna in comparison to the so alive abd kicking Vee defying nature and humanity; what transported me to their hearts was the fact that the meant to be bad girls (confessed criminals) had such experiences and a some real living with sisterhood and some sort of redemption thanks to their recognition of good in the middle of a puddle of evil, all that against the so called ‘victim’ of the story bragging about her deserved luck but still wishing what she was never meant to own, living dead inside since the first time she felt envy over the honest kindness another showed her. In other words, the book was an unexpected win for my taste and I cried like a baby at scenes filled with injustice, I celebrated the ending and refuse to believe it should be interpreted in any heavenly nor “moved on” kind of way. 😅

The fifteenth was the third one in the Filthy Beautiful Lies NA series by Kendall Ryan, titled Filthy Beautifu Lust.

This one tells the story of the youngest Drake brother, Pace who’s an intrepid womanizer ready to settle down whenever he sees his brother’s assistant even though she’s a single mother who definetely does not want a simple affair after her last relationship turned into a horrible realisation. Kylie never intented to be even a little interested in Pace, her son is the only boy in her heart but once she notices he’s more than he looks she could change her mind.

SWEET AND REAL, HOWEVER SO HARD TO FIND LIKE A WONKA CHOCOLATE BAR NOWADAYS.

I was kind of afraid going to read this since it wasn’t a follow-up and I hardly remembered the characters that were the protagonists here so I had some issues but once I did my research I was on board, is the typical controversial love story with not so much drama but much realness like Her never ending devotion for her son and the fear/excitement of finding a man who wasn’t in love with her only but behaved like such a good dad to her kid. It was the realization that sometimes what’s best for our pre-started family is not the orthodox family portrait but what our heart says and what our brain sees with our bare eyes. Sweet, and exquisite unconditional love.

The last one I read was the little anticlimatic end of this series, titled Filthy Beautiful Forever.

Collins is walking safely through life, barely living, not in love with his three year supermodel girlfriend in a big lonely house, until his first love knocks his door to remind him of the promise they made twenty years ago and that he has to make a reality. Mia has lost her job and reputation, with no place to go she turns to the only one who always saw the best in her and who ows her a marriage proposal since they were ten years old. Will they give in or continue living their monotonous existences?

IT LACKED FEMINISM.

It was a good ending, it was somehow decent as a conclusion for the series of the Drake brothers however it had its bad times, wrong little details that just couldn’t scape my sight like the fact Mia wouldn’t care more for her own self and would do anything for Collins when it clearly broke her every time she had a slight piece of hope in their romantic future. Tough I loved her naivety and childish (I say this so respectfully, in the best way possible) hopes and dreams, Collins was still a shitty boyfriend and a shitty love interest that felt like a gossip girl character that I won’t name (*golden boy*) until the last chapter before the epilogue. These details felt like little stones stopping me from having a great ride during this story so, yeah. It was OK but not to make a fuss about it.

At the movies… I Am Not a Serial Killer

Greetings from my Netflix account,

I was so happy when I found out about the film adaptation for I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells, and the moment I was about fifty pages in Mr. Monster I knew I had to at least watch a trailer. I was compelled by the simplicity of it been an indie film so I watched it on Netflix.

(this contains several spoilers)

No need to say I fell in love with the project, the performances were great and the adapted script itself was so respectful towards the original concept ( props to Christopher Hyde and Billy O’Brien). One could feel the insane desire in Max Records’ eyes portraying John when he was near a corpse in the mortuary, or Christopher Lloyd’s lack of empathy when murdering as Mr. Crowley. It was quite an experience, because non of the latest film adaptations I’ve seen since 2014 have been enough for my taste but this 2016 indie movie was one of the best (there were lines taken straight from the original material). And even though there were some differences when it came to Brooke’s hair and the way the ending was handled (don’t worry, the bad guy still dies), it was all worthy because of how entertaining it made the story. There’s no need to embelish the truth, I LOVED IT.

PS: the music by composer Adrian Johnson, was so on point. I was terrified by those effects alone.

Week #112 of Reading Like A Maniac

Good morning, everyone.

This past week has been filled with tons of books (literally), season finales (RPDR), granola cookies and a very decent movie adaptation. But before saying how many books I read I would like to warn that next week I won’t be able to read as much as I could since I have two doctors’ appointments that cannot be reschedule so I guess I’ll read a regular (3-4) amount of novels. Without further ado, here they are: the twelve books I read.

The first one was the otherworldly stand-alone by Erin Morgenstern named The Night Circus.

Right in the late 1800’s, a pair of special kids are dragged by their neglecting parental figures to a world of magic, mystery and forbidden love in the shape of an unfathomable circus full of unexplicable acts and charismatic characters that will embellish the fated life of Celia and Marco as an unstoppable carrousel from where they’ll find themselves unable to hide nor runaway.

I’M STILL SOMEHOW CONFUSED.

I seriously don’t know what to think was real, was the circus part of a lovely idea of a family from the beginning? or they were all just unfortunately involved in the fantastic tents? I still need those answers but overall the book remained consistent and incredibly surreal, because one could literally feel like another newcomer attending for the first time to a place so out of this world but so enchanting at the same time and there was also the feeling we knew and GRE with this circus people crying cuz of their unfair situations or been wondered by their fantasy filled lives. However, if there was something I was not looking for were some boring and too slow parts like Herr or Friederich’s povs (I wasn’t thrilled, and run through those pages).

Second was the first book in the First Kisses series by Rachel Hawthorne, named Trust Me.

All Jessica Kane wanted was to become a camp counselor before getting to High School with her best friend and obtain some boy info, but things might become horrendous when she discovers that the torment in the shape of a boy is no longer a camper but also wants to become a counselor. Will Sean Ryder be able to ruin this summer? Is he more than the trouble maker she remembers?

SWEET AS COTTON CANDY.

I wasn’t expecting such innocence neither the tenderness of the age before entering high school, without malice or perversion, just a kind and swift desire of understand the other, creating bonds without realising. It was obviously a fast, easy and cute read to go through in between big as novels as a little peanut butter sandwich or some lemonade. Besides the writing style wasn’t making me hate the teenage aspect of the characters so that’s a plus, Jess was real yet not annoying (shocking!).

Third book I read is the first in the supernatural trilogy Ethical Vampires by Susan Hubbard, named The Society of S.

13 year old Ariella Montero has lived secluded to her father’s mansion since she was born, home schooled with no friends nor happiness. Only when she gets a glimpse of the life a teen her own age should have, she understands her father has been keeping more secrets than the unexplicable dissapearance of her estranged mother, that he could not be sick afterall but be a completly dangerous creature with the same supernatural blood that runs through her veins.

NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD FINISH THIS IN A DAY.

I mean I’d read many negative reviews saying awful things, how unreal this was or the issues they had getting to know the characters and the story itself; so you can see how surprised I am that this was such an easy and entertaining read, I was looking for the next chapter because it actually felt so realistic (pretty weird considering this is a vampire novel) and like anyone could relate to Ari in so many levels, I rooted for her yet I wanted to protect her from any emotional and physical harm but my girl needed to explore the world like never before to find her truth seeing the filthy and the kind side of the world. In the end this was more than a vampire story but a tale of finding out that there’s more to the story of a broken family portrait.

