Book Talk... Talking Books...

Happy Weekend my lovelies!...

 

I know I haven't posted anything new (other than the odd review) for a couple of weeks... I do have some excuses though... first of all it was my birthday (see my lovely Sugarskull bag I got from my BFF as a prezzie in the pic on the right!) and you know, we had to go out and celebrate me being another year older lol, and I've also been away visiting family which has been awesome... but I've sadly been back to work since Monday, and although I would love to be able to read, review and blog full-time, I would surely become homeless if I couldn't make my mortgage payments haha!

Anyhoo... Last week I finished the Awaken Trilogy by Katie Kacvinsky... now I don't want to repeat myself here, but, I have to say that this Dystopian series was awesome and if you like the Young Adult and Dystopian genres then this may just be a series for you!... You can browse through the rest of my posts, or follow the links below to read my reviews on each of the books, and there should be links to Amazon and Goodreads on there too...

 

1. Awaken - I awarded the first instalment of the trilogy 4.5 stars
2. Middle Ground - 4.5 stars for the second book in the series
3. Still Point - The final instalment I gave 4 stars

After reading Katie's Trilogy, I felt the need for some Smut... yes... you heard me correctly... I needed what I call a 'Reset Book' (or in this case a set of books) - something quick, light and carefree that would make me feel good after the long, heavy onslaught of emotions that always comes with reading something epic... so this week I decided to give Nicola Marsh's Burlesque Bombshells series a whirl... now I haven't put any reviews up this week so I will make time to post one for the series in the next few days, but for now I'll list them below with links to Amazon and Goodreads where I have already posted reviews for the series... if you like a bit of insta-love in your diet then go check these out, they're full of man-crushes, unrealistically beautiful people, insta-lust and just hotness in general... Enjoy!

• 0.5 - Before - the prequel... the story of how Jess and Jack first met 10 years 'before' Brash... Download it for free via Amazon or take a look at Goodreads
• 1 - Brash - ten years later Jack and Jess reunite... see it on Amazon and Goodreads
• 2 - Blush - Reid (Jess' older brother) and Adele meet at the end of Brash... get it on Amazon and Goodreads
• 3 - Bold - Chantal and Zane's story was my favourite so far... Amazon and Goodreads

These books don't have cliff-hangers and they could potentially be read as standalone's but, I would recommend reading them in sequence (not sequins, although each to their own) as the characters are all connected.

The next books in the series are all of Zane's brother's stories, they haven't been released yet so I don't have any links for you, but they should go as follows:

• 4 - Bad - Wyatt's story - should be released in July 2015... just in time to be my holiday read yaaay!
• 5 - Beg - Steele's story - releasing this year 2015 date to be determined
• 6 - Burn - Kurt's story - releasing early 2016

In-keeping with my smutty mood I have also read Beneath Him by Komal Kant this week (link to Goodreads and Amazon) - I awarded this book 4 Stars, this turned out to be something different to what I expected and I'm not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing... it's a frustratingly annoying love story that compelled me to keep reading... my review is on the above links so please have a look and see what you think... I'll give you The Blurb here which is really spot on:

 

Sometimes love can start with a little hate.
When Sky Hudson first has a run-in with tall, dark, and handsome Nicholas Ruggarson, she wants nothing more than to throw her coffee at him. He is rude and arrogant, and she is glad she never has to set eyes on him ever again.
Or so she thinks.
It turns out, not only does she have to see Nick again, she also has to live with him. Hired as the new nanny to work for Nick’s affluent family, she can’t seem to get away from the womanizing jerk.
With a hot and cold relationship, and an undeniable attraction between them, Sky might finally be the woman to break through Nick’s arrogance and discover that there is more to him than she ever imagined.
If she doesn’t kill him first.

 

 

Now that I've bored you with all of the stuff I've read over the last couple weeks here's my Bargain Bin List!

   I found these in the sale bin as usual... ASR = average star rating, all links are to Amazon for you 1click addicts, #tags are some of the genres they're listed under:

• Good Vibrations by S. L. Scott: Free to download with an ASR of 4.5 ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
•  Lovers at Heart by Melissa Foster: Free to download with an ASR of 4.3 ~ #ContemporaryRomance
• TAG by Shari J. Ryan: £1.36 - ASR 4.3 ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance #Suspense #Military
• Breaking Braydon by MK Harkins: 99p with an ASR of 4 out of 5 ~ #ContemporaryRomance
• The Line That Binds by J. M. Miller: £2.29 with an ASR of 4 ~ #Paranormal #Romance #Urban #Fantasy
• How He Really Feels by Lisa Suzanne: 99p with an ASR of 3.8 ~ #Contemporary Romance
• Breaking My Heart by Aleya Michelle: Free to download with an ASR of 4.3 ~ #ContemporaryRomance #RomanticComedy #Erotica
• Every Soul by LK Collins: £1.99 with an ASR of 4.8 ~ #Romance #Erotica #Suspense
• The Billionaire's Counterfeit Girlfriend by Nadia Lee: Free to download with an ASR of 4.3 ~ #Contemporary #Romance
• Crave by Stephanie Brother: Free to download with an ASR of 4.3 ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance #WomensFiction

