Book Review: The Secret of Ella and Micha (The Secret, #1) by Jessica Sorensen

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Format: Kindle

Publishers: Indie (Republished by Forever)

Published: 4th October 2012

Pages: 313

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Main Characters: Ella, Micha

Date Read: 2nd January - 8th January 2014
 

Rating Given:

 

 

Blurb:

Ella and Micha have been best friends since they were kids. But one tragic night shatters their friendship and their lives forever.

Ella used to be a rule-breaker with fiery attitude who wore her heart on her sleeve. But she left everything behind when she went to college and transformed into someone that follows the rules, keeps everything together, and hides all her problems. But now it's summer break and she has nowhere else to go but home.

Ella fears everything she worked so hard to bury might resurface, especially with Micha living right next door. If Micha tries to tempt the old her back, she knows that it will be hard to resist.

Micha is sexy, smart, confident, and can get under Ella’s skin like no one else can. He knows everything about her, including her darkest secrets. And he’s determined to bring his best friend, and the girl he loves back, no matter what it takes.

(New Adult Contemporary)
*Mature Content** Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language.

 

 My first read of 2014 and what I start I got as this was amazing why did it take me so long to get around to reading it?

 

There are a few different covers for this book as it has recently been picked up by Forever Publishers but this one is when it was independently published and I must say that I do prefer this one. I love the colours which makes the cover just pop and I think it has an artistic feel to it which kind of ties in with the story.

 

As well as this being my first book of the year it's also my first book by Jessica Sorensen and I know it won't be my last as I do have quite a few other of her books waiting for me on my kindle which like this I have had them for awhile. After enjoying this book so much I will get onto her other books very soon and I also bought the second one to this while I was still reading it! I loved the way it was written as I felt so caught up in everything that I didn't know what was going on around me as I can be easily distracted but not in this case it was a very powerful read. I loved the romance side of the story so much I just needed them to be together because when they was I felt the chemistry through the pages. There was also family issues throughout the book that did break my heart a little. I absolutely adored the ending and has made me very excited to see what happens next.

 

Love, love, LOVED the characters they are definitely one of my favourites that I have ever read. Ella had some demons that she had to work through and still does but that doesn't make her a weak character she is stronger for them. She did have a few different personalities and it was great to see them especially from when she was younger they really made me laugh with some of the antics that she got up to. Micha I absolutely love he had me laughing but he also had me feeling really bad for him. He does have some issues but he is still such a great character and is always there for Ella even when she wasn't there for him. There was some other characters that I also loved, Lila and Ethan where great and I am pleased that they get there own story too.

 

Overall an amazing start to the series I can't wait to continue it as well as other works from Jessica Sorensen, if this is anything to go by she could become one of my favourite authors.

 

Waiting on Wednesday #16

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Here's this week's book I can't wait for...

 

 

Silver Shadows (Bloodlines, #5) by Richelle Mead

Release Date: 29th July 2014

 

Blurb:

 

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

 

 

This may not seem like a long wait now that where into 2014 but after finishing The Fiery Heart this is a brutal wait especially after reading that blurb!

 

Book Review: The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines, #4) by Richelle Mead

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Format: Paperback (review)

Publishers: Penguin

Published: 19th November 2013

Pages: 420

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

Main Characters: Sydney, Adrian

Date Read: 8th December - 1st January 2013/4
 

Rating Given:

 

Blurb:

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives.

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure — and re-education — looms larger than ever.Pulses will race throughout this smoldering fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

Thanks to the publishers over at Penguin I was able to get my hands on a finished review copy and I couldn't wait to devour it.

 

 I haven't been a huge fan of these covers and I'm still not but I do think this one it my favourite of the series as I love the colours which makes it stand out for me. I do like that they all tie in with each other as you just know that they are part of a series.