The next one is the final installment in The 100 series by Kass Morgan, named Rebellion. (I just love the Spanish cover, and there was no way I was going to put that awful tv show US cover here)

Peace is held captive. Bellamy is dealing with the aftermath of almost been killed, Clarke tries to adjust to have parents again, Wells suffers the death of his love and Glass doesn’t seem to feel helpful. The colony is about to have a peaceful celebration as they get over the former civil war when their tranquility is shattered by an earthling terrorist attack that leaves their recently built town without half its people, some of them dead and other kidnapped for twisted motives. Our main characters will have to discover if they’ll choose the right side between the ¨corteous¨ earthlings or the unknown danger that has become their colony.

NICE TALE.

It was definitely not perfect, it had some too cheesy moments for my Bellarke and it felt like it lacked such an epic feeling for it to be a suitable conclusion for this series but anyways, I appreciate the changes in the personalities of our characters (some of them were needed, some were just annoying as f*ck, I see you Clarke!) since it showed their true hearts no matter how innocent and selfish it might look at first sight; Glass saw her potential and Clarke saw how fucking stupid a bright sided person can see a potential nutcase. The book gave us that perspective, that perhaps humanity is about revenge, about not letting injustice take over and about the feeling of a family you’re willing to fight for. (Sweet message 😍)

The fifth book was the contemporary stand-alone named The Museum of Intangible Things by Wendy Wunder.

Hannah and Zoe are used to their mediocre lives in a small town with no happy families neither a hopeful future ahead, they have learnt not to trust kindness easily so when Zoe sees her world finally crumbling to an inevitable and painful end, she decides to take off with Hannah to discover what makes life worthy and fulfill her destiny while her bff tries to protect her running away from the law.

SOMETHING WENT AWFULLY WRONG.

I had totally read the negative reviews but I was willing to give it a shot and to like it since the cover and synopsis seemed so ethereal/flourishing, little did I know the book was gonna be confusing as fuck in the writing and plot scenario. I mean the last 45% of it was not nice, neither understandable like it was written by another author (one who just wanted to get this over with in a rush); the book could have been more developed with a gracious process when it came to maturity but once momenth we were amazed by the strength of a tornado and the other we’re some crazy sex bunnies forgetting about the important issues (like our bipolar friend on the loose). However, despite all the mentioned flaws I still appreciate this complicated mental illness was addressed with it’s symptoms and the way people deal with it, how it seems like a no way out of the tricks of your mind. Pretty decently mentioned. 👮💁

The following book was another contemporary stand-alone, named Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman.

Sally is tired of her full-time matchmakers her bff Hooker and her own mother, she’s sick of going out on awful blind dates with guys that seem more interested in her best friend besides she truly doesn’t want a boyfriend. So this nerdy teenager will gather the help of her other longtime friend, popular jock Becks to pretend being her new stable boyfriend. But will faking it be enough to keep her heart safe from her feelings for him?

NICE WAY OF SURVIVING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A BORING WEEKEND.

It had its inevitable cheesy (so unreal) moments and a love that came from self doubt but still it managed to remain sweet and such a cliché in the entertainment department of contemporary novels. I mean, my inner feminist was saying No girl, value yourself some more! 🗽😠 but my inner teenage wannabe was like This is so fucking cute,just stay with the cute boy!! 😍 Somehow, it was so relatable and I rooted for these two and geir angsty path to discover how ridiculous it is to not be together because of lack of communication between bffs.

Then was the first in the popular John Cleaver series by Dan Wells, named I Am Not A Serial Killer.

John Wayne Cleaver knows he’s not obssesively interested in serial killer profiles because his parents named him after one, but because he’s what psychiatrist call a basic sociopath so he’s got some rules to follow around potential victims to avoid, you know… killing them or hurting them in anyway. But his intereset in these profiles become insane when a serial killer starts taking body parts of his victims and John decides to solve this bloody mystery.

WOW.

Is it ok if I feel attracted and freaked out at the same time? I mean I found myself in a situation I believed I could have never been part of: defending an unstable teenage socipath on the loose. In a heavenly yet mysterious fashion, John managed to get my vote. So props to Dan Wells, man you did your research in all anatomy, and psychos minds, one could feel the unattachment from human emotions and what’s known as natural irrational reactions inside his wicked mind all until a tear made the difference (i cried there too). Anyways, I’m interested on what’s next.

After this was the sequel named Mr. Monster.

John is still getting over the fact he killed a demon that was his serial killer neighbour, his mom refuses to talk about the issue and he feels he’s finally lost all control over his monster alter ego when his desire to hurt Brooke is taking over him. Then’s when another serial killer takes over his small town, these one takes, tortures and murders innocent young women in ways the appeal the twisted mind of John.

SO NOW JOHN HAS A PURPOSE.

OK, let me get this straight, the moment he hit and killed the cat it was I who stopped seeing him as a person; as a cat lover I found myself deeply offended therefore I wasn’t as saddened by the fact Brooke would never give him a shot ever again as I thought I would be in the beginning. Anyways, the book gave me the chills to see a true insane yet strangely emotional serial killer (btw, I kinda saw it coming) and it showed more layers of some sadistic tendencies inside of John’s murderous wet dreams (so fucking twisted), and this is exactly what I liked about this cuz it gives the humane truth despite how rotten and repulsive it is, it doesn’t sugarcoat it. I felt as inhumane as He is.

The ninth book was its third part named I Don’t Want to Kill You.

He lost his mind and was about to hurt Brooke, she finally saw Mr. Monster and wants nothing to do with John after that. Now he’s got himself a new companion who seems to not be afraid of his obsessive mannerisms and wants to help him discover the truth behind the new serial killer in town that has been cutting the tongues and hands of its victims. All while one by one, teenage girls go through a suspicious suicide rampage.

WOW.

Such a roller coaster of emotions, which sounds weird coming from a book narrating the adventures of a teenage sociopath but hell it was such a ride with John experimenting the regular things a teen should live like having a girlfriend and why not enjoy a bit about life without that icky desire to kill, such a hopeful yet dramatically depressing third book in an emotionless series because no matter how much he lost that’s exactly what brought a bit of humanity on him. In other news, I was kind of super down cuz all the time I was making some theories about Marci’s mom been the killer and the demon and I was getting so creative but anyways the surprise and world building of the truth (the actual killer and demon) was insanely interesting and it glued well with the story.

Book ten was the first one in the Beaumont series by Heidi McLaughling, named Forever My Girl.

Ten years ago, Liam left his small town and his long time girlfriend to become a rockstar, he achieved his goals but never got over how things were left with her. So when he finds out his high school best friend has died in an accident, he decides go back one last time and see her. What he never anticipated was for her to have some company, she’s not only engaged but with a nine year old son. Could Josie forgive him? Could them have a chance of been a family like they had panned years ago? Or is all lost for good?