And last but not least... On my TBR list for this week coming I have:

• Welcome to Sugartown by Carmen Jenner: It's £1.99 at the moment but it was free when I downloaded it. It has an ASR of 4.4 and genre tags include #Contemporary Romance #NewAdult #RomanticComedy #EroticRomance (just to round off my smutty mood :P)

• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare: £3.66 at the moment. It has an ASR of 4.5 and genre tags include #YoungAdult #Fantasy and #ScienceFiction

I can't wait to start reading the Immortal Instruments series, I'll most probably be posting again during the week with some reviews and whatnot... so until then remember...

'Sleep is good, and books are better' George R R Martin.

 

 

4 Star Review for Still Point... book 3 in the Awaken Trilogy by Katie Kacvincsky

I looked at a few reviews before reading this final book in Katie's Dystopian Trilogy and I would recommend others do the same, I didn't read any spoilers so I wasn't 100% how it was going to work out but, as I was aware that things weren't going to end in the predictable way you would like to think, I kind of prepared myself for it... and if I had gone into this last instalment blind then I don't think I would have liked the ending as much as I did... however...

There are a lot of people leaving low star ratings for this book which, kind of made me hesitate to read it as I thought I really wasn't gonna like it but, honestly, Katie Kacvinsky has a fantastic way of describing her character's feelings, thoughts and emotions... there are paragraphs throughout the whole series that are motivational, inspiring, thoughtful, reflective, and beautiful, and even though I would have loved for Maddie and Justin's HEA to be together in a perfect world, I really did like how it ended for them... I could see how Maddie matured and started to think about what was best for her and at the end of it all... it's a Dystopian Trilogy! They never end the way you think they will!...

I have conflicting feelings on the way that some of the scenarios panned out, which is why I couldn't give it the whole 5 stars, but the writing I cannot fault... I would definitely recommend this series if you liked the Hunger Games or Divergent and are a fan of Young Adult Romance genres...

Summary for the Trilogy (Includes Spoilers)
The first book Awaken focuses on getting to know the main characters and the setting for the story, and I think the reason a lot of people don't like the way it ended is because we grew to really like Justin, we got to know his history, his family, why he was fighting against Digital School.
In the second book 'Middle Ground' he was there for Maddie when she really needed him, you could see how much he cares about her and it seems like he opens up and accepts his feelings for her...
But then he does a complete turn around in the third book... you can tell he still loves her but, he doesn't really seem too concerned when she almost dies a handful of times within 24 hours, and he's not too bothered that she kissed someone else as long as it aids the cause...
I really like Jax but, it all feels a bit rushed, he just pops up from nowhere, he's not mentioned in any of the previous books and we don't get to know him on the same level as we got to know Justin... this is why I had such a hard time liking the way the story pans out and, although I do think that they had chemistry from the start, it's just not the ending a lot of us wanted...

There is a Prequel Novella to Awaken called Maddie's Tattoo... I didn't find it until after I read all of the other three books but, I would highly recommend reading it before the rest if you can... it's very short and doesn't go too in-depth but it does give you an introduction to Jax and it explains her tattoo as well

 

 

 

 

 

The Blurb

 

In the final installment to the trilogy begun with Awaken, Maddie returns home to make her final stand against Digital School, and uncovers deeply guarded secrets about her family an new truths about herself.

 

Maddie's Tattoo: "I never knew that taking one class would change my life. The most insignificant decisions can have the most significant impacts. That is the scary thing about choice. Choice is a methodical genius hidden behind the face of a child. We think it's all fun and innocent until we realize the force of our decisions. Choice is our life compass. It guides our every direction."

A prequel to AWAKEN, this provocative short story explains the history behind Maddie's tattoo, and sets up events in the final installment of the trilogy.

 

 

Your links to the Series:

 

Maddie's Tattoo (Prequel) on Amazon and Goodreads

Awaken on Amazon and Goodreads

Middle Ground on Amazon and Goodreads

Still Point on Amazon and Goodreads

4.5 Star Review for Middle Ground by Katie Kacvinsky...

The Sequel to Awaken is another delightful instalment to the trilogy... Katie Kacvinsky's writing just gets better throughout the series, it's action packed and angst filled and a thrill to read... I couldn't get through it fast enough...

