The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard Review

The Madmen's daughter circles around Juliet Monreau who lives in London, whose father was involved in some sort of scandal few years ago, when he left, and her mother has recently passed away so she's forced to take care for herself. She works as a cleaning lady, although before she's been rich and all of her friends are different from her. One day when she runs into Montgomery, who used to be part of their household staff and she has not seen him since her dad's disappearance. He tells her that her father is alive and they are working together on a remote island. Soon Juliets finds herself on this island and not everything is as it seems.

The book is fast-paced... sort of. When I picked up this book I was amazed by how fast it moved, but then I started to get disappointed. Every time something interesting is about to happen, it happens and then we're reading her confusion for a couple of pages. I closed my eyes for the first couple of times but it was a constant problem for me throughout the book.

Also the love triangle is weird. You've got Montgomery, who she knows for a very long time and then you've got Edward, who they find in the sea somewhere. It was pretty obvious who she liked more and just there was something about the triangle that spoke... boring. It's nowhere near as sophisticated as the one in Jennifer L. Armentrout's Dark Elements series. 

Nevertheless, the plot is gripping if you leave out the stretching. It is thought-out and there are quite a few questions asked like 'What makes us human?' or 'What makes you civilised' which is both connected to Juliet and the creatures living on the island. Her father pretty much thinks he's a god of the island and can do whatever he likes. There also quite a few twists I did no see coming. The writing is so beautiful and detailed. It really lets you enter this girl's head.

In short, The Madman's Daughter is a good book if you are looking for historical fiction/fantasy/drama and good writing. However, be warned about the weird pacing and strange love triangle.

                                    

                                      Rating: 3.5 Stars

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout + GIVEAWAY

Hello fellow book lovers, today I'm back and happy to say that I'll finally review the last book in the "LUX" series. In addition, my book fellows and me will be giving away a Signed copy of the book(more information down below).

Synopsis:

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

REVIEW:

It was so bittersweet reading this book. It made me cry and laugh and kept me on the edge of my seat. I had put the bar high and Jennifer somehow got even further by making it one of the most satisfying conclusions to a series. Everything wrapped-up nice and logically. This is why I love the author, she manages to give the fans all they want and yet surpassing their expectations.

The plot was so well-thought out and laid out. There was a lot of action, kissing(it's a Jennifer L. Armentrout's book), character development and plot development. The writer somehow manages to put just about enough of everything so that you don't get bored.

Speaking of character development no-one can deny that is here. Katy is one of my most favourite and relatable character. She changed so much from the first book in a good direction. The fact that she's a blogger inspired me to continue blogging. I loved how she compared her world to the ones in the dystopian books she reads because that will be going through my mind too.

The writing was astonishing as always. The comparisons and the non-mistakable points of view were top-notch. The dialogue was real and not intimidating. I have to congratulate Jennifer for making me feel all kinds of emotions whilst reading her books. Good job.

"Opposition" is the epic conclusion to the "LUX" series and it is a swoon-worthy read that will keep you in tension while making you smile and cry at the same time. If you are yet to read/buy this book make sure to participate in the giveaway that my fellows and I are holding.







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If you haven't seen their reviews make sure to check them out here:
October 6th - Obsidian - http://bedroombookworms.com
October 7th 0 Onyx - http://bookbeauty411.blogspot.com/
October 8th - Opal - http://bookcrush.in/
October 9th - Origin - http://booksneedtlc.blogspot.com/October 10th - Opposition - http://dbookheaven.blogspot.com/



About the author:

# 1 New York Times and International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

September In A Review #1

So today I decided to start my new section on the blog called "Wrap-Up". As you can guess it's about the books I've read this month. I'll also be posting about the book-to-movie adaptation that I watched + some other books.

Let's jump into it. This month was pretty successful for me because I managed to read SEVEN books. I know it might not sound as much but put in school and some other time-consuming things and you get a mess...


So first up I have 

1. THE GIVER by Luis Lowry

Synopsis:

Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

Overall, I liked this book, even though I had some issues with it. But given the fact it is one of the first dystopian novels I can get over it. Plus there was the film that fixed my problems with the book. It was different but in a good way.

2. THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas

Synopsis:

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

I really enjoyed this book. It was action-packed with a mystery but the pacing is slow for me. Except that I liked the book.

3. WHITE HOT KISS by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. 

It's no secret I am a Jennifer L. Armentrout fan. I have loved the LUX series and this series is awesome...  This book was so fast-paced and action-packed and was written so well... Congrats Jennifer, You've impressed me, again!

4. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Synopsis:

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young "star-cross'd lovers" whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. 

This book... aghhh. I want to forget about reading it. It was cringe-worthy and stupid. I get that it is a tragedy and about  star-crossed lovers but come on.  When you're sixteen you'd know better than to kill yourself just because you can't be with the girl you met a few days ago. I am all for romance but what was this build up for?  It wuld have a much stornger impact on me if it wasn't taking place in a few days. Few months, okay. Weeks, oh well, I can get over it but not in a few days. I am going to shut up now.

5. MR MERCEDES by Stephen King

Synopsis:

In a mega-stakes, high-suspense race against time, three of the most unlikely and winning heroes Stephen King has ever created try to stop a lone killer from blowing up thousands. In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, hundreds of desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes.

This book is weird.... Like all of King's books.  It's  a mystery but not in the way you think . It is compelling yet at moments I feels like some parts of the books could have been cut out but well, it's King. I enjoyed this books and I could really relate to the characters. 

6. THE INFINITE SEA by Rick Yancey

Synopsis:

How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

This book left me speechless., literally. I read it for about 5 or 6 hours.  It's the continuation of "THE 5th WAVE" . It was interesting, left me wandering about a lot things but I didn't love it as much as I did the previous one. 

7. REBOOT by Amy Tintera

Synopsis:

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

This book is so awesome. It had all the elements I want in a story - romance, gripping plot and fast-pacing. The characters are so cool. I loved pretty much everything about this book. The only thing was bugging me was the fact I felt it too familiar.

This was for the books I read. Now let's go to the adaptations.

I know "The Giver" was released back in August in the US but here, in Bulgaria, it came out on September 5th, This is weird considering we've always gotten the movies on time. I LOVED the movie.

Next, "The Maze Runner" came out too which I enjoyed but it wasn't something memorable. I am not saying it was bad by all means but I felt I've watched it already(I have NOT read the book).

I know it's not book related but I wanted to say that I am keeping my fingers crossed and praying fr Jules Bianchi to get better and survive after that incident. My thoughts are with him.

SO what did you guys think of the post? Should I continue with this section? Also tell me which books do you want reviewed? Make sure to let me know in the comment section down below. Thank you for reading and I hope you spread the word and subscribe. 

Rebellion by J.D. Netto

Hello fellow readers, today I am back with a review of “Rebellion” by J.D. Netto – the sequel to “The Whispers of The Fallen”. I simply feel like I cannot put all my feels in this review because that is one of the best books I have read by now. Everything I liked about “The Whispers of The Fallen” is here.

Okay, this time I will begin with the writing. It got better than in the previous book. The descriptions continue to be short but descriptive and easily imaginable and there are no unneeded words. The style is still formal which I was still finding weird and actually asked the author why that is. He was really kind and told me it’s like this because the characters don’t need to rush and they live in another world. Some of the names I found hard to pronounce but I figured them out. The world-building is just startling. You can visualize everything you read without any difficulties.

The story folds even more. The plot becomes even more complicated. You do get some answers about questions asked in the first book but you are left with many questions like “Who is this?” or “How is this possible?” and many others. Also there are so MANY twists and turns that would just blow your mind. You are kept on the edge of your seat by the end of the book. Speaking of which, I am very, very angry. Why did both of these books and on such high notes and cliffhangers? I actually asked J.D. Netto and his answer was that he couldn’t help it. Anyways, we are left waiting for the next installment called #TGOS, yep, we still have just the initials and no actual name.

                                     

The characters are developing by the page. They are just so well thought-out and presented that I cannot even describe in words. They go through so many things that I don’t know how they didn’t lose it. If I were in one of their places I would have gone cray-cray long time ago… I envy them for their strength.

I can hardly say anything about this book that I haven’t already mentioned in the review of the first book. “Rebellion” is taken to a whole new level of epicness. There are so many twists and turns that lead to the astounding finale with a cliffhanger that will leave you yearning for the continuation of the series.

Also stay tuned because I will be interviewing J.D. Netto on August 3rd at 7 p.m. EST. More details will be up soon.

Also if you want to learn things about the new books first you can subscribe to info@jdnetto.com by sending an e-mail.

                                                           My rating:                                           5 out of 5 stars

The Whispers Of The Fallen by J.D. Netto + GIVEAWAY

Guess what time is it? It's REVIEW time. This time around, I am reviewing a book I have talked about in the last week - "The Whispers Of The Fallen" by J.D. Netto.