SUCH AN EASY READ.

Many kids think of this as another wattpad or fanfiction little cliché story, you could tell by seeing some comments on YouTube however I had my special faith this would be entertaining and sweet as cotton candy and I wasn’t wrong (😍). OK, yeah it was cheesy and so expected but still I liked it cuz it was healthy and it was so fast paced I read it in a short amount of time (I would have done it in a night but I had to get my sleeping hours 😢) that I spent pretty much gasping and saying “awwww” like a sixteen year old cuz that love was unbreakable and so right, easy and fucking on time for anyone who needs a fresh start after reading too much fantasy or emotional content coming from a series. My only complain (and I use this term loosely) is that I wish there had been a little more drama, everything was so easily resolved so I wanted to actually fear they not getting back together I know it sounds weird but I wanted the rush and the Happily Ever After to feel meant to be.

The next one belongs to The Field Party series by Abbi Glines, named After the Game.

Nobody believed Riley when she said she was raped by golden boy Rhett, she was bullied till she left town with her parents and now she’s back to take care of her senile grandmother… with a golden haired baby girl. When she gets rescued from the rain by goody two shoes Brady Higgens, she unknowgingly starts changing his mind and makes him see that not everything is as immaculate and clear as it seems in Lawton, Alabama.

I WAS SO ABOUT TO CRY.

The story and characters touched my heart, my soft spot because I shared a bit of His family dramatic issues so I understood the pain of looking down on a person you believed was perfect (the dissapointment 😣). However, I think the romance was a tiny bit rushed for such a realistic turn out, like if you were distracted you could easily pass down the fact He admired Her first, that’s all.

Then was another contemporary stand-alone (quite distinctive) by Siobhan Vivian, named The List.

High School is known for been hard on teens, but extra hard on teenage girls. Except that in this school it has become worst when years ago a secretive tradition was established known as the List to reduce girls to nothing more than Prettiest or Ugliest of their class. No student nor teacher tries to discover the creator of it, until 8 new different girls are chosen and the new principal decides to do her best to finish this cruel thing off for good.

WTF SIOBHAN.

OK, so this is going to contain tons of spoilers, like seriously. I totally enjoyed the book, I mean as a message for teen girls and teens in general it was fantastic cuz it hits the superficial and shallow surface of the jiggly jelly that is high school and how everything that you think matters at that age is nothing more than Plastic (not quoting mean girls) that will be eventually forgotten as unimportant and even as an embarrassing secret your adult self will try to hide forever. That ugly is all the filthy in one’s inside but that a list does not define how you change to feel better with yourself and not to please anyone cuz that’s just pain idiotic. That was good and classy but the wtf part was the fact that Siobhan Vivian didn’t give a fair conclusion to characters like Margo, Jennifer nor Lauren neither Bridget, I was like Noooo!!! I thought this would have a sequel or a tiny epilogue to give me closure but hell no 😰😭. I’m still trying to get over that. 😖

Finally there was another contemporary stand-alone filled with mysterious motives by Karen M. McManus, named One of Us is Lying.

Simon was never kind neither popular, nor smart enough to fit in so he created a gossip app to ruin others’ lives for his own pleasure, so when he’s killed everyone had a reason but the police decides to focus in the last four students that saw him before he died: Good straight A student Bronwyn, pretty trophy popular girl Addy, troublemaker Nate, and golden jock Cooper. They all had ugly secrets he could have unveiled and he was about to when he was murdered. It will be up to them to let this mystery ruin them or save them from jail time.

SOMETHING TO BE RECOMMENDED.

I went reading this book thinking it was another PLL or Dangerous Girls where I could trust no main character but I ended up finding a set of relatable characters with more flaws and sad day teenage stuff than I expected, personalities I accepted and got to understand fully, lived in a sick mystery filled with a labyrinth of clues and lies that for me suspecting of everyone who ever said or did something odd but I never expected to be That person I mean I was expecting the other “team mate” but not that psycho. Anyways, I was at the edge of my seat and was not done reading until I could find out who the fuck did it and why. The truth was twisted and gratifying, and by the end I was thinking Karen was going through the Siobhan road (*inner joke about authors*😨) but thank God for that epilogue.

At the movies… “El Club de los Incomprendidos”

I guess we’re during the evening,

Good afternoon.

Once I got Netflix I knew I had to put this on my list so last week I was able to watch this movie I was dying to review and make comparissons of because of the master mind Blue Jeans is. So for two days during lunchtime I watched this lovely Spanish film adapted from the first book on the trilogy that carries the same name of the movie (the misfit club): “¡Buenos Días, princesa!” (Good morning, princess) and enjoyed for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The moment it began I knew it was something special because it kept that young soundtrack based vibe with its characters and their drive force, with Valeria being the exact same as in the books caring for some self respect and very well founded morals when it comes to friendship (except for tha Eli deal), the same happened with Raul, Estér, Élisabeth, Meri and Bruno. But what happened with César, I don’t remember him as such a not caring irresponsible idiot, he was great when the movie began but by his last scene I wanted to punch him and IDK how to feel about that.

Other thing I wish would have been handled differently was the moment Eli found out about Raul and Valeria, it was epic in the book in the most raw and just heartless way that until this day I can so hear the windows breaking in Valeria’s mom’s bar and then not knowing what came about her. The end truly felt like a conclusion when there are two (alleged) movies left to come out; it felt a little too Lifetime for my taste.

With Meri… well, that change is understandable because more voiceover would have been required and that would have ruined many moments to show her true self, however that turned out pretty cool as a shocking device with Estér. Well played.

At the movies… Fifty Shades Freed

Hi again,

So I was too sick to actually go to the movies the moment this hit theaters, but I finally found time to watch it last night and I managed to gather some thoughts that could be a sort of review for a story I really liked when I turned 18 and got into NA reads and Twilight fanfiction of course so I will not lie saying I expected this to be a piece of art but it totally got me thinking of my read back then and how much my taste has evolved (in some cases, obvs).

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

I started having these thoughts not when I left the cinema but when the prologue credits began rolling, it all started with the wedding scene which was pretty well filmed like I felt I was in a perfume ad or something, so beautifully shot with the right amount of white and lace on it besides the soundtrack blessing my ears with is loveliness, like one could actually see that the budget went on for the wedding and honeymoon right off the bat (it literally looked like art). The moment that ended, I knew things were going wrong since the characters started acting just like in the books, and one could feel the fanfiction roots, the cliché misfortune and the near death experiences. I mean seriously, Jack hit Anna however the baby was hell okay, how effing come?! Other than that I was kinda mad that Ethan never appeared to make the perfect trio of couples with Mia, it would have been cool to see Mia in a not so one personality momentum.

I mean, it was not entirely bad if you read it when you were a technical adult with the mindset of a teen still, however it was not a great adaptation neither. Except for that post credits scene showing them with little Teddy, that was cute and seeing Ana with her baby bump.

