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BOOK REVIEW – The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever (Bevelstoke #1) by Julia Quinn

July 25, 2015 / Anna

The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever (Bevelstoke #1)
by Julia Quinn
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
2 March 1810 . . . Today, I fell in love.

At the age of ten, Miranda Cheever showed no signs of Great Beauty. And even at ten, Miranda learned to accept the expectations society held for her—until the afternoon when Nigel Bevelstoke, the handsome and dashing Viscount Turner, solemnly kissed her hand and promised her that one day she would grow into herself, that one day she would be as beautiful as she already was smart. And even at ten, Miranda knew she would love him forever.

But the years that followed were as cruel to Turner as they were kind to Miranda. She is as intriguing as the viscount boldly predicted on that memorable day—while he is a lonely, bitter man, crushed by a devastating loss. But Miranda has never forgotten the truth she set down on paper all those years earlier—and she will not allow the love that is her destiny to slip lightly through her fingers . . .

▒ 24 JULY 2015 ▒

Good Lord. Today I fell in love. And then I fell out of love. Sigh.

I ought to be shameful, I know that. What is it exactly? Have I the attention span of a squirrel (don’t ask why a squirrel, I have no idea)? I wonder, I wonder.

And yet things had started so well. It appears that I can’t help myself : give me a smart, brave, strong-minded heroine who doesn’t shy away from her desires and a – a what exactly? A sexy broken man? Put them together and then let the magic begin : hilarious and witty banter, ever growing sexual tension – how could I not fall in love now tell me? It must be a conspiracy or something.

And then Turner started to act like a selfish jerk, so childish, really (I mean really? Seven weeks?) – not to mention 2 or 3 occurrences of grabbing wrists to make people listen to him (I know I’m sensitive about that, maybe too much, but I can’t help, there are other way to make a point than using your strength) – just get over yourself, guy, you’ve been betrayed in the past, yes, but come on. There’s a difference between being tortured and bitter, broken and bully. Turner crossed this line and I couldn’t find in me to care about him anymore.

And then everything went downhill : pages and pages of unnecessary drama (I mean 2 pregnancies, a wedding, ridiculous and downright stupid miscommunications, a near death experience Aaaghhh THIS IS TOO-MUCH!). Oh. My. God. Just stop already. And please don’t give me a child to explain the big revelation (aka. Turner finally realizing that he loves her). I might choke on the cliché here.

They both stay too whiny and insecure far too long for me to bear.

In the end, I couldn’t care less about their HEA, and the last page made me GAG. But hey, to each his own, right? As far as I’m concerned, I’ll stick with Lisa Kleypas and Tessa Dare.

Can I have a cookie now?

BOOK REVIEW – Shadowfell (Shadowfell #1) by Juliet Marillier

July 24, 2015 / Anna

Shadowfell (Shadowfell #1)
by Juliet Marillier
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured and brought before him. Eager to hide her own canny skill--a uniquely powerful ability to communicate with the fairy-like Good Folk--Neryn sets out for the legendary Shadowfell, a home and training ground for a secret rebel group determined to overthrow the evil King Keldec.

During her dangerous journey, she receives aid from the Good Folk, who tell her she must pass a series of tests in order to recognize her full potential. She also finds help from a handsome young man, Flint, who rescues her from certain death--but whose motives in doing so remain unclear. Neryn struggles to trust her only allies. They both hint that she alone may be the key to Alban's release from Keldec's rule. Homeless, unsure of who to trust, and trapped in an empire determined to crush her, Neryn must make it to Shadowfell not only to save herself, but to save Alban.

If I had to choose a word to describe it I’d say that this book is … quiet. Look, quiet is not necessarily a bad thing – it brings a different atmosphere along its path, almost soothing and completely enchanting.

① There is a lot of walking in this book, and when I say a lot, picture Frodo and Sam wandering in the Middle-Earth. That kind of walking.

② The plot is incredibly repetitive, the whole book revolving around the fact that a)Neryn has to go to Shadowfell, b)she doesn’t trust (with reasons) Flint, c)she has a power that makes her able to see and talk with fairies and other magical creatures. I won’t lie to you, this is highly frustrating at times.

③ I might have been under a spell because despite the walking, despite the repetitions, I was never bored, but enchanted and enthralled. Will it be the same thing for you? Fuck if I know. I can’t say without doubt that you won’t be dying from boredom, but I sure didn’t, not for a second, and it was a page-turner for me (trust me, I’m astonished).

