I've Got My Blog Back!

Hey guys, I have the best news to tell you...

I'm back!

I've been through so much during the months I've been gone and I feel like I have so much to tell you! But let me start with a quick recount of what happened. 

I was locked out of my blog. I don't know how or why or what, but for some reason my blog just stop working for me one day. I emailed everyone I could think of, posted forums in the blogger help forum, and did everything possible, but it just didn't work. As you can imagine, this was a pretty stressful time for me. I feel like I've missed out on a lot while I've been gone. I haven't stopped hopping around the blogsphere, so hopefully you haven't all forgotten who I am!

Anyway, I'm back for good now. I'm going to try and tack advantage of this and update my blog for awhile. I have school holidays coming up in two weeks and will use that time to catch up. I have so many ideas just bursting to be written and I won't deny writing them any longer!

I know this is a short and abrupt post - I doesn't explain much, I know - but its late here, I'm off to bed now. I'm excited to be back. Watch out for my welcome back post. I'll be posting regularly as soon as I can. 

New Releases: June, 2015

The New Releases of June, 2015:

 

I saw this an idea very similar to this on Xpresso Reads - where they post a weekly "Fresh Batch" that shows all the new releases coming out. I wanted to do something similar but in monthly format. Here it is then.

 

These are the June 2015 releases I am excited for:-

 

 

Fantasy/Paranormal/Sci-fi:

 

 

Mindwalker (Mindwalker #1) by A.J. Steiger

The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

Dystopia:

 

 

The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker

 

Mystery:

 

 

Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan
The Devil You Know by Trish Doller
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
 

Horror:

The Rules (Wolf Spring Chronicles #1) by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie

Contemporary:

 

 

In Search of Sam by Kristin Butcher

Hello, I Love You by Katie M. Stout

After Hours by Claire Kennedy

 

Joyride by Anna Banks

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone

 

 

One Moment in Time (Moment in Time #2) by Lauren Branholdt

Last Year's Mistake by  Gina Ciocca

The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi

 

Alive by Chandler Baker
Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer
Even When You Lie to Me by Jessica Alcott
 

 

Retellings:

 

 

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Martha Brockenbrough

********

Some of these books I have the privilege of reading before there release dates. This is normally because of a read-to-review opportunity but may be for other reasons as well. This time I have already read the following (links to reviews are below each picture):-

In Search of Sam by Kristin Butcher

Review: Deadly Secrets

Deadly Secrets by Sarah Barrie

 

Description:

 Born and bred on the land, Jordan Windcroft is tough. She's had to be. Her life revolves around running her property almost single-handedly on next to no money, and waiting out her four years of probation — a rap that she took for one of her closest friends.

But there's an end to her problems in sight. Jordan’s probation period is almost up, and if she can just make the cattle sale, there’s a chance she can pull herself out of more than ten years of serious debt and keep her precious farm. The last thing she needs is for Reid Easton to walk into town.

Detective Senior Sergeant Reid Easton drives into Whitewater Creek on a mission to wrap up a three-year drug investigation; his only lead, Jordan Windcroft. The attraction between the two is immediate, but Reid is undercover and Jordan has a secret she can’t risk him discovering. Neither will jeopardise their cause, not for something as transitory as love.
 

My Thoughts:

 

The past couple of weeks for me have been exams, exams and more bloody exams and I just haven't had the time to read. I just didn't have any time to relax with all my studying and its been killing me. I tried to sneak in a couple of chapters every night before bed at least but that became a struggle... Now that they are over - finally! - I get to sit down. Hallelujah! Deadly Secrets was the perfect book for me to get back into the reading mood. There is a lot that I can nitpick about it. There w...more The past couple of weeks for me have been exams, exams and more bloody exams and I just haven't had any time to relax with all my studying and its been killing me. I tried to sneak in a couple of chapters every night before bed at least but that became a struggle... Now that they are over - finally! - I get to sit down. Hallelujah! Deadly Secrets was the perfect book for me to get back into the reading mood. There is a lot that I can nitpick about it. There were some clichés, the middle was a little slow and dragged on a bit too long, the ending was a tad predicable but you know what? I didn't need a perfect book. I needed something entertaining and something fun - which is precisely what I got! I have to say that I simply adored the characters and they were what made this for me. Jordan is everything you can wish for in a female protagonist: funny, strong, independent (not clingy or obsessive), sassy, savvy, feisty, not afraid to stick up for herself, tough... I can go on! I simply loved her approach to life. She never once complained, despite everything thrown her way and she didn't depend on any knight in shining armour or fairy godmother to come and rescue her. She had everything planned out for herself and I really admired her determination. The romance not only beautiful and definitely swoon-worthy, but well developed. There was no instalove. There was a bit of insta-attraction but it wasn't acted upon until appropriate. I completely fell in love with Reid as I read more and more about him. He is loyal, sweet, sassy, funny, passionate and fierce. He is the type to love with all his heart and never give up, ever. I loved his relationship with Jordan and I really wish this had a sequel so I could read more of him! I enjoyed the mystery aspects also. The drug investigation was a little bit duller than I would have expected and I wish there had been a more exciting conclusion, however. The switch over to the next "mystery" (I won't say more than that so it won't be spoiled) was dragged out a little too much for my liking. The second mystery however was super creepy and I loved the thriller vibe it gave. I was kept on my on toes the entire time and loved every minute of it. Overall, I really enjoyed Deadly Secrets. It was a pleasant surprise and a great break from the crappy week I've been having. I would recommend it to New Adult contemporary romance fans that love murder mysteries as well. I am definitely checking out more of this author's work! Note: a copy was provided courtesy of Sarah Barrie and Escape Publishing, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given or taken during this process.