 

Week # 111 of Reading Like A Maniac

Hi folks,

Thi week hasn’t been the best (AGAIN!), I started to feel a bit of pain in my right lung like during the last days of december so I was kinda ready for that feeling, oh and I was unable to sign up for one class at my university besides the secretary being passive-agressive about her condescendance towards me (I just hate that) when she couldn’t fix my inscription issues after her assistant had promised there would be a beneficial solution. Guess what, there wasn’t! I’ll have to take that class next cycle, quite a bummer. However, I was able to read a ton of books, even I said damn!

First book I read was Confessions of an Undercover Girlfriend by Kay Marie, from the Confessions duology.

Skye and Ollie finally discussed their feelings and went right below the sheets but not everything is set and done, things get complicated when her looser ex boyfriend comes back trying to get her back and she might need him as a beard to stop her best friend from finding out she’s always been in love with Ollie or things could get messier. But is secrecy the best way to start a promising relationship? Could it end a longing friendship and the sanity of an anxious Skye for good?

I WAS PROMISED A FUN OUTCOME AND I GOT IT.

Though I must admit that going through the first four chapters I was a little not so convinced with Skye’s inmadure and annoying way of being, I had totally forgotten about that: my 17 year old self just thought she was plain hilarious; but yeah I got some flaws right there. However, I learned to love and admire/understand her reasons and insecurites, those were and still are some of my own so I was pleased to see the raw and dusty side of a main character who is pretty scarred by life but somehow leaves her house every day and lives NOW with more hope in commiting to her dreams and Ollie.

The next one was the first book on the Oh. My. Gods. series (it might be a duology, not even goodreads gave me info on that) by Tera Lynn Childs, of the same name.

The only thing Phoebe wanted was for her senior year to be filled with good memories of her track competitions and her best friends dreaming about going to the same college, however fate… or her mother actually had a different idea when she remarried faster than her daughter could complain. They inmediatly moved to Greece and she’ll have to attend a private super exclusive academy her new stepfather owns; but things are not as simple as they seemed, there’s something hiding behind the preppy spoiled faces of her new classsmates and she could not be less ready to find out her role on it.

IS IT JUST ME…?

Or I’d have enjoyed this better if I had been a naive fifteen year old? IDK, I just couldn’t handle to like or dislike Phoebe, she is determined when it comes to her desires and opinons but quite not the best when it comes to stand up for a little self-respect in he friendship or relationship areas, there I perceive her as too weak for her own good. And although the story and the mood were girly and outgoing, I felt that one of those cliché final battles or just a common enemy would have made the tale a little better to deal with. I’m gonna keep reading but with some resilience.

The third one I read was the immediate follow up named Goddess Boot Camp.

Mastering the regular powers of a normal descendant of greek gods ended up not being as simple looking as Phoebe thought it would be, and it’s definately worst when she’s obviously stronger than any on the academy so she has one last shot before the gods decide she’s not fit enough to waste more energy on her: The Goddess boot camp, but there’s a catch… her team mates are children! And if that was not embarrasing enough, she finds herself not trusting in Griffin when he starts spending too much time with Adara with no explanation for his CURRENT girlfriend.

EASY TO READ YET STILL NOT FULFILLING.

It was definitely better than the first one, the situations weren’t as ridiculous even though they remained a girly waste cuz the hype and expectations weren’t meant to last for a shocking nor great revelation but a not so nice lying plots to help Phoebe (lying to one’s family is never ok, it’s like considering them lab rats for expermients). However, I must admit the whole test/landscape for her last day on camp was pretty creative and one could literally feel the struggle.

The following book was the second in what I think will be a series named Stripped by Jasinda Wilder, it’s named Trashed.

Des life has never been lucky nor kind nor easy, the worst has always happened to her but she didn’t complain and took her destiny in her own hands working as the cleaning lady to pay for her studies so she’ll help children that like her could be abandoned and let down by the system; she’s never been in the spotlight and considers herself not the typical pretty girl over her weight but action film star Adam has a different concept once he sets his eyes in the girl of his dreams.

ANOTHER STORY THAT MADE ME EMOTIONAL.

These romance books I’m reading lately are taking over my emotions with heir great body positive messages and their loveliness when it comes to those amazingly sweet monologues given by certain characters to reflect their own sentiments for each other. But of course there were some totally not believable moments like in any other NA tale but overall the plot was consistent and I felt like Des opened her heart and darkest moments in the right time, so much great timing like their “I love you” s for the first time; so Jasinda succeeded again by bringing an addictive new story with such easy going narrative.

The fifth book I read was Burying Water, the first one on the new series of the same name by K. A. Tucker.

She was found hurt, abandoned, left to die in the forest, raped and with no trace of memory of who she used to be. She chose the name Water and has decided to go on and start a new life, a version of the person she has become but some small flashs still haunt her to let her know what happened that night. Besides that, the son of her new neighbours keeps attracting her like a magnet with no intention of doing it, could he be part of her past? Will she like the truth? Could she forgive and forget?

OMG K.A. TUCKER IS AN ARTIST.

I mean I knew she could convince me with her writing style and her dramatic topics but until now I hadn’t felt such an inspirational message behind a NA book, how to look at the bright side of that dying tree with burning color made of hope and a true family. Earlier this year I wanted to read this but I was too depressed to read (yeah, that’s how my sad mood goes along forbidding my love for books to emerge 😫) and I let it waiting for that entire first month with no expectations, however i’m so glad i did cuz i WASN’T going to take the book as perfectly as i’m doing now; being able to validate Water and Ginny (😭😭) and Jesse for the shit life put them through.

Then I read its sequel named Becoming Rain.

Undercover officer Clara Bertelli has earned the privilegue to dismantle a huge criminal network with ties to the Russian mafia and to achieve her goal she’ll have to become Rain, a rich girl seducing the nephew of the network’s leader to get enough information. What she never imagined was for him to not be as wrong as everybody thought, and for herself to decide between the dream job she always wanted or the dream man she never believed she needed.

K. A. NEVER DISSAPOINTS.

The characters were so perfectly written and one could truly feel the angst in their (specially Clara) thoughts and small acts, besides they remained true to their cores to the good that was inside them despite the odds that could hurt everyone around them. I got emotional and this shocked me in ways I never thought I could get before, just when I believed the Iranian dude was just a guys starting to become a criminal by working with the Russians boom he’s doing human trafficking with kids (I’m so fucking glad his wife turned him over, I wanna know more about her). On the other side, I loved how this stayed in the realist side since I could have easily landed in a fairy tale kind of ending with Hollywood surrealism but no… it was believable and it wasn’t hurtful and that’s really hard to accomplish so props to Tucker on that.

The seventh book was Chasing River.

Just when Amber decides to start her new adventure and see a bit of the life she could be missing in her holiday getaway over the world, she’s almost killed in a terror attack in the middle of Ireland (yeah, you heard that right) when she meets her glorious saviour and decides to explore a relationship outside her comfort zone and all the morals her sheriff father always taught her to live on. Will this romantic be enough, or she’ll decide to move on with what’s expected of her?