Maddie goes through one hell of a magic carpet ride when she gets sent to the Detention Centre (or D.C. as they refer to it) no thanks to her brother Joe... the storyline here is an original one for me and, although it's pretty out there on the believable stakes, it's highly entertaining...

We got to know a few of the character's a bit better... I warmed up to Molly, Scott and Pat (although Pat did get a bit intense), I liked the new character Gabe we meet in the DC, and I really did feel for Justin... you can tell how much Maddie means to him... he's really grown on me in this book but I still wouldn't say he was in my top ten book boyfriends...
And Maddie... well, she infuriated me no end... I suppose this is what makes it so entertaining but there were a few times where I just thought 'really?... why would you do that you idiot!?'

I would say I can't wait to read the final book but, I have heard from various sources that it's not the predictable ending we expect... I don't want to say too much as I don't have all of the facts, but I've heard it described as Allegiance without the death... so, here I go... about to start reading Still Point... look out for my review hopefully by the end of the week...

The Blurb

In this provocative cautionary tale for teens, the sequel to Awaken, seventeen-year-old Maddie's rebellion against the digital - only life grows dangerous. Maddie is in Los Angeles, trying to stay out of trouble. But one night, a seemingly small act of defiance lands her in the place she fears the most: a detention centre. Here, patients are reprogrammed to accept a digital existence. Maddie is now fighting for her mind, her soul, and her very life. Once again, Katie Kacvinsky paints a disturbing picture of our increasingly technology-based society.

The Awaken Trilogy by Katie Kacvinsky 

#1 Awaken via Amazon and Goodreads
#2 Middle Ground via Amazon and Goodreads
#3 Still Point via Amazon and Goodreads

Bookish Thoughts, Reviews and Bargains of a Bibliophile...

Another week has flown by... it's our Easter Holidays (or Spring Break) here in England and as it's my Birthday next weekend I have taken some annual leave, I'm visiting some family in The Lake District for a few days, so I'm chilling out at home until Tuesday and then I'll be off on a little road trip with my partner in crime... I'll be taking my library with me via kindle though so no need to panic haha...

Last week was so busy at work it turned me into a total stress head, but I managed to escape inside a few book covers any chance I got, so here's my reading list for the week:

• Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan: £2.49 on Amazon at the moment ~ I awarded this 4 Stars and it has an average of 4.9 stars out of 300 reviews... it was a Sweet and Emotional, New Adult Standalone... you can read my review via the main link above to Amazon, here on my Blog or on Goodreads...

• Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky: £1.89 on Amazon ~ I awarded this 4.5 Stars and it has an average of 4.1 out of 14 reviews... it's the first book in a Trilogy - genre's include #Dystopian #Fantasy #YoungAdult... read my review via the above Amazon link, here on my Blog or on Goodreads...

• Middle Ground by Katie Kacvinsky: £4.31 on Amazon ~ the second book in the awaken Trilogy - Currently 77% through the book and I'm loving it... my review will be posted possibly mid-week here on the blog so please pop back and check it out. I also have Still Point to read (the third and final book) so watch out for that too...

Some Food For Thought...

I've been reading New Adult books for the last few years, I couldn't really tell you how many have been through my fingers... it's one of my favourite genres and some of these books I have enjoyed immensely!
But... up until recently it never really dawned on me how many of the sentences, phrases and descriptions used in these books are repeated and rearranged on the page so it's not in danger of plagiarism... it's not that I've never noticed before as I'm actually quite an observant person, I tend to just acknowledge it, roll my eyes and carry on anyway.

Now as an example, I recently read Archer's Voice (see above) and the story was so original and beautiful I absolutely loved it, it would have gotten 5 stars but, I marked it down because of the lack of original writing... maybe that was unfair, I did kind of feel like a b*tch to be honest as the storyline was lovely, but it's as if there's some kind of generic phrase book that these writers use for describing feelings, emotions and reactions, and especial sexual situations...
You kind of expect it in these 'Billionaire Romance' books that there are hundreds of, I use these ones as 'reset books' where, when you've read an epic story and you're still reeling from it, you just want a nice little short story with a HEA for cure of your Book Hangover.

So here's my gripe... I think writers and authors who want to make it big, who take the time to come up with an awesome storyline, should also endeavour to use original writing. We, as readers, don't want to pay for the same words regurgitated on the page, with a different name screamed out in ecstasy as the shocks from their orgasm roll through the protagonists body, their partner following two short thrusts after, their hard body collapsing on top of them breathless and sweaty, breathing in their ear some kind of endearment or proclamation of their commitment they didn't intend to say, rolling to the side and falling asleep in their arms feeling satiated and safe...