 

With Fiery Heart we got to have alternating points of view between Sydney and Adrian which I loved getting a peek inside Adrian's head. This book seemed a bit slower than the last book which was why it didn't get the full five out of five rating I felt like this one focused more on the obstacles Sydney and Adrian faced together. There was a couple of little action scenes but it wasn't until nearer the end that had me on the edge of my seat. It did have me laughing out loud but what would you expect with Adrian getting more focus as he is just hilarious and I love all the more for it. There was also some really sweet moments and HOT moments, there was even times that broke my heart. I wasn't expecting the ending that we got and it was such a huge cliff hanger so I would suggest if you don't like those ending wait until the next one is released!

 

I do love the characters in this series especially Sydney and Adrian they are great together. We see different sides to both of them in this book and it was great to see especially with Adrian as I felt we had a better understanding about him and at times he was very selfless which I wasn't expecting. We didn't really get to see many of the other characters but what we did get to see of them was great. We also got to see a lot more of Sydney's sister Zoe which the more we did see the more I couldn't stand her. It was also great to see a bit more of characters from Vampire Academy as I do miss them at times.

 

Overall another great book from Richelle Mead I just wish it had a bit more action as it was a bit too slow for me in places.

Showcase Sunday #71

Showcase Sunday is a weekly Meme that I am taking part of. This weekly meme is hosted by Vicky over at Book, Biscuits and Tea and for more info click on the SS image which will take you straight to the blog.
Click images to take you to Goodreads.
 

Physical Book

I received this for review from Bloomsbury which I wasn't expecting which was a nice surprise as I loved her other books.

 

Kindle Books Bought

 

  

 

I spent a bit of my Christmas vouchers this week and I still have some left when I can narrow it down to what I want.

 

 

earcs

 

  

  

 

 

BOTM #27

I had a much better month of reading in December (although it probably helped that I read a lot of novellas) so here's what I read in December:

• Wings of Arian (Solus, #1) by Devri Walls - 5/5
• Christmas in Tahoe by Elisabeth Barrett - 4/5
• A Vampire's Christmas Carol by Cynthia Eden - 3.5/5
• Christmas Curveball by Shari Mikels - 5/5
• A Christmas for Carrie by Alison Packard - 5/5
• Kissing Her Scrooge by Kinley Cade - 2.5/5
• Holly & Ivey by Megan Kelly - 4.5/5
• A White Hot Christmas by Adrianne James - 3/5
• Shut Out by Kody Keplinger - 4.5/5
• The Kiss Before Christmas by Sophie Pembroke - 3/5
• Grave Matters (The Demon Trappers, #4.5) by Jana Oliver - 5/5
• Sleigh Bells in the Snow (O'Neil Brothers, #1) by Sarah Morgan - 5/5
• Fiery Heart (Bloodlines, #4) by Richelle Mead - 4.5/5

And the Book of the Month goes to...

This month was a hard one to choose from as I read a few books that where amazing but in the end I went with this one because this bought out my emotions the most and made me actually cry instead of feeling like I was going to cry.

 

Also I thought I would let everyone know what my book/s of the year was:

 

 

I couldn't pick out of the two as I adored them both and I can't wait to read more from both of these authors.

 

 

Book Review: Sleigh Bells in the Snow (O'Neil Brothers, #1) by Sarah Morgan

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Format: earc

Publishers: Harlequin

Published: 29th October 2013

Pages: 384

Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance

Main Characters: Kayla, Jackson

Date Read: 22nd December - 28th December 2013
 

Rating Given:

 

Blurb:

Once upon a time, Christmas was Kayla Green's favorite time of year. Now all the workaholic wants for Christmas is for it to be over—as fast as possible! So when duty calls her to snowy Vermont to close a deal with a new client, Kayla is grateful for an excuse to avoid the holidays for another year.

Jackson O'Neil left a thriving business behind to return home and salvage his family's resort—it's in his blood, and he can't let it fail. Now that he's got marketing whiz Kayla Green working with him to put Snow Crystal on the map, success is on the horizon. The fact they strike enough sparks off each other to power all the Christmas lights in Vermont is just an added bonus.