ALMOST TOO ROMANTIC TO BE TRUE.

Even though it wasn’t as exciting and angsty as the previous one’s main couple, I still was interested in seeing how things would turn out for the Dellaney family and I was totally not expecting such a shocking yet predictable (does it make sense?) scene in the pub. In the end I found myself enchanted by River’s mannerisms and his family tale of the first Marion and her loved one (😭💔), while he moved in Amber’s heart and soul. Btw, I loved the bucket list after the epilogue, pretty creative.

In addition there was the first book in the Sleepless by Fisher Amelie, named Callum & Harper.

Callum meets Harper when they are both desperate to find a home after finally turning 18, to spend the night a least but after years of being neglected and dissapointed by their host families given by the system, all they wanted was to feel loved and cherished, they had it all to get it but no one ever did. Until they found each other and their story began working on their favor, however some old ghost from the past could either bring them together or put them apart for good.

TOO DRAMATIC, MAYBE.

I believe Amelie must be a gracious writer on her own but for some reason I felt I was reading some wattpad story during some of the most anticlimactic pages of this book, despite the love story was sweet and cheesy it became almost ridiculous and obvious like an stereotypical soap opera with all the things that ruined their moments of truth and love confessions, or the fact John seemed to have super powers cuz there’s no fucking way he was That strong (I literally imagined him as the Hulk 💪), or Harper’s typical aptitude of a 90’s romance main damsel in distress, I mean many of the characters were like caricatures of personalities. And if there’s anything I can rescue must be the feeling of loneliness, that the system failed them I. infinite ways, they got me crying when Harper felt so hopeless and bitter about the fact she was never an innocent with a normal life (that was such a good scene).

The eighth one I read was the last one in the Dorothy Must Die series by Danielle Paige, named The End of Oz.

Amy Gunn barely scaped from death again but now she’s locked up in Oz all over again with the company of her sort of boyfriend and her former mean archenemy thanks to the sadistic King of Ev, our heroine will have to venture through the wild nature of Ev where nothing is like home. Besides it turns out that Dorothy might not be so dead afterall and she could ally with someone worst to bring the end of Oz and Amy once and for all.

PRETTY GOOD.

Overall the book was fine, it seemed like a decent ending without any outstanding nor remarkable traits, definitely not better that the three previous ones but OK enough; I mean we were getting some plot fillers and more wickedly twisted world building (the way the wheelers were described 😨😲) it was all pretty dope all until we got that last scene seeing the past and the turning point that made Dorothy what she is now, besides there were the memories of her childhood crush and how she’s so alone and guilty (😭😭😭), there I felt a connection, she was so broken and her decision broke me as well. #DorothyDeservedBetter

Moreover I read Caraval by Stephanie Garber, the first one in the new series of the same name.

Scarlett and Donatella’s life hasn’t been a happy one ever since her mother left them on the care of their abusive father so when they get an invitation to attend Caraval, their future seems a little brighter. They have heard the stories, how things are not the way they seem, how a girl died the last time the competition was on display, how its creator changes faces, how magic is ultimately real. But when Tella disapears and becomes the price to the winner of the game, Scarlett will run more danger than just her father’s abusive hands.

PRETTY INTERESTING.

It started up a little not exciting enough introducing the characters and Scarlet’s drive force through her lifetime till now, she was pretty much an unrelatable person until page sixty something and then the book got entertaining. We were explained what the whole deal was all about and we were given exact descriptions of the set ups as well as of characters we literally saw once (Dante’s sis had potential if you ask me). However, even when I was thrilled and shocked and confused during all the book (talk about trust issues and plot twists! 😨😲), there were moments I thought it wasn’t as fast paced as it should be and one could totally feel how exhaustingly long the story was getting, specially during the last three chapters IDK.

The last one I read was the standalone Even in Paradise by newcomer Chelsey Philpot.

 

Julia Buchanam has always been one of those popular girls that truly doesn’t care about popularity or fitting in, she’s one of those girls in the commercials having fun being who she is and living her life. Or at least that’s what Julia imagines the moment she becomes her friend, she’ll discover that there’s more than what it seems with the Buchanam family, that even the family she’s falling in love with has more scars that anyone could take and that they are on the verge of exploting.

BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN.

I felt it was raw and ethereal at the same time, the friendship was wonderful and it felt real like true love not even whispering romantic love but a sisterhood of girls that didn’t know they needed each other but (perhaps) might not be the best for each other in Julia’s situation and mental state, it was no good for the future of Charlie as well. It was like what made them right would eventually destroy them, and Chelsey wrote that struggle and the path itself towards that friendship through subtle poetry and a light breeze. Besides that there was the whole family stuff being so emotionally unstable that it felt like it was going down a Virgin Suicides rode but thank God it didn’t or I would have gone down on my tears. Like in a We We’re Liars way.

Week #110 of Reading Like A Maniac

Good morning,

this week has been too much for me since I had a ton of xRay stuff to do to change my medical prescription from eleven pills six days a week to have less pills two days a week, it sucks to be sick in the middle of summer but it is what it is. Anyways, I was able to, believe or not, read 9 books since I last wrote in the blog; also I have been thinking a lot in writing the story I left just in the epilogue back in the first days of January, it’s definetly going to be a thriller kind of Charles Manson’s ¨family¨ with a Cloverfield vibe and Flowers in the Attic aesthetic so wait for it and me having some time to dedicate to writing instead of reading that much, I promise I’ll keep you updated but let’s go back to my Goodreads updates (pretty close to obsessive, btw).

First book I read was the second installment in the showstopping Partials Sequence by Dan Wells, I’m talking about Fragments.

Kira Walker never actually believed she would live to see a baby growing healthy after taking the cure, but when the rest of them starts dying as she’s unable to copy the same effect the only cure had to that only child, she knows is up to her to get it for the future risking her life and the live of the remaining Partials from a war that’s a spark away from coming to a reality. She’ll get unexpected help from those she’ll meet halfaway, and might discover that the truth behind humanity’s current state is not as simple as everyone told her it was.

TOO MANY PAGES, THEY WERE F*CKING WORTHY.

From beginning to end I needed to know exactly what was going on, every new discovery had me at the edge of my seat exciting for a new piece of info, I wanted something vital and I became a conspiracy theorist in the process making up various answers to explain Kira’s existence as her relationship with Nandita and her “father” after that portrait she found in the last book. Anyways, of course I was wrong looking for a cheesy soap opera answer and I got the responses I ached for just that those were shocking and painful, and a little more confusing like that last chapter from Ariel’s pov I mean who didn’t receive some unstoppable Rosemary’s Baby feels and memories, I got that, call my a fascist racist but my first thought was that the kid looked like Hell Baby (2013) with the whole hybrid thing and delivering at home with such pain in a horror night with a war going on outside of the precarious house, pretty creepy. Great sequel, though… one of the best I read coming from end of the world type of trilogies.

The next one is the end of the mentioned trilogy, its named Ruins.

