Book of the Month - January 2015

I can't believe January is over already! I am pretty pleased with the amount of books that I read in January with some brilliant new reads.
Here's what I read in January:

• Goodness and Light (Christmas in New York, #4) by Patty Blount - 5/5
• A New Beginning (A New Beginning, #1) by Brenda Kennedy - 3.5/5
• Lick (Stage Dive, #1) by Kylie Scott - 5/5
• Goddess (Starcrossed, #3) by Josephine Angelini - 4.5/5
• Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding, #1) by K.A. Linde - 1.5/5
• Smouldered (The Electric Tunnel, #2) by Rachel Blaufeld - 3/5
• Model Behaviour by Tamara Morgan - 3.5/5
• Conspiracy Girl by Sarah Alderson - 4.5/5
• The Departed (MacKinnon Curse, #3) by J.A. Templeton - 4.5/5
• Thoughtful (Thoughtless, #1.5) by S.C. Stephens - 4/5

And the book of the month goes to...

 

I couldn't pick out of these two books as both of them where amazing. Goodness and Light was only a short novella but I still had to pick it because it was just as good as a full length novel.

Book Review: Goddess (Starcrossed, #3) by Josephine Angelini

(Click image to take you to Goodreads)

Buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Book Depository 

Format: Paperback

Publishers: Pan Macmillan

Published: 23rd May 2013

Pages: 448

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance, 

Main Characters: Helen, Lucas, Orion, 
Date Read: 4th January - 15th January 2015

Rating Given:

Synopsis:
After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.
To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.
In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.

I received this awhile ago for review in exchange for an honest review and now I have finally gotten around to reading it.

I do love the covers for all this series in the UK but I must admit that this one is my favourite which I think has to do with the colour. There is a hint of what the story involves but I wish it was a bit more.

I've never been in love with this series until this book and even though I can't really remember what happened in the previous books I still feel like this last book outshone the others by a mile. I did get a little lost in the beginning but that had more to do with not remembering what had happened in the previous book even if there was a few reminders I was still a little lost. There was so much happening in this climax to the series that had me on the edge of my seat especially the last few chapters. I'm not going to tell you what I thought about the romance side of the story as I don't want to give anything away but what I will say is everything happened how I wanted it to happen. The ending I felt let this book down a little bit as there was still a few unanswered questions which made me wish there was another book in the future or even a novella just so things get cleared up.

I feel like my opinion for most of the characters changed throughout this book and some not in a good way. I felt that Helen really grew up in this book as there was a lot of new things happened to her making physically stronger as well as mentally. I did feel sorry for her at times with how people treated her especially ones that are supposed to know her the best. I have always loved Lucas and that didn't change in this book and like Helen I felt sorry for him but not for the same reasons. Like Lucas, Orion has always been a favourite character of mine and again that didn't change. We go to know more about Orion which was nice to see how he became the boy he is today. Claire and Ariadne disappointed me in this book in the way they where towards Helen especially Claire as she should have known better. Hector I loved just as much as Lucas and Orion.

Overall a fitting end to this series but there was just a few too many unanswered questions for me to give it 5/5 like I would've liked.

Showcase Sunday #84

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.

Click images to take you to Goodreads.

Physical Books

  

These books are all for review, the first two are from Hot Key Books and the last one is by Pan Macmillan publishers. Say Her Name is a new kind of genre for me as I don't usually like creepy books but it sounded too good to not ask for it.

Free Kindle Books

  

Amazon UK now has a New Adult section of kindle books which is dangerous for me as I'm addicted to New Adult books, I just hope these three books are as good as the NA books I have read before.

Review Kindle Books

  

These three books are from either the author or the publishers which I am so thankful for as they sound amazing.

  

 

The rest of the review books are thanks to Netgalley.

Showcase Sunday #40

Showcase Sunday is a new 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 Books

  

 

Kindle Books

 

  

 

  

 

  

  

 

  

 

   

 

It's Monday What Are You Reading? #36

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we plan our reading week!
(Click on images to send you to Goodreads)

Finished Reading

(Click on title for review)

Vampire Shift by Tim O'Rourke

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Currently Reading

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

I do love this series but for some reason it has took me a little while to get into it. Now that I am into it I love it just as much as the previous books in this series.

Otherkin by Nina Berry

I am not liking this book in fact there is too much going on that I just don't get what is going on. I am hoping it will settle down soon.

Reading Next

Shattered Dreams by Ellie James

Burn by Heath Gibson

Not heard too much about these books so I don't know what to expect from them.

So that's what I am planning on reading this week, what's on your reading plan?