I feel like that was a bit of a rant lol... I don't mean to offend anyone, I hope some of you guys agree with me, and if you don't then that's fine too... either way I'd love to hear your comments below... you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest and Instagram...

Moving on... Here are my Book Bargain Downloads of the week...

So these are my sale-bin finds this week... links are to Amazon for all of you 1-Click addicts... ASR = average star rating, tags are some of the genres they're listed under on Amazon and Goodreads:

• What Once Was Perfect by Zoe York: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.2 and 22 reviews... Tags include ~ #ContemporaryRomance #WomensFiction #RomanticComedy
• Deep Blue by Jules Barnard: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.4 and 25 reviews... Tags include ~ #NewAdult #RomanticComedy #ContemporaryRomance
• Fighting Temptation by KC Lynn: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.6 and 56 reviews... Tags include ~ #RomanticSuspense #ContemporaryRomance #AdultFiction #Erotica
• Escaping Me by Elizabeth Lee: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.2 and 9 reviews... Tags include ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Crimson Midnight by Amos Cassidy: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.8 and 6 reviews... Tags include ~ #UrbanFantasy #DarkFantasy and #ScienceFiction
• Second Chance by Katie Kacvinsky: £2.21 atm with an ASR of 4 and 2 reviews (2nd book in a series I'm reading atm)... Tags include ~ #YoungAdult #ContemporaryRomance

As I've said before... I probably wont read these straight away... but I can't resist a good bargain ;)

 

 

So that's my news for this week folks... I'll be posting more reviews soon and an update of my reads and bargains next weekend (possibly Sunday as I'm celebrating birthdays haha)... enjoy the holidays if you're on break and I hope you all read some awesome books... Until next time...

 

  

4.5 Star Review for Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky

This is the second book I've read by Katie Kacvinsky and I love her writing... she thinks outside the box and it's really refreshing not to read the same words being regurgitated on the page over and over again in these Young Adult (YA) books...

This has a very dystopian feel to it... and it's hard not to compare it to the world we live in now... although extreme, it seems like this is the route we're heading towards... how many of us are okay with being completely unplugged?
It's set 50 years in the future where, because of all of the crime, violence and terrorism in the world, the government have developed a computer system where society barely has to leave their homes, everything is done online and people are discouraged to communicate with each other face-to-face. Children are made to attend Digital School from their homes until the age of 18. There are programmes for everything... take virtual walks along the beach, if you want to chat with a contact you can see a hologram instead of meeting in person, take virtual classes like self defence etc. There are zip-shuttles and trains instead of cars. And because of the shortage of trees on the planet it's all fake plastic ones and plastic paper...

Maddie is the daughter of the founder and developer of Digital School... the story comes from her POV and as a character I liked her but she does get a little frustrating at times...
Justin is the son of extreme radicals who are fighting against a digital life... he was pretty hard to read, I liked him a lot but I didn't fall in love with him straight away...
A star crossed lovers story, but it's not all cliché and predictable... they meet in an online study group and Justin persuades Maddie to come to a face-to-face one, and that's when the adventure begins....
Maddie never really knows how Justin feels about her until later in the book because he tries to keep himself at a distance, she's always had a rebellious side, but she's been on probation and grounded for the last two years and it's Justin's words and actions that 'Awaken' her out of her digital slumber... he's very focused and intent on bringing the DS system down and I thought it was pretty obvious why his group pursued her, so I was kind of taken aback that she hadn't figured it out and got so upset when it was revealed...

Maddie's parents are an odd coupling, it's hard to imagine why they would be together at all since they're so different... Her dad is the villain of the story and so far he's not even likeable... her mother is a different kettle of fish... she encourages and embraces non-digital things...
Justin's parents are cool and you can see why he's so passionate about their cause.

It's well written, a few typos, but overall it's the content that gets you hooked... it's more fantasy themed and both the romance and storyline was slow off the mark, but it was interesting and intriguing.
This could be enjoyed by a young teen audience as there are no sexual scenes or use of inappropriate language, they (finally after bated breath) make out a lot in the last quarter of the book but it goes no further than touching waists and necks and skin ogling!
It doesn't exactly leave you on a cliff-hanger but it does leave you wanting more, the ending confused me a bit... I'm looking forward to the next book in the series Middle Ground... I have it waiting on my kindle and I can't wait to see what happens...

 

 

The Blurb

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin.

Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

   Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

   In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space...

 

 

 

Click HERE to view and 1-click at Amazon

 

Click HERE to take a peek at Goodreads