Kira is secluded trying to find a cure for both deceases after finding out the ugly truth behind curing humanity for the pleasure of an obsessive woman with less time that she wishes was available, Samm is keeping his promise to Kira by offering himself as the source to heal all those newborn humans despite the terrible way its done to his race, and Marcus is helping what’s left of humanity when the Partials’ attack becomes unbearable with only one question left: who’ll sucumb to death first? Creatures appear, the weather changes dramatically and alliances are made to construct a future, but will it be enough to stop an ongoing enmity from utter destruction?

PRETTY DECENT FINALE.

Everything was on point but a couple minor details that were too exhausting to even complain about, like a little rock in one’s shoe that annoys your journey in a tiny fashion. I’m talking about the fact we didn’t see Isolde’s reaction towards “THAT” moment in her life and the romance, it was OK when Samm felt it on his own but once they were reunited I felt it was rushed, too poetic and cheesy for a couple of youngsters. Anyway, I fell for Kira’s bravery, Ariel’s humanity and Heron’s badassery during this book, they showed girl power and vulnerability at its finest without a doubt: thanks Dan for creating such inspirational female characters to follow in the shape of (as strange as it sounds) role models. 😍

The third book I read was a sequel in the creepy Asylum series by Madeleine Roux, I’m referring to Sanctum.

All seems to be going back to normal after their awful experience last year, Dan has new friends that are kind of avoiding him and still has a couple of nightmares, Abby wants to go back to how her life used to be before finding out about her aunt’s seclusion, and Jordan doesn’t know if he is truly ready to leave his parents’ house as a proud gay young man. So when strange Freak Show kind of pictures are mailed to them with some seriously strange captions that only make sense when they put the photos in order encouraging them to return to the Asylum once more to end this the right way.

NOT AS FASCINATING BUT OK.

I kind of was expecting a carnival centered tale, totally creepy and mind blowing just like the first book did with those disturbing asylum images but the carnival was just a small part of the past Dan was so interested in… Anyways, it was interesting and scary, besides we got to discover another side of Dan, one obsessed and selfish part of him that is growing because of being in Daniel’s perspective during all those flashbacks, like a mini sociopath cooking up; however I wanted a little more info on the ghosts he sees and the connection he has to Daniel, let’s dig a little deeper on that mystery in the next book, please.

The following book was the end of the said series named Catacomb.

Once the cult was shattered down just like its leader and the soil it all started on was burnt to the ground, Dan and his friends believed all the crazy supernatural murderous attacks would be gone and they’d be able to experience a sweet roadtrip to New Orleans to accompany Jordan to his new home and life. However once Dan starts receiving text from a person he surely thought was dead, things take a shift for the worst, getting more answers about Dan’s roots than he would have wanted.

I EXPECTED SO MUCH MORE.

I was left with the same questions I had when I finished reading Asylum, the whole supernatural aspect with unlikely psychological explanations that Dan has to deal with is a beating cell in my mind and I need answers. Though it was nice getting to know his parents’ story and the whole bone artists’ story line but I still wasn’t convinced I mean many of the pics weren’t spooky anymore and the name of the book has like one mention in the entire book just like the previous one. I wasn’t thrilled, which was quite sad since Madeleine is such a good writer and the trilogy had some serious potential to become the next supernatural big hit. 😢

 

The fifth novel I read was the sequel in A Wicked trilogy by the awesome Jennifer L. Armentrout, named Torn.

Last time we saw Ivy, she had just realised she was the half human half fae abomination she grew up to hate and that the rest of her peers surely would kill in a heartbeat so her life seems harder than just having a hot boyfriend with the arrival of the monster known as the Prince who was come to take her and make sure the prophecy is fulfilled. Secrets are revealed and friendships might change, but will Ivy’s strenght be enought to deal with all the filthiness around her fate in the fae world.

IT WAS SURPRISINGLY, A VERY GOOD SEQUEL.

I don’t know if this is a trilogy or a series but it’s going through a path of pretty amazing plotlines, world building, and character development. This was like a test to the attachments She had with what has become her family after Val’s cynic betrayal, our heroine and myself have been permanently damaged, with our eyes burned because of the perversion we have witnessed. 😫😣 BTW, I was totally thinking She could have defended herself a bit more with those chains.

Other book I read was The Glittering Court by the marvellous Richelle Mead, the first one in the trilogy of the same name.

This one tells the story of a young countess tired of her lack of rights, her obnoxious grandmother, her breathless position and the way her life is meant to be; so when a thrilling oportunity shows up she takes it changing her name to Adelaide and her rank to a servant girl. All to be a part of the girls participating in the Glittering Court to travel to the new world and find a wealthy husband of Her choice without tradition or boring stubborness. There she’ll find friendship and love, but not in the way she thought once she ventured in that carriage.

I HAD FUN READING.

I wasn’t expecting a kind of made up historical fiction without a trace of fantasy on it but I ended up liking it, I really enjoyed how it was obviously inspired by the coastal English colonies in the Americas and it got me so political and human rights defensive over the injustice of the icaris. And the fucking racism against Mira’s race, like seriously that had me angry as fuck! However that aspect made me come to root for lady “Adelaide” because even though she couldn’t step inside a carriage on her own at the beginning she wasn’t upset or like a brat for all the many races, and as the story went by not even religion could bother her; I mean she doesn’t fully abandon her sarcastic and inner complaining side she still grows in a way that slowly earn her my heart. Her story of survival and fighting for her independence and those she loves, is an incomparable tale since lately a girl is either a plain submissive Victorian or a contemporary warrior but this time the main character was a weird but so meant to be mix of these characteristics which turn out really realistic and had an impact in my knowledge of leading ladies.

The seventh one I read belongs to the PLAY trilogy by Spanish author Javier Ruescas, the first book is named Play.

Leo and Aarón are a pair of brothers who discover some lifechanging well kept stuff once they return to Spain, Aarón (the young teenager) finds out his girlfriend broke up with him over the holidays without his knowledge and has now become a famous actress who refuses to answer his emails or texts, as Leo (the young adult brother) uncovers the prodigious voice and song writting talent his baby brother has been hiding and decides to use it to his advantage. Let’s just say that things get powdery when Aarón realises his big brother is ¨singing¨ his original songs on YouTube earning himself a name with His talent.

SUCH A STARSTRUCK TALE BUT REALISTIC AS WELL, NO SENSE INTENDED.

I should begin by saying the two main characters were annoying in their own Unique way which Made this story so close to reality, i mean everyone has met a selfish unrealistic guy like Leo, who doesn’t think at all in the consequences and behaves like a child; then there was Aarón and his unhealthy trust over Delila when it was clear from the start she used him while he was worthy at school. In other news, I loved the creativity and boldness of the author when creating the perfect situations for these characters to pop up and live the actual adventure of their lifetime.

Another book I read was the sequel to the same trilogy, named Show.