 

Review: The Brokenhearted

The Brokenhearted (Brokenhearted #1) by Amelia Kahaney

 

 

Description:

A teenage girl is transformed into a reluctant superhero and must balance her old life with the dark secret of who she has become.

Prima ballerina Anthem Fleet is closely guarded by her parents in their penthouse apartment. But when she meets the handsome Gavin at a party on the wrong side of town, she is immediately drawn into his dangerous world. Then, in a tragic accident, Anthem falls to her death. She awakes in an underground lab, with a bionic heart ticking in her chest. As she navigates her new life, she uncovers the sinister truth behind those she trusted the most, and the chilling secret of her family lineage… and her duty to uphold it.

My Thoughts:

3.5 stars The Brokenhearted was both good and bad. There were parts I loved and parts where I was bored. There were characters that I loved and characters that I loathed. I sit somewhere in the middle. The good: Anthem, our protagonist - Looking back on reviews of my fellow GR friends I can see that this was the biggest disappointment to them. No one seems to like Anthem. Sure, her name is not exactly applaud-worthy, in fact, I am pretty sure I cringed every single time I read it. But you know wha...more 3.5 stars The Brokenhearted was both good and bad. There were parts I loved and parts where I was bored. There were characters that I loved and characters that I loathed. I ended up liking it and disliking it equally, so I'll just say that I sit somewhere in the middle! The Good: Anthem, our protagonist - Looking back on reviews of my fellow GR friends I can see that this was the biggest disappointment to them. No one seems to like Anthem. Sure, her name is not exactly applaud-worthy, in fact, I am pretty sure I cringed every single time I read it. But you know what? I really loved her character. She was feisty. She was strong. She was stubborn in the best possible way. Best of all? She loved with all her heart. She made some silly choices but she acknowledge them and moved forward, always fighting and never giving up. I admired her perseverance and her strength. Her passion was amazing and I came to really admire her. Ford - What a sweetie! I loved him. He wasn't pushy or overbearing when it came to Anthem. He was a strong and supportive friend that protected her and looked out for her when she needed him. He was brave and loveable and funny. He could always lighten the mood or situation. I loved that he was purely a great friend and didn't try and push anything more on Anthem. The Bad: Anthem's new heart - I love the idea of it and how it affected the rest of Anthem's body, giving her some awesome powers, but I didn't appreciate that we weren't told exactly how it worked. I wanted to learn some of the mechanics behind it. I mean a hummingbird heart in a human? That's a big deal, a huge scientific break through! It wasn't obviously just a hummingbird heart however - their hearts are too small for a human - so what did they do to enlarge it? Add the tissue into a human heart? Do something technical with the DNA? I wanted to know! The predictability of the final "twist" - It was too obvious that something was amiss and it was easy to point a finger on exactly what that was. Waiting for that "twist" to be revealed then became a bore in parts. The end, however, was still very, very well done. Even if I saw some of it coming it was still an emotional chapter. Amelia Kahaney did do a very good job with the writing. In the end, I did enjoy this book, especially the characters, but I felt like it could have been more. There were parts left untouched and there is nothing more annoying then untapped potential. However, despite the negatives I eagerly await the release of The Invisible and would still recommend this to fans of the genre.

 

Review: Cold Spell

Cold Spell (Fairytale Retellings #4) by Jackson Pearce

 

 

Description:
 

Kai and Ginny grew up together–best friends since they could toddle around their building’s rooftop rose garden. Now they’re seventeen, and their relationship has developed into something sweeter, complete with stolen kisses and plans to someday run away together.

But one night, Kai disappears with a mysterious stranger named Mora–a beautiful girl with a dark past and a heart of ice. Refusing to be cast aside, Ginny goes after them and is thrust into a world she never imagined, one filled with monsters and thieves and the idea that love is not enough.

If Ginny and Kai survive the journey, will she still be the girl he loved–and moreover, will she still be the girl who loved him?

My Thoughts:

Cold Spell was a great ending to a great series. I am so disappointed that their isn't going to be any more books to the Fairytale Retellings series. No more Fenris and no more Reynolds boys! Sigh. Oh well, all good things come to end, right? And what an ending this was! This was a far better instalment than Fathomless was. The characters were far better - more kickass, funnier, snarkier. I really loved them all. Ginny? Strong-willed and not afraid to give up. Lucas? Hilarious and adorably loyal...more Cold Spell was a great ending to a great series. I am so disappointed that there isn't going to be any more books to the Fairytale Retellings series. No more Fenris and no more Reynolds boys! Sigh. Oh well, all good things come to end, right? And what an ending this was! This was a far better instalment than Fathomless was. The characters were far better - more kickass, funnier, snarkier. I really loved them all. Ginny? Strong-willed and not afraid to give up. Lucas? Hilarious and adorably loyal. Ella? Hell kick-ass and really sweet. Flannery? Feisty, strong and pretty damn awesome. Callum? Simply adorable and surprisingly smart. Kai? Well, that where all my problems lay. I just couldn't get his character. I don't know if I really got him and Ginny as a couple either, honestly. I didn't feel a connection to him as much as I did the other characters, who were all very lovable. The plot was a little slower than I normally like but I wasn't bored. There were times, especially spent in Princess of Kentucky's home, that I felt was a little pointless. I didn't really understand the Travellers' connection to the Fenris and Snow Queen but I enjoy the fresh angle and perspective they bought with them. The rest of the plot however was intriguing. I loved that it could make me feel sad, happy, giddy, frustrated, confused, elated and all these other emotions in such a short span of time. Jackson Pearce is simply a bloody amazing writer. Cold Spell was everything I was hoping for and was a perfect ending to a great series. I would easily recommend this, though I would advise that you read them in order. Yes, this can be read as a standalone, but I really don't think you would appreciate it as much as you would if you were to read the other three books first.