Kayla might be an expert at her job, but she's out of her depth with Jackson—he makes her crave the happy-ever-after she once dreamed of, and it's terrifying. As the snowflakes continue to swirl, will the woman who doesn't believe in the magic of Christmas finally fall under its spell?

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for giving me the chance to review this book as it was definitely one of my favourite reads of last year.

 I'm not a huge fan of the cover as it's a little too cheesy for my liking but I can imagine that this is taken from a scene in the book which is always a plus for me. I do think that the title of the book should have maybe have been a little bigger as it gets lost within the rest of the book.

As soon as I started this book I was completely drawn into the setting that was created by the very talented Sarah Morgan, I could visualise everything which I can't always do even if I love a book. It also helped that it was somewhere I would love to visit, she made it sound breathtakingly beautiful. When I fist started it I did feel like it was a little similar to a book I had just read but once I went further into it, it came into it's own. Sleigh Bells in the Snow had me in tears because of it being heart breaking but it also had me in tears because it was sweet and it made me happy. The chemistry between Kayla and Jackson just sizzled and I wanted them together right from the get go but there was a lot standing in the way mainly Kayla! The ending just stole my heart and I am hoping that we get to see these two in the next books even if their not the leading roles I just want to know how they are doing.

I loved every single one of these characters and I am so glad that Sarah is going to do a series with the rest of the brothers getting their own story too. Kayla is a very much driven person who loves to work but the more we get to know her past I just kept thinking no wonder she has ended up the way she has it really made me sad hearing about her childhood. Jackson I thought was going to be the same but no he wasn't he is more driven about his family which I found a very endearing quality. Both of these main characters had me laughing at the things they got up to and not only did I love their interaction but I also loved the interaction with the rest of the family.

Overall a brilliant story that I just couldn't get enough of and now I can't wait for the next book.

 

Book Review: Grave Matters (The Demon Trappers #4.5) by Jana Oliver

**Contains spoilers if you haven't finished the series**

 

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Format: Free on Website

Publishers: Nevermore Books

Published: 1st December 2013

Pages: 162

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance

Main Characters: Riley, Beck

Date Read: Unknown
 

Rating Given:

 

Blurb:

A Demon Trappers Novella

A legendary Demon Trapper, Riley Blackthorne frequently battles with Hell’s minions. So when she travels to Scotland to meet up with her hunky boyfriend, and celebrate her eighteenth birthday, she’s thrilled at the chance to leave Atlanta and its troubles behind.

Denver Beck, who has been studying for months to become a Grand Master – a rare and highly dangerous job -- is just as eager to see his girl. He’s anticipating a romantic reunion, keen to take their relationship to the next level.

But Riley’s twisted history with Hell has garnered unwelcome interest by people willing to use her for their own purposes. Trouble is brewing in the land of the heather, the kind that will drive a wedge between her and Beck, and prove the ultimate test of their love . . . and their survival skills.

Bonus content includes demon illustrations and two Demon Trappers short stories.

I have been a huge fan of The Demon Trapper series so when Jana Oliver mentioned about her putting up chapters to her new novella set after the last one I jumped at the chance to read it.

The cover I kind of like but I don't think it's in keeping with the rest of the series but I don't really mind as its still good.

I think that this one is even better than all the others in this series put together but then that might just be me being biased as I have always wanted Riley and Beck together and we see a lot of that in this one. There was so many twists and turns that I just didn't see coming and I loved every minute of them even if there was some heartbreak. I loved the action side of the story as it was just like the rest of the series. The only thing I hated was having to wait for the next chapter to be put up but that's just me being impatient to see what happens next.

We get to see new characters in this book as well as the two that we all know and love. Riley at the beginning was her same old self but then she seemed to have changed and not in a good way but then by the end we find out the reason behind this. With Beck we see a more stronger, intelligent and romantic side to him and I loved him even more which I didn't think was possible

Overall a great addition to the series and hopefully Jana will revisit them again in the future.