Aarón hates the life as a famous singer under the wing of shady Develstar that keeps sucking on his gift and legal circunstances to protect Leo. As the older brother is barely enjoying his new status in Spain, making weird coutry like yogurt commercials and no real offers as his relationship with Sophie deteriorates; so when Aarón breaks the news of the new reality show where all of Devestar creations will have to participate is right on the corner, Leo knows this could mean his life is about to get better. Will the life in front of dozens of cameras in a locked up house with jelousy and intrigue beat Aarón down, and will Leo be able to cope being in his brother’s shadow?

I REALLY DON’T LIKE ZOE.

During the progress of the book itself and the development of the plot, I was looking up for possible conspiracy theories or Easter eggs to help me find the secrets behind that cheesy but embarrassingly entertaining reality show, and I was partially right cuz Emma was indeed Wink (nice HP reference, Leo should Wash his mouth up with soup) but I Made a mistake by making up a whole story on Zoe being a puppet of their BOSS to influence in Aarón’s decisions regarding his status in the company. My Sherlock eye made that mistake and I ended up judging a sick and innocent orphan girl because of my literary paranoia. I’m horrified and so into this little sequel.

The final one I read was the end of the trilogy, named Live.

Leo is finally loosing all his hopes and dreams when it comes to fame and love, Aarón just wants to be left alone to live a normal life with his love for music, and Icarus is ready to help his friends by arranging a roadtrip around Europe with the mates they met on their way to this present. The Serafin brothers will realise that there’s no time to live in the past or in shadows, but they must find what truly makes them happy and take it with no remorse whether is love or a carrier move.

MY HEART WAS BROKEN AND I LOVE IT.

What a weird sentence to start a review, right? Anyways, I knew the ending would be memorable but not so graciously liberating, with its ups and downs it stayed the same when it came to personalities and it made me love characters I believed I would never approved when I read book 1, but somehow I ended up transported to a land of friendship and free spirits, reality and a kind of realism that made you glad to be a human with Aaron’s inability to choose or Leo’s lack of confidence in his own persona to Icarus’ passionate life. Such an inspirational message that one could interpret as sugar coated but it was what truly defines a person: hope, hope to see the good in the worst times. 😏

Week #109 of Reading Like A Maniac

Good morning, fellow readers.

Again I’m on vacations enjoying my main Spotify playlist and kind of going back to feeling healthy again (sooo kind of-) but I still have some five months of treatment to follow sooo… yeah. Anyways, I’m still Reading so that’s a plus, there were days my head was burning because of heat waves (here in Peru the summer it’s just starting) and the fact I need a good pair of glasses if I want to be an avid reader or a reviewer who leaves of Reading and giving opinions. This week I managed to read six interesting reads which I really like and apreciate, I truly needed not to hate these or I could go back to Depression Land so thanks authors for writing books as lovely as their sinopsis.

The first one was part of the Grisha universo by Leigh Bardugo, the number one book in her newest duology ¨Six of Crows¨.

Six young adults find themselves in a quest for a better future in their hopeless country where mercy is not a part of the dictionary. There’s a former convict accused of a false crime, forced to devour or be killed, all thanks to a girl he shouldn’t have trust that hides a passion behind her sensual exterior, but she’s not the only one with a revolutionary power since a former student turned gang member hides a bigger secret from the newest guy who’s running away from the most despicable truth about his family. All lead by the soul of poverty and survival, heartless and unstoppable to the core with a mere weakness: a broken shadow looking for secrets and Her justice.

IT WAS WELL BUILT.

I had my issues reading the first two to three chapters because I understood nothing, I had no idea what time we were or what the characters were (male, female), or if this was gonna be just a mob kind of story (which is not my kind of tale, if you ask me). But once I started reading about the sad and tragic backgrounds of each of these ass kicking characters I knew I had to keep going till they had their happy ending(?). And if there was a character I was shocked by, it was definitely Kaz cuz first I wasn’t into his cold shell neither his cooky manners but when he narrated his story with his big brother, I melted and cried and wanted to hug him. It was unexpected unlike Inej’s experiences that were depressing and real, still I knew it was going through that specific path. Anyways, can’t wait to see how this turns out.

The next book was the final sequel of the same duology, named Crooked Kingdom.

Kaz is barely himself after being tricked in the worst game of his life till now, he lost Inej for his damn pride. He will use every weapon he can dig out of soil to get her back safe and sound, as well as getting his sweet revenge from those who thought  they could turn him into a Little helpless child again. With the help of his crew, he’ll save the merciless country and his friends like no one dared before, stopping a war treat in the process.

FILLED WITH THE FEELS.

I could say it was too fucking long when it came to internal monologues every character had but somehow those almost annoying paragraphs were incredibly necessary to make this book enough of a satisfactory ride. Every person needed their own conclusion and I wanted my personal closure on their sad tragic tales, specially Inej (my hear exploited), and I’m still on my nerves for Nina and Matthias but there’s nothing I can do… 😢 The sadness was real and it damaged my hopes to read some fan fiction, but anyways the book managed to get tears in my eyes and that’s an accomplishment so bravo Leigh.

The third book was part of the Black Dagger Legacy series by J.R. Ward named Blood Fury.

Peyton is still in love with Paradise despite her mating ceremony, he knows he should look on the other side to stop these feelings before getting himself killed by her mate specally since an explicable attraction towards another female is taking over his body. Going into Novo’s world he’ll find more tan just a tough as nails woman, but a hidden pain covered in sorrow, neglect and betrayal thar built the person everyone knows and fears. Together they’ll find a way to destroy the cage they made up for themselves, and freedom will be a part of these newly discovered feelings.

CAPTIVATING AS USUAL.

Even though i felt there was something missing to make it more exciting and enchanting, it was good enough with the fair amount of romance to give the entertainment factor to the story, with a little more action it’d have been perfectly emocional. I still was so teary when Novo opened her heart and her secrets to Peyton, but i wanted some more, some more exploration on their relationship. Anyways, when it came to Saxton’s romance i was intrigued since for me he always was that side character you consider an obnoxious mole but Now he’s like a sweet right prescence.

The fourth one was the first in the Trials of Apollo by kind hearted Rick Riordan, named The Hidden Oracle.

Apollo knew he would be punished ¨unfairly¨ as always by his overreacting father becoming a mortal, but he never expected he would turn into a regular teenager with no powers no physical strengh or an spectacular IQ, instead he got a babysitting job taking care of a quirky twelve year old demigodess with an aptitude. He’ll do more than taking care of her since his power on Earth: the oracles, are disapearing thanks to a secrettrilogy of enemies he never saw coming but could be the minds behind all the battles since Luke Castellan’s betrayal.

SHORT BUT ENCHANTING.

The main adventure was shortlived but it was still exciting and full of dangerous sassy laughter. The introduction of Meg and Peaches was the exact complement Apollo needed for his personality, she was a fighter and a hilarious sweet child, she stole our hearts as Apollo’s and one just couldn’t let her go so easily.

The following book is a compelling stand-alone named In the Land of Tea and Ravens by the outstanding R.K. Ryals.