So, a little back-story: I received this book as a review copy Untreed Reads a while back. The moment I started this book, I didn't want to put it down.

To start off, you shouldn't know too much about the book before you start it. It will be more interesting to enter this alternative, fantasy world. The less you know, the better. All you need to know is what is written in the synopsis.

Ever since the dawn of days, rumors about the Diary of Lucifer echoed throughout Elysium. Hidden from all human knowledge, the Diary was kept a secret, locked away in the small village of Agalmath. Isaac and Demetre find themselves in a dangerous journey as they uncover the truth about the Diary and its guardians. However, for Isaac and Demetre, danger lies at every step, hidden in the most unexpected places. Hunted by the Nephilins and the Fallen Stars, they must find others who will join them in the battle against the coming darkness. Thus begins The Whispers of the Fallen, a new series of epic fantasy for readers of all ages.

I do not even know where to start. The book is astounding. The plot so well thought-out and you can easily see that starting with the characters. There is NOT a single character that is not necessary for the story. Everyone has a purpose to serve. That is what I really appreciate because in other books you get too many excess ones who just bore you to death. The story-line was straight with many, unexpected twists and turns and makes your jaw hit the floor. And don't think things come down until the end because this book finishes on a huge cliffhanger that will leave you craving for the next book.

As I said every character is there to serve his/hers purpose. The main one - Isaac is just so easy to relate to. You feel the same things he is feeling. For instance, he is so confused at the beginning and that confusion is shared by the reader too. This is what really one of the many things the book shines with.

Another thing that I noticed are the descriptions and setting. They are just such a perfect match. Whenever you read a description it is short, exact and easily-imaginable. It just makes it effortless to envision what is going in the scene. This is what is also a plus point of the book.

And let's get to the pacing. I am not going to lie, this book is really fast-paced. This is not an exaggeration of any kind. There is something that occurs on every, single page. Like, so many things happen until the end of the book so that you almost forget what had happened at the beginning. For some people this might be a bummer, but personally for me, it is a really good thing. 

One thing I did found a little strange was the dialogue. It is not bad by no means but the thing that was weird was it was formal. The characters just use complex words and sentences 99% of the time. It is really what the book stands out with. 

In addition, the thing I least expected happened around the middle. The point of view changed into the villain's one. It so rare to see what is going inside the evil guy's head. It was really intriguing to see that on the page.

Funny story: I was on the subway, travelling to my German course and I was reading the book. At some point I heard a name of a station that is 5 stops away from the one I had to get down off. On the good side of things I had doubled the reading time of the bad. On the bad one - I was late for the course but it's good they were still checking the homework(which I had done) so I hadn't missed much.

To conclude, "The Whispers Of The Fallen" is an astonishing, fast-paced, gripping read which will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is the perfect match between action, mystery and fantasy. The writing is so good that it will not allow you to stop reading until you have reached the last page.

                                                           My Rating:

                                    5 out of 5 stars

Also a bit about the author:

J.D.Netto (Jorge de Oliveira Netto) is brazilian-born. Raised in Framingham, MA, J.D.Netto always had an eye for epic fantasy and story-telling. At an early age, he had the habit of locking himself in his room, turning on any soundtrack he could find, and there he would write for hours.During his senior year in High School, J.D.Netto had an idea that changed his life, 'What if Lucifer had a Diary? What if the Diary was a secret? What if the secret was a reality?' These simple questions led him to write for six consecutive years, researching, perfecting his craft, and creating the world of Elysium. All the promotional visuals for the series were designed by J.D.Netto, proving that he is not only a writer, but an innovative visual designer.

Make sure to let me know if you have read the book or if you like my review in the comment section down below. Also If you like my blog please subscribe to it, I really appreciate it.


Also, I am hosting a giveaway of two e-book copies of the book.

Enter here:

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This giveaway is international. Two winners will be chosen and receive a digital copy of the book. Winners have 48 hours to answer the email I will send them. If they don't, another winner will be chosen. All the winners are chosen by random.

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

As the release date of Opposition is almost here, I decided to do a review of Obsidian. So many people raved about how good this book is and I decided to finally pick it up. It was my first Jennifer L. Armentrout book.

Book summary: 

Starting over sucks. That is definitely the feeling inside Katy when she is forced to move into the deep countryside of West Virginia from Florida. The last thing she expected was to meet Daemon Black. He is more different than any boy Katy has ever met. He's arrogant, stab-worthy and very handsome. Despit this fact Katy is determined to stay away from him... Until the night everything changes, that is.