① Neryn is afraid but fierce, independent, and believable – she wants to be strong but doesn’t succeed all the time and that’s GREAT. She doesn’t trust the first guy coming (I confess that I would have LOVED that she trusts Flint on sight, but hey, I’m weak, she was right, okay, I stop sulking – maybe). And if she sometimes takes risks, it’s only because she wants to overcome the obstacles she meets during her quest.

“Weapons sharp. Backs straight. Hearts high”

If I had some concerns about her personality at the beginning, her courage and her perseverance definitely won me along the way.

② Flint is the best kind of characters : hard to trust, complex, morally ambiguous , conflicted. I can’t express how much I’m eager to learn more about him.

“Become my friend and you embrace a nightmare. I don’t wish that on anyone.”

I might be crazy, because I felt attracted to this tortured guy from the start. *shrug*

③ The Little Folk speaks in a dialect that can be unsettling at first :

“Bide ye here awhile. Dinna be afeart o’ the shadows; they canna harm ye. Sit quiet; ye look weary tae the bane. I willna be lang.”

Strangely, it didn’t bother me because a)it’s rare and 2)it became easy to translate pretty fast. Don’t ask me, I have no idea why, except maybe because it makes sense : contrary to many books that use a dialect, the author goes beyond throwing some words here and there, but uses a coherent language, and once the reader has digested the initial surprise, it becomes more and more easy to follow their conversations.

① The writing is really, really good, not heavy and flows smoothly. As far as I’m concerned, the way Juliet Marillier writes played a large role in determining my enjoyment.

② Nothing is ever as straightforward as it seems : indeed while at the beginning the boundaries between good and evil seem to be thick and steady, we quickly realize that nothing is as simple as it appears. Good reasons can lead to bad choices, and the contrary is also true. This world is brutal, unforgiving, and sometimes there’s no such thing as a right choice. To be frank, I can’t wait to learn more about this world.

③ Although I can’t say when this event occurred, in the end I care about every one of these characters ~~especially Flint. God I love him~~, and in my opinion that’s perhaps the most important of all things, don’t you think?

PS. I don’t know why the blurb says that Flint is handsome because he’s not, and that’s one of the things I loved about him.

BOOK REVIEW – Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

July 23, 2015 / Anna

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series comes a terrific blend of comedy, romance, and psychological recovery in a contemporary YA novel sure to inspire and entertain.

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

Okay, first : I love Kinsella’s works (thought it was important to ~~say~~ write). Now, her books are the first ones I read in English, so, you know, I might need to reread them some day (I mean duh. I’m not a language snowflake). Anyway : Kinsella? She gets my humor. I mean not me me, but you get it right? Her books make me laugh. They’re refreshing. Like candies. Okay, maybe not like candies – Well, let’s say that they put me in the Kinsella bubble.

What is it? Just look, it’s just like life, but it’s fun :

Because what I love even more in them is the undercurrent of reality they hide behind the laughs. This is something that works for me, because I’m not (well, rarely) a full-angst girl. I just can’t. I read a book filled with angst and I just want to bang my head on the wall you know? So, Kinsella? Perfect. I know that some readers found shocking that she could deal with such a heavy issue – Audrey’s anxiety disorder – in a funny way. I’m not, not one bit, because it stays respectful. Full of empathy. Honest. True. And it shows something that I find necessary : people aren’t their disorder. They’re not entirely defined by it. Yes, it’s important.

Audrey suffers from an anxiety disorder : she can neither leave the house nor stare into people’s eyes. Actually I’m with her on this : eyes scare me too. I mean, she does have a point : when you look carefully at people you give them the power and the means to stare back. I hate when strangers stare right into my eyes. I’m not shy or anxious. My eyes are just my personal space. Leave it. I also hate when people I don’t know touch me. Like for real. Did you need to touch my arm to ask me what time is it? Hell no you didn’t. It’s not that I don’t like people – I’m comfortable enough – but I like my personal space more. Anyway. Audrey. I loved her. She was witty, realistic and relatable. She made me laugh and yeah, tear out a bit at some point. Even if it’s not always easy, she fights, she never gives up and I loved that about her. For me, she’s brave.

► It’s not a secret that I love family dynamics when they’re done well. SPOILER ALERT : They are. Every member of the family is flawed but so endearing and supportive, I spent such a great time following them.

● Felix made me miss my Kindergarten teaching years : 4 years old is such a great age. Really. They’re happy all the time (except when they’re not, but then, it’s short).