Nobody goes even near to that old house, people say is plagued by the ghosts of merciless men crazy for the witches in her cursed family. When Lyric goes back to her grandmother’s abandoned house she knows it won’t be easy with her secretive nature, strange looks, lonely outside and damaged reputation in the most judgemental small town ever so when Grayson is driven towards her, she knows it’s her duty to stop him before not only his family and the entire town turn their backs on hi, but her own cursed flesh will lead him through the path of madness just like the ones before him.

GOOD, LIKE FOR REAL.

I find it bizarre some comments claiming this book as not enough or unworthy in the very end, or that “it had an unfulfilled potential” since I thought it was so beautiful in a Stevie Nicks shape with the ethereal herbal knowledge and such a fresh isolated feeling in the town of Hiccups. Besides this, there were the tragically epic main characters dealing with the specially original plot, without mentioning the glorious writing style Mrs Ryals gave us in a story full of powerfully true quotes in the mind of our young leads. It left me with this words: “If there had not been a happy ending, I wouldn’t call it a wild story but an instigating legend carrying a sword through my heart in the shape of a fulfilling and gratifying experience.”

The final book I read was the first part of the Partials Sequence trilogy by Dan Wells, named Partials.

After the war with the biological robots known as Partials, humanity perished with only a 1.1% of the population left as survivors to reconstruct civilization thanks to the R.M virus that’s currently killing all children born since the first attack leaving the world with less humans every day. Kira is tired of the goverment not doing anything worthy for the future but forcing women to get pregnant to prove their pointless theories, she sees babies dying and young mothers sufering over this every day in her hospital job. She wants a real cure and knows that not everything is as simple as it seems, and the entirety of her new society maybe as corrupt as the past ones to keep control.

I CAN’T BELIEVE I READ THIS IN TWO DAYS.

Even though I loved the morphing plot, the drive this main protagonist had, the fact I’m already a fan of the story (can’t wait to finish the trilogy) and the fantastic world building abilities Dan has (i literally was able to see the descriptions in my mind); there was a thing I didn’t enjoy and that’s everything related to Marcus. He was annoying from the beginning, such a cowardly little whiny self centered twat (I know that was a natural response for some teens when their confortable world crumbles but come the f*ck on! grow a pair of lady balls!), every time i wondered what Kira saw in him more than a childhood companion, besides that there was nothing even remotly redemable. No joke. Anyways, that was my only complain.

Week #108 of Reading Like A Maniac

Hi, y’all.

It was a tough week since I caught a cold from my mom so I wasn’t able to read the amount of books I wished I had but still I managed to read some I really enjoyed filled with mistrust and love, and angst.

The first book 🇮 read belongs to the Grisha trilogy, named Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.

Alina is an orphan living in a dying world with her best friend and in fear of the magical creatures hunting her land so when she’s about to die grabbed by a misshapen monster, a secret is revealed and her true potential is exploited and not only her life but the one of her entire country is a stake when a quiet devilish evil unravels.

NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD ACTUALLY BE SO INTO THIS AS I AM.

I give this lovely book an A++ because of its creativity when it came to the thriving plot, the fantastic yet easy to get into world building and let’s not forget about the memorable characters like (you might be surprised) Mal. I mean, this guy is definitely not a side love triangle dude, he’s no Gale neither Jacob nor Jem, he’s like a weird combination of Peeta (67%) and Jace (33%) that I actually really enjoy reading, his interactions with Alina were believable and I’m actually yearning for this ship. However, if there’s one thing I truly wish for is a more condescending aptitude from her side and to find out if the friends she made back home were for real or no. I need sassy Alina and some truth.

The second one was named Siege and Storm.

Last time we saw them, Alina and Mal were running away from

the blood thirsty Darkling after failing to get her power to his advantage. And now they’re still on the road planning a future away from their past but so they’ll discover that they are being haunted and will have to recur to some new allies and the resistance to save the dying land they were born in.

FINALLY FINISHED IT.

I blame an effing cold for nor being able to finish this on regular time cuz it brought me so many feelings and sensations like wonder because of the amount of badasery Nikolai’s sass and Alina’s new found power and position brought to the table, and the annoyance I felt towards Alina and little Mal with their teenage love issues ruining her character and making her ridiculous and a cheesy stereotypical 1990’s heroine. But when it came to the premise, I was thrilled again for all the twists and turns the magic and new creatures gave me, besides the change of personalities and the drive this book took.

The next book was the last one in this trilogy, named Ruin and Rising.

Darkling has managed to always be a step ahead of them and now more than half of her Grisha friends are dead. Now hidden by an ambitious religious leader who keeps her trapped and not been able to use her abilities, Alina knows she must find the third magical creature to have a chance to defeat the Darkling but what she’ll find might not be as easy as she once imagine.

I HAD A BIPOLAR RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS.

During the entire book I was falling for Mal all over again but then he kept being a whiny self sacrificing side note annoying the crap out of me, after that he was perfect again and finally he always would find a way to irritate me. Anyways, the story was consistent and very fullfilling, it didn’t rely on epic death of a Main character to be a nice life changing finale and that means progress for literature lately, so props to miss Bardugo.👏👏

The fourth book was the erotic short story named Daddy Issues by Ella Blaire.

Brielle’s life is far from perfect despite having millions of dollars,

her mom prefers being secluded in rehab for her prescribed medication addiction and her dad always chooses his job and his mistresses instead of their own daughter. It’s obvious that might be the reason she has picked her dad’s friend and business partner to relief some of her stress, but William will give her more than some attention.

GOOD TO GET THROUGH ANOTHER THOUGH BOOK.

I consider this a good filler read, in between big emotionally tiring stories just to have fun, relax and giggle a bit with some cliché naughtiness to feel like a 15 year old reading NA tales or the first time again. And even though it had a couple of inconsistencies when it came to plot holes, the morbid and sassy entertainment was predictable but still right, and the happy ending feelings we got were like a breath of fresh air after so many emotions brought from previous series.

The last one I read was the highly anticipated sequel in the Dark Artifices trilogy by Cassandra Clare, I’m talking about Lord of Shadows.

Malcolm died Emma and the Blackthorns thought most of their problems were gone but they weren’t counting on the impending war whose iceberg top was the dead warlock’s revenge. Now they most go to the unseelie court to get some answers risking their life and integrity, as Emma and Julian try to fight back their burning desire and forbidden feelings for each other.

I WISH I HADN’T READ THOSE TWO IMPORTANT SPOILERS.

Don’t get me wrong i did enjoy the book, it was exquisite and incredibly entertaining, very very fullfilling. The whole intolerant and downworld hate plot line was so realistic, and exactly like today’s issues with such inexplicable hatred and ignorance-racism; I felt as angry as i feel on a daily basis online😡. The bigotry was real. Anyways, i also was shocked to discover some more about our fairy/nephilim love triangle, that i inicially loathed but Now i’ve come to terms with it and i’m willing to see how it turns out🤔. In other news, i’m sure as hell that I’ll cry out loud with the Nex book. I’m certain. 😭