BOTM #9

I have read quite a few books this month so for this months Book of the month I have decided to do a vlog version which is where you will find out what I read and the winner or you can take a peek at the BOTM tab at the top of the blog.
Let me know what you thought of the books that I read? and did I pick the right one? which would you guys have picked?

Book Review: Dreamless (Starcrossed #2)

Dreamless (Starcrossed #2) by Josephine Angelini

(May contain spoilers)

Format: Paperback (arc)
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 5th July 2012
Pages: 503
Main Characters: Helen, Lucas, Orion
Date Started: 24th June 2012
Date Finished: 28th June 2012
Rating Given: ***

Blurb from Goodreads:

Can true love be forgotten?

As the only Scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.

Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out—a ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.

As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. But the hardest task of all will be forgetting Lucas Delos.

Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding as an unforgettable love triangle emerges and the eternal cycle of revenge intensifies. Eagerly awaited, this sequel to the internationally bestselling STARCROSSED delivers a gritty, action-packed love story that exceeds expectation.

I kind of liked Starcrossed so when I had the chance to review the second one I thought I would give it a try as everyone says that you should give a series a chance and I'm glad that Macmillan (big thank you to Macmillan for sending me a copy) gave me a copy to review as I did like it.

This cover is very similar to the first cover which I loved but I do this cover isn't as good. The reason why is the people on the cover they just don't look right but that is the only fault I see in this cover. I love the colours on this cover as they look very dramatic and very much in keeping with what is going on within the story.

This is only my second book that I have read that was written by Josephine Angelini and I think it's the second book that she has had published too. What I think Angelini does well in her books is the build up of tension as she did that with the first one and this second one. Although I do like the build up I do feel that it was a bit too slow this time around as it took me a long time to actually get into the book. She is also very good at writing a very addicting series as once I got into this book I really couldn't put it down as I wanted to find out what was going to get thrown at the character's next. I do love her take on the Greek Gods, it's not something I have actually read many of but I do think she does a great job.

Like I said the start of this book was very slow and very confusing as I just didn't know what was going on. I think a part of that reason was because I couldn't remember what went on in the first book although there is a bit of a recap which was very much needed. There was a lot of things happening a few things I thought was predictable but then other things that happened just threw me which I like not being able to guess what is going to happen before it actually happens. The ending was so much better this time around as in Starcrossed I felt it was more of an abrupt ending rather than a cliff-hanger but this time there was a bit of a cliff-hanger which I didn't mind as it has left me wanting more from this series but at least it didn't end abruptly. This book did seem a little depressing with the things that was happening with virtually no light relief but I actually didn't mind this as it made it more entertaining in a way that I never expected.

I liked the characters in the first book and I liked them in this one just as much maybe even more. Helen was just the same as before but this time I did feel like she was thinking about everyone else not caring about the effects it was having on herself. Lucas seemed to be a lot more angrier in this one but I do understand where his anger was coming from. I felt so sorry for Helen and Lucas who obviously love one another but can't do anything about it. We was also introduced to a new character called Orion and I really did like him as he seemed sweet but with an edge. I think we will be seeing more from him and the love triangle that has happened between these three characters in the next book.

Overall this book was a bit confusing to start with and it was also very slow but once you get over those tiny bumps in the road it was a very addicting and entertaining book.

Teaser Tuesday #28

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!




My teasers:

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

He didn't have to finish his thought aloud. She knew he was talking about the two of them. Tears started to heat up Helen's eyes. Helen knew she couldn't get emotional in front of him or she would truly lose it. Before she could start crying, she jumped into the night sky and flew home. - Page 142 (Quote may differ in the final copy as this is an ARC)

Not sure about this book as loads of things are happening but I'm not sure I understand what actually is going on.

       Vampire Shift by Tim O'Rourke

"You'll be fine," He said from the darkness. "Just some cuts and bruises. You were in a nasty car crash."
"It was a car crash?" I mumbled, consciousness fading again.
"There was a vamp - "
"Shhh," he said, moving away. "We can talk about it tomorrow." - Page 79

I am really enjoying this book as there's loads of mystery but I think things are going to start to be explained.

It's Monday What Are You Reading? #35

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey in which we plan our reading week!
(Click on images to send you to Goodreads)

Finished Reading

(Click on title for review)

Trial By Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I Am (Not) The Walrus by Ed Briant

Bleeding Hearts by Alyxandra Harvey

Currently Reading

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Not read much of this book but so far I am not really getting what is actually going on but I'm hoping that will change soon as I haven't even read the first full chapter yet!

Vampire Shift by Tim O'Rourke

I am really enjoying this book as loads of things have been happening. Looking forward to find out what is actually happening.

Reading Next

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey

Otherkin by Nina Berry

So that's my week of reading plan, what's yours?