● Frank the gamer : I feel you. Go explain to people that no, gaming doesn’t make you crazy. Sigh. He completely won me with his witty comments.

● By the way, I’m so going to throw this book at my mum. Yes, kindly (is that what you think of me? Come on). Indeed Audrey’s mum Daily Mail obsession cracked me up, and yes, I can relate. Here’s how our mother-daughter phone calls go :

Mum : Have you bought curcuma/vitamines/royal jelly/magical product as I told you?
Anna : [awkward silence when I try to remember why the fuck I’m supposed to buy that] Hmm not yet (I mean, come on)
Mum : But you need it! There’s plenty of [add some information about how it’s gonna boost my health] in it. I saw this [show/paper/documentary] the other day and [add some descriptions about how freaking amazing this stuff is]
Anna : Okay. I’ll do it. (not really)

Two days later

Mum : Have you bought [add magical product sub-mentioned] as I told you?
Anna : Yes (not really)
Mum : I’m sure you’re already feeling better right?
Anna : I guess. So, [add some topic changer – You name it. Any word, really]

I love my mum. But yeah, that’s kind of exhausting. And the magnesium. OMG, the magnesium. But reading about this kind of character? Hilarious. Mum, I’m writing a book about you (not really).

Love interest? Adorable. Smile-inducing. I have no idea why I’m writing one-word sentences. I might be lazy. Major information : he write notes. End of story.

Just a thing : Linus? What’s this name? I kept thinking “Linux” and that was just so weird *shakes head*

● I already stated that I loved when authors used different writing formats and lucky me! Kinsella does it all the time : messages, notes, movie script : I eat that stuff, and Finding Audrey was right up my alley.

● Oh, and – the dialogues are fantastic and feel real. Hilarious. I know, I have to stop using that word. Someday (not when I talk about Kinsella)

► Let’s have a little brainstorming okay? (God. I hate that word. My fellow French use it all the freaking time for no reason. Hello, remue-méninges, you people)

That’s it. Is that really a brainstorming? Fuck if I know (in fact I do. It’s not. Not really. I mean. Who cares?)

“I think what I’ve realized is, life is all about climbing up, slipping down, and picking yourself up again. And it doesn’t matter if you slip down. As long as you’re kind of heading more or less upwards. That’s all you can hope for. More or less upwards.”

Such a great journey to follow. ~~And sorry for the messy review but I did warn you didn’t I?~~

BOOK REVIEW – The Seers (Holders #2) by Julianna Scott

July 21, 2015 / Anna

The Seers (Holders #2)
by Julianna Scott
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
After nearly being drained of her ability and betrayed by a man her father trusted, Becca Ingle was left with one clue — Ciaran Shea. He holds the key to the downfall of the power-mad Holder, Darragh, and can ensure the safety of both Holder and Human kind alike... but is he willing to help?

Becca, Alex, Jocelyn, and Cormac set out for Adare Manor to meet with the Bhunaidh, an aristocratic group of pure blooded Holders of whom Ciaran is a rumored member. However, when Becca discovers that they might not be the only ones after the information Ciaran has, everyone begins to wonder if Bhunaidh might not be as uninvolved with Darragh as they claim.

A race to uncover Ciaran’s secrets begins, where the line between friend and foe is blurred, and everyone seems to have their own agenda. Becca will have to call on every ability at her disposal to uncover the truth, all the while knowing that sometimes the answer is more dangerous than the question.

► I’m not a stalker. No, no, really, I’m not. Yet I’ll stalk Julianna Scott’s blog for sure to know when the next book will come out. Yes, it’s that good. Why, I think I can safely say that I’m pretty obsessed with this (underread!) series right now.

➊ I’m shamelessly in love with Alex, because he is a wonderful male lead. Period.

Okay, want to know more? What can I say, the guy blushes, is loyal and trusting but oh so humanly insecure sometimes, he cares deeply about his friends and his love for Becca is maybe one of the most adorable thing I’ve had the opportunity to see. I must admit that at this point I wasn’t far from the obsession : the tiniest gesture or conversation made me smile so big, I probably looked like a moron, but oh well : he made my heart beat faster and to be frank, it’s quite rare. In a word, here’s a male lead like I would want to find more often in my YA books as he represents a refreshing change from the asshole/controlling guys we often find in PNR. I mean, I do like a snarky evil from now and then, but I’m not immune to this kind of charming love interest, even more because he does manage to make me laugh, in his quiet and non show-off kind of way.

➋ Becca isn’t flawless, yet it made her very relatable and believable : she’s meaning to do whatever it takes to help and protect those she loves, but sometimes it’s just too hard, you know? She’s no hero, but a regular girl who happens to have powers and for that I’m grateful. I loved to see her discovering her abilities little by little, overwhelmed but eager to do the best she can. Moreover, she can’t stand bullies and doesn’t hesitate to stand for people who don’t get a say in the matter and I must confess that I was grinning hard each time she would have told someone to get lost. My only complaint would be that sometimes Becca comes as a little TSTL – not too bad, otherwise I would not have enjoyed the book, but she did trust a little too easily for my taste at some point, and perhaps she should keep her temper in check sometimes…

I mean, YOU STUPID!

But then, she is believably flawed, that’s why I could overtake it, because I have no idea how I would have reacted in her place… Easier said than done, huh?

➌ Moreover, the development of Becca and Alex’s relationship was great and really well-handled in my opinion. Indeed after book 1 we could have feared that unnecessary drama or overcheesery (I know, it’s not a word) was coming but fortunately, it never happened. I love them together.

➍ Trust issues and complots. Remember how I found The Holders predictable? Nothing like that in The Seers, where the story kept me captivated and managed to surprise me along the way : the characters have no idea who they can trust, and as the witnesses of this masquerade, we don’t either. Truth be told, it’s maybe one of my favorite kind of plot, so I was really pleased by all the developments this sequel offers us. Not to mention that I found the atmosphere a little darker and even creepy at some occasions : it is very promising for the future of the series, isn’t it?

➎ Concerning the secondary characters, we get to meet several interesting new ones, but shhhh – I can’t say more otherwise I would spoil all the fun for you and we wouldn’t want that now would we?

However, and on this I second what Emily said in her review, I would have wanted to see other female characters grow in importance. While Chloe stays nice but dismissed still too often (though it might change in the future), I didn’t like the addition of Shannon, since she was one dimensional and well, our stereotypical bitch : this kind of character never fail to annoy me because they don’t ring true, especially when the “hate” is instantaneous. However, I did appreciate that the drama didn’t involve Alex – Yeah, I *might* be a little overprotective of the guy. Meet him and you will understand, trust me.

➏ As in the first book, the writing is addictive and I find myself wanting to know more and more… Now I have a millions questions and FOR PETE SAKE WHEN WILL I KNOOOW?? TELL MEEEEEEE!!!

► In a word, if you love YA PNR, I don’t see why you couldn’t love these books. That’s true, there is romance and the plot is predictable at some points, especially in the first book, but isn’t always more or less the case in that genre? What I can say is what you won’t find : you won’t find an asshole as a hero, you won’t find an annoying heroine who spends her time melting on the floor because of the asshole mentioned above, and you won’t find boredom for sure. What are you waiting for?

BOOK REVIEW – Bounce (Boomerang #3) by Noelle August

July 20, 2015 / Anna

Bounce (Boomerang #3)
by Noelle August
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Playing the occasional club gig just isn’t cutting it for twenty-two-year-old cellist Skyler Canby, who’s trying to support herself and her mother back home in Kentucky. Persuaded by her best friend Beth to accompany her on an audition for the first feature film launched by Blackwood Entertainment, she figures why not? Beth’s a shoe-in for the lead, but maybe Skyler’s newly dyed pink hair will help her stand out enough to score a small speaking part.

Never in her wildest dreams does Skyler imagine she’ll land the lead role or that she’ll have her shoes knocked off her feet by the kiss her audition partner, Grey Blackwood, plants on her—a kiss that feels very real and not at all “acted. ”

After throwing a party that causes thousands of dollars of damage to his older brother’s home, reckless musician Grey Blackwood gets roped into working off his debt on the set of his CEO brother’s newest project. Grey spends his days fetching coffee and doing odd jobs around the studio, but he lives for nights when he performs with his band. He knows if he can stay focused, success as a singer is just around the corner. But that’s tough with a distracting pink-haired girl occupying his every waking thought.

Skyler and Grey have every reason to resist each other. But, like a song neither of them can get out of their minds, they have no choice but to go where the music takes them.

► I often joke with my friends on here about ratings and what they mean. The fact is, I can ponder and ponder my opinion but eventually, there’s no such thing as an objective review, whether you are a professional or a random reviewer like me. That’s why, even though I know that many readers customize the meaning of their ratings (and that’s great), I don’t do that. I follow Goodreads’ “default settings” : if I didn’t like a book, well, it’ll be a 1. Of course I pay attention at my peeves and there are objective aspects that will bring me on the train wreck road – but in the end, it remains my enjoyment and my perception. Similarly, even flawed, a book that offers me more and that stands out from other books in the same genre can completely get a 5. Bounce belongs to this category in my opinion.

True Fact : Every time I start a New Adult romance I’m scared to death of what I might find. Fortunately Bounce didn’t let me down.

✘ What I was afraid to get : Jealousy disguised as friendship.
✔ What I got : Girl friendship well-developed with real interactions.

The women here are real friends : they are happy for the others success, but sometimes they don’t know how to react to sub-mentioned success. It was so relatable to me, I couldn’t help but feel their struggles and their fears. Look, to become a teacher in France you have to pass a contest and well, as always with a contest, everybody isn’t chosen, no matter how good everybody is. When I passed that exam, some of my friends passed as well and some of them didn’t. Frankly, it was maybe one of the most uncomfortable situation of my life. How can you express your disappointment for a friend with the right words when you succeed where he didn’t? It’s extremely difficult. In Bounce Mia, Beth and Skyler are facing this kind of situations and it was handled with care and honesty. I loved that, and every aspect of their friendship warmed my heart.

✘ What I was afraid to get : Girl hate
✔ What I got : No slut-shaming. At all. NOT AN HINT OF IT. From anyone, women and men as well.

✘ What I was afraid to get : Overabundance of angst, and dramatic (useless) twists
✔ What I got : Several NA clichés but rather discreet : they both have family problems, but we never enter the “I’m the most UNLUCKY person of the world” (see Kat’s review of Boomerang about this, she summed it up perfectly). Here are two persons who are searching for what they want to do with their lives, and discover each other along the way.

✘ What I was afraid to get : An older controlling dude whose experience will, somehow ~~don’t ask me~~ ‘fix’ the heroine
✔ What I got : First, the guy is younger! Yes, it is refreshing. So, Grey. Apart from the fact that I don’t understand how Noelle August could choose this name (I mean, COME ON!) I have to admit that I really REALLY enjoyed his character. Yes, he’s immature, and annoying, and impulsive (never ever violent, though). To sum up : he’s kind of a mess. But all his actions just rang so… true. He was believable, and frankly? His inner monologues made me laugh my ass off. Yep. I admit. I don’t know what that says about me, though.

“Over on the kitchen island, heaps of liquor bottles, beer cans, Solo cups, and – what the hell is that? A person? Okay.”

Actually, I wrote on a status that he was cliché-ish but hey, anything can happen I guess (I know, shut up) because I have to say, I was wrong.

Seriously – He’s way more than this tattooed musician stereotype : He’s raw and passionate and just fucking lost – but so, so endearing, thoughtful, and sweet. I know what you think : yeah, right. As always. Tough dude sweet inside. Candy-ish. Nope. That’s not it. The fact is, I was judgmental. I assumed that since he was tattooed and a musician he will be like any other ‘player’ character ( who I can’t stand – or barely – or really, rarely). He wasn’t. Just go meet him, because the way his character develops was wonderful.

✘ What I was afraid to get : A perfect and pure and virginal (of course!) heroine
✔ What I got : Skyler isn’t over-confident but strong-minded : she knows that she needs to do to help her family but she has no idea how to do it – her doubts and hesitations were never annoying but on the contrary I could always understand her and I cared for her. So you know : I liked the girl.

✘ What I was afraid to get : Instalove and all that crap
✔ What I got : Insta-(off the charts)chemistry, and the slow built up of a friendship that will gradually turn into something more. It’s been a very, very long time since I genuinely rooted for a couple like that in New Adult. They learn to be there for each other, to talk, to accept their flaws and… actually, Skyler said it better than I could ever do :

“It’s not that he makes me strong or whole. It’s that with him, I remember how strong and whole I am.”

Oh, and as it seems to be the day I’m breaking rules, there’s a sort of love-triangle. Never ever bothered me, because Grey and Skyler share a friendship at the time and that’s just GREAT. You know, let’s be buds? (that’s not me who said that. That’s Grey. Yes, he knows it sounds ridiculous. Give him a break. He was recording. Kind of.)

► So, this is it. Even though I have 1,000,000 things to add (music! Grey’s friends! Etc!), I guess I’ll let you discover for yourself. But this book? That’s what I need to find : not perfection, not necessarily originality, but honesty, real feelings, not to mention that huge smile plastered on my face. Yeah, there’s that too.