Katy is your typical teenager when we first see her, She's kind of angry for moving to this remote town in the middle of nowhere. At the beginning of the book you find out that she is a book blogger. That's what made me fond of her. When she meets Daemon, she doesn't know what she feels - he's sexy but at the same time arrogant. As the story goes on you get to see a lot of character development in both of them. Katy is very stubborn, a cliche, even with the whole I-don't-believe-in-supernatural stuff. She made some decisions which I thought were extremely stupid and and very teenage and then it hit me. Of course she is going to act like this, she IS a teenager. This is where the author shines. The characters are so believable and realistic and make you relate to them. 

Daemon on the other side was the more mature one... most of the time. He was acting weird at times but he almost always knew what was right.

The plot is just very interesting as well. The aliens are not presented as these super-violent creatures who want to kill every human. No, in fact they are peaceful and lay low. As time passes you get to see the back-story of Daemon and what he is. The revelations are presented very well and everything was very-well developed. The side supporting characters are also developed.

The writing as I mentioned was extremely good. The author did what I enjoy most - make me feel what the characters feel and relate to them. The descriptions were so easy to imagine. The novel was very well-paced and was way better than I expected. 

In short, Obsidian was a riveting read, which will make you read without stopping and make you forget about work and problems. It's a gripping novel that grabs you from the beginning and does not let you go until the very last word... and then you're left craving for the next book.

I want to point out that I also read both - the Bulgarian and the English version of this book. Egmont Bulgaria was kind enough to translate this awesome series in Bulgarian. The translation is almost perfect with a few mistakes here and there but that is because I got the first print of the book. I am so thankful to the publisher.

Updade 1: Bulgarian review coming out on August 15th.

                                                                  My rating: 

                                                            

                                                            5 out of 5 stars

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins Review - No spoilers

As the movie is only a few months away I decided now it's the best time to write a review of the book. "Mockingjay" is the third novel in "The Hunger Games" series and it's the conclusion of it.

The book is the definitely the darkest one in the series. In it you get to study even deeper the effects of the games over Katniss a.k.a. PTSD and paranoia. She is still the tough girl we met a while back but only more careful and mature. She tries to take after her friends and family like never before and yet she is not capable to fully protect them from The Capitol. She suffers and tortures herself from the fact she hadn't been able to keep Peeta safe.

She becomes a symbol for the rebels and tries her best not to fall apart in front of everyone that counts on her. Due to the 1st person point of view we're able to find out what she really feels and get to relate to her. This POV though, feels kind of limited. It would have been better if it were written in 3rd person's view or in a dual one. I just felt like I needed to see what really happens in the Capitol and see what's going on with Peeta. Fortunately, in the movie we will see what's been going on in the Capitol.

Honestly, I don't think I loved the book. I am not saying it was bad, by all means. It was a really good novel just love is not the right word. This book was the most severe one of the three. It had much more emotional depth and it was harder to read. It was a really fast-paced book and a few times I needed to stop reading and reconcile what had happened.

The author puts a few questions to wonder upon like if you should show mercy to those who haven't shown one to you or where would you draw the line and how far are you willing to go to save the ones you love.

This is not an anti-war book as some might think. At least I wouldn't say it is. Actually it tries to make us ask ourselves what justifies war and where we should draw the line. Not for us not to fight but to know exactly what's worth fighting for.

                                 “Fire is catching! And if we burn, you burn with us!”

Several main characters die. It hurt me while I was reading the scenes but I felt they were necessary. The last, several pages were the thing that made up for the entire intensity and heaviness worth it. I am not sure which is the right word for that but maybe bittersweet. It has this sort of message that lives still goes on even though we can't really imagine how it would.

Despite the fact many people think the ending was disappointing it wasn't to me. Actually, it is the thought that it's the end that does. I felt as if I had lost something after I read the last word. I am glad it ended the way it did because, honestly I can't think of a better way it could have been written.

“My name is Katniss Everdeen. I am seventeen years old. My home is District 12. I was in the Hunger Games. I escaped. The Capitol hates me. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.”
Overall, I felt this book was good but not as good as "Catching Fire" but still managed to be the epic conclusion I was expecting. It was an emotional ride that just ripped my heart out and was so fast-paced I barely got a chance to catch my breath.

The third movie hits theaters in November worldwide.

                                      My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars